The National League West had been thought of as the weakest division in the game. However in 2009, the West garnered the division champion (LA Dodgers) and the wild card winner (Colorado Rockies). All of the teams in the division rely on young talent to win. The Dodgers have a young core of outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, catcher Russell Martin, and first baseman James Loney. They also rely on hurlers Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley and closer Jonathon Broxton. The SF Giants have two-time CY Young award winner Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Jonathon Sanchez in the rotation and MVP-candidate Pablo Sandoval in the middle of the lineup. The Rockies core is all young with shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, catcher Chris Iannetta, outfielders Carlos Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler, and Brad Hawpe, and pitchers Jeff Francis, Ubaldo Jimenez, and Franklin Morales. The Arizona Diamondbacks have a young lineup with Stephen Drew, Conor Jackson, Mark Reynolds, Justin Upton, Miguel Montero, and Chris Young. The San Diego Padres, who are rebuilding, have young pitching with guys like Mat Latos, Chris Young, and Chris Richard. What young star will breakout in 2010 and help his team win? Here’s a few:

Blake DeWitt

Blake DeWitt, LA Dodgers (2B): For the second straight year, the Dodgers signed a veteran second baseman. Last year it was Orlando Hudson and this year is Jamey Carroll (though he is more of a utility man). So the 24 year old DeWitt has not earned a spot on the team, even though it looked like he inherited a starting job.

“I’m going to work hard, improve as much as possible and get to Spring Training ready to win a job and help this team win…I realize some things you can control and some things you can’t,” DeWitt said. He continued on to say, “There’s always somebody ready to fight for a job. He’s [Carroll] a good player and I look forward to playing with him and learning a lot from him…Nothing is given to you in this game. You’ve got to go out and earn it.” That is a good attitude to have as a young player.

Last year DeWitt was shuttled back and forth between Triple-A Albuquerque and LA after hitting .264 in his rookie year. GM Ned Colletti believes DeWitt needs to play everyday which is one of the reasons why DeWitt has become a utility player (he can play third, second, and shortstop).

2010 is a big year for DeWitt to see if he can win the second base job. If he can, he could provide another impact bat in the young Dodgers’ order.

Ian Stewart

Ian Stewart, Colorado Rockies (3B): Stewart hit 25 homeruns and drove in 70 in 2009. However in 147 games, he hit just .228. With the Rockies not re-signing Garrett Atkins, the soon-to-be 25 year old will need to make improvements offensively for the Rockies to be successful.

When the Rockies selected Stewart in the first round of the 2003 draft out of high school in California, they envisioned the power that Stewart has showed. However his career Major League average is just .238. The glaring issue for him is the strikeouts, as he struck out 138 times in 2009. He also must regain his stroke against left-handed pitching. In 2008 he hit .370 in 54 at-bats against lefties but it dropped to .178 in 101 at-bats in 2009.

No one talked about Stewart’s defense coming up through the minors, but he has been steady at third base. His .969 fielding percentage (seven errors) in 2009 was the third highest in Rockies history. His defense has become a source of pride for him.

If Stewart hits for a higher average, he will be a complete player. He is an important cog in the Rockies lineup and they need a breakout year from him.

Tags:

Blake DeWitt, Colorado Rockies, Ian Stewart, LA Dodgers, NL West

When Clint Hurdle was fired, the Colorado Rockies were floundering. Down 15 games in the National League West, new manager Jim Tracy guided the young Rockies into the playoff picture, capturing the NL Wild Card. In July, the Rockies added veteran slugger Jason Giambi (who thrived in Colorado), veteran pitcher Jose Contreras, and reliever Rafael Betancourt. All three proved huge in the Rockies push to the playoffs. They also got a lot of help from some of their young talent. Ubaldo Jimenez proved a formidable ace combination with sinkerballer Aaron Cook. Franklin Morales provided excellent lefty setup protection for closer Huston Street (and even closed when Street was hurt).

