Post by Red Sox GM (Ty) on Jun 21, 2011 14:56:30 GMT -5
The infamous Chin Music Power Rankings are back once again, emerging from a much extended sabbatical. We’re already about 40% through the regular season, and the contenders have begun to separate themselves from the pretenders. Without further ado, we will jump right in. As always, all opinions expressed herein are final and irrefutably correct. (Last editions ranking in parenthesis)
Life Support
30. (26) Los Angeles Dodgers
There’s not a whole lot to feel good about in Tinseltown, but at least these Dodgers can make payroll. They can look forward to the certain arrival of Gerrit Cole as a belated Christmas present, as they are running away with the always coveted top pick in the draft. Cain is definitely the current star of the roster, Soriano is finally producing at a level commensurate with 1/3 of his contract (a huge step in the right direction) and they’ve got plenty of money to spend, but it will take a brave and savvy baseball genius to turn around the once proud franchise.
Reclamation Projects
29. (16) San Francisco Giants
Formerly New York, current California franchises are dominating the cellar of these power rankings with the Giants checking in at 29. Their current woes look to be more temporary with diligent ownership, as they are proud owners of a pair of true aces in Verlander and Lee, and a promising, yet injured backstop (Posey) to build around. With an already decent farm system and a great opportunity to add to that this offseason, it shouldn’t be too long in the basement for the Giants.
28. (24) Houston Astros
I’m sure these Astros are pulling hard for realignment, unlike their real life counterpart as the NL Central has set an unparalleled standard of excellence. Houston doesn’t have much in the way of movable assets- any of their productive players come with cumbersome salaries. That means an earnest effort must be made to acquire more youth through the draft to compliment a respectable system that currently includes the likes of Lyles, Mesoraco, Alonso, Hicks, Wojciechowski, and Hak-Ju Lee.
27. (25) New York Yankees
The Bronx Bombers new ownership has already put their substantial financial power to work in the rebuilding effort by inking the likes of Jon Jay and Josh Collmenter to longer-term agreements. The Yankee tradition demands greatness, and while they are a few seasons away, they are now in capable hands and have a defined strategy that will pay off with time and commitment.
26. (29) Oakland Athletics
The AL West is winnable, but I don’t anticipate Birdman’s Athletics enjoying a champagne shower this year. While they boast a very strong bullpen (just think if the O’s would use their best reliever as their closer) and an offensive core of Tabata and Espinosa is definitely a good start, they too must continue their youth movement. The biggest question for the A’s this season is: what to do with Hunter Pence? In his last cost controlled year, he’s tearing it up for the struggling Astros. Will these A’s sell high as his Astros are expected to or does Bird believe he’s the cornerstone to build around? Stay tuned.
25. (27) Chicago White Sox
What a difference ownership makes. It wasn’t long ago that the South Siders were at ‘rock bottom’. In a few short months, they’ve clawed themselves to ‘tolerable misery’ and things are looking up. After hoodwinking the Red Sox into giving up assets for Gary Matthews Jr. 2.0, the other Sox took a shot and spent some money on FAs and bolstering their youngsters. Hawpe seems like a miss, but Ludwick has been respectable (somebody has to score/drive in runs for San Diego, right? Right?). Quality ownership with a commitment to building the ‘right’ way will have the Sox out of the
cellar in no time.
24. (28) Philadelphia Phillies
The Phils have made a concerted effort to restock a depleted farm system in recent years. Unfortunately, some of their prized youths (Aumont, Tazawa and Hagadone to name a few) have lost their luster during that time. That said, they have graduated Smoak and Freese with success, and do still have plenty in the minors to be excited about. Pitching looks thin on all levels, but Frenchy has been a pleasant surprise. If the formerly lowly Nats can emerge from relative obscurity to the top of the leader board, so too can these Phils.
Mired in Mediocrity
23. (20) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Angels are a mediocre performance from Chode Figgins from respectability. Instead Figgins has been nothing short of abysmal, and with the call up of Dustin Ackley, playing time seems to be mercifully slipping away. Adam Jones, Peter Bourjous and Tyler Chatwood have been pleasant surprises, but LA could definitely use a youth infusion. Doc Halladay can’t do it all by himself.
