But there have been a number of significant subtractions.

The Angels were unable to re-sign first baseman Mark Teixeira and made no attempts to re-sign right-handers Francisco Rodriguez and Jon Garland or left fielder Garret Anderson.

The result is a team that seems truly unbalanced -- heavily reliant on a strong pitching staff but searching for enough offense to support those arms.

General manager Tony Reagins and manager Mike Scioscia have been insistent that the answers lie within the organization and do not need to be sought on the free agent market -- even when the number of established players on that market remained unusually high as spring training neared.

Three players, in particular, will have to succeed in 2009 to prove Reagins and Scioscia right.

The Angels touted first baseman Kendry Morales as their fall-back position should Teixeira leave via free agency. Now Morales will have those big shoes to fill.

A .329 hitter in parts of four minor league seasons since he fled Cuba and signed with the Angels, Morales prepared for his big opportunity with an outstanding winter ball season in the Dominican Republic.

Morales had a .404 batting average and .778 slugging percentage in 26 regular-season games for Gigantes del Cibao.

The Angels were in a similar search for offense during the 2006 season when Juan Rivera stepped up and posted career highs in batting average (.310), home runs (23) and RBI (85).

Rivera's career was sidetracked by a broken leg that cost him nearly all of the 2007 season. But the Angels elected to sign Rivera to a three-year, $12 million contract this winter and let the best hitter in franchise history, Anderson, leave. Rivera will pick up most of the at-bats left behind.

Third baseman Brandon Wood has been the Angels' top power prospect since a 43-home run season in Class A in 2005. He has had brief major league exposure in each of the last two seasons and will get a chance in the spring to win an everyday job.

WHERE, WHEN: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, Ariz. First exhibition game is Feb. 25 vs. Chicago White Sox.