D-backs proved Yanks not invincible

Revamped rosters could lead to open pennant races this season

That little bloop single by Luis Gonzalez proved to teams and fans everywhere that indeed it was possible: the New York Yankees could be beaten.

Now, who’s next?

It could be those always on-deck Atlanta Braves, boosted by Gary Sheffield. Maybe the revamped New York Mets, rejuvenated with Robbie Alomar, Mo Vaughn and Jeromy Burnitz. Perhaps the Boston Red Sox, spurred by a healthy Pedro Martinez and Nomar Garciaparra.

Get the picture?

All of a sudden, there’s hope all over, cracked open by Gonzo’s cracked-bat single off Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 7 that won the World Series for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Heck, even the poor, orphan Montreal Expos are optimistic they might play well for their new owners the other 29 major league clubs.

“That would be a great story,” commissioner Bud Selig said.

Provided, of course, the Yankees don’t sweep in at the July 31 trading deadline and steal Vladimir Guerrero from the Expos. Then again, the team that came within a double-play grounder of winning its fourth straight title already did its damage in the winter.

Because while the rest of baseball was still getting used to Cal Ripken, Mark McGwire and Tony Gwynn being retired, free-agent prize Jason Giambi was putting on pinstripes and homering in his first at-bat of spring training.

“It’s an exciting feeling to be the lead dog, and not chasing it,” the former AL MVP said.

David Wells, Rondell White and Steve Karsay also headed to the Bronx, becoming teammates with Derek Jeter, Roger Clemens and Bernie Williams.

“The Yankees are the Yankees,” Dan Duquette said, a couple of months before being fired as Boston’s general manager. “We have to compete against them, and I’m sure we will. But there isn’t a team that has the resources to compete with the Yankees.”

Of course, that did not stop the San Francisco Giants from spending $90 million to keep home run king Barry Bonds. His beyond-belief 73 homers, by the way, were nearly as hard to fathom as his kooky feud with Sammy Sosa.

The wild-card St. Louis Cardinals spent freely, signing Tino Martinez and Jason Isringhausen. AL MVP Ichiro Suzuki and the record-breaking Seattle Mariners also improved themselves, picking up Jeff Cirillo.

Oakland and Houston, which now plays at Astros Field rather than Enron Field, both boast outstanding young pitching that put them in the playoffs last year.

AL Central champion Cleveland can count on its young ace, Bartolo Colon wait a second, he’s 28 instead of 26 after getting caught in an age discrepancy. No matter, he’ll start for the Indians in this year’s major league opener tonight at Anaheim.

And don’t forget the current kings of the hill, World Series co-MVPs Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling and their Diamondbacks.

At 38, Johnson is coming off a season in which he beat out Schilling for his fourth Cy Young Award.

“My age is the age that I am and I’m pitching the way I am,” the Big Unit said. “There’s no rhyme nor reason except that I’ve worked extremely hard and I take a lot of pride in what I do.”