ESPN.com's MLB Power Rankings

[Lee.]

It must suck to be a Jays fan

Indeed.

Go Cubs

[Korkie]

--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.

Everybody says that and while I agree that Wagner did a great job, however he only added 2 wins to the teams total from 2004 (where he was mostly injured) to 2005 (where he was healthy). Gordon hasn't closed in a while, but had outstanding numbers setting up Rivera and when he did close he did a great job. Heck, if they won 86 games with Mesa as the closer and Glanville in center they can win with Gordon and Rowand.

[pcgd]

I don't mind the Cardinals where they are at. They are still one of the top teams in the NL but there are quite a few questions to answer.

Dispite the fact there are 7 starters going into spring training, 3 are big question marks. (Reyes, Weinright (sp?) and Ponson) The other 4 are solid and should produce well. Carpenter was good 2 years ago as well. He had a nerve injury in the playoffs and that's why you didn't hear as much from him nationally. If he falls off this year he'd be a "Two year wonder" and not a one.

Yes we have the reigning MVP on offense. Improvement from Yadier Molina should help as should a healthy scott rolen, which is like picking up a HUGE bat in the off-season. But Edmonds is on the decline, Eckstein will return back to earth, Spivey will provide enough offense but he's no force and dispite picking up Encarcion, there are still holes in the corner outfield spots.

I think you will see Ponson and Reyes both produce well in spring training. Ponson will get the #5 starter role and Reyes will move to the pen. Around May or June the Cardinals will trade Jason Marquis for a player like Torii Hunter or Kevin Mench and Reyes will return to the starting rotation.

Anyway...7 to me is right about where I'd put the Cardinals.

[leopard88]

Everybody says that and while I agree that Wagner did a great job, however he only added 2 wins to the teams total from 2004 (where he was mostly injured) to 2005 (where he was healthy).

Saying Wagner "only added 2 wins" presupposes that everything else was exactly the same. Obviously, that is never the case. The bottom line is you have to decide whether the 2006 Wagner is better than the 2006 Gordon. History says the Wagner wins, but that is why they play the games.

[Korkie]

Everybody says that and while I agree that Wagner did a great job, however he only added 2 wins to the teams total from 2004 (where he was mostly injured) to 2005 (where he was healthy).

Saying Wagner "only added 2 wins" presupposes that everything else was exactly the same. Obviously, that is never the case. The bottom line is you have to decide whether the 2006 Wagner is better than the 2006 Gordon. History says the Wagner wins, but that is why they play the games.

That's a fair statement. And I know better than to argue with a lawyer . I wish the Phils would have kept Wags, and they could have signed him for 3 yrs 24 mil at the all-star break, but I feel we will be fine without him. I think Gordon and Wagner will be comperable, but with Wagner there is always an injury risk at this point. Wishful thinking, from my point, but I feel confident enough with Gordon to say there will not be a major dropoff at that position.

[leopard88]

And I know better than to argue with a lawyer  .

Wise choice.

I agree that the Phillies should be okay without Wagner. They have enough other pieces in place to make up for his absence. I wish I could say the same for the Orioles without B.J. Ryan. I'll have to pray that Chris Ray is the second coming of Gregg Olson.

BTW -- Is there a Pa. State Veterans' Hospital in Spring City? If so, I was in your fair town 3-4 times in connection with a prior job (around 2002). I seem to remember good Pork BBQ at some combination grocery store/family restaurant sort of place in the middle of town.

[Korkie]

BTW -- Is there a Pa. State Veterans' Hospital in Spring City?  If so, I was in your fair town 3-4 times in connection with a prior job (around 2002).  I seem to remember good Pork BBQ at some combination grocery store/family restaurant sort of place in the middle of town.

Holy crap. That would be the Butcher Block Deli. My mom eats there 2 or 3 times a week. Great food (especially the cheesesteaks). Yes, there is a VA hospital in Spring City and currently they are fighting (along with bucks county) to build a veterans cemetary behind the hospital on the grounds of the old Pennhurst mental hospital. And with this post we discussed everything there possibly is to discuss about Spring City, PA... we now take you back to your regularly scheduled topic.

