Post by Philadelphia Phillies on Jun 23, 2017 20:05:38 GMT -5
So, I tried to make analogies, most of which are terrible and some of which aren’t even analogies, but whatever, I do what I want. This is from before the games started.
Ranking (Previous Ranking). (Record) (Total Points)
Biggest Rise: Indians (+15)
Largest Fall: Twins (-12)
CONTENDING
Space Mountain
1(16). Indians (70-36) (2392.83): 2 Rankings ago, I had the Indians as the number 1 team in the league. They went on a 3 plus week stretch where they were one of the worst teams in the league, making me look like an idiot. So I drop them too much and they come back and are the best team in the league for a 3 plus week stretch. It’s been a roller coaster of a couple months, but the Indians find themselves comfortably 10 games up in the division again and seem like a lock for the playoffs behind a deep rotation that should be scary in the playoffs if Keuchel returns. X-factor: Walks – only the Cubs have walked more than the Indians, despite having much fewer plate appearances.
Superman
2(7). Cardinals (64-42) (5424.61): If the NL Central were the Justice League, the Cards would be Superman. Like Superman, the Cardinals have been the strongest team amongst a very strong group. With Beltre back and mashing, the Cards offense might be tops in the league by the end of the year. Their offensive depth is almost unfair. The only way to beat this team in the playoffs might be by lucking into Carrasco, deGrom, and Berrios pitching on the same day. That being said, the Cardinals do have a Kryptonite in that their bullpen is weak and their outfield will not light the world on fire. In the NL Central, anything can happen, and a little slip could find the Cards outside of the playoff picture. X-factor: Extra base hits – The Cards are in the bottom half of the league in HRs, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have pop. They lead the league in 2 baggers and are only one back from the top in Triples.
Tom Brady
3(3). Phillies (70-36) (2698.367): I would like to start this by saying that I hate the Patriots and Tom Brady – off the field and on. That being said, I like the analogy. Like Brady, the Phillies started the season (career) being solid but not all that great, but they kept winning. They battled with a clearly superior rival (Peyton/Braves) and came out on top due to some luck (actually having a defense) and as the season/career is coming down the final stretch, the overall careers are looking pretty similar and maybe even the Phillies/Brady actually look better now. The Phillies recently took the league lead in points away from the Braves, which probably won’t last long and have an undeserved 10 game lead in the division with 56 games left to play and look like they will steal the glory from the Braves (Peyton). X-factor: Offense. With the recent Edwin Encarnacion surge, the Phillies lead the league in offensive points on the season by almost 50 points. If the mediocre starting pitching doesn’t get in the way, this is a team that should challenge for the championship.
Charlie Sheen
4(6). Red Sox (73-33) (2384.88): Despite doing drugs (Starling Marte), looking like they are on drugs (Yadier), and being past their prime (Phillips, Cueto, Rodney, Arroyo, Calhoun, etc.) they just keep WINNING. With the best record in the league, despite a tough division, the Red Sox have gone on a tear recently and have created a gap with their competitors. Marte’s suspension will be over by the time the playoffs roll around and with Archer pitching like an Ace, this is not a team that you will want to face in the playoffs. X-factor: Power. The AL East has a ton of power, and the Red Sox lead the way with the most homeruns and RBIs in the league so far. Ozuna and Bour have provided the most pop, but it has really been a team effort.
Adam LaRoche
5(9). Yankees (64-42) (2365.23): Forgot Adam LaRoche existed? I don’t blame you. Like LaRoche (.222 career BA in March/April), the Yankees got off to a slow start (16th in the league on May 9th), but are coming on strong. LaRoche was notorious for his slow starts and hot ends to the season (.282 average in August/September/October) and it looks like the Yankees are mirroring it for Moneyball as they rank in the top 3 for points over the past 6 weeks. The hot stretch will need to continue, however, as the Yanks are still 9 games back and in 3rd place in a tough AL East. Lester and the refound control of Gio will make this team hard to beat when the playoffs come around. X-factor: The bash brothers – Judge, Smoak, and Schebler – The Yankees have 3 guys with 20+ homeruns, the only team in the league that has more than 1.
The Flash
6(10). Cubs (58-48) (2490.467): I’m sticking with the Justice League analogy for the NL Central, and the Cubs, the Number 2 offense and Number 4 overall team are playing like a playoff team. Like the Flash, the Cubs have a ton of speed, with a comfortable lead in the league with steals and runs. Also like the Flash, the Cubs are a bit overlooked in a Division of superpowers. They have played solid baseball all year and find themselves 10 games over .500. Normally that would be a playoff spot, but in the NL Central they are 4th place and 3 games out of a playoff spot. Still, if any team has the ability to catch up, it’s the Cubs. X-factor: health. The Cubs have been hit hard with injuries, but have been able to hang on. With Braun coming back from injury, the offense will boast 6 players averaging 2.9 or more points per game, which is going to be hard to match up with down the stretch.
