2016 Week 1 Power Rankings
Apr 5, 2016 0:32:06 GMT -5
Angels GM (Derrick) and D'backs GM (Kyle) like this
Post by Ken Rosenthal on Apr 5, 2016 0:32:06 GMT -5
NEW YORK - Rosenthal here, reporting on Week 1 of the 2016 Base Knock Dynasty Baseball season. Week 1 is underway, and, consequently, we need to get the ball rolling for this year's weekly power rankings.
With the beginning of anything, there's sure to be much excitement in the opening contests of Base Knock's sixth season.
So as always, take a seat, grab a snack, and enjoy some (very) opinionated writing about your team. Previous rankings will be noted in parenthesis.
Group 6: The Next Year's Draft Prospects Fan Club
#30(29): Toronto Blue Jays (0-0)
Since the Committee's last rankings, in which I raved about a potential 50% usage rate for both Yasmany Tomas and Jose Abreu, the clearly-tanking Blue Jays shipped both players out to acquire more picks and young talent. This is the start of a long year for Toronto.
#29(30) : New York Mets (0-0)
Thanks to Toronto, this team stood pat since January and moved up a spot in the rankings. New York incredibly didn't even submit a bid for any of the international free agents that could have greatly helped their young team. The Mets will likely finish at the bottom of the National League.
#28: Chicago White Sox (0-0)
I was tempted to put the White Sox below New York, because it seems the GM has disappeared come season time. Chicago was poised to make splash with some of the promising talent in the IFA pool, but also passed, despite their voluminous amount of cap room.
#27: Cleveland Indians (0-0)
The Indians are likely going to have to wait a week to show they might be a little better than previous years, as the team welcomes a matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays to open the season.
Group 5: The So-So's... The Not-so-great's... the Okay's
#26: San Francisco Giants (0-0)
San Fran has moved up a group in the Committee's rankings, due to their most recent acquisition of star first-baseman Joey Votto. Still, the Giants need to build up their rotation to be able to be competent. Perhaps the farm system will provide some help?
#25: St. Louis Cardinals (0-0)
The Cardinals didn't make any changes and head into the season relying heavily on star-studded starting pitching. They'll need to win games like their matchup with Pittsburgh in Week 1 to have a shot at making a dent in the NL Central.
#24: Colorado Rockies (0-0)
The Rockies made a big splash in IFA, grabbing the Korean slugger Byung-Ho Park. Still, it likely won't be enough to make Colorado worth look much at this season. A surprise win over the Dodgers would definitely put them on the map, however.
#23: Seattle Mariners (0-0)
The Mariners head into this season with much to prove. They start the season with a matchup against the New York Yankees, another team in a similar situation as Seattle, not sure whether to compete to rebuild. This game could give either team confidence to go either way as we begin the season.
#22: Boston Red Sox (0-0)
The Red Sox made a nice move to bring in outfielder Gregor Blanco from Kansas City for only the price of a 6th round pick. Boston plays Minnesota this week, which is actually a somewhat winnable game for this team, that might sneak a few surprise wins in this season.
#21(20): Atlanta Braves (0-0)
The Braves need a change in the Committee's opinion. Too many seasons of mediocre play. If a rebuild was to come, it'll likely come after the first few weeks, when it's easy for GM's to make decisions out of frustration or excitement.
Group 4: The Close... yet still kind far
#20(21): Houston Astros (0-0)
Jake Arrieta. He's going to have to have another spectacular season if the Houston Astros are going to reach their ceiling, which is finishing better than Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Milwaukee I suppose. Huge game for Houston against the Cubs in Week 1 if they're looking for a statement victory.
#19(18): Kansas City Royals (0-0)
With Blanco being shipped out for a draft pick, the Committee has a feeling that a rebuild is coming sooner rather than later. If Kansas City is looking to compete this season, games like their Week 1 matchup with the Baltimore Orioles are games this team will have to win this season.
#18(19): Minnesota Twins (0-0)
The Minnesota Twins get the nod over the Kansas City Royals (for now) for second-best in the Central. There's a lot to like on the roster, and the trend seems to be pulling the Twins upwards. Minnesota needs to beat Boston Week 1 to show this improvement is real.
#17(15): New York Yankees (0-0)
New York did nothing wrong since January... but they did nothing. Meanwhile, the Orioles and Pirates both made moves to improve their teams. The Yankees play Seattle Week 1. They're favored, but the Mariners could sneak up on them.