22. (18) Toronto Blue Jays
Don’t tell Highway to Helton that it’s 2011 and not 2001. He’s been absolutely raking, and anybody that loves baseball has to be happy for him. Mike Stanton, already a Reggie Cleveland All-Star is turning into an actual All-Star north of the border. The BJs have done a great job assembling a good quantity of players that would be desirable to a contender, but they could stand to convert some of them into more appropriate pieces for their rebuilding effort. They’re in a tough division, but they’re in good shape.
21. (21) Seattle Mariners
If not for the injury bug, the Mariners would be contending with the Rangers for the top of the division right now, but as it stands, Mauer and Morneau’s absence has killed their offense and Peavy hasn’t been able to give them much either. They are definitely short on pitching, but if they get healthy, they’ve got a top 10 offense. They seem to be caught in between buying and selling and are coming to a turning point as a franchise. The West is weak, but the Ms will have to wait until next year for a legitimate shot at the playoffs.
20. (22) Minnesota Twins
Mike’s patience is about to pay off. He’s spent the last few years accumulating an embarrassment of riches for his system (way too many to name), and now Kimbrel and the boys are starting to produce at the big league level. Kevin better keep an eye over his shoulder, because it won’t be long before he has some serious competition from the Twins and all their budding stars.
Playing for Next Year
19. (30) Cleveland Indians
Robin HAS to be feeling good about his ballclub after years at the bottom. A climb into the top 20 won’t seem like much to most, but when you’ve spent as much time cultivating a winning strategy as he has, it’s a huge improvement. Don’t think we haven’t noticed. The Tribe are in the discussion with the Nats as Most Improved this year, and things are only looking up as youngsters like Harper continue to develop and his ace Strasburg recovers from TJ.
18. (10) Florida Marlins
I struggle to find a reason as to why the Fish are ownerless. It’s a great club (thanks in large part to Tyler) in good financial shape with decent prospects. Regardless, this offseason will be an important one for Florida with several expiring contracts and some money to spend. Anybody know a potential GM? **Update: the Fish finally do have an owner, so only the lowly Dodgers and Giants remain vacant.
17. (2) Pittsburgh Pirates
After a remarkable Cinderella run last year ended in postseason defeat, Larry’s Pirates have come back to earth. This team is definitely underachieving, but it’s probably not playoff bound again this season in a notoriously tough NL Central. With the return of Zimmerman, if Choo gets off the sauce and McGehee remembers how to hit, they should find themselves somewhere near the top 10 of our next installment.
16. (13) New York Mets
The Metropolitans have made an admirable effort to consistently trot out a lineup full of healthy, Major League players. Justin Turner has been a nice surprise and a good signing, and Vernon Wells (I think he’s available) may have finally found his groove, but injuries and ineptitude have killed any pre-season aspirations. While the Wilpons tread water on Einhorn’s dime, the Lenhart’s will have deep pockets this offseason as Posada’s $13M salary comes off the books and Wells takes a pay cut to a modest $21M annually.
The Enigmas
15. (19) Detroit Tigers
Despite some serious underachieving by the Captain, Benoit, Utley and John Danks, the Tigers are hanging around and currently sit in 5th in the AL. I don’t think the current construction of their roster will contend for long, but they have plenty to work with going forward. Furbush seems like a fixture in the backend of the bullpen and Johnny Damon has been a very pleasant surprise, but you’ve got to wonder how much gas he’s got left in the tank. Kudos to Dale for a very strong performance so far.
14. (11) Tampa Bay Rays
With an unceremonious exit by Brett, the Rays have a fresh start with new ownership. Fortunately, he left them in pretty good shape. Nelson Cruz and his boom stick, Granderson, and Phillips are certainly adequate to power an offense and Masterson has shown flashes of brilliance. Hanley cannot be this bad- maybe ol’ Jack McKeon can light a fire under him. The dead weight of Kazmir’s contract and a very strong AL East means that there probably won’t be playoff baseball in Tampa for the first time in a while. Rick will have his hands full reshaping the roster, but he’s got plenty to work with going forward.
13. (3) San Diego Padres
The Padres had a tremendous season behind Carlos Gonzalez and steady performances by the starters last year. Despite Adam Lind just punishing baseballs, the Pads are still in danger of being a one hit wonder thanks to a regression by CarGo and a lack of warm bodies in the rotation. 38 points stand between them and another West crown, so they better find some pitching and fast if they want to chip away at that lead.
