Tagged: Rangers
AL All-Star team breakdown
credit: ClevieWonder.Blogspot.com
By Pat Ouellette, Baseball Focus Staff Writer
In some instances, such as the indomitable Robinson Cano’s selection, AL fans got the All-Star starters right. But in others, they really dropped the ball and picked the wrong man. They got a bit too Yankee-happy, though with good reason considering New York’s stellar first half, and picked some big names over big seasons. Check out how different the Baseball Focus All-Star team would look.
Read Baseball Focus’s take on the NL All-Stars here.
CATCHER
Who made it: Mike Napoli – This is more of a reward for his amazing second half last season. As great as Texas has been in 2012, Napoli is batting a paltry .235 and sports only a .335 OBP.
Who should have made it: AJ Pierzynski or Joe Mauer – I wouldn’t have argued if Mauer (.324 average and .414 OBP) was chosen as the AL catcher. Mauer still hasn’t regained the power that he displayed during his 2009 MVP season, but that shouldn’t keep him off the roster in what’s been a relatively weak year for AL catchers. While Pierzynski (.285, 14 home runs and 45 RBI) will never be a sexy choice – and he’s made his fair share of enemies during his career – he would’ve been a worthy selection. He’s been a big part of Chicago’s solid first half, and has been more important to his team than either Napoli or Matt Wieters, who was picked as a bench player.
FIRST BASE
Who made it: Prince Fielder – Fielder hasn’t had a poor season with 12 home runs, 53 RBI and an .860 OPS – he just hasn’t been his usual dominant self during what’s been a rough first half for Detroit.
Who should have made it: Paul Konerko – Despite fewer RBI, Konerko has been much more consistent than Fielder. He’s batting .335, has a sterling .962 OPS and has served as the calm leader for the White Sox, who have a rookie manager in Robin Ventura and a number of young players on the roster. He ended up us a reserve, but deserved to start the contest.
SECOND BASE
Who made it: Robinson Cano – We may as well pencil Cano into this slot for years to come, because he’s not going anywhere.
Who should have made it: Cano – Considering he’s been around since 2005, it’s hard to believe this is only Cano’s third All-Star game. Even Boston fans who adore Dustin Pedroia have to admire Cano’s supreme talent and recognize that the gap is widening between him and every other second baseman. His sweet swing has produced a .313 average with 20 home runs, 47 RBI and .962 OPS so far, numbers a first baseman would be proud of.
THIRD BASE
Who made it: Adrian Beltre – Beltre continues to prove naysayers, who claim he’s a contract-year player, wrong with another very good year in Texas. The thing is, Miggy Cabrera has been better.
Who should have made it: Miguel Cabrera –Miguel Cabrera has been great with the bat (.319, 16, 65) but his defense at third base has gone largely unnoticed, committing only eight errors. Many projected him to be a disaster at the hot corner, but he’s been solid there so far in 2012. Beltre carried the Rangers in June, and with his first-half stats, .323 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI, there are certainly less worthy starters. Cabrera should be starting, though.
SHORTSTOP
Who made it: Derek Jeter – Jeter’s had a pretty good year in 2012 and you knew if it was even close, the fans would have him start.
Who should have made it: Asdrubal Cabrera – Cabrera has more than 100 points on Jeter in OPS (.862 to .752) and it’s not like he’s come out of nowhere. The Cleveland shortstop slammed 25 home runs and knocked in 92 last year. Again, not a shock that Jeter was selected to start and Cabrera earned a bench spot. In a perfect world, however, he’d be the AL starting shortstop.
OUTFIELD
Who made it: Josh Hamilton, Jose Bautista and Curtis Granderson
Who should have made it: Hamilton, Bautista, Mark Trumbo
Like Cano, Hamilton’s name should already be filled in on ballot cards for the next few years. Though the MVP favorite has slowed down a bit lately, his numbers are still outrageous. He owns a .314 average, 25 home runs, 73 RBI and 1.023 OPS, even after a long June slump. Hamilton really is the face of the All-Star game and fans made sure that the closest thing we’ll see to Mickey Mantle is in center field in Kansas City on June 10.
Bautista leads the MLB in home runs with 27 and “Joey Bats” has become a favorite. He just completed one of the best months of his career, hitting 14 home runs and driving in 30 in June. Despite a disappointing .243 average, Bautista keeps knocking them out and loves to show off his cannon arm in right. His starting job is well deserved.
Where the fans went wrong was the AL’s third outfielder. In about 40 less at bats, Trumbo has more RBI and only three fewer home runs than Granderson (23 homers). Building on a strong rookie campaign, he has forced his way into a starting role for the Angels, and his .973 OPS is second among AL outfielders (compared to .848 for Granderson). With 9 home runs and 27 RBI in June and one dinger already in July, it looks like Trumbo is just getting started.
DH
Who made it: David Ortiz – Ortiz has made quite the comeback over the past two seasons and the fans have noticed the strong rebound.
Who should have made it: Ortiz – When you consider how good Edwin Encarnacion (.292, 22, 55) and Adam Dunn (24 home runs and 58 RBI) have been, you realize how great Ortiz has been so far. He’s batting .302 with 21 homers and 54 RBI, but he’s striking out much less than he has the past few years (43 strikeouts to 43 walks) and has carried the Sox at times this year. Simply put, without him, Boston is much further out of the AL East race than it is at the moment (6.5 games). Whether it’s from the Sox or another team, Ortiz will get the multi-year extension he seeks this winter.
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MLB Power Rankings: July 2, 2012
credit: SBNation.com
By Baseball Focus Staff
The scorching Rangers stay on top for a second week, again the unanimous selection among the Baseball Focus staff. The Yankees, however, are closing in fast.
