Archive for April 26th, 2010

MLB Baseball Power Ratings (After 4/25/10)

April 26th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in MLB Baseball   Comments Off on MLB Baseball Power Ratings (After 4/25/10)

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*Baseball Records & Team Rankings are as of 4/25/2010
(Our Next Major League Baseball Power Ratings Update: 5
/10/2010)

1. Tampa Bay Rays (13-5) – The Tampa Bay Rays come into Sunday’s action tied for the best record in baseball; 13-5. Tampa Bay has been successful via their offense that has slugged 107 runs; tops in the major leagues. The Rays offensively have been led by Carl Crawford and his .319 batting average. B.J. Upton, Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist have done their share to assault American League pitching thus far as well. Tampa Bay currently holds just a ½ game lead on the New York Yankees for the top spot in the American League East. The Rays, after finishing their series Sunday with the Jays, will take Monday off, then host Oakland and Kansas City to finish up the first month of the season.

2. New York Yankees (12-5) – The Yankees are in the midst of a nine game road trip; which is their longest this month. After winning two out of three in Oakland, the Yankees seek the rubber game of a three game series at Angel Stadium on Sunday. New York trails Tampa Bay by just a ½ game for the American League East lead. The Yankees have allowed just 59 runs on the season, led by their two left handed starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Andy Pettitte. New York will take Monday off, and then play a three game series in Baltimore. Following the road trip, the Yankees will come back home and play a weekend series with the Chicago White Sox.

3. Philadelphia Phillies (11-6) – The best team in the National League appears to be the Philadelphia Phillies. Charlie Manuel’s team has the combination of pitching and powerful and timely hitting that defines champions. After winning the 2008 World Series, and falling in 2009 – Philadelphia looks to get back to the October Classic for the third straight season. The Phillies have seen their ace Roy Halladay win all four of his starts to begin the season. Halladay, in those starts, has accumulated 28 strikeouts and has an ERA of 0.82. Philadelphia will continue their nine game road trip, after leaving Arizona on Sunday, as they head to San Francisco for three to start the week. Following the trip, Philadelphia will come back home and host the New York Mets over the weekend.

4. Minnesota Twins (13-5) – Minnesota, along with Tampa Bay, has the best record in all of baseball. The Twins won their second straight over Kansas City on Saturday night; in 12 innings. The Twins have a three game lead over Detroit coming into play on Sunday. Justin Morneau is leading the team in homeruns, with 3, as catcher Joe Mauer is batting a team high .381. Minnesota has out scored their opponents 98-66 through the first 18 games of the season. The nine game road trip will continue for Minnesota, after leaving Kansas City they will make their second stop in Detroit on Tuesday, and Cleveland on Friday.

5. San Diego Padres (11-6) – The biggest surprise in all of baseball to this point has been the San Diego Padres. Winners of eight straight games, San Diego holds a one game lead over San Francisco for the top spot in the National League West. The Padres have enjoyed three straight games where slugger Adrian Gonzalez has knocked one over the boards. San Diego has the best pitching statistics in the national league, ranking 1st in ERA and WHIP, and 2nd in batting average against. San Diego will look to finish the three game sweep in Cincinnati on Sunday, before heading south to Miami, to take on the Marlins. On Thursday, San Diego will be back home, in time to face the Brewers in a four game series, finishing up on Sunday.

6. St. Louis Cardinals (10-7) – The St. Louis Cardinals won their first five series of the season, winning 2 out of 3 in them all. The streak was snapped Saturday when the Giants blanked St. Louis 2-0. The win was the Giants second straight over the Cardinals. Albert Pujols and the Cardinals will look to avoid the sweep on Sunday. St. Louis has shown inconsistency in scoring runs, as they rank 12th in the National League. The pitching has been solid for the Cardinals, behind aces Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter. The team’s 2.87 earned run average, ranks them second in the NL. After completing the series with the Giants on Sunday, St. Louis will start a seven game home stand on Monday, starting with four against the Atlanta Braves, followed by a visit for three by the Cincinnati Reds.

