The Los Angeles Angels are decided favorites to once again win the AL West and why not, solid starting pitching, fielders who can gobble up outs and bullpen that year in year out is as dependable as any in baseball. However, how not many teams would have spent 140 million for centerfielders in two years and still have holes in certain aspects of the everyday lineup. The Angels offense has too many free swingers, partly explaining being just 5-1 choice to win American League at Sportsbook.com. A resourceful batting order and killer bullpen can take many a major league team to unsuspecting heights, which is what happened to Seattle last year. The Mariners have questionable starting pitching; making it seem unlikely they can overtake Halos at 7-4 odds. The Texas Rangers have needed starting pitching since they were the Washington Senators (circa 1971). They decided to take a page out of Seattle’s success and beef up pen. Bettors are not impressed, making them 10-1 pick to win division. Oakland is 8-1 to win division, but that is likely a mirage, as the A’s are rebuilding and have station to station offense, which will not generate many runs. Here's a look at each of the teams in the AL West Division, including 2007 key stats and situational records, offseason moves, projected lineups, plus keys and predictions for 2008.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

Division: AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Manager: MIKE SCIOSCIA
LOCAL TEAM NEWS LINK
2007 Record: 94-71 (0.57), +3.6 ML Units (#8 of 30)
2007 Totals (O-U-P): 75-85-5
StatFox Power Rating: : 107 (#9 of 30)
Sportsbook.com Season Wins Prop: Over 91.5 (-115)/Under 91.5 (-115)

2007 Situational Records:

Key 2007 Team Stats:

Arrivals: RHPs Henry Bonilla and Jon Garland, OFs Dee Brown, Chad Hermansen and Torii Hunter
Departures: SS Orlando Cabrera, RHPs Hector Carrasco, Chris Resop and Bartolo Colon, IF Dallas McPherson

Projected Starters:

Projected Rotation:

Projected Closer:

Strengths: The Angels might be the deepest team in the majors. Even coming off a sub-par season, Garland is an upgrade over Colon, who posted a 6.34 ERA last season while battling shoulder problems. The only problem with their rotation is that when - or if - everyone gets healthy, there won't be enough spots to go around. Kelvim Escobar, out for at least the first month of the season with shoulder tendinitis, is coming off a career year, and top prospect Nick Adenhart is waiting in the wings. ... Offensively, Anaheim has one of the deepest and most talented outfields in the majors. ... The addition of Hunter provides Guerrero with some protection and makes the middle of the Angels' lineup - likely the best in the division - more potent. ... Along with Gary Matthews Jr., Hunter gives the Angels two of the best defensive outfielders in the division.

Weaknesses: The rotation is limping into the regular season. Lackey and Escobar, who combined for 37 wins in 2007, both will be out for most of April. ... Anaheim shipped Cabrera off to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Garland, leaving shortstop duties to Aybar. The 24-year-old showed promise last year but has yet to play a full season. His career batting average of just .239, combined with some shaky glove work, will not make fans forget Cabrera anytime soon. ... The Angels' biggest problem, once again, might be staying healthy. Figgins, Anderson and Kendrick all missed significant time last season.

Rotation Outlook: When healthy, it's the best in the division. Garland is a huge improvement and will be a great compliment to Lackey when the staff's ace returns. ... After an exceptional rookie campaign in 2006, Weaver is coming off a solid season despite battling injury problems. He has looked very good during spring training and could win 15-plus games if he makes 30 starts. ... With the injuries, Adenhart likely will find a spot in the rotation early in the season and could finish the campaign there as well. ... Dustin Moseley, who moved up from the bullpen in 2007, may do so again this year.

Bullpen Situation: : As usual, the Angels enter the season with one of the league's best 1-2 punches in the back of the bullpen. Rodriguez notched 40-plus saves in each of the last three seasons and Scot Shields has been a great set-up man since entering the bullpen in 2004. Shields had the highest ERA (3.86) of his career last season, but much of that could have been due to his injury problems.