Tulo

At the top of the order are the young outfield speedsters, Dexter Fowler, and Carlos Gonzalez, who give way to the thunder in the lineup. Fowler had a solid season, batting .266 with 29 doubles, 10 triples, and 27 stolen bases in 135 games. Gonzalez, who came to Colorado with Street in the Matt Holliday deal, thrived in the second half by hitting .320 after the All-Star break. Overall he hit .284 with 13 homeruns and 16 stolen bases in 89 games. The thunder in the lineup consists of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, first baseman Todd Helton, and rightfielder Brad Hawpe. Tulo thrived in the second half as well, hitting .344. In 151 games overall, he hit .297 with 25 doubles, 9 triples, 32 homeruns, 92 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. Though he is a big shortstop, his offensive game is similar to Philadelphia’s Jimmy Rollins, a combination of speed and power. The veteran Helton rebounded from the worst year of his career in 2008 to play in 151 games in 2009 and put up his typical numbers: .325 with 38 doubles, 15 homeruns, 86 RBIs, and a .416 on-base percentage, while quietly leading the young Rockies. The All-Star Hawpe had a solid season, hitting .285 in 145 games with 42 doubles, 23 homeruns, and 86 RBIs. Garrett Atkins and Ian Stewart split time at third base, with Stewart taking over late in the year and into the future (Atkins signed with Baltimore). Despite hitting just .228, Stewart blasted 25 homeruns and drove in 70.

Once the Rockies offense starts clicking, they have one of the most dangerous lineups in the game. Winning NL Manager of the Year earned Tracy a contract extension. The Rockies should be the favorite to win the NL West if they fill a few holes. Here’s their wish list:

1. 

   Ubaldo Jimenez

   Another starting pitcher: With the loss of free agent pitcher Jason Marquis, the Rockies could use a veteran to surround young ace Ubaldo Jimenez, Aaron Cook, lefty Jorge De La Rosa, Jason Hammel, Jeff Francis, and rookie Jhoulys Chacin. The key is a healthy Francis, who missed all of 2009 with a shoulder injury and surgery. Another key is consistency. De La Rosa has been really good in some starts (like 8 shutout innings), but has had some really bad stretches throughout his career (6 runs in less than 3 innings in the next start). Hammel was a virtual unknown coming over from the Tampa Bay Rays. Despite a solid 2009 (10-8 with a 4.33 ERA and 133 Ks), Hammel will need another good season in 2010. Rookie Chacin struggled with his command in his 9 games in 2009. The Rockies had wanted to re-sign Marquis, but he just signed with the Washington Nationals. Rumors have them linked to Tim Redding.

2. A few relievers: With the re-signing of righty Rafael Betancourt, the back end of the bullpen is pretty solid with closer Huston Street, lefty Franklin Morales, and right-handers Manny Corpas and Taylor Buchholz. Corpas struggled a bit, but is the former closer and many are hoping he can get back to his 2007 days. Buchholz missed all of 2009 but was solid in 2008 before the elbow injury. There are a lot of question marks but they have experience. The Rockies would like to add another left-handed reliever to complement Morales, like re-signing Joe Beimel. They could use a swing guy that can pitch multiple innings if needed (which was Buchholz’ role before getting hurt). Maybe they will re-sign Jose Contreras, who was 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in 7 games with 17 strikeouts late in the season.
3. Bench players: Outfielder Seth Smith may be one of the best hitters off the bench in the game. Though he got quite a few starts in 2009, he hit .293 in 133 games with 20 doubles, 15 homeruns, and 55 RBIs. Smith’s right-handed counterpart, Ryan Spilborghs, provides leadership and clutch hitting (remember his walk-off grand slam in 2009?). With Garrett Atkins’ departure to Baltimore, the Rockies need a right-handed corner infielder. They also are looking to re-sign catcher Yorvit Torrealba (or another catcher) to backup Chris Iannetta. They did re-sign Paul Phillips, who hit well in his brief time in Colorado in 2009. The Rockies struggled against left-handed pitching in 2009 because the lineup leans heavily to the left side (think of how Cliff Lee dominated them in the playoffs, but then who didn’t he dominate?) and could use right-handed bench players.