Peyton Manning
7(1). Braves (60-46) (2677.31): (See Tom Brady above) This is the first time in a long time that the Braves do not have the overall lead in points on the season. Injuries haven’t helped with Tomas, Morton, and Heyward hitting the shelf, but it has been the decline in offense that is the biggest culprit. Wilson Ramos (missed him last rankings) is set to return soon and will help, but someone other than Arenado and Starlin need to step up. X-factor: Pitching. The Braves are dominating the pitching side, with almost 130 more points from their staff than any other team and lead the league in Starts, Quality Starts, Innings Pitched and Wins. Pitching supposedly wins championships, but the Braves are 10 back in the division and just outside the playoffs at the moment.
Cleveland Cavaliers
8(4). Padres (64-42) (2373.35): Watching the Padres dominate the NL West reminds me of the Cavs in the East since LeBron’s return. The rest of the division (conference) just isn’t good enough to compete and the Padres should cruise into the playoffs. Maybe getting a little lax, the Padres have not been playing their best ball of late though and will need to wake up a bit when the playoffs start to go deep. Like the Cavs, I think the Pads will do it. Like the Cavs too, they might want to get some defensive/pitching help or thinks might not go so well. X-factor: Power. The Padres, thanks in large part to Logan Morrison (where the hell did that come from?) and Jay Bruce, are in the top three in homeruns and RBIs. If they win the World Series, I’m sure a power surge will have something to do with it.
Russian Roulette
9(8). Rays (67-39) (2403.41): The Rays boast a solid but unspectacular lineup that is definitely beatable on most days, but you don’t want to play them when Scherzer, the proverbial bullet, hits the mound, which makes them damn near impossible to beat. Throw in Darvish as another scary starter and you can see how the difficulty of beating the Rays varies wildly depending on the day. The Rays find themselves solidly in a playoff spot, albeit still 6 back of the division leading Red Sox and have the Yankees nipping at their heels. It should be a fun division to watch down the stretch. X-factor: Starting pitching – the Rays are second only to the Braves in pitching through the first 100 games and I do not expect them to slow down anytime soon.
Wonder Woman
10(5). Reds (62-44) (2417.153): I haven’t seen the new movie yet, but Wonder Woman seems like a bad ass and the Reds have fought hard (like her?) to stay near the top of the deepest division in the league. Plus, with 7 guys looking for “playing time” on his bench (and three more on the DL), the Reds don’t lack for a bunch of men ogling around inappropriately. Plus, CC has nice titties. Those men have done the Reds good as despite having few players acting like stars, the ability to play matchups has made the Reds the 4th ranked offense and 5th ranked team in the league so far. They are still somehow third ranked in their division though. Still, the Reds are second in the Division and hold the first wild card spot. X-factor: Hits. The Reds rank in the top 4 in runs, singles, doubles, triples, home runs, hit by pitches and RBIs. A ton of Ks have kept them from the top of the league in offense, but this team has the hitting ability to go deep into the playoffs.
Cooper Manning
11(14). Marlins (55-51) (2187.143): When the top 2 scoring teams in the league by a 150 point margin are in your division, it is easy to be overlooked, just like poor Cooper. Like Cooper, the Marlins are very good compared to the rest of the world. The Marlins got off to a slow start due to injuries, but have been playing like a top 10 team since, so don’t let the 15th ranking in points fool you. They are only 6 games back of a playoff spot right now and could complete a very strong comeback with a good final third of the season. They are definitely going to need some pitching help though as Straily is their only healthy starter averaging more than 10 pps. X-factor: Effective innings pitched. The Marlins have seemed to roll out 6 starters for most of the season and rank near the top in games started. They rank closer to the top in Earned runs however and not as close in innings pitched or Ks.
Daredevil
12(11). Rangers (60-46) (2196.303): The AL West has been the poor man’s NL Central as the Defenders are the poor man’s Avengers. The Rangers are the division leaders and have maintained a small lead over the Astros for a long time now, but they are only ranked 14th overall in points (behind every team in the NL Central) and aren’t exciting enough to earn a movie deal that doesn’t suck (like Daredevil). Still, the Rangers definitely seem like the best team in the West and Daredevil seems like the probable leader of the Defenders. The Rangers are the most average team I think in the league. They don’t do anything poor and they don’t do anything great, but they are a solid performer and are the favorites to win the division. X-factor: Nothing. The Rangers lead the league in Double Plays, but consistently pointing points up in all categories has been what has kept them at the top of the division. Watch for Hamels coming back and a 1-2 of him and Kershaw could be a deadly playoff combination.
