Comanor: MLB Power Rankings

1. New York Yankees
-The Yankees dominated the Red Sox in a 4 game sweep. They outscored their AL East foes 25-8, shutting out the struggling Sox twice. Robinson Cano led the way, batting .400 during the series. Cano’s .313 season batting average leads the way for the best offensive team in the league.

2. Los Angeles Angels
-The Red Hot Angels have gone 16-7 since the all-star break. But after converting 17 straight saves, Brian Fuentes has fallen off track, giving up 7 runs in only 1 inning in his last 3 outings.

3. Los Angeles Dodgers
-In his last 12 games, Manny Ramirez has batted a mere .217. Other than an offensive explosion for 17 runs against the Brewers, the Dodgers have averaged 3 runs during this stretch. The NL West Crown isn’t in any danger, but the Dodgers need to get back on track.

4. Boston Red Sox
-The Red Sox have struggled since the all-star break. They’ve gone 8-14 during this stretch and have fallen 6.5 games behind the Yankees in the East. On the good note, Victor Martinez has been the solid bat the Sox have needed. He’s gone 12 for 37 since coming over from Cleveland.

5. Philadelphia Phillies
-The Phillies’ inconsistent play leaves them at Number 5. They’ve lost series to San Francisco and Florida, both teams they could face in the postseason. Still, Cliff Lee and J.A. Happ have both solidified a rotation anchored on a struggling Cole Hamels.

6. San Francisco Giants
-The Giants have won 9 of 13. The Giants have emerged as the best pitching team in the league, averaging a phenomenal 3.49 ERA. Freddy Sanchez has batted .346 since arriving from Pittsburgh, and the Giants are looking like the team to beat in the Wild Card race.

7. St. Louis Cardinals
-In his last 8 starts, Adam Wainwright is 4-2 with a astounding 1.35 ERA. Match it with Chris Carpenter’s 1.96 ERA since July 1, and the Cardinals have a top 1-2 punch in the National League. Add Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, and the Cardinals are pretty good.

8. Texas Rangers
-Michael Young is riding a 14 game hitting streak, going 25 for 54 with 7 homers and 14 RBIs during this stretch. The Rangers play Boston, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and New York in August, so look for the Rangers to fall off soon.

9. Tampa Bay Rays
-Last year, the Rays won behind their solid rotation. This wasn’t the case in July. Kazmir, Garza, Shields, and Price combined to go 4-9 with a 5.15 ERA. With pitching like this, the Rays have no chance to catch up to powerhouse teams like the Red Sox and Yankees.

10. Colorado Rockies
-After a disappointing and shortened 2008 season, Todd Helton has really responded. He is batting .316 with 11 homers and 63 RBIs. His power has really declined, but his average is up 50 points from last year. The Rockies have a tough schedule ahead, but if they can survive, they play 25 games against under.500 teams in September.

11. Detroit Tigers
-In his first 2 starts with Detroit, Jarrod Washburn has struggled, giving up 11 runs off 4 home runs in 11.1 innings of work. The Tigers better watch out because the White Sox are only 3 games back.

12. Chicago Cubs
-The Cubs have been one of the hottest teams of the 2nd half, winning 15 of 23. They’ve ridden Kosuke Fukudome, who has batted .357 with a .477 OBP. The easy schedule for the Cubbies might help them catch up in both the NL Central and Wild Card races.

13. Florida Marlins
-After reaching a season high 9.07 ERA, Ricky Nolasco has been dominant, going 6-2 with a 2.57 ERA. The Marlins have really climbed back into the NL East race. A dominant showing against the Phillies this weekend puts them within striking distance.

14. Chicago White Sox
-The White Sox believe their new ace Jake Peavy will be ready to pitch by at least early September. Imagine a rotation with Peavy, Buehrle, Floyd, and Danks. Scary.

15. Atlanta Braves
-The Braves dominated the Dodgers in a 4 game set, taking 3 at Chavez Ravine. They outscored the Blue 23-13. Both Javier Vasquez and Kenshin Kawakami had dominant performances, combining to give up 1 run in 15 innings.

16. Seattle Mariners
-The Mariners did just the right thing by selling Jarrod Washburn at his top value. In return, they got Luke French and prospect Mauricio Robles. Both have great potential to be solid starters in the future. And with Jack Wilson and Ian Snell coming over from the Pirates, the Mariners look to have a bright future with some young talent.

17. Milwaukee Brewers
-The Brewers have been bad in the 2nd half, compiling a -22 run differential. Stopper Yovani Gallardo has a 15.19 ERA in August, and the Brewers have fallen 2nd to last in NL pitching with a 4.83 ERA.

