***The Division Preview that follows is not betting advice in any way shape or form. Please do not bet any money based in any part on these predictions.***
Don't forget to also check out the 2013 American League East and 2013 American League Central previews.
The American League West has provided fewer World Series participants since the league went to a tree division format. Only the Angels (2002) and Rangers (2010 and 2011) have reached the fall classic and only the Angels have won it.
It is also one of the few divisions that has seen every team (excepting the Astros, who are new to it this year) experience a period of domination within the division. The Mariners dominated the early period of the division winning division titles in 1995, 1999 and 2001. Oakland won the division in 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2006. The Angels won the division in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The Rangers have dominated the recent history winning in 2010 and 2011.
This division has provided some of the great pennant races in history with the Mariners overtaking a faltering Angels team in 1995. The 1998 Angels and Rangers were tie with seven games left in the season before Texas won five of their last seven games and won the division by three games. Oakland surprised everyone by riding the arms of an ancient Tom Candiotti and three young aces (Zito, Hudson and Mulder) to chase down the favored Mariners in 2000. The A's and Angels traded places in first place throughout the 2004 season, neither able to get more than four games ahead while in the last week no one could get more than two games ahead until the Angels took a 2 game lead with 2 games left. Just this last season, with high expectations in Anaheim and Texas, Oakland came out of nowhere with several long winning streaks and a great final three weeks while Anaheim made a late charge and finished only five games behind the division leader.
The new look West appears to be ready for the Angels to play above the clouds while the middle of the division seems to be falling apart. The Astros, at the bottom of the division, will need a lot of boosts to launch them out of last place. Here's how I see it playing out:
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
89-73 (3rd place in AL West)
Who's new?*:
Joe Blanton (P) free agent from Dodgers, Ryan Brasier (P) promoted from minors, Sean Burroughs (P) free agent from Nationals, Tommy Hunter (P) trade from Braves, Ryan Madson (P) free agent from Reds, Brandon Sisk (P) trade from Royals, Jason Vargas (P) trade from Mariners, Tommy Fields (SS) waivers claim from Rockies, Luis Jimenez (OF) promoted from minors, Scott Cousins (OF) waiver claim from Mariners, Josh Hamilton (OF) free agent from Rangers, Travis Witherspoon (OF) promoted from minors.
Who left?*:
Ervin Santana (P) trade to Royals, Dan Haren (P) free agent to Nationals, Zack Greinke (P) free agent to Dodgers, Jason Isringhausen (P) unsigned free agent, Latroy Hawkins (P) free agent to Mets, Jordan Walden (P) trade to Braves, Bobby Wilson (C) free agent to Yankees, Maicer Izturis (SS/2B) free agent to Blue Jays, Ryan Langerhans (OF) free agent to Blue Jays, Torii Hunter (OF) free agent to Tigers, Kendrys Morales (DH) trade to Mariners.
What to expect:
Similar to Tigers and Blue Jays fans, Angels fans should expect the best. The team got off to a slow start last year as they adjusted to the major changes and Pujols adjusted to the American League. Similar to Paul Konerko's "off year" for the White Sox, every player in the league would sell their soul to have Pujols numbers from his "off year". Albert Pujols continuously improved as he faced pitchers in his second and third at bat but the perception was that Pujols had a bad year. That perception is certainly wrong. He just didn't have the normal superhuman season we have considered his normal. The Angels should have one of the best all around offenses in baseball. They are very defensively strong up the middle with Chris Ianetta (assuming he is healthy all year), Erick Aybar at second, Howie Kendrick at short and Peter Bourjos patrolling center. They have speed on the base paths in Trout, Aybar, Bourjos and Kendrick and power in Pujols, Hamilton, Trumbo and Trout. Seemingly they have a well balanced lineup.
Why should you root for these guys?:
Mike Scioscia is probably the best manager in baseball right now. He has turned the Angels into something no one ever believed they would be: a consistent contender. Scioscia's coaching staff has also produced three strong coaches who went on to success as managers of other teams (Joe Maddon in Tampa Bay, Bud Black in San Diego and Ron Roeneckie in Milwaukee). Scioscia has turned this into the "golden age" of Angels baseball, although only 2002 produced a World Series championship. The Angels already have a strong lineage of players like Nolan Ryan, Brian Downing, Wally Joyner, Mike Witt and Jim Abbott but Scioscia's teams will be looked on as the greatest era in the history of Angels baseball.
