Power Picks

MLB Power Rankings | Edition 18: 8/4/08

Zach Hayes — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:13:21 +0000

This week’s power rankings are guest written by Zach Hayes, a writer over at Fire Brand of the AL covering the Boston Red Sox.


As the season heads into the dog days of summer through August and the races heat up (just ask the Rangers and Yankees after their four-game set this week if the race is “hot”), some teams strengthened themselves over the exciting trade deadline. The Dodgers may have acquired the impact bat to vault them into favorite status in the NL West, while the Red Sox were able to find a player to match Manny’s production in Jason Bay. The White Sox added another bat to the mix with Ken Griffey. Even though they weren’t July 31 deals, you know C.C. Sabathia and Rich Harden will continue to impact the NL Central race.
Note: the statistics and records found in the rankings are through Sunday’s games. 



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The Angels continue to boast baseball’s best record, and did nothing to refute their claim as the best team in baseball with a 5-2 road trip through Boston and New York. Contrary to previous years, the Angels acquired the impact bat to push them to the next level in Mark Teixeira. For a team 17th in runs in baseball, GM Tony Reagins was wise to trade for Teix rather than seem content with a below average lineup.

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5



The Cubs moved behind the Brewers in last week’s power rankings and nearly did the same in the NL Central. That’s until they went into Milwaukee and demolished the Brewers in a four-game series by a combined score of 31-11. They now tout the best offense and starting pitching in the NL by runs and starters’ ERA. Rich Harden has been outstanding with a 1.11 ERA in four starts.

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2




The Rays drop in the rankings, but only because of the Cubs emergence in an impact series; the Rays are 7-3 in their last 10 games and continue to play inspired baseball. They swept the Tigers over the weekend to maintain a three-game lead over the Red Sox in the AL East. B.J. Upton is only slugging .388 but has a .380 OBP, 33 SB and is playing great CF defense. 

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4




Theo Epstein did an admirable job making the best out of a dire situation by reeling in Jason Bay for Manny, a player who is 12.5M cheaper for 2009 and has nearly the same bat as Ramirez with improved speed and defense. Bay has made a strong debut, reaching base two or more times in all three games over their sweep against Oakland.

64-48






5



8




The Twins had a great week. They took three of four from their rival White Sox and took over first place from them on Sunday with a series win over Cleveland. They made a huge improvement to their rotation by promoting Francisco Liriano and dumping Livan Hernandez. Also, Alexi Casilla may avoid surgery and come back this season. The Twins continue to wow with their clutch hitting and totally unexpected .277 team BA, third in the AL.

62-49






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6



The Yankees winning streak after the All-Star Break seemed like a distant memory after losing four of five at home to the Orioles and Angels, but they managed to turn it around by salvaging the last two games against LA, including receiving 10 unearned runs in the finale. The Yankees made another move, acquiring Pudge Rodriguez for Kyle Farnsworth in a heist for Brian Cashman, upgrading from Jose Molina’s incapable bat.

61-50






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7




Carlos Quentin continues to have an MVP-caliber season for the White Sox: .376 OBP, .547 SLG and 28 HR, but it won’t matter because whoever leads in RBI will win. I didn’t quite understand the Griffey move: their outfield defense is now horrific, Griffey has just a .790 OPS, and now you create a logjam when Paul Konerko is healthy. .

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11




I applauded the Brad Lidge deal as the ultimate buy-low trade this winter. Nobody knew it would turn out quite this good. Lidge has stabilized the best bullpen in the NL with a perfect 29/29 in save opportunities and 65 K in 49 IP. The reigning NL MVP has been quite the opposite: .760 OPS and wavering team leadership.

61-50






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3




The Brewers fall hard in the rankings, and they deserve to after a colossal choke job in the biggest series since 1982 for the Brew Crew. Corey Hart has fallen upon hard times, hitting at just .174/.200/.217 this week, getting a benching from Ned Yost on Thursday, and his OBP now stands at just .319 for the season. Yikes.

62-50






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12




Just when you thought Ryan Ludwick was falling back to earth, he tore up the Phillies this weekend, hitting 4 HR and bringing his total to 27 on the season. Ludwick finished with a .994 OPS in July and is now slugging .614 on the season. The Cardinals also made up major ground in the Central and are now just one game behind Milwaukee.

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14




Ah, the same old Texas Rangers have returned for another season- outstanding offense, terrible pitching. Their offense is 1st in BA, SLG, runs and 2nd in OBP this year while their pitching 14th in ERA (5.27), 14th in OPS-against (.818) and 14th in WHIP (1.58). Those are all AL ranks, and, therefore, all dead last. Their potent offense, most notably Josh Hamilton and his 106 RBI, have led Texas to quite a few exciting wins in 2008.

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13




Few thought Jorge Cantu would ever re-kindle old fires and become a productive hitter in the majors again. He hasn’t slowed down in the second half, hitting at .328/.384/478 for the Marlins, who stay in the race because of their offense. They lost out on Manny Ramirez but lead the NL in home runs anyway, standing 2.5 behind the frontrunning Phillies.

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While I still believe the combo of Haren and Webb will push Arizona over the Dodgers in the end, the acquisition of Manny Ramirez and the subsequent two victories for LA over the Snakes must have D’Backs fans panicking a bit. Arizona ripped the cover off the ball in April, but have since been unable to score runs: now 10th in the NL in OPS, 13th in BA and 9th in OBP at just .324. Conor Jackson seems to be the only one interested.

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Giving up Andy LaRoche for two months of Manny, especially if they fail to make the playoffs, could be looked back on as slightly unintelligent years from now if LaRoche develops into the star I believe he can be. Right now, though, GM Ned Colletti is the toast of the town, as Manny is 8 for 13 with two homers in Dodger blue. Juan Pierre shouldn’t see a start now under any circumstances, but I’m sure he will.

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The Mets made a nice surge in July, but could be falling apart again. John Maine is headed for the DL and could be joined by Billy Wagner soon. Their disastrous bullpen cannot seem to hold a lead for Johan Santana and the rest of their rotation is average at best. Getting swept in Houston is inexcusable, and the Phils appear to be the team to beat in the East.

