It's that time of the year. Yes its the start of Baseball season and we are here to get you fired up for the 2012 season. We start off the preveiws with the Western Division of the AL and NL. First up is a look at the American League West. And we start with the defending AL West champions the Texas Rangers.
The Rangers have won the division the last 2 years and are looking to repeat as such this season. The big move for the Rangers was signing Joe Nathan to close and moving Neftali Feliz up to the starting rotation. Felize is added to sure up the rotation with the loss of 2 of the 5 guys who helped win over 10 games from last year for the team. Moving Feliz up was to make room for Nathan who had been the studd closer with Minnesota. As for offense, the Rangers still have Beltre Kiinsler and Hamilton leading the way on offense. The top 5 RBI guys on the team are returning to their lineup so as of now it does not look like offensive production is going to be a problem. There were 3 players who hit over 300 last year for the Rangers and one of them is gone in Endy Chavez who signed with Baltimore. The only slight question mark I got with Texas is the pitching rotation and if it can hold up. Rangers to me on paper still have enough to get into the playoffs.
Next up is the Seattle Mariners. They have some hills to clime if they want to be a contender again. The past two seasons have been very unkind to the M's as they have finished well under 500 in both years. The Mariners haven't made the playoffs since 2001 and haven't placed higher than 3rd since 2007. They solidified the catcher position a little with having Miguel Olivo and Jesús Montero behind the plate so that should be of benifit to the team. Olivo blasted a team leadfing 19 home runs and 62 RBI's so the M's are hoping for the same kind of numbers. Chone Figgins will be looking to have a bounce back season this year as he has only played a total of 83 games the last 2 season. This after putting up BIG numbers in his final season with the Angles in his last year in Anaheim. On paper though there seems to be too many holes in the field and at the bat for the M's. Outside of Félix Hernández and Kevin Millwood the Mariners don't have a pitching staff really, and they kinda need one to be able to compete espically in the AL West. King Felix is one of only two pitchers to hit double digits in victories with Seatlle last year when he ad 14. The other was Jason Vargas who had 10 but he also lost 13 games. Feliex was the only one over 500 on the pitching staff. But outside of those guys the Mariners don't have enough to really be a threat in this division. Sorry to say it Mariners fans but once again the team will finish below 500 and be in the Basement of the AL West.
Now for the Oakland Athletics. The A's have struggled in the past few seasons and are hoping to turn things around this year. The A's last appearance in the playoffs was in 2006 and that was also the last year they won more than 81 games in a season. Last year they saw a 3rd place finish and I think that is where Oakland will end up again. Oakland will be going along without Hideki Matsui who didn't resign after last season when he drove in 72 runs for the A's, which was 2nd on the team behind Josh Willingham. Willingham will take his 29 home runs and 96 RBI's on the move to the Minnesota Twins. Cliff Pennington and Coco Crisp are going to be expected to try and carry the offense with Willingham and Matsui out of the equasion. Also we can now throw Manny Ramirez into the mix. he was signed for $500,000 by Oakland and still has to serve his 50 game susopension for steroids so he will be eligable to play as of May 30th. The A's starting rotation is lead by Bartolo Colón and looks average on paper as far as I'm concerend as does the bullpen. The starting rotation lost it's two leaders in wins from last year in Gio Gonzalez who is now pitching for Washington, and Tervor Cahill, who is now pitching in Arizona. Colon is looking to bounce back after going 8-10 last season with the Yankeesand is beyond a shadow of a doubt the ace of the A's staff. As for the bullpen, Grant Balfour haws apparently taken the closer job from Brian Fuentes who lead the team in savesd, which to me is a stupid move because Balfour seemed semmi quite in his stint with tampa Bay the past few seasons. Its going to be tough espically with the Rangers and Angels in the division. Oakland will end the year in 3rd.
Finally for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who I have pegged as the HEAVY favorite in the West. Anaheim hasn't amde the playoffs since 2009 and last year finished 2nd in the West to Texas. The two biggest pick ups for the Angels in the offseason were CJ Wilson and of course Albert Pujols. Wilson adds stability and more credability to that pitching staff and makes them more dangerous. The team already has the likes of Jered Weaver Ervin Santana Dan Haren, who have double digits in victories from last season. and Jason Isringhausen so pitching isn't a weak spot with this team. Now as for the offense and the rest of the club they got a big boost with the addition of Pujols. They already have quality bats in the lineup in the form of Vernon Wells Bobby Abreau Tori Hunter and Howard Kendrick. Hunter and Mark Trumbo lead the Angels last year in RBI's with 80+, while Trumber Wells and Hunter swatted over 20 Home Runs each. Throw in Albert to the mix and that makes the Angeles that much better, because Albert will be adding in another 40+ home runs and easily 95+ RBI's to the mix which will jump the numbers up and make this offense dangerous. This is going to be THE year in Anaheim.
