Spotlight on: AL West

We finish the wrap-up of season previews in the AL West. Currently we have the Las Vegas Gamblers (you were expecting maybe the Las Vegas Mother Teresas?) in first at 11-9, the Colorado Springs Chickens (I hereby request residents of the state of Colorado to start a petition to get the town of Colorado Springs to drop the "s" at the end of its name for the sole purpose of renaming their real-life minor league team the Chickens) tied with the Vancouver Fighting Moose (not mooses) at 10-10, and the Anaheim Sleepers have yet to wake up at 8-12. Well, that's where we are; let's see where the division is heading, starting with the position players. All 4 lineups are solid and no one team seems to stand out above the others.

- We'll begin in Vegas, where the Gamblers have a solid offense. William Nomo, 1B Adrian Sheldon, CF Emmett Yearwood, and SS Walley Harvey form a good nucleus in the lineup.
- Anaheim checks in next with some good offensive talent of its own. 2B Chip Loiselle is a good average hitter, while Bruce Kroger, Alex Vazquez, and Jamie McInerney provide the power.
- Vancouver's attack will be led at the top by 2B Curtis Rooney. CF Cody Lincoln and C Red Small behind him will drive in runs, as will Clement, Witte, and Nakajima.
- Colorado should be led by RF Jay Walker, SS Scot Huttton, LF Alex Lim, and 1B Terry Mitchell.

We go to the pitching staffs. This could get ugly.

- Las Vegas has the deepest staff in the division. Stephen Tucker is a bonafide ace, and he has Louie Martin and Buster Charles behind him. Gerald Thompson could end up being the X-factor of this division- if he can close games the Gamblers are easily a playoff team; if not, they could be in trouble. Ernest Lee and Timothy Wolf are solid setting up Thompson.
- The rest of the division is very shaky. - Anaheim is next only due to the presence of Ajax Drabek, who is an ace. Quentin Hernandez will close, but the quality of his pitches are the question. He will have little setup help.
-Vancouver has very little left after the recent trade of ace Matty Eusebio. Jerry Terry is maybe the best starter, but his pitchesm like Hernandez in Anaheim, could be a question mark. Dave Stewart should be solid at the back end of the bullpen, and Trent Bollea is a good setup guy.
- Colorado figures to struggle to get hitters out this year. Ozzie Earley would be a #4 or #5 starter (if that) on a good team- here he is by far the best starter. Virgil Castro and Kevin Li out of the bullpen are the only bright spots.

Predictions (don't hold me to any of this):

1. Las Vegas is the odds-on (get it?) favorite to win this division.
2. Vancouver, Anaheim and Colorado will score runs and give up more. The Sleepers barely beat out the Fighting Moose for 2nd place, but nowhere near wild card contention.
3. Drabek will be sought after by several teams near the deadline.