1. Arizona Diamondbacks (13-5)-The babybacks continue to shine. They have arguably the best one-two pitching combination in baseball with Haren and Webb at the top and their line-up is producing from top and bottom. In years past, they struggled to score points, but not this year. Right now, they look like the class of the NL and the strongest team in baseball.
2. Boston Red Sox (13-7)-The Red Sox are finally looking like the world champions. They have won their last four games, and in two of them, have beaten Texas' bullpen to do so. Their five-point comeback against the Rangers on Sunday was impressive. The bats have come to life too, and Manny Ramirez is making the $20 million option look like a safe investment for next year.
3. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (12-8)-The Angels are doing a nice job to start the season, considering they are playing without their top two aces, John Lackey and and Kelvim Esobar. The real key for the Angels has been the pitching of Erwin Santana, who has been able to overcome his road woes and get off to a 3-0 start with one of the top five era's in the AL. Chone Figgins is continuing to play amazing as well.
4. Chicago Cubs (12-6)-Yes, the Cubs have beaten the Pirates for their last few wins. But wins are wins, and this team is playing good baseball. Ryan Dempster is doing a great job in transition from the bullpen to the starting rotation, and Derek Lee is playing at a MVP candidate level. John Madden of the Daily news called Alfonso Soriano one of the worst free-agent signings ever. Interesting take on what may develop.
5. Chicago White Sox (11-7)-The White Sox continue to be one of the surprise teams in baseball, storming out to a great start. The key for them has been the pitching by their young arms, Gavin Floyd and John Danks. The team will go as far as they can take them. Javier Vazquez has continued to be solid. Jim Thome seems to have gotten his stroke back.
6. New York Mets (10-7)-The Mets had a great week, going 5-1 against the Nationals and the Phillies. Oliver Perez looked great in his starts, and although he got touched a little on Sunday, Mike Pelfrey is doing a soild job. Jose Reyes is being the catalyst the team needs at the top of the line-up and David Wright is playing great right now. Angel Pagan continues to shine.
7. Oakland Athletics (12-8)-If you had asked me earlier this year how many games it would take for the Athletics to win 12 games, i would have probably said around 30, but instead they have done it in 20. I really can't explain why, but this team is getting the job done. This seems to be a great year for teams that are in rebuilding modes. They will only get better when Rich Harden returns.
8. Baltimore Orioles (11-8)-Another team was supposed to be in complete re-building mode and out of the race from the first day, they have played great baseball and stormed out to an 11-7 record. They smoked the Yankees in their first two games, something on paper they shouldn't do. Adam Jones has flashed some real leather in center and when he develops offensively, will be a great pick-up for them. They will fizzle out eventually, but are playing great now.
9. St. Louis Cardinals (12-7)-Save the last two games of the series against the Giants, and the Cardinals have continued to amaze. Their offense is very limited, but is finding ways to get it done. When you consider their rotation is pretty much consisted 3/5 of converted relievers, its pretty impressive what they are doing. Their concept of rotating five outfielders seems to be working as they all are fresh and doing good jobs.
10. Florida Marlins (11-7)-Team three in re-building mode that is doing a great job and contending. Hanley Ramirez is just a pure baseball player that just makes the gam better. Scott Olsen, who is known more for his temper and problems than his pitching, is off to a quick 3-0 start. This team has a salary 1/10 that of the Yankees and has more wins right now. Wow.
11. Milwaukee Brewers (11-7)-The Brewers are a solid team, but need to solidfy the end of their bullpen and get Prince Fielder going. Eric Gagne has already blown three saves and is looking like he may be one of the worst free agent signings this past year. I mean, giving up back to back homeruns against the Reds is embarrassing. This team also seems to feed off the play of Prince Fielder and needs him to hit consistently.
12. Seattle Mariners (10-10)-Erik Bedard is on the disabled list. That is not news that the Mariners want to hear. Through it all, though, the Mariners are 8-5 in their last 13 and have found solid contributions from Carlos Silva and Miguel Batista has won his last two decisions. The offense also seems to be on the right foot. Their bullpen right now is pretty shaky, but once J.J. Putz cames back, they will be fine.
