AL WEST PREVIEW: A WIDE-OPEN RACE WITH FOUR VERY DIFFERENT TEAMS
Three 100-Win Teams Entered Season 79. Can Anyone Break the Western Logjam?
The American League West was the most dominant division in the Mantle World last season, and the numbers barely seem believable.
Anaheim won 108 games.
Fresno won 107 games and ultimately captured the Season 79 World Series.
Salem won 100 games.
Three teams reached triple digits in victories, while Colorado finished 52-110 and was left staring up at the rest of the division from a considerable distance.
That creates a fascinating setup for Season 80. Fresno enters as the defending champion, but Anaheim actually finished with the better regular-season record. Salem remains one of the most dangerous teams in the entire American League and has the roster to make another run. Meanwhile, Colorado enters a transition period after losing one of its best offensive players in free agency.
This may once again be the strongest division in baseball.
THE STATE OF THE AL WEST
Season 79 Final Standings
| Team | Season 79 Record | Runs Scored | Runs Allowed | Expected PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Agitated Aardvarks | 108-54 | 854 | 567 | .681 |
| Fresno Grizzlies | 107-55 | 918 | 576 | .706 |
| Salem Pitches | 100-62 | 905 | 689 | .628 |
| Colorado Mountain High | 52-110 | 805 | 1,196 | .308 |
Anaheim had the best actual record.
Fresno had the best expected winning percentage and went on to win the World Series.
Salem scored nearly as many runs as Fresno and finished with 100 victories.
Any one of those three teams would have been a dominant division favorite in most other situations. Instead, they spent the season beating up on one another while simultaneously trying to keep pace with two other 100-win clubs.
The obvious question entering Season 80 is whether that level of dominance can continue.
1. ANAHEIM AGITATED AARDVARKS
Season 79: 108-54, AL West Champions
The 108-Win Team That Still Has Something to Prove
There are not many ways to improve upon a 108-win regular season, but Anaheim enters Season 80 with unfinished business.
The Aardvarks were one of the best teams in the league from Opening Day through the end of the regular season. Their 567 runs allowed were among the most impressive figures in baseball, and they paired that pitching dominance with an offense that scored 854 runs.
Yet when the season ended, Fresno—not Anaheim—was holding the World Series trophy.
That is the reality Anaheim must deal with entering Season 80.
The Aardvarks are no longer simply trying to prove they are a great regular-season team. They are trying to prove they can finish the job.
THE OFFENSE
The centerpiece remains Al Mota, who put together one of the finest offensive seasons in baseball, winning MVP in the process.
Al Mota — Season 79
- .333 AVG
- .399 OBP
- .547 SLG
- .946 OPS
- 32 HR
- 107 RBI
- 161 games
Mota does nearly everything Anaheim needs from a centerpiece hitter and defensively at 2B. His current ratings continue to support that production, with strong Contact, Speed, and overall offensive ability.
But Anaheim was far from a one-player offense.
Phil Berry
Berry supplied enormous power in Season 79:
- 40 HR
- 92 RBI
- .291 AVG
- .902 OPS
A 40-homer player who also hits nearly .300 is a major offensive weapon, and Berry remains one of the players opposing pitchers have to plan around.
Rougned Rienzo
Rienzo was another major contributor:
- .313 AVG
- .399 OBP
- 26 HR
- 89 RBI
- .919 OPS
Together, Mota, Berry, and Rienzo gave Anaheim multiple hitters capable of carrying the offense.
Jason Mitre
Mitre added:
- 35 HR
- 106 RBI
- .824 OPS
The batting average was not spectacular, but the power production remained extremely valuable.
William Ratliff
Ratliff contributed:
- .285 AVG
- 26 HR
- 90 RBI
That depth is what made Anaheim's offense so difficult. The Aardvarks did not rely upon one superstar to carry them. They had multiple middle-of-the-order threats capable of changing a game.
THE ROTATION
Anaheim's pitching staff was arguably its greatest strength.
The club allowed only 567 runs in Season 79, an incredible total over 162 games.
