2008 Preview: AL West Division

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have the clunkiest name in the game, but are the class of the AL West. The rest of the division is rebuilding and shouldn't throw a scare into the Angels' hopes of repeating as division champs. It isn't that Oakland, Seattle and Texas are awful, its just that they aren't quite ready to play with the big boys on a consistent basis despite having some good talent.

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LOS ANGELES ANGELS
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Unable yet again to address their perceived need for a more threatening offense, the Angels remain a pitching-oriented team. The addition of RHP Jon Garland gives them perhaps the deepest rotation in the American League. The signing of OF Torii Hunter will help the offense. But the combination might not be enough to help them make the leap from perennial AL West champion to a true threat to the league's elite.
RHP Kelvim Escobar's shoulder problems have derailed one anticipated spring battle (between RHP Ervin Santana and LHP Joe Saunders for the fifth spot in the starting rotation). That leaves replacing Orlando Cabrera at shortstop as the main item on the Angels' spring agenda. The Angels would like young INF Erick Aybar to step up and grab the position, but Aybar might be too inconsistent to be the everyday answer in 2008. Utilityman Maicer Izturis could be a more stable answer (though with less upside), and prospect Brandon Wood is an outside possibility.
Garret Anderson has been a fixture in the Angels' lineup for 13 years, but the outfielder realizes he could be entering his final season with the only team he has ever known. "It has crossed my mind," Anderson said. "I've seen so many guys leave, and I'm a realist. I know one day it's going to be me. I'm not going to be here forever."
Anderson is in the final year of a four-year, $48 million contract that includes a club option for 2009 -- but at a $14 million salary. "A long time ago, I learned to understand it's not in my control," he said. "I might go out there and hit .330 with 30 home runs and drive in 120 and it's still not in my control."
The contract includes a $3 million buyout. "I'll say this. A lot of decisions you make are tough decisions," Angels GM Tony Reagins said. "You really just do your homework and try to make the decision that is best for your ballclub, on the field and economically as well."
ARRIVALS: RHP Jon Garland (trade with White Sox), OF Torii Hunter (free agent from Twins).
DEPARTURES: SS Orlando Cabrera (trade with White Sox), RHP Bartolo Colon (free agent, to Red Sox), INF Dallas McPherson (free agent, to Marlins).
PROJECTED ROTATION:
1. RHP John Lackey
2. RHP Jon Garland
3. RHP Jered Weaver
4. RHP Ervin Santana
5. LHP Joe Saunders
This is where the Angels hang all their hopes in 2008. The rotation will only get stronger when RHP Kelvim Escobar returns from a shoulder problem that should land him on the DL to start the season. Lackey is a Cy Young-caliber rotation leader, and Garland adds reliability and depth.
PROJECTED BULLPEN:
RHP Francisco Rodriguez (closer)
RHP Scot Shields
RHP Justin Speier
LHP Darren Oliver
RHP Dustin Moseley
RHP Chris Bootcheck
Rodriguez and Shields were not their usual reliable selves in the second half of 2007. The Angels are passing that off as an aberration, in part because of heavy workloads necessitated by Speier's long illness in the first half. With that triangle in place to close out games, the Angels have one of the AL's best bullpens. Looming as a potential distraction is Rodriguez's contract status. Free agency is looming next winter if he and the Angels don't agree on the multi-year contract he seeks.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
1. 3B Chone Figgins
2. LF Gary Matthews Jr.
3. RF Vladimir Guerrero
4. DH Garret Anderson
5. CF Torii Hunter
6. 1B Casey Kotchman
7. 2B Howie Kendrick
8. C Mike Napoli/Jeff Mathis
9. SS Erick Aybar/Maicer Izturis
The Angels are counting on depth in their lineup to make up for the lack of a power presence to team with Guerrero in the middle of the lineup. To make that work, Anderson will have to stay healthy -- something that has been an annual challenge for him -- and young players Kotchman and Kendrick will have to reach their potential. Manager Mike Scioscia will shuffle his outfield makeup on a daily basis, feeding Guerrero and Anderson a steady diet of DH days to try to keep them healthy and productive into October.
