Seattle Mariners: American League West Preview
Chris Phillips
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The rest of the AL West teams
Los Angeles Angels
Every year the report is LAA needs starting pitching. That their latest big-name free agent signing will be the one to finally help Mike Trout get to the playoffs. Every year the Angels are watching the playoffs on the couch, the same as their fans. This year’s big-name free agent is former Reds’ closer, Raisel Iglesias. Prediction: Finish either third or fourth.
Houston Astros
This will be the Astros final year as the favorite to win the division. Last year Justin Verlander underwent Tommy John surgery in September, taking him out for all of 2021. Verlander has other thoughts on that front. They still have some quality and intriguing arms. However they lost George Springer‘s big bat. He took his talents north of the border.
Pitcher Lance McCullers recently let everyone know that there will be a three-way race for the team’s MVP between Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Carlos Correa. It’s great he’s optimistic but the fact his Father Time is beating down Altuve. Correa can’t stay healthy for a full year. So, at an oversimplification, all Bregman must do is be healthy and show up. Prediction: Finish first or second.
Oakland Athletics
This team is routinely better than what people think. Last year, the A’s beat out Houston to win the West. So, why aren’t they expected to repeat?
First, the Athletics lost their lights out closer, Liam Hendriks, to the White Sox. Also, Oakland took an arguable downgrade at shortstop from Marcus Semien, with their acquisition of Elvis Andrus. Andrus doesn’t provide the pop of Marcus Semien but Andrus provides a better batting average. In Billy Beane’s world, it’s all about guys getting on base and Andrus does that well (Andrus OBP-.330 vs. Semien OBP-.322) Prediction: Finish either first or second.
Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers still have a baseball team? Texas is on their own full-on rebuild as they play a second season in their new retractable roof stadium, Globe Life Park, for the second year. The ball park might be the biggest attraction in Arlington, TX this sumer.
There isn’t much to get excited about. Joey Gallo has a great chance at leading the league in both home runs and strikeouts. So will the pitching staff, not for but against.
A couple of former Tampa Bay Rays prospects, Nick Solak and Nate Lowe, will be interesting to watch. Speaking of interesting, former catcher Isiah Kiner-Falefa replacing Andrus at shortstop. He came up to the Majors as a catcher. It’s extremely rare you see a player, play that position and then become a starting shortstop. Prediction: Finish dead last.