How will this year's Orioles stack up in the AL East?

Was last year's hot start a fluke, or a sign of what the team is capable of?

Will the subtractions of Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro help the team?

Did the team do enough in the offseason to become more competitive and stay in the race with the giants of the division longer this season?

Or is this the season that the Devil Rays improve enough to send the Orioles into the cellar?

Interested in your thoughts. Post them here.

Sosa being gone is a help; as it turns out so is Palmeiro being gone since the scandal.

O's will have a hard time getting 3rd place, maybe even 4th, unless several pitchers have breakout, career years. I do not have much hope since they are in a powerful division. I have more hope for the 'Skins.

Last years start- definitely a fluke. I don't think they'll be better than 4th after the 1st month and stay there
the rest of the year

Its has to help not having the distraction and neither of those guys did anything last year anyway so its not like they'll be hard to replace this year

NO! benson is a stiff! Millar, Conine both good clubhouse guys that are on the last legs of their careers.
Javy to 1st is going to be a disaster! tejada is slowing down in the field and at the plate this spring.
Hopefully he'll come around. Patterson? 5th OF at best on any other team. Praying that chris ray can close the entire season is a HUGE gamble. Best move of the offseason was getting Mazzone. he'll need a year or 2 to get this staff turned around and probably a couple new arms. No way can they compete in the AL east and Tampa should be much improved. I wouldn't be shocked to see the O's in 5th when all is said and done.
My guess 70-75 wins this year