With Opening Day on the horizon, the Jack Vita Show kicks off its MLB Preview Series with its first division preview. Los Angeles Angels beat reporter at MLB.com Rhett Bollinger and San Antonio Express newsroom meteorologist (and diehard Texas Rangers fan) Anthony Franze return to the Jack Vita Show to forecast the American League West division!
Rhett, Anthony and Jack get the party started, discussing the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers. The Rangers led the AL West for much of the season, until they hit a snag in the late summer, opening the door for a tight, three-team race for the division title. While the Rangers ended up tying for the best record in the West and losing the tiebreaker to the Houston Astros, Texas had the last laugh, defeating Houston in seven games in the ALCS, en route to their first World Series title in franchise history. How will the Rangers follow-up a historic season, in 2024?
Then, the conversation shifts to the team Rhett covers on a daily basis: the Los Angeles Angels. Over the winter, the Angels bid farewell to two-time American League MVP Shohei Ohtani, who signed a historic, 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Angels had a relatively quiet offseason, but the club did beef up its bullpen. Coming off a disastrous end to a 73-win season and the departure of Ohtani, how will the Angels fare in 2024?
Later, the crew puts the Oakland Athletics under the microscope. The A's lost a franchise-record 112 games in 2023, and have lost 100 games in back-to-back seasons. Why have the A's performed so poorly over the last two years, and what can fans expect in 2024? Did the team steal the plot from the classic film Major League, in an attempt to relocate the team in Las Vegas?
After that, it's the Houston Astros. The club has won the AL West six of the last seven seasons. Under new manager Joe Espada, are they the favorites once again?
Finally, Rhett, Anthony and Jack analyze the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners came within two games of tying for the AL West division title, collecting 88 wins in 2023 and missing the playoffs. The club had won 90 games the previous two seasons. Seattle shed payroll over the winter, while giving up on former top prospect Jarred Kelenic. Will the M's return to the postseason in 2024?
As an added bonus, Survivor writer and podcaster, and our Seattle sports guy Mario Lanza calls in, leaving a 16-minute voice message with his outlook on the Mariners' season.
Texas Rangers preview (0:00 - 16:00)
Los Angeles Angels (16:00 - 37:10)
Oakland A's (37:10 - 49:15)
Houston Astros (49:15 - 1:04:15)
Seattle Mariners (1:04:15 - 1:22:20)
Mario Lanza's Mariners preview (1:22:20 - END)
You can follow Rhett (@RhettBollinger), Anthony (@AnthonyFranzeWX) and Mario (@MarioJLanza) on Twitter.
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