ESPN Sweetspot Power Rankings

[HalMorrisRules]

David Schoenfield provides his top ten at this point of the offseason. Nationals and Reds are #1 & #2. If this was done a week ago, before the Choo trade, I doubt the Reds would be that high.

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/po...onals-reds-1-2

[WDE]

IDK about his remark that Luddy and Frazier have to repeat their great seasons. They had to step up last year with JV out, but if JV stays healthy, I don't think Luddy has to hit 25+ and Frazier has to hit 20+ in order for us to win the Central.

[mattfeet]

How he ranks the Yankees at #3 boggles my mind.

-Matt

[jmac]

I certainly dont see NY ahead of AL teams like LA and Detroit.

[Redlegs Homer]

I don't think I would leave off the Blue Jays at this point. They have so many new pieces but that team just looks great.

[nheath22]

Originally Posted by Redlegs Homer

I don't think I would leave off the Blue Jays at this point. They have so many new pieces but that team just looks great.

Marlins looked great on paper last year too, but didn't pan out as the season went on. I am not buying into the Blue Jays yet until I see them on the field for a few weeks. While they definitely look to have improved, it will take time for them to develop into a team.

[HalMorrisRules]

Originally Posted by nheath22

Marlins looked great on paper last year too, but didn't pan out as the season went on. I am not buying into the Blue Jays yet until I see them on the field for a few weeks. While they definitely look to have improved, it will take time for them to develop into a team.

Especially when you consider that many of the new Blue Jays are, in fact, ex-Marlins.

[Red Buckeye]

I am surprised the Angels aren't in the top ten with Hamilton now on their team.

[coachpipe]

Originally Posted by Red Buckeye

I am surprised the Angels aren't in the top ten with Hamilton now on their team.

I am also surprised they arent on there too..Im assuming they arent a top 10 team on here because of not being able to make the playoffs with the roster they had last year...and most importantly pitching...other than Jared Weaver...they have no one.

[OGB]

Oakland seemed the most like a fluke to me of any of last year's success stories. I'd have LAA on my list ahead of them. I'd also put SF on ahead of StL.
The way I see it, StL lost Lohse and got a year older on an already old team.
Texas lost Hamilton and didn't add much.
Toronto is too much better to not be on this list as well.

[SweetLou1990]

From the ESPN article "Weaknesses: outfield defense with Choo in center; some players -- Ryan Ludwick, Todd Frazier, Johnny Cueto -- will have to repeat their big seasons."

THe "weaknesses" are not really weaknesses are they? Cueto, if healthy will have another great year. And if Ludwick & Frazier get more consistent playing time this year, I can see both of them putting up similiar #'s.

[BLEEDS]

Frazier I'm less concerned with "duplicating seasons" since l think he'll flourish playing everyday. If he doesn't, l still think the overall numbers at 3B will be equal or better - his bad days can't be worse than Rolen's 2011 numbers.

I'm more concerned with overall numbers in LF; Luddy put up great stats only playing PT, those will be hard to replicate, and we didn't upgrade the OF depth.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[DocRed]

How are the Angels not on this list?

[drowg14]

Originally Posted by DocRed

How are the Angels not on this list?

Aren't any better than last year. Pitching got worse, and with how good Hunter was last year Hamilton isn't necessarily a gigantic upgrade. Only positive is a full year of Trout, who will likely regress some (although this should be covered by Pujols regressing back to a full year of MVP type numbers). Should they be top 10? Probably. But it isn't really that much of a stretch to leave them off the list.

[drowg14]

If anyone cares, I would have to put my top 10 for next year at....
1. Reds
2. Washington
3. Blue Jays
4. Rays
5. Tigers
6. San Francisco
7. Oakland
8. Angels
9. Braves
10. Cards

I think the Reds have a better lineup top to bottom, starting rotation top to bottom, and bullpen than the Nats. While the Jays could become Miami 2.0, I don't see that happening. No Ozzie, and they also have Joey Bats, Edwin, Melky, Dickey. Rays are the best run team in baseball, if they have Longo all year (big if) they can be a force. Tigers have Victor back, to add to the lineup. Still have Verlander, and a quality staff behind him. Only question mark is the pen. San Fran has a good rotation (I expect a bit of a bounce back for Big Time Timmy Jim), and a good overall team led by Posey. Oakland could very well fall off the deep end, this one is just a gut thing. Angels have potent lineup, but pitching is very shaky. Braves and Cards because I ran out of teams I liked.

I think Texas is due for a big drop. Lost Hamilton, didn't replace him with that much (although losing Young off the roster is a pretty big plus). And the pitching staff isn't spectacular. Darvish could take another step forward, and Harrison is a pretty good pitcher, but neither of them are sure things imho.