1. Whats next for the Rays?
2nd place in the AL east. The Red Sox are a year older, but not a whole lot better. I think they'll be in the running all year long, but in the end Tampa's young players, centered on Longoria, who will be an MVP candidate, will be the difference between them and the Sox. The Rays have good pitching, and the mentality that can keep a team hungry all year long.
2. Can the Phillies defend their title?
Sure, they've got the talent. However, K-rod and Putz in the Mets pen means there probably won't be an epic choke job to hand the Phillies a playoff spot, so the pressure is on Rollins and Howard and the rest to win the division, as opposed to the Mets losing it again.
3. What impact will the Yankees spending spree have?
An AL east title, and probably a World Series appearance. Everybody wants to talk Sabbathia and Burnett, but the most important pickup was Texiera. Switch hitter, Gold glove caliber first baseman, and a nasty bat to protect the other hitters around him. 95 wins, in a great division race with two other possible playoff teams (Rays and Sox)
4. How will A-Rod's revealtions affect him and the Yankees?
Probably negatively, if seasons past give any indication. He's a head case, and between this hip injury garbage and the steroids scandal, i'm betting he doesn't hit his stride until mid may to early june. That being said, barring a serious injury, he'll get 40 hr's and 120 rbis. In that lineup, it'd be shocking if he didn't.
5. When will Manny sign?
Today, according to ESPN. (He's a jackass. Turning down 45 million dollars for two years of baseball because part of it was deferred? He's just another one of the morons who listens to his agent and ignores all other factors around him)
Just for fun, a few other predictions...
AL
East- Yankees
Central- Tigers
West- Mariners
WC - Rays
NL
East- Mets
Central- Cards
West- Dodgers
WC- Phillies
AL MVP- Mark Texiera, Yankees
NL MVP- Manny Ramirez, Dodgers
AL Cy Young- Josh Beckett, Red Sox
NL Cy Young- Branden Webb, D backs