Yunesky Cayones
Cayones was similarly dominant:
- 15-6
- 2.67 ERA
- 1.08 WHIP
- 185.1 IP
Akinori Hujimoto
Hujimoto provided another strong season:
- 8-3
- 2.89 ERA
- 1.10 WHIP
- 165 IP
Didi Perez
Perez posted a respectable 15-6 record, although his underlying numbers were less dominant:
- 4.32 ERA
- 1.31 WHIP
Duffy Vernon
Vernon was outstanding until he suffered a season-ending injury:
- 17-4
- 2.52 ERA
- 1.04 WHIP
- 185.2 IP
Damaso Nunez
Nunez went:
- 16-5
- 3.02 ERA
- 193.2 IP
However, Vernon and Nunez are no longer part of the Anaheim roster after signing with other teams. Anaheim will need to replace the innings lost through their departures.
The bullpen no longer has Branch Scelfo (12-4, 3.06 ERA), but still has elite arms in Macbeth Broadhurst (6-2, 2.68 ERA), Akinori Hujimoto (8-3, 2.89 ERA), Domingo Moya (4-4, 3.12 ERA), Buddy Bawcom (5-3, 3.16 ERA), and Stu Griffiths (31 saves, 3.41 ERA). They all return to give Anaheim one of the best bullpens in the league.
OFFSEASON CHANGES
Anaheim was one of the more active contenders in free agency.
Additions
- Wallace Brown — from Chicago, Type B
- Cookie Suzuki — from Kansas City, Type B
Both additions will slot into the starting rotation.
Departures
- Damaso Nunez — Philadelphia
- Duffy Vernon — Charleston
- Branch Scelfo — Charleston
The biggest question is whether Anaheim can replace their production internally.
The Agitated Aardvarks still have considerable pitching talent. Cookie Suzuki arrives with a strong current profile, while Wallace Brown brings starting-pitcher depth. Anaheim also has several highly rated relievers capable of absorbing additional responsibility.
THE SEASON 80 OUTLOOK
Anaheim has the talent to win another 100 games.
The lineup remains extremely deep, and Mota is still one of the best offensive players in the world. The pitching staff remains loaded despite the departures of Vernon and Nunez.
The challenge is not building a good team.
The challenge is finishing ahead of Fresno and Salem—and then doing what the Agitated Aardvarks could not accomplish last season by turning regular-season dominance into a championship.
Biggest Strength:
Elite pitching depth.
Biggest Question:
Can the rotation remain historically good without Duffy Vernon and Damaso Nunez?
Season 80 Outlook:
World Series contender.
2. FRESNO GRIZZLIES
Season 79: 107-55, World Series Champions
The Two-Time Defending Champions Return
Fresno does not enter Season 80 merely as another 100-win contender.
The Grizzlies enter as back-to-back champions. In Season 78, Fresno went on an incredible run starting in the Play-in series before toppling Anaheim and Texas to reach the World Series where they won in 7 games.
Season 79 was an impressive follow-up season. Fresno won 107 regular-season games, scored 918 runs, allowed only 576, and posted an incredible .706 expected winning percentage.
Then they finished the job.
Fresno survived the postseason and captured the World Series, defeating Wichita in 7 games to secure the championship again.
Now comes the difficult part.
Going for the threepeat.
THE OFFENSE
Fresno's offense was the best in the division by raw run production, scoring 918 times.
The middle of the lineup is simply terrifying.
Maikel Cervantes
Cervantes is the centerpiece.
Season 79:
- .300 AVG
- 40 HR
- 126 RBI
- .567 SLG
- .932 OPS
His current overall rating of 91 is among the highest in the entire division.
Cervantes has the combination of Contact, Power, and plate discipline necessary to remain one of the most dangerous hitters in the game.
Marcos Lee
Lee was nearly as productive:
- .315 AVG
- 31 HR
- 109 RBI
- .928 OPS
Lee's combination of hitting ability and power gives Fresno another elite hitter directly alongside Cervantes.
Fred Quinn
Quinn delivered a massive Season 79:
- .297 AVG
- 40 HR
- 125 RBI
- .912 OPS
That gave Fresno three different hitters with at least 40 home runs or nearly that level of power production.
Lenny Darnell
Darnell played all 162 games and supplied:
- 42 HR
- 117 RBI
- .848 OPS
His batting average was lower than some of Fresno's other stars, but the power was undeniable.
