Serious Baseball: Power Rankings
by Frank Bundy
May 24, 2006
Welcome to another edition of "Serious Baseball" Power Rankings.
This week you may notice some odd jumps and drops from teams' position last
week because this is the first week I have considered a teams' Pythagorean
Record (found at Baseball Prospectus)
when making these. I have always done this, dating back to last season,
but for the first few weeks of 2006 I figured they were irrelevant since so few
games were played. Now, at the quarter-point of the season, I figure they
have to hold some meaning.
With that in mind the team that climbed the most spots this week was the San
Francisco Giants behind a 7-3 showing in their last ten games. The team
that dropped the most spots was the San Diego Padres mostly because of a 4-6
record in their last 10 games.
The big news of the week, though, is that for the first time since April
19th, we have a number one that isn't the Chicago White Sox. The new top
team: The Red-Hot Detroit Tigers.
Also, notice the new logos for the Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, San
Diego Padres, and Texas Rangers.
| Rank |
Last Week
(+/-) |
Team |
Record
(Last 10 games) |
Comment
|
| 1 |
2
(+1) |
 |
30-14
(9-1) |
The last year that the Tigers were in first place during the
month of May was 1993. |
| 2 |
3
(+1) |
 |
29-16
(7-3) |
After not being able to pick up many victories (3) while
pitching so well in his first nine starts of the season (59 IP, 1.98 ERA),
Chris Carpenter picked up win number four this past Friday despite
pitching his worst game of the season against the Kansas City Royals (6
IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits Allowed). |
| 3 |
1
(-2) |
 |
29-15
(6-4) |
Despite the fact that he is striking out very few batters
(3.5 K/9) compared to his career numbers (5.3 K/9), Mark Buehrle is still
dominating opposing hitters this season (.257 BAA) and has a gaudy 5-2
record and 2.92 ERA to show for it. |
| 4 |
6
(+2) |
 |
26-16
(6-4) |
Mike Lowell is playing much better than the "throw-in
player" tag he was labeled with during the Josh Beckett trade.
In 2006 he's batting .331/.389/.592, with 5 HR and 25 RBI. |
| 5 |
11
(+6) |
 |
25-19
(6-4) |
In sixteen May games this season the Diamondbacks have
turned 30 double plays, and lead the entire league in double plays turned
with sixty. |
| 6 |
4
(-2) |
 |
26-17
(4-6) |
After hitting only 16 HR's all of last year, Carlos Beltran
already has 11 so far in 2006. |
| 7 |
7
(-) |
 |
24-19
(4-6) |
The Yankees situation in the outfield was already bad with
both Hideki Matsui, and Gary Sheffield out with injuries, but it got even
worse. This past Friday their top outfield reserve, Bubba Crosby,
also went onto the DL with a strained right hamstring. |
| 8 |
8
(-) |
 |
25-20
(5-5) |
Matt Holliday has the highest May batting average (.429) in
the Majors. |
| 9 |
15
(+6) |
 |
25-20
(8-2) |
In four wins this season Brad Penny has only walked four
batters and struck out twenty-four. In his other starts he's issued
twelve free passes and only struck out sixteen batters. |
| 10 |
13
(+3) |
 |
24-20
(5-5) |
Count Blue Jays shortstop Aaron Hill as a fan of
interleague play. In his career he is batting .369 against National League teams
and has hit safely in 14 of the 18 interleague games he has played
in. |
| 11 |
18
(+7) |
 |
24-21
(7-3) |
Despite it's very pitcher-friendly dimensions, Giants'
pitchers have a better ERA on the road (4.40) than they do at home (5.04).