PROJECTED RESERVES:
C Jeff Mathis
INF Maicer Izturis
INF Robb Quinlan
1B-OF Kendry Morales
OF Reggie Willits
OF Juan Rivera
There is no doubt the Angels should be deeper in 2008 than they were in 2007, when their bench was primarily a revolving door of inexperienced minor league call-ups. The biggest difference-maker could be Rivera. If he has fully recovered from the fractured leg that sidelined him for nearly the entire 2007 season, the Angels will have a serious power threat on their bench (or rotating into the DH spot). Rivera hit 23 home runs and drove in 85 runs in a similar role in 2006.
TOP ROOKIES:
The core of the Angels' roster continues to be young players, but no rookies are likely to be major contributors in 2008. The lone exception could be Brandon Wood. One of the top power prospects in the minor leagues over the past few seasons, Wood got a taste of the big leagues in short call-ups last season. This spring, he will get a look as a potential replacement for Gold Glove SS Orlando Cabrera. But the big swinger will most likely spend the summer refining his game in Class AAA.
MEDICAL WATCH: RHP John Lackey (elbow soreness) is about a week behind in his spring preparation and might not be ready for Opening Day. ... RHP Chris Bootcheck (strained left oblique) is going slowly. ... RHP Kelvim Escobar (shoulder irritation) will not be ready to open the season.

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OAKLAND ATHLETICS
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There's several new faces, but the most important factor for the Athletics is how well some returning players bounce back from injuries. The only major battle shaping up is for the fifth spot in the rotation, although health issues or trades might wind up opening up more spots. Some of the odd men out in that competition could be back in consideration very quickly. The A's are set -- or semi-set, considering the large number of injuries they had last year -- elsewhere, with maybe only a bullpen job or a bench position potentially undecided.
The A's are opening the season a week earlier than usual, March 25 in Tokyo, and numerous contributors (Eric Chavez, Travis Buck, Bobby Crosby, Rich Harden, Justin Duchscherer, Chad Gaudin) are coming off injuries. Oakland needs to know everyone is ready to roll, or position battles might heat up. Even as the competition for the No. 5 starter spot heats up, No. 4 starter Gaudin is on target to make his first scheduled regular-season appearance on April 12 at Cleveland. He had hip and foot surgery in December and is about two weeks behind the rest of the Oakland starters, but the A's took into account that their season-opening trip to Japan would mean extra time to get Gaudin ready and have proceeded slowly with him.
The fifth starter spot, meanwhile, promises to be a strong competition between Lenny DiNardo, Dan Meyer, Dallas Braden, Dana Eveland, Greg Smith, Kirk Saarloos, Chris Gissell and Gio Gonzalez.
OF Carlos Gonzalez might force his way onto the roster the way Travis Buck did last spring. Gonzalez, obtained in the Dan Haren deal with Arizona, has swung a hot bat to start Cactus League play, and he's made several tremendous throws. He played every outfield position in less than a week of play.
ARRIVALS: RHP Joey Devine (trade with Braves), LHP Dana Eveland, LHP Greg Smith (trade with Diamondbacks) and OF Carlos Gonzalez (trade with Diamondbacks), RHP Fernando Hernandez (Rule 5 draft from White Sox); OF Emil Brown (free agent from Royals), OF Ryan Sweeney and LHP Gio Gonzalez (trade with White Sox), RHP Kirk Saarloos (minor league free agent), INF Wes Bankston (waivers from Royals), RHP Keith Foulke (free agent from Indians), 1B/DH Mike Sweeney (free agent from Royals).
