MLB PICKS 2008 AMERICAN LEAGUE PREVIEWS

AL EAST 

BALTIMORE ORIOELS
MANAGER: DAVE TREMBLEY
2007 RECORD:  69-93

KEY ADDITIONS:
TROY PATTON LHP
LUKE SCOTT OF
MATT ALBERS RHP
DENNIS SARFATE RHP
ADAM JONES
GEORGE SHERILL LHP
 
KEY LOSSES:
ERIC BEDARD LHP
MIGUEL TEJADA SS
 
COMING SOON:
MATT WIETERS C
 
OUTLOOK:
The Orioles did nothing to help themselves this season by trading Bedard and Tejada, but at least restocked a depleted minor-league system that could help in the future. The starting pitching looks very poor and they will need a huge year from Cabrera to stay out of the AL East basement. The lineup is average at best, especially when you consider the cleanup hitter is now projected to be Aubrey Huff. The Orioles have been bad the past several years, but this edition, in the tough as it is AL East, may be the worst of all.


 
BOSTON RED SOX
MANAGER: TERRY FRANCONA
2007 RECORD: 96-66

KEY ADDITIONS:
SEAN CASEY 1B/DH

KEY LOSSES:
BRENDAN DONELLY RHP

COMING SOON:
JED LOWRIE SS
 
OUTLOOK:
The Red Sox won it all in 2007, and the key word is pitching! There may be a few more questions after the Red Sox got the news that Curt Schilling may not be available for the entire season. They already have an aging Tim Wakefield in the rotation and Jon Lester. They are stable at the top with Beckett and Matsusaka. It may force Clay Bukholtz into the rotation, and he is the real deal, but he had to be shut down last year because of a tired arm and may not be ready for the rigors of a 162-game season. They have about the best closer in the game with Papelbon, but Okajima became ordinary in the second half and Mike Timlin is aging as well. Jason Varitek is a great leader, but his numbers are declining with age and at 36 his best is behind him.
 
NEW YORK YANKEES
MANAGER: JOE GIRARDI
2007 RECORD: 94-68

KEY ADDITIONS:
LATROY HAWKINS RHP
JONATHON ALBALADEJO RHP

KEY LOSSES:
ROGER CLEMENS RHP
TYLER CLIPPARD RHP

COMING SOON:
HUMBERTO SANCHEZ RHP

OUTLOOK:
The Yankees may have made more noise by what they didn’t do in the offseason, as opposed to what they did do. The Yankees basically stood pat, but the Joe Torre era has come to a close. The Yankees will have solid starters in Pettitte and Wang at the top of the rotation and a lot of possibilities after that. The Yankees have stockpiled a lot of good young pitching in Chamberlain, Hughes, Sanchez, Horne, Kennedy, Ohlendorf and Cox. If Chamberlain does as a starter what he did out of the pen, he will be a big winner. If they get something out of Mussina it will be a plus and if Hughes lives up to his billing, the rotation will be fine. If not there are a lot of candidates to fill in either starting or in the pen.
 
TAMPA BAY RAYS
MANAGER: JOE MADDON
2007 RECORD: 66-96

KEY ADDITIONS:
CLIFF FLOYD OF/DH
TROY PERCIVAL RHP
MATT GARZA RHP
JASON BARTLETT SS
EDUARDO MORLAN RHP
 
KEY LOSSES:
ELIJAH DUKES OF
DELMAN YOUNG OF
BRENDAN HARRIS UTL
JASON PIRDIE OF
 
COMING SOON:
WADE DAVIS RHP

OUTLOOK:
It looks like the Rays may have enough to work their way out of the AL East basement. The lineup can produce runs which means Kazmir, who has pitched 15 games allowing 0-1 runs in a start over the past three years, may be in for a big year. Shields is becoming a good pitcher and Matt Garza is certainly an upgrade in the rotation. If they can get a decent season out of Troy Perceval the pen will immediately be upgraded, but still shaky.
 
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
MANAGER:  JOHN GIBBONS
2007 RECORD: 83-79
 
KEY ADDITIONS:
DAVE ECKSTEIN SS
MARCO SCUTARO
SCOTT ROLEN
 
KEY LOSSES:
TROY GLAUS 3B
 
COMING SOON:
CURTIS THIGPEN C
 
OUTLOOK:
Dave Eckstein is a great pick-up for the Jays, as since the departure of Alex Gonzalez in ‘01 the Jays have tried 16 shortstops. Rolen gives the left side of the infield along with Eckstein an immediate upgrade. The key will be keeping Halladay and Burnett healthy. If they stay healthy the Jays will improve, if they don’t, a repeat of last year is likely. The other factor will be B.J. Ryan coming off Tommy John surgery. If he returns to form the pen will improve. Overall the bench and pen will keep the Jays from challenging the Yankees and Red Sox, but if they get a few surprises they could contend.
 
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH:
1.  YANKEES
2. RED SOX
3. TORONTO
4. TAMPA BAY
5. BALTIMORE