07/06/2007
Sports Channel / Baseball Home / Bullz-Eye Home
Best in the AL: Angels or Red Sox? Best in the NL: Padres or Dodgers? Don’t forget about the Brewers. (Really, the Brewers?!) Worst in all of baseball: Rangers or Reds? How far did the champion St. Louis Cardinals and former AL East winner New York Yankees fall? Are the Diamondbacks really that good? Are the White Sox really that bad? So many questions, and so many answers in our Midseason Power Rankings. You’ll find a ranking of all 30 MLB teams as well as a small recap of how the first half went for each club.
1. Los Angeles Angels (51-33)
It’s not all about outfielder Vladimir Guerrero in Los Angles (although his team leading 14 home runs and 74 RBI certainly help). The first-place Angels are getting offensive production from multiple sources, including Orlando Cabrera, Reggie Willits and Casey Kotchman. Throw in ace John Lackey (11 wins, 3.04 ERA) and closer Francisco Rodriguez (right, 24 saves), and the Angels are the best team in baseball at the halfway point.
2. Boston Red Sox (52-31)
One could easily make the argument that the BoSox should be the top-ranked team based on their powerful lineup alone. Don’t want to pitch to David Ortiz or Manny Ramirez? Fine, try your luck with Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia or J.D. Drew. Not to mention, Boston could have four 15-game winners in Curt Shilling, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett and Tim Wakefield. Top everything off with a premier closer in Jonathan Papelbon (20 saves) and there’s no way this Red Sox team can blow a sizeable division lead right? Right? Right?!
3. Detroit Tigers (49-34)
While teams like the Red Sox and Yankees come to mind as far as offensive production, the Motor City Kitties sport the game's best bats. Detroit has an AL-best .290 batting average and .473 slugging percentage while scoring the most runs (494) in the league. The Tigers are also getting an MVP-like performance out of Magglio Ordonez, who leads the team in batting average (.370) and RBI (69). Justin Verlander has 10 victories and a dazzling no-hitter (June 12 vs. Milwaukee), and has shown no signs of a sophomore slump. Will Kenny Rogers help push this team to another AL Central title?
4. Cleveland Indians (45-31)
Despite a down year from Travis Hafner (right), Cleveland has scored the second most runs (453) in the AL , ranks second in slugging percentage (.440) and has the third best on-base percentage (.352). Victor Martinez has arguably been the AL's best catcher, leading the Tribe in batting average (.322), home runs (14) and RBI (64) while earning some darkhorse MVP consideration. Pitching-wise, C.C. Sabathia has been sick, posting a 12-3 record and a 3.58 ERA, but so far the plesant surprise has been Fausto Carmona. Carmona lost 10 games last year, but armed with one of the filthiest sinkers around, he's rebounded nicely to post a 9-4 record and a 3.78 ERA.
5. San Diego Padres (48-36)
Bruce who? The Padres lost Bruce Bochy, the skipper who led them back-to-back NL West titles, but so far haven’t missed a beat. Jake Peavy, who sports a 2.19 ERA and 9-2 record, has some calling him the best pitcher in baseball, while first baseman Adrian Gonzalez leads the Padres in batting average (.268), home runs (14) and RBI (52). For as well as Peavy has pitched, he doesn't even have the best ERA on his own team. That honor goes to fellow All Star Chris Young, whose 2.00 ERA complements his 8-3 record.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers (48-37)
What’s not to like about the Dodgers? They’ve got a solid starting rotation led by Brad Penny (10 wins), a superstar in the making in catcher Russell Martin (.301 BA, 55 RBI, 47 runs, 16 steals) and an excellent closer in Japanese import Takashi Saito (23 saves). The only issue is that they play in the surprisingly tough NL West with the Padres (48 wins) and Diamondbacks (47 wins). Even the last-place Giants are stocked with solid young pitching.
7. Milwaukee Brewers (48-37)
The Brewers were the feel-good story of the first half, jumping out to a five-game lead in the NL Central. Manager Ned Yost has gotten the absolute most out of his club, including a breakout performance from 23-year-old Prince Fielder (.278 BA, 27 HRs, 66 RBI). Aside from Fielder and Ben Sheets' dazzling first half (10-3, 3.41 ERA), the Brew Crew have gotten fantastic production from J.J. Hardy (18 HRs, .286 BA) and solid contributions from Bill Hall (.784 OPS) and Johnny Estrada (team leading .292 BA). With the Cardinals stumbling to such a terrible first half, Milwaukee could cruise to its first postseason appearance since 1982 if the hot play continues.