Group 3: The possible playoff participants
#16: Pittsburgh Pirates (0-0)
The Pirates went out and spent money... a lot of it... in order to get starting pitcher Kenta Maeda. Was $16.1 million dollars too much to pay for the international free agent? Time will only be able to tell that, but the move gives the Pirates potentially a terrific addition to their rotation without having to trade anything.
#15(17): Baltimore Orioles (0-0)
Clearly in angst over their low rankings after a busy off-season, the O's have made multiple deals since January, acquiring reliever David Robertson from Cleveland and veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins from Washington. Baltimore could be good... or not, tough to tell.
#14: Milwaukee Brewers (0-0)
You want a big Week 1 game to watch? Look at the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds. The Brewers could make a huge statement with a victory defending NL Central Champs.
#13(10): Washington Nationals (0-0)
The Nationals were busy, I'll give them that. But it's hard to justify dealing away Joey Votto for a few old veteran players. The Nats made other deals to help with the huge loss on the offensive end, but I think losing Votto seriously damages this team's chance at the post-season.
#12(13): Detroit Tigers (0-0)
The Tigers are a bit of an enigma. They started out last season strong, but faded towards the end. Detroit plays the defending champion Texas Rangers Week 1, and we may just get a good barometer of where the Tigers are at.
#11: Texas Rangers (0-0)
The Rangers have something to prove, as strange as that may sound for the defending champs. Just like with Detroit, we just might see how good they by how their matchup with last season's AL Central champs goes.
#10(12): Los Angeles Dodgers (0-0)
The Dodgers surrendered their first round pick to the Toronto Blue jays to acquire Yasmany Tomas, a somewhat risky play. However, there's a chance it pays off quite well for this team, and Los Angeles therefore gets a bump in the rankings.
#9(8): Oakland Athletics (0-0)
The rotation will be incredible. There's no denying that. But the offense looks a bit suspect going into the season. The Athletics are blessed to play in one of the hardest divisions in the league, and in doing so get to play the always-good Los Angeles Angels Week 1.
Group 2: The Contenders... They're for real
#8(9): Chicago Cubs (0-0)
Part of the reason the Committee of One is so high on the Chicago Cubs this year (but yet a little nervous) is the amount of cap room they have to spend. There's a lot of improvements that could be made, making this team nearly unbeatable.
#7: Cincinnati Reds (0-0)
The Reds need to show that they are still the best team in the packed NL Central this season, and they can do that in Week 1 by beating the improving Milwaukee Brewers. It will be a difficult challenge, however, and a 0-1 hole is not something a team wants to start with in that division.
#6(5): Arizona D'backs (0-0)
The D'backs have their work cut out for them this season. After a couple years of trailing behind the San Diego Padres, it's probably time that this team made a name for themselves in the NL West... right?
#5(4): Miami Marlins (0-0)
The Marlins went out and acquired Alex Rios from the Giants, important, because depth could be an issue with this team in 2016. Thankfully for Miami, the team gets a freebee to start the season against New York.
Group 1: The Best of the Best
#4(2): Tampa Bay Rays (0-0)
A.J. Polluck's injury is pretty devastating, considering the marvelous season he put together last year. Still, the Rays will hopefully be able to get him back in a reasonable amount of time, and the beginning of their schedule is manageable.
#3(6): Philadelphia Phillies (0-0)
The Phillies somehow were able to add a slugger in Jose Abreu from the Toronto Blue Jays, pretty incredible considering how good the Phillies already were. This move puts a little separation in the Committee's mind between Philadelphia and Miami at this point in the season.
#2(3): Los Angeles Angels (0-0)
The Angels made a couple of minor moves and did their due diligence in IFA by signing a plethora of guys at low-rates. Knowing Los Angeles' prowess with young MLB talent, many of these players will end up winning games for this team down the road.
#1: San Diego Padres (1)
Despite the fact that the Padres put up an incredible 6,433.7 points last season, I suppose it's time to move on a bit. This is a new year, and just like any other team San Diego will have to prove that it's as good as advertised early on. A matchup with Washington in week one shouldn't be that difficult.
Biggest +: Phillies +3
Biggest -: Nationals -3
Week 1 GoTW: Angels vs. Athletics
Week 1 Match-ups & The Committee's Predictions (in bold)
Rockies vs. Dodgers
Cardinals vs. Pirates
Cubs vs. Astros
Brewers vs. Reds
D'backs vs. Giants
Marlins vs. Mets
Padres vs. Nationals
Braves vs. Phillies
Mariners vs. Yankees
Rays vs. Indians
Royals vs. Orioles
Blue Jays vs. White Sox
Twins vs. Red Sox
Angels vs. Athletics
Tigers vs. Rangers
With the beginning of anything, there's sure to be much excitement in the opening contests of Base Knock's sixth season.
