dirty
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD noWrap>By Eric Mack
Senior Fantasy Writer
Tell Eric your opinion!
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- T9343809 --><!-- Sesame Modified: 03/30/2006 10:56:15 --><!-- sversion: 3 $Updated: lylec$ -->Updated March 28
Last week's initial Power Rankings went over like a Bud Selig executive decision. With a resounding thud. The response can be expected, we guess, when it's usually focused on the alleged misjudgment of a particular team.
Hey you, Mr. Homer, there are 29 other teams in baseball. Yes, your team seemingly improved this offseason.
With the exception of the Marlins, every front office in baseball will claim that.
Judging by the flood of e-mail, this writer's only friends in the world are family. Contrary to popular belief, there is a method to the madness and it's not just to rile you up.
No, the Indians are not frauds. Check out how valuable their individual players are in Fantasy drafts this spring. Few teams have better young talent, and the mix of it is a chemist's dream.
The Cardinals are not through dominating the NL. Check out Tony LaRussa's managerial record, Albert Pujols' MVP credentials and the history of their pitching staff having a group full of 30-plus game starters and 14-plus game winners. Those things all add up to a division title over the long haul.
Yes, the Astros still enter the season with holes. Last time we checked, they haven't exactly been a juggernaut offense despite playing half their games in one of the best hitter's parks in baseball.
About the only team that didn't get bad pub in the inbox was the White Sox, and their fans spent all of last year spewing hate. So, here are some further explanations on the Preseason Power Rankings, which remain unchanged from a week ago, with a forecast on where the team finishes in 2006:
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=bg0 align=left><TD class=bg0 colSpan=8>POWER RANKINGS</TD></TR><TR class=bg4 align=middle><TD colSpan=2>Current</TD><TD>Team</TD><TD>Previous</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>1</TD><TD align=middle>Chicago White Sox</TD><TD align=middle>1</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They enter as the favorite this time after sneaking up on all of us last year. With their stable pitching staff and improved thump, they should finish where they start: atop their division, league and baseball.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>2</TD><TD align=middle>St. Louis Cardinals</TD><TD align=middle>2</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Still the class of the NL, although the cushion is shrinking. There are still some holes in the bullpen, middle infield and corner outfield spots. But they're a team built to stand the test of a long season.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>3</TD><TD align=middle>Cleveland Indians</TD><TD align=middle>3</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They can stand toe to toe with baseball's best team and are a threat to win the wild card, keeping either the Red Sox or Yankees out of the playoffs for once. Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia are underrated young front-line pitchers.</TD></TR><TR class=bgH vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>4</TD><TD align=middle>
New York Yankees</TD><TD align=middle>4</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Their offense will make them capable of winning the AL East, even if their rotation is full of question marks. With the revamped bullpen, all they need is six decent innings and that's what made the White Sox and Cardinals runaways last year.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>5</TD><TD align=middle>Boston Red Sox</TD><TD align=middle>5</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Yes, it was a very good winter again, but the Yankees came in ahead. Coco Crisp is a nice young player, but he wasn't good enough to lead off for the Indians last year, so suggesting he's better than Johnny Damon is a little premature at this point.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>6</TD><TD align=middle>Oakland Athletics</TD><TD align=middle>6</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>If you followed these rankings last year, this was not one of our darlings in a rebuilding year. Now they are the pick to win the AL West with a great mix of young talent and veterans in the rotation, bullpen and lineup.</TD></TR><TR class=bgF vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>7</TD><TD align=middle>
Atlanta Braves</TD><TD align=middle>7</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Until the Braves fail to win a division title -- for the first time in almost a decade and a half -- they will be the default pick in the NL East. It's getting old picking against them, so if you can't beat them, fall in.</TD></TR><TR class=bgH vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>8</TD><TD align=middle>
