Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks suffered their second consecutive season in the NL West cellar in 2010. The team fired manager A.J. Hinch in July and replaced him with Kirk Gibson, who returns as manager for 2011. Arizona didn’t pursue any major free agents over the winter and will look to improve from within after brutal seasons both at the plate and on the mound.
The offense led all of baseball with a staggering 1,529 strikeouts. Despite this, the offense has some firepower. RF Justin Upton was a slight disappointment in 2010, but this could have been due to injuries. He still has massive upside even with the high number of strikeouts. CF Chris Young had a very nice bounce back season after a brutal 2009 campaign, and like Upton, he provides the potential to hit homers and steal bases.
2B Kelly Johnson also bounced back nicely in 2010 and does a nice job of getting on base and hitting for power. SS Stephen Drew is not a star but does a lot of things well and serves as a very steady option near the top of the order. C Miguel Montero missed time in 2010 but will hit some homers if he remains healthy. Power-hitting Russell Branyan and former Yankee Juan Miranda are battling for the first base job.
The pitching staff had a rough time getting outs in 2010, and likely won’t wow anyone in 2011 either. RH Ian Kennedy quietly had a decent campaign and should provide plenty of innings once again. RH Daniel Hudson was outstanding after being acquired from the White Sox in July, and looks to take another step forward. LH Joe Saunders has had success in the past but is inconsistent. RH Armando Galarraga has won a rotation slot after being acquired from Detroit, and the Diamondbacks would love to see him come close to throwing the perfect game he almost threw last season. RH J.J. Putz will serve as the closer, and he has dominant stuff although he hasn’t closed full-time in several years.
Gibson has some talent to work with in the desert, but expecting a winning season in 2011 is probably overly ambitious.
Projected finish: 5th
Colorado Rockies
Despite another solid campaign in Colorado, the Rockies finished in 3rd in the NL West and missed out on their third playoff berth in four seasons. Though the team did not sign any major free agents this offseason, the Rockies were not quiet by any means this winter. Star SS Troy Tulowitzki signed a six-year, $120 million extension to remain with the team, while OF Carlos Gonzalez parlayed his breakout season into a seven-year, $80.5 million deal.
Tulowitzki is one of the most complete shortstops in all of baseball, and his contract ensures that he will anchor the middle of the lineup for years to come. The same goes for Gonzalez, who blossomed in his first full season as a starter and is versatile enough to play any of the outfield positions.
The rest of the order needs to emerge for the Rockies to make a run. CF Dexter Fowler is poised for a breakout season atop the lineup assuming he can stay healthy. He runs extremely well and is terrific defensively. Longtime 1B Todd Helton is clearly on the downside of his career. 3B Ian Stewart has big power, but could begin the season on the DL and needs to cut down on his strikeouts. Ty Wigginton was signed away from Baltimore to provide versatility and power. Seth Smith and Ryan Spilborghs form a capable platoon in right field and will be counted on again for consistent production.
The rotation is solid at the top but needs some stability at the bottom. RH Ubaldo Jimenez was arguably the best pitcher in baseball in the first half of 2010, and has dominant stuff. LH Jorge de la Rosa re-signed with the club after testing free agency, and is expected to contribute even more in 2011. RH Jhoulys Chacin showed promise in his rookie season, and fellow RH Jason Hammel will be counted on to eat innings. RH Huston Street anchors the bullpen when healthy, but he will be pushed by hard-throwing RH Matt Lindstrom, who was acquired from Houston.
Manager Jim Tracy should have another competitive bunch in 2011. The Rockies are always a dangerous team and they will battle for the NL West title provided the injury bug avoids Coors Field.
Projected finish: 2nd
Los Angeles Dodgers
The 2010 season didn’t have a Hollywood ending for the Dodgers. It actually ended with a sub-.500 record for the first time since 2005. A mediocre pitching staff combined with a disappointing offense led to the down year in Los Angeles. The winter was also rough on the team. Manager Joe Torre stepped down, and to make matters worse, due to the divorce of the team’s owners and money being tied down, the team could not make any significant moves.
A major reason why the offense suffered in 2010 was the underwhelming season turned in by CF Matt Kemp. The future is still bright for Kemp, as proved by the fact he still hit 28 homers and stole 19 bases in a down season. RF Andre Ethier put up another consistent season at the plate, and his power from the left side is crucial for a team that only hit 120 homeruns in 2010. The success of the Dodger offense relies heavily on the production of Kemp and Ethier.
James Loney doesn’t have prototypical power for a first baseman, but he hit 41 doubles last season and hits right-handed pitching extremely well. SS Rafael Furcal can still hit, throw, and run extremely well, but staying healthy is becoming a yearly issue. Juan Uribe was signed away from San Francisco, and he provides power and versatility, though he will probably start at second base.
