MLB Power Rankings

8/12/2019 MLB Power Rankings

1/12

MLB Power Rankings

30. Texas Rangers (45-69)

The injury riddled Rangers are tied for the title of worst team in baseball.

Even after winning their last two games with relative ease, they still have a dismal

17-40 record since June 1st. They still have a top 15 all-around offense, but their

pitching cant seem to keep up with opposing offenses. Their bullpen took a majorhit with the trade of Joakim Soria to Detroit and the starting staff still has a

combined ERA of 5.04 which is second-worst in the game.

29. Houston Astros (47-68)

The Astros boast the second-worst record in the game and this is a surprise

they arent the worst team in August. They are a sub-par offense except when it

comes to the long-ball or stealing bases. The team has gone 7-10 since its offense

lost a big piece in George Springer, who had 20 homers. Theyve also been

without Dexter Fowler since June 27, luckily hell be back tomorrow in Oklahoma

City for a rehab Game. Their starting rotation has been below-average, but their

bullpen has been atrocious this year. They have the 22

nd

worst rotation ERA in thegame with 4.09 and the worst bullpen ERA with 5.04. All around, this isnt

unexpected from a team coming off 3 straight 100 loss seasons.


2/12

28. Colorado Rockies (45-69)

The Rockies, surprisingly were in the playoff race earlier this year. Their

pitching was bad, but their offense was and still is incredible. However, since May,

they Rockies pitching has been so bad, not even the best offensecan score

enough to win games. They have the worst starting rotation in the game and the

2ndworst bullpen in the game. Their rotation has a combined ERA of 5.07 and

their bullpen has an ERA of 4.76. The Rockies have also had their fair share of big

injuries. Cuddyer has only played in 31 games this year and Tulowitzki has been

gone since July 20. Brett Anderson has only pitched 43.1 innings and Chatwood

hasnt seen the field since April and might not see it next year either. Without

Tulowitzki, theyve been 5-12, however, he wouldnt probably wouldnt make

much of a difference because their pitchers have allowed 72 runs in those 17

games.

27. Arizona Diamondbacks (49-66)

The Diamondbacks arent just a dirty team, theyre also a bad team that

lost their main offensive weapon. The Dbacks are 14thin the league in team

batting average, but they lost Paul Goldschmidt so expect that number to drop

fast. They also traded a good hitter in Martin Prado. They also traded Brandon

McCarthy who is shining with the Yankees. Their rotation is the 4th worst in

baseball and their bullpen is the 7thworst. Another thing wrong with the Dbacks is

their manager. Kirk Gibson has helped run that team into the ground. He also

prevented McCarthy from throwing his cutter, which seems to work for him in

New York. GM Kevin Towers doesnt help the teams ranking on this list trading a

big part of his offense for a 24 year old prospect that is in Double-A. Good work

fellas.


3/12

26. Chicago Cubs (49-64)

The Cubs are a team in the rebuilding stages, so this record is not

unexpected. Theo Epstein did a good job milking prospects out of the As for Jeff

Samardzija, but that doesnt help their power rankings for this year.A team that

has won 7 of their last 10 games, against the Rockies, still has the 4thworst

offense in the game, even with elite SS prospect Javier Baez now up and raking.

They now have 10thworst rotation ERA in the game after trading Hammel and

Samardzija. Jake Arrieta had an ERA of 2.11 before Wednesday where he allowed

9 ER. Now he has a 2.80 ERA. He is still the best full-year starter on the Cubs by

far, however, Kyle Hendricks has come up and done extremely well posting a 2.10

ERA in 34.1 innings. They bullpen ranks 18thin baseball with a 3.63 ERA, but if you

take off 3 guys who have inflated ERA theyre a lot better.This team could be #1

in the Power Rankings for 2017.

25. Boston Red Sox (50-64)

The defending World Series Champions have one of the worst records, go

figure. The Sox traded away a lot of players, but they got so much young talent,its hard to criticize the trade. Sure they traded away of their rotationand their

set-up man, but they got a major-league ready reliever and multiple prospects.

