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66 PLAY BALL BAY AREA NEWS GROUP 1.LosAngelesDodgers Lastyear:91-71,firstplace(lostto Chicago Cubs in NLCS) Keylosses:OF Howie Kendrick, OF Josh Reddick Keynewcomers:2B Logan Forsythe, RHP Sergio Romo Best-casescenario:The starting pitching holds up, with Clayton Kershaw and others staying healthy, and the winners of four straight NL West titles finally navigate their way back into the World Series. Worst-casescenario:Kershaw dealt with injuries last year, and if he gets banged up again and they can't keep veterans like Rich Hill and Brandon McCarthy available, it could be another October disappointment. Hotprospect:The Dodgers always seem to have one of the game's top prospects, and 1B/OF Cody Bellinger is a plus fielder at two positions with a powerful bat. 2.SanFranciscoGiants Lastyear:87-75, second place (lost to Chicago Cubs in NLDS) 3.ColoradoRockies Lastyear:75-87, third place Keylosses:LHP Jorge De La Rosa, SS Daniel Descalso, C Nick Hundley Keynewcomers:INF/OF Ian Desmond, RHP Greg Holland, LHP Mike Dunn Best-casescenario:With some added bullpen arms and the addition of the versatile Desmond, the Rockies could make a run in the West or challenge in the Wild Card race. Worst-casescenario:Without a true ace in that pitching staff (which is tough to have at Coors Field, anyway), the Rockies need guys like Chad Bettis, Tyler Chatwood and Jon Gray to keep developing, or the Ls will keep piling up. Hotprospect:2B/SS Brendan Rodgers, the third pick in the '15 dra , hit .281 with 19 HR and 73 RBIs at Double-A last season. 4.ArizonaDiamondbacks Lastyear:69-93, fourth place Keylosses:SS Jean Segura, OF Mitch Haniger, RHP Daniel Hudson, C Welington Castillo Keynewcomers:RHP Taijuan Walker, RHP Fernando Rodney Best-casescenario:Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller become the 1-2 punch the D'backs thought they were adding last year and Walker also boosts the rotation to make Arizona competitive. Worst-casescenario:The pitching repeats last year's awful performance (league-worst 5.09 ERA) as the trade for Miller gets even more lopsided and another losing season is in the bag. Hotprospect: LHP Anthony Banda could be ready to jump into the rotation this year if needed a er going 10-6 with a 2.88 ERA in 150 IP last year in the minors. 5.SanDiegoPadres Lastyear:68-94, fi h place Keylosses:OF Jon Jay, C Derek Norris, RHP Tyson Ross Keynewcomers:RHP Jared Weaver, RHP Jhoulys Chacin Best-casescenario:The Padres finally show some semblance of knowing what they are doing and see if some of the youngsters they've turned to during their roster overhaul have promise. Worst-casescenario:The hamster wheel keeps spinning and a team that's spent recent years dumping prospects for big names and then quickly reversing course keeps wandering aimlessly. Hotprospect:RHP Anderson Espinoza, added in the Drew Pomeranz deal with the Red Sox last year, is only 19 and a couple of years away, but he has drawn comparisons to a young Pedro Martinez. T heNationalLeagueWesthasbeenallabouttheGiantsandtheDodgers,withthelongtimerivalslockingupsevenplayoffappearancesinthe past five years and the rest of the division combining for zero. Seeds of change? Doesn't look like it. Los Angeles has won four division titles in a row and will take a run at another one. It survived last season even when three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw missed two months with a back injury and former phenom Yasiel Puig was banished to Triple-A. The Giants filled their biggest offseason need when they signed closer Mark Melancon to stabilize a bullpen that was their undoing during the regular season and the N.L. Division Series against the Cubs. The Rockies boosted their bullpen and made a nice addition with Ian Desmond as they try to erase the stench of six straight losing seasons. The Diamondbacks, once again under new leadership with general manager Dave Stewart gone and Tony La Russa reassigned, need the top of the starting rotation to pitch like it expects for a .500 season to come into view. It's hard to figure out what the Padres' long-term vision is, but they better get it figured out soon, especially now that they're the only professional sports team in town. THE LEAGUE Nochangeshere:Giants,Dodgerswilldukeitoutagain Rating the N.L. West BY JIMMY DURKIN IfClaytonKershaw,left,can'tstay healthy, the Dodgers may face an October letdown. Ian Desmond, center, brings versatility to the Rockies. The Diamondbacks have a strong 1-2 punch with Shelby Miller and Zack Greinke, right. ASSOCIATED PRESS; GETTY IMAGES