The pitching staff has the potential to be a bright spot for the Dodgers. LH Clayton Kershaw has emerged as a legitimate ace at the age of 23. He posted a 2.91 ERA with 212 strikeouts, and those numbers are attainable again. RH Chad Billingsley bounced back well in 2010 after a rough 2009 season. Veteran LH Ted Lilly quietly puts up very good numbers every year. The rotation is rounded out by solid right-handers Hiroki Kuroda and Jon Garland.
The closer role will fall back in the hands of massive RH Jonathan Broxton, who got the save in the All-Star game, then proceeded to lose his job as closer. He has the stuff to dominate, but he will have a short leash, as the Dodgers have many talented arms in the bullpen.
New manager Don Mattingly has coached with the team for several years, and he has a talented team, but it will be interesting to see the club’s focus during 2011 after a tumultuous year.
Projected finish: 3rd
San Diego Padres
Not even someone with a crystal ball could have foreseen a 90-win season for the Padres in 2010. They surprised everyone and missed the playoffs only after a loss on the last day to eventual World Series winner San Francisco. The offseason was a tough one for the Padres, as hometown hero Adrian Gonzalez was traded to Boston in a deal that replenished the farm system.
Petco Park is a notorious pitcher-friendly park, and losing the team’s top power hitter in Gonzalez places a huge dent in the Padre lineup. The team’s top returning hitters are 3B Chase Headley, who is solid but unspectacular, and RF Ryan Ludwick, who struggled after being acquired from St. Louis. Power will be sorely needed from these two if the offense expects to come close to replacing Gonzalez. The Padres are relying on a platoon of Brad Hawpe and Jorge Cantu to replace Gonzalez and provide serviceable numbers at a cheap price.
The Padres are excited about the new-look middle infield. 2B Orlando Hudson was signed as a free agent to provide a good clubhouse guy and a solid all-around player. SS Jason Bartlett comes over from Tampa Bay in a trade, and though his numbers took a hit in 2010, a rebound in offense coupled with good defense is expected. CF Cameron Maybin and RF Will Venable are exciting young players who provide upside on offense, defense, and on the basepaths.
San Diego was home to one of the best pitching staffs in baseball in 2010. RH Mat Latos put up fantastic numbers in his first full season, and he will be relied on heavily again. LH Clayton Richard was quietly very effective without dominant stuff. RH Tim Stauffer will be a full-time starter after a terrific 2010 season mostly in the bullpen. The closer role is held in the steady hands of RH Heath Bell. Bell has remained one of the best relievers in the NL even with trade rumors swirling around involving his name. Fellow right-handers Mike Adams and Luke Gregerson serve as quality setup men for Bell.
Manager Bud Black won the NL Manager of the Year for his guidance of the Padres in 2010. Unfortunately for him, the loss of Gonzalez will prevent the team from that kind of success in 2011.
Projected finish: 4th
San Francisco Giants
The Giants enter the 2011 season with one question: Where do we go from here? What a season it was by the Bay in 2010, as the Giants won 92 games and captured their first World Series title since 1954. The team felt confident enough in the bunch that won the title that no major acquisitions were made over the winter.
The Giants won the title despite lacking star power on offense. The closest thing to a star is C Buster Posey, who took baseball by storm in his rookie season, winning the NL Rookie of the Year award. His potent bat and solid defense makes him a vital cog in the lineup. 1B Aubrey Huff was an under-the-radar signing last winter, but he hit 26 homers and was resigned this offseason. 3B Pablo Sandoval, the Kung Fu Panda, has lost weight this winter and looks to regain his offensive numbers from 2009 when he hit .330.
The outfield was full of unlikely heroes in 2010. CF Andres Torres came from nowhere to put up fantastic all-around numbers at age 32, and he returns to bat leadoff. LF Pat Burrell was released by Tampa Bay in May, then proceeded to hit 20 homers for the Giants. Cody Ross was a postseason standout after being acquired from Florida, but he will begin the season on the DL. Because of this, top prospect Brandon Belt could make the club at first base and shift Huff to the outfield.
What more can be said about this pitching staff? It’s one of the best in baseball. RH Tim Lincecum couldn’t win his third straight NL Cy Young, but he put forth another phenomenal season in 2010 with 16 wins, a 3.43 ERA and 216 strikeouts. RH Matt Cain dominated throughout the playoffs and is a tremendous option to have as the number two starter. Left-handers Jonathan Sanchez and Madison Bumgarner provide the Giants with more quality arms in the middle of the rotation.
And then, there’s The Beard. If you follow the talk show circuit, odds are you saw Brian Wilson on television once or twice this winter. He emerged as one of the premier closers in baseball in 2010, and his popularity among baseball fans has skyrocketed due to his mid-90’s fastball, his prominent beard and his outlandish behavior.
With Bruce Bochy as manager, the Giants don’t have to worry about having a letdown 2011 campaign. This squad will remain focused and will again look to make a deep postseason run.
Projected finish: 1st
So to recap, here’s the projected finish for the NL West.
1. San Francisco
2. Colorado
3. Los Angeles
4. San Diego
5. Arizona
Give us feedback to let us know if you agree or disagree. Our next article will look into playoff predictions and projected award winners. See you then.
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