Tags:

Aaron Cook, Brad Hawpe, Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies, Dexter Fowler, Franklin Morales, Garrett Atkins, Huston Street, Ian Stewart, Jason Hammel, Jeff Francis, Jorge De La Rosa, Jose Contreras, Manny Corpas, Rafael Betancourt, Ryan Spilborghs, Seth Smith, Taylor Buchholz, Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki, Ubaldo Jimenez

Phillies 5, Rockies 4: Are the Philadelphia Phillies destined for World Series glory? After last night’s comeback victory, some may say so. With a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, manager Charlie Manuel went to Ryan Madson with runners on in relief of starter Cliff Lee, who once again pitched brilliantly. After getting Troy Tulowitzki to fly out to newly inserted Ben Francisco in left on a great diving catch, Rockies pinch-hitter Jason Giambi singled in Dexter Fowler to tie the game. Madson then allowed a 2-run double to Phillies killer Yorvit Torrealba to give the Rockies a 4-2 lead. This was one of the only times the Rockies came through with runners in scoring position. With the lead, Rockies manager Jim Tracy gave the ball to closer Huston Street to close out the game and send the series back to Philly. Street, for the second straight night, could not put away the Phillies. Down to their final out, the Phillies Ryan Howard ripped a 2-run double to right to tie the game and Jayson Werth blooped an RBI single with two strikes scoring Howard to give the Phillies a 5-4 lead. The air was completely let out of Coors Field and the 50,000+ fans in attendance were in shock. In the bottom of the ninth when Scott Eyre got into trouble, Manuel called on Brad Lidge to close out the game. With the tying run on second Tulowitzki checked his swing on a low and outside slider from Lidge. With two strikes, catcher Carlos Ruiz went out to talk to Lidge saying “make sure you throw me the good one”. Lidge threw another slider low and outside, but this time “Tulo” couldn’t check his swing and he struck out to end the game. This set off the Phillies celebration and sent the Rockies into disbelief. Many Rockies players could be seen in the dugout hanging their heads or looking out onto the field in utter shock. Two straight nights and Lidge converted saves, looking more like the Lidge of 2008 than the Lidge of 2009.

Shane Victorino quickly gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the first on a solo homerun. The Rockies again put men on base against Lee in the first but could not drive in a run. Jayson Werth connected on an opposite field sole homerun in the 6th inning. Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well, just allowing the solo homeruns. Jimenez went 7 innings giving up the two runs on 6 hits, while striking out seven. Lee went into the 8th inning allowing three runs (1 earned) on five hits with five strikeouts. However that inning could have been more for the Rockies if Tulowitzki hadn’t been doubled off of second on a Garrett Atkins line drive out. Another base-running mistake cost a playoff team. The Rockies finally broke through when Lee walked Todd Helton and Tulowitzki ripped an RBI double to the left-centerfield gap, just scoring Helton. The Phillies had the bases-loaded and just one out in the 8th, but Rafael Betancourt came in and threw just four pitches to get out of the inning without allowing a run.

The Phillies head home to prepare for the NLCS against the LA Dodgers for the second straight season. The NLCS begins Thursday in Los Angeles.

Tags:

Brad Lidge, Colorado Rockies, Huston Street, Jayson Werth, NLDS, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Howard

The Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies are very similar. They were the top two power clubs in the National League. The Rockies had four players with at least 20 homers (Troy Tulowitzki, Ian Stewart, Clint Barmes, and Brad Hawpe) and the Phillies have four players with at least 30 homers (Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez, and Chase Utley). They both have strong starting pitching.

The Phillies have been carried by Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, JA Happ, and late season additions Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez. The Rockies have been carried by Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jimenez, Jason Marquis, Jorge De La Rosa, and Jason Hammel.

The Rockies don’t have any big names in their rotations, but these five get the job done and keep the high-powered Rockies offense in the game. The rotation has five guys with 10 or more wins. Both teams have World Series experience. In 2007, the Rockies and Phillies faced off in the NLDS and the Rockies swept on their way to the World Series.