DEPARTURES: RHP Dan Haren and RHP Connor Robertson (traded to Diamondbacks), OF Nick Swisher (traded to White Sox), CF Mark Kotsay (traded to Braves), INF Marco Scutaro (traded to Blue Jays), OF Shannon Stewart and DH Mike Piazza (free agents, unsigned); RHP Ruddy Lugo (waivers to Mets); OF Jeff DaVanon (free agent, to Padres), C Jeremy Brown (retired).
PROJECTED ROTATION:
1. RHP Joe Blanton
2. RHP Rich Harden
3. RHP Justin Duchscherer
4. RHP Chad Gaudin
5. LHP Dana Eveland
Harden, Duchscherer and Gaudin are all expected to be able to take the ball when needed, but all three are returning from injuries and will have to prove they are OK. Gaudin might be a little behind the others, but the A's won't need him to take a turn until mid-April. Eveland has as good a shot as anyone at the fifth spot after coming over in the big Dan Haren deal, but Lenny DiNardo made 20 starts for Oakland last year and Dallas Braden and Dan Meyer also got shots. Kirk Saarloos is in camp, and he was a 10-game winner for Oakland in 2005. Greg Smith, also from the Haren trade, is in the mix, too.
PROJECTED BULLPEN:
RHP Huston Street (closer)
LHP Alan Embree
RHP Santiago Casilla
RHP Andrew Brown
RHP Kiko Calero
RHP Joey Devine
RHP Fernando Hernandez
DiNardo is likely to wind up in the bullpen if he doesn't win the fifth spot, and Meyer is out of options, making him an interesting one to watch this spring. The A's are looking for Casilla and Brown to demonstrate more consistency, and if Joey Devine gets the job done in less strenuous situations early on, he could wind up pitching in more meaningful spots as the season goes along. Calero is coming off shoulder problems and his slider doesn't appear to be the nice weapon it once was. If it doesn't return this spring, he might have trouble sticking around despite several good years of service in Oakland.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
1. LF Travis Buck
2. 2B Mark Ellis
3. 3B Eric Chavez
4. DH Jack Cust
5. RF Emil Brown
6. 1B Daric Barton
7. SS Bobby Crosby
8. CF Chris Denorfia
9. C Kurt Suzuki
The A's don't have a lot of their pieces from their projected Opening Day lineup a year ago; Mark Kotsay, Nick Swisher, Milton Bradley, Jason Kendall and Shannon Stewart and Mike Piazza are all gone, and what remains is relatively young and a little light on power. With promising young hitters such as Buck and Barton, Oakland manager Bob Geren probably will move things around a bit; Ellis can lead off, and Barton might get a shot there, too. It's also possible that Chavez will bat behind Cust.
PROJECTED RESERVES:
C Rob Bowen
1B/DH Dan Johnson or 1B/DH Mike Sweeney
INF Donnie Murphy
INF Jack Hannahan
OF Ryan Sweeney
One reason the A's traded Marco Scutaro to Toronto was that they liked the looks of Donnie Murphy last season and he's out of options. Hannahan filled in well when Chavez missed much of the second half, and Bowen appears to be a good option behind the plate. Sweeney, a piece of the Nick Swisher trade, has the inside track on the extra outfield spot, but a great spring by Carlos Gonzalez (from the Dan Haren deal) could change that thinking. Look for Gonzalez to be up at some point during the season.
TOP ROOKIES:
1B Daric Barton already has a starting job nailed down. He showed excellent strike-zone judgment last September in reaching base in every game he played, and he is making strides defensively. LHP Gio Gonzalez could be up by midseason; he's close to being ready, but the A's are unlikely to start his arbitration clock early.
MEDICAL WATCH: OF Ryan Sweeney (sore left knee) is expected to be ready for the start of the season ... RHP Rich Harden (biceps tendinitis) is expected to be ready to start the second game of the season, but his extensive medical history means he'll be watched closely. ... 3B Eric Chavez (right shoulder surgery in September, lower back surgery in October, left shoulder surgery in November) has felt soreness in his lower back. ... OF Travis Buck (elbow surgery in September) had chips removed from his right elbow but says he is completely healthy. ... RHP Justin Duchscherer (hip surgery in July) is completely recovered and will be in the Oakland rotation. ... RHP Chad Gaudin (hip surgery, foot surgery in December) is slightly behind, but expected to be able to start in mid-April. ... RHP Keith Foulke (strained calf) was held out of the first week of exhibition games. ... RHP Joey Devine (back spasms) was held out of the first week of exhibition games.

