Post by Red Sox GM (Ty) on Apr 4, 2010 18:43:40 GMT -5
Hello and Happy Easter/Opening Day/Power Rankings Day to all. I hope all is well and everyone is ready to kick off another great season. It's been quite a while since our last installment- All-Star Break 2009 to be exact- so I'm sure everyone is on the edge of their seat in anticipation of this edition. These are our highly technical, completely infallible, perfectly useless opinions on the state of each franchise. If you can't tell, this is a collaborative effort by both members of the Esteemed League Office- try and guess who did what. As always, comments and debate are encouraged and appreciated. Last edition's rank in parenthesis.
30. (28) Cleveland Indians
The Tribe have acknowledged and embraced the task in front of them. They are approaching the rebuilding process the right way, the way- amassing young, cost-controlled talent (Kung Fu Panda, Sean Rodriguez, Strasburg, etc.) and marketable pieces to contenders which can be converted to young, cost-controlled talent. If Burrell, Navarro and Hafner rebound and can be liquidated, it would go a long way toward restocking the shelves in Cleveland.
29. (29) SF Giants
This team obviously didn’t get the league memo which mandates good offense and horrid pitching. Their pitching is their strength and outside of Utley their offense is not good. Their system isn’t very good either. Could contend for third in the division if only bc of their starters.
28. (30) Chicago White Sox
Upon review of the South Siders’ roster, it seems as though they’re not nearly as bad off as I thought. They boast some of last year’s underachievers including Alex Rios and Ryan Ludwick not to mention the league’s hottest wife, Jamie Kotsay. They are not particularly well positioned to succeed in the long term, and they’re over the cap, but they have plenty of assets to help them in the rebuilding process. The sooner they start moving proven big leaguers for youth with upside, the better.
27. (24) Oakland Athletics
In a league hungry for pitching, the A’s have quite a few desirable arms. Their offense leaves something to be desired, but considering the state of the organization when current ownership took the reigns they have made tremendous strides. Don’t expect them to be challenging for any titles in the next few years, but they are in capable hands.
26. (21) LA Dodgers
Hey look another team without an owner. Very good offense, very bad pitching. Some decent talent in the minors. Again a good core to work with to move forward and a ton of cap room will help the new owner.
25. (19) New York Yankees
Despite their mammoth payroll, the Yankees will be stuck looking up at the rest of the AL East this year. They have some very highly touted prospects, and some promising young ML talent- Beckham and Anderson- but they are still quite a ways away. If they leverage their financial advantage properly going forward, they can turn things around quicker than most.
24. (20) Minnesota Twins
To put it bluntly, there’s just not enough to compete this year. That said, there is plenty to be excited about in Minnesota. Jason Heyward leads a tremendously talented youth movement that is the envy of the entire league. It won’t be for a few years, but the foundation is there for long-term sustainable success for the Twinkies.
23. (23) New York Mets
The Mets have a very strong core offensively with David Wright and Ryan Howard. However with some questionable moves made by the previous administration it’s going be a tough road ahead for the Mets. Their system is lacking and they have way too much money committed long term. Best case is that Vernon Wells turns into a valuable player (he’ll never be worth his contract but hopefully he can be worth something). He needs SP badly, but he has a solid bullpen.
22. (26) Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies preview took the longest to do, mostly because I stared at his avatar and may or may not have rubbed one out to it…wow (sorry to step on Kyle’s toes on the avatar rankings, but really). So Thomas gets a +1 from me for that alone. His team however does not instill the same confidence. The Phillies could contend if they get a perfect storm, if Bengie Molina and Cantu and the trifecta of OF all have career years…he’ll be in good shape and his pitching is lead by Haren and a possible resurgence by Brad Lidge and a very solid bullpen. The best part is that he could conceivably contend with the right things in place, but he hasn’t done anything to harm his long term plan. He has a bunch of one year contracts and a very solid farm system. So he should be in good shape down the road.
21. (22) Washington Nationals
The Nationals make more trade and moves than anyone in the league, or so it seems. And for them to be where they are is pretty solid. His approach to pitching appears to be to throw shit at the wall and hope some of it sticks (specifically SP), but he has a ton of high upside youngsters that could prove to be a really strong staff. He has a decent pen, and the last two years has been among the lead leaguers in Holds and Saves, and that figures to continue (although he is in need of a closer at the moment). His offense is lead by Matt Holliday and then a bunch of guys who have huge flaws, but are also able to contribute to a successful team. Their system is a mismatch of brilliance and well not so much brilliance to say it nicely, but that is the inherent nature of prospecting. The key to them taking the division is strong pitching, because their offense isn’t good enough, and probably a collapse by the Braves.
