AMERICAN LEAGUE

By MIKE DiGIOVANNA

April 1, 2001 12 AM PT

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(in predicted order of finish)

EAST

NEW YORK YANKEES

WHO’S NEW: P Mike Mussina and Carlos Almanzar, OF Henry Rodriguez, C Joe Oliver.

WHO’S GONE: P David Cone, Dwight Gooden and Jeff Nelson, DH Jose Canseco, OF Glenallen Hill.

STRENGTHS: They were a little dinged up this spring, with shortstop Derek Jeter slowed by arm and leg injuries, pitcher Orlando Hernandez limited by elbow problems and outfielder David Justice recovering from double hernia surgery, but the three-time defending-champion Yankees have one of the best rotations in recent baseball history--four of their starters would be aces on most staffs.

WEAKNESSES: Mariano Rivera is still baseball’s best closer, but the bullpen won’t be as deep because of Jeff Nelson’s departure. Second baseman Alfonso Soriano was touted as a top prospect for years, but he hit .180 in 22 games in his first exposure to big league pitching last season. Aging right fielder Paul O’Neill, third baseman Scott Brosius and first baseman Tino Martinez must bounce back from poor seasons.

OUTLOOK: Many thought the Yankees were vulnerable in 2000, but they saved their best baseball for October. This is a veteran group that has two of the game’s best players, Jeter and Bernie Williams, a superb rotation and the experience of performing in pressure situations. The Yankees may not win their fourth consecutive World Series, but they should win their division title.

AT EDISON FIELD: Aug. 24-26.

PROJECTED LINEUP

LF Chuck Knoblauch

SS Derek Jeter

RF Paul O’Neill

CF Bernie Williams

DH Dave Justice

C Jorge Posada

1B Tino Martinez

3B Scott Brosius

2B Alfonso Soriano

STARTING PITCHERS

Roger Clemens

Andy Pettitte

Mike Mussina

Orlando Hernandez

Christian Parker

BULLPEN

Mariano Rivera

Mike Stanton

Ramiro Mendoza

Randy Choate

Carlos Almanzar

BOSTON RED SOX

WHO’S NEW: OF Manny Ramirez, P Hideo Nomo, David Cone and Frank Castillo, IF Chris Stynes.

WHO’S GONE: P Ramon Martinez.

STRENGTHS: Every fifth day, the Red Sox will have the luxury of sending baseball’s best pitcher, Pedro Martinez, to the mound. The bullpen, a group headed by closer Derek Lowe, is a strength and was a big reason Boston had the league’s lowest team ERA (4.23) last season. There is plenty of power in a lineup that was bolstered by the addition of free agent Manny Ramirez.

WEAKNESSES: The rotation drops off dramatically after Martinez, and both David Cone and Bret Saberhagen will start the season on the disabled list. The Red Sox will be in big trouble if shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who sat out much of spring training because of a split tendon in his right wrist, is not sound. Ramirez has also been bothered by a slight hamstring strain.

OUTLOOK: If Garciaparra should need surgery, he could be out 10-16 weeks, and the Red Sox would be looking at Lou Merloni, Craig Grebeck or Mike Lansing at short. That’s a scary thought. Jose Offerman (groin strain) and Chris Stynes (calf strain) were also hurt this spring. If they can keep enough players out of the training room, the Red Sox should contend for the wild card.

AT EDISON FIELD: Aug. 20-23.

PROJECTED LINEUP

2B Jose Offerman

3B Chris Stynes

SS Nomar Garciaparra

RF Manny Ramirez

CF Carl Everett

DH Dante Bichette

LF Troy O’Leary

1B Brian Daubach

C Jason Varitek

STARTING PITCHERS

Pedro Martinez

Hideo Nomo

Frank Castillo

Tomo Ohka

Paxton Crawford

BULLPEN

Derek Lowe

Rod Beck

Rich Garces

Tim Wakefield

Rolando Arrojo

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

WHO’S NEW: P Steve Parris, Dan Plesac, Mike Sirotka and Kevin Beirne.

WHO’S GONE: P David Wells, OF Marty Cordova, DH Todd Greene.

