Baseball

[smc]

With hockey and now basketball done, and not withstanding World Cup fever, it's time to bump up the baseball thread and get the discussion going again.

In the AL East, where my team (GO RED SOX!!) resides, things have gotten very interesting. The expected decline of the Blue Jays (sorry, shadows), who held third place for a while, has happened, but not to the extent expected. They have suffered more from the good play of their division rivals. Meanwhile, the Red Sox -- who looked "done" early -- have surged, thanks in large part to David Ortiz coming alive after a dismal April, and also to some very good pitching despite losing Beckett and Matzusaka. The Yankees continue to go strong, but not as strong, and the Rays can't seem to keep up the amazing start from April. So, waking up this morning, we find the Rays and Yankees tied for first place but with the Sox only one game behind.