National League West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers have one of the most complete teams in baseball, and having the best pitcher in the league doesn’t hurt either. Clayton Kershaw has eclipsed 200 strikeouts for five consecutive seasons while keeping his ERA below two for the past two seasons and winning three Cy Young awards.
Kershaw and Zack Greinke head a rotation that is otherwise questionable at the back end. Hyun-Jin Ryu will begin the season on the DL with a shoulder injury, and Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson both have an extensive injury history.
Closer Kenley Jansen is also on the DL due to foot surgery, and the bullpen was already the Dodgers’ biggest weakness. Their lineup will be even better though with the addition of second baseman Howie Kendrick and shortstop Jimmy Rollins, and catcher Yasmani Grandal and outfielder Joc Pederson will play their first full seasons in the Dodgers lineup.
The loss of Hanley Ramirez should be no big deal, especially if Yasiel Puig and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez can continue to provide power. Puig and Pederson are both capable of putting together 20-20 seasons, and Gonzalez is a virtual lock for 20 home runs and 100 RBIs.
2. San Diego Padres
Despite the Dodgers being too talented to be dethroned as NL West champions, the Padres will be giving them a run for their money after an exciting offseason. General manager A.J. Preller immediately made his mark by trading for outfielder Justin Upton, Matt Kemp and Wil Myers. He also acquired closer Craig Kimbrel and signed starting pitcher James Shields.
Despite these flashy moves by the Padres front office, their infield is still a weakness. Second baseman Jedd Gyorko has plenty of pop, but he and the rest of their infield are young and unproven.
The rotation and bullpen will be enough to make them a contender though, as Tyson Ross and Ian Kennedy are reliable second and third starters. Andrew Cashner also has the makings of a potential future ace, and Kimbrel and Joaquin Benoit will make a terrific bullpen duo.
3. San Francisco Giants
They may have won the World Series, but the Giants have never returned to the playoffs after winning a championship since their dynasty began in 2010. This year should be no different as the team made no upgrades while losing third baseman Pablo Sandoval. Nori Aoki will be their new left fielder, but their lineup will not make any team shake in their boots when catcher Buster Posey is not batting.
The rotation is also mediocre as soon as World Series legend Madison Bumgarner is not on the mound. Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum are past their primes, and Tim Hudson is now 39 years old.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks have little to no pitching, but their hitting will be enough for them to win some games. Unfortunately, their pitching will make them unable to keep up with the Dodgers and Padres and will knock them out of contention well before the season ends. Josh Collmenter is not a No. 1-caliber starter, but he is the Diamondbacks’ best option. Jeremy Hellickson has fallen off since 2012, and their bullpen is not any better as Addison Reed has never been able to keep his ERA under 3.50.
The lineup has plenty of power, which comes from first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and outfielder Mark Trumbo, who can hit 30 home runs when healthy. However, he will need to cut down on strikeouts. Outfielder A.J. Pollock is a solid contact hitter who can hit for power and steal his fair share of bags.
5. Colorado Rockies
The Rockies may have the worst pitching in the majors, and Opening Day pitcher Kyle Kendrick is a No. 5 starter at best in most rotations. This must be frustrating for the offense, which features plenty of great hitters. Troy Tulowitzki is the best shortstop in baseball.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado and outfielder Corey Dickerson are entering their primes as outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is hoping to put an injury-filled 2014 season behind him. The bullpen is not much better than the rotation as 42-year-old LaTroy Hawkins will be the Rockies’ closer.
Here are the American League postseason predictions…
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