Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Hello and welcome to Talking Baseball, a signature ep. It is power, is power. The official power rankings of the first third of the season. Let's talk ball. Uh, ooh. Yohan Duran. Josh Hamilton. Ooh, power is power. He gets it. Hello and welcome to Talking Baseball presented by Fanatics Markets where fans trade on sports. Fanatics Markets available now on the app stores. I am Jake Storielli.
That is Trevor Plouffe. Rob Scirocco is producing. Dalton Feely in the sheet. As we are going through the most powerful teams. of this season. We talk a lot of ball, Trev. I was thinking about this today because we've, off camera, we've talked about power rankings a lot because the episode does well, to be frank. And it's, you know, how much can we do it without being weird about it?
And, you know, I think we've kind of landed on let's do one before the season, three during the season. We'll see how it goes. And then I was kind of laughing because we submitted our power rankings yesterday. And after one night of games, I would have made changes that maybe maybe we could do power rankings every hour or we're still a little early in this season.
Chapter 2: What are the power rankings for MLB teams a third of the way through the season?
But coach, with all of that, Nixon six, how are you?
Nixon six. Okay. I'm actually looking at Josh Hamilton's baseball reference page. I was expecting more.
Well, there's a whole story there that I don't think we have to do today.
Yeah. I know that, but he had 2010 was a great year for him. Eight, seven ward, one dotted it throughout the season, 32 and a hundred. Love that. Power rankings are interesting because there's no clear definition of power to me. Sometimes I look at my rankings and I'm like, am I projecting the future or are we doing what's happening at this very instance?
And I try to toe the line a little bit there. So some teams I'll have because I'm like, they're inevitably going to be there. And then some teams I'll reward because they've gotten off to a nice start. So I want to like, hey, here's your flowers a little bit. So at least that's how I approach it. If that makes any sense, I don't know. But I know that you and I both submitted it and are –
Fantastic researcher, Dalton Feely, came back and said, you guys have pretty similar rankings. We did all right. We are ball knowers.
Yeah, and I know you compared it. You always question AI, the computers, and I know you ran some simulations over there. I guess there's two teams that we're pretty split on. The rest of these conversations are really... Why them over them, especially towards the top of the list. So we'll do some of that.
The bottom of the list, shockingly, same bottom three, which the bottom two, I think everyone might assume. Shout out to Angels and Rockies fans. If you've been watching baseball this season, I don't know. The tarps off thing is spreading. So maybe go to your beautiful stadiums and get involved in that. But.
I mean, the dinosaur should never have hit on Mrs. Met. Oh. Yeah. It's bad juju.
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Chapter 3: How do the rankings reflect team performance in the MLB?
Yes. Oh, yeah. I think the Rays actually percentage-wise have it because Atlanta 33-16, Tampa Bay 32-15. So they'd have it percentage-wise. Rays have done everything right. I think they're – I mean, did you have them one?
So I – For me, it came down to... I gave the Rays some snaps. As you mentioned, record-wise, they're there. I think, one, they get hurt by the American League just not being a classy league right now. Okay. And with the Rays, yes, you could say the names, but it's not... We're deep in the baseball world. We talk about it every day. The Rays, they don't have a lot of power sticks.
I want to say they're 26 in home runs, so that's different than just names. That's something you want to watch throughout the year. And yeah, I think some of their depth pieces, where when you look at the Braves and Dodgers on paper, offensively, pitching, defensively, they grade out well at every single thing. That for me... I went Dodgers with the one spot. They still are who they are.
Nothing they've done in this point of the baseball season has made me even tilt my head and think about them differently. I think they are still the team that needs to be knocked off at one point. Obviously, we know the whole story of, hey, with their pitching staff, who's actually going to be there at the end of the year as we're doing Snell and Glass now again?
Yeah, I still think they are who they are. And last year, their bullpen has graded out pretty well this year, and that's with losing Edwin Diaz, which, you know, again, will he be there for the home stretch? But remember how bad that was for them last year and how it felt? Like, so I don't know. I still think they are who they are.
