Bottom of the 9th Power Rankings (Through Series #9)
As our inaugural season approaches the stretch run, a few teams are beginning to separate themselves from the pack, while others try to make their own push for the postseason. There are no new teams entering the top 10 this week.
*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.
- Boston Red Sox (Official_Mole): 23-4 (#1 last week)
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For the first time all season, the #1 team from last week’s rankings remains entrenched in the top spot for a second week in a row. The Red Sox continue to be the class of the league. Their lead in the AL East is up to 7 games, and they are 4.5 games ahead of any other team in the American League. Barring a late collapse, the Red Sox are likely to have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Now, it is all about staying healthy and peaking at the right time in order to make a run at a World Series title.
- Colorado Rockies (TortugaTheGoat): 21-5 (#3 last week)
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Like the Red Sox in the AL, the Rockies are starting to separate themselves from the rest of the teams in the National League, as they are 3 games clear of the rest of the pack. The Rockies have not done anything spectacular over the past week, but neither have the teams that are chasing them. This team finishes the season with some very tough games, including a series each against the Rangers, Reds, and Royals, all of whom are top 10 teams in this league. The Rockies still have some work to do to solidify NL home field advantage.
- Cincinnati Reds (daskins21): 17-7 (#8 last week)
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The Reds are one of the biggest movers in this week’s power rankings. They have won four games in a row and finished a lengthy nine-game road trip with a 7-2 record. They continue to hold off the Brewers in the NL Central and are within striking distance of the Rockies for the top spot in the NL. The Reds’ hitting woes have been an issue all season long, but the superb pitching has allowed the club to stay competitive. This team’s status as a true contender will be determined over the next two weeks: three games each against the Brewers, Red Sox, and Rockies.
- Kansas City Royals (primetimekcs): 16-8 (#9 last week)
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The Royals are the other big mover this week, shooting up into the top 4 after battling back into the thick of the AL Central race. Although the Royals still trail the Twins by a game, these two teams are going in opposite directions right now. A 5-1 road trip that included two wins against the rival Indians and ended with an impressive sweep of the Orioles has this team riding a wave of momentum that could be enough to comeback and claim the division title.
- Texas Rangers (Jae-Gee): 16-9 (#5 last week)
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The Rangers are still plugging away in the AL West. Their 3-2 record last week was enough to keep them right here in the #5 spot. The team continues to be average offensively, but they have two pitchers (Yu Darvish and Derek Holland) with a ridiculous ERA under 0.30. They currently hold a 1.5 game lead in their division, but the Astros and Mariners are lurking behind and ready to pounce if this team starts to slip. The Rangers still have upcoming games against the Rockies, Red Sox, and Astros.
- Tampa Bay Rays (dalton22rox): 16-11 (#7 last week)
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This team was not on anyone’s radar a couple of weeks ago. However, the Rays continue to surprise the rest of the league, beating some very good teams as they race toward a spot in the postseason. Their sweep of the Twins pushed their winning streak to eight games before it was snapped against the White Sox. This division race is over. Down seven games with 13 left to play, the Rays will not catch the Red Sox. On the bright side, Tampa’s schedule gets considerably easier the rest of the way. If they take care of business against the mediocre teams, the Rays will make the playoffs.
- Minnesota Twins (OoMyJosh) 17-7 (#2 last week)
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After being in the top 2 a week ago, the Twins are in free-fall mode, landing here in the 7th spot. A case could have been made to drop them even further. They have not played good baseball of late, going 4-6 in their last 10 games. The Twins finished their road trip by being swept against the Rays, before somewhat bouncing back by taking two of three from the Tigers. This team was always going to be up against it from a talent standpoint. Perhaps that lack of talent is finally starting to catch up to them.
- Houston Astros (Jabbo91): 14-10 (#6 last week)
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The Astros continue to beat the odds and remain competitive in a tough division and an even tougher league despite a lack of quality major league talent on their team. They are 1.5 games behind the Rangers for the AL West lead, but only 0.5 games ahead of the Mariners for second place in that division (which could be important in the race for a wildcard). The schedule for the Astros down the stretch does not look that difficult, but they will get one more series against both of the teams they are competing with in the division. Those will likely be must-win games.
- Milwaukee Brewers (Texas__Ranger21): 15-9 (#10 last week)
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The Brewers refuse to die. This team has turned its season around and remains in contention for a spot in the postseason. Their recent sweep of the Cubs also keeps them within two games of the NL Central-leading Reds, with a pivotal series coming up between the two teams. A lot of credit has to be given to this team. The front office has pressed the right buttons and made the moves that were necessary to put this team in a good spot right now and in the future.
- Arizona Diamondbacks (JamieGG04): 17-11 (#4 last week)
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Last week, the Diamondbacks were arguably the hottest team in the league, winning games at a .900 clip to knock on the door of the division lead in the NL West. They have not had an easy time with it recently, as this once formidable offense has failed to score more than two runs in four of their last five games (all losses). A pair of home defeats to the Rockies likely means that the race for this division is over, and the Diamondbacks will now have to fall back and hope for a wildcard berth.
