2011 MLB Power Rankings – Preseason MLB Power Ratings Poll

2011 MLB Power Rankings – Preseason MLB Power Rating Poll from NSAwins.com – Phillies Top the List: With the 2011 Major League Baseball season fast approaching, it’s time to take a look at how the teams stack up. There have been some injuries and plenty of offseason moves, and while there are a few dominant teams ready to make a run, there are several other teams that will be in the mix as well.

1. Philadelphia Phillies: Even with Chase Utley’s lingering knee issues and the departure of Jayson Werth, the Phillies are still the heavy favorites in the National League. After all, a rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels can plug a lot of gaps.
2. Boston Red Sox: The Sox added Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez to a team that already won 89 games in 2010. More importantly, they bolstered the bullpen behind one of the best rotations in the American League. If the injury bug stays away this year, the Sox are a World Series team.
3. Milwaukee Brewers: The rotation features ace-caliber pitchers Yovani Gallardo, Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum, and the offense features 30-home run guys Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks and Ryan Bruan. The Breweres have enough balance to make up for their shortcomings and win the NL Central in 2011.
4. New York Yankees: To say that their starting rotation is suspect is a bit of an understatement, but the Yankees make up for it with a stacked lineup. Not to mention the fact that a rebuilt bullpen can shorten the game for A.J. Burnett and the rest of the starters not named C.C. Sabathia.
5. San Francisco Giants: The Giants still have the same arsenal of young pitching that carried them to the World Series last season, and the offense should be just as good if not better. As long as Tim Lincecum and company are fanning opposing batters on a frequent basis, the Giants have a chance to repeat.
6. Colorado Rockies: Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki anchor a young, talented lineup, while Ubaldo Jimenez does the same for the rotation. The difference between potential and reality will determine where the Rockies finish in 2011.
7. Chicago White Sox: The addition of Adam Dunn makes an already solid lineup and elite one, and if the reports on Jake Peavy’s health are true, the rotation will hold its own in the American League. Not to mention that the Sox can run out half a dozen relievers that can approach triple digits on the radar gun.
8. Texas Rangers: The starting rotation will miss Cliff Lee for sure, and moving stud closer Neftali Feliz is not the answer. That being said, adding Adrian Beltre to one of the best lineups in baseball will carry the Rangers to another division title.
9. Cincinnati Reds: The rotation has plenty of depth, but I still can’t find a true ace or a losing streak stopper. The lineup is also lacking a legitimate leadoff man, but reigning MVP Joey Votto and company didn’t need one to win in 2010. The Reds should contend again, but no one is mistaking this club for the next Big Red Machine.