7. Oakland Athletics (11-8) – Oakland enjoys a 1.5 game lead in the American League West over the Seattle Mariners. The Athletics have enjoyed playing at home, winning 8 of 13 there, while going just 3-3 on the road. The Athletics will play the rubber match of a three game set with Cleveland on Sunday, and then hit the road. On Tuesday, Oakland will play in Tampa Bay, against the Rays, and then Friday the Athletics and Blue Jays meet north of the border. Oakland has seen a power surge from Kurt Suzuki, who already has four homeruns and 11 runs batted in.

8. Florida Marlins (10-8) – The Florida Marlins are getting a red-hot start out of second basemen Dan Uggla. Known more for his power, Uggla has kicked the season off with a .333 batting average, along with his four homeruns and 11 RBI’s. The Marlins offense ranks 5th in the National League with 87 runs. Florida, after being postponed in Denver on Friday played a doubleheader Saturday, splitting the two games. The teams will play the final game of the three game series on Sunday. Following the trip to Denver, the Marlins will be home Monday to host the San Diego Padres. After taking Thursday off, Florida will welcome divisional rival Washington Nationals to town on Friday.

9. San Francisco Giants (10-7) – With possibly the best pitching in the National League, the San Francisco Giants are off to a 10-7 start. After getting swept by San Diego, the Giants have held the Cardinals to just 1 run in 2 games, winning the first two. They will attempt the three game sweep on Sunday behind Matt Cain. The Giants rank 1st in the National League in batting average against (.219) and OPS (.617), along with 2nd in ERA (2.82). San Francisco will continue their nine game home stand, starting Monday, when the National League East leading Philadelphia Phillies come to town. The final three games of the home stand will be over the weekend, against divisional foe Colorado.

10. Detroit Tigers (10-8) – In an attempt to keep pace with the Minnesota Twins atop the American League Central, Detroit is off to a 10-8 start. The Tigers have played 12 of their first 18 games on the road this season. They have two more games in Arlington, before coming home on Tuesday to host Minnesota and the Angels for the week. The Tigers rank first in the American League in on base percentage, with a 3.72. They are 2nd in batting average, as they are hitting .278. Detroit’s main cog has been Miguel Cabrera. He leads the team with a .361 batting average, along with 4 homeruns, and 22 runs batted in. The Tigers, despite the 10-8 record, have been out scored by their opponents 85-84.

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11. Toronto Blue Jays (10-8) – The Toronto Blue Jays will look to win two of three in Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Blue Jays are making an effort to stay near the top with the two powers within the division; Yankees and Rays. Toronto has gotten solid offensive numbers from Vernon Wells, who is batting .306 with 7 homeruns and 13 runs batted in. The Blue Jays will head back home on Monday, to start a seven game home trip. Monday the Red Sox will come to town, and then on Thursday, a four game series with the Oakland Athletics will begin.

12. Boston Red Sox (8-10) – The Red Sox have struggled to start the season, with an 8-10 record. On Sunday, the Red Sox will look to pick up a three game sweep over the Baltimore Orioles. Boston has struggled both offensively and pitching, as the team is just 11th in earned run average, with 4.61.  Their team batting average is .250, which is 7th in the American League. Dustin Pedroia is leading the team with a .284 batting average, along with five homeruns and 13 runs batted in. The Red Sox will head north of the border on Monday to take on the Blue Jays. After taking Thursday off, the Red Sox will head to Baltimore to take on the Orioles.

13. Colorado Rockies (9-9) – The Colorado Rockies are hovering around .500 through the first 18 games of the season. Colorado split a doubleheader Saturday at home with the Florida Marlins. The Rockies and Marlins will finish up their series Sunday. On Monday, the Rockies will welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks to town, and then on Friday will head to San Francisco to take on divisional foe – the Giants. The Rockies are 5th in earned run average, with a 3.54, led by Ubaldo Jimenez and his 0.95.

14. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (9-10) – The Angels, with their 9-10 record, are just two games behind the Oakland Athletics for the top spot in the American League West. They are hitting .257 as a team, as that ranks them 6th in the National League. The pitching has not been up to the usual standards for Angels baseball, as they rank 12th in the American League with a 4.63 earned run average. Joel Piniero, coming over from St. Louis has been decent for the Angels, with two wins and a 3.42 earned run average. The Angels, after finishing their series with the Yankees on Sunday will host the Cleveland Indians for three on Monday, and then play in Detroit for three over the weekend.

