Post by Rockies GM (Alex) on Dec 17, 2013 13:57:00 GMT -5
1. Los Angeles Angels - 2013 (16-3): The Angels acquired another of best hitters in the league in Chris Davis to pair with the best of the best in Mike Trout. The pitching is a deep as ever with many talented relievers and starters, and this team looks poised to keep their high winning totals rolling in 2014.
2. Boston Red Sox - 2013 (15-4): The Red Sox got busy this off-season and made a lot of upgrades even after finishing third in last year's power rankings. Dickey and Minor will improve an already terrific rotation, and the bullpen got better as well. The Red Sox could very well be the league's best come next October.
3. Texas Rangers - 2013 (18-1): The defending American League champs didn't do much in free agency with little cap room, but they were able to bring in starter Hiroki Kuroda to one of the deepest rotations in the league. While 18-1 is hard to repeat, Texas looks like they can be just as dominant as last season.
4. Colorado Rockies - 2013 (16-3): In case you were wondering... yes there is a National League. Other than bringing in new second baseman Marco Scutaro, the defending champs did little to tinker with the team. This looks like a tough year for a repeat with not only the division, but the entire national league improving.
5. Toronto Blue Jays - 2013 (14-5): The Blue Jays look good after a very buys off-season under a new general manager. Bartolo Colon was perhaps the biggest signing for the team, a pitcher who can help the rotation succeed immediately. The bullpen was also sured up for the future with a conglomeration of multi year deals.
6. St. Louis Cardinals - 2013 (15-4): The Cardinals were good last season, and they will be bringing back nearly the same squad for another go at it. Resigning shortstop Jhonny Peralta was a must, and the team was able to bring him back to anchor a lineup that struggles to live up to the pitching hype.
7. San Diego Padres - 2013 (15-4): The Padres dismantling towards the end of last year was all in preparation for this season. So far, the team has proved they're going for it all this year by bringing in key pieces in Justin Masterson, Billy Butler, and Chris Tillman. This team could easily win not only the division, but the National League.
8. Tampa Bay Rays - 2013 (13-6): The Rays have one of the best young rotations in baseball; a core that should stick together for a long time in the southeastern corner of the U.S.A. While the offense took a hit from cap restraints, Jay Bruce, David Ortiz, and Freddie Freeman should be enough to keep pace with the stars on the mound.
9. Baltimore Orioles - 2013 (7-12): After a major disappointment in 2013, the Orioles have gotten busy so far this off-season. They improved the rotation (Weaver and Nolasco), kept the offense respectable, and made strides in the bullpen. There is no chance that the Orioles finish the way they did last season... and the AL East gets even tougher.
10. Minnesota Twins - 2013 (12-7): The Twins won the worst division in baseball last season and shouldn't have much trouble making the post-season again in a similar looking AL Central. Minnesota made few changes to a unit that ranked seventh in the league in points scored last year and should be back to October baseball.
11. Philadelphia Phillies - 2013 (15-4): The offense lost some zip this off-season when Zimmerman signed with Seattle, but it's still arguably the best the league has to offer. However, this team may look too similar the team that won the league back in 2011. Big changes may need to be made soon if the Phillies are to continue their winning ways.
12. Seattle Mariners - 2013 (11-8): The Mariners have one of the best group of pitchers on the mound that should be enthralled to see the return of Michael Pineda. The team brought in free agent slugger Ryan Zimmerman this off-season to pick up the slack in the offense. Although surely Texas and L.A. are the top dogs in the division, Seattle could get a wild card birth.
13. Cincinnati Reds - 2013 (14-5): The Reds finished with an impressive 14-5 record last season despite dropping to #13 in the power rankings. The team still boasts an great rotation, solid offense, and one of the league's best bullpens. The Reds are going to need to top last season's performance in an improved National League.
14. Kansas City Royals - 2013 (10-9): Despite finishing #8 in the power rankings, the Royals struggled in the mighty American League, and ultimately missed the playoffs. The team lost ace Adam Wainwright to free agency, but added made a few small acquisitions that will keep the Royals in the mix. Hopefully bad luck doesn't strike twice for the Royals of Kansas City.
15. Houston Astros - 2013 (12-7): The Astros had an off-year last season after their incredible 2012 breakout season. The Astros didn't make many moves this off-season and will hope that stars like Albert Pujols can rebound from last season and produce huge numbers. It won't be as easy for Houston to make the post-season this year, but by no means are they looking at a high draft pick.
16. Chicago Cubs - 2013 (8-11): Following a year when the Cubs went from cellar dwellers to mediocrity, the team is somewhat of a sexy pick this season to make the post-season. The GM put all of his cap room to work this off-season signing starts Josh Johnson and Dan Haren and adding hitters Curtis Granderson, Jayson Werth, and Mark Teixeira. Is this finally their year?
