Photo courtesy David Richard/IUSA TODAY Sports
There are two weeks left in the regular season. 14 days. 14 days and 15 teams still vying for a playoff spot. Okay, technically the Angels and Diamondbacks haven’t been eliminated yet either, but, come on, that’s not happening.
If you thought the end of the regular season was crazy a couple of years ago with the Red Sox, Rays, Cardinals, and Braves all fighting on the last day, just wait for 2013. Any expectations you have will be blown out of the water.
Like maybe you expected this to be the last edition of the Power Rankings. Whelp, you were wrong. It’s okay. You should get used to it because I imagine all of us are going to be wrong at one point or another over the next couple weeks.
But if you thought we were going to Power Rank all 30 teams here, you were right. That’s just what I do. And I do so starting right…now…
MLB POWER RANKINGS – SEPTEMBER 16TH
1. Boston Red Sox | 92-59 (50-25 Home, 42-34 Road) [Change From Last Ranking: + 1]
Pretty much the only team that still has a real shot at 100 wins. That’s good enough to be on top here.
2. Atlanta Braves | 89-60 (52-22 Home, 37-38 Road) [- 1]
Their recent slide is nothing to be worried about, but it’s why they get knocked down a peg on this list.
3. Pittsburgh Pirates | 87-62 (48-26 Home, 39-36 Road) [+ 2]
Forget Breaking Bad (gasp!), this race between Pittsburgh and St. Louis is the best thing on television.
4. St. Louis Cardinals | 87-62 (48-27 Home, 39-35 Road) [+ 2]
Yes, it’s neck and neck, but I just don’t think the Cardinals will end up winning the N.L. Central.
5. Oakland Athletics | 88-61 (47-27 Home, 41-34 Road) [+ 3]
We expected a close race and the A’s pull away. Second straight year they surprise us.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers | 86-63 (46-32 Home, 40-31 Road) [- 3]
Okay, so they’ve gone a little cold. Did you think they could maintain that pace forever?
7. Detroit Tigers | 86-63 (46-28 Home, 40-35 Road) [- 3]
The fact that Cleveland is still hanging around is a little interesting. ‘To be continued’ on this one.
8. Tampa Bay Rays | 81-67 (45-28 Home, 36-39 Road) [+ 1]
Their series with Texas starting today is going to be huge, and I expect Tampa to win it.
9. Cleveland Indians | 81-68 (45-30 Home, 36-38 Road) [+ 3]
Cleveland? Really? Yes, really. Because they’re not in a tailspin like Texas.
10. Cincinnati Reds | 84-66 (48-26 Home, 36-40 Road) [± 0]
Until the Nats are eliminated or until they move out of third in the Central, this is where they’ll be.
11. Baltimore Orioles | 79-70 (42-33 Home, 37-37 Road) [± 0]
Still on the outside looking in, they cannot get overrun against Boston like New York did this past week.
12. Texas Rangers | 81-67 (39-35 Home, 42-32 Road) [- 5]
I needed to drop this team far enough to make a statement that I’m quickly losing faith in them.
13. New York Yankees | 79-71 (44-31 Home, 35-40 Road) [± 0]
Speaking of losing faith, there’s just too many injuries for the Yanks to have much punch left.
14. Washington Nationals | 79-70 (42-32 Home, 37-38 Road) [+ 1]
The only reason I put them ahead of the Royals is they don’t have a cluster of teams in their way.
15. Kansas City Royals | 78-71 (40-35 Home, 38-36 Road) [+ 1]
Still alive, still fighting, but they’ll have to take care of business against Cleveland for that to remain true.
16. Arizona Diamondbacks | 75-73 (42-32 Home, 33-41 Road) [- 2]
September is for playoff pushes. Someone please tell Arizona because they clearly didn’t get the memo.
17. Los Angeles Angels | 72-77 (35-40 Home, 37-37 Road) [± 0]
Another year where the Angels start to play baseball on the wrong end of the season.
18. Toronto Blue Jays | 68-81 (36-39 Home, 32-42 Road) [+ 1]
The first of the no-longer-relevants, this season was obviously a letdown.
19. San Francisco Giants | 69-81 (38-38 Home, 31-43 Road) [+ 2]
The defending champs have to win out from here just to make .500. It’s sad, really.
20. Philadelphia Phillies | 69-80 (41-34 Home, 28-46 Road) [+ 2]
The September call-ups must’ve thought they walked into a retirement home when they got to Philly.
21. Colorado Rockies | 68-82 (41-31 Home, 27-51 Road) [- 3]
I don’t care if they finish behind San Diego, this is the better team, damn it!
22. San Diego Padres | 68-80 (41-33 Home, 27-47 Road) [+ 3]
The difference between them and the other teams down here are the Padres have little on the farm.
23. New York Mets | 67-82 (31-43 Home, 36-39 Road) [- 3]
I don’t think I’m exaggerating if I say the next few years of this franchise hangs on Harvey’s elbow.
24. Milwaukee Brewers | 65-83 (33-41 Home, 32-42 Road) [± 0]
Their comeback win yesterday shows that this club isn’t going to just slide into the offseason.
25. Seattle Mariners | 66-83 (33-42 Home, 33-41 Road) [- 2]
Any attention paid to this team went out the door the second Seahawks training camp began.
26. Chicago Cubs | 63-86 (29-46 Home, 34-40 Road) [± 0]
Next year someone might want to explain to them the advantages of playing at home.
27. Minnesota Twins | 64-84 (31-43 Home, 33-41 Road) [± 0]
Minus the struggles of Vance Worley and a couple others, this season pretty much went as expected.
28. Chicago White Sox | 58-91 (33-40 Home, 25-51 Road) [± 0]
It’s awkward to not even be the better team in Illinois these days. What a change from 2012.
29. Miami Marlins | 55-94 (31-44 Home, 24-50 Road) [± 0]
Calling up Triple A players might actually give the talent level in South Florida a little boost.
30. Houston Astros | 51-98 (24-51 Home, 27-47 Road) [± 0]
And the first team to hit 100 losses is…? Well, tune in on Tuesday to see it for yourself.
______________________________
When Bryan isn’t writing, he is on Twitter! Make sure to give him a follow @bclienesch!
