AL East Division

By JASON REID and GARY KLEIN

March 31, 2002 12 AM PT

NEW YORK YANKEES

Who’s new: 1B Jason Giambi, 3B Robin Ventura, OF Rondell White and John Vander Wal, P David Wells and Steve Karsay.

Who’s gone: 1B Tino Martinez, 3B Scott Brosius, OF Paul O’Neill, Chuck Knoblauch and David Justice.

Strengths: The Yankees already feature some of the best players in the league and they opened their wallet and added another by signing Giambi as a free agent. New 3B Ventura fills a hole for a club that is as strong up the middle as any in the AL. Mike Mussina and Roger Clemens lead a deep and experienced rotation and Mariano Rivera is still the best closer in baseball.

Weaknesses: The Yankees lost core players Martinez, Brosius and O’Neill. Their skills are replaceable but it remains to be seen how their absence affects clubhouse atmosphere. Injury-prone outfielder White could start the season on the disabled list. Wells has slimmed down for his return to pinstripes, but he’s still 38.

Outlook: The reloaded Yankees are still the team to beat in the AL East and they will make a run at their fourth World Series title in five years.

At Edison Field: Aug. 1-4.

PROJECTED LINEUP

2B Alfonso Soriano

SS Derek Jeter

1B Jason Giambi

CF Bernie Williams

C Jorge Posada

LF Rondell White

3B Robin Ventura

RF Shane Spencer

DH Nick Johnson

STARTING PITCHERS

Roger Clemens

Mike Mussina

Andy Pettitte

David Wells

Orlando Hernandez

BULLPEN

Mariano Rivera

Mike Stanton

Steve Karsay

Ramiro Mendoza

BOSTON RED SOX

Who’s new: OF Johnny Damon and Rickey Henderson, 1B Tony Clark, P John Burkett, Dustin Hermanson and Darren Oliver, 2B Rey Sanchez, INF Carlos Baerga.

Who’s gone: P Rod Beck, Hideo Nomo, Bret Saberhagen and David Cone, OF Carl Everett and Troy O’Leary, C Scott Hatteberg.

Strengths: With new ownership and a new manager, the Red Sox are sporting a more positive attitude. Pedro Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra and Manny Ramirez are superstars who, if they remain sound, make the Red Sox contenders. OF Damon and Henderson add a dose of speed.

Weaknesses: As great as Martinez is, new Manager Grady Little still has to send four pitchers to the mound between his starts. Burkett, who will open the season on the disabled list, and Hermanson were brought in, but other teams in the division are hardly quaking. Garciaparra must prove he’s healthy and durable after playing only 21 games last season because of a torn wrist tendon.

Outlook: The Red Sox have a shot at the wild card if Martinez, Garciaparra and Ramirez remain injury-free.

At Edison Field: July 29-31.

PROJECTED LINEUP

CF Johnny Damon

2B Rey Sanchez

SS Nomar Garciaparra

LF Manny Ramirez

1B Tony Clark

RF Trot Nixon

C Jason Varitek

3B Shea Hillenbrand

DH Brian Daubach

STARTING PITCHERS

Pedro Martinez

John Burkett

Dustin Hermanson

Derek Lowe

Frank Castillo

BULLPEN

Ugueth Urbina

Rich Garces

Tim Wakefield

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Who’s new: P Luke Prokopec and Felix Heredia, INF Eric Hinske.

Who’s gone: DH Brad Fullmer, P Billy Koch and Paul Quantrill, INF Alex Gonzalez and Cesar Izturis.

Strengths: New General Manager J.P. Ricciardi learned from Billy Beane in Oakland and is attempting to mix experienced stars such as Carlos Delgado and Raul Mondesi with talented newcomers such as SS Felipe Lopez, 3B Hinske and DH Vernon Wells. The Blue Jays have plenty of team speed, several good young arms in the rotation and a solid closer in Kelvim Escobar.

Weaknesses: To go with the youth movement, Ricciardi dumped salaries and was left with a thin bench, a thin bullpen and a defense that could rank among the league leaders in errors. Blue Jay hitters struck out more than any team besides the Red Sox and Devil Rays last season.

Outlook: The Blue Jays don’t have enough pitching to challenge the Yankees, but if the youngsters don’t completely fall on their faces, they could be a surprise while readying for a more serious run next season.

At Edison Field: April 26-28.

PROJECTED LINEUP

LF Shannon Stewart

3B Eric Hinske

RF Raul Mondesi

1B Carlos Delgado

CF Jose Cruz Jr.

DH Vernon Wells

C Darrin Fletcher

SS Felipe Lopez

2B Homer Bush

STARTING PITCHERS

Chris Carpenter

Roy Halladay

Luke Prokopec

Brandon Lyon

Scott Eyre

BULLPEN

Kelvim Escobar

Dan Plesac

Bob File

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Who’s new: OF Marty Cordova and Chris Singleton.

Who’s gone: 3B Cal Ripken, OF Brady Anderson, P Jose Mercedes, Ryan Kohlmeier and John Wasdin.

Strengths: The rotation isn’t going to remind anyone of the Palmer-McNally-Cuellar-Dobson days, but it has a chance to be decent if Scott Erickson stays healthy and pitches well. Erickson’s presence takes the heat off Jason Johnson and Sidney Ponson. The acquisition of center fielder Singleton solidifies the defense up the middle. Jeff Conine tied for ninth in the league with a .311 batting average.

Weaknesses: The Orioles ranked last in the AL in batting average and next to last in runs last season and have done nothing major to improve. Cal Ripken’s farewell tour might have been considered a distraction by some, but at least the fans came out to see the future Hall of Famer.

Outlook: The Orioles have not had a winning season in five years and their fortune is not likely to change soon. Luckily, they play in the same division as Tampa Bay.

At Edison Field: July 2-4, Aug. 30-31, Sept. 1.

PROJECTED LINEUP

2B Jerry Hairston Jr.

CF Chris Singleton

1B David Segui

RF Jeff Conine

DH Jay Gibbons

3B Tony Batista

LF Marty Cordova

SS Mike Bordick

C Brook Fordyce

STARTING PITCHERS

Scott Erickson

Jason Johnson

Sidney Ponson

Josh Towers

Calvin Maduro

BULLPEN

Willis Roberts

Buddy Groom

TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS

Who’s new: No one.

Who’s gone: OF Jose Guillen, P Bryan Rekar, Jeff Wallace and Dan Wheeler.

Strengths: Such young players as catcher Toby Hall and second baseman Brent Abernathy give the Devil Rays some hope. Greg Vaughn is a powerful offensive presence, but he’s making almost $9 million this season and it’s only a matter of time until his salary is jettisoned. The rotation has shown flashes of effectiveness. Left-hander Wilson Alvarez, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 1999 because of injuries, had a strong spring.

Weaknesses: The Devil Rays ranked last or second to last in the league in nearly every offensive category last season and ranked 12th with a 4.96 earned-run average. RF Ben Grieve was a huge disappointment last season, hitting only 11 home runs. The young players are a year older, but they have not improved enough to make a significant jump.

Outlook: The Devil Rays will consider this season a success if they can finish ahead of the Orioles for fourth place in the division. But even that might be a longshot.

At Edison Field: July 5-7, Aug. 27-29.

PROJECTED LINEUP

LF Jason Tyner

2B Brent Abernathy

DH Greg Vaughn

RF Ben Grieve

C Toby Hall

1B Steve Cox

CF Randy Winn

3B Russ Johnson

SS Chris Gomez

STARTING PITCHERS