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Chapter 1: What are the mid-season power rankings for MLB teams?
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Hello and welcome to Talking Baseball. Power is power. Power rankings. Me and Trev already have pre-regret. Where is your team? Let's find out. Let's talk ball. Ranger Suarez.
Danny Valencia.
It's an out. It's a ground out. It's a ground out. Hello and welcome to Talking Baseball, presented to you by Fanatics Markets, where fans trade on sports. I'm Jake Storielli, that is Trevor Plouffe, Bobby Sirachi producing, and Dalton Feely getting the sheet together, and I think they're heavy involved today. We submitted our power rankings, me and Trevor flying blind right now, so we'll see.
And Trev, I think you're about to echo what I'm about to say, but putting them together, and I Man, that 12 to 24 crop, you're just kind of like, I don't, this could switch with one good start. Like it feels, it's everything we've been saying, but doing this exercise, it brought it to life.
Yeah, it does. It echoes the standings. It echoes kind of just the way the season has gone. I agree. I'm looking at the Pirates. Don't like where they're ranked. The Nationals, who I wanted to give a little love to, don't love where they're ranked. So I guess we'll get into it. But yeah, I think the top tier was pretty easy to me. And some of those teams are interchangeable.
But there is a top tier and then probably a second tier. And then after that, it's just a big jumble.
And I think, again, you can echo this if you want, but it was also – there's a couple teams that at a certain point you have to put them down on the sheet. You're just like, wait, how much are the Cardinals winning? Can I not put them in the top ten? You kind of – almost forces your hand. So I, I don't know. I excited to see where you've landed and excited to see how we're going to do this.
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Chapter 2: How do injuries impact team rankings in MLB?
There's no doubt about it. I think that's been probably the most surprising thing for me about these top teams is just how good that offense has been. They have not hit homers. That's been my big thing lately. Like they need to trade for a power bat. I don't know if they're going to get that done. It's kind of not what they do.
They did get Andrew Vaughn last year, and he did hit some homers, and that was a great addition for them. But 28th and homers right now, not going to get the job done. Love both these teams. I think they are interchangeable at... Two and three, in my opinion. Full force, full rosters. I know with Acuna being out, it's a little tough. But I think full rosters. I have the Braves just a tick above.
I do think that starting pitching for the Brewers is better. But the Braves is, I don't know, it's good enough. And I don't even think that's the right word to describe it.
Yeah, it's just, I mean, Chris Sale has been Chris Sale. Bryce Elder seems like he pops up here and there where he has these stretches. I mean, okay, I'll just do names, and this is where power is power, and Braves fans, if you want to be mad, Sale, Elder, Holmes, Richie, and Perez round out the Braves five right now.
Put some respect on our team Prez's name.
I know. I know. It's an amazing career. What's in his basement? But, yeah, when I look at the Brewers right now and I'm putting together a playoff rotation, their bullpen always finds a way. And, yeah, honestly, like we're saying, these two teams are so close. I just kind of went like, all right, at this point in the season, like even the last 20 games, the last 30 games,
The Brewers are 19-11 in their last 30. The Braves are 16-14. Last 20, 12-8. Braves, 9-11. Last 10, 6-4. Braves, 3-7. The Braves have run into their hiccup where it feels like the Brewers are still picking up, but they just added Cooper Pratt. I'm not sure what he is, but they think he's something, which if that organization thinks you're something, they've got a pretty good track record.
I would say the only caveat I would put on it would be, I believe, in a little bit in Atlanta more come the deadline because I think budget-wise and just what the path this team has taken to get there, they'll be willing to put the chips more in. But yeah, the Braves, I still... It's a funky roster, dude. I know they've gotten a lot of contributions.
We've been on Dom Smith since the start of the season. Their bench is just a bunch of guys we've liked. Joey Bart, Rowdy Tellez, Hasan Kim right now. I don't know. Again, stuff like that can get fine-tuned as the season goes. But I think if they lined up in a playoff series right now, the Mizorowski factor is also significant.
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Chapter 3: What factors contribute to the Yankees' current ranking?
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I think those two teams are interchangeable. Obviously, number one for both of us is the Dodgers. I got the hat on right now. Snapshot on their Fangraphs page. Best offense in baseball, and it's not even close. First in average, OBP, OPS. Second in runs and second in home runs. Their starting pitchers are first in ERA, first in WIP. Their relief pitchers, 10th in ERA but fifth in WIP.
And then as far as their defense goes, I mean, they are –
absolutely crushing it first in drs second and outs above average it's a complete roster and they're not even healthy yet like they're going to get more starting pitching which i don't even know what the hell they're going to do with to be honest with you uh kick some guys to the bullpen uh i think that emmett sheehan's probably on a short leash there has been some comments from um
Dave Roberts about that, but that's, that's going to be great for them because Snell and glass now are going to be in that rotation at some point. I just saw Snell posting Instagram of him draining some putt at a mini golf spot. He's so he's just winning right now. You got to get back. But when it's all said and done, this is the best roster in baseball.
