Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Weekly Power Rankings - All Star Week, The Calm Before the Storm

All-Star week was a fairly calm week for the power rankings as most teams held their place, with only exception being the plummeting Redbirds who have been replaced in this week’s edition by the charging Redlegs. Next week however could see some shake up as it is time again for some divisional games.

Current Rank (Previous Rank)

1. (1) Philadelphia Phillies: Season 65-27, Past Week 12-5
This week the Phillies left a small chink in the armor exposed, dropping series against the ~.500 Marlins and the last place Padres. With the NL’s top offense led by back-to-back MVP Jake Clapp and Home Run Derby winner Del Wilhelm as well as the NL’s second best pitching staff this season, the Phillies continue to be the team to beat.

2. (2) Kansas City Royals: Season 60-32, Past Week 11-6
The Royals looked good this week as they took series against fellow playoff competitors Anaheim and Portland. Their only blemish was a close series loss to the Mariners. With the #1 ranked offense and pitching in the AL, a Royals – Phillies world series is looking like a strong possibility.

3. (3) Charlotte Knights: Season 56-36, Past Week 10-7
The Knights faced what was probably the toughest schedule this past week and came out of it fairly strong. Series wins against Detroit, Anaheim, New York, and Portland were unfortunately marred by a sweep at the hands of the Red Sox. A major series looms ahead against rival Kansas City this week that could determine the dominant AL team.

4. (4) Arizona Diamondbacks: Season 57 - 35, Past Week 11-6
The Diamondbacks hold their position on the charts due to the strength of their pitching staff, which as of late has been looking like the dominant group of last season. Unfortunately the D’backs played to the level of their competition this week as they won series against playoff competitors Cincinnati and Montreal while dropping series against the young, not quite ready Pirates and Mets. They are going to need to be more consistent this next week to hold this spot.

5. (6) Boston Red Sox: Season 55-37, Past Week 10-7
The Red Sox need to figure out which team they are. Are they the team that swept the Charlotte Knights? Or are they the team that was swept by the Angels and lost 3 of 4 against the young, division-leading Twins? Fortunately, they have plenty of time to figure it out as they have no divisional competition and can coast into the postseason.

6. (5) Anaheim Angels: Season 52-40, Past Week 7-10
Also facing a difficult schedule this past week, the Angels got beat up. Their one bright spot of sweeping the Red Sox was followed with series losses to the Royals, Knights, and Twins. The Angels cannot shake their divisional opponents and this looks to be an exciting pennant race with important divisional games this week.

7. (7) Portland Beavers: Season 52-40, Past Week 8-9
It was a bit of a shaky week for the Beavers as series wins against Texas and Minnesota were followed by losing series against the Orioles and the Knights. It’s a big week coming up against divisional opponents and will be a good test for this young pitching staff.

8. (10) Seattle Mariners: Season 51-41, Past Week 10-7
After fading for the last two weeks, the Mariners came around this week and put themselves right back in the middle of the wild AL West race. With their only series loss this week against the rising Twins, the Mariners looked for real with an impressive series win against the Royals. While the offense wasn’t always there, the pitching was very impressive this week and was the key to the resurgence. Next week, we shall see how that pitching can do against Portland and Anaheim. Stay tuned.

9. (8) Montreal Expos: Season 51-41, Past Week 9-8
This week the Expos made it seem as if any playoff appearance they might make will be a short one as the Phillies and D’backs beat them 5 games to 1. Fortunately they were able to salvage the week by beating teams they should beat at Florida and DC. With the surging Reds coming to town, the Expos playoff hopes will be up for grabs.

10. (NR) Cincinnati Reds: Season 51-41, Past Week 12-5
The defending champs are back! A series loss against the Diamondbacks was the only dent in an impressive week that saw the Reds rise up to fiercely challenge the Expos for the AL North title. Cliff Rivers has put on a power display since joining the club with 15 homers in 24 games. The Reds look like a team on a mission since the big trade and look poised to capture their 3rd straight NL North title.

