Snake Bitten

As this series of prediction posts continues the next division on tap is the National League West. This is a pretty remarkable division in that it wasn't long ago that this division was the joke of the Majors, the National League Worst. Yet the teams of the West have been developing talent, making sound baseball decisions, and within the next few years could become a standard setting division in baseball. With the powerhouse rotations in Arizona and San Diego, the remarkable line-up in Colorado, and the potential for growth for the Dodgers under Joe Torre things are looking up for the boys out West. I don't mention the Giants in that conversation because in spite of some promising young pitching they'll be in a rebuilding phase for a bit.

All the information listed above leads to some trouble on my part deciding who my pick is to win the division. There are plenty of variables involved, like the health of Mark Prior, the potential for the D-Backs to struggle offensively again this year, or the strange magic out in Denver last year. Yet when I look at the division it seems the Diamondbacks make the most sense. They won the division last year by the thinnest of margins, .5 game ahead of the Rockies and 1.5 games ahead of the Padres, and this year they'll be adding Dan Haren to their rotation to work with Brandon Webb. The potential for Haren this year is remarkable considering his brilliance in the AL and the normal bump in production for pitchers when they switch to the senior circuit. That, coupled with the expected progression of the youthful bats in the lineup such as OF Chris Young, point to a strong chance the Diamondbacks can build on their surprising division win last year.


Now, I certainly don't make that pick with a ton of confidence. I don't expect the Diamondbacks to run away with the division as my friend Ryan does. While the Diamondbacks have brilliant pitching lets not forget the Jake Peavy/Chris Young (no relation) combo pitching over at Petco. And if Chris Prior can defy the odds and stay healthy it could be the Padres running away with the division as Adrian Gonzalez provides more than enough offense to win with that 1,2,3 punch. Yet I'm not about to make my pick relying on the health of Mark Prior, although it could happen, stranger things certainly have.

So, the picks thus far are:
NATIONAL LEAGUE
East: New York Mets
Central: Chicago Cubs
West: Arizona Diamondbacks