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2013 NL West Division Odds / Season Predictions + Win Total Lines

Handicapping MLB 2013 Division Odds – NL West

The 2013 MLB season is drawing near. Spring Training action is going on right now, which means Opening Day is right around the corner. We’re taking a division-by-division look at betting odds and team by team season win totals. This is the final divisional preview. Let’s round things out by looking at the NL West.

The San Francisco Giants took home their second World Series title in three years in 2012. Despite having lost of offensive shortcomings, their great pitching staff pushed them through to the end. The Dodgers are in a much better position this year. Arizona is mired in the middle, while San Diego and Colorado are at the bottom looking to find a way up.

MLB 2013 Previews and Predictions- NL West

NL West Odds: Los Angeles Dodgers -115
Season Win Total: 91.5

Talk about big spenders! The Dodgers are quickly passing the New York Yankees as having the biggest payroll in the majors. Signing guys like Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, Clayton Kershaw, and the rest of this star studded roster is really expensive. Fortunately for Dodgers fans, the new ownership group has made it clear that big spending doesn’t bother them a bit.

Josh Beckett is being forgotten by some, but he still has the stuff to dominate. Kershaw is going to be an Ace for many years to come. Zack Greinke might be a little overpaid, but he should be a very good number two pitcher for this team. The top of the order is as good as any team in baseball, but the bottom of the order still has some question marks. Luis Cruz, A.J. Ellis, and Mark Ellis will be the #6-#8 hitters. Can they produce at a high enough level to keep this team at the top of the division?

NL West Odds: San Francisco Giants +205
Season Win Total: 88

The Giants surprised a lot of people by winning it all last year. The fact that this team had the deepest pitching staff in all of baseball ended up winning them a title. Matt Cain is the ultimate number one starter, and Tim Lincecum is due for a nice bounce back year. Madison Bumgarner is primed to become one of the next top pitchers in baseball. Brian Wilson is gone in the bullpen, but with Sergio Romo I don’t think the Giants pen will skip a beat.

Buster Posey’s timely huge hits in the postseason showed what a superstar he is. Posey will be an MVP candidate for many years to come. The team hopes Brandon Belt can provide some much need support in the order just behind Posey. Can this team score enough runs to win this division? [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

NL West Odds: Arizona Diamondbacks +575
Season Win Total: 82.5

Josh Byrnes came in as the new general manager and started making all kinds of moves right away. He got rid of Justin Upton and Chris Young. The Diamondbacks are left with little proven production in their outfield. I’m not sure how this team is going to win enough games to stay competitive in this division, because I just don’t see this lineup putting up that many runs.

Ian Kennedy is the Ace of a very solid starting rotation, but the bullpen is a question mark. The Diamondbacks are one of my favorite season total futures plays. I like ‘under’ 82.5 wins for Arizona. In a hitter-friendly ballpark, the Diamondbacks don’t have enough offense.

NL West Odds: San Diego Padres +1,600
Season Win Total: 74.5

Yasmani Grandal broke out in the last couple months of the year last year, but he’ll sit out the first 50 games this year after testing positive for banned substances. Yonder Alonso was a huge pickup from the Reds a couple years ago when the Padres gave up Mat Latos. Alonso appears ready for a big breakout season, and I think 2013 will be the year. There are some nice young pieces in the lineup here.

The pitching staff used to be a major strength for the Padres, but that is no longer the case. San Diego’s pitching staff is highly questionable at best, especially their starting rotation. Edinson Volquez has the stuff to be an Ace, but his command has been terrible in the last couple years. This team may surprise a few people, but they aren’t good enough to contend.

NL West Odds: Colorado Rockies +2,150
Season Win Total: 71.5

The Colorado Rockies starting rotation had a combined ERA of 5.67 last year. That was easily the worst figure in the majors. Colorado didn’t make any moves to get help in the rotation, and it seems likely this rotation will be at the bottom of the majors once again this year. With Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez in the middle of the order, this team is likely to score a lot of runs at Coors Field. Unfortunately for the Rockies, their opponents will tag this starting rotation on a daily basis. It’s going to be a long season for Rockies fans.

NL West Prediction: San Francisco Giants (+205)

Sign me up for the defending World Series Champs at +205. Scoring runs on the Giants is going to be very difficult again this year, and pitching and great defense (which the Giants have) wins titles.

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