As the dog days of August wear on in a baseball season, we usually get a good idea of what teams are headed to the playoffs. But in the National League West, picking a winner from year-to-year has been a toss-up.

This season is no different. In fact, only two teams have won back-to-back NL West division titles over the last 12 seasons, the 2001-02 Arizona Diamondbacks and 2005-06 San Diego Padres.

So why no love for the NL West? You would figure that a division so wide open would be embraced by a sports-generation seemingly tired of seeing the same teams achieve success. Call it bad press. The West has usually been labeled a weak division

A lot of that is probably due to the fact that the last two champs won with a team-record 14 games over .500 in 2006 and just two games over .500 in 2005. But if you look deeper, you'll notice that prior to 2005, the last seven division winners had at least 92 wins (including a pair of 100-win clubs). Compare that to the NL Central (where just three teams have won 100 regular season games since 1994) and you start to wonder why the NL West has been treated like the black sheep of baseball.

The time has come to give the NL West its due. Forget talk of the New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers or Atlanta Braves. The team with the National League's best record heading into the final full week of August is the red-hot Arizona Diamondbacks.

True, Brandon Webb and his scoreless innings streak (42 and counting) has gotten the attention of baseball. But how about the rest of the D-Backs? They have a masterful blend of youth and experience with veteran leadership from guys like OF Eric Byrnes and 2B Orlando Hudson while players like OF Justin Upton and 3B Mark Reynolds inject energy into the team's clubhouse.

Then there's the San Diego Padres, considered the class of the division this season with their mix of dominant starting pitching — they still have two leading candidates for the Cy Young award — and impenetrable bullpen depth. But they spent just 37 days in first.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have actually spent 68 days in first, due in large part to All-Star C Russell Martin's emergence and steady pitching. But the Dodgers have fallen off since the All-Star Break.

Even the Colorado Rockies are proving to be competitive behind potential NL MVP Matt Holliday. Cellar dweller San Francisco may not be good, but young arms and Barry Bonds still give people a reason to tune in.

And that's the point. Your fantasy team head south? Preseason football not doing it for you? Find an NL West matchup on the tube and tune in. It's the best thing going right now. Just don't tell anyone.

Starbonell is UPDATE! Major League Baseball Editor.