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National League West betting preview: Did the D-backs do enough in the offseason?
Arizona made the league's biggest offseason acquisition by signing ace Zack Greinke and taking him away from division rival Los Angeles.
The Arizona Diamondbacks added a no. 1 and a no. 2 arm to the top of their starting rotation in the offseason. Will that be enough for them to challenge for the penthouse in the National League West?
Arizona Diamondbacks (2015: 79-83, +154 units, 80-74-8 O/U)
Division odds: 9/2
Season win total: 81.5
Why bet the Diamondbacks: Arizona made the league's biggest offseason acquisition by signing ace Zack Greinke and taking him away from division rival Los Angeles. Greinke was incredible last season with a 1.66 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. The D-Backs also acquired Shelby Miller who will pair nicely with former All-Star Patrick Corbin to form a strong 1-2-3 starting rotation. The offensive lineup has two superstars in CF A.J. Pollock and 1B Paul Goldschmidt.
Why not bet the Diamondbacks: The bullpen is still mediocre, especially in the middle of the game while trying to setup closer Brad Ziegler. Arizona had no home field advantage last season in hitter-friendly Chase Field as the D-Backs posted a better record on the road (40-41) than at home (39-42). The franchise has only one winning season in the past seven years and overall they have won 82 games or less in 10 of the past 12 seasons.
Season win total pick: Over 81.5 wins
Colorado Rockies (2015: 68-94, -1289 units, 84-74-4 O/U)
Division odds: 50/1
Season win total: 71.5
Why bet the Rockies: The heart of the lineup has two powerful offensive superstars in RF Carlos Gonzalez (40 HR) and 3B Nolan Arenado (42 HR) who will, once again, benefit from playing in the thin air and altitude of Coor's Field. The Rockies held their own against right-handed starters, going 57-62 in those games, compared to just 11-32 versus southpaws last year.
Why not bet the Rockies: Colorado's overall offensive stats last season were very misleading as, despite leading the league in runs scored (due to hitter friendly Coor's Field), the team ranked dead last in the league in batting average and on-base percentage when using road games only. The pitching rotation is once again extremely weak from top to bottom this year.
Season win total pick: Under 71.5 wins
Los Angeles Dodgers (2015: 92-70, -1122 units, 78-79-5 O/U)
Division odds: 11/10
Season win total: 90
Why bet the Dodgers: They have the most consistent pitcher in baseball with ace Clayton Kershaw who has posted 1.83, 1.77, and 2.13 ERA's the past three seasons. Los Angeles acquired Scott Kazmir in the offseason to follow Kershaw in the rotation. The Dodgers were a better offensive team than their overall numbers indicated last year as they play home games in a pitcher friendly ballpark. They led the league in on-base percentage when using road games only. The Dodgers won 92 games last year, despite going just 6-9 in extra-inning games and only 23-26 in close games decided by one run.
Why not bet the Dodgers: The rotation lost SP Zack Greinke (1.66 ERA, 0.84 WHIP) to divisional rival Arizona in the offseason. While they did acquire Kazmir, the rest of this rotation is suspect with Brett Anderson, Kenta Maeda, and Hyun-jin Ryu. The bullpen is the team's biggest weakness and ranked 11th in the league (out of 15 teams) with a poor 3.91 ERA last year. The Dodgers failed to acquire closer Aroldis Chapman this offseason.
Season win total pick: Under 90 wins
San Diego Padres (2015: 74-78, -1924 units, 93-62-7 O/U)
Division odds: 40/1
Season win total: 73.5
Why bet the Padres: This team underachieved last season and had to use multiple lineups as key players missed significant time due to injuries, including Wil Myers who only played in 60 games. There is potential in the middle of this lineup with 3B Yangervis Solarte and OF Matt Kemp who combined for 37 home runs last year. The pitching rotation has strong arms at the top with Tyson Ross and James Shields combining for 428 strikeouts last season.
Why not bet the Padres: Overall, the offensive lineup is extremely weak with no depth. The Padres ranked dead last (30th) in all of baseball last season in team batting average and on-base percentage. San Diego also has a poor bullpen and a pitching staff that ranked third to last in the National League last year with a 4.44 ERA in road games. This team has now posted a losing record in seven of their past eight seasons.
Season win total pick: Under 73.5 wins
San Francisco Giants (2015: 84-78, -70 units, 79-73-10 O/U)
Division odds: 7/5
Season win total: 88.5
Why bet the Giants: San Francisco has won 3 of the past 6 World Series titles and each came after missing the playoffs in the previous season. San Francisco added starting pitchers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija in the offseason to bolster an extremely veteran rotation that also features ace Madison Bumgarner, Jake Peavy, and Matt Cain. The bullpen is excellent and posted the third best ERA in the league last season.
Why not bet the Giants: The offense lacks power and ranked 26th in all of baseball last year in total home runs with only four individual players hitting more than nine. The Giants acquired leadoff hitter Denard Span from the Nationals this offseason, but he is injury prone and missed 101 games last year.