Projected Finish: First in AL West

OAKLAND ATHLETICS

Division: AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Manager: BOB GEREN
LOCAL TEAM NEWS LINK
2007 Record: 76-86 (0.469), +-16 ML Units (#26 of 30)
2007 Totals (O-U-P): 68-83-11
StatFox Power Rating: : 90 (#24 of 30)
Sportsbook.com Season Wins Prop: Over 75.5 (-115)/Under 75.5 (-115)

2007 Situational Records:

Key 2007 Team Stats:

Arrivals: LHPs Dana Eveland and Gio Gonzalez, RHPs Joey Devine, Keith Foulke, Kirk Saarloos and Fernando Hernandez, OFs Carlos Gonzalez, Emil Brown, Todd Linden, Ryan Sweeney and Jeff Fiorentino, DH Mike Sweeney
Departures: OFs Dee Brown, Jeff DaVanon, Mark Kotsay, Kevin Thompson, Chris Snelling, Shannon Stewart and Nick Swisher, RHPs Dan Haren and Ruddy Lugo, IF Marco Scutaro, DH Mike Piazza

Projected Starters:

Projected Rotation:

Projected Closer:

Strengths: There is no denying that the Athletics have talent, it will just take some time to develop. If the starting rotation stays healthy - a big if - it is solid despite the loss of Haren. ... Oakland is rebuilding its lineup around Buck, who made the jump from Class AA to the majors last season. Buck emerged as the club's top hitter but also had problems staying healthy. ... Barton will begin the season as the starting first baseman, and if his limited experience in the big leagues last year was an indication of things to come, he could be a darkhorse Rookie of the Year candidate.

Weaknesses: The Athletics spent much of the offseason ridding themselves of their top talent. Haren, Swisher, Kotsay and Scutaro all were traded, while veterans Piazza and Stewart were not re-signed. Add in the chronic injury problems of Crosby, Harden, Chavez and Duchscherer, and there are a lot of holes. ... The Athletics also lack experience, having 12 players on the team that are 25 or younger.

Rotation Outlook: Harden possesses the talent of an ace but needs to be healthy to do so. The 26-year-old has made just 13 starts over the past two seasons and started more than 20 games just once in his five-year career. ... Blanton at times has looked like he could anchor a starting rotation, but - with Haren in Arizona - he will have more pressure to perform. ... Gaudin will need to shake off offseason surgeries on his hip and foot to match last year's breakout season. ... Rookie Gio Gonzalez, part of the Nick Swisher trade, and Eveland almost certainly will find their way into the rotation by the end of the season.

Bullpen Situation: : Street is one of the best young closers in the game when healthy. But the biggest problem will be getting to him. The Athletics will need Santiago Casilla to step up as the set-up man. If not, they will be forced to turn to veterans Alan Embree or Foulke. ... The club also will need a bounce-back year from Kiko Calero and a breakout campaign from Devine, who was acquired from the Braves in the Kotsay trade.

Projected Finish: Fourth in AL West

SEATTLE MARINERS

Division: AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Manager: JOHN MCLAREN
LOCAL TEAM NEWS LINK
2007 Record: 88-74 (0.543), +18.2 ML Units (#2 of 30)
2007 Totals (O-U-P): 82-74-6
StatFox Power Rating: : 101 (#13 of 30)
Sportsbook.com Season Wins Prop: Over 84 (-105)/Under 84 (-125)

2007 Situational Records:

Key 2007 Team Stats:

Arrivals: LHP Erik Bedard, IF Miguel Cairo, RHPs R.A. Dickey and Carlos Silva, OF Bronson Sardinha, 1B/OF Brad Wilkerson
Departures: 1B/OF Ben Broussard, RHPs Jorge Campillo, Kam Mickolio and Chris Tillman, OFs Jose Guillen and Adam Jones, LHPs John Parrish, George Sherrill and Tony Butler

Projected Starters:

Projected Rotation:

Projected Closer:

Strengths: With the additions of Bedard and Silva, the Mariners now have a solid rotation with a great 1-2 punch. The 21-year-old Hernandez should be much more comfortable as the club's No. 2 starter as Bedard slides in as the ace. ... Suzuki, as usual, will contend for the American League batting title and steal more than 30 bases. The Japanese star, who never has missed more than five games in a season, has collected more than 200 hits in each of his seven major league campaigns. ... Putz has emerged as one of the majors' best closers over the past two seasons and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Weaknesses: The heart of the Mariners' lineup is not getting any younger. Ibanez is 36 and Vidro and Sexson both are 33. Sexson also is coming off his worst season since joining Seattle before the 2005 campaign. ... The offense has been downgraded this offseason as Guillen and Jones will be replaced by Wilkerson and Wladimir Balentien in right field. ... After Putz and Brandon Morrow, the Mariners have very few reliable arms in the bullpen.