And I had the Braves number two just because they are the team of this season. No offense to the Rays, who, again, are neck and neck for a lot of different reasons. But, dude, Atlanta, like, the injury bug has been there. Their starting catcher right now is Sandy Leone, who I didn't know he was still strapping him up.
I feel like he... Did he ever cross paths with some of those old Twins teams that you were on?
Like, Sandy... Not my teammate, but possibly, like, an 18 to 19 catcher.
Let's see. Sandy Leone. Like, they've had pitching injuries. They've had Ronald Acuna injuries. He's just come back. They still have... Like, it feels like they have more peaks to their power. Oh, Sandy Leone called up in 2012. Let's go. 2012 what? 2012 Nationals for three years, cups of coffee. And then he was Boston 2015 through 2019. So you guys definitely... Couple swordsmen out there.
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Chapter 4: What insights can we gain about the Braves and Rays in the rankings?
He also had that one half of a season when Yandy Stock was up that he was bad. But then, dude, with the Tampa Bay Rays, he has been an amazing baseball player. And now... That contact swing has gone a little more powerful. I was doing this yesterday with John because we were just, you know, scouting the AL East a little bit. I think since 2022, he's one of four guys with a 300 batting average.
He's got... With the Rays and OPS in the eights, he's just a baller, dude. I've had this NBA jam concept of baseball power rankings that I've wanted to do, whether that's here or Wake and Jake. It's probably a Wake and Jake thing. But if you did three best hitters versus three best pitchers, the Rays would do shockingly well. I mean, Caminero, Aranda, Diaz.
And, again, names-wise, McClanahan, Rasmussen, and then is it your guy, Jax? Is it Martinez? I don't know. The Rays would pair off pretty good in that fake exercise I said I'm going to do. Nick Martinez would be their third because he's got 53.2 innings and a 1.51.
Yeah, I mean, I'm looking at this offense third in OBP. And third in stolen bases. Get on and take the bag. They're also eighth in OPS, eighth in runs scored. Not too shabby there, but they just have different ways to beat you offensively, and then we know what they can do. First in ERA, second in WIP, third in blocks per nine. They're doing it, man. They're firing on all levels.
And Kevin Cash, the difference.
Yeah.
Kevin Cash, I think it was just ballpark yucking the other night. It was like, who's the best manager in baseball? Now that the Rays are going again, someone threw Cash out there.
He might manage for 100 years. Right? It feels like he's... No, and look up what Cash is making, because for a while it was like a million bucks, way less than league average, and he just was like, whatever, I'll just take it. He's got to be demanding more than that now.
Okay. Dalt's researching.
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Chapter 5: What factors influence the rankings of the Dodgers and Yankees?
Like, I can spit OG Pokemon game. I can't do this. I cannot do this. And, like, I'm happy for him. Oh, Brother Jeff. Brother Jeff, our guy Jameson Tyone, who looks like, Mizorowski looks like his little brother. Like, I don't know.
Jameson Tyone was part of the infamous spring training of 2020.
Jameson Tyone, he's good with us for life. Yeah, you are. There's a mutual respect of, you guys want to talk to someone on the Pirates at that time?
Paul Tucker, Jameson Tyone.
Let's go. And who's our guy? Handsome, saying Stephen Brawl. Oh. So handsome.
He's very handsome. And a very good pre-post guy for the Pirates right now. Steps in the booth every once in a while.
Nice job. Yeah, just a radio a lot, too.
I'll be seeing you soon, Steve.
Nice. Real, just kind of hot. Today's episode is sponsored by National Car Rental. Have you ever noticed how some people just have travel figured out? They're on the fast track and already in the driver's seat while everyone else is still checking in. It kind of feels like they're winning at travel, and honestly, they are.
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Chapter 6: How do injuries impact team rankings in the MLB?
Yes. Not that far down. No, man. And that was my whole conversation. The Yankees are a good team. I just went NL stack because I just think the NL is so much better right now. You know, I think the Rays and the Yankees are close. Again, the Rays, what they have... I like their identity better than the Yankees. The Yankees' identity is built on... I don't think the Yankees have an identity.
