There is a predictable pattern to the way the New York Yankees win the American League pennant every year. For the first two months or so they hobble along, beset by injuries and slumps, while other teams battle for the lead. Then about the middle of the year they pull themselves together, push the other clubs aside, and take over first place on a permanent basis.

This year's Yankee team, though closer to the lead than past teams have been in May, is following the pattern quite well. Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris were injured and out of the lineup for most of April. Whitey Ford and Ralph Terry have been pitching like Mets and only Cletis Boyer is hitting consistently.

Yanks Ready

Yet there the Yankees are, lurking just a game away from the league leaders, ready to reach up and take over first place as soon as the rest of the team begins hitting. The picture is sadly reminiscent of the pennant race last year, and the year before that, and the one before that, Et cetera.

If there has been a surprise in this year's race, it has been the miserable showings of the teams that were supposed to challenge the Yankees for the pennant. The Minnesota Twins, whose good hitters were supposed to make up for their suspect pitchers, have been more consistent; both batters and pitchers have been wretched, and the Twins are as high as eighth place only by grace of three recent wins over the slumping Red Sox. Bob Allison is hitting, but the rest of the team is not, and the Twins show few signs of ever becoming challengers.

So Fell the Angels

Just as surprising has been the fall of the Angels. The Los Angeles club has been getting hitting from big Leon Wagner, catcher Bob Rodgers, and one or two others, and its pitching has been passable, if not brilliant. But the club that won all the close ball games last year has been losing them this time around. The relief pitchers have been frittering away leads in the late innings, and some shoddy fielding has hurt, too. The Angels, now in seventh place, have not been playing like contenders.

The story of the Tigers is still sadder; the team that was to give the Yankees their toughest competition has collapsed altogether. The good pitchers are no longer good: Jim Bunning, an All-Star last year, is 1-5; Frank Lary is lost to the club; Phil Regan is 2-4. The Tigers, now barely ahead of Washington for ninth place, have a very unpromising season ahead of them if the pitchers don't start coming around.

Kansas City and Boston shared the lead for a while, but now have begun their descent. Both are three games away from first, and in both cases the cause is clear: a demonstrated lack of starting pitchers. It has been the reliefers on both clubs. Bill Fischer of the A's, and Dick Radatz of Boston, who have been saving the wins. But Fischer and Radatz cannot pitch every night, and neither team shows signs of developing a top-notch starter.

The Red Sox look a bit more solid than the Kansas City club, since their hits are coming from reputable ball players and since they have a second good relief pitcher in Jack Lamabe. The A's hitting has been coming from journeyman ball-players named Wayne Causey and Manny Jiminez, and already the hits are becoming fewer. The suspicion is that behind their flashy green and gold uniforms the Athletics are just plain green.

If there is a solid contender other that the Yankees this year, it is probably the Baltimore Orioles. Steve Barber (8-3) and Chuck Estrada (3-1), both now mature at 24 after three big-league season, are pitching brilliantly. Earl Robinson. Boog Powell, and Jim Gentile are hitting consistently. If not spectacularly, and with the addition of Luis Aparicio, the Birds' infield has become the league's tightest.

The White Sox, too, look like a respectable ball club, but whether their mound staff can hold up for an entire summer is an open question. Behind Ray Herbert the Sox have only demonstrated mediocrities like Johnny Buzhardt and Joel Horlen, who may not be able to hold their pace.

Of course it's possible that the White Sox will last, possible too that the A's will turn out to be a good team, and that the Angels and the Twins will become challengers. But whether they do or not, it looks like (sigh) another Yankee year.