The playoff race is in full swing now. There is a clear distinction between the sixteen or so teams that are still playing for a spot and the others that are already focused on next season.
Here is the latest MLB Power Rankings. The number in parenthesis after the team name is where that team was ranked in the previous Power Rankings.
1. Washington Nationals (1)- Now it is being reported that Stephen Strasburg may miss his last 2 or 3 starts of the regular season in order to preserve him for the playoffs. See, I told you that they wouldn’t shut him down when it really mattered.
2. Cincinnati Reds (5)
3. Texas Rangers (3)- The Rangers keep on truckin’, but are probably looking in the rear view mirror constantly. The AL West is the only division in which every team is within 12 games, and it isn’t a weak division.
4. New York Yankees (2)
5. San Francisco Giants (13)- The sweep of rival Los Angeles was huge. Expect that series to be a turning point for the Giants and one that the Dodgers will point to at the end of the year if things don’t go their way.
6. Atlanta Braves (4)
7. Chicago White Sox (8)- Similar to San Francisco, Chicago’s recent sweep of the Yankees is huge for this ball club. Detroit should be a threat all the way up until the end of the regular season, but the series against New York will serve as a major confidence booster moving forward.
8. Tampa Bay Rays (9)- The Rays currently sit atop the AL Wildcard race with Oakland. However, only three games back now in the AL East race, it would be foolish to think that manager Joe Maddon won’t pull out all the stops in the next month to win the pennant.
9. Los Angeles Dodgers (10)
10. St. Louis Cardinals (11)
11. Detroit Tigers (12)
12. Oakland Athletics (14)
13. Baltimore Orioles (6)- Both Baltimore and Oakland would be big surprises to see in the playoffs this season. However, taking a look at the schedule of both teams the rest of the way, it appears as though Baltimore has a slight advantage.
14. Arizona Diamondbacks (15)
15. Los Angeles Angels (16)- The Angels need to put together a run now. Texas is almost uncatchable with only a month left the way they’ve been playing, and Los Angeles continues to lose ground in the Wildcard race as well.
16. Pittsburgh Pirates (7)- There is still some time left before midnight for this Cinderella story. The Pirates may not have enough left to catch Cincinnati, but they only sit a half game back in the Wildcard race.
17. Seattle Mariners (23)- Apparently King Felix’s perfect game provided a spark in the locker room. The Mariners have reeled off eight straight wins and are almost back to .500 on the year.
18. Boston Red Sox (17)
19. Milwaukee Brewers (19)
20. Philadelphia Phillies (20)
21. San Diego Padres (25)
22. Kansas City Royals (27)
23. New York Mets (18)
24. Toronto Blue Jays (24)
25. Miami Marlins (22)
26. Cleveland Indians (21)- The second half of the year has been brutal for the Tribe. Another extended losing streak has dropped them behind Kansas City in the AL Central. Changes need to be made in the offseason if Cleveland wants to stay in the hunt past July next year.
27. Colorado Rockies (29)
28. Minnesota Twins (26)
29. Chicago Cubs (28)
30. Houston Astros (30)
– K. Becks
BASEBALL STUPID. ME WANT MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL ARTICLES.
You’ll get more college football in a few hours, once the MAC preview is finished. I know you’re interested in that one.