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SEATTLE MARINERS
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There was no down time at all for the Mariners during the winter. Seattle went into February before finalizing its roster with the addition, at long last, of LHP Erik Bedard to boost the rotation. That done, the Mariners need to shore up the bullpen and make sure they're adequately covered in right field if they're going to challenge for the AL West title.
LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith and LHP Eric O'Flaherty will get the first shot at setup relief work, and 1B/OF Brad Wilkerson will find right field is his job to lose. LHP Robert Rohrbaugh jumped from Class AA to Class AAA Tacoma last year, and before the season was over he was named Tacoma's Pitcher of the Year. He doesn't have a chance to make the rotation out of spring training, but has found a mentor of sorts in Bedard, who was acquired in a trade with Baltimore. "I grew up about 50 miles from Baltimore and was a huge Orioles fan," Rohrbaugh said. "I used to watch him pitch. Now we talk about pitching. We talk about lots of things. It's helped me out."
C Kenji Johjima is using the spring training camp to continue to refine his skills to the American game. He was concerned that he still doesn't block the plate that well on runners sliding home, and so he is getting extra work with catching guru Roger Hansen. "We're just trying to help him in any way we can to smooth his game out," manager John McLaren said. "(Whether it's) receiving the ball, calling a game ... we want to take that a bit further down the line. He's very open about it. He's a veteran player, but he wants to learn."
ARRIVALS: RHP Carlos Silva (free agent from Twins), INF Miguel Cairo (free agent from Cardinals), 1B/OF Brad Wilkerson (free agent from Rangers), LHP Erik Bedard (trade with Orioles), RHP R.A. Dickey (free agent from Twins), RHP Anderson Garcia (waivers from Phillies).
DEPARTURES: RHP Jeff Weaver (free agent, unsigned), RF Adam Jones and LHP George Sherrill (traded to Baltimore), RF Jose Guillen (free agent, to Royals), 1B/OF Ben Broussard (traded to Rangers).
PROJECTED ROTATION:
1. LHP Erik Bedard
2. RHP Felix Hernandez
3. RHP Miguel Batista
4. RHP Carlos Silva
5. LHP Jarrod Washburn
The offseason goal was to put two strong arms in the rotation, and the Mariners did that by adding Bedard and Silva. Bedard and Hernandez figure to give the Mariners two No. 1-type starters. Silva will be good for Seattle not to face -- he is 4-1 against them the last three years -- but he has had considerable success against the rest of the AL West since 2005, including a 3-1 record against the division champion Angels. Much will depend on whether Washburn, who has had two mediocre years with the Mariners, can get back somewhere close to his 2002 18-win form. Batista is the most senior of the lot, but he is coming off his winningest year ever.