Batman
13(13). Pirates (61-45) (2217.26): Batman is crafty and might be the most important member of the Justice League even though he doesn’t have any superpowers. Well, the Pirates rank last in the division is overall points (13th overall), but find themselves in third place and in a playoff spot. It might not be pretty, but the Pirates continue to win without a ton of help from quantity. In fact, no team that is contending for a playoff spot has started less pitchers than the Pirates, but they are 9th in pitching points. It certainly helps when you have Chris “Robin” Sale pitching every fifth day, but the Pirates do seem to be walking a tight rope. X-factor: Saves. Ken Giles and Alex Colome have combined to give the Pirates the league lead in saves and have definitely helped keep a battered pitching staff from going under.
Fast & the Furious
14(2). Twins (60-46) (2296.703): The Twins have been solid all year, but went on an absurdly good tear about a month back where they almost caught the Indians and dominated the league in points. This reminded me of the nitrous tanks in the cars in the early Vin Diesel movies (they might still do it, I haven’t seen any in a while). The question is, is there anything left in that tank? The Twins are now 4 games back in the wild card hunt and 10 back in the division. They are going to need another similar outburst to crash the postseason. Corey Kluber’s recent dominance might be enough to fuel it. X-factor: Better Pitching: The Twins rank right in the middle in innings pitched but are in the bottom 4 for earned run. With Sam Dyson on the bench that should change, but Moore and Company will have to be better.
Aquaman
15(15). Brewers (55-51) (2248.17): Like Aquaman, the Brewers find themselves as the 5th most powerful team, at least in terms of standings, and easily forgotten (I’m really stretching this one). They also have someone nicknamed Shark, so that helps. Despite being 9 games back in the division and 6 back of the wild card, the Brew Crew has a strong core that will compete down the stretch. In another division, they would probably already be in a playoff spot. The offense should be solid, but the starting pitching could use some help getting some quality innings. Despite having one of the highest amount of starts, the Brewers are in the bottom half of teams in terms of pitching points. X-factor: Negative points. The Brewers might be competing for the top offensive team if they have better control over the negative points. They are 1 K away from leading the league in strikeouts, have been caught stealing the most, and have given up the most earned runs.
Jessica Jones
16(12). Astros (58-48) (2088.033): The Stros have slowed down a bit, but are still only 2 back in the division with almost a third of the season left to play. Like Jessica Jones, they have the second best argument to be the leader of their group, but a poor defense (emotional for JJ) could hold them back. Despite a solidly performing offense, the Astros’s pitching has scored less than every contender and even the Tigers with 16 less starts. X-factor: Wins/Losses – The Astros pitching woes are mostly self-induced, but they have pitched better than their 8-19 record would indicate. Rick Porcello in particular should be better than 3-9.
Luke Cage
17(19). Mariners (56-50) (1949.147): Being impervious to pain and bullets, Luke Cage can make a decent case for top dog. The Mariners similarly lead the division in hit by pitches, so they have shown a lack of fear. Seattle is well within shouting distance of the division title, only 4 games back and sitting six games over .500 despite being only 19th in overall points on the season. They are playing a bit better now so Texas and Houston need to watch out or they could steal the division. Holes at Catcher and UT (with Victor out) will make it difficult. The rotation should pitch better, but if Faria keeps dominating, it might not need to. X-factor: Middle relief. Possibly the most overlooked position in the league, the Mariners may have most effective middle relief, leading the league in Holds.
Iron Fist
18(20). Angels (52-54) (1853.873): Like Iron First, the Angels are clearly the worst of the 4 contending teams in the AL West so far. Injuries hampered the Angels start to the year and they have never truly recovered. Also, the Angels inexplicably don’t have any Asians, which is weird. The Angels should have starred Jung Ho Kang this year, but he got replaced by some white guy. Anyway, I still like the Angels offense and with Price back and Salazar about to start rehab, an 8 game deficit in an underperforming division is not insurmountable. X-factor: Additions. The Angels have made a ton of moves to get to where their team is now. Will it be enough to make a run at the division?
SELLING
Casey Affleck
19(22). Nationals (50-56) (1940.487): I never really gave much thought to Casey Affleck as an actor with any chops but over time he has sneakily put together a very solid career. This analogy would have worked better if Jose Reyes or Aroldis were on the team, but whatever. I wrote the Nats largely off after the dumpster fires that were early season Swanson and all season Greg Bird. The Nationals, however, have continued to play good ball and their youth will make them a force for years to come. Only 6 games under .500, this team is sneaky good and will probably help decide the final playoff teams by stealing some wins at the end of the year. X-factor: Middle Infield play. The Nats lead the league in Assists, which shows that their infield is getting to a ton of balls, which should help them keep their jobs when they aren’t hitting well.