Season win total pick: Over 88.5 wins
Arizona made the league's biggest offseason acquisition by signing ace Zack Greinke and taking him away from division rival Los Angeles.
The Arizona Diamondbacks added a no. 1 and a no. 2 arm to the top of their starting rotation in the offseason. Will that be enough for them to challenge for the penthouse in the National League West?
Arizona Diamondbacks (2015: 79-83, +154 units, 80-74-8 O/U)
Division odds: 9/2
Season win total: 81.5
Why bet the Diamondbacks: Arizona made the league's biggest offseason acquisition by signing ace Zack Greinke and taking him away from division rival Los Angeles. Greinke was incredible last season with a 1.66 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. The D-Backs also acquired Shelby Miller who will pair nicely with former All-Star Patrick Corbin to form a strong 1-2-3 starting rotation. The offensive lineup has two superstars in CF A.J. Pollock and 1B Paul Goldschmidt.
Why not bet the Diamondbacks: The bullpen is still mediocre, especially in the middle of the game while trying to setup closer Brad Ziegler. Arizona had no home field advantage last season in hitter-friendly Chase Field as the D-Backs posted a better record on the road (40-41) than at home (39-42). The franchise has only one winning season in the past seven years and overall they have won 82 games or less in 10 of the past 12 seasons.
Season win total pick: Over 81.5 wins
Colorado Rockies (2015: 68-94, -1289 units, 84-74-4 O/U)
Division odds: 50/1
Season win total: 71.5
Why bet the Rockies: The heart of the lineup has two powerful offensive superstars in RF Carlos Gonzalez (40 HR) and 3B Nolan Arenado (42 HR) who will, once again, benefit from playing in the thin air and altitude of Coor's Field. The Rockies held their own against right-handed starters, going 57-62 in those games, compared to just 11-32 versus southpaws last year.
Why not bet the Rockies: Colorado's overall offensive stats last season were very misleading as, despite leading the league in runs scored (due to hitter friendly Coor's Field), the team ranked dead last in the league in batting average and on-base percentage when using road games only. The pitching rotation is once again extremely weak from top to bottom this year.
Season win total pick: Under 71.5 wins
Los Angeles Dodgers (2015: 92-70, -1122 units, 78-79-5 O/U)
Division odds: 11/10
Season win total: 90
Why bet the Dodgers: They have the most consistent pitcher in baseball with ace Clayton Kershaw who has posted 1.83, 1.77, and 2.13 ERA's the past three seasons. Los Angeles acquired Scott Kazmir in the offseason to follow Kershaw in the rotation. The Dodgers were a better offensive team than their overall numbers indicated last year as they play home games in a pitcher friendly ballpark. They led the league in on-base percentage when using road games only. The Dodgers won 92 games last year, despite going just 6-9 in extra-inning games and only 23-26 in close games decided by one run.
Why not bet the Dodgers: The rotation lost SP Zack Greinke (1.66 ERA, 0.84 WHIP) to divisional rival Arizona in the offseason. While they did acquire Kazmir, the rest of this rotation is suspect with Brett Anderson, Kenta Maeda, and Hyun-jin Ryu. The bullpen is the team's biggest weakness and ranked 11th in the league (out of 15 teams) with a poor 3.91 ERA last year. The Dodgers failed to acquire closer Aroldis Chapman this offseason.
Season win total pick: Under 90 wins
San Diego Padres (2015: 74-78, -1924 units, 93-62-7 O/U)
Division odds: 40/1
Season win total: 73.5
Why bet the Padres: This team underachieved last season and had to use multiple lineups as key players missed significant time due to injuries, including Wil Myers who only played in 60 games. There is potential in the middle of this lineup with 3B Yangervis Solarte and OF Matt Kemp who combined for 37 home runs last year. The pitching rotation has strong arms at the top with Tyson Ross and James Shields combining for 428 strikeouts last season.
Why not bet the Padres: Overall, the offensive lineup is extremely weak with no depth. The Padres ranked dead last (30th) in all of baseball last season in team batting average and on-base percentage. San Diego also has a poor bullpen and a pitching staff that ranked third to last in the National League last year with a 4.44 ERA in road games. This team has now posted a losing record in seven of their past eight seasons.
Season win total pick: Under 73.5 wins
San Francisco Giants (2015: 84-78, -70 units, 79-73-10 O/U)
Division odds: 7/5
Season win total: 88.5
Why bet the Giants: San Francisco has won 3 of the past 6 World Series titles and each came after missing the playoffs in the previous season. San Francisco added starting pitchers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija in the offseason to bolster an extremely veteran rotation that also features ace Madison Bumgarner, Jake Peavy, and Matt Cain. The bullpen is excellent and posted the third best ERA in the league last season.
Why not bet the Giants: The offense lacks power and ranked 26th in all of baseball last year in total home runs with only four individual players hitting more than nine. The Giants acquired leadoff hitter Denard Span from the Nationals this offseason, but he is injury prone and missed 101 games last year.
Season win total pick: Over 88.5 wins