20. (17) Arizona Dbags.
Wainwright, King Felix, and Webb make a solid pithcign staff and the Upton brother and Berkman make the core of the offense, but there are holes everywhere (HA!). and the system is good, strong core to build with for a new aspirign owner, but for now they will be flapping in the wind
19. (27) Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are another victim of a talented AL East. They boast a tremendously talented rotation that should be competitive for years to come. The offense is unspectacular, but has some attractive pieces. I will be keeping an eye on Carl Crawford to see whether the BJs plan on building around him or liquidating him for a few young studs.
18. (15) Houston Astros
Another team with a fearless leader. The team is over the cap right now, but they have the best SP in the league (they also spent 80M on it, but it’s the best). Good depth throughout the team, but a system full of guys, most of whom I’ve never heard of. This will be a difficult team to take over, especially considering how tough this division is.
17. (14) Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Former Yankees have undergone a change in ownership, but we have yet to see if there will be a change in philosophy. Their ENTIRE infield wears pinstripes, and in a twist of irony, Damon and Austin Jackson have left the hitter-friendly Bronx in favor of Comerica. Joba the Hut seems to have found the role he should have been in all along- Mariano Rivera’s opening act- which bolsters an already stout bullpen in Detroit, but that doesn’t help their very thin rotation. If your ace is Carl Pavano and it’s not 2003, you’re in trouble.
16. (25) Pittsburgh Pirates
This team/GM pisses me off. Everytime I look to see if someone I want is owned this guy has him. He has a ton of undervalued assets and a gigantic collection of cheap talent and a very good farm system. He has a shot at contending in the not so far future
15. (11) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
A very unexciting team, overall, but the more I look, the more I like. Halladay is far and away their ace and best player, but they have several other useful pieces. Lack of saves is a concern, but if Jenks struggles again and Putz returns to form, they could get by. What they lack in saves, they make up for in holds due to El Guapo’s penchant for overpaid setup men.
14. (16) Florida Marlins
Well they are a rudderless ship, an army with no general, a cock but no balls..they don’t have a GM is the general point of the story. Joey Votto, Ichiro, McCutchen, McLouth…between those four the offense should be handled. His staff is lead by Josh Johnson and Jon Lester who are two good guys to have in your corner. There is no bullpen to to speak of really. The system is always abundant with talent…and this would be a great team to take over and lead to prominence in the NL EASt (and by prominence I mean 2nd place, bc the guy leading the Braves is a baseball savant, I think)
13. (18) SD Dads
Im sorry at some point we will have to retire the joke Ty and I have about calling the Padres the dad’s or the father’s but that day has yet to cum (HA!). if you haven’t noticed I have decided to insert indications of when you should be laughing for certin jokes…just in case you missed it. The Padres have a good offense, Grady, Kind, Blanks and Carlos Gonzalez are a good young core that should be valaubel for a long while. The Pitching is good all around and the prospects are noteworthy. This team is the most serious threat to the Rockies dominance.
12. (13) Cincinnati Reds
These guys are certainly not Communists; they obviously understand the market economy. Everytime the offseason comes to a close, Crazy Gideon drops an obscene amount of money on one guy. Twice he did it with Volquez and this year he drops 17M on Gonzo. This is a very talented team, very capable of contending. Needs a bit more pitching, bc Liriano has yet to prove he is who we thought he was, hopefully he won’t get away. Their system is scrary good and might be the class of the NL.
11. (5) Chicago Cub
The lovable cubbies have put their faith in the monopoly man (Milton Bradley) and some youngsters, Wood and Jennings. Even if the two youngsters don’t produce this year, they figure to contribute in the future. They have the pot smoker hippy pitching Tim Lincecum and if you haven’t noticed he is really good. The Cubs have made the playoffs the last two years and have a decent shot at making it three. But they are probably gonna have to settle for the Wild Card, if they want to get in.
10. (9) Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have a first class offense led by Mauer and Morneau, but after Peavy, the rotation looks pretty bleak. Fortunately for them, they have everybody’s favorite good luck charm Gary Matthews Jr riding their pine. The M’s are an arm or two away from dethroning the Rangers as the favorites from out West.
