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FanSided Bloggers Announce All-AL West Division Lineup

By Joseph Lopez

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This month, the AL West Bloggers of the FanSided Network put together an offense (lineup) that features all of the division’s best as part of FanSided’s big MLB collaborative project that was announced earlier this month.

Each writer voted during this selection process, and I must say all of the writers within the AL West division had similar tastes in talent. Representing your Oakland Athletics is Kurt Suzuki, who represents the West’s starting catcher. The Texas Rangers led the lineup with five players making the cut, while the Angels had two of their own make the lineup, and Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki represents the Mariners.

Here’s the entire lineup selection:

  • Catcher: Kurt Suzuki, OAK – Suzuki, 27, hit .242/.303/.366 with 13 HR and 71 RBIs in 2010. The A’s backstop will look to rebound in 2011, especially with a newly formed offense around him.
  • First-Base: Kendry Morales , LAA – Morales, who was injured during a home run celebration, appeared in just 51 games last season for the Angels. He hit .290/.346/.487 with 11 HR and 39 RBIs. The Angels are hoping he’ll return healthy this season, and that he’ll be the player he was in 2009, when he hit .306 with 34 HR and 108 RBIs.
  • Second-Base: Ian Kinsler ,TEX- Kinsler hit .286/.382/.412 with 9 HR and 45 RBIs last season after blasting 31 HR and driving in 86 runs in 2009. Nonetheless, Kinsler remains a top-talent.
  • Shortstop: Elvis Andrus, TEX – Andrus, 22, hit .265/.342/.301 with no home runs and 35 RBIs in 2010.
  • Third-base: Adrian Beltre, TEX – Beltre, who was a prime target for a lot of clubs this offseason, turned down an offer from Oakland to come to Texas. He hit .321 with 28 HR and 102 RBIs last season with Boston.
  • Outfield: Josh Hamilton, TEX – Hamilton had a stellar 2010 campaign hitting .359/.411/.633 with 32 HR and 100 RBIs. He was an obvious choice.
  • Outfield: Nelson Cruz, TEX – Cruz, another key player on Texas’ lineup, hit .318/.374/.576 with 22 HR and 78 RBIs.
  • Outfield: Ichiro Suzuki, SEA – Suzuki is just downright amazing. In 2010, he hit over .300 again for the 10th straight MLB season, hitting .315/.359/.394 with 6 HR and 43 RBIs.
  • Designated-Hitter: Torii Hunter, LAA – Hunter, a big part of the Halos’ offense, hit .281/.354/.464 with 23 HR and 90 RBIs. The AL West’s outfield is stacked, and Hunter fits perfectly here in the DH spot.

The pitching staffs are coming soon, so be sure to check back to see which of your favorite players made the cut. What do you think? Should there have been more A’s players?