They also acquired Yoenis Cespedes and Allen Craig, two good power hitting

righties. They also got Joe Kelly who has a good track record in St. Louis and can

help a depleted rotation. The team is still the 7th

worst offense in the game, which

got better though. They also have the 7thworst starting rotation ERA with 4.15

and are 13thin bullpen ERA with 3.49. Their young starters also have not been

getting it done for the Sox.


4/12

24. Minnesota Twins (51-62)

This year so far is a huge step in the right direction for the Twins. They only

won 66 games last year and they already have 51 this year with 49 games left.

This is a team that has the 10th worst offense and that has the 3 rdworst rotation

ERA of 4.93. However, they have the 10thbest bullpen ERA of 3.28. The Twins are

7-12 since the All-Star break, and they have without Joe Mauer since July 1st. One

of their main bad points this year is Ricky Nolasco who signed a 4 year/$49 million

deal this past offseason and has an ERA of 5.90.

23. Philadelphia Phillies (52-63)

The Philadelphia Phillies are so far having another disappointing season as

they try to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2011. They also passed up

multiple chances to dump a couple big contracts for older players in exchange for

prospects. Given Utley and Byrd are doing good, dumping their contracts would

be good for the team. They also can no longer trade Cliff Lee this year as he is

now out for the year with more arm problems. The Phillies rank 26thin offense

and have a rotation ERA of 3.98 which is good enough for 20thin the game. Their

bullpen ERA is also 3.98 which is the 7

th

worst in the Majors.

22. San Diego Padres (52-61)

Another atrocious offensive year for San Diego. They rank dead last in the

MLB in total offense. Like always, however, their pitching is pretty good. They

rank 8thin starters ERA with 3.48 and they have the best bullpen in the game.

They post a 2.38 ERA and an OPP. BA of .210. The Padres could be a definitedivision contender if they get some bats in that lineup who can stay healthy. They

made a good trade in trading Street for Lindsey, Alvarez, and Rondon. At least

they have a future.


5/12

21. New York Mets (54-61)

The New York Mets are a team that is performing well for losing their ace.

They have the 13th

best rotation ERA and 7th

best bullpen ERA. Their hitting,however, is 2ndworst in the game. If they had a better offense, they are legit

contenders in the East. Maybe one or two more good hitters, not great, they can

definitely be a force, especially with that rotation. Jennry Mejia has done

exceptional in the closer role that he was given this May after Kyle Farnsworth

was released. Daniel Murphy was an all-star and is an amazing player, but the big

guy Curtis Granderson is delivering home runs, but not much else.

20. Miami Marlins (55-59)

Much like the Mets, the Marlins lost their ace in Jose Fernandez and have

done surprisingly well. Many people, including myself, thought they would be

horrible. They proved a lot of people wrong. They have 8thworst rotation ERA, but

those numbers are inflated with 5 or 6 players with one start and couldnt bring it

down. They are 12thin bullpen ERA and they have a good long time closer in Steve

Cishek. They rank 18thin offense this year which is another big reason the Marlinsfell out of the #2 spot. This is a young team with the potential to be a top team in

a few years.

19. Tampa Bay Rays (55-59)

The Tampa Bay Rays had 4 straight 90 win seasons heading into this year,

but they have not performed close to that level. They have the 13thbest offensein the game, and the 9thbest starter ERA with 3.68. They have the 17thranked

bullpen with a 3.59. They traded their ace and former Cy Young winner David

Price and got nothing close to what he was worth. They were one of the hottest

teams in the game, but now it seems that they do not believe they are a playoff

team this year.


6/12

18. Chicago White Sox (55-61)

Another AL Central team heading down the right path, the White Sox are 8

wins away from tying their win total for last year. Their starters have posted a

4.41 ERA, which is 5thworst. Their bullpen isnt much better, posting a 4.53 ERA,

3rdworst. Their offense, however, is the 6thbest. Largely due to rookie pehnom

Jose Abreu. The kid is hitting .303 with 31 HRs and 86 RBI. No doubter for Rookie

of the Year. Where would the White Sox be without him? The answer is a lot

lower on this list.

