2010 MLB "Preview": AL West

1 Seattle Mariners – Picked the Mariners last year, but they faded late (still hit the “over” on wins, though). The fact that they’re on the cover of ESPN the Magazine worries us a bit (SI has them third). Will Milton Bradley fight a fan, his manager, or a teammate? As exciting as Felix and Cliff Lee and Ichiro and Figgins are … Milton Bradley is holding up the middle of that lineup? Really? Where’s Jay Buhner when you need him. Unload the prospects and take Carlos Pena from the Rays. Eighty-six wins.

2 Texas Rangers – Eighty-two wins, no relapses from Josh Hamilton or manager Ron Washington, some bop from Vlad Guerrero as DH, and a stellar season from Rich Harden atop the depth chart. Like the offense (even with Kinsler’s injury), like the pitching slightly less so (Feldman!), and kind of like the AL Central, the guess here is that the Mariners-Rangers-Angels will all be in the mix for this division.

4 Oakland A’s – Who will produce more homers, the entire A’s team this year (not a lock that anyone will hit 20) or 1987 trio of Canseco, McGwire and Reggie Jackson? Who would buy a ticket to see these jokers? Even though the pitching staff is solid, we’ll go with 69 wins, which is significantly under what the number-crunchers at PECOTA are projecting.