Baseball Power Rankings:
There’s a new sheriff in town atop the MLB power rankings and his name is Justin Verlander.
(Previous rankings in brackets)
1. (3) Detroit Tigers (87-63): Justin Verlander will go for win No. 24 this weekend. Perhaps most impressive is his 13-2 road mark. With him leading the way, not to mention the offensive depth led by Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez, you could make a case that Detroit is now the American League Pennant frontrunner.
2. (1) Philadelphia Phillies (97-51): Is there a chance that clinching so early will make the Phillies go soft come playoff time? Nah. I just remembered that Roy Halladay pitches for them. No way Doc lets his teammates rest on their laurels.
3. (2) New York Yankees (90-58): They still have as strong a chance as any team to win it all because their bats are the equivalent of the Phillies’ arms. When will the Curtis Granderson show stop?
4. (11) Tampa Bay Rays (83-66): They continue to make the Boston Red Sox sweat bullets. The Rays have officially clawed their way back into the stretch run. Special props are due for rookie starter Jeremy Hellickson and his nerves of steel.
5. (7) Texas Rangers (86-64): The Rangers keep winning but their rotation looks far less stable than it was entering the 2010 playoffs. What was a strength could be a liability this time.
6. (4) Arizona Diamondbacks (87-63): If Ian Kennedy wins his next start, he may unofficially become the most under-the-radar 20-game winner in major-league history.
7. (8) St. Louis Cardinals (81-68): Crucial series wins over the Brewers and Braves have vaulted them back into the playoff run. But can this team stay healthy long enough to make any noise come October? I doubt it.
8. (9) Los Angeles Angels (82-67): Their season ends with a three-game set at home to Texas. If Jered Weaver and Dan Haren start during that series, are the Halos the favorite to win the AL West?
9. (5) Milwaukee Brewers (87-63): The Brewers still look like the Phillies’ toughest NL challenger but their recent stumbles have let St. Louis off the mat. The Brewers also aren’t guaranteed home field in the NLDS anymore, which is a major concern given their 52-23 home record.
10. (12) San Francisco Giants (80-70): The five-game winning streak is nice but it’s probably too late. Arizona only needs to play .500 ball to guarantee itself the NL West crown.
11. (10) Atlanta Braves (86-64): They’re no longer a postseason lock, especially with Tommy Hanson still out with an injured shoulder. Even if they reach the big dance without him, can they win a series without him?
12. (6) Boston Red Sox (86-63): Who knew they’d ever fall this far? The truth is that Boston looks like the weakest AL contender at the moment. The pitching staff is too banged up.
13. (16) Toronto Blue Jays (75-74): Note the massive dropoff between the 12th and 13th-ranked teams in the rankings. Only 12 teams in baseball remain in hunt for eight playoff berths. The Jays keep doing their thing, hovering around .500 and giving their fans hope for a better 2012.
14. (22) Cincinnati Reds (74-76): There’s still enough offensive talent on this team that the Reds could contend next season if they bolster their pitching.
15. (26) Washington Nationals (71-79): Five straight wins for the Nats. They’re babying Stephen Strasburg upon his return and with good reason. With him and Jordan Zimmermann as a one-two pitching punch next season, could Washington post a winning record?
16. (20) Kansas City Royals (65-86): The Royals have a five-game winning streak of their own. But should would we put much stock in a team that only seems to play well when the games don’t matter anymore?
17. (21) Pittsburgh Pirates (68-82): It will be interesting to see if next year’s Pirates build on their strong first half or continue with their ugly second-half play from this season.
18. (18) Oakland Athletics (68-82): Josh Willingham’s 26 homers and 91 RBI are respectable given his team and park. Couldn’t a team like Atlanta have used his pop in a trade-deadline deal?
19. (28) Seattle Mariners (62-87): You can’t see it in the standings but the Mariners’ commitment to playing their youngsters could pay dividends next season.
20. (27) Baltimore Orioles (60-88): They’ve quietly been a thorny opponent for most AL teams over the last month. To have any hope for 2012, though, their pitching must improve. Among qualifiers, Jeremy Guthrie leads the team with a 4.22 ERA.
21. (17) Cleveland Indians (72-75)
22. (13) Los Angeles Dodgers (73-76)
23. (23) Colorado Rockies (70-79)
24. (25) Houston Astro (51-98)
25. (15) Chicago White Sox (73-76)
26. (19) Chicago Cubs (65-85)
27. (14) New York Mets (71-79)
28. (24) Florida Marlins (67-83)
29. (30) San Diego Padres (63-87)
30. (29) Minnesota Twins (59-89)
