American league preview: White Sox are poised to repeat as Yankees, Red Sox, Indians and Athletics will heat up the 2006 pennant race.

OWNER JERRY REINSDORF WAITED 25 YEARS to win a World Series. He thought he was so smart that he could make it happen long before it did. Baseball has a way of humbling such conceit.

Reinsdorf learned to accept that following many years on Chicago's south side. So after the White Sox swept Houston in October to win their first world championship in 88 years, Reinsdorf delivered a simple message to GM Ken Williams--"do it again." Reinsdorf's humility, it would appear, has limits.

So Williams ruled an unusual American League winter by acting like the Yankees. The Yankees, with the exception of tweaking Boston's nose by signing Johnny Damon, acted like the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Boston, meanwhile, seemed to lose everything from Damon and shortstop Edgar Renteria to manager Terry Francona's surgically replaced fight knee.

Then came a rumble from the great white north. Toronto, stuck behind the Yankees and Red Sox in the A.L. East for the past 11 years, spent a lot of money in a short amount of time on a thin free agent-class. GM J.P. Ricciardi gave closer B.J. Ryan a five-year $47 million contract and right-hander A.J. Burnett a five-year $55 million deal. Ryan has 42 career saves and Burnett 49 career victories.

Ricciardi acquired first baseman Lyle Overbay from Milwaukee and third baseman Troy Glaus from Arizona. He assumed the $33 million left on the Glaus contract in exchange for second baseman Orlando Hudson and closer Miguel Batista.

If the Blue Jays can make a move this year on the division's entrenched powers, good for them. Further plans involving a division title or wild card will likely take another winter of free spending by owner Ted Rogers.

The White Sox are in a better place.