Dropped: NR. (9) St. Louis Cardinals: Season 47-45, Past Week 5-12
The Cardinals have been sinking fast and now find themselves in a fight for the division with the Florida Marlins.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Halfway Heroes

Now that we have reached the mid-point of the season, its time to honor the players that have performed above all others.

AL MVP: Adam Martin, Charlotte Knights, 3B
Thanks to a slow start in the power department, reigning MVP Valerio Guillen of the Boston Red Sox who is still having a superb season, is my current runner-up for this award. Leading the way by a very slim margin is Charlotte Knights third baseman, Adam Martin. Martin currently leads the AL in home runs and RBIs and is one of the major reasons why the Knights are one of the top teams in the league.

NL MVP: Jake Clapp, Philadelphia Phillies, SS
The Jake Clapp legend continues to grow. After starting the season at third base, Clapp moved back to shortstop to make room for Rafael Nieves in the scary Philadelphia lineup. This season looks like another addition to his Hall of Fame resume as he leads the league in home runs and RBIs while still fielding an adequate shortstop. No need to mention a runner-up in this race as no one is even close.

AL Cy Young: Darren Chance, Chicago White Sox, SP
With no truly dominant pitching performer out there, Darren Chance appears to be on his way to a second consecutive AL Cy Young award. If only the guy could get some consistent run support then perhaps his league leading 2.68 ERA would garner a better record than 7-3. With 13 quality starts out of 17 games pitched, he is as close as you get to a sure thing when he takes the mound. There are quite a few pitchers that are very close for this one including fellow run support victim Sam Gruber of the Orioles, Kansas City's Patrick Rivera and Stephen Fischer, as well as annual Cy Young candidate Jeff Bollea of Boston.

NL Cy Young: Pedro Cabrera, St. Louis, RP
Yes, I know the odds of a closer winning a Cy Young are slim to none, but with no stellar performances by any starting pitcher (the best at this point probably being Phillip Lindsay of the New York Mets) I have decided to go with a dominant closer who has probably been the most valuable pitcher to his team. With his record of 28 saves in 29 opportunities, Cabrera is going out there game after game in tight situations preserving Cardinal leads and is the single most important person to their current first place standing. Also having dominant seasons in the closer role are Ken Upshaw of the Phillies and Dan Kennedy of the Diamondbacks.

AL Rookie of the Year: Travis Murphy, Anaheim Angels, 1B/DH
Despite waiting in the minors for the first 20 days or so this season, Travis Murphy has impressed in his major league debut and looks to be the frontrunner for the award in what is a somewhat light rookie class in the AL. Murphy is trailed by a couple of Twins for this honor in catcher Jolbert Saenz and centerfielder Sam Kubinski.

NL Rookie of the Year: Kevin Marte, Montreal Expos, 1B
There is an excess of good candidates in the NL this season. George Bush of San Francisco is having a fabulous season on the mound. The power displays of the Padres' Willie Jose and the Braves' Eric Roosevelt have been impressive. Tony Masao of the Cubs has been outstanding this season hitting for average and power. But the only rookie this season who doubles as an MVP candidate (if Jake Clapp didn't exist) is the Expos' Kevin Marte. His spectacular season which includes an OPS over 1, is one of the top reasons for the Expos current division lead.

AL Closer of the Year: Vic Castillo, Kansas City, RP
Yes, I know the sim awards this based on a formula that allows someone to win simply because they had more save opportunities, which is why I have renamed it for this article. Its a relatively weak year for AL closers this season as all of the top guys have been tagged at some point this season. But currently leading the way as the most unhittable closer this season with 20 saves in 22 chances is Castillo. Right on his heels is Portland's Ignacio Benitez.

NL Closer of the Year: Pedro Cabrera, St. Louis, RP
See NL Cy Young commentary.

Other Noteworthy Performances:
5/17/08 Fred Rolle of the Seattle Mariners turned in the season's only no-hitter thus far with a 3-0 shutout of the Chicago White Sox.

