On far too many pitches this year, Dustin Moseley has had to turn around, watch, and pray.

American League East

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles have lost their division lead to the Boston Red Sox and are now hitting the road. Through Sunday they had played the most home games in all of baseball and posted a dazzling 9-4 record in those games. Now they begin a road trip that includes stops at Seattle and Chicago. This road trip will determine whether the team will hang with the big dogs in the East of sink to the bottom with the Tampa Bay Rays. Either way, young and inconsistent starting pitchers such as Daniel Cabrera, Jeremy Guthrie, Adam Loewen, and Brian Burres will be tested.

Boston Red Sox

This club is absolutely rolling right now; they have won nine of their last 10 games, and it has a lot to do with David Ortiz. The Sox got off to a slow. 5-6 start as Ortiz started the season with just three hits in his first 43 at-bats. Now it seems he is seeing the ball well and driving it through the right side defensive shifts. He kept an inning alive on Sunday when he beat out a deep single in the second base hole. He later scored, and the team went on to score four runs in the inning to defeat the Texas Rangers 6-5. He had 10 runs batted in during the four-game sweep.

New York Yankees

The days seem numbered for Mike Mussina. Apparently majority owner Hank Steinbrenner would like to see reliever Joba Chamberlain inserted into the rotation now. It was the plan all along to have Chamberlain pit out of the pen until the All-Star break and allow Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes to establish themselves in the starting rotation. Steinbrenner mentioned the three youngsters, along with Chien-Ming Wang and Andy Pettitte, as his potential starting rotation. He made no mention of Mussina, who has lost serious velocity on his fastball. This continues to be a fluid situation and may turn into a power struggle. Stay tuned.

Tampa Bay Rays

Much was made of the promotion of third baseman Evan Longoria, but pitcher Jeff Niemann was given a shot at the big leagues as well last week. He tossed six innings, allowing one earned run and seven base runners while striking out five batters in picking up a win in his major league debut. Though he is not in the prospect class as Tampa Bay minor league pitchers Wade Davis and David Price, Niemann will definitely have something to say about the future of the starting rotation.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Jays have cut ties with disgruntled designated hitter Frank Thomas. The “Big Hurt” had been off to a slow start this season and was benched this past weekend by manager John Gibbons. He expressed his displeasure, asked for, and was granted his unconditional release. They will still be forced to pay him the remaining chunk of the $12.56 million contract he signed this past offseason. Not many teams are looking for a designated hitter, but Thomas clearly has some hits and some power left in his bat. He was not happy with his reduced role with the Blue Jays, but he may have to accept a similar role should he agree to play with another club.

American League Central

Chicago White Sox

The infielders for the Sox have botched two rundowns in the past week. The second of the two occurred on Saturday and was especially horrid. Starting pitcher Mark Buerhle had picked off Tampa Bay Ray Jonny Gomes off first base but because of terrible defensive technique was allowed to reach second base after three throws. This pickoff would have been the third out of the inning; three consecutive hits followed this poorly executed pickle, and manager Ozzie Guillen was clearly upset in the dugout. He in on the verge of a meltdown.

Cleveland Indians

C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona are absolutely getting lit up so far this year. Sabathia, possibly worrying about his looming free agency at the end of this season, has allowed about three hits for every two innings pitched. His velocity is where it sure be, in the mid-to-upper 90's, and there seems to be no change in his delivery from his Cy Young season of last year. The only explanation is his mental approach. Expect him to rebound when he gets his head screwed on straight. Carmona has been walking seemingly a batter an inning so far in the first month of the season. He has been throwing more offspeed pitches of late rather than relying on his dominating sinking fastball. Both these Indian pitchers should bounce back and lead their team to the top of the division. {Editor's Note: This was written prior to Sabathia's start Tuesday evening against the Royals.}

Detroit Tigers

Second baseman Placido Polanco is day-to-day with a crispy back. It has been bothering him all year, and manager Jim Leyland has been giving him rest whenever possible, but the injury has finally forced him to take some time off. Designated hitter Gary Sheffield was also out of the lineup on Monday; his injury was a sore right shoulder, the same shoulder that was surgically reconstructed this offseason. This recurring injury could haunt him for the rest of his career and will most certainly bother him for the foreseeable future.

Kansas City Royals

The club has designated starting pitcher Hideo Nomo for assignment. The comeback for the former Japanese phenom is over, and the future is now here. The Royals called up right-handed pitcher and former No. 1 overall pick Luke Hochevar from Triple-A Omaha. The first pick of a couple years ago, Hochevar will have an immediate impact on the big league club. He probably should have made the club when Spring Training broke, but he finally made it and is here to stay. He has a good chance to be a star in the American League and should fit right in with a young pitching staff.

Minnesota Twins

First baseman Justin Morneau is beginning to heat up. After a slow start he has totaled five home runs and 16 runs batted in so far this year. With right fielder and former cleanup hitter Michael Cuddyer out injured the team will need the Morneau power surge to continue. He must play like he did in 2006 when he won the American League Most Valuable Player. In a lineup devoid of power (the team only has nine total home runs) he must stay hot for the team to stay in contention.

American League West

Los Angeles Angels

To put in bluntly, this team needs John Lackey back in the starting rotation. Out with a tender forearm since the end of March, he is eying a return within the next two or three weeks. An innings eater and perennial Cy Young candidate, Lackey is counted on to be the anchor of a staff that was once deep and now seems desperately thin. His replacement, Dustin Moseley, has a 1-2 record with a 7.78 earned run average in four starts. Expect Moseley to stay in the rotation for at least another start; he will head to the bullpen or the minor leagues when Lackey makes his return.

Oakland Athletics

The Athletics sport the best road record in baseball at 6-2. Their 12-8 record overall slots them in nicely at the top of the West with the Angels. They have won three games in a row and have several come from behind wins to their credit. This young team that was expected to toil at the bottom of the standings is surprising everyone despite the lack of production out of their top three starting pitchers. Joe Blanton is 1-3 and Rich Harden and Justin Duchscherer are injured. They have only seven home runs as a team, and they are near the bottom of every offensive category. The key to the winning has been the ability of the bullpen to hold leads. Leading the charge are their top three middle relievers, who have not allowed an earned run in 29 innings so far this year.

Seattle Mariners

Right fielder Raul Ibanez is quietly having another solid year. Adding to his reputation as one of the most under appreciated offensive players in the league, Ibanez is quietly hitting .316 with five home runs and 16 runs batted in this year. He should finish the year with a .300 batting average and 25-30 home runs and 90-95 runs batted in, and his accomplishments will more than likely go unnoticed.

That being said, he continues to be the anchor of the middle of the Seattle lineup.

Texas Rangers

Starting pitcher Kason Gabbard is out with a back injury. He left his start on Monday in Boston after just two innings. This is a potential huge hit to a starting rotation that cannot afford another injury. Right now they're relying on the top of their rotation to eat some major innings because the middle relief is shaky at best, and the team just cannot field the ball. The offense is anchored by center fielder Josh Hamilton, who is second in the league in both runs batted in and total bases. If Gabbard is out for an extended period of time, Hamilton and the boys will need to put up plenty of runs.