Highly Speculative Power Rankings
Apr 2, 2017 13:07:51 GMT -5
San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, and 4 more like this
Post by Philadelphia Phillies on Apr 2, 2017 13:07:51 GMT -5
So, this was really tough and is meant for MLB only at the current moment. I think all of the teams except for the bottom few have a real shot at making a playoff run and I considered some of the teams in the 20s for top 5. Injuries, breakouts, and trades are going to make my list look awful in the long run I’m sure, but figured I would take a stab at it.
Also, I am way too biased in favor of hitting and against particularly against relief pitching, so that will probably lead most of you to think I'm a dumbass, which would be mostly correct.
1. Rangers: With a 1-2-3 of Pollock-Cano-Carpenter, the Rangers lineup will definitely put up points. RF is an area in need of improvement, but otherwise, the Rangers have a top 10 offense for sure. With that lineup, the Rangers should be near unbeatable every time Kershaw takes the mound. If Cobb and Wheeler are able to pitch like they did a couple years ago, this Rangers team will be a World Series favorite. With 2-3 closers, the bullpen should pull its weight as well. Adding Cole Hamels might make this Rangers team the World Series favorite.
2. Astros: The Astros have put together one of the top lineups headlined by possible MVP Altuve, top-tier 3B in Seager, and no glaring holes. I like Shelby Miller to recover from an awful 2016 to help solidify a very solid rotation that should go 6 deep when Tillman gets healthy. The bullpen is definitely the weakest part of this team, but with good depth and volume arms, it will not be much of a hole
. UNfortunately, they share a division with the Rangers.
3. Cardinals: You are not going to find a much better trio of hitters than Trout, Beltre and Santana in this league. With solid options around the diamond, the Cardinals should be more than able to make up for a lack of consistent points from their middle infield. The Cardinals also boast a great 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation with deGrom and Carrasco. If Wainwright bounces back after a bad 2016, which doesn’t appear all that likely, the Cardinals rotation could be dominant. The rotation lacks depth however, and they could be scrambling for starts at some point during the season. The bullpen is good and has enough depth to overcome an injury or two.
4. Mets: Despite possible large holes at Catcher and CF, the Mets boast a veteran and proven lineup that definitely will not lack power. Cruz, Hanley, Walker, and Melky all may be on the older side, but they have proven to be consistent hitters with significant pop. Sano, meanwhile, is a possible breakout candidate that could push the Mets’ lineup towards the top. The pitching should compliment the hitting well, with a strong ace in Bumgarner and King Felix primed for a much better season than his last. If he doesn’t bounce back, there may be a buy-out soon. I expect Neris to be closing in Philly soon and with O’Day and Bedrosian, the Mets also boast an above-average bullpen.
5. Giants: Posey is by far the best Catcher and puts the Giants a significant step up when compared to every other team at this spot. Sneaky good vets like Pedroia and Turner fit very well with the point system and make this lineup very solid. If Wil Myers can repeat his breakout campaign, this could be a top 5 offense. I expect a step back for Cotton this year, but if Hill can stay healthy, the Giant’s rotation will compete for the league lead in strikeouts assuming Triggs, Karns, and Green can stick in the big league rotation. The Giants have put together a top-tier bullpen with Cody Allen figuring to pick up a lot of saves. If the Giants falter, their risky pitching choices may be the cause.
6. Cubs: Will Profar ever justify being the consensus #1 prospect? Probably not, but the Cubs won’t need him to be. Segura won’t put up the star numbers he did last year, but he is still a top 10 SS. Adam Eaton should thrive in a very good Nats offense. The Hebrew Hammer (also a Movie apparently) is still a top 5 LF even without the Roids, but the key to this offense may be the health of Rendon. If the Cubs stay on top of pitching matchups, I love Gutierrez against lefties. Look for Taillon to break out as a possible ace and I expect Maeda to mirror last year. After that, there is depth, but little to write home about in the rotation. Good bullpen arms that should see more point opportunities as the season goes on, and Treinen winning the closing duties should help. The late preseason add of Rizzo vaulted the Cubs up my rankings.
7. Twins: Solid lineup headlined by Bautista, who despite appearing to be a giant douche is perfect for this point system, and Brian Dozier. Vogt is a sneakily good Catcher that could be top 5 this year and if Napoli can squeeze out whatever juice he has left in the tank, there will be plenty of power. Ignoring his awful contract, the Ellsbury pickup should give the Twins a lot of points from late in the draft. SS is going to hurt them, but there are no other holes in the lineup. If Kluber can pitch to his peripherals and Matt Moore can pitch to his ability, this will be a solid, albeit top heavy rotation. The bullpen may be able to make up for the poor Koehler and Garza starts, as the combination of Oh, Dyson, and Brach might just be the best relief corps in the league for a contender.