New York Mets</TD><TD align=middle>8</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>John Smoltz calls the Mets the favorite. Has he seen their history of winter hype becoming summer disappointment? The Carlos Delgado's, Carlos Beltran's, Pedro Martinez's and Billy Wagner's are important improvements, but the development of youngsters David Wright and Jose Reyes will be what determines their fate.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>9</TD><TD align=middle>Los Angeles Angels</TD><TD align=middle>9</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Without someone protecting Vladimir Guerrero, the A's look like a better pick in the AL West. Yes, there are young hitters developing, but ask the A's on how long it takes to become true championship-caliber. At least a year away.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>10</TD><TD align=middle>San Francisco Giants</TD><TD align=middle>10</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Another point of contention with the critics of Mr. Power Ranker. But, if you watched last September, when Barry Bonds was in the lineup, this team felt like a winner. In the sub-.500 NL West, it will be as long as Bonds plays the 100-120 games that he's expected to play. Remember, with unbalanced schedules, the division's best team after June 1 last year will have a lot of games against sub-par opponents.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>11</TD><TD align=middle>Houston Astros</TD><TD align=middle>11</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Quick, name their No. 4 and 5 starters. OK, now you can understand why we say the defending NL champs are short of the Cardinals in the NL Central. The Cards run six or seven deep with quality starting pitching that wins over the long haul. The Astros have half that, at best.</TD></TR><TR class=bgH vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>12</TD><TD align=middle>
Philadelphia Phillies</TD><TD align=middle>12</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Ryan Howard is a 40-homer beast in one of the NL's most potent lineups and hitter's parks. The problem is their pitching staff will struggle to keep the ball in the park, too. They are clearly third-fiddle in their division going into this season.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>13</TD><TD align=middle>Toronto Blue Jays</TD><TD align=middle>13</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>The $55 million dollar elbow worry, A.J. Burnett, is already getting a DL stint before he even starts his Blue Jays era. There are plenty of other reasons to like them to improve -- except for the fact the Yankees and Red Sox are still too good to catch.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>14</TD><TD align=middle>Texas Rangers</TD><TD align=middle>14</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>If baseball was just about scoring runs as opposed to limiting them, the Rangers could compete with the A's and Angels. But this rotation revamping doesn't look complete. Now, if they add Roger Clemens? They might have themselves some playoff hopes.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>15</TD><TD align=middle>San Diego Padres</TD><TD align=middle>15</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They moved in the troublesome right-center gap from 411 feet to 402, but it's still deep. Brian Giles and the rest of that offense need a little more help than that. This looks like a .500 team, but still a contender in the Bonds division.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>16</TD><TD align=middle>Chicago Cubs</TD><TD align=middle>16</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>A third-place prediction with Mark Prior and Kerry Wood starting on the DL is not so bad in the NL Central. They'll take it, especially if they wind up getting anything out of those arms.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>17</TD><TD align=middle>Minnesota Twins</TD><TD align=middle>17</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>The offense still has holes and the pitching is not as good as the White Sox and Indians. They will be looking up to those two teams all year -- even if Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau finally make good on the M&M Boys hype.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>18</TD><TD align=middle>Milwaukee Brewers</TD><TD align=middle>18</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They finally enjoyed a .500 season and have burgeoning superstars in Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder. The problem is Ben Sheets needs to get -- and stay -- healthy for this team to entertain any hopes of getting out of the bottom half of the division. They are probably just a year away from truly competing for the postseason.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>19</TD><TD align=middle>Los Angeles Dodgers</TD><TD align=middle>19</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They added veterans in hopes of sneaking up in the NL West, but their future is in their deep and talented minor league system. The sooner Joel Guzman, Andy LaRoche, Chad Billingsley and Delwyn Young arrive and contribute, the better. There are too many injury risks here to pick them ahead of the Giants or Padres.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>20</TD><TD align=middle>Baltimore Orioles</TD><TD align=middle>20</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>The pitching staff and the Leo Mazzone factor are very good reasons for optimism, but the offense really doesn't scare you after Brian Roberts, Melvin Mora and Miguel Tejada. They play in a mashing division, so the staff is going to have to be really good for them to sniff the heels of the trio of teams ahead of them.