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AMERICAN LEAGUE PREVIEW

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Boston (95-67)

It’s good to be rich: Red Sox stash John Smoltz on the taxi squad, for $5 million.

N.Y. Yankees (89-73)

Players making at least $20 million this season: Yankees (Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter), rest of baseball (Manny Ramirez, Johan Santana).

Tampa Bay (97-65)

If you can’t beat ‘em, sign ‘em: Pat Burrell hit 33 home runs last season, more than any Ray.

Baltimore (68-93)

Baseball’s best ballpark attracted 1.9 million fans last season, down from 3.7 million in ‘97, Orioles’ last winning season.

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Toronto (86-76)

Number of games played by Scott Rolen, starting in 2005: 56, 142, 112, 115.

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HOT TOPIC

Tampa Bay rises behind young arms

The Tampa Bay Rays were baseball’s best story last season, escaping the American League East dungeon and storming into the World Series. They won 97 games in the regular season -- the previous franchise high was 70 -- behind a young, talented and uncommonly durable rotation. The Rays’ starting five made 153 starts, and now the Rays must hope the October run did not take too much out of the kids. James Shields threw 240 innings last season. Matt Garza and Andy Sonnanstine combined for 210 innings in 2007; each threw that many last year. David Price, the October phenom, will start the season in triple A so the Rays can control his workload.

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KEY PLAYER

Expectations running high for Teixeira

Mark Teixeira, 1B, New York

The Bronx Bombers nickname lives on, but the New York Yankees scored fewer runs last season than Minnesota. The Yankees field an old lineup -- Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui are 34, Johnny Damon is 35, Jorge Posada is 37 -- and they have their fingers crossed for Alex Rodriguez, who could return from hip surgery in May. That puts the pressure on Teixeira -- and, for $180 million, he’d better deliver. He was strictly a supporting actor for the Angels last October, reaching base 11 times in 20 appearances -- on seven singles, four walks and no extra-base hits.

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