Top 10 (Overall record, Last 10)
1) Texas Rangers (50-30, 7-3) – Just in case there was any doubt as to who the best team in baseball is, Texas has gone a blistering 18-3 since June 8. You hear all about Josh Hamilton’s great season so far, but Adrian Beltre (.343, 4 home runs and 18 RBI in June) has been at the heart of the Rangers’ hot streak. (PO)
2) New York Yankees (48-30, 7-3) – New York took a hit to its rotation this past week when CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte both headed to the DL. While CC’s stint is likely more precautionary, Pettitte’s is expected to last well into August. The Yankees have suffered from injuries this past season as much as any other team, losing the likes of a starting OF (Gardner), their closer (Rivera), a top-to-middle-of-rotation arm (Pineda), and other valuable pieces . That being said, the Yanks find themselves just 2 games back of the Rangers for the MLB’s best record, and with a nice little 6-game cushion atop the AL East. A 7 game upcoming road trip through Tampa and Boston could propel the Yanks to perhaps an insurmountable division lead or bring them back to the pack. (RB)
3) Washington Nationals (45-32, 5-5) – We can ooh and aah over the Nationals’ pitching gawdy-ness all we want – but more needs to be made of their offense’s mediocre start. Sure, we know all about Bryce Harper, but, on the whole, the team’s hitters have been consistently middle of the pack. They’re 22nd in runs scored (316), 20th in batting average (.248), 22nd in on base percentage (.312) and 14th in slugging (.407). If the team has plans for deep into October, they need to be more selective at the plate. (SN)
4) San Francisco Giants (45-35, 7-3) – The Giants have certainly taken advantage of the Dodgers’ disastrous latter half of June. While Los Angeles has gone 2-8 over its past 10 games, San Francisco is 7-3. Melky Cabrera, Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey have all been raking for a team that, despite Tim Lincecum’s struggles, has a collective 3.37 ERA. With that said, adding a little punch to this lineup at the trade deadline could go a long way toward winning the West.
5) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (44-35, 7-3) – It’s tough to imagine how deep a hole the talented Angels we’re in to start the season, but they appear to have righted the ship. With 15 wins in their last 20, the Halos have closed the gap on the Rangers to just 5 games. The Angels pitching staff is so well rounded that each of their top 3 leads the team in major categories – Weaver in ERA (2.31), Haren in SO (81) and Wilson in wins (9). (RB)
6) Chicago White Sox (42-37, 6-4) – One of the surprise division leaders heading into the All Star break, the White Sox will be tested immediately after, going on the road for 16 of their first 19 games in the second half. Furthermore, 10 of those games are against the Red Sox, Tigers and Rangers. We’ll get a great look at this team’s makeup through that stretch. (SN)
7) Los Angeles Dodgers (44-36, 2-8) – The Dodgers rank 24th in the majors in runs scored, but had been embarrassingly anemic before last night’s eight-run outburst. Between June 23-29, L.A. scored six runs in seven games and in the process lost its NL West lead to the Giants. That type of poor offense makes you wonder why the Dodgers didn’t make a harder push to get Kevin Youkilis on the cheap.
8) New York Mets (43-37, 5-5) – The Mets are perhaps baseball’s most overachieving team at the midway point of the season. New York has generated 53 quality starts from their staff this season in 80 total games played, which ranks best in the majors. David Wright seems to have fully recovered from concussion issues that slowed him down the last two years, and is on pace for career numbers in BA, OPS, and RBI. Furthermore, the Mets are coming off a 3-game sweep of the Dodgers in LA, where they allowed just 2 runs in the entire series. Two runs! (RB)
9) Cincinnati Reds (43-35, 5-5) – Tell me again why Johnny Cueto ISN’T on the NL All Star Team? All he’s done is compile a 9-4 record, alongside a 2.26 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 79 Ks in 107.2 innings pitched for the first-place Reds. His nine wins are T-6 in the NL, his ERA fourth and his IP 7th. Apparently Tony LaRussa really does have something against his former division rival. (SN)
10) Pittsburgh Pirates (42-36, 6-4) – Tell me if you’ve heard this before about an NL team: Led by James McDonald and A.J. Burnett, the Pirates can pitch but have a lot of trouble at the plate. Once you get past Andrew McCutchen (.993 OPS), the lineup thins out and Pittsburgh is going to have another second-half slide if it continues to not score runs (27th) and not get on base (dead last with a .294 OBP).
(Also receiving votes: Red Sox, Orioles)
Bottom Five (Overall record, Last 10)
26) Seattle Mariners (34-47, 4-6) – Seattle continues to struggle offensively with a team BA of .233 which is 3rd worst in all of baseball. Producing runs is also a difficulty for a team that has scored more than 6 runs in a game just twice since June 8th. With a team payroll of around $85 million and a starter in Felix Hernandez due more than $19m+ in each of the next two seasons, nearly a 1/4 of the team’s whole payroll, perhaps the time to move on from King Felix is now. Certainly the M’s can lose 90 games without Hernandez and save the $50 million+ due. Might a package centered around Jacoby Ellsbury be a good fit to replace the aging and likely departing Ichiro? Although Ellsbury is under control for just one season past 2011, the M’s are likely to command a player which they would control for a longer period of time. (RB)
27) Houston Astros (32-47, 4-6) – Getting swept by the Cubs this past weekend stings. Badly. The team only scored 2 runs in the 3-game sweep, being thorough dominated by Paul Maholm and Travis Wood. Attempting to trade Carlos Lee is a step in the right direction, as is locking their up-the-middle combo of Jed Lowrie and Jose Altuve. Trading Wandy Rodriguez before the deadline is probably their next-best move. (SN)
28) Colorado Rockies (30-48, 4-6) – Switching between a four and seven-man rotation is never a recipe for success, especially when your team owns a 5.37 ERA and needs stability. As Mile High fans are so used to by now, the Rockies can at least hit well; they rank third in batting average (.270) and slugging (.451).
29) San Diego Padres (30-50, 6-4) – If it wasn’t for Chase Headley, there would likely be no reason to even watch the Padres. Headley is tops on the team in BA, HR, RBI, RS, and OPS, but isn’t helping an offensively challenged team that is 30th in RS. Twenty-three-year-old rookie catcher Yasmani Grandal hit a pair of home runs — one from each side of the plate — for his first two major-league hits in a recent 8-4 win of the Rockies. So, there’s that. (RB)
30) Chicago Cubs (29-49, 5-5) – The Cubs need to find ways to score runs. They’re currently 29th in the majors with 286 runs scored, but Alfonso Soriano and Starlin Castro’s RBIs combined represent one third of this total. Add in Bryan LaHair and the portion is closer to 40%. With Anthony Rizzo now up, perhaps the offense will start to produce more, but they still need more punch. (SN)
(Also receiving votes: Phillies)
Compiled by Seth Needle, Pat Ouellette, Roei Biberstain, Ben Lynch and Max Leonard
MLB Power Rankings: June 25, 2012
credit: Star-Telegram.com
By Baseball Focus Staff
With the first unanimous selection this year among the BF crew, the Rangers have regained the top spot after a three-week hiatus.
