MLB Team by Team: 2008 Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels had a great season by most measures in 2007. They won 94 games, took the American League West by six games over the Seattle Mariners, and were an exciting team to watch on a nightly basis with their fast-paced, run-and-gun style of baseball. It was all fun, all good, until...

They found themselves staring down the barrel of an old nemesis, the Boston Red Sox, the team that has now eliminated them from the postseason three times since 1986. So, perhaps while seeing red, the Angels didn't stand still, they retooled. Will the new pieces make an already good whole that much better?

OFFENSE: B

The Angels' offense last year seems to have only one gear: fast forward. They were third in the majors in stolen bases with 139, and seemed to constantly be in hit-and-run mode. Heck, even catcher Mike Napoli swiped five bases. Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero is still one of the most dangerous hitters in the game (.324, with 27 home runs and 125 RBI), and the Angels picked up Torii Hunter from the Minnesota Twins, who, despite gaudy numbers at the plate (.287, 28 and 107), is even better defensively and, yes, can swipe bases (18 last year). Their biggest problem may be finding at-bats for all the outfielders (in addition to Vlad and Hunter, Reggie Willits, Gary Matthews, Jr., and Juan Rivera, all top-notch players, are also available), still not a bad position to be in.

PROJECTED LINEUP: 1 Figgins 3B 2 Kendrick 2B 3 Guerrero RF/DH 4 Anderson LF 5 Hunter CF 6 take your pick DH 7 Kotchman 1B 8 Napoli C 9 Aybar SS

STARTING PITCHING: C

That grade is due to injuries, confirmed and possible, that the Angels deal with going into the season. Staff ace John Lackey (19-9, 3.01 ERA last season) may not be concerned with his elbow tightness, but the Angels sure should be. And Kelvim Escobar (18-7, 3.40 ERA) has no set date for his return from shoulder woes. If those two miss significant time, there's still something in the cupboard, in the persons of Jon Garland (traded for Orlando Cabrera from the Chicago White Sox), Jared Weaver (13-7 last year), and Joe Saunders. And if Ervin Santana can round into what his potential says he could be instead of what last year's numbers says he was (7-14, 5.76), the team could be in good shape when Lackey and Escobar come back.

PROJECTED ROTATION: Lackey, Garland, Weaver, Saunders, Santana (Escobar will be number two upon his return)

BULLPEN: B

Closer Francisco Rodriguez (40 saves in 46 tries last season) continues to anchor this dependable unit, but he'll have two big distractions to shut out this year, one being that walk-off home run given up to end the season last season against Manny Ramirez, the other being his pending contract. Odds are, given K-Rod's record (146 of 172 career), it's not likely to be that big of a problem. Nor should it be a huge problem for the men trusted to get the game to him, namely Scot Shields (77 strikeouts in 77 innings last season), Justin Speier and Darren Oliver, all of whom had great seasons last year and are experienced enough to see this team through any rough stretches.

CONCLUSION

Injury problems in the rotation aside, the Angels look, yet again, like the team to beat in the AL West. Even with Seattle picking up Erik Bedard in the offseason, they still can't quite match up to the Angels' firepower on offense. Now, two questions remain: 1) By how many games will they win the West? 2) Will they have to play Boston to get where they want to go? Answers: 1) We'll see and 2) All signs point to yes.

PREDICTION: 91-71, first in American League West