The big-spending also-rans of recent years in the American League West once more find themselves chasing those overachieving, low-budget Oakland Athletics.

Yet Bob Melvin's A's hardly consider themselves the favorites to win a third straight West crown, not in one of Major League Baseball's best divisions that appears to have become even better this offseason.

"There are probably teams that probably don't take the A's seriously, but we do," Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre said.

"They showed they can get it done and, as of right now, they are the champions of the West. So we are chasing them."

"You can make a legitimate case that a lot of teams are better," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said.

"You have got the Yankees and Dodgers and a number of clubs that made a lot of moves out there, Washington and others, but from a division-to-division standpoint, I don't know that any group was more active than the AL West."

Robinson Cano is the new star in Seattle - for the next decade, no less. The Texas lineup has been studded with first baseman Prince Fielder, traded from the Tigers, and outfielder Choo Shin-soo, bought for $130 million.

Sluggers Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols have something to prove for the playoff-starved Los Angeles Angels, who are feeling the pressure after missing the postseason for the past four years.

The A's made their share of moves this winter, many via trade as general manager Billy Beane often does. But Oakland's changes are minor compared to the acquisitions of Cano and Fielder.

"We are still trying to prove people wrong," Oakland center fielder Coco Crisp said.

In the East, the Tigers have reached the AL Championship Series for three straight years, but a World Series title has remained elusive since 1984.

First baseman Miguel Cabrera hopes to be healthier than last year, when he was hobbled at the end but still won MVP honors for the second straight year.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox will try to capture the magic again, minus many of those bushy beards this time. The pitching staff is full of experienced players such as Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey, Felix Doubront and Jake Peavy.

Meanwhile, there is no reason to believe the St. Louis Cardinals, whom Boston beat in six games in the World Series, can't win the National League Central for a sixth time in 11 years.

Adam Wainwright and postseason darling Michael Wacha are part of the division's best rotation.

The real intrigue in the division comes after the Cardinals. The Central had both wild cards last season; the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the playoffs for the first time in 21 years, and the Cincinnati Reds.

The Pirates and Reds each lost a key player in free agency, while the Milwaukee Brewers get Ryan Braun back from his season-ending, 65-game drug suspension.

The Washington Nationals were among the favorites last year, coming off a breakthrough season. But slugger Bryce Harper was hurt and they under-performed in their final season under manager Davey Johnson, finishing 10 games off the pace.

(China Daily 03/30/2014 page12)