Inside Pitch

The Angels have won the AL West six of the last seven years and look just about unchallenged. I normally don't put much stock in spring training records at all but when a team used to winning goes 24-7 like the Angels have through Wednesday, you have to figure that means something.

 I realize they've lost K-Rod and Mark Teixeira and they have a big question mark in the health of John Lackey, who is opening the season on the disabled list. But the rotation and bullpen are still strong. Chone Figgins is a great do-everything disturber and a solid outfield just got better with the addition of Bobby Abreu to join Torii Hunter and Vlad (right).

Somebody try to tell me that there's a real challenger. Please.

You might make the case for the A's because they've added Matt Holliday. But Justin Duchscherer is on the DL and I'm not listening to you make a case that Jason Giambi is going to be the 2001 pre-steroids version again.

The pitching-less Rangers or the punchless Mariners? No way. Ichiro will get his 200 hits again and the M's will be better, only because they couldn't have been worse last year in becoming the game's first 100-100 team: A $100 million payroll and 100 losses!

So my picks are: 1-Angels; 2-A's; 3-Rangers; 4-Mariners. Choose your AL West winner below.

Next: NL West

---Mike Harrington