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The AL West is usually a three-team high-flying down the stretch
battle every year. And this year again with the Rangers, without A-Rod are out of the race at the begin of spring training.
Meanwhile the A's, Mariners and Angels all made improvements during the offseason. The Angels gained the most making them
favorites. The A's added to their amzing staff and one more bat could put them into 2nd place and a wild card. The Mariners
lost key figures but gained some too and will battle for the second place with Oakland.
 The Angels and there power-hitting middle of the lineup will lead this team maybe to another World Series,
there 2nd in 3 years. The Angels also feature and deep, powerful staff led by Colon with a bullpen that tops amongst the best
despite a strong lefty. Aturo Moreno has spent great effort, time and money making the team better than in 2002 and a greater
fan experience at Angels Field and that's why they are the Western divison favorites.
The Athletics lost their superstars in Tejada and Foulke, but
Billy Beane added Rhodes and Kotsay among others to replace them. The A's still have one of the best rotations in baseball,
as well as one of the best bullpens. They have great depth with left-handers also. The lineup is a little questionable and
young star Bobby Crosby needs to produce. Beane will probably add a nice bat to the lineup at the trading deadline. The A's
must resign Eric Chavez and pray Rhodes can close games for the them. Again the A's should pick up the wild card but will
they get over the hump in losing in the divisional series?
The Mariners are led by incredible young staff, that didn't change.
The bullpen did, with the loss of Sasaki, but everyday Eddie should do the job and keep a strong bullpen together. A lineup
mixed in with incumbents and newocmers should fair very well. They will also sport one of the best defenses in the league
in one of the nicest ballparks. The M's have one tons of games the last few seasons, but haven't made it to the playoffs and
their chances could hinge on how wells Oakland's hitters produce. They will battle it out and for sure the AL wild card is
coming out of the west, either M's or A's is a ?
The Rangers are laden with really old veteans and really young possibly future super/all stars. For now they won't do anything
with a not so good staff and shaky staff. They will win games with their offense led by Soriano and Blalock.
Adding another
bat and several pitchers, with newly acclamied, non A-Rod cash will put this team out of the AL west cellar they have
grown accustomed to.
2004 AL WEST PREDICTED FINISH:
Anaheim Angels:
Manager: Mike Scoscia
Erstad-1B
Eckstein-SS Guerrero-RF Anderson-CF Glaus-DH Figgins-3B
Guillen-LF Molina-C
Kennedy-2B
Washburn
Colon Escobar
Percival
Rodriguez Donnelly Gregg
Shields
Lackey
Ortiz
Molina
Paul Amezaga DaVanon
Riggs
Kotchman
McPherson
Added:
Lost:
Curtis Pride,
Offseason Grade: Coming
In March
Oakland A's:
Manager: Ken Macha
Kotsay-CF
Kietly-LF Chavez-3B -RF Durazo-DH Hatteberg-1B
Crosby-SS Miller-C
Scutaro-2B
Hudson
Zito Mulder Redman
Harden
Mecir Rincon
Dotel Duchscherer Rhodes
Bradford Garcia
Lehr Blanton Harikkala
Byrnes McLemore
Swisher Johnson Cruz
Added:
Tim Harikkala, Bench Coach Rene Lachemann,
Lost:
Kirk Sarloos, Bench coach Chris Speier, Chris Hammond, Jermaine Dye,
Offseason Grade: Coming
in March
Seattle Mariners:
Manager: Mike
Hargrove-1st Year
Suzuki-RF Leone-SS Martinez-DH Boone-2B Jacobsen-1B
Ibanez-LF
Winn-CF Spezio-3B
Wilson-C
Moyer Meche
Franklin Baek
Kida
Thornton Hasegawa Villone Madritsch
Atchinson Taylor
Sherill
Williams Mateo
Bloomquist Olivo
Cabrera Reed Dobbs
Rivera
Added:
Manager Mike Hargrove
Lost:
Hiram Bocachica,
Offseason
Grade: Coming in March
Texas Rangers:
Manager: Buck Showalter
Soriano-2B Young-SS Blalock-3B Laird-DH Texeira-1B Nix-RF
Mench-LF Jordan-CF
Barajas-C
Rogers Drese Young Wasdin
Dickey
Cordero Mahay Almanzar Brocail
Shouse
Hughes Park
Ramirez Nelson Benoit Wing
Loe
Young Delluci Matthews
Jr. Alexander Fox
Gonzalez
Added:
Ryan Wing,
Lost:
Ben Kozlowski, Colby Lewis
Offseason
Grade: Coming in March
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