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Bottom Of The 9th

Bottom of the 9th Power Rankings (Through Series #5)

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Another week of league play is in the books, and there are some shakeups at the top to report, including a new #1 team. Here is this week’s top 10:

*Please keep in mind that with the one series flex rule, some teams have played ahead of schedule and as a result, have more games shown on their record than others.

 

  1. Minnesota Twins (OoMyJosh): 11-1 (#4 last week)
Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

 

The Twins have vaulted to the top of the power rankings on the strength of a six-game winning streak, including a three-game sweep of the previously #2 ranked Kansas City Royals. This squad may not have the same talent level as some of the other teams around the league, but they continue to produce. Byron Buxton is now making an impact in the big leagues, and he already has a home run and three runs batted in. He is a superstar in the making.

 

  1. Boston Red Sox (Official_Mole): 10-2 (#3 last week)
Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

 

The Red Sox are another team that continues to surge toward the front of the pack. Winners of five straight, the Red Sox are coming off of a three-game sweep over the rival New York Yankees. This team is getting solid production from its pitching staff. The middle of the lineup (Hanley Ramirez, David Ortiz, Pablo Sandoval) has yet to find its groove offensively, but all three remain potent threats. It is likely only a matter of time before they begin to produce, which would make the Red Sox a complete team.

 

  1. Baltimore Orioles (Jmag24): 8-4 (#5 last week)
Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

 

The American League East division continues to be a two-team race. Despite the hot start by the Red Sox, the Orioles remain right on their tail. The pitching has been outstanding, but the offense continues to be abysmal. The Orioles are currently two games out of the division lead and in control of a wildcard spot, but the offense needs to pick up some slack. If that happens, the O’s could become a very difficult team to knock off.

 

  1. Colorado Rockies (TortugaTheGoat): 12-1 (NR last week)
Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

 

Sure, the Rockies may have benefitted early on from playing in a division that currently has multiple CPU-controlled teams, but their current success can no longer be ignored. Winners of eight in a row, the Rockies have opened up a commanding lead, not only in the National League West, but also in the NL as a whole. The pitching has been mediocre at best, but the offense has been great (2nd in the league with a .278 team batting average). That’s about what is expected in the mile-high altitude. It will be interesting to see if this team can continue this exceptional play moving forward.

 

  1. Seattle Mariners (jayoh30): 9-3 (#1 last week)
Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

 

The Mariners have been knocked off of their pedestal a bit over the past week. After starting the season 6-0, they have dropped three of their last six games. However, the Mariners are still holding on to a two-game division lead in the AL West. This team still has plenty of firepower, and this is a pretty average division, so the Mariners should be just fine. They were not going to go 40-0. This is still the team to beat in the AL West.

 

  1. Arizona Diamondbacks (JamieGG04): 10-6 (NR last week)
Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

 

All of a sudden, there is some firepower to be reckoned with in the NL West division. After starting out slow, the Diamondbacks have been on a tear, winning seven of their past eight ball games to pull within 3.5 games of the NL West-leading Rockies. The Diamondbacks recently acquired star outfielder Ryan Braun from the Milwaukee Brewers, but paid a steep price to do so. This team appears to be all-in on winning this season with no regard for the future.

 

  1. Cincinnati Reds (daskins21): 10-5 (NR last week)
Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

 

After struggling out of the gate, the Reds have seized control of a rather mediocre NL Central division. This team was on an eight-game winning streak, but has recently fallen back to earth a bit after losing back-to-back games to the Tampa Bay Rays. The pitching has been nothing short of phenomenal, as this staff leads the majors with a 0.97 earned run average through 15 games. However, hitting with runners in scoring position has been dreadful, and that has cost this team at crucial moments.

 

  1. Kansas City Royals (primetimekcs): 9-6 (#2 last week)
Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

 

After getting off to a 7-1 start, the Royals seemed poised to get back to the World Series. Perhaps that idea was short-lived. This team has plummeted in this week’s rankings after going 2-4 in the past seven days, including being swept by the Twins. The Royals are still firmly in the mix for a wildcard berth, but now find themselves 3.5 games out of the AL Central lead. A rematch with the Twins looms, and winning that will be crucial if the Royals wish to remain in contention for the division title.

 

  1. San Diego Padres (wahinton): 9-4 (NR last week)
Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

 

The NL West was the only division in baseball to be shut out of the inaugural power rankings last week. This week, it is the only division to put three teams into the top 10. The Padres don’t really have any flashy numbers, but this team is finding a way to win games and stay afloat in the NL playoff picture. However, with several games coming up against quality opposition, the team’s 3.75 ERA could ultimately be their downfall.

 

  1. Texas Rangers (Jae-Gee): 7-5 (#9 last week)
Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

Image courtesy of sportslogos.net

 

The Rangers haven’t been doing anything spectacular, but they continue to play above-average baseball in the tough American League. This team remains in the mix for both the AL West crown and a wildcard spot should the division race fall through. The Rangers are batting less than .200 as a team, but it’s not for lack of trying. In the past week, they acquired 1st baseman James Loney from the Rays and outfielder Hunter Pence from the Giants. Only time will tell if those moves will be enough to jumpstart this offense.

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