18. Minnesota Twins
-We hear so much about Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, but what about Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer. Kubel is having a career year, batting .304 with 19 jacks, while Cuddyer is batting .277 also with 19 homers. Add newly acquired Orlando Cabrera to the mix, and the Twins have a scary lineup.

19. Houston Astros
-After losing 4 straight series, the Astros finally won 2 of 3 from division rival Milwaukee. The Astros are 6 games back in the Central, and will far even further in the standings unless Lance Berkman comes back soon from the DL.

20. Toronto Blue Jays
- J.P. Ricciardi really messed up this time. Roy Halladay was at his peak value, and the Jays could not move him. They were offered a generous deal from the Phillies for J.A. Happ and 3 MLB-Ready Prospects. Even if they do move him in the offseason, he wont nearly as much. Smells like Vernon Wells.

21. New York Mets
-The Mets’ 2009 season has been ruined by numerous injuries. This week was no different. They lost young Jonathan Niese for the season after attempting to stretch for a ball at first base. Gary Sheffield and Luis Castillo also suffered minor injuries this week. It’s yet another heartbreaking year for Mets fans.

22. Arizona Diamondbacks
-The Diamondbacks had won 7 of 8 before running into the Red Hot Nationals (Yes, I just said that). Yusmeiro Petit’s near perfect performance on Tuesday night was fun to watch. This team is young, but very talented.

23. Oakland Athletics
-The A’s traded Matt Holliday after only one half season to dump his salary to the Cardinals. Oakland received top prospect Brett Wallace in return, who they hope is the 3rd baseman of the future. This season has really been a bust, but expect the Athletics, who have a lot of young talent, to thrive in a few seasons.

24. Cincinnati Reds
-So how is Scott Rolen going to help the Reds? He’s worth 11 million this and next season with diminishing returns. Edwin Encarnacion is cheaper, has more potential, and will ready for a rebound season after a disappointing 2009.

25. Baltimore Orioles
-The Orioles have averaged the 2nd lowest team ERA in the AL, posting an abysmal 4.99 ERA. This happens when you’re “ace” is Jeremy Guthrie, who is 7-11 with a 5.28 ERA.

26. Cleveland Indians
-The Indians had a busy deadline, moving both Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez to Philadelphia and Boston, respectively. The Indians once again sell off a Cy Young winner in order to rebuild. In my opinion, Mark Shapiro shouldn’t have moved either and instead try to win in 2010.

27. San Diego Padres
-Even Jake Peavy knew to get out of San Diego. The Padres are only in the beginning stages of rebuilding, and hopefully we see them compete in 2011.

28. Pittsburgh Pirates
-We don’t really know how the Pirates did at the deadline. They moved 8 of their 2008 opening day starters, and the prospects they’ve gotten in return won’t affect the Pirates for a few seasons. But recently, Andrew McCutchen has turned into a solid player, hitting .379 in August with a 1.282 OPS.

29. Washington Nationals
-This is the first time the Nats haven’t sat last in the rankings. They’re not ready to make a run at the division or anything, but this is a huge step. The Nationals have won 8 in a row against Pittsburgh, Florida, and Arizona. John Lannan has turned into a solid pitcher, winning 8 games with a 3.39 ERA.

30. Kansas City Royals
-Although the Royals don’t hold the worst record in baseball, they’ve earned this spot. They’ve gone 6-17 since the all-star break, and don’t show any signs of improvement. Trey Hillman should be out of a job after this disappointing season.

By: Greg Comanor

Scouting The Sports Analyst

STS EXCLUSIVE: 2009 NL West Preview

Manny Ramirez affects way more than one team’s destiny.  His decision between the Dodgers, Giants or someone completely different will affect who wins this division, and who doesn’t compete.  So, without knowing what Manny will do, here is My NL West Preview.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

This is the Manny Ramirez dependant category.  If they Dodgers are able to sign Ramirez, he will solidify their lineup and make them World Series contenders.  If they don’t, expect a 2^nd or 3^rd place finish in their own division.  I really like the addition of Orlando Hudson.  He will be a strong fit near the bottom of the lineup and his defensive ability, combined with Rafael Furcal, help create one of the best middle infields in the National League.  Their rotation, which is very young, could be their breaking point.  I really like Chad Billinsley and Clayton Kershaw had a fantastic start to his career.  The big question mark is the return of Jason Schmidt.  If he can be the guy the Dodgers hoped he was when they signed him, he can really help them out.  I’m not sure how I feel about their bullpen as well.  Jonathan Broxton is a solid closer and pitched well last year after taking over for Takashi Saito.