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Shaun Marcum is still having a tremendous season, but his last three starts are putting his season stats more in line with his career stats: 14.2 IP, 21 H, 16 ER, 5 HR, 5 BB, 7 K. Keep that ball down, Shaun.

53-56






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17




The Tigers tried to solve their bullpen problem by acquiring Kyle Farnsworth, moving Fernando Rodney to the closers role and putting the much-maligned Todd Jones on the shelf. Didn’t work. Sunday at Tampa Bay: Farnsworth blows a 3-1 lead in the 8th and Rodney blows a 5-4 lead in the 10th. The 2008 Tigers season is a nutshell.

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25




The Astros are on a bit of a roll: took 2 of 3 in Milwaukee, 2 of 3 vs. Cincy, and swept the Mets over the weekend. Does it mean Ed Wade should be buying at the deadline? Of course not. Why this man keeps getting hired is beyond me. Hunter Pence still has a .315 OBP but is playing better as of late: .409/.458/.727 in his last seven games.

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15




The Rockies appeared to be making another second half push until stumbling this week in Pittsburgh and Florida. With LA improving their lineup and Arizona shoring up their bullpen, it’s not in the cards for Colorado this season. Troy Tulowitzki is starting to get hot with a .375 BA this week.

51-62






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21




The Royals are playing good baseball; they marched into Oakland and swept them before mixing it up with Chicago in a series win. Jose Guillen has experienced an interesting season: .291 OBP and 73 RBI. Depending on whether you’re a sabermetrician or someone who values RBI, Guillen is having a poor and strong season.

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I’m starting to feel bad for Bobby Cox and his having to deal with an inordinate amount of injuries. Check out their lineup Sunday: Blanco, Escobar, Kotsay, Kotchman, Infante, K. Johnson, Francoeur, Sammons, Campillo. And they beat Ben Sheets!

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Many pegged the O’s for a 100-loss season in March, so applaud this team for staying competitive in a brutal AL East. Somehow, they’re 5th in the AL in SLG and 6th in OPS. Aubrey Huff has been a big reason why; he finished July with a .386/.407/.723 line and now has a .913 OPS on the season.
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The Athletics were a surprise contender for a while this season, but the plan for Billy Beane all along centered on contending in 2010 and beyond with their slew of talented prospects. Dana Eveland was optioned to AAA after surrendering 9 ER in 2.1 IP at Fenway on Saturday, and their offense has been dreadful, now last in slugging and (gasp) 12th in OBP.  

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The newly acquired Brandon Moss and Andy LaRoche contributed Sunday in their clash in Wrigley, both hitting home runs ina  losing effort. I applaud Neal Huntington for finding quality players for Bay, and for his sake, let’s hope Jose Tabata turns his career around and turns into a star. The Pirates staff will try to get a boost from Yoslan Herrera tonight; they’re last in ERA, BAA, WHIP and QS in the NL.

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Swept in Washington. That’s enough to drop you to #31.

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The Indians lay claim to #26 for the third straight week and get Fausto Carmona back. I saw them over the weekend at the Metrodome and Shin-Shoo Choo hit cleanup. That gives you a look into the state of the Cleveland Indians at this point.

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Barry Zito has the best start of his Giants tenure on Saturday in San Diego: 8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 5 K. Is this the start of something new in the Zito era? Or just PETCO Park and the Padres offense? I’ll lean towards the latter, thanks.

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It doesn’t appear Wily Mo Pena is ever going to figure it out. He’s totaled at just .205/.243/.267 on the season, making him one of the least productive players in baseball with 195 AB. Also, just 2 HR and 48 K. He was placed on the DL July 19 and likely will never translate that BP raw power to the field on a consistent basis.
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The good news: Jake Peavy and Chris Young are back, while Adrian Gonzalez has been driving in every possible run. The bad news: the rest of the team. When you lose to Barry Zito, this happens.

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Everyone should have been dealt at the deadline for Seattle, but yet they held onto their veterans in hopes of contending the next few years. Breaking news: It’s not going to happen. Other than Felix Hernandez, the other bright spot on the M’s has been Brandon Morrow: 0.90 WHIP, 1.47 ERA, 47 K in 36.2 IP. He’s going to be a stud closer.

38-67



MLB Power Rankings | Edition 17: 7/28/08
Daniel Rathman — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:50:39 +0000
The first edition of post-All-Star Break Power Rankings has the Angels leading the pack for the first time this season.  The Brew Crew, after winning eight of their last ten games, move all the way up to the three-hole, surging past the Cubs (5th) even though they still trail by a game in the hotly contested NL Central.  And the Diamondbacks, behind a 5-1 week, earned back a spot in the top-10.  Read on to find out how the rest of the league stacks-up in this edition of Power Rankings.
Note: the statistics and records found in the rankings are through Sunday’s games. 



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Mike Scioscia’s squad now owns baseball’s best record, but that’ll be put to the test in a seven-game road trip to Boston and New York.  Howie Kendrick and Casey Kotchman, who maintained averages of .500 and .360 respectively over the past week, will need to carry the offense against the East Coast powerhouses.

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The Rays needed just one day to regain their AL East lead after the All-Star Break, and they’ve since clung to a one-game edge over the Red Sox.  Joe Maddon’s team will need to improve on its 21-27 road record, however, as Tampa Bay is scheduled to play 33 of its final 58 games away from the Trop.

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Ryan Braun has collected three or more hits in four of his last ten games, mashing five homers and driving-in 14 over that span.  His hot streak, combined with CC Sabathia’s three consecutive complete games, is chiefly responsible for Milwaukee’s surge to within spitting distance of the Cubs in the NL Central.

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The Good: David Ortiz mashed his first homerun since returning from the disabled list on Sunday.  The Bad: The Red Sox lost two of three to the Yankees at Fenway this weekend.  The Manny: “If the Red Sox are a better team without Manny Ramirez, they should trade me … I can even play in Iraq if need be.”

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The Cubs are now just a game up on the Brewers in the NL Central, and they’re heading to Miller Park for a critical four-game series against them this week.  Derrek Lee, batting .312 in the month of July, will need to stay hot for Lou Piniella’s team to retain its dwindling lead.

