Post by Red Sox GM (Ty) on May 1, 2016 0:34:51 GMT -5
With our 9th season well underway, it’s (past) time to publish our annual earlyish season Power Rankings. For those of you who are new here- or those that just want to stroll down memory lane- you can find our previous installments here: chinmusicupin.proboards.com/board/13/historical-write-ups I was a lot more eloquent and pithy in my youth. If today’s rankings leave you unsatisfied, I urge you to peruse our past offerings.
After taking the time to study everyone’s roster, it has become my opinion that parity in our league is at an all-time high. The talent gap between the top tier and the rest of the contenders is minimal in comparison to years past, and the difference between the fringe contenders and everybody else is pretty narrow as well. That made ranking everyone a difficult task, and I went back and forth on several teams’ placements. More importantly, there should be several hotly contested playoff races and very few doormats this year.
I want to take the opportunity to publicly thank Tyler and Scott for their tireless efforts in putting us in the best position we’ve ever been as a league in terms of organization and administration. You guys are awesome. I also want to thank everyone for your continued attention and participation, which is what makes the league so enjoyable.
*These Power Rankings have only 29 entries due to Kyle’s role in Disappearancegate. If my unilateral decision to exclude him from these rankings is overturned on appeal, I will re-instate his ranking at the appropriate time.
29. (28) Cincinnati Reds
We lost a good GM in the middle of an extreme rebuild this past offseason. Fortunately though, we were able to find someone willing to take on the immense challenge of bringing this team back to its former glory; and fortunately for the Mets, their relationship with their Midwestern financiers didn’t suffer after the regime change. They’ve got a ton of money, so they should be able to work the trade market and extract assets from cash strapped franchises through the summer and be major players for any worthwhile free agents. They’ve also got a stable of quality prospects, so the cupboard is certainly reason for optimism. That said, they’re probably a minimum of two years away from scaring anyone, even in a wide open division.
28. (20) Minnesota Twins
This is a really difficult team to rate. They have a collection of minor league talent that we haven’t seen since the Twins last went super young, circa 2011 or the Blue Jays prior to their speedy ascension from cellar dweller to envy of the league. They will be abysmal this year, but with a normal rate of prospect attrition, the Twinkies should be giving the Tribe and Royals fits in the not-too-distant future. If I recall, Mike missed on a few can’t-miss guys last time, and sold a few others too soon, but he’s very well positioned to create a dynasty this time around.
27. (24) Oakland Athletics
I’ve stated in these rankings before, that I thought it was time to sell the remaining ML assets on this roster in favor of a youth movement. I still hold that opinion, but I fear that the assets have significantly depreciated in value. Pujols, who enjoyed a resurgence last year, is hitting .169. The 5 HRs are nice, but I think he’s reached the end of his fantasy viability. Fortunately for Bird, he won’t be paying him as long as the Angels will. I still love Michael Wacha, and I think the DBacks cut bait too soon on Socrates, but there isn’t a ton else to get too excited about. If Nolasco and Hughes continue putting up serviceable outings, they may be desirable to a contender with some cap space later in the year. Bird will need to channel his inner Billy Beane to expedite an effective rebuild.
26. (11) St. Louis Cardinals
The Cards are a team in need of a makeover. They’ve got some difference makers in Miggy, Carlos Gomez and Big Game James Shields, but not a whole lot else. They’d be best served finding new homes for the aforementioned and blowing it up. Not to say that a tankapalooza is necessary, just the pursuit of younger, cheaper players. Perhaps one of their division mates- some of whom are closer to contention, but require significant upgrades- could be a fit. Regardless, getting something for those guys while they’re valuable is better than letting them languish until they can’t be moved.
25. (16) Tampa Bay Rays
I was shocked to see the Rays sell McCutchen in the offseason- the woes of a small-market team, I guess. Either way, the feeling was obviously that they couldn’t compete during Cutch’s prime. Without him there are a few more pieces that should find new homes before the trade deadline, so they can restock for another go in a perennially difficult division. They’re good enough as constructed to stay out of the very bottom of the league, but lack the talent to ascend out of mediocrity.
