Monday, April 01, 2002
AL West Preview
Mariners still best of good division Gannett News Service
1. MARINERS
Manager: Lou Piniella
Last season: 116-46; beat Cleveland 3-2 in the AL Division Series and lost 4-1 to the New York Yankees in the ALCS.
Overview: The Mariners don't expect to approach last season's 116 regular-season wins but the lineup could be even better and there should be enough pitching to negate the departure of free agent Aaron Sele.
Key additions: 3B Jeff Cirillo, OF Ruben Sierra, C Ben Davis, RHP Shigetoshi Hasegawa, RHP James Baldwin, INF Desi Relaford, SS Alex Arias.
Main losses: RHP Sele, 3B David Bell, RHP Jose Paniagua, OF Stan Javier, OF Jay Buhner, OF Al Martin, RHP Brett Tomko, SS Ramon Vazquez.
Projected starting lineup: RF Ichiro Suzuki, LF Sierra/Mark McLemore, 2B Bret Boone, DH Edgar Martinez, 1B John Olerud, CF Mike Cameron, 3B Jeff Cirillo, SS Carlos Guillen, C Dan Wilson/Davis.
Strengths: Starting rotation (featuring Freddy Garcia, Jamie Moyer, Paul Abbott and Joel Pineiro) ... deep bullpen (featuring Arthur Rhodes, Jeff Nelson and closer Kazuhiro Sasaki) ... improved lineup (featuring league MVP Suzuki, Cirillo, Martinez, Boone, Olerud and Cameron) ... team speed ... defense (tied Arizona with ML-fewest errors, 84).
Weaknesses/question marks: Can Suzuki, Boone and Cameron come close to last season's production? ... How much more offense will newcomers Cirillo, Sierra and Davis provide? ... How much does DH Martinez have left? ... No. 5 starter (6-foot-10 LHP Ryan “Little Unit” Anderson will miss another season with a shoulder injury) ... Will the bullpen be as dominant as last season?
Don't be surprised if: The Mariners win fewer regular-season games than last season but win more playoff games.
Reasonable goal: Win the World Series.
Predicted finish: 100-62.
2. ATHLETICS
Manager: Art Howe
Last season: 102-60; lost to the New York Yankees 3-2 in the AL Division Series.
Overview: The “small-market” A's were baseball's best team the second half of last season and led New York 2-0 in the AL Division Series but then lost three straight and have since lost clubhouse leader Jason Giambi to the New York Yankees, CF Johnny Damon to Boston and stopper Jason Isringhausen to St. Louis via free agency.
Key additions: RHP Billy Koch, 1B-C Scott Hatteberg, OF David Justice, 1B Carlos Pena, LHP Mike Venafro, INF Randy Velarde.
Main losses: 1B Giambi, CF Damon, RHP Isringhausen, OF Ron Gant, LHP Mark Guthrie, RHP Gil Heredia.
Projected starting lineup: DH Jeremy Giambi, 2B Frank Menechino, LF Justice, RF Jermaine Dye, 3B Eric Chavez, CF Terrence Long, SS Miguel Tejada, 1B Pena/Hatteberg, C Ramon Hernandez.
Strengths: Excellent starting rotation with Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito and Cory Lidle.... bullpen closer Koch ... decent lineup featuring Dye and baseball's most potent left side of the infield (Tejada and Chavez) ... resourceful GM Billy Beane.
Weaknesses/question marks: No. 5 starter ... can Pena help offset the loss of Giambi? ... does Justice have anything left? ... team speed.
Don't be surprised if: Pena is AL Rookie of the Year.
Reasonable goal: Win the division.
Predicted finish: 96-66.
3. ANGELS
Manager: Mike Scioscia
Last season: 75-87
Overview: Two years ago, the Angels had strong hitting and lousy pitching. Last season, it was the opposite. If they can combine the best of 2000 and 2001 they could be dangerous this year.
Key additions: RHP Aaron Sele, RHP Kevin Appier, DH Brad Fullmer, LHP Dennis Cook.
Main losses: 1B Mo Vaughn, RHP Shigetoshi Hasegawa, SS Gary DiSarcina, RHP Pat Rapp.
Projected starting lineup: SS David Eckstein, CF Darin Erstad, RF Tim Salmon, LF Garret Anderson, 3B Troy Glaus, DH Fullmer, 1B Scott Spiezio, C Bengie Molina, 2B Adam Kennedy.
Strengths: Solid starting rotation with Appier, Sele, Ramon Ortiz, Jarrod Washburn and Scott Schoeneweis ... closer Troy Percival ... setup men Lou Pote and Ben Weber ... solid hitters in Garret Anderson (123 RBI last season), Troy Glaus (41 HRs) and Fullmer.
Weaknesses/question marks: Can Erstad (.355 in 2000 to .258 in 2001) and Salmon return to top form to make a decent lineup very good? ... Can Spiezio supply enough offense at 1B (Shawn Wooten will miss much of the season with a thumb injury)? ... Not much pop from the middle infielders.
Don't be surprised if: Erstad and Salmon bounce back and the Angels are the AL's surprise team.
Reasonable goal: A winning record.
Predicted finish: 83-79.
4. RANGERS
Manager: Jerry Narron
Last season: 73-89
Overview: New general manager John Hart has bolstered an already formidable lineup, but the pitching staff isn't nearly as impressive. Sounds a lot like Hart's Cleveland Indians.
Key additions: OF Juan Gonzalez, RHP Chan Ho Park, OF Carl Everett, RHP Dave Burba, RHP Jay Powell, RHP Todd Van Poppel, RHP Ismael Valdes, 3B Herbert Perry, 3B Ed Sprague, OF Ruben Rivera.
Main losses: RHP Rick Helling, OF Ruben Sierra, OF Ricky Ledee, OF Chad Curtis, 1B Carlos Pena, LPH Darren Oliver, RHP Tim Crabtree, LPP Mike Venafro.
Projected starting lineup: DH Frank Catalanotto/Rusty Greer, C Ivan Rodriguez, SS Alex Rodriguez, RF Gonzalez, 1B Rafael Palmeiro, LF Gabe Kapler, CF Everett, 3B Hank Blalock, 2B Michael Young/Catalanotto.
Strengths: Awesome lineup with three potential 40-HR men (Alex Rodriguez, Gonzalez and Palmeiro) and two more 30-HR men (Ivan Rodriguez and Everett) ... Park could be ace starter the Rangers have lacked ... strong bench.
Weaknesses/question marks: Pitching, pitching, pitching ... Can rookie 3B Blalock add another 30-HR bat to the lineup? ... Clubhouse chemistry with John Rocker, Everett and Rivera.
Don't be surprised if: The Rangers lead the majors with 950-plus runs but give up almost as many.
Reasonable goal: Avoid last place.
Predicted finish: 78-84.
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