The Wild Wild AL West: Be Ready for a Shootout.

[Porter]

Before the season started, Our S3F experts on 30 in 30: AL West predicted that the Angels would run away with the division when they got fully healthy. A funny thing happened up to this point.

The race in the AL West is closer than expected. We are going to breakdown the Angels, Rangers and M's seasons and what they have to do to win the division. Its most likely the AL East will get the wild card, so this could be the best race come September. Here are the three contenders:

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:

The Angels are currently in 1st place, as expected, but not in the way that most people would think. Their offense has been solid. The Angels lead the majors in team batting average at .284 and are among the leaders in stolen bases. Their aggressive and direct style on offense puts pressure on opposing defenses. Juan Rivera, Kendry Morales and Chone Figgins have stepped up their games and carried this offense despite all the injuries suffered. Speaking of injuries, the pitching staff has taken a utter beating through unfortunate events (Adenhart's car wreck) and nagging things that won't go away (Lackey, Santana, Escobar, etc). If the Angels are to run away with this division, their rotation has to get healthy and the bullpen has to dramatically improve to help support the offense.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers are not shy about relying on the long ball. They are tied for 1st with the Yankees in homers. The downfall of the offense is they can't get on base consistently (.317 OBP, Tied for 5th lowest in the Majors) and they strike out at rates that windmills could be powered by their misses. So what keeps them so close to the Angels. It's simple, their pitching has been dramatically better than last year (A full run better than 2008). The staff's downfall could be that they have to pitch to contact. They strike people out a dismal rate (only 488 as a team overall, only the Nats and Pirates have less). The bullpen has been solid but not lights out. If the Rangers are to surpass the Angels, they have to get on base at a much higher rate. They don't have the best offense, defense or pitching among the three teams.

Seattle Mariners

Let's be honest, If you were to tell me that the M's would be four games over .500 at the break, I would tell you that your insane. How in the world are the M's only four games back going into tonight's game. They have loads and loads of out of nowhere pitching. The M's have three of the top five starters in the division. Felix Hernandez is flying under the radar, sort of, for the AL Cy Young behind Grienke and Halladay (assuming he stays in the AL). Jarrod Washburn is pitching his best ball since his world series days. If Erik Bedard can stay healthy. They do have a solid playoff rotation in line, all things considered. So what keeps them around the .500 mark. Their lack of offensive power or patience. Russell Branyan is having a career year and Ichiro is the 2nd best contact hitter this season (Mauer). Everyone else on the roster are question marks. The bullpen has been lights out in the back half around possible comeback player of the year David Aardsma. If they are to make a run at the Rangers and Angels, their offense has to step up dramatically. They have the best staff by far in the division right now as it stands. But posses the worst offense of the three teams.

The AL West race should come down to the wire. Because I believe that the Angels won't shake their injury bug and the other two teams are scrappy and won't back down from the big bad Halos. Grab your popcorn, this should be a hell of a show.

[missionhockey21]

Seattle is a team who favors at home play and is on the negative side when you look at RS and RA. The race is going to be tight and I just don't see them finishing first unless they made some big moves or if another team imploded via injuries or whatever.

If the Angels get and stay healthy, it's their division. I like the Rangers but I think they will fade out in September. It'll likely be a race where all three teams stay in the hunt, but the Angels overall are my bet and I would guess they would make the moves necessary to lock it up at the deadline.

[cjkalt]

Who had LAA 3rd in the division again... ohh yea this guy, so I knew the AL West would be a good division

[Porter]

Thats still highly unlikely. No one expected the Mariners, myself very included to be 4 games within 1st place at the break or even have 3 pitchers with a sub 3 ERA in the rotation.

[Iceman778]

wow dude you have a great info