Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/804369
64 PLAY BALL BAY AREA NEWS GROUP 1.HoustonAstros Lastyear:84-78,thirdplace Keylosses: RHP Doug Fister, 3B Luis Valbuena, OF Colby Rasmus, RHP Pat Neshek, C Jason Castro Keynewcomers: C Brian McCann,DH/ OF Carlos Beltran, OF Josh Reddick, RHP Charlie Morton, OF Nori Aoki Best-casescenario:The veteran infusion of McCann, Beltran and Reddick and a bounce-back season by Dallas Keuchel (9-12, 4.55 ERA in '16) make the Astros the team to beat in the West and one capable of winning a series in October. Worst-casescenario:Beltran finally shows his age (he turns 40 in April), Reddick disappoints like he did a er his trade to the Dodgers last year, Keuchel and the pitching staff can't make up the difference, and they come up short of the playoffs again. Hotprospect:RHP Francis Martes is a 21-year-old, hard-throwing Dominican who came to Houston in a 2014 trade with Miami and should eventually be a part of the rotation unless he's used as trade bait to attract an immediate impact starter. 2.TexasRangers Lastyear:95-67, first place (lost to Toronto Blue Jays in ALDS) Keylosses:1B Prince Fielder, LHP Derek Holland, RHP Colby Lewis, OF Ian Desmond, 1B Mitch Moreland, DH/OF Carlos Beltran Keynewcomers: RHP Andrew Cashner, 1B/DH Mike Napoli Best-casescenario: Texas continues its success in close games (they went 36-11 last year in one-run games), RHP Yu Darvish returns to his pre-Tommy John surgery form and the Rangers vie for a sixth playoff appearance in the past eight years. Worst-casescenario:It's o en difficult to repeat the type of one-run game success they experienced last season and it's hard to see the offense not take a step back considering all those losses. Time to reload for 2018. Hotprospect:LHP Yohander Mendez started last year in high-A ball and finished in the big leagues, combining to go 12-3 with a 2.61 ERA in 26 appearances (21 starts). 3.SeattleMariners Lastyear:86-76, second place Keylosses:RHP Taijuan Walker, SS Ketel Marte, OF Seth Smith, RHP Nathan Karns Keynewcomers: SS Jean Segura, LHP Marc Rzepczynski, 1B Danny Valencia, RHP Yovani Gallardo, LHP Drew Smyly, OF Jarrod Dyson Best-casescenario:Ace Felix Hernandez rebounds from a somewhat down year and Segura and Dyson add speed to a powerful lineup that crushed 223 HRs last season. The league's longest playoff drought finally ends. Worst-casescenario: Hernandez, who missed two months last year with a calf strain, lost three mph on his fastball in 2016 and continues to decline. The perennial disappointment continues from a team that always seems to fall short when there's a reason for expectations. Hotprospect:OF Tyler O'Neill is a converted catcher who slashed .293/.374/.508 with 24 HRs and 102 RBIs last season at Double-A. 4.LosAngelesAngels Lastyear:74-88, fourth place Keylosses:LHP C.J. Wilson, RHP Jhoulys Chacin Keynewcomers:OF Cameron Maybin, SS Danny Espinosa, RHP Jesse Chavez, 1B/3B Luis Valbuena, C Martin Maldonado Best-casescenario: It feels like a team that has Mike Trout should always be in the mix, so perhaps the Angels finally get some better pieces around him and fight their way into the Wild Card battle. Worst-casescenario:Albert Pujols struggles to return from offseason foot surgery, taking away one of the few other threats besides Trout as another season of the reigning MVP's other-worldly career goes to waste. Hotprospect:The Angels lack any top-100 prospects and 1B Matt Thaiss is probably a couple years away, but the 2016 first-round pick from Virginia is a solid all-around bat. 5.OaklandAthletics Lastyear:69-93, fi h place I fthere'shopefortheA's,itrestsonthefactthatnewPresidentDavidKavalhopestofinalizealocationforanewballparkwithinthenextyear—a key milestone for the team to start plotting out a road to contention. Until then, their annual collection of fresh faces along with speculation of when they may deal Sonny Gray will preside over what looks to be a third straight season of missing the playoffs. Three different teams have won this division in the past five years, and all but the Mariners have made the playoffs at least once in that span. The road this season should again travel through the Lone Star state. The Astros had their breakthrough when they made the playoffs in 2015 — which felt a year ahead of schedule — but they got off to a 7-17 start last season and never recovered. They've placed veterans around their talented youngsters to make another run. The Rangers, with two straight division titles, are coming off one of the luckiest seasons in MLB history. They finished 13 games better than their projected Pythagorean record, the biggest positive differential since 1905. That could be tough to sustain. Until the Mariners actually make the playoffs for the first time since 2001, any talk of their ability to do so is just talk, while the Angels need to figure out a formula to be a regular contender while the best player on the planet (Mike Trout) remains young and in his prime. THE LEAGUE IntheWest,allroadsgothroughTexas Rating the A.L. West BY JIMMY DURKIN GETTY IMAGES; ASSOCIATED PRESS TheRangersarecountingona return to pre-Tommy John form for Yu Darvish, left. Mariners ace Felix Hernandez, middle, has lost a few mph on his fastball. Perennial MVP Mike Trout of the Angels should keep them in contention.