I don't think the NL West has been rated properly over the last few years. Since 2009, only the AL East has a higher combined winning percentage from it's five teams than the NL West does, and yet I always remember hearing people from the media trashing the West like it was the NFC West in football.
That being said, the division has been mostly properly rated this season. No one is saying it will be horrible (although everyone is saying the NL as a whole won't be great, which totally makes sense) but no one is comparing it to the AL East, either.
There are two good but flawed teams, two average ones, and one bottom feeder in the West this year, and here's how I think they'll finish -- you know, because I'm great at predicting things:
1) Arizona Diamondbacks
This really feels like a regression year for Arizona (especially for Ian Kennedy) but they've got so many offensive weapons and they added quality pitchers in Trevor Cahill, Takashi Saito, and Craig Breslow (smartest player in the league!). I see them staying at the top of the West.
2) San Francisco Giants
Yes, this is a Giants blog, but when your a team that just came off one of the worst offensive seasons in recent memory and your best off-season upgrades are a catcher who just came back from a horrible knee injury (emphasis on the words "knee injury" and "catcher") and Melky "I just had my only good season in a contract year" Cabrera, I can't expect you to improve very much.
I could still see them winning the division if the D-backs regress, or getting one of the two(!) Wild Cards, but they'll have to prove they can score some runs and stay healthy before I'm convinced.
3) Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers might have the best starting pitcher (Clayton Kershaw) and position player (Matt Kemp) in the major leagues, not just the NL West, but Magic Johnson shouldn't be your best off-season upgrade if you want to be considered a contender.
4) Colorado Rockies
I'm not sure if Giants' fans would rather have Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez play for their team, or watch them get dragged down by another Rockies club that will struggle to contend while the Giants are fighting for a playoff spot... Wait, what am I saying? Giants fans would kill to see those guys in black and orange.
5) San Diego Padres
Hey, at least Yonder Alonso looks promising.
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