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All records accurate as of 5:15 PM EST on August 17, 2008.
1. Los Angeles Angels (76 – 46): Last week the Angels has a 99.7% chance of making the playoffs, this week it is up to 99.9% (according to ESPN.com). It’s only a matter of days before they clinch their spot in the playoffs!
2. Chicago Cubs (76 – 48): The Cubs have a 97.6% chance of making the playoffs, which is second best behind the Angels.
3. Tampa Bay Rays (74 – 48): The Rays set their franchise win record a few weeks ago – now they are attempting to do something that neither they, the Blue Jays, nor the Orioles have been able to accomplish in a long time: finish ahead of both the Red Sox and Yankees.
4. Boston Red Sox (71 – 53): Boston trails the division leading Rays by 4 games, but they are 5 games up on the Yankees. Something tells me many Red Sox fans will settle for the Wild Card and eliminating the Yankees from the playoffs altogether as opposed to winning the division crown.
5. Milwaukee Brewers (71 – 53): Remember when the National League Central was the laughingstock of baseball? Now, according to the Power Rankings, they are on par with the AL East (2 teams in the top 5, with an average position of 3.5).
6. Minnesota Twins (70 – 53): The Twins sit half a game ahead of the White Sox for the AL Central lead.
7. Chicago White Sox (69 – 53): The White Sox have outscored their opponents by 80 runs (which is best in their division) but they still trail the Twins by half a game. Of course, they appear ready to make up that half a game as they lead the Athletics by 8 runs as the Power Rankings are being typed.
8. St. Louis Cardinals (70 – 57): The Cardinals move up a position in the rankings from last week, and in turn, prove that the NL Central might be the best division in baseball (at least the top half).
9. New York Mets (68 – 56): Last week I said the Mets needed to start playing more consistent baseball if they hoped to make the playoffs. Now, the Mets are riding a 6 game winning streak…which ought to be consistent enough!
10. New York Yankees (66 – 58): According to ESPN.com, the Yankees have only a 6.5% chance of making the playoffs. Something tells me the Steinbrenners won't be pleased this October when they are watching the Rays and Red Sox in the playoffs.
11. Toronto Blue Jays (64 – 60): Toronto’s .516 winning percentage would be enough to put them in a tie for first place in the National League West. Instead, they are mired in 4th place in the much tougher American League East.
12. Philadelphia Phillies (65 – 58): The Phillies are 2.5 games behind the Mets, mostly due to the Phillies putrid play lately (3-7 over their last 10 games, including a 4 game sweep in Los Angeles).
13. Arizona Diamondbacks (64 – 60): The Diamondbacks stay steady at #13 in the rankings (and, more importantly, in first place in their division).
14. Los Angeles Dodgers (63 – 60): Thanks to a recent 4 game sweep of the Phillies, the Dodgers have climbed back into the top half of the Power Rankings (and a mere half game behind Arizona for the division lead).
15. Florida Marlins (64 – 61): The Marlins are last team remaining on the Power Rankings with a chance of making the playoffs greater than 10%. They should thank their lucky stars they play in the NL East as opposed to almost any other division…especially since they have been outscored by 31 runs this year!
16. Houston Astros (63 – 61): The Astros proved me wrong (when I said they would tank the rest of the season) by winning 8 of their last 10. Unfortunately for Houston fans, it’s probably too little, too late.
17. Texas Rangers (62 – 62): The Rangers fell to .500, and in the process fell 3 spots in the rankings.
18. Cleveland Indians (56 – 67): The Indians get the nod for the highest ranked team with a losing record thanks to their hot play lately (5 game winning streak).
19. Baltimore Orioles (60 – 63): Despite being in last place, the Orioles have actually outscored their opponents for the year!
20. Detroit Tigers (60 – 64): So much for 1000 runs and the best team ever assembled. At this point, it’s safe to say the Tigers were nothing but a colossal disappointment.