2. Arizona Diamondbacks

They battled with the Dodgers last year, but the Dodgers will have Manny all season, and they lost production from Orlando Hudson and Adam Dunn.  They will have a respectable season, however.  Their lineup is young, but quickly improving.  Stephen Jackson, Chris Young and Conor Jackson are nice in the top of the lineup, and I expect a strong season from Justin Upton.  Their rotation is decent with an almost guaranteed victory at the top with CY Young winner Brandon Webb heading and a very good number 2 with Dan Haren.  Doug Davis is also not bad and they added pretty reliable starter Jon Garland to fill the 4 spot.  They also have a pretty veteran bullpen with Chad Qualls as the closer and Jon Rauch, Tom Gordon and Scott Schoeneweis lead a very experienced pen.  Injuries shouldn’t be too much of a concern.  I like their bench, led by Tony Clark, Augie Ojeda and Eric Byrnes.  The Diamondbacks are not bad, but I think the Dodgers with Manny are too strong.

3.San Francisco Giants

The Giants are still in the Manny Ramirez mix.  If they can add him, I like them to jump to 2^nd or maybe 1^st.  Lets assume he’s going to the Dodgers though.  Without a super strong bat, the Giants lineup is pretty weak.  Fred Lewis must step up this year and the Giants better hope they can get the typically strong National League Renteria.  I also like Randy Winn who I feel is a little underrated.  Besides that, their lineup is very weak with Bengie Molia, definitely not a clean-up hitter, batting 4^th and Aaron Rowand following.  I’m interested to see how Pablo Sandoval, who was drafted and brought up as a Catcher, adjusts to 3^rd base after the Giants signed Buster Posey from Florida State.  If their lineup can manage to put some runs together, they could be a surprise team this year.  Their rotation is strong returning Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Noah Lowry.  If Barry Zito can return to a part of what he was with Oakland, and Randy Johnson can pitch decently well, they have one of the best rotations in the NL.  If their line-up can get them some wins, I like a decent pen, led by set-up man Bob Howry and closer Brian Wilson, who had 41 saves a season ago, should be there to close it out.

4.Colorado Rockies

A weak rotation, and a line-up that lost Wily Tavaras and Matt Holiday… it looks like a rough year for the Colorado Rockies.  With Holliday out of the lineup, the Rockies will need Clint Barmes, Troy Tulowitzki, Todd Helton, Brad Hawpe and Garrett Atkins to play like they did on the World Series team.  They also hope Ryan Spilborgs and Seth Smith can replace the departing outfielders.  Colorado’s rotation is going to need a lot of run support in band box of a stadium.  An already weak rotation hit a bump with they found out that Jeff Francis will miss the whole year.  The rest of the staff is not very good and the Rockies are going to have to rely on Aaron Cook and off season signing Jason Marquis.  I don’t expect much from them but maybe a four or five home-run season.  If they can get leads, they will leave it up to Manny Corpeas, Alan Embree and Huston Street.  I don’t like their chances.

5. San Diego Padres

It is gong to be a few years of rebuilding.  Their line-up is okay, but, minus their top two in the staff (one of which may be traded) their rotation is going to struggle.  The middle of the line-up is pretty strong with Brian Giles, Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Kouzmanoff.  The rest of the line-up will struggle.  Peavy is a stud, we all know this and Chris Young, when he is not injured, is also very good.  Besides the two of them, its going to be a mystery.  For the first time in years, the ball will not be handed off to Trevor Hoffman in the 9^th.  That spot is given to Heath Bell, we’ll see how that goes.

By Taylor Wishman

ScoutingTheSports.com Contributor

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STS EXCLUSIVE: 2009 AL EAST PREVIEW

After the surprise of last season, the AL East again looks like it is going to be the strongest division in the majors. With the Yankees adding millions of dollars worth of All-Stars while A-Rod gave them millions of headaches, the Rays and Red Sox also got stronger. If the off-season wasn’t exciting enough, look for this to be once again the most intriguing division all season.