Forrest Gump
20(18). Royals (53-53) (1852.643): Like Forrest Gump, the Royals have bumbled into some surprising success. Despite having only the 21st most points in the league, the Royals are .500. The Mariners and Angels also have some arguments, but I think that the Royals have been the luckiest team during the year compared to their record. Despite their luck, the Royals are 11 games out of the playoffs and it appears that the Royals should look towards next year. X-Factor: Ben Gamel is batting .352 and it should be interesting to see if he can keep up the apparent breakout. I’m also interested to see if the Royals start to sell their veterans to try to get younger.
Greg Oden
21(17). Giants (52-54) (1988.94): Not too long ago, the Giants were flying high with Thames and Myers destroying the league one homerun at a time. They looked like surefire division contenders and had reinforcements coming back from injuries. It hasn’t turned out as planned in the city of the homeless, however, as Myers and Thames have not done much since. Sure, Turner, Pedroia, and Posey have all played well, but the offense just hasn’t been together enough and the offense has been stagnant, ranking outside of the top half. The pitching has not had a single starter last the entire year in the rotation so there has not been much help there either. 12 games back in the division and 9 games back in the wild card with too many teams to pass are suggesting to me that the team with possibly the best 1-5 is done for 2017. X-factor: Can Thames recover since the league adjusted to him?
OKC Thunder
22(24). Rockies (46-60) (1776.99): The Rockies might have the offensive MVP (Goldschmidt) at the end of the year, just like the Thunder, though, they are not a true 2017 championship contender. Adding a player or two for next year, though, could propel the Rockies to the top of the NL West. X-Factor: Jeff Hoffman – his seeming breakout should be interesting to watch as the season goes on and the Rockies may have an ace on their hands.
Rickety Cricket
23(23). Mets (36-70) (1806.813): Like the infamous It’s Always Sunny Character, things started out well for the Mets and very quickly went to shit. And then the Shit went to shittier. For the most part, the hard downfall recently could be due to not shuffling starting pitchers. Even without Bumgarner and King Felix, the rotation has pitched decently, but the Mets are now ranked 25th. This team is certainly not as bad as their record and points would indicate. X-factor: Will King Felix pitch like an ace again upon return from injury or is he going the way of Matt Cain and company?
Blockbuster
24(21). Orioles (47-59) (1735.197): The Orioles have been slowly falling apart for this season and there hasn’t been a lot that has or could be done without mortgaging the future (buying Netflix). It appears that the Orioles have accepted their fate, but they should be back strong next year. Of note: How will Addison Russell’s career trajectory be affected by the domestic abuse accusations?
Allen Iverson at Practice
25(25). Diamondbacks (40-66) (1733.323): The DBacks clearly have given up on the season as evidenced by Mitch Haniger staying on the DL for after being activated long ago. They also lack a third RP and the will to survive. X-factor: Will the owner of the DBacks be replaced?
Diamonds in the Rough
26(26). Tigers (32-74) (1527.173): The Tigers gave up on 2017 before the season even started, but there are some very nice signs of a bright future. Severino and Fulmer look like aces so far and Ian Happ has been crushing if for Chicago. Of Note: Can Mike Trout make a run at MVP after missing 2 months?
Arnold Palmer
27(30). Dodgers (27-79) (1095.077): The Dodgers are one of the few bottom feeder teams that still has a mix of veterans thrown in there. This is probably because they haven’t been able to get rid of them. Grandal, Hardy, Barney, Jay, Hundley and Melancon have little trade value at the moment and will be tough to move, but I am sure that the Dodgers will try. Of Note: Will Bellinger catch Judge for the rookie homerun crown?
Dr. James Andrews’ Office
28(28). White Sox (32-74) (1166.607): With 4 out of the White Sox 9 pitchers on the DL, Chicago is keeping their training staff busy. The Sox will probably try to make moves and get rid of some veterans at the deadline, including Gutierrez, Parra, Galvis, Shields, and Colon. Galvis might be able to bring a nice haul. Of note: Will Joey Gallo’s power get to the point where it can overcome the Ks to be an elite Moneyball player.
Joel Embiid
29(29). Athletics (28-78) (1213.39): Oakland realized early on that it needed to rebuild and they have really embraced the process of rebuilding. They have gotten rid of almost all of their veterans and have made Bryce Harper vewwy wonewly. The A’s have a pretty decent young core now and I’m surprised at the returns they were able to get. Of Note: How long before Oakland buys out David Wright’s wonderful contract?
