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Sporting News, The, Oct 7, 2005

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

TEAM MVP: 1B Tony Clark helped the Diamondbacks in a variety of ways, from pinch hitting to playing a key role in the lineup. He was the team's most consistent and potent offensive force. Clark helped Chad Tracy make the adjustment from third to first and helped teach young players Alex Cinton and Matt Kata to be effective pinch hitters. Clark, the club's best clutch hitter, eventually became the club's everyday first baseman and cleanup hitter. He also worked tirelessly to teach the nuances of first base to top prospect Conor Jackson, a recently converted outfielder. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Throughout his career, RHP Russ Ortiz has been a winner and a workhorse. He was neither this season. A mechanical flaw early in the year led to too much movement on his pitches, which led to too many walks. He always has allowed a lot of runners, but this season he couldn't pitch out of jams. He went on the D.L. for the first time in his career, missing two months.--Steve Gilbert

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COLORADO ROCKIES

TEAM MVP: After RHP Chin-Hui Tsao hurt his shoulder in early May, LHP Brian Fuentes emerged and gave the Rockies a standout closer for the first time since Jose Jimenez had 41 saves in 2002. Fuentes, who has a sidearm delivery, always has been a strikeout pitcher with an effective tow- to mid-90s fastball. This season, his slider was extremely tough on lefthanders, and Fuentes got righthanders out by using a backdoor version of that pitch. He also busted hitters inside with his fastball. Fuentes converted 30 of his first 33 save chances. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: LHP Joe Kennedy was named the opening day starter and given a one-year deal worth $2.2 million after posting a 3.66 ERA last year. But this season, Kennedy left pitches over the plate and lost confidence. He let defensive mistakes affect him, too. By the time he was traded to the A's on July 13, he was 4-8 with a 7.04 ERA and RHP Byung-Hyun Kim had supplanted him in the rotation.--Thomas Harding

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

TEAM MVP: 2B Jeff Kent doesn't make friends in the clubhouse or with the media, but he is highly productive and plays the game hard every day. Even at 37, Kent was the club's most consistent run producer and its best power threat. He was tough and durable and even proved warnings of his defensive shortcomings were overstated by holding up in the field. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: There never has been a question about what RF J.D. Drew can do on a baseball field, only about how to keep him there. The chronically injured Drew missed more than half of the season with a variety of injuries, including a broken wrist. He has had two surgeries (wrist, shoulder) in the past month and might need one on his other wrist. He also has a chronic knee injury the Dodgers knew about when they signed him to replace Shawn Green and be an anchor in the middle of the lineup. When he played, Drew showed he could be a five-tool player, though he seemed to make his biggest impact on defense.--Ken Gurnick

SAN DIEGO PADRES

TEAM MVP: RF Brian Giles brought toughness and passion to the team on a daily basis-he showed he would knock down anyone on the basepaths, even Braves 2B Marcus Giles, his younger brother. Giles started slowly but caught fire and carded the team at times as other key Padres hitters bounced in and out of the lineup because of injuries. He has good plate judgment and discipline and is a premier offensive force despite Petco Park's deep fences. Giles also plays solid defense, compensating for his average throwing arm with good positioning. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: 1B Phil Nevin never got rolling, creating a hole in the middle of the batting order. He was expected to provide right-handed power that could complement lefthanded hitters Giles and Ryan Klesko, but Nevin never adjusted to his home park or pulled the ball consistently. And his abrasiveness bothered some teammates.--Lyle Spencer

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

TEAM MVP: C Mike Matheny was impressive defensively, guiding the team's young pitchers and showing a strong arm. That was expected, but Matheny was not expected to be among the league leaders in home runs and RBIs by a catcher or hit so well with runners in scoring position. He was extremely durable and has not committed an error. Pitchers have praised Matheny's ability to switch strategies for attacking hitters in the middle of games. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: LHP Kirk Rueter, the team's No. 2 starter at the beginning of the year, had been a rotation fixture since 1997. But his pinpoint accuracy, the source of his past success, disappeared as the season progressed. Hitters started taking his soft stuff the other way, and an experiment with pitching inside was unsuccessful. After being demoted to the bullpen, Rueter had a rough outing and eventually was released with a 5.95 ERA.--Rich Draper

N.L. west

Sporting News, The, Oct 7, 2005

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