Which MLB team is likeliest to win its division?

Sporting News, The, June 14, 2004

It's the Angels In a runaway

Johnny Damon says the Angels are the best team in baseball. And that's with half their lineup on the D.L. Just imagine how scary the Halos will be when Garret Anderson, Tim Salmon et al. come back.

Yes, it's safe to pencil in the Angels for the playoffs. Be ready to mark it in Sharpie by August, when they could be doing a Secretariat to the rest of the West field.

Did you see what Anaheim did to the Red Sox last week? How the patchwork lineup beat up on Pedro Martinez? How the first half A.L. MVP, Vladimir Guerrero, drove in nine runs in one game? How young guys such as Chone Figgins and Casey, Kotchman looked like champions in a playoff atmosphere?

Sure, the Angels might not be able to outscore teams all season. That's why they'll acquire a starting pitcher or two before the trade deadline. Sure, there might be more injuries. With that depth, it probably won't matter.

And, hey, the rest of the division is turning to mush. The fork is stuck deep in the Mariners. The A's have pitching but won't have Eric Chavez until at least mid-July. And can the Rangers add enough pitching to keep up? Doubtful.

No, the gap is going to widen. The West is a one-horse race at the moment, and that horse seems to be picking up speed.--Tom Gatto

This early? Got to go with the champs

The Red Sox have the Yankees, and vice versa. It's the same with the Cubs and Astros. The Angels' lineup is held together by Band-Aids, and their starters' ERAs are so obscene they require NC-17 ratings. And would you bet your 401(k)--or a hot dog--on anyone in the A.L. Central or the N.L. West?

That leaves the N.L. East. With the Braves' grip loosening, the elite teams are the Marlins, champions of the world, and the Phillies, who last played a postseason game in 1993.

The Marlins only will get better as their young pitching comes together. As long as Josh Beckett's blister doesn't cause season-long hand-wringing, he will anchor a rotation that also features Brad Penny, Carl Pavano, Dontrelle Willis and A.J. Burnett. And closer Armando Benitez has been Gagne good.

Though the offense is off its 2003 form, it can bash with Mike Lowell and rising star Miguel Cabrera or steal a win with Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo. The defense is golden, and don't forget the touch of manager Jack McKeon, whose team genuinely enjoys playing for him. Can the Phils say that?

If the East turns into a two-team race, remember that Philadelphia plays Florida seven times in the season's final two weeks. The champ's record against the Phillies in the last 20 meetings: 18-2.--Kyle Veltrop