Top 10 (Overall record, Last 10)
1) Texas Rangers (45-28, 8-2) – As if baseball’s deepest team needed any reinforcements, last week featured the arrival of Roy Oswalt, who showed no rust from his hiatus, going 7 strong in his first start of the season. Interleague treated the Rangers well, as they finished a 15-game stretch vs. NL opponents at 12-3. Offensively, the Rangers are tops in baseball in the four major hitting categories (RS, BA, OBP, SLG). (RB)
2) New York Yankees (43-28, 7-3) – Though he sports only 6-7 record, the Yankees have to be pleased with Hiroki Kuroda’s consistency. The right-hander has allowed more than four runs only twice all season and more than three a mere four times. (PO)
3) Los Angeles Dodgers (43-30, 3-7) – The Dodgers endured an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the lowly Oakland A’s – a series in which they scored only 2 total runs – en route to a 1-5 AL road trip. Whereas any normal team’s hitting would improve with the addition of a DH, Dodgers DHs are actually hitting .050 points lower than their pitchers have on the year. Added fun fact: In the month of June, superstar sluggers Trevor Plouffe and Brandon Moss have more home runs than the ENTIRE LA lineup. Even a broken and hobbled Matt Kemp would be an improvement at this point. (ML)
4) Washington Nationals (41-29, 4-6) – Through 14 starts, Stephen Strasburg has pitched 84 innings, just about half of the inning count the team reportedly wants to hold him to. With the Nats leading the NL East, does the team keep these plans. Furthermore, do they allow Strasburg to pitch in the All-Star Game? Does his appearance count against the yearly inning total? (SN)
5) Cincinnati Reds (39-32, 5-5) – Joey Votto is a man amongst boys. The NL MVP candidate is hitting .359 and has driven in as many runs as he has scored, 47. The Reds continue to surprise with a pitching staff comprised of relative no names, holding a 3.57 staff ERA, good for 8th in the majors. We should know a bit more about this Reds team in 10 days or so after a make-or-break West Coast trip that includes sets against NL West powers – the Giants and the Dodgers. (RB)
6) San Francisco Giants (40-33, 4-6) – Somehow, the Giants have survived the inexplicably lousy start of Tim Lincecum (2-8, 6.07 ERA), and are now making moves on first in the West behind tremendous pitching and a steady, albeit thoroughly unspectacular lineup. They have the goods to make the playoffs, but if they want another ring, they will need their ace back. Who out there would trust the likes of Barry Zito or Ryan Vogelsong in a clutch playoff game? (ML)
7) Baltimore Orioles (41-31, 5-5) – Losing Nolan Reimold for the season (neck) isn’t a surprise considering he’s had nerve issues for months. But that doesn’t make it less painful for a Baltimore offense that, beyond Adam Jones, has struggled mightily of late. (PO)
8) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (40-33, 7-3) – Did anyone forecasting AL ROY before the season list any player but Yu Darvish? We’re all going to be wrong – Mike Trout might have already locked up locked the award. He leads all qualifying rookies in BA, OBP, Slugging, OPS, steals, hits, walks and Ks. His .338 average is also good for second in the AL, while his 21 swipes lead the league. (SN)
9) Tampa Bay Rays (40-32, 5-5) – Tampa is staying in the AL East race with great starting pitching, as its 3.50 ERA is fourth in baseball and .235 batting average against is third. With Jeremy Hellickson (shoulder soreness) being replaced by prospect flameout Chris Archer, the Rays’ offense (.696 OPS) need to pick up the slack. (PO)
10) Chicago White Sox (38-34, 4-6) – Anyone else want to see Kevin Youkilis vs. A.J. Pierzynski fist-fight? In all seriousness, bringing Youkilis aboard for peanuts was a great, low-risk move for a team that had a great late-May run but has started to come back to earth of late. Youkilis’s best days are likely behind him, but he’ll get enough at bats to help Chicago.
(Also receiving votes: Mets, Indians)
Bottom Five (Overall record, Last 10)
26) Houston Astros (30-42, 4-6) – One would think a 5.80 June ERA would absolutely bury a team who had previously been pitching to a figure well under 4.00 for the previous two months. However, the Astros have proved that is not the case, and that they are just as proficient at losing, regardless of how their pitching staff has been doing. Dallas Keuchel, that killer 1.29 start to your career may be impressive, but don’t expect that to translate to too many wins. (ML)
27) Minnesota Twins (29-42, 4-6) – Trevor Plouffe, are you kidding me? After hitting 10 HRs so far in June, he’s now tied with Miguel Cabrera with 15, more than Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Nelson Cruz, Carlos Pena and Adrian Gonzalez. Even more astonishing, Plouffe had only 10 career dingers entering 2012. He’s certainly one of the few bright spots for the Twins so far this season. (SN)
28) Colorado Rockies (27-44, 3-7) – For a team that’s dead-last in their division and only 2.5 games clear of the worst record in the majors, the Rockies are third overall in slugging (.450), fourth in runs scored (355) and batting average (.267), and seventh in OBP (.330). All of this without Troy Tulowitzki, who’s done until at least August, if not for the season. (SN)
29) San Diego Padres (26-47, 4-6) – It really is getting harder by the day to recognize this roster. Despite being a small sample size, Jason Marquis’s 26 strikeouts and 2.05 ERA in 26 innings and is a bright spot on an otherwise-dismal squad. (PO)
30) Chicago Cubs (24-48, 3-7) – Aside from bringing up Anthony Rizzo today, not much positive can be said about these Cubs. A mere 10 road wins to this point in the season, the second-fewest total in baseball, won’t get it done. With an added Wild Card slot for the upcoming postseason, more teams find themselves in the mix and declining to move assists, rather looking to bring them in. The Cubs have positioned themselves to be in a good spot with Matt Garza being perhaps baseball’s top available starter and Reed Johnson, being perhaps one of the top utility OF’s on the market. (RB)
(Also receiving votes: Mariners)
Compiled by Seth Needle, Pat Ouellette, Roei Biberstain, Ben Lynch and Max Leonard
MLB Power Rankings: June 19, 2012
Photo Credit: ESPN
By Baseball Focus Staff
Despite the surging Yankees, the Dodgers hold on to the League’s top spot for the second-consecutive week.
