Post by Philadelphia Phillies on Apr 28, 2017 16:42:41 GMT -5
The teams are starting to spread themselves out and it won’t be too long before there are buyers and sellers looking towards 2018 and beyond. The National League is dominating the rankings, with 8 of the top 8 teams. Divisional strength explains why the records are not following linearly so far, but it should start to balance out as teams start leaving their divisions more often.
Ranking (Previous Ranking). (Record) (Total Points)
Biggest Rise: Reds (+11)
Largest Fall: Marlins (-8)
1(4). Braves (19-11) (812.92): The Braves have managed to lead the entire league in both Hitting and Pitching points so far. The Braves are the only team with more than one complete game (3) and have had the most starts, singles, and RBIs in the early going. This team lacks any major weaknesses.
2(2). Giants (18-12) (719.997): The Giants have been solid on both sides of the ball (is that a saying in baseball?). With the 7th ranked offense and 5th ranked pitching, the Giants boast a very well-rounded team that is deep. They rank tied for first in starts, are second in innings pitched, second in wins, and are leading the league in taking one for the team.
3(1). Cardinals (17-13) (719.327): The Cardinals underperformed in the last couple weeks, but their 6th ranked pitching staff isn’t to blame. They are second in the league in quality starts and have one of the lowest BB/9 in the league. Expect those quality starts to lead to more wins as the season goes on. The Cardinals rank dead last (by a large margin) in defensive assists, so their infield needs to start getting more opportunities. Hopefully Beltre can figure out what is wrong with his calf and strengthen that area up.
4(6). Indians (21-9) (696.89): The Indians recently upgraded First base to Votto, which should definitely help them as they chase the AL crown. He should really help an offense that has been mediocre to date. They have ranked second worst in Ks so far. Their 3rd ranked pitching staff has been carrying them, leading the league in starts and quality starts, this team should contend to the end.
5(9). Padres (18-12) (705.44): The Padres have ridden the second ranked offense to a tie atop the NL West with the Giants. They are second in runs and singles and rank near the top in most other categories. They might just slap and run their way to a division title. They will need more from their below average pitching staff to hang with the Giants.
6(16). Cubs (14-16) (699.647): Similarly to the Padres, the Cubs are riding a good offense that leads the league in runs and walks and is second in steals. Somebody in Chicago watched Moneyball the movie pretty closely. The pitching has been mediocre so far despite getting 7 wins in 8 quality starts. This team is clearly better than their record indicates, being in a very tough NL Central.
7(18). Reds (19-11) (718.313): The third team I have in the top 7 from the NL Central, the Reds have played well beyond my expectations, leading to the best record in the National League. Like the Padres and Cubs, they have relied heavily on their offense, which is ranked 4th. Second in singles, 3rd in walks, and first in intentional walks, this team really gets on base. Their relief corps is second in the league with 10 holds, but has yet to record a save. But a 7-3 record in only 14 starts isn’t too shabby at all.
8(15). Phillies (19-11) (791.997): The Fightin’ Phils come into the weekend with the 2nd most points overall, following close behind their division rival, the Braves. They have done it with power and speed, leading the league in home runs and steals. The pitching has done well also, leading the league in innings pitched, saves and strikeouts. With only 8 quality starts in 17 starts, that is pretty surprising.
9(3). Astros (20-10) (625.36): Despite lofty expectations from me and a record that suggests otherwise, the Astros have not gotten off to a great start statistically. Ranking 17th in offense and 15th in pitching makes their 20-10 record surprising. This team has a ton of talent, and they rank 3rd in quality starts despite being only 4-6, so perhaps they have hit some bad luck. This team deserves a worse record, but the talent is there to justify leading the division.
10(7). Rangers (19-11) (684.247): The Rangers (9th in Pitching, 10th in Hitting) have outplayed their division rivals so far this year, but find themselves a game back. 3rd in the league in innings pitched, the Rangers have a deep rotation that will keep them in the race and might make them front runners. They also lead the league in Double Plays turned, so defense might make a difference in the West division title.