8. Arizona Diamondbacks (47-39)
Looking for answers to why the D’Backs have been so good this year? Start with Eric Byrnes (right), who has been stuffing box scores in the desert all year. Byrnes leads the team in batting average (.316), home runs (13), RBI (46), runs (52), and stolen bases (15). Looking for more? Cy Young winner Brandon Webb has also been fantastic, leading the D’Backs in wins (8), ERA (3.27) and strikeouts (104). This club is young and full of heart, but is it in for the long haul? The more experienced Padres and Dodgers are going to be tough down the stretch in the NL West.
9. New York Mets (46-37)
What an up-and-down club the Mets have been. In April and May, they were arguably one of the top three teams and had one of the best pitching staffs in the league, but then fell off a bit. Carlos Beltran hit a major slump, while Orlando Hernandez finished the first half with a 4-4 record and 3.22 ERA after starting the season 3-1 with a 1.94 ERA. The good news is that the Mets seem to be back up again, the lineup is chock full of talent, the pitching staff may be getting Pedro Martinez back soon, and they have one of the game's most exciting players in Jose Reyes (.311 BA, 60 runs scored, 43 SBs).
10. Seattle Mariners (46-35)
The M’s have been quietly good this year, yet again getting sensational production from Ichiro Suzuki (.368 BA, 58 runs, 23 SB) and Jose Guillen (team leading 49 RBI). The bullpen has also been good with Brandon Marrow (11 holds) proving he’s more than a reliable late-inning reliever and J.J. Putz (24 saves) solid in the closer role. We'll find out if the Mariners are going to sink or swim following the surprise resignation of manager Mike Hargrove, but for Seattle to even compete in its own division, they’re going to need Felix Hernandez to get healthy soon. Hernandez has battled elbow and back problems most of the season and without him, it’s unlikely the Mariners keep up in Wild Card.
11. Oakland A’s (43-41)
Talk about getting bit by the injury bug – the A’s have lost (among others) Mike Piazza (shoulder), Huston Street (ulnar nerve), Rich Harden (shoulder) and Esteban Loaiza (neck), yet still find themselves in the black. Dan Haren (10 wins, 2.20 ERA), Joe Blanton (8 wins, 1.04 WHIP), Chad Gaudin (7 wins, 2.92 ERA) and Alan Embree (8 saves) have certainly picked up the slack on the mound while Jack Cust (15 HRs) and Nick Swisher (10 HRs) have provided Oakland with much needed power at the plate. Eric Chavez is starting to heat up again too, which will only make the lineup more potent. It's a good thing, too, because Oakland's going to need plenty of firepower to catch the Angels or keep up in the Wild Card.
12. Atlanta Braves (44-41)
After the first week and a half in May, the Braves were 22-12 and running step-for-step with the Mets for the division lead in the AL East. Then Chipper Jones injured his hands, interleague play began, and now Atlanta is just trying to stay above .500. Edgar Renteria (.321 BA) and John Smoltz (right; 9 wins, 3.07 ERA) have been stellar, Chuck James (8-7, 3.96 ERA) has been inconsistent, and Andruw Jones has been atrocious (.201 BA). You can't ever count Atlanta out, but if Smoltz's cranky shoulder turns into a long-term concern, Braves fans may be reaching for the panic button.
13. Minnesota Twins (43-41)
It's safe to assume that, had Joe Mauer not missed more than a month with a quadriceps strain, the Twins would be more than just two games over .500 at the break. Still, with Mauer back in the mix and Justin Morneau (20 HRs, 63 RBI, 50 runs, .906 OPS) and Torii Hunter (.295 BA, 17 HRs, 63 RBI, 11 SBs) on a tear, Minnesota is without a doubt a team to watch heading into the second half. Oh, and they've got some guy named Johan Santana taking the mound every fifth day.
14. Philadelphia Phillies (43-42)
The Phillies went from massive underachievers at the start of the season, losing 11 of their first 15, to right around .500 and back in the NL East chase. If they can keep the injuries at bay, the lineup is one of the most balanced in the NL. Ryan Howard (20 HRs) provides the power, Shane Victorino (27 SBs) the speed, Jimmy Rollins (69 runs) the run support and Chase Utley (.324 BA, 66 RBI, .982 OPS) everything else. Besides Cole Hamels (10 wins, 3.72 ERA), however, the starters have been inconsistent and without pitching, Philly won’t hold up against the Mets and Braves in the second half.