13. Toronto Blue Jays (10-9)-The Blue Jays are a team that always seems on the verge of breaking out, but can't. They finished the weekend with a nice series win against the Tigers, including wins by A.J. Burnett and Dustin McGowan. They cut Frank Thomas in a move that is supposed to help them put out the best possible team on the field, but I really do not understand that one. Aaron Hill has been really solid.
14. Kansas City Royals (9-10)-The Royals were swept this weekend by the red-hot Athletics, but take that away, and they are playing good baseball. Brian Bannister and Zach Greinke have been real solid, and like lots of analysts say, you could do alot worse than the top three that KC sends out to the hill. They still might be a year or two away.
15. New York Yankees (10-10)-The Yankees are 7-1 in games started by Andy Pettite and Chien-Ming Wang. They are 3-9 in games started by Mike Mussina, Phil Hughes and Andy Pettite. That is not a formula for success. The Yankees offense has been far too inconsistent as well, with Robinson Cano, Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi hitting poorly. If the back end of the rotation does not get it together, this team is in for a long season.
16. Colorado Rockies (9-9)-After starting the season on such a poor note, the Rockies have finally started to get it together. Barring a Brian Fuentes blown save today, they would be 10-8. The only real problem with this team is the lack of start pitching, as Jeff Francis is good, but he's not an ace. Aaron Cook is not a solid second starter as well, adn tehy are relying on young arms too much. With the Diamondbacks in their division, they will have troubles winning the division.
17. Atlanta Braves-The Braves welcomed Andruw Jones back to Atlanta by sweeping the Dodgers to conclude a good week of baseball. Chipper Jones is continuing his trend of getting off to amazingly fast starts and John Smoltz has not missed a beat. This team needs more consistent starts out of Chuck James like the one they got on Friday to compete and Jair Jurjens looks like a solid young pitcher that they will be available to develop.
18. Philadelphia Phillies (9-10)-The Phillies are trying to stay afloat without the MVP, Jimmy Rollins, in their line-up. The team will be fine, but is struggling a little right now, as they normally do at the beginning of the season. If the pitching staff con hold it together, they will contend with the Mets all season. But for now, they just need to keep their heads above water until Rollins gets back.
19. Minnesota Twins (9-10)-In other years, the Twins would have no shot at winning the division with their current team, but right now, they are in the thick of things. Chase Blackburn has been solid, but they are not solid at pitching. Francisco Lirano is off to an 0-2 start, but you kow that he will improve. This team does have a history of putting it together, but I can't see it happening with this cast.
20. San Diego Padres (9-10)-The Padres are an average team. Yes, they have one of the best pitchers in baseball in Peavy, but they just don't have enough to be considered an elite team. Randy Wolf might not be able to last the whole season, and I am not sold on Chris Young as a number two starter. When Kevin Kouzmanoff is your cleanup hitter, you know you need to improve your offense.
21. Cincinnati Reds (8-11)-I thought the Reds could be a real contender this year, but they are struggling to get out of the gate. They have some really solid pitching in Cueto, Volquez and Harang, but have lost their lost two series to rivals Chicago and Milwaukee. Brandon Phillips needs to pick it up a bit. Their offense, for one that should be potent, seems to go dead at points.
22. Tampa Bay Rays (8-11)-While everyone, myself included, said this team could be a sleeper this year and win a handful of games, it seems that Baltimore has taken that role. Edwin Jackson is coming back down to earth, and the offense seems to need just a little bit more. B.J. Upton has been great for the team, looking like the can't miss prospect he was supposed to be.
23. Cleveland Indians (7-12)-The Indians look nowhere near the team that was within one game of the World Series last year. C.C. Sabthia is not providing the pithing that is needed from an ace at the top of the rotation, and Jake Westbrook has been a victim of lack or runn support. I can understand they lost two of three to the Tigers, but two of three to the Twins. Come on now. They're lucky Cliff Lee has been pitching like has for the past few years.
