The American League West seems to provide a lot of excitement each season. Sometimes it's because teams like the Seattle Mariners come out of nowhere and put up 117 wins. Sometimes it's because the Oakland Athletics come up with ingenious new ways to win. And of course the Angels always provide excitement with a new name practically every year (this time it's the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim).
So who will emerge from the pack this season? Let's break it down!
1. Angels: The reigning division champs made a few moderate improvements. They overpaid and signed shortstop Orlando Cabrera to a four-year $32 million deal. Even though they still shelled out too much cash, Cabrera will be a big defensive upgrade and a minor offensive one. Plus now it won't look like the Angels picked a 12 year-old out of the stands to play shortstop.
The Angels also added free-agent pitcher Paul Byrd to their rotation. Byrd isn't a big name, but if he's healthy then he'll give the Halos what they need - more depth in the rotation. The Angels signed aging center fielder Steve Finley in hopes of improving the outfield and bringing more fans to the park. Finley had a good 2004, but he's 40, and unless Jose Canseco teaches him to inject steroids into his buttocks he'll decline quickly.
The Angels should be able to overcome the losses of Troy Glaus and Troy Percival. Glaus is a great hitter, but he was injured most of the season. Percival is a solid pitcher but Fransisco Rodriguez is more than ready to close out games. All in all, the Angels should be slightly better than last year and should take the title again.
2. A's: Oakland tried to reshape the team in the offseason, and it may pay off in the future, but not this year. Dealing away aces Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder leaves the A's with a deficit of veteran pitchers. Mulder wasn't very good last year, but the team will most definitely miss Hudson, a perennial Cy Young candidate.
Barry Zito and Rich Harden will head the rotation and should have success doing so, but after that there are a bunch of question marks. Dan Haren, acquired in the Mulder trade, will step into the rotation and should pitch reasonably well. But Haren could hit some bumps and Dan Meyer and Joe Blanton are even more unproven at the Major League level.
The bullpen should be a strength for the A's, thanks to the addition of talented youngster Juan Cruz. Closer Octavio Dotel has great stuff, but he can be Armando Benitez-esque at times in terms of melting down in pressure situations.
The A's have a decent lineup. They'd be really helped by a full healthy season from third baseman Eric Chavez, who will post MVP numbers if he can stay off the DL. The addition of catcher Jason Kendall represents a moderate offensive improvement.
In the past, it has been the Oakland rotation that delivers them division titles year after year, but in 2005 the inexperience at the bottom of the rotation should hold them back just enough to miss the playoffs.
3. Texas Rangers: This team was a huge surprise last year, and they could be even better in 2005, but they'll need another miracle from pitching coach Orel Hershiser to make that happen.
The Texas infield is obscenely good. They have potential Hall of Famers at first, second and third base in Mark Teixera, Alfonso Soriano and Hank Blalock, respectively. Shortstop Michael Young is a solid player as well.
The outfield of the Rangers will make or break their season. Kevin Mench had a good 2004, and he's only 27 so he can improve. Centerfielder Laynce Nix is only 24 and could be ready to breakout. The Rangers made a nice addition in right field by acquiring Richard Hidalgo. Hidalgo's had some struggles, but playing in the cozy confines of the The Ballpark at Arlington could be just what he needs.
The Rangers have a decent bullpen and an embarrassingly bad rotation. If Orel can somehow find a way to get the rotation pitching at a mediocre level that may be all the Rangers need to take the division. However, that's a lot to ask. When you're depending on people like Chan Ho Park, you're in big trouble.
4. Seattle: The M's should be a lot better in 2005, but that's mostly because things couldn't have gone any worse in '04. They added big name sluggers Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre thanks to free agency. Sexson is moving from a hitter's park to Safeco Field, named for its ability to save pitchers from steroid-powered hitters. Sexson also just had serious shoulder surgery, which is a red flag. Beltre put up great numbers in '04 and the issue is whether he was finally reaching his potential, or whether it was just a contract-year fluke.
Either way, the M's probably don't have quite enough to win the division. Their pitching staff has too many question marks and injury prone pitchers.
