HOLLYWOOD STARS

In recent years a reviewing the NL West has been a solemn affair. It seems that the past few seasons the teams that compose this mediocre division have played in such a way that it challenges whether or not Major League Baseball NEEDS to send an NL West team to the playoffs. It is the division that has gone the longest without a World Series and it didn’t seem to be changing. But this year the NL West has packed some punch and has attempted to prove that the best are out west.

1.) LOS ANGELES DODGERS (--GB)
The Los Angeles Dodgers bursted out of the gate with sites on a getting over the NLCS hump and into the World Series. There success on the field has been overshadowed by the commotion off of it. The Dodgers were able to survive the Manny Ramirez 50 game suspension in large part to the outstanding play of Manny-replacement Juan Pierre who sits four in the NL in batting average. With Manny back the Dodgers will regain power in the lineup and become unstoppable the second half. If it weren’t for the pesky Giants the Dodgers would have clinched the division by now. The Dodgers will end up winning the division by a longer lead than Manny's dreads.

2.) SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (7 GB)
Who would have thought that the Giants’ post-Barry Bonds era was going to begin so quickly. The Giants are this year’s dark horse as they find themselves nestled into the NL wildcard spot at the break. They have been able to ride great starting pitching with arms Matt Cain and NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum. Catching the Dodgers will be tough but a solid second half could land the Giants in the postseason. At the beginning of the year I wouldn’t have guessed that the team turning heads out of the Bay Area were the Giants and not the A’s.

3.) COLORADO ROCKIES (8 GB)
The mile high city saw their beloved Rockies crash back down to earth after their World Series appearance two years ago. With all of the Jay Cutler drama with the Broncos and with the retirement of the Avalanche’s Joe Sakic few have noticed that the Rockies are a game out of the wildcard. As we saw in 2007 do not count out the Rockies down the stretch.

4.) ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (--17.5 GB)
This time last season we were talking about D-Backs in October but since then they failed to make the postseason and now are in the cellar of the NL West. Despite having slugger Mark Reynolds and NL leading pitcher Danny Haren the D-Backs’ are in trouble. Their bats’ fortunes have gone as dry as the Arizona desert. It will be something that needs to be fixed if they want to turn this season around.

5.) SAN DIEGO PADRES (--18 GB)
Luckily for Arizona the Padres have been even worse. After a decent starts the Padres’ play has slowly declined. Not even the mighty bat of Adrian Gonzales has been able to salvage the Padres’ woes.