My favorite division in baseball.  I wonder why?

1.  Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.   The Angels are a solid team.  They have a good rotation, headed by John Lackey and very good bullpen.  Bad Vlad Guerrero is a perennial MVP candidate every year and Torri Hunter is a nice addition to that outfield.  Mark my words, one significant injury on this team could really open the door for the Mariners.

2.  Seattle Mariners.  The addition of Erik Bedard will pay huge dividends this season, and hopefully for future seasons.  The M's had to give up a lot for Bedard, but he's a Cy Young candidate, who has the stuff that aces are made of.  Felix Hernandez will have a career year because of the presence of Bedard in the rotation.  Seattle has a nice 1 through 5 rotation, with some capable spot starters in the mix as well.   Ichiro will guide the offense, and hopefully guys like Richie Sexson can rebound.  The loss of Jose Guillen will hurt more than we think, but the potential of Wladmir Balentien should make up for that, long term.  If the Angels slip at all, the M's might have the ability to take advantage of it.

3.  Texas Rangers.  The rotation is still a little shaky.  Kevin Millwood isn't an ace and neither is Vincente Padilla.  Their bullpen does impress me, particularly CJ Wilson and Joaquin Benoit.  Both looked good in the closer role, last season.  The addition of Josh Hamilton is a good one, as he should drive in some runs, but they need a rebound from guys like Hank Blalock to make any real noise.  I think Jarrod Saltamacchia? or Salty and Ian Kinsler are going to turn into a really good baseball players, so their future looks bright.  I think they have enough experience in the rotation to be better than the rebuilding A's.

4.  Oakland A's.  It would be difficult to be a fan of the A's, because it seems like they're always in a rebuilding mode.  They've let some great players walk away over the years, Tejada, Zito, Damon, but in Giambi's case, he basically just sold out.  Rich Harden needs a healthy season under his belt, to prove he's an ace.  The verdict is still out on that one.  Joe Blanton is an innings eater, but after those two, the rotation is full of question marks.  I'm guessing the next players to be dealt will be Eric Chavez, Huston Street, and Joe Blanton.   When looking at the roster there are a few familiar faces, but who the heck are the rest of these guys?  I should get my facts straight, because they're probably a bunch of really good prospects that will become stars, in Oakland and then sign with another team when they become free agents.  Can we really consider Billy Beane to be a genius anymore?  

I get to go to Anaheim tomorrow, which should be fun.  Disneyland, family, and close friends await my arrival.  The part of the trip I'm really looking forward to will be seeing the Angels play the Rangers on Saturday.  I hate both teams equally and wish there was a way for both of them to lose the game so the M's can gain some ground in the West.  I saw the Angels last year, and Vlad Guerrero had 5 RBIs in the game.  He's almost as fun to watch in person as Ichiro, but not quite.

Anyway, it should be a great game and since I can't get to Seattle this summer to see my beloved M's, I guess the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will have to do.  Ervin Santana is pitching for the Angels.

Prediction:  The Mariners will win the AL West.  Oakland will fade in the second half.  Texas may have Carlos Lee but still lack pitching, and The Angels would have greatly benefitted adding an extra bat to the lineup.