This week we have a new number one team in the land, and a very improbable
one in the New York Yankees. Who would have thought that with all the
injuries to their players that the Bronx Bombers even could sniff the number one
spot? On top of that number one ranking, the Yankees also tied the San
Diego Padres for the award of "biggest climber" of the week by moving
up seven spots.
Four teams this week tied for the no-so-favorable distinction of the team
that fell the furthest
(down six spots): The Atlanta Braves, Colorado
Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, and Minnesota Twins.
| Rank |
Last Week
(+/-) |
Team |
Record
(Last 10 games) |
Comment |
| 1 |
8
(+7) |
 |
34-22
(8-2) |
Just when you thought no more Yankees could get
injured this season, Mariano Rivera goes down with a back spasms (he's
back now), and Derek Jeter goes down with a wrist injury. |
| 2 |
1
(-1) |
 |
37-20
(4-6) |
Don't be fooled by the 16 saves that Todd Jones
has
so far this season; he really isn't pitching well at all. In
20 IP he has a 5.85 ERA, and a 7/4 K/BB ratio. |
| 3 |
4
(+1) |
 |
34-22
(6-4) |
This past month was not so good to Carlos
Delgado. In 106 May AB's he hit a very
un-Carlos-Delgado-like .208/.300/.406. |
| 4 |
7
(+3) |
 |
33-22
(6-4) |
Before it ended on Saturday, the 10-game hitting
streak that Coco Crisp had to start his career as a Red Sox was the
longest by a player starting his career in Boston since Shea Hillenbrand
started his tenure there with a 12-gamer. |
| 5 |
2
(-3) |
 |
35-22
(4-6) |
The Cardinals can only hope that the injury Albert Pujols sustained on Saturday isn't a serious one. His shoes
will be hard to fill for any prolonged period of time. |
| 6 |
6
(-) |
 |
34-23
(6-4) |
Since he allowed nine first inning runs against
the San Diego Padres on May 17th, Juan Cruz has only allowed two earned
runs in his last 19 IP (0.95 ERA). |
| 7 |
2
(-5) |
 |
34-22
(3-7) |
Considering that Jon Garland is supposed to be a
sinkerball pitcher, I guess it would be safe to say that he isn't doing his job
to well this season. He has allowed 17 HR's so far--second most in
the league. |
| 8 |
11
(+3) |
 |
30-26
(7-3) |
The Rangers are 14-2 this season when Brad
Wilkerson drives in at least one run. |
| 9 |
9
(-) |
 |
31-25
(6-4) |
What a month May was for the Blue Jays offense.
They led the league in Slugging Percentage (.501), doubles (66), and hits
(303). |
| 10 |
5
(-5) |
 |
32-26
(5-5) |
The average age of the Dodgers roster on
opening day was 31.84. Now, two months later, that number has
dropped to 30.44--a difference of 1.4 years. This is mostly due to
injured older players being replaced by youngsters from their farm
system...and their still six games above .500! |
| 11 |
14
(+3) |
 |
33-24
(6-4) |
Just because he has only won three of his last
seven starts, that doesn't mean that Bronson Arroyo hasn't pitched well. In those seven games he has a 2.44 ERA in 48 IP, and a 35/11
K/BB ratio. |
| 12 |
13
(+1) |
 |
30-27
(6-4) |
Randy Winn seems to like playing in the confines
of AT&T park in San Francisco. At home this season he has a .832
OPS, while on the road that number drops to .703. |
| 13 |
16
(+3) |
 |
28-28
(5-5) |
The number nine hitter in the Indians lineup
this season has always been a good one. The combined batting average of all
the players that have batted in that spot this season is .324. |
| 14 |
21
(+7) |
 |
30-27
(6-4) |
Against left-handed pitchers this season Brian
Giles is absolutely horrible with a .526 OPS in 48 AB's.
Against rightist though, he looks more like the Brian Giles we have come
accustomed to with a .909 OPS. |
| 15 |
17
(+2) |
 |
30-27
(6-4) |
After allowing seven runs in four IP against the
Dodgers this past Thursday, the Phillies decided they had had enough of
Gavin Floyd
(4-3, 7.29 ERA, 34/32 K/BB). After that game the
right-hander was demoted to Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. |
| 16 |
10
(-6) |
 |
28-30
(3-7) |
Among pitchers with at least 10 IP in the month
of May, Ken Ray had the lowest ERA
(0.56). |
| 17 |
18
(+1) |
 |
26-32
(7-3) |
I guess the talk of Alfonso Soriano's power
getting sapped by playing his home games in RFK Stadium was all for
naught. This season the second baseman already has 21 HR's, and
eleven of them have come at home. |
| 18 |
12
(-6) |
 |
27-30
(2-8) |
You know things are going bad when you get swept
by the Marlins. |
| 19 |
25
(+6) |
 |
27-30
(5-5) |
In their past five games
(through Sunday), A's
starting pitchers have only allowed 3 earned runs in 34 innings. |
| 20 |
20
(-) |
 |
25-32
(6-4) |
Through Sunday, Orlando Cabrera has reached base
in 35 consecutive games--the longest such streak in the Majors. |
| 21 |
15
(-6) |
 |
27-31
(2-8) |
Since opening the season a perfect 12 for 12 in
save opportunities, Derrick Turnbow is only 3 for 7 in those same
situations since then. |
| 22 |
23
(+1) |
 |
27-31
(5-5) |
After only winning 14 one-run games in all of
2005, the Orioles have already won ten such contests in 2006. |
| 23 |
22
(-1) |
 |
27-31
(2-8) |
When the Reds completed their series sweep of
the Astros this past Sunday, it was the first time Houston got swept by
Cincinnati since 1999. |
| 24 |
24
(-) |
 |
20-35
(6-4) |
In their past 14 games, Marlins staring pitchers
have a 2.73 ERA. |
| 25 |
19
(-6) |
 |
25-31
(5-5) |
In their recent series against the Oakland
Athletics the Twins were held scoreless in 33 of 36 innings; and only
managed to score four total runs in the series. |
| 26 |
26
(-) |
 |
26-33
(4-6) |
Adrian Beltre is heating up. He has a hit
in each of his last nine games (through Sunday), and is batting
.368/.400/.579 in that span, with 2 HR. |
| 27 |
28
(+1) |
 |
22-36
(7-3) |
In his last four appearances (3 starts, 18 IP)
Victor Santos has only allowed 4 ER's (2.00 ERA), and has struck out 15
batters. |
| 28 |
29
(+1) |
 |
23-33
(5-5) |
Michael Barrett seems to "step up" when
the Cubs are facing their rival St. Louis Cardinals. Against them
this season he is batting .469/.528/.812 (15-32), with 3 HR and 10 RBI. |
| 29 |
27
(-2) |
 |
24-34
(3-7) |
Johnny Gomes does his best work against
southpaws. This season in 55 AB's against them he has a 1.358 OPS,
against rightist that number drops to .747. |
| 30 |
30
(-) |
 |
14-41
(4-6) |
Of all the base situations in baseball the
Royals have chosen to perform the worst in the situation where you'd think
they'd perform the best: with the bases loaded. When the sacks are juiced (27 AB's) the Royals have a .185/.233/.222 batting line. |