8. Rays: The J.D. Martinez injury will certainly hurt this overall average lineup overall. Without him, the best hitter is probably Jose Ramirez, which is not great. There is good depth, however. Pitching is going to carry the Rays . Scherzer is an absolute beast and is only second to Kershaw. Darvish is still a strikeout machine and I expect Manaea to follow a long line of young stud Oakland pitchers. For the Rays sake, let’s hope that these three don’t overlap. This is probably the best rotation in the game. The bullpen is not nearly as good and is probably going to be below average on the season.
9. Indians: It will be interesting to see if Hedges can breakout and how Gordon plays post-suspension. The Indians probably boast the best outfield in the league in Schwarber, Cain, and Stanton. Health for all three has been an issue, so the Indians will assuredly have their fingers crossed all year. If Keuchel pitches more like 2015 than 2016, he should head a solid, but unspectacular rotation. Happ is not going to win 20 games again and I have serious concerns about Nola (what happened to him in the middle of last year?), but Cole is due for a bounceback and Corbin could be sneaky good. Davis is a top 5 closer and heads an above-average bullpen.
10. Angels: The Angels lineup is probably the most equipped to handle injuries, with good depth at multiple positions and good positional flexibility. Miggy and Zobrist headline an otherwise average lineup. If Josh Bell can break out and Carlos Gomez can remember how to hit, this lineup becomes good and could win the Angels a very tough division. The Price injury is killer and if Glasnow starts the year in the minors, the Angels could put themselves in a tough hole early on. Estrada and Salazar can stop the bleeding a bit, but the lineup is probably not strong enough to carry this team through prolonged absences. The bullpen is slightly below average at the moment.
11. Braves: Hosmer, Yelich, and Arenado are a deadly middle of the lineup. Despite a bad spring, I still have hope for Heyward to bounce back. Tim Anderson has earned the love of the White Sox staff and could end up being a top-tier SS if he can learn to take a walk. The return of Ramos could make this a top 5 offense in the second half and I am not looking forward to that. The rotation has a wide range of possibilities. If Greinke can rebound, there will be a solid ace. The rest of the rotation, while deep, is uninspiring. Stroman and Folty should be solid and Morton has potential, but the Braves will need Robbie Ray to cut down on the walks to be an above-average rotation. They will likely never be short on starters though, which is hard to find in this league. It will be interesting to see what they are able to flip their excess starting for. Chapman should lead the league in bullpen points and that alone makes this a very good bullpen.
12. Orioles: No spectacular hitters, but this might be the most balanced lineup in the league. Catcher is the only truly weak spot in my opinion as I expect Saunders and Broxton to put together solid seasons. Assuming Odor doesn’t break his hand punching someone in the face, this lineup shouldn’t cost the Orioles any wins. The Rodon injury scare seriously hurts the rotation stability. I like Gausman to break out and be a true ace this year. Can Ian Kennedy build on his dominant spring? Can Conley repeat his performance from last year? Will Nova pitch like he has as a Pirate or revert to his Yankees self? The rotation has good potential, but also a lot of questions. Barraclough is a sleeper top 5 reliever and Bush’s revival should make this one of the best bullpens in the league.
13. Royals: The Royals top 4 hitters can compete with any team in the league, especially given the Coors Field effect. With the Prado injury, however, the Rest of the lineup will be a liability. If Schoop can cut down on the strikeouts, he could end up being a powerhouse from the second base position, but I don’t expect much from Alcides, Carrera or Toles, so the Royals are going to need a lot out of their top guys, and I expect them to get it. Arrieta headlines a deep rotation. If he continues to pitch like a Cy Young candidate, the Royals’ pitching should be average. I expect Lynn to come back strong after a lost 2016 and probably stupidly expect Smyly to drop a run off of his ERA this year. And Tomlin, although unspectacular, keeps pitching well in the majors. 2 closers that probably shouldn’t be closers lead the bullpen which will probably fall off in the second half.
14. Red Sox: Will Yadi ever slow down? He may still be able to hit, but he is falling behind in the doucheolympics to Bautista, so beware…. I Love Starling Marte and see a youngish outfield in Boston that could really breakout with Ozuna and Calhoun in their prime years. Jose Abreu is the only other above-average bat in the lineup, so the Sox will definitely need some breakouts. There is a lot of depth at the weaker positions and depth is important, so this lineup may surprise me with overall points. A Cueto/Archer 1-2 punch will be brutal to face in a 3-game series and they will certainly need to avoid overlap there to make a push in this touch AL East as the rest of the rotation does not inspire confidence. Glover should have the closer’s role sooner rather than later and Jansen rivals Chapman for the bullpen crown, so this bullpen is probably top 5.
15. Reds: The Reds boast a top 10 lineup headlined by Freddie Freeman, who I think will make a run for real world MVP this season. Bogaerts fits this point scheme very well and I think will put up similar points to Correa and Seager this year. If Healy can continue his solid major hitting and Puig can stop being a dumb ass, this could be a very good lineup. The Matz injury hurts an already pretty weak pitching rotation. I think Bundy will pitch like a good number 2 and will rack up a lot of Ks, but Skaggs might be the only under start with an ERA under 5. With Capps healthy, this can be a solid bullpen with Robles and Rondon as solid set up men.