Sleepers
12. (15) Arizona Diamondbacks
The DBacks have been a talented bunch for a while, but they seem to finally be putting it all together. Some savvy FA pickups in the offseason have them primed to acquire a few more young talents to add to their nucleus of the better Upton, Feliz, Moustakas, Sabathia and Lawrie. Scott Baker has been dazzling, making Sawx fans regret not parting with Lilly in the offseason’s last blockbuster. Tyler has proven once before that he is capable of forming a talented squad; we’ll see if he’s got what it takes to finish the job this time around.
11. (9) Texas Rangers
Arlington lays claim to one of the most impressive top to bottom staffs in the league. Stubbs, Tex and Quentin would be welcome in any lineup, but there’s not a whole lot else to get excited about. Hopefully, for the Rangers’ sake, Brandon Belt can avoid becoming Chris Davis reincarnate and provide some needed pop to their offense, but for now they’re doing plenty to waltz into the playoffs yet again. They may want to consider converting some pitching to hitting if they want to make any noise in September, though.
10. (14) Colorado Rockies
The Rox are a home run celebration away from the top 5. Instead, without Kendry, they’re just another good ballclub that hasn’t put out a good Avatar Rankings since the Bush administration. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t win the West, unless the Pads can turn lead into pitching gold, but they’ll need quite a few breaks to do more than make a first round exit. Ubaldo has lost his magic, and they’re a #2 starter and a middle of the order bat away from being serious contenders for the title. They look probable to hover around the top 10 for the foreseeable future.
The Dark Horses
9. (23) Chicago Cubs
After an uncharacteristically poor showing last year, the Cubbies find their way inside the top 10 again despite a disappointing 4th place in their division. Offseason acquisitions Berkman and Victorino are having huge bounce back seasons and Asdrubal is besting perennial fantasy All-Stars Tulo and HanRam at the SS position. Most of their other cap space is occupied by underperformers, however, like Swo’s favorite speedster Rajai Davis and the pride of DC, Jayson Werth. They have quite a few desirable pieces, so don’t expect the Cubs to go anywhere soon, but they’re probably doomed to look up at Milwaukee and Cincinnati for a while.
8. (8) Atlanta Braves
Holding steady at 8, the Braves consecutive postseason streak is in jeopardy this season as the upstart Nationals seem to be running away with the division and the plethora of top teams in the Central will undoubtedly claim the Wild Card. Chicago does NOT agree with Adam Dunn. He’s torturing the Braves with one of the worst statistical seasons ever compiled. Meanwhile, Fausto Carmona is inflating team pitching ratios and Swo is paying $10M for an injured setup man courtesy of the brilliance that is the Steinbrenner kids. It’s too early to close the book on this season yet, but they’re going to need some help from the baseball gods to catch the mighty Nats.
7. (7) St. Louis Cardinals
The Cards remain at 7 and among the best squads in the league despite holding down 3rd place in their own division. Last year it was the Brew Crew and the Buccos, this year Cincy has been the marginally surprising leader. Tough to be too encouraged with the state of the division, and I’m sure there will be calls for realignment in the offseason, but it’s a long season and only 24 points separate them from a playoff spot. They are lacking some offensive firepower, but their pitching may be enough to propel them to September glory.
Contenders
6. (6) Baltimore Orioles
Another team holding steady, the Orioles have just been dealt a major blow, losing their offensive juggernaut for 4-6 weeks. As long as the broken arm doesn’t linger, it shouldn’t kill their playoff aspirations, as their closest competition from the AL, the Tigers, stand almost 100 points behind them. Barring any further injury, the O’s presume to be serious contenders for the title this year and for years to come. The offseason will prove very intriguing however, as Pujols explores the FA market, will the Orioles be able to afford him and enough of a supporting cast to maintain their position among the league’s elite?
5. (4) Kansas City Royals
It’s hard to be too upset with a top 5 showing, but I’m sure if you asked Kevin, he’d tell you he expected to be in the top 2-3 back in March. A lingering injury to Schlongoria has overshadowed a brilliant start by everybody’s favorite Canadian, Joey Votto. And while Bartolo Colon looks like he should be working the Dippin’ Dots station at Yankee Stadium, he has actually been the saving grace of the Royal rotation- a very pleasant surprise indeed. There’s only so much he can do, however, and while there are a ton of arms in KC, quantity cannot compensate for quality. The Royals will cruise to a playoff berth again this season, but it won’t be long before the Twinkies and Tribe are nipping at their heels.
