Power Rankings: 5/5/13

1. Tigers
2. Cardinals
3. Rangers
4. Red Sox
5. Braves
6. Giants
7. Yankees
8. Royals
9. Reds
10. Rockies
11. Athletics
12. Nationals
13. Orioles
14. Diamondbacks
15. Pirates
16. Rays
17. Dodgers
18. Mariners
19. Phillies
20. Indians
21. Brewers
22. Mets
23. Twins
24. White Sox
25. Padres
26. Cubs
27. Angels
28. Blue Jays
29. Marlins
30. Astros

Trade Deadline Trades: Victorino to Dodgers

This year, I decided to do something different, I wanted to wait a week and a half to see some early results on trades to help my analysis, so here we go.  The Dodgers acquired outfielder Shane Victorino from the Phillies in exchange for pitchers Ethan Martin and Josh Lindblom on July 31.  Victorino hasn’t been having the best year of his career and is getting older so the Dodgers might want to lay off an extension as they have.  This was a slight risk but one the Dodgers had to make.  Dee Gordon is out and even before his average wasn’t really good, sophomore slump? Probably.  This is why is Dodgers needed Victorino though, a good outfielder who can hit leadoff and has as much experience you need for being 31.  He has hit .257 for the Dodgers but it’s only been 8 games so I’d give him a little time to adjust and I think he can get better in LA and help the team out a lot in 2012.  The Dodgers outfield is now Ethier-Kemp-Victorino which is a great outfield that any team would want, so I like how Colletti made his outfield one that could be one that makes postseason history.  I like the move for the Dodgers and Victorino and moving parks shouldn’t affect him much the rest of the season and he should be the player he has always been, which is exactly what the Dodgers need.  The Dodgers did pay a price though.  Josh Lindblom has worked his way up the Dodgers system and is MLB ready, which is a great for trades in the MLB (ex. Austin Jackson).  Lindblom could be a late innings guy or just a good arm that comes in and in 2012 and beyond he should help the Phillies out a lot and he is the best piece acquired in the trade, but the Phillis also got another great arm in former first round pick Ethan Martin.  He hasn’t quite lived up to all expectation but he still has time to develop and he could be a great arm in the rotation behind the Big 3 in the future.

White Sox Get Youkilis From Red Sox

The White Sox have acquired Kevin Youkilis from the Red Sox For Zach Stewart and Brent Lillibridge.  From the Boston aspect of the deal, Will Middlebrooks was doing to good to send down and Youk’s time had run out in Boston as Middlebrooks was doing better and a better fit moving forward, Boston got some great years and moments out of Youkilis and he was one of the better Red Sox in their 2000’s history.  They got Zach Stewart, a top pitching prospect with a good arm, who may not be as good as he was once touted to be but he could fill in as a four or five guy or a power bullpen arm one day, he was a nice, decent piece for the Red Sox in the deal.  The Red Sox also got Brent Lillibridge, who can play outfield and infield and should continue to do what he’s done with the White Sox, although in Boston his power could get a bit better.  The teams that didn’t get Youk are the Pirates,w ho I think should have tried hard for him, the Dodgers who he would have helped but didn’t lose out on as much or the Indians, where he could have been a nice piece.  Though the Tigers should still overtake the White Sox, their line-up is good enough to stay in the race with Detroit now and the Tigers need to beat them.  Youkilis needed a change of scenery and the White Sox are a good fit, he;s still in a hitter friendly park and though his numbers have a downward trend, he should make it go upward and even if he doesn;t, he will still be productive and be a huge upgrade over Morel and Hudson at third.  Youkilis should continue being an all-star in Chicago and it was a key and real good acquisition for the White Sox,  Dunn, Konerko, and Youk will be pretty good for them, but I still don;t think it’ll be enough.  I’d hit Youkilis fifth, like he did some of his time in Boston, but second isn;t a bad slot for him either.

