2k9 divisiOnal preview -- NL West
it is time for Wayward O's annual look around the MLB & question for each team & 2009 predictions! this is exciting. this is scintillating. this is nifty!
and now, without further ado, a question for each team in NL West...
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: The acquisition of Jon Garland -- and a healthier Doug Davis --should make team's pitching even stronger. But where is the 100-RBI man? The D-backs had nonesuch last year on way to 82-80 finish. Still if Garland puts up a 14-8, like he did in 2008 for Angels, that would put D-backs at 88-74.
COLORADO ROCKIES: Team lost its best hitter as Matt Holliday left for Oakland. Can young Garry Smith pick up the slack in LF? Doubtful. A tip of the cap, however, to career Rocks pitcher Aaron Cook who has a lifetime sub-4 ERA and went 16-9 last year in a hitter-friendly park. For team to be successful they will need aging Todd Helton to rebound after back surgery late last year -- after a season in which his numbers fell off a cliff. BONUS QUESTION: Is Huston Street as good a closer as Brian Fuentes? Methinks he's a step down.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS: With its stockpiled talent and big payroll, how come this team underachieves every single year? Must be the L.A. sunshine. Manny Ramirez will be a distraction; it's just a matter of whether it hurts the team. Also Joe Torre may finally have lost his mojo with all that off-season book business. All that notwithstanding, the Dodgers cruise. If the definition of cruise is a high 80s, low 90s-win year good enough to win division and get eliminated in early October.
SAN DIEGO PADRES: The '08 version lost 99 games after the '07 version came within one out of making the postseason. The Greg Maddux experiment was a bust. Now the Padres are auditioning young arms and hoping to rebuild. What should you look for in the 09 version? How about trade deadline moves ... for example, Wayward O could see Brian Giles moving to a contender.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: Can they be terrible again given their talented pitching staff? Nope. They should improve ... to third place. Fred Lewis, their young LF, doesn't get the attention that Lincecum and Cain get but he had a very nice '08 and will be a key for the offense.
* wild card contender
and now, without further ado, a question for each team in NL West...
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: The acquisition of Jon Garland -- and a healthier Doug Davis --should make team's pitching even stronger. But where is the 100-RBI man? The D-backs had nonesuch last year on way to 82-80 finish. Still if Garland puts up a 14-8, like he did in 2008 for Angels, that would put D-backs at 88-74.
COLORADO ROCKIES: Team lost its best hitter as Matt Holliday left for Oakland. Can young Garry Smith pick up the slack in LF? Doubtful. A tip of the cap, however, to career Rocks pitcher Aaron Cook who has a lifetime sub-4 ERA and went 16-9 last year in a hitter-friendly park. For team to be successful they will need aging Todd Helton to rebound after back surgery late last year -- after a season in which his numbers fell off a cliff. BONUS QUESTION: Is Huston Street as good a closer as Brian Fuentes? Methinks he's a step down.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS: With its stockpiled talent and big payroll, how come this team underachieves every single year? Must be the L.A. sunshine. Manny Ramirez will be a distraction; it's just a matter of whether it hurts the team. Also Joe Torre may finally have lost his mojo with all that off-season book business. All that notwithstanding, the Dodgers cruise. If the definition of cruise is a high 80s, low 90s-win year good enough to win division and get eliminated in early October.
SAN DIEGO PADRES: The '08 version lost 99 games after the '07 version came within one out of making the postseason. The Greg Maddux experiment was a bust. Now the Padres are auditioning young arms and hoping to rebuild. What should you look for in the 09 version? How about trade deadline moves ... for example, Wayward O could see Brian Giles moving to a contender.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: Can they be terrible again given their talented pitching staff? Nope. They should improve ... to third place. Fred Lewis, their young LF, doesn't get the attention that Lincecum and Cain get but he had a very nice '08 and will be a key for the offense.
Predicted Order of Finish:
Dodgers
Diamondbacks*
Giants
Rockies
Padres
Dodgers
Diamondbacks*
Giants
Rockies
Padres
* wild card contender
Labels: 2009 predictiOns
posted by the wayward o at
8:30 AM
3 Comments:
Love the annual predictions - we all get to blather and only YOU, Wayward, are accountable. I agree with your post with one BIG caveat - I think Joe Torre has MUCHO mojo now. Nobody is gonna mess with him (oh, maybe Manny will - but to his later chagrin). Dodgers by a LOT, and the WS too.
Yes!
I might also add that the Rocks lost their closer, Brian Fuentes.
At least the Wayward O has enough sense to understand the Dodgers Dominance of the West, and their lack of hutzpah in October. Nice job P.
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