4. (17) Washington Nationals
Who would have thought that 3 months into the season, the lowly Nats would be a top 5 team. Whatever Jose Bautista was taking last year still has yet to wear off, powering their potent offense and proving his many doubters wrong. They also boast an impressive collection of pitching that has allowed them to weather Matt Garza’s disappointing starts. Much to Kevin’s chagrin, I don’t see a scenario where there is not postseason baseball in the Capitol. It will be intriguing to see how they proceed with a tight cap situation this winter, but I have full faith in the Nats ability to wheel and deal.
3. (12) Boston Red Sox
After a disappointing, injury riddled travesty of a season last year, the boys from Beantown are back among the league’s elite. Health and pitching are much improved this season and the impetus behind the Sox’s resurgence. Haren and Beckett anchor a very respectable staff that also includes recent draftees Zach Britton and Rubby de la Rosa. They sorely lack a closer, with big Jon Broxton looking more like a competitive eater than a lights out finisher, but that won’t keep them from the playoffs. So far the offense has been able to get by without anything from prized offseason acquisition Alex Rios, but his bat will need to wake up if the Sox are to make another run for a title.
2. (5) Cincinnati Reds
The Reds sit atop the leader board, but behind the division rival Brewers for the coveted top spot in our prestigious Power Rankings. A longtime favorite of the Rankings, the Reds seem to have put it all together this year with a tremendous team effort on offense that includes breakout performances by Jay Bruce and Prince Fielder in a contract year. Pitching is very good as well, with hands down the best pen in the league. Keep an eye on their rotation, as I think they will need solid performances from Liriano or an ailing Tyson Ross to put them over the top. Greinke, Zimmerman and Cueto is a great 1-2-3, but there’s not a whole lot after that.
The Favorites
1. (1) Milwaukee Brewers
Currently 3rd in the standings, the Brewers are in the best shape of any franchise. Paul Konerko has very capably filled the void created by JoshHamilton’s injury and Nick Swisher’s return to earth. A rotation of Lester, Price, Gio, Buchholz and Dempster, with Wainwright waiting in the wings for next year is filthy. Anything is possible in the playoffs, as the Brewers well know, but they should be a fixture atop the league for years to come.
Life Support
30. (26) Los Angeles Dodgers
There’s not a whole lot to feel good about in Tinseltown, but at least these Dodgers can make payroll. They can look forward to the certain arrival of Gerrit Cole as a belated Christmas present, as they are running away with the always coveted top pick in the draft. Cain is definitely the current star of the roster, Soriano is finally producing at a level commensurate with 1/3 of his contract (a huge step in the right direction) and they’ve got plenty of money to spend, but it will take a brave and savvy baseball genius to turn around the once proud franchise.
Reclamation Projects
29. (16) San Francisco Giants
Formerly New York, current California franchises are dominating the cellar of these power rankings with the Giants checking in at 29. Their current woes look to be more temporary with diligent ownership, as they are proud owners of a pair of true aces in Verlander and Lee, and a promising, yet injured backstop (Posey) to build around. With an already decent farm system and a great opportunity to add to that this offseason, it shouldn’t be too long in the basement for the Giants.
28. (24) Houston Astros
I’m sure these Astros are pulling hard for realignment, unlike their real life counterpart as the NL Central has set an unparalleled standard of excellence. Houston doesn’t have much in the way of movable assets- any of their productive players come with cumbersome salaries. That means an earnest effort must be made to acquire more youth through the draft to compliment a respectable system that currently includes the likes of Lyles, Mesoraco, Alonso, Hicks, Wojciechowski, and Hak-Ju Lee.
27. (25) New York Yankees
The Bronx Bombers new ownership has already put their substantial financial power to work in the rebuilding effort by inking the likes of Jon Jay and Josh Collmenter to longer-term agreements. The Yankee tradition demands greatness, and while they are a few seasons away, they are now in capable hands and have a defined strategy that will pay off with time and commitment.
