SPRING IS IN THE AIR
by: Tom Freese
As major league baseball players make their way to their Spring Training complexes the steroid issue is front and center as Alex Rodriguez has confessed to taking a banned substance. This is not the news the Yankees wanted to hear as they prepare to open their new stadium. The Bombers went on a spending spree and appear to have a very potent offense. The bigger news for New York is that they added pitchers C.C Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. Sabathia is the real deal but I would have some concerns about how Burnett will handle New York. Boston made two significant moves. First they signed catcher Jason Varitek who the pitchers swear by. His bat is not what it once. The other move was signing veteran pitcher John Smoltz. He will be a big help to some of the younger pitchers. Back to the streroids the Red Sox appear appear to be clean. With all that has just been said it was Tampa Bay the went to the World Series last year with a low payroll. It looks to be a three horse race in AL East in 2009.