MLB Power Rankings: August 2017
By Matt Veasey
The 2017 season has certainly not gone as planned for skipper Bruce Bochy and the San Francisco Giants. Winners of three World Series crowns this decade, the Giants entered the season as division favorites in my MLB preseason predictions.
But San Francisco stumbled out of the gate, dropping five of their first six contests. They haven’t been within even six games of the .500 mark since mid-May. The Giants are now 43-69 in what has spiraled into a lost season.
The New York Mets started out by winning seven of their first 10 games. They still were at the .500 mark as late as May 9. But after reaching the postseason each of the past two years, there will be no October baseball this season. Decimated by injuries, the Mets are buried.
BOTTOM FEEDERS LOOK TO BRIGHTER FUTURES
The Twins and Braves are each league’s fading ball clubs. Minnesota surprisingly led the AL Central for much of the first half. Atlanta looked to some as if they could fashion a Wild Card push at one point. But both teams are now clearly pointed only toward 2018, and hoped-for better days ahead.
The very bottom of the pile is once again occupied by my hometown Philadelphia Phillies. My team just can’t get up off the mat. Many local fans and scribes still seem to cling to the notion that the losing core group of position players is somehow capable of winning consistently.
Nothing is going to change for the Phillies in the standings until they finally decide to make changes to that core. There is talent ready in the high minor leagues. It’s time for the Fightin’ Phils to begin making those changes, and giving their fans something to dream on.
AUGUST 2017 MLB POWER RANKING: 30-21
30. Philadelphia Phillies
29. Chicago White Sox
28. San Francisco Giants
27. Oakland Athletics
26. New York Mets
25. Cincinnati Reds
24. San Diego Padres
23. Atlanta Braves
22. Minnesota Twins
21. Detroit Tigers