26. (29) Oakland Athletics
The AL West is winnable, but I don’t anticipate Birdman’s Athletics enjoying a champagne shower this year. While they boast a very strong bullpen (just think if the O’s would use their best reliever as their closer) and an offensive core of Tabata and Espinosa is definitely a good start, they too must continue their youth movement. The biggest question for the A’s this season is: what to do with Hunter Pence? In his last cost controlled year, he’s tearing it up for the struggling Astros. Will these A’s sell high as his Astros are expected to or does Bird believe he’s the cornerstone to build around? Stay tuned.
25. (27) Chicago White Sox
What a difference ownership makes. It wasn’t long ago that the South Siders were at ‘rock bottom’. In a few short months, they’ve clawed themselves to ‘tolerable misery’ and things are looking up. After hoodwinking the Red Sox into giving up assets for Gary Matthews Jr. 2.0, the other Sox took a shot and spent some money on FAs and bolstering their youngsters. Hawpe seems like a miss, but Ludwick has been respectable (somebody has to score/drive in runs for San Diego, right? Right?). Quality ownership with a commitment to building the ‘right’ way will have the Sox out of the
cellar in no time.
24. (28) Philadelphia Phillies
The Phils have made a concerted effort to restock a depleted farm system in recent years. Unfortunately, some of their prized youths (Aumont, Tazawa and Hagadone to name a few) have lost their luster during that time. That said, they have graduated Smoak and Freese with success, and do still have plenty in the minors to be excited about. Pitching looks thin on all levels, but Frenchy has been a pleasant surprise. If the formerly lowly Nats can emerge from relative obscurity to the top of the leader board, so too can these Phils.
Mired in Mediocrity
23. (20) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Angels are a mediocre performance from Chode Figgins from respectability. Instead Figgins has been nothing short of abysmal, and with the call up of Dustin Ackley, playing time seems to be mercifully slipping away. Adam Jones, Peter Bourjous and Tyler Chatwood have been pleasant surprises, but LA could definitely use a youth infusion. Doc Halladay can’t do it all by himself.
22. (18) Toronto Blue Jays
Don’t tell Highway to Helton that it’s 2011 and not 2001. He’s been absolutely raking, and anybody that loves baseball has to be happy for him. Mike Stanton, already a Reggie Cleveland All-Star is turning into an actual All-Star north of the border. The BJs have done a great job assembling a good quantity of players that would be desirable to a contender, but they could stand to convert some of them into more appropriate pieces for their rebuilding effort. They’re in a tough division, but they’re in good shape.
21. (21) Seattle Mariners
If not for the injury bug, the Mariners would be contending with the Rangers for the top of the division right now, but as it stands, Mauer and Morneau’s absence has killed their offense and Peavy hasn’t been able to give them much either. They are definitely short on pitching, but if they get healthy, they’ve got a top 10 offense. They seem to be caught in between buying and selling and are coming to a turning point as a franchise. The West is weak, but the Ms will have to wait until next year for a legitimate shot at the playoffs.
20. (22) Minnesota Twins
Mike’s patience is about to pay off. He’s spent the last few years accumulating an embarrassment of riches for his system (way too many to name), and now Kimbrel and the boys are starting to produce at the big league level. Kevin better keep an eye over his shoulder, because it won’t be long before he has some serious competition from the Twins and all their budding stars.
Playing for Next Year
19. (30) Cleveland Indians
Robin HAS to be feeling good about his ballclub after years at the bottom. A climb into the top 20 won’t seem like much to most, but when you’ve spent as much time cultivating a winning strategy as he has, it’s a huge improvement. Don’t think we haven’t noticed. The Tribe are in the discussion with the Nats as Most Improved this year, and things are only looking up as youngsters like Harper continue to develop and his ace Strasburg recovers from TJ.
18. (10) Florida Marlins
I struggle to find a reason as to why the Fish are ownerless. It’s a great club (thanks in large part to Tyler) in good financial shape with decent prospects. Regardless, this offseason will be an important one for Florida with several expiring contracts and some money to spend. Anybody know a potential GM? **Update: the Fish finally do have an owner, so only the lowly Dodgers and Giants remain vacant.
17. (2) Pittsburgh Pirates
After a remarkable Cinderella run last year ended in postseason defeat, Larry’s Pirates have come back to earth. This team is definitely underachieving, but it’s probably not playoff bound again this season in a notoriously tough NL Central. With the return of Zimmerman, if Choo gets off the sauce and McGehee remembers how to hit, they should find themselves somewhere near the top 10 of our next installment.
