The top 3 teams are in the AL East

[slugger33]

The Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays are the most complete teams in MLB. Anyone disagree?

[blacksilverfan12]

How 'bout the team that beat the Rays, the Phillies? I think the Rays will regress this year. 80-85 wins for them

[RuthMayBond]

The Los Angeles / Anaheim / California Angels might disagree

[Yankees2k6]

The Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays are the most complete teams in MLB. Anyone disagree?

Nope, and it's a shame one of those teams have to miss the playoffs.

[TheMadDog31]

The Los Angeles / Anaheim / California Angels might disagree

They lost their all-star closer and one of the best first basemen in the game. They also lost Garland, who knows how Ervin Santana is going to be, and let's see if Lackey can stay either healthy or consistent. Vlad says he's okay, but we'll have to wait and see.

Besides, they have collapsed against the Red Sox in the postseason for the past two seasons.

[Seattle1]

I would put teh Philadelphia Phillies in the top 3.

[spark240]

Nope, and it's a shame one of those teams have to miss the playoffs.

It's a shame two of them can get in. If those really were the best teams in baseball (not sure about that), it would be most awesome to watch them fight for one playoff spot.

[slugger33]

I would put teh Philadelphia Phillies in the top 3.
Yes, but what about the rotation, and will the bullpen hold up?

[RuthMayBond]

Nope, and it's a shame one of those teams have to miss the playoffs.
At least one of those teams

[willshad]

Ummm Mets?

[STLCards2]

I don't see how the Rays will regress. Most of their young players had down offensive years last year. Expect big improvement from Upton, Longoria, and Crawford. They picked up a big bat in Burrell, and will have Percival back and healthy. Their young and talented pitching staff keeps getting older and better as well.

They might not make it out of the ALE whcih is intense, but I would put my money on the Rays winning any other division in baseball.

My top 7 teams:

1. Yankees
2. Rays
3. Mets
4. Red Sox
5. Cubs
6. Philies
7. Angels

[Zagi-CRO]

Top three teams right now are:

1. New York Yankees
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Boston RedSox

then
Tampa Rays
Philadelphia Phillies
New York Mets
Los Angeles Angels

[Westlake]

I'd put it...

1. Yankees
2. Rays
3. Cubs
4. Red Sox

[Imgran]

Cubs need to prove something in the postseason. They're also somewhat lacking in the OBP department and their leadoff hitter is as unsuited to leadoff as it is possible to be and still have speed.

Red Sox
Rays
Yankees (The team that defines success by playoff wins got itself a playoff no-show two consecutive years as its high priced free agent ace, great move guys!)

All the players the Yankees got are better than the guys they replaced, but not by so much as all that. After all, even if they weren't expected to repeat them Abreu, Giambi and Mussina, while all declining players, had statistically excellent years last year.

Their real gain is in depth of the rotation. That's worth something. But what it comes down to is the third place team making up the gap with a much better #1 and #2 team in their division.

As for the Rays, I wouldn't count on them to repeat their performance next year. The're much too much at the mercy of J. P. Howell and Grant Balfour for that.

[gman5431]

Well i guess i'm old school but i would put the Phillies # 1 because they did, if you noticed, win the World Series last year. But thats just me. I would put the team that played, the Rays # 2 but i also wouldnt be suprised by a regression this year. Would put the Red Sox or Mets # 3. I agree the Angels have something to prove with what they lost but they have always been able to do it so i wouldnt count them out.

G Man