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The Bombers rattled off eight consecutive victories before falling to the Red Sox on Sunday, and they’re now just three games out in the AL East race.  Adding Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte should help the Yanks during the stretch run, but Robinson Cano’s .361 average and 15 RBIs in July have paved the way for their surge so far.

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With eight homers this month, his highest total in any this season, Carlos Quentin is showing no signs of backing-off his breakout campaign.  He now leads the American League with 27 long-balls, and is making GM Kenny Williams look more and more like a genius for rescuing him from the desert last winter.

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It took awhile, but Denard Span finally forced himself into the leadoff spot of Ron Gardenhire’s lineup, and he’s done nothing but excel in that role, posting a .400 OBP in 26 at-bats.  Span has yet to homer this season, but with a .343 average and .946 OPS in July, he isn’t hearing many complaints.

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The Mets had been rumored to be seriously interested in acquiring a corner-outfielder, but the emergence of Fernando Tatis might curb that plan.  Tatis has been absolutely unstoppable in July, batting .410 with six homers in 61 at-bats.

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Move aside Edinson Volquez and Tim Lincecum, there’s a new ERA leader in the National League: Arizona’s Dan Haren.  Haren, who also leads all starters in WHIP, picked up his tenth victory of the season on Friday, and has allowed just 111 hits in 140.2 innings en route to the stellar 2.56 earned run average.

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Joe Blanton has not pitched particularly well since joining the Phillies, allowing eleven hits, four walks, and seven runs in eight innings of work.  And Cole Hamels, despite logging an excellent 2.88 ERA, has notched just a single victory in five starts this month.

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Few thought Skip Schumaker would ever become anything more than a fourth-outfielder, but the 28 year-old has impressed plenty with significant playing time this season.  His latest feat: a six-hit performance in the Redbirds’ 14-inning win over the Mets on Saturday, the team’s first since 1935.

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One reason why it appears unlikely that the Marlins will be able to sustain their first-half success is that their starters have amassed just 40 quality starts this season, the second-lowest total in the National League.  They’ve so far been able to counter that by mashing a league-high 149 homers, but whether Dan Uggla, Mike Jacobs, and Co. can continue to keep the Fish afloat is anyone’s guess.

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Josh Hamilton suffered an unfortunate power outage during the final round of the Homerun Derby, but he’s proven that he still has the pop by mashing three homers in 34 at-bats since then.  Unfortunately, those three homers are part of a total of just seven hits for Hamilton since the All-Star Break, and he’s sitting on a lowly .206 average since leaving New York.

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Troy Tulowitzki appears to have learned his lesson after smashing a bat and suffering a bad cut on his hand, and is now taking his frustration out on opposing pitchers.  Tulo has 13 hits in 26 at-bats since returning from the disabled list, and his hot hitting is one of the driving forces behind the Rockies’ recent surge.

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Clayton Kershaw finally picked up his first big league win on Sunday, but it was against the Nationals, so it’s hard to say if the six-inning shutout performance actually indicates that he’s turned a corner.  Meanwhile, James Loney has been red-hot at the plate since the All-Star Break, batting .419/.471/.710 with a couple of homers in 31 at-bats.

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15




Joel Zumaya left the Tigers’ contest on Sunday with tightness in his right triceps, which means that manager Jim Leyland will be forced to turn to Fernando Rodney as Detroit’s full-time closer for the time being.  Zumaya isn’t expected to miss more than a few days, but if the Tigers are serious about contending, they’ll need to deal for bullpen help regardless.

53-51






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19




Scott Rolen has been stuck in a 7-for-34 slump since the All-Star Break, and he hasn’t homered since June 26th.  Fortunately for the Jays, Adam Lind appears to finally be realizing his potential.  The young outfielder is batting a robust .390/.407/.636 with three homers and 17 ribbies in 77 at-bats this month.

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18




The Braves have still apparently not decided whether to trade Mark Teixeira, but with a 7.5 game deficit and three teams ahead of them in the NL East, you’d think they’d be leaning toward throwing in the towel.  Baseball Prospectus’ playoff odds wholly confirm that line of thought, giving Bobby Cox’s team just a 3.17 percent chance of making the postseason.

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20




Edinson Volquez has struggled mightily in two starts since the All-Star Break, going 0-1 with a horrendous 9.00 ERA, 2.22 WHIP, and .375 BAA.  His season ERA has inched up to 2.77, and the Reds have to be a bit concerned that he’s either getting fatigued, or that the dynamic righty’s first-half magic is slowly wearing off.

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Jose Guillen’s bat has been ice-cold of late, producing only a pair of singles in 23 at-bats.  But even that .087 average can’t compare in ugliness to the line beleaguered lefty Jimmy Gobble recently posted in relief.  Ten runs on seven hits and four walks in an inning of work.  I’ll give you a minute to find some Pepto.

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10




The A’s have lost eight of their last ten games, scuffling mightily amid a slew of injuries and the ongoing fire sale.  But one of their pitchers, rookie reliever Brad Ziegler, did manage to break a 101 year-old record by beginning his career with an incredible 27 consecutive scoreless innings.
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Among American League teams, only the Rangers have had fewer quality starts than the Orioles this season.  The trouble for Dave Trembley’s team is that while Texas has at least partially made up for its ineptitude on the mound by leading the league in runs scored, the Orioles rank eleventh in that category.

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24



24




A visit from the Nationals temporarily cured the Giants of their troubles at AT&T Park, but they relapsed right back into suckitude during a weekend series against Arizona.  Barry Zito took his first loss of the month on Sunday, allowing six runs in five innings, and casting doubt on his earlier progress.

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Among regulars, Ty Wigginton has been the National League’s worst hitter since the All-Star Break, batting .095 with a .383 OPS.  Miguel Tejada, on the other hand, has followed up a successful trip to the Midsummer Classic by batting .353 since.

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Fausto Carmona’s long-awaited return from the disabled list was a disastrous one, as the righty lasted just 2.1 innings, allowing nine runs on seven hits and three walks.  Carmona clearly has the potential to be a quality starter, but he’ll need to improve significantly on his atrocious 24/41 strikeout-to-walk ratio to rise to anywhere near his 2007 heights again.

