2007 NL West Preview

Teams in the NL West are not known for putting up a lot of wins, which makes this a tight division that’s often not decided until the final week. According to the baseball odds If it’s possible, the national league west division looks even tighter this year. Onto the 2007 NL West Preview.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are primed for a run at the World Series. They’ve got a fine pitching staff and batters that hit for average. There’s very little power in the line-up but that hasn’t stopped them from scoring runs in the past. Grady Little handled the team well in his first year at the helm. They look good enough to take first-place or to win the Wild Card.

The San Diego Padres have been the dominant team in the division for the past three years. They are still very good. Their pitching staff is on par with the Dodgers but their hitting is not as sound. Rookie manager Bud Black is a longtime baseball man who looks to continue the Padres’ winning ways.

The Colorado Rockies have a questionable pitching staff, that’s youthful and talented but not as deep as they’d like. The Rockies bring a fine bunch of batters up to the plate and their fielding is some of the best in the league. Manager Clint Hurdle is expected to get this team to the next step—a winning season (something Maddux Sports is hoping to provide with our baseball picks again this season) where they are competitive until the very end.

What’s new in Arizona is something that’s old. Randy Johnson is back in town and the hope is that the aging but still effective hurler can get this club back to the post-season. RHP Brandon Webb is one of the best in the game and the pitching staff is relatively deep. There are some good hitters but more offensive output is needed, while the fielding, which was fine in the past, has been upgraded.

Bringing up the rear in the NL West are the San Francisco Giants. The fact is, like any of the teams in the West, the Giants could end up being competitive. But Barry Bonds may be more of a liability than an asset and the pitching, which has great potential, also has many concerns. The closing role is unsettled. New manager Bruce Bochy is a smart veteran coach.

National League West Predictions

Projected Order of Finish:
Click on team name for individual team preview.

1) Los Angeles Dodgers
2) San Diego Padres
3) Colorado Rockies
4) Arizona Diamondbacks
5) San Francisco Giants