Dodgers favored to win NL West
LAS VEGAS, NV (The Spread) – After making an appearance in the NLCS last year, the Los Angeles Dodgers have opened as the favorites to win the NL West Division for 2014.
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Dodgers are -200 money line favorites to win the NL West this season while the San Francisco Giants are +275. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres are all +1200, respectively.
The Dodgers didn’t make many moves this offseason, although not that they needed to. They signed ace Clayton Kershaw to a massive seven-year, $215 million contract extension and signed Cuban second baseman Alex Guerrero to a four-year, $28 million contract to play second base. If Matt Kemp can put together a healthy season, the Dodgers’ lineup is stacked thanks to Alex Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez, and the starting rotation is solid with Kershaw, Zack Grinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu.
As for the Giants, they signed free agents Tim Hudson and Michael Morse this offseason, and will welcome back Angel Pagan, Marco Scutaro and Ryan Vogelsong back after injury-riddled 2013 seasons. The lineup isn’t spectacular but doesn’t have a lot of holes. Pablo Sandoval dropped 40 pounds in the offseason as he tries to earn a long-term contract and Buster Posey returns as the centerpiece of the offense. If Hudson, Vogelsong, Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum perform well, then there’s no reason why this club couldn’t compete for another World Series. After all, they have won two of the last three championships and they weren’t favored to win either title at the start of the year.
While they have the same odds as the Padres and Rockies, the Diamondbacks might be the biggest sleeper in the National League. They acquired Mark Trumbo this offseason and boast great young talent in Paul Goldschmidt, Didi Gregorius, Gerardo Parra and Wade Miley. The starting pitching is young but led by pitching consultant Dave Duncan (the former Cardinals’ pitching coach), the staff could have a big year.
Odds to win the 2014 NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers -200
San Francisco Giants +275
Arizona Diamondbacks +1200
Colorado Rockies +1200
San Diego Padres +1200
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