Via the AP:

Others, including New York Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner, are taking notice of the increased competition in the division, where Tampa Bay has finished last nine of 10 seasons since beginning play in 1998.

“I said that before the season started, the American League East is going to be great and it’s only going to get better,” said Steinbrenner, who lives in nearby Tampa.

“The Rays are going to keep getting better. The Jays will always be tough. The Orioles will get better, they’re already getting better. It’s not just going to be us and the Red Sox in the future. It’s going to be the best division in baseball.”

You want to know when the last time the A.L. East was really tight with a lot of teams in the action? That was probably 1988. And, that was probably the only time that the A.L. East had several teams in the mix during the same season. It will be interesting to see if Hank’s prediction – which many share – comes true.