Sports |
Rays
Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
Rays/MLB
NL West outlook
By Times Staff Writer
Published April 2, 2006
LOS ANGELES DODGERS
2005: 71-91, 4th.
MANAGER: Grady Little.
PAYROLL: $92-million.
KEY ADDITIONS: 1B Nomar Garciaparra, RHP Danys Baez, SS Rafael Furcal, 3B Bill Mueller.
KEY LOSS: RHP Jeff Weaver.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
SS Rafael Furcal .284, 12 HR, 58 RBIs.
CF Kenny Lofton .335, 2, 36.
RF J.D. Drew .286, 15, 36.
2B Jeff Kent .289, 29, 105.
1B Nomar Garciaparra .283, 9, 30.
3B Bill Mueller .295, 10, 62.
LF Jose Cruz .251, 18, 50.
C Dioner Navarro .273, 3, 14.
ROTATION: RHP Derek Lowe, RHP Brad Penny, LHP Odalis Perez, RHP Brett Tomko, RHP Jae Seo.
CLOSER: RHP Eric Gagne.
BOTTOM LINE: Some terrific free-agent additions and what should be a steady rotation give L.A. the edge in a weak division.
SAN DIEGO PADRES
2005: 82-80, 1st.
MANAGER: Bruce Bochy.
PAYROLL: $64-million.
KEY ADDITIONS: CF Mike Cameron, C Mike Piazza, RHP Dewon Brazelton.
KEY LOSSES: RHP Adam Eaton, 3B Sean Burroughs.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
LF Dave Roberts .275, 8 HR, 38 RBIs.
CF Mike Cameron .273, 34, 98.
RF Brian Giles .301, 15, 83.
C Mike Piazza .251, 19, 62.
1B Ryan Klesko .248, 18, 58.
3B Vinny Castilla .253, 12, 66.
SS Khalil Green .250, 15, 70.
2B Josh Barfield, .308, 15, 72.
ROTATION: RHP Jake Peavy, LHP Shawn Estes, RHP Chris Young, RHP Woody Williams, RHP Chan Ho Park.
CLOSER: RHP Trevor Hoffman.
BOTTOM LINE: The pitching is thin, and the lineup is old and not much improved from last season's, which would have been toast in any other division.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
2005: 75-87, 3rd.
MANAGER: Felipe Alou.
PAYROLL: $85-million.
KEY ADDITION: RHP Matt Morris.
KEY LOSS: LHP Scott Eyre.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
CF Randy Winn .306, 20 HR, 63 RBIs.
SS Omar Vizquel .271, 3, 45.
2B Ray Durham .290, 12, 62.
LF Barry Bonds .286, 5, 10.
RF Moises Alou .321, 19, 63.
3B Pedro Feliz .250, 20, 81.
1B Lance Niekro .252, 12, 46.
C Mike Matheny .242, 13, 59.
ROTATION: RHP Jason Schmidt, RHP Matt Morris, LHP Noah Lowry, RHP Matt Cain, RHP Jamey Wright.
CLOSER: RHP Armando Benitez.
BOTTOM LINE: Can the rotation average at least six innings a start? Can Bonds play 100 games? If either fails, the team is doomed.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
2005: 77-85, 2nd.
MANAGER: Bob Melvin.
PAYROLL: $60-million.
KEY ADDITIONS: 2B Orlando Hudson, RHP Miguel Batista.
KEY LOSSES: 3B Troy Glaus, RHP Javier Vazquez.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
SS Craig Counsell .256, 9 HR, 42 RBIs.
2B Orlando Hudson .271, 10, 63.
3B Chad Tracy .308, 27, 72.
LF Luis Gonzalez .271, 24, 79.
1B Conor Jackson .200, 2, 8.
RF Shawn Green .286, 22, 73.
C Johnny Estrada .261, 4, 39.
CF Eric Byrnes .226, 10, 40.
ROTATION: RHP Brandon Webb, RHP Orlando Hernandez, RHP Miguel Batista, RHP Russ Ortiz, RHP Claudio Vargas.
BOTTOM LINE: The bullpen must rebound from a terrible 2005.
COLORADO ROCKIES
2005: 67-95, 5th.
MANAGER: Clint Hurdle.
PAYROLL: $45-million.
KEY ADDITION: RHP Jose Mesa.
KEY LOSS: RHP Dan Miceli.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
CF Cory Sullivan .294, 4 HR, 30 RBIs.
SS Clint Barmes .289, 10, 46.
1B Todd Helton .320, 20, 79.
LF Matt Holliday .307, 19, 87.
3B Garrett Atkins .287, 13, 89.
RF Brad Hawpe .262, 9, 47.
2B Luis Gonzalez .292, 9, 44.
C Dan Ardoin .229, 6, 22.
ROTATION: RHP Jason Jennings, RHP Aaron Cook, LHP Jeff Francis, RHP Byung-Hyun Kim, RHP Sun-Woo Kim.
CLOSER: LHP Brian Fuentes.
BOTTOM LINE: Would anyone notice if this franchise just disappeared?
[Last modified April 2, 2006, 01:24:20]
Share your thoughts on this story
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Email editor