Last year, the Phillies won it all. This year, the Phillies hope to redeem themselves on their way to repeating. During the season, the Phillies held a 4-2 edge, winning 2 out of 3 home and away. Both Lee and Happ dominated at home for the Phillies.

The Phillies were 2nd in the league in steals with the Majors’ highest success rate, led by Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Werth. However, their on-base percentages are not good. The Rockies had 8 walk-off hits and won 17 games in their final at-bat. They have a different hero every night and do not rely on one single player to dominate or produce.

A key matchup late in the game would be: Rockies lefty reliever Franklin Morales vs. Phillies lefty slugger Ryan Howard. Morales has a power fastball with a good breaking ball and Howard is relied on so heavily in the lefty-dominated Phillies lineup. Howard is 0-for-3 with 2 Ks in his career against Morales.

Rockies Strengths:
*Veteran leadership: Todd Helton and Jason Giambi provide leadership to the young guys on an everyday basis. Helton has been in Colorado for his entire career and is a consummate professional. Giambi, who struggled in his return to Oakland, came over in a late season deal and has been rejuvenated as a pinch-hitter in Colorado.

*Closers: The Rockies have two choices when it comes down to closing out games. Both Huston Street and Morales are capable of finishing the deal. Street, who came over in the off-season deal for Matt Holliday, has been great (35 saves, 2 blown saves). Morales, who took over as closer when Street was on the DL, also has been lights out. The Rockies are 83-1 when leading after 8 innings.

*Speed & versatility: The Rockies have speed with centerfielder Dexter Fowler leading off and a combination of Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Spilborghs, and Seth Smith in left field. If the speed gets on in front of sluggers Helton, Hawpe, and Tulowitzki, the Phillies could be in trouble. They have about 5 guys who can get the job done in the outfield (Hawpe, Fowler, Gonzalez, Smith, & Spilborghs), along with 2 third baseman (Garrett Akins & Ian Stewart) and 2 catchers (Chris Iannetta & Yorvit Torrealba). Any one of these guys can be a difference maker in a game.

*Power: As I mentioned above, the Rockies have sluggers. With the series being played in hitter and homer friendly parks (Citizens Bank Park & Coors Field), this series could be a slugfest.

Rockies Weaknesses:
*Inconsistencies on offense: The Rockies offense has been up and down all year. They scored a ton of runs against the Brewers in the last week of the season, but followed that up by only scoring 7 runs in three games against the Dodgers.

*Inabilities to hit left-handed pitching: This has led to Phillies manager Charlie Manuel contemplating starting 3 straight lefties against the Rockies (Lee, Hamels, and Happ). Helton has the highest average against lefties (.311), with the nest best average being Tulowitzki’s .269. The Rockies lineup can be as lefty heavy as the Phillies.

*The rotation: I mentioned above that the Rockies rotation has been one of its strongest parts. It has also been a question mark. Cook has only made 2 starts since coming off of the DL. He says he feels good and the 2 starts showed how dominant he can be. There has been talk about Marquis again not making the playoff roster because of his second-half struggles.

Jimenez has been a workhorse, but how will the bright lights and pressure of pitching in Philly affect him? De La Rosa was injured in his last start and his health is up in the air. He won 16 games, but may have been the most inconsistent of them all. The latest news has him NOT on the NLDS roster due to that groin injury

Rockies Key Players:
*Seth Smith: From the left side of the plate, Smith has been clutch since coming up late in 2007. He has a .472 pinch-hitting batting average. 30 of his 54 RBIs this season have come in the 7th inning or later.
*Ryan Spilborghs: From the right side of the plate, Spilborghs has a .347 batting average in 2009 against the Phillies.

Phillies Strengths:
*Defense: The Phillies defense has the second fewest errors in MLB. With Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley up the middle in the infield, Shane Victorino (1 error) in center, and Carlos Ruiz (3 errors) behind the plate, the middle of the playing field is covered. Ryan Howard has worked hard at his defense and Pedro Feliz is a magnet at third.