15. Los Angeles Dodgers (8-9) – The Dodgers, who come into Sunday ranked first in the National League in both batting average (.297) and runs (103) managed just 5 runs in the first two games of a series in Washington D.C., against the Nationals. The Dodgers will look to take two of three on Sunday. Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp have been the main cogs in the Dodgers lineup, as Ethier is batting .356, while Kemp has 7 homeruns and 20 runs batted in. Los Angeles has struggled pitching, as they are 13th in the NL with a 5.12 earned run average. The Dodgers will stay out east and play at Citi Field against the Mets, Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday, the Dodgers will host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first of a four game series.

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16. Chicago Cubs (8-10) – The Cubs are looking to get back on track, after winning just 6 of their first 16 games in 2010. Chicago beat Milwaukee on the road in the first two games of a three game series. The Cubs big news of the week was sending starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano to the bullpen. Ted Lilly came back to the starting rotation and pitched very well in the win over the Brewers. New comer Carlos Silva has been solid, compiling a 0.95 earned run average through the first three weeks of the season. The Cubs will host the Nationals for three and Diamondbacks for four this week at the friendly confines.

17. Milwaukee Brewers (8-10) – The Milwaukee Brewers will look to avoid a three game sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. The Brewers have been out scored 13-2 in the first two games of the series. This comes after the Brewers pounding the Pirates 36-1 in three games on the road. The Brewers rank second in the National League with a .281 batting average, along with 99 runs. Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun is batting .366, with 5 homeruns and 20 runs batted in. The Brewers will host the Pittsburgh Pirates starting on Monday, before they head to San Diego for a four game set on Thursday.

18. New York Mets (9-9) – The New York Mets are looking to improve upon their 70 win season in 2009.  They are off to a better start, but still hovered around .500. The Mets rank 14th in the National League with a .230 batting average and 13th with 74 runs scored. New York’s offense sees Jeff Francouer lead the team in many categories, including batting average (.279), homeruns (3) and runs batted in (10). New York will look to complete a three game sweep of the Atlanta Braves on Sunday night baseball. Following that game, New York will host the Los Angeles Dodgers for three games starting Monday. On Friday, the Mets will play in Philadelphia, against the Phillies.

19. Atlanta Braves (8-9) – The Braves have lost four straight games, and will look to snap that streak on Sunday Night Baseball. Atlanta has been out scored 75-70 in their first 17 games. The pitching has been average for the Braves, as they rank 4th in the National League with a .237 batting average against. Rookie Jason Heyward has paced the offense, with 4 homeruns and 16 runs batted in. The team batting average for Atlanta is poor, at .227, ranks 15th. The Braves will finish up their series Sunday night and then head to St. Louis for a four game series with the Cardinals. On Friday, Atlanta will host the Houston Astros for the start of a three game series.

20. Washington Nationals (9-9) – Washington was pleased to see rookie Luis Atilano earn his first professional winning, shutting down the Dodgers offense on Friday night. The future looks bring for the Nationals, and 2010 has been a decent start to the season. At .500 on the season, Washington is tied with the Mets for third place in the National League East. Ivan Rodriguez, in his first season with the Nationals is batting .411, while Josh Willingham has pounded 3 homeruns and drove home 11 runs. The Nationals will head to Chicago on Monday to take on the Cubs, and then on Friday, in Miami, against the Marlins.

21. Seattle Mariners (9-9) – The Mariners have climbed back to .500, despite losing the first two in Chicago. The Mariners have made hay at home this season, winning seven of nine. On Sunday, the Mariners will look to avoid the three game sweep from the White Sox. Following that game, Seattle will head to Kansas City to face-off with the Royals. On Friday, Seattle will be back home, to host the Texas Rangers. Seattle ranks third in the American League with a 3.41 earned run average, along with fourth in quality starts; with 11.

22. Cleveland Indians (8-9) – Following a slow start, the Cleveland Indians have climbed back towards .500 within the American League Central. The Indians are led offensively by Shin-Soo Choo, who leads the team in batting average (.300), homeruns (4), runs batted in (13) and runs scored (10). The Indians offense, as a team has struggled, ranking 14th with a .223 batting average. Following the final game in Oakland on Sunday, the Indians will head to Anaheim to take on the Angels for three. On Friday, the Indians will host the American League Central leading Minnesota Twins.

