In recent years, the AL West has become one of the premier divisions in all of regular season baseball, but their winners have not had success in the postseason.
Michael Shames | Co-News Editor
Los Angeles Angels (93-69): Division Champion
Notable Additions: SP Andrew Heaney, OF Matt Joyce, IF Josh Rutledge
Notable Subtractions: IF Howie Kendrick, RP Kevin Jepsen
The Angels finished the 2014 season with the best record (98-64) but failed to get past the Royals in the ALDS. This year, they will look to continue their success with a very similar roster. Their only significant downgrade was trading away Kendrick, who was a top-tier second-baseman last year, to the Dodgers, and acquiring Rutledge to replace him. Other than that, this team is very solid all around. Starting pitcher Garrett Richards was a rookie of the year candidate before going down with a knee injury, but he will likely be back to form this year. Jered Weaver proves year after year that you don’t need to throw 95 to have success. Young pitchers Andrew Heaney and Matt Shoemaker are in for stellar seasons for back of rotation guys. Their hitting shouldn’t be too bad either, with OF Mike Trout coming off his first (of probably many) MVP awards, and IF Albert Pujols still able to hit around 30 home runs a year. DH CJ Cron is making his name as a middle of the lineup power guy to back up Pujols. This should be another impressive season for the Halos.
Seattle Mariners (88-74): Wild-card Winner
Notable Additions: OF Nelson Cruz, OF Seth Smith, SP J.A. Happ, OF Justin Ruggiano
Notable Subtractions: OF Michael Saunders
Last season’s 87-75 record marked the Mariners’ best season since their 93 wins in 2003. The Mariners are on line to continue their upwards success. They have one of the best starting rotations in the American League, with perennial Cy Young contender Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, Taijuan Walker, and others. Their hitting was troublesome last year, and they were still able to win 87 games. With the addition of Cruz in the lineup, their hitting is vastly improved. IF Robinson Cano had a very solid first season with the Mariners, and will most likely continue that trend. The Mariners are a really good team, and should not have a problem making the playoffs as a wild card.
Oakland Athletics (83-79)
Notable Additions: IF Brett Lawrie, SP Jesse Hahn, IF Ike Davis, DH Billy Butler, IF Marcus Semien, IF/OF Ben Zobrist, C Josh Phegley
Notable Subtractions: SP Jon Lester, SP Jeff Samardzija, IF Josh Donaldson, IF Brandon Moss, C John Jaso
Once again, General Manager Billy Beane and the A’s proved to be big players in the offseason. They got pretty solid position players in Zobrist and Butler, and a still young Lawrie who has a very high ceiling. Unfortunately getting these players came at no small cost. The A’s do still have a pretty decent rotation, now prominently led by breakout ace Sonny Gray. But it was definitely weakened this offseason, with the losses of arguably their two best pitchers in Lester and Samardzija. They also lost their best hitter in Donaldson, but this is just how Beane likes to play his deck. As soon as a player demonstrates significant market value, Beane will look to trade him for younger talent. It has worked many times in the past, and might work again, but the A’s will need strong intra-division play in order to make the postseason. Expect some regression from the 2014 wild-card.
Houston Astros (80-82)
Notable Additions: C Evan Gattis, IF Jed Lowrie, RP Luke Gregerson, RP Pat Neshek
Notable Subtractions: OF Dexter Fowler
Last year, the Astros finished not last-placed for the first time since 2010, but still modestly sat in fourth place ahead of the Texas Rangers. If you call the last six years of rebuilding Astros baseball “square-one,” I think it is finally safe to call this year “square-two.” They are improved in all facets of the game. They have a solid ace in Dallas Keuchel, who bursted onto the big-league scene early last year. Their lineup is lead by the best batting-average hitter in the league in IF Jose Altuve, as well as intimidating power guys in OF George Springer and DH Chris Carter. The Astros still have some holes to fill before I can pencil them in as a legitimate wild-card contender, but they are definitely on the right track.
Texas Rangers (69-93)
Notable Additions: SP Yovani Gallardo, SP Colby Lewis
Notable Subtractions: OF Alex Rios
The Rangers had an atrocious 2014, way below any of their expectations. But to be fair to them, they were hit hard with the injury bug, as are most bad teams. The Rangers received some more bad news to their “comeback” season, when they learned that their outright ace Yu Darvish would need Tommy John surgery and miss the season. In their hitter-friendly stadium, this will cause serious problems for that sub-par rotation. Furthermore, who knows how good their best hitter, DH Prince Fielder, will be after his unfortunate neck injury? Their only other consistent hitter in the lineup is IF Adrian Beltre, but he could be entering his decline after hitting only 19 home runs last year. This should be another forgettable season for the Rangers.
