UCB Project: NL West Predictions

We hit the last division in baseball today.  If you've missed the rest of the week, you can find my AL predictions here, as well as the NL East and Central.

As with the others, I ranked the players against their counterparts on a 1-5 scale.  The team with the lowest total gets top billing.

1) Los Angeles (26 points): This division could be a rout, especially since Manny Ramirez reupped with the team.  Their offense is the class of the league (everyone either got a 1 or a 2 in my book) and the pitching staff is good all the way around.  When you start looking for holes, it may be that they don't necessarily have a true ace, but Chad Billingsley could grow into that role as the year goes along.

Top players: Russell Martin, Orlando Hudson, Ramirez, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Randy Wolf, Jonathan Broxton.

2) Arizona (35 points): If anyone is going to hang with the Dodgers this year, it's

likely to be the Diamondbacks.  The one-two punch of Brandon Webb and Dan Haren will keep Arizona in the hunt all year and their young talent on the offensive side of things should help out as well.  Baseball Prospectus raved about Justin Upton in their annual, so if he starts to develop, this lineup could click and make a run.

Top players: Stephen Drew, Haren, Max Scherzer.

3) San Francisco (44 points): Without the player rankings, I don't think I ever would have had the Giants this high.  Sure, they have a solid pitching staff.  Is it enough to get them into the middle of the division, though?  Maybe.  The teams that they would pass are no big shakes themselves.

A rotation of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Randy Johnson, Barry Zito (if he continues to rebound) and Jonathan Sanchez is a whale of a rotation from one to five, so if they get any players to break out this season, maybe they'd have enough offense for this slot.

Top players: Lincecum, Johnson.

4) Colorado (51 points): You know, if you put San Francisco's pitching with the Rockies offense, that'd be a team that could contend in the NL West.  Granted, some of the Colorado punch comes from, well, Colorado, but on the whole there are some intriguing names in the Rockie lineup.  I think a lot of people will be watching what Chris Iannetta does, especially after the World Baseball Classic.

They also have pitchers.  Some are better than others, but none would be considered top notch when compared the staffs around the division.

Top player: Garrett Atkins.

5) San Diego (54 points): At least the off-field drama and the whole Jake Peavy trade talk helps obscure somewhat that this is going to be another long year in San Diego.  It's hard to believe that this team was a half-inning away in '07 (twice!) from making the playoffs.

They have a couple of younger names that intrigue on offense and a closer that might be interesting as he takes over Trevor Hoffman's slot. But on the whole, at least the weather is good in San Diego.

Top player: Adrian Gonzalez.