| National League West |
W | L | GB |
| X-Los Angeles Dodgers | 95 | 67 | — |
| Y-San Francisco Giants | 90 | 72 | 5 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 84 | 78 | 11 |
| Colorado Rockies | 76 | 86 | 19 |
| San Diego Padres | 72 | 90 | 23 |
X-Clinched Division
Y-Clinched Wild Card
Los Angeles Dodgers
Once again there is a buzz in Southern California in regards to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers returned the postseason last year after a three-year absence and they were just two wins away from the World Series. But led by manager Don Mattingly, the Dodgers are hopeful that they have the nucleus needed for them to win their first World Series Championship since 1988.
A 30-42 start to 2013 had Mattingly on the verge of being fired last season before things got turned around in Los Angeles. However a slow start for the Dodgers in 2014 will not be as easy for the Los Angeles to overcome due to the fact that the National League West should be an improved division this season.
For Mattingly, he must find a way to field a healthy Dodgers team in 2014. Of the eight projected positional starters for the Dodgers on the Opening Day of 2014, only two of them appeared in at least 140 games last season.
When healthy the Dodgers have potential National League MVP candidates in first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, shortstop Hanley Ramirez, and outfielder Yasiel Puig. Gonzalez led the Dodgers last season in batting average (.293), home runs (22), runs batted in (100), and hits (171). On this talented Dodgers club, Gonzalez is the clean-up hitter who could flirt with the 30 home run mark this season. Ramirez is entering the final year of his contract and at the age of 30 this will be his last chance to a get a big money contract while playing Major League Baseball. I expect Ramirez to be healthy this season as he could potentially contribute with a .315 batting average to go along with 25 home runs and 100 runs batted in. But the X-factor for the Dodgers could be Puig. In just 104 games last season, Puig set the NL on fire as he finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting. Puig had a .319 batting average along with a .391 on-base percentage, 19 home runs, and 42 runs batted in. Puig could hit in several spots in the Dodgers lineup, but you can expect to see him a ton in the two hole this season. Mattingly must control Puig and his wild ways. Puig is a free spirit who plays the game with reckless abandon, but at times he can become lethargic. If Puig is on top of his game this season, he could hit 30 home runs while also swiping 30 stolen bases in 2014.
Mattingly has an embarrassment of riches with the Dodgers. Along with Puig, the Dodgers have three other All-Star caliber outfielders in Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, and Matt Kemp. After finishing as the runner-up in the 2011 National League MVP balloting, injuries have derailed Kemp in the past two seasons and he has only appeared in 179 games. Right now Kemp is the odd man out in the Dodgers outfield, but that exclusion should make him more hungry heading into the season. The knee problems that have affected Ethier recently could still linger, but he has learned to play through the pain and contribute in the Dodgers lineup. If Mattingly can get 135 efficient games out of Ehtier this season, that will go along way in helping the Dodgers once again reach the postseason. At the beginning of 2013, Crawford started the season on the disabled list as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. If Crawford can remain healthy he has the ability to steal 25 bases at the top of the Dodgers lineup.
Last season the Dodgers team earned run average of 3.25 was second in the NL and once again they’ll be led by one of the most dominant starting pitchers in baseball by the name of Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw’s 16-9 record last season with an earned run average of 1.83 was good enough for him to earn his second National League Cy Young Award. During the winter Kershaw signed a seven-year $215 million extension with the Dodgers and you can expect him to aim to win 20 games this season for the second time in his brief MLB career. Along with the Kershaw, Dodgers starting pitchers Zack Grienke and Hyun-Jin Ryu give Los Angeles three dominant pitchers in their rotation. After winning 16 games as a member of the Los Angeles Angels in 2011, starting pitcher Dan Haren’s MLB career has taken a step back. At 33-years of age, if Haren can provide some depth at the back of the Dodgers starting rotation it will put a smile on the faces of both Mattingly and Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti. After being a big-time postseason pitcher with the Florida Marlins and the Boston Red Sox, starting pitcher Josh Beckett has become an oft-injured player with the Dodgers as he only appeared in 8 games last season. Like Haren, Beckett is 33-years of age and he is just looking to provide some depth for the Dodgers at the back of their rotation.
There isn’t a shortage of quality arms that Matitngly can use out of the Dodgers bullpen, but Kenley Jansen is the man that will be entrusted with closing out games in the ninth inning. The Dodgers still have former closing pitchers Brian Wilson and Brandon League in the bullpen and if Jansen were to slip up and Mattingly would not hesitate in giving one of them a chance in the ninth.
The Dodgers have all of the talent in the world and this season will surely be World Series or bust in Hollywood.