5/18/08 Jose Roque of the Baltimore Orioles went yard four times against the Texas Rangers in a 17-4 blowout.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Weekly Power Rankings - Interleague Play Shakes Up the List

This week the top three spots held firm although that #3 spot is rather precarious and some of last season’s regulars had a very good week to raise their stock. Ultimately though, it appears that this season is becoming a legendary one in Philadelphia.

Current Rank (Previous Rank)

1. (1) Philadelphia Phillies: Season 53-22, Past Week 14-5
The impressive hitting has been fully supported this season by some quality pitching to make the Phillies the scariest team to face by far. Another impressive showing this week saw the Phils take every series in which they were involved. If there was a ranking higher than number one, the Phillies would have earned it as the team is currently on pace for 112 wins.

2. (2) Kansas City Royals: Season 49-26, Past Week 12-7
The Royals continue to be the benchmark for performance in the AL this season with their top ranked offense and excellent pitching. They slipped up a bit in interleague play, losing series to their cross-state rivals in St. Louis and to the standings rising Marlins. This coming All-Star week presents some good tests for this team with games against Portland, Anaheim, and division rival Charlotte.

3. (3) Charlotte Knights: Season 46-29, Past Week 10-9
The Knights had a bit of a mediocre week this last week as they lost their series versus two teams on the rise of late, the Florida Marlins and the Chicago White Sox. Their series victory over the division leading Cardinals helps them maintain their position on the list, though it is much shakier. This coming week will be a challenge as they face all teams in the playoff hunt in Detroit, Boston, Anaheim, New York, Portland, and rival Kansas City.

4. (9) Arizona Diamondbacks: Season 46 - 29, Past Week 14-5
After last week’s big dip on the list, the D’backs were on fire this week with the top record in interleague play and have raced out into the lead for their third straight NL West title. The vaunted pitching staff took command this week en route to 5 shutout performances. With the pitching back to form, Arizona will be difficult to catch and again looks to be the primary rival to the Phils NL supremacy, though the gap is much wider this season.

5. (NR) Anaheim Angels: Season 45-30, Past Week 15-4
Perhaps the failed Ortiz deal was the best thing for this team as Aaron Holliday has been outstanding and this team has caught fire, rising from the ashes all the way to the fifth spot. With the Mariners and Beavers stumbling a bit, the Angels have put themselves back in the lead for their third consecutive division title. With the next three series against the Red Sox, Royals, and Knights, we will see what this team is made of.

6. (10) Boston Red Sox: Season 45-30, Past Week 12-7
The Red Sox keep up their consistent winning ways with a solid week with their only setback being a 2-1 series loss to the mighty Phils. Without any serious competition for their division title, once again the Red Sox will likely be a well-rested and dangerous playoff opponent.

7. (6T) Portland Beavers: Season 44-31, Past Week 10-9
The Beavers have broken their tie this week with Northwest rival Seattle, but unfortunately its more as a result of the poor performance by the Mariners than anything positive for Portland. While the Beavers were losing to teams from the NL West, the Angels flew past and put the Beavers in wild card territory. With some critical series this week against the Royals and Knights, Portland’s standing is likely to move, in which direction is yet to be determined.

8. (5) Montreal Expos: Season 42-33, Past Week 9-10
It was an up and down week for the Expos as they suffered a sweep versus the hard charging White Sox, had a victorious sweep of the Blue Jays, got swept by the young Twins, and did the sweeping of the Tigers. With series against the playoff competing D’backs, Phillies, Marlins, Nationals, and division rival Reds, it could be a make it or break it week next week for the Expos.

9. (4) St. Louis Cardinals: Season 42-33, Past Week 7-12
The Cardinals plummeted down towards the earth this week. Losing 5 of 7 against the Phillies was not unexpected, but the three game sweep by the Rangers left quite a sting. This next week the Cardinals get a chance to prove they belong on the list with series against San Francisco, Chicago, and Arizona.

10. (6T) Seattle Mariners: Season 41-34, Past Week 7-12
The Mariners tried their darnedest to get bumped off the list this week with series losses to Arizona, LA, San Diego, and the Yankees. Their only saving grace that prevented their bump off of this list was a three game sweep of the Giants who thanks to this series are the team getting bumped out. The Seattle offense shut down this week and needs to return soon if the Mariners want to continue competing for the playoffs.

