AL West preview

1. Oakland Athletics

Quietly, the A's have won back-to-back division titles thanks to some stellar pitching and an underrated lineup. Most of the principle hitters -- such as 2013 MVP candidate Josh Donaldson -- are back, but the pitching will look different thanks to departures and injuries. At least ailing starter A.J. Griffin will be back soon to help young Sonny Gray and resurrected veteran Scott Kazmir. They'll win a few less games, but still take the division title.

2. Texas Rangers

This lineup is stacked. It's possible they'll have as many as five hitters with 20 or more home runs, including offseason acquisitions Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo. The injury bug already has claimed projected Opening Day starting pitcher Yu Darvish, as well as Jurickson Profar, Matt Harrison and Derek Holland. Expect a lot of high-scoring games early, but the Rangers should have it together in time to push for a postseason spot.

3. Los Angeles Angels

Baseball's most disappointing franchise over the past two seasons is running out of goodwill. The signings of high-priced veterans Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton have backfired, and only WAR wunderkind Mike Trout has kept this team relevant during that time. Other than Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson, the rotation doesn't instill confidence. This a boom or bust team, but odds are in favor of the latter.

4. Seattle Mariners

Robinson Cano instantly makes this team better, but not enough to be a player in this division. They're still a few hitters away from making a run at the AL West elite. At least they still have top-end starting pitchers Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma, the best one-two punch in the division. An 80-win season or better should be a surprise to the Pacific Northwest.

5. Houston Astros

They've had a year to get acquainted with American League baseball, but it won't do much to elevate them from the AL West basement. Trading for Dexter Fowler during the offseason gives them a capable leadoff hitter with decent speed and some pop. Their pitching is still a mess, though. Scott Feldman is the only starter who might post an ERA of less than 4.00. Hey, at least their farm system is stacked.