Opening Day is here. It was delayed by a week because of the lockout, but nevertheless it is here. The Rays get to host the festivities instead of going on the road, so maybe that is a win for local fans.
Last year the Rays cruised to their second consecutive American League East division title thanks to taking care of business against the lowly Baltimore Orioles. They went 18-1 while the New York Yankees went 11-8, the Boston Red Sox went 13-6, and the Toronto Blue Jays went 14-5. Any team able to get 15+ victories against the overmatched club from Baltimore will have a big advantage.