COMING OUT SWINGING: The Brewers are throwing everything they’ve got at their opponents, fists included, to start off 2014. Photo courtesy Gene J. Puskar/AP
This may say Patriots’ Day Edition, but it is also obviously our first edition of baseball power rankings on the season. And, boy, what a big day to start things off.
The Red Sox — that’s WORLD CHAMPION Red Sox to you — will forever be tied to the bombings at the Boston Marathon one year ago. There famous 11:05 first pitch on the day is all a part of the day in Beantown. Hundreds if not thousands flocked to the marathon route following the game to see the runners that had not crossed the finish line. That’s the first connection. Then and there and further on, from Ortiz’s speech to the team’s World Series run, this day has as much to do with baseball as it does with the marathon.
There, that had to be said. Now let’s get on to our first Power Rankings. Our top-ranked team to start the season are the Braves. Can they go wire-to-wire? Let’s just say crazier things have happened. As for those defending champion Red Sox, a shaky start to the season has them sitting in the middle of the pack.
But I’ll save my breath. Here’s how those two plus the other 28 teams shake out only three weeks into the season.
MLB POWER RANKINGS – APRIL 21ST
1. Atlanta Braves | 12-6 (4-2 Home, 8-4 Road)
Still early, but this team doesn’t seem to have missed a beat, offseason losses and injuries be damned.
2. Oakland Athletics | 13-5 (6-3 Home, 7-2 Road)
A somewhat easy start to their schedule. But good teams beat up bad teams. Thus the A’s have.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers | 12-7 (4-4 Home, 8-3 Road)
I had them as the team to beat in the NL, and so far they’ve lived and played up to expectations.
4. Milwaukee Brewers | 14-5 (5-4 Home, 9-1 Road)
I watch the Brewers with an eyebrow raised, both intrigued and skeptical. Let’s see if they stay hot.
5. Detroit Tigers | 9-6 (7-3 Home, 2-3 Road)
How have they played only 15 games? The next 5+ months will be especially jam-packed for them.
6. St. Louis Cardinals | 11-8 (4-2 Home, 7-6 Road)
If Allen Craig ever gets going, this team will get scary-good real, real fast.
7. Texas Rangers | 11-8 (9-4 Home, 2-4 Road)
Look to be about what we expected. They’ll have to play better on the road to make the playoffs.
8. New York Yankees | 11-8 (6-3 Home, 5-5 Road)
Solarte has been a nice surprise. It’s been a long time since we’ve had good things to say over at third.
9. Toronto Blue Jays | 10-9 (3-3 Home, 7-6 Road)
A year later, Toronto is playing more like the team we were looking for in 2013.
10. Washington Nationals | 11-8 (6-4 Home, 5-4 Road)
5 of 8 losses have come by way of the Braves. Spoiler alert: that’s how divisions are lost.
11. San Francisco Giants | 11-8 (5-4 Home, 6-4 Road)
The Giants either miss the playoffs or win it all. Right now they’re on pace for about 93 wins.
12. Kansas City Royals | 9-8 (6-3 Home, 3-5 Road)
The most underrated team in the majors. That being said, the offense needs to get going.
13. Boston Red Sox | 9-10 (4-5 Home, 5-5 Road)
Which way do you look at it? At the bottom of the AL East or only two games away from leading it?
14. Colorado Rockies | 10-10 (6-3 Home, 4-7 Road)
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: The Rockies are good at Coors.
15. Cincinnati Reds | 8-10 (4-5 Home, 4-5 Road)
This start isn’t what Cincy’s front office had in mind when they switched skippers.
16. Tampa Bay Rays | 9-10 (6-5 Home, 3-5 Road)
The darling pick by sports pundits for the AL East still looks sorely outgunned by its peers.
17. Los Angeles Angels | 8-10 (3-6 Home, 5-4 Road)
LA’s just happy Pujols is back to hitting more than his weight. For now.
18. New York Mets | 9-9 (3-6 Home, 6-3 Road)
What’s the over/under for how long the Mets keep playing .500 ball? I give it a month at best.
19. Minnesota Twins | 9-9 (5-4 Home, 4-5 Road)
Playing “spoiler” is still the only way Minnesota can factor into who wins the AL Central.
20. Cleveland Indians | 8-10 (4-5 Home, 4-5 Road)
A tough way to be in the cellar of the Central early. I like Tito to turn it around.
21. Baltimore Orioles | 8-9 (4-4 Home, 4-5 Road)
So far, it’s looking like that 2012 run was the fluke and not last season.
22. Pittsburgh Pirates | 8-11 (5-5 Home, 3-6 Road)
The Bucs made the postseason for the first time in how long? The next streak may have begun.
23. San Diego Padres | 9-10 (7-6 Home, 2-4 Road)
This is about where San Diego should be. Just under. 500, playing well at home but not on the road.
24. Chicago White Sox | 9-10 (5-4 Home, 3-6 Road)
If the White Sox are even sniffing .500 come September, I’ll eat my non-existent jockstrap.
25. Philadelphia Phillies | 8-10 (4-5 Home, 4-5 Road)
The slow, agonizing death of this former postseason contender continues.
26. Miami Marlins | 9-10 (9-4 Home, 0-6 Road)
All nine wins have come at home. I’m glad that new stadium wasn’t a complete waste.
27. Seattle Mariners | 7-11 (2-3 Home, 5-8 Road)
As expected, signing Robinson Cano wasn’t enough to turn around this team.
28. Arizona Diamondbacks | 5-16 (1-11 Home, 4-5 Road)
The early surprise contender for the next #1 overall draft pick. This is probably rock bottom, though.
29. Chicago Cubs | 5-12 (3-6 Home, 2-6 Road)
The lovable losers are up to their old tricks.
30. Houston Astros | 5-14 (3-7 Home, 2-7 Road)
Houston shouldn’t have been moved to the AL, they should’ve been moved to AAA.
