American League East News

As the baseball world gets ready to kick off Spring Training, so do we here at BoSox Injection.

Much to the disarray of Orioles fans, Kevin Gregg will not be returning to the closer role this season.

Well, at least it's been a nice, quiet offseason for the Orioles. Let's see, all they've done is overhaul the roster, tinker with the notion of pursuing disgraced steroid-cheat Manny Ramirez , trade their most experienced starter in Jeremy Guthrie and nearly touch off an international incident with South Korea's professional baseball league.

Many variables with come into play when determining the final group of teams to play in October, but for now, these are the clubs that have the pieces in place to contend this season.

It has become fashionable for pundits to pick on the Red Sox for their lack of action in free agency this off-season. For instance, Jon Heyman threw out the theory that ownership's attention to Liverpool is the reason Boston hasn't spent big this off-season . Red Sox brass quickly shot down Heyman's perspective, saying the Red Sox and Liverpool are ... (more)

The New York Yankees will enter the 2012 season as relatively heavy favorites for the American League East title.

Epstein Compensation . Nick Cafardo runs through potential compensation options for the Red Sox from the Cubs for Theo Epstein .

Manager Joe Maddon has been back on U.S. soil for a week after his European vacation and headed to Tampa Bay, set to formally complete his three-year contract extension this week and start preparing for the season.

An offseason filled with turmoil and change has done nothing to alter the high expectations that the Boston Red Sox have.

Ross is Ready . I like the addition of Cody Ross . He's a gritty player - who can handle all three outfield positions.

For the first time in a long while the major moves in baseball were not made in the American League East.

The baseball season is just around the corner. Teams have made big changes and everyone is getting set to try and win the World Series.

No one expects A-Rod to stay healthy this year. Bill James and Fans only project him to start 134 and 130 respectively, and Roto Champ is even more pessimistic, projecting him at a mere 470 PAs.

The Baltimore Orioles made their second free agent signing in two days, inking reliever Luis Ayala to a one-year deal.A Ayala gets a major league deal worth $825,000 next season which also includes a $1 million options for 2013.

News broke the last few days that the Pirates and Yankees were in talks about making a trade involving A.J. Burnett.

After missing the playoffs in 2010, the Red Sox were on a mission to ensure they would be in the postseason in 2011.

When looking back at last year's Orioles , the one thing that stuck out to Cal Ripken, Jr.

So it was hardly a surprise inside the Mohegan Sun casino on Friday - at the Connecticut Sports Foundation's annual charity dinner to benefit cancer research - that the new manager of the Boston Red Sox offered very little, especially when it comes to who is now his biggest rival.

The AL East is home to 3 really good and potentially great teams, anoter decent team on the rise and a laughingstock that's less likely to make the playoffs than any other MLB team.

Ayala, 34, is familiar with the American League East having pitched for the New York Yankees last season.