Top 10 (Overall record, Last 10)
1) Los Angeles Dodgers (42-25, 6-4)- Five of their six losses in the month of June have been one run games, five in which they scored 3 runs or less, two of which they lost in the ninth and one in which they were no-hit. Their starting pitching has been dominant enough to keep them atop the majors, but it’s hard not to think of what could be if their bats were plating more than 4.2 runs game this month. (ML)
2) New York Yankees (41-25, 10-0) – 10 wins in a row, and 14 of 16 overall (before last night’s game). Ivan Nova has solidified the top of the rotation with a team leading 9 wins. Curtis Granderson is on pace for 45 home runs and a +56 run differential is second only to the Rangers in all of baseball. Robertson’s return from the DL this week adds another quality arm to an already strong bullpen even without the services of Mo Rivera. With the financial flexibility to pick up a power hitting corner outfielder, things are certainly heating up in the Bronx. Carlos Gonzalez is a guy to keep an eye on. (RB)
3) Texas Rangers (41-27, 8-2) – The Rangers’ staff isn’t just good, it’s exceedingly confident. Scott Feldman has thrown all of the team’s intentional walks – two – both against the Mariners (Dustin Ackely and Ichiro no-less). No other team has given out fewer than five free passes. (BL)
4) Washington Nationals (38-26, 6-4) Shake it off, Nats. Your recent sweep at the hands of the Yankees is just a minor speed bump in the road (plus, the Bombers just aren’t losing these days.) Sure, Michael Morse hasn’t been what you’ve expected (.211 / .246 / .281), but your pitching staff is still the best in the entire league (3.00 ERA), .11 runs/9 IP better than the second-best (Dodgers). (SN)
5) Cincinnati Reds (38-28, 7-3) – The NL’s hottest team has been powered by the league’s hottest hitter. Joey Votto has put together an inhuman month of June, to the tune of .484/.564/.844. His only fault? He was caught stealing 3 of 4 times. I think the Reds can live with that. (ML)
6) Baltimore Orioles (39-28, 7-3) – The O’s have been expected to falter with just about every passing week, yet here they are deep into June just 2.5 games back in the AL East. 7-3 in their last 10, but more impressively 20-14 on the road thus far this season, are the birds with consecutive series wins over the Red Sox, Phillies and Braves. Jason Hammel has emerged and is bettering his career ERA by nearly two runs to this point in the season, currently standing at 2.87. Adam Jones is baseball’s forgotten AL MVP candidate leading the O’s in Avg, HR, RBI, runs and OPS. (RB)
7) Tampa Bay Rays (37-29, 6-4) – While showing flashes of why he was such a highly touted prospect, Matt Moore has been fairly inconsistent all year. Yet, if the handsome rookie can consistently pitch as well as he did against the Marlins on Friday, the Rays may have the best rotation in the AL. (BL)
8) San Francisco Giants (38-30, 5-5) – Matt Cain is finally getting the run support he had dreamed of / deserved. After finishing in the bottom 6 in run support three times in the previous five seasons, he’s now No. 60 with 5.85 runs per game. His 9-2 record and 2.34 ERA has him on the short list of NL Cy Young candidates right now. (SN)
9) Los Angeles Angels (36-32, 7-3) – The Angels have finally turned a corner, and there are no shortage of catalysts. Albert Pujols is beginning to look like the Pujols of old, young guns Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo have already entered conversations of the game’s elite, and fireballer Ernesto Frieri has answered the team’s closer woes. With Jered Weaver returning soon, the Angels appear poised to make their rightful push for the AL West throne. (ML)
10) Chicago White Sox (35-32, 3-7) – Only one team in the AL Central has a plus run differential, and it’s not the power hitting Tigers. While under .500 at home, the White Sox are 6 games over on the road. While just 3-7 in their last 10, five of those losses coming by 2 runs or less. Also, raise your hand if you knew Paul Konerko has the AL’s highest batting average by nearly 30 points, while Adam Dunn leads the AL with 23 HR’s. (RB)
(Also receiving votes: Pirates, Cardinals)
Bottom Five (Overall record, Last 10)
26) Minnesota Twins (26-39, 5-5) – Nick Blackburn, Francisco Liriano and Carl Pavano have pitched a combined 170 innings and given up 129 runs. Only 123 were earned, though. (BL)
27) Colorado Rockies (25-40, 1-9) – The Rockies have cut their Opening Day starter (Jamie Moyer), and are currently in talks to trade their No. 2 (Jeremy Guthrie) to the Blue Jays. Their No. 3? On the DL in the minor leagues (Jhoulys Chacin). Not a lot of bright spots for the Rockies’ pitching staff thus far in 2012. (SN)
28) Houston Astros (28-39, 4-6) – Woof … when your two best players are Jed Lowrie and Wandy Rodriguez, times are tough. At least they can spare themselves the sleepless nights wondering how they have only managed 5 wins in June. On a positive note though, their AAA team is dominating Pacific Coast League. That may not seem like much, but a fan has to have something to clutch to. (ML)
29) San Diego Padres (24-44, 5-5) – San Diego continues to be baseball’s most offensively challenged team. Through their 1st 68 games of 2012, the Padres have hit just 36 home runs, seven fewer than the next-lowest team total in MLB (43 by the San Francisco Giants), and haven’t scored more than 5 runs a game since the end of May. A mid-week sweep of the Mariners was San Diego’s first 3-game winning streak of the season. Wrapping up an interleague series against the Rangers will conclude a tough stretch vs AL opponents. On the bright side, opponents are hitting just .247 vs Padres pitching, good for 10th in MLB. (RB)
30) Chicago Cubs (23-44, 4-6) – In what is most likely his last start at Wrigley, Ryan Dempster stymied the Red Sox AND tripled. He’ll be a valuable piece for contender soon. Supposedly, every player on the team is available – let’s see. Starlin Castro would be a steal for some team. Also, it’s Anthony Rizzo time already (23 HRs in AAA). Do it, Cubs. (SN)
(Also receiving votes: Mariners)
Compiled by Seth Needle, Pat Ouellette, Roei Biberstain, Ben Lynch and Max Leonard
MLB Power Rankings: June 13, 2012
via DodgerThoughts.com
By Baseball Focus Staff
The Dodgers have finally knocked the slumping Rangers, now ranked third, off their perch atop the Baseball Focus Power Rankings. Newcomers to the top 10 include the Pirates and Giants.