Yeah. Uh, Will Smith, Kike and Teoscar, the Hernandez is on the IL glass. Now Snell, um, a bunch of bullpen pieces yet Dodgers fans. Let us know what, what are we missing? Um, I feel like Dodger fans haven't been that loud this year.
Again, it's, it's, for what do they need to be allowed for right now?
I know. I, I, I, I think you're right.
And I, I guess the guys in their rotation, we never talk about Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He's got a two, six, five Robleski. He's got a two, seven, one, just shoved up my twins. You know what? Oh, Tony's got a one, four, seven. He's been struggling as of late and has a one, four, seven. He's pitching today against Joe Ryan. Can't wait for that. Um, and then Roki, who's pitching a lot better, um,
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Chapter 4: Which teams are considered top contenders this season?
They're in such a win-now mode as their entire core starts to get older. But Bryce and Schwartz have been incredible. We know what Brandon Marsh has done. I don't know how sustainable that is throughout the year. But they've been getting contributions from... I mean, they're starting pitching, I think, in a series. A short series can line up with anybody. They have great back-of-the-bullpen guys.
This is a team to me that, and they are sort of a team that I can't quit, but the way they've played as of late I think puts them in this tier, and then the Rays have been doing it all season long. So I'm glad we have those two teams.
Yeah, I guess the debate for me was, like you said, do you make it a two-tier thing? Or I think you could bring it out to five and you could have some teams jump along. But I think you're probably right with the Phillies here, Coach. I know we have all the stats since Mattingly took over. 34-17, that would have them in the tier above this. They did start out 9-19.
And like you're saying, they feel a little... there's some dents in the armor. There's where's Trey Turner at. And like that corner outfield that we're always searching for. How, how did the Phillies get to the next step?
It does feel like Dombrowski is one of the biggest snakes in the grass right now that you feel like what's he willing to put on the table to, for this team that feels like they're towards the end of their window. Remember we had all the conversations about that, but when you're pitching also pitches like that with their playoff formula, Wheeler Sanchez, my God, like,
they can do whatever they want that. Yes, I had them and I had them above the race. Cause I, as power is power goes, Hey, the Phillies were supposed to be these guys and the razor just head in the wrong direction that, Hey, I don't, I don't want to take credit away from them for their start of the season because it's a long season and those wins still count.
And Hey, if you figure it out in the final week of September, you're the hottest team going in the playoffs.
Um,
I still enjoy their pitching. It's taken a step back. And yeah, that lineup, you could talk yourself different ways around it.
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Chapter 5: How do the Braves and Brewers compare in rankings?
I have St. Louis at seven. I have Seattle at eight. I have the Cubs at nine. And then my 10th team, I have the Padres. So I, I ended up boxing out the white socks. Um, I have them as my 11 team. And then it seems like you, you ended up boxing out the Padres and Trevor, I think you,
The thing that we noted at the start, we're talking about very flawed teams right now, which I feel like we've done power rankings where we put the eighth team down and we're like, ooh, is this going to hurt us? They feel like they have World Series juice. These 7, 8, 9 teams... The Mariners and Cubs had daydreams of that, but it's been nightmarish. Thank God the Mariners won the past two games.
Otherwise, I don't even know if you could, in theory, top 10 them, which we shouldn't be doing at this point in the season, but it's how they've been playing where... I don't know. It hurt me a lot to not put the Baby Sox in the top 10 because it's so fun what they're doing.
I still believe in my core that as the season starts to go that a team like the Mariners, a team like the Cubs, a team like the Padres is going to be able to find something. But that also could be blatantly wrong because it feels like the White Sox call up a new kid every day who gives them extra juice and extra depth.
The difference between the White Sox and the Mariners right now, I mean, you would say you might give a pitching edge to the Mariners. I think the lineup is not even really close the way they're performing right now. I think that Chicago, especially with Murakami is back, is just a different type of offense. So who'd you leave out? You left the White Sox out.
I had the White Sox at 11.
I think the Cubs are at 10 for me. Their offense has been great, and I think that's another team you could put in with a long lineup, but if you look at the starters and what they got going now, that is not what they envisioned coming into this year. Thank goodness for Ben Brown and what he's been able to do, but they're super, super banged up. Our guy Javier Assad, keep it going, baby.
They're super, super banged up, and I don't... They're going to have to – in this National League, they keep finding ways to win, and they're going to have to do that. And I feel like that's like a difficult task in today's game. Like they're winning baseball games. Thank goodness for PCA and what he's been able to do. I think single-handedly he's won them a ton of games.
But they're a team that I'm – I think top ten might be a stretch, if we're being honest. And we both have them in there. You have them much higher than I do. What do you have them at, eight?
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Chapter 6: What are the standout performances from the Mariners and Cubs?