16. (13) New York Mets
The Metropolitans have made an admirable effort to consistently trot out a lineup full of healthy, Major League players. Justin Turner has been a nice surprise and a good signing, and Vernon Wells (I think he’s available) may have finally found his groove, but injuries and ineptitude have killed any pre-season aspirations. While the Wilpons tread water on Einhorn’s dime, the Lenhart’s will have deep pockets this offseason as Posada’s $13M salary comes off the books and Wells takes a pay cut to a modest $21M annually.
The Enigmas
15. (19) Detroit Tigers
Despite some serious underachieving by the Captain, Benoit, Utley and John Danks, the Tigers are hanging around and currently sit in 5th in the AL. I don’t think the current construction of their roster will contend for long, but they have plenty to work with going forward. Furbush seems like a fixture in the backend of the bullpen and Johnny Damon has been a very pleasant surprise, but you’ve got to wonder how much gas he’s got left in the tank. Kudos to Dale for a very strong performance so far.
14. (11) Tampa Bay Rays
With an unceremonious exit by Brett, the Rays have a fresh start with new ownership. Fortunately, he left them in pretty good shape. Nelson Cruz and his boom stick, Granderson, and Phillips are certainly adequate to power an offense and Masterson has shown flashes of brilliance. Hanley cannot be this bad- maybe ol’ Jack McKeon can light a fire under him. The dead weight of Kazmir’s contract and a very strong AL East means that there probably won’t be playoff baseball in Tampa for the first time in a while. Rick will have his hands full reshaping the roster, but he’s got plenty to work with going forward.
13. (3) San Diego Padres
The Padres had a tremendous season behind Carlos Gonzalez and steady performances by the starters last year. Despite Adam Lind just punishing baseballs, the Pads are still in danger of being a one hit wonder thanks to a regression by CarGo and a lack of warm bodies in the rotation. 38 points stand between them and another West crown, so they better find some pitching and fast if they want to chip away at that lead.
Sleepers
12. (15) Arizona Diamondbacks
The DBacks have been a talented bunch for a while, but they seem to finally be putting it all together. Some savvy FA pickups in the offseason have them primed to acquire a few more young talents to add to their nucleus of the better Upton, Feliz, Moustakas, Sabathia and Lawrie. Scott Baker has been dazzling, making Sawx fans regret not parting with Lilly in the offseason’s last blockbuster. Tyler has proven once before that he is capable of forming a talented squad; we’ll see if he’s got what it takes to finish the job this time around.
11. (9) Texas Rangers
Arlington lays claim to one of the most impressive top to bottom staffs in the league. Stubbs, Tex and Quentin would be welcome in any lineup, but there’s not a whole lot else to get excited about. Hopefully, for the Rangers’ sake, Brandon Belt can avoid becoming Chris Davis reincarnate and provide some needed pop to their offense, but for now they’re doing plenty to waltz into the playoffs yet again. They may want to consider converting some pitching to hitting if they want to make any noise in September, though.
10. (14) Colorado Rockies
The Rox are a home run celebration away from the top 5. Instead, without Kendry, they’re just another good ballclub that hasn’t put out a good Avatar Rankings since the Bush administration. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t win the West, unless the Pads can turn lead into pitching gold, but they’ll need quite a few breaks to do more than make a first round exit. Ubaldo has lost his magic, and they’re a #2 starter and a middle of the order bat away from being serious contenders for the title. They look probable to hover around the top 10 for the foreseeable future.
The Dark Horses
9. (23) Chicago Cubs
After an uncharacteristically poor showing last year, the Cubbies find their way inside the top 10 again despite a disappointing 4th place in their division. Offseason acquisitions Berkman and Victorino are having huge bounce back seasons and Asdrubal is besting perennial fantasy All-Stars Tulo and HanRam at the SS position. Most of their other cap space is occupied by underperformers, however, like Swo’s favorite speedster Rajai Davis and the pride of DC, Jayson Werth. They have quite a few desirable pieces, so don’t expect the Cubs to go anywhere soon, but they’re probably doomed to look up at Milwaukee and Cincinnati for a while.
