Hey, everybody.  Welcome to part one of the Super Baseball Bonanza Preview, courtesy of your friends here at the NY Sport Blog.  We'll save the Metropolitan-led National League (just go with it) for tomorrow.  Today, it's the superior league of the two.  Better hitters, better pitchers, better teams.  The American League has it all.  The Yankees will certainly face some stiff competition as they defend their World Series title.  From who, you ask?  Well, I'm glad you dropped by to find out.  Let's get right to the predictions.

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Though not as talented as the AL East, don't underestimate the calamity-potential of this division.  The Angels have seemingly been the West champs in every year since the Nixon administration.  This looks to be the year where the rest of the pack catches up.  But Los-Anaheim doesn't want to hear about that...after all, people were saying the same thing last year and the Halos still won the division by ten games.  The team always seems built to win, but will the young pitchers be able to embrace the spotlight now that stalwart John Lackey has shipped off to Boston?

You're either in or you're out on the Mariners this year.  Seattle is sick of playing second fiddle to their west coast neighbors, and this offseason they did something about it.  Cliff Lee, Milton Bradley, and Chone Figgins headline the new players brought into the Emerald City in an effort to dethrone the Angels.  It was a bold offseason that they're hoping pays off big.  Either you're in or out.  With Lee and Felix Hernandez making 40% of the team's starts, consider me in.  All in.

One of the scariest lineups in baseball can be found in the Lone Star state.  The Rangers can smash, they can run, and their lineup has wonderful balance.  Josh Hamilton's health may be the difference between a .500 season and a surefire playoff contender.  And if newcomer Vlad Guerrero gets some of that old magic back, look out.  They may regularly put up 6 runs in a game.  Unfortunately with their pitching staff, they may also regularly give up 6 or more.

There's nothing to really hate about the Athletics this year.  But is there anything to be thrilled about?  Their lineup is unspectacularly-steady across the board, but they don't have a superstar to tie it all together.  They're the Piazza-less 2000 Mets.  What?  I can't re-live some better times?  Ok, they're the Pujols-less 2010 Cardinals.  Have it your way.

Projections
Mariners (90-72)
Angels (87-75)
Rangers (81-81)
Athletics (78-84)


AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
We've got a clear good-news, bad-news situation in Minnesota.  On the positive side, the Twins locked up golden boy Joe Mauer on a long-term deal.  It's what they had to do for the good of the organization (and for the good of Minnesota, which would have inevitably been burned to the ground if Mauer went to the Yankees as a free agent.)  Conversely, rock steady closer Joe Nathan had a season-ending arm injury come out of nowhere this spring.  The Mauer/Morneau combo along with the unsexy-yet-steady outfield should allow the Twins to stay atop the surprisingly-weak division.

The Tigers have one offensive monster (M. Cabrera) and one pitching monster (J. Verlander.)  There isn't a lot of certainty besides that (except for the state of Dontrelle Willis.  He is, with certainty, a walking punchline.)  If toddlers Rick Porcello and Max Scherzer catch fire in 2010, a division title may be sniff-able.  At worst, they have enough to hover around .500 playing in this division.  

Every single year, I am higher on the White Sox than everyone else.  Maybe it's their colors.  Maybe I feel bad for them playing second fiddle in Chicago (the Cubs) and second fiddle as the 'Sox' (Boston.)  I like what I see across the board with their lineup (especially if C. Quentin shows up this year) and the Buehrle/Peavy combo up top should be potent in the rotation.  I won't say they're quite on Minnesota's level, but it's not too far of a climb, either.

Billy Butler and Rick Ankiel should give the Royals some welcome power this season.  Zack Greinke was utterly, utterly brilliant last season, and Joakim Soria locked it down in the 9th inning for K.C.  Make no mistake, the Royals will be bad this season.  Very bad.  But with a little luck they may avoid paper-bag-on-the-head situations for their fans.

Part of me hopes LeBron brings one home for Cleveland this season.  It may help soothe the pains that the Indians bring over the next six months or so.

Projections
Twins (86-76)
White Sox (82-80)
Tigers (78-84)
Royals (70-92)
Indians (64-98)


AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Living in New York, the Yankee-bonanza usually hits sports radio around early March.  Whether it's signing stars to insane free agent deals, A-Rod admitting steroids, or people fearing that Mariano might 'lose it' this season, there's always something abuzz.  This season, only one word can describe the weeks leading up the Opening Day: yawn.  Unless you're intrigued by the riveting Hughes-Chamberlain battle for the 5th starter, all's quiet on the Bronx front.  It's funny what a championship can bring.  Stacked, stacked, stacked across the board.  Even in this ferocious division, New York must be considered the favorite.  Damn...

As for the rest of the division, I'm going back and forth by the hour.  Let's talk about the Rays first.  Fantastic lineup, promising rotation, ready to win now (especially with Crawford all-but-gone this offseason.)  They've proven their ability to perform in pressure-packed games (remember when they were in the World Series?  Did that really happen?)  They have all the makings of a top-5 team in all of baseball.

I'll flop back to the Red Sox.  With apologies to the Yankees...wait, I never apologize to the Yankees.  I therefore say with confidence that Boston presents the best starting rotation in baseball.  There are some not-so-familiar faces in the lineup for 2010, all of which bring notable defensive upgrades.  Youkilis and Pedroia will bring the thunder; we'll see if Ortiz and Drew can join in on the fun.

The rest of the division is pretty much a moot point.  In the suck-off between Baltimore and Toronto, the Americans should come out on top.  The Orioles have some nice bats in the lineup.  They will need some miracles out of their pitching staff to come anywhere near .500.

The Blue Jays?  I like Adam Lind a lot.  And their colors are pretty.  Sorry Toronto, that's all I can give.

Projections
Yankees (99-63)
Red Sox (93-69)
Rays (92-70)
Orioles (75-87)
Blue Jays (63-99)

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So that's how I see things shaping out.  A final apology to the Rays for leaving them out of the playoff party.  Speaking of playoffs, here's how the American League side will (probably) shape out.

Twins over Yankees
Red Sox over Mariners

A.L. Championship: Red Sox over Twins

Thanks for reading part one of the baseball bonanza preview.  Stay tuned this weekend for the National League side.  I will need a little bit of time to think of a way to swindle the Mets into the playoffs.  But it will get up eventually.  Trust me.