Power Rankings for 08 MLB Season

Slimdust

This is the complete si.com listing for the power rankings this year in baseball.

Power Rankings

1. Mets
There is no question Santana was the missing piece. This isn't a perfect No. 1 overall pick, but they have the most potential to be dominant with no real weakness, assuming Santana can go his 230 innings. Unlike the
Red Sox, they rely less on aging vets in the lineup and they should be far more motivated after last year's epic collapse.

2. Red Sox
They remain the pick here to cruise in the AL. Losing Curt Schilling won't hurt as much, because they were able to hang on to developing young arms Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz. We do see some soft spots in middle relief and setup: Hideki Okajima is closer to his second-half self (4.56 ERA) than his first half (0.83).

3. Tigers
They have to win now and the world should get to see what Miguel Cabrera can do with a great supporting cast. Dontrelle Willis should have a nice rebound, too. We might have picked them No. 1 overall, but: 1. We are not sure Jeremy Bonderman (elbow) is healthy; 2. Todd Jones is tough to rely on at closer; 3. Joel Zumaya (shoulder) is out until at least July.

4 Phillies · Trends 5
It is not too often a lineup can boast a trio of MVP candidates. The question is whether the pitching staff is deep enough after Cole Hamels and Brett Myers to limit the opposition in Citizens Bank Park. We're not sold on Brad Lidge's ability to keep the ball in the ballpark or to stay level-headed.

5 Indians · Trends 3
A deep pitching staff should keep them in the race even if they have some injuries. That is something that can't be said for many (or any?) other teams. They very well could have won last year, but we are disappointed they didn't add much this winter. They should have done something, particularly adding a corner outfielder.

6 Yankees · Trends 2
Their offseason was about retaining their veterans, which is understandable. But they are counting on some old players at risk of breakdown and some young pitchers who haven't proven themselves over a full pro season of 180 innings.

7 Angels · Trends 4
The new GM failed to acquire that impact bat (Miguel Cabrera or Miguel Tejada would have fit perfectly), but they did improve their pitching with Jon Garland and the outfield with Torii Hunter running things down in center. The prospects remain in the system, but they will have to start producing if the Angels are going to take the next step.

8 Cubs · Trends 6
Only our third NL team in the top eight, but this team is a few pieces from being among the elite. They have questions in center, right, catcher and at closer, but all four spots can be more-than-adequately filled with up-and-comers (Felix Pie, Kosuke Fukudome, Geovany Soto and Carlos Marmol) or Kerry Wood.

9 Diamondbacks · Trends 8
We said all last year they would become a great team if the young hitters finally hit stride. We didn't figure they would rise to be NL runners-up. They lack a knockout slugger in the heart of their lineup, but they make up for it with the best pair of aces atop their rotation in Brandon Webb and Dan Haren. Few teams can line up one ace on their level -- and they have two.

10 Rockies · Trends 7
The defending NL champs might not be getting enough respect here, especially considering that talented young lineup. But we have to question whether the arms after Jeff Francis can hold up for a full season. They were great down the stretch amid their legendary run, but championships (usually) aren't won in the waning days of September.

11 Braves · Trends 13
Easily the best third-place team in baseball this year. They cannot match the offense of the Phillies or Mets and their pitching staff is still hoping for a return from Mike Hampton’s shaky left arm. With that said, they are a well-rounded team that will boast the biggest breakthrough closer in baseball, Rafael Soriano.

12 Dodgers · Trends 17
This team is better than they showed last year and won't make it easy on the D-Backs and Rockies in the West. If the burgeoning bats of James Loney, Matt Kemp and Andy LaRoche take big swings ahead, the Dodgers will be the ones everyone looks up to in the division.

13 Brewers · Trends 11
They were a great story in the first half of last year and a cautionary tale thereafter. Their lack of veteran presence keeps us from putting them on the Cubs' level, but there is enough talent here to surprise again and perhaps even sustain it through the year.

14 Mariners · Trends 12
Until they traded for Erik Bedard, we wouldn't have given them much of a chance to be in top half of baseball. But you have to like the top of their rotation, especially with burgeoning star Felix Hernandez, and how they are going with pitching and defense as their model in a park suited for it.

15 Padres · Trends 10
They didn't add enough offense to a team that couldn't hold off the D-Backs and Rockies a year ago. They have potential, though -- perhaps Chase Headley and/or Matt Antonelli break out? -- and any team with a front end featuring Jake Peavy and Chris Young won't be far from contention.

16 Blue Jays · Trends 15
We praised them for hanging around last season amid their injury woes and now their rotation looks like it is two strong and five deep. The bullpen and defense -- bolstered by Scott Rolen -- is solid, too. So, if Vernon Wells rebounds and Alex Rios becomes a superstar at 27 like we expect, this team can outperform this middlin' ranking.