PROJECTED BULLPEN:
RHP J.J. Putz (closer)
RHP Brandon Morrow
RHP Mark Lowe
LHP Eric O'Flaherty
LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith
RHP Sean Green
LHP Horacio Ramirez
LHP Ryan Feierabend
RHP Chris Reitsma
Putz has developed into one of the best in the game, and the Seattle bullpen has followed that general curve. But too much work sent the 'pen crashing last September, and the goal is to keep the relievers fresh so that Seattle can stay in the hunt down the stretch. Morrow and Lowe are both young hard throwers, and both have learned to pitch in the eighth inning. On the left side, the Mariners need someone to step up in the eighth inning, and both O'Flaherty and Rowland-Smith will get long looks in the spring. Deeper into the season, LHP Arthur Rhodes (Tommy John surgery) could step up in late May or June. Reitsma throws hard, too, and the former Braves closer could get into the late inning mix. If not, he'll get middle relief work along with Green and Ramirez, who will make the transition to bullpen work.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
1. CF Ichiro Suzuki
2. DH Jose Vidro
3. 3B Adrian Beltre
4. LF Raul Ibanez
5. 1B Richie Sexson
6. RF Brad Wilkerson
7. C Kenji Johjima
8. SS Yuniesky Betancourt
9. 2B Jose Lopez
Manager John McLaren is fond of his veterans, so you can get used to seeing the regulars playing most every day. Presumably that will mean Wilkerson will win the job in right field and will be the regular there. It's not clear that Vidro will bat second, although he was exceptional there during the second half of the 2007 season. But he draws walks, which the other candidates, Betancourt and Lopez, don't do with regularity. The RBI positions don't have a huge bat, but the Mariners can count on generally steady production as long they get a comeback season from Sexson, whose power fell almost in half last year.
PROJECTED RESERVES:
C Jamie Burke
INF Miguel Cairo
INF/OF Mike Morse
INF/OF Willie Bloomquist
OF Jeremy Reed
C Jeff Clement
Because he's a left-handed bat with power, Clement could make the roster as a third catcher and backup first baseman. Morse is out of options and almost certainly makes the team as a utility man. Same goes for Bloomquist. Reed is by far the best defender in the outfield, although his arm leaves something to be desired. Cairo will push Lopez at second base but figures to settle for a backup role.
TOP ROOKIES:
OF Wladimir Balentien had a nice year (.291, 24 homers, 84 RBIs) at Class AAA Tacoma and could be a surprise in the outfield. LHP Cesar Jimenez had a great season in winter ball (0.77 ERA in 21 games in relief) and could jump into the bullpen picture. C Jeff Clement could make the roster and get some time at first base with his left-handed power. 2B Yung Chi Chen missed most of last year with an injury, but the Mariners are encouraged that he could make a push this season at second base.
MEDICAL WATCH: LHP Arthur Rhodes (Tommy John surgery in April) is not likely to be ready before late May. ... RHP Anderson Garcia (biceps tendinitis) was pulled out of a bullpen session after only three pitches and is being monitored.

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TEXAS RANGERS
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The Rangers made the outfield their No. 1 offseason priority and have a completely remade group. Durability will remain an issue with OFs Milton Bradley and Josh Hamilton. The biggest position battle of the spring, though, might be at catcher with Jarrod Saltalamacchia trying to unseat Gerald Laird. What-if questions abound on the roster, and answering all of them in a positive manner is unlikely, which is why the Rangers are probably in a growth state rather than a contending position.
It's always about pitching for the Rangers. The team needs more innings from its starting rotation. It needs to find out if LHP C.J. Wilson is a big-league closer. And it needs to identify some young pitchers who can be contingencies if there is an injury or ineffectiveness.
ARRIVALS: OF Josh Hamilton (trade with Reds), OF Milton Bradley (free agent from Padres), 1B Ben Broussard (trade with Mariners), RHP Kazuo Fukumori (free agent from Japan), OF Jason Ellison and LHP Eddie Guardado (free agents from Reds), RHP Jason Jennings (free agent from Astros), Kevin Mench (free agent from Brewers).
DEPARTURES: RHP Edinson Volquez (traded to Reds), C Guillermo Quiroz (free agent, to Orioles), CF Freddy Guzman (traded to Tigers), 1B/OF Brad Wilkerson (free agent, to Mariners).
PROJECTED ROTATION:
1. RHP Kevin Millwood
2. RHP Vicente Padilla
3. RHP Jason Jennings
4. RHP Brandon McCarthy
5. LHP Kason Gabbard
Barring injuries, there really aren't any spots open in the rotation, but that doesn't mean there aren't questions. Millwood, Padilla and Jennings all were 200-inning pitchers in 2006; none reached 180 innings last year and all had the highest ERAs of their careers. They must rebound to give the Rangers any chance. McCarthy had only 99 2/3 innings in 22 starts last year and had two different stays on the DL. Gabbard showed good pitchability but has a long history of arm problems. The Rangers need both guys to be healthy and durable. If there is an injury, RHPs Luis Mendoza, Eric Hurley and LHP A.J. Murray could be looked at as replacements.