|
| 12 |
5
(-7) |
 |
26-19
(3-7) |
During Felipe Lopez' current 14-game hit streak he is
batting .433/.500/.583 in 60 AB, with 2 HR, 6 RBI, and has 2 SB's to
boot. |
| 13 |
18
(+5) |
 |
23-22
(7-3) |
The Braves must have been very happy to hear that catcher
Brian McCann's ankle was not broke after his home plate collision with
Eric Byrnes this past week; and therefore will not have to go on the
disabled list. McCann leads all full-time players on the Braves with
a .960 OPS. |
| 14 |
17
(+3) |
 |
23-22
(5-5) |
I guess the meltdown Ben Hendrickson suffered against the
Twins in his last start (0 IP, 6 ER) was more than just a "bad day." The very next day he was optioned to Triple A
Nashville. |
| 15 |
12
(-3) |
 |
25-20
(5-5) |
At home this season 2B Craig Biggio has a .946 OPS in 106
AB's. On the road he has a .542 OPS in 54 AB's. |
| 16 |
10
(-6) |
 |
23-20
(5-5) |
SP Jon Lieber leads the entire Major Leagues in BB/9 this
season (0.8 BB/9). |
| 17 |
14
(-3) |
 |
23-21
(5-5) |
The Rangers have not suffered a losing road trip yet this
season. |
| 18 |
9
(-9) |
 |
23-22
(4-6) |
Over their first 35 games the Padres only made 12 errors and
gave up three unearned runs. In the seven games proceeding that
stretch (through May 20th) they made 10 errors and allowed 11 unearned
runs. |
| 19 |
22
(+3) |
 |
22-22
(5-5) |
Indians pitchers can't seem to handle left-handed batters in
2006 as they have managed a .327 batting average against them. While
right-handed
batters are hitting a much worse .251. |
| 20 |
16
(-4) |
 |
22-22
(5-5) |
After throwing out only 15% of all base stealers in 2005,
Jason Kendall has improved tremendously in 2006 throwing out 45 percent so
far this season. |
| 21 |
23
(+2) |
 |
21-25
(6-4) |
Thirty of the Mariners 35 HR's this season have come against
right-handed pitchers. |
| 22 |
25
(+4) |
 |
20-25
(6-4) |
Scott Kazmir (22) became the youngest pitcher to have seven
victories at this point in the season since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 by
defeating the Florida Marlins 3-0 this past Sunday. |
| 23 |
20
(-3) |
 |
20-25
(5-5) |
Even though their record isn't that good, when there are
runners in scoring position and two outs, the Orioles are the team that
gets a hit the most often. Their .290 batting
average when faced with that dilemma is the best in the American League. |
| 24 |
21
(-3) |
 |
19-25
(4-6) |
Catcher Joe Mauer has picked up at least one hit in nine of
his last ten games played and is absolutely crushing the ball. To go
along with two HR's during the stretch he's also batting .422/.480/.600,
has 11 RBI, and two stolen bases. |
| 25 |
26
(+1) |
 |
16-29
(4-6) |
The Nationals just seem to hit the ball better when not at
home. Away from RFK stadium they have a .262/.331/.437 batting
line. At home their batting line is a much worse .237/.323/.364. |
| 26 |
24
(-2) |
 |
17-28
(2-8) |
This team was in the ALCS last year? |
| 27 |
27
(-) |
 |
18-26
(3-7) |
The 7-0 loss the Cubs suffered to their cross-town-rival
White Sox this past Saturday marked the sixth time they have been shutout
in their last 20 games. |
| 28 |
28
(-) |
 |
14-31
(4-6) |
Left fielder Jason Bay was named the NL
co-player of this past week along with Pedro Feliz of the San Francisco
Giants. His stats during the seven-day period: .333/.407/.750, 3 HR,
11 RBI. |
| 29 |
30
(+1) |
 |
12-31
(3-7) |
Dan Uggla, a Rule 5 draft pick by the Marlins
from the recent Winter Meetings, is having a very good season. The
rookie second baseman is batting .310/.368/.474 with 6 HR and 22 RBI, and
ranks fifth among NL second baseman in Zone Rating (8.10). |
| 30 |
29
(-1) |
 |
10-32
(0-10) |
When Mark Redman starts it's not a good thing
for the Royals. When the left-hander takes the hill Kansas City is
0-7. |
Thank you for reading. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or
suggestions, please do not hesitate to email me at frnkbndy@yahoo.com.
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