Power Rankings

At this point there is no need for me to decide if the Astros are better than the Mets or if the Tigers moved passed the Blue Jays, from now on I'll just do the top 10 in baseball.  With that said here you go:

1. Twins: They've just been a machine in the 2nd half.  They are top 5 in all of baseball in team wOBA and FIP, and they're 7th in UZR.  They hit, they pitch, they field, and now they're number one. Anyone else find it funny that the piranhas are now mashing while Ozzie Guillen and the White Sox play guys like Juan Pierre and Omar Vizquel?

2. Yankees: They play 4 games home vs. the Rays, 3 home vs. the Red Sox, 3 away vs. the Blue Jays, and finish with 3 at Fenway to finish the year.  So if they want to win the division they'll really have to earn it.  Getting Andy Pettitte back and the rest of the team healthy will be there first priority, but for now they're in first.

3. Rays: They have a much easier schedule to end the year, after playing the Yanks they have series' against the Mariners, Orioles, and Royals.  Maybe it's because Longoria is on my fantasy team, but with the weak schedule I'm sensing Longo has a sweet run in him to gain some MVP votes.

4. Phillies: 7 in a row.  I was tempted to put them 1st, but it's the NL.  They have a series starting tonight against the Braves to finally stick the nail in the coffin for the braves title hopes.  I like the Rockies and I like the Giants pitching but the Phillies rotation combined with their recent health in the lineup has put them head and shoulders above the rest of the NL, in a very quick amount of time.

5. Rangers: Went 3-2 this week, and 8-2 in the last 10.  They had a rough patch in late August but have turned things around.  They have a 9 game lead so getting their rotation in line and  Josh Hamilton's health will be their main goals as they finish up.  Side note: even though Hamilton hasn't played much in the last month, is he still the AL MVP?  Fangraphs says it's Hamilton's still, B-Ref insists that it's Longoria.  Cano is high on both lists, I say the voters choose him.

6. Rockies: There are a few NL teams with better records, but only the Rockies have Tulowitzki: .351/.407/1.000 in September with 14 HRs.  I won't say "if he keeps this up" because that is impossible, but if Tulo smacks a few more homers and the Rockies win the NL West, does he win the MVP?  I'd say he deserves it, but with months of Votto talk the voters still may choose him.

7. Braves: Nice little 3 game win steak going staying under the radar but ahead in the wild card.  They're not flashy but they seem to get the job done.  They still have 6 more against the Phillies, but the last series the Phillies may have nothing to play for, making their schedule pretty easy.

8. Red Sox: They're not going to be playing into October, but overall you can't be disappointed in how they've played, when healthy.   They'll resign Beltre, fix up some holes and be competing for a championship in 2011.  If Wheaties is the "Breakfast of Champions", the AL East is the "Division of Champions"™.

9. Giants: Based off of my silly rankings you would think that they have some catching up to do but they're actually leading the Rockies by 1.5 games.  They have the pitching (Lincecum is back on track leading a rotation of 5 guys with sub 4 ERAs) but the Aubrey Huff lineup of waiver wire pickups and castaways just doesn't scream postseason for me.

10. Reds: Kind of blah.  It's funny, a few weeks ago they were the young up and coming team that finally made it, now they are hardly exciting.  Joey Votto is a beast's beast but when Johnny Cueto is your ace you have to temper expectations.