PROJECTED BULLPEN:
LHP C.J. Wilson (closer)
RHP Joaquin Benoit
RHP Kazuo Fukumori
LHP Eddie Guardado
RHP Frank Francisco
RHP Wes Littleton
RHP Jamey Wright
There is a lot of competition for the last couple of spots in the bullpen. The team probably needs a second pitcher, in addition to Wright, who could handle multiple innings because there are a lot of one-inning guys at the back end. RHPs Scott Feldman, Kameron Loe and Josh Rupe and LHPs John Rheinecker Jason Davis and A.J. Murray all figure to battle with Littleton and Wright for the final spots. Wilson converted 12 of 14 saves as the late season closer last year, but he averaged 17.6 pitches per inning in the role. The Rangers need him to be more efficient. There are concerns that high pitch counts will make him unable to handle a heavy workload. Guardado would be the fall-back option at closer.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
1. DH Frank Catalanotto
2. 2B Ian Kinsler
3. SS Michael Young
4. RF Milton Bradley
5. CF Josh Hamilton
6. 3B Hank Blalock
7. LF Marlon Byrd
8. 1B Ben Broussard
9. C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
The lineup is not settled. Catalanotto, a left-handed hitter, doesn't play against lefties, so the Rangers will need a platoon leadoff man. It will likely be Kinsler, but that means lots of other shuffling, too. The cleanup man is another question. There are no accomplished cleanup men in the order, and it's conceivable Bradley, Hamilton or Blalock could end up there. And with Broussard and Saltalamacchia at the bottom of the order, there is no real opportunity to create runs. It should be noted manager Ron Washington didn't use the exact same lineup for more than five games last season, so predicting a regular order might be a moot point.
PROJECTED RESERVES:
C Gerald Laird
OF Jason Botts or Nelson Cruz
INF Ramon Vasquez
INF/OF Chris Shelton
There are no sure things on the bench. Botts and Cruz are both out of options, and the Rangers are almost certainly going to have to give up on one. Cruz has impressive physical tools, but they have not translated into major league success. Botts has plate discipline and a great work ethic, but he hasn't seized upon what limited chances he's had. He's also a defensive liability. Vazquez was a valuable utility player last year, but his hitting dropped way off in the second half of the season. INF Edgardo Alfonzo will be in camp trying to restart his career, and INF German Duran might be the Rangers' prospect most ready to play in the majors.
TOP ROOKIES:
INF German Duran, who played second baseman last year, might get a look around the infield as a longshot to be the utility infielder. There is a scenario in which C Taylor Teagarden, who had a 1.012 OPS at Class A Bakersfield and Class AA Frisco, could play his way into roster consideration if the club decides to send Jarrod Saltalamacchia back to the minors or if it decides to trade Gerald Laird.
MEDICAL WATCH: RHP Kevin Millwood (sore right hamstring) should be ready to start the season. ... RHP Brandon McCarthy (sore right elbow) was scratched from his scheduled appearance in the Feb. 27 Cactus League opener, but is progressing. ... OF Milton Bradley (right knee surgery in September) might not be ready to play the field by Opening Day but at least should be able to DH. ... RHP Kameron Loe (arthroscopic right elbow surgery in October) is pitching for a roster spot. ... INF Joaquin Arias (right shoulder surgery in July) has just begun a throwing program and won't be ready until mid-summer at the earliest. ... RHP Thomas Diamond (Tommy John surgery in March 2007) is not expected back before June 2008. ... RHP Willie Eyre (Tommy John surgery in September) is not expected back until 2009. ... LHP John Rheinecker (pending surgery to remove a rib) won't be back before the All-Star break.