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10. Atlanta Braves: Led by an underrated rotation, the Braves would be in great shape in their division if not for Phillies. The lineup needs some young players like Freddie Freeman to step up, but if Chipper Jones can stay healthy for most of the year, they still have a chance at the wildcard once again.
11. Oakland Atheltics: From start to finish, their pitching staff is as good as any in baseball, but the lineup is sketchy at best. Who is going to carry the offense? Connor Jackson? Their pitching will keep them in the race, but I don’t see the A’s knocking off the Rangers this year.
12. Tampa Bay Rays: Manny Ramirez still has plenty of life left in his bat, but I’m not sure it’s enough to offset the losses in free agency. The starting rotation is plenty stout, but the Rays are currently looking at a closer by committee situation with Kyle Farnsworth leading the way. Yikes.
13. Minnesota Twins: Joe Nathan is returning from arm surgery, Joe Mauer is on the mend as well, and nobody knows if/when Justin Morneau’s concussion-related problems will go away. The Twins have done an incredible job winning on budget over the years, but they face a serious uphill battle with plenty of question marks in 2011.
14. St. Louis Cardinals: Adam Wainwright is lost for the year and Chris Carpenter is banged up. It’s amazing how a strong rotation can suddenly become questionable. Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday are surrounded by enough young talent to make things interesting, but the Cardinals need some arms in order to compete.
15. Detroit Tigers: With Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the frontend of the rotation and Jose Valverde and Joel Zumaya at the backend, radar guns will get a workout in Detroit this season. If Victor Martinez can stay healthy and Miguel Cabrera can stay sober, the Tigers could make some noise in the AL Central.
16. Los Angeles Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw is a Cy Young candidate, and the Dodgers starting rotation has depth. Jonathan Broxton is a major question mark at the end of games, but pitching is not this team’s problem. The Dodgers need James Loney, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp to have rebound seasons in order to compete in a tough NL West.
17. New York Mets: The news on Johan Santana isn’t good, and the Mets are probably going to have to go the entire season with an undermanned rotation. David Wright is one of several talented pieces on offense, but some serious rebuilding needs to be done to compete with Philadelphia.
18. Toronto Blue Jays: Jose Bautista isn’t going to hit 50-plus homers again, and there is no clear cut closer to anchor a solid starting rotation. The bottom line is that the Blue Jays are always going to be overmatched in a division with the Red Sox, Yankees and Rays.
19. Chicago Cubs: Adding Matt Garza makes the starting rotation better, but the Cubs’ season is going to hinge on the performance of several high-priced players that have been known to underperform. If Carlos Zambrano, Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez all play well, the Cubs could make some noise, but that’s a pretty big if.
20. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: They weren’t shy about spending money in the offseason, but I expect they will have some serious buyer’s remorse about Vernon Wells. Jared Weaver leads a decent starting rotation, but their offense full of aging, former stars isn’t going to cut it in the AL West.
21. Florida Marlins: Hanley Ramirez is the best shortstop in baseball, but he can’t play every position on the field. Dan Uggla is the latest in a long line of talented hitters to leave the team, and it is awfully tough to compete when you are constantly in rebuilding mode.
22. Arizona Diamondbacks: They have a collection of young players but don’t have a real star in the lineup or in their rotation. The Diamondbacks will show some promise in 2011, but there simply isn’t enough talent on the roster to contend for anything but the cellar in the NL West.
23. Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles amassed a lineup that would have been scared opposing pitchers a decade ago. With the strikeout rates of Derek Lee, Vladimir Guerrero, J.J. Hardy and Mark Reynolds these days, pitchers will be salivating when they take the mound.
24. San Diego Padres: The only significant offensive force on the team was Adrian Gonzalez, and he is now resides in Boston. Aside from some solid arms, the Padres are grossly undermanned. Look for the playoff contenders to come calling for what remains of their talent when the trade deadline approaches.
25. Houston Astros: The pitching staff isn’t terrible, but unless young players like Brett Wallace make big strides in 2011, the offense will be next to nonexistent yet again. The Astros aren’t the worst team out there, but nobody is going to mistake them for a playoff contender anytime soon.
26. Washington Nationals: The lured Jayson Werth to down thanks to a ridiculous contract, but he isn’t going to turn the Nationals into a contender. For Washington fans, the 2011 season will be about awaiting the return of Stephen Strasburg and the eventual call-up of Bryce Harper.
27. Cleveland Indians: The Indians have a solid player in Shin-Soo Choo and one of the top young catchers in Carlos Santana. After those two players, it’s tough to get excited about anyone. How is that C.C. Sabathia trade for Matt LaPorta working out?
28. Seattle Mariners: Felix Hernandez is one of the best pitchers in baseball, and Ichiro may be the best pure hitter in the game today. The problem is that the Mariners’ lineup isn’t scaring anyone. The sooner they call up some of their young players the better. This team isn’t winning anything.
29. Kansas City Royals: The Royals are never short on young, talented players. The problem is that they make a habit of trading these players to other teams. Alex Gordon has been one of the few exceptions, but the problem is that he isn’t a very good baseball player.
30. Pittsburgh Pirates: Andrew McCutchen is a star-caliber player, but unfortunately for Pirates fans, there isn’t much else to be encouraged about. The starting rotation is abysmal, and the offense doesn’t have near enough pop to make up for it.