Top 10 (Overall record, Last 10)
1) Los Angeles Dodgers (40-23, 8-2) – A model of consistency, LA pitchers have maintained a sub 3.30 ERA in each month. Ted Lilly goes down and Nate Eovaldi (1.93 ERA) comes in and doesn’t miss a beat. Even multiple Matt Kemp injuries can’t keep the Dodgers down as they have received surprising production from recent after-thoughts. AJ Ellis, Jerry Hairson Jr. and Bobby Abreu are all currently hitting over .300. (ML)
2) Washington Nationals (37-23, 8-2) – The Nationals have won eight of 10, and the rate of their maturation should be scary for the NL. After blowing out the Red Sox on Friday night, the Nats pitched well and hit in the clutch over the next two games (both winnable for the Sox) to complete a Fenway sweep. Additionally, the Nats have the best Win% in the league when scoring 3 runs or less. Meanwhile, the Sox are 28th (2-23). (PO)
3) Texas Rangers (36-26, 5-5) – Has the Yu Darvish luster already begun to fade? After starting the season 4-0 with a 2.18 ERA, he’s gone 3-4 since, giving up 3+ earned runs in five of those starts. He did strike out at least seven in four of those starts, however. (SN)
4) New York Yankees (36-25, 9-1) – The inevitable point in the season where the Yankees decide to stop coasting and play like the world-beaters they are has come. The lineup will always put the ball in the bleachers, but the secret to their recent rise to the top of the East is a 2.11 June ERA. (ML)
5) Tampa Bay Rays (35-26, 5-5) – Joe Maddon can do no wrong. Only he can bat the likes of Drew Sutton and Jeff Keppinger, lead off with slow footed Carlos Pena, user a closer who hasn’t had a sub 1.47 whip since 2007 in Fernando Rodney and STILL win games by the buckets in the ruthless and cannibalistic AL East. (ML)
6) Chicago White Sox (34-27, 6-4) – After a torrid stretch, the South Siders have gone 6-4 over their last 10 to let the hot Indians back into the AL Central mix. A big concern has to be the regression of Philip Humber (5.92 ERA) of late, as he’s given up five runs in three of his past four starts. (PO)
7) Atlanta Braves (34-28, 6-4) – After losing seven straight just two weeks ago, the team has snapped back into form, sweeping the Marlins in Miami and taking two of three in Toronto. With much-heralded prospect Julio Teheran finally coming up, their rotation (middle of the pack in ERA, WHIP, BAA) could get the boost it’s been lacking recently. (SN)
8) Baltimore Orioles (35-26, 6-4) – Adam Jones continues to show he’s worth the big contract extension he just signed. Currently, the All-Star center fielder is in the top 10 in the AL in batting average (.300), tied for fourth in home runs (17) and top 15 in RBI (37). Add in his nine SB so far, and Jones is off to his best start by a wide margin. (SN)
9) Pittsburgh Pirates (32-28, 7-3) – How does a team overcome a league worst .636 OPS and still achieve top ten status? Lights out pitching (team 3.25 ERA) and a knack for keeping those inevitably meager leads (a league-leading 85% save conversion rate). Their bats need to come alive fast to maintain their winning ways, but solid pitching has won them 12 of their last 15 and a share of the NL Central lead. (ML)
10) San Francisco Giants (35-27, 8-2) – Hard to imagine Giants fans saying “Watch out for Vogelsong this year!” during spring training. But it’s been Ryan Vogelsong (2.26 ERA) serving as the staff ace while two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum has been nothing short of abysmal. Lincecum has lost nine straight and has allowed fewer than four runs only twice since May 4. (PO)
(Also receiving votes: Reds, Marlins, Angels, Cardinals)
Bottom Five (Overall record, Last 10)
26) Houston Astros (26-35, 3-7) – Think the Astros are happy about their upcoming move to the AL West in 2013? Since 2007, the ‘Stros are a combined 9-21 against the Rangers, going 4-14 in the previous three seasons. (SN)
27) Minnesota Twins (25-35, 8-2) – Scott Diamond (1.61 ERA) is the only Twins starter with an ERA lower than 6. Considering its generally anemic offense, it’s amazing that Minnesota is 8-2 over its past 10 and has won 25 games to this point. (PO)
28) Colorado Rockies (24-36, 3-7) – How do they follow up a 7-1 run in which they take two of three from the kings of the West in the Dodgers? By, of course, promptly losing six in a row. Their team ERA has risen with every month and bringing back Jeff Francis (8 runs in 3.1 IP) is not the solution. (ML)
29) Chicago Cubs (21-40, 3-7) – Who told Alfonso Soriano that it’s 2002? Among the sport’s biggest contract albatrosses, Soriano had a solid May (seven home runs) and has remained hot in June with five home runs. (PO)
30) San Diego Padres (21-41, 4-6) – Trade him or keep him? That’s the major question for the Padres with resurgent slugger Carlos Quentin. Being from the area, the team may be compelled to finally extend one of their local sluggers. But if the price is right, anyone on the team is expendable. (SN)
(Also receiving votes: Royals, Mariners, Athletics)
Compiled by Seth Needle, Pat Ouellette, Roei Biberstain, Ben Lynch and Max Leonard
MLB Power Rankings: June 5, 2012
Credit: Dallas Morning News
Though they’ve cooled off recently, the Rangers are still ahead of the pack and again earned the top spot in this week’s Baseball Focus Power Rankings. Two new additions to the top 10 are the surging Marlins and Angels.