24. San Francisco Giants (8-11)-It's very surprising to say, but the Giants have actually been playing good baseball. They had two offensive outpours in their two games against the Cardinals. Tim Lincecum is looking like the real deal, off to a 3-0 start on team that struggles offensively. If only they could ever get Barry Zito right, this team would have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball.
25. Detroit Tigers (6-13)-The Tigers showed some promise this week and appeared to be on the verge of breaking out, but have since lost three of their last four games. Justin Verlander is not looking like the Cy Young winner I predicted him to be, and the pitching in general is just very suspect. They are a team that will be looking for pitching helop and bullpen help come the trade deadline.
26. Houston Astros (7-12)-With all the sluggers in this line-up, this team could have a better record but they just can't get it done. Roy Oswalt finally won a game and looked like the ace the team has, but outside of him, the rotation is so shaky. Shawn Chacon has actually pitched well, though. Maybe it was all those years on Baltimore that aged Miguel Tejada two years?
27. Los Angeles Dodgers (7-11)-Outside of winning two games against the Pirates, the Dodgers had an awful week and seem to be continuing their trend of not playing to their talent. Andruw Jones can't seem to hit, and when James Loney and Rafael Furcal are your only source of runs, you are going to have problems. They scored a total of three runs in thre games against the Braves, and they didn't even face Smoltz or Hudson.
28. Texas Rangers (7-12)-The Rangers concluded an awful week with their bullpen blowing two games for them, including a five run lead. Josh Hamilton has been playing great and the offense seems to be able to put runs on the board, but the bullpen has blown two wins they could have had against the Red Sox. Kevin Millwood pitched a great game against the Red Sox, but could not get the win. It's looking like that type of season for him.
29. Pittsburgh Pirates (7-11)-The Pirates looked lifeless this week, getting swept by the Cubs in three games and losing their last five. Adam LaRoche really needs to pick his game up, as he is supposed to be the power bat in that line-up, but he continues to struggle. Their pitching staff is solid, but Matt Morris looks like he is done. This team is going nowhere.
30. Washington Nationals (5-14)-The Nationals continued to flounder this week, going 2-4 including a sweep by the Mets. Although the trade for Lastings Milledge looked great at first, it seems the Mets have gotten the better of that deal. This team looks like it's going to struggle all year.
Notes:
-The Red Sox already have nine come from behind wins....Wow
-George Sherrill is 6 for 6 in saves, but has a 6.14 ERA-You need to get that down a little bit
-Releasing Frank Thomas was clearly a move to save themselves of the option for next season
-Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Mike Mussina need to pick it up for the Yankees to have any chance of making the playoffs
-Could Tampa Bay be interested in signing in the Big Hurt?
-Joe Crede is cooling down after a hot start....Joe Danks and Gavin Floyd are pitchig great for back of the rotation starters
-Could KC need the big hurt?
-Delmon Young is not having the offensive output they expected in Minnesota
-Fausto Carmona doesn't seem toe be a one year fluke
-Miguel Caberea seems to be coming around
-Could Erwin Santana be the comeback player of the year?
-Isn't if funny how the A's always trade away all their guys and continue to compete year after year?
-Richie Sexson is hitting the ball real nice and inflating his value for his walk year
-Texas needs to improve its bullpen
-Ryan Church is having no problems adapting to New York
-Hanley Ramirez is the best shortstop in baseball and will be a rich man when he hits free agency
-Is there anything more pure than watching John Smoltz continue to dominate in his 40's?
-Chase Utley is the best second baseman in baseball
-Wily Mo Pena needs to hit the ball
-John Lieber is settling in nicely to the role of the longman
-Adam Wainwright will be one of the best pitchers in baseball soon
-Eric Gagne sucks...period
-Ken Griffey's 600th is coming up and I can't wait to see it
-Pittsburgh needs to do something to get this taste of losing out of its mouth
-No matter how old he is, Miguel Tejada is performing
-I think the Diamondbacks, if they improve their bullpen, can win it all
-Troy Tulowitzki is finally starting to turn the corner
-The Padres will be around .500 all year
-SF is playing as good as anyone could expect
-Rafael Furcal will cash in on the free agent market again
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