The Dodgers enter the season with the highest payroll in baseball, ending a lengthy run by the free-spending Yankees. They will be the favorites in the division a season after riding a second-half surge to an 11-game cushion. While Los Angeles will dominate the headlines, Arizona, San Francisco, San Diego and Colorado should all be competitive.

Los Angeles Dodgers

They were four games under .500 on July 4, 2013, but finished the year 22 games over the median. They took the Cardinals to six games in the NLCS before bowing out. They had the second-lowest ERA (3.25) in baseball last season, which helped balance out a disappointing OPS (.722, 13th) when you consider their talent. If Matt Kemp is healthy, the offense should be in the top-five.

Key Additions (2013 Stats):

Dan Haren: 4.67 ERA, 1.238 WHIP, 151 Ks in 169.2 IP

San Diego Padres

San Diego didn't do anything well, ranking 25th in OPS (.686) and 20th in ERA (3.98), but they were a competitive 76-win team. They need production from Cameron Maybin and Josh Johnson, but both will miss time to begin the season. Their young players aren't very young, but they still have room to grow in the next few seasons. As they have recently, the Padres will be strong in close games thanks to their bullpen.

Key Additions (2013 Stats):

Josh Johnson: 6.20 ERA, 1.660 WHIP, 83 Ks in 81.1 IP

Joaquin Benoit: 2.01 ERA, 1.030 WHIP, 73 Ks in 67 IP

Seth Smith: .253/.329/.391 with 8 HR, 40 RBIs in 410 PAs

San Francisco Giants

Long dominant on the mound, the Giants saw their staff slip in 2013. They posted an ERA above 3.68 (4.00) for the first time since 2008, but 80% of the rotation returns with Tim Hudson sliding into the middle. A down pitching season meant they couldn't overcome issues with their offense. Bruce Bochy is hoping Tim Lincecum (4.37 ERA) and Matt Cain (4.00) right the ship sooner rather than later.

Key Additions (2013 Stats):

Michael Morse: .215/.270/.381 with 13 HRs, 27 RBIs in 337 PAs

Tim Hudson: 3.97 ERA, 1.190 WHIP, 95 Ks in 131.1 IP

Colorado Rockies

Colorado made the most moves of any team in the division, adding to both their lineup and pitching staff. They had a strong offense in 2013 despite another injury-plagued season from Troy Tulowitzki, which makes them even more dangerous given their additions in depth. As we've come to expect, they didn't pitch very well but appear headed in the right direction. When healthy, the top half of their rotation is very good.

Key Additions (2013 Stats):

Brett Anderson: 6.04 ERA, 1.612 WHIP, 46 Ks in 44.2 IP

Justin Morneau: .259/.323/.411 with 17 HRs, 77 RBIs in 635 PAs

Boone Logan: 3.23 ERA, 1.179 WHIP, 50 Ks in 39 IP

Franklin Morales: 4.62 ERA, 1.539 WHIP, 21 Ks in 25.1 IP

Drew Stubbs: .233/.305/.360 with 10 HRs, 45 RBIs in 481 PAs

Arizona Diamondbacks

Paul Goldschmidt is a legitimate MVP-caliber player, but he wasn't enough to lift the Diamondbacks to a winning record. They figured to take steps forward this season, but the injury to Patrick Corbin sets them back. Not rushing Archie Bradley to the Majors shows both patience and a long-term view. Mark Trumbo was good, but never really fulfilled expectations with the Angels. Maybe a change of scenery will help.

Key Additions (2013 Stats):

Mark Trumbo: .234/.294/.453 with 34 HRs, 100 RBIs in 678 PAs

Addison Reed: 3.79 ERA, 1.107 WHIP, 72 Ks in 71.1 IP

Bronson Arroyo: 3.79 ERA, 1.153 WHIP, 124 Ks in 202 IP

How We Think They'll Stack Up:

1. Dodgers: They have holes, but not enough to put division in jeopardy.

2. Giants: Matt Cain will bounce back and Tim Hudson is a nice addition, staff will be strength again.

3. Diamondbacks: With Patrick Corbin, this team finishes second and puts a tiny bit of pressure on L.A.

4. Padres: The key to 2014 will be San Diego's offense.

5. Rockies: Pitching concerns me, but staff has chance to be better than 2013.

 

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