Yanks are not Bronx Bombers of old

It's been a little quieter around campus recently.

Some people may attribute this lull to an increase in studying by the student body, but baseball fans know the real reason: Yankee fans are worried.

Usually, these fans have plenty to say about those 26 World Championships or about how good Derek Jeter is, but this winter they have been silent, and with good reason. Their team is full of question marks and they know that for the first time in a long while, New York might not have the division sewn up by early September.

With just a few weeks remaining until pitchers and catchers report to spring training, Inside the AL delivers an in-depth look at each team vying for the top spot in the ever-competitive American League East.

Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles seem to have gone to the New York Mets school of team building by signing overrated free agent hitters to long term deals for big money.

Baltimore has improved somewhat, but it will not contend for the division title. Miguel Tejada, Javy Lopez, and Rafael Palmeiro will help them at the plate, but the O's have no pitching. Signing right hander Sidney Ponson was a good move, but Baltimore will miss solid hurlers Jason Johnson and Pat Hentgen.

The offense should be fine with the new free agents, combined with the perennially underrated Jay Gibbons and the solid Melvin Mora. However, combine Baltimore's shaky bullpen with an already suspect rotation and you've got a team that will struggle mightily to win 80 games.

Boston Red Sox: There is little doubt that the Red Sox are one of the most improved teams in baseball on paper. They finally seem to have found what they have needed for the past six years: a workhorse pitcher like Curt Schilling who can take the pressure off of Pedro Martinez.

The bullpen has been another huge off season improvement for the Red Sox. Last year, the so-called "closer by committee" had absolutely no success closing games. Now the Sox have one of baseball's best closers in former Oakland Athletic Keith Foulke, as well as a solid setup man in Scott Williamson. Mike Timlin is underrated as well; he walked only 9 batters in eighty-three innings last year. If some of its Rule-V selections don't come through, Boston will need to find someone who shuts down lefty hitters, as southpaw reliever Alan Embree actually was better against right-handers last season.

The acquisition of Pokey Reese will greatly improve Boston's defense up the middle. Reese will make groudball-producer Derek Lowe a much better pitcher, and the Sox have enough offense to make up for Reese's lack of offensive production (.215 batting average, 12 RBI and one homerun in 2003).

Boston won't miss Todd Walker's glove and his bat was overrated. Walker's .760 OPS is right up there among studs like Julio Lugo.

While the Red Sox might not match last year's record-breaking numbers on offense, they should still be a force. David Ortiz is only 28 and has the ability to repeat his performance from last year. Bill Mueller did overachieve in 2003, but his swing is built for Fenway and it's not unrealistic to expect him to hit .300.

Catcher Jason Varitek and outfielder Trot Nixon might slip a bit as well for last year's career seasons, but they should still put up solid numbers. In addition, the Sox hammered righties last year, and as Peter Gammons pointed out, in 2004 Ted Lilly will be the only left-handed starter in the entire AL East.

The big question that should make or break the season is which Nomar Garciaparra will show up in 2004? Will it be the Nomar of May and June who he tore the cover off the ball? Or will it be the Nomar of September and October who looked like he was either injured or had just lost his trademark bat speed? Garciaparra wants the big money, and the Red Sox are justifiably seeing which Nomar appears in 2004 before they dole out the dough.

New York Yankees: The Yankees could win 120 games this year. They could also win 90 and miss the playoffs. It's hard to remember a time when the annual AL East juggernaut came into spring training with so many question marks.

Will Kevin Brown, Javier Vazquez, and Jon Leiber stay healthy? How bad will the New York defense be? Can Jason Giambi handle full time duty at first base with his knee problems? Who's playing centerfield? How will the loss of Don Zimmer affect the team's fragile psyche?

If Brown, Vazquez, Jose Contreras, and Mike Mussina are all clicking, the Bombers will be tough to beat. Brown is a groundball pitcher who won't be quite as effective with the pathetic Yankee defense behind him. Nonetheless, all of these pitchers battle and are extremely talented.

It's hard to say how weak the Yankee infield will turn out. Note to broadcaster Tim McCarver: Jeter is perhaps the most overrated defensive player in the history of the sport. Alfonso Soriano can't play second, Giambi can't play first, and no one knows who's on third. This should be interesting.

The New York bullpen, with Rivera and new additions Tom Gordon and Paul Quantrill, should be one of the best in baseball and if Steve Karsay comes back healthy, the Yankee relief will be even better.

Gary Sheffield will certainly help to fill the right-field vacuum. However, New York will miss Nick Johnson's disciplined approach at the plate. Williams is clearly declining, and third base is a mystery; so there are some weaknesses in the lineup.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays: This team isn't even worth talking about until prospects like B.J. Upton and Delmon Young emerge -- which won't be this year.

Toronto Blue Jays: Toronto is the sleeper in this division. It will be hard for the Jays to earn a playoff berth because of the strength of the division, but they will compete.

The Toronto rotation has improved tremendously in the offseason. Lilly will help take some pressure off of ace Roy Halladay. Miguel Batista and Hentgen are also excellent pickups that should give the rotation some depth.

Toronto's weakness is its lack of a fifth starter and its shoddy bullpen. The offense will be hard pressed to match its success of last year, but any lineup with Carlos Delgado and Vernon Wells is dangerous.