A.L. West
LOS ANGELES ANGELS
Incoming: SS Orlando Cabrera, OF Steve Finley, P Paul Byrd.
Outgoing: OF Jose Guillen, SS David Eckstein, P Troy Percival, P Ramon Ortiz.
411: Orlando Cabrera and Steve Finley improve team defense at two crucial positions, while the offense remains cocked and loaded.
911: Dallas McPherson has all the tools and Casey Kotchman is waiting in the wings, but will such rookies blossom when given opportunity, and can Chone Figgins provide his pesky play no matter what the position.
Operator: Last season’s A.L. MVP, Vladimir Guerrero is an every-pitch hitter with the ability to dominate months, let alone games.
Hotline: Francisco Rodriguez moves into the closer roll to augment a bullpen that will be helped by enhanced performance of the starters, particularly Bartolo Colon.
2004 finish: 92-70, division title
OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Incoming: C Jason Kendall, P Dan Haren, P Kiko Calero, OF Chris Thomas, P Keiichi Yabu.
Outgoing: P Mark Mulder, P Tim Hudson, OF Jermaine Dye, P Mark Redman.
411: Now it’s time to see if Moneyball pays dividends. General manager Billy Beane auctioned off two of his big three pitchers, leaving just Barry Zito, and will go with a green rotation and a lineup built on number-crunching principles.
911: At 26, Zito is the eldest of the rotation, and he’s made more than twice as many career starts (153) as the other four members (63).
Operator: Third baseman Eric Chavez hit a team-best 29 homers and will be the lone known power in the lineup.
Hotline: This season will be a true test of Beane’s philosophy as Nick Swisher arrives and a next-generation rotation featuring former Cardinal Dan Haren takes over.
2004 finish: 91-71
SEATTLE MARINERS
Incoming: 3B Adrian Beltre, 1B Richie Sexson, INF Pokey Reese.
Outgoing: DH Edgar Martinez.
411: A woeful offense prompted Seattle to fork over wads of cash to upgrade the power at the corners. Enter Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson, both of whom have 40-homer seasons in their last full seasons.
911: Sexson is coming back from shoulder injury and Beltre’s 2004 was double anything he’d previously done offensively.
Operator: Think of what the A.L.’s worst offense would have been like had leadoff hitter Ichiro Suzuki not set a major-league record with 262 hits last season.
Hotline: Poor starts doomed the Mariners pitching and a pitiful offense left no margin for such error. The offense will pack a wallop, so the pitching either performs or the M’s perish.
2004 finish: 63-99
TEXAS RANGERS
Incoming: OF Richard Hidalgo, P Pedro Astacio, C Sandy Alomar Jr.
Outgoing: OF Brian Jordan, P Jeff Nelson, P Jay Powell.
411: The Rangers boast the most power-packed infield in the game. All four members hit more than 20 home runs, led by Mark Teixeira’s 38.
911: So many free agent pitchers were available that it’s downright loopy that Texas didn’t land one. Chris Young is expected to help somewhat, but the biggest role falls to pitching coach Orel Hershiser.
Operator: Michael Young slid over to shortstop without hesitation and few stumbles, and then launched 22 homers and drove in 99 runs.
Hotline: The offense is swell and would be enough to keep most teams in the hunt. The bullpen led the majors in relief wins (34) — and may be asked to do so again.
2004 finish: 89-73
St. Louis Post-Dispatch