17. Atlanta Braves (58-56)

The Atlanta Braves have lost 8 straight games and have fallen 4.5 games

behind the Nationals. This is largely in part to the fact that they have the 8thworst

offense in baseball and that they strike out too much. Their patchwork rotation is

the 7thbest in baseball having an ERA of 3.44. They also have the 11 thbest

bullpen, posting a 3.28 ERA. Their offense strikes out the 5thmost in baseball and

they are the 3rdworst team when it comes to scoring. Itll be tough to make the

playoffs if they continue to hit like this.

16. Cleveland Indians (57-58)

After making the playoffs last year, the Indians expected a lot from this

years team. Theyre doing decent, one game under .500. The Indians are doing

well on offense, 12thin the Majors. Pitching is another story. They have the 6th

worst starter ERA, 4.39. Their bullpen, however, is the 6thbest in the game with a

2.94 ERA. They traded Justin Masterson so they lost their ace from last year along

with Kazmir who went to Oakland. They are in good position to take the 2ndWild

Card spot.


7/12

15. Cincinnati Reds (59-56)

The Reds are another Ohio team looking to make the Postseason again. A

team that won 90 games last year and still finished 3rd, the Reds are just hoping

for a chance to take the 2ndWild Card. This is a team with an outstanding rotation

led by Johnny Cueto. They rank 2ndin the game, posting a 3.24 ERA. Their bullpen,

on the other hand, is 22ndin the Major Leagues with a 3.73 ERA. Their offense

ranks 34thin the league, much like last year. However, the main difference is

inability to get on base. Ranking 8thbest in OBP last year, the Reds have the 3rd

worst OBP this year. Of course, Votto has only played 62 games this year and

Phillips hasnt played since July 10th. They also lost leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo in

free agency, so its been tough to plate runners without his .423 OBP.

14. Pittsburgh Pirates (61-53)

After failing to make the playoff for 21 years, the Pirates finally made it last

year. They seem primed to go this year right? Wrong. Enter the dirty

Diamondbacks who retaliated for no real reason, other than someone got hit on

accident. They broke MVP candidate Andrew McCutchens rib. However, he still

hasnt been placed on the DL. Theyre still only .5 game back for the 2ndWild Card,

but itll be hard to get farther that. With McCutchen, they ranked 8thin baseball in

offense, lets see how long they keep that rank. Their rotation ranks 16thin the

game with a 3.81 ERA. Their bullpen ranks 14thwith an ERA of 3.50. This is a

decent pitching team without its offensive star. If they somehow make the

playoffs, wish them luck. Theyll need it.


8/12

13. New York Yankees (60-54)

The Yankees have done well with what theyve been given. Theyve lost a

lot of starters including veteran CC Sabathia and Rookie Masahiro Tanaka.Brandon McCarthy has been outstanding since being traded from Arizona, largely

to the fact that hes been throwing his cutter again. All that taken in, the Yankees

rank 17thin starting rotation and 21stin bullpen. ERAs of 3.89 and 3.65

respectively. After spending collectively over $300 Million on hitters this past

offseason, they rank 15thin offense. They still have a good chance of making the

postseason if Tanaka comes back and can repeat what he was doing before his

injury.

12. Kansas City Royals (60-53)

The Royals had their 2ndwinning season since 1994 last year, and this year

looks to be their third. They have a .5 game lead for the 2ndWild Card and a good

chance of making the playoff for the first time since 1985. Their starters ERA is

3.78, good for 14thin the MLB. Their bullpen ranks 9thwith a 3.28 ERA. Their

offense is once again good, as it ranks 4thin the game right now. Currently on a 4game winning streak, they hope to extend their Wild Card lead as they face the

Giants in interleague play.

11. Toronto Blue Jays (61-55)

Much like the Royals, the Blue Jays have a chance to end their playoff

drought. They are currently .5 game back for the 2ndWild Card and 5 games back

in the East. The Jays rank 19th

in roation ERA with 3.95 and 25th

in bullpen ERA

with 4.36 Their offense, as expected, ranks 3rdand is the reason the Jays even

have this chance to end their 20 year playoff drought. they begin a series with the

Blue Jays today as they hope to overtake the Royals in the Wild Card.


