Their relievers are not far behind. Setup men Scott Downs (2.02), Jeremy Accardo (2.14) Brian Tallet (2.53) and Jason Frasor (4.58) all pitched better than expected in 2007. What may make or break this relief staff are Brandon League and BJ Ryan, who both missed virtually all of last season with injuries. If the two remain healthy and somehow manage close to their 2006 stats, League with a 2.53 ERA and BJ Ryan a miniscule 1.37 ERA, this pitching staff may finish tops in the majors.

What has damaged the Jays offense these past few seasons is constancy and depth. Depth has been taken care over the last season with the acquisitions of former major league starters Rod Barajas, Matt Stairs and Marco Scutaro. All three players have the experience to both come off the bench and start in the case of an injury. Keep an eye on these players come the trade deadline as the Jays can use this to make a run late in the season.

Consistency has not been taken care of. Lyle Overbay. Alex Rios, Vernon Wells, and Reed Johnson have all had all-star type years, but not consecutively. Throw in Scott Rolen whose picture was recently added aside the term “injury prone” by Daniel Webster and Greg Zaun, who has not thrown out 24% of base stealers in three years now, and you have what I like to call a team made up of a bunch of Iffy’s.

Sure, if Scott Rolen and Frank Thomas can remain healthy, if Overbay (.312, 92, 22 in ‘06), Reed Johnson (.319 in ‘06) and Vernon Wells (303, 106, 32 in ‘06) can reproduce their similar stats in ‘06, if Alex Rios, David Eckstein and Aaron Hill can match their totals from last year, they have a shot. If not, you have a bunch of Iffy’s and Lyle Overpaid’s.

And, if they were to face pitchers on their own staff throughout the year, those numbers would be more then likely improve. Of their top 5 starters (Wang, Pettitte, Hughes, Mussina and Kennedy), their top 5 relievers (Chamberlain, Farnsworth, Hawkins, Bruney and Ramirez) and their closer Rivera, the Yankees have only one left handed pitcher, Andy Pettitte, whose opponents batting average for the last two years reads.284 and .286.

Hughes and Kennedy have a combined 16 career starts and neither has pitched a full season in the majors, while Mussina does not look like he has that many starts left in him. Just a few months shy of the big four-oh, a number Mussina hopes he can lower his era to this year. He is coming off a career worst 5.15 era with a .311 batting average against.

If the Yankees want to compete this year they will need their young guns, Chamberlain and Ramierez to learn quickly from veteran relievers Farnsworth, Hawkins and Rivera.
Rivera 38. Either way, unless the Yankees pick up another left handed pitcher they will not go deep in the playoffs, if they even make them this year.

Dioner Navarro, starting catcher batted .285 after the all star break with an .815 ops. Did I forget to mention that since he joined the Rays in 2006 he has thrown out 50 base stealers in 103 attempts, giving him a .485 CS%. Carlos Pena gets my feel good story of the year award in ’07. He can put in next to the AL Silver Slugger he was awarded for finishing top 5 in home runs, walks, slugging percentage, rbi’s, on base% and OPS. Akinori Iwanmura batted out of order at the leadoff spot and finished with a .285 average showing some speed with 10 triples and 12 stolen bases. In 69 at bats last year not at the leadoff spot he hit .362. You do not have to be a good hitter when you finish tops in the majors with a .975 fielding percentage at the most difficult position in baseball. And, if you think Iwamura plays a good third base wait until you see Evan Longoria, a highly touted prospect referred to as the best pure hitter of the 2006 draft by Baseball America. Between double-A and triple-A in 2007, he finished with a combine .299 batting average, 26 dingers, 95 ribbies, 73 walks and an astounding .402 on base percentage. Since 2004 Carl Crawford has averaged 186 hits, 97 runs, 15 triples, 53 stolen bases, and a .304 batting average. Even more impressive than his weekly diving catches is his career .992 fielding percentage, which would have ranked 2nd in the majors this past season. And speaking of highly touted, playing in only 129 games in his first major league season, B.J. Upton scored 86 runs with a .300 ba, .386 obp, and adding 24 homers and 25 doubles to give him a .508 slg. And, in 78 games as a center fielder he had 11 assists and a .991 fielding percentage. And lets not forget the recently acquired Cliff Floyd, who hit .284 this past year for the cubbies. Moving to the DH is a perfect move for Floyd who has been injury prone in the outfield the last few seasons. A career .279 hitter, Floyd posses the veteran leadership experience that these young players need to have. A major piece of the puzzle for the Rays in 2008 is Rocco Baldelli. Can he remain healthy? If so the Rays can expect 80 runs, 30 doubles, 15 homers, 75 ribbies, 15 sb and a .290 average. Jason Bartlett may not be the most sought after shortstops in the majors but his solid defensive skills and 23 stolen bases in 26 opportunities makes this team a run manufacturing genius.

This may sound ridiculous but the Rays, yes the Rays top three pitchers may rank at year’s end as top 5 #1-#3 starters in the AL East. Scott Kazmir (3.48 era), James Shields (3.85 era), and Matt Garza (3.69 era) are expected to pitch at least 200 innings each and set up to a much improved bullpen that now include the recently added Troy Percival who finished 3-0 with a 1.80 era in 34 appearances last season.

In his first full season in the minor leagues, 22-year-old Jason Donald topped the .300 for both single-A Phillies affiliates. Appearing in 134 games, Donald proved he had multiple tools showing speed with 31 doubles and 8 triples, power with 12 home runs and 71 runs batted in, and patience at the plate with a .303 batting average along with 64 walks. And, I have not mentioned his first of what is believed to be many all-star games as a superior defensive shortstop.

Although he is one of few players invited to Spring Training this upcoming year, the Phills probably give him one more year in the minors, not only for the move to third base, but also so he can face higher quality pitchers in double-A and triple-A. The Phills will most likely start Wes Helms against lefties (.282) and Gregg Dobbs against righties (.277). Based off of 2007 stats, if Dobbs and Helms combine for 525 at bats in 2008, the duo will bat .278 with 38 doubles, 5 triples, 17 home runs and 93 runs batted in.

Getting rid of Helms after this season will free up $3.5 million in cap space for the plethora of 2009 free agent outfielders that will be taking over for Pat Burrell. Add his $3.5 million to Burrell’s $14 million salary in 2008 and we can get virtually any outfielder we so desire.