2011 MLB Power Rankings – MLB Power Ratings Poll from NSAwins.com – Red Sox, Phillies, Tigers Top the List: The halfway point of the 2011 MLB season is fast approaching, and the hot temperatures of summer are coming as well. Offense tends to pick up this time of year, but the heat only adds to the fatigure felt by the players. The next month and half will go a long way toward determing which teams make the postseason, but in the meantime, here is a batch of Power Rankings with the record of each team through Sunday, June 13.
- Boston Red Sox (39-27): Didn’t the Red Sox have a slow start to the season? The same club that couldn’t score a run has to open the year has recovered to be the top-scoring offense in the league. Boston has won nine of its last 10 games, Adrian Gonzalez could win the AL MVP, and Jon Lester could win the AL Cy Young.
- Philadelphia Phillies (42-26): The best starting rotation in baseball has lived up to the hype all season, and the Phillies continue to own baseball’s best record. They have won eight of their last 10 games, including five in a row. Unless the injury bug strikes, Philadelphia is going to be at our near the top of the league all year.
- Detroit Tigers (37-30): The Tigers are one of the hottest teams in baseball these days, winning seven out of 10 to take the lead in the American League Central away from Cleveland. Justin Verlander has carried an underrated pitching staff, and the offense is kept stable by the big bats of Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez.
- Milwaukee Brewers (38-30): Prince Fielder is knocking the cover off the ball, and the Brewers are finally living up to their potential. On paper, this club should be more than capable of winning the NL Central, and they recently caught the Cardinals for the best record in the division. Milwaukee has the bats and the arms to contend.
- New York Yankees (37-28): Derek Jeter is the latest Yankee to land on the disabled list, but New York has managed to stay in the hunt in the AL East despite a depleted pitching staff. If the front office can make a move or two to bolster the bullpen, the Yankees could still make the playoffs.
- San Francisco Giants (38-29): The defending World Series champs have been nothing short of remarkable this year. Despite missing Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval, the Giants sit atop the NL West. Outside of the foursome in Philadelphia, San Francisco may have the best crop of starters in the game.
- Atlanta Braves (38-30): Armed with a dominant young bullpen and group of capable starters, the Braves have established themselves as one of the top wildcard contenders. Jason Heyward’s impending return should only help Atlanta’s offense, and although catching the Phillies isn’t likely, this is a club that could continue to overachieve all season.
- St. Louis Cardinals (38-30): It has been a season of ups and downs for the Cardinals and Albert Pujols all year. The injury to Adam Wainwright and the struggles of Chris Carpenter have hurt the starting rotation, and the bullpen is kind of a mess. However, St. Louis remains tied for the NL Central lead despite all the issues.
- Texas Rangers (36-32): Despite slowing down after a hot start, the Rangers remain atop the AL West. The return of sluggers Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz has helped the Texas offense, and the Rangers are one of the few teams that can beat opponents with both power and speed. Texas ranks second in the American League in steals and third in home runs.
- Tampa Bay Rays (36-31): Only in the American League East can a team win seven out of 10 and lose ground. The Rays have relied on an excellent rotation, including the resurgent James Shields, and have pieced things together on offense. The problem is that being the third best team in the AL East means no postseason.
- Arizona Diamondbacks (37-31): At one point, Arizona rode a hot streak all the way to first place in the NL West. Even though the Giants have reclaimed the top spot, the Diamondbacks have showcased the young talent that makes them one of the more dangerous teams in the league. Arizona probably doesn’t have the experience to contend all season, but this a team that could ruin the playoff hopes of another club before the year ends.
- Cincinnati Reds (36-33): From hot to cold and back to hot again, the Reds rollercoaster ride has them looking up at Milwaukee and St. Louis in the NL Central. That being said, Jay Bruce and Joey Votto are both playing like potential MVPs, and the Reds starters are starting to round into form. The defending division champs
- Seattle Mariners (34-34): The bad news is that Ichiro is having the worst year of his career, and the Seattle offense in general has been mediocre. The good news is that the pitching staff has been nothing short of dominant. Even Erik Bedard has been close to untouchable as the Mariners have climbed back to the .500 mark.
- Chicago White Sox (33-35): The offense is finally showing signs of life, and the bullpen has emerged from a reshuffling as a much stronger unit. If Chicago could just get Adam Dunn and Alex Rios on track, they could easily sneak up and win the AL Central. As it stands now, the White Sox are probably one bat short of competing with Detroit over the long haul.
