Chicago Cubs: Playoff odds continue to fall for World Champions

Rockies, Diamondbacks look to dethrone Los Angeles

The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers failed to win the National League West, the world was a very different place:

• The 2012 Summer Olympics were held in London
• Jerry Sandusky was sentenced for the Penn State scandal
• Mitt Romney lost the presidential election to Barack Obama

Just for starters.

Chicago Cubs

Colorado and Arizona enter June more than 10 games above .500. Still, after the Dodgers steamrolled the Cubs in L.A. and continued their hot play in St. Louis, they’re back atop the division.

But, if you ask Fangraphs, two months of good baseball does not a division contender make. The site pegs both the Rockies and the Diamondbacks’ division odds at less than five percent.  However, they do acknowledge that both clubs have better than coin-flip odds at factoring into the playoff picture.

On paper, Los Angeles appears to be the logical choice for a fifth-straight NL West title. Clayton Kershaw headlines the rotation and Alex Wood has backed him up for the first two months.

The offense is firing on all cylinders, too, thanks to a mix of young talent and experienced veterans. The Rockies and Diamondbacks hope to play spoiler, but face an uphill battle if they want to get the job done.