Jake Peavy, Chris Young, Kevin Kouzmanoff predicted to win year end awards.

[HollywoodLeo]

Yahoo predicted year end awards.

Jeff Passan predicts Jake Peavy to win the Cy Young, picks Chris Young as a "dark horse"

Mark Pesavento predicts Chris Young to win it.

Tim Brown predicts Kevin Kouzmanoff to win NL Rookie of the Year

Predicting the MLB season to come - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

[HollywoodLeo]

Brown also picks Adrian Gonzalez for a break out season for the NL

Pesavento picks Chris Young for break out pitcher....winning the Cy Young and all.

[padrefanforever]

What would AGon have to do to have a 'breakout' season.......bat .330/40/100.....since anything slightly better than last year could simply be just the natural progression a young guy 'getting better'.........

[JayDawg27]

What would AGon have to do to have a 'breakout' season.......bat .330/40/100.....since anything slightly better than last year could simply be just the natural progression a young guy 'getting better'.........

Ryan Howard type offensive numbers with GG defense would be definate breakout.

[fetters]

I saw that column a day or two ago. Yes, the Padres are picked for a lot of year-end awards...but the Dodgers are picked by both columnists to go to the world series. Sports Illustrated also has the Dodgers going to the world series

[HollywoodLeo]

Everyone's on the Dodgers nuts because that's the cool thing.

The Padres and Dodgers both have similar teams this year, one's being picked to go to the World Series, the other's being picked to finish 2nd or 3rd by everyone.

Not too surprising, really.

[padrefanforever]

They are always on the Dodgers nuts......and we are never picked to finish first......yet we have the last two years.....so that's fine with me

[JayDawg27]

PFF this is for you, feel free to use it.

[fetters]

I dont think they're on the Dodgers nuts because its the "cool thing". Most people are on the Dodgers nuts because the starting staff doesnt have two 40-somethings, the offense is better, and the depth is better. When the pitching staffs are so evenly matched, these are the things that will decide the division

The Padres and Dodgers offense might look the same in terms of overall power numbers...but the Dodgers have players who hit for solid averages and OBP's. The Padres finished near the bottom last year in runs scored, and lost one of their main sources of power in Piazza. They have more guys than you would like that are being counted on for career years. The Dodgers aren't counting on career years from anyone

Depth will be a huge factor considering the injury history of sledge, khalil greene, and nomar...and also the aging veterans like wells, maddux, kent, L Gonzalez, etc. The Dodgers in my opinion clearly have the better depth. They proved last year that their farm system really is as good as advertised. 6 rookies played key roles in last years team and, with the exception of billingsley, the top players are still waiting in AAA for their chance. Loney, Kemp, and Laroche, all highly regarded prospects that are blocked at their respective positions, will start the season in AAA and are ready to fill in at any time.

So, as you can see, the division is not as much of a coin flip as you think. I think these analysts put some thought into their picks, rather than picking the Dodgers because its the cool thing to do. Considering the usual east coast bias of major news outlets...the fact that the Dodgers were picked by SI, yahoo sports, and every guest on ATH today, says a lot about the team. (In the case of ATH and east coast bias, its not really an east coast bias...its more of a Chicago/Dallas/Denver bias )

[padrefanforever]

BAh.....the Dodgers could have an owner who is driving the team into the ground, and they'd still get picked........they could have a GM that appears blind and trades away talent, and they'd still get picked.....

Depth is a huge key, but the Padres farm system is also starting to get recognized.....so to say we don't have some depth is just flat wrong....as far as pitching goes.......how many times has Maddux been injured in his career ? Wells is a huge ?, but he's only being asked to be a #5, and the loss of weight should help his knees and back stay healthy. If he can stay healthy until the ASB, we'll have available, Carillo, Estes, Thompson, Stauffer & Germano....who a few of those guys may not strike fear into opposing teams how many #5's really do? And if Carillo is healthy as it appears he finally is, you should take note of this kid......If Sledge can't stay healthy we have a GGer on our bench who is tearing the cover off the ball this spring in Cruz Jr. or a guy that is itching to get his shot at the bigs in Paul MacAnulty who is a hitting machine.......we have our depth as well

The Padres had never won back to back division titles before.......so why should they be picked by the "experts" to win back to back to back ? That's the real reason why everyone is on the Dodgers nuts....

[browntown653]

Sports Illustrated also has the Dodgers going to the world series

Be afraid.

[HollywoodLeo]

In the meantime, the Dodgers' #5 is Brett Tomko?

The Dodgers pick up Jason Schmidt, (who's reportedly lost his fastball), pie arm Juan Pierre (but he can steal bases), pie arm Luis Gonzalez, and suddenly everyone thinks they're going to the World Series?

[reddenedbeard]

I just want to get this season started!

[padrefanforever]

Today you get your wish ......

GO PADRES !!!