Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Pennant race tightening in NL West

There isn't much to boast about in the NL West as far as records are concerned. Right now it's a neck-and-neck between the D-backs and Dodgers who jockey for first place. Manny and Greg Maddux look to give L.A. the edge with 19 games left on the schedule. Brandon Webb had been red hot for the D-backs, but has not found the magic in previous starts to collect his 20th win. Between the two NL teams I think the Dodgers have the better offensive lineup with young guys and veterans with potent bats. The test will be who strives in the final 2 weeks of the season. It's either first place or bust because other contenders will stake claims for the wildcard.

As of today the Dodgers are atop the division at 73-71 with a 1.5 game lead. Since picking up Adam Dunn in a trade Arizona still can't be underestimated. Chris Young is another critical player in their run for the postseason. Plus, despite his age veteran Randy Johnson is still a force on the mound at times and gives teams trouble. I'm pushing for the Dodgers to win the division title because of their rich history and the fact they haven't been to a World Series for a long time. Much pressure is on Manager Joe Torre to help his team succeed in his first year. With Ramirez hitting and solid contributions from Casey Blake the club is well on their way.

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