What does this mean for the rest of the NL West? I see the pads and dbacks as non-contenders. The dbacks, IMO, will likely be cellar dwellers. Currently shopping Mark Reynolds and previously rumored to be shopping Justin Upton, i get the sense that the dbacks are looking to dump payroll and are still rebuilding. Of the two, I look at the Padres as a team going through a transition. The loss of AGon means the padres will be relying heavily on young starting pitching, more so in 2011 than in 2010 due to an offense that struggled to score runs even with a force like AGon. With the amount of success the pads had in 2010, expectations will be high, but winning% wont be. This leaves the top 3 spots for the Rockies, Dodgers, and Giants. Its tough to envision 2 of these 3 finishing 3rd. The Rockies, seemingly always in contention come September, will be looking to bolster both the offense and the starting rotation this offseason, with much of the current roster still intact. The Giants, fresh of their first tiitle since moving to the bay, battle tested pitching staff clubhouse thong and all, have what it takes to win it all already in place. I see them as the favorites to win the west. The dodgers, on the other hand, are scratching and clawing their way through a nasty divorce, and have been tied to rumors involving key cogs in their once potent offense. They'll be dealing with how 1st yr manager DMattingly adjusts to being the skipper. Unable to see what the future has to hold for this franchise, it's even more difficult to see this team finshing in front of the rockies or giants.
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