One more note about the baseball rankings, I would love to see where the White Sox were ranked last year at this time just to prove how worthless and unreliable these kinds of things are, but atleast they create good conversation.

[leopard88]

BTW -- Is there a Pa. State Veterans' Hospital in Spring City?  If so, I was in your fair town 3-4 times in connection with a prior job (around 2002).  I seem to remember good Pork BBQ at some combination grocery store/family restaurant sort of place in the middle of town.

Holy crap. That would be the Butcher Block Deli. My mom eats there 2 or 3 times a week. Great food (especially the cheesesteaks). Yes, there is a VA hospital in Spring City and currently they are fighting (along with bucks county) to build a veterans cemetary behind the hospital on the grounds of the old Pennhurst mental hospital. And with this post we discussed everything there possibly is to discuss about Spring City, PA... we now take you back to your regularly scheduled topic.

Not quite. You didn't mention the view of the Limerick nuclear power plant from the back of the hospital. I didn't mention that before because I didn't know if it was a sore subject.

Now, I will presume, we are done. Back to the topic.

[Korkie]

BTW -- Is there a Pa. State Veterans' Hospital in Spring City?  If so, I was in your fair town 3-4 times in connection with a prior job (around 2002).  I seem to remember good Pork BBQ at some combination grocery store/family restaurant sort of place in the middle of town.

Holy crap. That would be the Butcher Block Deli. My mom eats there 2 or 3 times a week. Great food (especially the cheesesteaks). Yes, there is a VA hospital in Spring City and currently they are fighting (along with bucks county) to build a veterans cemetary behind the hospital on the grounds of the old Pennhurst mental hospital. And with this post we discussed everything there possibly is to discuss about Spring City, PA... we now take you back to your regularly scheduled topic.

Not quite. You didn't mention the view of the Limerick nuclear power plant from the back of the hospital. I didn't mention that before because I didn't know if it was a sore subject.

Now, I will presume, we are done. Back to the topic.

Touche. That's more of a Linfield landmark than Spring City, especially since its across the river in Montgomery County. It is a bit unnerving to see the towers (and steam) all the time (they are viewable from a 30 mile radius) and especially when they do the siren test every month. Imagine a hockey goal airhorn blasting 2 inches from your ear for 5 minutes. That's how loud that damn siren is at my house. But yes, now we have discussed everything to discuss in and around Spring City, PA.

[Camden Crazy]

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.

I wasn't aware of the fact that Cabrera, Benson, and Chen were terrible. Rodrigo's not the greatest pitcher ever, but he's a little better than terrible. Mediocre, maybe, but not terrible...I wouldn't hate on Chris Ray and the rest of the bullpen either.

[HatCityEnforcer]

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.

I wasn't aware of the fact that Cabrera, Benson, and Chen were terrible. Rodrigo's not the greatest pitcher ever, but he's a little better than terrible. Mediocre, maybe, but not terrible...I wouldn't hate on Chris Ray and the rest of the bullpen either.

I'm quite familar with Kris Benson...Mets fan and all...If the dude can get tatoo'd at a "pitcher's park" like Shea, I fear what could happen to him in a bandbox like Camden Yards, especially facing the lineups the Yanks, Red Sox, and Jays boast.

You got me on Lopez...he not horrid..not great, but not horrid. He's probably the #2 by default seeing I wouldn't trust any of the other guys.

As for Chen...guy's bounced around enough that it's pretty hard not to have much faith in him (I mean, the Reds gave up on this guy)...sorry, but I'm skeptical about him, seeing that he came in with a lot of promise with the Braves (under Leo, might I add) and didn't live up to it. One decent year does not a good pitcher make.

As for the O's pen...there's one name on there that should strike fear into any O's fan heart...LaTroy Hawkins...just ask Twins, Cubs, and Giants fans how they feel about him. Guy's an arsonist. If Perlazzo and Mazzone are smart, they'll use him sparingly.

[KevinMcD]

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.

I wasn't aware of the fact that Cabrera, Benson, and Chen were terrible. Rodrigo's not the greatest pitcher ever, but he's a little better than terrible. Mediocre, maybe, but not terrible...I wouldn't hate on Chris Ray and the rest of the bullpen either.

