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MLB

MLB Power Rankings: Week 10

Posted Jun 10, 2009 12:00PM By Matt Snyder (RSS feed)

Filed Under: AL Central, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East, NL 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.

We had to break the trend. Sure, the Dodgers might have a better record than everyone else -- but competition has to count for something, doesn't it? The Dodgers have mutilated the mediocre-at-best NL West to the tune of 26-9. This means they are 14-11 against everyone else. Is that a top-two team in baseball? Hardly, I'll take the heated-rivals: Yankees (who have overcome a slow start to go 19-7 since May 12) and Red Sox (18-8 against the best division in baseball) as the top two.
  • 1. Red Sox | Previous Week: 6
    As consistent as anyone in baseball and they own the AL East. And is there hope for Big Papi? He's sporting a seven-game hitting streak, in which he's hitting .276 with two doubles, two home runs and six RBI. The rest of the league better hope not, this team is good enough without him.
  • 2. Yankees| Previous Week: 2
    What's with the role reversal? Since 2003, the Yankees haven't been the World Series and the Red Sox have won two. This year, the Yankees have lost all six games against the Red Sox. If not for that, they'd easily be the best team in baseball. As it stands, they'll have to settle for second. Is that the Yankee way?
  • 3. Phillies| Previous Week: 5
    The defending champs are road warriors, with a 21-9 record away from home. Still, you'd like to at least see a winning home record to accompany it, no? Raul Ibanez is on pace for .327-58-162 in the triple crown categories. His career highs? .304-33-123. Maybe he just needed to be rescued from Seattle/Kansas City?
  • 4. Dodgers | Previous Week: 1
    The Dodgers hit .283 and averaged 5.6 runs per game in the 29 games before Manny Ramirez was suspended. In the next 29 games they have averaged 4.9 runs and hit .278. They were 21-8 with him, and 18-11 without him. Conclusion: Manny Ramirez is good, but so are the rest of the Dodgers. (By Jeff Fletcher)
  • 5. Brewers| Previous Week: 3
    They've got to be looking over their shoulders at this point, but if you had told them they'd be sporting a 2 1/2-game lead right now heading into the season, they'd most certainly have taken it after losing their two aces from last season. If they want to maintain it, J.J. Hardy, Corey Hart and Manny Parra have to be better.
  • 6. Blue Jays | Previous Week: 10
    What, you thought they were going away? When the Jays lost nine in a row, it seemed a pretty common sentiment that it was the beginning of the end. Since then, though, the offense has resurrected itself and they've crawled back to within a 1 1/2 games of first.
  • 7. Rangers | Previous Week: 4
    Still clinging to that division lead, but all three teams behind them are coming strong. Something's going to have to be done about the pitching before the trade deadline, or the offense is going to have to be even better than usual. Maybe they could deal Chris Davis? They have the depth to offensively replace him, and it might eliminate some of the headaches he provides -- which probably outweigh his 12 home runs worth of benefits.
  • 8. Tigers | Previous Week: 8
    The 1-2 punch of Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson is as balanced and exciting as they come. Jackson's just a steady and consistent force, second only to Zack Greinke in ERA. Verlander is punching out guys at an exhausting pace (11.3 per nine innings -- which leads the majors). He also has a 1.12 ERA in his last eight starts. The Tigers are 15-9 when either starts, and 17-17 when they don't.
  • 9. Mets | Previous Week: 9
    While the offense deals with serious injury-related holes, the pitching has kept them right in striking distance of the hated Phillies. Only the Cubs, Dodgers and Giants have allowed less runs. Maybe Tuesday night's homer-fest was a sign they'll start to hit as well?
  • 10. Cubs | Previous Week: 16
    Shhhh! No one needs to talk about how the team is starting to swing the bats a bit better and is 8-4 since a potentially season-crippling eight-game losing streak. They've snuck into second place -- by percentage points -- but could use benefit from some anonymity for a bit. Just pretend you don't see them here.
  • 11. Cardinals | Previous Week: 7
    That's five straight losses. I'll never understand why anyone pitches to Albert Pujols, by the way. He's hitting .320. The team average -- which includes his figure -- is .253. He has a 200-plus-point advantage on everyone in slugging percentage. He has 51 RBI. No one else even has 30. Put him on and make someone else beat you.
  • 12. Braves | Previous Week: 15
    Atlanta made a splash with the Nate McLouth trade in an effort to bolster their offense. And then it was promptly shutout in its first two games with him, but have rebounded with three straight wins and 19 runs since.
  • 13. Angels | Previous Week: 13
    Defense and a strong bullpen have always been points of pride around the Big A, but this year has been an exception. The Angels have 11 blown saves (tied for most in the league), a 5.87 bullpen ERA (worst in the league) and a .685 defensive efficiency (10th in the league). (By Jeff Fletcher)
  • 14. Rays | Previous Week: 14
    They have the players to be better than average. They just need to play better. Do I need to name names? OK. B.J. Upton, Pat Burrell, Dioner Navarro, Andy Sonnanstine, Dan Wheeler, Grant Balfour ... I'll just stop. Don't let the naysayers proclaim 2008 a fluke, Rays.
  • 15. Reds | Previous Week: 11
    Hanging right with the Cardinals and Cubs in the Brewers' rearview mirror, but how long can it last without Joey Votto? The Reds already needed another big bat -- I've recommended Matt Holliday for left field -- and now they have to deal with losing their best hitter.
  • 16. A's | Previous Week: 29
    You surprised that the A's are hot now that it's June? You shouldn't be. The A's have had a winning record in June seven years in a row. Their 128-70 record in June over that span is the best in baseball by 11 1/2 games (NYY, 116-78). (By Jeff Fletcher)
  • 17. Giants | Previous Week: 17
    A lot of Giants fans probably feel like closer Brian Wilson is taking years off their lives with his typical high-wire act, but he's really not that bad. Among all relievers with at least five saves, Wilson is a little below the middle of the pack with a 1.37 WHIP. He's better than Jonathan Papelbon (1.40). (By Jeff Fletcher)
  • 18. Rockies | Previous Week: 28
    Maybe they just needed to fire Clint Hurdle? The Rox have now won six games in a row, and it wasn't against lackluster competition either. It likely won't last, but it's good to see some of the kids swing the bats -- like Ian Stewart's tear late last week.
  • 19. Mariners | Previous Week: 19
    Remarkably, the M's are still floating around .500, thanks to a league-leading 3.74 ERA, which balances their league-worst 3.77 runs scored per game. They still need to trade some of their veterans (Adrian Beltre, Erik Bedard) to improve the long-term prognosis. (By Jeff Fletcher)
  • 20. Twins | Previous Week: 18
    You have to play better on the road if you want to compete for a postseason spot. An 8-19 record away from home just isn't good enough when there are 34 contests of those type on the docket. If they do climb back into the thick of things, we have to talk about Joe Mauer for MVP.
  • 21. White Sox | Previous Week: 12
    There isn't much in sports more enjoyable yet unoriginal than an Ozzie Guillen tirade. We've seen so many before, yet it never really gets old. Maybe that's just me. He is right about one thing, albeit indirectly, they need to start scoring more runs.
  • 22. Marlins | Previous Week: 23
    They are 18-30 since their inexplicable start, but 10-6 since May 23. With such a young foundation, we'll be seeing hills and valleys like that all season. Keep an eye on Josh Johnson (5-1, 2.73) as a dark horse in the Cy Young race.
  • 23. Pirates | Previous Week: 24
    The Bucs are 16-11 outside their division. The problem is they are only 10-21 inside it -- and that's where much of their schedule resides. The Nate McLouth trade wasn't nearly as bad as many fans thought, by the way. Andrew McCutchen is worth the price of admission.
  • 24. Astros | Previous Week: 27
    Same problem as the Pirates. The Astros are 12-8 outside the division but 13-23 in it. Did Miguel Tejada lie about his age in the opposite direction? The 35-year-old (?) is hitting .357 and leads the majors with 82 hits and 21 doubles (tied with two others in doubles).
  • 25. Padres | Previous Week: 20
    The Padres sure like to give fans their money's worth. Their 18-inning game on Sunday was the team's second game of at least 16 innings this year. They have played the two longest games this season. Last year they played a 22-inning game and an 18-inning game. (By Jeff Fletcher)
  • 26. Orioles | Previous Week: 21
    It would be interesting to see what they could do in, say, the NL West. Instead, they are stuck trying to keep pace with some monsters. The Rays can't even keep their nose above .500. All the O's can do is continue to build. An outfield of Nick Markakis, Nolan Reimold and Adam Jones is a very nice start.
  • 27. Indians | Previous Week: 26
    The rise of Mark DeRosa's power is remarkable. Before 2006, he had never hit more than eight homers. Then he went for 13 and 10. Last season, he jumped all the way to 21 -- as a 33-year-old. Now, he's hit 10 in the current season and is on pace for 27. He's never driven home more than 87 runs, but he's on pace for 113. He can also play six positions. And he's on the trading block.
  • 28. Royals | Previous Week: 22
    Zack Greinke gave up nine hits and five earned runs in five innings last time out. His ERA is up to 1.55. The team is already nine games under .500. Trouble is on the horizon, even in this incredibly mediocre division. .
  • 29. Diamondbacks | Previous Week: 25
    Would Brandon Webb really have made much of a difference this year? Dan Haren's got a 2.33 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 83 strikeouts and only 11 walks in 85 innings. And he's 4-4. There's potential here, but right now they are just bad. Real bad.
  • 30. Nationals | Previous Week: 30
    The more things change, the more they stay the same. This team is liable to make dubious history, despite having a pretty serviceable offense. Welcome home, Stephen Strasburg.

