MLB WEEK 2 POWER RANKINGS
by Alex "Moose" Strizak
It's been great to watch baseball again because I find myself in group texts and smack-talk that I missed oh so dearly.
The fear comes when seeing teams like the Marlins and Cardinals lose an entire week of their schedule due to COVID-19, and you just hope it doesn't turn in to a cancellation of the 2020 season.
We want all players to be as healthy as possible, whether it be an illness or a physical injury. So, we hope that all stay healthy and follow the precautions so we can continue to enjoy these sports, maybe more than we ever have before since we now know what life is like without them...
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Their lineup has been just so dang strong that they have to leap-frog up. Even with starting pitching (aside from Cole), Gary Sanchez & Gleyber Torres having cold starts, the Yankees have found a way to win close ballgames and find themselves as the clear Top-Dogs in the American League. When a team wins so many close games, it always makes me lean towards the fact that it just might be their year and they'll roll the Postseason (like the 2005 Chicago White Sox going 11-1 in the postseason and only had a season run-differential of +33).
I'm still nervous about this team. They're good at a lot of things, but what are they best at in the MLB? We know the Yankees & Twins mash, Cleveland pitches; What do the Dodgers have that's going to get them over the Championship-hump? Betts & Bellinger have started to wake up, but the starting pitching is still a major concern when you're not handing the ball over to Britton, Chapman, Ottavino, Green, etc... like the Yankees are. Luckily for the Dodgers, the National League has looked a bit weak, but I still have concerns over their pitching in any playoff series.
It's pretty clear that this is the best lineup in Twins history. It's a shame we couldn't see a full year of it, but Nelson Cruz sure is making up for lost time. Their starting pitching looks to be below-average, but their bullpen has to be the most underrated in baseball. In a tough division with the White Sox & Cleveland, the Twins seem to have the edge.
Another great batting lineup and perhaps the greatest threat to the Dodgers. I still think the Phillies are a very solid club, but with their current hiatus the Braves have taken the lead. Marcell Ozuna looks like the D.J. Lemahieu-contract bargain of the 2020 season, and Freddie Freeman is arguably the best 1B in baseball right now. They are the National League team that looks best prepared for what may be a permanent DH addition, and I don't see this team slowing down any time soon.
I don't think people realize how good this team is going to be over the next few seasons... Luis Robert is everything we could have hoped for, the starting pitching is young but Keuchel is going to be helping usher them in, and the bullpen has had two rough games, but has taken major strides forward. The dangerous part for the rest of the league is that the Sox are only going to improve as time goes on. Look out for this team.
What a pleasant surprise they've been. Their starting pitching has far exceeded my expectations and their bullpen is still struggling. They'll need more consistency out of the pen, but their hitting lineup has shown a consistency I wasn't expecting. They're good, but are they good enough to beat the Braves, Phillies, or Dodgers?
It's hard to judge a team when they miss practically an entire week and the only games they played were mediocre. That being said, they were mediocre. This team does need more of a sample size before I rush to drop them too far down this list. A weak start and then sitting around for a week can either drive a team insane & unmotivated them, or it leads them to come out with a hunger to perform better... I'm betting on the second option for this team...
I know it was a disappointing series against the Rockies and a tough start for the bullpen, but there was SO MUCH to like about this Padres team the first week. From the uniforms they rock to the way they have fought in every game, this team means business. It may be too early to call them serious contenders, but they are definitely trending up and Padres fans can finally be excited to watch this team day in and day out.
Billy Beane said a few years ago that 2020 was the year they were building for... Well, 2020 has been a year like no other to say the least. They've had their up's and down's, but they look like one of the most solid teams in the American League. With Verlander & Osuna out for the Astros, the A's are now the top dog in the AL West.
This team was just getting to gel together after playing some tough ballgames to start the year. Unfortunately, COVID-19 had other plans. The team with no home was now faced with no games. I'm excited to see this team get back on the field (even if it's in Buffalo) because second place in the AL East is theirs to lose.
On the Bubble 11-20
12. Washington Nationals -7
13. Cincinnati Reds -
14. Houston Astros -10
15. St. Louis Cardinals -8
16. Colorado Rockies +7
17. Tampa Bay Rays -6
18. San Francisco Giants +11
19. Milwaukee Brewers -
20. Detroit Tigers +5
The Rest of the Pack 21-30
22. Texas Rangers -2
23. Boston Red Sox -2
24. New York Mets -6
25. Miami Marlins +2
26. Pittsburgh Pirates -2
27. Baltimore Orioles +3
28. Arizona Diamondbacks -6
29. Kansas City Royals -1
30. Seattle Mariners -4
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