Boston Red Sox Manager: Terry Francona (fifth season).
2007: 96-66, first place, World Series champions.
IN: 1B Sean Casey, RHP Dan Kolb, RHP David Aardsma.
Out: 1B-OF Eric Hinske, INF Royce Clayton.
American League East
Boston Red Sox
Manager: Terry Francona (fifth season).
2007: 96-66, first place, World Series champions.
Training Town: Fort Myers, Fla.
Park: City of Palms Park.
First Workout: Feb. 16/Feb. 22.
He's Here: 1B Sean Casey, RHP Dan Kolb, RHP David Aardsma.
He's Outta Here: 1B-OF Eric Hinske, INF Royce Clayton.
Outlook: The World Series winners two of the last four seasons stood pat and have several key young players who gained experience. They bid for LHP Johan Santana but weren't willing to part with some of those youngsters. Two of them, LHP Jon Lester and CF Jacoby Ellsbury, helped in the title run. Lester pitched 5 2-3 shutout innings in the final game of the four-game Series sweep over Colorado. The fleet Ellsbury surged onto the scene in September and hit .438 in the World Series. 3B Mike Lowell, MVP of the Series, returns with a new three-year contract. Cy Young Award runner-up Josh Beckett and closer Jonathan Papelbon lead a strong pitching staff, but RHP Curt Schilling's shoulder injury is a major concern. Sluggers David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez continue in the third and fourth spots and likely will follow Rookie of the Year Dustin Pedroia in the lineup.
New York Yankees
Manager: Joe Girardi (first season).
2007: 94-68, second place, wild card.
Training Town: Tampa, Fla.
Park: Legends Field.
First Workout: Feb. 15/Feb. 20.
He's Here: RHP LaTroy Hawkins, 1B-3B Morgan Ensberg, RHP Jonathan Albaladejo, OF-1B Jason Lane, INF Chris Woodward.
He's Outta Here: Manager Joe Torre, RHP Roger Clemens, RHP Luis Vizcaino, 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, INF Andy Phillips, LHP Ron Villone, RHP Tyler Clippard.
Outlook: New York's streak of nine consecutive division titles ended last season, but the Yankees rallied from a slow start to earn their 13th straight playoff berth. They were eliminated in the first round for the third year in a row, however, losing in four games to Cleveland. That was the start of a whirlwind offseason. Torre walked away after 12 years at the helm when the team offered him just a one-year contract with a pay cut. He landed with the Dodgers and was replaced by his former bench coach, Girardi, the 2006 NL Manager of the Year with Florida. Star 3B Alex Rodriguez, coming off his third AL MVP, appeared headed out of town after opting out of his contract. But in a strange saga, he came back to the Yankees and agreed to a $275 million, 10-year contract that surpassed his previous record deal. New York brought back three other key free agents in C Jorge Posada, LHP Andy Pettitte and closer Mariano Rivera, and exercised RF Bobby Abreu's $16 million option. The Yankees made a brief bid for Johan Santana, then pulled out of talks because they didn't want to part with young pitching. Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy could all end up in the rotation. All eyes will be on Chamberlain this spring after he was so dominant as a rookie setup man down the stretch last season. The Yankees plan to use him as a starter, the role he was accustomed to in the minors and college. But the bullpen bridge to Rivera still looks shaky and it might be tempting to put Chamberlain back in a relief role at some point. Health is a big concern for Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, who is coming off knee surgery. They could share time at LF and DH. The Yankees hope Jason Giambi can play some first base, too. Otherwise, they'll have a logjam at DH with three aging left-handed hitters. Ensberg and Lane will compete with Wilson Betemit and Shelley Duncan this spring for playing time at first base. This is the team's final year at storied Yankee Stadium before moving into a new ballpark across the street in 2009.
Toronto Blue Jays
Manager: John Gibbons (fifth season).
2007: 83-79, third place.
Training Town: Dunedin, Fla.
Park: Knology Stadium.
First Workout: Feb. 16/Feb. 21.