16. Phillies: This is my team, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. Top 10 lineup with Betts, Encarnacion, and Kinsler expected to put up all-star caliber numbers. If Brantley and Moustakas can return from injuries to play close to their prior levels, this lineup could end up being top 3. That is a big if. The rotation is weak beyond Teheran. Iwakuma and Santana are old and mediocre, while Ryu hasn’t pitched in 2 years. With Brantley, Moustakas, Tyson Ross, Ryu, and Greg Holland, I apparently love people that haven’t played in a year, which really bodes well for staying healthy this year. The bullpen should be solid though.
17. Diamondbacks: Daniel Murphy will not be an MVP candidate again this year, but he might still be the best 2B in this league. Cozart is sneaky good and I expect Upton to play a bit better in his second year in Detroit. If Odubel can focus for an entire season, he could end up being a top 5 CF. This is a below-average lineup however so the pitching is going to have to carry them. It doesn’t get much better than Syndergaard at the top of the rotation. Quintana is a very good number 2 and I think Brett Anderson will stick with the rotation all year and put up good numbers with a great Cubs defense and offense supporting him. Kimbrell and Betances lead a beastly bullpen that might be the best in the league.
18. Rockies: Moving on to Coors, where the Rockies, like real life, should put up good offensive numbers. Cespedes is a top 5 CF and Goldschmidt is an absolute beast at first. Dahl will benefit greatly from the thin air in Coors and the Panda’s ability to cut down on the bamboo should make him a comeback player of the year candidate. Like the real-life Rockies, however, it looks like it was very tough to get pitchers to join the squad. Verlander had a resurgent season last year and will make the Rockies tough to beat once every 5 days. I like Jon Gray a lot, but playing in Coors seriously hurts his fantasy value. Jered Weaver is going to have difficulty reaching the plate by the end of the year if he throws any slower. There are some really good minor league arms waiting in the wings, so if the Rockies can stay in contention, they could make a run in the second half.
19. Mariners: Josh Donaldson and Kris Bryant will rival the Machado/Harper pairing as the best in the league. V-Mart was a steal in the draft and LeMahieu has quietly become a top-tier second baseman. The lineup lacks depth at the moment, however, and platoons of Naquin or Smith would seriously hurt a lineup that already is getting very little out of the SS position. I also would not be surprised if Rupp loses his job to Alfaro mid-season. Lackey might be the ace of a 4-deep rotation. Davies could surprise and pitch like an ace this year and Shoemaker and Chen are solid mid-rotation guys. Britton will close games for the Mariners, and will be backed by the oft-used Phelps, making an above-average bullpen. If everyone stays healthy, the Mariners might be the best team in the league, but I am too afraid of injuries and a stacked division that will make it tough to get a lot of wins.
20. Nationals: If Greg Bird’s spring is indicative of how he plays this season, this projection might be way off, but I like this team much more in real life than I do in this point system. Dansby looks like the Rookie of the Year, but I don’t think the power is there yet to make him a top flight SS yet. Bird, Fowler, and Pence will make a good top of the order. If defense was given real-life value in this league, I would have the Nats in the top 10. Tanaka, Strasburg, and Urias can be scary good if health is not an issue. Bauer is solid as well and gives the Nats great depth. If the Nats can avoid injuries to the rotation and overlap on starting pitchers, this is a playoff team. The bullpen is below average, but if one his solid guys ends up in a closer’s role, it could definitely hold its weight.
21. Tigers: The Lindor-Bregman left side of the infield is going to be a nightmare for the next decade in the AL Central. Willson Contreras could be a top 5 Catcher as well for the foreseeable future, so the Tigers have a great young core. Mauer, Span, Granderson, and Gordon’s best days are behind them, however, so the offense, while solid, is not going to hold up well to any injuries. Severino and Fulmer look like a solid 1-2 for years to come, but I am not sure that they are there yet. The Tigers are going to need some luck to win this year, but a very solid farm system and the aforementioned building blocks make them a contender for years to come.
22. Marlins: George Springer has a real chance to be a top 15 offensive player and I love his tools. The Desmond injury will put them in a tough spot early on as I expected him to be their #2 hitter. I am not a huge fan of Matt Kemp but he does know how to hit, even if he is probably going to be a net 0 for the Braves in real life. Overall, this lineup has a lot of question marks, however, and I worry that several of the starters will not have full-time starting gigs throughout the season. The starting rotation, however, should be top-notch. I like Harvey as a sleeper top 5 Cy Young candidate in the NL this year and Pineda, Hendricks, and Samardzija are going to put up a lot of quality innings. Throw in a solid bullpen with Raisel Iglesias (who I see winning the closer job in Cincy sooner rather than later) and a couple of Felizes and this Marlins team has one of the better pitching staffs.
