AL WEST CLIFF NOTES
What you need to know
- Mariners are good, not great.
- Astros are good, not great.
- Angels are good, not great.
- Rangers are okay, not great.
- …
- Poor Oakland
Pick to Win the Division
L.A. Angels
If you had told me a year ago that my Shohei Ohtani MVP breakout prediction was going to come true I for sure would have asked how the Angels did in the playoffs. But alas it was not meant to be as Mike Trout exited the season way earlier than anticipated and the pitching was even worse than I expected it to be.
They have made some changes to the Bullpen, added Noah Syndergaard and now are counting in Patrick Sandoval to be good for the full season as their #3. Should I have them as the division winner when the Astros are still good, the Mariners are so young and talented and the Rangers are better on paper?
Probably not, but here I go again on my own …
Pick to finish last
Oakland Athletics
The fire sale was fast and furious once the lock-out ended and the direction for Oakland is clear. Get bad, really bad. And then lure the city of Las Vegas to build you a stadium.
Three Pitching Takes
Logan Gilbert … Will win more games, have better ERA and WHIP than Robbie Ray.
Noah Syndergaard … I have said this already multiple times, but he is going to LOVE pitching in Anaheim.
Rangers SP … Will once again be good at home and bad on the road.
Three Hitting Takes
Mike Trout … Is still Mike Trout and dominates this division.
Jared Kelenic … Has a break out season.
Oakland Hitters … Nobody will have more than 20 HR on the season.
Player to have a down season
Jose Altuve – Astros
This was a hard choice because I really didn’t want to pick on the Rangers new hitters and I didn’t want to pick on the Athletics either. Altuve had a great season in 2021 but as father time starts to come around I can’t help but think he is the one to have a down season. It’s a tough call though.
Sleeper/Breakout Candidate
Jared Kelenic – Mariners
His career path is going to mirror that of Mike Trout only to a lesser degree. He struggled early, got sent down and then came back to have a solid September into a great Sophomore campaign.
Jo Adell – Angels
The Angels offense needs two things this season. They need health and they need Jo Adell to put it all together. He is showing all the signs of doing that and if Rendon, Trout, Ohtani, Walsh are all healthy he should score a ton of runs in this offense.
Prospect You should know
Julio Rodriguez – Mariners
FINAL STANDINGS
- LA Angels
- Houston
- Seattle
- Texas
- Oakland