AL West Update

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

Spring Leaders

Hits - Howie Kendrick 18
Home runs - Mark Trumbo 5
RBIs - 2 tied with 14
Stolen Bases - Howe Kendrick 5
Innings - Ervin Santana 17 1/3
Strikeouts - Jered Weaver 17

News: The announcement that Kendrys Morales will start the season on the disabled list means that Mark Trumbo will likely be the Angels first baseman on opening day this year. Morales who had a breakout year in 2009 when he hit 34 homers and drove in 108 while hitting .306 saw his 2010 season cut short in a freak accident when his left leg was fractured when his team celebrated his walkoff grand slam against the Mariners last May. Trumbo leads the Angels in home runs this spring and is tied for the team lead in runs batted with Bobby Abreu. The 25 year old Trumbo led the Pacific Coast League in home runs last year with 36 but has only 15 major league at bats.


OAKLAND ATHLETICS


Spring Leaders

Hits - Coco Crisp 19
Home runs - 2 tied with 3

RBIs - Andy LaRoche 12
Stolen Bases - Jai Miller 6
Innings - Gio Gonzalez 21
Strikeouts - Gio Gonzalez 25

News: The A's have yet to decide on their opening day starter with Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, Brett Anderson and Dallas Braden all apparently still in the running. Gonzalez is having far and away the best spring posting a 2.14 ERA in 5 starts and striking out more than a batter an inning while holding hitters to a .181 average. Cahill won 18 games a year ago and made the all-star team so he would seem a logical choice as well on the merits of what he did last season. Braden had a 3.50 ERA in 30 starts with 5 complete games in 2010 but has a 7.02 ERA and is 0-3 in 5 spring starts. And finally there's Anderson who had a 2.80 ERA in 19 starts last year. My guess would be that it's either Gonzalez or Cahill but we'll see what Bob Geren decides to do.


SEATTLE MARINERS

Spring Leaders

Hits - 2 tied with 13
Home runs - Jack Cust 3

RBIs - Milton Bradley 10
Stolen Bases - Chone Figgins 4
Innings - Doug Fister 13 1/3
Strikeouts - Felix Hernandez 15

News: 23 year old prospect Dustin Ackley is headed back to the minors to start the season. The 2nd overall pick in the 2009 draft hit .267 with 33 doubles and drew 75 walks between AA and AAA last season. He also played in the Arizona Fall League where he excelled hitting .424 in 20 games drawing 26 walks and striking out just 11 times. Ackley, a natural outfielder who is being converted to a second baseman, didn't play badly this spring posting an on base percentage of .441 in 15 games. Don't be surprised if you see him in Seattle before the year is up.


TEXAS RANGERS


Spring Leaders

Hits - Mitch Moreland 20
Home runs - Ian Kinsler 5

RBIs - Chad Davis 15
Stolen Bases - Julio Borbon 5
Innings - Matt Harrison 19
Strikeouts - 2 tied with 12

News: It's still undecided what's going to happen with Neftali Feliz who's making a bid for a spot in the starting rotation after winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award as the Rangers closer last year. Feliz has made 4 appearances this spring including 3 starts and logged a 1.93 ERA over 14 innings. He has a 2.42 ERA in his brief career spanning 90 games and saved 42 games in 46 opportunities. Until Texas figures out what to do with him, it's still up in the air how the rest of the staff will shake out. Feliz will make his 4th start of the spring on Thursday against San Diego.