ESPN.com's MLB Power Rankings

[StarrDogg]

1. White Sox

2. A's

3. Yankees

4. Indians

5. Mets

6. Red Sox

7. Cardinals

8. Blue Jays

9. Braves

10. Rangers

11. Angels

12. Brewers

13. Giants

14. Dodgers

15. Twins

16. Astros

17. Cubs

18. Phillies

19. Tigers

20. Padres

21. Pirates

22. Devil Rays

23. Orioles

24. Reds

25. Nationals

26. Mariners

27. Diamondbacks

28. Royals

29. Rockies

30. Marlins

[HowBoutThemFins]

marlins at 30? what are they thinking?

[Cujo]

They have the Devil Rays ranked 22nd?! How are they better than any team in the Majors?? They're basically a AAA team playin in the bigs.

I also think the Stros are getting the shaft here. Eventhough they lost The Rocket, the defending National League Champions are much better than 16th overall ( and just one spot ahead of the dreadful Cubbies).

[FiddySicks]

A's #2? Wow. I knew they were gonna be better than last year but i had no idea they were gonna be ranked that high. Looks like its gonna be a very good year at work.

[NJTank]

A's are way to high

[FiddySicks]

A's are way to high

I dunno. They are an extremely solid team this year. I think the ranking is deserving

[CC97]

Jays in 8th, not too shabby

[Cujo]

Jays in 8th, not too shabby

Not bad at all, but they're still ranked behind the Yanks and Red Sox who only keep getting better. It must suck to be a Jays fan being stuck in the AL East. I'm sure they could take a division like the NL West, no doubt.

[HedleyLamarr]

Devil Rays ranked 22nd?! How are they better than any team in the Majors?? They're basically a AAA team playin in the bigs.

Betcha didn't know they ranked near the top in offense in all of baseball, did you?

I wonder why Chuck Lamar has yet to realize that getting some good pitching might actually help the Devil Rays win some games....

[STL FANATIC]

So the NL has no teams in the top 4. And just three in the top 10. And the highest NL team is the costantly under achieving no matter who they sign Mets.

Awesome.

All I'm saying is...

Winning the most games in baseball each of the last two years

205 games total the last two years

Winning 100 games back to back despite mild roster turnover and a ridiculous load of injuries

Having the reigning MVP and Cy Young Award Winners

...and the Cards are 7th in all of MLB?

Fine.

Not that I put much stock at all into preseason predictions, specifically ESPN's.

[Braden]

The A's success depends on Frank Thomas' health. If he stays healthy this season, Oakland deserves to be #2. But having the Terrell Owens of the MLB (Milton Bradley) will probably hurt team chemistry.

You can't count out the Cards when they have Pujols and the reigning NL Cy Young winner. But losing Matt Morris is pretty big, and as much as I love his name, Braden Looper will not make a good setup man. And to be honest, as a follower of Carpenter while he was on the Blue Jays, I fear that he will be a one-year-wonder.

I wouldn't rank the Indians that high at all. They lost their ace and their leadoff man. Not good. And there are just so many uncertainties in Boston it's tough to tell how well they do. The aging Giants are too fragile to be ranked 13. Furcal puts LA ahead of them IMO.

I agree with ESPN in saying that the Mets are for real. They really capitalized on the Marlins fire-sale, but I'm not too sure about Pedro's supporting cast when it comes to pitching.

And, of course, they Jays need to be higher

[paynomind]

Braves at 9th behind the Mets? I guess thats fair. Hard to pick against a winner, though.

Personally, i think the loss of Leo Mazzone is going to be huge for the Braves. That, and losing more than they signed. Oh well. I'll still go to games and support the home team no matter what.

[CC97]

Jays in 8th, not too shabby

Not bad at all, but they're still ranked behind the Yanks and Red Sox who only keep getting better. It must suck to be a Jays fan being stuck in the AL East. I'm sure they could take a division like the NL West, no doubt.

Oh no doubt... probably could've won a division or two if we were moved to the AL Central instead of the Tigers in '98... BUT it'll make it that much sweeter when one day we sneak past either of them, we'd have to beat either of them in the playoffs to win the Series anyways, might as well do it over the course of 162 rather than a measely 5 or 7

[jkrdevil]

Devil Rays ranked 22nd?!  How are they better than any team in the Majors??  They're basically a AAA team playin in the bigs.