17. Oakland Athletics - 2013 (8-11): The Athletics didn't make a plethora of moves this off-season, but made one huge one: bringing in slugger Joey Votto to the lineup. He will pair with Chase Headley and Michael Bourn in a solid lineup. While the rotation is suspect behind Eric Stults at the helm, the bullpen could be one of best in the league.
18. Atlanta Braves - 2013 (11-8): The Braves shuffled a lot of things around this off-season and shored up a lot of empty holes. The team made huge strides last season, and nearly ended up in the post-season, missing out by one game to the Astros. While the Braves may be ranked a bit low here, they could easily win the division if Philadelphia falls off.
19. Arizona D'backs - 2013 (6-13): The D'backs started off the 2013 season with a solid 6-4 record...but lost nine straight games to finish at the bottom. This off-season, the D'backs may have turned things around by making great moves. The team acquired ace Gio Gonzalez from the Phillies and also acquired the best second basemen in baseball in Robinson Cano and the incredible outfielder Yasiel Puig.
20. Washington Nationals - 2013 (8-11): Do the Nationals have the potential to win the weaker NL East division? Of course. While the team added Mark Reynolds and Starlin Castro to a great lineup, the team lacks the depth to survive any injuries over the course of a long season. However, if the dice land right, this team could be headed to the post-season.
21. Detroit Tigers - 2013 (2-17): Following a dreadful 2013 campaign, the Tigers reloaded this off-season, spending a record high $51m on ace Adam Wainwright this off-season. The young offense also has a chance to be much improved this season. The Tigers aren't quite there, but the pieces are starting come into place for this team to return to greatness.
22. Los Angeles Dodgers - 2013 (8-11): The Dodgers look much better this off-season after swiping two starters from Washington this off-season in John Lackey and Ryan Vogelsong. The Dodgers have terrific depth, and somewhat resemble the 2012 Astros team that won a lot of games. It'll be hard in a very good division, but the Dodgers have a chance with an improved rotation.
23. San Francisco Giants - 2013 (8-11): The Giants look very similar to the 8-11 team from last season, and a lack of major upgrades could prevent the team from competing with the rest of the National League. Still, the Giants are no easy win and will probably hover around .500 with ace Matt Cain and slugger Paul Goldschmidt leading the way.
24. New York Yankees - 2013 (4-15): Pitching wins games in Base Knock Dynasty Baseball, and Yankees went out and got themselves some of it this off-season. Jon Lester and Matt Harvey were the biggest acquisitions in an overhaul of a depleted rotation. The offense will be good enough to keep the team in games, but is it good enough to leapfrog teams in the AL to make the playoffs?
25. Pittsburgh Pirates - 2013 (0-19): Is it possible to underrate a team a #25 that didn't win a game last season? Yes. The Pirates are vastly improved from last season, but still filled with very young, but talented players. Pat Corbin and Kevin Gausman head an improving rotaiton, and Ryan Braun and Eric Hosmer lead what could be one of the better lineups in the league.
26. Cleveland Indians - 2013 (1-18): Much like the Pirates, the 1-18 Indians from last season could be much better than this #26 placing. The offense could be terrific with Giancarlo Stanton, Adam Jones, Matt Weiters, and newly acquired Ian Kinsler. However, there is a major lack of pitching, and that should prevent Cleveland from advancing that much further.
27. Milwaukee Brewers - 2013 (11-8): While there are a few positives here, I simply think this is the year that Milwaukee drops to the bottom. They have an improved farm system after making some moves, but they didn't improve at all after missing the post-season by only a game. Yu Darvish, Carlos Gomez, and Shane Victorino could all be valuable trading pieces come next summer for huge returns.
28. New York Mets - 2013 (4-15): The Mets have Wil Myers. Alright, now that we've gotten the positives out of the way, this should be a rough season for New York. The team is in obvious rebuilding mode after dealing away Chris Davis to the Angels. Like all rebuilding teams, you can't judge management by their present record, but it should be a long season for the Mets.
29. Miami Marlins - 2013 (1-18): When a team trades a player like Yasiel Puig, you know they're looking towards the future to win. Michael Wacha, Martin Perez, Christian Yelich, and Jorge Soler are all talented young pieces that could help the team next season, but this team will likely have a high draft pick and a lot of cap space come next season.
30. Chicago White Sox - 2013 (2-17): After the GM promised the post-season last year, the White Sox plummeted to the bottom. I would be astounded if the White Sox manage win a game in 2014. Building the farm should be the team's one and only goal for this season and maybe a few seasons beyond.
