National League Western Division 201

1. LA Dodgers

2. Colorado Rockies

3. Arizona Diamondbacks

4. SF Giants

5. SD Parades

 

The top spot is a toss-up in our opinion as Colorado is a young team full of talent and the Dodgers will have to maintain chemistry. We will give LA the top spot but keep in mind we have had a futures play on total wins on Colorado for 3 straight years and have cashed all of them. Of course the line on the totals has always been in the 70’s and this year we are looking at a line of 84. The biggest question with the Dodgers is their starting pitchers but the overall the team brings a lot of talent to make up for that question mark. Ramirez's is in the final year of his contract so expect huge numbers from him as he looks to boost his worth for the 2011 season.

1. LA Dodgers

ROTATION:

1. RHP Vicente Padilla

2. LHP Clayton Kershaw

3. RHP Chad Billingsley

4. RHP Hiroki Kuroda

5. LHP Eric Stults or RHP Russ Ortiz or RHP Ramon Ortiz

LINEUP:

1. SS Rafael Furcal

2. CF Matt Kemp

3. RF Andre Ethier

4. LF Manny Ramirez

5. 1B James Loney

6. 3B Casey Blake

7. 2B Blake DeWitt

8. C A.J. Ellis

 

2 Colorado Rockies

 

The Rockies are young but talented for sure and with Ubaldo Jimenez a dominant pitcher and the number 2 spot being held down by Jorge De La Rosa the Rockies are in fine shape on the mound. The bigger question on the pitching front is the bullpen and there are some question marks as no one really can predict how they will perform. While these may not be house hold names to a lot of folks Seth Smith, Chris Iannetta, Ian Stewart, Dexter Fowler and Carlos Gonzales are further long in their development then most might think. Then you have Troy Tulowitzki to help carry the young players along.

 

ROTATION:

RHP Ubaldo Jimenez

LHP Jeff Francis

RHP Aaron Cook

LHP Jorge De La Rosa

RHP Jason Hammel

 

LINEUP:

1. LF Carlos Gonzalez

2. CF Dexter Fowler

3. 1B Todd Helton

4. SS Troy Tulowitzki

5. RF Brad Hawpe

6. C Chris Iannetta

7. 3B Ian Stewart

8. 2B Clint Barmes

 

3 Arizona Diamondbacks

 

We think Arizona is going to be better than the public believes they will be. There is no doubt that the Diamondbacks have gathered a solid pitching staff and the addition of Edwin Jackson should payoff huge. Jackson will relish pitching in this division. The bullpen is in fine shape entering the season and the hitting could surprise a lot of people. Justin Upton the mainstay with Conor Jackson, Stephen Drew and Kelly Johnson can all hit the ball.

ROTATION:

1. RHP Dan Haren

2. RHP Edwin Jackson

3. RHP Ian Kennedy

4. RHP Rodrigo Lopez

5. RHP Billy Buckner

LINEUP:

1. SS Stephen Drew

2. LF Conor Jackson

3. RF Justin Upton

4. 1B Adam LaRoche

5. 3B Mark Reynolds

6. C Miguel Montero

7. 2B Kelly Johnson

8. CF Chris Young

 

4. San Francisco Giants

 

What can be said here? The Giants might have the best starting rotation in all of baseball. The Giants may also have the worst offense in baseball. Tim Lincecum is dominate and won his second straight Cy Young. Who cannot dig that guy? Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Brian Wilson, Barry Zito will have solid years. Pitching will keep the Giants winning but I doubt they make the playoffs until they bring in some offense.

 

ROTATION:

1. RHP Tim Lincecum

2. LHP Barry Zito

3. RHP Matt Cain

4. LHP Jonathan Sanchez

5. RHP Todd Wellemeyer

 

LINEUP:

1. CF Aaron Rowand

2. 2B Juan Uribe

3. 3B Pablo Sandoval

4. 1B Aubrey Huff

5. LF Mark DeRosa

6. C Bengie Molina

7. RF Nate Schierholtz or John Bowker

8. SS Edgar Renteria

 

5. San Diego Pods

 

No real star in the starting rotation and little power offensively. This team can surpass all expectation and still not make the playoffs.

 

ROTATION:

1. RHP Jon Garland

2. RHP Chris Young

3. RHP Kevin Correia

4. LHP Clayton Richard

5. RHPs Tim Stauffer or RHP Mat Latos or RHP Sean Gallagher

 

LINEUP:

1. CF Tony Gwynn

2. 2B David Eckstein

3. 1B Adrian Gonzalez

4. LF Kyle Blanks

5. 3B Chase Headley

6. RF Will Venable

7. C Nick Hundley or Yorvit Torrealba

8. SS Everth Cabrera.