9. (10) St. Louis Cardinals
Bounce back years from Ordonez and Rollins would do well to help the Cards make the playoffs. Carpenter and Shields head the staff, but there should be some regression with Happ and Volstad is still shaky, but both are valuable nonetheless. The Cards might have the best pen in the league, four guys who could be getting significant saves and a ton of talent. Nothing in the system makes you say wow but there is a ton of depth. And he has Johnny Bravo, so he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
8. (12) Texas Rangers
No apparent chinks in the armor at this point, the Rangers have been a perennial favorite of the Power Rankings. Offense is good, not phenomenal, top to bottom, and a Greinke-led rotation with a bounce back season from Nolasco has them as my pick to take the West.
7. (6) Baltimore Orioles
Call me a homer, but the AL East is a tough place to be. These Orioles would probably win half of the divisions in the league, but my prediction is they will miss the playoffs completely. They possess a great combination of established producers and high upside youth in both the lineup and rotation. I’m predicting another frustrating year for the O’s as they will finish higher than a few playoff teams, but will be watching from home. That said, I wouldn’t be shocked to see them sneak into the playoffs and do some damage.
6. Colorado Rockies (7)
Make no mistake about it besides the fact that Kyle is the most famous person in the league and leads the league in avatar ranking skills, he also isn’t too shabby in the GMing department. Call it east coast bias but I don’t see a single reason this team shouldn’t take home the NL West with ease (it doesn’t hurt that two teams in the division are ownerless, they obviously decided it was easier to leave the league because they were tired of lookin up at Kyle. Adam Kennedy is the oldest player on the offense and he’ll probably be replaced by Jake Fox at some point. His pitching is slightly more suspect, (his pen in particular) and he probably hates El Guapo for bidding 7M a year for Balfour and he probably hates himself more for matching. He also has Carlos Santana the guitarist for that’s good for entertainement purposes
5. (8) Atlanta Braves
Well what can be said…looks, humor, intelligence, an odd but lovable adoration of Jordan Schafer…what more could a girl want, other than some Rajai Davis. To be honest this team pisses excellance and should have no trouble making the playoffs for the third straight year…The Staff looks good, but as always in the question with the Braves…do they have enough hitting to win the title. The revamped offense should have more speed, and they should be able to get enough holds, but it might not be enough to compete with the big boys. The system keeps getting better, there have been oversights (not protecting Kimbrel, and trading Jason Heyward in the first week of the league), but the Salcedo signing and a decent draft puts the system near the top of the league (there’s an idea top farm systems in the league)
4. (4) Kansas City Royals
Very deep and well rounded offense, just a notch below Tampa’s. Couple a respectable, not great, rotation with a stellar bullpen, and the Royals the class of the Central. If they get hot in the playoffs, they could be hoisting the illustrious CBS Bobblehead at season’s end.
3. (1) Tampa Bay Rays
An impressive assembly of All-Stars on offense, but will quantity of hurlers make up for lack of quality? Outside of an injury-prone Kazmir, there is little to get excited about on the mound. The offseason theft of Bailey from Boston gives the Rays another dominant closer to pair with Broxton at the back end of a very impressive bullpen. If a few of their starters can overachieve, the Rays will find themselves in a familiar position in September- contending for a title.
2. (2)Boston Red Sox
The defending champs look to be in decent shape heading into the new campaign. Their biggest weaknesses seem to be at catcher and in the bullpen. Long-term sustainability could be a problem with an aging roster and lots of key FAs after 2010.
1. (3) Milwaukee Brewers
If you weren’t here last year, this is the team that should have won the league… they were the best team, but they lost as the team struggled over the last two weeks and Michael Cuddyer decided he was categorically against all white spheres that were thrown in his direction, his goal being to send all such spheres back whence they came from and a bit further. But to the Brewers. They are good. They seem to be reloading and getting better everytime I turn around. They get great bargains on players and use their farm system to acquire talent to win now, and do a great job of picking of valuable prospects. The system isn’t exciting but it doesn’t need to be. They are the class of the NL and should be on top when its all said and done.
