Polaroid
I need a tittle
- Since
- Jan 21, 2010
- Messages
- 2,890
- Score
- 3
- Tokens
- 0
With opening day getting ever closer, we are going to take a look at the six divisions, the PECOTA predictions for win totals and the Pinnacle odds for division winners, AL/NL Pennant winners and World Series winners. Going from left to right across the country we start with the NL West.
San Diego Padres
It hasn't been the best couple of years for the Padres which pretty much started when former owner John Moores got a divorce from his wife Becky in 2008 which saw his stake in the club reduced along with the payroll. That saw Trevor Hoffman ending his 16 year tenure in San Diego at the end of the 2008 season and their Cy Young winning star pitcher Jake Peavy being traded to Chicago mid way through last season as part of the rebuilding process. Their biggest prospect for the future is going to be their two time All Star and Gold Glove winning first baseman Adrian Gonzalez but not for what he can do for the team but rather what level of prospects San Diego can trade him for before he enters free agency at the end of the 2011 season. Put simply, there is no quick fix in San Diego this season or in the foreseeable future.
San Francisco Giants
It's a tale of two trios in San Francisco. On one hand there is Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum and Pablo Sandoval which represent how well the Giants can do in drafting and developing young players. On the other hand we have Edgar Renteria, Aaron Rowand and Barry Zito they are all on the wrong side of 30, the trio represent almost 50% of the Giants total payroll in 2010 and it shows how bad the team plays the free agent market. As good as the top of the rotation is, it can't disguise the distinct lack of offense - if Lincecum breaks down then so do the Giants chances of being in the divisional race come September.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The owners are currently going through a divorce, payroll has been slashed by 20% in 2010 and the long term ownership of the franchise is unclear. Watch out, Los Angeles that's exactly how the Padres started down the slippery slope that they are years away from righting. As much as Manny Ramirez tried his hardest to keep the attention firmly on him since he got to Spring Training, the divorce proceedings - coupled with daily disclosures about the McCourts using the club as a secondary bank account - have overshadowed everything else about the team. If we ignore that fact that there may be a forced sale of the team in 2010 then on the field things look better especially for the longer term as they can build a team around their 2009 Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Matt Kemp as well as two young pitchers in the form of Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw. And if Manny can put his pregnancy issues to one side and play like he wants a contract somewhere for 2011, the Dodgers have a fighting chance in the NL West.
Arizona Diamondbacks
After coming off a 70 win season in 2009 that left them in the cellar of the NL West, Arizona are predicted a little bounce in 2010. With Dan Haren, Edwin Jackson and a hopefully fit Brandon Webb the Diamondbacks certainly pack a punch in their rotation and an offense with Mark Reynolds and Justin Upton is predicted to put them second in runs scored in the division. Having Brandon Webb fit for the full season will be the key to them being a contender rather than finishing mid-table.
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies finished three games behind the Dodgers in 2009 after winning a franchise record 92 games in the process and this could be their year to take the division. Following a dire start to last season where the Rockies were 18-28 and bottom of the division, the Rockies sacked manager Clint Hurdle and replaced him with bench coach Jim Tracy who guided the team to a 74-42 finish to secure the NL Wild Card and to secure Tracy the NL Manager of the Year. As one of the most home grown teams in baseball, there isn't a lot wrong with the Rockies and there are no major weaknesses. And last year, the Rockies did the business on both sides of the game they were the only MLB side to finish in the top seven in both OPS and OPS against and were second in the NL in runs scored. Prior to Spring Training, the only questionable aspect of the Rockies was their bullpen which has intensified now that their closer Huston Street makes another return to the DL. But with relief pitching coming cheap, it shouldn't be too difficult to rectify this setback.
.
San Diego Padres
It hasn't been the best couple of years for the Padres which pretty much started when former owner John Moores got a divorce from his wife Becky in 2008 which saw his stake in the club reduced along with the payroll. That saw Trevor Hoffman ending his 16 year tenure in San Diego at the end of the 2008 season and their Cy Young winning star pitcher Jake Peavy being traded to Chicago mid way through last season as part of the rebuilding process. Their biggest prospect for the future is going to be their two time All Star and Gold Glove winning first baseman Adrian Gonzalez but not for what he can do for the team but rather what level of prospects San Diego can trade him for before he enters free agency at the end of the 2011 season. Put simply, there is no quick fix in San Diego this season or in the foreseeable future.
San Francisco Giants
It's a tale of two trios in San Francisco. On one hand there is Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum and Pablo Sandoval which represent how well the Giants can do in drafting and developing young players. On the other hand we have Edgar Renteria, Aaron Rowand and Barry Zito they are all on the wrong side of 30, the trio represent almost 50% of the Giants total payroll in 2010 and it shows how bad the team plays the free agent market. As good as the top of the rotation is, it can't disguise the distinct lack of offense - if Lincecum breaks down then so do the Giants chances of being in the divisional race come September.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The owners are currently going through a divorce, payroll has been slashed by 20% in 2010 and the long term ownership of the franchise is unclear. Watch out, Los Angeles that's exactly how the Padres started down the slippery slope that they are years away from righting. As much as Manny Ramirez tried his hardest to keep the attention firmly on him since he got to Spring Training, the divorce proceedings - coupled with daily disclosures about the McCourts using the club as a secondary bank account - have overshadowed everything else about the team. If we ignore that fact that there may be a forced sale of the team in 2010 then on the field things look better especially for the longer term as they can build a team around their 2009 Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Matt Kemp as well as two young pitchers in the form of Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw. And if Manny can put his pregnancy issues to one side and play like he wants a contract somewhere for 2011, the Dodgers have a fighting chance in the NL West.
Arizona Diamondbacks
After coming off a 70 win season in 2009 that left them in the cellar of the NL West, Arizona are predicted a little bounce in 2010. With Dan Haren, Edwin Jackson and a hopefully fit Brandon Webb the Diamondbacks certainly pack a punch in their rotation and an offense with Mark Reynolds and Justin Upton is predicted to put them second in runs scored in the division. Having Brandon Webb fit for the full season will be the key to them being a contender rather than finishing mid-table.
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies finished three games behind the Dodgers in 2009 after winning a franchise record 92 games in the process and this could be their year to take the division. Following a dire start to last season where the Rockies were 18-28 and bottom of the division, the Rockies sacked manager Clint Hurdle and replaced him with bench coach Jim Tracy who guided the team to a 74-42 finish to secure the NL Wild Card and to secure Tracy the NL Manager of the Year. As one of the most home grown teams in baseball, there isn't a lot wrong with the Rockies and there are no major weaknesses. And last year, the Rockies did the business on both sides of the game they were the only MLB side to finish in the top seven in both OPS and OPS against and were second in the NL in runs scored. Prior to Spring Training, the only questionable aspect of the Rockies was their bullpen which has intensified now that their closer Huston Street makes another return to the DL. But with relief pitching coming cheap, it shouldn't be too difficult to rectify this setback.
.
