AL West

Some people have a hard time letting go.

Brett Favre with retirement, Guns N' Roses fans with Chinese Democracy and now fantasy owners with Ichiro Suzuki.

The Oakland Athletics are coming off their best season since their 2006 ALCS run.

81-81 is by no means a sweeping success, but considering the injury problems, regrettable trades (NL MVP candidate Carlos Gonzalez for, essentially, Michael Taylor) and bust free agent signings, a .500 campaign and second-place finish was overall positive for Bob Geren's boys.

First off, I don't think it takes expert analysis to realize the Mariners probably won't be competing in 2011.

However, baseball is a funny game. The same Mariners that lost more games than anyone expected in 2010 could make a quick turnaround as soon as 2012—possibly sooner.

Ever since the Rangers pulled off the improbable and landed Michael Young, the team’s longest tenured player has been the subject of multiple trade rumors, as he has lost his position in the Rangers lineup.  

Young is considering moving to DH or second base to help the team, but some think it is inevitable he is traded for prospects or in a salary dump.

Here is a list of ten possible trade destinations for Michael Young:

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The Oakland A’s have had a pretty productive offseason so far as they try to improve on their .500 record from 2010. Of course one of the keys on improving on that record is the development of their offense. They are going to need to do better than finishing 11th in the American League in runs scored in order to pass the Texas Rangers in the AL West.

The Mariners continued their expected bargain shopping today by signing infielder Adam Kennedy to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.

Kennedy, who turned 35 today, is coming off a poor season with the Nationals where he hit .249/.327/.327 with only three home runs. Although, he's only one season removed from his last productive season, where in 2009 he hit .289/.348/.48 with 11 homers.

The A’s acquired Kevin Kouzmanoff last offseason to fill the void that Eric Chavez would inevitably create.  After one season Kouzmanoff has worn out his welcome.

It is not as though “Kouz” has played so far below his career averages in Oakland, he has not, but the Oakland front office should have seen his numbers and known that he was not worth the money, even if he makes very little relative to the rest of the league.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:

The Angels players, all personally offended by the public’s plea for outside help, will rally behind the return of Kendry Morales and Tim Salmon. 

Torii Hunter, who for so long called for Carl Crawford to become a Halo, will pretend he was happy with the roster all along. 

Word came out today from Kirby Arnold of The Herald up in Everett that the Mariners have asked Chone Figgins to slide back over to third base.

Figgins has agreed to do so. Not that he'd really have a choice, and it's silly to think he wouldn't want to.

Though he bounced around during his days with the Angels, third base is quite obviously Figgins' best position.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim appear to have missed their window of opportunity during the Vladimir Guerrero era by not making the World Series over his six seasons in Anaheim.

We are now seeing the ramifications of spending large and not winning. Los Angeles is left with a bloated payroll and a roster that has serious depth issues at the major and minor league level with no immediate help on the way. It's time Tony Reagins and Arte Moreno admit the Angels have issues and change course.