To D'Backs or not to D'Backs?

Here we go D'Backs, Here we go!

Rockies v Giants: 10 Things I Learned

1) The Giants are good. Like really good. Like the D'Backs need to be afraid. It appears that they can now hit.

2) Buster Posey now plays first base as well as catcher. Makes sense, you don't want him getting injured again.

3) Speaking of that... Buster Posey has some competition at the catcher spot. This just in: Hector Sanchez can rake. Besides keeping Buster healthy at 1st base, having him there allows the Giants to get Sanchez's bat in the lineup.

4) Juan Nicasio is back. Dude looked nearly dominant in 6 innings against the Giants, striking out 6. He did allow 3 runs, but they were scattered.

5) The Milk Man, Melky Cabrera, continues to deliver.

6) Troy Tulowitzki has a mohawk.

7) Todd Helton, at the ripe age of 38, can still play.

8) Guillermo Mota, also 38, is still throwing smoke.

9) They don't sell bratwurst at Scottsdale Stadium. Italian Sausage, yes. Brats, no.

10) The NL West is going to be much more competitive than I originally thought. The Rockies are better then I figured they would be.

Wednesday Night Baseball

Spring baseball under the lights tonight with 3 games of Cactus League action. D'Backs at Rockies, at Salt River Fields, where the D'Backs have a long travel of 35 feet over to the visiting clubhouse.

The KC Royals head over to Peoria to play the 9-3 Seattle Mariners. 9-3? Someone break up the Mariners.

Finally, the Los Angeles Dodgers play the Reds in Goodyear. Both Peoria and Goodyear are located on the WestSide. I wouldn't go. Nothing good happens on the WestSide. Especially at night.

Earlier today, Trevor Bauer, Arizona's top draft pick last summer out of UCLA, continues to pitch well. 2 innings, 1 hit, 1 walk, 3Ks. Dude is going to make the rotation and win the NL Rookie of the Year. You heard it hear first.

We have a Carlos Quentin sighting... He and Chase Headly went back to back in the Padres destruction of the D'Backs, 8-0.

The D'Backs are now 0-6 at Salt River Fields this Spring. Tonight they are the road team, maybe that will be the difference and get them a win.

Speaking of wins, someone break up the Oakland A's. Oakland is also 9-3 is off today and tonight. Who gets an off day during Spring Training? Figures, it would be a team with Manny Ramirez on it. I'm sure he negotiated that into his $500K babysitting contract of Yoenis Cespedes. That and some estrogen pills.

Hey, you gotta get the testosterone levels back to normal somehow.

Check out WSC's MLBlog here. And some detailed Cactus League analysis here.

Cactus League Spring Training Preview: Arizona Diamondbacks

Here at WestSide Culture, we like to save the best for last. So, our final Cactus League Spring Training Preview will be the Arizona Diamondbacks. Last year, the D'Backs came from nowhere, pulling the worst-to-first rabbit out of their 59FIFTY caps. This year Los Diamondbacks have el gigante target (yo no se the spanish word for "target") on their backs.

Arizona's pitching staff is stacked like the dishes in my sink. Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson, Trevor Cahill, Josh Collmenter have all proven themselves at the big league level to be very, very good. Kennedy was in the running for the NL Cy Young a season ago. His record of 21-4 with a 2.88 ERA is downright disgusting. Others to watch on the AZ staff are prospects Tyler Skaggs and Trevor Bauer, who apparently has 9 big league pitches. Both feature top-notch, ace like stuff. Joe Saunders will eat up innings, probably some doughnuts, too. The bullpen is lights out with David Hernandez and closer J.J. Putz.

Any excuse I have to show Kate Upton playing baseball, I'll use.Expect the D'Backs offense, which finished 2011 ranked 9th overall in runs scored, to be even more powerful this year. Justin Upton (not to be mistaken for Kate 'meow' Upton) is an MVP candidate. J.D. Drew will be back from an injury which forced him to miss much of 2011. His bat, along with new D'Back Jason Kubel's stick, give the Snakes serious venom.  

NL Manager of the Year, Kirk Gibson, promises his team will remain hungry. I say, "If hungry is what they need, than let them fast." D'Backs win over 95 games and repeat as NL West Champs.

Bet on it. Just don't blame me if you roll Snake eyes. 

Get WestSide Culture's Unofficial Guide to Spring Training. Available now!

Ms. Upton: 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

I've been sitting on this baseball photo of Kate Upton for a while now... waiting just for the right opportunity to use it. With 5 days left until Spring Training and Ms. Upton gracing the cover of the 2012 SI Swimsuit Issue, I guess now is the time.

She's been spotted dancing at Clippers games, chillin' at D'Backs games and even played in a celebrity game at Chase Field before the 2011 All-Star Game. We might need to talk to her about that Yankees cap though. That is so not WestSide Culture.

I figure playing the game in AZ and having the same last name as D'Backs Justin Upton, she should have rocked one of his jerseys. 

I know at this point you're not even reading this post, you're just looking at her legs. Not that I blame you.

Oh and by the way.... It's finally baseball season.