2008 AL East Preview

The AL East should be one of the strongest divisions, top to bottom, in the MLB this season. Four of these teams will be contending for a wild card spot, and it looks to be a very competitive division.

Here are the rankings for the 2008 AL East.

1. New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are perennially one of the best American League teams, and they look better than ever for 2008. Sure, their pitching rotation still features a lot of question marks, but Chien-Ming Wang and Andy Pettitte can still log some major quality innings. Young starters Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy will form a great 3-4-5 combination. Their bullpen is solid, and CL Mariano Rivera still has the skills to dominate and finish out games for the Yankees.

On the offensive side, the Yankees still feature one of the best lineups in baseball. OF Johnny Damon is a solid leadoff hitter, and Alex Rodriguez is the game's best batter. His incredible power skills are recognized by everyone around the league. SS Derek Jeter is getting older in age, but should still be able to contribute. Watch out for two young players: 2B Robinson Cano and OF Melky Cabrera, who could both make significant strides this season.

2. Boston Red Sox

The 2008 Boston Red Sox look as talented as the Yankees, but questions regarding their rotation also haunt them. SP Curt Schilling is not getting any younger, and could miss a significant portion of the season. SP Josh Beckett is roughed up and could miss the start of the season. Japanese import Daisuke Matsuzaka will be solid again and log some quality innings for them. The bullpen is solid with Hideki Okajima and top closer Jonathan Papelbon.

Offensively, the Sox offer as much punch as the New York Yankees. Look for a solid top-to-bottom lineup featuring DH David Ortiz and OF Manny Ramirez anchoring this lineup with power. Young 2B Dustin Pedroia and 1B Kevin Youkilis are among the best contact / OBP players in the game.

3. Tampa Bay Rays