Betcha didn't know they ranked near the top in offense in all of baseball, did you?

I wonder why Chuck Lamar has yet to realize that getting some good pitching might actually help the Devil Rays win some games....

Chuck Lamar was fired after last year. Gerry Hunsicker is the new GM there. In fact the Devil Rays have an enitre new ownership group in there now.

Your right about the offense though and I believe they had one of the best second half records last year.

[Camden Crazy]

ESPN is a f***ing joke. They continually put down the Orioles just because that network loves sucking the Yankees and Red Sox d***s. It's getting a little ridiculous now.

[ROCHitman]

Tigers are 12th best from worst!.YAY!

[leopard88]

ESPN is a f***ing joke. They continually put down the Orioles just because that network loves sucking the Yankees and Red Sox d***s. It's getting a little ridiculous now.

Couldn't have said it better myself (though perhaps I could have said it a little less profanely ). I hardly expect the Orioles to be serious contenders, but I think Leo Mazzone will really help their young pitchers (and they do have some talented young arms). The biggest question marks are their outfield defense (Conine, Millar and/or Gibbons??) and the offense (which was effective early last year, but seriously tailed off after the All Star Break).

[Korkie]

I think the Phillies are too low. I think they are better than the Twins, Brewers and even the Angels. The Phils have been over .500 4 out of the 5 years and although they lost Wagner, they added a legit centerfielder in Rowand, they have the best all-around shortstop in the NL in Rollins (yes, better than Furcal), argueably the best 2nd baseman in the NL in Chase Utley (who is only in his 3rd season), the reigning rookie of the year in Ryan Howard, a 5 tool player in Abreu (who isn't perfect, but I don't think is the villian everyone in Philly wants him to be) a RH slugger in Burrell and a pitching staff that while not perfect has enough to it beat people and ride the offense to the playoffs. I think Myers will take the leap this year, Leiber is a good #2, Madson will be effective with his curveball and change-up and between Floyd, Haigwood and Tejada I think we can find a good young arm to step up on the backside of the rotation. Bottom line, the Phils have no more excuses.

Other notes:

- I think the Rangers are overranked due to their pitching staff still not being good enough.

- The Indians might be the deepest and well rounded team in the majors.

- I don't think the Twins have enough offense or pitching depth to contend.

- The Pirates will be better than people think, but to start the season the ranking is fair. They could pull a brewers and finish .500 this year.

[CC97]

ESPN is a f***ing joke. They continually put down the Orioles just because that network loves sucking the Yankees and Red Sox d***s. It's getting a little ridiculous now.

The Orioles are still terrible... remember all the chirping from Baltimore last season? That was funny.

Losing Sosa was a good move, but it's a battle between Tampa and Baltimore for 4th in 2006.

Again.

[HatCityEnforcer]

ESPN is a f***ing joke. They continually put down the Orioles just because that network loves sucking the Yankees and Red Sox d***s. It's getting a little ridiculous now.

Sorry, bro....but for once, ESPN's got it right about the O's.

Offensively, the O's have some good things there (Tejada & Roberts for starters)...

HOWEVER,

The pitching outside of Bedard is TERRIBLE...and somehow, I don't think Mazzone's magic can work THAT much of a miracle in one season.

I see them fighting it out with the Rays for 4th.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other observations:

--Mets are ranked WAAAAAAY too high, IMO (and this is coming from a Mets fan)...the starting rotation is kinda iffy (basically, if Pedro goes down, they're 10 ways to Sunday), there's a big ol' gaping hole at 2nd (Figures the Mets would ink the crappy Matsui ....and if you think Bret Boone's the answer, well, did you miss that big fork that was sticking out of his back in that brief stint in Minnesota last season? Yikes), and the bridge from the starters to Wagner is probably going to have me swigging large amounts of Maalox this season yet again.

--The Jays should be a bit higher than they are as well...they made a lot of nice moves in the offseason (probably had the best offseason of anyone, IMO) and I think this is the year one of the Gang Of 2 in the AL East gets knocked down a peg.

--Minnesota's got the pitching, but the offense is kinda ragged at best.

--The Phils? Well, when Tom Gordon is your closer, I kinda have to take a skeptical look at it. It's kind of a huge step down from where they were when they had Wagner closing games. Getting Rowand from the ChiSox was a nice move though and that will be a vast improvement over a busted-@$$ Kenny Lofton.