If the season started today here are what each teams rotation would look like along with typical WAR statistics for each pitcher.

For those who don't know.  WAR is Wins above Replacement player, meaning that player can net (or cost you) X wins over some random guy from the minor leagues (please see all of our 5th starters last year).

Note some of these stats are from last year, some are projected for 2010, and some are "average" for the pitcher over their career.  I didn't have all the stats consistent so I just used a compilation of them.  You get the idea:

Boston Red Sox:

John Lester:  5.6
Josh Beckett:  4.9
John Lackey:   4.0
Clay Buchholz:  2.5
Dice-K :  2.5

Total:   19.5

Note Buchholz wasn't a 2.5 pitcher last year, so that stat is projected.  Dice-K was a disaster (0.5) last year but was a 3+ pitcher the 2 years before so the 2.5 is an average assuming he comes back and doesn't suck.

Seattle Mariners:

Felix Hernandez:  6.9
Cliff Lee:   6.2
Ryan Rowland-Smith:   2.6
Ian Snell:  1.8
Brandon Morrow:  1.6

Total: 19.1

The Mariners have 2 aces and 3 up and coming pitchers.   The last 3 pitchers are all projected to do better that last year (Snell and Morrow didn't do anything in 2009)   That still gives them a pretty good chance to win and a pretty nice rotation, especially in a playoff series if they can get there.

New York Yankees:

C.C Sabathia:  6
Andy Pettitte:  3
A.J. Burnett:  3
Joba Chamberlin:  1.5
Chad Guadin:  0.1

Total:   13.5

Note the WS champs didn't have a great pitching staff last year and still won it all.  Which leads us into our rotation:

Angels:

Scott Kazmir:   2.8
Joe Saunders:    2.0
Ervin Santana:   2.6
Jared Weaver:  3.25
Minor Leaguer:  0

Total:  10.65

Saunders and Santana are averaged here.   Santana has been a 5+ win pitcher in the past but is inconsistent and that lowers his numbers.   Saunders was almost a 3 win pitcher in 2008 but lousy in the first half of last year and good in the second half.   Kazmir is a projection but he has historically been a 3-4 win pitcher.  Weaver is the only one with solid 3+ wins every year.

Based on these stats it doesn't look good in terms of our rotation.  That said we're basically looking at the Angels numbers as if everyone gets hurt again.  If they don't we might be able to add another 3-4 wins with the current rotation and that's not even counting a 5th starter.    That puts us in Yankee territory as far as the quality of our rotation.   Not great but not bad either.

For comparison purposes:

Derek Lowe:   3.9
Roy Halladay:  6.7
Josh Johnson:  5.2

The Angels have some work to do if they want to statistically compete with these other teams in the rotation department.  Of course Pitching is only half the game, hitting is also relevant, and the Angels did that well last year.  This comparison also doesn't reflect bullpens.   So not having as good a rotation as these other teams doesn't mean the Angels can't compete, it just means they'll have to do it in other ways.

     Chone is as good as gone.  So who plays third base next year?

     Obviously Brandon Wood is the #1 candidate at this point and it is his job to lose.  But can we trust him implicitly with a .559 OPS at the major league level? 

      Yeah Izturis is a suitable backup plan.   Sometimes.   But he also needs to backup the middle infielders as well.  With the departure of Robb Quinlan we're going to need a backup corner man.   History suggests this role should be given a roster slot.  

      If I'm Tony Reagins I go look for a cheap insurance policy on the Free Agent market.  No major signings here.  Just someone for a one year deal to fill a utility role in case Brandon Wood is a total disaster.  If Wood is good enough to play everyday we have a utility backup for one year and we cut them lose after 2010.  If Wood fails miserably we use the signing for the year and then seek a multi-year replacement for 2011 and beyond.

      Here are the free agent third basemen still available:

Rich Aurilia (38)
Brian Barden (29)
Adrian Beltre (31) - Type B, offered arb
Aaron Boone (37)
Craig Counsell (39)
Joe Crede (32)
Bobby Crosby (30)
Mark DeRosa (35) - Type B, offered arb
Pedro Feliz (35)
Nomar Garciaparra (36)
Troy Glaus (33) - Type B, not offered arb
Adam Kennedy (34)
Mark Loretta (38)
Melvin Mora (38) - Type B, not offered arb
Pablo Ozuna (35)
Robb Quinlan (33)
Miguel Tejada (36) - Type A, not offered arb
Juan Uribe (31)

Obviously an Adrian Beltre isn't appropriate here since he's seeking a multi year deal and would require a draft pick.   But what about some of the other players on this list?  Would a Mark Loretta or Rich Aurilia or an Aaron Boone be appropriate at the right price? 

What should the Angels do with 40 million dollars leaving the payroll?

Guerrero:  15,000,000
Lackey: 10,000,000
Escobar: 10,000,000
Figgins:  5,776,000
Abreu: 5,000,000
Oliver:  3,665,000
Quinlan:  1,100,000

Here is a list of Potential FA for 2010:

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2001/05/2010-free-agents.html

In terms of notable positions I think OF, SP and RP are the highest priorities.

Lackey, Abreu and Oliver help fill positional needs.  I'd like to see either Holliday or Bay as well and another reliever Billy Wagner?

Looks like the payroll is going to have to increase if improving the team from this year is the goal.

Anyone like anybody else on the list?

   The ignorance by some of these sportswriters is truly fascinating.  Since apparently admitting "I'm not sure" on camera doesn't bode well for these guys careers, they instead decide to just speak nonsense and hope something sticks.

    The argument is who will win the ALDS.  Here is the link:

    http://sports.yahoo.com/video/player/mlb/Y_Sports_MLB/15966665;_ylt=ArzJAtmGYBWkj4Ep7.FETwkRvLYF

    It's Jeff Passan and Jose Mota on their respective sides.  We know Mota is an Angels homer.  Here are some rich comments by Passan.

    "Not only are the (Sox) in the Angels' head, they are a better team than the Angels."

     Never mind the fact the Angels won the season series and had a better overall record.

     "They have better high end starting pitching."

      Lackey and Weaver are maybe slightly below Beckett and Lester.  But Kazmir blows away Buchholz (who?).

      "I will take Lester, Beckett and Buckholz over anything the Angels can throw at me any day"

      We have All-Star starters 4th in the rotation and coming out of the bullpen.  Really?

      "The (Sox) won 95 games in the best division in baseball."

      Most of that division seemed to have a hard time against the West.  The Orioles and Jays were also auto-wins.  Is the east really the best?  I don't think so.

      "I don't understand what the Angels have that could be better than the Red Sox at this point."

       Clearly this guy doesn't actually watch the Angels.

       I really hope we prove these idiots wrong this year.

Because getting 4th place in AL OF voting behind Josh Hamilton and his .746 OPS would be a disgrace.  Torii deserves to start.

Josh Hamilton is on the DL and in a rehab assignment.  Torii probably broke a rib running into a wall and yet still has an OPS of .961 and is on pace to go 20/20 with 100 RBI.

Go Vote for Torii.    Up to 25 Times.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2009/ballot_reg.html