23. Padres: The Padres have a solid lineup from top to bottom, but no real stars. There are a lot of entrenched starters and I like Panik a lot at 2B. Gary Sanchez stormed into the majors last year with some of the best production from a Catcher in recent memory, but I anticipate some league adjustment that will hurt his value a bit. Chris Carter losing the platoon job in NYY will bring a hole to the vital 1B position that will seriously hurt the Padres. Overall, there is good depth however and depth is key, so I would not be surprised if this ends up being a top half lineup. Also, Kiermaier is so good at center. Carlos Martinez will lead the Padres staff which is definitely solid. If Snell can build on a promising rookie campaign and Leake/Hellickson can continue their solid pitching, this rotation could be sneaky solid. Addison Reed really came back strong last season and has a good shot at taking some saves while Familia is out a while, but overall, the bullpen in the Whale’s Vagina is average at best.
24. Brewers: I love Aledmys Diaz and was pissed when he picked right before me in the draft. D’Arnaud is not too far removed from a season in which he had an OPS over .800 and could end up being a top 5 C. If Franco can cut down on strikeouts and Hernandez can add a bit of power in Philly, this lineup becomes good, but there are too many potential holes for me to be a big fan. Depth is a strong suit and maybe Buxton still has that MVP talent primed to explode though. The rotation runs 6 deep to start the season and has really good potential to carry this team to playoff contention. Ross, Velasquez, Musgrove, and McCullers are all young and capable of throwing like an ace. Add in Diaz, Rondon, and Osuna (when he is back from the DL) and this might be a top 5 pitching staff.
25. Pirates: Trumbo and Pujols are gigantic human beings that will put a lot of balls over the fence. Throw in an amazing Seager and you have the makings of a very solid lineup in Pittsburgh. The rest of the lineup leaves a lot to be desired. I like Parra and Grossman, but don’t think they will get the at bats needed to really put up the points. Altherr is a break out candidate in Philly, but I am not a big fan of this lineup overall. Chris Sale can make up for the hitting deficiencies once every 5 days, but the rest of the rotation scares me. It looks like the only other starters at the beginning of the year will be Hughes and Cain. I just don’t see the Pirates winning many games when Sale isn’t starting. The bullpen is probably the best in the league. Giles will rebound from last year and Colome and Familia are going to close a lot of games. There is also good depth. I just don’t see a bullpen carrying a team to the playoffs in this league and I think this is the first team in the power rankings that would surprise me by playing in September.
27. Athletics: Salary cap issues have really hurt this team that is extremely top heavy. Votto, Machado, and Harper are going to probably be the best top 3 hitters of any team in this league. There are no other guaranteed regular starters in the lineup however. On the pitching side, I don’t know if Gray has anything left in the tank. Having 4 starters however, will keep the A’s from the bottom of the league, even if none are particularly likeable. The bullpen is clearly the strength of this team for now, but will not be able to make up for the holes.
28. Yankees: Kipnis will start the year on the DL, but when he returns soon should be a top 2B. Solarte will get the at bats and his skill set fits well with the scoring system and could surprise as a top 10 3B. Story will take advantage of Coors and might lead the league in homers from SS. Smoak is somehow an everyday 1B to start the season, but the rest of the lineup is going to contribute very little in 2017. The rotation in New York should be good. Lester is a legit ace and Odorizzi has the Rays’ defense behind him. Finnegan is young and pitched well in the second half last year. The bullpen is top 5 as well. I just don’t think it is enough to overcome the holes in the lineup. The late George Steinbrenner Sr. would not have been satisfied with the lineup, but in this league, you can’t start with an MLB star-filled team and a good farm at the same time.
26. White Sox: A very youthful team that has a lot of prospect depth. Kind of the opposite of most of the recent teams on the South Side. The offense will be bad this year. Renfroe could be really good and Trea Turner is going to be a key long term piece, but there is not a lot to like in this lineup for 2017. With the departure of Hamels, the rotation is going to be bare to start the season. Colon is currently the ace, but we don’t get points for secret families that I know of unfortunately. James Shields still has starting job as well, and McHugh/Pomeranz should give solid boosts soon, but this is not a playoff team. Robertson and Watson will make good trade bait throughout the season and it will be interesting to see what kinds of prospects they are able to get in return. The White Sox will be tough in 2019 and beyond, but this is not their year.
29. Blue Jays: Correa is so good, so it feels weird talking about him so late. I strongly considered taking him with the #1 overall pick. Russel Martin can still play and might be a top 5 catcher. I like Devon Travis if he can stay healthy. Gregory Polanco has a very bright future in Pittsburgh as well. This is not a bad lineup, but getting 0 from 1B at the moment will hurt it a lot. Brandon McCarthy earned a starting job, but will probably get replaced by Kazmir when he comes back. Anibal Sanchez deservedly lost his starting job. Taijuan Walker could be great, but a 2-3 of Richard/McCarthy is not going to cut it. Throw in no legitimate closing candidates and this pitching staff will be bad in 2017, but that appears intentional.
30. Dodgers: Benintendi will be a beast soon, but he will have some growing pains this year. Paulo Orlando is really fast but has no pop. Grandal is a good Catcher that might be top 5. If Zimmerman can stay healthy, he still probably won’t be a top 15 1B anymore. It sucks to see injuries take out such a good talent like that. The Dodgers barely even have a pitching staff right now, but Melancon is there with his groundballs and bloated contract. It will be interesting to see if he ends up being traded for some good specs at the deadline. The Dodgers have a bright future, but 2017 will be tough to watch.