11(5). Mets (15-15) (641.28): Bumgarner’s terrible dirt-biking skills hurt this Mets team a lot, even if Paxton continues to pitch like an ace. The Mets offense (21st overall) is probably not good enough to win many games on its own and will need its pitching to continue its dominance (4th overall) without Bumgarner around if they want to hang in a tough NL East.
12(8). Red Sox (17-13) (664.977): The Red Sox have relied on a solid pitching staff (7th) through the early part of the season, leading to a top spot in the division. Frankly, with Cueto and Archer, the starting pitching should be better as the season continues. It should build on a first month where they had perhaps the best bullpen, leading the league in stranded runners. The offense was average despite leading the entire league in strikeouts. If they cut down on the Ks, this team will stick towards the top of the AL East.
13(10). Twins (19-11) (663.993): With the 12th ranked offense and defense, this is definitely a balanced and solid team. The 19-11 record definitely seems to be better than they have played, but this is still a team that should make the playoffs. The offense is near the top in runs and hits and ranks second in steals. The relief corps has been roughed up a bit, but has been buoyed by 8 quality starts out of 13.
14(13). Pirates (16-14) (692.63): The Pirates should probably rank higher, but are stuck in probably the toughest division, leading to a mediocre 16-14 record despite being top 10 in both hitting and pitching. The pitching has been extremely efficient. Despite on 9 starts, they have managed 7 quality ones and are striking out well more than 1/inning. The offense has been pretty solid across the board with no one area sticking out.
15(14). Orioles (17-13) (634.12): The offense has been solid for the O’s and the pitching has been disappointing. The O’s are second only to the Brew Crew in doubles, but will need more consistency in getting on base as the season progresses. Of the contending teams, the O’s have one of the lowest strikeout totals from his pitching and despite pitching well overall, this has pushed the pitching into the bottom 3rd. Still, this is a team that will contend in the East.
16(12). Rays (13-17) (619.167): The Rays have just not hit well to start the year, ranking in the bottom 3rd in home runs, runs, and overall. The pitching has been solid however, getting quality starts in more than half their games and ranking in the top 5 in Ks. This should probably be a top 7 pitching staff however and J.D. Martinez should give the Rays a good boost in the second half. The question is, will they hang around long enough for it to matter?
17(19). Diamondbacks (16-14) (657.333): The DBacks have been a little bit better than average at scoring and preventing scoring. The Mitch Haniger and Syndergaard injuries hurt and may end up killing the DBacks this year. Daniel Murphy might win MVP, but otherwise, the DBacks have to have a lot of concerns moving forward this year.
18(23). Brewers (14-16) (667.433): The Brewers have shed Buxton, which probably puts them up a couple spots. They have also added Zimmerman, Chisenhall, and Trea Turner (while losing McCullers). I don’t know how to judge the Brewers at this point as they have been moving so many parts. The Crew is clearly moving in the right direction and their offense, which was already 8th, should probably be in the top 5 by the end of the year now. Without McCullers, this pitching staff (currently 16th) will probably in the bottom third however. The moves have definitely made the Brewers better.
19(11). Marlins (11-19) (576.453): The Marlins are better than 11-19 and should not already be 9 games out of the division lead, but a lackluster start on both sides of the ball have put them in a deep hole, but not insurmountable. The Marlins have a solid pitching staff and probably should have gotten at least 3 more starts at this point, but the coin flip that is starting pitcher days has cost them dearly early on. Their luck should improve however and I see this as a top 15 staff.
20(17). Rockies (14-16) (569.543): The Rockies have the 6th ranked offense and are second in walks, 4th in doubles, and top 10 in most other categories. Like real life, however, the Rockies pitching has been fucking awful. The starters are 0-7, giving the Rockies the sad honor of leading the league in losses and being last in wins at the same time. They have yet to blow a save, however, so that is nice.
21(21). Angels (9-21) (498.533): Desperate after a very unlucky start, the Angels added Adrian Gonzalez to try to stop the bleeding. Without him, they have been a bottom 5 offense, but there are some signs of hope. Price is on the mend and Miggy should be back soon. It might be too little too late, but I would be surprised to see these Angels as cellar dwellers in another month.
