2014 NL West Preview – Brad Beneke

The Dodgers have the richest team with the most talent. They have no fear and their only weaknesses are health and overconfidence. They have the best young pitcher in the game in Clayton Kershaw, and four All-Star caliber outfielders and an RBI machine at first. If Hanley Ramirez is healthy all year the only possible flaw is AJ Ellis who is not a slouch behind the plate. The rotation is seven deep, the pen is stacked.

The Giants have stellar starting pitching. Buster Posey is an absolute stud and a proven leader. Brandon Belt showed signs of maturing last year, but the outfield is still questionable and no one in the NL has the firepower that the Dodgers do.

Arizona added Mark Trumbo’s bat without losing a key cog starter (though Tyler Skaggs is a top-notch prospect). It will help them, as would a healthy and focused Randall Delgado at the back of the rotation. If the bullpen doesn’t falter these guys could be a 90 win team with the best manager in the NL.

The Rockies are the NL Twins with Michael Cuddyer winning the batting title last year and Justin Morneau now searching for the Fountain of Youth in the thin air of Coors Field. But unless the pitching improves it doesn’t matter. Pitch to contact doesn’t work in Minnesota in a big field without altitude. In Colorado it’s deadly. The back of the rotation and the majority of the pen are wing-and-a-prayer guys.

The Padres could have an excellent rotation if they are healthy and focused. Adding Josh Johnson, who has been a top starter in the past when healthy, to the returning Ian Kennedy gives them two guys who’ve been there before. The problem is offense. No one hit .300, no one can get on base regularly, and no one came in to help them. This team is going to lose a lot of 4-3 and 3-1 kind of games. IF – and I mean IF – this team figures out how to score runs they will be entertaining, but David doesn’t beat Goliath very often or the story would have no meaning. Goliath 102, the David 77 is how I see it.

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