Why might this season not turn out like Angels fans want?:
At the start of spring training last season the Angels appeared to have the best rotation in baseball. Weaver lived up to the hype but Dan Haren suffered back issues, Ervin Santana was inconsistent and C.J. Wilson suffered through health issues. Their fifth starter position was in flux all season with Jerome Williams pitching great for the first month of the season but suffering health issues that limited his effectiveness. Garrett Richards did a decent job until the team traded for Zack Greinke, who did a great job in the rotation. Greinke, Haren and Santana are gone. Weaver will be solid as always but after him there are questions. How will C.J. Wilson's arm be this year? How will Tommy Hanson's (acquired in trade from Braves) back hold up? Will Joe Blanton be the pitcher the Phillies relied on in their World Series year or the pitcher that got battered around in his starts in Los Angeles? Will Garrett Richards make a permanent home in the rotation? The bigger problem for the Halos over the last few years has been their bullpen. Jordan Walden did not turn out to be the closer that Scioscia wanted and the team signed Ryan Madson to fill that role. Madson is coming off arm surgery and has not pitched since 2011. Will his arm be fully recovered after a full year off? An LA Times article this week reported that Madson is already having issues. The Angels and Tigers may be in a race to see who can make a trade for a closer first.
Don't expect too much from him:
Mike Trout had a rookie season that comes once in a lifetime. In the history of baseball only Jackie Robinson in 1947 and Fred Lynn in 1975 contributed as heavily to a team as Trout did to the Angels as a rookie. When Trout was called up at the end of April the Angels were struggling through a rough patch and were fighting their way back from a nine game deficit. Trout made an immediate impact and jump started the Angels struggling offense. By the end of the year he hit 30 Home Runs, stole 49 bases and hit 8 triples. Even more than his offense Trout was seemingly always making a diving or leaping spectacular catch. Expect Trout to be a big reason the Angels succeed but don't expect him to be superhuman again. He shouldn't need to be superhuman with the rest of the components in place.
Expect great things from:
Josh Hamilton was booed out of Texas. 31 doubles, 43 Home Runs (including four in one game), 103 runs, 128 RBI in 2012 and the team leader in two straight World Series teams (the only times in franchise history the team has reached the World Series) and three straight playoff appearances is apparently worthy of being booed in Texas. Hamilton will have plenty of lineup protection around him and should be able to feel comfortable hitting fourth behind Pujols. It would also be some nice revenge for him to destroy Rangers pitching when Anaheim faces off against Texas.
Time for him to step up:
Peter Bourjos was expected to be Mike Trout before Mike Trout arrived. He has all the tools to be the top of the lineup prototype player. He has the ability to track down anything hit into the outfield, the arm to gun down runners and the speed to steal bases. The problem was that he struck out 124 times at the top of the lineup in 2011. Due to the high strikeouts, Trout's unbelievable season and Mark Trumbo's hot bat, Bourjos lost his starting position for a good part of the year. When he did play (in 90 games in the outfield) he managed to hit only .220. Bourjos is penciled in to play Centerfield between Hamilton and Trout. The Angels will need him to be a second Mike Trout if they are going to win it all.
Is this his last chance?
Joe Blanton was an underrated piece of the Phillies playoff runs from 2008-2011. He was the forgotten man in the strong rotation. When it became clear that the Phillies were out of the playoff race (although they somehow fought their way back into it) Blanton was shipped to the Dodgers. His 10 starts in Los Angeles were a disaster, leaving Dodgers fans to wonder why they bothered getting him. The Blanton from those 10 starts was not the real Joe Blanton and he can still be a big contributor to an Angels playoff run but the Angels cannot afford the slow start they had last year and if Blanton does not deliver Scioscia may need to find a quick answer.
Prediction:
1st in AL West
Oakland Athletics
94-68 (1st place in AL West)
Lost to Tigers 3-2 in ALDS
Who's new?: Arnold Leon (P) promoted from minors, Chris Resop (P) trade from Pirates, Fernando Rodriguez (P) trade from Astros, Andrew Werner (P) trade from Padres, Michael Ynoa (P) promoted from minors, John Jaso (C) trade from Mariners, Jed Lowrie (SS) trade from Astros, Hiroyuki Nakajima (SS) free agent from Japan, Andy Parrino (2B) trade from Padres, Scott Sizemore (2B) return from injury, Grant Green (OF) promoted from minors, Shane Peterson (OF) promoted from minors, Chris Young (OF) trade from Diamondbacks.
