Hot Stove Update: American League West, Part II

AL West 2013 in Review

The Athletics pretty much controlled this division by mid-September. They finished 5.5 games up on the Rangers, who lost the play-in game with the Rays for the second Wild Card spot. The Angels never got things going, finishing with 78 wins. The Mariners did what they normally do, pitch well, but not hit a lick. They landed at 71 wins. And deep in the bowels of the AL West (and the AL itself) were the Astros. They finished 51-111, a staggering 45 games back of the A's. They just finished one of the worst three year runs in MLB history, 162-324, a 0.333 winning percentage. Ouch!

Find Part I of the series (focusing on Oakland and Texas) here.

2013 lineups/rotation/bullpen are based on a balance of full season and September usage. For 2014 what you see is based on current MLB.com depth charts.

Angels

Lost Free Agents: SP Billy Buckner (unsigned); RP Robert Coello (Yankees); SP Barry Enright (unsigned); SP Tommy Hanson (non-tendered); OF Brad Hawpe (released); SP Jason Vargas (Royals); SP Jerome Williams (unsigned)

Signed Free Agents: RP Joe Smith, DH Raul Ibanez, SP Mark Mulder (minor), IF John McDonald (minor); OF Brennan Boesch (minor); 1B Carlos Pena (minor)

Trades: OF Peter Bourjos and OF Randal Grichuk to Cardinals for 3B David Freese and RP Fernando Salas; OF Mark Trumbo and SP AJ Schugel (PTBNL) to Diamondbacks for SP Tyler Skaggs and SP Hector Santiago from White Sox

2014 Outlook

The Angels struggled from the get go last year and then Pujols went down. If Pujols returns to his normal levels, the loss of Trumbo will not be felt. But, Pujols is another year older and another year closer to being a contract albatross. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Of course, when you have one of the best players in baseball (Trout, in case there was any doubt) on your team, you have a chance. Trumbo netted them two pitchers to help out their rotation in Santiago and highly regarded prospect Skaggs. I like the pickup of Freese, but I think Ibanez is done. Old friend Joe Smith was signed to help bolster their pen. I think they are improved for 2014, but still a bit back of both Texas and Oakland.

Mariners

Lost Free Agents: OF Jason Bay (unsigned); C Henry Blanco (Diamondbacks); LF Raul Ibanez (Angels); DH Kendrys Morales (unsigned); RP Oliver Perez (unsigned); SP Joe Saunders (unsigned)

Signed Free Agents: IF Willie Bloomquist; 2B Robinson Cano; OF Corey Hart, C John Buck; SP Scott Baker (minor); OF Cole Gillespie (minor)

Trades: RP Carter Capps to Marlins for 1B Logan Morrison; OF Carlos Peguero to Royals for PTBNL

2014 Outlook

After years of a great pitching staff and horrific hitting, the Mariners finally addressed the lineup this offseason. They signed the top hitter on the market, Cano and then traded for Logan Morrison. Both are huge upgrades to the roster. Corey Hart should adequately replace Morales. Bloomquist is a definite upgrade over Ryan and John Buck was signed as insurance for phenom Zunino. The starters were basically Hernandez, Iwakuma and nothing else. Taijuan Walker has the pedigree to join as a third ace, but is still just 21. Farquhar should be an upgrade over Wilhelmsen and the rest of the pen have ok K rates, but are mostly unproven. If everything breaks right, they could pass the Angels. But they will not be a pushover any more on nights Hernandez and Iwakuma are not pitching.

Astros

Lost Free Agents: RP Hetcor Ambriz (unsigned); SP Erik Bedard (unsigned); OF Trevor Crowe (Tigers); SP Edgar Gonzalez (unsigned); SP Philip Humber (Athletics); IF Brandon Laird (Royals); RP Wade LeBlanc (Angels)

Signed Free Agents: SP Scott Feldman; RP Chad Qualls, RP Matt Albers, RP Jesse Crain; SS Cesar Izturis (minor)

Trades: OF Brandon Barnes and SP Jordan Lyles to Rockies for OF Dexter Fowler and PTBNL; PTBNL to Padres for RP Anthony Bass and PTBNL; 3B Ryan Jackson to Padres for 1B Jose Guzman

2014 Outlook

If the Astros win 63 games this year, thus avoiding 100 losses, it will be like making the playoffs, as bad as they have been in the past three seasons. The good news is they have a decent young hitting core in Altuve, Dominguez and Hoes. Having Castro back from injury will give them another good stick to work with. The pickup of Fowler should help as well. Carter and Wallace both need to start living up their prospect hype or they could be gone after this season. Feldman will help the rotation, but is only one guy. They still have a lot of unproven arms in the rotation. Mark Appel can't get to Houston fast enough. The bullpen picked up three veterans in Crain, Qualls and LGFT Albers. Whether or not they will help is another story as they are all on the wrong side of 30.

Next week, the AL East, otherwise known as the division of massive payrolls.