The AL East Roundup:

AL EAST	W	L	GB	L10	STK	E#
Boston Red Sox	16	8	–	7-3	W1	—
Toronto Blue Jays	13	12	3.5	5-5	W2	135
Baltimore Orioles	12	14	5.0	3-7	L2	133
Tampa Bay Devil Rays	11	14	5.5	5-5	W1	133
New York Yankees	9	14	6.5	2-8	L1	133

Tigers 8, Orioles 4. Another day and another loss for the O’s. Last night’s debacle makes it 7 of 8 for Baltimore. While Oriole losses bring smiles to our little faces, this one we can empathize with. Baltimore pitchers walked 8 batters and threw 2 wild pitches. ouch.

Blue Jays 6, Rangers 1. Roy Halladay pitched a complete game. How rare is that these days, especially this early in the season? There are 20 teams that are yet to have a pitcher throw a complete game. Roy Halladay? HE HAS TWO! If Halladay wins the Cy Young this season, the Jays will look like geniuses. If Halladay is on the DL by the all-star break? well, oops.

NOTES FROM AROUND THE AL EAST…

• General George S. Steinbrenner released his missive yesterday, and while he is not happy with the team, Joe Torre and Brian Cashman have his support.

It is time to put excuses and talk away. It is time to see if people are ready to step up and accept their responsibilities. It is time for all of them to show me and the fans what they are made of. Let’s get going. Let’s go out and win and bring a world championship back to New York. That’s what I want.- George Steinbrenner

• It is Boston’s other Japanese import that is causing the Yankees grief.
• The benches cleared last night in the O’s/Tigers matchup after the ultra-sensitive Miguel Tejada thought an inside pitch was a little too close.
• Jaret Wright. $3 million well-spent. It is May 1, and Wright is beginning his second stint on the DL, already.
• Gustavo Chacin is latest Blue Jay to hit the DL.
• Tampa Jesuit graduate, Dave Magadan, has the Red Sox hitting on all cylinders.

AL East Roundup: Yankees Can’t Get Out Of Thir Own Way

AL EAST	W	L	GB	L10	STK	E#
Toronto Blue Jays	3	2	–	3-2	W2	—
Boston Red Sox	3	3	0.5	3-3	W1	157
Tampa Bay Devil Rays	2	3	1.0	2-3	L2	157
New York Yankees	2	3	1.0	2-3	L1	157
Baltimore Orioles	2	4	1.5	2-4	W1	156

Orioles 6, Yankees 4. The Boss is getting ready to make some heads roll. After splitting a season-opening series against the Devil Rays, the Yankees turned around and lost 2 of 3 to the O’s. All at Yankee Stadium. Alex Rodriguez hit his third home run in 2 games and fourth of the year to give the Yanks a lead in the first inning. However, in the eighth, with Bobby Abreu on first, down by two, A-Rod was only able to draw a walk. Yankees fan can now resume their natural hatred of the best hitter in baseball.

Red Sox 3, Rangers 2.Big Papi supplied all the offense with a solo home run and a 2-run shot. Curt Schilling rebounded rfom his poor opening day start to go seven strong innings and pick up the win. As far as we know, JD Drew still had all his limbs intact after the game, although Red Sox fans shouldn’t feel safe until he is tucked in bed tonight.

NOTES FROM AROUND THE AL EAST…

• The Yankees Hideki Matsui was placed on the DL with a strained hamstring. That is the second outfielder for the Yankees to miss action already this season. GM Brian Cashman has stated that they will not invite Bernie Williams to play this season, but we could see George Steinbrenner smacking Cashman around a little bit and telling him to go find Bernie.
• Buster Olney points out that in Kei Igawa’s major league debut, he threw 26 pitches that were not fastballs. Of the 26, there was only 1 called strike and nobody swung and missed. So far Yankees starting pitchers have pitched 21.2 innings in 5 games and given up 36 hits and a 9.97 era. That’s DevilRays-esque.
• While the Yankees starters are struggling in the cold weather, the answer to those problems could lie in the arm of AAA right hander Phillip Hughes, one of the best pitching prospects in baseball. Yes, the Yankees do occasionally develop their own talent, and sometimes they even decide not to trade them.
• Joe Torre is not worried about the pitching. But you can tell he is starting to stir a bit.
• We don’t need no stinkin’ graph to tell us that Mo Rivera is the Yankees most valuable player.
• The Red Sox offense is struggling. Before Sunday’s 2-home run performance, the Red Sox had one home run as a team.
• The Orioles placed catcher Ramon Hernandez on the DL, with a strained oblique.
• Camden Yards got a little bit of an off-season make-over.
• Leo Mazzone is trying to rediscover his Atlanta Braves’ magic. Maybe trading for Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine will help.