Who left?: Brandon McCarthy (P) free agent from Diamondbacks, Tyson Ross (P) trade to Padres, Jim Miller (P) waiver claim by Yankees, Graham Godfrey (P) trade to Red Sox, Jeremy Accardo (P) free agent to Nationals, Rich Thompson (P) free agent to Blue Jays, George Kottaras (C) waiver claim by Royals, Chris Carter (1B) trade to Astros, Brandon Inge (3B) free agent to Pirates, Cliff Hicks (SS) contract sold to Mets, Cliff Pennington (SS) trade to Diamondbacks, Stephen Drew (SS) free agent to Red Sox, Collin Cowgill (OF) trade to Mets, Jonny Gomes (DH) free agent to Red Sox, Kila Ka'aihue (1B/DH) free agent to Diamondbacks.
What to expect:
The A's were a great story last year. They went 11-5 to end the season and shocked the Rangers by taking the division. It was a magical season, much like Baltimore, using spare parts, role players and several players having career years. They were expected to finish well behind Texas and Anaheim but beat both of them. Although it was an exciting surprise to have the A's win the division, the Angels have improved enough to make it less likely that the A's will repeat. Don't look for the A's to win the division but with the Yankees dealing with numerous questions and a seemingly endless run of bad luck and the Royals inconsistent history the A's could be right in the thick of the Wild Card race.
Why should you root for these guys?:
The Athletics are one of the original eight American League franchises. As the league began in 1901 the Philadelphia Athletics were the dominant team and remained so until 1914. Connie Mack revitalized the team from 1929-1931 but had to sell off most of the big pieces during the depression. The Athletics finally abandoned Philadelphia for a disastrous stay in Kansas City before landing in Oakland. The bay area has seen the Athletics win four World Series but for the last five years there have been small expectations as the team has tried to find small priced talent that will provide big results. Similar to the Twins, the Athletics define the small market team.
Why might this season not turn out like A's fans want?:
Several key players including Brandon McCarthy, Jeremy Accardo, Cliff Pennington, Jonny Gomes and Stephen Drew left the team and were not replaced with proven players. Bob Melvin did an outstanding job of getting the most out of his team and plugging the holes that appeared. With the key players leaving he may not have enough material to plug the holes that are appearing before the season begins.
Don't expect too much from him:
Yoenis Cespedes had a tremendous rookie season. It is undeniable that the A's would not have done nearly as well without Cespedes. He was rightly the runner up to Trout in Rookie of the Year voting and contributed more than anyone could have imagined. The problem is not that his talent is overrated but he won't have the lineup support around him that he had last year and will likely not see the same pitches he saw last year.
Expect great things from:
Brett Anderson made only six starts in the regular season going 4-2 but they were great starts. He threw 35 innings, gave up only one Home Run, walked only seven and struck out 25. He may have saved his best for the Division Series. In his only playoff start he threw six innings while allowing only two hits and striking out 6 against a strong Tigers lineup. He has already been named the opening day starter and with the loss of Brandon McCarthy he will need to prove he is the ace.
Time for him to step up:
Jemile Weeks was expected to be a star player in 2012 but his average dropped 80 percentage points, and he is listed second on the depth chart at second base and will need to have a great spring to get back into the starting lineup. If Weeks is able to provide the same numbers he did as a rookie in 2011 the A's will have a better chance to reach a Wild Card spot.
Is this his last chance?:
Bartolo Colon was suspended for PED use the same week that Melky Cabrera was suspended. His career was on the decline before his strong first half last year. He is still listed as the number two starter on the A's depth chart but he will be in the same position that Cabrera finds himself. He will need to prove he can perform without them or he may be out of the league.
Prediction:
2nd place in AL West
Texas Rangers
93-69 2nd in AL West (First Wild Card)
Lost Wild Card Game to Orioles
Who's new?:
Jeff Beliveau (P) claimed off waivers from Cubs, Cory Burns (P) trade from Padres, Jason Frasor (P) free agent from Blue Jays, Josh Lindblom (P) trade from Phillies, Roman Mendez (P) promoted from minors, Justin Miller (P) promoted from minors, Joe Ortiz (P) promoted from minors, Joakim Soria (P) free agent from Royals, Coty Woods (P) promoted from minors, Matt West (P) promoted from minors, A.J. Pierzynski (C) free agent from White Sox, Lance Berkman (1B) free agent from Cardinals, Leruy Garcia (SS) promoted from minors, Julio Borbon (OF) promoted from minors.