I don't think there's one thing you can point to. It's like Aaron Judge.
Yeah, I was going to say Judge Rice, Belly, and then the rest of your kind of... With really good starting pitching. Their starting pitching deserves love.
I think that will become what we talk about with this team. It's like, hell yeah. Ben Rice is great. He's having a better season than Aaron Judge right now. I can't believe how good this guy is. Like, where the hell did he come from?
What is happening? Trev, you would actually kind of love it. I don't have the story down perfectly, which is really bad, hosting Talking Yanks, I guess. But he was a COVID, a Yankee scout went to, like, a COVID backfield game. It's the classic, like, they weren't even there for him. They saw him, a Dartmouth dude. And, yeah, he's evolved into whatever the hell he is right now. Maris?
I don't know. But he's really fun to watch at bat, day in, day out. The Yankees is... What you said about the Rays, like, every person on the Rays knows their identity, knows what they're about to do at the plate. Like, your guys, Ryan Valade and Johnny DeLuca, either swing for the fence or bunt. Like, there's kind of, you know? Where the Yankees, they still have a lot of guys in their lineup.
I feel my guy Ryan McMahon hit a big homer last night. I'm going to root for that dude because his defense is my favorite thing to watch in the world. But with the bat right now, you know, There's been a couple times he squares up to bunt, and you kind of see the thoughts swimming in his head, like, I used to be the three-hitter for the Rockies. Like, what happened?
That the Yankees, their bullpen is scary right now. That should come into form, and Garrett Cole comes back Friday. So they are still the Yankees. They're a good team. But, again, we're splitting the atom a little bit, but I'm glad you have them at four.
Yeah, I think, again, I think we'll get there with the pitching where eventually we're talking about a freed Schlittler-Cole situation that is going to be up there with the best top three starting pitchers in baseball. We're going to get there. I did watch – I got fed – a Moneyball clip. Nice.
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Chapter 7: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Cubs and Brewers?
I mean, I can look that up. I don't have that on me, pal. Last I heard, he might be coming back in June. Yeah, the last update was a setback.
Yeah, they need him. Clay Holmes getting hurt. He's on a 60-day. Hurts them so, so much. Because they have the pieces to be a good team. And the things that we needed to happen for them... Some of them have happened. We've seen Mark Vientos at times be a guy who, hey, we can count on this guy at first base. He can do things.
But all the guys they brought in either have gotten hurt or have underperformed. I don't know if you'd call it underperforming because he's just kind of been who he's been offensively. But Bo Bichette clearly underperforming. Back at shortstop right now a little bit. He's looked a little iffy out there. It's... It looks okay. They brought up the young kids, all that.
I don't know what to make of them, man. I think injuries and a little Mets stuff has happened to them. I still think they can get into the mix, though.
No, it's interesting, and I guess part of this exercise, people hear us talk about baseball and they wonder, this allows us to put it on paper and be like, what do you actually think of these teams? You and I both had the Mets at 20 of this crop as the top one that I guess it's just the feeling of, It went so wrong. It went as wrong as possible. It's starting to write in. Not a word. Not a word.
The ship is starting to straighten out.
I'm actually looking at the schedule and results on baseball reference right now. In May, 11-6, Pat.
Bo Bichette is looking like Bo Bichette. He's getting better. Not hurting the team. Soto is still Soto. They've got a whole new baby outfield. There's something, too, that things are changing and they're winning that you're like, okay, maybe this is the recipe. Maybe this is why Stearns is supposed to be in because, let's be honest, I mean, Benj, A.J.
Ewing, and Nick Morabito haven't been my most talked-about prospects, but... When we look at the Brewers lineup, we say that about all those guys, and they end up contributing. So they're getting some contributions. Clay Holmes really stinks. And, dude, if you want to talk injuries, Alvarez, Polanco, Lindor, Robert, Mauricio, Clay Holmes, Sanga? So, yeah.
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