Me being a huge O's fan I think the pitching will doom them this year and will come in 4th in the AL East. (ahead of the Rays)

Ray is 24 and their only experienced pitcher in the bullpen is LaTroy Hawkins. So I am hating on the O's bullpen this year

[Camden Crazy]

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.

I wasn't aware of the fact that Cabrera, Benson, and Chen were terrible. Rodrigo's not the greatest pitcher ever, but he's a little better than terrible. Mediocre, maybe, but not terrible...I wouldn't hate on Chris Ray and the rest of the bullpen either.

I'm quite familar with Kris Benson...Mets fan and all...If the dude can get tatoo'd at a "pitcher's park" like Shea, I fear what could happen to him in a bandbox like Camden Yards, especially facing the lineups the Yanks, Red Sox, and Jays boast.

You got me on Lopez...he not horrid..not great, but not horrid. He's probably the #2 by default seeing I wouldn't trust any of the other guys.

As for Chen...guy's bounced around enough that it's pretty hard not to have much faith in him (I mean, the Reds gave up on this guy)...sorry, but I'm skeptical about him, seeing that he came in with a lot of promise with the Braves (under Leo, might I add) and didn't live up to it. One decent year does not a good pitcher make.

As for the O's pen...there's one name on there that should strike fear into any O's fan heart...LaTroy Hawkins...just ask Twins, Cubs, and Giants fans how they feel about him. Guy's an arsonist. If Perlazzo and Mazzone are smart, they'll use him sparingly.

Hawkins always performed well when he was a set-up man, but did suck as a closer. He'll be the set-up guy here for Ray, who I think will save 30-35 games this year. There's not a lot of big name guys, but someone to look out for is Franklyn Gracesqui. Dude can throw 99-100 MPH. With Mazzone's philosophy of learning to throw the fastball down and away, he could be pretty good. Honestly, other than Ray, Hawkins, Todd Williams, John Halama/Eric DuBose, and possibly Gracesqui, the bullpen spots are up for grabs. I definitely think the pen is better this year now that we have some long relievers and more lefty arms.

You also forgot to mention Cabrera in your argument, who I think is due for a breakout year. Last year almost all of his stats got better except for wins. His ERA dropped nearly half a run, his strikeouts doubled, gave up 1 less hit in 15 more innings pitched, had 2 less walks in more innings, and had an 8.8 K/9 last year. He already has a near-100 MPH fastball and a good changeup. If his development of a breaking ball goes well, he's going to dominate.

[leopard88]

Me being a huge O's fan . . .

You and GamingBoy should get together. He says he is Upstate NY's resident Orioles fan, but apparently he isn't alone. Nice to have more support.

[ZapRowsdower8]

My Buccos at 21! You know you have it bad as a fan when you get excited over a completly arbitrary list that ranks your team 9th from the bottom! 14 straight losing seasons here we come!

[black_gold_capone]

Pittsburgh is fair and should have a breakout season.....thats my gut feelin

[bterreson]

mmm very interesting..

[Gary]

I will say that the Diamondbacks are better than 27th!!! Maybe 17th, but 27th? I don't get it. I think they took darts and shot them at teams and whoever they hit got the ranking

[DEAD!]

I will say that the Diamondbacks are better than 27th!!! Maybe 17th, but 27th? I don't get it. I think they took darts and shot them at teams and whoever they hit got the ranking

well, SOMEBODY had to be 27th

[Shumway]

Wow, MLB.com had Seattle coming in 2nd in the AL West this year, and EsPN has them towards the bottom of the MLB. They should seriously make up their minds...as long as they have them finishing in dead last. I actually see the Angels beating out Texas for 2nd, though. I think(and hope) that Juan Rivera has a breakout year this season. He's got a killer arm in the field, and his hitting should improve with him seeing more at bats this year. He's gotta do better than Steve Finley's superb sub-.220 year last year.

As for my other team, the Cards, it's kind of a tossup where they'll finish. They're still a great team, but I'm not so certain about them running away with the division like I have in recent years. Edmonds had a rough year last year, so it's up in the air if he'll play well this year or not. My best bet for an Angels/Cards Series blew up in my face last year, so I'd love to see another shot at it.