He's Here: 3B Scott Rolen, SS David Eckstein, INF Marco Scutaro, OF Buck Coats, RHP Randy Wells, RHP Shawn Camp, RHP Lance Carter, LHP John Parrish.
He's Outta Here: 3B Troy Glaus, RHP Josh Towers, RHP Ty Taubenheim, INF Ray Olmedo.
Outlook: Injuries to key players hurt the Blue Jays in 2007, with LHP B.J. Ryan (elbow), RHP A.J. Burnett (shoulder), OF Reed Johnson (back), 1B Lyle Overbay (hand), C Gregg Zaun (hand) and LHP Gustavo Chacin (shoulder) all missing long stretches. OF Vernon Wells and Glaus played through nagging injuries but saw their production slide. Staying healthy will be essential in 2008. Rolen and Eckstein give Toronto a new left side of the infield. Gibbons will use spring training to tinker with his batting order, but there won't be much competition for everyday jobs. With Ryan expected to reclaim the closer's job and RHP Jeremy Accardo returning to the setup role, RHP Casey Janssen will try to win the fifth starter's job. RHP Roy Halladay, Burnett, RHP Dustin McGowan and RHP Shaun Marcum are the favorites to win the first four spots.
Baltimore Orioles
Manager: Dave Trembley (first full season).
2007: 69-93, fourth place.
Training Town: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Park: Fort Lauderdale Stadium.
First Workout: Feb. 14/Feb. 19.
He's Here: OF Adam Jones, LHP George Sherrill, OF Luke Scott, RHP Matt Albers, LHP Troy Patton, RHP Dennis Sarfate, 3B Michael Costanzo, RHP Greg Aquino, RHP Lance Cormier, RHP Esteban Yan, C Guillermo Quiroz, LHP Ryan Rodriguez, 1B Tim Brown, RHP J.P. Martinez, RHP Randor Bierd.
He's Outta Here: LHP Erik Bedard, SS Miguel Tejada, CF Corey Patterson, OF Jay Payton, RHP Todd Williams, RHP Rob Bell, C J.R. House, RHP Victor Santos.
Outlook: After years of attempting to stay afloat by signing second-tier free agents, the Orioles have committed to rebuilding through youth under club president Andy MacPhail. By unloading Tejada and Bedard for prospects, MacPhail essentially sacrificed the 2008 season - and maybe 2009 as well - to build for the next decade. The Orioles begin camp looking to fill out a thin starting rotation. They have no closer and no adequate replacement for Tejada, whose departure leaves a gaping hole at SS and the cleanup spot. Trembley will begin his first full year as a major league manager with essentially no hope of ending Baltimore's franchise-record run of 10 straight losing seasons.
Tampa Bay Rays
Manager: Joe Maddon (third season).
2007: 66-96, fifth place.
Training Town: St. Petersburg, Fla.
Park: Progress Energy Park.
First Workout: Feb. 15/Feb. 20.
He's Here: RHP Matt Garza, RHP Troy Percival, SS Jason Bartlett, 3B Willy Aybar, OF Cliff Floyd, LHP Trever Miller, 1B-OF Eric Hinske, LHP Brian Anderson.
He's Outta Here: OF Delmon Young, OF Elijah Dukes, INF Brendan Harris, RHP Jay Witasick, LHP Jeff Ridgway, RHP Shawn Camp.
Outlook: The Rays launched a busy offseason by dropping the word ''Devil'' from their nickname, unveiling new uniforms and team colors, and announcing plans to build a new waterfront stadium. The club also pulled the trigger on a big trade that sent Young to Minnesota for Garza and Bartlett, who figure to improve the starting pitching and defense. Tampa Bay also traded troubled youngster Dukes, upgraded the bullpen by signing Percival and acquired Aybar to hold down third base until top prospect Evan Longoria is ready for the majors. The Rays have never won more than 70 games in a season but are confident they're headed in the right direction. Payroll has increased to more than $40 million - up from just over $24 million at the start of last season. But unless the starting pitching and bullpen improve dramatically, it figures to be another long year in a division dominated by the Red Sox and Yankees.