STRENGTHS: A deep and talented bullpen is headed by one of baseball’s best but least-recognized closers, Billy Koch, whose fastball occasionally hits 100 mph. The offense features a nice blend of speed (Shannon Stewart) and power (Carlos Delgado, Raul Mondesi, Tony Batista). With Homer Bush back at second, the Blue Jays are stronger defensively up the middle.

WEAKNESSES: Toronto thought Mike Sirotka, acquired from the White Sox for pitcher David Wells, would be its ace, but the left-hander is out because of a shoulder injury, leaving the Blue Jays without a dominant starter. An offense of mostly free swingers needs to be more disciplined and do a better job of manufacturing runs.

OUTLOOK: If the Red Sox keep falling apart, the Blue Jays could slip into second place and wild-card contention. Though there is decent depth in the rotation, Toronto does not have any standout starters, and certainly no one who can match up with the Yankees’ top four pitchers. Like the Rangers, they may have to slug their way into playoff contention.

AT EDISON FIELD: May 15-17; Aug. 10-12.

PROJECTED LINEUP

LF Shannon Stewart

SS Alex Gonzalez

RF Raul Mondesi

1B Carlos Delgado

3B Tony Batista

DH Brad Fullmer

C Darrin Fletcher

CF Jose Cruz Jr.

2B Homer Bush

STARTING PITCHERS

Esteban Loiaza

Steve Parris

Joey Hamilton

Chris Carpenter

Chris Michalak

BULLPEN

Billy Koch

Dan Plesac

Kelvim Escobar

Paul Quantrill

Kevin Beirne

Lance Painter

TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS

WHO’S NEW: OF Ben Grieve, P Ariel Prieto and Mike Judd.

WHO’S GONE: P Roberto Hernandez, 2B Miguel Cairo, P Cory Lidle.

STRENGTHS: The Devil Rays were last or second to last in 12 offensive categories last season, but there is still decent power in the middle of the order with Greg Vaughn, Fred McGriff, Ben Grieve and Vinny Castilla. The rotation should improve when Juan Guzman and Wilson Alvarez return from shoulder injuries in late April.

WEAKNESSES: Tampa Bay had one of the league’s best bullpens last season, but after trading Roberto Hernandez, Jim Mecir, Rick White and Mark Guthrie, it could be awful. There is no proven winner in the opening-day rotation. The Devil Rays could be shaky at second base, where they will start a rookie, Brent Abernathy.

OUTLOOK: After admitting they made a mistake by signing so many high-priced free agents last winter, the Devil Rays are returning to their youth movement, but this is a transition year. There’s a good chance Castilla, Gerald Williams and Vaughn, if they can find a taker for his contract, will be traded to make room for prospects.

AT EDISON FIELD: July 24-26.

PROJECTED LINEUP

CF Gerald Williams

DH Steve Cox

LF Greg Vaughn

1B Fred McGriff

RF Ben Grieve

3B Vinny Castilla

C John Flaherty

2B B. Smith/R. Johnson

SS Felix Martinez

STARTING PITCHERS

Albie Lopez

Bryan Rekar

Paul Wilson

Ryan Rupe

Travis Harper

BULLPEN

Esteban Yan

Tanyon Sturtze

Ken Hill

Doug Creek

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

WHO’S NEW: 1B David Segui, P Pat Hentgen.

WHO’S GONE: P Mike Mussina and Pat Rapp, OF Albert Belle.

STRENGTHS: Camden Yards is still a great place to watch a ballgame. Otherwise, it’s going to be a grim summer in Baltimore. The positives: The Orioles have four legitimate stolen-base threats in Brady Anderson, Delino DeShields, Melvin Mora and Jerry Hairston and a solid defensive shortstop in Mike Bordick, the only player on the roster who hit 20 homers last season.

WEAKNESSES: Slugger Albert Belle is out for the season because of a degenerative hip and is expected to retire. Only one player in the lineup, David Segui, has had a 100-RBI season since 1996. Pat Hentgen, the opening-day starter, is past his prime, and Ryan Kohlmeier, the closer, is a rookie.

