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| Weekly FHFS Power Rankings :: Week 4 |
PAPER CHAMPIONS
With an formidable rotation, Cubs may end up NL's top title contender
| 2005 POWER ALLEY: October 18, 2005 |
Rank (Last) |
Team |
Record |
Comment |
 |
1(1) |
Devil Rays |
74-21 |
Before the draft even started, anyone could have told you that Myron Peabody would walk away with a successful draft. That is just what happens when you combine a large budget, an improving philosophy, and four of the first 34 picks. In short, the Devil Rays did all they needed to do this month: address its organizational needs. |
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2(2) |
|
71-24 |
Should Jason Schmidt repeat as a Cy Young winner in a new league? Certainly Tampa's quartet of aces will mount a challenge, but if Schmidt pulls it off he'll join Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, Jim Palmer and Denny McClain as the only AL pitchers to win back-to-back Cys. |
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3(3) |
Reds |
59-36 |
It sure was a quick rebuild wasn't it? With Albert Pujols coming off an All-Star MVP performance and Luke Prokopec dealing, this team will be featured prominently in the playoffs. There are plenty of reasons to like them in 2005 and beyond: Carl Crawford, Felix Hernandez, Hayden Penn, Kendry Morales, Matt Holliday, et al. |
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4(4) |
Padres |
59-36 |
Rick Ankiel is going to have some wicked second-half expectations. He has put on a clinic on how to campaign for the Cy Young in the second half the past two seasons. |
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5(10) |
Yankees |
 57-38 |
Regardless of whether you think they belong this high [NOTE: I certainly have my own reservations], they have done everything required of them to make the top 5. As for their boost in the rankings, you have to prefer to be the Yankees right now than several other clubs, given the fact they'd be in the lead or in the hunt in any other division.
|
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6(7) |
Diamondbacks |
55-30 |
Rusty Greer is no speed demon, but he has done a solid job in the leadoff spot for the D-Backs. The veteran outfielder has a .450 on-base percentage and leads the team with a .367 batting average. |
 |
7(6) |
Mets |
53-42 |
Rich Harden continues to be a godsend for the Mets' rotation; he leads all starters in ERA, and paces all pitchers in wins and innings. |
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8(9) |
Mariners |
52-43 |
The offensive struggles might not matter much. With a second-half rotation of Scott Elarton, Javier Vazquez and some fellow named Barry Zito, you have to like their chances against anyone out West. |
 |
9(16) |
Dodgers |
52-43 |
They came out of last winter's spending spree ranked No. 22, and I caught flak for it. Turns out that most of you were partly right; they look likely to finish a tick better, with plenty of promise to ride MVP candidate Chipper Jones' shoulders to a big second-half. |
 |
10(5) |
Pirates |
51-44 |
The machine known as Mark Prior just rolls on -- the Cy Young front-runner was 3-1, with a 28/8 K-to-BB ratio in five June starts after a strong Cy May. |
 |
11(12) |
Cubs |
51-44 |
With a holy trinity in Kerry Wood, Dontrelle Willis, and Carlos Zambrano, with a Brad Penny to boot, the Cubs have a tremendous shot at remaining in the playoff hunt until the bitter end. |
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12(8) |
Braves |
50-45 |
How valuable is Jason Giambi? He missed all thirty games during Atlanta's June swoon, and #3 hitters weren't too productive in his steed. |
 |
13(15) |
Nationals |
50-45 |
After struggling for most of the summer, Jerome Williams is dealing like a Cy Young contender. The right-hander was 5-1 with an 2.34 era in six dazzling June starts.
|
 |
14(23) |
Giants |
50-45 |
A future top-of-the-rotation arm? Lefty Francisco Liriano, 21, dominated the Eastern and International league's this season: 12-7, 2.63 ERA; with 204 k in 167.7 innings).