Victor Chavez
Chavez gave Fresno quality production near the top of the lineup:
- .291 AVG
- .364 OBP
- 25 HR
- 89 RBI
His current profile remains extremely strong, particularly in Contact and Batting Eye.
Brodie Beachy
Beachy had a somewhat less spectacular overall season:
- 28 HR
- 94 RBI
- .737 OPS
But that level of production from a secondary contributor demonstrates how much depth Fresno possesses.
THE ROTATION
Fresno's offense gets much of the attention, but the championship run was supported by an excellent rotation.
Roy Abercrombie
- 17-7
- 2.68 ERA
- 1.06 WHIP
- 204.2 IP
Abercrombie enters Season 80 as one of Fresno's most important players.
His ratings profile supports his production, particularly against both left- and right-handed hitters.
Valerio Bastardo
- 16-8
- 2.98 ERA
- 1.16 WHIP
- 193 IP
Kiki Escuela
- 20-7
- 2.95 ERA
- 192 IP
A 20-win season with a sub-3.00 ERA is exactly what a championship contender hopes to receive from the middle of its rotation.
Johnny Halman
- 18-6
- 3.41 ERA
- 1.23 WHIP
Adam Torreyes
- 12-9
- 3.70 ERA
- 180 IP
Fresno had five pitchers capable of handling substantial workloads. Jung-Lee Higashioka (41 saves, 2.75 ERA) leads a very capable bullpen as well.
That depth matters over 162 games.
WHY FRESNO MAY STILL BE THE TEAM TO BEAT
There is very little mystery surrounding the Grizzlies.
They have elite hitting.
They have elite starting pitching.
They have postseason experience.
And now they have the confidence that comes with being the defending champions.
Perhaps most importantly, Fresno did not simply win a championship after barely sneaking into the postseason. The Grizzlies won 107 games and had an expected winning percentage that suggested they may have been even better than their actual record.
This was an elite team from beginning to end.
THE SEASON 80 OUTLOOK
The biggest obstacle to Fresno repeating may not be a weakness on its own roster.
It may simply be the competition.
Anaheim and Salem are both capable of winning 100 games again. Fresno could have another exceptional season and still find itself in a division race decided during the final weeks.
Biggest Strength:
The combination of elite offense and a deep rotation.
Biggest Question:
Can Fresno maintain championship-level intensity after climbing to the top of the mountain?
Season 80 Outlook:
Defending champions and one of the favorites to repeat.
3. SALEM PITCHES
Season 79: 100-62
The Forgotten 100-Win Team
Perhaps no team in baseball suffered more from its geography than Salem.
In most divisions, a 100-win season would mean a division championship and potentially the best record in the league.
In the AL West, Salem finished third.
That is the absurdity of this division.
The Pitches scored 905 runs, allowed 689, and won 100 games. Yet Anaheim won 108, Fresno won 107, and Salem was forced to compete in the postseason as part of one of the deepest divisions imaginable.
The good news for Salem is that the underlying roster remains extremely talented.
THE OFFENSE
Salem has a lineup filled with players who can produce.
Trenidad Posada
Posada was the offensive star.
Season 79:
- .313 AVG
- .390 OBP
- 34 HR
- 85 RBI
- .599 SLG
- .988 OPS
He is also one of the highest-rated position players on the current Salem roster.
Posada is the kind of hitter capable of carrying an offense for extended periods.
Ali Villafuerte
Villafuerte was excellent:
- .295 AVG
- .371 OBP
- 19 HR
- 68 RBI
- .883 OPS
His combination of Contact and Speed gives Salem another dynamic offensive option.
Juan Maranon
Maranon produced:
- .278 AVG
- 25 HR
- 97 RBI
- .814 OPS
He gives Salem another legitimate power threat.
Fausto Sanchez
Sanchez added:
- 25 HR
- 68 RBI
- .824 OPS
Charlie York
York hit 31 home runs and drove in 92 runs.
His overall OPS was only .709, but the power production remained significant.
Bob Heaney
Heaney contributed:
- 15 HR
- 59 RBI
His current ratings suggest considerable offensive ability, particularly through Contact and Power.
THE ROTATION
This is where Salem's outlook becomes particularly interesting.