He's 30 years old, dude. He's having a good year so far. And then, yeah, Miles Miklas has been bad. He's turned it around a little bit. Him, Cavalli, and Littell are all just like, All right. All right. Just keep it within arm's reach because our offense can do it. They're a fun story. Two games over .500 right now. I wanted to give them a little love, but I do think this is a reach.
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Viagra is a registered trademark of Vietris Specialty LLC, a Vietris company. Hims Inc. is not affiliated with or endorsed by Vietris Specialty LLC. Trev, good news and bad news. I have the Nats at 12th. And this almost isn't a Nationals problem. This is almost a rest of the team's problem because...
Our power rankings gets the most engagement from comments, from people on the streets, from actual MLB teams end up reaching out to us, which is insane. But thank you guys, because you guys allow all that chaos to happen. The Washington Nationals and the following teams that are going to be mentioned... the Nats have been straight up better than them.
Like it's, it's non-negotiable of the, the next teams coming up on the power rankings that they were the, another team that I just, I have to put them down now because I can't say that the other teams have been, there's one team, uh, the Cleveland guardians, uh, the, The Cleveland Guardians, I have them at 14, so I'm jumping around a little bit.
They have an argument, but they also torture me year in, year out. They lost J-Ram. Some of their stats and information are horrifying, but they continue to be the Guardians. I guess looking at this right now, they could have an argument, but they always have an argument, and I never know what to do with them.
Nationals, to me, biggest surprise team in baseball this year. Ton of fun. Bullpen's terrifying. And the starting pitching is not great. But again, doing well enough where they're racking up wins. I have the guard dogs next at 12. And they're, I just said this before the show, before you're here, I think this is some of their best starting pitching they've had in a while, which is scary.
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Chapter 7: What challenges are the struggling teams facing?
And I get it. I guess for me, there still needs to be a little bit more perspective where, like, they have the same record.
Okay, the White Sox that we... Yeah, but they went 18-7 in April. Like, this team went... I know. They are still riding that high. They have not been a good team for a while.
Right, but I... you shouldn't be fully penalized for that. I get it. Like, I'd much rather an 18-7 leading up into this than 18-7 in April. But it's because a lot happens in the season. And I don't know, man. I...
Maybe the Cubs and the Padres are going to be the two... I look at the guys' names, and I know their names, and I know what they should do, that I think there's another chapter of their season coming. But yeah, it's shocking. It's shocking, and I can't argue against the rotation thing. I know Mike King dropped it the other day, which he can do that.
Yeah, they won two against the Braves so far.
Yeah, like it's... This team... I don't know. They were definitely, I had to zoom out and try to respect the record a little more than I have been, than how they're playing, because they still did earn that record. Can they just find the heater, whether it's Merrill, whether it's Nando, Machado, Holy Sheets, Bogerts, the whole thing.
I'm waiting on that too, Jake. It just hasn't happened.
I know. I know. And it's almost July. We're like the halfway point of the season, which is, I mean, just unbelievable.
So between the Padres and the guard dogs for me, this is another team that I'm giving some love because they've been playing well lately. I have the Marlins and then the Blue Jays and then the Pirates. All flawed teams. I think the Blue Jays are on their way up. Marlins have just been playing incredible baseball as of late.
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Chapter 8: How do the rankings reflect team performance trends?
like the D backs. Yeah. I feel the same thing that we're, we're coming from a season where I think when we first started doing power rankings, like, you know, or we do our TPPs before the season, like the blue Jays were 22nd or something last year. It feels like, I don't know, maybe we're just watching too much ball Trev, but like, You know, the Diamondbacks, the hope meter doesn't feel high.
Like, if we're doing how does this team become a top 10 team, I don't really know. And I feel like we could say that for this next group.
Yeah, I mean, agreed. In front of them, I have – which I don't really love. After the Padres, I have the A's. I don't really love that ranking. Sometimes I just get enamored because I do like watching their offense. But – we know what their problem is. But they've been winning games. They've been winning games, and they actually were, I think, a couple games over .500.
They've lost three in a row now that have kind of put a damper on their record. Right now, they are 38-41. So they got to .500. I think they lost three in a row. I don't love that. Honestly, they could be Team 20 in my rankings, or 22. I think I'd feel the exact same about them. A's fans, you know what's up, dude. And they played where they're playing, and then they went to Vegas.
I don't know, man. But they're fun to watch, so I don't All these teams have flaws. Twins, I put above the Dimebacks because I do feel like they're very similar teams. Oh! I do. I feel like they're very similar teams. Starting pitching is like, eh, we can get some... Zebby Matthews might pitch well one day, and we know Joe Ryan's going to be good, and then after that, I don't really...
I don't really know. Bullpen's been an issue all year long for them, but their offense has been great as of late. It's been freaking crushing the ball. So I have them. Those are my teams between the Dimebacks and the Padres.
I'll round out my top 20. I went D-backs. I went Marlins. I had them at 17. Marlins playing a better brand of baseball. You had them at 13.
Do we even go into that?
Let's talk a little Marlins then because 13 is high, coach.
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