|
 |
15(11) |
Athletics |
 47-48 |
Kris Benson looks like a Cy Young Pitcher once again. Here's his line for the month of June: 41.1 IP, 29 hits, 9 er, 14 bb, and 27 k's. |
 |
16(13) |
White Sox |
47-48 |
Since the Sox are almost certain to make the postseason, let's see how they've fared this year against their possible October opponents: against the Devil Rays, 1-5; against the Blue Jays, 2-5; against the Mariners, 4-3; and against the A's, 2-5. |
 |
17(14) |
Orioles |
49-46 |
About a week ago when I sat down to publish this update, the O's were penciled in for a top 5 showing. A quick 12 game losing streak saw end to that, as the birds flounder doesn't look to end anytime soon. |
 |
18(18) |
Royals |
43-52 |
Despite their poor second half, they have made great strides as an organization. Other than being weak up the middle, they have a solid lineup. The left-field question has been answered by Miguel Cabrera, which should have a trickle-down effect on the rest of the beleaguered order in 2006. |
|
19(20) |
Cardinals |
43-52 |
Despite the atrocious results, there's plenty of reason for optimism, especially the young arms of Erik Bedard, Anthony Reyes, Justin Verlander and Troy Patton. Oh, yeah, they have some potential thunder to support that future staff of aces in Justin Morneau and John-Ford Griffin. |
|
20(24) |
Twins |
41-54 |
The organizational opposite of many in FHFS, one thing we can always expect from Adam Cooley and the Twins is a solid, well-scouted draft. This year came as no exception, as Minnesota was very solid through the five rounds. John Drennen (3rd Round), Jeremy Hellickson (4th), and Nick Hundley (4th) were absolute steals.
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|
21(17) |
Astros |
40-55 |
You have to respect them for their fight. Their talent coming in didn't look like anything close to a 60 win season. The GM, though noticeably absent, is promising to be aggressive now, too, in finding a slugging center-fielder and a No. 2 starter behind Mark Mulder via trade.
|
|
22(19) |
Rockies |
42-53 |
The Rockies are 17-19 since we last checked in. After they've gone 42-53 to date, that's progress. They can play spoiler down the stretch -- for pride, fun, and the future. |
|
23(21) |
Phillies |
40-55 |
A tough schedule earns them some slack, but otherwise there's little to ease the pain of Phillies fans. One bright spot has been Justin Miller, a cast off nabbed awhile back. To date, he sports a 1.59 ERA, has whiffed around a batter per inning and is doing a solid job of keeping the ball in the park. |
|
24(27) |
Brewers |
38-57 |
The more I watch David Wright the more I'm convinced this guy is someone the Brewers will be able to build around for the future. |
|
25(22) |
Rangers |
39-56 |
This is a team far more talented than their record indicates. Though the season should be deemed a complete failure, at least they're not far from having enough pieces to compete. |
| 2005 BOTTOM 5: THURSDAY, October 27, 2005 |
| Rank |
Team |
|
Comment |
|
26(28) |
Red Sox |
38-57 |
When the dust clears from the draft and we can look at it for the first time legitimately -- in the off season -- it is likely Patrick Malley will have made the best debut. Mind you that Malley's name is not bolded - he is not a player, but the man behind the Bo Sox's picks this season. After watching Jeff Clement slide down into his arms, I was continuously impressed by the names Malley was drafting. |
|
27(26) |
Angels |
38-57 |
It's not the best of times in the O.C. Todd Helton's finally heating up a bit but, given his age and struggles for much of the season, it's worth reminding everyone that he's signed through 2011 (!). The chances that he'll be worth the money or even the roster space by then are nil -- or roughly the same as the chances the Angels will find anyone to take that contract off their hands. |
|
28(28) |
Indians |
36-59 |
Has Joey Hamilton been the worst starting pitcher in all of baseball this season? A.J. Burnett and Oliver Perez certainly have compelling cases, but consider Hamilton's 2005 bestowals: ninth among qualifiers with a 6.39 ERA, on pace to give up 39 homers, on pace to strike out only 73 batters in 221 innings. Also, on the road batters are slugging .654 (!) against him. |
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29(29) |
Tigers |
33-62 |
Possible marketing slogan for 2006: "Every win is an upset!" |
|
30(30) |
Marlins |
27-68 |
It bears repeating: if it were possible to rank the Marlins worse than 30th, we'd have done it a long time ago. |
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