So as always, take a seat, grab a snack, and enjoy some (very) opinionated writing about your team. Previous rankings will be noted in parenthesis.
Group 6: The Next Year's Draft Prospects Fan Club
#30(29): Toronto Blue Jays (0-0)
Since the Committee's last rankings, in which I raved about a potential 50% usage rate for both Yasmany Tomas and Jose Abreu, the clearly-tanking Blue Jays shipped both players out to acquire more picks and young talent. This is the start of a long year for Toronto.
#29(30) : New York Mets (0-0)
Thanks to Toronto, this team stood pat since January and moved up a spot in the rankings. New York incredibly didn't even submit a bid for any of the international free agents that could have greatly helped their young team. The Mets will likely finish at the bottom of the National League.
#28: Chicago White Sox (0-0)
I was tempted to put the White Sox below New York, because it seems the GM has disappeared come season time. Chicago was poised to make splash with some of the promising talent in the IFA pool, but also passed, despite their voluminous amount of cap room.
#27: Cleveland Indians (0-0)
The Indians are likely going to have to wait a week to show they might be a little better than previous years, as the team welcomes a matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays to open the season.
Group 5: The So-So's... The Not-so-great's... the Okay's
#26: San Francisco Giants (0-0)
San Fran has moved up a group in the Committee's rankings, due to their most recent acquisition of star first-baseman Joey Votto. Still, the Giants need to build up their rotation to be able to be competent. Perhaps the farm system will provide some help?
#25: St. Louis Cardinals (0-0)
The Cardinals didn't make any changes and head into the season relying heavily on star-studded starting pitching. They'll need to win games like their matchup with Pittsburgh in Week 1 to have a shot at making a dent in the NL Central.
#24: Colorado Rockies (0-0)
The Rockies made a big splash in IFA, grabbing the Korean slugger Byung-Ho Park. Still, it likely won't be enough to make Colorado worth look much at this season. A surprise win over the Dodgers would definitely put them on the map, however.
#23: Seattle Mariners (0-0)
The Mariners head into this season with much to prove. They start the season with a matchup against the New York Yankees, another team in a similar situation as Seattle, not sure whether to compete to rebuild. This game could give either team confidence to go either way as we begin the season.
#22: Boston Red Sox (0-0)
The Red Sox made a nice move to bring in outfielder Gregor Blanco from Kansas City for only the price of a 6th round pick. Boston plays Minnesota this week, which is actually a somewhat winnable game for this team, that might sneak a few surprise wins in this season.
#21(20): Atlanta Braves (0-0)
The Braves need a change in the Committee's opinion. Too many seasons of mediocre play. If a rebuild was to come, it'll likely come after the first few weeks, when it's easy for GM's to make decisions out of frustration or excitement.
Group 4: The Close... yet still kind far
#20(21): Houston Astros (0-0)
Jake Arrieta. He's going to have to have another spectacular season if the Houston Astros are going to reach their ceiling, which is finishing better than Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Milwaukee I suppose. Huge game for Houston against the Cubs in Week 1 if they're looking for a statement victory.
#19(18): Kansas City Royals (0-0)
With Blanco being shipped out for a draft pick, the Committee has a feeling that a rebuild is coming sooner rather than later. If Kansas City is looking to compete this season, games like their Week 1 matchup with the Baltimore Orioles are games this team will have to win this season.
#18(19): Minnesota Twins (0-0)
The Minnesota Twins get the nod over the Kansas City Royals (for now) for second-best in the Central. There's a lot to like on the roster, and the trend seems to be pulling the Twins upwards. Minnesota needs to beat Boston Week 1 to show this improvement is real.
#17(15): New York Yankees (0-0)
New York did nothing wrong since January... but they did nothing. Meanwhile, the Orioles and Pirates both made moves to improve their teams. The Yankees play Seattle Week 1. They're favored, but the Mariners could sneak up on them.
Group 3: The possible playoff participants
#16: Pittsburgh Pirates (0-0)
The Pirates went out and spent money... a lot of it... in order to get starting pitcher Kenta Maeda. Was $16.1 million dollars too much to pay for the international free agent? Time will only be able to tell that, but the move gives the Pirates potentially a terrific addition to their rotation without having to trade anything.
