2019 Predictions; AL West

It's incredibly fitting that I planned to make my predictions for the AL West division today of all days. After all, the greatest Baseball player of this generation, Mike Trout, signed a record-long extension with the Los Angeles Angels earlier today, a deal that will keep him in Anaheim for the next 12 years.

Simply put, the deal makes logical sense for both Trout and the Angels. Los Angeles gets to keep their future Hall of Fame player while Trout can continue his dominance as Baseball's best player for over a decade longer. The deal, worth 12 years and $430 million, is worth over 30% more than Bryce Harper's contract with the Phillies.

Nothing for nothing, but I'll take Mike Trout over Bryce Harper any day of the week. After all, Trout's a 2-time MVP award winner whose also finished as a runner up 4 times. 

A 7-time All-Star, the only season that he didn't make the top 3 in MVP voting was 2017 when an injury limited him to just north of 400 at-bats.

For a 27-year old, Trout's list of accomplishments is unheard of, yet he remains incredibly humble despite being the face of Baseball. This contract extension, along with another extension signed by Nolan Arenado, is far less risky than signing for a similar amount of money with a brand new team.

By staying in LA, Trout won't have to worry about adjusting to a brand new city and team. Now, all the Angels need to do is create a team that can help him win. They need to build a young and talented team around their generational superstar.

It'll be interesting to see how this signing affects the AL West, a division that appears to be controlled by only 1 team. With the Mariners in full rebuild mode, the Angels and the A's are the only legitimate threats to the Houston Astros, and it'll be intriguing to see where they stack up after the 2019 season.

1st Place; Houston Astros

Barring any extraordinary circumstances, the Houston Astros should capture the AL West division title for the 3rd straight year. When Jose Altuve, George Springer, and Carlos Correa are healthy, combined with Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, this team is nearly impossible to beat. 

Even so, 2019 will be a different type of year for the Houston Astros than they're used to. Rookie Kyle Tucker is expected to make his much-anticipated debut, but they could very well be without Cy Young award winner Dallas Keuchel who has yet to sign a contract so far this offseason.

If Springer and Correa are back to performing at the level their capable of, the Astros could regain their title as American League champions. However, while the AL pennant will be a difficult feat to accomplish, they should have the division title locked up.

2nd Place; Los Angeles Angels

Admittedly, I have way too much faith in the Angels each and every year. After all, look no further than my 2018 AL West predictions where I predicted them to finish 3rd and could even surprise me. Well, they did surprise me. Actually, the Angels shocked me in 2018. That is, by finishing 4th.

It just baffles me that a team with Mike Trout can be so lackluster, but when you consider how many veterans they signed to long contracts, it makes sense. Still, with Mike Scioscia no longer at the helm, there could be hope for Trout and Ohtani to lead the Angels to at least a Wild Card spot.

Still, veterans like Justin Upton, Zack Cozart, and, of course, Albert Pujols, are drastically holding LA back. With declining performances in addition to excessive contracts, the other Angels players need to pull their weight, big time. If not, Mike Trout's gonna spend all 12 years of his contract extension stuck in 4th place.

3rd Place; Oakland Athletics

Along with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Oakland Athletics were one of Baseball's biggest surprises in 2018, finishing with 97 wins and earning a Wild Card spot. However, after losing 7-2 to the Yankees in the 1-game playoff, it became clear that the A's weren't at the same level as the 3 100-win AL teams in 2018, even though they themselves finished with 97.

Since he led all of Baseball with 48 home runs, Khris Davis' consistent .247 batting average can be ignored, for now. However, the Athletics lack a true multi-tool player who can do more than just hit home runs. 

Matt Chapman received MVP votes last year, and Matt Olson's a respectable player as well. However, there needs to be a balance between power hitting, batting average, and pitching on this team. Without a solid rotation and an all-around stellar hitter, the A's won't be able to contend in the American League.

4th Place; Seattle Mariners

After finishing 3rd in one of Baseball's toughest divisions with 89 wins, the Seattle Mariners decided to dismantle their entire team. They traded away stars like Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, James Paxton, and Jean Segura in exchange for prospects and an almost washed up Edwin Encarnacion.

Somehow, I don't think this was the best decision for Seattle. Granted, they received an abundance of prospects, but given how close they were to become a legitimate World Series contender, it doesn't make sense to tear down their entire roster.

While their prospects have time to develop, 2019 will test the patience of Mariners fans. Mitch Haniger was one of the most surprising breakout players of 2018, but there aren't many guys left in Seattle besides him, Kyle Seager, Dee Gordon, and Encarnacion.

One thing's for sure; when you take into account all the stars that Seattle gave up, their future team of current prospects better be near-unstoppable. 

5th Place; Texas Rangers

With Adrian Beltre retired, I don't think I could name 5 total players on the Texas Rangers, and their team has been that way for a number of years. Another team that puts home runs above everything else, Texas is bound to struggle for a number of years in the talent-packed AL West. 

Joey Gallo and Rougned Odor have proven themselves to be power hitters, but a combined .230 batting average between the 2 in 2018 is a major problem. The team also lacks a strong rotation and bullpen, and I don't know of any young Rangers players bound for breakout seasons.

In a division that has 3 teams that could clinch playoff spots, hypothetically, the Rangers are destined to struggle in 2019 and for the next number of years until they can become competitive once more like they were in the early 2010s.