Here are my predictions for how the AL East will shape up:

1.   Boston Red Sox

Things have changed in Boston. A Wild Card appearance into the playoffs is no longer acceptable. Though it seems as though the Yankees trades may have pushed them past the Sox, I need to see it to believe it. While it wasn’t nearly as big an off-season as their division counterparts, it was still a pretty good one that could pay huge dividends. GM Theo Epstein did a great job signing some former stars that, if healthy, can really help out the Sox. Some of their big signings include former All-Star pitchers Brad Penny, Takashi Saito, John Smoltz, and Outfielder Rocco Baldelli. Each of the players mentioned had injury problems last season, if even two or three of them can recover they can really help the team. Minus a trade with the Royals in which they lost Coco Crisp, the Red Sox didn’t really lose any key players from their roster. Their line-up is still strong with Kevin Youklis, MVP Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Jason Bay who seemed to feel more and more comfortable in Fenway as the season progressed. If Josh Beckett, John Lester and Dice-K can continue to pitch well, and can manage to stay healthy, I see the Red Sox holding off the Yankees and taking the division.

2.New York Yankees

Who says we are in a recession? While many teams struggled to sign free agents with the troubles in the economy, the Yankees signed three of the best free agents on the market – CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira – raising their league high payroll to over $207 million. Sabathia instantly becomes the ace replacing the retiring Mike Mussina and Burnett will fit in nicely as the number 2 in the rotation. Adding Burnett not only helps out the rotation, but also takes him away from a division opponent meaning they won’t have to face him 3 or 4 times during the year. The two of them will have to carry the rotation as the rest of the staff is average at best. A healthy Chien-Ming Wang would help out and, with the HGH incident behind him, Andy Pettite hopes to rebound from a tough 2008. This rotation won’t need to work too hard as the Yankees have what should be the best lineup in baseball. The addition of Tex, joining Jeter, Damon, A-Rod (INSERT A-ROID JOKE HERE), Posada and Matsui makes the top of the lineup dangerous. Adding Teixeira also makes them a much better defensive squad, replacing the offense lost by Giambi and Abreu. Staying healthy is the most important, aside from Nick Swisher who can play outfield as well as a little 1^st, the Yankees have one of the worst benches in baseball. If the injury bug doesn’t hit them as hard as it did last year, expect the Yankees to battle with the Red Sox all year. I feel the Sox rotation will hold them off, but the Yankees should be around come October.

3. Tampa Bay Rays

James Shield called the Rays as the “team to beat” in 2009. I wouldn’t exactly go that far. Though they add Pat Burrell to a young, strong lineup, and now have David Price pitching for them for the entire season, they did not do enough in the off-season to once again compete with the Red Sox and Yankees. The addition of Burrell makes their lineup very strong. With Rookie of the Year Evan Longoria hitting 6^th in the lineup, you know you have something good to put out there. It is not an easy road before him, Iwamura stepped up last season, and if BJ Upton can show the power he had in the playoffs, there are no easy outs in this lineup. There staff is also very strong with no real holes. Scott Kazmir and James Shields are studs, and David Price as the number five pitcher is not too bad a fit. There bullpen will be their downfall. Troy Percival is aging and was ineffective last year and Wheeler and Howell must try to return from by far their best season of their careers. I expect many close games to go against the Rays. Unfortunately, this division got too strong for the Rays. A playoff berth is unlikely, but a winning season is not. Expect an 82-85 win season and positives that will lead them to be competitive for a long time.

4.Toronto Blue Jays

In a division where everyone made moves, the Toronto Blue Jays did the opposite – they sat back and did nothing. They lost their 2^nd pitcher and Yankee killer A.J. Burnett to free agency, and signed only a few mediocre players to minor league deals. The Jays return pretty much the same line-up as a year ago. They have a decent lineup with Marco Scutaro, Alex Rios, Aaron Hill, Vernon Wells and Scott Rolen, but it won’t compete with the rest of the division or league. Behind perennial CY Young Candidate Roy Halladay, the Jays don’t have much of a staff. Shaun Marcum is out for the year and Dustin McGowan won’t be back earlier than June. The one strong point is their bullpen which ranked first in era a year ago, and returns every guy. If they can get leads to the late innings don’t expect many of them to be blown. Still, in the AL East, that won’t be enough. I don’t expect more than 72-75 wins for the Jays

5. Baltimore Orioles

They won’t win this year, but they are making strides. The Orioles are a young team that has a lot of upside. While the Orioles lineup is just average at best, there are some strong spots. Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis, both young and underrated, recently signed multi-year contracts which should help out the team in the long term. If they can get production from Melvin Mora, Aubry Huff and Adam Jones this team will put some runs on the board. The team is also waiting for Felix Pie to have a breakout year. The rotation is going to be their downfall. Aside from Jeremy Gutherie, who has been their work horse the last couple years, the rest of the rotation is up for grabs. Rich Hill and Mark Hendrickson were signed in the off season to fill that void but they are not winning any CY Young Awards. Expect the rotation to struggle. The bullpen will be improved from last year, as Chris Ray comes back to lead a solid 8^th and 9^th inning with closer George Sherill. Still, its going to be a tough season, especially in this division. There will be a battle for 4^th with Toronto, but that’s all. They still need a couple more years.

