Los Angeles Dodgers

Last year’s NL West champs have a bunch of guys fighting for a spot in the rotation. Eric Stults, Charlie Haeger and Carlos Monasterios all pitched in the spring opener, with James McDonald set to go later in the week. Monasterios is a Rule V pick, so if he doesn’t make the Dodgers big league club, he’ll be returned to Philadelphia which seems extremely likely. James McDonald is the odds on favorite to win the spot like he did last year. He promptly lost that spot last season, but with another year under his belt he may have turned a corner. Other things to keep in mind, here, are that both Stults and Haeger are out of options and would have to clear waivers to be assigned to the minors.

New York Yankees

Joba or Hughes. If you turn on ESPN and happen to catch some kind of baseball coverage, this is probably going to be brought up at least once. This battle is interesting for fantasy teams, because in most leagues, one will have good value and the other won’t have much. Keep an eye on this one.

Chicago Cubs

This battle is for both the fourth and fifth starting spots to start the year, due to Ted Lilly’s shoulder/knee/flu/fever problems early this spring. The candidates are Carlos Silva, Tom Gorzelanny, Sean Marshall, Jeff Samardzija, and with a very outside chance, Andrew Cashner. The pitcher that should win this is Gorzelanny. The Cubs will likely need a few starts to fill in for Lilly and Marshall or Silva could probably fill in there. Tom Gorzelanny has the ability to be a good starting pitcher in the major leagues. As long as his velocity and location is sharp, he could even be a fantasy sleeper.

St. Louis Cardinals

Ryan McClellan, Jaime Garcia, and Rich Hill are the major candidates. Hill comes with former success in the bigs with the Cubs. If he can find his control again, he’s an absolutely nasty pitcher who has the potential to be a #3 starter. McClellan will try to make the conversion from relieving to starting this season. There is no clear favorite here since all have major question marks. Jaime Garcia has battled injuries, but was a highly touted minor leaguer. He could surprise some people this year.

Cincinnati Reds

The candidates are Mike Lincoln, Micah Owings, Matt Maloney, Justin Lehr and Travis Wood, as well as Aroldis Chapman who has an uphill battle to break camp with the Reds. You’d have to think Owings has the edge here, due to his past success. His ability to swing the bat doesn’t hurt, either. If Chapman does end up winning the battle, look for him to be a good source of strikeouts for your fantasy team.

Oakland Athletics

All of the candidates here have had major league experience despite all being under 24 years old. Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, and Vin Mazzaro are the candidates. The edge as of now looks to be with Cahill, although in his Cactus League opener, he struggled. As is the A’s M.O., whoever breaks camp with the team likely won’t pitch all season long in an effort to monitor their innings pitched closely. All three of these pitchers will probably see time in the major leagues next season.

There are plenty of other fifth starter battles in the big leagues, but these seem to be the most interesting and have fantasy value in deep leagues. Keep an eye on these six teams as March moves forward.

Los Angeles Angels

Key losses- Vladimir Guerrero, John Lackey, Chone Figgins, Darren Oliver

Key additions- Hideki Matsui, Joel Piniero, Fernando Rodney

Off-season grade- C

Justification- Losing Lackey hurts, but if Piniero can pitch like he did in 2009 he’s a better pitcher and cost less than Lackey. Matsui is a good choice to take over the DH spot. They did overpay for Fernando Rodney. They now have two highly priced relievers in Fuentes and Rodney. They lost one of the better defensive third basemen in Chone Figgins and have not adequately replaced him. They also lost a key piece in their bullpen last year in Darren Oliver.

Oakland Athletics

Key losses- Bobby Crosby, Scott Hairston, Adam Kennedy

Key additions- Jack Cust (re-signed), Coco Crisp, Justin Duchscherer, Jake Fox, Kevin Kouzmanoff

Off-season grade – C+

Justification-I don’t know if they did enough to win the AL West, but I think they did improve their team. They upgraded their defense with the acquisitions of Kouzmanoff and Crisp.

Seattle Mariners

Key losses- Adrian Beltre, Erik Bedard, Russell Branyan, Carlos Silva

Key additions- Cliff Lee, Chone Figgins, Milton Bradley, Casey Kotchman

Off-season grade- A

Justification- They acquired one of the better pitchers in the game in Cliff Lee. Pairing Lee with Felix Hernandez gives the Mariners a nice 1-2 punch. They improved at third base with the signing of Figgins. They upgraded defensively at first base with Casey Kotchman coming over from the Red Sox. They already had the best defense last year and it only got better this off-season.  If Milton Bradley can put 2009 behind him he can be the middle of the order bat that Seattle needs.

Texas Rangers

Key losses- Marlon Byrd, Ivan Rodriguez, Andruw Jones, Hank Blalock, Kevin Millwood

Key additions- Rich Harden, Darren Oliver, Khalil Greene, Vladimir Guerrero

Off-season grade- B-

Justification- They upgraded the bullpen with Darren Oliver. They took a chance on the talented yet oft-injured Rich Harden. They upgraded the DH spot with Guerrero.