17 Astros · Trends 25
That is a tremendous lineup with the addition of Miguel Tejada and a first full season of Hunter Pence, adding to the already strong bats of Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman. The problem is Roy Oswalt is pretty lonely in the rotation. If the young pitching develops quickly, they could compete to win the division.

18 Reds · Trends 23
We like the direction they are headed, especially if Homer Bailey and Edinson Volquez live up to their potential behind solid veterans Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo. Joey Votto and Jay Bruce are potential All-Star caliber bats working their way up the ladder and few teams will boast a more powerful 1-2 middle than Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey.

19 Cardinals · Trends 19
Albert Pujols' troublesome elbow has to be a cause of concern, because without him, the Cardinals have no chance. Adam Wainwright and Anthony Reyes should take big strides forward, but you can't like counting on Braden Looper, Joel Pineiro, Mark Mulder and Matt Clement. Although if the last two are healthy ...

20 Twins · Trends 16
Letting Torii Hunter go was one thing, but dealing Johan Santana for a package of prospects is a signal this team has no intentions of competing with the Tigers and Indians in the AL Central. We like their chances of winning as soon as 2009, though, especially if Francisco Liriano can make it through the season healthy on his surgically repaired elbow.

21 White Sox · Trends 21
They have a potentially great offense with the addition of Nick Swisher entering his prime and Josh Fields just getting started, but you cannot pick a team that will rely on the likes of Jose Contreras and a couple of arms still a year or two from being championship-caliber (John Danks and Gavin Floyd).

22 Rays · Trends 28
The rotation is finally coming together and there are some elite arms coming through the system and might debut this year. If you can add anything to Scott Kazmir, James Shields and Matt Garza, you will have something great to work with. The offense really hasn't been the problem and it remains a strength if Rocco Baldelli can make it through 450 at-bats.

22 Nationals · Trends 22
Moving into a new ballpark should help attendance and interest in the team, but that's merely because no one would care about them otherwise. They lack star power and have a slew of pitchers many have never heard of legitimately competing for rotation spots.

23 Athletics · Trends 18
They took multiple steps back in an effort to net a step forward. It will take years to find out if it worked, especially since their farm system wasn't much to write home about before Dan Haren and Nick Swisher were traded. If not for some potential injury returns from Rich Harden, Eric Chavez and Bobby Crosby, we would rank this rebuilding franchise much lower.

24 Royals · Trends 26
Save for the Rays, they might be the only franchise in baseball that would be elated to be ranked this "high." We see some young players taking dramatic steps forward -- Alex Gordon, Billy Butler and Zack Greinke -- albeit to merely finish last in a tough division.

25 Giants · Trends 24
If not for the young pitching of Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, this is the worst team in baseball. That everyday lineup is easily the worst. Pitching can still keep them from being in the basement, though.

26 Rangers · Trends 20
We figured they would regret the Mark Teixeira trade more than they have, especially since they added a potential impact bat in Josh Hamilton, who we could see hitting 40 home runs in that ballpark some day. Their success (lack thereof?) is contingent on the pitching -- as it always is. Can Brandon McCarthy and Kason Gabbard prove to be more than just back-end guys?

28 Pirates · Trends 30
This is one of the few teams near the basement that has promising young pitching working in its favor. Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny, Paul Maholm and Zach Duke are all generally in their third year as starters in the majors. That is a favorite year of ours to see dramatic improvement as a starting pitcher.

29 Marlins · Trends 29
About 18 months ago, when Joe Girardi has his team streaking down the stretch and he was streaking to manager of the year, things looked so much better. The young pitching never panned out, unless you count it stretching out across the surgical table in the cases of Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez. Another rebuild has them hoping Cameron Maybin is the second coming of Hanley Ramirez and latter isn't the next big name to be shipped out of town.

30 Orioles · Trends 27
They weren't going to win with Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard, so dealing them off makes sense. Time will tell if they got enough in return. It is bad enough this team's outlook is so sorry, but to have it be in the top-heavy AL East, too, is a long-term killer. There is a lot of rebuilding to do here.

Simon

Founder/Admin

Until the Mets actually prove they have their heads screwed on straight they dont deserve the top rank.

Who wrote this? I feel it may not have been Slim >.>

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

I'm not sure I'm buying the Mets at #1. Sure they have Santana and a great lineup but the rest of their staff is questionable including a less-than-stellar bullpen. The only thing I can think of is maybe whoever wrote this believes the Mets will have an easier road to the World Series, which could be true.. but remains to be seen.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

I think it was SI.com Simon <,<

Jayman

Super Moderator

Hey, my Tigers are number 3. I think they deserve the number 3 spot, but like it was already mentioned, not sure about the placement of 1 and 2. Other than Schilling, did the BoSox really lose anyone in the offseason? They will be a force to be reckoned with. I would love nothing more than a Tigers/BoSox ALCS, only for D-Town to get back into the Series....and this time....not play embarrassingly against the NL.