Also, I am way too biased in favor of hitting and against particularly against relief pitching, so that will probably lead most of you to think I'm a dumbass, which would be mostly correct.
1. Rangers: With a 1-2-3 of Pollock-Cano-Carpenter, the Rangers lineup will definitely put up points. RF is an area in need of improvement, but otherwise, the Rangers have a top 10 offense for sure. With that lineup, the Rangers should be near unbeatable every time Kershaw takes the mound. If Cobb and Wheeler are able to pitch like they did a couple years ago, this Rangers team will be a World Series favorite. With 2-3 closers, the bullpen should pull its weight as well. Adding Cole Hamels might make this Rangers team the World Series favorite.
2. Astros: The Astros have put together one of the top lineups headlined by possible MVP Altuve, top-tier 3B in Seager, and no glaring holes. I like Shelby Miller to recover from an awful 2016 to help solidify a very solid rotation that should go 6 deep when Tillman gets healthy. The bullpen is definitely the weakest part of this team, but with good depth and volume arms, it will not be much of a hole
. UNfortunately, they share a division with the Rangers.
3. Cardinals: You are not going to find a much better trio of hitters than Trout, Beltre and Santana in this league. With solid options around the diamond, the Cardinals should be more than able to make up for a lack of consistent points from their middle infield. The Cardinals also boast a great 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation with deGrom and Carrasco. If Wainwright bounces back after a bad 2016, which doesn’t appear all that likely, the Cardinals rotation could be dominant. The rotation lacks depth however, and they could be scrambling for starts at some point during the season. The bullpen is good and has enough depth to overcome an injury or two.
4. Mets: Despite possible large holes at Catcher and CF, the Mets boast a veteran and proven lineup that definitely will not lack power. Cruz, Hanley, Walker, and Melky all may be on the older side, but they have proven to be consistent hitters with significant pop. Sano, meanwhile, is a possible breakout candidate that could push the Mets’ lineup towards the top. The pitching should compliment the hitting well, with a strong ace in Bumgarner and King Felix primed for a much better season than his last. If he doesn’t bounce back, there may be a buy-out soon. I expect Neris to be closing in Philly soon and with O’Day and Bedrosian, the Mets also boast an above-average bullpen.
5. Giants: Posey is by far the best Catcher and puts the Giants a significant step up when compared to every other team at this spot. Sneaky good vets like Pedroia and Turner fit very well with the point system and make this lineup very solid. If Wil Myers can repeat his breakout campaign, this could be a top 5 offense. I expect a step back for Cotton this year, but if Hill can stay healthy, the Giant’s rotation will compete for the league lead in strikeouts assuming Triggs, Karns, and Green can stick in the big league rotation. The Giants have put together a top-tier bullpen with Cody Allen figuring to pick up a lot of saves. If the Giants falter, their risky pitching choices may be the cause.
6. Cubs: Will Profar ever justify being the consensus #1 prospect? Probably not, but the Cubs won’t need him to be. Segura won’t put up the star numbers he did last year, but he is still a top 10 SS. Adam Eaton should thrive in a very good Nats offense. The Hebrew Hammer (also a Movie apparently) is still a top 5 LF even without the Roids, but the key to this offense may be the health of Rendon. If the Cubs stay on top of pitching matchups, I love Gutierrez against lefties. Look for Taillon to break out as a possible ace and I expect Maeda to mirror last year. After that, there is depth, but little to write home about in the rotation. Good bullpen arms that should see more point opportunities as the season goes on, and Treinen winning the closing duties should help. The late preseason add of Rizzo vaulted the Cubs up my rankings.
7. Twins: Solid lineup headlined by Bautista, who despite appearing to be a giant douche is perfect for this point system, and Brian Dozier. Vogt is a sneakily good Catcher that could be top 5 this year and if Napoli can squeeze out whatever juice he has left in the tank, there will be plenty of power. Ignoring his awful contract, the Ellsbury pickup should give the Twins a lot of points from late in the draft. SS is going to hurt them, but there are no other holes in the lineup. If Kluber can pitch to his peripherals and Matt Moore can pitch to his ability, this will be a solid, albeit top heavy rotation. The bullpen may be able to make up for the poor Koehler and Garza starts, as the combination of Oh, Dyson, and Brach might just be the best relief corps in the league for a contender.
8. Rays: The J.D. Martinez injury will certainly hurt this overall average lineup overall. Without him, the best hitter is probably Jose Ramirez, which is not great. There is good depth, however. Pitching is going to carry the Rays . Scherzer is an absolute beast and is only second to Kershaw. Darvish is still a strikeout machine and I expect Manaea to follow a long line of young stud Oakland pitchers. For the Rays sake, let’s hope that these three don’t overlap. This is probably the best rotation in the game. The bullpen is not nearly as good and is probably going to be below average on the season.