Derek Bonds
Bonds was sensational in Season 79:
- 21-5
- 2.19 ERA
- 1.07 WHIP
- 201.1 IP
He was arguably best pitcher in the world last season en route to the Cy Young award.
A 21-win season with those underlying numbers is the foundation of a championship-caliber staff.
Miguel Amaral
Amaral's win-loss record was only 6-6, but his peripheral performance was outstanding:
- 3.18 ERA
- 0.95 WHIP
- 130 IP
His current ratings are exceptional, particularly his Control and ability against both sides of the plate.
That suggests Salem may receive more wins from him in Season 80 if the circumstances break differently.
Ruben Vidal
- 13-4
- 3.16 ERA
- 1.24 WHIP
Eric Olson
Olson won 16 games, but his numbers raise questions:
- 16-8
- 4.09 ERA
- 1.36 WHIP
Rich Riefenhauser
Riefenhauser struggled:
- 8-17
- 5.64 ERA
- 1.57 WHIP
For a team attempting to chase Anaheim and Fresno, improvement from Riefenhauser could be extremely important after coming off his career worst season.
OFFSEASON QUESTIONS
Salem lost Matty Guerrero to Santa Fe in Type A free agency.
The Pitches did not undergo the same level of roster upheaval as some other teams, but lost a good one in Guerrero.
Still, the core that won 100 games remains largely intact.
And that should make Salem extremely dangerous.
THE SEASON 80 OUTLOOK
The biggest mistake anyone could make is treating Salem as an afterthought simply because they finished behind Anaheim and Fresno.
A 100-win team does not become a second-tier contender overnight.
The offense is loaded with power.
Derek Bonds is a legitimate ace.
Miguel Amaral's ratings suggest he could be even more effective than his Season 79 win-loss record indicates.
If Salem improves its rotation behind its top starters, the Pitches are absolutely capable of winning this division.
Biggest Strength:
High-end offensive depth combined with frontline pitching.
Biggest Question:
Can the back half of the rotation improve enough to close the gap on Anaheim and Fresno?
Season 80 Outlook:
100-win potential and a legitimate championship contender.
4. COLORADO MOUNTAIN HIGH
Season 79: 52-110
A Long Road Back
Colorado's 52-110 record tells an extremely difficult story. Coors is a tough ballpark to play in, and it showed last season.
The Mountain High allowed 1,196 runs, the worst total in the division by an enormous margin. The offense scored 805 runs, which was actually respectable in comparison, but Colorado simply could not keep opponents off the scoreboard.
The result was a 110-loss season.
Now the franchise enters Season 80 without one of its biggest offensive stars.
THE LOSS OF KIRT PRYOR
Kirt Pryor was the centerpiece of Colorado's offense in Season 79.
He produced:
- .322 AVG
- 37 HR
- 138 RBI
- .967 OPS
That is an enormous amount of production to lose.
Pryor has signed with the Toronto Yankdawgs as a Type A free agent.
Colorado will need multiple players to replace his offensive impact.
RETURNING OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Jean Monroe
Monroe hit:
- .290 AVG
- .355 OBP
- 8 HR
His current ratings suggest that he remains one of Colorado's more talented position players, particularly with his elite Speed.
Josh Mauer
Mauer contributed:
- 26 HR
- 91 RBI
- .794 OPS
His continued power production will be important.
Lars Ingram
Ingram posted:
- 19 HR
- 90 RBI
- .282 AVG
- .787 OPS
He is another player Colorado will need to lean on more heavily following Pryor's departure.
Britt Hill
Hill hit:
- .275 AVG
- 12 HR
- 68 RBI
THE PITCHING PROBLEM
Colorado's pitching was the biggest issue in Season 79.
The team allowed 1,196 runs, and the rotation was unable to find consistency.
Bill Abbott - Departed
Abbott's season was particularly difficult:
- 2-21
- 5.95 ERA
- 1.63 WHIP
That type of performance is nearly impossible for a team to overcome which is why he is no longer with Colorado.
Adam Christenson
- 10-12
- 5.27 ERA
- 1.47 WHIP
Skeeter Brown - Departed
- 3-10
- 6.53 ERA
- 1.69 WHIP
Donaldo Gil
- 7-10
- 5.40 ERA
- 1.52 WHIP
Gil remains one of the higher-rated pitchers currently on the roster, and Colorado will need him to take a significant step forward.
