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MLB

MLB Power Rankings: Week 8

Posted May 27, 2009 10:30AM By Will Brinson (RSS feed)

Filed Under: AL Central, AL East, AL West, MLB Power Rankings

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MLB Power Rankings: Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.

Well, that took freaking forever ... but the Blue Jays finally started to stink the joint up. I swear to you, you can't stay long atop the MLB Power Rankings -- our failure by osmosis jinxing ability is just too strong, son. At any rate, it was a weird week for ranking baseball: the Cubs continued to skid, the Padres went on a tear and Toronto fell off the face of the planet. So, yeah, spiciness ensued, and you may take the jump to see how badly your team fared. Unless you're a Rangers or a Braves fan, in which case they couldn't have done that poorly.

  • 1. Dodgers | Previous Week: 2
    Who needs Manny Ramirez? On Monday the Dodgers scored seven runs in the fourth inning and eight runs in the seventh inning. It was the first time since June 24, 1950 that the Dodgers scored at least seven runs in multiple innings within the same game. - Jeff Fletcher
  • 2. Red Sox | Previous Week: 3
    Huge news in Boston when David Ortiz was dropped to sixth in the order Tuesday night. How will the Nation react when the Red Sox take it a step further and admit Ortiz shouldn't play at all? Much handwriging then. Oh yeah, Big Papi is signed for $12.5 million this year and next. - Ed Price
  • 3. Brewers | Previous Week: 4
    Ryan Braun's wrist injury (suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Tuesday night) doesn't seem serious, which is good news for the NL Central leaders. Their offense is raking as expected and they can't afford to lose their best hitter. But how long will that bullpen, lead by Carlos Villanueva, Mitch Stetter, Mark DiFelice, Todd Coffey, and the ageless Trevor Hoffman keep shutting down opponents? - Pat Lackey
  • 4. Cardinals | Previous Week: 13
    In four starts this year, Chris Carpenter hasn't allowed an earned run. If -- and this is a big if -- he stays healthy, the Cards are boosting their staff with one of the best in the National League. Adam Wainwright's turning it up a notch as well. If the front office can find some offense to pair with Albert Pujols, this team might become the favorites to win the NL Central. - PL
  • 5. Yankees | Previous Week: 5
    Mark Teixeira has clearly benefitted from the return of Alex Rodriguez, but the key to the Yankees' hot streak has been improved starting pitching, particularly CC Sabathia pitching like he was supposed to before the All-Star break; the Yankees starters went six or more innings in just 19 of the first 32 games, but 10 of 14 since. - EP
  • 6. Rangers | Previous Week: 6
    It's time to believe, kiddos. The Rangers are, shall we say, "fa' real." An awkward three-game losing streak to the Tigers was followed by an immediate bounceback series against the Astros, a Rangers sweep. But even as good as this Texas crew can be, their pitching has to carry them, which makes Matt Harrison's seven earned runs against the Yankees so terrifying.
  • 7. Phillies | Previous Week: 7
    The only thing the Phillies do better than hit home runs is allow them. Philadelphia has been looking for rotation help, and it has to wonder if Jamie Moyer – 0-4, 9.62 ERA, .699 slugging percentage allowed in his past five starts – is (finally) finished. The struggles of closer Brad Lidge just complicate matters. - EP
  • 8. Tigers | Previous Week: 9
    The aforementioned sweep of the Rangers helped the Tigers hold onto the lead in the AL Central ... as has Justin Verlander's decision to not be horrible anymore. Edwin Jackson's been fantastic (and had a shutout running until the sixth inning Tuesday) and Rick Porcello is looking like the real deal as well.
  • 9. Rays | Previous Week: 10
    Tampa Bay's starting middle infield is out: second baseman Akinori Iwamura with a season-ending knee injury and shortstop Jason Bartlett with a sprained ankle. The Rays have to find a way to stay afloat until those interleague series against the Rockies and Nationals, June 12-18. - EP
  • 10. Mets | Previous Week: 12
    The Mets are so banged up that Fernando Tatis was their No. 5 hitter on Tuesday. But it looks like Oliver Perez is in midseason form; on a rehabilitation start at Triple-A on Tuesday, he walked five and threw 88 pitches in 4 1/3 innings. - EP
  • 11. Braves | Previous Week: 15
    Atlanta hasn't won more than three in a row all season but is hanging around within striking distance of the top of the NL East. Jair Jurrjens has allowed more than two runs just once in his 10 starts and has given up three homers in 61 innings. - EP
  • 12. Angels | Previous Week: 11
    Vladimir Guerrero is back, but don't assume that he's going to transform the Angels offense. Remember, Vlad had been slipping in recent years, and he was only hitting .250 before he got hurt. It's possible he's on the Big Papi Hitting Program. - JF
  • 13. Royals | Previous Week: 16
    The Zack Greinke Love Train rolls on! Greinke went the distance again Tuesday night, throwing another complete game, while allowing one run. So, yes, we should all we be disappointed. Gil Meche or Brian Bannister or someone, however, has to step up and take the role as the No. 2 pitcher in this rotation if KC wants to make a postseason run.
  • 14. Reds | Previous Week: 19
    Joey Votto seems to have shaken off his inner-ear infection nicely with three homers in his four games back. Keep an eye on Johnny Cueto. He faded after his phenomenal start last season, but in nine starts this year, he's rocking a 2.37 ERA thanks to greatly improved walk and home run rates and is a big part of the great pitching staff that's keeping the Reds afloat in the NL right now. - PL
