2008 Woodie Awards
MLB American League Season Preview
Jonathan Stone
Issue date: 3/2/05 Section: Sports
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In the American League East, the favorite to win the division is the Boston Red Sox; the defending World Champions have lost their number one starter Pedro Martinez and their number four starter Derek Lowe, but they have more than made up for it. They signed free agents David Wells, Matt Clement, and Wade Miller, and also signed Edgar Renteria, making Orlando Cabrera dispensable. They also lost their backup defensive wizards Pokey Reese to free agency and Doug Mientkiewicz
The likely second place team is the New York Yankees. They've added pitchers Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano, and Jaret Wright to complement Mike Mussina and Kevin Brown in the starting rotation. They've added speed to the top of their lineup in second baseman Tony Womack. The only two concerns for the Yanks should be middle relief and first base; time can only tell what condition Jason Giambi is going to be in, or if Tino Martinez will grab the starting spot.
The Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays are slated to finish in that order. The Orioles have an explosive offensive team with the addition of Sammy Sosa, but are still unsure of how their pitching, both starting and relieving, will pan out. The Devil Rays are playing better baseball each year since their inauguration. With the additions of Roberto Alomar and Josh Phelps, they have more depth lower in the lineup. If the pitching can click, the team has a shot at finishing over .500. The Blue Jays are likely to finish in last because they finished in last place last year when they had Carlos Delgado, and now that he's gone, newcomer Corey Koskie cannot make up for his loss.
The American League Central will be a race between same three teams as last year: Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, and the Minnesota Twins. The White Sox did the most to improve their team. They got rid of aging players such as Roberto Alomar and Jose Valentin, and also let Magglio Ordonez go because of the question marks surrounding his health. They brought in younger players who can put up good numbers, such as pitchers Orlando Hernandez and Dustin Hermanson, catcher A.J. Pierzynski, and outfielder Jermaine Dye. Cleveland, who is at the end of their rebuilding stage, did not lose anyone who was a key element to their team, but added veteran sluggers Juan Gonzalez and Jose Hernandez, along with pitching ace Kevin Millwood. Cleveland now has the combination of youth and veteran presence needed to motivate them to a winning season. Minnesota lost shortstop Christian Guzman and third baseman Corey Koskie, but they replaced their value in the lineup by getting third baseman Eric Munson and catcher Mike Redmond. With these changes, they still have good pitching and great defense, the two elements they have used to win the division for the past three years.