OUTLOOK: Cal Ripken is no longer chasing any major milestones, so it will be difficult to keep Oriole fans interested all summer. One good thing about a last-place finish: The Orioles will move away from the free agent-based teams they’ve had for many years and will build from within, a process many feel they should have undertaken years ago.

AT EDISON FIELD: July 27-29.

PROJECTED LINEUP

RF Brady Anderson

SS Mike Bordick

DH Delino DeShields

1B David Segui

RF Chris Richard

3B Cal Ripken

C Brook Fordyce

CF Melvin Mora

2B Jerry Hairston

STARTING PITCHERS

Pat Hentgen

Sidney Ponson

Jose Mercedes

Jason Johnson

Willis Roberts

BULLPEN

Ryan Kohlmeier

Mike Trombley

Buddy Groom

Alan Mills

Chuck McElroy

CENTRAL

CLEVELAND INDIANS

WHO’S NEW: OF Juan Gonzalez, Ellis Burks and Marty Cordova.

WHO’S GONE: OF Manny Ramirez, C Sandy Alomar.

STRENGTHS: Some believe this lineup could be as potent as the 1995 team that went 100-44 after the strike ended. Kenny Lofton is going into his free-agent year, and Juan Gonzalez is on a one-year contract, so both should be highly motivated. The Indians have one of baseball’s best defensive infields, with Gold Glove winners Roberto Alomar, Omar Vizquel and Travis Fryman.

WEAKNESSES: The Indians set a major league record by using 32 pitchers in 2000, so injuries are a concern. Third baseman Fryman will sit out at least two weeks of the season because of a torn ligament in his elbow, and pitchers Jaret Wright and Charles Nagy are on the disabled list.

OUTLOOK: Cleveland had baseball’s best record (40-26) after the All-Star break last season and was probably the hottest team at the end of the season before being eliminated from wild-card contention on the last day. There will be a sense of urgency in April and May that was absent in previous years, and that will inspire the Indians.

AT EDISON FIELD: May 18-20.

CF Kenny Lofton

SS Omar Vizquel

2B Roberto Alomar

RF Juan Gonzalez

1B Jim Thome

DH Ellis Burks

3B Russell Branyan

LF Wil Cordero

C Einar Diaz

STARTING PITCHERS

Bartolo Colon

Chuck Finley

Dave Burba

Steve Karsay

S. Woodard or T. Drews

BULLPEN

Bob Wickman

Paul Shuey

Steve Reed

Ricardo Rincon

Justin Speier

W. Blair or D. Riske

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

WHO’S NEW: C Sandy Alomar, SS Royce Clayton, P David Wells and Antonio Osuna.

WHO’S GONE: P Mike Sirotka and Aaron Myette.

STRENGTHS: Frank Thomas rebounded from two subpar years and hit .328 with a career-high 43 homers and 143 runs batted in, leading an offense that scored a major league-leading 978 runs and returns virtually intact. The bullpen, led by rising star Keith Foulke, is solid, and some think Magglio Ordonez and Paul Konerko can improve on what many considered career years.

WEAKNESSES: The rotation is a question because of David Wells’ nagging back problems, Cal Eldred’s elbow, in which there’s a five-inch screw, and James Baldwin’s surgically repaired shoulder, which will prevent him from returning until late April. Waiting in the wings is 6-foot-11 right-hander Jon Rauch, the tallest player in professional baseball who is known as “the Bigger Unit.”

OUTLOOK: If the rotation holds up, there’s no reason the White Sox shouldn’t challenge for the division title or a wild-card berth, especially with an unbalanced schedule allowing a maximum number of games against weak division opponents Minnesota, Kansas City and Detroit. But if there are pitching injuries, it will be difficult to match last season’s 95-67 record.

AT EDISON FIELD: May 1-3; Aug. 7-9.

PROJECTED LINEUP

2B Ray Durham

CF Jose Valentin

DH Frank Thomas

RF Magglio Ordonez

LF Carlos Lee

1B Paul Konerko

3B Herbert Perry

C Sandy Alomar

SS Royce Clayton

STARTING PITCHERS

David Wells

Cal Eldred

Jim Parque

Kip Wells

Jon Garland

BULLPEN

Keith Foulke

Bobby Howry

Antonio Osuna

Kelly Wunsch

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

WHO’S NEW: P Roberto Hernandez and Doug Henry, IF Luis Alicea.