Raul Ibanez (2 errors) and Jayson Werth are solid, with Werth having an outstanding arm (11 outfield assists). The Phillies will not hurt themselves by putting extra men on base by committing errors.

*The rotation (1-4): Manager Charlie Manuel hasn’t decided on the rotation yet, but he has named Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels as Game one and two starters respectively. If Manuel decides to take advantage of the Rockies inability to hit lefties, JA Happ would be the logical choice for Game three. If not, Joe Blanton, who has been a workhorse all year, would start Game three (or possibly Game four). Pedro Martinez, a late season acquisition who has been great when healthy, is also an option. As of late though, the rotation has struggled, especially Lee and Hamels.

*Offense: As I mentioned, the Phillies have sluggers and can put up huge offensive numbers. However, they tend to live and die by the homerun ball. If they can be consistent, it could be a slugfest.
*Experience: Except for Ibanez in the starting lineup, the rest of the Phillies were a part of the World Series winning team. The experience of playing in the pressure-packed atmosphere should help in calming any nerves.

Phillies Weaknesses:*Bullpen: This is their biggest glaring weakness. The questions include: Who will close? Who is healthy? Who is the lefty? Who makes the roster? Manuel had auditions all weekend in Philly to see what he had and what each pitcher had to offer. Both Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge are probably the 2 choices to close games, though neither has been “lights out”. Madson had 10 saves, with 6 blown saves, and Lidge, who didn’t blow a save all of 2008, blew 11 saves with an ERA over 7. The Phillies are 79-10 when leading after 8 innings.

*Pedro’s health (and everyone else’s): Pedro could be a huge asset if healthy. He has tons of playoff experience and could either start, be the long reliever, or maybe even close.
*The bull’s eye: The Phillies won the World Series last year and everyone all year wanted a piece of them. This postseason will be no different. Will the Phillies falter under the pressure of trying to repeat or will they succeed?
Phillies Key Player:

*Carlos Ruiz: Ruiz is the rock behind the Phillies pitching staff. Last year, Ruiz got hot offensively during the playoffs. He could put extra pressure on the Rockies pitching staff if he can hit in the number 8 hole. His defense behind the plate can be game-changing, especially when Lidge comes in burying the slider into the ground.

Tags:

Aaron Cook, Cole Hamels, Colorado Rockies, Ian Stewart, JA Happ, Jason Marquis, Jayson Werth, Joe Blanton, Jorge De La Rosa, Philadelphia Phillies, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Howard, Troy Tulowitzki, Ubaldo Jimenez

Has the National League Wild Card Race become a race again? The Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, and San Francisco Giants sure hope so. Heading into Saturday’s games, the Colorado Rockies still held a 3.5 game lead over the Braves, and 5 games over both the Marlins and Giants. The Giants still believe they are in the Wild Card race, as evidenced by holding off on getting second baseman Freddy Sanchez knee surgery.  The Braves believe they have a shot, as evidenced by not holding young starter Tommy Hanson back. Going into the final week of the regular season, the Rockies have allowed 3 other teams to hold out hope for the postseason.

The Rockies have struggled lately going 5-5 in their last ten, after being one of the hottest teams in baseball. The starting pitching, which was a strength during the hot streak, has cooled off. Jason Marquis, a potential CY Young hopeful at midseason, has only won once in his last 7 starts (1-4) and has seen his ERA rise to almost 4.00. Jorge De La Rosa has been inconsistent, one game pitching 8 shutout innings against the Giants and then the very next start only going into the 3^rd inning giving up 6 runs to the San Diego Padres. Aaron Cook has been out since August 22^nd with a right shoulder strain, though he returned Friday night to pitch 5 shutout innings against the Cardinals in a no-decision. Young starter Ubaldo Jimenez has been the surprise workhorse and has become the ace as of late. He’s won 7 out of his last 10, and has lowered his ERA to 3.47. The Rockies offense has also struggled, with a few key players battling injuries (Dexter Fowler, Carlos Gonzalez, Ian Stewart, and Troy Tulowitzki). If the Rockies are going to survive the last week of the season and enter the postseason, they are going to have to overcome the toughest schedule out of the remaining Wild Card contenders and become consistent across the board. Colorado has 2 more at home with St. Louis, 3 at home with Milwaukee, and the final 3 at the Dodgers. The walk-off win Friday night against the Cardinals didn’t hurt.

