Fireside Chats #39: Where we preview the East, talk ourselves into Sheff, and learn from Dylan

The next time we all get together and talk, there will be actual baseball going on (thank you lord, the Spring has been the death of me). While Paul and I go out on a limb and agree that the O's and Jays will struggle this year, our opinions on the AL East Champions differs. Find out who proclaims Yankees as the favorites in our AL East preview segment.

We recap the Madness and come away convinced that Jacoby Ellsbury might not only win this thing, but that he might be the most important player on the Red Sox this season.

Gary Sheffield's been released in Detroit...could he? could we? nah....or could we? Maybe Sheff as a Sox isn't as far fetched an idea as you might think.

If you stick with us until the end, Dylan from CA tells us why he thinks Mike Lowell could and will be the surprise performer in Boston in 2009. Dylan, shoot me an email at tdaloisio [@] gmail.com with your contact info so I can arrange a shirt from our friends at the Red Seat. Listen Now!!!

Carter, Green make 25-man

Nick Green and Chris Carter are your final members of the 2009 Opening Day Boston Red Sox, Sean McAdams reports. Carter grabs the "Kotsay spot" and should see time at first and DH until Kotsay returns in May. Green will back up the infield until Julio Lugo returns a week or two into the season.

Things can change if the Red Sox make an acqusition this week. The Sox are known to like Jeff Keppinger, who is available. If they do acquire Keppinger, you would have to think Lugo will not return at all.

Know Thine Enemy 2009: Toronto Blue Jays

It wasn't long ago that the Toronto Blue Jays were expected to be in the position now occupied by the Tampa Bay Rays as the third wheel atop the American League East. While there is some strong young talent in Toronto, J.P. Riccardi's five year plan is looking more like a two term presidential rebuilding plan in action. It's hard to believe that this team is anything resembling "on the road to competing" in the most vaunted division in baseball.

Last year was a mess for the Blue Jays. Between injuries, slumps, manager changes, and overall bad luck, the Jays still found themselves dreaming of a run at the Wild Card late in the Summer. While an 86-win season was respectable and would have put you in the playoffs in the NL West, it yielded another season leaving Jays fans frustrated with what could have been if there were any semblance of an offense behind one of the best rotations in baseball.

Red Sox Madness: Lester vs Youkilis

In preparation for the best two weeks in sports, starting with the Final Four, running through the Masters with a little thing called Opening Day sandwiched in the middle, we idly pass the time with our Red Sox Madness tournament. As expected, Josh Beckett joined the upstart Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia in the Final Four. Today the final region battles to join them.

In what is expected to be the most heated battle of the second round, #2 seed Kevin Youkilis battles #1 seed Jon Lester for the right to meet Beckett with a trip to the finals on the line.

Remember, the simple question is "who's success is more important to the overall success of the Boston Red Sox in 2009?" Vote away after the jump!