Casey Greer's 2008 MLB Season Preview
NL West
All baseball season previews have been compiled by Casey Greer.
Send Casey an e-mail here: caseymgreer@gmail.com
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: wpc112@gmail.com
Arizona Diamondbacks (90-72)
2007 Pythagorean* Record: 79-83
Key Additions:
Dan Haren, RHP
Trot Nixon, OF
Key Losses:
Jose Valverde, RHP
Livan Hernandez, RHP
Tony Clark, 1b
Carlos Quentin, OF
Summary: The D-backs overachieved in 2007. They were outscored by 20 runs last season, but still managed to fill the stat that matters, the W column. The addition of Dan Haren will certainly give Brandon Webb some breathing room. As long as the “Baby Backs”, the Diamondbacks bevy of young contributors, can remain productive, the Diamondbacks should be able to duplicate their record from 2007, while improving their Pythagorean W/L. The Diamondbacks' improvement may not show up in any conventional measure, namely Win/Loss Record, but they will be an improved team and look great going into the future. Unfortunately for the Diamondbacks, while the NL Champion Rockies stood pat or regressed in the offseason, excluding current player progression, the Dodgers and Padres both made moves that could pay off.
2008 Projection: 86-76
Colorado Rockies (90-73)
2007 Pythagorean* Record: 91-72
Key Additions:
Marcus Giles, 2b
Scott Podsednik, OF
Josh Towers, RHP
Kip Wells, RHP
Luis Vizcaino, RHP
Key Losses:
LaTroy Hawkins, RHP
Jorge Julio, RHP
Kazuo Matsui, 2b
Jeremy Affeldt, LHP
Josh Fogg, RHP
Summary: The biggest news in the high altitude of Denver, the home of the 2007 NL Champs, is that Far East product Kazuo Matsui has departed. The Rockies will not miss Matsui for long. Marcus Giles, who signed a minor-league deal, has an offensive skillset that will fit well in Coors Field. Giles has gap power, and walks a lot. The Rockies rode their bullpen to success last season, in a similar, but more successful fashion than the 2001, 116-win Seattle Mariners. The problem however, is that half of that bullpen is gone, and the rest of the bullpen had career years last season. Also, relief pitching is one of the most volatile statistics, and a hard one to rely on.
2008 Projection: 83-79
Los Angeles Dodgers (82-80)
2007 Pythagorean* Record: 82-80
Key Additions:
Hiroki Koruda, RHP
Andruw Jones, OF
Gary Bennett, C
Key Losses:
Luis Gonzalez, OF
Mark Hendrickson, LHP
Randy Wolf, LHP
Summary: In an offseason that included the signings of Andruw Jones, the long time Atlanta Braves outfielder, and Hiroki Koruda, a highly touted pitcher from Japan, the Dodgers' biggest addition of the offseason will be sitting in the dugout spitting sunflower seeds. The Dodgers hired the previously jettisoned Joe Torre, after the Yankees let him go. If Koruda can match Daisuke Matsuzaka's numbers from last year, which shouldn't be terribly difficult in the NL West, and Andruw Jones can return to form in some capacity, the Dodgers will be in business. Gary Bennett will provide adequate relief for Russell Martin, who played in 151 games last year, an unhealthy amount for a catcher. Jason Schmidt was hurt most of last year, and if he can return at even a fraction of his former self, the Dodgers may have the most formidable rotation in the National League. Chad Billingsley, who blossomed last year in the wake of Schmidt's absence, will likely shore up the back half of a rotation that already includes Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, and the aforementioned Koruda.
2008 Projection: 98-64
San Diego Padres (89-74)
2007 Pythagorean* Record: 89-74
Key Additions:
Tony Clark, 1b
Jim Edmonds, OF
Tadahito Iguchi, 2b
Mark Prior, RHP
Randy Wolf, LHP
Key Losses:
Geoff Blum, INF
Milton Bradley, OF
Doug Brocail, RHP
Mike Cameron, OF
Rob Mackowiak, OF
Bret Tomko, RHP
Summary: Behind the arm of 2007 NL Cy Young winner Jake Peavy, the Padres surprised a lot of people. Randy Wolf and Mark Prior both offered great risk/reward propositions for San Diego. Both are SoCal guys who could flourish close to home. I'll admit here, I have a man crush on Prior, and would like to point out that his injury problems started not on the mound, but running the bases, after colliding with former Padre Marcus Giles, as an Atlanta Brave. Giles is no longer a Padre, but remains in the same division. Padres' fans can only hope that the two don't cross paths, for the sake of Prior's now fragile right arm. My proficiency as a Prior apologist aside, the Padres have made a lot of lateral moves this offseason, in a division where other teams have improved.
2008 Projection: 84-78
San Francisco Giants (71-91)
2007 Pythagorean* Record: 77-85
Key Additions:
Aaron Rowand, OF
Key Losses:
Pedro Feliz, 3b
*Barry Bonds, OF
Summary: That asterisk really wasn't meant to be ironic. Barry Bonds is no longer a San Francisco Giant, but he hasn't signed anywhere. This was an extraordinarily quiet offseason for the Giants. Luckily, they can begin fielding questions that don't involve BALCO, the Cream, or the Clear. Unfortunately, numbers like .276/.480/.565 don't grow on trees, and aren't easily replaced. The Giants will be able to take a breath this year without its contents being analyzed for steroids, but will also take a severe step back as a beginning of their rebuilding process, a process which will include both their record, and their public image.