So here is the predictions for the American League West:
1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2. Texas Rangers
3 Oakland Athletics
4. Seattle Mariners.
Now we take a loook at the Western Division of the National League. The Arizona Diamondbacks are going to be looking to defent and keep theirIan Kennedy western division title from last year. In the last 4 years this division has had 3 different winners, last year was the Diamondbacks, 2010 was the Giants when they won the world series and in 2008 and 2009 it was the Dodgers. So to kick things off in the west we might as well look at the division champs the Diamondbacks.
Ian Kennedy is the leader on the starting rotation, with 21 wins and will be back. He will be joined by feloow double digit game winners Josh Collmenter (10 W), Joe Saunders (12 W)and Daniel Hudson (16 W). So you got 4 very solid starters in the West in Arizona. JJ Putz is set to close the door from the pen, who had 45 saves for the team last season after pitching a year for the Mets. while Miguel Montero is set to handle catching duties. The outfield seems to be set for the D-Backs with Jason Kubel Chris Young and Justin Upton set to handle things in the outfield. As for the infield first base seems to be a question mark. I'm sorry but Paul Goldschmidt is getting the start over Geoff Blum and Lyle Overbay espically with the pop those two guys have in their bats, the D-Backs will probably float around 500 this season.
Next up we have the Colorado Rockies. The rockies haven't made the playoffs in the last two seasons and they finished 4th in the division last season. Jeremy Guthrie and Jamie Moyer are looking to carry the load on the mound in the start of the rotation which seems decent enough. Jhoulys Chacin and Matt Belisle led the Rockies in wins last season with Belisle the only one with a winning record. Jeremy Guthrie comes in from Baltiomre after going 9-17 last year with the O's. And Jamie Moyer last pitched in th Majors with the Phillies in 2010 where he went 9-9. So the Rockies trying to add some depth to the rotation.Colorado seems to have plenty of depth at each and every position which seems to put them in a great position. The biggest plus returning for the Rockies is their shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who wacked 30 Home Runs and 105 RBI's alst year. And there is also Carlos Gonzalez who swatted 26 Home Runs and 92 RBI's to complement Tulowitzki. Now you can add into the mix Michael Cuddyer, who will throw in on average 20+ Home Runs and 70+ RBI's which will be a nicne bonus to the Rockies espically in the thin air of Denver which will help Cuddyer's numbers. All in all the Rockies are sure going to be competative and fight it out for the division. More tha n likely won't fall lower than 3rd at the lowest.
Next up is the Los Angeles Dodgers, who may have the most balanced team in the division, at least of the starters. The Dodgers on paper have the best starting 5 pitching rotation in the west with Chad Billingsley Clayton Kershaw Ted Lilly Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano, so as you can see the starting rotation is front loaded in LA. Kershaw led the way going 21-5 last year in LA. Hiroki Kuroda won 13 games in LA last year but now takes that talent to the Yankees. Lilly won 12 last year, and 11 wins came from Chad Billingsley. Capuano comes in from the Mets with an 11-12 mark, while Harrang brings 14 wins from San Diego. So yeah the Dodgers may ahe best starting rotation in the west. Matt Kemp Andre Ethier and James Looney are going to be leading the offensive charge. Kep hit 39 long balls and drove in 162 runs.James Lonney will try and up his offensive production as well. Looking at the depth charts the Dodgers have a decent chance at the division.
Next up is the San Deigo Padres. Arron Harang was the teams only winning pitcher adn we now know he pitching in LA. So now it will be Edison Volquez leading the way on the mound for the starting rotation and Huston Street will be set to close the door. Volquez comes in from the Reds after struggeling the past few years and will be llooking to bounce back. Husto Street will take over the Closer roll from Heath Bell who saved 45 games last year, while Bell went to sign weith the Marlins. Chase Headley, Orlando Hudson and Carlos Quentin are expected to really carry the offense for the Padres. This is after losing their leading home run and RBI man in Ryan Ludwick to the Reds. The team hasn't made the playoffs since winning the west in 2005 and 2006 and their best finish since then was in 2009 when they came in 2nd place. Sorry but this isn't the Padres year either.
Finally we look at the San Francisco Giants. The Giants have Matt Cain Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito leading the way in the rotation and the greatest beard in all of sports Brian Wilson ready to shut the door from the bullpen. Buster Posey is looking to have a strong comeback this year with the Giants after missing all of last season with an ankle injury. The Giants are the best team in the west on paper with a balanced pitching staff and solid offense provided by Aubrey Huff Pablo Sandoval Ángel Pagán, in the trade with the Mets, and Melky Cabrera.
Here are my predictions for the NL West:
1 San Francisco Giants
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. Colorado Rockies
4. Arizona Diamondbacks
5. San Deigo Padres.
So there you have it this is the previews of both western divsions. Tomorrow it's the Central Divisions.
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