Land of Disappointments
30(27). Blue Jays (38-68) (1236.897): Homer Bailey still exists and the list of players that signed big deals just to disappoint their teams is large in the only place that doesn’t have Trump as its benevolent leader. The Upton formerly known as Bossman, Michael Bourn, Anibal Sanchez, Scott Kazmir and more populate a wasteland of wasted talent. Of note: can Taijuan finally realize his potential?¬¬¬
Ranking (Previous Ranking). (Record) (Total Points)
Biggest Rise: Indians (+15)
Largest Fall: Twins (-12)
CONTENDING
Space Mountain
1(16). Indians (70-36) (2392.83): 2 Rankings ago, I had the Indians as the number 1 team in the league. They went on a 3 plus week stretch where they were one of the worst teams in the league, making me look like an idiot. So I drop them too much and they come back and are the best team in the league for a 3 plus week stretch. It’s been a roller coaster of a couple months, but the Indians find themselves comfortably 10 games up in the division again and seem like a lock for the playoffs behind a deep rotation that should be scary in the playoffs if Keuchel returns. X-factor: Walks – only the Cubs have walked more than the Indians, despite having much fewer plate appearances.
Superman
2(7). Cardinals (64-42) (5424.61): If the NL Central were the Justice League, the Cards would be Superman. Like Superman, the Cardinals have been the strongest team amongst a very strong group. With Beltre back and mashing, the Cards offense might be tops in the league by the end of the year. Their offensive depth is almost unfair. The only way to beat this team in the playoffs might be by lucking into Carrasco, deGrom, and Berrios pitching on the same day. That being said, the Cardinals do have a Kryptonite in that their bullpen is weak and their outfield will not light the world on fire. In the NL Central, anything can happen, and a little slip could find the Cards outside of the playoff picture. X-factor: Extra base hits – The Cards are in the bottom half of the league in HRs, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have pop. They lead the league in 2 baggers and are only one back from the top in Triples.
Tom Brady
3(3). Phillies (70-36) (2698.367): I would like to start this by saying that I hate the Patriots and Tom Brady – off the field and on. That being said, I like the analogy. Like Brady, the Phillies started the season (career) being solid but not all that great, but they kept winning. They battled with a clearly superior rival (Peyton/Braves) and came out on top due to some luck (actually having a defense) and as the season/career is coming down the final stretch, the overall careers are looking pretty similar and maybe even the Phillies/Brady actually look better now. The Phillies recently took the league lead in points away from the Braves, which probably won’t last long and have an undeserved 10 game lead in the division with 56 games left to play and look like they will steal the glory from the Braves (Peyton). X-factor: Offense. With the recent Edwin Encarnacion surge, the Phillies lead the league in offensive points on the season by almost 50 points. If the mediocre starting pitching doesn’t get in the way, this is a team that should challenge for the championship.
Charlie Sheen
4(6). Red Sox (73-33) (2384.88): Despite doing drugs (Starling Marte), looking like they are on drugs (Yadier), and being past their prime (Phillips, Cueto, Rodney, Arroyo, Calhoun, etc.) they just keep WINNING. With the best record in the league, despite a tough division, the Red Sox have gone on a tear recently and have created a gap with their competitors. Marte’s suspension will be over by the time the playoffs roll around and with Archer pitching like an Ace, this is not a team that you will want to face in the playoffs. X-factor: Power. The AL East has a ton of power, and the Red Sox lead the way with the most homeruns and RBIs in the league so far. Ozuna and Bour have provided the most pop, but it has really been a team effort.
Adam LaRoche
5(9). Yankees (64-42) (2365.23): Forgot Adam LaRoche existed? I don’t blame you. Like LaRoche (.222 career BA in March/April), the Yankees got off to a slow start (16th in the league on May 9th), but are coming on strong. LaRoche was notorious for his slow starts and hot ends to the season (.282 average in August/September/October) and it looks like the Yankees are mirroring it for Moneyball as they rank in the top 3 for points over the past 6 weeks. The hot stretch will need to continue, however, as the Yanks are still 9 games back and in 3rd place in a tough AL East. Lester and the refound control of Gio will make this team hard to beat when the playoffs come around. X-factor: The bash brothers – Judge, Smoak, and Schebler – The Yankees have 3 guys with 20+ homeruns, the only team in the league that has more than 1.
The Flash
6(10). Cubs (58-48) (2490.467): I’m sticking with the Justice League analogy for the NL Central, and the Cubs, the Number 2 offense and Number 4 overall team are playing like a playoff team. Like the Flash, the Cubs have a ton of speed, with a comfortable lead in the league with steals and runs. Also like the Flash, the Cubs are a bit overlooked in a Division of superpowers. They have played solid baseball all year and find themselves 10 games over .500. Normally that would be a playoff spot, but in the NL Central they are 4th place and 3 games out of a playoff spot. Still, if any team has the ability to catch up, it’s the Cubs. X-factor: health. The Cubs have been hit hard with injuries, but have been able to hang on. With Braun coming back from injury, the offense will boast 6 players averaging 2.9 or more points per game, which is going to be hard to match up with down the stretch.