The Favorites
1. Brewers (3)
2. Red Sox (2)
The Contenders
3. Rays (1)
4. Royals (4)
5. Braves (8)
6. Rockies (7)
Dark Horses
7. Orioles (6)
8. Rangers (12)
9. Cardinals (10)
10. Mariners (9)
11. Cubs (5)
Long Shots
12. Reds (13)
13. Padres (18)
14. Marlins (16)
15. Angels (11)
16. Pirates (25)
17. Tigers (14)
18. Astros (15)
Spectacularly Mediocre
19. Blue Jays (27)
20. Dbacks (17)
21. Nationals (22)
22. Phillies (26)
23. Mets (23)
24. Twins (20)
25. Yankees (19)
There’s Always Next Year
26. Dodgers (21)
27. Athletics (24)
28. White Sox (30)
29. Giants (29)
30. Indians (28)
30. (28) Cleveland Indians
The Tribe have acknowledged and embraced the task in front of them. They are approaching the rebuilding process the right way, the way- amassing young, cost-controlled talent (Kung Fu Panda, Sean Rodriguez, Strasburg, etc.) and marketable pieces to contenders which can be converted to young, cost-controlled talent. If Burrell, Navarro and Hafner rebound and can be liquidated, it would go a long way toward restocking the shelves in Cleveland.
29. (29) SF Giants
This team obviously didn’t get the league memo which mandates good offense and horrid pitching. Their pitching is their strength and outside of Utley their offense is not good. Their system isn’t very good either. Could contend for third in the division if only bc of their starters.
28. (30) Chicago White Sox
Upon review of the South Siders’ roster, it seems as though they’re not nearly as bad off as I thought. They boast some of last year’s underachievers including Alex Rios and Ryan Ludwick not to mention the league’s hottest wife, Jamie Kotsay. They are not particularly well positioned to succeed in the long term, and they’re over the cap, but they have plenty of assets to help them in the rebuilding process. The sooner they start moving proven big leaguers for youth with upside, the better.
27. (24) Oakland Athletics
In a league hungry for pitching, the A’s have quite a few desirable arms. Their offense leaves something to be desired, but considering the state of the organization when current ownership took the reigns they have made tremendous strides. Don’t expect them to be challenging for any titles in the next few years, but they are in capable hands.
26. (21) LA Dodgers
Hey look another team without an owner. Very good offense, very bad pitching. Some decent talent in the minors. Again a good core to work with to move forward and a ton of cap room will help the new owner.
25. (19) New York Yankees
Despite their mammoth payroll, the Yankees will be stuck looking up at the rest of the AL East this year. They have some very highly touted prospects, and some promising young ML talent- Beckham and Anderson- but they are still quite a ways away. If they leverage their financial advantage properly going forward, they can turn things around quicker than most.
24. (20) Minnesota Twins
To put it bluntly, there’s just not enough to compete this year. That said, there is plenty to be excited about in Minnesota. Jason Heyward leads a tremendously talented youth movement that is the envy of the entire league. It won’t be for a few years, but the foundation is there for long-term sustainable success for the Twinkies.
23. (23) New York Mets
The Mets have a very strong core offensively with David Wright and Ryan Howard. However with some questionable moves made by the previous administration it’s going be a tough road ahead for the Mets. Their system is lacking and they have way too much money committed long term. Best case is that Vernon Wells turns into a valuable player (he’ll never be worth his contract but hopefully he can be worth something). He needs SP badly, but he has a solid bullpen.
22. (26) Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies preview took the longest to do, mostly because I stared at his avatar and may or may not have rubbed one out to it…wow (sorry to step on Kyle’s toes on the avatar rankings, but really). So Thomas gets a +1 from me for that alone. His team however does not instill the same confidence. The Phillies could contend if they get a perfect storm, if Bengie Molina and Cantu and the trifecta of OF all have career years…he’ll be in good shape and his pitching is lead by Haren and a possible resurgence by Brad Lidge and a very solid bullpen. The best part is that he could conceivably contend with the right things in place, but he hasn’t done anything to harm his long term plan. He has a bunch of one year contracts and a very solid farm system. So he should be in good shape down the road.
21. (22) Washington Nationals
The Nationals make more trade and moves than anyone in the league, or so it seems. And for them to be where they are is pretty solid. His approach to pitching appears to be to throw shit at the wall and hope some of it sticks (specifically SP), but he has a ton of high upside youngsters that could prove to be a really strong staff. He has a decent pen, and the last two years has been among the lead leaguers in Holds and Saves, and that figures to continue (although he is in need of a closer at the moment). His offense is lead by Matt Holliday and then a bunch of guys who have huge flaws, but are also able to contribute to a successful team. Their system is a mismatch of brilliance and well not so much brilliance to say it nicely, but that is the inherent nature of prospecting. The key to them taking the division is strong pitching, because their offense isn’t good enough, and probably a collapse by the Braves.
20. (17) Arizona Dbags.