Dropped:
NR (8) San Francisco Giants: Season 42-33, Past Week 9-10
Last week’s question: Will they be on the countdown for the long haul?
Answer: Not this week when the teams ranked around them had great weeks and their mediocre showing includes a sweep by the #10 team.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Interleague Play Winners and Losers

The rest of the season is completely balanced and equitable. The 16 teams in each league play each other 10 times so that both divisional and wild card spots are truly filled by the most deserving teams. But then along comes interleague play to shake things up, everything is still equal for divisional opponents who play the same four teams, but a major advantage can be had in the wild card races if the opposing league's division is weak.
That appeared to be the case going in and indeed held form in the case of the South divisions as the AL steamrolled the NL with a combined record of 31-17. The biggest shocker of all of this was that the team who led the way was the lowly Texas Rangers, holders of the worst record in baseball entering interleague play, who finished a surprising 9-3.
The other major surprise of interleague play was in the performance of the division with the best record going in, the AL West. Other than the Anaheim Angels, who took advantage of the time with an 8-4 record to jump right back into the division title race, the AL West was outmatched en route to a disappointing 19-29 record against their NL foes. At the lead of the NL charge were the Arizona Diamondbacks, whose 10-2 interleague record was the best, and launched them back into first place in the NL West.
The overall league tally for interleague play saw the NL take the advantage this season with a 98-94 victory.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Weekly Power Rankings - A Trading Frenzy and the Philly Express Rolls On

Another week, another period of domination for the juggernaut in Phily. However the big news this week revolves around slugger Max Ortiz. His failed trade to the Anaheim Angels has led to that front office scrambling for something else and multiple death threats for Alex Sanchez. Meanwhile, the Orioles swoop in and give away a big piece of their future, most notably stud shortstop Cliff Rivers, for the high-priced slugger.

Current Rank (Previous Rank)

1. (1) Philadelphia Phillies: Season 39-17, Past Week 16-4
Rafael Nieves has stepped right into the lineup and provided another weapon to scare opposing pitchers. Other than a 4 game split with the surging Expos, the Phillies steamrolled the competition this week and continue to look nearly invincible.

2. (2) Kansas City Royals: Season 37-19, Past Week 13-7
The offense just keeps on rolling as DH Al Perez continues his triple crown threat season. When you throw in the 1-2 punch of Cy Young candidates in Patrick Rivera and Stephen Fischer, the Royals have the look of fierce title contenders. Early in the week, it looked like the Royals might actually take the top spot but ending the week losing 3 of 4 at home to Cleveland put a big halt on that ascension.

3. (3) Charlotte Knights: Season 36-20, Past Week 11-9
Considering the fact that the Knights only played one winning team this week, the Boston Red Sox who swept them in 3 games, the week was a bit of a disappoint for a team in this position. We shall see how interleague play treats the Knights this coming week and if they can hold their place in the list.

4. (7) St. Louis Cardinals: Season 35-21, Past Week 13-7
After passing all the surprise drug tests the commissioner’s office could throw at them, the Cardinals just kept on their winning ways, with their only blemish for the week being a 2-1 series loss to Arizona. Besides the clean tests, suspicions have died down as their surprising performers have come down to earth while Dee Bolling and Chad Seabol continue to compete for an MVP. The Redbirds appear to have finally arrived this season and look to be real contenders.

5. (10) Montreal Expos: Season 33-23, Past Week 14-6
The Expos had a great week led by the league’s top pitching staff and one of the better producing offenses. With their youngsters performing brilliantly and even Marcus Kipling earning his paycheck, the Expos are the team to beat in the NL North. As their impressive 4 game split with the mighty Phils reveals, the Expos have the weapons to compete late into October.