Peyton Manning
7(1). Braves (60-46) (2677.31): (See Tom Brady above) This is the first time in a long time that the Braves do not have the overall lead in points on the season. Injuries haven’t helped with Tomas, Morton, and Heyward hitting the shelf, but it has been the decline in offense that is the biggest culprit. Wilson Ramos (missed him last rankings) is set to return soon and will help, but someone other than Arenado and Starlin need to step up. X-factor: Pitching. The Braves are dominating the pitching side, with almost 130 more points from their staff than any other team and lead the league in Starts, Quality Starts, Innings Pitched and Wins. Pitching supposedly wins championships, but the Braves are 10 back in the division and just outside the playoffs at the moment.
Cleveland Cavaliers
8(4). Padres (64-42) (2373.35): Watching the Padres dominate the NL West reminds me of the Cavs in the East since LeBron’s return. The rest of the division (conference) just isn’t good enough to compete and the Padres should cruise into the playoffs. Maybe getting a little lax, the Padres have not been playing their best ball of late though and will need to wake up a bit when the playoffs start to go deep. Like the Cavs, I think the Pads will do it. Like the Cavs too, they might want to get some defensive/pitching help or thinks might not go so well. X-factor: Power. The Padres, thanks in large part to Logan Morrison (where the hell did that come from?) and Jay Bruce, are in the top three in homeruns and RBIs. If they win the World Series, I’m sure a power surge will have something to do with it.
Russian Roulette
9(8). Rays (67-39) (2403.41): The Rays boast a solid but unspectacular lineup that is definitely beatable on most days, but you don’t want to play them when Scherzer, the proverbial bullet, hits the mound, which makes them damn near impossible to beat. Throw in Darvish as another scary starter and you can see how the difficulty of beating the Rays varies wildly depending on the day. The Rays find themselves solidly in a playoff spot, albeit still 6 back of the division leading Red Sox and have the Yankees nipping at their heels. It should be a fun division to watch down the stretch. X-factor: Starting pitching – the Rays are second only to the Braves in pitching through the first 100 games and I do not expect them to slow down anytime soon.
Wonder Woman
10(5). Reds (62-44) (2417.153): I haven’t seen the new movie yet, but Wonder Woman seems like a bad ass and the Reds have fought hard (like her?) to stay near the top of the deepest division in the league. Plus, with 7 guys looking for “playing time” on his bench (and three more on the DL), the Reds don’t lack for a bunch of men ogling around inappropriately. Plus, CC has nice titties. Those men have done the Reds good as despite having few players acting like stars, the ability to play matchups has made the Reds the 4th ranked offense and 5th ranked team in the league so far. They are still somehow third ranked in their division though. Still, the Reds are second in the Division and hold the first wild card spot. X-factor: Hits. The Reds rank in the top 4 in runs, singles, doubles, triples, home runs, hit by pitches and RBIs. A ton of Ks have kept them from the top of the league in offense, but this team has the hitting ability to go deep into the playoffs.
Cooper Manning
11(14). Marlins (55-51) (2187.143): When the top 2 scoring teams in the league by a 150 point margin are in your division, it is easy to be overlooked, just like poor Cooper. Like Cooper, the Marlins are very good compared to the rest of the world. The Marlins got off to a slow start due to injuries, but have been playing like a top 10 team since, so don’t let the 15th ranking in points fool you. They are only 6 games back of a playoff spot right now and could complete a very strong comeback with a good final third of the season. They are definitely going to need some pitching help though as Straily is their only healthy starter averaging more than 10 pps. X-factor: Effective innings pitched. The Marlins have seemed to roll out 6 starters for most of the season and rank near the top in games started. They rank closer to the top in Earned runs however and not as close in innings pitched or Ks.
Daredevil
12(11). Rangers (60-46) (2196.303): The AL West has been the poor man’s NL Central as the Defenders are the poor man’s Avengers. The Rangers are the division leaders and have maintained a small lead over the Astros for a long time now, but they are only ranked 14th overall in points (behind every team in the NL Central) and aren’t exciting enough to earn a movie deal that doesn’t suck (like Daredevil). Still, the Rangers definitely seem like the best team in the West and Daredevil seems like the probable leader of the Defenders. The Rangers are the most average team I think in the league. They don’t do anything poor and they don’t do anything great, but they are a solid performer and are the favorites to win the division. X-factor: Nothing. The Rangers lead the league in Double Plays, but consistently pointing points up in all categories has been what has kept them at the top of the division. Watch for Hamels coming back and a 1-2 of him and Kershaw could be a deadly playoff combination.