Giants starting pitcher Matt Cain has been durable, but he will once again look to reach the 200 innings pitched mark in 2014 after failing to accomplish it last season as it was the first season in which he was unable to reach the mark after hitting it in each campaign since 2007. By the age of 25, Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum was a two-time NL Cy Young Award winner. In the last three seasons Lincecum has lost 43 games and he has been unable to post a winning record in any of those years. Lincecum is only 29-years of age, but he had to refine his game as he is no longer the power pitcher that he was four years ago. In 15 seasons in Major League Baseball, starting pitcher Tim Hudson has enjoyed a career that has seen him win a combined 205 games with the Oakland Athletics and the Atlanta Braves. Now Hudson brings his veteran savvy back to the Bay Area in the hopes of winning a World Series Championship.
When the 2014 MLB season commences Giants catcher Buster Posey will be 27-years of age. After winning the National League’s MVP award in 2012, Posey will once again be a logical candidate to take home the hardware this season. In the winter Giants general manager Brian Sabean signed outfielder Hunter Pence to a five-year, $90 million extension to provide some protection in San Francisco’s lineup for Posey. For his seven-year MLB career, Pence is a career .285 hitter that has the potential to hit 25 home runs this season with 90 runs batted in. The Giants are hopeful that outfielder/first baseman Mike Morse will resemble the player that he was in 2011 when he launched 31 home runs as a member of the Washington Nationals. Morse has been hit by the injury bug throughout his career, but he could provide the long ball for the Giants this season if he remains healthy. Injuries have also derailed the career of Giants outfielder Angel Pagan who has never appeared in all 162 during his eight-year MLB career. Pagan led the National League in triples in 2012 with 15, but he was limited to just 71 games last season. It will imperative for Pagan to stay healthy and once again become the table setter in San Francisco. The Giants never know what version of their third baseman Pablo Sandoval that they are getting, but Bochy and Sabean are hopeful that they’re getting the focused Sandoval in 2014. As Sandoval’s weight has increased in the past few seasons, his production has dipped. But Sandoval needs to be disciplined off of the field as well as at the plate due to the fact that he needs to improve on his .279 batting average from last season.
The Diamondbacks scored 685 runs last season which was fifth in the NL and they should once again have a high octane offense. In just three seasons Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has emerged as one of the best players in the National League. Goldschmidt hit 36 home runs with 125 runs batted in last season as he led the NL in both categories and in the process he finished second in the NL’s MVP race. Chase Field in Phoenix is a hitter-friendly park and this season Goldschmidt could eclipse the 40 home run mark. Aside from Goldschmidt last season, no other Diamondbacks player hit more 14 than home runs, but that should change this season being that Arizona acquired first baseman/outfielder Mark Trumbo from the Los Angeles Angels. Trumbo struck out 184 times last season, but he still managed to hit 34 home runs while driving in 100 runs. This season Goldschmidt and Trumbo have the ability to become the first duo for the Diamondbacks to each hit at least 30 home runs in a season since Reggie Sanders and Luis Gonzalez in 2001 which was the year that Arizona won the World Series Championship.
The Rockies traded outfielder Dexter Fowler to the Houston Astros in the off-season. The Fowler trade will now allow Carlos Gonzalez to move from left field to center field in Denver. Last season the Rockies had seven players hit at least 10 home runs and you can once again expect Colorado’s lineup to put a charge into the baseball. When healthy, Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is one of the best power hitters in the National League, but it will all come down to Weiss keeping him on the field as he has not appeared in at least 140 games in the past two seasons due to injury. Longtime Rockies first baseman Todd Helton retired, but Colorado hasn’t skipped a beat as Justin Morneau was signed to play first base. Morneau is a former American League MVP and at 32-years of age he isn’t the player that he was with the Minnesota Twins, but he can still provide some depth to the Rockies lineup. Last season Rockies outfielder Michael Cuddyer led the NL in batting average at .331, but can Weiss depend on the 35-year old outfielder to do it again in 2014?
Last season the Padres team earned run average of 3.98 was 11th in the National League, but Black should have some optimism heading 2014 with his pitching staff. Last season Eric Stults was the only Padres starting pitcher that logged at least 200 innings of work. Padres starting pitcher Andrew Cashner is entering just his second season as a starter and he is attempting to become more durable as he has the look of a young stud that can win 15 games this season. For Black and Padres general manager Josh Byrnes they don’t know what they are going to get from starting pitchers Josh Johnson and Ian Kennedy. Johnson was a 15-game winner for the Florida Marlins in 2009, but arm problems have sidetracked a once promising career. Johnson is now 30-years old and he is trying to rekindle the fire that once made him a future star in baseball. After winning 21 games in 2011, Kennedy fell out of favor with the Arizona Diamonbacks before being traded to the Padres last season. Kennedy should benefit from pitching at Petco Park this season which has historically been a pitcher friendly ballpark.Getting off to a quick this season will be imperative for the Padres in order to gain confidence and traction within the National League West.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
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