American League West Preview

Texas-sized questions, but good enough.

Many people consider this MLB’s weakest division, but it’s also a competitive one because each team has voids the size of a New England pothole.

On paper the Texas Rangers should have a cakewalk to another title. There is no question that Cruz, Kinsler, and reigning MVP Josh Hamilton can mash the ball, or that Elvis Andrus is an emerging star at short, but this is a team with holes, question marks, and bad chemistry. Let’s start with this. Does anyone understand the logic of throwing dough at Adrian Beltre when the Rangers already had Michael Young? I don’t care how well Beltre hit last year, Young’s a better player, wants out, and will probably exit on the cheap. The Rangers’ once-promising catching core is a mess, and it remains to be seen if losing Cliff Lee is catastrophic. If Feldman, Lewis, Wilson, and Lowe continue to improve, the Rangers should be okay. Ditto if Brandon Webb manages a come back. But the Rangers could also be a sore arm or an off year away from a tumble.

If that happens, watch out for the Oakland Athletics. This is a much better team than most people think and one very quietly assembling a promising young staff: Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Dallas Braden…. If Rich Harden and Brandon McCarthy pitch to potential, Oakland will out-duel a lot of teams in that spacious barn where they play their home games. The big question is, can they hit? Matsui will, DeJesus should, Willingham is solid, and Kouzmanhoff and recent pickup Connor Jackson are capable. (They’re also good for a ton of whiffs.) This team may be a year or two away from contending, but if Jupiter aligns with Mars….

The Los Angeles Angels are also an enigma. They needed Carl Crawford and came away with Vernon Wells. Good luck with that! And fingers crossed that 35-year-old Torii Hunter and 36-year-old Bobby Abreu aren’t ready for the big slide to mediocrity. It’s hard to know what to make of an infield of Morales, Kendrick, Aybar, and Iztrusis. Some times they look great; some times they look like they’ve never been taught the fundamentals. The Angels will miss Mike Napoli behind the plate to keep flakes like Kazmir, Pinero, and Santana in line. There’s no true ace on this staff, unless Dan Haren steps up or Santana figures it out. Fernando Rodney as the closer? Not for long!

The Angels are a portrait of Zen compared to the Seattle Mariners. Can somebody explain how a ream with Felix Hernandez, Ichiro, and Chone Figgins can be as bad as the Ms were last year? I suppose it starts with the fact that there is no 2, 3, 4, and 5 to compliment Hernandez. The staff has been rebuilt over the winter but there’s not much on paper to inspire confidence. And alas, the rest of the lineup appears to follow a two-stars spare-parts pattern. And then there’s Milton Bradley. It’s hard to imagine much sunshine in Seattle this year.

Predictions:

1. Rangers (but closer than you’d imagine)

2. Athletics

3. Angels

4. Mariners (they could be the AL Pirates)