Average Ranking Division-by-Division:
AL Central: 20.2
AL East: 9.6
AL West: 8.3
NL Central: 17
NL East: 21.2
NL West: 15
Wow, I'm simply amazed at how many teams look so good this season. I think nearly every team has a legitimate shot at making the post-season. The talent has really been spread around well. Good luck with the rest of your off-season moves!
2. Boston Red Sox - 2013 (15-4): The Red Sox got busy this off-season and made a lot of upgrades even after finishing third in last year's power rankings. Dickey and Minor will improve an already terrific rotation, and the bullpen got better as well. The Red Sox could very well be the league's best come next October.
3. Texas Rangers - 2013 (18-1): The defending American League champs didn't do much in free agency with little cap room, but they were able to bring in starter Hiroki Kuroda to one of the deepest rotations in the league. While 18-1 is hard to repeat, Texas looks like they can be just as dominant as last season.
4. Colorado Rockies - 2013 (16-3): In case you were wondering... yes there is a National League. Other than bringing in new second baseman Marco Scutaro, the defending champs did little to tinker with the team. This looks like a tough year for a repeat with not only the division, but the entire national league improving.
5. Toronto Blue Jays - 2013 (14-5): The Blue Jays look good after a very buys off-season under a new general manager. Bartolo Colon was perhaps the biggest signing for the team, a pitcher who can help the rotation succeed immediately. The bullpen was also sured up for the future with a conglomeration of multi year deals.
6. St. Louis Cardinals - 2013 (15-4): The Cardinals were good last season, and they will be bringing back nearly the same squad for another go at it. Resigning shortstop Jhonny Peralta was a must, and the team was able to bring him back to anchor a lineup that struggles to live up to the pitching hype.
7. San Diego Padres - 2013 (15-4): The Padres dismantling towards the end of last year was all in preparation for this season. So far, the team has proved they're going for it all this year by bringing in key pieces in Justin Masterson, Billy Butler, and Chris Tillman. This team could easily win not only the division, but the National League.
8. Tampa Bay Rays - 2013 (13-6): The Rays have one of the best young rotations in baseball; a core that should stick together for a long time in the southeastern corner of the U.S.A. While the offense took a hit from cap restraints, Jay Bruce, David Ortiz, and Freddie Freeman should be enough to keep pace with the stars on the mound.
9. Baltimore Orioles - 2013 (7-12): After a major disappointment in 2013, the Orioles have gotten busy so far this off-season. They improved the rotation (Weaver and Nolasco), kept the offense respectable, and made strides in the bullpen. There is no chance that the Orioles finish the way they did last season... and the AL East gets even tougher.
10. Minnesota Twins - 2013 (12-7): The Twins won the worst division in baseball last season and shouldn't have much trouble making the post-season again in a similar looking AL Central. Minnesota made few changes to a unit that ranked seventh in the league in points scored last year and should be back to October baseball.
11. Philadelphia Phillies - 2013 (15-4): The offense lost some zip this off-season when Zimmerman signed with Seattle, but it's still arguably the best the league has to offer. However, this team may look too similar the team that won the league back in 2011. Big changes may need to be made soon if the Phillies are to continue their winning ways.
12. Seattle Mariners - 2013 (11-8): The Mariners have one of the best group of pitchers on the mound that should be enthralled to see the return of Michael Pineda. The team brought in free agent slugger Ryan Zimmerman this off-season to pick up the slack in the offense. Although surely Texas and L.A. are the top dogs in the division, Seattle could get a wild card birth.
13. Cincinnati Reds - 2013 (14-5): The Reds finished with an impressive 14-5 record last season despite dropping to #13 in the power rankings. The team still boasts an great rotation, solid offense, and one of the league's best bullpens. The Reds are going to need to top last season's performance in an improved National League.
14. Kansas City Royals - 2013 (10-9): Despite finishing #8 in the power rankings, the Royals struggled in the mighty American League, and ultimately missed the playoffs. The team lost ace Adam Wainwright to free agency, but added made a few small acquisitions that will keep the Royals in the mix. Hopefully bad luck doesn't strike twice for the Royals of Kansas City.
15. Houston Astros - 2013 (12-7): The Astros had an off-year last season after their incredible 2012 breakout season. The Astros didn't make many moves this off-season and will hope that stars like Albert Pujols can rebound from last season and produce huge numbers. It won't be as easy for Houston to make the post-season this year, but by no means are they looking at a high draft pick.
16. Chicago Cubs - 2013 (8-11): Following a year when the Cubs went from cellar dwellers to mediocrity, the team is somewhat of a sexy pick this season to make the post-season. The GM put all of his cap room to work this off-season signing starts Josh Johnson and Dan Haren and adding hitters Curtis Granderson, Jayson Werth, and Mark Teixeira. Is this finally their year?
