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In an earlier post handicapping the National League West division race this season, I had the surprising young San Diego Padres fighting off the competition in what at that time was a 4 team race, and winning the division. I cited the team’s strong pitching, exciting young lineup and manager Bud Black as reasons they would win, and so far they’ve come through. I also said that their strongest competition would come from the Los Angeles Dodgers, but instead, another team with great pitching, the San Francisco Giants, have stayed neck and neck with the Padres. I had the Giants, and also the Colorado Rockies, falling out of the race eventually. At this point the Padres and Giants are even in the standings, and the Dodgers and Rockies are still within shouting distance of first place, so anything is still possible. With veteran Jon Garland and youngsters Mat Latos and Clayton Richard, the Padres have the best pitching staff in baseball that nobody’s ever heard of. Of course having Black, a former pitching coach, as manager is the reason why this staff has been so consistent, and it helps that the Padres have one of the game’s top closers in Heath Bell. Adrian Gonzalez has supplied the power all year, but the acquisition of Ryan Ludwick from St. Louis at the trade deadline added some more pop to San Diego’s lineup. The Padres’ roster has the right sprinkling of seasoned veterans, like David Eckstein,  Jerry Hairston, Jr. and now Miguel Tejada, to help guide the youngsters. The Giants, with Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathon Sanchez and the rejuvenated Barry Zito, probably have a deeper pitching staff than San Diego, and their lineup has more power, although it is spread out over the entire roster. The two teams open a huge three game series tonight in San Fran that will go a long way toward deciding the race. Between the Dodgers and Rockies, I’d have to pick Colorado as the team most likely of the two to stay in the race, despite picking L.A. to battle the Padres earlier. The Dodgers just have too many problems with the ownership divorce battle and getting next to nothing from Manny Ramirez. Of course, the bottom line is I expect only one team from this division to qualify for the post-season, and I’ll stay with my original pick, the Padres.