24. (25) Philadelphia Phillies
This is probably the best team we’ve seen in Philly in quite a while. They’re still not particularly good, but there has clearly been improvement. There are quite a few useful pieces that should be dangled as trade bait over the summer (or sooner if there’s an opportunity), but Machado is absolutely a cornerstone, and Moncada and Turner are both exciting prospects, so there’s something here. An active season working the trade market in search of additional youthful, protectable players could vault these guys up the rankings in the next few years.
23. (17) Arizona Diamondbacks
Tyler has constructed a promising roster out in the desert, and while the NL West isn’t the most challenging of divisions, the Diamondbacks lack the depth of ML talent to achieve a division crown this year, in my opinion. Zimmermann has been outstanding, and I’m a big believer in Gausman. There are also several pieces that fall somewhere between building blocks and trade fodder. They have some interesting prospects as well, so the future is bright, and it’s just a matter of time before Tyler has the DBacks contending for West titles.
22. (29) Milwaukee Brewers
Another dearly departed GM left a franchise in disrepair, but we’ve fortunately found Rich, who has capably improved the squad during his short tenure. He’s done an admirable job getting the most out of his guys so far, but I just don’t buy the performances of Welington Castillo, Aledmys Diaz or Angel Pagan. They have some desirable high-minors talent, so this team, especially in this division, could improve quickly enough to take over the division within a year.
21. (23) Detroit Tigers
The Dingo owns the best pitcher in the game, but he’s paying him over $30M. That makes it difficult to fill out the rest of the roster with adequate producers. As always, he tirelessly works the free agent pool, searching for the right, cheap, complimentary pieces to improve his Tigers. I don’t see a way for them to close the gap between them and the Indians and Royals at this point. The good news is that Seager can’t possibly play any worse, and he has a rooting interest in seeing 51 get 56 more major league hits.
20. (26) Chicago White Sox
The South Siders are yet another team with rookie GM who has vastly improved on what they inherited. Graham favored the long-term teardown approach, while Chris has been aggressive in his improvement of this year’s team. I think they’re better positioned now than they have been in the past, but it’s a tough draw playing in the AL Central right now. Trying to field a respectable team is admirable, but some dry powder should be reserved for the long haul. The playoffs are a longshot this year, but they could be nipping at the division leaders’ heels before you know it.
19. (22) Baltimore Orioles
The O’s offense would be good enough if they had an equally good rotation, but pitching will no doubt be their Achilles heel this year. They’ll need to also address a general lack of depth if they’re going to hang with the Jays, Sox and Yankees into the summer. The Jays are likely to remain at or near the top of the division for some time, but as the Sox continue to age, there may be an opportunity for Baltimore to sneak into the Wild Card conversation here in the next year or two.
18. (12) Los Angeles Angels
The division all but assuredly belongs to Seattle, but the Angels’ offense is plenty good enough (although a bit shallow) to be a fringe contender for the AL Wild Card. However, their starting pitching is noticeably absent. The bullpen looks good, but they’re going to need a lot more respectable innings if they’re going to make things interesting. Dickey and Norris do not a rotation make. With a commitment to acquire pitching, and some luck avoiding injuries, they could push for a top 10 finish.
17. (18) Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates' locker room is giving the Bash Brothers era Athletics a run for their money, and it couldn't have come at a worse time for the Buccos. Colabello was replaceable, but with a thin roster already, losing NL batting champ and speed demon Dee Gordon for the next 80 games really puts them in a bind. The NL Central is imminently winnable this year, and Gordon’s absence could be the difference between winning and losing the division. Larry will have to hit the trade market if he wants to patch together a team good enough to sneak into the postseason.
16. (9) San Diego Padres
Of all the new GMs, Tom took over the best team, in my estimation. He’s also done a solid job implementing his vision for the roster- quickly dealing the soon to be prohibitively expensive Mike Trout- and loading up on no-risk free agent signings to help fill out the roster. They’re likely to finish behind San Francisco in the division, but the Dodgers are beatable. If all breaks right, they could be in the Wild Card hunt with LA and the runner up in the East. Either way, they’re built sustainably, and could become a legitimate contender as soon as next season.
