Fans of several teams in the NL West should not stop getting their baseball tickets, as this division is as crazy as any in MLB. The division standings have been turned almost completely upside-down since we last checked in with these teams, and it's anyone's guess how the division will turn out at the top.



Los Angeles Dodgers

Currently:

We were shoveling dirt on them just a couple of months ago, but the Dodgers are somehow right back in the thick of the postseason race. The Dodgers have endured horrible losing streaks during the year and unbelievable winning tears, but they seem to be coming around with some consistency, posting a 17-11 record over the past 30 days.

Outlook:

The Dodgers need to get better pitching coming down the stretch, and if that happens, they'll not only be in the postseason, but they'll be a threat once they get there.

San Diego Padres

Currently:

The Padres are hanging in there after giving up the division lead to the Dodgers. This is a team without a true star, except for maybe the always-reliable Trevor Hoffman, but he doesn't even get a chance to pitch unless the rest of the team supplies him with a lead to protect. The Padres were decent over the past 30 days, going 15-13 and remain right on the heels of the Dodgers and are currently in the lead for the NL Wild Card.

Outlook:

This scrappy team just needs to keep battling every day. Bruce Bochy is doing a masterful job for this team this season.

San Francisco Giants

Currently:

The Giants are also hanging tight, although it's getting late for them to be more than a game or two back, and they're four back in the division as of this writing. The Giants had a good month, going 16-12, and their offensive formula seems to be working - get Omar Vizquel get on base and let Pedro Feliz bring him home.

Outlook:

The Giants need to get better pitching from someone other than Jason Schmidt, otherwise baseball tickets in San Francisco will become much less relevant in the next couple of weeks.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Currently:

The D'backs had a horrible month, and you can officially stick a fork in them for 2006. They posted a miserable 9-19 record over the past 30 days, and their lack of offense has been their downfall.

Outlook:

Next year could be different. The team needs to add some punch to its lineup, as there are no "elite" teams in the NL West to chase.

Colorado Rockies

Currently:

The Rockies just need to play out the string and get to work on next season, much like the Diamondbacks. The team went only 10-19 over the past month, and they're not going to catch anyone this late in the season. Matt Holliday has had a very good year, and he has been a bright spot.

Outlook:

Next year is looking promising, but as far as this season is concerned, baseball tickets are going to be an afterthought to Broncos tickets from here on out.