WHO’S GONE: OF Johnny Damon.

STRENGTHS: Despite the loss of Johnny Damon at the top of the order, the Royals should still have a decent offense with Mike Sweeney, Jermaine Dye and Joe Randa, each of whom drove in 100 runs or more in 2000. Roberto Hernandez gives Kansas City the closer it has lacked for two years. The Royals blew 26 saves in 2000, and the bullpen had a league-high 30 losses.

WEAKNESSES: The Royals had the worst team earned-run average (5.48) in club history in 2000, and the pitching doesn’t look much better this season. Left-hander Jose Rosado, the team’s best starter who hopes to return from shoulder surgery, suffered a setback March 19, walking off the mound after 14 pitches. The bullpen tails off considerably after Hernandez.

OUTLOOK: Carlos Beltran, AL rookie of the year in 1999, needs to rebound from a shaky sophomore season, when he hit .247 with seven homers and 44 RBIs, for the offense to click. There is no left-hander in the rotation, which will leave the Royals vulnerable to left-handed hitting. A playoff berth seems out of reach.

AT EDISON FIELD: June 1-3; Sept. 4-6.

PROJECTED LINEUP

2B Carlos Febles

CF Carlos Beltran

1B Mike Sweeney

RF Jermaine Dye

3B Joe Randa

LF Mark Quinn

DH David McCarty

C A.J. Hinch

SS Rey Sanchez

STARTING PITCHERS

Jeff Suppan

Blake Stein

Dan Reichert

Brian Meadows

Mac Suzuki

BULLPEN

Roberto Hernandez

Doug Henry

Jason Grimsley

Jose Santiago

DETROIT TIGERS

WHO’S NEW: C Mitch Meluskey, OF Roger Cedeno and Raul Ibanez, P Chris Holt and Matt Perisho.

WHO’S GONE: C Brad Ausmus, P Doug Brocail, P Nelson Cruz, OF Karim Garcia.

STRENGTHS: The bullpen, anchored by closer Todd Jones and flame-throwing setup man Matt Anderson, is very good, and the rotation has the potential be good if Jeff Weaver develops into the No. 1-caliber starter many project him to be. The Tigers have decent speed at the top of the order with Roger Cedeno and Damion Easley and are strong up the middle defensively.

WEAKNESSES: There is very little power in a lineup that plays in baseball’s toughest hitting park, and there is no superstar. First baseman Tony Clark was slumping or injured for much of 2000 and must have a breakout season for the Tigers to be competitive. Third baseman Dean Palmer has been slow in his return from shoulder surgery and will open the season on the disabled list, as will catcher Mitch Meluskey (shoulder).

OUTLOOK: Going into the second year in a new stadium, the Tigers have cut their payroll by about $10 million and did not pursue any free agents over the winter. What kind of message is that? The Tigers have had seven consecutive losing Aprils and seven consecutive losing seasons, so they must get off to a better start to contend for a wild-card spot.

AT EDISON FIELD: May 4-6.

PROJECTED LINEUP

CF Roger Cedeno

2B Damion Easley

LF Bobby Higginson

3B Dean Palmer

1B Tony Clark

SS Deivi Cruz

DH B. McMillon/W. Magee

C Brandon Inge

RF Juan Encarnacion

STARTING PITCHERS

Jeff Weaver

Brian Moehler

Dave Mlicki

Chris Holt

Steve Sparks

BULLPEN

Todd Jones

Matt Anderson

C.J. Nitkowski

Danny Patterson

Matt Perisho

MINNESOTA TWINS

WHO’S NEW: C Tom Prince, IF Hanley Frias.

WHO’S GONE: 1B Ron Coomer, C Chad Moeller.

STRENGTHS: Torii Hunter is one of the best defensive center fielders in the league, and the Twins shored up the right side of the infield with second baseman Luis Rivas and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, who are improvements defensively on Todd Walker and Ron Coomer. Many teams in the league would trade their top two starters for Minnesota’s top two, Brad Radke and Eric Milton.