15. Toronto Blue Jays (41-43)
While the individual numbers would indicate otherwise, the Jays’ pitching staff has kept the club afloat for the past month. Despite having a rather high 4.27 ERA, Roy Halladay has still put together an impressive first half, posting a 9-3 record. A sore shoulder shelved A.J. Burnett, but guys like Shaun Marcum (4-2, 2.86) and Dustin McGown – who fell three outs short of his first no hitter last month – have stepped up. Offensively, Alex Rios has been a monster, leading the team in batting average (.295), home runs (17), runs (61) and stolen bases (9). If the rest of the offense can improve on its lowly .257 batting average, the Jays might be able to close the gap in the Wild Card race.
16. Chicago Cubs (42-41)
St. Louis looks disastrous while Houston, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati aren’t going anywhere. So despite being just a game over .500 and trailing the Brewers by five games, the Cubbies still have a shot at the division if they can make a run in the second half. Thanks to Carlos Zambrano's June rebound (4-2, 2.53 ERA), the pitching staff ranks fifth in the NL with a 3.93 ERA. The offense, meanwhile, is at least adequate, led by stud first baseman Derek Lee (.334 BA), outfielder Alfonso Soriano (15 homers, 56 runs) and third baseman Aramis Ramirez (right). Obviously a lot depends on Milwaukee staying hot, but Chicago still might wind up as one of the surprise teams in 2007.
17. New York Yankees (40-42)
Alex Rodriguez is crushing the ball (28 HRs, 80 RBI), Bobby Abreu is heating up, and “the captain” Derek Jeter has been Jeter-like with a team-leading .341 average. Of course, the lineup has never been the problem; it’s the pitching staff. Injuries limited Chien-Ming Wang earlier in the year, have completely derailed rookie phenom Philip Hughes, and caused the team to overpay for Roger Clemens. Can the rotation hold up so they can make a run at the surging Red Sox or will this be the first year since 1997 the Yankees miss the postseason?
18. Colorado Rockies (42-43)
The Rockies are young, exciting and have one of the best defenses in the league, but can they put it all together to make a push for the Wild Card? Matt Holliday has been nothing short of sensational for Colorado, leading the team in batting average (.352), home runs (14), RBI (68), runs scored (55) and OPS (.988). Jeff Francis has also been excellent, going 7-1 in his last 10 starts, but the rest of the staff hasn’t been very consistent and the offense lacks major power. Even worse, the bullpen is a mess with closer Brian Fuentes recently getting demoted despite his All Star Game selection and LaTroy Hawkins getting called on late in games.
19. St. Louis Cardinals (38-43)
Are the Cardinals really as bad as their 38-43 record indicates? Well, yes and no. The defending champs have the second-worst team ERA (4.86) in the NL, but losing Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder and Braden Looper to injury certainly didn’t help. Former Tigers pitcher Mike Maroth – whom the Cards traded for in late June – has helped, but they still need more contributions from other starters. At least Albert Pujols (.315 BA, 16 HRs, 51 RBI) is back to MVPform again after finishing the month of April hitting just .250 with six dingers and 15 RBI.
20. Florida Marlins (40-46)
The Marlins certainly fall into the "young and exciting" category, although it’s clear they don’t have enough to compete for a division or the Wild Card right now. Miguel Cabrera (right) has been sick, as usual, leading the team in batting average (.331), home runs (17) and RBI (58). Reigning NL Rookie of the Year Hanley Ramirez is also off to a hot start, leading the club in runs scored (66) and stolen bases (25). And just think – both Cabrera and Ramirez are still under the age of 25. The big question is if Florida will deal starter Dontrelle Willis (7-7, 4.65 ERA), who has battled injuries and inconsistency thus far.
21. Baltimore Orioles (37-46)
First the O’s fire manager Sam Perlozzo, then their first choice as a replacement, Joe Girardi, turns down their job offer, and then shortstop Miguel Tejada fractures his wrist on June 21, ending a 1,152 consecutive game streak. Add in that they’re dead last in the AL East and buried 15 games behind the Red Sox, and things certainly haven’t gone well in Baltimore so far. At least second basemen Brian Roberts has been fun to watch, stealing 26 bases and hitting .325.