15. (15) Atlanta Braves
A few years of bottom dwelling has put Swo in command of a very promising squad. Had he seen fit, he could have tooled up for a run at the East this year. As it stands, it appears as though his plan will take another year. He’s well positioned with saleable assets- Walker, Scherzer, Latos even (who’d have thought?). My guess is he sticks to the script from the past few years, and sells to contenders for more quality youth and sets his sights on dethroning the Nationals or Mets in 17.
14. (8) Chicago Cubs
Scott’s Cubs seem like the skinniest girl at fat camp. With the Gordon suspension, a weak division got even weaker, leaving the Cubbies in prime position to claim another Central crown. The offense is actually quite promising, with standout early performances from Tyler White, Maikel Franco and Brandon Drury, but there’s definitely not enough pitching to hang with the elite teams in either league right now. It’s a long season, but he’ll find a way to augment the roster if he wants to make any noise come playoff time.
13. (14) Miami Marlins
Al has probably the best team he’s ever had, but he’ll still have a tough time in a division that I expect will send 2 teams to the postseason. They’ve got 3 terrific young building blocks in Altuve, Bumgarner and Thor, so they should be able to wait a bit and take advantage of an eventual decline by the Mets and/or Nationals. Their pitching should keep them in the top half of the standings all year, and with some luck and activity in the trade market, they could be a top 10 team by year’s end.
12. (30) Los Angeles Dodgers
Our new Dodgers’ GM quickly went to work completely revamping the entire roster, taking them from the laughingstock of the league, to a fringe contender in just a few short months. I have serious concerns about how they’ll be able to juggle their cap commitments moving forward, but they’ve certainly made things a lot more interesting in Dodgertown. They’ll need to figure out how to add depth to a more than respectable roster if they’re going to really make a run, and shuffle some dollars around to stay relevant for the long term. I’m intrigued, to say the least.
11. (10) New York Yankees
I severely underestimated the Bombers heading into this year. I figured they’d be good for a top half finish, but didn’t feel threatened by the sworn enemies from New York. The season is still young, but they now have my attention. While Daniel Murphy isn’t the second coming of Babe Ruth, like he flashed glimpses of in his memorable October performance last year, he has been a dynamic offensive player in the early going this year. I’m not sure that he’ll earn the money remaining on his contract, but it’s palatable, for the time being, anyway. The rotation could use a boost, but there’s enough here to remain in the hunt for a while.
10. (13) New York Mets
Fresh off a World Series appearance, the Mets look to build on last year’s success and seem well-positioned to do just that. I’ll bet against Mark Trumbo winning the batting title, but more than half of their offense has averages that look like hourly wages for pre-teen Asian sweatshop workers, so there’s likely improvement coming there. They may have found some gems in Hazelbaker and Steven Wright, who are both ancient in prospect years, but seem to have figured it out. They’ll need to get healthy on offense, and probably add another bat, but they seem likely to repeat last year’s regular season performance which saw the NL East race go down to the wire. And anything can happen in the playoffs.
9. (21) Houston Astros
I really like this team. John has been building from the ground up for several years now, and finally seems on the precipice of taking the proverbial next step. They were dealt a tough early season injury with Carrasco slated to miss a month or more, so unfortunately, the best-case scenario here is a hard fought battle with the Rangers for a 2nd place finish in the division and a competitive run at the Wild Card. The team is improving, but will improvement happen quickly enough to bring a contender to Houston during Votto’s useful life, or will AJ Reed and Austin Meadows carry this team to its first postseason appearance?
8. (19) Texas Rangers
Our league’s greatest homer has done a great job assembling enough high-end talent to stay competitive in what should be a pretty solid West division top to bottom. Presently, though, a lack of depth presents them from entering the title discussion. They’ll need to add serviceable major league pieces somehow, and they’ve got the minor league talent to pull it off if they so desire. A Wild Card berth is not out of the question, nor is 3rd or 4th place in the division if the Angels and Astros reach their potential.