WEAKNESSES: The Twins were the only team in baseball without a 20-homer player last season. Every other team had at least two, and 102 big league players hit 20 homers or more. With six left-handed hitters, Minnesota will struggle against good left-handed pitching. The bullpen is extremely thin.

OUTLOOK: Though the payroll is up by $9 million, the small-market Twins still have baseball’s lowest payroll,

$25 million. Tom Kelly, in his 15th full season, is the longest-tenured manager or head coach in the four major sports, but not even he can turn this group into a playoff contender.

AT EDISON FIELD: May 29-31; Sept. 7-9.

PROJECTED LINEUP

SS Cristian Guzman

2B Luis Rivas

LF Matt Lawton

3B Corey Koskie

DH David Ortiz

CF Torii Hunter

LF Jacque Jones

1B Doug Mientkiewicz

C A.J. Pierzynski

STARTING PITCHERS

Brad Radke

Eric Milton

Mark Redman

Joe Mays

J.C. Romero

BULLPEN

LaTroy Hawkins

Eddie Guardado

Bob Wells

Travis Miller

WEST

OAKLAND ATHLETICS

WHO’S NEW: OF Johnny Damon, P Cory Lidle and Mark Guthrie.

WHO’S GONE: OF Ben Grieve and Matt Stairs, 2B Randy Velarde, C A.J. Hinch.

STRENGTHS: Few teams can match the A’s for overall talent and balance. They have one of baseball’s best young rotations, a deep and talented bullpen, a lineup that combines power and speed, and a solid defense. The addition of Johnny Damon, one of baseball’s best leadoff hitters, gives Oakland better outfield defense and more speed at the top of the order.

WEAKNESSES: With Damon, Jason Giambi, Terrence Long and Eric Chavez swinging from the left side, the A’s may be vulnerable to good left-handed pitchers. Designated hitter John Jaha is rebounding from shoulder surgery and that is a concern. Jose Ortiz will play second and bat second--that’s asking a lot from a rookie with 12 major league at-bats.

OUTLOOK: The A’s thought they were every bit as good as the Yankees when they extended the World Series champions to five games in the division series in 2000, and they look even better this season. They’re young and hungry, seem to thrive on pressure, and have good team chemistry. If there’s a team that can dethrone the Yankees, it’s the A’s.

AT EDISON FIELD: April 16-18; June 5-7; Sept. 13-16.

PROJECTED LINEUP

LF Johnny Damon

2B Jose Ortiz

1B Jason Giambi

DH John Jaha

CF Terrence Long

SS Miguel Tejada

3B Eric Chavez

RF A. Piatt/Je. Giambi

C Ramon Hernandez

STARTING PITCHERS

Tim Hudson

Barry Zito

Gil Heredia

Mark Mulder

Cory Lidle

BULLPEN

Jason Isringhausen

Jim Mecir

Jeff Tam

Mike Magnante

Mark Guthrie

T.J. Mathews

SEATTLE MARINERS

WHO’S NEW: 2B Bret Boone, OF Ichiro Suzuki, P Jeff Nelson.

WHO’S GONE: SS Alex Rodriguez, P Jose Mesa and Frankie Rodriguez, OF Rickey Henderson, IF John Mabry.

STRENGTHS: With the addition of side-winding right-hander Jeff Nelson, the Mariners may have the league’s best bullpen. The rotation figures to be very good, despite the loss of Gil Meche, who will be sidelined at least the first half because of shoulder surgery. Edgar Martinez is still baseball’s best designated hitter, and Mike Cameron is terrific in center field.

WEAKNESSES: The loss of Alex Rodriguez leaves a gaping hole in the middle of the order, and Martinez is the only legitimate 30-homer threat in the lineup. The left-field platoon of Al Martin and Jay Buhner, when he eventually returns from an indefinite absence because of a left foot injury, leaves the Mariners lacking defensively.

OUTLOOK: The Mariners absorbed the losses of pitcher Randy Johnson and outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. in the last two years, but it will be impossible to replace Rodriguez, both offensively and defensively. Ichiro Suzuki, the Japanese import, should be an exciting addition, a Kenny Lofton type who could steal 40 bases, but the Mariners don’t have the power to overcome the A’s.

