The most talented division in baseball could be the same division that contains the worst team in baseball.
Of course, the American League West is the division of topic, and what a good one it looks to be. Well, except for one team.
The Oakland Athletics have won two straight division titles, the Texas Rangers are always dangerous, the Seattle Mariners signed the top free agent in Robinson Cano, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Southern California of the wes…not again.
So, who wins the AL West in 2014?
Houston Astros
Can the underdogs make a miraculous run at the AL West? Photo by Dan Hamilton, USA Today Sports Images
- In all seriousness, the Astros are actually on the way up. In just a few years some of the best young players will be playing in Houston. But that is in a few years, not 2014.
The Astros’ best players are all in the minor leagues (Mark Appel, George Springer, Domingo Santana, Carlos Correa) and are not ready for the big leagues. Well, at least it does not make sense for them to come up yet. Jose Altuve and Dexter Fowler are each off to hot starts, but they could be trade candidates for the right price this summer.
The Astros starting rotation is lacking in many areas. Houston does not have a bonafide ace (despite Scott Feldman’s numbers so far) and Lucas Harrell and Dallas Kuechel continue to be among the MLB’s worst fourth and fifth starters. The only way the Astros can make a run at the division is if the youngsters come up way earlier than expected and play to their potential right away. In a few years, this team will be a contender for the division, so do not sleep on them forever.
Seattle Mariners
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Seattle will need to see this more often if they plan to win the AL West. Photo by Steven Bisig, USA Today Sports Images.
In Seattle, football is first, and for good reason. But do not discount that it as a baseball city because the fans of Seattle are rabid in every sport. From the Sounders to the Seahawks, this city knows its sports. But, can the Mariners win the American League West and get back to the postseason?
The Mariners lineup was subpar last season, so they needed another bat in the top of the lineup. That’s where the best hitting second baseman in baseball comes in. Robinson Cano signed a monstrous contract to play in Seattle and will need to be the bat the Mariners need to get to the top of the division. This lineup is not Griffey, Boone, Martinez, Rodriguez but Seager, Cano, Smoak, Hart isn’t a slouch of a lineup either.
The M’s strength, without question, is pitching. One of the best pitchers in all of baseball pitches every five days. Felix Hernandez will need to be his dominant self for the Mariners to make a run, but he will not be alone. Young stars James Paxton and Taijuan Walker (when healthy) will present a very talented rotation to add to a great bullpen containing Fernando Rodney. Can Seattle be the city of champions?
Texas Rangers
Prince Fielder fields the ball. Pun intended. Photo by Kim Klement, USA Today Sports Images.
In the last three seasons, the MVP has batted in front of Prince Fielder. Now, do not go rushing to Vegas to bet on Elvis Andrus, he is not Miguel Cabrera or Ryan Braun. But adding Fielder does make that lineup in Texas better.
The Rangers already have among the deepest lineups in baseball with Choo, Andrus, Beltre, and Alex Rios, but adding Fielder to that mix gives them the most dangerous top five in the American League. The bottom four of the lineup is no picnic to pitch against either with Leonys Martin and Mitch Moreland followed by a power hitting catcher in J.P. Arencibia. Not to mention top prospect Jurickson Profar, who is expected to be healthy relatively soon.
The issue with the Rangers is, and has been, the pitching. Yu Darvish is one of the great strikeout artists in the game and will be fine atop the rotation. But who is behind him? Derek Holland will not be back for a while, as he is recovering from a knee injury. Martin Perez can hold his own, but what about the rest? Robbie Ross, Joe Saunders and Tanner Scheppers will need to fill the void for the Rangers until the rotation can get healthy.
Los Angeles Angels
Can Mike Trout lead his team to the division crown? Photo by Andrew Richardson, USA Today Sports Images
How can a roster of Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, Jered Weaver, and C.J. Wilson not win the division? 2013 was just that exact story, as the Angels didn’t even get the playoffs last season. Can the Halos win the division this season?
The Angels have one of the best players in baseball in Mike Trout at the top of their lineup, and he is followed by some of the best hitters our generation has seen in Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton. Pujols regressed last season and Josh Hamilton is currently hurt, but when healthy that top portion of the lineup can do some serious damage. The Angels added Raul Ibanez and David Freese this offseason to round out the middle of the lineup. They still have some speed at the bottom with Erick Aybar. Can the Halos put the talent together and score runs at will?
The Angels rotation is not the strong part of their team, but it certainly is not a weakness. Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson are a very good one-two pairing at the top of the rotation and Garrett Richards, Hector Santiago and Tyler Skaggs rounds out a very stable rotation for Los Angeles. Can all of them stay healthy and pitch to their potential? If so, the Angels could be the 2014 AL West champions.
Oakland Athletics
The Athletics lineup is stacked with players that just get on base. Sound familiar? Last season the Athletics got on base 32.7 percent of the time, good for fifth in the American League, and that number is surely to increase this season with Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Reddick due for progression after subpar seasons. Jed Lowrie and Josh Donaldson will be forces at the top of the order and will be nearly impossible to keep off the base paths with their astronomical ability to get to the canvas. Add Yoenis Cespedes, Brandon Moss and Josh Reddick and you have a lineup that never stops.
But, as baseball fans know, the Oakland Athletics have always had a good rotation and this season will be no exception. Sonny Gray will anchor what promises to be one of the better rotations in the American League despite the lack of “big names”. Guys like Tom Milone and Jesse Chavez will be the next set of Athletics to take to the rubber. They finished last season with a combined 3.56 ERA. But, the rotation is not even the best part of the team. The Oakland A’s bullpen is stacked with talent and will continue to be lockdown at the end of games. Jim Johnson, Sean Doolittle, Luke Gregerson and Ryan Cook could be the best group of relievers in the American League and could be the key to the division race.
Who wins the AL West?
Photo: Robert Stanton, USA Today Sports Images