By Baseball Focus Staff
Top 10 (Overall record, Last 10)
1) Texas Rangers (32-23, 4-6) – The Rangers continue to hammer the ball and lead baseball in just about all major team hitting categories (runs, batting average, slugging percentage and OBP). Before last night’s 12-1 loss to the A’s, Texas salvaged a game after dropping two to the Angels and four in a row overall to AL West opponents. That was the team’s first four-game losing streak of the season, but the next 15 games will relatively-weak NL opponents. (RB)
2) Los Angeles Dodgers (34-21, 4-6) – The Dodgers are 12-3 against Giants, Pirates, Cardinals, Braves and Nationals. They have a 21-18 record against the rest of the MLB. Which playoff hopeful wants to see them in October? (BL)
3) Washington Nationals (30-22, 5-5) – Their pitching is still rolling, but their lack of hitting is starting to catch up to them. Can the return of slugger Michael Morse be the answer? (ML)
4) Chicago White Sox (31-23, 9-1) – Pale hose starter and converted reliever Chris Sale has been stellar since May began: 6-1 record, sub-2 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 40.2 IP. Are you watching, Daniel Bard and Joba Chamberlain? (PO)
5) Baltimore Orioles (30-24, 2-8) – Here comes the dreaded swoon that every “expert” in baseball warned you about. The once-streaking O’s have now lost eight of their past 10, recently dropping out of first in the AL East. They should hold their breath that All-Star OF Adam Jones (hands, wrists) isn’t serious injured. (SN)
6) Miami Marlins (31-23, 7-3) – Carlos Zambrano’s home run off of Joe Blanton on Sunday was the 24th of his career, tying him with Bob Gibson among pitchers. Amazing to think these pitchers are now tied for anything in the record books. (SN)
7) New York Yankees (29-24, 7-3) – I bet Andy Pettitte is having a busier spring than he expected. When it’s all said and done, the 40-year-old could help both the Yankees make another postseason run…AND aid federal prosecutors put former teammate Roger Clemens in jail. (BL)
8) Tampa Bay Rays (31-23, 5-5) – Tampa is still treading water, but somehow finds itself atop the AL East while waiting for All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria to return. Scoring runs is not the Rays’ strong suit, with a team batting average of .236, good for 26th overall. After losing four of six to the O’s and streaking White Sox, the Rays will travel to the Bronx for a big three-game set, followed by a cross-state trip to take on the Marlins, who have heated up of late. (RB)
9) Cincinnati Reds (30-23, 6-4) – Despite a 4-2 record, Mat Latos has been extremely hittable for Cincinnati and generally a disappointment. Latos owns a 4.90 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. He’s going to need to pitch closer to the ace the Reds thought they added during the off season to maintain their central lead. (PO)
10) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (28-28, 7-3) – Jerome Williams is going to become even more important to the Angels if Jered Weaver is out for a prolonged period of time. Williams (6-2, 3.68 ERA) needs to stop putting so many runners on base, though (nine hits and 2.7 walks per nine IP). (SN)
(Also receiving votes: Mets, Indians, Red Sox, Giants )
Bottom Five (Overall record, Last 10)
26) Oakland Athletics (24-31, 2-8) – Even with Josh Reddick’s breakout season (14 HR) and last night’s beatdown of Scott Feldman, the A’s are collectively hitting .209 and slugging .329, both of which are the worst in baseball. Think they’re enjoying having outfielder Yoenis Cespedes back and soon adding Manny Ramirez to the mix? (PO)
27) Houston Astros (23-31, 2-8) – Trading for Mark Melancon (49.50 ERA and demoted to Pawtucket early on) for Jed Lowrie (.291, 9 HR, 23 RBI) is looking pretttayyyy good for the ‘Stros right now.
28) Minnesota Twins (21-33, 6-4) – The Twins have no batters hitting .300 or better, one player with at least 10 home runs and no players with 40 RBIs. To say they’re offensively challenged would actually be paying them a compliment at this point. (SN)
29) Chicago Cubs (18-36, 2-8) – The Cubs continue to not only be in the mix for baseball’s worst team, but also perhaps its most boring. President Theo Epstein denied a report this past week that any Cub, Jeff Samadzjra aside, could be had via trade. With just a 2-8 record in their last 10, Chicago is coming off a four-game sweep by the Giants in which it scored six total runs in the series. May be awfully tough to find a Cub worth dealing for. (RB)
30) San Diego Padres (18-37, 2-8) – After getting swept by the lowly Cubs, scoring one run in three games vs. the Mets doesn’t seem quite so bad. They have scored two or fewer runs in five of their last 10 games. (BL)
(Also receiving votes: Astros, Mariners, Brewers, Mets)
Compiled by Seth Needle, Pat Ouellette, Roei Biberstain, Ben Lynch and Max Leonard
MLB Power Rankings: May 29, 2012
Top 10 (Overall record, Last 10)
1) Texas Rangers (31-18, 7-3) – Josh Hamilton: 20 home runs. The San Diego Padres: 18 four-baggers. Not a bad season from Hamilton so far. (PO)
2) Los Angeles Dodgers (32-16, 7-3) – The Dodgers are a one-man show, right? Try again. The loss of Matt Kemp hasn’t derailed the National League leaders. AJ Ellis is hitting .315 and getting on base at a .437 clip – best among qualified NL catchers. (SN)
3) Washington Nationals (29-19, 6-4) – Gio Gonzalez hasn’t allowed more than 3 ER in any start this season en route to a 7-1 record. Opponents are batting just .218 against Washington pitching and scoring fewer than 3 runs/game. (RB)
4) Tampa Bay Rays (29-20, 5-5) – It’s impressive that the Rays have been able to stay near the top of the AL East with their best player and leader, Evan Longoria, on the DL and Carlos Pena slugging a paltry .376. (PO)
5) Baltimore Orioles (29-20, 4-6) – Tommy Hunter’s spot in the rotation may be in question after his latest start (L, 3IP, 5ER). He’s now given up at least 4 ER in 6 of his 10 starts. Perhaps that’s why Dan Duquette is reportedly reaching out to Roy Oswalt. (SN)
6) Chicago White Sox (27-22, 9-1) – Ho-hum. Just a league-leading .395 average and 1.142 OPS for Paul Konerko, who’s been right at the heart of Chicago’s hot 9-1 stretch. (PO)
7) St. Louis Cardinals (27-22, 5-5) – Albert who? Yadier Molina (7 HR, 29 RBI) and Carlos Beltran (15 HR, 41 RBI) are either first or second in both offensive categories among their NL counterparts. (SN)
8) Cincinnati Reds (27-21, 8-2) – Aroldis Chapman you’ve heard of, but relievers Jose Arredondo and Alfredo Simon (2.38 and 1.74 ERAs, respectively) have quietly helped shorten games for the Reds. (PO)
