Baseball Handicapping Tips
The MLB season marches on. The teams have begun to show us what they have to offer, but there’s still a long way to go in a season that’s a marathon, not a sprint. With that said, it’s these early opinions we formulate that will decide whether this season will be a profitable one for us or not.
Here are the power rankings entering the ninth week of the MLB schedule.
1. Oakland Athletics (30-20)
The A’s have remained near the top of the power rankings for weeks now thanks to a stellar starting rotation, but the team’s offense really showed its teeth the last few weeks. That trip to Toronto will likely only serve as a speed bump, but they’ll need to get things corrected by the time they line up opposite the Angels.
2. Detroit Tigers (28-18)
A rough start for Verlander on Sunday, but he’s been pitching well outside of that one outing. Max Scherzer has also been strong, and Anibal Sanchez’s re-insertion into the fold gives the team a solid top three. Miguel Cabrera’s bat has also come around, and it doesn’t appear Victor Martinez will cool off anytime soon.
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3. San Francisco Giants (32-18)
It’s scary to think of how good the Giants can be come playoff time if they can consistently score runs. With Angel Pagan lighting things up at the top of the lineup, and Michael Morse solidifying the middle of the order, that could be the case. Pablo Sandoval is also beginning to come around, and he’s always a dangerous hitter when he gets into a groove.
4. St. Louis Cardinals (28-22)
The Cardinals are really heating up now, figuring some things out after a slow start. They’ll need to keep their upward momentum going this week as they will really be tested, with the Yankees and Giants coming to town.
5. Milwaukee Brewers (30-21)
A regression seemed inevitable, but the Brewers still send out a strong rotation and have an ability to score runs, which means they’re going to remain a force in the N.L. Central for the rest of the year. Any concerns about Ryan Braun should be washed away after he nearly hit for the cycle on Sunday.
6. Atlanta Braves (28-21)
The team’s offense really needs to get going to help supplement a starting rotation that has been really strong, not to mention the bullpen, solidified by Craig Kimbrel’s return to his old, dominant self. The team can score runs when Justin Upton gets hot, and he’s hit his home runs in bunches this year, but they need him to be more consistent.
7. Los Angeles Dodgers (27-24)
Releasing a play because he bit a teammates ear wasn’t even the worst news out of Dodger camp this week. Matt Kemp isn’t instilling enough confidence in Don Mattingly to see regular time in center field, and Hanley Ramirez has some nagging injuries creeping up again. The team is barely above .500.
8. Toronto Blue Jays (29-22)
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Mark Buehrle’s swan song is lasting longer than many thought, and there is no apparent end in sight, which is just fine. The team’s offense, which is so deep, is really starting to mash the ball, living up to that post-hype sleeper hype (it’s a thing).
9. Los Angeles Angels (28-21)
Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson have quietly been one of the better 1-2 punches atop any rotation in the American League, and Garrett Richards has really solidified himself as the third guy in that rotation. Albert Pujols is hitting the ball again, and Mike Trout is finally coming around, not to mention improved play from Howie Kendrick and David Freese.
10. Colorado Rockies (27-23)
It’s starting to get a little concerning that the team is playing so much better at home than they do on the road, but if they do manage to get to the playoffs, half of their games will be at Coors, so there’s that. Troy Tulowitzki is really doing his best to stave off the inevitable regression that’s about to hit, though that may coincide with an uptick in production from Carlos Gonzalez.
11. Washington Nationals (25-25)
12. Baltimore Orioles (25-23)
13. New York Yankees (26-23)
14. Miami Marlins (26-25)
15. Seattle Mariners (24-25)
16. Kansas City Royals (24-25)
17. Texas Rangers (25-25)
18. Pittsburgh Pirates (22-27)
19. Cincinnati Reds (22-26)
20. Tampa Bay Rays (23-28)
21. Minnesota Twins (23-24)
22. Cleveland Indians (24-27)
23. Chicago White Sox (25-27)
24. San Diego Padres (23-28)
25. Boston Red Sox (20-29)
26. New York Mets (22-27)
27. Philadelphia Phillies (21-26)
28. Arizona Diamondbacks (20-32)
29. Chicago Cubs (18-30)
30. Houston Astros (19-32)
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