Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Angels won the A.L. West again last season after posting a record of 97-65, but the team that takes the field on Opening Day will be substantially different than the one that eliminated the Boston Red Sox in the 2009 ALDS.

Five out of the last six seasons the Los Angeles Angels have stood alone atop the American League West.

In 2009, the Angels finished 10 games ahead of Texas and 12 ahead of Seattle. The Mariners seem to be the trendy choice to win the division this season.

After seeing several sportswriters actually pick the Angels to come in dead last, it is time for a reality check.

Here is a breakdown of why the rumors of the Angels' demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Baseball season begins April 4, so it’s time to predict the outcomes for every team in the AL. Look for your favorite squads and compare your picks to mine.

I’ve ranked the teams based on their predicted finish for the 2010 season. I’ve also ranked each squad’s batting and pitching on a letter scale, with a short explanation following.

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The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim’s Scott Kazmir was scratched from his start on Thursday against the Texas Rangers because of a stiff throwing shoulder.

In other words, Kazmir is hurt.

Here are some other things are that are guaranteed to happen:

Los Angeles Angels (Last Season: 97-65)

The Angels have lost key players over the offseason such as John Lackey, Chone Figgins, and Vladimir Guerrero.

These are players that have contributed so much over the years towards the Angels’ success. Because of this, many might think that due to these players departing, the Angels will not be nearly as good as they have been over the past eight years. But for some reason, I’m thinking the opposite.

The Los Angeles Angels have dominated the American League West recently, winning five of the last six division titles. Last year their 97-65 mark netted manager Mike Scioscia his second AL Manager of the Year award.

There has been a lot of turnover for this team heading into 2010, so can he keep the Angels winning? Let's take a look at the team and their season win total projections.

Pitching

Speed is something fantasy owners are always on the hunt for. It doesn’t matter if the player can hit for average or power, as long as he can steal bases, he’s going to have some value. 

Peter Bourjos, a prospect for the Los Angeles Angels, has been flying under the radar. But he could burst onto the scene in 2010 and become a must-own fantasy option quickly, thanks to what he brings to the table with his legs.

2009 Statistics (Double-A)

How long have we heard the hype surrounding Howie Kendrick? 

How long have we been hearing about his upside?  How long have we been taking the gamble on him in hopes that this would finally be the year?

He made his MLB debut back in 2006 after originally being drafted in 2002.  Needless to say, now at 26 years old, we all hope that the wait is finally over.

The Seattle Mariners are a hot pick in 2010—and for good reason.

Last year, the M’s rebounded from a 101-loss ’08 campaign to win 85 games and lead the American League in staff ERA (3.87). The top of their lineup now features a “double-whammy” of Ichiro and Chone Figgins while the top of their starting rotation now includes the “one-two punch” of Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee.

Yes, Seattle could be very good. But so too could those L.A. Angels.

Man, I wish I could have been part of the arbitration process for Jeff Mathis. Mathis asked for $1.3 million, the team offered a measly $700,000. Hey that was an insult. The man hit .211, after all!

Since I wasn’t there, I can only imagine how it went. Maybe something like this: