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The best regular season in franchise history was followed by a postseason result that has become all too common for the Angels recently. After the franchise's first 100-win season and fourth division title in the last five seasons, the Angels were ushered out of the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Red Sox for the third time in the last five seasons. The Angels took an unexpected approach to breaking that pattern of regular-season success and postseason disappointment -- they spent most of the offseason watching key players leave by free agency while adding only one significant part (LHP Brian Fuentes). OF Bobby Abreu was added on the eve of spring training.
ARRIVALS: LHP Brian Fuentes (free agent from Rockies), OF Bobby Abreu (free agent from Yankees).
DEPARTURES: RHP Francisco Rodriguez (free agent, signed with Mets), RHP Jon Garland (free agent, signed with Diamondbacks), 1B Mark Teixeira (free agent, signed with Yankees), OF Garret Anderson (unsigned free agent).
SPRING FOCUS: Replacing the offense lost with the departures of Teixeira and Anderson will be key. But the Angels will also audition several young pitchers to replace Garland as the fifth starter.
PROJECTED ROTATION:
1. RHP John Lackey
2. RHP Ervin Santana
3. LHP Joe Saunders
4. RHP Jered Weaver
5. RHP Dustin Moseley
Once again, the strength of the Angels will be their pitching staff, led by a homegrown starting rotation. Santana and Saunders will be looking to follow up on their breakout seasons in 2008 while Lackey will be pitching for a new contract and could be one of the most highly coveted free agents on next winter's market. RHPs Dustin Moseley, Shane Loux, Nick Adenhart, Anthony Ortega and Nick Green will compete for the fifth starting spot.