22(22). Mariners (17-13) (564.567): The offense is definitely better than it has played and the bullpen can’t hurt them as much going forward, but they have just not performed well statistically yet. Lucking into a 17-13 will definitely help the Mariners in the quest for the division and this team is certainly good enough to compete despite the disappointing start from a statistical perspective. This team could jump up several spots in the next version, but I want to see them perform to their abilities before I do.
23(20). Royals (14-16) (547.73): Fun Fact: Royals have thrown 100 innings so far and have 100 strikeouts. That’s pretty amazing. They however, are bottom 10 in both pitching (should be better) and hitting (deservedly so) through a month and will need a lot of help from Smyly in the second half if they can hang around .500.
I am running out of time to finish this, so the last few will be short and sweet.
24(26). Yankees (15-15) (620.96): The Yankees, much to my surprise have been very average so far. They actually may compete for a playoff spot. They have depth to stay in there if other teams in the East are hurt by injuries.
25(24). Nationals (11-19) (546.92): Tough division and below-average performance have put the Nats in a whole. Urias just got called up and the rotation has actually been very good – watch out for the Nats if their starters stop pitching on the same days.
26(28). Blue Jays (11-19) (466.93): League-worst offense with bottom 10 pitching. The Blue Jays appear to be selling, and rightfully so.
27(27). Athletics (9-21) (456.5): Bryce Harper might have half their points on the year. The A’s have been active on the trade block and it will be interesting to see if the pieces they are gathering turn into something next year and into the future.
28(25). Tigers (7-23) (454.313): bottom 5 offense and defense with the worst overall record in the league. The Tigers weren’t at the bottom when the year started, but they were right to sell to look to the future.
29(29). White Sox (13-17) (391.757): Traded away Trea Turner for a few pieces. In a league where depth is needed, probably the right move. 3rd worst pitching and 2nd worst hitting so far.
30(30). Dodgers (8-22) (365.38): The Dodgers are bad, intentionally. With only 49 innings thrown, they are comfortably in the bottom for pitching stats and only 3 points from being the worst in hitting. They should be good in a couple years, but this team may ride the bottom the entire season.
Ranking (Previous Ranking). (Record) (Total Points)
Biggest Rise: Reds (+11)
Largest Fall: Marlins (-8)
1(4). Braves (19-11) (812.92): The Braves have managed to lead the entire league in both Hitting and Pitching points so far. The Braves are the only team with more than one complete game (3) and have had the most starts, singles, and RBIs in the early going. This team lacks any major weaknesses.
2(2). Giants (18-12) (719.997): The Giants have been solid on both sides of the ball (is that a saying in baseball?). With the 7th ranked offense and 5th ranked pitching, the Giants boast a very well-rounded team that is deep. They rank tied for first in starts, are second in innings pitched, second in wins, and are leading the league in taking one for the team.
3(1). Cardinals (17-13) (719.327): The Cardinals underperformed in the last couple weeks, but their 6th ranked pitching staff isn’t to blame. They are second in the league in quality starts and have one of the lowest BB/9 in the league. Expect those quality starts to lead to more wins as the season goes on. The Cardinals rank dead last (by a large margin) in defensive assists, so their infield needs to start getting more opportunities. Hopefully Beltre can figure out what is wrong with his calf and strengthen that area up.
4(6). Indians (21-9) (696.89): The Indians recently upgraded First base to Votto, which should definitely help them as they chase the AL crown. He should really help an offense that has been mediocre to date. They have ranked second worst in Ks so far. Their 3rd ranked pitching staff has been carrying them, leading the league in starts and quality starts, this team should contend to the end.
5(9). Padres (18-12) (705.44): The Padres have ridden the second ranked offense to a tie atop the NL West with the Giants. They are second in runs and singles and rank near the top in most other categories. They might just slap and run their way to a division title. They will need more from their below average pitching staff to hang with the Giants.