The Braves have won four in a row and 8 out of 10. They have the deepest pitching staff of the playoff contenders, with Derek Lowe, Jair Jurrjens, rookie Tommy Hanson, newly healthy Tim Hudson, and Javier Vazquez, who is quietly having a CY Young type season. Their bullpen is always a question mark, but if Pete Moylan, Mike Gonzalez, and Rafael Soriano can shut down the 7-8-9 innings, the Rockies are in trouble. The offense has been the most inconsistent for the Braves. They don’t have a ton of power and Chipper Jones is having a down year, but if shortstop Yunel Escobar comes up with men on base, be sure that they will score (he leads the NL in average with RISP). The Braves offense is built on gritty players like Nate McLouth, Matt Diaz, Brian McCann, and Martin Prado, and hoping that veterans Adam LaRoche, Chipper Jones, and Garrett Jones can drive them in. Atlanta has 2 more at Washington, 3 at home vs. Florida, and 4 at home with Washington.

The Marlins are young and gritty. It seems that every year they are wreaking havoc on the NL and this year is no exception. They have a young pitching staff led by CY Young candidate Josh Johnson, and an offense led by shortstop Hanley Ramirez, an MVP hopeful and soon-to-be batting champ. The only question is: can the Marlins sustain the success for an entire season? When they are going bad, they can’t beat anyone, but when they are going good, they can beat anyone. Florida has 2 more at home vs the Mets, 3 at Atlanta, and the final 3 at Philadelphia. Starting on Monday, they play the Braves in Atlanta to determine who will give the Rockies a run for the Wild Card going into the final weekend. The pitching matchups for the 3 games are:

Monday 9/28: Anibal Sanchez @ Jair Jurrjens

2-2, 4.15 ERA (4 starts)          4ER, 10H in 13 IP

vs. the Braves in 2009             vs. the Marlins in 2009

Tuesday 9/29: Rick VandenHurk @ Tim Hudson

0-0, 3.27 ERA (2 starts)          1-0, 3.39 ERA (1 start)

vs. the Braves in 2009             vs. the Marlins in 2009

Wednesday 9/30: Rickey Nolasco @ Javier Vazquez

1-0, 4.67 ERA (3 starts)          0-2, 5.68 ERA (4 starts)

vs. the Braves n 2009              vs. the Marlins in 2009

The Giants were so close not too long ago, but can the pitching staff carry them to the playoffs? As Mitch Williams said last night on MLB Tonight, the pitching staff has to pitch like a closer with no net; no one will pick them up. That puts tons of pressure on the entire pitching staff to put up zeros every inning to win a game. The pressure may also be felt on the lone consistent offensive force in the lineup, Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval. He has seen his average drop into the .320’s when it hovered in the .330’s for most of the season. But someone around him needs to start hitting. If Eugenio Velez and Andres Torres can get on base and Bengie Molina, Juan Uribe, and Aaron Rowand can drive them in, the Giants have a chance. The Giants have 2 more left against Chicago, 3 at home vs. Arizona, and 3 at San Diego. The Giants may have the easiest schedule left, but being 5 games out and if the offense cannot generate some support for Lincecum & Co., their postseason chances are slim to none.

I think the Colorado Rockies will hold onto the Wild Card and make the postseason, but this final week will be exciting.

Tags:

Aaron Cook, Atlanta Braves, Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies, Dexter Fowler, Florida Marlins, Ian Stewart, Jorge De La Rosa, National League Wild Card Race, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Troy Tulowitzki, Ubaldo Jimenez