Batman
13(13). Pirates (61-45) (2217.26): Batman is crafty and might be the most important member of the Justice League even though he doesn’t have any superpowers. Well, the Pirates rank last in the division is overall points (13th overall), but find themselves in third place and in a playoff spot. It might not be pretty, but the Pirates continue to win without a ton of help from quantity. In fact, no team that is contending for a playoff spot has started less pitchers than the Pirates, but they are 9th in pitching points. It certainly helps when you have Chris “Robin” Sale pitching every fifth day, but the Pirates do seem to be walking a tight rope. X-factor: Saves. Ken Giles and Alex Colome have combined to give the Pirates the league lead in saves and have definitely helped keep a battered pitching staff from going under.
Fast & the Furious
14(2). Twins (60-46) (2296.703): The Twins have been solid all year, but went on an absurdly good tear about a month back where they almost caught the Indians and dominated the league in points. This reminded me of the nitrous tanks in the cars in the early Vin Diesel movies (they might still do it, I haven’t seen any in a while). The question is, is there anything left in that tank? The Twins are now 4 games back in the wild card hunt and 10 back in the division. They are going to need another similar outburst to crash the postseason. Corey Kluber’s recent dominance might be enough to fuel it. X-factor: Better Pitching: The Twins rank right in the middle in innings pitched but are in the bottom 4 for earned run. With Sam Dyson on the bench that should change, but Moore and Company will have to be better.
Aquaman
15(15). Brewers (55-51) (2248.17): Like Aquaman, the Brewers find themselves as the 5th most powerful team, at least in terms of standings, and easily forgotten (I’m really stretching this one). They also have someone nicknamed Shark, so that helps. Despite being 9 games back in the division and 6 back of the wild card, the Brew Crew has a strong core that will compete down the stretch. In another division, they would probably already be in a playoff spot. The offense should be solid, but the starting pitching could use some help getting some quality innings. Despite having one of the highest amount of starts, the Brewers are in the bottom half of teams in terms of pitching points. X-factor: Negative points. The Brewers might be competing for the top offensive team if they have better control over the negative points. They are 1 K away from leading the league in strikeouts, have been caught stealing the most, and have given up the most earned runs.
Jessica Jones
16(12). Astros (58-48) (2088.033): The Stros have slowed down a bit, but are still only 2 back in the division with almost a third of the season left to play. Like Jessica Jones, they have the second best argument to be the leader of their group, but a poor defense (emotional for JJ) could hold them back. Despite a solidly performing offense, the Astros’s pitching has scored less than every contender and even the Tigers with 16 less starts. X-factor: Wins/Losses – The Astros pitching woes are mostly self-induced, but they have pitched better than their 8-19 record would indicate. Rick Porcello in particular should be better than 3-9.
Luke Cage
17(19). Mariners (56-50) (1949.147): Being impervious to pain and bullets, Luke Cage can make a decent case for top dog. The Mariners similarly lead the division in hit by pitches, so they have shown a lack of fear. Seattle is well within shouting distance of the division title, only 4 games back and sitting six games over .500 despite being only 19th in overall points on the season. They are playing a bit better now so Texas and Houston need to watch out or they could steal the division. Holes at Catcher and UT (with Victor out) will make it difficult. The rotation should pitch better, but if Faria keeps dominating, it might not need to. X-factor: Middle relief. Possibly the most overlooked position in the league, the Mariners may have most effective middle relief, leading the league in Holds.
Iron Fist
18(20). Angels (52-54) (1853.873): Like Iron First, the Angels are clearly the worst of the 4 contending teams in the AL West so far. Injuries hampered the Angels start to the year and they have never truly recovered. Also, the Angels inexplicably don’t have any Asians, which is weird. The Angels should have starred Jung Ho Kang this year, but he got replaced by some white guy. Anyway, I still like the Angels offense and with Price back and Salazar about to start rehab, an 8 game deficit in an underperforming division is not insurmountable. X-factor: Additions. The Angels have made a ton of moves to get to where their team is now. Will it be enough to make a run at the division?
SELLING
Casey Affleck
19(22). Nationals (50-56) (1940.487): I never really gave much thought to Casey Affleck as an actor with any chops but over time he has sneakily put together a very solid career. This analogy would have worked better if Jose Reyes or Aroldis were on the team, but whatever. I wrote the Nats largely off after the dumpster fires that were early season Swanson and all season Greg Bird. The Nationals, however, have continued to play good ball and their youth will make them a force for years to come. Only 6 games under .500, this team is sneaky good and will probably help decide the final playoff teams by stealing some wins at the end of the year. X-factor: Middle Infield play. The Nats lead the league in Assists, which shows that their infield is getting to a ton of balls, which should help them keep their jobs when they aren’t hitting well.
