MLB Power Rankings: Rockies take over the top spot
The surprising Colorado Rockies grab the top spot in this week’s MLB Power Rankings.
The 2017 MLB season continues to shape up as an interesting one for baseball fans. Seemingly the entire American League is alive and in the hunt for the second wild card. Thankfully the second wild card exists in the first place, because the three best teams in the National League may all play in the NL West. The Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Arizona Diamondbacks have all been putting on a clinic this season.
If ever there was a season to reinforce the notion that MLB should do away with divisions entirely and simply award playoff spots to the top five teams in each league, his may be it. Winning the terrible NL East should not give the Washington Nationals a leg up on whichever two teams cannot win the crown in the West. For better or worse, though, MLB seems married to the division-heavy format of its schedule. I digress — here are this week’s MLB Power Rankings, with a surprising new team at the top.
Philadelphia Phillies 22-48
Last week: 1-5
Last rank: 30
The Phillies made an attempt this winter to acquire several veterans on expiring or one-year contracts who could become valuable trade chips to eventually add more prospects to their deep farm system. They picked up Howie Kendrick, Clay Buchholz, Pat Neshek, and Michael Saunders. Kendrick and Neshek have been good and will be traded. Buchholz is on the DL and may not pitch the rest of the year. Saunders was a disaster and was released this week.
It was an interesting plan by the Phillies to inject some veteran leadership into their roster. The Oakland A’s have worked this type of flip several times in recent years. With how little they had to invest in the 2017 roster, the Phillies can afford to take some shots on trade chips and will bring home a few more prospects in a few weeks.
San Francisco Giants 27-47
Last week: 1-6
Last rank: 28
Like the Phillies before them, the Giants may be destined to become the next MLB team to hold onto the belief that they were ready to win a World Series a few years too long. Before their championship window expired, the Phillies kept doubling down on the names that got them to the 2008 title way past their prime. The Giants are bordering on that territory.
Each of the World Series wins by the Giants from 2010 to 2014 had a fluky feeling to them. San Francisco never had the best team or the most talent, but their pitchers worked well in the playoffs. The Giants did not win a division title in each of their three World Series years, which is a better indicator of their level of talent. Now, they are locked into a core that does not have much trade value outside of Buster Posey.