Maine's MLB Power Ten, 5/15

[MaineDolFan]

What a difference a week makes!  I think that this will mark the first week that a team's record does not qualify them for a high or low spot in the PT.  We've gotten to a point where some teams are much better (or worse) than the record says.  Should make for interesting conversation, anyway.  Here we go...

#1.  Chicago White Sox 24-12
The ChiSox are starting to struggle to hold off the hard charging Tigers.  In the end, they'll win this division by 10 games but right now it's a lot of fun to watch.  Chicago's power numbers are coming along, Thome hit his 15th last night and was robbed for his 16th on an amazing defensive play by Twins CF Torii Hunter.

#2.  San Diego Padres 22-16
I struggled with this one, part of me thinks that San Diego is the best team in baseball right now.  12 wins in 13 games, this club is on fire.  Hensley pitched a shut out of the Cubs yesterday, it was quite fun to watch.  Some bad news on the beach, Woody Williams tore a calf muscle and could be sidelined until at least August.

#3.  Philadelphia Phillies 22-15
Lieber almost pitched a perfect game against the Reds, he looks to be back in a big way.  The only team in the league hotter than the Phills would be San Diego, Philly has won 9 of their last ten and four in a row.  And all this without Wolfe, who is still on the comeback trail.

#4.  Detroit Tigers 24-13
The Tigers just did something that they haven't done in 25 years - they swept the Cleveland Indians.  Leyland has this club flying high and you can see a huge difference from the club that lost 162 games last year.  I think the Tigers will wind up a little under .500 when it's all said and done, but right now they are really keeping Chicago on their toes.

#5.  New York Mets 23-14
On a day when Pedro struck out 10 to take over the league lead in strike outs, the Mets couldn't hold on to beat the Brewers.  Matter of fact, they dropped two out of three to the Beer Crew.  Lo Duca has played fantastic for the Mets and is a savior, maybe the best five bat in the game.  At 5-2 and a 2.19 ERA, Tom Glavin is really looking good.

#6.  St. Louis Cardinals 24-14
Help is on the way for St. Louis.  The Goodyear Ponson has begun to throw on the side and is on track for a possible June launch.  Jason Marquis, who seemed to be falling apart, has righted the ship.  Jason Isringhausen, who was a punching bag for me to start the season, has 11 saves and is looking sharp again.  Am I the only one that sits in awe of Albert Pujols?  At .333 with 19 homes runs and 48 RBI...does he know that most MLB hitters don't put up those stats in a SEASON, much less before JUNE?  Wow.  People - take notice, you are seeing one of the greatest players EVER in Pujols.  And I mean EVER.  Oh...and he's ****26 years old!!!****

#7.  Boston Red Sox 21-14
One thing that I am very encouraged about, and the rest of the league better start getting worried about, is how Boston's offense is starting to click without Coco Crisp.  Mark Loretta started slow but is hitting .489 in his last 10 games.  Mike Lowell was a steal in the Beckett deal it seems now, hitting well over .300 with a handful of home runs and leading the majors in doubles.  Will Mo Pena has looked very good in center field and is ripping the ball apart.  Oh, and Coco should be back next week.

#8.  New York Yankees 21-14
Someone tie a white flag to Randy Johnson and run it up that bean pole of a man.  I'm really started to become concerned that Johnson is done.  After getting hit around by Boston last week, Johnson responded by getting hit around by the not-so-powerful Oakland A's last night.  On the good side of the coin, Wright looked solid if not good in his last outing and Moose is back to form.  I've always loved Moose, he's a true pro.

#9.  Toronto Blue Jays 21-16
Toronto might fall in the trap that the 2001 Red Sox did:  rely on power numbers and not worry about defense.  The middle of the field is a rough spot for the Jays, but the outfield is playing much better than I expected.  Troy Glaus is hitting great power numbers, but his average and defense are starting to hurt the Jays a bit.  Three errors on the young season isn't bad, but isn't great either.  Not for a player with something to prove.  I still think the Jays would be better served having Shea at 3B and putting Glaus at DH.  Chacin's injury isn't that bad, he should only miss a start.  Still no solid word on Burnett.

#10.  Cincinnati Reds 23-15
Could the Reds finally be showing their true colors?  Losers of 6 of their last 10, the Reds seem to be coming back to earth - including a three game losing streak.  This is where young teams earn their keep, do they pick themselves up and dust off and keep going - or do they continue to slide?  Time will tell!

That's it from soggy New England!

[Denver_Bronco]

I would flip/flop the Mets and the Phils personally. The Mets are still the better team overall and recently beat Philly i believe 2 out of 3.

I like how you used the word "concerned" to describe Randy Johnson. You sure that you didn't mean "elated" ? 

