THE COMPETITION

Seattle Mariners: Assuming Erik Bedard, who had almost as many home runs allowed (nine) as strikeouts (10) in Cactus League play, shakes off an awful spring, the Mariners should have just as good a rotation as the Angels, but they’ll need a bounce-back year from first baseman Richie Sexson and someone to replace Jose Guillen’s production in right field to win the division.

Oakland Athletics: Many scouts like the young talent the A’s have assembled, and Oakland could contend in a few years. But when you trade one of baseball’s best pitchers (Dan Haren) and your most productive hitter (Nick Swisher) over the winter, it’s obvious you’ve entered a rebuilding phase, one that could last several years. Eric Chavez’s balky lower back won’t help matters either.

Texas Rangers: The rotation drops off dramatically after Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla, and the bullpen looks weak, a familiar refrain for the pitching-thin Rangers. Josh Hamilton is a nice addition in center field, and Michael Young is still one of the game’s best-hitting shortstops, but the Texas lineup doesn’t look nearly as potent as the Angels’ offense.