By Taylor Wishman

ScoutingTheSports.com Contributor

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STS Exclusive: 2009 NL EAST PREVIEW

It’s only February but Baseball fans have April 5th marked on their calendars. That’s because its Opening Day and the season begins with battle between the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies and NL East rival Atlanta Braves. Expect the season to not only begin but end with the NL East as the strongest division in the National League should expect to send its winners late into October. With that, here is my outlook for the NL East in 2009:

1. Philadelphia Phillies

They “Phinally” did it last year. The Phillies surged past the Mets in September, took it to the Brewers and Dodgers in the NL playoffs, and dominated the resurgent Rays to win their first World Series title in 25 years. With most of the World Champion roster returning, it’s hard to imagine them not making a run for a repeat. They still have their strong rotation led by NLS and World Series MVP Cole Hamels as well as Joe Blanton and the ageless wonder Jamie Moyer, a strong bullpen led by All-Star closer Brandon Lidge and have kept all their studs in the lineup, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino, as well as other core players. The only major change to the lineup is the loss of Pat Burrell who is replaced by Raul Ibanez. As long as Chase Utley can come back from off season surgery and return to his old form, and the rest of the lineup can stay healthy all year, I look for the Phillies to take the division and compete for another World Series title.

2. New York Mets

Everyone knows about the Mets problems the last two years. With a struggling bullpen the Mets blew game after game and allowed the Phillies to surge past them in September leaving them, once again, watching from home in October. There is, however, reason for optimism heading into ‘09. In a solid off season the Mets corrected some of their bullpen problems by acquiring J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez to anchor the 8th and 9th innings. Now its up to David Wright, Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran to continue filling up the stat sheet and give the run support needed for a decent staff led by All-Star Jose Santana, John Maine and Oliver Perez to get a lead into the late innings. I expect the Mets to finally live up to expectations and compete all year for the division crown. The stronger Phillies staff, however, will hold them off and the Mets will finish the regular season with a Wild Card victory and a chance to compete late into October.

3. Atlanta Braves

It has been a tough 12 months for the Atlanta Braves. There were hopes of reganing their dominance in the National League East and maybe winning a 2nd division crowd. Instead, the Braves lost 90 games in 2008, traded away Mark Texiera, lost free agent pitchers John Smoltz and All-Star Will Ohman and then failed in attempts to sign top free agents for most of the off seasons. Even after trading for pitcher Javier Vazquez and signing pitchers Derek Lowe and Japanese star Kenshin Kawakami to join Jair Jurggins and Jorge Campillo in the rotation, the Braves added nothing to a lineup that ranked 14th in the National League even with Tex in the lineup until July. The addition of left handed platoon outfielder Garrett Anderson would be a welcoming addition to the lineup, but they can’t expect an aging outfielder to do too much. I like their staff to keep them in the race for much of the year, but unless their young position players Jeff Francouer, Gregor Blanco, Kelly Johnson and Kasey Kochman can help out Brian McCann and Chipper Jones, expect them to eventually fold in September. Third place in the tough east is the highest I can see the Braves in 2009.

4. Florida Marlins

The Florida Marlins will once again be working with the lowest payroll in the major leagues and they couldn’t seem to care less. After the owner called the Yankees front office “irresponsible” in this economic time, the Marlins again lost some key players to trade and free-agency. Still, don’t ever count them out. Their roster is once again loaded with young talent and they return All-Stars Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez. Their biggest question mark will be the end of their bullpen where Matt Lindstrom will hope to take over for All-Star Kevin Gregg. If these youngsters can step up, expect Florida to compete all year.

5. Washington Nationals

At-least they’re trying. The acquisition of Adam Dunn gives Ryan Zimmerman some protection in the line up, a formidable left handed hitter and gives the Nationals fans some hope for the future. Dunn, however, will not be enough. Their lineup is still weak, their rotation very inexperienced, and their bullpen is young and unproven. The Nationals hope for improvement in young position players Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes as well as pitchers John Lannan and new acquisition Scott Olson. These guys must step up to make the season somewhat respectable. Either way, fans should expect a 90-95 loss season and many, many headaches.

By Taylor Wishman

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