  • 15. Padres | Previous Week: 26
    Included in the 10-game winning streak was a streak of six consecutive wins in which the Padres had seven hits or fewer. No team had accomplished that since at least 1954. The first nine games of the streak were all at home, and No. 10 snapped an 11-game road losing streak. - JF
  • 16. Cubs | Previous Week: 8
    They finally ended their eight-game losing skid with a rain-shortened six-inning win. Against the Pirates. Aramis Ramirez is out, Milton Bradley and Geovany Soto look lost at the plate, and Ryan Dempster looks a lot like Ryan Dempster in every year but last year. It's still early, but the Brewers and Cardinals are for real and the longer the Cubs take to put things together, the more trouble they could be in. - PL
  • 17. Blue Jays | Previous Week: 1
    Toronto has collapsed faster than Jose Canseco in an MMA bout. The Jays were in first place on Sunday morning and in third place by Monday night. The Toronto offense has flown south for the winter, apparently. - EP
  • 18. Giants | Previous Week: 18
    Jesus Guzman, now is your chance. The Giants, desperate for anyone to add life to their offense, are going to give the positionally-challenged Guzman a shot. If he hits, they'll let him stand in the field without a glove at all. - JF
  • 19. Mariners | Previous Week: 17
    Ichiro Suzuki is 35 and he has 3,140 hits between the majors and Japan. Considering that he's averaged well over 200 hits a year, don't be surprised if he makes a run at Pete Rose's 4,256. No, it wouldn't count, but it would still be pretty cool. Maybe then the all-time hit leader could be in the Hall of Fame. - JF
  • 20. Twins | Previous Week: 22
    Francisco Liriano continues to unimpress, which is the exact opposite of what Justin Morneau is doing in Minny, quietly posting yet another MVP-caliber season. Nick Blackburn is somehow the best pitcher in the rotation, which says something: specifically, "if everyone else would pitch better, this team might be winning the division."
  • 21. Pirates | Previous Week: 9
    After two hits on Tuesday, Freddy Sanchez now has 10 hits in his last 14 at-bats. And with a single in the same game, Andy LaRoche stretched his hitting streak to 11 games in which he's hitting .428. Which is to say that the Pirates might not be a great (or even good) team, but at least they can be interesting to watch. - PL
  • 22. White Sox | Previous Week: 20
    My sources (well-placed, natch) tell me that Carlos Quentin could be headed to the disabled list with his recent injury, despite some positive prognostications to the contrary. That doesn't bode well for a ChiSox team that happens to be seeing an early AL Central lead slip away quickly. Of course, when Paul Konerko is the only guy with double digit homers and both Gavin Floyd and John Danks are struggling, well, yeah, things aren't really looking up.
  • 23. Orioles | Previous Week: 23
    Super prospect Matt Wieters arrives on Friday and now he just needs some good pitchers to catch; Adam Jones quick return from an injury also continues to make this team watchable. At least Baltimore is getting a chance to evaluate some young hurlers like Brad Bergesen and Jason Berken. - EP
  • 24. Marlins | Previous Week: 25
    Only one team has started 11-1 or better and finished with a losing record: the 2002 Indians. The Marlins are threatening to become the second such team. Perhaps they should try basketball instead, with four pitchers 6-foot-7 or taller – Chris Volstad (6-foot-8), Sean West (6-foot-8), Andrew Miller (6-foot-7) and Josh Johnson (6-foot-7).
  • 25. Diamondbacks | Previous Week: 27
    Brandon Webb remains disabled. Except not in that kind of way; simply in the kind of way that can't manage to help the Diamondbacks to much of anything. Or, really, to help any of the fantasy teams that I bothered to keep him on. Thanks a lot, B. On the bright side, now that the team is less than relevant, Justin Upton is starting to turn into a monster, hitting over .350 for May.
  • 26. Indians | Previous Week: 29
    I love going to MLB.com and seeing the words "Carl Pavano" packaged with "seven brilliant innings." It lets me know that someone running the only thing that Bud Selig's done well in his tenure as commish at least has a sense of humor. Or, possibly ... could the Tribe be turning a corner? Right.
  • 27. Rockies | Previous Week: 27
    Brad Hawpe and Todd Helton are the only true bright spots on the offensive side of the ball for the Rockies. Jason Marquis occupies that role on the pitching side. Neither of those statements are fantastic. Silver lining: at least they aren't the team wasting Matt Holliday's final year before free agency!
  • 28. Athletics | Previous Week: 28
    Who'd have guessed Josh Outman would end up being the A's best starter at the season's quarter pole? Outman, acquired in the Joe Blanton deal last year, has four quality starts in the last five times he's taken the ball. - JF
  • 29. Astros | Previous Week: 21
    Eight losses in 10 games has them in the NL Central basement by two full games, which makes them the only sixth-place team in baseball. They do have nine games against the Pirates, five against the Nationals, and four against the Rockies before the All-Star break, which could help them start to move things in the right direction. - PL
  • 30. Nationals | Previous Week: 30
    Washington envisions a future rotation of Ross Detwiler, Jordan Zimmerman, Craig Stammen, John Lannon and Shairon Martis. Come to think of it, that is the Nats' current rotation. Some Strasburg guy might get in the mix, too. Meanwhile, the Giants, Mariners, Mets and Red Sox (longshot) have inquired on first basemen Nick Johnson. - EP

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