NL West

Under the guidance of rocketcy, the Albuquerque Dust Bunnies have made three playoffs of the team's measly four total appearances. By consistently winning around 85 games they've kept themselves in the mix, because in the NL West, winning around 85 games puts you in contention for the division title.And they've done it without having a super duper offence or pitching staff. This seasons see the addition of Andres Silva which gives the order a little more punch. Rest of the line-up won't scare the shit out of anyone, but isn't a turgid boil of pus with a hair in it, either. The theme of the pitching appears to a combo of good control, v/R but mediocre v/L, or mediocre control, good against v/L & R, or good control good versus v/L but mediocre against v/R. If you can follow that verbal salad. Stunningly incredible defensively which makes it an interesting team to watch. How much does D matter in HBD. rocket is banking on a lot.

At the polar opposite of franchise playoff experiences are the Oklahoma City Victory Dolls
Making 19 post season showings in 26 seasons is pretty impressive. Missing the last two isn't. Newly gone is Lance, long gone is Buck, and I remember there was another guy also rated in the 90s whose name escapes me. NJ, look that up for me will ya. In other words. It could be hard to make the playoffs, again, or, in this division it could be easy. Defensively, they are strong at short. And that's about it. Who will play CF? Who, I ask you? Me? I'd be better than any other option the Dolls have, and I'm 46 with a shitty back, lousy knees, I can't run and my hands are arthritic as all fuck. Oh, and I tore my rotator cuff many years ago, and I can't throw anymore. Still better. The offence will feature bombs and whiffs. But will score if David Felix  can somehow steal home from first, the 180 or so times he reaches the base. Pitching features great control and some huge, very capable inning eaters.

After four straight 4th place finishes, the Las Vegas Corn Dogs   vaulted into first place. Not sure that's in the cards this season. There's speed in the line-up but only one power threat in Louie Twitchell. If the starting pitching had the individual ratings of the bullpen, this would be a pretty formidable staff. Maybe buff_rob can somehow flip it around so the bullpen throws a 1000 innings, and the starters the other 400 or so. Maybe he's an evil genius. I know I am. Defence isn't lousy like OK, but isn't mega awesome like Albykerky. Good at SS and CF, middling elsewhere.

And fucking finally we throw a lasso at the Arizona Outlaws. Yeeeeee-ha! This franchise has one title in it's history despie a mere post season showings, but you have to go back a ways. But the beauty of the West is anyone has a chance to show, every season, especially lately with OK's regression. Last season though, AZ was just bad. I'm not sure this season will see much improvement. When aging and fading Jack Bergen is your best slugger, it ain't good times, and there some almost awful pitchers at the lower end of the staff, say like Herman Walker. Yeeesh. Defence is the strength in the desert. If they start adding runs saved by the defence to the team scoring, they might win 70.

OKLAHOMA  88-74
ALBUQUERQUE  85-77
VEGAS 82-80
ARIZONA  65-97

And now some wisdom: