The Rotations - AL West

A’s

Guaranteed Spots: Joe Blanton, Rich Harden, Lenny DiNardo, Chad Gaudin

The A’s have already moved out their ace, Rich Harden, and GM Billy Beane is exploring deals for Joe Blanton (14-10, 3.95).

Harden has incredible stuff, but his arm has been a wreck- he’s thrown just 71.2 innings over the last 2 seasons.

DiNardo came into his own last season, making 20 starts, and putting up respectable numbers (8-10, 4.11).

Gaudin underwent off-season surgery on his hip and foot and hopes to be ready for opening day. He threw a career high 199 innings last year and faded as the season went on. He also has control issues, having walked 100 hitters last season.

Barring any additional deals, the A’s will look to their youth for their 4^th and 5^th starters. Dan Meyer, acquired in the Tim Hudson deal, got hammered (8.82 ERA) in a 6 game cup of coffee last season, but went 8-2, 3.28 at Triple-A. Beane has to be banking on Meyer being ready for prime time.

Dallas Braden falls into the same category as Meyer. He had mixed results in 20 apperances,14 of which were starts for the A’s- 1.8, 6.72- but was 2-3, 2.95 ERA in Triple-A.

The A’s also brought back Kirk Saarloos, who went 17-16 from 2005-2006, before flopping with the Reds last year (1-5, 7.17).

Mariners

Guaranteed Spots: Erik Bedard, Felix Hernandez, Jarrod Washburn, Carlos Silva

The Mariners picked up a bonafide ace when they acquired Bedard from the Orioles. He makes the division that much more competitive.

“The King”, Felix Hernandez was off to an incredible start (1-hitter against the Red Sox) before his history of arm problems caught up with him. The M’s shut him down for a bit of time, and watched what pitches he threw the rest of the season. It produced pretty good results – 14-7, 3.92; 165 K’s in 190.1 IP, and Hernandez was strong again down the stretch.

Washburn either very good or very bad, but still managed to put up decent numbers- 10-15, 4.32. He also maintained a good ERA (4.03) when the M’s sank like a stone in September.

Silva signed a 4-year, $48 million deal in the off-season. Not bad for a guy coming off years of 13-14, 4.19 and 11-15, 5.92. Where can we get one of those deals? Silva only allowed 20 home runs last year after allowing 38 in 2006 and will benefit from the spacious confines of Safeco Field.

Miguel Batista and Horacio Ramirez should battle for the 5^th spot.

Angels

Guaranteed Spots: Kelvim Escobar, Jered Weaver, John Garland, John Lackey

Lackey is the workhorse of the group, averaging 210 innings pitcher over the last 5 seasons. Last year Lackey was at his best, put up a 19-9 record and a miniscule (by today’s standards) 3.01 ERA.

Escobar has blossomed since joining the Halos, but he’ll miss the start of the season with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. Escobar put up career numbers -18-7, 3.40 – in 2007.

Garland multi-year deal expires after this season, he was prime trade bait. Garland struggled last year, but who didn’t in Chicago? He’s average 207 IP over the last 6 years and won 18 games in back-to-back seasons (2005-6).

Weaver has lived up to his billing in his first two seasons in the majors. He threw 161 innings last year and has gone 20-9 in 47 big league starts.

Joe Saunders and Ervin Santana were to do battle for the 5^th spot in the rotation, but both will be in the top 5 due to Escobar’s injury. Saunders has shown a lot of promise, going 15-8, 4.55 in his first 2 years. Santana, on the other hand, has been in a downward spiral since going 10-3, 3.68 prior to the 2006 All-Star break. The Dominican-born right-hander went 6-5, 4.68 in the 2^nd half, and was horrendous in 2007, going 7-14, 5.76. Santana was the name often asked for in trade talks, but the Angels wouldn’t part with him. Now he’s the name the Angels often put in trade talks, but he’s lost considerable value.

Rangers

Guaranteed Spots: Kevin Millwood, Brandon McCarthy, Jason Jennings, Vincente Padilla

Millwood made 31 starts, but averaged less than 6 innings a start due to hamstring problem. His 5.16 ERA was a career worst. This off-season he has taken up kick boxing to help his conditioning.

People questioned the acquisition of McCarthy, especially since it cost the Rangers prospect John Danks. McCarthy didn’t have the best season, allowing more hits than innings pitched and issued 48 walks in just 101.2 innings. On a positive not, he only allowed 9 home runs.

Jennings makes his way to the AL after 6 seasons in Colorado and 1 in Houston. He put up a 3.78 ERA in 2006, but his free agency was hurt by an elbow injury, and subsequent surgery, and a 6.45 ERA in 2007.

It’s been a long time since the Padilla Flotilla was a hit in Philadelphia. Vincente Padilla’s ERA has not been below 4.50 in the last 4 years. He did give the Rangers 15 wins and 200 innings in 2006 and manager Ron Washington is hoping to get that again after Padilla missed chunks of last season with a triceps injury. GM Jon Daniels has also been shopping the right-hander this off-season.

Kason Gabbard was acquired from the Red Sox in the Eric Gagne deal at last year’s trade deadline. In 7 starts for Boston, Gabbard was 4-0, 3.73 and held opponents to a .196 batting average. But the league caught up to the left-hander in Texas, where he posted a 2-1, 5.68 record in 8 starts. Gabbard walks too many hitters and doesn’t strike anyone out, so it’s a fine line between good and bad, but he probably has the inside track on the 5^th spot in the rotation.

Also getting a look this spring will be Kameron Loe who made 38 starts over the last two seasons, both of which resulted in an ERA over 5, and Robinson Tejeda, who posted a 6.61 ERA in 19 starts. Veterans Jason Davis and Jamey Wright are also in camp as are prospects Luis Mendoza and Eric Hurley.

Ranking the Rotations

1. Angels
2. Mariners
3. A's
4. Rangers