WEST DIVISION

1. SAN DIEGO PADRES

Arrivals: SP Woody Williams, CF Dave Roberts, IF Geoff Blum, SP Darrell May, RP Dennys Reyes, RP Rudy Seanez, OF Mark Sweeney, 2B Eric Young, 1B Robert Fick, SP Tim Redding.

Departures: INF Rich Aurilia, OF Terrence Long, RP Antonio Osuna, OF Jay Payton, SP David Wells, IF Ramon Vazquez.

On the way up: They’ve been waiting for Adam Eaton since he was a combined 15-9 in 2000 and 2001. The 11th overall pick by the Phillies in 1996, Eaton has top-end-of-the-rotation pitches, is still young and had a promising spring. Jake Peavy and Brian Lawrence won 15 games apiece last season and the Padres would like to have kept Wells, but not at Red Sox money or term. So, they signed Woody Williams and hoped Eaton would mature.

On the way out: Ryan Klesko is the knee-jerk call here, but he had a big September and a .399 on-base percentage last season. Brian Giles, Ramon Hernandez and Trevor Hoffman are in walk years, and at least one of them might not be back.

Story lines: After five consecutive losing seasons, the Padres won 87 games last year, and the division didn’t get any stronger. The Dodgers have roster issues and the Giants have Bonds issues, meaning any of the top three teams can play well in September and win it.

At Dodger Stadium: April 15-17, June 27-29, Sept. 9-11.

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2. DODGERS

Arrivals: RF J.D. Drew, 2B Jeff Kent, SP Derek Lowe, OF Ricky Ledee, 3B Jose Valentin, SP Scott Erickson, C Jason Phillips.

Departures: 3B Adrian Beltre, CF Steve Finley, 2B Alex Cora, 1B/RF Shawn Green, INF Jose Hernandez, SP Kaz Ishii, SP Jose Lima, C Brent Mayne, SP Hideo Nomo, C David Ross, 1B Robin Ventura.

On the way up: The Dodgers have a few young players on the major league cusp -- catcher Dioner Navarro, outfielder Jason Repko, second baseman Antonio Perez, shortstop Joel Guzman -- but the physical conditions and productivity of Drew and Cesar Izturis are more critical in the short term. Izturis won his first Gold Glove last season. Drew has played as many as 140 games once in his career, last season.

On the way out: Valentin, 35, is a stop-gap solution at third base. Beyond this season, there are no concrete plans.

Story lines: Dodger fans are looking for reasons to trust owner Frank McCourt and his general manager, Paul DePodesta. The first impressions -- McCourt is running the club on the cheap, DePodesta is in over his head -- linger, particularly after an off-season in which Beltre and Finley left by free agency. A repeat in the West could be determined by the recovery of Brad Penny.

At Angel Stadium: June 24-26.

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3. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

Arrivals: LF Moises Alou, RP Armando Benitez, C Mike Matheny, SS Omar Vizquel.

Departures: RP Robb Nen, C A.J. Pierzynski, RP Dave Burba, RP Dustin Hermanson, OF Dustan Mohr, OF Ricky Ledee.

On the way up: Well, there’s Kimberly Bell, Barry Bonds’ mistress for about a decade, whose story of Bonds’ steroid use is gaining momentum. Bell has written herself into the BALCO investigation. The Giants love Matt Cain, a wispy right-hander who, at 20, already has a big league fastball and changeup. He could arrive this season.

On the way out: All of them. By October, Bonds will be 41, Alou 39, Marquis Grissom and Vizquel 38, and J.T. Snow 37. For a change of pace, the manager will try to keep them awake, and he’ll be 70 in May.

Story lines: There is, of course, only one: Bonds is 11 home runs from Babe Ruth, 52 from Hank Aaron. The chase of the game’s immortals will soak all that the Giants do, even as Bonds, assuming his return this season, conducts it on one good knee, BALCO gaining by the week. The Giants are built for one run, because there isn’t a training staff that could get this roster through more than one season. Even the catcher, Mike Matheny, is in his mid-30s. And the kid who will spell Bonds in left field? Pedro Felix will be 30 in four weeks.

At Dodger Stadium: April 12-13, July 14-17, Sept. 5-7.

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4. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Arrivals: 1B Tony Clark, SS Royce Clayton, 2B Craig Counsell, CF Jose Cruz Jr., SP Shawn Estes, 3B Troy Glaus, RF Shawn Green, SP Brad Halsey, SP Russ Ortiz, SP Javier Vazquez.

Departures: INF Carlos Baerga, OF Danny Bautista, 1B Greg Colbrunn, RP Jeff Fasserro, SP Casey Fossum, RP Mike Fetters, 1B Shea Hillenbrand, SP Randy Johnson, RP Matt Mantei, 1B Richie Sexson.

On the way up: Injuries and mistakes had the Diamondbacks believing in this category last season, which ended in 111 losses. So, they scrapped that and paid or traded for nearly a dozen veterans. Vazquez and Halsey, who came over in the Randy Johnson trade, are critical to a pitching staff that no longer can count on Johnson every five days, and Halsey could be good for a long time.

On the way out: Estes, Clayton and Clark are on one-year deals, and any one of them could be traded if the division gets away from Arizona, which hasn’t given up on shortstop Alex Cintron.

Story lines: The Diamondbacks surprised everybody by paying early and paying big for free agents Ortiz and Glaus, then banked on a sound Green being a retro Green. Despite the improvements, they must pick up at least 40 wins from last season, which is too much to expect.

At Dodger Stadium: April 25-27, July 1-3, Sept. 27-29.

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5. COLORADO ROCKIES

Arrivals: INF Alfredo Amezaga, RF Dustan Mohr, 3B Desi Relaford, RP Aaron Taylor, RP Byung-Hyun Kim.

Departures: OF Jeromy Burnitz, 3B Vinny Castilla, SS Royce Clayton, SP Shawn Estes, RP Jeff Fassero, INF Denny Hocking, RP Turk Wendell, OF Mark Sweeney, C Charles Johnson.

On the way up: Coors Field is among the things you hate to see happen to a rookie. Nevertheless, Jeff Francis, a 24-year-old left-hander, is next through the revolving door. Third baseman Garrett Atkins (UCLA) and shortstop Clint Barmes have minor league pedigrees; the Rockies have big-league vacancies.

On the way out: Jamey Wright has pitched for five big league teams since 1999 and has been released three times. Just playing the odds here. Byung-Hyun Kim, once one of the coming closers in the game, has lost the velocity on his fastball and the movement on his slider. The Red Sox couldn’t wait to get rid of him, and it probably won’t be long before the Rockies feel the same way.

Story lines: The Rockies are in full youth mode, the youths for the moment surrounding All-Star Todd Helton. Matt Holliday, 25, batted .290 over 400 at-bats last season.

At Dodger Stadium: April 29-May 1, Aug. 23-25, Sept. 12-14.