All comments by Matt Snyder unless otherwise noted.

Tags: adam+jones, AdamJones, adrian+beltre, AdrianBeltre, albert+pujols, AlbertPujols, andrew+mccutchen, AndrewMccutchen, andy+sonnanstine, AndySonnanstine, b.j.+upton, B.j.Upton, brandon+webb, BrandonWebb, brian+wilson, BrianWilson, chris+davis, ChrisDavis, clint+hurdle, ClintHurdle, corey+hart, CoreyHart, dan+haren, dan+wheeler, DanHaren, DanWheeler, dioner+navarro, DionerNavarro, edwin+jackson, EdwinJackson, erik+bedard, ErikBedard, grant+balfour, GrantBalfour, ian+stewart, IanStewart, j.j.+hardy, J.j.Hardy, joe+mauer, JoeMauer, joey+votto, JoeyVotto, josh+johnson, JoshJohnson, justin+verlander, JustinVerlander, manny+parra, manny+ramirez, MannyParra, MannyRamirez, mark+derosa, MarkDerosa, matt+holliday, MattHolliday, miguel+tejada, MiguelTejada, MLB+Power+Rankings, MlbPowerRankings, nate+mclouth, NateMclouth, nick+markakis, NickMarkakis, nolan+reimold, NolanReimold, ozzie+guillen, OzzieGuillen, pat+burrell, PatBurrell, raul+ibanez, RaulIbanez, stephen+strasburg, StephenStrasburg, zack+greinke, ZackGreinke

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