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A.L. west

Sporting News, The, Oct 7, 2005

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

TEAM MVP: RF Vladimir Guerrero, the defending A.L. MVP, got the most attention, but utilityman Chone Figgins was the team's most indispensable player. Figgins played solid defense at several positions. He opened the year as the second baseman, played third when rookie Dallas McPherson was out of the lineup around midseason and recently moved to center field to replace the slumping Steve Finley. Figgins also became the team's leadoff hitter in May, fueling an aggressive running game and leading the team in runs. BIGGEST DISAPPOINIMENT: Finley set a career high for home runs (36) in 2004 and was signed to add power to the lineup, but he fell far short of his career averages. Finley blamed an early-season shoulder injury for his problems, but he has not regained his timing--or his pop--since recovering. His decline left the team short on power and forced it to be far more reliant on manufacturing runs.--Mike Scarf

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SEATTLE MARINERS

TEAM MVP: 1B Richie Sexson gave the team the run production it needed in the middle of the lineup, proving he could be a threat despite Safeco Field's pitcher-friendly atmosphere. High strikeout totals were the one knock against Sexson, but his production far offset the whiffs. Sexson could have been even more productive if 3B Adrian Beltre or 2B Bret Boone had been more consistent as the team's No. 5 hitter. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Boone turned cold at the plate toward the end of April, and he never came close to providing the kind of offense that was expected of him. His bat speed slowed considerably this season and he probably tried too hard to get things back to normal, causing him to slump even more. To make matters worse, his Gold Glove defense went sour. The Mariners finally traded him to the Twins in July. He lasted less than a month in Minnesota.--Jim Street

OAKLAND ATHLETICS

TEAM MVP: Barry Zito was thrust into a leadership role after Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson were traded in the offseason, and Zito responded. He reclaimed his place as an ace and shared his knowledge with a young pitching staff. RHP Rich Harden learned how to prepare for starts from Zito, and RHP Dan Haren credits Zito's mentoring as the top reason for Haren's early-season turnaround. Zito has not missed a start, which has helped the pitchers lead the team back into contention. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: RHP Juan Cruz, acquired in the Hudson trade, was expected to team with RHP Kiko Calero to form a powerful setup combo. But Cruz lost the coaches' trust and went to the minors. He dominated at Class AAA and was sharp in a few mop-up relief outings after being recalled in September. The team considered giving him a start, but then Cruz again struggled with his command and was hit hard.--Mychael/Urban

TEXAS RANGERS

TEAM MVP: Michael Young is an effective shortstop who makes all the routine plays and is known to make the occasional extraordinary play. At the plate, he was the catalyst for the offense and arguably the toughest out on the team. What makes Young difficult to work against is his ability to make adjustments between pitches. He's adept at fouling off pitches until he can drive something he likes. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: The Rangers signed OF Richard Hidalgo in the offseason to provide an extra righthanded bat, but he struggled as a hitter all season. Known as a streaky player throughout his career, Hidalgo is mechanically sound but starts his swing too late in the pitcher's windup and was unable to successfully adapt to a new batting approach this season. Hitting woes kept Hidalgo, an above-average fielder, out of the lineup, thus weakening the team's outfield defense.--Jesse Sanchez

kenrosenthal@sportingnews.com

A.L. west

Sporting News, The, Oct 7, 2005

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