Wainwright, King Felix, and Webb make a solid pithcign staff and the Upton brother and Berkman make the core of the offense, but there are holes everywhere (HA!). and the system is good, strong core to build with for a new aspirign owner, but for now they will be flapping in the wind
19. (27) Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are another victim of a talented AL East. They boast a tremendously talented rotation that should be competitive for years to come. The offense is unspectacular, but has some attractive pieces. I will be keeping an eye on Carl Crawford to see whether the BJs plan on building around him or liquidating him for a few young studs.
18. (15) Houston Astros
Another team with a fearless leader. The team is over the cap right now, but they have the best SP in the league (they also spent 80M on it, but it’s the best). Good depth throughout the team, but a system full of guys, most of whom I’ve never heard of. This will be a difficult team to take over, especially considering how tough this division is.
17. (14) Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Former Yankees have undergone a change in ownership, but we have yet to see if there will be a change in philosophy. Their ENTIRE infield wears pinstripes, and in a twist of irony, Damon and Austin Jackson have left the hitter-friendly Bronx in favor of Comerica. Joba the Hut seems to have found the role he should have been in all along- Mariano Rivera’s opening act- which bolsters an already stout bullpen in Detroit, but that doesn’t help their very thin rotation. If your ace is Carl Pavano and it’s not 2003, you’re in trouble.
16. (25) Pittsburgh Pirates
This team/GM pisses me off. Everytime I look to see if someone I want is owned this guy has him. He has a ton of undervalued assets and a gigantic collection of cheap talent and a very good farm system. He has a shot at contending in the not so far future
15. (11) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
A very unexciting team, overall, but the more I look, the more I like. Halladay is far and away their ace and best player, but they have several other useful pieces. Lack of saves is a concern, but if Jenks struggles again and Putz returns to form, they could get by. What they lack in saves, they make up for in holds due to El Guapo’s penchant for overpaid setup men.
14. (16) Florida Marlins
Well they are a rudderless ship, an army with no general, a cock but no balls..they don’t have a GM is the general point of the story. Joey Votto, Ichiro, McCutchen, McLouth…between those four the offense should be handled. His staff is lead by Josh Johnson and Jon Lester who are two good guys to have in your corner. There is no bullpen to to speak of really. The system is always abundant with talent…and this would be a great team to take over and lead to prominence in the NL EASt (and by prominence I mean 2nd place, bc the guy leading the Braves is a baseball savant, I think)
13. (18) SD Dads
Im sorry at some point we will have to retire the joke Ty and I have about calling the Padres the dad’s or the father’s but that day has yet to cum (HA!). if you haven’t noticed I have decided to insert indications of when you should be laughing for certin jokes…just in case you missed it. The Padres have a good offense, Grady, Kind, Blanks and Carlos Gonzalez are a good young core that should be valaubel for a long while. The Pitching is good all around and the prospects are noteworthy. This team is the most serious threat to the Rockies dominance.
12. (13) Cincinnati Reds
These guys are certainly not Communists; they obviously understand the market economy. Everytime the offseason comes to a close, Crazy Gideon drops an obscene amount of money on one guy. Twice he did it with Volquez and this year he drops 17M on Gonzo. This is a very talented team, very capable of contending. Needs a bit more pitching, bc Liriano has yet to prove he is who we thought he was, hopefully he won’t get away. Their system is scrary good and might be the class of the NL.
11. (5) Chicago Cub
The lovable cubbies have put their faith in the monopoly man (Milton Bradley) and some youngsters, Wood and Jennings. Even if the two youngsters don’t produce this year, they figure to contribute in the future. They have the pot smoker hippy pitching Tim Lincecum and if you haven’t noticed he is really good. The Cubs have made the playoffs the last two years and have a decent shot at making it three. But they are probably gonna have to settle for the Wild Card, if they want to get in.
10. (9) Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have a first class offense led by Mauer and Morneau, but after Peavy, the rotation looks pretty bleak. Fortunately for them, they have everybody’s favorite good luck charm Gary Matthews Jr riding their pine. The M’s are an arm or two away from dethroning the Rangers as the favorites from out West.
9. (10) St. Louis Cardinals
Bounce back years from Ordonez and Rollins would do well to help the Cards make the playoffs. Carpenter and Shields head the staff, but there should be some regression with Happ and Volstad is still shaky, but both are valuable nonetheless. The Cards might have the best pen in the league, four guys who could be getting significant saves and a ton of talent. Nothing in the system makes you say wow but there is a ton of depth. And he has Johnny Bravo, so he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
8. (12) Texas Rangers
No apparent chinks in the armor at this point, the Rangers have been a perennial favorite of the Power Rankings. Offense is good, not phenomenal, top to bottom, and a Greinke-led rotation with a bounce back season from Nolasco has them as my pick to take the West.