7. (27) San Francisco Giants
Seemingly out of nowhere, Adkins has put together a tremendously talented team. After years of languishing in relative obscurity, this seems like the year the Giants punch their ticket to the playoffs. It appears to be a down year for the NL West, and with the gobs of young talent on the roster, Adkins could very well have the west on lock for the next several years. Bryant is clearly a cornerstone, and I believe that this is the real Yasmany Tomas. Add to that CarGo, the good Upton (he’ll come around), Cruz, Shaw and Piscotty- they’ve got some real pop in the lineup to go along with a nasty rotation of Keuchel, McCullers, Stroman and Ventura. They’ll need to add arms to compete in the postseason, but the rest of the NL has been warned- the Giants are for real.
6. (3) Cleveland Indians
The champs will have a very difficult time repeating with this roster. There’s nothing wrong with the guys they have- in fact, they’re outstanding- but there just aren’t enough of them. A healthy AJ Pollock would obviously have helped, but real contenders have more than 9 healthy major league pitchers. If Ryan gets serious about filling out this roster for a title run, they could vault ahead of the rival Royals. Until that happens, they’re a frustratingly talented team without enough manpower to really compete in a very tough American League.
5. (4) Boston Red Sox
The Sox have a core that is rapidly approaching their collective decline. Ellsbury, Pedroia and Molina’s best days are likely behind them. Joey Bats thinks he’s worth $150M, but count me among the skeptics. The pitching has been a dumpster fire, and they have only 1 healthy major league MI. There are a few bright spots, though- Rizzo sports an OPS a shade under 1, albeit with a BA around the Mendoza line. I don’t really know what to expect out of them this year, but I’m hopeful that the pitching will round into form enough to stay in the chase through the summer.
4. (6) Washington Nationals
The Nats’ strategy for years has been to make up for a relative lack of star power with sheer volume of above average performers. It’s served them well in the past, and they haven’t changed course this year. That trademark depth has suffered a bit due to some early season injuries, but it shouldn't prevent another playoff appearance, especially with Plouffe and Devon Travis set to return in short order. I foresee another photo finish in the NL East this year, but I’d be shocked if either the Mets or the Nats miss out on the postseason.
3. (5) Kansas City Royals
I hear shortly after his champagne shower, still awash in the glow of his Royals’ World Series victory, Dayton Moore gleefully changed his e-mail signature to: ‘teaching Black Kevin how it’s done since 2015.’ In all seriousness, BK has another excellent team again this year. Losing Schwarber definitely hurts, but the team is good enough to overcome. We’re in about year 6 of my doubting Bartolo Colon, yet we’re 18 innings of 2.9 ERA and 1.07 WHIP into another incomprehensibly viable fantasy season, all for the Royals. Whatever. I’m sure if you asked him, BK would say he’d like to have a closer with a bit more job security, and another top of the rotation arm, but when the offense gets healthy, they’ll be among the favorites to reclaim the crown.
2. (2) Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays remain among the league’s elite, and with the youth of their team of stars, seem likely to remain in the title chase for seasons to come. While the offense lacks an ideal amount of pop, they’re plenty good enough everywhere else to make up for it. I have some real concerns that Billy Hamilton won’t be able to get on base 30% of the time, which will prevent him from maximizing his blazing speed. They have pitching for days, though- especially when Darvish returns in a few weeks- which should compensate for any slight offensive inadequacies. So long as Jordan pays attention, he should coast to an AL East crown, and have great chance at securing a league title.
1. (1) Seattle Mariners
Mike’s Mariners are the class of the AL, after a very successful rebuild a few years back. The M’s are an incredibly balanced team that with a stout and complete offense, and a rotation only topped by this rankings’ runner-up. Offensively, there are some wildcards: Stanton (health), Cano (age), Puig , Segura and Desmond (mental acuity). However, the upside is huge. If I’m picking nits, I’d prefer not to be relying on Adonis Garcia, and the middle relief is a little underwhelming, but this team should waltz away with the West and present a formidable challenge for the rest of the AL in the playoffs.
