2009 outlooks: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Take away one of the best sluggers in baseball, a top 20 talent, a former 18-game winner and then a record-setting closer; how many teams in baseball can take hits like that and keep on ticking?

Very, very few.

The Angels seem to be carrying on with less, as always. That is thanks mostly to a farm system that keeps churning out solid major leaguers, even if it never developed the elite player we once expected.

The Angels do have one of the best starting rotations in baseball, led by quartet of potential 15-game winners, John Lackey, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver. The No. 5 spot is up for grabs, where Dustin Moseley might finally get his chance or one-time phenom Nick Adenhart might finally reach his potential. A slew of pitching prospects down on the farm can enter the mix later in spring or by midseason, too.

The vacated closer's spot, as Francisco Rodriguez signed with the Mets, will be filled at least initially by lefty Brian Fuentes. We tend to think he won't finish as the closer, though, if only because that is how it has been in the lower-pressure situation in Colorado the past few years. Scot Shields and Jose Arredondo will set up him, but Arrendondo is the closer-in-the-making type. Consider him a sleeper in deeper formats on Draft Day.

The Angels probably remain the favorites in the four-team AL West, but the Rangers could prove dangerous if they can find some pitching. The Athletics are dangerous, too, with the addition of Matt Holliday, but them and the Mariners need a lot of things to go right to be able to compete with the steady but not spectacular Angels over the course of a full season.

Sleeper: Brandon Wood, 3B

Is this the year that Howie Kendrick stays healthy enough to breakout? (US Presswire)

It seems we have waited years for this potential middle infield masher to reach his true potential, but this time he all but has a roster spot to lose coming into spring training. He popped 31 homers back in Triple A last season -- in just 395 at-bats -- and could be a factor at shortstop, third, first or even DH this season. We don't think he starts on opening day, but there is a legit opportunity for him to play enough to be a late-round pick in deeper mixed leagues. Watch him very, very closely. He is going to be one of our top overlooked sophomores this spring after exhausting his rookie eligibility last season.

Bust: Chone Figgins, 3B

Figgins' value was already down significantly last season, but many Fantasy owners in Rotisserie leagues will continue to target him in the middle rounds as a top source for steals. Yes, he can do that, but buying into base-stealers over the age of 30 is a bad policy. We wouldn't be surprised to see him lose his starting job this season, in fact. Wood could be ready at third and the breakout below might be too good to sit at second base. Figgins doesn't slug enough to fill the DH or left field spot, even if he has fooled us for years.

Breakout: Howie Kendrick, 2B

Remember the time when Kendrick and disappointing Brewers sceond baseman Rickie Weeks where the next big things in Fantasy? Yeah, we're still waiting. Well, Kendrick has hit over .300 each of the past two seasons and now holds a .306 career average in 945 at-bats. He even managed to sneak up for 11 steals last season. While that is not a part of his game, his consistent average and run production potential should carry him. We project just six homers, because he has yet to show much in the way of power, but we wouldn't be surprised to see Kendrick go .305-15-75-110-15 in what could be his first real full season in the majors.

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