waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get out of
going through all these things twice
WEST W L PCT GB HOME ROAD RS RA San Diego 35 25 .583 - 20-10 15-15 282 259 LA Dodgers 31 28 .525 3.5 17-16 14-12 286 288 Arizona 32 29 .525 3.5 17-14 15-15 270 315 San Francisco 25 33 .431 9 15-17 10-16 251 309 Colorado 19 39 .328 15 15-16 4-23 273 349The NL West is showing signs of settling into place - I wouldn't be surprised if the current standings are still in place when the season ends.
The Padres have cooled off a little, but so did the rest of the division. The Padres had a half game lead on Arizona at the last update - since then, San Diego went 7-6 but now stand 3.5 in front of Arizona and Los Angeles. They are emerging as the class of the division, the only team in the NL West that scores more runs than they allow. (Everybody in the NL East scores more runs than they allow. Except, of course, the team that's in first place. I'm glad I don't have to cope with that bunch.)
I think San Diego is going to win this division, quite comfortably, and there are three keys to the Padres season that should be noted:
1) The offense, despite playing in one of the better pitcher's parks in the major leagues, is fifth in the NL in runs scored. Brian Giles and Ryan Klesko are having superb seasons, although Petco depresses their numbers.
2) Jake Peavy and Adam Eaton are a combined 14-2 - but the rest of the rotation has not been getting it done. They badly need Woody Williams to come back and pitch well. The Padres have a very deep and very effective bullpen, and they've had to lean on it.
3) Geoff Blum. Blum is a backup infielder, but first Khalil Greene was hurt and now Mark Loretta has been lost for at least two months. Blum has done an excellent job filling the holes, so far.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have cooled off considerably since their rocket start - and now they seem to be just spinning their wheels. They also went 7-6 these past two weeks. Like the Padres, they play in a great pitcher's park, and have constructed a superb offense, and a mediocre pitching staff. The Dodgers have two good starters, in Lowe and Penny. But they're not as good as Eaton and Peavy, and the bullpen has been nowhere near as good San Diego's. The best news in Los Angeles is that J.D. Drew has started to heat up - that, and the return of Jayson Werth gives the Dodgers at least a fighting chance of slugging their way into wild card contention.
The Diamondbacks had a rough two weeks, going 4-9. But they're still 3 games above .500, and they're obviously going to win at least 20 and maybe 30 more games than they did last season. They're going to do this despite trading the two men who led them in almost every offensive category last season: Shea Hillenbrand and Steve Finley (who they traded before last season even ended.) They also traded a tall LH pitcher, but it looks like they may have pickd the perfect moment to cut that cord. They do not have a good offense at all, although Luis Gonzalez is finally showing signs of life. Otherwise, Craig Counsell draws walks, Troy Glaus hits home runs. When they combine those two events, they give their pitchers a chance. The D'Backs have the best rotation in the division - Webb, Vazquez, Halsey, have all been good, Estes has been average and Russ Ortiz hasn't been very good but Ortiz is at least able to soak up some innings. Which is important for this team, because their bullpen is very shallow.
The Giants had a wretched two weeks, going 2-10 and losing eight in a row. Felipe Alou or some strang magic force had somwhow kept them above water without Bonds, after losing Benitez, and with Jason Schmidt either missing or ineffective. But the crash finally came, and it's possible that all the king's horses and all the king's men may not put it all together again. The pitching staff is an utter ruin, a shambles - Brett Tomko is the only man on the staff who can be described as pitching well. The men who had surprisingly carried the offense in the absence of Bonds - Pedro Feliz, J.T. Snow, Jason Ellison, Edgardo Alfonzo - are all sinking back to the generally average to mediocre levels we all expected from them. Moises Alou is hitting, and he's about all there is. They won't have Barry until after the All-Star Break, and by then it may be too late.
The Rockies went 5-8, which is pretty good for them. Their road record is 4-23, which simply defies belief, and so does their ill luck. They introduce an exciting rookie, Clint Barmes having a wonderful season - and he trips on the stairs carrying the groceries and will be lost until September. Unbelievable.
As in not to be believed, apparently.
Oh mama! Can this really be the end?
