The Yankees are without a doubt the
team to beat in this division but I like
the Red Sox starting rotation much
better. One thing is for sure,the AL
East is like the old saying, is
either “Peter or Paul”, Yanks of
Red Sox to win.

By Amaury Pi-GonzálezThe New York Yankees got the best
player in baseball a little over a
month ago in Alex Rodríguez.
A-Rod will be playing third base
and his best friend Derek Jeter
will continue at short for the
Yankees. During the whole winter
we hear the rumors of A-Rod going
to Boston for Garciaparra or
Ramírez, but at the end George
Steinbrenner pulled off the
biggest coup of the off-season
bringing Rodríguez who hit 52,
57 and 42 home runs the past
three seasons. And MVP player
in New York among a galaxy
of stars.

One of the keys to the Yankees
pitching, minus Andy Pettite and
Roger Clemens(both in Houston)
will be Cuban defector José Contreras
who is part of that rotation. The
bullpen still strong anchored
by Panamanian Mariano Rivera
(40 saves 1.66 ERA). The also
got from Montreal Puerto Rican
pitcher Javier Vázquez 13 wins
3.24 ERA. And of course Kevin
Brown who already won his
first start of the season in
the second game against the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays at the
Tokyo Dome in Japan.

The Yankees lineup is a Who’s
Who of stars: Lofton,Jeter,Rodriguez,
Giambi,Sheffield,Matsui,Posada,
B.Williams. They should be able
to score and score and score.

The Boston Red Sox are stronger
just by acquiring veteran right handed
pitcher Curt Schilling who will pitch
benind Pedro Martínez and in front
of Derek Lowe, Tim Wakefield and
John Burkett. Since all of these
are established pitchers, I give
the edge in pitching to Boston.
The Red Sox will be without
the services or shortstop Nomar
Garciaparra -hurt- for the month
of April. But they have enough
power in that lineup to survive
without Nomar’s bat. Guys like
Manny Ramírez and David Ortíz
and American League batting
champion Bill Mueller are some
that should share the burden
in the absence of Nomar’s bat.

After six consecutive loosing
seasons the Baltimore Orioles
spent $100 million to add
Dominican shortstop Miguel
Tejada(2002 AL MVP) Puerto
Rican catcher Javy López who
enjoyed his best season to
date in 2003 with Atlanta
when he hit 43 home runs
and future Hall of Fame
player and veteran first
baseman Rafael Palmeiro
(528 home runs in his
career)the Cuban born star
still one of the finest and
most dangerous hitters in
baseball. The Orioles are
loaded with Latino stars,
also at third base from
Venezuela versatile Melvin
Mora who hit .317 last
season.

Here is my prediction
how they will finish in
this DivisionL

1-New York
2-Boston
3-Baltimore
4-Toronto
5-Tampa Bay

Toronto finished third
last season but I see the
Orioles with much more
experience this season
and much more spunk
finishing on top and of
course Lou Piniella’s
Devil Rays might win
a few more games but
it won be enough to keep
them out of last place.

First Place: New York Yankees
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