21. Colorado Rockies (57 – 69): When more than half the teams in baseball have a winning record, the teams in the bottom portion of the Power Rankings are going to be especially bad. For further proof, the Rockies, a team 12 games under .500, are within reach of the top 66% of the rankings with only a few weeks to go.
22. Oakland Athletics (56 – 66): The Athletics are now 10 games under .500…it was not all that long ago when they were 6 games over .500. Ouch.
23. Atlanta Braves (56 – 68): The Braves have outscored their opponents (barely), but that suggests that they have been unlucky this year more than anything else. Of course, cynical baseball fans will say it’s about time the Braves had some bad luck go their way after their run of division titles and pitchers with “slightly” larger strike zones than everyone else.
24. (tie) Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals (each 55 – 69): Combined, the Pirates and Royals have been outscored by 200 runs and have gone 5 and 15 in their last 10 games. Despite that, they are both better than 5 other Major League teams.
25. (see #24)
26. Cincinnati Reds (55 – 70): With the trading away of Griffey and Dunn, the Reds have no hope for a winning record once again, which pains me to say as a Reds fan.
27. San Francisco Giants (52 – 71): The Giants actually have a 0.1% chance of making the playoffs…despite their terrible record.
28. San Diego Padres (48 – 75): Not to be outdone by the Giants, the Padres also have a 0.1% chance of making the playoffs…and they are even worse than the Giants!
29. Seattle Mariners (46 – 76): The good news is, the Mariners are not the worst team in baseball. The bad news is that they are still 30 games under .500…
30. Washington Nationals (44 – 81): The Nationals have been outscored by 162 runs and are currently riding a 10 game losing streak. They might be lucky to win 6 more games (and reach the 50 win threshold) before the end of the season.
There you have it, another installment of my Major League Baseball Power Rankings. As always, let me know what you think in the comments.
-fanofreds
1. Los Angeles Angels (76 – 46): Last week the Angels has a 99.7% chance of making the playoffs, this week it is up to 99.9% (according to ESPN.com). It’s only a matter of days before they clinch their spot in the playoffs!
2. Chicago Cubs (76 – 48): The Cubs have a 97.6% chance of making the playoffs, which is second best behind the Angels.
3. Tampa Bay Rays (74 – 48): The Rays set their franchise win record a few weeks ago – now they are attempting to do something that neither they, the Blue Jays, nor the Orioles have been able to accomplish in a long time: finish ahead of both the Red Sox and Yankees.
4. Boston Red Sox (71 – 53): Boston trails the division leading Rays by 4 games, but they are 5 games up on the Yankees. Something tells me many Red Sox fans will settle for the Wild Card and eliminating the Yankees from the playoffs altogether as opposed to winning the division crown.
5. Milwaukee Brewers (71 – 53): Remember when the National League Central was the laughingstock of baseball? Now, according to the Power Rankings, they are on par with the AL East (2 teams in the top 5, with an average position of 3.5).
6. Minnesota Twins (70 – 53): The Twins sit half a game ahead of the White Sox for the AL Central lead.
7. Chicago White Sox (69 – 53): The White Sox have outscored their opponents by 80 runs (which is best in their division) but they still trail the Twins by half a game. Of course, they appear ready to make up that half a game as they lead the Athletics by 8 runs as the Power Rankings are being typed.
8. St. Louis Cardinals (70 – 57): The Cardinals move up a position in the rankings from last week, and in turn, prove that the NL Central might be the best division in baseball (at least the top half).
9. New York Mets (68 – 56): Last week I said the Mets needed to start playing more consistent baseball if they hoped to make the playoffs. Now, the Mets are riding a 6 game winning streak…which ought to be consistent enough!
10. New York Yankees (66 – 58): According to ESPN.com, the Yankees have only a 6.5% chance of making the playoffs. Something tells me the Steinbrenners won't be pleased this October when they are watching the Rays and Red Sox in the playoffs.