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Last season, Jake Peavy posted a 2.54 ERA and lost six times in 34 starts.  This year, Peavy’s ERA has only increased a hair to 2.69, but the Padres’ disappointing offense has already saddled him with six defeats in 18 starts.

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23




The first major trade of the Neal Huntington era in Pittsburgh does not appear to favor the Buccos, as the package of prospects they landed from the Yankees for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte is high on projection and low on polished talent.  Jose Tabata, the centerpiece of the return, may only be 19 years-old, but with a .248 average in AA-ball, he’s got a lot of work to do.
48-57





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Recently exiled general manager Bill Bavasi was widely lambasted for making 2006 first-rounder Brandon Morrow a reliever, and Morrow himself has said that he’d more than welcome a move to the rotation next season.  But in the meantime, all the 24 year-old has done is strangle opponents to a .134 batting average, while striking-out 45 of them in 34.2 innings of work.

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30




Jason Bergmann has not recorded a win since May 15th, despite hurling seven quality starts in thirteen tries over that span.  With a 4.13 ERA and 1.29 WHIP on the season, the 26 year-old righty is hardly deserving of his awful 1-8 ledger.

38-67






MLB Power Rankings | Edition 16: 7/14/08
Daniel Rathman — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:08:25 +0000
After sweeping the formerly red-hot Twins and taking two of three from Baltimore at Fenway, the Red Sox are back atop both the AL East and the Power Rankings.  Meanwhile, nine consecutive victories landed the Mets in the top-10 for the first time in about two months, and eight losses in their past ten games kept the Nationals in the cellar.  Read on to find out where the rest of MLB’s 30 teams rank heading into the All-Star Break.
Note: the statistics and records found in the rankings are through Sunday’s games. 



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A 5-1 homestand against the Twins and Orioles has the Red Sox leading the AL East at the All-Star Break for the fourth consecutive season.  After enduring a lengthy slump, Manny Ramirez is batting .342 with a 1.032 OPS in July, and contributed a pair of clutch hits (one of them a homerun) during the Twins series.

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Rich Harden’s Cubs debut only lasted 5.1 innings, but a magnificent 5.1 innings they were.  Harden showed off all his strikeout prowess against the Giants, collecting ten K’s without allowing a run, en route to a no-decision.

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The Halos closer is busy trying to price himself right out of Anaheim.  Having collected his league-leading 38th save of the year on Sunday, K-Rod is on pace to shatter Bobby Thigpen’s single-season record of 57, and earn himself a very lucrative contract this winter.

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1




Seven straight losses resulted in a three-spot drop for the Rays, who are also ceded the AL East lead to the Red Sox.  Of particular concern is that Scott Kazmir is 0-2 with a bloated 6.19 ERA in July, and has seen his velocity dwindle of late.  The Rays have to hope that the All-Star Break will do their ace left-hander some good.

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2




Jim Thome’s All-Star Break comes on the heels of a tremendous week, during which he went 12-for-23 with a pair of homers and a 1.600 OPS.  The Southsiders are doubtless hoping that a few days off won’t steer him off that torrid pace.

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CC Sabathia is 2-0 since joining the Brewers, and the big left-hander mashed his second homerun of the season on Sunday.  Meanwhile, David Bush has been brilliant in July, going 1-0 with a minuscule 0.56 ERA and 20 strikeouts in two starts.

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The Twins lost a pair of heartbreakers and then a blowout in Boston, but rebounded to take three of four from the Tigers in Detroit.  Looking to bolster their offensive production at the hot corner, where Mike Lamb and Brian Buscher have combined to post a disappointing .676 OPS, Minnesota is rumored to be in the mix for Adrian Beltre.

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The Mets have won nine games in a row and are only now starting to realize the lofty expectations fans had for them at the beginning of the season.  Lefty Mike Pelfrey has been brilliant of late, going 3-0 with a tidy 0.41 ERA in July.  The 24 year-old hasn’t been tagged with a loss since May 26th.

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Since an early power surge, Chase Utley has cooled off significantly at the plate, and is batting a pedestrian .255 with just six homers since the beginning of June. Fortunately, Ryan Howard has picked up the slack, and then some, batting .370 with a league-high five homers over the past seven days.

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The A’s enter the All-Star Break on a sour note, after dropping the rubber match of a three-game home series with the Angels 4-3, despite having two runners in scoring position and just one out in the ninth inning.  Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin are already in Chicago, and that trade may only mark the beginning of a midseason fire sale in Oakland.

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The top-five NL homerun hitters this season are Ryan Howard, Adam Dunn, Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, and Hanley Ramirez.  That’s three Phillies, a Red, and a Marlin.  Ramirez is the only one of the five who isn’t the beneficiary of an extremely homer-friendly home ballpark, so his 23 homers to date are an especially impressive accomplishment.

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The Cardinals could not have been pleased to see CC Sabathia go to the Brewers and Rich Harden go to the Cubs in a span of about 48 hours.  That displeasure only worsened when Mark Mulder’s return to the big leagues lasted all of 16 pitches, before shoulder irritation sent him right back to the shelf.  Now, quite clearly, the third-best team in the NL Central, the Redbirds will need to make a significant acquisition at the deadline to remain in contention.

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Joe Girardi’s team limps into the All-Star Break after losing three of its last four games to the Pirates and Blue Jays.  The injury suffered by Johnny Damon has proven particularly costly, because his replacement, rookie Brett Gardner, is just 6-for-38 with 11 strikeouts and no extra-base hits since inheriting the left-field job.

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The Rangers plated a league-high 50 runs during the last seven days, but only managed a 4-3 record because their pitchers compiled an aggregate 6.51 ERA.  That’s their season in a microcosm, and despite MVP-caliber offense from Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, and Milton Bradley, the Rangers may be a mile out of the playoff race come September.

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Losing three of four to the Twins slid the Tigers back to .500, and dropped them five spots in the rankings.  Fortunately for Detroit, Justin Verlander has turned his season around in a big way, logging a quality start in each of his three July outings, all of which have resulted in victories.