All things considered I really like this signing for them. I know a lot of people will look at the dollar amount and think otherwise. I think this is a win-win situation for Oakland. If he proves himself healthy and pitches toward his career norms, he is worth more than the $8 million. Putting Sheets with Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson and Justin Duchscherer might be enough to get Oakland into the discussion for the division. If the A’s fall out of it and Sheets is healthy he can bring a nice package in return at the deadline. If he falters or gets hurt, it was only a one-year deal. Oakland does not have a lot of huge contracts on the team and they can afford to give Sheets $8 million. I fail to see the downside in this deal for the A’s.  Honestly, I don’t know why more teams don’t do what Oakland is doing. I think it is smart to sign players like this and trade them at the deadline.

Pretty much the prototype of the Billy Beane era. Came over from the Phillies and should fit in nicely within the scheme of the organization.

2) Grant Green-SS

All star like tools. It’s a matter of executing with this guy. Could be the regular as soon as this year.

3) Chris Carter-1B

I must admit- I’m a little skeptical…probably more than most scouts. I like his power, I just don’t know if it’s gonna transition the way most think at the big league level.

4) Jemile Weeks-2B

The pick out of Miami and the brother of Ricky. Fast and just as good as Ricky. Although I don’t think he has the same kind of power- there’s a ton of upside here.

5) Tyson Ross-SP

Power Sinker should work wonders in that monster park. Another guy that fits the mold perfectly.

6) Henry Rodriguez-SP

Yes- I’m putting a guy with a 5.75 ERA in the top ten. He might not have pitched as bad as the ERA says he did..and frankly- he’s got an outstanding arm. Command command command. If he learns it- look out.

7) Sean Doolittle-1B

Can play the outfield, but after his knee issues…I think first is a better long term position for him. He can go either way- to a big league star…to a benchwarmer.

8) Grant Desme-OF

Pretty good player- but he swings and misses way to much without the amazing power others have. Needs to make more contact in my opinion if he can’t hit 45 home runs like Adam Dunn or Mark Reynolds.

9) Max Stassi-C

A real young kid, but everyone talks about how hard he works, and how well he understands the game, which is a testament to how mature he is.

10) Josh Donaldson-C

Came over from the Cubs for Rich Harden, and I had a tough time putting him in this top ten. I personally don’t see him as being an every day guy at the big league level. He might have some more power- but he might not. Nothing screams to me that he’s exceptional at pretty much anything.

Well, today Jim Bowden tweets “Ben Sheets negotiations, according to reliable sources, are heating up with teams most interested … the Rangers, Mets, Mariners, A’s and Cubs.”

Also, on MLB Live with Bowden and Joe Castellano, Bowden reported that his sources tell him that Sheets would like to pitch for the Cubs.

Just rumors, so far, but it seems teams are moving on Ben Sheets with pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training in just 3 short weeks.

Well, the hot stove has been awfully lukewarm thus far this winter, but the Roy Halladay three-team deal brought some much-anticipated heat. It also brought what could figure to be the first step in the changing of the guard in the AL West, as according to the dynamics of the deal so far, Cliff Lee would head to the Seattle Mariners. A couple hours later, Angels’ ace John Lackey decided he preferred Beantown over the City of Angels (and no, not the Nicholas Cage movie), as he is reportedly signing a five-year deal with the Red Sox. Combine that with the Texas Rangers signing the uber-talented, but far from durable, Rich Harden and trading for Chris Ray, the embattled former closer of the Baltimore Orioles, and what has been a one-team division the past three years has suddenly turned into a trio of contenders. Let’s take a look at each team:

The Seattle Mariners

In the spirit of former NFL coach Herm Edwards, you play to win the division. The Mariners have stirred up some buzz this offseason setting up their team to accomplish just that. With the acquisition of Lee to go along with the signing of free agent Chone Figgins, the Mariners look to be in line to put a stop to the Angels’ run of three straight AL West titles. The trade for Lee provides King Felix Hernandez with a left-handed counterpart atop what should turn out to be a pretty formidable rotation in 2010. At the very least, the M’s will have the best 1-2 punch in the game. But, if Ian Snell can rekindle his career and Brandon Morrow can find a way to stay healthy and fill out the final two spots after young lefty Ryan Rowland-Smith, the rotation could be stacked. Both Snell and Morrow are loaded with talent, it’s just a matter of them putting it together. Yusmeiro Petit, the young former Arizona Diamondbacks prospect, could also contribute if he can find a way to rebound from his atrocious 2009 season.