11. Toronto Blue Jays (64 – 60): Toronto’s .516 winning percentage would be enough to put them in a tie for first place in the National League West. Instead, they are mired in 4th place in the much tougher American League East.
12. Philadelphia Phillies (65 – 58): The Phillies are 2.5 games behind the Mets, mostly due to the Phillies putrid play lately (3-7 over their last 10 games, including a 4 game sweep in Los Angeles).
13. Arizona Diamondbacks (64 – 60): The Diamondbacks stay steady at #13 in the rankings (and, more importantly, in first place in their division).
14. Los Angeles Dodgers (63 – 60): Thanks to a recent 4 game sweep of the Phillies, the Dodgers have climbed back into the top half of the Power Rankings (and a mere half game behind Arizona for the division lead).
15. Florida Marlins (64 – 61): The Marlins are last team remaining on the Power Rankings with a chance of making the playoffs greater than 10%. They should thank their lucky stars they play in the NL East as opposed to almost any other division…especially since they have been outscored by 31 runs this year!
16. Houston Astros (63 – 61): The Astros proved me wrong (when I said they would tank the rest of the season) by winning 8 of their last 10. Unfortunately for Houston fans, it’s probably too little, too late.
17. Texas Rangers (62 – 62): The Rangers fell to .500, and in the process fell 3 spots in the rankings.
18. Cleveland Indians (56 – 67): The Indians get the nod for the highest ranked team with a losing record thanks to their hot play lately (5 game winning streak).
19. Baltimore Orioles (60 – 63): Despite being in last place, the Orioles have actually outscored their opponents for the year!
20. Detroit Tigers (60 – 64): So much for 1000 runs and the best team ever assembled. At this point, it’s safe to say the Tigers were nothing but a colossal disappointment.
21. Colorado Rockies (57 – 69): When more than half the teams in baseball have a winning record, the teams in the bottom portion of the Power Rankings are going to be especially bad. For further proof, the Rockies, a team 12 games under .500, are within reach of the top 66% of the rankings with only a few weeks to go.
22. Oakland Athletics (56 – 66): The Athletics are now 10 games under .500…it was not all that long ago when they were 6 games over .500. Ouch.
23. Atlanta Braves (56 – 68): The Braves have outscored their opponents (barely), but that suggests that they have been unlucky this year more than anything else. Of course, cynical baseball fans will say it’s about time the Braves had some bad luck go their way after their run of division titles and pitchers with “slightly” larger strike zones than everyone else.
24. (tie) Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals (each 55 – 69): Combined, the Pirates and Royals have been outscored by 200 runs and have gone 5 and 15 in their last 10 games. Despite that, they are both better than 5 other Major League teams.
25. (see #24)
26. Cincinnati Reds (55 – 70): With the trading away of Griffey and Dunn, the Reds have no hope for a winning record once again, which pains me to say as a Reds fan.
27. San Francisco Giants (52 – 71): The Giants actually have a 0.1% chance of making the playoffs…despite their terrible record.
28. San Diego Padres (48 – 75): Not to be outdone by the Giants, the Padres also have a 0.1% chance of making the playoffs…and they are even worse than the Giants!
29. Seattle Mariners (46 – 76): The good news is, the Mariners are not the worst team in baseball. The bad news is that they are still 30 games under .500…
30. Washington Nationals (44 – 81): The Nationals have been outscored by 162 runs and are currently riding a 10 game losing streak. They might be lucky to win 6 more games (and reach the 50 win threshold) before the end of the season.
There you have it, another installment of my Major League Baseball Power Rankings. As always, let me know what you think in the comments.
-fanofreds
Comments
The Mariners are not only 30 games under .500, but they are 30 games back of the Angels. They will be the first team statistically eliminated from playoff contention.
ReplyDeleteThat screams the worst to me.
Nice work!
Tampa still hasn't faded even with two big bats on the DL.
ReplyDelete