The Post’s Joel Sherman takes a look at the names and teams that will be making news in 2008:
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Cy Young
Justin Verlander, Tigers – With the kind of run support and defense he has, Verlander could have a 25-win season. His closest competitor will be Seattle’s Felix Hernandez.
MVP
Alex Rodriguez, Yankees – This would be A-Rod’s fourth MVP. Only Barry Bonds would have more. Cleveland’s Grady Sizemore, Boston’s Manny Ramirez, Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera and Tampa’s B.J. Upton round out the top five.
Most Improved Team
Rays – They have never finished with more than 70 wins or above fourth place. They have real shots this year. They need their young pitching to hold up, and for young stud David Price, who’ll begin the season with an elbow injury, to contribute along the way.
Biggest Dropoff
Orioles – They may remember last year when they won 69 games as the good old days. It is possible they could play 30 games under .500 (21-51) just against AL East foes.
Best Free-Agent Signing
Troy Percival, Rays – There has to be wonder if his body and stuff will hold up in the AL. But for two years at $8 million, Tampa signed the kind of mature, veteran presence with a championship pedigree necessary to help transform the Rays’ reputation from talented, but immature, to ready to win.
Worst Free-agent Signings
Scott Linebrink and Octavio Dotel, White Sox – This feels like throwing money (poorly) at a problem, with Linebrink (four years, $19 million) and Dotel (two years, $11 million) arriving to try and bolster a sagging set-up crew.
Best Trade
The Tigers were roundly hailed for landing Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. But it did cost them six prospects, including the touted Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller, and their system is now foundering. This really puts a lot of pressure on Detroit to win in 2008. In the long run, we may remember this offseason for Oakland having the foresight and fortitude to rebuild by trading its ace (Dan Haren), its best hitter (Nick Swisher) and starting center fielder (Mark Kotsay) for an avalanche of prospects.
Rookie of the Year
Evan Longoria, Rays – Like Ryan Braun with Milwaukee last year, Longoria will not start the season with his team. But when he comes up, he will play even better than his Long Beach State teammate, Troy Tulowitzki, the Colorado shortstop who was the runner-up to Braun in the NL last year. Can Joba rule enough as a reliever to push into this discussion?
Manager Of The Year
Jim Leyland, Tigers – Steering a team to the playoffs with an underwhelming bullpen is always difficult.
First Manager Fired
John Gibbons, Blue Jays – It would probably be a safer bet to go with a final implosion by Ozzie Guillen, but the hunch is that Toronto has been over-inflated in spring and someone will have to take the fall if the Jays do not play like top contenders.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cy Young
Carlos Zambrano, Cubs — Zambrano, comfortable with his long-term contract, puts it altogether by becoming the first Cub since Fergie Jenkins in 1970 to win 22 games, which allows him to hold off his main foes for this award: Johan Santana, Arizona’s Brandon Webb and Dan Haren, and San Diego’s Jake Peavy.
MVP
David Wright, Mets – Chase Utley could become the third different Phillie in as many years to win it, and Ryan Howard will be part of the discussion, as well. Colorado’s Matt Holliday also will be a factor. But Wright stood up late last season when most of his teammates folded, showing a final element to his superb allaround game.
Most Improved Team
Reds – There were so many positives about young starters Johnny Cueto and Edison Volquez emanating from spring training. If they could hold that up, the Reds might actually have a rotation worthy of a contender, with the underrated ace Aaron Harang fronting the staff.
Biggest Dropoff
Phillies – They are going to hit a ton, but their pitching is just too tenuous. And they do not have enough of a farm system to really address the issue during the season.
Best Free-agent Signing
Eric Gagne/Mike Cameron, Brewers – You can say they overpaid to get Gagne ($10 million) and Cameron ($7 million). But the key is that the Brewers limited the length to one year. If it works, they have added a top-flight closer and greatly improved their overall defense with Cameron in center. If it doesn’t, they are out of these deals after the season.
Worst Free-agent Signing
Aaron Rowand, Giants – Why would a team that is a near certainty to finish last in its division sign a good, but hardly great, player to the NL’s largest free-agent contract of the offseason ($60 million over five years)? This is even worse than Houston giving Kaz Matsui $16.5 million over three years, which is really saying something.
Best Trade
Dan Haren, Diamondbacks — The Diamondbacks were so steep in prospects that they still had plenty left after sending six of them to Oakland for difference-maker Haren. This is in contrast to the Mets, who surrendered most of the quality left in their system to get Santana.
Rookie Of The Year
Jair Jurrjens, Braves – He was obtained from Detroit for Edgar Renteria and emerges as a 15-game winner, which enables him to outdo the Cubs’ Kosuke Fukudome, Cueto and Milwaukee’s Manny Parra.
Manager Of The Year
Lou Piniella, Cubs – You get the feeling that Chicago just might overwhelm a weak NL Central.
First Manager Fired
Charlie Manuel, Phillies – The anger will rise when the pitching falls.