After taking the time to study everyone’s roster, it has become my opinion that parity in our league is at an all-time high. The talent gap between the top tier and the rest of the contenders is minimal in comparison to years past, and the difference between the fringe contenders and everybody else is pretty narrow as well. That made ranking everyone a difficult task, and I went back and forth on several teams’ placements. More importantly, there should be several hotly contested playoff races and very few doormats this year.
I want to take the opportunity to publicly thank Tyler and Scott for their tireless efforts in putting us in the best position we’ve ever been as a league in terms of organization and administration. You guys are awesome. I also want to thank everyone for your continued attention and participation, which is what makes the league so enjoyable.
*These Power Rankings have only 29 entries due to Kyle’s role in Disappearancegate. If my unilateral decision to exclude him from these rankings is overturned on appeal, I will re-instate his ranking at the appropriate time.
29. (28) Cincinnati Reds
We lost a good GM in the middle of an extreme rebuild this past offseason. Fortunately though, we were able to find someone willing to take on the immense challenge of bringing this team back to its former glory; and fortunately for the Mets, their relationship with their Midwestern financiers didn’t suffer after the regime change. They’ve got a ton of money, so they should be able to work the trade market and extract assets from cash strapped franchises through the summer and be major players for any worthwhile free agents. They’ve also got a stable of quality prospects, so the cupboard is certainly reason for optimism. That said, they’re probably a minimum of two years away from scaring anyone, even in a wide open division.
28. (20) Minnesota Twins
This is a really difficult team to rate. They have a collection of minor league talent that we haven’t seen since the Twins last went super young, circa 2011 or the Blue Jays prior to their speedy ascension from cellar dweller to envy of the league. They will be abysmal this year, but with a normal rate of prospect attrition, the Twinkies should be giving the Tribe and Royals fits in the not-too-distant future. If I recall, Mike missed on a few can’t-miss guys last time, and sold a few others too soon, but he’s very well positioned to create a dynasty this time around.
27. (24) Oakland Athletics
I’ve stated in these rankings before, that I thought it was time to sell the remaining ML assets on this roster in favor of a youth movement. I still hold that opinion, but I fear that the assets have significantly depreciated in value. Pujols, who enjoyed a resurgence last year, is hitting .169. The 5 HRs are nice, but I think he’s reached the end of his fantasy viability. Fortunately for Bird, he won’t be paying him as long as the Angels will. I still love Michael Wacha, and I think the DBacks cut bait too soon on Socrates, but there isn’t a ton else to get too excited about. If Nolasco and Hughes continue putting up serviceable outings, they may be desirable to a contender with some cap space later in the year. Bird will need to channel his inner Billy Beane to expedite an effective rebuild.
26. (11) St. Louis Cardinals
The Cards are a team in need of a makeover. They’ve got some difference makers in Miggy, Carlos Gomez and Big Game James Shields, but not a whole lot else. They’d be best served finding new homes for the aforementioned and blowing it up. Not to say that a tankapalooza is necessary, just the pursuit of younger, cheaper players. Perhaps one of their division mates- some of whom are closer to contention, but require significant upgrades- could be a fit. Regardless, getting something for those guys while they’re valuable is better than letting them languish until they can’t be moved.
25. (16) Tampa Bay Rays
I was shocked to see the Rays sell McCutchen in the offseason- the woes of a small-market team, I guess. Either way, the feeling was obviously that they couldn’t compete during Cutch’s prime. Without him there are a few more pieces that should find new homes before the trade deadline, so they can restock for another go in a perennially difficult division. They’re good enough as constructed to stay out of the very bottom of the league, but lack the talent to ascend out of mediocrity.
