2008 National League West

This is by far the toughest division to predict in 2008.

Four of the five teams can make legitimate claims at being the team to beat. There's defending National League champions the Colorado Rockies, defending division champion Arizona Diamondbacks, a strong San Diego Padres team and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Colorado beat out San Diego with a dramatic final inning rally in a playoff game to decide the National League wild card last season. That was just part of their long run from September on that took them to the World Series where they lost in four games to the Boston Red Sox.

Fifth Place:
Without Barry Bonds the San Francisco Giants not only lost the face of the franchise, but the one legitimate offensive force they had. A long season can be expected for the Giants as they celebrate their 50th anniversary in San Francisco.

Fourth Place:
San Diego has a good team and a very good pitching staff, but playing in this division good and very good are no guarantees. They should have one of the better pitching staffs in baseball led by a great top of the rotation duo's in Jake Peavy and Chris Young as well as Hall of Famer Greg Maddux. That may not be enough to finish higher then this.

Third Place:
A team that seems to be among the conversation for the past few years, the Los Angeles Dodgers will find it difficult to win the division in 2008. They along with San Diego will be right their fighting for it into the final weeks of the season, but in the end they will fall just short of Colorado and Arizona.

Second Place:
Coming off a tremendous season not many expected, the Colorado Rockies will attempt to repeat as National League champions in 2008. The road back to the series may have to once again be run as a wild card entry as Arizona will win the division in 2008.

Last year I may have been the only non Rockies fan in the world to actually predict them to play the World Series, they may wish I was making that prediction again... will I? well that will come shortly when I predict the playoffs, for now the Rockies settle for West Division runners-up.

Division Champion:
They added a top of the rotation starter Dan Haren to join Brandon Webb to highlight the rotation this season. The Arizona Diamondbacks are in great position to repeat as division champs and make an attempt to return to the World Series for the first time since they won in 2001.