In a stronger AL West, Angels stay deep

As deep and as balanced as the Angels have been in recent years, their roster has come under fire for being something of a liability come October, less suited for a do-or-die playoff series than for the grueling 162-game schedule.

Yet when pitchers and catchers report to Tempe, Ariz., on Wednesday and hold their first spring training workout Thursday, the Angels will have a similar look.

There will be no front-of-the-rotation stud, that guy you can count on to win three times in a seven-game series, such as CC Sabathia or Roy Halladay. The team’s ace since 2007, John Lackey, signed a five-year, $82.5-million deal with Boston this winter.

And when position players join in the first full workout Tuesday, there will be only one slugger who hit more than 28 home runs in 2009, first baseman Kendry Morales, who had 34 homers and 108 runs batted in.

But the Angels rotation goes five-deep in quality starters, the bullpen is stocked with capable arms and there is good power throughout the lineup, giving the team a long-haul capability that should be an asset this season.

In fact, that depth will be imperative because of the changed landscape in the American League West, which the Angels probably won’t tame as easily as they did when they won titles by margins of 10 games in 2009, 21 games in 2008 and six games in 2007.

Seattle has improved dramatically, acquiring left-hander Cliff Lee, who with right-hander Felix Hernandez gives the Mariners two aces, and luring third baseman and offensive spark plug Chone Figgins from the Angels with a four-year, $36-million deal.

Texas, which pushed the Angels last season before fading in September, should be bolstered by former Angels slugger and Rangers killer Vladimir Guerrero, new starter Rich Harden and the continued development of their young pitchers.

The Angels still appear to be the class of the AL West, but they could face a stiff challenge this summer.

“Seattle looks pretty good -- when you have Figgy and Ichiro [Suzuki] at the top, that’s like 115 runs each if you have someone to knock them in,” Angels center fielder Torii Hunter said. “And Lee and Hernandez are great, probably the best two pitchers in the division.

“Texas? I don’t know. Every year they have the offense, and the pitching doesn’t seem to work out, but they always look good to me. Vladdy will be good for those guys if he stays healthy. It should be a heck of a race.”

It’s a race Hunter believes the Angels can win.

“We have to play our game,” he said. “They have to take it from us.”

The Mariners will rely heavily on Hernandez and Lee, a fairly deep bullpen that includes closer Dave Aardsma and setup men Mark Lowe and Brandon League, and a superb defense led by Figgins, Suzuki, center fielder Franklin Gutierrez, first baseman Casey Kotchman and shortstop Jack Wilson.

But the rotation thins out behind Hernandez and Lee, who will be followed by Ryan Rowland-Smith, Ian Snell and a to-be-determined fifth starter, and there is very little power. Seattle’s projected 3-4-5 hitters, Jose Lopez, Milton Bradley and Ken Griffey, combined for 56 homers and 193 RBIs last season.

The heart of the Angels order -- Hunter, Morales and new designated hitter Hideki Matsui -- combined for 84 homers and 288 RBIs and will be supported by Juan Rivera (25 homers, 88 RBIs) and Mike Napoli (20 homers, 56 RBIs).

Texas replaced departed ace Kevin Millwood with Harden, the former Oakland ace whose career has been slowed by injuries. But with Scott Feldman (17-8 in 2009), Colby Lewis, Tommy Hunter and improving youngsters Derek Holland and Matt Harrison, there is plenty of rotation depth.

The bullpen, which features closer Frank Francisco, hard-throwing setup men Neftali Feliz and C.J. Wilson, and former Angels left-hander Darren Oliver, is improved, and the heart of the order -- Michael Young, Josh Hamilton, Guerrero and Ian Kinsler -- has plenty of pop.

But the Rangers’ fortunes could hinge on the health of Harden and Guerrero, who was limited to 100 games last season.

Oakland added veteran right-hander Ben Sheets to its promising but youthful rotation, but the A’s don’t appear to have enough firepower to contend.

The Angels? They have five solid, if not spectacular, starters in Jered Weaver, Joe Saunders, Scott Kazmir, Ervin Santana and Joel Pineiro, who went 15-12 with a 3.49 earned-run average for St. Louis last season.

The bullpen, especially if veteran Scot Shields recovers fully from left-knee surgery, will be deep, with closer Brian Fuentes, setup men Kevin Jepsen and Fernando Rodney, and Jason Bulger.

If Erick Aybar or Maicer Izturis develop into decent leadoff hitters and Bobby Abreu (.293, 15 homers, 103 RBIs in 2009) has another solid season, the Angels, who lost to the New York Yankees in a six-game AL Championship Series last October, should have enough offense.

“We don’t have a Sabathia or a Josh Beckett -- we have guys who are still trying to prove they can pitch -- but we have five really good starters,” Hunter said. “I think our rotation will play out well over 162 games.

“The key is building your lineup to win the division. If you’re building it for the playoffs, that’s wrong, because 162 games is a long season. If you don’t win the division, you can’t win in the playoffs, because you’re going home.”

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com