MLB Power Rankings: Boston Red Sox in top half
The Call to the Pen staff assembled their power rankings and brought them together for another edition of our weekly rankings. Each writer ranked every team from 1st to 30th, with the 1st place vote being worth three points and the last place team earning 0.1 points. The numbers were crunched, and below are your official Call to the Pen power rankings.
1. Texas Rangers
“The Neftali Feliz injury doesn’t help, but there’s just so much overall depth here.” – Brian Vaughan
2. St. Louis Cardinals
“Injuries have come, and Berkman will be a large loss. St. Louis fans hoping he’s not done for the season.” – Blaine Blontz
” Injuries are really starting to take their toll, but offensive depth and a solid-enough pitching staff should keep them atop the NL Central.” – Brian
“The Cardinals came back to the pack in the NL Central in a hurry.” – Lew
3. Tampa Bay Rays
“Joe Maddon and Tampa are more innovative/inventive than any other Major League organization. Carlos Pena was their leadoff hitter this week” – Glenn DuPaul
“The Rays are ridiculously balanced, and Longoria isn’t even back yet. I do miss when they had ‘Devil’ in their name, though…” – Brian
“Their rotation is enviable, but can someone please explain Fernando Rodney‘s random dominance (0.44 ERA) as the closer? Anyone?” – Spencer Hendricks
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
” They’ve got the most wins in baseball as of Wednesday, and they’ve been doing it without Matt Kemp.” – Blaine
“They’re finding ways to win, but that lineup isn’t going to keep doing so for long.” – Brian
“The Dodgers have a weak offense, but it fits right in with their hapless division mates.” – Spencer
“Nothing like liberation from the Frank McCourt ownership to set the Dodgers free, huh?” – Lew
5. Atlanta Braves
6. Toronto Blue Jays
“Bautista is just now starting to hit on all cylinders, and there are plenty of other impact players waiting to do just the same. ” – Brian
“They have the second best run differential in the American League despite playing in the game’s toughest division.” – Spencer
7. Baltimore Orioles
“They’ve kept it up enough to stay atop the AL East through the first quarter of the season. Management will have to decide if it’s worth dipping into their already thin minor leagues to upgrade their roster, especially starting pitching.” – Blaine
“This success can’t continue, but lasting this long in this division is still impressive.” – Spencer
“How long can the Orioles keep it up and stay atop the AL East? That division’s standings look inverted at the moment. Reading bottom to top it would seem to make more sense: Boston, New York, Toronto, Tampa Bay, Baltimore.” – Lew
8. Washington Nationals
“They’re showing teams they are for real this year, not in the future. That rotation has been awesome.” – Blaine
9. New York Yankees
“Where’s the offense?” – Blaine
“They’ve been a complete mess, but they’re still over .500 and the offense is starting to hit.” – Brian
10. Cincinnati Reds
“If Mat Latos has found the form that got him the title of “future ace” in San Diego, then Cincinanti has all the tools to be the best team in the NL Central.” – Glenn
“Cincy’s been hot and will look to give the Cardinals a run for the division.” – Blaine
“The Reds are 7-3 in their last 10 and Mat Latos is starting to look a little more like Mat Latos.” – Brian
“Winners of five straight, the Reds feature a lock-down bullpen and Joey Votto, seer of pitches, worker of counts.” – Spencer
11. Cleveland Indians
“Cleveland’s offense walks more than any other team in baseball, led by their shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.” – Glenn
12. Boston Red Sox– The Sox rose five spots to get into the top half of the table for the first time in our power rankings.
“They may be in last place, but the Red Sox can score runs and the pitching can’t be this bad forever.”- Brian
“This team is finally showing some signs of life and David Ortiz is still absolutely killing the ball. He’s leading his team in production, which is all anyone should really care about.” – Kyle Davis
13. Miami Marlins
“May’s Marlins are the real ones. Stanton hits towering homers every other day, Josh Johnson is returning to form, and Ozzie Guillen has been quieter than usual.” – Brian
14. Detroit Tigers
“Just can’t seem to put things together. Detroit’s now looking up at Cleveland and Chicago.” – Blaine
“This team has the great dynamic duo everyone expected, but it’s turned out to be Austin Jackson and Andy Dirks so far.” – Spencer
“I called out Max Scherzer last week in this space, and again on Twitter before his latest 15K start. I let him know he was pitching for his job on my fantasy team, and he obviously took note and stepped up his game. So you’re welcome, Tigers fans!” – Kyle
15. Chicago White Sox
” Chris Sale has been stellar in the rotation, while Jake Peavy and Adam Dunn are having strong comeback seasons.” – Brian
16. San Francisco Giants
“Adding a bat would really help, but the Giants have been winning with their usual blend of pitching and…pitching.” – Brian
17. Philadelphia Phillies
“The Phillies are the only team in the NL East that’s below .500, who would’ve thought that?” – Glenn
“The Phillies stopped the roll they had been on. Still a lot of question marks facing that offense.” – Blaine
“Who pictured the Phillies being last in the NL East at this point of the season?” – Lew Freedman
18. Los Angeles Angels– Personally, I prefer Trout and love his all-around game.
“Mike Trout is making people in the baseball world think twice about anointing Bryce Harper, “Baseball’s next King” – Glenn
“Now that Pujols’ OPS has surged back near the .600 mark, better things may await this disappointing team.” – Spencer
19. New York Mets
“David Wright‘s odds of hitting .400 for the whole season are higher than the team’s chances of staying over the .500 mark much longer.” – Spencer
20. Oakland Athletics
21. Arizona Diamondbacks
“What a disappointing start.” – Blaine
22. Houston Astros
” Continue to play competitive baseball, but how long before the veterans start to be shipped out?” – Blaine
“Luhnow’s little kids have impressed so far, and while it won’t last long, the team’s flirtation with .500 has been legitimate so far.” – Brian
23. Seattle Mariners
24. Pittsburgh Pirates
“Andrew McCutchen! Yeah, that’s about it.” – Brian
25. Milwaukee Brewers
“The Brewers have been terrible, but we’ve already seen their floor. Things will get better before long.” – Brian
26. Kansas City Royals
“If the young hitters catch on soon, the Royals will still be in the hunt to finish .500.” – Brian
27. Colorado Rockies
“The only team that can hit at all in the NL West. Too bad they’re last in almost every pitching category.” – Spencer
28. San Diego Padres
“Jesus Guzman hits fourth and Jeff Suppan is in the rotation. That’s just cruel.” – Spencer
29. Chicago Cubs
“Looking about as bad as expected, the Cubs can now focus their attention to the future of Bryan LaHair and Matt Garza.” – Blaine
“Nine straight losses while playing in a weak division. Shudder.” – Brian
30. Minnesota Twins
“Stop being so mean to the poor Twins; if they played in the NL they would only qualify as ‘terrible’ as opposed to ‘laughing stock.'” – Spencer