7. (6) Baltimore Orioles
Call me a homer, but the AL East is a tough place to be. These Orioles would probably win half of the divisions in the league, but my prediction is they will miss the playoffs completely. They possess a great combination of established producers and high upside youth in both the lineup and rotation. I’m predicting another frustrating year for the O’s as they will finish higher than a few playoff teams, but will be watching from home. That said, I wouldn’t be shocked to see them sneak into the playoffs and do some damage.
6. Colorado Rockies (7)
Make no mistake about it besides the fact that Kyle is the most famous person in the league and leads the league in avatar ranking skills, he also isn’t too shabby in the GMing department. Call it east coast bias but I don’t see a single reason this team shouldn’t take home the NL West with ease (it doesn’t hurt that two teams in the division are ownerless, they obviously decided it was easier to leave the league because they were tired of lookin up at Kyle. Adam Kennedy is the oldest player on the offense and he’ll probably be replaced by Jake Fox at some point. His pitching is slightly more suspect, (his pen in particular) and he probably hates El Guapo for bidding 7M a year for Balfour and he probably hates himself more for matching. He also has Carlos Santana the guitarist for that’s good for entertainement purposes
5. (8) Atlanta Braves
Well what can be said…looks, humor, intelligence, an odd but lovable adoration of Jordan Schafer…what more could a girl want, other than some Rajai Davis. To be honest this team pisses excellance and should have no trouble making the playoffs for the third straight year…The Staff looks good, but as always in the question with the Braves…do they have enough hitting to win the title. The revamped offense should have more speed, and they should be able to get enough holds, but it might not be enough to compete with the big boys. The system keeps getting better, there have been oversights (not protecting Kimbrel, and trading Jason Heyward in the first week of the league), but the Salcedo signing and a decent draft puts the system near the top of the league (there’s an idea top farm systems in the league)
4. (4) Kansas City Royals
Very deep and well rounded offense, just a notch below Tampa’s. Couple a respectable, not great, rotation with a stellar bullpen, and the Royals the class of the Central. If they get hot in the playoffs, they could be hoisting the illustrious CBS Bobblehead at season’s end.
3. (1) Tampa Bay Rays
An impressive assembly of All-Stars on offense, but will quantity of hurlers make up for lack of quality? Outside of an injury-prone Kazmir, there is little to get excited about on the mound. The offseason theft of Bailey from Boston gives the Rays another dominant closer to pair with Broxton at the back end of a very impressive bullpen. If a few of their starters can overachieve, the Rays will find themselves in a familiar position in September- contending for a title.
2. (2)Boston Red Sox
The defending champs look to be in decent shape heading into the new campaign. Their biggest weaknesses seem to be at catcher and in the bullpen. Long-term sustainability could be a problem with an aging roster and lots of key FAs after 2010.
1. (3) Milwaukee Brewers
If you weren’t here last year, this is the team that should have won the league… they were the best team, but they lost as the team struggled over the last two weeks and Michael Cuddyer decided he was categorically against all white spheres that were thrown in his direction, his goal being to send all such spheres back whence they came from and a bit further. But to the Brewers. They are good. They seem to be reloading and getting better everytime I turn around. They get great bargains on players and use their farm system to acquire talent to win now, and do a great job of picking of valuable prospects. The system isn’t exciting but it doesn’t need to be. They are the class of the NL and should be on top when its all said and done.
The Favorites
1. Brewers (3)
2. Red Sox (2)
The Contenders
3. Rays (1)
4. Royals (4)
5. Braves (8)
6. Rockies (7)
Dark Horses
7. Orioles (6)
8. Rangers (12)
9. Cardinals (10)
10. Mariners (9)
11. Cubs (5)
Long Shots
12. Reds (13)
13. Padres (18)
14. Marlins (16)
15. Angels (11)
16. Pirates (25)
17. Tigers (14)
18. Astros (15)
Spectacularly Mediocre
19. Blue Jays (27)
20. Dbacks (17)
21. Nationals (22)
22. Phillies (26)
23. Mets (23)
24. Twins (20)
25. Yankees (19)
There’s Always Next Year
26. Dodgers (21)
27. Athletics (24)
28. White Sox (30)
29. Giants (29)
30. Indians (28)
