To the last division....
- Arizona Diamondbacks- Maybe the best rotation in the National league and what forces me to pick them.... Brandon Webb and Dan Haren is a scary 1-2 punch, Jon Garland is under-rated AND he's moving to the hitting-challenged NL, Max Scherzer is so hyped it's scary, and Doug Davis is ultra-solid...there are no holes there on paper.... The lineup is young and potentially dynamic with respect to Stephen Drew (My favorite Non-hanley young SS), Justin Upton, Chris Young, Conor Jackson and the like (Even the ultra-underrated Chris Snyder at Catcher)...they have issues with strikeouts (hm, Mark Reynolds, hm) but overall....very, very good top-to-bottom....sounds too good to be true so far right? We haven't reached their question mark bullpen....There are some guys you can count on to get outs (Chad Qualls, Jon Rauch, Scott Schoenweis) but who closes? right now the money is on Qualls, but that doesn't inspire confidence....but in the end, I love this team... X-Factors: Scherzer, Upton, What to do with Jackson/Chad Tracy
- Los Angeles Dodgers- Potentially the best OF in the major leagues is what jumps out to me...You know about Manny...but Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are both extremely talented and will produce....and Juan Pierre is a good 4th outfielder even if he can't throw the ball to the infield... How bout this for underrated pickups? They snatched Orlando Cabrera for next to nothing, and teaming him with James Loney, and a healthy Rafael Furcal....nice double play combo.... oh yea...and they have a top-3 catcher in Russell Martin...basically, easily the best lineup in this division...the problem? Pitching... After Chad Billingsley and Hideki Kuroda...nothing but questions...Clayton Kershaw could be very good, but we don't know yet...Randy Wolf is spotty.... and in the 5 slot? Eric Milton maybe? Yeesh.... and the bullpen isn't set either...Broxton will close and do it well...but their once-reliable bridge is gone (Saito to Boston, etc.)....They'll challenge.... X-Factors: Kershaw!, 3rd base production, Bullpen outside of Broxton
- San Francisco Giants- Hmmm, I know I'm high on this division this year when I like the 3rd place team.... They can pitch with anybody...Lincecum is dominant, Cain is solid, Randy Johnson and Zito (who pitched decently in the 2nd half) should be consistent.... and Sanchez has upside in the 5 hole... The problem, as always, lies with the lineup...I liked the Renteria pickup (though they overpaid) and they'll get decent production from Rowand, and Randy Winn...but too much of the pop falls on unproven Pablo Sandoval, and Travis Ishikawa....I'll pass.... Brian Wilson anchors a semi-questionable pen...I love pitching first and foremost so I won't sleep on them...but not quite contenders... X-Factors: Zito and Johnson being healthy/productive, The corner IF kids, bullpen
- Colorado Rockies- As much as I'm down on them, I'm down on San Diego more lol.... Atkins and Hawpe will hit as they always do...and I think Tulowitzki bounces back in a big way...but what else is there? Helton is suspect at this point, and the other 2 OF spots are being manned by guys who have never produced at this level... and the pitching is always a mess... I like Aaron Cook and Ubaldo Jimenez...but 3-5.....My god....Jason Marquis could be okay, but Jorge De La Rosa and Company don't do it for me....a brightspot? They have 2 guys that could both close in Huston Street, and Manny Corpas...so that's not bad....and that's the reason I'll keep them out of the basement.... X-Factors: Todd Helton (is he alive?), Tulo's bounceback, Rotation backend
- San Diego Padres- Wanna know what I'm sure of in San Diego? Jake Peavy can pitch and Adrian Gonzalez can hit....that's all....everything else is ?????? Chase Headley in LF has good reviews but is unproven and Jody Gerut and Brian Giles are...mediocre.... the middle infield provides good defense but no pop, and Kevin Kouzmanoff is nothing above average at 3rd.... Chris Young is a decent #2 in the NL...but 3-5 consists of 4 guys with nothing proven between them battling for 3 spots.... the bullpen? Most indicative of their unwillingness to spend money....there are 4 major leaguers on the roster out of the pen...they need at least 7 guys down there....i.e. guys making the minimum....a total mess....X-Factors: Everything that isn't Peavy and Gonzalez...right?
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