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The Diamondbacks’ young hitters have plenty of potential in their bats, but the majority of them remain mired in deep slumps.  Arizona’s only consistent hitter over the past few weeks has been Chad Tracy, who’s off to a robust 18-for-42 start in July, with 11 RBIs in 11 games.

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Andruw Jones, James Loney, and Russell Martin have all struggled of late, batting .182, .160, and .160, respectively, during the last week, with just one homer between them.  Despite the fact that we’re now more than halfway into the season, Joe Torre’s talent-laden offense continues to sputter.

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If win-loss records were based solely off of runs scored and runs allowed, the Braves would be 52-43, 3.5 games behind the Phillies in the NL East.  As it stands, they’re 45-50, and trailing by 6.5 games.  A horrific 5-22 record in one-run games is chiefly responsible for the disparity.

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Ace starter Roy Halladay has already pitched an unprecedented 146.1 innings this season, including seven complete games.  He’s one of very few old-style pitchers in modern Major League Baseball, and considering that he’s got a spectacular 2.71 ERA and 121/21 strikeout-to-walk ratio, it doesn’t appear that fatigue is having any effect on his 31 year-old right arm.

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Jerry Hairston Jr., who has quietly had a very impressive first-half for the Reds, is heading into the All-Star Break on a tear.  A Dusty Baker favorite, Hairston hit .421 with six runs scored and three driven-in over the past seven days.

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Radhames Liz has been absolutely terrible in July, going 1-2 with an eye-popping 11.42 ERA, the result of 20 hits and nine walks allowed in just a dozen innings.  If the hard-throwing northpaw can’t turn things around in the near future, he’ll find himself back in the minors by the end of the month.

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Closer Joakim Soria is the Royals lone All-Star, and he’s more than deserving of the gig.  The 24 year-old righty has converted 25 of 27 save opportunities this season, while allowing a paltry 22 hits in 43 innings of work, and striking out 46.
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After a breakout season in 2006 and a solid campaign at the plate in 2007, Freddy Sanchez has apparently receded into mediocrity.  The 30 year-old infielder is batting a lowly .226 this season, and has not drawn a walk since June 15th.

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The Giants went 1-5 on a road trip to New York and Chicago, managing to avoid consecutive sweeps only thanks to Tim Lincecum’s freakish right arm.   Bruce Bochy’s lineup hasn’t mustered a single homerun since Rich Aurilia’s blast on July 6th, a protracted span of 223 at-bats.

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25



 
24
 




Lance Berkman is batting just .201, without a homer, in 38 at-bats this month.  He’ll look to the Homerun Derby to get his power stroke back on track.

44-51






26



29




A sweep of the Rays bumps the Indians up a few spots this week, but they’re still in the cellar of the disappointing AL Central division.  Young outfielder Ben Francisco, batting in the heart of the order because of injuries to Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner, has been solid of late, authoring a .333/.409/.564 line through 39 July at-bats.

41-53






27



25




Clint Barmes had been doing a good job filling in for the injured Troy Tulowitzki, but his past week was an awful one at the plate.  Barmes collected a paltry three hits in 28 at-bats, while striking out seven times, and heads into the All-Star Break with the stench of a .310 OPS on his tail.

39-57






28



28




First-baseman Adrian Gonzalez is in a slump, and that’s bad news for an already anemic San Diego attack.  Gonzalez is off to a .175 start in June, with only a pair of extra-base hits in 40 at-bats.  He’s appeared in every one of the Padres’ 95 games this season, and may simply be in need of some rest, so the All-Star Break could very well recharge his bat.
37-58





29



27




Adrian Beltre seems likely to benefit from a change of scenery, if the Mariners are able to ship him out later this month.  The 29 year-old third-baseman is batting just .220 with a .694 OPS at Safeco Field this season, but a markedly superior .296 with an .841 OPS everywhere else.

37-58






30



30




Veteran righty Tim Redding has been a nice surprise for the Nats this season, going 7-3 with a 3.85 ERA and 1.33 WHIP.  Signed on reasonable terms through the 2010 season, the 30 year-old could draw some interest on the trade market later this month.

36-60






MLB Power Rankings | Edition 15: 7/7/08
Daniel Rathman — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:57:06 +0000
With seven consecutive wins and a five-game lead over the Red Sox in the AL East, the Rays are now firmly entrenched in the top spot of the Power Rankings.  Meanwhile, Boston’s 2-5 road trip to Tampa and New York dropped them to fifth, allowing the two Chicago teams to slide into the two- and three-spots.  The Brewers are up to seventh in this week’s edition, thanks both to excellent play and the acquisition of C.C. Sabathia, which arguably makes Milwaukee the most dangerous playoff team in the senior circuit.  And the Tribe, with the loss of Sabathia and eight straight defeats, is now just one spot out of the cellar.  Read on to find out where the rest of the teams rank a week before the All-Star Break.
Note: the statistics found in the rankings are through either Saturday’s or Sunday’s games, and the records are through Sunday’s games.



1



1




The Rays have won seven games in a row and now lead the AL East by five games.  Baseball Prospectus now gives Joe Maddon’s team an all but surefire 96.4 percent shot of making the postseason.  If you’re not a believer yet, it’s time to stop kidding yourself.  Oh, and be sure to cast your All-Star Game Final Vote for Evan Longoria, who could very well be an MVP candidate before the season is out, in addition to running away with AL ROY honors.

55-32






2


3



Southpaw starter John Danks has just six wins this season, despite ranking third in the American League with a 2.52 ERA.  He’s given the Southsiders a quality effort in each of his last five starts, but has been rewarded with only a pair of victories.

51-37






3



2




Kosuke Fukudome has started the month of July in a 4-for-23 slump, and manager Lou Piniella may need to consider moving him out of the top spot in the order if that continues.  With their division lead down to 3.5 games, the Cubs could look to answer Milwaukee’s blockbuster deal for C.C. Sabathia with a trade for A.J. Burnett or Randy Wolf in the coming two weeks.