Rotation Outlook: There's no doubt this was the Mariners' concern in the offseason. They gave up five players in the deal for Bedard and shelled out $48 million over four seasons to sign Silva. Although the cost might have been high, Seattle greatly improved a staff that already included one of the better young pitchers in the game in Hernandez. ... Bedard will take pressure off Hernandez, and Silva's presence allows the club to slide Jarrod Washburn back to the No. 4 spot. Mariners' fans, however, will expect a lot out of Bedard almost immediately, especially after all they gave up for him.

Bullpen Situation: : A strength of the ballclub last season was weakened by the Bedard deal. By giving up Sherrill, the Mariners will need Eric O'Flaherty or Morrow to step up as the primary setup man. ... Luckily, they are still pretty secure if they take a lead into the ninth. Putz is one of the best

Projected Finish: Second in AL West.

TEXAS RANGERS

Division: AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Manager: RON WASHINGTON
LOCAL TEAM NEWS LINK
2007 Record: 75-87 (0.463), +2.8 ML Units (#9 of 30)
2007 Totals (O-U-P): 68-84-10
StatFox Power Rating: : 101 (#12 of 30)
Sportsbook.com Season Wins Prop: Over 75.5 (-115)/Under 75.5 (-115)

2007 Situational Records:

Key 2007 Team Stats:

Arrivals: 3B Edgardo Alfonzo, RHPs Kazuo Fukumori and Jason Jennings, LHP Eddie Guardado, OFs Josh Hamilton, Kevin Mench and Milton Bradley, 1B Chris Shelton
Departures: OF Freddy Guzman, LHP Danny Herrera, C Guillermo Quiroz, RHP Edinson Volquez, 1B/OF Brad Wilkerson

Projected Starters:

Projected Rotation:

Projected Closer:

Strengths: The Rangers made a number of significant moves at last season's trade deadline that re-energized the ballclub, bringing in eight prospects for pitchers Eric Gagne and Ron Mahay and first baseman Mark Teixeira. Saltalamacchia, Gabbard and David Murphy each made contributions last season after being acquired. ... The Rangers have an abundance of talented young players who should improve this season. ... Kinsler emerged as one of the club's top hitters despite playing in just 130 games. The 25-year-old topped 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases and batted .315 at home in 2007. ... Young is one of the better hitters in the majors, recording 200 hits in five straight seasons.

Weaknesses: Once again, the Rangers decided to ignore their pitching problems this offseason. Millwood and Padilla, both coming off sub-par seasons, will headline the starting rotation. The only addition was Jennings, who won just two games in an injury-plagued 2007 campaign. ... The offense is talented but lacks power. No player in the starting lineup hit more than 20 home runs last season. ... Texas traded for Hamilton this offseason after failing to sign Torii Hunter. While Hamilton had an excellent start to the campaign in 2007, he was limited to 90 games by gastroenteritis and wrist and hamstring injuries.

Rotation Outlook: It leaves much to be desired. Every returning starter that made at least nine starts last season finished with a losing record. The only major addition to the rotation (Jennings) won just two games. ... The lone bright spot may be Gabbard, who was impressive after coming over from the Boston Red Sox in the Gagne trade. Gabbard, however, was shut down in mid-September after tossing a career-high 156.1 innings. He also has undergone four arm surgeries during his career. ... Kameron Loe, who went 6-11 with a 5.36 ERA last season, also will compete for a spot.

Bullpen Situation: : Wilson will take over the closing duties on a full-time basis this year after Akinori Otsuka was not tendered a contract. Wilson registered 12 saves last season when Otsuka experienced elbow trouble in early July. However, should he falter, the veteran Guardado will be waiting in the wings. ... Joaquin Benoit finished second on the club last season with seven wins despite making all of his 70 appearances out of the bullpen. ... Frank Francisco allowed an American League-best 3-of-44 inherited runners to score.

Projected Finish: Third in AL West.

* Divisional Previews were compiled by Steve Makinen & Doug Upstone with contributions from PA Sports Ticker.