AL West report cards: Grading offseason moves
With spring training fast approaching, theScore's MLB editors hand out their offseason grades for each division. We finish with the American League West.
NL EAST I AL EAST I NL CENTRAL I AL CENTRAL I NL WEST
The American League West saw a great deal of change this winter. One team was the most active in all of baseball, making 12 trades in an attempt to end the sport's longest active playoff drought, another opened the checkbook to grab some big free agents and look poised to make another move to get over the top; while the defending division champions lost some key parts of last year's squad but kept their dynamic front end of the rotation in place. Oh yeah, Mike Trout also plays in this division. He's pretty good, even if his team is not.
It all sets up to make the AL West one of the wildest races of the coming season. Here's our offseason report cards for each of its teams:
Houston Astros
Trades: 2
Signings: 3
Money spent on FA: $82M
Projected 2017 payroll: $111,337,500
2016 Record: 84-78 (3rd)
Key Arrivals: Norichika Aoki (waivers), Carlos Beltran (free agent), Brian McCann (trade), Charlie Morton (free agent), Josh Reddick (free agent), Ashur Tolliver (waivers)
Key Minor-League Signings: Luis Barajas, Reid Brignac, Juan Centeno, Cionel Perez, C.J. Riefenhauser
Key Departures: Jason Castro (MIN), Doug Fister (free agent), Pat Neshek (PHI), Colby Rasmus (TB), Luis Valbuena (LAA)
Takeaway: The Astros loaded up on veteran bats this winter to help compliment a young core and now boast one of the best offenses in the majors. The club could use an extra arm in the rotation, but still should be considered the team to beat in the AL West.
Grade: A-
Los Angeles Angels
Trades: 5
Signings: 4
Money spent on FA: $25.75M
Projected 2017 payroll: $156,318,333
2016 Record: 74-88 (4th)
Key Arrivals: Andrew Bailey (free agent), Jesse Chavez (free agent), Danny Espinosa (trade), Ryan LaMarre (free agent), Martin Maldonado (free agent), Cameron Maybin (trade), Brooks Pounders (trade), Ben Revere (free agent), Luis Valbuena (free agent), Kirby Yates (waivers)
Key Minor-League Signings: Dustin Ackley, Ramon Flores, John Lamb, Justin Miller, Bud Norris, Tony Sanchez, Eric Young Jr.
Key Departures: Jett Bandy (MIL), Jhoulys Chacin (SD), Ji-Man Choi (NYY), Brett Oberholtzer (TOR), Gregorio Petit (TOR), Geovany Soto (CWS), Ashur Tolliver (HOU), Jered Weaver (free agent), C.J. Wilson (free agent)
Takeaway: The Angels added strong defenders in Espinosa, Revere, and Maybin along with some power in Valbuena, but the rotation remains a serious concern that the front office did little to address.
Grade: B
Oakland Athletics
Trades: 3
Signings: 5
Money spent on FA: $34.5M
Projected 2017 payroll: $73,103,333
2016 Record: 69-93 (5th)
Key Arrivals: Paul Blackburn (trade), Santiago Casilla (free agent), Rajai Davis (free agent), Matt Joyce (free agent), Trevor Plouffe (free agent), Adam Rosales (free agent)
Key Minor-League Signings: Alejandro De Aza, Jaff Decker, Ross Detwiler, Felix Doubront, Ryan Lavarnway, Chris Parmelee, Norge Ruiz
Key Departures: Arismendy Alcantara (CIN), Brett Eibner (LAD), Dillon Overton (SEA), Danny Valencia (SEA)
Takeaway: The Athletics made a number of inconsequential moves that upgraded the roster slightly, though expect nothing more than a third consecutive last-place finish for the rebuilding club.
Grade: C-
Seattle Mariners
Trades: 12
Signings: 2
Money spent on FA: $12.1M
Projected 2017 payroll: $147,674,643
2016 Record: 86-76 (2nd)
Key Arrivals: Jarrod Dyson (trade), Casey Fein (free agent), Yovani Gallardo (trade), Tuffy Gosewisch (waivers), Mitch Haniger (trade), Chris Heston (trade), Taylor Motter (trade), Dillon Overton (trade), James Pazos (trade), Carlos Ruiz (trade), Marc Rzepczynski (free agent), Jean Segura (trade), Shae Simmons (trade), Drew Smyly (trade), Danny Valencia (trade), Rob Whalen (trade)
Key minor-league signings: Christian Bergman, Ryan Cook, Nick Hagadone, Jean Machi, Micah Owings, Kyle Waldrop
Key Departures: Norichika Aoki (HOU), Paul Blackburn (OAK), Franklin Gutierrez (FA), Chris Iannetta (ARI), Nathan Karns (KC), Dae Ho Lee (FA), Adam Lind (FA), Ketel Marte (ARI), Vidal Nuno (LAD), Seth Smith (BAL), Drew Storen (CIN), Taijuan Walker (ARI), Tom Wilhelmsen (FA)
Takeaway: Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto likely never saw any of his family members this winter, as he was too busy making 12 trades in an attempt to end the franchise's 15-year postseason drought. The addition of Segura at the top of the order gives Seattle one of the top offenses in the majors, while Smyly and Gallardo help give the rotation some much-needed depth.
Grade: B+
Texas Rangers
Trades: 1
Signings: 3
Money spent on FA: $27.5M
Projected 2017 payroll: $151,000,000
2016 Record: 95-67 (1st)
Key Arrivals: Andrew Cashner (free agent), Carlos Gomez (re-signed), Mike Hauschild (Rule 5 Draft), Tyson Ross (free agent)
Key Minor-League Signings: Dillon Gee, Josh Hamilton, Jared Hoying, Steven Lerud, James Loney, Will Middlebrooks, Cesar Puello, Travis Snider, Allen Webster, Wesley Wright, Luis Yander La O
Key Departures: Carlos Beltran (HOU), Ian Desmond (COL), Lucas Harrell (TOR), Derek Holland (CWS), Colby Lewis (FA), Mitch Moreland (BOS), Shawn Tolleson (TB)
Takeaway: The Rangers lost a lot of offense in Beltran, Desmond, and Moreland, but their departures create room for budding stars Joey Gallo and Jurickson Profar. Expect Texas to be in the thick of the playoff hunt again.
Grade: C+