2008 Projection: 59-103
*Note (per BaseballReference.com) - The Pythagorean Theorem of Baseball is a creation of Bill James which relates the number of runs a team has scored and surrendered to its actual winning percentage, based on the idea that runs scored/runs allowed is a better indicator of a team's (future) performance than a team's actual winning percentage.
Back to the 2008 MLB Season Preview Home Page.
© 1999-2008 Walter Cherepinsky : all rights reserved
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Send Casey an e-mail here: caseymgreer@gmail.com
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: wpc112@gmail.com
Arizona Diamondbacks (90-72)
2007 Pythagorean* Record: 79-83
Key Additions:
Key Losses:
Summary: The D-backs overachieved in 2007. They were outscored by 20 runs last season, but still managed to fill the stat that matters, the W column. The addition of Dan Haren will certainly give Brandon Webb some breathing room. As long as the “Baby Backs”, the Diamondbacks bevy of young contributors, can remain productive, the Diamondbacks should be able to duplicate their record from 2007, while improving their Pythagorean W/L. The Diamondbacks' improvement may not show up in any conventional measure, namely Win/Loss Record, but they will be an improved team and look great going into the future. Unfortunately for the Diamondbacks, while the NL Champion Rockies stood pat or regressed in the offseason, excluding current player progression, the Dodgers and Padres both made moves that could pay off.
2008 Projection: 86-76
Colorado Rockies (90-73)
2007 Pythagorean* Record: 91-72
Key Additions:
Key Losses:
Summary: The biggest news in the high altitude of Denver, the home of the 2007 NL Champs, is that Far East product Kazuo Matsui has departed. The Rockies will not miss Matsui for long. Marcus Giles, who signed a minor-league deal, has an offensive skillset that will fit well in Coors Field. Giles has gap power, and walks a lot. The Rockies rode their bullpen to success last season, in a similar, but more successful fashion than the 2001, 116-win Seattle Mariners. The problem however, is that half of that bullpen is gone, and the rest of the bullpen had career years last season. Also, relief pitching is one of the most volatile statistics, and a hard one to rely on.
2008 Projection: 83-79
Los Angeles Dodgers (82-80)
2007 Pythagorean* Record: 82-80
Key Additions:
Key Losses:
Summary: In an offseason that included the signings of Andruw Jones, the long time Atlanta Braves outfielder, and Hiroki Koruda, a highly touted pitcher from Japan, the Dodgers' biggest addition of the offseason will be sitting in the dugout spitting sunflower seeds. The Dodgers hired the previously jettisoned Joe Torre, after the Yankees let him go. If Koruda can match Daisuke Matsuzaka's numbers from last year, which shouldn't be terribly difficult in the NL West, and Andruw Jones can return to form in some capacity, the Dodgers will be in business. Gary Bennett will provide adequate relief for Russell Martin, who played in 151 games last year, an unhealthy amount for a catcher. Jason Schmidt was hurt most of last year, and if he can return at even a fraction of his former self, the Dodgers may have the most formidable rotation in the National League. Chad Billingsley, who blossomed last year in the wake of Schmidt's absence, will likely shore up the back half of a rotation that already includes Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, and the aforementioned Koruda.
2008 Projection: 98-64
San Diego Padres (89-74)
2007 Pythagorean* Record: 89-74
Key Additions:
Key Losses:
Summary: Behind the arm of 2007 NL Cy Young winner Jake Peavy, the Padres surprised a lot of people. Randy Wolf and Mark Prior both offered great risk/reward propositions for San Diego. Both are SoCal guys who could flourish close to home. I'll admit here, I have a man crush on Prior, and would like to point out that his injury problems started not on the mound, but running the bases, after colliding with former Padre Marcus Giles, as an Atlanta Brave. Giles is no longer a Padre, but remains in the same division. Padres' fans can only hope that the two don't cross paths, for the sake of Prior's now fragile right arm. My proficiency as a Prior apologist aside, the Padres have made a lot of lateral moves this offseason, in a division where other teams have improved.
2008 Projection: 84-78
San Francisco Giants (71-91)
2007 Pythagorean* Record: 77-85
Key Additions:
Key Losses:
Summary: That asterisk really wasn't meant to be ironic. Barry Bonds is no longer a San Francisco Giant, but he hasn't signed anywhere. This was an extraordinarily quiet offseason for the Giants. Luckily, they can begin fielding questions that don't involve BALCO, the Cream, or the Clear. Unfortunately, numbers like .276/.480/.565 don't grow on trees, and aren't easily replaced. The Giants will be able to take a breath this year without its contents being analyzed for steroids, but will also take a severe step back as a beginning of their rebuilding process, a process which will include both their record, and their public image.
2008 Projection: 59-103
*Note (per BaseballReference.com) - The Pythagorean Theorem of Baseball is a creation of Bill James which relates the number of runs a team has scored and surrendered to its actual winning percentage, based on the idea that runs scored/runs allowed is a better indicator of a team's (future) performance than a team's actual winning percentage.
Back to the 2008 MLB Season Preview Home Page.
© 1999-2008 Walter Cherepinsky : all rights reserved
Privacy Policy
2 5 9