AL EAST	W	L	GB	L10	STK	E#
Boston Red Sox	17	9	-	6-4	W1	--
Tampa Bay Devil Rays	13	15	5.0	5-5	W2	131
Toronto Blue Jays	13	15	5.0	5-5	L3	131
New York Yankees	11	14	5.5	3-7	W2	132
Baltimore Orioles	12	16	6.0	1-9	L4	130

Yankees 4, Rangers 3. It is strange that the Yankees could have such a pivotal game so early in the season against the Rangers. Of course, it is easier when facing a rookie manager that intentionally walks Jason Giambi to face Hideki Matsui in the 8th inning. Huh? We know he is a rookie manager, but hasn't he watched baseball in the last 3-4 years. Matsui does one thing very well. He drives in runs. He has a knack for it. The Great Mariano seems to be settling down also, which is not good for the rest of the AL East. He converted his second straight save, but we knew that was bound to happen.

Yankees 5, Rangers 2. The Yanks can make up a lot of ground if they were able to play double-headers against the Rangers every day. Mike Mussina only worked 5 innings, but he only gave up 1 run and the bullpen held on.

Red Sox 8, Mariners 7.Manny Ramirez is an idiot-savant. He knows one thing and he knows it real well. He hits. He hits baseballs. And he hits them very hard.Manny hit two home runs including the game-winner in the 8th. That should scare the Yankees more than anything. The Red Sox have a huge lead and Manny is just starting to be Manny.

Indians 6, Blue Jays 5. Remember in the off-season when the Jays spent a lot of money and all the pundits predicted they would contend with the Sox and the Yankees. Ha! They are still the Jays, and once again it proves that just because you write big checks does not mean you automatically win more games. Next time maybe invest in players that won't break down three weeks in to the season.

NOTE FROM AROUND THE AL EAST...

• The poor Evil Empire. This is what happens when your entire roster is made up of 37 year old players that make $16 million per season. They are old and they are fragile and they get cranky when if they don't get their afternoon naps. The Yankees were forced to call up two more starting pitchers from the minors and when they make their first starts, New York will be the first team to ever use 10 different starting pitchers in the first 30 games of the season.
  
• Bob Ryan makes a case for the Red Sox going after Roger Clemens or another pitcher. We can't see it this year unless somebody comes up lame. Right now Julian "i'm craaaazy" Tavarez is there 5th starter, but they won't need him in the playoffs. The rest of the rotation looks to be fine.
• Of course bullpen help might be a different story. The Sox placed Mike Timlin on the DL.
• The lack of hitting may not be "driving O's batty", but their pitching should be driving them bat-shit crazy. The worst thing for us yesterday? The O's didn't play so we couldn't write about them losing again.