6(16). Cubs (14-16) (699.647): Similarly to the Padres, the Cubs are riding a good offense that leads the league in runs and walks and is second in steals. Somebody in Chicago watched Moneyball the movie pretty closely. The pitching has been mediocre so far despite getting 7 wins in 8 quality starts. This team is clearly better than their record indicates, being in a very tough NL Central.
7(18). Reds (19-11) (718.313): The third team I have in the top 7 from the NL Central, the Reds have played well beyond my expectations, leading to the best record in the National League. Like the Padres and Cubs, they have relied heavily on their offense, which is ranked 4th. Second in singles, 3rd in walks, and first in intentional walks, this team really gets on base. Their relief corps is second in the league with 10 holds, but has yet to record a save. But a 7-3 record in only 14 starts isn’t too shabby at all.
8(15). Phillies (19-11) (791.997): The Fightin’ Phils come into the weekend with the 2nd most points overall, following close behind their division rival, the Braves. They have done it with power and speed, leading the league in home runs and steals. The pitching has done well also, leading the league in innings pitched, saves and strikeouts. With only 8 quality starts in 17 starts, that is pretty surprising.
9(3). Astros (20-10) (625.36): Despite lofty expectations from me and a record that suggests otherwise, the Astros have not gotten off to a great start statistically. Ranking 17th in offense and 15th in pitching makes their 20-10 record surprising. This team has a ton of talent, and they rank 3rd in quality starts despite being only 4-6, so perhaps they have hit some bad luck. This team deserves a worse record, but the talent is there to justify leading the division.
10(7). Rangers (19-11) (684.247): The Rangers (9th in Pitching, 10th in Hitting) have outplayed their division rivals so far this year, but find themselves a game back. 3rd in the league in innings pitched, the Rangers have a deep rotation that will keep them in the race and might make them front runners. They also lead the league in Double Plays turned, so defense might make a difference in the West division title.
11(5). Mets (15-15) (641.28): Bumgarner’s terrible dirt-biking skills hurt this Mets team a lot, even if Paxton continues to pitch like an ace. The Mets offense (21st overall) is probably not good enough to win many games on its own and will need its pitching to continue its dominance (4th overall) without Bumgarner around if they want to hang in a tough NL East.
12(8). Red Sox (17-13) (664.977): The Red Sox have relied on a solid pitching staff (7th) through the early part of the season, leading to a top spot in the division. Frankly, with Cueto and Archer, the starting pitching should be better as the season continues. It should build on a first month where they had perhaps the best bullpen, leading the league in stranded runners. The offense was average despite leading the entire league in strikeouts. If they cut down on the Ks, this team will stick towards the top of the AL East.
13(10). Twins (19-11) (663.993): With the 12th ranked offense and defense, this is definitely a balanced and solid team. The 19-11 record definitely seems to be better than they have played, but this is still a team that should make the playoffs. The offense is near the top in runs and hits and ranks second in steals. The relief corps has been roughed up a bit, but has been buoyed by 8 quality starts out of 13.
14(13). Pirates (16-14) (692.63): The Pirates should probably rank higher, but are stuck in probably the toughest division, leading to a mediocre 16-14 record despite being top 10 in both hitting and pitching. The pitching has been extremely efficient. Despite on 9 starts, they have managed 7 quality ones and are striking out well more than 1/inning. The offense has been pretty solid across the board with no one area sticking out.
15(14). Orioles (17-13) (634.12): The offense has been solid for the O’s and the pitching has been disappointing. The O’s are second only to the Brew Crew in doubles, but will need more consistency in getting on base as the season progresses. Of the contending teams, the O’s have one of the lowest strikeout totals from his pitching and despite pitching well overall, this has pushed the pitching into the bottom 3rd. Still, this is a team that will contend in the East.
16(12). Rays (13-17) (619.167): The Rays have just not hit well to start the year, ranking in the bottom 3rd in home runs, runs, and overall. The pitching has been solid however, getting quality starts in more than half their games and ranking in the top 5 in Ks. This should probably be a top 7 pitching staff however and J.D. Martinez should give the Rays a good boost in the second half. The question is, will they hang around long enough for it to matter?