Who left?:
Scott Feldman (P) free agent to Cubs, Ryan Dempster (P) free agent to Red Sox, Mike Adams (P) free agent to Phillies, Roy Oswalt (P) unsigned free agent, Mark Lowe (P) free agent to Dodgers, Koji Uehara (P) free agent to Red Sox, Mike Napoli (1B/DH) free agent to Red Sox, Yorvit Torrealba (C) free agent to Rockies, Luis Martinez (C) claimed on waivers by Orioles, Luis Hernandez (IF) free agent to Indians, Josh Hamilton (OF) free agent to Angels, Alberto Gonzales (OF) free agent to Cubs, Michael Young (IF/DH) trade to Phillies.
What to expect:
The Rangers added some nice pieces in Jason Frasor, A.J. Pierzynski and Joakim Soria. Unfortunately they lost quite a bit more in Michael Young, Josh Hamilton, Mike Napoli, Mike Adams and Koji Uehara. The Rangers surprised everyone in 2011 and 2012 by reaching the World Series. The team that pulled that off is slowly dissipating. Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz are the two big key players remaining from those teams but Cruz was one of the names associated with the steroid clinic in Florida and it is still unclear what the ramifications of that will be. Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler are strong defensively up the middle but they can't make up for the numbers lost from Hamilton and Young and some in the organization are strongly pushing to replace Andrus with the young Jurickson Profar. Removing Andrus would take away one of the best double play combos in the league and would cause more uncertainty in an already drastically changed lineup. Add to all this a possible power struggle in the high ranks of the front office and player dissension over their treatment by John Daniels and it could be a recipe for disaster.
Why should you root for these guys?:
There are still quite a few players left from the 2010 and 2011 American League Championship teams. Derek Holland, Mitch Moreland, Nelson Cruz, Adrian Beltre, Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler are among the stars still left. The Rangers came within a strike of winning the World Series in 2011 and fell apart last year down the stretch. After several heartbreaking close calls it would be nice to see the remaining pieces finally come through.
Why might this season not turn out like Rangers fans want?:
The numbers that were lost when Hamilton and Young left the team was not the most important thing that was lost. Hamilton and Young were the Rangers heart and soul. Michael Young was Mr. Ranger and is irreplaceable. Hamilton was the backbone of the team. It is not coincidental that when Hamilton slumped at the end of last year the Rangers slumped too. Add to that the loss of two key relief pitchers in Uehara and Adams. The Ranger fans may have a long summer wishing for the good old days of Hamilton and Young.
Don't expect too much from him:
Yu Darvish achieved well above what was expected. He was the clear ace of the staff in his first year and got the start in the Wild Card game, although it did not work out for him the way they had hoped. Darvish benefited from the powerful lineup behind him. Expect Darvish to have a strong year and remain the ace of the staff but a Cy Young Award is probably not in his immediate future.
Expect great things from:
Adrian Beltre has had a roller coaster career but has been consistently great since landing in Texas. With Hamilton and Young gone and Cruz's status in the air due to the steroid clinic connection expect Beltre to step up and have a monster year. It may not keep the Rangers in the playoffs but it will certainly help keep them respectable.
Time for him to step up:
Mitch Moreland has been a big piece of the success of the Rangers playoff teams over the last few years, especially in the 2010 World Series run. Moreland has been a big role player for the team but he has not been able to hit above .275 for a full season. Moreland will need to add some much needed power to the depleted Rangers lineup.
Is this his last chance?:
Lance Berkman is in his 15th year. He is one of the great players in the history of the Houston Astros and contributed to one of the best World Series in history when his Cardinals beat the Rangers in 2011. Injuries limited his productivity in 2012 and he is starting 2013 dealing with more injuries. This could be the last shot for one of the best players over the last decade and a half.
Prediction:
3rd in AL West
Seattle Mariners
75-87. 4th place (last) in AL West.
