Lee Lowenfish

Apr 09, 2010 4:33 PM EDT

It's certainly a logical prediction that there won't be any MLB team emerging to unseat the usual World Series suspects. But it would at least be heartening if the Yankees and Red Sox approach to assembling a contender with their off-season shopping prowess is put to the test. And thus far, it looks as though the Orioles may prove to an upstart that could have a significant impact on the outcome of the widely predicted two-team tussle for AL East bragging rights. If early results are any indicator, it appears that the Twins might have the right stuff establish themselves as a small-market contender for the crown.
I agree with your comments on the DH, although it almost seems a moot point despite the strange disparity it produces in contemporary World Series match-ups. But the trend toward an emphasis on defense and speed as vital elements of the game in both leagues is a positive factor that bespeaks a realization that those elements make baseball a more strategically dynamic sport than the three-run homer tactic that has dominated AL play for so many seasons.

- Richard Tedesco