17(19). Diamondbacks (16-14) (657.333): The DBacks have been a little bit better than average at scoring and preventing scoring. The Mitch Haniger and Syndergaard injuries hurt and may end up killing the DBacks this year. Daniel Murphy might win MVP, but otherwise, the DBacks have to have a lot of concerns moving forward this year.
18(23). Brewers (14-16) (667.433): The Brewers have shed Buxton, which probably puts them up a couple spots. They have also added Zimmerman, Chisenhall, and Trea Turner (while losing McCullers). I don’t know how to judge the Brewers at this point as they have been moving so many parts. The Crew is clearly moving in the right direction and their offense, which was already 8th, should probably be in the top 5 by the end of the year now. Without McCullers, this pitching staff (currently 16th) will probably in the bottom third however. The moves have definitely made the Brewers better.
19(11). Marlins (11-19) (576.453): The Marlins are better than 11-19 and should not already be 9 games out of the division lead, but a lackluster start on both sides of the ball have put them in a deep hole, but not insurmountable. The Marlins have a solid pitching staff and probably should have gotten at least 3 more starts at this point, but the coin flip that is starting pitcher days has cost them dearly early on. Their luck should improve however and I see this as a top 15 staff.
20(17). Rockies (14-16) (569.543): The Rockies have the 6th ranked offense and are second in walks, 4th in doubles, and top 10 in most other categories. Like real life, however, the Rockies pitching has been fucking awful. The starters are 0-7, giving the Rockies the sad honor of leading the league in losses and being last in wins at the same time. They have yet to blow a save, however, so that is nice.
21(21). Angels (9-21) (498.533): Desperate after a very unlucky start, the Angels added Adrian Gonzalez to try to stop the bleeding. Without him, they have been a bottom 5 offense, but there are some signs of hope. Price is on the mend and Miggy should be back soon. It might be too little too late, but I would be surprised to see these Angels as cellar dwellers in another month.
22(22). Mariners (17-13) (564.567): The offense is definitely better than it has played and the bullpen can’t hurt them as much going forward, but they have just not performed well statistically yet. Lucking into a 17-13 will definitely help the Mariners in the quest for the division and this team is certainly good enough to compete despite the disappointing start from a statistical perspective. This team could jump up several spots in the next version, but I want to see them perform to their abilities before I do.
23(20). Royals (14-16) (547.73): Fun Fact: Royals have thrown 100 innings so far and have 100 strikeouts. That’s pretty amazing. They however, are bottom 10 in both pitching (should be better) and hitting (deservedly so) through a month and will need a lot of help from Smyly in the second half if they can hang around .500.
I am running out of time to finish this, so the last few will be short and sweet.
24(26). Yankees (15-15) (620.96): The Yankees, much to my surprise have been very average so far. They actually may compete for a playoff spot. They have depth to stay in there if other teams in the East are hurt by injuries.
25(24). Nationals (11-19) (546.92): Tough division and below-average performance have put the Nats in a whole. Urias just got called up and the rotation has actually been very good – watch out for the Nats if their starters stop pitching on the same days.
26(28). Blue Jays (11-19) (466.93): League-worst offense with bottom 10 pitching. The Blue Jays appear to be selling, and rightfully so.
27(27). Athletics (9-21) (456.5): Bryce Harper might have half their points on the year. The A’s have been active on the trade block and it will be interesting to see if the pieces they are gathering turn into something next year and into the future.
28(25). Tigers (7-23) (454.313): bottom 5 offense and defense with the worst overall record in the league. The Tigers weren’t at the bottom when the year started, but they were right to sell to look to the future.
29(29). White Sox (13-17) (391.757): Traded away Trea Turner for a few pieces. In a league where depth is needed, probably the right move. 3rd worst pitching and 2nd worst hitting so far.
30(30). Dodgers (8-22) (365.38): The Dodgers are bad, intentionally. With only 49 innings thrown, they are comfortably in the bottom for pitching stats and only 3 points from being the worst in hitting. They should be good in a couple years, but this team may ride the bottom the entire season.