22. Pittsburgh Pirates (38-47)
At 38-47, the Pirates are pretty much par for the course, aren’t they? Freddy Sanchez and Jason Bay, despite the latter's brutal ongoing slump, have been solid as expected, but while the young pitching staff has delivered a couple surprises in Tom Gorzelanny (9-4, 3.10 ERA, 1.24 WHIP) and All Star snub Ian Snell (7-5, 2.93 ERA, 1.17 WHIP), supposed ace Zach Duke (3-7, 5.79) has struggled. The Buccos seem to have found an answer at the back end of the bullpen, though; closer Matt Capps owns a 2.42 ERA and has blown just one save in 10 chances since taking over in the ninth inning for Salomon Torres
23. San Francisco Giants (36-46)
While the young pitching staff is still something to get excited about, starters like Matt Cain (3-9, 3.53) have taken undeserved losses because of an inept offense. The plan to surround Barry Bonds with veterans has resembled the players GM Brian Sabean has signed over the years – tired and old. Will this mark the year the Giants turn into sellers at the trade deadline in order to restock the farm system? It's doubtful Bonds gets dealt, but the values of Ray Durham (45 RBI, 44 runs) and Matt Morris (7-4, 3.55 ERA) may never be higher.
24. Houston Astros (37-48)
The Astros have major pitching woes, but at least one of the worst offenses in 2006 has shown marked improvement this year. Of course, adding Carlos Lee (.293 BA, 16 HRs, 71 RBI) certainly helps. Another nice offensive addition has been rookie Hunter Pence, who is currently playing a solid centerfield while also hitting .344 with 11 long balls and 40 RBI. But have we mentioned how bad the pitching has been? Despite the presence of Roy Oswalt (right), the ‘Stros are 12th in the NL with a 4.72 ERA, 15th in opponent's OPS (.784) and dead last in saves with 14.
25. Chicago White Sox (36-45)
What happened to the Pale Hose? Many thought the Sox would take a step backward this year, but 36-45? Just two seasons removed from winning a title, Chicago now dangerously flirts with last place in the AL Central, which means it would have a worse record than the Kansas City Royals. Yikes. While the pitching isn’t all that bad, the Sox have without a doubt the worst offense known to man. When Paul Konerko is your team leader in batting average with a .253 mark, you know you’ve got issues at the plate.
26. Kansas City Royals (36-49)
Not much has gone right for the Royals this year, but really, when does it ever? Other than saves and stolen bases, KC ranks 10th or worse in every major offensive and pitching category in the AL. On the bright side, although his 5-6 record doesn’t indicate it, free agent splash Gil Meche has been solid, posting a team-best 3.26 ERA. With this, maybe the Royals will attract more “big” names in free agency, but we doubt it.
27. Tampa Bay Devil Rays (33-50)
A little pitching could go a long way for this talent-rich team, especially with young, exciting position players like Carl Crawford (51 RBI, 44 runs, 21 SBs), B.J. Upton (.320 BA, 9 HRs) and Delmon Young (9 HRs, 44 RBI). Scott Kazmir (5-5, 4.28 ERA) and James Shields (6-4, 3.76 ERA, 1.03 WHIP) offer plenty to get excited about, but the pitching staff on a whole still boasts a collective ERA of 5.61, which ranks 14th in the AL. While it’s going to take a lot to compete with the freewheeling spending of the Red Sox and Yankees, the Rays definitely appear to be on the right track from a talent perspective.
28. Washington Nationals (34-50)
No team in baseball scored fewer runs than the Nationals in the first half, so that should be a clear indication of how well the season has gone so far in Washington. In fact, the Nats rank no better than 15th in any NL offensive category, which is a big reason \ they’ve currently got a firm grip on last place in the NL Central. Things aren’t much better for the pitching staff, which currently owns an ERA of 4.72, and about the only good news for the team is that former first-round pick Ryan Zimmerman (right) is starting to come into his own a bit (13 HRs, 43 RBI, 45 runs).
29. Texas Rangers (36-48)
Good things are happening in Texas. Sammy Sosa hit his 600th home run against his former team, the Chicago Cubs, on June 22, and the San Antonio Spurs won their fourth NBA title in nine years. What? What else do you want? The Rangers are 15 games out of first place, the offense isn’t very good and the pitching staff is even worse. We’d remind fans that the team will probably trade their best player, Mark Teixeira (.302 BA, 12 HRs, 41 RBI), before the trade deadline, but they’ve already suffered enough as it is. Wait...we just did remind them, didn't we? Did we mention the Spurs won another title?
30. Cincinnati Reds (32-52)
Aside from a sudden home run surge by Ken Griffey Jr. (22 on the year) and starter Aaron Harang (9-2, 3.84 ERA), there hasn’t been much to like about the Reds. Adam Dunn (54 runs, 54 RBI, 23 HRs) and possibly even Griffey might be sold to the highest bidder come the end of July, which would hopefully net the club promising young talent to build from heading into next season. Other than that, all fans in Cincy are thinking about right now is Carson Palmer to Chad Johnson in the back of the end zone.