Forrest Gump
20(18). Royals (53-53) (1852.643): Like Forrest Gump, the Royals have bumbled into some surprising success. Despite having only the 21st most points in the league, the Royals are .500. The Mariners and Angels also have some arguments, but I think that the Royals have been the luckiest team during the year compared to their record. Despite their luck, the Royals are 11 games out of the playoffs and it appears that the Royals should look towards next year. X-Factor: Ben Gamel is batting .352 and it should be interesting to see if he can keep up the apparent breakout. I’m also interested to see if the Royals start to sell their veterans to try to get younger.
Greg Oden
21(17). Giants (52-54) (1988.94): Not too long ago, the Giants were flying high with Thames and Myers destroying the league one homerun at a time. They looked like surefire division contenders and had reinforcements coming back from injuries. It hasn’t turned out as planned in the city of the homeless, however, as Myers and Thames have not done much since. Sure, Turner, Pedroia, and Posey have all played well, but the offense just hasn’t been together enough and the offense has been stagnant, ranking outside of the top half. The pitching has not had a single starter last the entire year in the rotation so there has not been much help there either. 12 games back in the division and 9 games back in the wild card with too many teams to pass are suggesting to me that the team with possibly the best 1-5 is done for 2017. X-factor: Can Thames recover since the league adjusted to him?
OKC Thunder
22(24). Rockies (46-60) (1776.99): The Rockies might have the offensive MVP (Goldschmidt) at the end of the year, just like the Thunder, though, they are not a true 2017 championship contender. Adding a player or two for next year, though, could propel the Rockies to the top of the NL West. X-Factor: Jeff Hoffman – his seeming breakout should be interesting to watch as the season goes on and the Rockies may have an ace on their hands.
Rickety Cricket
23(23). Mets (36-70) (1806.813): Like the infamous It’s Always Sunny Character, things started out well for the Mets and very quickly went to shit. And then the Shit went to shittier. For the most part, the hard downfall recently could be due to not shuffling starting pitchers. Even without Bumgarner and King Felix, the rotation has pitched decently, but the Mets are now ranked 25th. This team is certainly not as bad as their record and points would indicate. X-factor: Will King Felix pitch like an ace again upon return from injury or is he going the way of Matt Cain and company?
Blockbuster
24(21). Orioles (47-59) (1735.197): The Orioles have been slowly falling apart for this season and there hasn’t been a lot that has or could be done without mortgaging the future (buying Netflix). It appears that the Orioles have accepted their fate, but they should be back strong next year. Of note: How will Addison Russell’s career trajectory be affected by the domestic abuse accusations?
Allen Iverson at Practice
25(25). Diamondbacks (40-66) (1733.323): The DBacks clearly have given up on the season as evidenced by Mitch Haniger staying on the DL for after being activated long ago. They also lack a third RP and the will to survive. X-factor: Will the owner of the DBacks be replaced?
Diamonds in the Rough
26(26). Tigers (32-74) (1527.173): The Tigers gave up on 2017 before the season even started, but there are some very nice signs of a bright future. Severino and Fulmer look like aces so far and Ian Happ has been crushing if for Chicago. Of Note: Can Mike Trout make a run at MVP after missing 2 months?
Arnold Palmer
27(30). Dodgers (27-79) (1095.077): The Dodgers are one of the few bottom feeder teams that still has a mix of veterans thrown in there. This is probably because they haven’t been able to get rid of them. Grandal, Hardy, Barney, Jay, Hundley and Melancon have little trade value at the moment and will be tough to move, but I am sure that the Dodgers will try. Of Note: Will Bellinger catch Judge for the rookie homerun crown?
Dr. James Andrews’ Office
28(28). White Sox (32-74) (1166.607): With 4 out of the White Sox 9 pitchers on the DL, Chicago is keeping their training staff busy. The Sox will probably try to make moves and get rid of some veterans at the deadline, including Gutierrez, Parra, Galvis, Shields, and Colon. Galvis might be able to bring a nice haul. Of note: Will Joey Gallo’s power get to the point where it can overcome the Ks to be an elite Moneyball player.
Joel Embiid
29(29). Athletics (28-78) (1213.39): Oakland realized early on that it needed to rebuild and they have really embraced the process of rebuilding. They have gotten rid of almost all of their veterans and have made Bryce Harper vewwy wonewly. The A’s have a pretty decent young core now and I’m surprised at the returns they were able to get. Of Note: How long before Oakland buys out David Wright’s wonderful contract?
Land of Disappointments
30(27). Blue Jays (38-68) (1236.897): Homer Bailey still exists and the list of players that signed big deals just to disappoint their teams is large in the only place that doesn’t have Trump as its benevolent leader. The Upton formerly known as Bossman, Michael Bourn, Anibal Sanchez, Scott Kazmir and more populate a wasteland of wasted talent. Of note: can Taijuan finally realize his potential?¬¬¬