Also, don't be surprised if the Orioles get a makeover with so many contract decisions on the horizon.
That said, it's a division in which it's easy to see any team winning in 2015. The Rays are the furthest away, but they've still got the foundation of a very good club.
OK, back to the power rankings:
1. Orioles
I can't quit them. First of all, they won the division by 12 games last season, and the two clubs that have improved the most -- Toronto and Boston -- finished 13 and 25 games out of the running, respectively.
They've both made up some ground, but not that much. The O's also have Chris Davis, Manny Machado and Matt Wieters returning, and their top prospect, Dylan Bundy, will compete for a rotation spot.
The Orioles would still like to re-sign Nick Markakis, if not Nelson Cruz. This also is where real life makes itself at home.
Davis, Wieters and Bud Norris are a year away from free agency, and with the payroll already projected to be significantly north of $100 million, it seems likely their names will all come up in trade discussions the next couple of months.
Regardless, this is a good team with a tremendous manager in Buck Showalter and one of the great clubhouse environments in baseball, led by Adam Jones and J.J. Hardy. The Orioles may take a step back without Cruz in the middle of their lineup, but they're still good enough to win.
On Hot Stove, Buck Showalter discusses winning the the AL Manager of the Year award
2. Blue Jays
Great lineups are built from the inside out. The Blue Jays have a foundation of Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Josh Donaldson, three players who combined for 98 home runs last season.
With Jose Reyes at the top of the order and Russell Martin somewhere in the mix, this is a group that can do some damage.
General manager Alex Anthopoulos must now decide if Brett Cecil is his closer, or if there's someone available who he could fit into the already climbing payroll. There's some uncertainty in the rotation as well. But like Baltimore, Toronto is good enough to win right now.
Josh Donaldson discusses hearing about the trade and joining a potent lineup that includes Jose Bautista
3. Red Sox
They're two moves away from being ranked No. 1. Those two moves are Cole Hamels and Jon Lester. Hey, if it were easy, everyone would do it.
General manager Ben Cherington appears to have the organizational depth to trade for one starter, and he certainly has the deep pockets to get another in free agency. But the market for Lester is so hot that it'll come down to where he wants to pitch.
If the Red Sox don't land Lester, they'll probably make a move for Max Scherzer and/or James Shields. Both would add quality innings and a veteran presence to their rotation. Acquiring Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez gives manager John Farrell so many lineup options that his challenge could be in sorting out the pieces -- those that aren't traded.
MLB.com's Richard Justice breaks down the Red Sox's busy offseason so far and discusses potential moves the club could still make
4. Yankees
Tick, tick, tick. Does anyone else hear crickets? OK, OK, the Yankees aren't asleep at the switch.
They're focused on Chase Headley, Brandon McCarthy and a shortstop. If they can do those three things, they'll feel plenty good about themselves heading into Spring Training.
Regardless of what they do, they probably must have healthy, productive seasons from Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia to compete. Only time will tell how much those guys still have left in the tank, so there's going to be some uncertainty surrounding this team, regardless of what else general manager Brian Cashman does.
Matt Waymire and Jim Duquette discuss CC Sabathia's offseason efforts as the Yankees lefty looks to bounce back in 2015
5. Rays
They're good enough to be competitive despite the departures of top baseball executive Andrew Friedman and manager Joe Maddon. Their rotation is solid. Evan Longoria, James Loney and Ben Zobrist are still in the lineup. But Tampa Bay has a daunting task in continuing the winning culture without Maddon and in adding to a lineup that was 27th in runs last season.
Richard Justice is a columnist for MLB.com. Read his blog, Justice4U. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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