“If Escobar is going to hit somebody, he should hit himself. A.J. didn’t have anything to do with the dumb [bleep] plays they made. Josh Paul and him, the two dumb [bleep] plays they made and now they’re blaming A.J.”
–White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen on the Angels’ Kelvim Escobar hitting A.J. Pierzynski with a pitch because of the controversial call made during last years ALCS (Arlington Heights Daily Herald).
I’ll be getting back on track with columns this week. This is the rankings I was supposed to have up on Friday. Since they are late, I have made them completely up to date.
The Official Riding the Pine… Power Rankings
(Through Sunday, April 30th. Tiebreaker goes to the team with the best actual record.)
1. Chicago White Sox (75 pts.)
Record: 17-7, 30 pts.
Pythagorean: 110-52, 28 pts.
Farm System: 17 pts.
Last Ranking: 17th (49 pts.)
2. Detroit Tigers (73 pts.)
Record: 16-9, 25 pts.
Pythagorean: 117-45, 30 pts.
Farm System: 18 pts.
Last Ranking: 3rd (72 pts.)
3. Milwaukee Brewers (68 pts.)
Record: 14-11, 21 pts.
Pythagorean: 91-71, 21 pts.
Farm System: 26 pts.
Last Ranking: 11th (54 pts.)
4. New York Yankees (65 pts.)
Record: 13-10, 22 pts.
Pythagorean: 116-46, 29 pts.
Farm System: 14 pts.
Last Ranking: 9th (59 pts.)
5. St. Louis Cardinals (64 pts.)
Record: 17-8, 28 pts.
Pythagorean: 104-58, 26 pts.
Farm System: 10 pts.
Last Ranking: 10th (54 pts.)
6. Los Angeles Dodgers (64 pts.)
Record: 12-13, 12 pts.
Pythagorean: 91-71, 23 pts.
Farm System: 29 pts.
Last Ranking: 8th (60 pts.)
7. Houston Astros (63 pts.)
Record: 16-8, 27 pts.
Pythagorean: 93-69, 25 pts.
Farm System: 11 pts.
Last Ranking: 14th (52 pts.)
8. Colorado Rockies (61 pts.)
Record: 15-10, 24 pts.
Pythagorean: 85-77, 17 pts.
Farm System: 20 pts.
Last Ranking: 6th (67 pts.)
9. Arizona Diamondbacks (61 pts.)
Record: 12-13, 11 pts.
Pythagorean: 89-73, 20 pts.
Farm System: 30 pts.
Last Ranking: 4th (72 pts.)
10. Cleveland Indians (60 pts.)
Record: 13-12, 16 pts.
Pythagorean: 91-71, 22 pts.
Farm System: 22 pts.
Last Ranking: 1st (75 pts.)
11. New York Mets (56 pts.)
Record: 16-8, 26 pts.
Pythagorean: 105-57, 27 pts.
Farm System: 3 pts.
Last Ranking: 7th (62 pts.)
12. Boston Red Sox (55 pts.)
Record: 14-11, 20 pts.
Pythagorean: 74-88, 12 pts.
Farm System: 23 pts.
Last Ranking: 2nd (74 pts.)
13. Cincinnati Reds (54 pts.)
Record: 17-8, 29 pts.
Pythagorean: 91-71, 24 pts.
Farm System: 1 pts.
Last Ranking: 19th (41 pts.)
14. Chicago Cubs (54 pts.)
Record: 13-10, 23 pts.
Pythagorean: 79-83, 15 pts.
Farm System: 16 pts.
Last Ranking: 5th (69 pts.)
15. Los Angeles Angels (54 pts.)
Record: 12-13, 13 pts.
Pythagorean: 77-85, 14 pts.
Farm System: 27 pts.
Last Ranking: 16th (51 pts.)
16. Texas Rangers (51 pts.)
Record: 13-12, 17 pts.
Pythagorean: 89-73, 19 pts.
Farm System: 15 pts.
Last Ranking: 24th (30 pts.)
17. Atlanta Braves (47 pts.)
Record: 10-14, 7 pts.
Pythagorean: 81-81, 16 pts.
Farm System: 24 pts.
Last Ranking: 13th (52 pts.)
18. Baltimore Orioles (44 pts.)
Record: 13-13, 14 pts.
Pythagorean: 73-89, 11 pts.
Farm System: 19 pts.
Last Ranking: 12th (53 pts.)
19. San Francisco Giants (42 pts.)
Record: 13-11, 19 pts.
Pythagorean: 73-89, 10 pts.
Farm System: 13 pts.
Last Ranking: 15th (52 pts.)
20. Toronto Blue Jays (42 pts.)
Record: 12-11, 18 pts.
Pythagorean: 87-75, 18 pts.
Farm System: 6 pts.
Last Ranking: 20th (37 pts.)
21. Florida Marlins (39 pts.)
Record: 6-16, 3 pts.
Pythagorean: 68-94, 8 pts.
Farm System: 28 pts.
Last Ranking: 23rd (32 pts.)
22. Tampa Bay Devil Rays (36 pts.)
Record: 11-14, 10 pts.
Pythagorean: 63-99, 5 pts.
Farm System: 21 pts.
Last Ranking: 22rd (36 pts.)
23. Oakland Athletics (33 pts.)
Record: 12-12, 15 pts.
Pythagorean: 75-87, 13 pts.
Farm System: 5 pts.
Last Ranking: 21st (37 pts.)
24. Minnesota Twins (32 pts.)
Record: 9-15, 5 pts.
Pythagorean: 49-113, 2 pts.
Farm System: 25 pts.
Last Ranking: 18th (44 pts.)
25. Philadelphia Phillies (24 pts.)
Record: 10-14, 8 pts.
Pythagorean: 66-96, 7 pts.
Farm System: 9 pts.
Last Ranking: 28th (14 pts.)
26. Seattle Mariners (22 pts.)
Record: 11-15, 9 pts.
Pythagorean: 73-89, 9 pts.
Farm System: 4 pts.
Last Ranking: 25th (27 pts.)
27. Washington Nationals (17 pts.)
Record: 8-17, 4 pts.
Pythagorean: 64-98, 6 pts.
Farm System: 7 pts.
Last Ranking: 29 (13 pts.)
28. Pittsburgh Pirates (17 pts.)
Record: 7-19, 2 pts.
Pythagorean: 55-107, 3 pts.
Farm System: 12 pts.
Last Ranking: 26 (27 pts.)
29. San Diego Padres (12 pts.)
Record: 9-15, 6 pts.
Pythagorean: 60-102, 4 pts.
Farm System: 2 pts.
Last Ranking: 27th (17 pts.)
30. Kansas City Royals (10 pts.)
Record: 5-17, 1 pts.
Pythagorean: 43-119, 1 pts.
Farm System: 8 pts.
Last Ranking: 30th (13 pts.)
Playoffs based on current record
AL East: Yankees
AL Central: White Sox
AL West: Rangers
AL WC: Tigers
NL East: Mets
NL Central: Cardinals
NL West: Rockies
NL WC: Reds
Playoffs based on Pythagorean Records
AL East: Yankees
AL Central: Tigers
AL West: Rangers
AL WC: White Sox
NL East: Mets
NL Central: Cardinals
NL West: Dodgers
NL WC: Astros
At the end of the week, I’m looking at Delmon Young, a dead deal, and will start a bi-weekly look at a prospect. E-mail or post comments, questions, and hate mail. Thanks.