6T. (5) Seattle Mariners: Season 34-22, Past Week 10-10
The Mariners week was a mixed bag. They looked good in taking 4 of 7 from the Red Sox and only losing 2-1 to the hot Royals, but to end the week losing 3 of 4 to the youngsters in Minnesota in my book drops them down so that they are in a tie on this list and in the standings with their division rivals in Portland.

6T. (6) Portland Beavers: Season 34-22, Past Week 11-9
The Beaver pitching continues to impress and has lead to the Beavers tie with their rivals in Seattle. The Beavers were also struck by a bit of inconsistency, preventing them from jumping ahead. A 3-1 series loss at Kansas City was followed by a Tampa sweep and a 2-1 series win at home versus the Royals. Ending the week with a 2-1 loss to the last place Orioles and a 4 game split with the disappointing White Sox does not yield much confidence.

8. (NR) San Francisco Giants: Season 33-23, Past Week 13-7
It was a great week for the rankings newest arrival from Frisco. Other than the week opening series loss to the Expos, the Giants took care of all opposition en route to their first ever division lead. Pitching has been the team’s strength and none have been better than rookie of the year candidate, George Bush. The Giants face a tough test in the coming week with interleague play against the very strong AL West. Will they be on the countdown for the long haul?

9. (4) Arizona Diamondbacks: Season 32 - 24, Past Week 11-9
After the first rankings came out, I realized that the D’backs had really gotten their ranking on the basis of past performance. So this week, they drop down to where they deserve to be for this season as their pitching, while still strong, has been much more inconsistent. With Felipe Tejada coming back off the 15-day DL this week, perhaps he can return to form and help to right this ship.

10. (NR) Boston Red Sox: Season 33-23, Past Week 12-8
The inconsistency of the Red Sox pitching is keeping them down this season. Outside of the impressive Jeff Bollea and the steady Gordon Wilson, the Sox have had no idea what kind of start they were going to get from game to game. It will be interesting to see what the blockbuster deal with the Nationals does to each franchise.

Dropped
NR (9) Pittsburgh Pirates: Season 28-28, Past Week 8-12
Their lack of depth has caught up to them, but the pieces are being assembled for future seasons on this list.

NR (10) Anaheim Angels: Season 30-26, Past Week 10-10
After the Ortiz deal fell through, the Angels front office has been hard at work and has now struck a deal to bring Aaron Holliday over from Milwaukee instead. Will this new deal kick start this team back up the rankings?

Friday, May 2, 2008

Weekly Power Rankings - Lots of New Faces!

After a week and a half of baseball action, it’s time once again for the weekly power rankings. We’ve got some new teams this season to the rankings and some perennial charting teams that are disappointingly missing from the list. (World Champion Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, AL Champ Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox) Things have gone so wonky this season that the New York Mets and their free agent frenzy almost made the list.

Current Rank (Previous Rank)

1. (1) Philadelphia Phillies: Season 23-13, Past Week -
Hello again, old friend. Led by the usual suspects, Jake Clapp and Del Wilhelm, the Phillies once again have one of the most devastating offenses while also having a capable pitching staff. It’s hard to imagine this offense being scarier, but it might have just happened with the recent acquisition of Rafael Nieves, provided he can return to form. Expect the Phils to make another serious title run.

2. (7) Kansas City Royals: Season 24-12, Past Week -
Incredibly, there is a team that has scored more runs than the Phillies. With DH Al Perez and last season’s home run derby champ Danny Alexander doing the most damage, the Royals are scoring runs at a mind boggling rate. On top of that, their pitchers also have the second best ERA in the American League. Royals fans will have no reason to sing the blues watching their team this season.

3. (NR) Charlotte Knights: Season 25-11, Past Week -
Charlotte, welcome to the power rankings! Our first new addition has stormed out of the gate this season with the best record in baseball. After an off-year last season, Jose Mondesi has returned to his previous form and has led this offense into becoming the second most productive in the AL. Their unconventional pitching rotation is once again led by the dynamic Turner Mordecai and is currently the league’s third best unit. It seems that Kansas City and Charlotte are destined to be fighting for this division late into the season.