24. (25) Philadelphia Phillies
This is probably the best team we’ve seen in Philly in quite a while. They’re still not particularly good, but there has clearly been improvement. There are quite a few useful pieces that should be dangled as trade bait over the summer (or sooner if there’s an opportunity), but Machado is absolutely a cornerstone, and Moncada and Turner are both exciting prospects, so there’s something here. An active season working the trade market in search of additional youthful, protectable players could vault these guys up the rankings in the next few years.
23. (17) Arizona Diamondbacks
Tyler has constructed a promising roster out in the desert, and while the NL West isn’t the most challenging of divisions, the Diamondbacks lack the depth of ML talent to achieve a division crown this year, in my opinion. Zimmermann has been outstanding, and I’m a big believer in Gausman. There are also several pieces that fall somewhere between building blocks and trade fodder. They have some interesting prospects as well, so the future is bright, and it’s just a matter of time before Tyler has the DBacks contending for West titles.
22. (29) Milwaukee Brewers
Another dearly departed GM left a franchise in disrepair, but we’ve fortunately found Rich, who has capably improved the squad during his short tenure. He’s done an admirable job getting the most out of his guys so far, but I just don’t buy the performances of Welington Castillo, Aledmys Diaz or Angel Pagan. They have some desirable high-minors talent, so this team, especially in this division, could improve quickly enough to take over the division within a year.
21. (23) Detroit Tigers
The Dingo owns the best pitcher in the game, but he’s paying him over $30M. That makes it difficult to fill out the rest of the roster with adequate producers. As always, he tirelessly works the free agent pool, searching for the right, cheap, complimentary pieces to improve his Tigers. I don’t see a way for them to close the gap between them and the Indians and Royals at this point. The good news is that Seager can’t possibly play any worse, and he has a rooting interest in seeing 51 get 56 more major league hits.
20. (26) Chicago White Sox
The South Siders are yet another team with rookie GM who has vastly improved on what they inherited. Graham favored the long-term teardown approach, while Chris has been aggressive in his improvement of this year’s team. I think they’re better positioned now than they have been in the past, but it’s a tough draw playing in the AL Central right now. Trying to field a respectable team is admirable, but some dry powder should be reserved for the long haul. The playoffs are a longshot this year, but they could be nipping at the division leaders’ heels before you know it.
19. (22) Baltimore Orioles
The O’s offense would be good enough if they had an equally good rotation, but pitching will no doubt be their Achilles heel this year. They’ll need to also address a general lack of depth if they’re going to hang with the Jays, Sox and Yankees into the summer. The Jays are likely to remain at or near the top of the division for some time, but as the Sox continue to age, there may be an opportunity for Baltimore to sneak into the Wild Card conversation here in the next year or two.
18. (12) Los Angeles Angels
The division all but assuredly belongs to Seattle, but the Angels’ offense is plenty good enough (although a bit shallow) to be a fringe contender for the AL Wild Card. However, their starting pitching is noticeably absent. The bullpen looks good, but they’re going to need a lot more respectable innings if they’re going to make things interesting. Dickey and Norris do not a rotation make. With a commitment to acquire pitching, and some luck avoiding injuries, they could push for a top 10 finish.
17. (18) Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates' locker room is giving the Bash Brothers era Athletics a run for their money, and it couldn't have come at a worse time for the Buccos. Colabello was replaceable, but with a thin roster already, losing NL batting champ and speed demon Dee Gordon for the next 80 games really puts them in a bind. The NL Central is imminently winnable this year, and Gordon’s absence could be the difference between winning and losing the division. Larry will have to hit the trade market if he wants to patch together a team good enough to sneak into the postseason.
16. (9) San Diego Padres
Of all the new GMs, Tom took over the best team, in my estimation. He’s also done a solid job implementing his vision for the roster- quickly dealing the soon to be prohibitively expensive Mike Trout- and loading up on no-risk free agent signings to help fill out the roster. They’re likely to finish behind San Francisco in the division, but the Dodgers are beatable. If all breaks right, they could be in the Wild Card hunt with LA and the runner up in the East. Either way, they’re built sustainably, and could become a legitimate contender as soon as next season.
