AL Worst?

by user Ksy92003

Three weeks into the season and the AL West could not be closer.

After Tuesday, all four teams remained within 2.5 games of each other in the division, including the Seattle Mariners  who have a connection to the number 6.  Their longest losing streak of the season is 6 games.  They have won 6 games on the season.  And they also have had 6 games postponed.  With 6 of their 21 games postponed because of weather, can you blame them for being 3 games below .500 and last place in the division, 2.5 games behind the Oakland Athletics?

In fact, Oakland sits two games above .500, 1 game behind the Los Angeles Angels  and 2.5 games ahead of both Seattle and the Texas Rangers.  Combined, the record of the four teams against teams outside their division is a pathetic 11-17.  Will it be this close the rest of the season?

I doubt it.

Looking at the rosters, Seattle and Texas have huge question marks around their pitching staff and defense.  Look for the season to be a competition between Los Angeles and Oakland.  The division will be won based on pitching and staying healthy.  Well... one out of two isn't bad.  Neither team has been able to stay healthy, especially the Angels who have played the entire season without Chone Figgins  and Juan Rivera.  Last season's rookie sensation Jered Weaver  hasn't gotten off to a spectacular start this season, falling to 0-2 after his first two starts of the season.

This will be a rather exciting finish to the season after a lackluster beginning.

The BeastAAA-er

948 days ago

Score 2

I really think the Angels win run away with this thing. Their hitting has been solid over the past five games. They have scored over five runs each time. If they can get 5 plus their pitching will be there and the Angels could easily win 100 games this year. I am unbiased of course.

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The BeastAAA-er

948 days ago

Score 1

Nice to see an Angels fan and SoCal Sports fan at ArmchairGM.

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Ksy92003Little Leaguer

948 days ago

Score 1

The question is "Can the Angels get 6+ innings from their starters?" That is the only thing that worries me about the Angels. They know how to play small-ball. Watching the 9th and 10th innings of their game today against Detroit, it was evident that they could play small-ball and get some runs that way. In the 9th inning, there was a ground-rule double, a sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch that scored Vladimir Guerrero to tie the game up. In the 10th inning, Kendry Morales chopped a ball of the plate and Todd Jones made a stupid mistake and played the ball when it looked like it would bounce foul. Then, Jones made an even more stupid mistake and air-mailed the ball above first baseman Sean Casey, sending the ball into right field. Morales then advanced to second, was pinch-ran for, then bunted over. A fielders choice to the second baseman scored pinch runner Reggie Willits from third base for the game winning run.

The Angels won 9-8 with Detroit hitting two homeruns (Curtis Granderson, 1-run, Magglio Ordonez, 2-run). The Angels scored 7 runs in the first three innings without hitting a home run. And in the last two innings, the ball was only hit out of the infield twice, the double and sacrifice fly.

The Angels beat teams like the Yankees with offense, defense, pitching, and especially speed, but not power. They don't need power. A guy like Vladimir Guerrero doesn't hurt, but after him, you have Matthews, Anderson, and Cabrera, three guys who aren't major power hitters in this era. But the way they play, Guerrero is the only power guy they really need. A solid rotation with Lackey, Santana, Weaver, Colon, and Escobar, good relief with Scot Shields and Francisco Rodriguez, incredible defense by Cabrera and Izturis, and awesome speed by Cabrera, Izturis, Matthews, and Guerrero is the reason why the Angels are such a formidable opponent.

Do I think they will win 100 games this year? I don't think so. Health is still a concern for this young ballclub. 90 wins is a realistic possibility, but only if they can stay healthy and everybody does their jobs, including getting 6+ innings from their starters each game.

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