9) New York Yankees (26-22, 6-4) – If Hiroki Kuroda turns in more gems like his most recent against OAK (8IP, 4 H, 0R), and Andy Pettitte continues to turn back the clock to 1998 (2.53 ERA through 3 starts), it’ll be another division-winning campaign for the Bombers. (SN)
10) Cleveland Indians (27-21, 5-5) – Chris Perez’s 17 saves is tied for most in baseball, while his 1.09 WHIP ranks first amongst AL relievers qualifying. (RB)
(Also receiving votes: Mets, Angels, Astros)
Bottom Five (Overall record, Last 10)
26) Rockies (19-29, 4-6) – Opponents have absolutely been tapping the Rockies, the team’s 5.18 ERA is the worst in the NL, as are their 15 quality starts and .291 batting average against. (SN)
27) Royals (19-28, 4-6) – Eric Hosmer just reached the Mendoza line this week. Despite all the talent found in KC’s lineup, his production is the key to their success. (SN)
28) Twins (16-32, 4-6) – The AL-equivalent of the Rockies, the Twins are 27th or worse in the four major pitching categories: ERA, QS, WHIP & BAA. (RB)
29) Padres (17-33, 3-7) – The squad’s 158 Runs Scored is by far the lowest in all of baseball. (RB)
30) Cubs (16-32, 1-9) – It’s time for Anthony Rizzo (.354/.415/.713, 17 HR, 46 RBI in AAA PCL) to get the call. (SN)
(Also receiving votes: Astros, Mariners, Brewers, Mets)
Compiled by Seth Needle, Pat Ouellette, Roei Biberstain, Ben Lynch and Max Leonard
MLB Division Previews: New stars will push Angels toward West title
By Pat Ouellette, Baseball Focus Staff Writer
Team: Angels
Projected finish: First
Season outlook: Not unlike the 2011 Red Sox coming out of spring training, this year’s Angels team is a rock-star group and World Series favorite after a huge offseason. However, Los Angeles hopes the final results are better than that of Boston last season.
Signing one of the great hitters of all time in Albert Pujols and adding former Rangers ace CJ Wilson as a No. 3 or 4 starter will create the type of excitement that generates talk of a 100-win team. The Los Angeles rotation already features one of the most formidable 1-2 punches in baseball in Jered Weaver and Dan Haren, and the talented (albeit inconsistent) Ervin Santana. Tack on the return of Kendrys Morales (34 home runs in 2009) after a year and a half on the DL and you start to realize that the Angels hype is real. Los Angeles has loads of talent in all phases of the game and is a favorite to reach the World Series for the second time in team history.
Why they can win the West: Signing Pujols will certainly aid an offense that lagged at times last season and had only the 17th most runs scored in baseball; but this team can be special because of its vaunted rotation. The Angels’ starting pitching is deep, talented and durable (all four with more than 200 innings pitched during each of the past two seasons). Aside from maybe the Rays or Phillies, no rotation in baseball is better equipped to handle 162 games than the Angels.
Unlike the Phillies and Rays, however, offense shouldn’t be much of an issue for the Angels. With Pujols on board, Morales returning to health and a maturing Mark Trumbo (29 home runs in 2011), the Angels will be far less reliant on aging veterans Torii Hunter, Vernon Wells and Bobby Abreu.
An underrated weapon on this Los Angeles team is its solid middle bullpen, led by Scott Downs, who proved to be worth his three-year contract with a 1.34 ERA last season. Behind him are the ageless but solid LaTroy Hawkins (seems like it was just yesterday he was racking up 6+ ERA seasons with the Twins, huh?), Hisanori Takahashi and Kevin Jepsen. The man who comes after them, however, is the one to be worried about (see below).
Why they may falter: Closer Jordan Walden may be the weak link on an otherwise impressive staff. Walden did rack up 32 saves last season, but his command is an issue. He walked 26 in 60 innings in 2011, which is a poor number when you consider Haren gave out 33 free passes in 238 innings. Walking that many batters is playing with fire, and the worst thing that can happen to the Angels is an unreliable closer, so keep an eye on Walden’s walk rate early on.
Bold Prediction:
You’ve heard about five-tool outfielder Mike Trout and know he’s a top-three prospect in baseball. In fact, he’s going to start the season in the Angels minor leagues. But when will this phenom reach the majors for good and start living up to his potential? In short, as soon as the Angels either get rid of Abreu or Wells, or have the sense to sit them and get Trout into their outfield, where he’ll reside for the near future. Whenever Trout does reach the big leagues in a full-time capacity, look for the same type of impact that Jacoby Ellsbury had on the Red Sox late in 2007 and in 2008. Having a young stud who can do everything on the field will invigorate an already-talented club and ensure the lineup is more than just the Pujols show.
Team: Rangers
Projected finish: Second
Season outlook: The Rangers have won back-to-back AL West titles and captured a pair of AL pennants in the process – and they aren’t even favored to repeat as AL West champions? Such is life when your rival steals your ace starting pitcher (CJ Wilson) and happen to ink mega-star Albert Pujols.
While the Rangers lost one top-flight pitcher in Wilson, they hope to have replaced him with an even better one in Asian import Yu Darvish. Darvish brings with him attention reminiscent of Daisuke Matsuzaka debut back in 2007, and has the stuff to back it up. Beyond Darvish and closer Joe Nathan, the Rangers weren’t too active on the free agent market this offseason and chose to build within. After watching the Texas front office develop the likes of Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrus, Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland while giving second life to Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz, who can blame them?
Why they can win the West: Texas slotted Feliz in the back of their rotation after recording 30+ saves in both 2010 and 2011, but the hope is that his electric stuff will translate to that of an upper-tier starter. Both Feliz and Darvish are huge “ifs,” and in the instance they pan out as reliable starters, the Rangers rotation becomes dangerous. Furthermore, Holland had a solid 16 win season in 2011 and came of age in the postseason, posting a 2-0 record and 3.38 ERA. Combining the Rangers offense with Holland potentially taking the next step, and Darvish and Feliz bringing the goods, and Texas can stay right with the Angels in the West.