Giomar Gonzalez
Gonzalez enters Season 80 as the highest-rated player on the current Colorado roster after coming over in a trade from the Chicago Coyotes
His ratings profile suggests the potential for meaningful production, particularly with his stamina and overall pitching ability.
If Colorado is going to improve substantially, pitchers such as Gonzalez will need to establish themselves as reliable frontline contributors.
THE SEASON 80 OUTLOOK
Colorado faces a difficult reality.
The rest of the division contains three teams that combined for 315 wins last season.
That makes an immediate jump to contention extraordinarily difficult.
The first objective may be much more basic: improve the pitching staff, reduce the number of runs allowed, and identify which players can form the next competitive Colorado core.
Then draft well and build towards the future. Colorado has the #1 pick as well as the top pick in the supplemental round for losing Kirt Pryor. They need to capitalize on those picks and build towards the future.
The Mountain High have enough interesting players to improve.
But replacing Kirt Pryor while simultaneously repairing a pitching staff that allowed nearly 1,200 runs will not happen overnight.
Biggest Strength:
There are still several useful offensive contributors and some interesting arms with room for improvement.
Biggest Question:
Where does the pitching improvement come from?
Season 80 Outlook:
Rebuilding and searching for a foundation for the future.
THE DIVISION STORYLINES
1. THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS VS. THE 108-WIN TEAM
This is the headline.
Fresno has the championship.
Anaheim has the memory of a 108-win season that ended without one.
Both teams have championship-level talent, and both have every reason to believe they should be the favorite entering Season 80.
2. DON'T FORGET ABOUT SALEM
The Pitches won 100 games.
That should be repeated.
One hundred games.
They would have been division champions almost anywhere else. Instead, they finished behind two other historic teams.
Salem may actually enter Season 80 with less pressure than Anaheim or Fresno, which could make them particularly dangerous.
3. CAN THREE TEAMS REACH 100 WINS AGAIN?
Probably not—and that is not an insult to any of the three teams.
Repeating a 100-win season is difficult.
Repeating three of them within the same division is almost unimaginable.
Regression is inevitable somewhere.
The fascinating question is where it occurs.
4. THE AL WEST ARMS RACE
Anaheim added Cookie Suzuki and Wallace Brown.
Fresno remains largely built around its championship core.
Salem returns much of its 100-win roster.
None of the three teams appears interested in stepping aside.
5. COLORADO'S REBUILD BEGINS
Colorado is operating in an entirely different reality.
The Mountain High have to worry about improvement, player development, and building toward the future while the rest of the division is competing for championships.
PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. Fresno Grizzlies
Projected range: 101-106 wins
The defending champions have the most complete combination of elite hitting, rotation depth, and championship experience.
Their offense remains absolutely loaded, and the rotation gives them a chance to win virtually every series.
2. Anaheim Agitated Aardvarks
Projected range: 99-105 wins
There is an argument for Anaheim at No. 1.
A 108-win team with this much pitching and offensive talent deserves enormous respect.
The difference is the loss of Duffy and Nunez and the fact that Fresno has already demonstrated its ability to finish the postseason journey.
3. Salem Pitches
Projected range: 94-101 wins
Calling Salem third is not a criticism.
This is a legitimate championship contender.
If Derek Bonds repeats his Season 79 performance and the rotation behind him improves, Salem could absolutely win the division.
4. Colorado Mountain High
Projected range: 55-65 wins
The goal for Colorado should be meaningful improvement rather than immediately catching the three division powers.
The Mountain High need pitching development and a new offensive identity following the departure of Kirt Pryor.
FINAL WORD
The AL West is the heavyweight division of the entire Mantle world.
Anaheim has the regular-season pedigree.
Fresno has the championships.
Salem has the talent to beat both of them.
That alone would make this division compelling.
Then there is Colorado, attempting to rebuild while competing against three of the strongest teams in baseball.
Season 79 gave us one of the greatest divisional races the Mantle World has seen.
Season 80 may not produce three 100-win teams again.
But it may produce something even better:
A three-team race in which every game between Anaheim, Fresno, and Salem feels like it could change the postseason picture.
The road to the American League pennant may very well run through the West once again.
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