53-36






4



5




A slew of injuries to key members of the A’s roster has given the Halos a terrific chance to run away with the AL West division, and they’ve increased their lead to six games.  Meanwhile, rumors of a Matt Holliday acquisition continue to swirl.

53-35






5



4




A plurality of players apparently thought highly enough of Jason Varitek to make him an All-Star.  But even most homeristic Red Sox fans should be able to look at the Captain’s horrific .218/.300/.358 line on the season and admit he’s nowhere near deserving of the honor.  Tek’s inability to come through in clutch situations recently has contributed significantly to the now five-game gap between Tampa and Boston in the AL East.

52-39






6



9





The Twins are still red-hot, having won five games in a row, and surged to within a game of the AL Central lead.  A tough seven-game road trip to Boston and Detroit ahead of the All-Star Break should provide a true gauge of whether Ron Gardenhire’s squad can actually contend the rest of the way.

50-38






7



8




The Brewers have roared to within 3.5 games of the NL Central lead, and the acquisition of C.C. Sabathia — one which required no big league talent — gives them baseball’s best 1-2 rotation punch, in tandem with Ben Sheets (Diamondbacks fans may disagree).  GM Doug Melvin has made it clear that Milwaukee is going all-out this season, and if he’s able to sort out a heretofore chaotic bullpen, the Cubs will really need to start watching their backs.

49-39






8



12




Shane Victorino has been mired in a slump for over a month now, batting just .231 with a craptastic .631 OPS since June 1st.  If he doesn’t turn things around soon, the Phillies might be forced to consider dealing for center-field help at the Deadline.

48-41






9



6




Albert Pujols has been great overall this season, but he’s been nothing short of unbelievable against left-handed pitchers.  Pujols has torn opposing southpaws to shreds, batting a ML-best .456 against them, with seven homers, 20 walks, and just five strikeouts in 79 at-bats.

50-40






10



10




It appears the Tigers may be regretting the Edgar Renteria deal more and more with every passing day.  Renteria is off to a disastrous 1-for-22 start in July, while Jair Jurrjens continues to pitch well for Atlanta, and Gorkys Hernandez continues to emerge as a very promising outfield prospect.

44-44






11



7




Add Bobby Crosby to the A’s laundry list of disabled players that seemingly grows every day.  Solid pitching continues to keep Bob Geren’s team afloat in the AL West standings, but Jack Cust is now Oakland’s lone power source, and an inconsistent one at that.  If the current six-game deficit grows over the next couple of weeks, Billy Beane may opt to deal one or two of Huston Street, Rich Harden, and Joe Blanton at the Deadline and continue the rebuilding process.

47-41






12



11




The Yankees were able to scrape-out a series split against the Red Sox in the Bronx, but they lost Johnny Damon to a shoulder injury in the process.  The trip to the disabled list is the first of Damon’s lengthy career, and combined with other nagging ailments, it may have the Yankees reeling a bit before the All-Star Break.  Now 8.5 games behind the Rays in the AL East, it’ll be interesting to see if Hank Steinbrenner still instructs Brian Cashman to buy at the Deadline.

47-42






13

 

13




Center-fielder Cody Ross hit .500 last week, and collected a league-high 15 ribbies.  That’s just another example of the Marlins getting outstanding production from unlikely sources, a driving force behind their success this season.

45-43






14



15




Second-baseman Ian Kinsler is off to a raging .526 start in July, upping his season average to an AL-best .332.  Kinsler’s defensive work has been shoddy this year, but with 46 extra-base hits and a tremendous steal success-rate of 23/24, his production atop the Rangers’ lineup has more than made up for it.

46-43






15



18




Joe Torre’s team has won seven of its last ten games, and is now just a half-a-game behind the Diamondbacks in the NL West race.  They’ll have a golden opportunity to carry a division lead into the All-Star Break, if they play well during a homestand against the Braves and Marlins immediately preceding it.

43-45






16

 

17




The Mets have not won a Johan Santana start since June 1st, scoring two runs or less in five of the southpaw’s last six starts.  It doesn’t matter who you have on the mound if you can’t score, so for the moment at least, Jerry Manuel’s bats are completely wasting their ace’s talent.

44-44






17



14




Dan Haren has tossed a quality start in each of his past seven trips to the mound, but the veteran righty has only three wins to show for his recent effectiveness.  That’s because Arizona’s anemic offense has provided him with minimal run support of late.  Their NL West lead down to a paltry half-a-game, the D’backs need their bats to wake up in a hurry or they’ll be staring up at the Dodgers come the All-Star Break.

44-45






18



16




Top prospect Adam Jones appears to finally be solving big league pitching, batting a terrific .339 since June 1st.  His awful 6/29 walk-to-strikeout ratio over that span is cause for some concern, but the 22 year-old is slowly beginning to validate the Torii Hunter comparisons that swirled around him during his days in Seattle’s farm system.

44-43






19



19




Mark Teixeira leads all Major League first-basemen with a .429 on-base percentage since June 1st, and he now has 16 homers on the year.  If the Braves — currently six games out in the NL East — fall behind the Phillies by more than ten before the end of the month, Teixeira would become a prime candidate to be shipped out in a Deadline deal.

42-47






20



21




There have recently been rumors regarding a potential trade involving David Eckstein, in part due to the emergence of Joe Inglett as a reliable option in the infield for John Gibbons.  Inglett is batting .306/.370/.460 this season, and has struck-out just eleven times in 124 at-bats.

42-47






21



22




The Reds have won four straight games, and yes, that still counts as a winning streak even though three of them were against the Nationals.  Brandon Phillips has been red-hot early this month, crushing the ball to the tune of a .478/.500/.696 line through 23 at-bats.

43-47






22



24




The Royals have a lowly .228 team average and a bloated 7.16 team ERA through six games in July.  If that’s not a good way to start a month 1-5, I don’t know what is.
39-50





23



23




Could there be a 20-game winner on a team that fails to win 80 total games?  All-Star right-hander Tim Lincecum is 10-1 through his first 17 starts of the season, putting him on track to notch a score before the year is out.

