NEW YORK YANKEES

2005 finish: 95-67, 1^st place in AL East 

Manager: Joe Torre (11^th season)

Incoming: CF Johnny Damon, RHP Kyle Farnsworth, RHP Octavio Dotel, LHP Mike Myers, LHP Ron Villone, IF Miguel Cairo, C Kelly Stinnett

Long gone: RHP Tom ‘Flash’ Gordon, RHP Kevin Brown, 1B/DH Tino Martinez, DH Ruben Sierra, IF/OF Tony Womack, OF Matt Lawton, C John Flaherty, LHP Alan Embree, LHP Al Leiter, RHP Felix Rodriguez, RHP Ramiro Mendoza, IF Rey Sanchez

Rotation: LHP Randy Johnson, RHP Mike Mussina, RHP Chien-Ming Wang, RHP Shawn Chacon, RHP Jaret Wright, RHP Carl Pavano (DL)

Relievers: Closer: RHP Mariano Rivera; Setup men: RHP Kyle Farnsworth, RHP Tanyon Sturtze, LHP Mike Myers, LHP Ron Villone, RHP Scott Proctor, RHP Aaron Small (DL), RHP Octavio Dotel (DL)

Regulars: CF Johnny Damon, SS Derek Jeter, 3B Alex Rodriguez, 1B Jason Giambi, RF Gary Sheffield, RF Hideki Matsui, C Jorge Posada, DH Bernie Williams, 2B Robinson Cano

Role players: C Kelly Stinnett, 1B Andy Phillips, IF Miguel Cairo, IF Felix Escalona, OF Bubba Crosby

The pressure is on: Carl Pavano isn’t healthy once again, and his $39.95 million deal is looking like a big mistake.

Breakout candidate: Everybody loves Chien-Ming Wang’s stuff and demeanor. Health is the key.

Rundown: It’s not hard to make the case that with Johnny Damon hitting first in the Yankees’ lineup – instead of the Red Sox’s – the two teams will flip-flop positions atop the AL runs scored list. With Damon scoring 117 times, the Red Sox totaled 910 runs last season, 24 more than the runner-up Yankees, whose principal center fielder – Bernie Williams – scored only 54 times. Damon also accounted for 19 of the Red Sox’s measly total of 45 steals, which the Yankees almost doubled with 84, so that gap should widen. When you add in Damon’s defensive edge in center field over Williams, there really is no immediate downside to the $52 million signing -- although they may think differently by the fourth year of the deal. That’s not to put too much importance on Damon. After all, a couple of future Hall of Famers in Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez will be hitting behind him, along with Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, Hideki Matsui, and Jorge Posada. Jeter, 32, Matsui, 32, and A-Rod, 30, are in their peak years. Sheffield is the oldest at 37, but has shown no signs of decreasing production. Giambi is 35 and should be a fulltime DH, but will have to play a lot at first base. He did show that he can be a .270-30-100-type hitter again in a nice comeback 2005 season. Posada at 34 is the likeliest to slip a bit offensively, so they signed Kelly Stinnett to be the backup, and he’s an offensive upgrade over John Flaherty, who hit only .165 in 127 at-bats. Posada’s broken nose also could cost him the first few games of the season. The hole at this point is the role Tino Martinez filled last year – 78 starts at first base, which allowed Giambi to DH. Andy Phillips will get an opportunity to be that guy. Williams projects as the primary designated hitter, as well as fourth outfielder. Miguel Cairo is back in the fold after spending last year cross-town with the Mets, and is a nice insurance policy in case Robinson Cano suffers any sophomore woes. As for the business of preventing runs, it’s a mixed bag. While it’s reasonable to expect Chein-Ming Wang to post better numbers over a full season, Carl Pavano (back) won’t be on the Opening Day roster, Aaron Small also is expected to start the year on the DL, and Jaret Wright isn’t 100 percent, either. It’s also not likely that the rotation will get the combined 16-3-sub-3.00 ERA boost it received down the stretch last season from Small and Shawn Chacon. Mike Mussina is 37, and has posted a 4.50 ERA over the last two years. And of course, the injury risk is high for 42-year-old ace Randy Johnson, who nonetheless remains one of the league’s elite pitchers. The bullpen has been upgraded, even with the loss of setup man Tom ‘Flash’ Gordon, whose two-year run in pinstripes was outstanding. Kyle Farnsworth put up quality numbers in Detroit and Atlanta, and won’t have the pressure of being the closer, but must adjust to the increased scrutiny and pressure in New York. Octavio Dotel is an intriguing possibility as a second-half setup man for Rivera, assuming he bounces back from surgery. With those three at the end of games, the strikeout totals could be overwhelming. The left side should be better with submariner specialist Mike Myers and Ron Villone, so Ron Guidry’s staff should improve upon last year’s ninth-place finish in ERA. See you in October.

Prediction: 1^st place, 93-69

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