AL West

The Los Angeles Angels went just 80-82 last season, finishing third in the American League West. Los Angeles had been to the playoffs six times in the previous eight seasons, including each of the last three, but midseason injury to Kendry Morales really put them in a tough spot.

The Oakland Athletics haven’t been much a factor in the AL West the past few seasons, but are coming off a 81-81 finish where they ended the year second in the division behind the Rangers.

There were those that believed the Seattle Mariners had enough talent to win the American League West last year, but instead, the team turned in one of the more disappointing years in franchise history.

If you're into listening to people in the know, such as scouts, coaches, front office guys and other players, you'd be led to believe that Michael Pineda could be pretty special.

Of course, all you have to do is see his mammoth size and ability and you can draw the conclusion all on your own.

There are good reasons for the Mariners to bring Pineda up now, but there appear to be good reasons not to as well.

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As Spring Training winds to a close, with only about 10 games remaining on the Cactus League schedule, the Oakland Athletics have already begun trimming their roster down to the required 25-men they plan to open the season with.

A few roster battles still remain, leaving a few roster spots in question. Likewise, a few injuries have popped up, which will provide opportunities to a few players who otherwise may have seen them ticketed for Minor League Spring Training and a trip to the minors.

162-0. 

I still believe. We all still believe at this point.

As the MLB season draws near, the amount of belief you have in your team may begin to shrink, especially for a team like the Mariners, who only managed 61 wins last year.

But it's spring training, and it's a time for hope, a time for speculation and a time to make predictions that will inevitably be proved wrong.

That's where I come in. Without further ado, here is the lineup I believe the Mariners will roll out on April 1st in Oakland for the first of their 162 wins.

As the persistent Arizona sun beats down on the backs of the 2011 Seattle Mariners, the biggest question in the minds of fans—besides "when oh when will we be relevant again­?"—is when Dustin Ackley will be ready for the Show. 

The Mariners’ offseason middle infield moves say a great deal about the timetable for their biggest prospect since King Felix matriculated.

The Oakland A’s are being called the San Francisco Giants of 2011.

The comparisons stem from the fact that the A’s have a solid pitching staff. Like the Giants, the A’s have added some key veterans to make a push towards the playoffs.

The last time the A’s made the playoffs was 2006 when they lost to the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS. The A’s have added a list of veterans to help them get over the 500 mark for the first time in four years.

Previously, The Fantasy Fix reviewed and gave projections for the 2011 Texas Rangers rotation. Now, it's time to dive in and analyze the Rangers positional players.

Josh Outman has been optioned by the Oakland Athletics to Triple-A Sacramento following a frustrating spring where he was unable to find consistency from the mound.

Outman put together a very promising rookie season in 2009, going 4-1 with a 3.48 ERA and earning some All-Star consideration before his season was cut short by elbow troubles that led to Tommy John surgery in mid-June.