AL West Preview

Salt Lake City Big Love -- (Formally ALB buttachurnas (92-70))

Last years AL West winner Salt Lake returns a solid team, including a plethora of Short Stops.

The teams rotation is very solid. Red Parker is the teams hard throwing Ace with a wicked Curve. Parker had a steller 2.87 ERA last season yet only won 15 games. Carl Turnbow is a 22 year old lefty. He is a prototypical Ace and is a 5 pitch pitcher. Last year he only got 1 start which didn't even last an inning and he gave up 2 ER, giving him an infinate ERA. The team is hoping he can improve upon that this year. The back of the teams rotation is made up of solid vets who should pitch well for the team all season. Louis Damon returns as the closer. A sorce close to the team says he would like to move to the rotation, although no offical word has been given.

The team is loaded with SS's. 22 year old Jay Houston is the most promising of the mosh pit. Nick Philips is a sensational hitting C but is only average calling a game. Also returning is 31 year old 3b Turner Coleman. The team has been rumored to be in trade talks with other franchises to try and unload his salary. Kent Lewis is another solid young player for Salt Lake. He is their starting RF coming into Spring Training and looks to have a productive year.

At age 20, B.C. Delaney is working his way up the teams Farm System very quickly. The kid has a sensational Fastball/Change Up combo and with his impressive gym rat attitude he should be in the majors in no time. Charles Cheng is another SS in their system, he has a great work ethic also and should blossom into an ML short stop in no time. Jose Armas is a power hitting 1b, being only 19 he still has a lot of time to be groomed into an ML star. Fernando Tavarez is another SS in the teams Farm System. He is being a very solid power hitter and should continue to work his way up the minors.


Kansas City Clutch -- (90-72)

Kansas City made it into the Post Season last year by winning a Wild Card spot. The team is solid but with a few other teams being very young KC will have to battle for a spot in the Post Season this year again.

The teams Rotation is young. They lack a true Ace. Cozy Cambridge isn't there yet. But he is their future Ace. He should open the year as the teams #3 or 4 starter and could easily work his way up the rotation very quickly. Damion Cooper is another young stud pitcher. He won't end up the pitcher that Cambridge can become. But he will be their #2 starter of the future. All-Star Closer, Pablo Bonilla returns this year. He is one of the best closers in the game today and at only age 23 will only be getting better.

Omar Lopez is the teams best player. Last year's AL Rookie of the year and Silver Slugger RF returns and once again will anchor this teams line-up. Ben Maduro also returns at 3b and will, once again, help protect for Lopez. Clyde Hinske is starting LF and is another key piece of their line-up.

22 year old LF Don Atkins is back and should get an invite to spring training. While he is still a year or two away from the majors, this kid has talent. Phillip Rivers returns at Low A ball. This kid really won't ever be a MLer, but I had to point out his name. Marty Arnold is also pitching with Rivers and at age 19 he looks to have Major League written all over him.


Vancouver Hurricanes -- (Formally Seattle Dawgs (82-80))

Is it coincidence that as I start to write this that Pandora begins to play the song Hurricane by Something Corporate?

The team has 4 pitchers under contract for this upcoming year. Neither of their returning starters are very good. Elvis Duffy is by far the teams #1 pitcher. But he is more like a 3 or 4 for a playoff contender. None of the pitchers returning in the Pen are that great. The team really needs to resign SP and Ace Jesus Fernandez. If they can do that they should be a solid team.

The teams line-up doesn't look much better. They are very shallow and have a lot of Free Agents. Terry Backe is a bright spot at CF. He is young and should continue to improve. But the team lives and dies with slugging LF Clarence Guiel. The 23 year old will be a staple of Vancouver for quite some time to come.

Another LF, Alex Park, of the teams AAA team is waiting in the wing to get a chance to play at the ML level. The team also has Hick Hartley. A Slugging SS that shoud have been playing ML ball 3 years ago. He was last years MVP at AAA with a .359 average and 63 HRs for 200 RBI. He will be starting for their ML team this year. No doubt about it. 20 year old Manny Norman is a very intriuging prospect at catcher. He has above average pitch calling and a very powerful bat. He is a few years away but could get a chance sooner then some expect. At age 22 Barry Walker may be the added arm in the rotation the team is looking for. He might be young and only at AA ball. But he could be useful this year. And if he isn't playing in the Bigs this year he will be soon. Andre Rhodes is a solid 2b prospect at High A. At Low A Hooks Womack is a power 1b bat and will eventually make it to the bigs. Currently assigned to their Rookie League are pitchers Luis Benitez and Lance Watson. Both pitchers that should see a fast move up to High A or AA while they work their way up to the Majors. Danny McCracken is in their Rookie League Pen Closing and should eventually be a relief arm in the Majors. More intruging is Fausto Manuel. A 19 year old 5 pitch pitcher who will one day be an Ace in the Majors and is the teams #1 long term prospect.


Honolulu Tiki Torches -- (83-79)

The Tiki's are back and looking to improve. They have a fairly young nucleus and with a few signings/promotions they could be in the thick of things.

24 year old starter Bruce Dougherty is the teams Ace. Last year he won 12 games and had an ERA of 3.48. After Dougherty the rotation tappers off a bit. Turner O'Connor is the teams #2 pitcher but he is slowing with age. In the Bullpen Julio Ordonez returns as the closer.

The teams line-up has a few solid players in it. Including standouts T.J. Stark at 2b and Ernest Grieve at SS. In CF the team has Ernest Grieve who at age 27 is still young. After these players the team really needs to find another bat to insert into its line-up at either 1b and/or dh.

In the minors the team has SP Rolando James. He is currently pitching at AAA ball and will recieve an invite to spring ball. 22 year old Alex Kelly is another young pitcher who has a Major League future and is the teams closer of the future. 23 year old Catcher. Chad Reed is a possible callup this year to bring power into the line-up. Jerry MacDougal at AA is a ML Pitching prospect. 19 year old SP at High A ball Mateo Sanchez is another strong canidae in a few years to be in the ML rotation. Victor Encarnacion at Low A ball is a C/DH power hitting prospect. Kent Stinnett is a power hitting SS prospect and should see a fast rise through the minors.