23. Texas Rangers (7-10) – Despite a good start from Vladimir Guerrero, and his .371 batting average, the Texas Rangers have started the season 7-10. Texas is in last place in the American League West, trailing the front running Oakland Athletics by three games. Nelson Cruz has provided the power for Texas, bombing 7 homeruns and driving in 17 runs. The Rangers and Tigers are playing the third of a four game series on Sunday. On Monday, they will play the final game of the series in Arlington. On Tuesday, the Rangers will welcome the White Sox for a three game set. Over the weekend, Texas will head out West to Seattle to take on divisional foe – Mariners.

24. Arizona Diamondbacks (7-10) – Winners of just one of six games on the road this season are the Arizona Diamondbacks. After losing two of three at home to St. Louis, the Diamondbacks will look to win the 2nd of 3 over Philadelphia on Sunday. The Diamondbacks are led by Kelly Johnson, and his .327 batting average, along with 6 homeruns. The offense ranks fifth in batting average (.267), fourth in runs (90) and fourth in OBP (.792). Arizona will head to Denver on Monday for a three game series; followed by a trip to Chicago for a four game- weekend set.

25. Houston Astros (7-10) – After such a bad start, the Astros are moving their way back to the .500 point in the season. The Astros took two of three from the Marlins at home, and will look to sweep their divisional foe Pittsburgh on Sunday. Houston has gotten solid offensive numbers from Jeff Keppinger. He is hitting .327, with 6 runs batted in. The Astros have scored a league worst 50 runs on the season. Houston will take Monday off, then welcome the Cincinnati Reds to town for a three game set on Tuesday. Over the weekend, Houston will head to Atlanta, to take on the Braves.

26. Pittsburgh Pirates (7-10) – After getting off to a quick start, the Pittsburgh Pirates have lost five straight games. The worst of those losses came on Thursday afternoon, when the Milwaukee Brewers pounded them 20-0. Pittsburgh will look to avoid a three game sweep in Houston on Sunday afternoon. The Pirates rank last in the National League with an earned run average of nearly 7. They also rank last in batting average against, as opponents are hitting .304 against Pirate pitchers. Pittsburgh will play in Milwaukee for three starting Monday, and then head out west to take on the Dodgers for four.

27. Chicago White Sox (7-11) – The White Sox, after a 5-11 start, have found some energy over the weekend, winning two straight games via the walk-off homerun. Friday night it was veteran Andruw Jones, while Alex Rios did the honors on Saturday. Rios is batting .281 with 3 homeruns and 9 runs batted in for Chicago. The White Sox will seek a three game sweep of the Mariners on Sunday afternoon. After taking Monday off, the White Sox will head to Texas for a three game set, then a trip to the Bronx, to take on the Yankees.

28. Cincinnati Reds (7-11) – The Reds, at 7-11, are towards the bottom of the National League Central Division. They will look to avoid a three game sweep at home, from the Padres on Sunday. Following the Padres, Cincinnati will take Monday off, before heading out to Houston and St. Louis. The Reds have struggled offensively, batting just .238, ranking 12th in the National League. The pitching has also been poor, as they rank 15th with a 6.19 earned run average.

29. Kansas City Royals (6-11) – At the bottom of the American League Central, are the Kansas City Royals. The offense has been sharp for Kansas City, as they rank first in the American League with a .296 batting average. The pitching has been just as bad, with a 5.55 earned run average, which ranks last in the American League. Jose Guillen has mashed six homeruns and drove home 15 runs batted in, along with scoring 13 runs. The Royals are looking to avoid the sweep at the hands of the first place Minnesota Twins on Sunday. Following that series, the Royals will host Seattle for three, and then head to Tampa Bay for a four game series.

30. Baltimore Orioles (2-16) – The Baltimore Orioles have won just 2 of 18 games to start the season. Baltimore will look to avoid a three game sweep over the weekend in Boston on Sunday. Ty Wigginton has been the lone bright spot for the Orioles offense, batting .333, with 6 homeruns and 12 runs batted in. The pitching has been awful for Baltimore, ranking 13th in ERA, batting average against and OPS. After the road trip, the Orioles schedule will get no easier, as they host the Yankees for three and the Red Sox for three.