The fact that this Rangers team could improve upon an offense that scored the third-most runs in baseball last year is downright frightening. Former AL MVP Hamilton is in his contract year and Cruz (8 home runs in the 2011 playoffs), Kinsler and Mike Napoli are all in their absolute primes, so Texas will have no problem getting runs across the plate.
Why they may falter: The same exact reason why they can win their third-straight division title: Starting pitching. Because of Matsuzaka’s general failings as a reliable starter, it’s hard to trust Darvish to be a complete success. Darvish looked solid during spring training, but so did Matsuzaka at times during his Red Sox career. Inconsistency killed Matsuzaka and, unfairly or not, we need to see that Darvish can get through more than six innings, and that won’t fatigue throughout the season. Much of the same can be said for Feliz, who will be working with a pitch count early on in 2011 and likely an innings cap. He will need to be a starting pitcher that Texas can rely on in order for the Rangers to be a force in the West.
Bold prediction: Joe Nathan has the resume of a great closer (261 career saves) and gritted out 2011 with determination after missing 2010 because of Tommy John surgery. However, the most talent in the Rangers bullpen belongs to reliever-turned-starter-turned-reliever Alexi Ogando. Ogando recorded a 1.30 ERA in the Rangers bullpen in 2010 with 39 strikeouts in 41 innings. Nathan is a huge injury risk and Ogando will likely assume the closer’s role by season’s end.
Team: Mariners
Projected finish: Third
Season Outlook: There are so many teams rebuilding in baseball, normally the Royals and Pirates, they’re often hard to keep track of. However, the Mariners are one team you will want to keep an eye on late in 2012 going into 2013. Seattle has a trio of young prospects – Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker – that may as well be dubbed “Generation K Revisited.” All three have live fastballs and nasty breaking pitches, but unfortunately are unlikely to see the big leagues in 2012.
As for this season, the Mariners shook things up this offseason by dealing young starting pitcher Michael Pineda for Yankees catcher/DH Jesus Montero. Seattle recognized that it has lacked big bats since the early 2000s, and gave up a rich bounty in Pineda, but Montero is a special hitter who will compete for batting titles and hit with power.
Why they can win the West: While the Montero deal was critical to Seattle’s success down the road, it will hurt them in the short term. With no Pineda, the rotation gets dicey after ace Felix Hernandez and solid starter Jason Vargas. Simply put, if Kevin Millwood is your No. 3 starter, your rotation has issues. With Pineda, at least the Mariners had a puncher’s chance of winning with a great 1-2 combination.
But with a dearth of pitching and an offense that will struggle beyond Ichiro, Justin Smoak, Dustin Ackley and Montero, Seattle has little chance of winning the West. That said, watching those three young hitters develop will be a treat for Mariner fans.
Why they may falter: The Mariners just don’t have the guns on offense or in the rotation to keep up with the Angels or Rangers. If nothing else, Seattle should learn from Baltimore’s mistakes of bringing up starting pitching too early and ruining their confidence. Things are going in the right direction for the Mariners for the first time in years and they shouldn’t potentially hurt that by trying to develop their young starters too quickly.
Bold prediction: Ichiro will return to his .300-hitting self and once again rack up 200 hits as though it were a common accomplishment. He looked energized this spring by all the young talent surrounding him and will want to stick around for when Seattle returns to prominence.
Team: Oakland A’s
Projected Finish: fourth
Season outlook: It was an interesting offseason for Billy Beane and the A’s. Similar to Hudson and Mulder almost 10 years ago, Beane traded his top two starting pitchers in Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez, and closer Andrew Bailey for some talented prospects. But he also signed Cuban defector and YouTube sensation Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year $36 million contract, which was a completely out-of-character move for Oakland. Cespedes is talented, but doesn’t really fit into the A’s value model of building from within and dealing players nearing the end of arbitration for prospects.
So where does that leave the A’s? Unfortunately for them, they’re still in no-man’s land. They have a limited payroll, no true ace to speak of (Brandon McCarthy is a solid pitcher and not an ace) and lost the sole run producer in 2011 in Josh Willingham (29 home runs and 98 RBI) to free agency. One positive for the A’s so far is their accuracy regarding Andrew Bailey’s propensity to get injured, as their former closer is currently out until July or August for the Red Sox.
Beane has gone out of his way to explain that the “Moneyball” approach has extended to the
base paths and put an emphasis on speed. The Oakland offense will revolve around second
baseman Jemile Weeks, who was the only A’s player to hit .300 in 2011, Coco Crisp (49 steals
in 2011) and Cespedes.
Why they can win the West: I don’t believe we have enough space here to describe the types of things that would have to go right for the A’s to win the West. Frankly, it’s not happening, and this team is building toward 2013.
Why does 2013 look bright? Because those prospects they received for Cahill and Gonzalez are pretty good. Jarrod Parker, who came off of Tommy John surgery within the past couple of years, is the true stud of the group. Parker added a two-seamer late last year to his fastball-slider-changeup repertoire and has the makeup of a top-flight starter. He was battling for the No. 5 spot in the rotation until the end of camp, but will be with the A’s sooner rather than later. Oakland also received pitchers Brad Peacock and Tommy Milone in the Gonzalez deal, both of whom project to be mid-rotation starters. The A’s received good value for two pitchers who were likely to cash in elsewhere, and we’ll find out over the next two years whether they were the right deals.
Why they may falter: Since Miguel Tejada left and Eric Chavez’s career was decimated by injuries, Oakland has had trouble filling the offensive void. Sure, they’ve had success with one-year players such as Frank Thomas and Willingham, but haven’t brought in a hitter who will be productive long-term in a long time.
Regardless of how raw it is, and not having Brett Anderson back until July or August (lost to Tommy John surgery in 2011), the A’s have pitching with the potential to be very good. The reason they won’t even come close to competing now, or until Cespedes develops, is they don’t even have one power bat to hang with the powers of the West.
Bold prediction: Bartolo Colon loses 100 pounds and stays healthy. Ahh, just kidding. That’s a bit too bold, even for this section. Josh Reddick, acquired by the A’s for Bailey, will become a fan favorite in Oakland. Reddick not only plays hard, but will approach 20 home runs while providing solid defense in right field for the A’s.
Baseball Focus 