Heading into the final week of baseball’s regular season, it has become clear who the “haves” and “have-nots” are. Some teams made a late charge this season and some fizzled – paging the Pittsburgh Pirates!!
Two weeks remain in the 2012 MLB Regular Season – the Rankings are as fluid as they have been all year. Some teams have fallen on hard times over the last couple of weeks and some have just kept clicking along.
We are into the last month of the 2012 MLB Regular Season – the cream has really started to rise to the top. While the American League teams have started to bunch up a tad the National League seems to be devoid of any sort of September pennant race.
September is nearly here and as always we are seeing some clear separation between the haves and the have-nots in Major League Baseball. There are only two real close division races in the Bigs – the rest of the divisions have leaders running away.
The trade deadline has come and gone and as per usual the rich have gotten richer and the poor have gotten poorer. For the first time this season the American League has given way to a pair on National League teams atop the standings.
The All Star break is over – now is time to focus on the impending trade deadline only a couple of weeks away. The moves that will be made will most certainly have an impact on the Power Rankings in two weeks. Will the rich get richer?
We have arrived at the half-way part of the season – what a perfect time to take a look at the teams that have impressed throughout the first three months of the season and the teams that have fallen flat.
Another two weeks has passed – time for Dave B’s bi-weekly MLB Power Rankings! This week sees some familiar teams at the top with a traditional powerhouse almost reaching the pinnacle.
Two weeks have passed since my last Power Rankings and amazingly the top dogs just keep getting it done. While there has been some definite separation between the elite and “not so elite teams”, many of the clubs that have been solid all year have remained in my Top 15.
Two weeks have passed since my last Power Rankings and unlike a couple of weeks ago; there has been some change throughout the rankings. Teams are emerging while others are fading as we start ramping up for the Dog Days! Who are those teams?
Two weeks have passed since my last Power Rankings and surprisingly the teams at the top and the bottom have remained right there. In the middle of the Rankings there has been some movement – predictably the cream is remaining on top while the sludge has continued to occupy the bottom.
Two weeks have passed since my last Power Rankings and although the MLB season remains fluid, the Top 3 spaces on the Rankings have remained the same. As always there are some interesting surprises and some absolute disappointments in the Rankings – that’s why they play the games!
Take a look at Dave B’s bi-weekly MLB Power Rankings and let me know what you think.
Surely there is somebody that disagrees with me!
1. Texas Rangers (1) – They have the best record in baseball and along with a very strong offense – the pitching staff has also looked very, very good. They are the most complete team and for the second time in a row occupy Top Spot in the Rankings!
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (2) – The Dodgers keep getting it done – 7-3 in their last 10 games and an incredible 10-2 at home this season. Matt Kemp has been sensational and the Dodgers’ pitching has been one of the surprises of the season so far. LA leads the NL and reclaims their #2 rank.
3. St. Louis Cardinals (3) – The Cards are hanging around with the NL’s second best record. They are just 5-5 in their last 10 games but when the team needs a win, they seem to get it.
4. Baltimore Orioles (17) – The Orioles – leading the AL East? Don’t get used to it but enjoy it now if you are a Baltimore fan. They swept Toronto last week and based on their 14-8 record deserve their Top 5 spot – for now!
5. Atlanta Braves (12) – The Braves have been great so far this year and now look like they will get Tim Hudson back in the very near future. They are tough as usual and are 7-3 in their last 10 games.
6. Tampa Bay Rays (11) – still have James Shields, David Price, Jeremy Hellickson, Jeff Niemann and Matt Moore throwing for them. In other words, you can’t count the out! They are 8-2 in their last 10 games and are within a whisker of Top 5.
7. New York Yankees (6) – The injury to Michael Pineda certainly hurts but help in on the way in the form of Andy Petite. The Yankees are hitting the ball extremely well and are starting to find their groove.
8. Washington Nationals (5) – The Nationals have lost four straight but are still tied for the NL East lead. Bryce Harper has been called up to make a decent offense that much better. The pitching has been solid all season but needs to pick back up.
9. Toronto Blue Jays (9) – starting pitching has been good – the bullpen and the offense have sputtered. Jose Bautista is hitting .190 – imagine what this team will do when he finally wakes up!
10. New York Mets (10) – The Mets have won two straight and are 12-9 on the season. This team may be short on payroll but they have proven that they have a ton of heart. How long will the Mets hold onto the Top 10? Who knows?
11. Cleveland Indians (19) – sit atop the AL Central despite a 4-7 home record! If they can solve their closer issues and start winning some games at home, the Indians could be Top 10 on the next Rankings. [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
12. San Francisco Giants (20) – they lost Brian Wilson but Tim Lincecum is starting to round into form, Matt Cain has been good and the rest of the starting pitching looks scary once again. They have a struggling Miami team up next which helps their cause.
13. Cincinnati Reds (16) – are 7-3 in their last 10 games and finally look like a team that could challenge St. Louis in the Central. The starting pitching has been better and Joey Votto is heating up!
14. Arizona Diamondbacks (7) – The Diamondbacks are scuffling a bit at the moment – 4-6 in their last 10 games. But the makeup of this team ensures that they won’t quit at any point this season!
15. Detroit Tigers (4) – Detroit has gone an ugly 2-8 in their last 10 games but with the talent on the roster, you’d think they should get it together. They still have some guy named Justin Verlander who gives them a Top 15 nod – just barely!
16. Chicago White Sox (8)
17. Philadelphia Phillies (13)
18. Boston Red Sox (14)
19. Milwaukee Brewers (21)
20. Colorado Rockies (22)
21. Oakland Athletics (25)
22. Seattle Mariners (15)
23. Pittsburgh Pirates (26)
24. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (18)
25. Houston Astros (23)
26. Miami Marlins (24)
27. Chicago Cubs (28)
28. Kansas City Royals (27)
29. San Diego Padres (29)
30. Minnesota Twins (30)
Another MLB gambling season. It’s time to NOW bring your best baseball betting hat to the table for gambling on baseball. Cappers Picks all season long provides MLB baseball gambling predictions, so check back often.
