The last division to cover in the American League is the AL West. This seems to be a case of saving the worst for last.
Sure, last year's AL West champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim had the best record in the MLB, but it's important to keep in mind that the team played most of their games against teams within their division. Looking at the competition in the West, it's easy to see how the Angels won 100 games.
The Angels head into the 2009 season a bit weaker than last year. The most notable loss for the Angels is first baseman Mark Teixeira, who went to the Yankees. The Angels also cut ties with veteran outfielder Garrett Anderson and star closer Francisco Rodriguez signed with the Mets.
However, there are not many reasons for Angels fans to fear losing the division title this year. The Angels signed Bobby Abreu to patrol the outfield and they still have Torii Hunter and Vladimir Guerrero. While the outfield is older, they can provide the pop in the lineup that complements the small-ball type play from guys like Chone Figgins and Howie Kendrick.
The Angels still boast the West's best pitching rotation with John Lackey, Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders leading the staff. If Kelvim Escobar is able to come back healthy he should make the rotation one of the best in the AL. The team was also able to find a strong closer in Brian Fuentes.
The Texas Rangers finished in second last year by a staggering 21 games. They also had the distinct honor of being the only second-place team in 2008 to finish with a record below .500 at 79-83.
The Rangers have had the same problem for about a decade - they can score a ton of runs, but they have no pitching. One would think the front office would catch on, but alas, nothing has really changed in Texas since Juan Gonzalez was in right field.
The Rangers did have one of the season's best stories playing for them, Josh Hamilton. Hamilton put together a great season and an even better home run derby performance. Hamilton should have another great year for the Rangers. The rest of the Rangers' offense will come from second baseman Ian Kinsler, shortstop Michael Young and outfielder David Murphy.
The 2009 rotation is being lead by Vicente Padilla and Kevin Millwood. It's not exactly a dream top of the rotation but they'll work with what they have. The Rangers' best chance at cutting into the Angels is for career years from pitchers past their prime and surprise performances from some of the younger pitchers like Brandon McCarthy and Scott Feldman.
The Oakland A's are probably the most improved team in the West. This offseason they traded for outfielder Matt Holiday and brought back Jason Giambi. Both of these acquisitions should help with the A's offense.
A's General Manager Billy Beane always has a way of developing young talent and it can be seen in the rotation which is largely made up of young inexperienced players. Some of the young starters for next year's team include Sean Gallagher and Dana Eveland. The rotation will still have a veteran presence with Justin Duchscherer.
History shows that Billy Beane knows something the rest of us don't, but it's hard to believe that this team will be competing for the division crown this year. While the additions of Giambi and Holliday make sense, they are not a sure thing. Giambi is getting older and Holliday's numbers may take a bit of a dip after leaving hitter friendly Coors Field in Denver.
Rounding out the West are the Seattle Mariners who were the American League's worst team. A combination of injuries and underperformance from veterans doomed the Mariners. Last season's big acquisition for the Mariners was starter Erik Bedard, who only started 15 games due to injuries. Young flamethrower Felix Hernandez still has yet to realize his potential. He's only 22 years old, so there's still time.
Adrian Beltre continued to underperform as he has since joining the team. Ichiro is still a brilliant baseball player but his talent seems wasted on such a bad team. Some things have changed in Seattle. They hired a new manager, Don Wakamatsu, who will try to turn the team around.
The Mariners are also looking to an old friend in Ken Griffey Jr., who recently decided to return to Seattle. The signing of Griffey is a great PR move but maybe not such a great baseball move. Griffey can provide 20 homeruns and 85 RBI's if healthy, but it will take much more than an aging hall of famer to get the Mariners in the playoffs.
Prediction: AL West Champions: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.