17. Oakland Athletics - 2013 (8-11): The Athletics didn't make a plethora of moves this off-season, but made one huge one: bringing in slugger Joey Votto to the lineup. He will pair with Chase Headley and Michael Bourn in a solid lineup. While the rotation is suspect behind Eric Stults at the helm, the bullpen could be one of best in the league.
18. Atlanta Braves - 2013 (11-8): The Braves shuffled a lot of things around this off-season and shored up a lot of empty holes. The team made huge strides last season, and nearly ended up in the post-season, missing out by one game to the Astros. While the Braves may be ranked a bit low here, they could easily win the division if Philadelphia falls off.
19. Arizona D'backs - 2013 (6-13): The D'backs started off the 2013 season with a solid 6-4 record...but lost nine straight games to finish at the bottom. This off-season, the D'backs may have turned things around by making great moves. The team acquired ace Gio Gonzalez from the Phillies and also acquired the best second basemen in baseball in Robinson Cano and the incredible outfielder Yasiel Puig.
20. Washington Nationals - 2013 (8-11): Do the Nationals have the potential to win the weaker NL East division? Of course. While the team added Mark Reynolds and Starlin Castro to a great lineup, the team lacks the depth to survive any injuries over the course of a long season. However, if the dice land right, this team could be headed to the post-season.
21. Detroit Tigers - 2013 (2-17): Following a dreadful 2013 campaign, the Tigers reloaded this off-season, spending a record high $51m on ace Adam Wainwright this off-season. The young offense also has a chance to be much improved this season. The Tigers aren't quite there, but the pieces are starting come into place for this team to return to greatness.
22. Los Angeles Dodgers - 2013 (8-11): The Dodgers look much better this off-season after swiping two starters from Washington this off-season in John Lackey and Ryan Vogelsong. The Dodgers have terrific depth, and somewhat resemble the 2012 Astros team that won a lot of games. It'll be hard in a very good division, but the Dodgers have a chance with an improved rotation.
23. San Francisco Giants - 2013 (8-11): The Giants look very similar to the 8-11 team from last season, and a lack of major upgrades could prevent the team from competing with the rest of the National League. Still, the Giants are no easy win and will probably hover around .500 with ace Matt Cain and slugger Paul Goldschmidt leading the way.
24. New York Yankees - 2013 (4-15): Pitching wins games in Base Knock Dynasty Baseball, and Yankees went out and got themselves some of it this off-season. Jon Lester and Matt Harvey were the biggest acquisitions in an overhaul of a depleted rotation. The offense will be good enough to keep the team in games, but is it good enough to leapfrog teams in the AL to make the playoffs?
25. Pittsburgh Pirates - 2013 (0-19): Is it possible to underrate a team a #25 that didn't win a game last season? Yes. The Pirates are vastly improved from last season, but still filled with very young, but talented players. Pat Corbin and Kevin Gausman head an improving rotaiton, and Ryan Braun and Eric Hosmer lead what could be one of the better lineups in the league.
26. Cleveland Indians - 2013 (1-18): Much like the Pirates, the 1-18 Indians from last season could be much better than this #26 placing. The offense could be terrific with Giancarlo Stanton, Adam Jones, Matt Weiters, and newly acquired Ian Kinsler. However, there is a major lack of pitching, and that should prevent Cleveland from advancing that much further.
27. Milwaukee Brewers - 2013 (11-8): While there are a few positives here, I simply think this is the year that Milwaukee drops to the bottom. They have an improved farm system after making some moves, but they didn't improve at all after missing the post-season by only a game. Yu Darvish, Carlos Gomez, and Shane Victorino could all be valuable trading pieces come next summer for huge returns.
28. New York Mets - 2013 (4-15): The Mets have Wil Myers. Alright, now that we've gotten the positives out of the way, this should be a rough season for New York. The team is in obvious rebuilding mode after dealing away Chris Davis to the Angels. Like all rebuilding teams, you can't judge management by their present record, but it should be a long season for the Mets.
29. Miami Marlins - 2013 (1-18): When a team trades a player like Yasiel Puig, you know they're looking towards the future to win. Michael Wacha, Martin Perez, Christian Yelich, and Jorge Soler are all talented young pieces that could help the team next season, but this team will likely have a high draft pick and a lot of cap space come next season.
30. Chicago White Sox - 2013 (2-17): After the GM promised the post-season last year, the White Sox plummeted to the bottom. I would be astounded if the White Sox manage win a game in 2014. Building the farm should be the team's one and only goal for this season and maybe a few seasons beyond.
Average Ranking Division-by-Division:
AL Central: 20.2
AL East: 9.6
AL West: 8.3
NL Central: 17
NL East: 21.2
NL West: 15
Wow, I'm simply amazed at how many teams look so good this season. I think nearly every team has a legitimate shot at making the post-season. The talent has really been spread around well. Good luck with the rest of your off-season moves!