And, hey, BREAK UP THE PADRES !

[Sunstroke]

I am dancing my happy dance around my comp right now...the Padres debut at #2? Now we're cookin' with gas! 

Hopefully we can keep up the pace on the road against the D-Backs and Mariners this week...Tough matchup tonight, going against (imo) one of the league's top tier pitchers, Brandon Webb.

GO YOU PADRES!!

[Brian Fein]

That's nutty - last week the Pad's weren't even on the list, now they're #2.  Wow - I guess that's what you get for going on that kind of tear.

[Sunstroke]

^^^ The Padres were pretty much on the cusp of PT-hood last week, I think, and the fact that they continued their hot streak on the road at milwaukee and chicago pushed them that high. Maine also might just be giving me my early birthday present or something.

I didn't expect them to debut at #2 either (I still think that the Mets, Cardinals, Red Sox and a couple of other squads on the list are better), but as amazing as the Padres been playing lately (made more impressive by how young they are as a team), I can't dog the #2 placement either.

GO YOU PADRES!! Win 6 more in a row between now and next monday and let's see if we can chase the Chisox off their perch!

[raptorsfan29]

maine, did you catch the White Sox triple play they turned on the Twins

[MaineDolFan]

I saw the triple play, it was pretty sweet.  Of course the bunt that lead to it was a really bad bunt.

Padres = any time you win that many games in a row and are within 2 wins of having the most wins in the majors...why wouldn't that qualify them to debut at #2?  Last week at this time they were 1 game over .500 and now they are two games shy of the most wins in the majors (24, Mets/Tigers/ChiSox) and they have the hottest streak going.  So just because they weren't on the list last week, someone explain why they don't deserve to be the #2 or #1 team right now?

[mcduff81]

It was my Phillies who beat the Mets 2 out of 3..  As a matter of fact, they have won 13 of their last 14..thank you very much!!

I think the Mets are more talented..but the Phillies are definitely playing better.

[MaineDolFan]

Mets = over rated.  You heard it here first.  Philly is deeper.  Better arms in the middle of the bullpen, more team speed, better defense. 

[mcduff81]

good! I hope you're right!

[Sunstroke]

Mets = over rated. You heard it here first. Philly is deeper. Better arms in the middle of the bullpen, more team speed, better defense.

...and if Cole Hamels continues to pitch like he's channeling the ghost of Walter Johnson out there, he can combine with Myers and Lieber to form a rather nasty trio of starters.
They also need to get two of their starters healthy again...Aaron Rowand (faceplant into wall) and Bobby Abreu (back tweakage).

Not to gravedig myself, but I did pick Philly to represent the NL in the WS this year. I think they have more than enough talent across the board to get it done.

[mcduff81]

good! I hope you're right! 

[Philly Fin Fan]

good! I hope you're right! 

Me too!
I was surprised that Maine failed to mention Hamels. In his major league debut, he pitched a near perfect five innings against the red hot Reds. He gave up one hit. He wiffed Griffey twice. He looked awesome.

[Sunstroke]

Me too!
I was surprised that Maine failed to mention Hamels. In his major league debut, he pitched a near perfect five innings against the red hot Reds. He gave up one hit. He wiffed Griffey twice. He looked awesome.

I'd also like to note that, prior to Hamel's debut, I was so star-struck with the way he tore up the international league that I added him across the board to my ESPN squads, and when they released him to our Yahoo leagues, I added him to all 6 of those as well. Methinks I snagged an ultimate waiver gem in Hamels.

Cole is nothing short of amazing. I watched his first start on fox, and while some talking heads (Dibble) pointed to his 5 walks as something to watch for, I think that's crap. Hamel's control is almost "too good." I saw his walks more as trying to determine where the umpire was going to call the edges. He knew he was pitching well enough to keep the batters from hitting him, and he was defining the strike zone his first time out on a major league mound. The guy struck out 36 batters to only one walk in 23 innings at AAA...he's not going to be a high walk kind of pitcher.

[EDGECRUSHER]

On April 13th Randy Johnson went 5 innings and allowed 1 run against the Royals. He threw 87 pitches after 5. He was then taken out of the game, He later admitted his back stiffened up a bit but he would be fine. In the 6 starts followiung that game he has been hammered by everyone except the Orioles in that one start.

Randy is injured and is either lying about it or the Yankees are making him pitch through it. I'll go with lying about it because the Yankees know September is more important than May.

I don't believe he is done because you don't lose your stuff over the course of a weekend. Over the winter? Sure. As the yera progresses? Gradually. From Monday to Saturday? No, that's just way too soon for a career to end. Not saying he will win the Cy Young if he is healthy, but he is definitely injured right now.