AT EDISON FIELD: April 13-15; June 29-30, July 1; Sept. 10-12.

PROJECTED LINEUP

RF Ichiro Suzuki

SS Carlos Guillen

1B John Olerud

DH Edgar Martinez

CF Mike Cameron

LF Al Martin

2B Bret Boone

3B David Bell

C Dan Wilson

STARTING PITCHERS

Freddy Garcia

Jamie Moyer

Aaron Sele

John Halama

Paul Abbott

BULLPEN

Kazuhiro Sasaki

Arthur Rhodes

Jeff Nelson

Jose Paniagua

Norm Charlton

TEXAS RANGERS

WHO’S NEW: 2B Randy Velarde, SS Alex Rodriguez, 3B Ken Caminiti, DH Andres Galarraga, P Aaron Myette and Pat Mahomes.

WHO’S GONE: P John Wetteland, SS Royce Clayton, IF Luis Alicea.

STRENGTHS: This lineup probably won’t be subject to rolling blackouts. There is enough power throughout, from both sides, for the Rangers to outslug any opponent on any night. Ken Caminiti and Randy Velarde are major defensive upgrades at third and second, and Alex Rodriguez is a superb shortstop. The game’s best catcher, Ivan Rodriguez, is fully recovered from a broken thumb.

WEAKNESSES: The Rangers will have to outslug opponents often because the rotation drops off considerably after Rick Helling and Kenny Rogers, and the bullpen does not have a proven closer. The offense doesn’t have much speed or versatility, so the Rangers will have problems manufacturing runs. Center fielder Gabe Kapler is out for at least two weeks because of a torn muscle in his right thigh.

OUTLOOK: The rotation could be better than people think. Doug Davis and Ryan Glynn had good springs, and Davis, though he wasn’t nearly as heralded, is a left-hander whose numbers (7-6, 5.38 ERA) were comparable to Oakland’s Mark Mulder (9-10, 5.44 ERA) last season. But Texas is probably too one-dimensional to win the division title.

AT EDISON FIELD: April 10-12; June 25-28; Sept. 28-30.

PROJECTED LINEUP

LF Rusty Greer

2B Randy Velarde

SS Alex Rodriguez

1B Rafael Palmeiro

C Ivan Rodriguez

DH Andres Galarraga

3B Ken Caminiti

RF Rueben Mateo

CF Chad Curtis

STARTING PITCHERS

Rick Helling

Kenny Rogers

Doug Davis

Ryan Glynn

Darren Oliver

BULLPEN

Tim Crabtree

Jeff Zimmerman

Mike Venafro

Mark Petkovsek

Francisco Cordero

Aaron Myette

ANGELS

WHO’S NEW: 1B Wally Joyner, DH Glenallen Hill, P Ismael Valdes and Pat Rapp.

WHO’S GONE: P Mark Petkovsek, Mike Fyhrie, Kent Mercker, Tim Belcher.

STRENGTHS: Despite the loss of first baseman Mo Vaughn to elbow surgery, the Angels should have enough offense with Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus, Tim Salmon and Garret Anderson to be competitive. Though a notch below Oakland and Seattle, the Angels have a deep and talented bullpen that should improve with a sound Troy Percival closing games.

WEAKNESSES: The rotation should be better than it was last season, but it’s still not good enough for the Angels to contend in the West. Ismael Valdes, Pat Rapp and Scott Schoeneweis must have pinpoint control to be effective, and Jarrod Washburn and Ramon Ortiz must prove they can remain healthy for a full season.

OUTLOOK: Recently acquired Glenallen Hill is a big key offensively. He must provide a legitimate power threat behind Glaus and Anderson for the lineup to be productive. With good starting pitching, the Angels could finish above .500 again, but they need more dominant starting pitching to challenge the A’s and Mariners.

PROJECTED LINEUP

CF Darin Erstad

1B Wally Joyner

RF Tim Salmon

3B Troy Glaus

LF Garret Anderson

DH Glenallen Hill

C Bengie Molina

2B Adam Kennedy

SS Benji Gil

STARTING PITCHERS

Scott Schoeneweis