The Sun Rises For The Angels, and Sets on The Rest of The American League West... Well, Maybe

Post date: Aug 11, 2010 2:59:45 AM

Today is opening day around the major leagues, it is what I consider the best day in baseball because it's the only day of the year that a fan from every team can claim that their team will be in the World Series, and no one has any evidence that can dispute their claim because all teams start on equal footing.

The Angels however, have a good chance of winning the American League West title because with all things considered there the only team in the division that is not falling apart at the seams before the season even begins.

Let me begin with the Oakland Athletics, I read yesterday in the San Francisco Chronicle that they released their leading home run hitter in Jack Cust in favor of making Eric Chavez the full time Designated Hitter, needless to say Cust was outraged, and Chavez wasn't too happy with the decision either. What is Billy Beane doing up there? I thought a few years ago that Oakland was going to become our hated rival, it appears now that at least for the time being, that is not the case, unless Billy still has some magic left in that old top hat.

The team out of the great northwest the Seattle Mariners are having problems staying healthy, other than Cliff Lee and Felix Hernandez they don't have a rotation that can blow you away, granted, with the acquisition of Figgy and mainstays like Ichiro Suzuki and Ken Griffey Junior Seattle is still dangerous, that's assuming that Junior has anything left in that Hall Of Fame tank.

The Texas Rangers or having similar problems as the Mariners, the Rangers have an aging Vladimir Guerrero, he still has some pop however his lack of patience at the plates will end up hurting the Rangers and long run. Josh Hamilton and Ian are also out for the first few months of the season, it has yet to be seen if the Rangers can recover enough before the division gets out of their reach.

The Angels still have work to do if they expect to make any significant impact beyond the first round. Hideki Matsui must have the impact of a World Series MVP, Morales must have a year similar to last season, and the pitching rotation must figure out a way to fill the hole left by John Lackey when he departed for the Red Sox. I still hold out hope that the Angels will make a Block Buster trade if the conditions that I mentioned don't come to fruition.

As always you're more than welcome to leave your comments and or questions in order to make the Halos' Hot Corner the mecca of free flowing thoughts and ideas about the team we all love. Go Angels!

-ICE