9. Indians: It will be interesting to see if Hedges can breakout and how Gordon plays post-suspension. The Indians probably boast the best outfield in the league in Schwarber, Cain, and Stanton. Health for all three has been an issue, so the Indians will assuredly have their fingers crossed all year. If Keuchel pitches more like 2015 than 2016, he should head a solid, but unspectacular rotation. Happ is not going to win 20 games again and I have serious concerns about Nola (what happened to him in the middle of last year?), but Cole is due for a bounceback and Corbin could be sneaky good. Davis is a top 5 closer and heads an above-average bullpen.
10. Angels: The Angels lineup is probably the most equipped to handle injuries, with good depth at multiple positions and good positional flexibility. Miggy and Zobrist headline an otherwise average lineup. If Josh Bell can break out and Carlos Gomez can remember how to hit, this lineup becomes good and could win the Angels a very tough division. The Price injury is killer and if Glasnow starts the year in the minors, the Angels could put themselves in a tough hole early on. Estrada and Salazar can stop the bleeding a bit, but the lineup is probably not strong enough to carry this team through prolonged absences. The bullpen is slightly below average at the moment.
11. Braves: Hosmer, Yelich, and Arenado are a deadly middle of the lineup. Despite a bad spring, I still have hope for Heyward to bounce back. Tim Anderson has earned the love of the White Sox staff and could end up being a top-tier SS if he can learn to take a walk. The return of Ramos could make this a top 5 offense in the second half and I am not looking forward to that. The rotation has a wide range of possibilities. If Greinke can rebound, there will be a solid ace. The rest of the rotation, while deep, is uninspiring. Stroman and Folty should be solid and Morton has potential, but the Braves will need Robbie Ray to cut down on the walks to be an above-average rotation. They will likely never be short on starters though, which is hard to find in this league. It will be interesting to see what they are able to flip their excess starting for. Chapman should lead the league in bullpen points and that alone makes this a very good bullpen.
12. Orioles: No spectacular hitters, but this might be the most balanced lineup in the league. Catcher is the only truly weak spot in my opinion as I expect Saunders and Broxton to put together solid seasons. Assuming Odor doesn’t break his hand punching someone in the face, this lineup shouldn’t cost the Orioles any wins. The Rodon injury scare seriously hurts the rotation stability. I like Gausman to break out and be a true ace this year. Can Ian Kennedy build on his dominant spring? Can Conley repeat his performance from last year? Will Nova pitch like he has as a Pirate or revert to his Yankees self? The rotation has good potential, but also a lot of questions. Barraclough is a sleeper top 5 reliever and Bush’s revival should make this one of the best bullpens in the league.
13. Royals: The Royals top 4 hitters can compete with any team in the league, especially given the Coors Field effect. With the Prado injury, however, the Rest of the lineup will be a liability. If Schoop can cut down on the strikeouts, he could end up being a powerhouse from the second base position, but I don’t expect much from Alcides, Carrera or Toles, so the Royals are going to need a lot out of their top guys, and I expect them to get it. Arrieta headlines a deep rotation. If he continues to pitch like a Cy Young candidate, the Royals’ pitching should be average. I expect Lynn to come back strong after a lost 2016 and probably stupidly expect Smyly to drop a run off of his ERA this year. And Tomlin, although unspectacular, keeps pitching well in the majors. 2 closers that probably shouldn’t be closers lead the bullpen which will probably fall off in the second half.
14. Red Sox: Will Yadi ever slow down? He may still be able to hit, but he is falling behind in the doucheolympics to Bautista, so beware…. I Love Starling Marte and see a youngish outfield in Boston that could really breakout with Ozuna and Calhoun in their prime years. Jose Abreu is the only other above-average bat in the lineup, so the Sox will definitely need some breakouts. There is a lot of depth at the weaker positions and depth is important, so this lineup may surprise me with overall points. A Cueto/Archer 1-2 punch will be brutal to face in a 3-game series and they will certainly need to avoid overlap there to make a push in this touch AL East as the rest of the rotation does not inspire confidence. Glover should have the closer’s role sooner rather than later and Jansen rivals Chapman for the bullpen crown, so this bullpen is probably top 5.
15. Reds: The Reds boast a top 10 lineup headlined by Freddie Freeman, who I think will make a run for real world MVP this season. Bogaerts fits this point scheme very well and I think will put up similar points to Correa and Seager this year. If Healy can continue his solid major hitting and Puig can stop being a dumb ass, this could be a very good lineup. The Matz injury hurts an already pretty weak pitching rotation. I think Bundy will pitch like a good number 2 and will rack up a lot of Ks, but Skaggs might be the only under start with an ERA under 5. With Capps healthy, this can be a solid bullpen with Robles and Rondon as solid set up men.