39-50






24



20




Shortstop Miguel Tejada, one of two Astros on the National League All-Star Team (Lance Berkman is the other), has a disturbing trend in his numbers.  He hit a terrific .339 in April, then cooled off to .291 in May, before falling into a slump and batting just .227 in June.  Off to a 4-for-23 (.174) in July, Tejada is really starting to cast some doubt on whether he’s deserving of a chance to play in New York on July 15th.

41-48






25



 
29
 




Matt Holliday finally appears to be back in full swing for the first time since his return from the disabled list roughly a month ago.  The Rockies’ left-fielder compiled a .429 average over the past seven days, while driving-in ten runs.

37-52






26



26




The Pirates aren’t at the top of the NL in many categories, but pinch-hitting is one of the select few at which they’ve excelled.  John Russell’s PH-ers have amassed a .262 average this season — good for second-best in the senior circuit.  The freshman manager deserves some of the credit for that.

40-47






27



28




To date, first-baseman Richie Sexson has put together some of the extremest split statistics you’ll ever see.  He is batting a robust .339 against southpaws, and a rancid .176 against righties.  Away from Safeco Field, Sexson has an acceptable .847 OPS; at home, however, that number falls to an abhorrent .523.  Perhaps a change of scenery would do him some good.

35-53






28



30




Long time minor leaguer Edgar Gonzalez has emerged as a relatively decent option at second-base for the Padres this season.  The 30 year-old is batting .308 with a .791 OPS, and has yet to commit a defensive error in 29 games at the keystone.
35-54





29



25




The Indians have lost eight consecutive games, and now they’ve lost their ace, C.C. Sabathia, to the Milwaukee Brewers.  While GM Mark Shapiro did end up with a promising haul of prospects, led by the powerful Matt LaPorta, that’s little consolation to the many fans and pundits who expected Cleveland to contend this season.  Contend for something other than the first-overall draft pick, that is.

37-51






30



27




A five-game losing streak, including a sweep at the hands of the Reds lands the Nats back in the cellar.  It’s a good thing Cristian Guzman has been lucky (.331 BABIP), or Manny Acta’s squad wouldn’t have a hitter anywhere near the .300 threshold this season.

34-56

1		1
	The Angels continue to boast baseball’s best record, and did nothing to refute their claim as the best team in baseball with a 5-2 road trip through Boston and New York. Contrary to previous years, the Angels acquired the impact bat to push them to the next level in Mark Teixeira. For a team 17th in runs in baseball, GM Tony Reagins was wise to trade for Teix rather than seem content with a below average lineup.	69-42

2		5
	The Cubs moved behind the Brewers in last week’s power rankings and nearly did the same in the NL Central. That’s until they went into Milwaukee and demolished the Brewers in a four-game series by a combined score of 31-11. They now tout the best offense and starting pitching in the NL by runs and starters’ ERA. Rich Harden has been outstanding with a 1.11 ERA in four starts.	67-45

3		2
	The Rays drop in the rankings, but only because of the Cubs emergence in an impact series; the Rays are 7-3 in their last 10 games and continue to play inspired baseball. They swept the Tigers over the weekend to maintain a three-game lead over the Red Sox in the AL East. B.J. Upton is only slugging .388 but has a .380 OBP, 33 SB and is playing great CF defense.	66-44

4		4
	Theo Epstein did an admirable job making the best out of a dire situation by reeling in Jason Bay for Manny, a player who is 12.5M cheaper for 2009 and has nearly the same bat as Ramirez with improved speed and defense. Bay has made a strong debut, reaching base two or more times in all three games over their sweep against Oakland.	64-48

5		8
	The Twins had a great week. They took three of four from their rival White Sox and took over first place from them on Sunday with a series win over Cleveland. They made a huge improvement to their rotation by promoting Francisco Liriano and dumping Livan Hernandez. Also, Alexi Casilla may avoid surgery and come back this season. The Twins continue to wow with their clutch hitting and totally unexpected .277 team BA, third in the AL.	62-49

6		6
	The Yankees winning streak after the All-Star Break seemed like a distant memory after losing four of five at home to the Orioles and Angels, but they managed to turn it around by salvaging the last two games against LA, including receiving 10 unearned runs in the finale. The Yankees made another move, acquiring Pudge Rodriguez for Kyle Farnsworth in a heist for Brian Cashman, upgrading from Jose Molina’s incapable bat.	61-50

7		7
	Carlos Quentin continues to have an MVP-caliber season for the White Sox: .376 OBP, .547 SLG and 28 HR, but it won’t matter because whoever leads in RBI will win. I didn’t quite understand the Griffey move: their outfield defense is now horrific, Griffey has just a .790 OPS, and now you create a logjam when Paul Konerko is healthy. .	61-49

8		11
	I applauded the Brad Lidge deal as the ultimate buy-low trade this winter. Nobody knew it would turn out quite this good. Lidge has stabilized the best bullpen in the NL with a perfect 29/29 in save opportunities and 65 K in 49 IP. The reigning NL MVP has been quite the opposite: .760 OPS and wavering team leadership.	61-50

9		3
	The Brewers fall hard in the rankings, and they deserve to after a colossal choke job in the biggest series since 1982 for the Brew Crew. Corey Hart has fallen upon hard times, hitting at just .174/.200/.217 this week, getting a benching from Ned Yost on Thursday, and his OBP now stands at just .319 for the season. Yikes.	62-50

10		12
	Just when you thought Ryan Ludwick was falling back to earth, he tore up the Phillies this weekend, hitting 4 HR and bringing his total to 27 on the season. Ludwick finished with a .994 OPS in July and is now slugging .614 on the season. The Cardinals also made up major ground in the Central and are now just one game behind Milwaukee.	62-52

11		14
	Ah, the same old Texas Rangers have returned for another season- outstanding offense, terrible pitching. Their offense is 1st in BA, SLG, runs and 2nd in OBP this year while their pitching 14th in ERA (5.27), 14th in OPS-against (.818) and 14th in WHIP (1.58). Those are all AL ranks, and, therefore, all dead last. Their potent offense, most notably Josh Hamilton and his 106 RBI, have led Texas to quite a few exciting wins in 2008.	58-54