Who's new?:
Anthony Fernandez (P) promoted from minors, Danny Hultzen (P) promoted from minors, Bobby LaFramboise (P) promoted from minors, Brandon Maurer (P) promoted from minors, Yoervis Medina (P) promoted from minors, Chance Ruffin (P) promoted from minors, Joe Saunders (P) free agent from Orioles, Kelly Shoppach (C) free agent from Mets, Robert Andino (2B) trade from Orioles, Vinnie Catricala (3B) promoted from minors, Kendrys Morales (DH) trade from Angels, Francisco Martinez (3B) promoted from minors, Jason Bay (OF) free agent from Mets, Raul Ibanez (OF) free agent from Yankees, Michael Morse (OF) trade from Nationals, Julio Morban (OF) promoted from minors.
Who left?:
Kevin Millwood (P) retired, Jason Vargas (P) trade to Angels, Shawn Kelley (P) trade to Yankees, George Sherrill (P) free agent to Royals, Miguel Olivo (C) free agent to Reds, Munenori Kawasaki (UT) unsigned free agent, Chone Figgins (3B/OF) free agent to Marlins, John Jaso (C) trade to Athletics, Luis Jimenez (DH) free agent to Blue Jays.
What to expect:
Expectations for Mariners fans should be kept low. For the past ten years the Mariners have been high in talent but low in results. The Mariners do appear to be headed in the right direction with some major pickups such as Robert Andino and Michael Morse. There are still some major issues. The Mariners have about seven outfielders, including Jason Bay, Eric Thames and Raul Ibanez, and all of them will expect playing time while the pitching staff past Felix Hernandez is weak. They have some strong potential in the infield but the offense is still not strong enough to make up for the weak pitching
Why should you root for these guys?:
Baseball in Seattle is something special. They don't always win, most of the time they don't, but since the days of Ken Griffey, Jr, the Mariners are a special part of the community. The Mariners came into existence in 1977 and were immediately a joke in the league, even to the point of discussing a move out of Seattle. That changed when Griffey, Jay Buhner and Randy Johnson made an unbelievable playoff run in 1995. Seattle in a playoff spot would further cement the Mariners place in the community and hopefully stop any talk of a future departure.
Why might this season not turn out like Mariners fans want?:
Let's be honest about this: the Mariners are not a good team and are quite fortunate that Houston is in their division. The Mariners are moving in the right direction but they are just not that good right now. The big problem is the pitching. They have locked up Felix Hernandez for years to come (although there was a slight delay after the Mariners showed some concern over the status of his elbow) and he is clearly one of the best in the game but past him there are few strong arms.
Don't expect too much from him:
Kendrys Morales missed almost two full seasons recovering from a broken leg. He returned to the Angels last year but the time off clearly showed. Some of the problem could have come from lack of consistent playing time but it was clear that he was not forcing Scioscia to play him by outhitting Trumbo and when Anaheim signed Hamilton his time was up in Southern California. Morales is still a powerful hitter and should be a positive addition to the Seattle offense and clubhouse but don't expect an All Star performance.
Expect great things from:
Felix Hernandez is a special pitcher. He won a Cy Young in 2010, pitched a perfect game in 2012 and is clearly one of the top pitchers in the game. He may not win 20 games every year but he certainly has shown that he is capable of giving baseball fans something special every time he toes the rubber.
Time for him to step up:
Justin Smoak was the big piece in the Cliff Lee deal of 2010. He was the one piece that Seattle insisted on getting and the one piece that Texas questioned giving up. Smoak has a ton of talent but has not delivered in his time in Seattle. 2012 was a disappointing year for Smoak with only a .217 average and 111 strikeouts. Smoak could be an All Star for Seattle some day but it will take a big step up from last year to reach that point.
Is this his last chance?:
Jason Bay was on his way to being a superstar in Pittsburgh when he was traded to Boston to replace Manny Ramirez. That was a horrible disaster. It was hoped when he signed with the Mets that he would return to the form that made him a big name but New York was also a disaster. Some of it had to do with injuries, some of it had to do with the media placing unrealistic expectations on Bay and some of it had to do with Bay underachieving. Bay signed with Seattle but is currently not listed on their depth chart as a starter. If Bay is healthy and can get a few breaks he may be able to fulfill his potential. If not he may not have another chance as a starter.
Prediction:
4th place in AL West.
Houston Astros
55-107. 6th (last) in NL Central.
