LAS VEGAS -- Rookie Brad Ziegler spent the last two months of 2008 as the Athletics' closer. That earns him a surprising distinction in the American League West: senior closer of the division.

Ziegler has moved to the head of that class after various moves made by the rest of the AL West. The Rangers started it off by trading Eddie Guardado to the Twins at the end of August and moving Frank Francisco into the closer's role.

In the past week, the Mariners traded J.J. Putz to the Mets and the Angels lost Francisco Rodriguez to the Mets in free agency. Rodriguez had a Major League-record 62 saves last season, surpassing the combined total of the saves leaders on the other three teams in the division.

The Athletics also sent Huston Street to the Rockies in a deal for outfielder Matt Holliday earlier in the offseason. Street was the Athletics' closer for most of the past four seasons, until the red-hot Ziegler took over in August.

Now all four AL West teams face a certain degree of unknown as far as who will be pitching for them with a one- or two-run lead in the ninth inning next season.

Here is what the four teams are looking at:

Angels: They have a number of candidates from within to replace Rodriguez. Most notable are eight-year veteran Scot Shields and electric right-hander Jose Arredondo, who was terrific as a rookie for the Angels this past season.

Shields has 20 career saves and has developed into one of the premier setup relievers in the game. Arredondo is still looking for his first career save, but he was 10-2 with a 1.62 ERA in 52 games for the Angels in 2008 while holding opponents to a .190 batting average.

"Jose has as much opportunity as anybody we're talking about," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "The one thing about Jose is we're not going to shy away from anything in using him."

Justin Speier saved nine games for the Rockies in 2003 and seven for the Blue Jays in '04, but he has just one save since then. Kevin Jepsen, a second-round pick in '03 who pitched in nine games for the Angels last season, has closed in the Minor Leagues.

"The guy with probably the most experience is Scot Shields," Scioscia said. "But it doesn't mean that we're going to go into the season with just Shields closing out games in the ninth inning. We have a number of power arms down there that are more than capable of getting those last three, six outs that we need in a game.

"It's obviously much easier when you have one guy that's the guy to work around. Maybe we're not there in December, but as guys evolve and these pitchers get into Spring Training, get into the season, we might be there in May."

Mariners: Putz and Brandon Morrow both spent time in the job last season. Now Putz is gone and Morrow is in the rotation. Morrow made five starts in September, going 2-2 with a 5.79 ERA, and wants to stay there.

"We have to sift through this," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "For me to make that decision today would be unfair. I think that the things said to Brandon [he would be a starter] will hold true. But we'll wait and see how Don [Wakamatsu] and his staff view the players in Spring Training and decide what their best role is."

Aaron Heilman, acquired from the Mets, was in their bullpen for the past four seasons, but he is also hoping to get a chance to start. Veteran Miguel Batista, who has gone back and forth from the rotation to the bullpen over a 13-year career, is another possibility. He had 39 saves for the Blue Jays in 2005.

"I'm not a big fan of bullpen-by-committee," Zduriencik said. "But it's tough to get high-echelon guys. What you mostly do is see them emerge. Maybe we'll see that happen from within."

Athletics: One would assume that with Street gone, Ziegler would be uncontested as the closer. He was 3-0 with a 0.59 ERA and 11-for-13 in save opportunities as a rookie in 2008.

But that might not be the case. Joey Devine was also terrific for the Athletics in relief, going 6-1 with a 0.59 ERA in 42 games. He's also much more overpowering than Ziegler, striking out 49 in 45 2/3 innings while allowing 23 hits. Opponents hit .150 off him with a .225 on-base percentage.

"I feel real comfortable right now with both of them," Athletics manager Bob Geren said. "I like the flexibility of who the other team is coming up [with] in the eighth and ninth. The eighth inning could be a more difficult leverage situation than the ninth, and to limit yourself and just say, 'You're an eighth and you're a ninth.' Sometimes the eighth might be better for Ziegler and the ninth might be better for Devine."

Geren suggested that the two could split the role depending on the situation.

"I don't have any problem with it," Geren said. "It's different. Not too many teams are doing it that way. But right now I feel like that's what I would do."

Rangers: Like Ziegler, Francisco pitched well in the closer's role. He was 5-for-5 in save situations and did not give up a run over his final 13 appearances of the season.

C.J. Wilson was the Rangers' closer for the first four months before undergoing elbow surgery. He is expected to be ready for Spring Training and could push Francisco for the job.

The Rangers may also go outside the organization to get help. They have talked about re-signing Guardado, who is a free agent, and have explored the possibility of former Nationals closer Chad Cordero.

"I'd like to address the bullpen, preferably at the back end," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "It might be by adding a couple of good arms to what we already have as much as signing just one big guy."

Right now, Francisco is their closer. But in the American League West, it may be the most unsettled role in the division.