Baseball Update: AL West

(Whoa!)

The AL west hasn't really lit anyone on fire this season. In the last ten games both Seattle and Texas have gone 5-5. While Anaheim and Oakland have gone 4-6. No one is going to run away with the division because each team has their weakness. Seattle can pitch but can't hit. And Texas can hit but can't pitch.

Here is some other headlines around the AL west:

This is what Seattle traded for: Erik Bedard was a huge bust last year after he was traded from Baltimore to Seattle. But this year has been a different story. Bedard has an 2.08 ERA with a 2-1 record. Here's the most impressive stats. He has 29 strikeouts compared to three walks lowering is WHIP to 0.92. Seattle is finally getting their money worth out of Bedard.

Get the MVP ready: Texas Rangers 2Nd baseman Ian Kinsler has busted out of the gates like gangbusters. Kinsler is hitting .341 with seven home runs, 20 RBI's, 18 runs, and seven stolen bases. The Rangers lineup period is loaded from top to bottom. Kinsler has been the driving force of the lineup so far. Now if only the Rangers could surround that lineup with pitching.

Where's the offense?: The Oakland A's where suppose to have one of the most feared lineups in baseball. Well that hasn't been the case this season. The team is batting .231 with 108 strikeouts, 71 runs, and only seven home runs. Even their key offseason pickup Matt Holliday has been struggling. Holliday is batting .242 with no home runs. The A's were built this season to live off their hitting because their pitching staff was too young to carry the team.

Notes:
The Angels are still struggling since the death of their teammate Nick Adenhart. But that would be expected since they experience such a tragic event in their life.

Perennially injured A's third baseman Eric Chavez experience another setback in his shoulder injury recovery. I think it might be time for both the A's and Chavez to part ways.

Improvements the Seattle Mariners have made this season.

Omar Visquel caught an 11-foot Anaconda in Venezuela in the offseason. There's a reason why he won 11 gold gloves in his career.