AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

By BEN BOLCH

April 1, 2004 12 AM PT

ANGELS

Key additions: OF Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Guillen, P Bartolo Colon and Kelvim Escobar.

Key losses: 1B Scott Spiezio, DH/1B Brad Fullmer.

Strengths: The starting rotation that last season posted a ghastly 4.90 earned-run average has been significantly upgraded, and the bullpen (AL-best 3.15 ERA) will return intact when Brendan Donnelly comes back from persistent nosebleeds. Guerrero and Guillen have two of the strongest outfield arms in baseball and will keep runners from taking extra bases. Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus, David Eckstein and Bengie Molina, who sat out a combined 230 games last season with injuries, are physically sound, though Molina pulled a hamstring slightly Wednesday.

Weaknesses: The back end of the rotation is somewhat shaky, and the bullpen will open the season without a left-hander. Garret Anderson, Erstad and Guillen might take a few months to adjust to new positions.

Outlook: The Angels should score plenty of runs, and pitching depth is suddenly a strength that might carry the Angels to their first division title since 1986.

At Dodger Stadium: June 25-27.

PROJECTED LINEUP

SS David Eckstein

1B Darin Erstad

RF Vladimir Guerrero

CF Garret Anderson

3B Troy Glaus

LF Jose Guillen

DH Tim Salmon

C Bengie Molina

2B Adam Kennedy

STARTING PITCHERS

Bartolo Colon

Jarrod Washburn

Kelvim Escobar

Ramon Ortiz

John Lackey

BULLPEN

Troy Percival

Brendan Donnelly

Francisco Rodriguez

Ben Weber

Scot Shields

2. OAKLAND ATHLETICS

Key additions: P Arthur Rhodes, Mark Redman and Chris Hammond, OF Mark Kotsay and Bobby Kielty, C Damian Miller, 1B Eric Karros.

Key losses: SS Miguel Tejada, P Keith Foulke and Ted Lilly, OF Jose Guillen and Terrence Long, C Ramon Hernandez.

Strengths: The Athletics complemented their stellar pitching trio of Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito with Redman, a key component of the Marlins’ World Series run. No. 5 starter Rich Harden could blossom into a top-of-the-rotation talent. Third baseman Eric Chavez might enjoy an MVP-type season now that he has put contract issues to rest with a six-year deal.

Weaknesses: Arthur Rhodes, a setup man in Seattle, is thrust into a new role as closer. He has only 17 saves in 13 seasons. Rookie shortstop Bobby Crosby has the unenviable task of replacing former AL MVP Tejada.

Outlook: Major turnover, the only constant in Oakland, may finally ravage the Athletics after four consecutive postseason appearances. If the injury bug bites or the rotation struggles for more than a brief stretch, a lower-division finish isn’t out of the question.

At Angel Stadium: April 16-18, June 21-24, Sept. 24-26.

PROJECTED LINEUP

CF Mark Kotsay

LF Bobby Kielty

3B Eric Chavez

RF Jermaine Dye

DH Erubiel Durazo

1B Scott Hatteberg

SS Bobby Crosby

C Damian Miller

2B Esteban German

STARTING PITCHERS

Tim Hudson

Mark Mulder

Barry Zito

Mark Redman

Rich Harden

BULLPEN

Arthur Rhodes

Chad Bradford

Jim Mecir

Ricardo Rincon

Chris Hammond

3. SEATTLE MARINERS

Key additions: OF Raul Ibanez, P Eddie Guardado, 3B Scott Spiezio, SS Rich Aurilia.

Key losses: OF Mike Cameron, 3B Jeff Cirillo, P Kazuhiro Sasaki and Arthur Rhodes, SS Carlos Guillen.

Strengths: The durability of the starting rotation will be a major plus if it can repeat the feat it accomplished last season, when it became the first rotation since the 1966 Dodgers to use only five pitchers for an entire regular season. The defense should again be solid, with Gold Glove players Ichiro Suzuki, Bret Boone and John Olerud saving countless runs. Newcomer Spiezio will be an asset in the clubhouse and at the plate as a replacement for the disappointing Cirillo.

Weaknesses: Age might finally be catching up with 41-year-olds Edgar Martinez and Jamie Moyer, the opening-day starter against the Angels. Olerud, who last season hit only 10 home runs, may be in the midst of a power outage. Catcher Ben Davis must display more pop if he is to supplant veteran Dan Wilson.

Outlook: The Mariners will be hard-pressed to win 90 games for a fifth consecutive season, considering the Angels’ improvements and the Athletics’ continued prospects for success.

At Angel Stadium: April 13-15, July 29-Aug. 1, Sept. 20-22.

PROJECTED LINEUP

RF Ichiro Suzuki

CF Randy Winn

2B Bret Boone

LF Raul Ibanez

DH Edgar Martinez

3B Scott Spiezio

1B John Olerud

SS Rich Aurilia

C Dan Wilson

STARTING PITCHERS

Jamie Moyer

Joel Pineiro

Freddy Garcia

Ryan Franklin

Gil Meche

BULLPEN

Eddie Guardado

Shigetoshi Hasegawa

Rafael Soriano

Julio Mateo

Ron Villone

TEXAS RANGERS

Key additions: 2B Alfonso Soriano, P Kenny Rogers and Jeff Nelson, DH/1B Brad Fullmer, OF Brian Jordan, INF/OF Eric Young.

Key losses: SS Alex Rodriguez, 1B Rafael Palmeiro, OF Juan Gonzalez and Shane Spencer, P John Thomson.

Strengths: The addition of Soriano gives the Rangers one of the top young infields in the game. Third baseman Hank Blalock and first baseman Mark Teixeira are legitimate power hitters, and Michael Young, who moves from second base to replace Rodriguez at shortstop, is an excellent defender and offensive catalyst.

Weaknesses: That the unremarkable R.A. Dickey and Ricardo Rodriguez remain in the rotation shows how little depth the Rangers have. Chan Ho Park, injured for much of last season, no longer has the power stuff he had with the Dodgers and has struggled to adapt.

Outlook: A fifth consecutive last-place finish seems assured given the suspect pitching and departure of nearly half the team’s home run production. The hope is that the young stars continue to produce and that management uses its newfound financial flexibility to bolster the pitching staff for 2005.

At Angel Stadium: April 20-22, July 26-28, Sept. 17-19.

PROJECTED LINEUP

SS Michael Young

3B Hank Blalock

2B Alfonso Soriano

RF Brian Jordan

1B Mark Texeira

DH Brad Fullmer

LF Kevin Mench

CF Lance Nix

C Einar Diaz

STARTING PITCHERS