MLB Power Rankings: 5-24-12

1. Dodgers
2. Orioles
3. Rangers
4. Nationals
5. Rays
6. Reds
7. Braves
8. Cardinals
9. Blue Jays
10. Marlins
11. Yankees
12. Indinas
13. Tigers
14. Phillies
15. Red Sox
16. Mets
17. Giants
18. Angels
19. Diamondbacks
20. White Sox
21. Athletics
22. Astros
23. Pirates
24. Brewers
25. Mariners
26. Rockies
27. Royals
28. Padres
29. Twins
30. Cubs

Weekly MLB Power Rankings: 5/12

1 Rangers
2 Cardinals
3 Nationals
4 Dodgers
5 Orioles
6 Rays
7 Braves
8 Yankees
9 Tigers
10 Marlins
11 Blue Jays
12 Reds
13 Mets
14 Phillies
15 Angels
16 Red Sox
17 Indians
18 Giants
19 Diamondbacks
20 Athletics
21 Brewers
22 Rockies
23 White Sox
24 Pirates
25 Astros
26 Cubs
27 Mariners
28 Royals
29 Padres
30 Twins

What Teams Are Better In May?

It’s early but still winning now can mean a lot, teams with as of now labeled means it could change very quickly.

Yankees or Rays?: Rays

Red Sox or Blue Jays?: Blue Jays, as of now

Indians or White Sox?: Indians, Tigers are still the best
Nationals or Dodgers?: Dodgers
Giants or Diamondbacks?:  Giants

Braves or Phillies?: Braves, as of now

Reds or Brewers?: Reds
Tigers or Yankees?: Tigers
Marlins or Angels?: Marlins
Royals or Twins?: Royals
Orioles or Jays?: Jays
Rangers or Cardinals?: Rangers
Mets or Rockies?: Rockies

MLB Power Rankings 4/27/12

1. Rangers
2. Nationals
3. Dodgers
4. Cardinals
5. Rays
6. Yankees
7. Tigers
8. Braves
9. Blue Jays
10. Giants
11. Phillies
12. Red Sox
13. Diamondbacks
14. Orioles
15. Mets
16. Indians
17. Reds
18. White Sox
19. Marlins
20. Brewers
21. Rockies
22. Athletics
23. Mariners
24. Pirates
25. Angels
26. Cubs
27. Astros
28. Royals
29. Padres
30. Twins

NOTE: Tigers should rebound quickly and Nationals are for real

MLB Power Rankings: 4/21/12

1. Rangers
2. Dodgers
3. Nationals
4. Cardinals
5. Tigers
6. Yankees
7. Braves
8. Phillies
9. Rays
10. Blue Jays
11. Indinas
12. Brewers
13. Mets
14. Angels
15. Diamondbacks
16. Giants
17. Orioles
18. Marlins
19. Reds
20. Rockies
21. White Sox
22. Red Sox
23. Athletics
24. Twins
25. Pirates
26. Astros
27. Mariners
28. Royals
29. Cubs
30. Padres

MLB Power Rankings: First Two Weeks of 2012 season

1. Dodgers
2. Rangers
3. Cardinals
4. Nationals
5. Tigers
6. Diamondbacks
7. Yankees
8. Rays
9. Orioles
10. White Sox
11. Phillies
12. Red Sox
13. Mets
14. Angels
15. Braves
16. Blue Jays
17. Giants
18. Reds
19. Brewers
20. Rockies
21. Indians
22. Marlins
23. Mariners
24. Royals
25. Athletics
26. Cubs
27. Astros
28. Pirates
29. Twins
30. Padres

Best Hitter-Pitcher Combos in the MLB Going Into 2012

1. DET: Cabrera and Verlander
2. LAD: Kemp and Kershaw
3. NYY: Cano and Sabathia
4. LAA: Pujols and Weaver
5. MIL: Braun and Grienke
6. TB: Longoria and Price
7. PHI: Pence and Halladay
8. BOS; Gonzalez and Lester
9. ARZ: Upton and Kennedy
10. TOR: Bautista and Romero
11. SF: Posey and Lincecum
12. TEX: Hamilton and Darvish
13. WSH: Zimmerman and Strasburg
14. STL: Berkman and Wainwright
15. CIN: Votto and Latos
16. MIA: Ramirez and Johnson
17. ATL; McCann and Hanson
18. SEA: Suzuki and Hernandez
19. COL: Tulowitzki and Guthrie
20. CHC: Castro and Garza
21. MIN: Mauer and Baker
22. KC: Hosmer and Sanchez
23. CLE: Snatna and Jemenez
24. CHW: Konerko and Danks
25. NYM: Wright and Santana
26. SD: Maybin and Stauffer
27. BAL: Jones and Britton
28. PIT: McCutchen and Bedard
29. OAK: Weeks and McCarthy
30. HOU: Lee and Rodriguez