Anyone can write about sports. This is evident in every sports section in every newspaper in the English-speaking world. I’d guess it’s the same in non-English speaking countries as well, but I really can’t say. Maybe writing about soccer is the highest form of journalism in Chad. Then again I can’t be sure they have journalism in Chad. I’ll stick to what I think I know and give you part one of a baseball season preview!
It seems like I should work up to the good stuff. That’s why the American League West preview always comes before the American League East preview. I’ll stick to form, but in a move inspired by the people who market the SlapChop, I’m giving you both the AL West and the NL West for the price of one.
Last fall, the World Series gave us two teams from these divisions. Now some people probably think the West divisions are overlooked. Well, they aren’t. This year’s World Series will most assuredly not deliver us teams from these divisions.
We start with the American League West. Baseball’s smallest division, the west has only four teams, two of which most people can’t remember at any given time.
Seattle Mariners (61-101 in 2010)
The Mariners have become basement-dwellers in the AL West. That means something. They may not be as good as the Durham Bulls on any given day.
The Mariners went out and hired Eric Wedge to replace Don Wakamatsu as manager. In the dugout, Wedge is the man. In our hearts, Wakamatsu manages on. In reality, he goes on to be the bench coach in Toronto.
Wedge managed the Indians from 2003-2009 and was named AL Manager of the Year in 2007. Maybe it went to his head because the Indians went 81-81 in 2008 and 65-97 in 2009. He was fired before the end of that 2009 season, but the Indians were nice enough to let him stick around as a sad lame duck for that last month of the season.
On the bright side, the Mariners have the 2010 Cy Young winner in Felix Hernandez. Kin Felix pitched better than everybody else in the entire American League in 2010 and he compiled 13 wins against 12 losses. The Mariners have some work to do.
Luckily, they have the likes of journeyman psycho Milton Bradley to spark the offense with his somewhat above average play. It’s a given that Ichiro will get on base, but Milton’s “episodes” don’t drive in runs so the Mariners will most likely suck it up again in 2011.
Of the players remaining from last year, only Ichiro hit .300. All of those guys, including former Gamecock Justin Smoak, hit under .270. In Smoak’s case, it was .239 after coming to Seattle from Texas.
Things are grim. The Mariners won’t be a .500 club, but they will improve. Look for them to shock the world and lose fewer than 100 games! They’ll probably win around 70 games. I’ll say 73. That still isn’t very good.
Los Angeles Angels (80-82 in 2010)
The big news in Anaheim is the acquisition of the disappointing Vernon Wells! Wells seemed destined for greatness as recently as 2006. That was the end of a really good four year run. Now he’s a solidly reliable, very much above average player who could find a place on any team in the league…but he isn’t an elite player despite his elite salary. His numbers should improve in Anaheim where the supporting cast may be a little better than some he’s had in Toronto.
The Angels have the money and they seem to have reasonable expectations. Look for 30 home runs and something in the neighborhood of 100 RBI. He may even like being out of Canada enough to thank the Angels with 40 homers and an MVP-type season.
The pitching staff in Los Angeles of Anaheim is solid. Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Ervin Santana, the lost cause that is Scott Kazmir. It’s above average!
Remember Bobby Abreu? Played for the Phillies? Seems like maybe you remember him in a Yankees uniform for a while? He’s in Anaheim! I know, right? I totally forgot about that dude too! He’s still above average. Widely forgotten center fielder Torii Hunter is now playing right field for Anaheim. Those two, along with Wells, give Anaheim a great mix of young guys you’ve never heard of outfielders who were awesome five years ago. That has proven a recipe for success in the past and the Angels are the team most likely to surprise everybody and win the AL West in 2011.
They will improve and improving by 5 games could be enough to win the division. I say they win 88 games and beat out the Rangers in the West.
Oakland Athletics (81-81 in 2010)
I know I didn’t realize the A’s were as good as .500 in 2010. Had no idea. I figure they won something like 73 games. Not like I ever saw them on TV to know any different.
I’m glad Josh Willingham left Washington and went as far away as Oakland. Good for the A’s. He’s now a pretty good outfielder looking for a home on a decent team. First Florida, then Washington, now Oakland. He’ll stick somewhere.
Like the Angels, the A’s like outfielders who were awesome five years ago. Coco Crisp and Hideki Matsui will be big parts of the 2011 Athletics. They would have been larger parts of the 2005 Athletics, but whatever’s left in the tank 6 years later will have to be good enough.
The Athletics have a manager and a pitching staff. They play at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. Their colors are green and gold. No one really cares. I know I don’t. That’s why I’ve been spouting off like a third grade book report trying to fill time.
They will win some games and lose about as many games in 2011. They’re going nowhere fast but they still do alright even though all their good players leave en mass every three years.
Texas Rangers (90-72 in 2010)
The Rangers really did surprise everybody when they went to the World Series last year. Going into the Series, they were favored over the not-very-mighty Giants. Of course the Rangers lost and didn’t put up too much of a fight along the way. As a Braves fan, I’m not going to talk any trash about an ending like that. One minute you’re the toast of Texas and the next minute the people of Dallas are thinking, “Well, they play in Arlington so they aren’t really my team.”
They lose Cliff Lee. Ouch, sort of. While he’s been a dominant post season force, Cliffy has been above average but not spectacular in the regular season. Still, he was the best they had. Now C.J. Wilson will either win 20 games or the Rangers won’t win the West twice consecutively.
Noted cokehead Ron Washington is back to manage in 2011. This team won’t lack pep and enthusiasm.
Nor will they lack offense with Adrian Beltre coming over to join Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, Nelson Cruz, and Elvis Andrus. Looks great on paper, but last year they had four of those guys along with Vladimir Guerrero and Michael Young.
Technically, Young is still a Ranger. He wants a trade, however. So they lose Vlad to the graveyard known as Baltimore. Young wants out, but they add Beltre. This, essentially, is a wash. They may even be a bit weaker if Nelson Cruz falls off (likely) or Elvis Andrus doesn’t improve his 2010 numbers (not likely, he’s pretty good).
The potential surprise in Texas for 2011 comes from having Brandon Webb on the mound. He was a dominant starter in Arizona for several years, but he missed all of 2010 and essentially all of 2009 as well. He comes to Texas looking to find a form we last saw nearly three years ago. Maybe Mark Prior called to offer some advice.
You take a 90-72 team from last year’s World Series and in 2011 you’re looking at a team that will be just a little better than Colorado after their World Series run in 2007. They may even be better than .500, but they won’t be better than Los Angeles of Anaheim. I’ll say 85 wins at best, but maybe closer to .500.
By the end of the year, the Angels will be in front and the Rangers will be decent. Ultimately the Angels probably won’t have enough to make it out of the American League, though stranger things have happened like the Rangers making it out of the American League in 2010.
LA Angels – 88-74
Texas Rangers – 84-78
Oakland Athletics – 80-82
Seattle Mariners – 73-89
New Rock 93.3