Who's new?:
Jose Cisnero (P) promoted from minors, Paul Clemens (P) promoted from minors, Jarred Cosart (P) promoted from minors, Sam Demel (P) free agent from Diamondbacks, John Ely (P) trade from Dodgers, Josh Fields (P) promoted from minors, Philip Humber (P) waiver claim from White Sox, Chia-Jen Lo (P) promoted from minors, Brett Obeholtzer (P) promoted from minors, Rudy Owens (P) promoted from minors, Brad Peacock (P) trade from Athletics, Ross Seaton (P) promoted from minors, Jose Veras (P) free agent from Brewers, Chris Carter (1B) trade from Athletics, Jake Elmore (SS) free agent from Diamondbacks, Nate Freiman (1B) promoted from minors,Carlos Pena (DH/1B) free agent from Rays, Jonathan Villar (SS) promoted from minors, Robbie Grossman (OF) promoted from minors.
Who left?:
Fernando Rodriguez (P) trade to Athletics, Wilton Lopez (P) trade to Rockies, Fernando Abad (P) free agent to Nationals, Mickey Storey (P) waiver claim by Blue Jays, Enerio Del Rosario (P) unsigned free agent, Aneury Rodriguez (P) unsigned free agent, Brian Bogusevic (OF) free agent to Cubs, Chris Snyder (C) free agent to Nationals, Scott Moore (IF) free agent to Athletics, Jed Lowrie (SS) trade to Athletics, Joran Schafer (OF) waiver claim by Braves, Travis Buck (OF) free agent to Padres, Brian Bixler (UT) free agent to Mets, Matt Downs (OF) free agent to Marlins.
What to expect:
It may be a fresh start in a new league with new opponents and new rivalries being formed but this is the same Astros team that lost 100 games. 2012 was the 50th anniversary season but there were some who questioned if the big number 50 patch on the sleeve was more of a prediction of the number of wins the team would have at the end of the season. At one point in the middle of the season the Reds had more wins in Houston than the Astros did. This is a tough time for the Astros as they transition to new ownership. Astros fans will need to wait a few years to see what the intentions of the owners will be and what the future of the Astros will hold.
Why should you root for these guys?:
Of all teams in the league Houston is the one team with absolutely the lowest expectations (Colorado could be a close second). After an absolutely disastrous season they moved into a new division in a new league with new ownership. The Astros have a long history but this is probably the lowest point they have experienced since they came into the league. It would be one of the biggest surprises in decades if they made the playoffs.
Why might this season not turn out like Astros fans want?:
This is not a team built to win now. This is a team in transition. There is little room to argue that this team could make a playoff run this year except that the playoff runs by the A's and Orioles proved that nothing is impossible.
Don't expect too much from him:
Carlos Pena was a big piece of the Rays puzzle during the last five years. He is a great player but he had a lot of help in Tampa. He could very well be the Astros All Star representative but don't expect him to lead the Astros to the playoffs.
Expect great things from:
Jose Altuve made the All Star team last year and although it kept Brandon Phillips off the team Altuve deserved to be an All Star. Altuve only hit 7 Home Runs but had 34 doubles and 33 stolen bases. Altuve may not be with the Astros for long because he can definitely help a playoff contender looking for a stronger bat and glove at Secondbase.
Time for him to step up:
Bud Norris is now the highest paid player in an Astros uniform. He had a 7-13 record with a 4.65 ERA in 2012. He does not have a strong offense behind him but if the Astros are going to start instilling a winning attitude in Houston Norris needs to take the reigns and be their ace.
Is this his last chance?:
With the exception of Carlos Pena (who will turn 35 this season) this is a very young team. Pena is definitely not on his last chance because some playoff contender out there would love to have his bat in their lineup, either as a DH in the AL or as a pinch hitter in the NL. Because the team is so young it would be hard to say that any of them are on their last chance.
Prediction:
5th Place in AL West.
*-All roster changes are based on active rosters at the end of 2012 and active rosters as of the week of 2/18. Teams may have non-roster invitees in camp who are not listed in the "Who's New?" category.
i had no idea the mariners won their division on 2001. i thought they were done being good by then. i like the old mariners logo. ben gibbard from death cab for cutie(who are from washington state) has that sticker on his guitar.
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The 2001 Mariners were 116-46 for a winning percentage of .716. They beat the Cleveland Indians 3 games to 2 in the ALDS. They then lost to the Yankees 4 games to 1 in the ALCS. Along with the 1906 Chicago Cubs (116-36,.763) who lost to the White Sox 4 games to 2 and the 1954 Indians (111-54,.721 ) who lost tothe Giants 4 games to 0, the 2001 Mariners are one of the greatest teams to not win the World Series.
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