Call to the pen
Fansided

Call to the Pen’s All AL West team

By Cordell Oberholtzer

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Infield

Catcher

  1. Jason Castro – Houston Astros (7 first-place votes, 15 total points)  Castro proved last season that he’s a player that the starless Astros can count on for years to come.  While his numbers weren’t eye-popping (18 HR and 56 RBI), Castro provided a solid bat to compliment Chris Carter and Matt Dominguez.  Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reports that the Astros are currently in talks with Castro regarding a contract extension.
  2. Chris Iannetta – Los Angeles Angels (0, 28 total points)
  3. Mike Zunino – Seattle Mariners ( 1, 32) – John Buck will likely get a lot of playing time as well
  4. Derek Norris – Oakland Athletics (1, 35)
  5. Geovany Soto – Texas Rangers (1, 40)

First Base

  1. Prince Fielder – Texas Rangers (7, 14) After two solid seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Fielder moves to Texas to provide protection for cleanup batter Adrian Beltre.  Fielder has averaged 35 homers a year throughout his career and could potentially put up huge numbers in hitter-friendly Ballpark in Arlington.  With a 9-year, $214 million dollar contract, the Rangers are banking on Fielder putting up big numbers for the long-haul.
  2. Albert Pujols – Los Angeles Angels (2, 19)
  3. Brandon Moss – Oakland Athletics (1, 28)
  4. Justin Smoak – Seattle Mariners (0,42)
  5. Chris Carter – Houston Astros (0, 44)

Second Base

Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

  1. Robinson Cano – Seattle Mariners (10, 10) In the most shocking move of the offseason, the best second baseman in baseball picked money over winning. Cano certainly brings talent to the Mariners and will likely put more fans in the seats.  However, in a time when logic suggests 10-year deals are guaranteed failures waiting to happen, its unlikely that Cano is going to put up big enough numbers (especially in Safeco) that will translate into wins in an already tough division.  He does have durability on his side as he rarely misses a game, but he’ll have to put up monster numbers to merit $24 million a year.
  2. Howie Kendrick – Los Angeles Angels (0, 26)
  3. Jurickson Profar – Texas Rangers (0, 30)
  4. Jose Altuve – Houston Astros (0, 31)
  5. Alberto Callaspo – Oakland Athletcs (0, 48)

Shortstop

  1. Elvis Andrus – Texas Rangers (8, 13) Admittedly this is a weak position for the division, but Andrus has established himself as a solid player.  He won’t break any offensive records (.274 lifetime average), but he is a two-time All-Star and he brings speed to the lineup that was second in the league in steals in 2013.
  2. Jed Lowrie – Oakland Athletics (1, 21)
  3. Erick Aybar – Los Angeles Angels (0, 31)
  4. Brad Miller – Seattle Mariners (1, 37)
  5. Jonathan Villar – Houston Astros (0, 46)

Third Base

  1. Adrian Beltre – Texas Rangers (10, 10) Although he’s 34-years old, Beltre proved last year that he can still hit with the best of them.  Thirty homers, 92 RBI and a .315 average was enough for him to finish 7th in the MVP voting.  Beltre has been spectacular in his three seasons with the Rangers (98 homers, 299 RBI, .312 average).
  2. Josh Donaldson – Oakland Athletics (0, 22)
  3. Kyle Seager – Seattle Mariners (0, 32)
  4. David Freese – Los Angeles Angels (0, 41)
  5. Matt Dominguez – Houston Astros (0, 44)
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