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AL East Division

Boston Red Sox addition Daisuke Matsuzaka went 17-5 with 200 strikeouts in Japan last season. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
The Spokesman-Review
Boston Red Sox addition Daisuke Matsuzaka went 17-5 with 200 strikeouts in Japan last season. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

EAST DIVISION

In order of 2006 finish

New York Yankees

2006: 97-65, first place.

Manager: Joe Torre (12th season).

Projected lineup: CF Johnny Damon (.285, 24 HRs, 80 RBIs, 115 R, 25 SB), SS Derek Jeter (.344, 14, 97, 118 R, 34 SB, .417 OBP), RF Bobby Abreu (.297, 15, 107, 124 BB, .424 OBP with Philadelphia and Yankees), 3B Alex Rodriguez (.290, 35, 121, 113 R, 24 E, 1 for 14 in playoffs), DH Jason Giambi (.253, 37, 113, 110 BB, .558 SLG, .413 OBP), LF Hideki Matsui (.302, 8, 29 in 51G), C Jorge Posada (.277, 23, 93), 2B Robinson Cano (.342, 15, 78), 1B Doug Mientkiewicz (.283, 4, 43 for Kansas City) and Josh Phelps (.308, 24, 90 for Triple-A Toledo).

Rotation: RH Mike Mussina (15-7, 3.51 ERA), RH Chien-Ming Wang (19-6, 3.63; out until at least late April with hamstring injury), LH Andy Pettitte (14-13, 4.20 for Houston), RH Carl Pavano (did not pitch in majors), LH Kei Igawa (14-9, 2.97 ERA, 194 Ks in Japan).

Key relievers: RH Mariano Rivera (5-5, 1.80, 34/37 saves, 11 BBs in 75 IP), RH Kyle Farnsworth (3-6, 4.36, 6 saves), RH Scott Proctor (6-4, 3.52), RH Brian Bruney (1-1, 0.87), LH Mike Myers (1-2, 3.23), RH Luis Vizcaino (4-6, 3.58 for Arizona), RH Jeff Karstens (2-1, 3.80).

Overview: Mussina headlines an aching rotation, which already lost No. 1 starter Chien-Ming Wang to a hamstring injury. Last year’s Cy Young Award runner-up is out until at least late April. Pettitte’s back acted up in spring training, too, so opening-day starter Pavano – that’s right, opening-day starter – needs to stay healthy and prove his resolve. Randy Johnson is gone, but there are some promising young arms on the way. Even if the pitching falters, the relentless lineup has more than enough firepower to carry this team to another division title.

Toronto Blue Jays

2006: 87-75, second place.

Manager: John Gibbons (third season).

Projected lineup: LF Reed Johnson (.319, 12 HR, 49 RBI, .390 OBP), 1B Lyle Overbay (.312, 22, 92), CF Vernon Wells (.303, 32, 106, 17 SB), DH Frank Thomas (.270, 39, 114, .545 SLG with Oakland), 3B Troy Glaus (.252, 38, 104), RF Alex Rios (.302, 17, 82, 15 SB), C Gregg Zaun (.272, 12, 40), 2B Aaron Hill (.291, 6, 50), SS Royce Clayton (.258, 2, 40, 30 with Washington and Cincinnati).

Rotation: RH Roy Halladay (16-5, 3.19 ERA, 132 Ks), RH A.J. Burnett (10-8, 3.98), LH Gustavo Chacin (9-4, 5.05), RH Tomo Ohka (4-5, 4.83 with Milwaukee), RH Josh Towers (2-10, 8.42), RH John Thomson (2-7, 4.82 with Atlanta).

Key relievers: LH B.J. Ryan (2-2, 1.37, 38 saves), RH Brandon League (1-2, 2.53), RH Jason Frasor (3-2, 4.32), LH Scott Downs (6-2, 4.09), LH Brian Tallet (3-0, 3.81), RH Jeremy Accardo (1-1, 5.97), RH Francisco Rosario (1-2, 6.65), RH Shawn Marcum (3-4, 5.06).

Overview: The Blue Jays have big stars in Thomas, ace Halladay and center fielder Wells. The powerful lineup will make it tough on opposing pitchers, but this team is relying too heavily on injury-prone starters throughout the rotation. Lefty closer Ryan is one of the game’s best.

Boston Red Sox

2006: 86-76, third place.

Manager: Terry Francona (fourth season).

Projected lineup: SS Julio Lugo (.278, 12 HRs, 37 RBIs, 24 SBs with Devil Rays and Dodgers), 1B Kevin Youkilis (.277, 13, 72, 100 runs, 42 2Bs), DH David Ortiz (.287, 54, 137, 119 BBs, 355 TBs, .636 SLG), LF Manny Ramirez (.321, 35, 102, .439 OBP, .619 SLG), RF J.D. Drew (.283, 20, 100 with Dodgers), 3B Mike Lowell (.284, 20, 80), C Jason Varitek (.238, 12, 55), CF Coco Crisp (.264, 8, 36), 2B Dustin Pedroia (.191, 2, 7).

