The National League West has many surprise teams, both good and bad.
Los Angeles Dodgers - First Place
The Dodgers hit the All-Star break with the best record in Baseball and they did it despite a 50 game suspension to their best player, Manny Ramirez. The Dodgers 1-8 may have the deepest lineup in the league. Their pitching has also been strong led by ace Chad Billingsley and closer Jonathon Broxton. This team has a very good chance to go all the way this year.
San Francisco Giants - 7 Games Back
The Giants, surprisingly, lead the wild-card race. Their pitching, as expected, has been their strength led by studs Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain. Their offense is shaky but has done enough to get this team to the break 10 games over .500. They have played particularly well at home where they are a whopping 31-15. They could use another bat but if the pitching continues to be dominant they have an excellent chance to win the wild-card.
Colorado Rockies - 9 Games Back
The Rockies got off to a poor start this season, but an excellent June has put them back in contention. They have a strong offense led by All-Star Brad Hawpe. Their pitching has been inconsistent but All-Star Jason Marquis has been a pleasant surprise, leading the National League with 11 wins. Long-term, it is hard to see their pitching holding up enough to allow them to stary in the wild-card race.
Arizona Diamondbacks - 18.5 Games Back
The Diamondbacks have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball. Their offense has been up and down. Their pitching has been poor. They have been awful at home at 20-30. The injury to Brandon Webb certainly hurt, but does not excuse their terribly disappointing year. Dan Haren, who leads the league in E.R.A has been the lone bright spot for this team.
San Diego Padres - 20 Games Back
The Padres got off to a strong start this year, but have completely fallen apart of late. Their pitching has been poor and their offense has been anemic. They are the lowest scoring team in the league. Their lone bright spots have been All-Star Adrian Gonzalez, who is second in the league with 24 home runs, and Heath Bell, tied for the league lead in saves. Ace Jake Peavy, long rumored to be on the trading block, has been disappointing and the injury to Chis Young has also hurt them.