16. Phillies: This is my team, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. Top 10 lineup with Betts, Encarnacion, and Kinsler expected to put up all-star caliber numbers. If Brantley and Moustakas can return from injuries to play close to their prior levels, this lineup could end up being top 3. That is a big if. The rotation is weak beyond Teheran. Iwakuma and Santana are old and mediocre, while Ryu hasn’t pitched in 2 years. With Brantley, Moustakas, Tyson Ross, Ryu, and Greg Holland, I apparently love people that haven’t played in a year, which really bodes well for staying healthy this year. The bullpen should be solid though.
17. Diamondbacks: Daniel Murphy will not be an MVP candidate again this year, but he might still be the best 2B in this league. Cozart is sneaky good and I expect Upton to play a bit better in his second year in Detroit. If Odubel can focus for an entire season, he could end up being a top 5 CF. This is a below-average lineup however so the pitching is going to have to carry them. It doesn’t get much better than Syndergaard at the top of the rotation. Quintana is a very good number 2 and I think Brett Anderson will stick with the rotation all year and put up good numbers with a great Cubs defense and offense supporting him. Kimbrell and Betances lead a beastly bullpen that might be the best in the league.
18. Rockies: Moving on to Coors, where the Rockies, like real life, should put up good offensive numbers. Cespedes is a top 5 CF and Goldschmidt is an absolute beast at first. Dahl will benefit greatly from the thin air in Coors and the Panda’s ability to cut down on the bamboo should make him a comeback player of the year candidate. Like the real-life Rockies, however, it looks like it was very tough to get pitchers to join the squad. Verlander had a resurgent season last year and will make the Rockies tough to beat once every 5 days. I like Jon Gray a lot, but playing in Coors seriously hurts his fantasy value. Jered Weaver is going to have difficulty reaching the plate by the end of the year if he throws any slower. There are some really good minor league arms waiting in the wings, so if the Rockies can stay in contention, they could make a run in the second half.
19. Mariners: Josh Donaldson and Kris Bryant will rival the Machado/Harper pairing as the best in the league. V-Mart was a steal in the draft and LeMahieu has quietly become a top-tier second baseman. The lineup lacks depth at the moment, however, and platoons of Naquin or Smith would seriously hurt a lineup that already is getting very little out of the SS position. I also would not be surprised if Rupp loses his job to Alfaro mid-season. Lackey might be the ace of a 4-deep rotation. Davies could surprise and pitch like an ace this year and Shoemaker and Chen are solid mid-rotation guys. Britton will close games for the Mariners, and will be backed by the oft-used Phelps, making an above-average bullpen. If everyone stays healthy, the Mariners might be the best team in the league, but I am too afraid of injuries and a stacked division that will make it tough to get a lot of wins.
20. Nationals: If Greg Bird’s spring is indicative of how he plays this season, this projection might be way off, but I like this team much more in real life than I do in this point system. Dansby looks like the Rookie of the Year, but I don’t think the power is there yet to make him a top flight SS yet. Bird, Fowler, and Pence will make a good top of the order. If defense was given real-life value in this league, I would have the Nats in the top 10. Tanaka, Strasburg, and Urias can be scary good if health is not an issue. Bauer is solid as well and gives the Nats great depth. If the Nats can avoid injuries to the rotation and overlap on starting pitchers, this is a playoff team. The bullpen is below average, but if one his solid guys ends up in a closer’s role, it could definitely hold its weight.
21. Tigers: The Lindor-Bregman left side of the infield is going to be a nightmare for the next decade in the AL Central. Willson Contreras could be a top 5 Catcher as well for the foreseeable future, so the Tigers have a great young core. Mauer, Span, Granderson, and Gordon’s best days are behind them, however, so the offense, while solid, is not going to hold up well to any injuries. Severino and Fulmer look like a solid 1-2 for years to come, but I am not sure that they are there yet. The Tigers are going to need some luck to win this year, but a very solid farm system and the aforementioned building blocks make them a contender for years to come.
22. Marlins: George Springer has a real chance to be a top 15 offensive player and I love his tools. The Desmond injury will put them in a tough spot early on as I expected him to be their #2 hitter. I am not a huge fan of Matt Kemp but he does know how to hit, even if he is probably going to be a net 0 for the Braves in real life. Overall, this lineup has a lot of question marks, however, and I worry that several of the starters will not have full-time starting gigs throughout the season. The starting rotation, however, should be top-notch. I like Harvey as a sleeper top 5 Cy Young candidate in the NL this year and Pineda, Hendricks, and Samardzija are going to put up a lot of quality innings. Throw in a solid bullpen with Raisel Iglesias (who I see winning the closer job in Cincy sooner rather than later) and a couple of Felizes and this Marlins team has one of the better pitching staffs.
23. Padres: The Padres have a solid lineup from top to bottom, but no real stars. There are a lot of entrenched starters and I like Panik a lot at 2B. Gary Sanchez stormed into the majors last year with some of the best production from a Catcher in recent memory, but I anticipate some league adjustment that will hurt his value a bit. Chris Carter losing the platoon job in NYY will bring a hole to the vital 1B position that will seriously hurt the Padres. Overall, there is good depth however and depth is key, so I would not be surprised if this ends up being a top half lineup. Also, Kiermaier is so good at center. Carlos Martinez will lead the Padres staff which is definitely solid. If Snell can build on a promising rookie campaign and Leake/Hellickson can continue their solid pitching, this rotation could be sneaky solid. Addison Reed really came back strong last season and has a good shot at taking some saves while Familia is out a while, but overall, the bullpen in the Whale’s Vagina is average at best.