Rotation: RH Curt Schilling (15-7, 3.97 ERA, 183Ks), RH Josh Beckett (16-11, 5.01, career-high 36 HRs allowed), RH Daisuke Matsuzaka (17-5, 2.13, 13 CGs, 200 Ks in Japan), RH Tim Wakefield (7-11, 4.63), RH Julian Tavarez (5-4, 4.47).

Key relievers: RH Jonathan Papelbon (4-2, 0.92, 35/41 saves), RH Mike Timlin (6-6, 4.36, 9 saves), RH Joel Pineiro (8-13, 6.36, 1 save with Seattle), RH Brendan Donnelly (6-0, 3.94 with Angels), LH J.C. Romero (1-2, 6.70 with Angels), LH Hideki Okajima (2-2, 2.14 in Japan).

Overview: The additions of Matsuzaka, Drew and shortstop Lugo might have helped the Red Sox close the gap on New York – but not enough. Look for them to stay in contention longer than last season, when a five-game sweep by the Yankees at Fenway Park in August sent Boston spiraling to a third-place finish. This time, the Red Sox win the wild card. But they’ll need bounce-back seasons from Beckett, Varitek and Crisp.

Baltimore Orioles

2006: 70-92, fourth place.

Manager: Sam Perlozzo (second season).

Projected lineup: 2B Brian Roberts (.286, 10 HRs, 85 runs, 36 SBs), 3B Melvin Mora (.274, 16 83), RF Nick Markakis (.291, 16, 62, .351 OBP), SS Miguel Tejada (.330, 24, 100, 37 doubles), 1B Aubrey Huff (.267, 21, 66 with Tampa Bay and Houston), C Ramon Hernandez (.275, 23, 91, .343 OBP), DH Jay Gibbons (.277, 13, 46), LF Jay Payton (.296, 10, 59 with Oakland), CF Corey Patterson (.276, 16, 53, career-high 45 SBs).

Rotation: LH Erik Bedard (15-11, 3.76 ERA, 171 Ks), RH Daniel Cabrera (9-10, 4.74, 157 Ks, 104 BBs), LH Adam Loewen (6-6, 5.37), RH Jaret Wright (11-7, 4.49 ERA with New York Yankees), RH Steve Trachsel (15-8, 4.97 ERA with New York Mets).

Key relievers: RH Chris Ray 4-4, 2.73, 33/38 saves), RH Danys Baez (5-6, 4.53, 9 saves with Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves), RH Chad Bradford (4-2, 2.90), LH Jamie Walker (0-1, 2.81 ERA with Detroit), RH Scott Williamson (2-4, 5.72 with San Diego and Chicago Cubs).

Overview: Bedard has developed into a front-line starter. Now the Orioles are just waiting for two other talented young arms – Cabrera and Loewen – to follow suit under pitching guru Leo Mazzone. Kris Benson’s injury hurts the rotation. Baltimore upgraded its bullpen in the off-season, which should help, but this club can’t really expect to compete with New York and Boston.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

2006: 61-101, fifth place.

Manager: Joe Maddon (second season).

Projected lineup: LF Carl Crawford (.305, 18 HRs, 77 RBIs, 89 runs, 58 SBs, .348 OBP), SS Ben Zobrist (.224, 2, 18 in 52 games), CF Rocco Baldelli (.302, 16, 57), 1B Ty Wigginton (.275, 24, 79, .330 .498 SLG), DH Greg Norton (.296, 17, 45, .520 SLG), 2B Jorge Cantu (.249, 14, 62), RF Delmon Young (.317, 3, 10, .476 SLG in 30 games), 3B Akinori Iwamura (.311, 32, 77 in Japan), C Dioner Navarro (.244, 4, 20 in 56 games with Tampa Bay).

Rotation: LH Scott Kazmir (10-8, 3.24 ERA, 163 Ks), RH James Shields (6-8, 4.84), LH Casey Fossum (6-6, 5.33), RH Jae Seo (1-8, 5.00), RH Edwin Jackson (0-0, 5.45 in 23 appearances, one start with Tampa Bay).

Key relievers: RH Shawn Camp (7-4, 4.58), RH Ruddy Lugo (2-4, 3.81), RH Brian Stokes 1-0, 4.88), RH Al Reyes (4-2, 2.15 with St. Louis in 2005), RH Chad Orvella (1-5, 7.40), RH Seth McClung (6-12, 6.29, 6 saves).

Overview: Plenty of promising kids to watch – right fielder Young, shortstop Zobrist, catcher Navarro. Crawford, Baldelli and Cantu have already established themselves in the big leagues, so there is hope for the future. Third baseman Iwamura comes over from Japan, and lefty Kazmir was an All-Star last year. He must stay healthy. Behind him, though, the pitching staff is a mess.

Associated Press