12		13
	Few thought Jorge Cantu would ever re-kindle old fires and become a productive hitter in the majors again. He hasn’t slowed down in the second half, hitting at .328/.384/478 for the Marlins, who stay in the race because of their offense. They lost out on Manny Ramirez but lead the NL in home runs anyway, standing 2.5 behind the frontrunning Phillies.	59-53

13		10
	While I still believe the combo of Haren and Webb will push Arizona over the Dodgers in the end, the acquisition of Manny Ramirez and the subsequent two victories for LA over the Snakes must have D’Backs fans panicking a bit. Arizona ripped the cover off the ball in April, but have since been unable to score runs: now 10th in the NL in OPS, 13th in BA and 9th in OBP at just .324. Conor Jackson seems to be the only one interested.	57-54

14		16
	Giving up Andy LaRoche for two months of Manny, especially if they fail to make the playoffs, could be looked back on as slightly unintelligent years from now if LaRoche develops into the star I believe he can be. Right now, though, GM Ned Colletti is the toast of the town, as Manny is 8 for 13 with two homers in Dodger blue. Juan Pierre shouldn’t see a start now under any circumstances, but I’m sure he will.	56-55

15		9
	The Mets made a nice surge in July, but could be falling apart again. John Maine is headed for the DL and could be joined by Billy Wagner soon. Their disastrous bullpen cannot seem to hold a lead for Johan Santana and the rest of their rotation is average at best. Getting swept in Houston is inexcusable, and the Phils appear to be the team to beat in the East.	58-53

16		18
	Shaun Marcum is still having a tremendous season, but his last three starts are putting his season stats more in line with his career stats: 14.2 IP, 21 H, 16 ER, 5 HR, 5 BB, 7 K. Keep that ball down, Shaun.	53-56

17		17
	The Tigers tried to solve their bullpen problem by acquiring Kyle Farnsworth, moving Fernando Rodney to the closers role and putting the much-maligned Todd Jones on the shelf. Didn’t work. Sunday at Tampa Bay: Farnsworth blows a 3-1 lead in the 8th and Rodney blows a 5-4 lead in the 10th. The 2008 Tigers season is a nutshell.	55-56

18		25
	The Astros are on a bit of a roll: took 2 of 3 in Milwaukee, 2 of 3 vs. Cincy, and swept the Mets over the weekend. Does it mean Ed Wade should be buying at the deadline? Of course not. Why this man keeps getting hired is beyond me. Hunter Pence still has a .315 OBP but is playing better as of late: .409/.458/.727 in his last seven games.	53-57

19		15
	The Rockies appeared to be making another second half push until stumbling this week in Pittsburgh and Florida. With LA improving their lineup and Arizona shoring up their bullpen, it’s not in the cards for Colorado this season. Troy Tulowitzki is starting to get hot with a .375 BA this week.	51-62

20		21
	The Royals are playing good baseball; they marched into Oakland and swept them before mixing it up with Chicago in a series win. Jose Guillen has experienced an interesting season: .291 OBP and 73 RBI. Depending on whether you’re a sabermetrician or someone who values RBI, Guillen is having a poor and strong season.	52-60

21		19
	I’m starting to feel bad for Bobby Cox and his having to deal with an inordinate amount of injuries. Check out their lineup Sunday: Blanco, Escobar, Kotsay, Kotchman, Infante, K. Johnson, Francoeur, Sammons, Campillo. And they beat Ben Sheets!	47-59

22		23
	Many pegged the O’s for a 100-loss season in March, so applaud this team for staying competitive in a brutal AL East. Somehow, they’re 5th in the AL in SLG and 6th in OPS. Aubrey Huff has been a big reason why; he finished July with a .386/.407/.723 line and now has a .913 OPS on the season.	53-57

23		22
	The Athletics were a surprise contender for a while this season, but the plan for Billy Beane all along centered on contending in 2010 and beyond with their slew of talented prospects. Dana Eveland was optioned to AAA after surrendering 9 ER in 2.1 IP at Fenway on Saturday, and their offense has been dreadful, now last in slugging and (gasp) 12th in OBP.	53-57

24		28
	The newly acquired Brandon Moss and Andy LaRoche contributed Sunday in their clash in Wrigley, both hitting home runs ina losing effort. I applaud Neal Huntington for finding quality players for Bay, and for his sake, let’s hope Jose Tabata turns his career around and turns into a star. The Pirates staff will try to get a boost from Yoslan Herrera tonight; they’re last in ERA, BAA, WHIP and QS in the NL.	51-60

26		26
	The Indians lay claim to #26 for the third straight week and get Fausto Carmona back. I saw them over the weekend at the Metrodome and Shin-Shoo Choo hit cleanup. That gives you a look into the state of the Cleveland Indians at this point.	48-62

27		24
	Barry Zito has the best start of his Giants tenure on Saturday in San Diego: 8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 5 K. Is this the start of something new in the Zito era? Or just PETCO Park and the Padres offense? I’ll lean towards the latter, thanks.	46-64

28		30
	It doesn’t appear Wily Mo Pena is ever going to figure it out. He’s totaled at just .205/.243/.267 on the season, making him one of the least productive players in baseball with 195 AB. Also, just 2 HR and 48 K. He was placed on the DL July 19 and likely will never translate that BP raw power to the field on a consistent basis.	41-70

29		27
	The good news: Jake Peavy and Chris Young are back, while Adrian Gonzalez has been driving in every possible run. The bad news: the rest of the team. When you lose to Barry Zito, this happens.	43-69

30		29
	Everyone should have been dealt at the deadline for Seattle, but yet they held onto their veterans in hopes of contending the next few years. Breaking news: It’s not going to happen. Other than Felix Hernandez, the other bright spot on the M’s has been Brandon Morrow: 0.90 WHIP, 1.47 ERA, 47 K in 36.2 IP. He’s going to be a stud closer.	38-67

1		3
	Mike Scioscia’s squad now owns baseball’s best record, but that’ll be put to the test in a seven-game road trip to Boston and New York. Howie Kendrick and Casey Kotchman, who maintained averages of .500 and .360 respectively over the past week, will need to carry the offense against the East Coast powerhouses.	64-40