24. Brewers: I love Aledmys Diaz and was pissed when he picked right before me in the draft. D’Arnaud is not too far removed from a season in which he had an OPS over .800 and could end up being a top 5 C. If Franco can cut down on strikeouts and Hernandez can add a bit of power in Philly, this lineup becomes good, but there are too many potential holes for me to be a big fan. Depth is a strong suit and maybe Buxton still has that MVP talent primed to explode though. The rotation runs 6 deep to start the season and has really good potential to carry this team to playoff contention. Ross, Velasquez, Musgrove, and McCullers are all young and capable of throwing like an ace. Add in Diaz, Rondon, and Osuna (when he is back from the DL) and this might be a top 5 pitching staff.
25. Pirates: Trumbo and Pujols are gigantic human beings that will put a lot of balls over the fence. Throw in an amazing Seager and you have the makings of a very solid lineup in Pittsburgh. The rest of the lineup leaves a lot to be desired. I like Parra and Grossman, but don’t think they will get the at bats needed to really put up the points. Altherr is a break out candidate in Philly, but I am not a big fan of this lineup overall. Chris Sale can make up for the hitting deficiencies once every 5 days, but the rest of the rotation scares me. It looks like the only other starters at the beginning of the year will be Hughes and Cain. I just don’t see the Pirates winning many games when Sale isn’t starting. The bullpen is probably the best in the league. Giles will rebound from last year and Colome and Familia are going to close a lot of games. There is also good depth. I just don’t see a bullpen carrying a team to the playoffs in this league and I think this is the first team in the power rankings that would surprise me by playing in September.
27. Athletics: Salary cap issues have really hurt this team that is extremely top heavy. Votto, Machado, and Harper are going to probably be the best top 3 hitters of any team in this league. There are no other guaranteed regular starters in the lineup however. On the pitching side, I don’t know if Gray has anything left in the tank. Having 4 starters however, will keep the A’s from the bottom of the league, even if none are particularly likeable. The bullpen is clearly the strength of this team for now, but will not be able to make up for the holes.
28. Yankees: Kipnis will start the year on the DL, but when he returns soon should be a top 2B. Solarte will get the at bats and his skill set fits well with the scoring system and could surprise as a top 10 3B. Story will take advantage of Coors and might lead the league in homers from SS. Smoak is somehow an everyday 1B to start the season, but the rest of the lineup is going to contribute very little in 2017. The rotation in New York should be good. Lester is a legit ace and Odorizzi has the Rays’ defense behind him. Finnegan is young and pitched well in the second half last year. The bullpen is top 5 as well. I just don’t think it is enough to overcome the holes in the lineup. The late George Steinbrenner Sr. would not have been satisfied with the lineup, but in this league, you can’t start with an MLB star-filled team and a good farm at the same time.
26. White Sox: A very youthful team that has a lot of prospect depth. Kind of the opposite of most of the recent teams on the South Side. The offense will be bad this year. Renfroe could be really good and Trea Turner is going to be a key long term piece, but there is not a lot to like in this lineup for 2017. With the departure of Hamels, the rotation is going to be bare to start the season. Colon is currently the ace, but we don’t get points for secret families that I know of unfortunately. James Shields still has starting job as well, and McHugh/Pomeranz should give solid boosts soon, but this is not a playoff team. Robertson and Watson will make good trade bait throughout the season and it will be interesting to see what kinds of prospects they are able to get in return. The White Sox will be tough in 2019 and beyond, but this is not their year.
29. Blue Jays: Correa is so good, so it feels weird talking about him so late. I strongly considered taking him with the #1 overall pick. Russel Martin can still play and might be a top 5 catcher. I like Devon Travis if he can stay healthy. Gregory Polanco has a very bright future in Pittsburgh as well. This is not a bad lineup, but getting 0 from 1B at the moment will hurt it a lot. Brandon McCarthy earned a starting job, but will probably get replaced by Kazmir when he comes back. Anibal Sanchez deservedly lost his starting job. Taijuan Walker could be great, but a 2-3 of Richard/McCarthy is not going to cut it. Throw in no legitimate closing candidates and this pitching staff will be bad in 2017, but that appears intentional.
30. Dodgers: Benintendi will be a beast soon, but he will have some growing pains this year. Paulo Orlando is really fast but has no pop. Grandal is a good Catcher that might be top 5. If Zimmerman can stay healthy, he still probably won’t be a top 15 1B anymore. It sucks to see injuries take out such a good talent like that. The Dodgers barely even have a pitching staff right now, but Melancon is there with his groundballs and bloated contract. It will be interesting to see if he ends up being traded for some good specs at the deadline. The Dodgers have a bright future, but 2017 will be tough to watch.