Challenging the Yankees in the A.L.

By Steve Goldstein Sports Central Columnist

It isn't that the Yankees have suddenly become the second, third, or fourth best team in the American League. It's just that, despite acquiring Jason Giambi, Robin Ventura, Steve Karsay, Raul Mondesi, and Jeff Weaver, the Yankees may be missing a vital ingredient: two lights-out starting pitchers in the rotation.

There's no debating that Roger Clemens is a Hall of Famer. Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte -- when healthy -- are still in the prime years of their careers. David Wells and Orlando Hernandez still have tricks up their pinstriped sleeves. But the Yankees won't have the intimidation factor coming from the mound in games one and two of any postseason series.

That's why the Seattle Mariners have to be eliminated from World Series contention. Seattle's a solid ballclub, with clutch hitting and deep pitching. But Freddy Garcia and Joel Pineiro simply aren't ready to win game after game in the playoffs.

The Minnesota Twins also have depth on their pitching staff. Brad Radke and Eric Milton will keep their team in every game. When completely healthy, Joe Mays will again become a consistent number three starter. The Twins are a feel-good story. The club was almost contracted before this season. So many of their players were homegrown and played together in the minors. It's the way many of us feel baseball should be. But the Twins won't go to the World Series.

The only teams who could threaten the Yankees' hold on the American League this postseason are the Oakland Athletics and, drumroll please, the Boston Red Sox.

The loss of Jason Giambi doesn't seem to have affected the Oakland clubhouse. Players still appear to be having a good time in the dugout and on the field. However, it's clear that the Oakland offense has suffered. Jermaine Dye simply hasn't returned to full strength since breaking his leg in last year's postseason. And David Justice has seen much better days. But Miguel Tejada and Eric Chavez are fast becoming the best left side of the infield in all of baseball. Offensively, the A's aren't in the Yankees' class. Oakland's bullpen, too, can be a little scary. But the starting pitching, after a rough early season, is excelling yet again.

Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, and Mark Mulder are a powerful trio. If the A's make the postseason, the three of them will lead Oakland into the World Series. The A's won't repeat the same mistakes against the Yankees this year. Despite less offense, the A's are stronger where it counts, in experience. Their trio of hurlers will know how to win in friendly and hostile environments.

Now, if the A's don't win the American League West or the wild card, then it's likely Boston will be in the postseason. The Red Sox have Nomar Garciaparra, Manny Ramirez, and Cliff Floyd. Each one is a potent All-Star performer. Garciaparra and Ramirez are always preseason MVP candidates. The Red Sox will score enough runs. But can their pitching shut down the Yankees?

Many pundits have compared the duo of Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe to the Arizona Diamondbacks' winning pair of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. Martinez has been absolutely unhittable in his past ten starts. Lowe has made the amazing transition from closer to a starting pitcher and Cy Young candidate. If Martinez and Lowe follow up excellent regular seasons with equally strong postseasons, then Boston will make its first World Series since 1986.

After that build-up, though, there's no reason to believe Derek Lowe will succeed in the postseason in his first year as a top starting pitcher. Plus, Boston might have to rely on John Burkett in Game 3 of any series.

The not quite out on a limb prediction, then, is that the Yankees will return to the World Series this season. Unless, of course, they play the A's.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.