15. (15) Atlanta Braves
A few years of bottom dwelling has put Swo in command of a very promising squad. Had he seen fit, he could have tooled up for a run at the East this year. As it stands, it appears as though his plan will take another year. He’s well positioned with saleable assets- Walker, Scherzer, Latos even (who’d have thought?). My guess is he sticks to the script from the past few years, and sells to contenders for more quality youth and sets his sights on dethroning the Nationals or Mets in 17.
14. (8) Chicago Cubs
Scott’s Cubs seem like the skinniest girl at fat camp. With the Gordon suspension, a weak division got even weaker, leaving the Cubbies in prime position to claim another Central crown. The offense is actually quite promising, with standout early performances from Tyler White, Maikel Franco and Brandon Drury, but there’s definitely not enough pitching to hang with the elite teams in either league right now. It’s a long season, but he’ll find a way to augment the roster if he wants to make any noise come playoff time.
13. (14) Miami Marlins
Al has probably the best team he’s ever had, but he’ll still have a tough time in a division that I expect will send 2 teams to the postseason. They’ve got 3 terrific young building blocks in Altuve, Bumgarner and Thor, so they should be able to wait a bit and take advantage of an eventual decline by the Mets and/or Nationals. Their pitching should keep them in the top half of the standings all year, and with some luck and activity in the trade market, they could be a top 10 team by year’s end.
12. (30) Los Angeles Dodgers
Our new Dodgers’ GM quickly went to work completely revamping the entire roster, taking them from the laughingstock of the league, to a fringe contender in just a few short months. I have serious concerns about how they’ll be able to juggle their cap commitments moving forward, but they’ve certainly made things a lot more interesting in Dodgertown. They’ll need to figure out how to add depth to a more than respectable roster if they’re going to really make a run, and shuffle some dollars around to stay relevant for the long term. I’m intrigued, to say the least.
11. (10) New York Yankees
I severely underestimated the Bombers heading into this year. I figured they’d be good for a top half finish, but didn’t feel threatened by the sworn enemies from New York. The season is still young, but they now have my attention. While Daniel Murphy isn’t the second coming of Babe Ruth, like he flashed glimpses of in his memorable October performance last year, he has been a dynamic offensive player in the early going this year. I’m not sure that he’ll earn the money remaining on his contract, but it’s palatable, for the time being, anyway. The rotation could use a boost, but there’s enough here to remain in the hunt for a while.
10. (13) New York Mets
Fresh off a World Series appearance, the Mets look to build on last year’s success and seem well-positioned to do just that. I’ll bet against Mark Trumbo winning the batting title, but more than half of their offense has averages that look like hourly wages for pre-teen Asian sweatshop workers, so there’s likely improvement coming there. They may have found some gems in Hazelbaker and Steven Wright, who are both ancient in prospect years, but seem to have figured it out. They’ll need to get healthy on offense, and probably add another bat, but they seem likely to repeat last year’s regular season performance which saw the NL East race go down to the wire. And anything can happen in the playoffs.
9. (21) Houston Astros
I really like this team. John has been building from the ground up for several years now, and finally seems on the precipice of taking the proverbial next step. They were dealt a tough early season injury with Carrasco slated to miss a month or more, so unfortunately, the best-case scenario here is a hard fought battle with the Rangers for a 2nd place finish in the division and a competitive run at the Wild Card. The team is improving, but will improvement happen quickly enough to bring a contender to Houston during Votto’s useful life, or will AJ Reed and Austin Meadows carry this team to its first postseason appearance?
8. (19) Texas Rangers
Our league’s greatest homer has done a great job assembling enough high-end talent to stay competitive in what should be a pretty solid West division top to bottom. Presently, though, a lack of depth presents them from entering the title discussion. They’ll need to add serviceable major league pieces somehow, and they’ve got the minor league talent to pull it off if they so desire. A Wild Card berth is not out of the question, nor is 3rd or 4th place in the division if the Angels and Astros reach their potential.
