Preseason Power Rankings: NL West

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

My rankings:

1. Dodgers
2. Rockies
3. Diamondbacks
4. Padres
5. Giants

A log jam though, could change after I review closer.

[scottk]

my rankings....
Dodgers
DBacks
Giants
Padres
Rockies

[lincy]

Dbacks- Like the lineup, and the staff is good, needs to be healthy
rockies- same team as in 09, but preformed well
doggies- best hitting team, pitching is iffy
padres- young, good closers
giants- terrible pitching staff, decent lineup

Prediction
Dbacks
Dodgers
Rockies
Padres
Giants

[raisingarizo]

THIS WILL BE THE CLOSEST 4 TEAM RACE OF THE YEAR. THE TOP 4 COULD BE PICKED IN JUST ABOUT ANY ORDER. SEE THE POINTS

N.L. West
1 Colorado Rockies
2 Los Angeles Dodgers
3 Arizona Diamondbacks
4 San Diego Padres
5 San Francisco Giants

1. Colorado Rockies (140 Pts)
2009 Season Record: 92-70
Notable Acquisitions: Nothing to report, except that this team is on the rise.
The Colorado Rockies were an interesting team last season. They reminded me very much of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. One minute they're trapped in the cellar of the NL West, and the next they're competing for the Division Crown.
Guys like Troy Tulowitzki (.297 BA, 32 HR, 92 RBI), Todd Helton (86 RBI), and young stud Carlos Gonzalez (.284 BA, 13 HR) will continue to help this team moving into this season. I see Gonzalez as a 5-tool guy, with sky-high potential and Tulowitzki as a premier short-stop in the game today.
Despite losing Marquis to the Nationals via free agency, the Rockies pitching staff, which had the eighth best ERA in the NL (4.22) and the most saves (45) should still be good enough to hold off or at least keep pace with the Dodgers.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (135 Pts)
2009 Season Record: 95-67
Notable Acquisitions: Carlos Zambrano.
Heading into the 2010 season, IT APPEARED the Dodgers really had no worries in the NL West other than those pesky Colorado Rockies, who for a second, threatened to take away the West Crown from them. Well get ready for the new N.L. West. 4 teams that can win the division.
Despite losing Randy Wolff, a reliable starter last year, the Dodgers should improve with Zambrano, if he does stay healthy than they should still have enough left in the tank to at least compete for the top spot in the West.

Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw are continuing their growing process and should only get better through time.
With Manny Ramirez, Andre Either and Matt Kemp leading the offensive attack, the Dodgers should be decent enough to make it in the West, considering they owned the NL's best team ERA (3.41) and the NL's best batting average (.270).
There is a minor concern that Manny Ramirez is declining but overall the Dodgers will win as many games as last year.

3. Arizona Diamondbacks (127 Pts)
2009 Season Record: 70-92
Notable Acquisitions: Lance Berkman, Bobby Abreu, Alphonso Soriano, Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, Francisco Liriano, Justin Duscherer
In 2009 the Arizona Diamondbacks looked like a team that could hang around with the rest in the West.
But ultimately, they were not much of a factor in the NL West at all. They finished 25 games behind the first-place Dodgers and weren't very good on offense.
Offensively, the Diamondbacks were led by Justin Upton (.300/.366/.532, 26 HR, 86 RBI), Mark Reynolds (.260/.349/.543, 44 HR, 102 RBI), and Miguel Montero (.294/.355/.478, 16 HR, 59 RBI).
As a team, Arizona hit .253/.324/.418, scored 720 runs, and swiped 102 bases (sixth in NL). Simple addition: Add to an already potent lineup; Berkman, Abreu, Soriano, Dye and Thome and if Mark Reynolds and Justin Upton continue their solid hitting, Arizona should blow the doors off offensively. They will rival the N.L.’s best lineups including the Phillies.
Although 2009 was a bit of a setback for the pitching staff, 2010 seems much far more promising. With Dan Haren (14-10, 3.14 ERA) leading a rotation that includes Brandon Webb, Edwin Jackson (13-9, 3.62 ERA), Francisco Liriano and Justin Ducsherer, the D-backs should be a better team in 2010. They will fight both the returning division champs, the Rockies and a revamped Padres team. I expect they will finish between the two with a close game or 2 being the difference.

4. San Diego Padres (126 Pts)
2009 Season Record: 75-87
Notable Acquisitions: Placido Polanco, Nick Swisher, Jose Lopez, Ian Kinsler, Adam Jones, David Eckstein, Randy Winn, Kevin Slowey, Scott Kazmir, Chris Tillman and Joakim Soria
The San Diego Padres in 2009 were absolutely terrible on offense.
In 2009 the Padres were led offensively by Adrian Gonzalez (.277/.407/.551, 40 HR, 99 RBI), Kevin Kouzmanoff (.255/.302/.420, 18 HR, 88 RBI), and Chase Headley (.262/.342/.392). As a team, the Padres hit a horrid .242/.321/.381. They were outscored by opponents 638 to 769, resulting in a -131 run differential. However with the additions of Placido Polanco, Nick Swisher, Jose Lopez, Ian Kinsler, Adam Jones, David Eckstein, Randy Winn that will change dramatically.
Pitching in 2009 wasn't much better for the Padres, who had the 10th best ERA in the NL at 4.37. Now that Jake Peavy is a member of the White Sox, Scott Kazmir will anchor the future rotation which I predict will be the best in the West. The bullpen is headed by Joakim Soria and the setup guy Heath Bell, was 6-4 with a 2.71 ERA and 42 saves as a closer last year. This bullpen will rival that of the Dodgers and might even be better
And considering that the Padres finished 18-11 in their final 29 games, they should be able to win plenty of games heading into the 2010 season. How much they improve depends on how the offense performs early in the season.
My prediction is that they are in the division race up until the end.

5. San Francisco Giants (69 Pts)
2009 Season Record: 88-74
Notable Acquisitions: Aaron Hill, Robinson Cano, Phil Hughes, Alexi Ramirez, Daniel Hudson, Brian Fuentes, Adrian Beltre and John Buck
The Giants had the pitching. We all knew that. With the reigning NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum along with Matt Cain and former Cy Young winner Barry Zito heading the rotation, all the Giants would need now is some offense.
In 2009, the Giants boasted a team ERA of 3.55 and held their opponents to a low .236 batting average. The only problem, however, is the fact that the Giants only hit .257/.309/.389 themselves and scored only 657 runs.
It appears by all accounts that the Giants are rebuilding, at least with regard to their pitching. They gave up the triumvirate of Lincy, Cain and Bumgarner.
The offense is an entirely different story. Although they lost their best hitter in Sandoval and their cleanup catcher Molina they took in a haul of young hitters. Of course the Giants get a boost from the addition of Aaron Hill, Robinson Cano, Alexi Ramirez, John Buck and Adrian Beltre. Still they still need another bat or two in order to compete with middle of the pack teams..
Even if the Giants get another bat, they won’t keep pace with most of the NL Teams. They definitely lost the pitching edge —they have to concentrate on some offense.
Where is Barry Bonds? Even at this age he might have the most power on this team. Gotta love Bonds getting blackballed and continuously prosecuted despite more acquittals than John Gotti. Perhaps he will be allowed to at least introduce Palmeiro, McGwire and Clemens at their HOF inductions. Are the Giants cursed until the asterisks are removed or added to others? It’s not a goat but it has horns.