- Cleveland Indians (35-30): The feel good story that was the Indians has quickly become a nightmare. Cleveland has won just twice in the last 10 games and has dropped 15 of 19 overall. The Indians have fallen out of first place, and even the incredible play of Asdrubal Cabrera can’t seem to right the ship.
- New York Mets (33-34): The Mets’ owner recently said that Jose Reyes won’t be getting Carl Crawford money from him in the offseason. I guess that means Fred Wilpon wants to see him in another team’s uniform because Reyes owns the league’s top batting average and has the most multi-hit games. New York isn’t a playoff caliber team, but the club isn’t as bad as many expected either.
- Pittsburgh Pirates (33-33): The Pirates are by no means playoff contenders, but it is June, and they have a .500 record. Joel Hanrahan has been an absolute lock in the ninth inning, and he is still perfect in save opportunities. Give this Pittsburgh club some credit. This franchise is heading in the right direction.
- Colorado Rockies (32-35): Although the Rockies have grossly underachieved to this point, there are some positive signs for the club. Carlos Gonzalez is on a roll, and Troy Tulowitzki is back on track after an off month. Ubaldo Jimenez continues to be a bust, but Colorado’s best baseball is still to come.
- Toronto Blue Jays (33-34): Toronto needs to petition the commissioner to change divisions. Strong years from Jose Bautista and Adam Lind have the Blue Jays hovering around .500, but being in the same division as Boston, New York and Tampa Bay has them out of contention from the get go.
- Minnesota Twins (26-39): Despite still owning one of the worst records in baseball, the Twins have suddenly caught fire. They have won eight of their last 10 games but still have the worst record in the American League. Even with the hot stretch, Minnesota is just in too deep of a hole to contend for anything this season.
- Washington Nationals (31-36): Ryan Zimmerman is returning to help a struggling Washington offense, but Jordan Zimmerman and the rest of the starting pitchers have been doing their best to keep the team afloat in the meantime. Drew Storen is one of the top young closers in the game, and Tyler Clippard is as nasty as they come in terms of setup men. The Nationals have a decent core, and plenty of prospects down on the farm. This club could make some noise in a few years.
- Baltimore Orioles (30-34): All the offseason acquisitions are starting to perform, but the Orioles still remain in the cellar of the AL East. The reality of the situation is that Baltimore doesn’t have the payroll to compete.
- Florida Marlins (32-35): After looking like a surprise contender, injuries to Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson have started a downward spiral. The Marlins have lost 13 of their last 15 games, and Atlanta and Philadelphia have distanced themselves from the rest of the competition in the NL East.
- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (33-36): The Angels are just 3-7 in their last 10 games, and the club has a lot of money tied up in older players that aren’t playing near the level they were when they signed their deals. Vernon Wells and Bobby Abreu are the biggest offenders, and it is going to be tough for the front office to move such massive contracts to attempt to rebuild.
- San Diego Padres (30-39): San Diego’s pitching staff has been outstanding, but the team’s offense has been dismal. The Padres have the third-best ERA in baseball but the second-worst batting average. The team’s record clearly shows that the lack of offense is trumping the quality pitching.
- Los Angeles Dodgers (31-38): The Dodgers aren’t a very good baseball team in 2011, and it’s tough to blame them given all the off the field distractions. That being said, Matt Kemp is playing out of his mind and could end up winning the MVP for a losing club. He currently boast a .332 average, 20 homers, 56 RBIs and 16 stolen bases.
- Kansas City Royals (30-37): The Royals continue to pressure opponents on the base paths, but the team has definitely come back to earth after a hot start to the year. The outstanding play of prospect Eric Hosmer has been a bright spot for Kansas City, but fans have to be tired of hearing about the bright futures that never seen to come to fruition.
- Oakland Atheltics (28-40): The offense looked bad on paper, and it has been. The problem for the Athletics is that the pitching staff hasn’t lived up to expectations. Brett Anderson elbow is ailing, and Trevor Cahill is struggling. Oakland has already fired its manager and has just one win in the last 10 games.
- Chicago Cubs (27-39): It is tough to win a lot of games when your pitching staff owns the worst ERA in baseball, and that is the problem the Cubs are faced with. Most of the damage has been self inflicted. Chicago has walked more batters than any other team in baseball.
- Houston Astros (25-43): You don’t compile the worst record in baseball without having a lot of issues. The Astros have nothing to offer on offense outside of Hunter Pence and an aging Carlos Lee, and the pitching staff isn’t much better. This club is in last place for a reason.
Check out the National Sports Advisors daily on NSAwins.com for expert MLB picks.