9/12

10. Seattle Mariners (60-54)

The Mariners have not made the playoffs since the 2001 season when they

won 116 games. While they wont win 116 games, they have a good chance of

going to the playoffs. They are on a 3 game winning streak and only .5 games back

of the 2ndWild Card. Their 22ndranked offense got a big boost with the acquisition

of Austin Jackson and maybe Chris Denorfia if he can turn his season around.

Their rotation led by King Felix is ranked 5thwith an ERA of 3.36. Their bullpen is

unbelievable. They are ranked 1st in all of baseball, but I rank them second. With

an ERA of 2.36 and an Opp. BA of .214, theyre second only to the Padres. This is a

team expect to win the 2ndWild Card spot and give the Angels a run for their

money in that one game playoff.

9. St. Louis Cardinals (61-52)

The Cardinals have not missed the playoffs since 2010, and they dont

expect to miss it this year either. Currently leading the 1stWild Card spot and only

1 game back in the division, the Cards are primed for another postseason run.

They are ranked 17thin offense, but they lost Allen Craig, however, they are still a

good enough team to win without him. Their rotation ranks 6thin baseball,

posting an ERA of 3.41. Their bullpen, however, ranks 16thwith a 3.53 ERA. This is

a team that will not only make the playoffs, but make a run for the pennant.

8. San Francisco Giants (62-53)

The Giants are an odd story. Once holding the second best record in

baseball, they are now 3.5 games back in the NL West. They have not played well

since Angel Pagan got hurt, as they did last year, and theyve been without

Brandon Belt multiple times this year. They have the worst collection of second

basemen in baseball and Mike Morse also fell off the face of the planet. The

Giants acquired Jake Peavy to replace Matt Cain who will miss the rest of the

year, and he has pitched ok. Their offense as a whole actually fell off the planet as

theyre now ranked 25th. Their pitching staff is still 11thin baseball with a 3.72

ERA, and their bullpen is outstanding posting a 2.61 ERA, good for 3rdin the game.

The Giants have the 2ndWild Card spot as of now, and they hope to keep it.


10/12

7. Detroit Tigers (62-50)

Much like last year, the Tigers lead the AL Central, but have a disappointing

total lead. They are 2.5 games up on the Royals. Their bugaboo once again is theirbullpen. It is ranked 27thwith a 4.51 ERA. Their rotation, however, is 10thwith a

3.71 ERA and their offense is the 2ndbest in baseball. The addition of David Price

gives the Tigers an outstanding rotation that is to be feared by all. There are a

definite title threat, even with bullpen troubles.

6. Washington Nationals (62-51)

Capitalizing on the Braves 8 game losing streak, the Nats have taken a 4.5

game lead in the NL East. A team that had 98 wins in 2012, but only 86 last year,

the Nationals seem to have this NL East right now. They rank 3rdin starting

pitching and 5thin bullpen pitching. Their outstanding pitching is coupled with

decent offense, as the Nats rank 17th. This teams pitching could be just good

enough to carry them deep into the postseason.

5. Milwaukee Brewers (63-52)

The Brewers are a team no one thought would be this good. They are 1st

inthe NL Central and looking to go to the playoffs for the 3rdtime since joining the

National League in 1998. A team ranked 17thin starting pitching and 19thin

bullpen, the Brewers use their 12thoverall offense to win many games. They use

the long ball a lot to their advantage; theyre tied for 5thin home runs. They are

being chased steadily by the Cardinals, but they remain 1st.


11/12


12/12

1. Oakland Athletics (70-44)

The As have the best record in baseball, but arent the best team. Theyare

still winning, Ill give them that. However, they dont have a good offense. A great

run differential doesnt mean much when you look at the As without Cespedes.

They have scored 22 runs in 7 games, but 8 of them came in 1 game, they also

scored multiple runs of errors in that one game. They rank 7thin OBP and 16thin

BA, but those will drop significantly without Cespedes. Their rotation is 3rdin the

game and their bullpen is 4th

, but good pitching wont always win you games. In

my opinion, the As will not win the division, but for now they hold a 3 game lead

over the Angels. If you take away your cleanup hitter, you cant expect to score

many runs.

MLB Power Rankings

Documents

Transcript of MLB Power Rankings