NL West

[stephenvegas]

Any opinions on who you think will win the NL West?

It is a great division race as only 5 games separates the 1st place Padres from the last place Giants.

Current standings:

San Diego -
Arizona 2
Dodgers 2
Colorado 3.5
San Francisco 5

I am going with the Dodgers who have won 9 straight and picked up Las Vegas's own Greg Maddux at the trade deadline. I just wish the Dodgers did not have to trade Izturis to get Maddux because for a little while the Dodgers had I think perhaps the greatest defensive infield in baseball of Nomar, Kent, Furcal, and Izturis who were scooping up everything hit to them. I have been pretty impressed with them this year as Dodgers games are frequently shown on FOX Sports in Las Vegas.

I also think Arizona will fade because their pitching (outside of Brandon Webb and Livan Hernanadez who they just acquired today from Washington) is not as good.

[Knapik]

Being a Padre fan I appreciated the person that voted for them... but it's not going to happen. The Padres didn't make any moves, have some poor players, and need Brian Giles to step up and play like he can. The Dodgers made moves and really want to win it badly. The Padres will finish second to the Dodgers IMO by 5 or 6 games.

[stephenvegas]

The Dodgers have now made it 10 in a row as Jeff Kent came off the disabled list to knock in 3 runs! Tonight, Maddux is on the mound for the Dodgers.

[fredkc6cfb]

I've been a Dodger fan since Fernandomania. And while my boys in blue haven't given me much to cheer for nearly 20-years now... They're still my team and always will be.
Dodgers!!!!

[stephenvegas]

Updated NL West standings:

Dodgers -
San Diego 1.5
Arizona 1.5
Colorado 3.5
San Francisco 5.5

After winning 13 of their last 14 games, the Dodgers look great!

[stephenvegas]

The Dodgers are really starting to take command over the NL West as they now have a 3 1/2 game lead over both Arizona and San Diego.

Their win tonight over Florida means the Dodgers have now won 17 of their last 18 games! The last National League team to win 17 of 18 games was the 1986 New York Mets who went on to win the World Series that year. In terms of their own franchise histroy, the Dodgers have not won 17 out of 18 games like this since way back in 1899 when they were back in Brooklyn and they were then called the Brooklyn Superbas.

[blueraider1]

superbras?

[fredkc6cfb]

Finally!
My Dodgers are giving me a reason to hold my head up in a city full of stinking giants fans! Whooooooo!!!! ;D

[blueraider1]

will it be a tight race or not?

[Chewey]

well now that the Dodgers are smoking everyone, it appears maybe not. Still I'm rooting like hell against the NL West because they're all in the tightly contested NL Wild Card, where my team - the Cincinnati Reds - is still on top by a hair.

[stephenvegas]

blueraider1 said:

superbras?

Superbas (without the r ;D). The Superbas were one of the several bad names the Dodgers had before they were named the Dodgers in the 1930s. They were first called the Superbas in the late 1800s because their manager at the time was also the producer of a popular play called Superba.

Of all the names the franchise has had, the Dodgers are my favorite which they got because when they were back in Brooklyn (where I still go sometimes because that is where my sister lives) people often had to dodge the trolley cars that were the main form of public transportation at the time.

[stephenvegas]

blueraider1 said:

will it be a tight race or not?

That's a really good question. When I started this poll/thread, it looked like the race was going to be tighter than it looks right now and the Dodgers were only tied for second with Arizona. But now I am am starting to think the Dodgers may have separated themselves somewhat from the rest of the division with the trade deadline moves that they made. Maddux is pitching AWESOME since being acquired from the Cubs.

I think the Giants are just too old, the Padres failed tro make needed deadline deals to maintain their lead in the division, and Arizona does not have enough pitching.

The Dodgers are my favorite National League team and so I hope they take the division.

[gatekeeper]

Gotta say Dodgers. They have the most complete team. With many of their key players returning from injury, they are the front runners now.

[stephenvegas]

The Padres have now narrowed the Dodger's lead in the division down to 2 games. The two teams play each other again tonight and then the Padres travel to Colorado and the Dodgers travel to Arizona for the weekend. The Giants this weekend host Cincinnati.

[GrumpyBigBee]

Dodgers

[stephenvegas]

Going into Labor Day, the Dodgers are still leading their division (by 3 games over San Diego). Arizona and Colorado really are now out of it. The Giants are still somewhat barely alive (5.5 games back) as Barry Bonds has started to heat up at the plate. If the season ended today, the Dodgers would win the division and the Padres would get the wild card spot.

[blueraider1]

go dodgers.

[stephenvegas]

After the Dodgers fell to the Cubs today and the Padres defeated the Reds, the Dodgers now only have a 1/2 game lead over the Padres and the Giants are 3 back. The Padres play the Dodgers in a big four game series in Los Angeles this weekend.

[Knapik]

Let's go Pads!!!!!!!!

[stephenvegas]

In a historical noteworthy matchup that featured the first-ever pitching matchup between two starters (LA's Greg Maddux and San Diego's David Wells) who were both 20 year veterans and opposing each other for the first time, Sin City's own Mad Dog (Greg Maddux pitched here at Valley High School along Eastern Avenue) took a no hitter into the 7th inning as the Dodgers defeated the Padres to gain a 1 1/2 game divisional lead!

Also, the Giants lost to St. Louis 14-4.

GO DODGERS!