Two weeks of MLB are in the books and already some of the cream is rising to the top. With most team having played 10 games early in the season there are certainly some surprises – the Nationals, the Dodgers and the Orioles currently lead their respective Divisions – insane!
It is almost that time of year folks – the smell of popcorn and hot dogs is filling the air in 30 North American cities – baseball is here! Every two weeks during the regular season, Dave B will compile a list of teams on the rise and teams on the decline in the Majors.
The NHL season is about to enter the stretch run. Some teams are positioning themselves well heading into the most important part of the year while others are sputtering at precisely the wrong time. Get weekly NHL Handicapping tips from CappersPicks.com.
The NHL season is about to enter the stretch run. Some teams are positioning themselves well heading into the most important part of the year while others are sputtering at precisely the wrong time. Get weekly NHL Handicapping tips from CappersPicks.com.
Are you ready for the stretch drive? It seems that some teams have already gone into playoff mode already. The Power Rankings reflect that notion.
There are some teams struggling to maintain their elite status this week and there are some climbing – looking for a little credibility.
Enjoy this week’s Dave B’s NHL Power Rankings – March 13, 2012– the number in brackets are where the team ranked two weeks earlier.
1. Blues 45- 18-7 (4) – The Blues have won five straight games and are 9-1-0 in their last 10 games and have given up just 14 goals over that span. Amazing. They have a four point lead in the overall standings are showing no signs of slowing down. Helping is their incredible 29-4-4 record at home.
2. Penguins 42-21-5 (3) – Pittsburgh is another team that is 9-0-1 in their last 10 games and have first in the East in their sights. Crosby could return this week and Chris Letang not far behind – yup, the Penguins are scary.
3. Rangers 43-18-7 (2) – still playing well – 5-3-2 in their last 10 games but their Eastern Conference lead seems a little more tenuous at the moment.
4. Canucks 42-19-8 (1) – The Canucks have gone 2-3-2 in their last seven games and have lost three of their last four games at home. The twins are a mess – they will get back on track at some point so they should be good to hold in to a top 5 position in the rankings.
5. Predators 40-21-7 (6) – Nashville just keeps getting it done – 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. They are tough to play against and are as balanced a team as there is in the NHL – 10 players with at least 10 goals. That’s three complete lines that can score.
6. Red Wings 44-22-3 (5) – The Wings slip out of the Top 5 on the heels of a 4-5-1 stretch. Pavel Datsuyk, Nik Lidstrom and Jimmy Howard have all been out of the lineup which doesn’t help. All are expected back soon.
7. Bruins 40-25-3 (7) – Boston are slipping fast – injuries and inconsistent play have them 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. They sure don’t look like the Bruins we have all come to expect.
8. Devils 40-24-5 (9) – Don’t look now but the Devils have won five straight games and are four points out of eighth in the East. Their offensive weapons have been just that and the defense has allowed just five goals in the last six games.
9. Senators 36-25-9 (12) – Continue to be one of the surprise teams in the NHL – 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. In their next four they play Montreal three times and the freefalling Leafs once. Ottawa should have a good week and could continue to climb the Rankings.
10. Stars 38-26-5 (13) – Dallas is another surprise team – on fire with a 9-0-1 record in their last 10 games. They have opened up a six point lead in the Pacific.
11. Flyers 39-22-7 (14) – Look out the Flyers are coming. They are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and Ilya Bryzgalov has three shutouts in his last four games. He has a 1.75 goals against average since the All-Star break – finally!
12. Blackhawks 37-25-8 (15) – Chicago is 4-1-1 in their last 10 games and are finally getting some decent goaltending. Jonathan Toews could be back soon making them a way better team.
13. Coyotes 34-25-10 (8) – Phoenix lost five straight before beating San Jose. The Coyotes are quickly fading.
14. Sharks 33-25-9 (17) – The Sharks are still a good team aren’t they? I am beginning to wonder. They are 2-6-2 in their last 10 games. If they do nothing this week – they are out of the Top 20.
15. Panthers 32-23-13 (10) – The Panthers have hung around and are worthy of the top 15. They are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and are on top of the Southeast – barely! [ad-4437448]
16. Flames 32-25-12 (21) – 4-3-3 in their last 10 games and hanging around somehow. With teams around them struggling the Flames end up in the #16 position.
17. Avalanche 36-30-4 (11) – Colorado is also hanging around but the loss of Matt Duchene might be too much. They are still 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and deserve a Top 20 rank.
18. Kings 32-25-12 (16) – The Kings are far better than their average record – 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. They are struggling – no excuses!
19. Sabres 32-29-8 (24) – is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and they have climbed into a playoff position. Four points back and Ryan Miller finally living up to expectation.
20. Capitals 35-28-6 (20) – suddenly one point back in the Southeast having gone 6-3-1 record in their last 10 games. Washington is the most dangerous #20 ranked team in memory.
21. Jets 32-29-8 (19)
22. Ducks 29-30-10 (18)
23. Lightning 31-30-7 (22)
24. Canadiens 27-32-10 (27)
25. Hurricanes 26-28-15 (29)
26. Islanders 28-31-10 (28)
27. Maple Leafs 30-31-8 (23)
28. Oilers 26-35-7(25)
29. Wild 29-30-10 (26)
30. Blue Jackets 22-40-7 (30)
Dave B will analyze all the risers and the fallers for the rest of the season in his bi-weekly NHL Power Rankings.
