Because of the temperature outside, it may be hard to believe, but Major League Baseball is… Because of the temperature outside, it may be hard to believe, but Major League Baseball is officially back.

I guess baseball returned last Tuesday when the Yankees and Devil Rays opened up in Tokyo, but to me, it has officially returned Sunday, since games are now being played on American soil

Even though the weather is still very frigid, the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles opened up their season Sunday night in Baltimore. That means baseball is here to stay for the next six months.

Even though off-season changes will make this season exciting, it is too early to tell who is going to win the World Series, but based on Sunday?s game in Baltimore, it has become a little clearer that it is possible that all of the teams in the American League East, the best division in baseball, will compete for playoff spots.

The New York Yankees, along with the Red Sox, are currently the front-runners in the American League East. I am convinced that the team that wins the wild card spot for the playoffs will come from this division. And it is not too far-fetched for another team in the East other than Yankees or Red Sox to at least secure the wild card spot.

Both teams made big moves during the off-season, but there is one trade in particular that caused turmoil within the team?s organization and may become a hindrance to the team?s success. Boston made a lot of noise trying to acquire former Texas Rangers? shortstop Alex Rodriguez, while it still had All-Star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra in the fold.

Garciaparra has been a steady producer on offense and arguably one of the better defensive shortstops in baseball. He has also been the face of the Red Sox over the past seven seasons. When you think about the Boston Red Sox of today, Garciaparra is probably one of the first names that come to mind. To him, it was completely disrespectful for the Red Sox to try to push him out the door.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, on the other hand, was intelligent enough to make it work out so that none of his players? senses of confidence or ego were hurt in the process. He traded for Rodriguez and left current All-Star Derek Jeter at shortstop while moving Rodriguez to third base.

Instead of Boston?s organization using its brain, you have Red Sox first basemen Kevin Millar, who?s unproven and nowhere near the ability of Garciaparra, appearing on SportsCenter saying that he would rather have Rodriguez on his team than Garciaparra. That was clearly insensitive and has to hurt Garciaparra deep down.

Garciaparra will start the season on the disabled list, so once he returns to the lineup, it will be clear whether or not this team is going anywhere this season. I just do not see this team putting up the same offensive numbers that they put up last season. Too many of these players are unproven ? such as Millar and the 2003 American League batting champion Bill Mueller.

If Sunday night was any indication of how Boston?s season will go this year, then it is in trouble. In Boston?s 7-2 loss to the Orioles on Sunday, the Red Sox stranded two runners on base on several occasions.

The Orioles are a team that Boston and New York should be concerned about. They have a young pitching staff that is up and coming, and they had two key acquisitions in the off-season ? former Atlanta Braves catcher Javy Lopez and former Oakland Athletics shortstop Miguel Tejada. Along with first baseman Rafael Palmeiro for his second stint in Baltimore, the Orioles could cause some trouble for the Red Sox and Yankees.

Baltimore probably will not compete for the division, but it will have a say in which team is the A.L. East Champion. The Toronto Blue Jays, behind the strong pitching of Roy Halladay and the slugging of Carlos Delgado, are also legitimate contenders, and if Boston and New York are not careful, one of these teams may get the wild card spot and may even steal the division.

Kevin Nash is the assistant sports editor for The Pitt News.