As for the offense, Ichiro is still the anchor and even though The Kid (Ken Griffey, Jr.) has grown up, he can still add some punch in the middle of the order. However, that’s about all the punch the M’s will pack this season, looking more like Mike Tyson in 2009 rather than Tyson in 1999. With Adrian Beltre and Russell Branyan testing the free agent market, home runs may be even harder to come by in spacious Safeco. Branyan could still resign, but with the Figgins signing, it looks as if Beltre’s time in Seattle has come to an end. Figgins provides great defense at the hot corner and a great on-base percentage (he paced the AL in walks in ’09), which is a definite plus considering his blazing speed. However, he figures to be another top of the order guy for the Mariners, who already have Ichiro, who reaches base at a .380 clip every year thanks to his soaring averages. So, getting runners on base won’t be a problem, but who’s going to drive in those runs?

Well, rumors are swirling that the Mariners are towards the front in the Jason Bay sweepstakes. If that goes down, it’s a move that would effectively push them over the top as the team to beat in the AL West. However, if they don’t sign Bay, Seattle has a huge hole in left field, where right now, Michael Saunders is the frontrunner. Saunders drove in just four runs in 122 at-bats in ’09.

Second baseman Jose Lopez has established himself as one of the top run producers in the game with 25 bombs and 96 RBIs and centerfielder Franklin Gutierrez is one of the most promising up-and-comers in the Majors today. However, those two combined with Griffey do not provide a heart of the order that would make any opponent’s heart skip a beat. There’s a lot of offseason left, but with pitching and defense an anchor (slick-fielding Jack Wilson retains his spot at shortstop), the M’s could make some noise in the AL West come next September-October.

The L.A. Angels

The list of Angels who filed for free agency this offseason reads like a horror novel: Chone Figgins, John Lackey, Vladimir Guerrero, Kelvim Escobar, Darren Oliver and Robb Quinlan. Figgins has already signed with Seattle and Lackey just signed with Boston. There goes the offensive table-setter and the ace of the staff. If Guerrero isn’t somehow retained, the offense will take another hit, as he performed very well down the stretch after an injury-marred beginning to the season. Escobar hasn’t been healthy at all the past two years (just one start), but he won 18 games just two years ago and is one of the most consistent starters in the game when healthy. Oliver and Quinlan have been great role players for the Halos the past few seasons, with Quinlan providing a professional presence in the clubhouse and a quality right-handed bat off the bench. Oliver has been one of the best relievers in the game the past two seasons, and from the left side, no less. So, needless to say, the 2007-09 division champs have a lot of holes to fill for ’10.

The Angels looked to be in the running for Roy Halladay, but the Mariners aided in the demise of that deal, so Mike Scioscia’s bunch has yet to make a positive splash in the offseason, though rumor has it that World Series MVP Hideki Matsui is just a physical away from signing a deal. Their team is still solid without those six free agents, as Kendry Morales, Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter, Juan Rivera and Howie Kendrick provide some run support for Scott Kazmir, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver. All-Star Brian Fuentes is still closing and Scot Shields is still setting him up, but the Halos have question marks in a lot of areas—the 5^th spot in the rotation, the rest of the bullpen, shortstop, designated hitter (though that will be resolved if Matsui officially signs)—which allows an opening for teams like the Mariners and Rangers to sneak through.

The Texas Rangers

The Rangers haven’t made any huge moves like their counterparts in the division, but a couple of under-the-radar pitching moves have the Rangers’ roster stacked with young, budding talent.

The Harden and Ray moves look solid, but in the process of trading for Ray, the Rangers had to give up Kevin Millwood, an innings eater and a professional in every sense of the word. His veteran presence will be missed sorely in ’10, especially with the young pitching staff. However, it is that young pitching staff that could be the key to the 2010 season as 17-game winner Scott Feldman and Harden sit atop a rotation that is loaded with talent, but lacks experience. Prospects Derek Holland, Tommy Hunter, Matt Harrison and Neftali Feliz have experts and Rangers upper management excited and three of the four could fill out the remaining spots in the rotation. 2010 may be a little early for a couple of these young guys, but their all-world talent should win out sooner rather than later.

The Ray trade looks like a win-win for all parties, as the Orioles get a reliable and effective veteran to bolster their staff, Ray should get a chance to close once again and the Rangers find a guy to help cut down on the 13 blown saves they had last year. It would also move righty Frank Francisco and lefty C.J. Wilson to setup roles, giving the Rangers a formidable late-inning trio that would provide matchup problems for any team they face.

Despite outfielders Marlon Byrd and Andruw Jones, first baseman Hank Blalock and wily veterans Ivan Rodriguez and Omar Vizquel leaving via free agency, the Rangers’ offense is still one of the best in the game. Middle infielders Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus will continue to set the table while Michael Young, Josh Hamilton and the newly refurbished presence of Nelson Cruz will drive them in. If Chris Davis can find his power stroke again and David Murphy can improve slightly on his middle-of-the-road numbers, the Rangers won’t have to worry about how well their young arms are developing, they’ll just outscore everybody.

Either way, it should be an exciting three-team race in 2010.