Toronto Blue Jays
This much won't change: The Jays are young and looking up at the rest of the division, at least temporarily. Toronto endured a freakish string of injuries last season and fell to fifth place, but recent history tells a different story. Over the last seven years, neither Baltimore nor Tampa Bay has had a single season with a .500 record
Toronto has had four winning teams over the same span, but it will take some lucky breaks to earn a fifth. And first or second place seems to be off the itinerary, at least for the immediate future. The Yankees and Red Sox are taking their rivalry to new places, if not leaving the division hopelessly behind.
"It's fun, playing against the best, but it's tough," said Vernon Wells, Toronto's center fielder. "Sometimes, no matter what you do, you still may not win. That's because they can roll out a lineup and a rotation of All-Stars."
The Jays can't boast that, but they do have a young and improving core of veterans. Wells has won both the Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger Awards, cementing his spot as one of the most talented all-around players in the league. He headlines the youth movement -- Toronto has five starters aged 28 or under.