AL East

From a hardcore Red Sox lifer and armchair Orioles fan (gotta love that Camden Yards), I am a Buck Showalter admirer. Heck, I think he's the best thing to happen for that team since Albert Belle retired.

The results for the Birds after he took the helm last year speak for themselves. Not only did he turn around what would have been an abysmal season, Buck actually got his young crew playing like October meant something other than golf and Xbox 360.

I’m getting dizzy from all the spinning the New York Yankees are doing on catching prospects Jesus Montero and, to a lesser extent, Austin Romine. In case you missed it, both were dismissed to the minor leagues after each failed miserably during spring training.

The first month of the fantasy season is perhaps the most crucial. 

Getting off to a good start is very important for postseason seeding.  A manager with the top fantasy seed in Yahoo! formats, for example, normally need to win only one game to make it to the finals. 

I'll show you how to make the finals and get in the money by getting your team cracking early.  The fantasy picks in this slideshow, though, could hinder your start.

Let’s stop the hindrance.  Start the show...

BOSTON RED SOX

Last Year: 89-73, 3rd in AL East

Manager: Terry Francona 

PROJECTED LINEUP: 

C- Jarrod Saltalamacchia (S)

1B- Adrian Gonzalez (L)

2B- Dustin Pedroia (R)

3B- Kevin Youkilis (R) 

SS- Marco Scutaro (R)

LF- Carl Crawford (L)

CF- Jacoby Ellsbury (L)

RF- JD Drew (L) 

DH- David Ortiz (L) 

It's time to call a spade a spade with the state of Jonathan Papelbon: He either soon finds a way to get the "giddy-up" back on his fastball or his struggles on the mound will likely cost him his job during the 2011 season. With setup relievers Daniel Bard and Bobby Jenks available, the team is unlikely to let Papelbon keep imploding like he did last year.

For the fourth time in five years, the Blue Jays played over .500 baseball.  They finished 85-77 in 2010 after a promising start.

They also flat-out pounded the ball.  Led by Jose Bautista's MLB leading 54 home runs, Toronto led the majors in dingers with 257.

The Jays traded Vernon Wells and his hefty contract to the Angels.  They then turned around and gave Bautista a five year, $65 million deal.

In 2008, the Pittsburgh Pirates traded a "utility" third baseman named Jose Bautista to the Toronto Blue Jays for a backup catcher. It took him a couple seasons, but the former utilityman rocketed to become a team mainstay.

Every year since 1949, the most standout first-year player from each league has been awarded the Rookie of the Year Award.  More often than not, receiving this award is a result of a young player tearing onto the major league scene as if he had already been playing there for years.  

Some teams have had many players bring home the honor, and some have yet to earn one.  However, whether he received recognition or not, every team has had at least one player with an amazing rookie campaign.  

The Yankees just can’t catch a break.

After dealing with an ailing Joba Chamberlain, Sergio Mitre and Greg Golson this spring, the oblique strain is back and is now affecting key player Curtis Granderson.

The right muscle strain caused the hitter to be scratched from the lineup on Tuesday and may deprive Granderson of participating in Opening Day on Thursday against his former team, the Detroit Tigers.

Boston Red Sox baseball is a mere five days away, but before the season starts, it'll be good for Red Sox fans everywhere to catch up on their history.

The Red Sox have a lengthy past, as they were part of the American League's eight original teams in 1901. With that long history comes a very detailed record of trades and transactions.

I've been tasked to present 10 of the most maligned deals, and here they are.