WELCOME TO THE FIFTH INSTALLMENT OF TRIPPING OLNEY’S 2013 MLB SEASON PREDICTIONS.

TEAMS ARE LISTED IN ORDER OF PREDICTED FINISH WITHIN THEIR DIVISION.  THERE WILL ALSO BE A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF EACH CLUB.

TODAY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST. THIS WAS THE TOUGHEST DIVISION IN BASEBALL TO PREDICT BECAUSE I’M REALLY HIGH TODAY.

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST:

NEW YORK YANKEES

THE HEART OF THE 2013 YANKEE ORDER

–          THE YANKEES ARE OLD AND FRAGILE (AND OLD) BUT THEY ARE MY PICK TO WIN THE EAST BECAUSE DEREK JETER. MARK TEIXEIRA’S INJURY MAY SEEM LIKE A SETBACK AT FIRST BUT THE HOPE IS THAT ONCE HE RETURNS HE’LL BE READY TO BURST OUT OF THE STARTING GATES AND LEAVE EVERYONE IN HIS DUST. LITERALLY. NEIGH.

TAMPA BAY RAYS

JOE MADDON THANKS THE RAYS’ LONE SEASON TICKET HOLDER

–         THE RAYS WILL DO WELL THIS YEAR AS LONG AS FERNANDO RODNEY IS NOT CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HUNGER GAMES. UNFORTUNATELY, EITHER WAY, THE ONLY PERSON WHO WILL SEE THE RAYS PLAY THIS YEAR IS DICK VITALE.

MIAMI BLUE JAYS

R.A. DICKEY UPON LEARNING THAT THE METS HAVE TRADED HIM

–          THE BLUE JAYS ARE HEAVILY FAVORED TO MAKE THE POSTSEASON THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEY ACQUIRED ALL THE PLAYERS THAT MADE THE MARLINS HEAVILY FAVORED TO MAKE THE POSTSEASON LAST YEAR.

BOSTON RED SOX

THE RED SOX SPRING TRAINING COMPLEX

–          THE KENTUCKY DERBY WILL BE A HUGE TEST FOR JOHN LACKEY’S HEALTH BUT IF HE MAKES IT THROUGH OKAY HE COULD HAVE A DECENT SEASON FOR THE RED SOX. I’M PUTTING THEM FOURTH BECAUSE ANYBODY IS AN UPGRADE OVER BOBBY VALENTINE.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

THIS MAN WILL BE VITAL TO THE ORIOLES THIS SEASON. NO, REALLY. THIS GUY.

–          THE ENTIRE 2012 ORIOLES SEASON WAS JUST ONE BIZARRE ACID TRIP, RIGHT? LIKE, THAT DIDN’T ACTUALLY HAPPEN? THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT.