There was little doubt last year.

The West was the best division in the National League.

The numbers told the story.

Every NL West team had a .500 record or better against both the NL Central and NL East in 2007. And to emphasize the point, in the NL Division Series, the NL West champion Diamondbacks swept the NL Central champion Cubs, and the NL wild-card Rockies, a member of the NL West, swept the NL East champion Phillies.

Never has the NL West flexed its muscles like it did last year.

While Atlanta was the only team from the NL Central or NL East to have a winning record against the NL West, even the last-place Giants, who finished 19 games behind Arizona, went 18-17 against the NL East last year and 20-20 against the NL Central.

What a difference two years has made.

The NL West has produced the wild card each of the past two years after having San Diego win the division and advance to the postseason in 2005 with an 82-80 record, worst ever for a postseason participant.

Giants

Bye, bye Barry

Barry Bonds had been the Giants' link to the general public. But not anymore. Baseball's all-time home run leader is sitting at home while the Giants prepare to start the season. Giants officials say they appreciate what Bonds did for the franchise, but they are headed in a new direction.

The direction they had been traveling lately wasn't too exciting, even with Bonds. The Giants averaged 88 losses the past three seasons. Last year, they averaged 4.03 runs in the 116 games Bonds started and 4.67 runs per game in the 46 games Bonds didn't start.

Numbers game

3Giants regulars are on the disabled list. Second baseman Kevin Frandsen is out for the season because of a ruptured left Achilles' tendon. Left-handed pitcher Noah Lowry will be out at least a month after having surgery to release pressure that was squeezing a nerve in his left forearm. Shortstop Omar Vizquel underwent arthroscopic surgery Feb. 27 on his left knee to remove torn cartilage.

He said it

"It's more a symbol of camaraderie than just a look. It's that old-school mentality of playing the game hard and playing the game right."

Lowry, on Giants pitchers wearing high-stirrup socks in a sign of unity.

Team unity

Outfielder Aaron Rowand was signed to a five-year, $60 million contract to not only fill the lineup spot vacated by Bonds, but also to change the clubhouse culture that existed under Bonds. Rowand is the anti- Bonds, a team-first player.

On the field, he's known for his no-fear approach to defense. In the clubhouse, he's known for bringing teammates together. In spring training, he organized a weekly bowling night that more than 20 Giants attended.

Dodgers

Ouch

Right-handed pitcher Jason Schmidt has been an expensive mistake. Schmidt, signed before last season to a three-year, $47 million contract, was 1-4 with a 6.31 ERA in six starts before undergoing surgery, and he's still recovering from the operation.

Numbers game

3Dodgers third basemen will start the season on the disabled list - Nomar Garciaparra (microfracture in the right wrist), Andy LaRoche (right thumb surgery) and Tony Abreu (strained groin). The next in-house candidate for the job is Blake DeWitt, who hasn't played above Double-A and whose picture isn't even in the Dodgers media guide.

He said it

"Any time you can do well against these type of hitters, it's obviously a confidence booster. At the same time, you've got to know that it's spring training for these guys, too."

Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers' 20-year-old left-handed pitching phenom, who had a 0.90 ERA in spring training and will start at Double-A Jacksonville but figures to be called up before long.

Left out

The toughest decision of spring training for the Dodgers was who to play in left field - Juan Pierre, who was displaced from center field by the signing of Andruw Jones, or Andre Ethier. Pierre is a proven 200-hit-per- season basestealer. Ethier is more of a run producer. This spring, though, Pierre failed to hit .200 and Ethier was among the best hitters in the National League. Manager Joe Torre on Sunday gave the job to Ethier.

"I just feel that I want to start that way," Torre said. "I know sometimes you don't make enough of spring training and other times you make too much of spring training. But just from the at-bats I watched him have and the defense he played, I'm curious and I want to see him out there."

Padres

He's back

Manager Buddy Black had his option for 2009 exercised in the final days of spring training, and the word is that the Padres are working on an extension. Every National League West manager now is signed at least through next season.

"We believe that he will continue to grow and develop as a major league manager for many years to come," general manager Kevin Towers said. "He has exceeded our expectations and we are excited for the future of the Padres under his guidance."

After seven years as the pitching coach with the Angels, Black made his managerial debut last year and took the Padres to an 89-74 record, their most victories since they won a club-record 98 games in 1998.

Numbers game

41stolen bases in 44 attempts for Padres opponents in the final 28 games of the 2007 season, when the Padres, who came up one win short of making the postseason, were 15-13.

He said it

"Arm, healthwise, I'm ready to go and I'm excited about pitching (today). I feel good, as ready as I'm going to get."

Jake Peavy, the Padres' Opening Day starter, who had a 9.39 ERA in spring training.

Wide open spaces

Petco Park has a challenging outfield, but then so do all the NL West parks, and the challenge gets bigger for Padres outfielders.

Right fielder Brian Giles, 37, is coming off microfracture knee surgery. Center fielder Jim Edmonds, 37, is on the 15-day disabled list because of a calf strain. Left fielder Jody Gerut missed the 2006 season recovering from his second reconstructive knee surgery and couldn't get a job last year. Scott Hairston is a converted infielder who never has played a full season in the outfield. Paul McAnulty primarily has been a designated hitter/first baseman. Callix Crabbe is a converted second baseman. And their top prospect, Chase Headly, is a third baseman who was sent to Triple-A Portland to learn left field.

Diamondbacks

Still going

At the age of 44, coming off the third back surgery of his career - it's the second in 10 months - left-handed pitcher Randy Johnson is intent on being a part of the Diamondbacks rotation this season. He just won't be a part of it to start the season.

Johnson is on the disabled list, working to build up arm strength after pitching only 111/3 spring innings, including a minor league appearance Wednesday. His fastball regularly has been in the 88- to 90-mph range, topping out at 93. He feels he can offset that by developing a changeup.

Numbers game

14 pitchers have made at least 100 starts in the past three seasons, including three members of the Arizona rotation - Brandon Webb (100), Dan Haren (102) and Doug Davis (102). A fourth is Livan Hernandez (102), who left the Diamondbacks as a free agent in the offseason.

He said it

"Everybody likes to get off to a good start, but I don't think it's the most important thing in the world, if you feel like you have a good team. The Dodgers got off to the best start last year and didn't finish."

Bob Melvin, Arizona manager, downplaying the team's struggles during spring training.

Final word

Right-hander Brandon Lyon has a challenge. He is Arizona's new closer, replacing Jose Valverde, who was traded to Houston after leading the NL with 47 saves last year. Spring training wasn't promising: Lyon allowed 14 runs in 82/3 innings.

Lyon converted only 2-of-12 save opportunities the past two years, but he wasn't being used in a closer role. The one time he had a chance to finish off games was with Arizona in 2005, when he made good on 14-of-15 opportunities before being sidelined because of arm problems.

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