#15(17): Baltimore Orioles (0-0)
Clearly in angst over their low rankings after a busy off-season, the O's have made multiple deals since January, acquiring reliever David Robertson from Cleveland and veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins from Washington. Baltimore could be good... or not, tough to tell.
#14: Milwaukee Brewers (0-0)
You want a big Week 1 game to watch? Look at the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds. The Brewers could make a huge statement with a victory defending NL Central Champs.
#13(10): Washington Nationals (0-0)
The Nationals were busy, I'll give them that. But it's hard to justify dealing away Joey Votto for a few old veteran players. The Nats made other deals to help with the huge loss on the offensive end, but I think losing Votto seriously damages this team's chance at the post-season.
#12(13): Detroit Tigers (0-0)
The Tigers are a bit of an enigma. They started out last season strong, but faded towards the end. Detroit plays the defending champion Texas Rangers Week 1, and we may just get a good barometer of where the Tigers are at.
#11: Texas Rangers (0-0)
The Rangers have something to prove, as strange as that may sound for the defending champs. Just like with Detroit, we just might see how good they by how their matchup with last season's AL Central champs goes.
#10(12): Los Angeles Dodgers (0-0)
The Dodgers surrendered their first round pick to the Toronto Blue jays to acquire Yasmany Tomas, a somewhat risky play. However, there's a chance it pays off quite well for this team, and Los Angeles therefore gets a bump in the rankings.
#9(8): Oakland Athletics (0-0)
The rotation will be incredible. There's no denying that. But the offense looks a bit suspect going into the season. The Athletics are blessed to play in one of the hardest divisions in the league, and in doing so get to play the always-good Los Angeles Angels Week 1.
Group 2: The Contenders... They're for real
#8(9): Chicago Cubs (0-0)
Part of the reason the Committee of One is so high on the Chicago Cubs this year (but yet a little nervous) is the amount of cap room they have to spend. There's a lot of improvements that could be made, making this team nearly unbeatable.
#7: Cincinnati Reds (0-0)
The Reds need to show that they are still the best team in the packed NL Central this season, and they can do that in Week 1 by beating the improving Milwaukee Brewers. It will be a difficult challenge, however, and a 0-1 hole is not something a team wants to start with in that division.
#6(5): Arizona D'backs (0-0)
The D'backs have their work cut out for them this season. After a couple years of trailing behind the San Diego Padres, it's probably time that this team made a name for themselves in the NL West... right?
#5(4): Miami Marlins (0-0)
The Marlins went out and acquired Alex Rios from the Giants, important, because depth could be an issue with this team in 2016. Thankfully for Miami, the team gets a freebee to start the season against New York.
Group 1: The Best of the Best
#4(2): Tampa Bay Rays (0-0)
A.J. Polluck's injury is pretty devastating, considering the marvelous season he put together last year. Still, the Rays will hopefully be able to get him back in a reasonable amount of time, and the beginning of their schedule is manageable.
#3(6): Philadelphia Phillies (0-0)
The Phillies somehow were able to add a slugger in Jose Abreu from the Toronto Blue Jays, pretty incredible considering how good the Phillies already were. This move puts a little separation in the Committee's mind between Philadelphia and Miami at this point in the season.
#2(3): Los Angeles Angels (0-0)
The Angels made a couple of minor moves and did their due diligence in IFA by signing a plethora of guys at low-rates. Knowing Los Angeles' prowess with young MLB talent, many of these players will end up winning games for this team down the road.
#1: San Diego Padres (1)
Despite the fact that the Padres put up an incredible 6,433.7 points last season, I suppose it's time to move on a bit. This is a new year, and just like any other team San Diego will have to prove that it's as good as advertised early on. A matchup with Washington in week one shouldn't be that difficult.
Biggest +: Phillies +3
Biggest -: Nationals -3
Week 1 GoTW: Angels vs. Athletics
Week 1 Match-ups & The Committee's Predictions (in bold)
Rockies vs. Dodgers
Cardinals vs. Pirates
Cubs vs. Astros
Brewers vs. Reds
D'backs vs. Giants
Marlins vs. Mets
Padres vs. Nationals
Braves vs. Phillies
Mariners vs. Yankees
Rays vs. Indians
Royals vs. Orioles
Blue Jays vs. White Sox
Twins vs. Red Sox
Angels vs. Athletics
Tigers vs. Rangers