A pre-spring training look at pitching in the AL East

Spring training camps open this week in Florida and Arizona. In the American League East, where all the teams train on the east coast of Florida and see each other regularly during the Grapefruit League season, the Orioles have the most stable rotation with the fewest questions. The last-place Red Sox have revamped their rotation. The Yankees are hoping for health with their big-money starters. The Rays, even without David Price and Jeremy Hellickson, have a deep and talented rotation with more prospects on the way. And while Toronto added Josh Donaldson to hit in a lineup that includes Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, the question is whether the Blue Jays have the rotation horses to stick with the rest of the pack. Here's a look at the pitching in the AL East: Baltimore: The storyline for the Orioles will be Ubaldo Jimenez, who slumped all of last season but showed promise in three appearances, two of them starts, during September. Jimenez's issues have always been hard-to-repeat mechanics. The Orioles and Jimenez have made adjustments. Jimenez has a good attitude about what happened last season. Inconsistent pitching has been the snapshot of Jimenez's career in Colorado and Cleveland. Can the Orioles change him? He looked good in May and June, but fell off the map after that. Wei-Yin Chen takes aim at his first 200-inning season. Miguel Gonzalez doesn't get the respect he deserves, but how does anyone argue with his 3.23 ERA? Bud Norris, too, is under-the-radar, too with a 3.65 ERA. We have to assume that Kevin Gausman's time has come to settle into the rotation and be a consistent force. His success in last year's postseason will only be positive. And, there's no question that Chris Tillman is the Orioles' best pitcher. Boston: The Red Sox have virtually an all-new rotation with questions about health. The Red Sox need a bounceback from their top pitcher, Clay Buchholz, who has to prove that he can stay healthy. If he pitches as he did during the first half of 2013, he can be one of the best. Joe Kelly, acquired in a trade last season from St. Louis, had a 4.11 ERA in 10 starts during the final two months, and the Red Sox need him to grow quickly. Rick Porcello started in the big leagues at 20 in 2009 and is just entering his prime. He's got a nasty sinker. Wade Miley, acquired from Arizona, gives the Red Sox a durable lefty, a guy who was among the best young pitchers in the National League. Justin Masterson returns to the Red Sox, this time as a starter. Masterson dominated in 2011 and 2013, but injuries last season derailed him. In his first stint with the Red Sox, Masterson was a reliever. The Red Sox traded him to Cleveland and the Indians made him a starter. New York: The Yankees will be holding their breath watching lefty CC Sabathia and right-hander Masahiro Tanaka this spring. Sabathia had surgery on his right knee in July and expects to make 30 starts, but the Yankees aren't sure if their big-game pitcher is going to be sound or not. Tankaka, who had a 2.27 in his first 17 starts, is battling an elbow injury, and the Yankees hope that skipping surgery was the right decision. Tanaka looked good in two September starts. His offseason has gone well and his six spring starts will be big. Michael Pineda is expected to be healthy. Ivan Nova will join the rotation midseason. Chris Capuano, a soft-tossing lefty, is also in the rotation mix along with prospect Adam Warren. Former Oriole Andrew Miller and former Brave David Carpenter have been added to the bullpen. Tampa Bay: The Rays always have plenty of pitching, and even with the trade of Hellickson to Arizona and Price to Detroit, that remains true for this spring. The Rays have Alex Cobb, Jake Odorizzi, Chris Archer and Drew Smyly leading their rotation. Lefty Matt Moore, 25, who had Tommy John surgery last April, could be back at midseason. Moore was an All-Star in 2013. He's gone 29-17 with a 3.53 ERA in 63 appearances (61 starts) since coming up to the Rays. Cobb has become the vocal leader now that Price is gone. Odorizzi shows huge improvements. Archer leads the rotation in innings pitched and Smyly, who came from the Tigers in the Price trade, had a 1.50 ERA in five August starts and a 2.31 ERA in two September starts last season. Plus, lefty Enny Romero and Alex Colome on their way up and are expected to fight for rotation spots this spring. Toronto: Unless the Blue Jays sign Francisco Rodriguez or former Nationals closer Rafael Soriano, the question in camp will be whether to use top-notch pitching prospect Aaron Sanchez, 22, in the rotation or out of the bullpen. Sanchez will be stretched out as a starter during the spring, but if the Blue Jays can't find a power arm for the back of the bullpen, Sanchez could be it. Sanchez has got a chance to be a blue-chip starter, but if the Blue Jays are thinking about contending in the AL East, then they might think short-term and let Sanchez be the closer. The Blue Jay rotation has Mark Buehrle, R.A. Dickey, Drew Hutchinson and Marcus Stroman. If Marco Estrada can handle the No. 5 spot, it will be easier to move Sanchez to the bullpen. Sanchez had a 1.09 ERA in 33 innings of relief work at the end of last season. Manager John Gibbons says he's leaning toward Sanchez as a closer, even though he knows he's gambling with a pitcher that could be a 200-inning guy.