WHO'S NEW* P Hector Carrasco, P J.C....

WHO’S NEW* P Hector Carrasco, P J.C....

By MIKE DIGIOVANNA

Feb. 15, 2006 12 AM PT

WHO’S NEW

* P Hector Carrasco, P J.C. Romero, C Jeff Mathis, INF Edgardo Alfonzo.

WHO’S GONE

* P Jarrod Washburn, P Paul Byrd, C Bengie Molina, CF Steve Finley, C Josh Paul, OF Jeff DaVanon.

BIGGEST QUESTION

* Is Jeff Mathis ready to catch -- and hit -- in the big leagues? The Angels let Bengie Molina go to clear the path for Mathis, but handling a predominantly veteran pitching staff on a playoff contender is a lot to ask of a rookie, and Mathis could be overwhelmed. The Angels have a strong defensive fallback in Jose Molina, but he isn’t the offensive threat Bengie was. Mathis recovered from a poor offensive season at double-A Arkansas in 2004 (.227, 14 homers, 55 runs batted in) to hit .276 with 21 homers and 73 RBIs at triple-A Salt Lake last season, but the jump to the big leagues will be more challenging.

JOB SEEKERS

* Dallas McPherson, who is coming off major hip surgery, needs to regain his power stroke and make consistent contact to push for time at third base and designated hitter. Veteran Tim Salmon hopes to win a reserve outfield spot after missing all of 2005 and most of 2004 because of injuries to his left knee and left shoulder, both of which required surgery. Youngsters Jered Weaver and Joe Saunders could push Hector Carrasco for the fifth rotation spot, and Cuban defector Kendry Morales will make a run at the DH job.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

* Bartolo Colon’s shoulder. The 2005 American League Cy Young Award winner was knocked out of October’s AL championship series because of a small tear in the back of his shoulder, an injury that did not require surgery. Colon rehabilitated the shoulder all winter, began throwing off a mound Feb. 1 and appears to be on course for a full recovery. The right-hander even lost some weight and reportedly is in excellent condition. But another injury to their ace could devastate the Angels, because they don’t have the starting pitching depth to absorb the loss of Colon for an extended period.

REASONS TO BE EXCITED

* If Colon and Kelvim Escobar remain sound, John Lackey maintains the consistency he found in 2005 and Ervin Santana builds on his breakthrough rookie season, the Angels could have one of the league’s top rotations. Moving Darin Erstad from first base to center field makes an already strong defense even better, because Erstad is a Gold Glove outfielder and Casey Kotchman is a top-notch first baseman. Shortstop Orlando Cabrera and second baseman Adam Kennedy form one of baseball’s top double-play combinations, and Vladimir Guerrero, despite his .050 championship series performance in October, is still a pretty good hitter.

REASONS TO BE WORRIED

* The Angels failed to address their most glaring weakness, the lack of a right-handed power hitter to protect Guerrero in the lineup, leaving them vulnerable to long offensive dry spells that put too much of a burden on the pitching staff. Colon could suffer a relapse of his shoulder injury, and Carrasco, a reliever for almost all of his career, could struggle making the transition to full-time starter. Garret Anderson’s cranky back and knee could act up again, sapping the middle of the order of much-needed power and experience.

PROJECTED LINEUP

3B...Chone Figgins

SS...Orlando Cabrera

RF...Vladimir Guerrero

LF...Garret Anderson

DH...Juan Rivera

CF...Darin Erstad

1B...Casey Kotchman

C...Jeff Mathis

2B...Adam Kennedy

PROJECTED ROTATION

RH...Bartolo Colon