7. (27) San Francisco Giants
Seemingly out of nowhere, Adkins has put together a tremendously talented team. After years of languishing in relative obscurity, this seems like the year the Giants punch their ticket to the playoffs. It appears to be a down year for the NL West, and with the gobs of young talent on the roster, Adkins could very well have the west on lock for the next several years. Bryant is clearly a cornerstone, and I believe that this is the real Yasmany Tomas. Add to that CarGo, the good Upton (he’ll come around), Cruz, Shaw and Piscotty- they’ve got some real pop in the lineup to go along with a nasty rotation of Keuchel, McCullers, Stroman and Ventura. They’ll need to add arms to compete in the postseason, but the rest of the NL has been warned- the Giants are for real.
6. (3) Cleveland Indians
The champs will have a very difficult time repeating with this roster. There’s nothing wrong with the guys they have- in fact, they’re outstanding- but there just aren’t enough of them. A healthy AJ Pollock would obviously have helped, but real contenders have more than 9 healthy major league pitchers. If Ryan gets serious about filling out this roster for a title run, they could vault ahead of the rival Royals. Until that happens, they’re a frustratingly talented team without enough manpower to really compete in a very tough American League.
5. (4) Boston Red Sox
The Sox have a core that is rapidly approaching their collective decline. Ellsbury, Pedroia and Molina’s best days are likely behind them. Joey Bats thinks he’s worth $150M, but count me among the skeptics. The pitching has been a dumpster fire, and they have only 1 healthy major league MI. There are a few bright spots, though- Rizzo sports an OPS a shade under 1, albeit with a BA around the Mendoza line. I don’t really know what to expect out of them this year, but I’m hopeful that the pitching will round into form enough to stay in the chase through the summer.
4. (6) Washington Nationals
The Nats’ strategy for years has been to make up for a relative lack of star power with sheer volume of above average performers. It’s served them well in the past, and they haven’t changed course this year. That trademark depth has suffered a bit due to some early season injuries, but it shouldn't prevent another playoff appearance, especially with Plouffe and Devon Travis set to return in short order. I foresee another photo finish in the NL East this year, but I’d be shocked if either the Mets or the Nats miss out on the postseason.
3. (5) Kansas City Royals
I hear shortly after his champagne shower, still awash in the glow of his Royals’ World Series victory, Dayton Moore gleefully changed his e-mail signature to: ‘teaching Black Kevin how it’s done since 2015.’ In all seriousness, BK has another excellent team again this year. Losing Schwarber definitely hurts, but the team is good enough to overcome. We’re in about year 6 of my doubting Bartolo Colon, yet we’re 18 innings of 2.9 ERA and 1.07 WHIP into another incomprehensibly viable fantasy season, all for the Royals. Whatever. I’m sure if you asked him, BK would say he’d like to have a closer with a bit more job security, and another top of the rotation arm, but when the offense gets healthy, they’ll be among the favorites to reclaim the crown.
2. (2) Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays remain among the league’s elite, and with the youth of their team of stars, seem likely to remain in the title chase for seasons to come. While the offense lacks an ideal amount of pop, they’re plenty good enough everywhere else to make up for it. I have some real concerns that Billy Hamilton won’t be able to get on base 30% of the time, which will prevent him from maximizing his blazing speed. They have pitching for days, though- especially when Darvish returns in a few weeks- which should compensate for any slight offensive inadequacies. So long as Jordan pays attention, he should coast to an AL East crown, and have great chance at securing a league title.
1. (1) Seattle Mariners
Mike’s Mariners are the class of the AL, after a very successful rebuild a few years back. The M’s are an incredibly balanced team that with a stout and complete offense, and a rotation only topped by this rankings’ runner-up. Offensively, there are some wildcards: Stanton (health), Cano (age), Puig , Segura and Desmond (mental acuity). However, the upside is huge. If I’m picking nits, I’d prefer not to be relying on Adonis Garcia, and the middle relief is a little underwhelming, but this team should waltz away with the West and present a formidable challenge for the rest of the AL in the playoffs.
