NL West

The NL West is a tricky division for a lot of reasons, mainly being that there’s a lot of question marks: How is the Dodgers’ rotation going to fair without Greinke? How is the Diamondbacks’ rotation going to fair with Greinke? Are the Diamondbacks actually going to be any good this year, or are they just gonna fizzle out, much like the Padres did last year? And speaking of the Padres, what exactly are they doing? Any team in the top three could really make a run for the top, especially if one team goes on a hot streak.

• Los Angeles Dodgers (92-70): The Dodgers had a pretty good year, but once again were handed a loss in the early stages of the playoffs. They’ve gone through a series of hoops to get where they are now, which is on pretty solid ground. After losing Greinke to the D-Backs, the Dodgers acquired Scott Kazmir from the Astros, which I believe was a good move. They’re also acquired Kenta Maeda from Japan, but he’s in the same situation that Tanaka is now in: Unused to pitching so frequently, will he succumb to injury? However, even though they’ve got perhaps the best staring pitcher in the entire league in Kershaw and now Kazmir, they rest of the rotation is worrisome. If Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy can stay healthy, they may be okay. If not, they’re looking at a rotation that includes Brett Anderson. Who? Exactly. The bullpen also has a lot of question marks, including if Kenley Jansen is still upset over that little Chapman-snafu that almost backed him up to a setup man. The Puig situation also isn’t looking like it’s going to improve any and Chase Utley isn’t going to give them a ton of production at second.  The young players—Joc Pederson and Corey Seager–will be the firepower on this team, which will keep them in contention for first place.

• San Francisco Giants (84-78): I had a tough time deciding between the Dodgers or the Giants for the top spot in the division. Overall, I like the Giants’ top three in their rotation (MadBum, Cueto, Sarmzjida) better then the Dodgers’ (Kershaw, Kazmir, Mo). Also, it’s an even year; meaning, the Giants are gonna have a good team for some reason. I like Joe Panik at second, and Matt Duffy at third (who had a pretty strong case for ROY last year.) Hunter Pence is also a dynamic player, as well as Angel Pagan. It’s definitely going to be an interesting year for the Giants, but I see them coming out on top in the division.

• Arizona Diamondbacks (79-83): The D-Backs were a bit of a surprise last season finishing as well as they did, and this year, look to improve on that. They’ve made great strides towards this goal with the Greinke deal, and getting Shelby Miller from the Braves was also a nice move. Paul Goldschmidt will head up the power on the team, with A.J. Pollock and Chris Owing right behind him. Yasmany Tomas will most likely have a better sophomore season, but in a division with the Giants and Dodgers, it’ll be tough for them to make a break for the top. Even though I’m putting them in third, I wouldn’t completely count out the D-Backs because of how easily this division could topple.

• San Diego Padres (74-88): After an offseason that saw Matt Kemp, James Shields, Wil Meyers, both Upton brothers and Craig Kimbrel come to the Padres, they were expected to do big things—namely, not finish fourth in the division. But now Kimbrel’s gone, Justin Upton’s a Tiger, and the Padres are on the fence about whether to rebuild or attempt to compete. Because of a stacked NL Central, a wild card berth is highly unlikely, as is the prospect that they’re better than the Giants, the D-Backs, and the Dodgers this year. The bottom of the cellar will once again be familiar place for the Padres.

• Colorado Rockies (68-94): After trading Tulo to the Blue Jays last season, the Rockies all but waved the white flag. Firmly in the rebuilding phase, the Rockies would be best suited to trade Carlos Gonzalez and Nolan Arenado. I’m pausing for a minute as baseball fans read that sentence again. I’m crazy, right? Maybe CarGo, but Arenado too? I can think of a lot of teams that are in the market for a third-baseman, and Arenado’s value skyrocketed after another terrific year. The NL West is quickly developing into a formidable division, and the Rockies would do well to trade their superstars to keep improving their farm system. Or don’t; keep both stars, and still finish in fifth place.

Overall Standings:

1.) San Francisco Giants

2.) Los Angeles Dodgers

3.) Arizona Diamondbacks

4.) San Diego Padres

5.) Colorado Rockies