8. (8) Atlanta Braves
Holding steady at 8, the Braves consecutive postseason streak is in jeopardy this season as the upstart Nationals seem to be running away with the division and the plethora of top teams in the Central will undoubtedly claim the Wild Card. Chicago does NOT agree with Adam Dunn. He’s torturing the Braves with one of the worst statistical seasons ever compiled. Meanwhile, Fausto Carmona is inflating team pitching ratios and Swo is paying $10M for an injured setup man courtesy of the brilliance that is the Steinbrenner kids. It’s too early to close the book on this season yet, but they’re going to need some help from the baseball gods to catch the mighty Nats.
7. (7) St. Louis Cardinals
The Cards remain at 7 and among the best squads in the league despite holding down 3rd place in their own division. Last year it was the Brew Crew and the Buccos, this year Cincy has been the marginally surprising leader. Tough to be too encouraged with the state of the division, and I’m sure there will be calls for realignment in the offseason, but it’s a long season and only 24 points separate them from a playoff spot. They are lacking some offensive firepower, but their pitching may be enough to propel them to September glory.
Contenders
6. (6) Baltimore Orioles
Another team holding steady, the Orioles have just been dealt a major blow, losing their offensive juggernaut for 4-6 weeks. As long as the broken arm doesn’t linger, it shouldn’t kill their playoff aspirations, as their closest competition from the AL, the Tigers, stand almost 100 points behind them. Barring any further injury, the O’s presume to be serious contenders for the title this year and for years to come. The offseason will prove very intriguing however, as Pujols explores the FA market, will the Orioles be able to afford him and enough of a supporting cast to maintain their position among the league’s elite?
5. (4) Kansas City Royals
It’s hard to be too upset with a top 5 showing, but I’m sure if you asked Kevin, he’d tell you he expected to be in the top 2-3 back in March. A lingering injury to Schlongoria has overshadowed a brilliant start by everybody’s favorite Canadian, Joey Votto. And while Bartolo Colon looks like he should be working the Dippin’ Dots station at Yankee Stadium, he has actually been the saving grace of the Royal rotation- a very pleasant surprise indeed. There’s only so much he can do, however, and while there are a ton of arms in KC, quantity cannot compensate for quality. The Royals will cruise to a playoff berth again this season, but it won’t be long before the Twinkies and Tribe are nipping at their heels.
4. (17) Washington Nationals
Who would have thought that 3 months into the season, the lowly Nats would be a top 5 team. Whatever Jose Bautista was taking last year still has yet to wear off, powering their potent offense and proving his many doubters wrong. They also boast an impressive collection of pitching that has allowed them to weather Matt Garza’s disappointing starts. Much to Kevin’s chagrin, I don’t see a scenario where there is not postseason baseball in the Capitol. It will be intriguing to see how they proceed with a tight cap situation this winter, but I have full faith in the Nats ability to wheel and deal.
3. (12) Boston Red Sox
After a disappointing, injury riddled travesty of a season last year, the boys from Beantown are back among the league’s elite. Health and pitching are much improved this season and the impetus behind the Sox’s resurgence. Haren and Beckett anchor a very respectable staff that also includes recent draftees Zach Britton and Rubby de la Rosa. They sorely lack a closer, with big Jon Broxton looking more like a competitive eater than a lights out finisher, but that won’t keep them from the playoffs. So far the offense has been able to get by without anything from prized offseason acquisition Alex Rios, but his bat will need to wake up if the Sox are to make another run for a title.
2. (5) Cincinnati Reds
The Reds sit atop the leader board, but behind the division rival Brewers for the coveted top spot in our prestigious Power Rankings. A longtime favorite of the Rankings, the Reds seem to have put it all together this year with a tremendous team effort on offense that includes breakout performances by Jay Bruce and Prince Fielder in a contract year. Pitching is very good as well, with hands down the best pen in the league. Keep an eye on their rotation, as I think they will need solid performances from Liriano or an ailing Tyson Ross to put them over the top. Greinke, Zimmerman and Cueto is a great 1-2-3, but there’s not a whole lot after that.
The Favorites
1. (1) Milwaukee Brewers
Currently 3rd in the standings, the Brewers are in the best shape of any franchise. Paul Konerko has very capably filled the void created by JoshHamilton’s injury and Nick Swisher’s return to earth. A rotation of Lester, Price, Gio, Buchholz and Dempster, with Wainwright waiting in the wings for next year is filthy. Anything is possible in the playoffs, as the Brewers well know, but they should be a fixture atop the league for years to come.
