Contender for the west, yes. But not for the world series. But I've seen stranger things happen these last three years( Red Sox winning it all). If Barry stays healthy, they should be ok. They improved a lot in starting pitching and that the strongest asset of the team. If Bonds gets hurt, the offense isn't enough. However, they have showed a lot of heart in being the last team to be eliminated from a division race in the NL the last two years.

Pretty much an old team. They don't have any quality young talent, and they are not likely to hold up over a 162 game season. Jason Schmidt could help a lot if he rebounds after his mediocre 2005 season.

The era of the Gianst is over. They will be sucking wind in last place!

A baseball magazine that I bought a month ago actually picked them for first. It's a weak division to be sure, but I just don't buy that. They often overachieve, to be sure, but they're positively decrepit at some positions. 500 at best I would guess, but they've surprised us before. Their roster always looks like that early baseball episode of the Simpsons, when Smithers tells Mr. Burns: "Sir, your left fielder has been dead for 129 years."