Hot Stove Preview: AL West

By Marc Normandin, Baseball Prospectus

The Angels' postseason plans begin with trying to keep superstar free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira. AP Hot Stove Preview   Latest Coverage Hot Stove Blog: Scoop from Jon Heyman AL Div. Previews: East | Central | West NL Div. Previews: East | Central | West Sheehan: The best bargains in this class Reiter: Where the big names might land More Truth & Rumors | Free-Agent Tracker SI Photos Big free-agent busts $100 million club

Baseball Prospectus will break down each of the majors' six divisions and analyze what's on tap this offseason. Teams are listed according to their order of finish from 2008.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

What Do They Have?

Right now, the Angels are set at third base with Chone Figgins, at catcher (Jeff Mathis and Mike Napoli), and in their middle infield with Erick Aybar at short and Howie Kendrick at second. They even have the backups for those positions sorted out, with one of their top prospects, Brandon Wood, next in line to take over at either short or third if necessary, and Maicer Izturis still around to play the role of super-utility. The outfield is a bit more confusing than that, with center fielder Torii Hunter the only definite piece. Vladimir Guerrero's option was picked up, but he may end up as the team's DH in order to keep him healthier and more productive. Gary Matthews Jr. is still under contract, but that's not necessarily a blessing; his actual defensive performance is well below the reputation he earned from "The Catch," and with Hunter already manning center, his bat does not play well in either corner. The rotation is set one through four, and if they fail to sign a fifth starter, someone like Nick Adenhart or Dustin Moseley may step in to claim the job. Scot Shields and Jose Arredondo are more than enough insurance to cover the loss of Francisco Rodriguez in the bullpen.

What Do They Need?

A power hitter who also can help out with the club's OBP issues, one that plays either left field or first base. They may need one more quality arm (though not a comparable one) in the bullpen to offset the likely loss of K-Rod to free agency, especially if they fail to patch up the offense.

What Are They Likely To Do?

The Angels do not have the resources freely available to lock up one of the major starting pitchers on the market, which is why they plan on using the kids they already have in place of a free agent. The rotation is essentially set. They are currently talking to both first baseman Mark Teixeira and closer Francisco Rodriguez about returning, and all future conversations with free agents this winter will be influenced by the outcome of those two moves. If the Halos succeed with both players, they will be quiet the rest of the winter, at least with major moves. They declined Garret Anderson's option already, but chances are good the Angels will attempt to reunite with him at a lower price.

What Should They Do?

Their first order of business should be paying Teixeira whatever it takes to stay put in Anaheim, as they were a completely different club with him around. Their offense jumped from 4.5 runs scored per game to 5.1 after adding him, and though they still were not a 100-win caliber team then, they were better than the 84 third-order wins they finished the season with. Without him, they are much closer to the pack out West -- at least initially, Kendry Morales would be his replacement, which is a huge downgrade in spite of his ability. Ignoring K-Rod's contract demands in order to lure another hitter into town with that money may not be a bad plan; Adam Dunn and Pat Burrell are both free agents, and even Raul Ibanez would not be a bad piece to acquire. With just Teixeira they are easily the top team in the AL West, but the addition of another quality bat would keep them on par with the big boys of the AL. If they do avoid K-Rod, picking up a reliever without a hefty price tag is a must; Chad Cordero is a California native recovering from labrum surgery, and should be ready in time for spring training.

Texas Rangers

What Do They Have?

Though DH Milton Bradley is a free agent, this is still a lineup that can smack the ball around: David Murphy and Nelson Cruz are two solid options for the corners, especially with superstar Josh Hamilton in center. Michael Young and Ian Kinsler make up one of the better offensive middle infields in the game. Chris Davis showed promise during his first year in the majors, and will man first base. Hank Blalock was moved off of third permanently, but helps to fix the lineup's one glaring issue, the DH spot. Marlon Byrd is a useful supporting piece in the outfield, especially if Cruz slips up or develops slowly. They also have four catchers and/or catching prospects capable of starting on most teams. On the pitching side of things, the Rangers have nothing. They had the worst rotation in the majors last year -- they were nearly 25 full wins behind the first-place Blue Jays in the SNLVAR rankings, and there were 51 starting pitchers who individually produced more than the entire Ranger rotation. The bullpen is in much better shape, with Frank Francisco and C.J. Wilson, but they do not have the depth to make up for the rotation's inadequacies.

What Do They Need?

Losing Bradley hurts, but they should still have one of the best lineups in the game even without him; if Cruz finally turns into a major league-caliber hitter, then they are all set on the offensive side of things. They need players who can field, but most of the top free-agent position players are not known for their gloves, just their bats. The changes will have to come in the rotation, where Vicente Padilla (5.76 ERA, 1.7 SNLVAR in 2008) may be their best current option. To help on that front, Eric Hurley should be back for the start of the season, and they hope Kason Gabbard's elbow injuries are a thing of the past. But even with those two around, they need more pitching; they're just stopgaps right now, not answers, which means GM Jon Daniels has work to do.

What Are They Likely To Do?

The Rangers have already publicly commented on the fact that they think long-term, expensive contracts to pitchers are the worst risk in baseball, and something they will not invest in. That means they are going to miss out on the high-profile starting pitchers who can pick up both dollars and years, and instead focus on veterans on their way out (such as Kenny Rogers, a former Ranger) or retreads trying to come back from injury or ineffectiveness (Jason Jennings, Mark Mulder, or Bartolo Colon, perhaps?). If they decide against any of those options, they are going to once again try to go at it with in-house solutions, which will likely have familiar results.

What Should They Do?

They play in one of the most hitter-friendly venues in existence, but that does not mean they should skimp on starting pitching entirely. Yes, long-term contracts with lots of dollar signs are risky, but the Rangers are not going to go anywhere if they fail to take risks. They should give lots of money to the right starting pitcher, in order to balance reward versus risk properly, and give themselves a fighting chance in the division. A.J. Burnett strikes out hitters and keeps the ball on the ground more often than in the air, and he does not walk a ton of hitters; that's the kind of guy they need to anchor their staff, not some pitcher who, along with Kevin Millwood, would make this staff look great if it were 1999.