Here's a look at some items out of the AL East..
- The Rays believe that J.P. Howell is worth their investment after an up-and-down 2011 campaign, writes Roger Mooney of The Tampa Tribune. The Rays avoided arbitration with Howell this winter, agreeing to a $1.35MM deal for 2012.
- Looking back on it, Rays pitcher Joel Peralta has no regrets about lying about his age to land a contract from a major league team, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. In 1996, the Dominican pitcher told scouts that he was 16-years-old rather than 20.
- Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger spoke with Jim Hendry who is now with the Yankees as a special assignment scout. The former Cubs General Manager says that he hasn't put much thought into whether he'd want to serve as a GM again and doesn't plan to leave the Yanks job after one year.
- Hiroki Kuroda will have to make adjustments with the Yankees but the pitcher already showed an ability to adapt by finding success in MLB, Carig writes.
- Orioles manager Buck Showalter said this week that he’s used the Rays recent success as proof that Baltimore can compete in the AL East with a limited payroll, writes Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun.
