MLB -- Off-season Review: AL West Part 2

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MLB -- Off-season Review: AL West Part 2



The two bottom-feeders in the American League West are being profiled today, and they both have a lot in common. For one thing, there were not a lot of expectations for many of the players on either the Seattle Mariners or the Oakland Athletics. Second, that should change this year due to the free agent pickups of the Mariners and the young talent of the Athletics.


Seattle Mariners


Studs


Felix Hernandez was expected to shine in 2009, but he even outdid his previous campaigns, posting career-best numbers across the board (19-5 record, 2.49 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 217 strikeouts). If not for Zack Greinke’s amazing season, Hernandez would have been a shoe-in for the American League Cy Young award. The biggest concern with Hernandez has always been his health, but it will also be interesting to see how he reacts to another superstar pitcher being brought onto the staff in Cliff Lee. Expect him to come off the board somewhere in the late second or third round.


Ichiro Suzuki has never really had a bad fantasy year, but it is nevertheless impressive to see him put together one of his best overall seasons (.352 average, 88 runs scored, 11 home runs, 46 RBI and 26 stolen bases) when so many people felt he was on the downside of his career. The only concern was that his stolen bases were by far a career low which likely led to his total runs dropping. It will be interesting to see whether this trend continues. Ichiro will nevertheless not make it past the early part of the fourth round on your draft board.


Duds


No players of note


Surprises


David Aardsma came into the season as an unknown relief pitcher of which not much was expected and ended the season as the Mariners closer of the future and tied for fifth in saves in the American League. While he did have a lot of losses for a closer, the rest of his stats were excellent (3-6 record, 38 saves, 2.52 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 80 strikeouts). The last decade has been littered with closers who had one good season and were never heard from again, but you have to like Aardsma’s chances to earn a lot of saves with Hernandez and Lee on the staff. Expect him to be selected in the middle part of the draft.


Franklin Gutierrez was another player that came out of nowhere to have an exceptional season. His statistics may have been pedestrian for some outfielders in the league (.283 average, 85 runs scored, 18 home runs, 70 RBI and 16 stolen bases), but if you were one of the lucky people who picked him up off the waiver wire last year then you were overjoyed with what you got in return. Can he repeat this career season? The odds are against it and based on his previous numbers he likely will not be picked until the end of most drafts.


Oakland Athletics


Studs


No players of note


Duds


Coming into the season, Brad Ziegler was being given first crack at the Athletics’ closer job with Joey Devine on the DL. At first he was relatively successful with 4 saves in the month of April. However, the A’s must have seen something they liked better in rookie Andrew Bailey because he eventually won the job. Ziegler’s stats weren’t terrible (2-4 record, 3.07 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 54 strikeouts) but he only finished with 7 saves which is not what his owners expected. He will not be drafted this season.


At first it appeared as if Justin Duchscherer would miss only the first month of the 2009 season after undergoing elbow surgery, but as the season progressed he made little to no improvement and spent the entire season on the DL. Granted, he was likely not even drafted in every league, but it hurts your roster when one of your players doesn’t even get on the field. Until he shows that he is recovered he will not be a fantasy consideration again.


Surprises


Andrew Bailey was completely off of everyone’s radar when it came to Oakland’s closer role, but he won the job and made the most of it (6-3 record, 26 saves1.84 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 91 strikeouts). Now that he is firmly entrenched as the closer, can he have success for a full season? Owners tend to wait to draft closers, and you can expect him to be selected somewhere between the 16th and 19th rounds.


Despite being out of the lineup for a quarter of the season, Rajai Davis was the A’s most effective offensive player. He was also one of the best leadoff hitters in the American League (.305 average, 65 runs scored, 48 RBI and 41 stolen bases). He could be the steal of the draft next season as he will still likely be picked around the 12th round or later.


 


Brad Yoho is the senior fantasy baseball writer for SportsBuff.com.

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