FanNation - The Republic of Sport

This is the final blog for "Who will make the playoffs". It is just me and SS again. Well, let's get into it.

Past blogs:

AL East

AL Central

AL West

NL East

NL Central

NL West - Right NOW

San Diego Padres

Dyhard's Take: The Padres are 14 games back. All the players that are actually doing well are Giles, Peavy, Maddux and Gonzalez, and those 4 guys can't overcome the division, or the Cubs/Brewers. They aren't that good of a team, and their hitting is not good this year. They have a 4.34 Team ERA in a PITCHER'S ballpark.

Percentage:0%

SS's Take:14 games back, no shot at the Wild Card, It's Giles, Peavy, Maddux, and Gonzalez, and they aren't strong enough to bypass EVERY team in the division.

Percentage: 1x10^-3%

Arizona Diamondbacks

Dyhard's Take:The Arizona Diamondbacks have a good team, with good players. One thing that will hurt them a lot though is Hudson being injured. They already don't have that great of an offense, and now it is going to get worse. They are 10th in runs, SLG, 11th in OBP and OPS and they are 13th in BA and SB. Conor Jackson and Mark Reynolds are the D'backs top players in hitting, as Conor Jackson leading in OPS and RS, with Reynolds leading in HR, RBI and runs. They have Dan Haren and Brandon Webb leading the team pitching wise. This team will be effected by Hudson getting injured though.

Percentage:45%

SS's Take: They've got some great, great players in guys like Webb, Haren, Hudson, and Jackson...the problem with their team lies in the role players. Guys like Justin Upton, Chris Young, and Eric Byrnes didn't live up to the expectations of last year's production. Micah Owings and Doug Davis haven't been great, and it's ended up costing them games. The Diamondbacks need to turn around the key role players to hold off the Dodgers and Rockies, which I don't think they'll be able to do...

Percentage: 33.2%

San Francisco Giants

Dyhard's Take: The Giants have bad pitching, except for Tim Lececum. Fred Lewis, Bengie Molina, Aaron Rowand, and Randy Winn. The Giants don't really have a team that is really that good, with NONE of it's players batting over .300, which is really bad. They traded away Ray Duham, which is not going to help them out.

Percentage:2%

SS's Take: Somehow, at 50-67, they are only 9.5 games back, despite having really nothing besides Tim Lincecum and only five guys hitting above .270 (none above .300). I really don't think that they will make up that 9.5 game deficit with the team that they have assembled right now, especially after trading Ray Durham.

Percentage: 5%

Colorado Rockies

Dyhard's Take: The Rockies are the team that has the best shot to make the playoffs, other than the Dodgers and D'backs. The thing that is going to hurt them the most is their road record. They can score runs, and they have an okay rotation, but they have one problem, which is going to hurt them, but not as much as their road record will hurt them, and that is their home ballpark. They play in a hitters ballpark, which is going to hurt them, as the other team will be able to score more runs. and get more HRs.

Percentage:19%

SS's Take:Of the teams in the NL West not named the D-Backs and Dodgers, the Rockies have the best shot at making the playoffs. They are decent at home, but atrocious on the road. They've got a lineup that can score runs, especially Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins, and they've got a solid rotation anchored by Aaron Cook and Ubaldo Jimenez. The problem is that 20-40 road record, with half their remaining games away from Denver. If they can improve that, which I can see them doing against the teams they're facing, they will take the NL West again.

Percentage: 25%

Los Angeles Dodgers

Dyhard's Take:They Dodgers are a good team, and with acquiring Manny Ramirez at the deadline, it helps out a lot that he is there in LA. Matt Kemp and James Loney are leading the Dodgers in most categories, and Manny Ramirez is going to work well along side of Kemp and Loney. Kershaw, Billingsley and Lowe are good players, and they makes them a tough pitching staff, and they will be able to do well. Don't be surprised to see them get some consecutive solid outings. Also, Kuroka has been streaky, but when he is on, he is VERY good, and that will help the Dodgers out greatly. The Dodgers will win the NL West in my opinion.

Percentage:78%

SS's Take:The Dodgers improved their chances of making the playoffs tenfold when they acquired Manny Ramirez at the deadline. They now have a solid anchor at the middle of their lineup, one that can compliment Matt Kemp and James Loney. The rotation is solid with Kershaw, Billingsley, and Lowe, and the bullpen has some very solid players in it. The Dodgers are in a great spot to overtake the Diamondbacks and take the NL West.

Percentage: 66.5%