4. (3) Arizona Diamondbacks: Season 21 - 15, Past Week -
The Diamondbacks have been a fixture near the top of these rankings mostly as a result of their tremendous pitching. This unit is once again second in the league in ERA, but this time they are much closer to the pack. Surprisingly, it is their offense this season that has kept them in the Top 5. The D’backs have done it with a well-balanced, timely attack without any MVP candidates and currently sit #2 in the league in runs scored. If the offense can sustain this pace, this team will be extremely tough when the pitching lives up to its potential.

5. (NR) Seattle Mariners: Season 24 -12, Past Week -
Our second new addition to the rankings comes as a big surprise as the M’s have yet to finish a season over .500. The offense has played small ball to near perfection as Karl Turner has proven to be a great addition to this team and Richard Ishii is finally performing as he has been expected to. While it was veteran Freddy Alston who got the massive free agent contract, it has been Fred Rolle, Rob Tolberg, and Diego Ibarra that have pitched brilliantly to lead the rotation. The Mariners look like they have figured things out this season and will be in the hunt in what appears to be the current toughest division in all of baseball.

6. (NR) Portland Beavers: Season 23-13, Past Week -
The Pacific Northwest appears to be the new hotbed of divisional rivalry as the Beavers are right on the heals of the Mariners in the standings and on this list. Their improved offense is again led by Bobby Dawkins and sits in the middle of the pack in the AL. The pitching is what drives this team and earns them their place here with their league leading ERA. While the starters have been above average, it is the Beaver bullpen that has been spectacular and far and away the best unit in baseball. This team will be a force to be reckoned with because once they get a lead, they do not give it up easily.

7. (NR) St. Louis Cardinals: Season 22-14, Past Week -
The Cardinals make their first appearance on the chart surrounded by a cloud of suspicion. While their regular stars are performing as expected (Dee Bolling, Chad Seabol, and closer Pedro Cabrera), there have been a few raised eyebrows about the surprising seasons by shortstop Kordell Daneker and starter Jordan Barrett. Their opponents have been petitioning the commissioner’s office for increased drug testing, but if the Cardinals are clean, they appear to be on the right track for their first division title.

8. (10) Anaheim Angels: Season 20-16, Past Week -
The Angels return to the power rankings from the shocking position of last place in the fierce new look AL West. With DH extraordinaire Darryl Whitaker sidelined for the entire season, it seems that the trade of Karl Turner to their division rival has proved quite costly. Fortunately a savior has arrived in Travis Murphy, hallowed be thy name. So far, he is turning AL pitching into his own personal batting practice exhibition. Will this youngster be able to carry this team to a third straight division title? Time will tell.

Ed. Note: Seeing what Murphy is doing this season leads to the question, when will we see his Pound (VA) High School teammate, Dee Dee Hutton, doing similar damage to NL pitching?

9. (NR) Pittsburgh Pirates: Season 20-16, Past Week -
Pittsburgh arrives on the list courtesy of a new act that is bound to keep Pirate fans entertained for years to come, The Clyde Redmond Show. This incredible talent will be confounding NL pitchers for many years as they will be unable to keep him from reaching base safely at an alarming rate. Combined with the powerful James Sherman, the Bucs have quite the dynamic duo. The pitching, led by the steady Tris Breen, is in the middle of the pack of NL staffs. Lacking depth on the offense and the pitching, the Pirates likely don’t have a long playoff run in them this season, but they certainly have some pieces to build around.

10. (NR) Montreal Expos: Season 19-17, Past Week -
After two sub par seasons, the Expos are giving Montreal residents something to get excited about other than the next hockey season. Bernard Springer is one of the best hitters alive but unfortunately the grind of the baseball season is hell on this poorly conditioned “athlete.” If he could play everyday, this team would get a huge boost in the standings and he would likely take home MVP hardware, but as that is not the case, they will have to scrap and claw to stay on top of this division. Fortunately, that task will be made easier by Kareem Hamilton, who seems to have finally figured out how to pitch in this league and is having a spectacular season. If Springer goes on a tear, this team could be tough in the playoffs, as the offense firmly rests on his shoulders.