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>21</TD><TD align=middle>Tampa Bay Devil Rays</TD><TD align=middle>21</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>One of the biggest surprises in the second half and one of the most underrated offensive teams in baseball, but they need four more Scott Kazmir's. They might not finish last, but they won't finish any better than .500. There's always a first time, but that's a few years away.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>22</TD><TD align=middle>Cincinnati Reds</TD><TD align=middle>22</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Another team that can hit but can't pitch. It sells tickets, but it doesn't win. The Reds are no better than a spoiler in the second half like the Rays of 2005.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>23</TD><TD align=middle>Washington Nationals</TD><TD align=middle>23</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>The first-half surprise team in 2005 received a reality check in its success in one-run games. The skeptics were right about how those wins don't last over the long haul. The young and energetic Marlins could challenge them for the basement in the NL East.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>24</TD><TD align=middle>Colorado Rockies</TD><TD align=middle>24</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Another one of those second-half spoiler teams. This was actually the second best team in the division after June 1. Matt Holliday, Clint Barmes and Garret Atkins will only get better, while Ian Stewart is on the way, but how many teams have we mentioned that there's trouble with the rotation?</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>25</TD><TD align=middle>Detroit Tigers</TD><TD align=middle>25</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They are no longer baseball's whipping boys, but they still have a ways to go to reach .500. The AL Central is too top heavy for them to truly surprise in 2006, but they understand this is a work in progress in Comerica.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>26</TD><TD align=middle>Seattle Mariners</TD><TD align=middle>26</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Felix Hernandez is well-hyped, but he's a fifth starter on a fourth-place ballclub. They're the clear pick to wallow in the AL West cellar.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>27</TD><TD align=middle>Pittsburgh Pirates</TD><TD align=middle>27</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>It's possible they wind up as the only sixth-place team in baseball. The young talent is promising, but since when is it a good thing to have a pitching staff full of mostly unproven young arms? They're a few years away, assuming everything can come together quickly enough for them to compete.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>28</TD><TD align=middle>Arizona Diamondbacks</TD><TD align=middle>28</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>An example of a rebuilding project. With the high-end talent close to impacting the big leagues, they will become the model franchise in three years. Stephen Drew, Carlos Quentin and Conor Jackson are stars in training.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>29</TD><TD align=middle>Florida Marlins</TD><TD align=middle>29</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>This year's example of the 2005 Rockies, except the young pitching is far more promising with this group. They will still fight to get out of the NL East cellar, but there is a lot of fight in Dontrelle Willis, Miguel Cabrera, Jeremy Hermida, Hanley Ramirez and Josh Willingham. That's one solid core to build around.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>30</TD><TD align=middle>Kansas City Royals</TD><TD align=middle>30</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Even fire-sold Marlins have more talent and promise. This is a long rebuilding project. How can this team not have drafted the deepest minor league system in baseball with all those years of awful big league baseball?</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Senior Fantasy Writer
Tell Eric your opinion!
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- T9343809 --><!-- Sesame Modified: 03/30/2006 10:56:15 --><!-- sversion: 3 $Updated: lylec$ -->Updated March 28
Last week's initial Power Rankings went over like a Bud Selig executive decision. With a resounding thud. The response can be expected, we guess, when it's usually focused on the alleged misjudgment of a particular team.
Hey you, Mr. Homer, there are 29 other teams in baseball. Yes, your team seemingly improved this offseason.
With the exception of the Marlins, every front office in baseball will claim that.
Judging by the flood of e-mail, this writer's only friends in the world are family. Contrary to popular belief, there is a method to the madness and it's not just to rile you up.
No, the Indians are not frauds. Check out how valuable their individual players are in Fantasy drafts this spring. Few teams have better young talent, and the mix of it is a chemist's dream.
The Cardinals are not through dominating the NL. Check out Tony LaRussa's managerial record, Albert Pujols' MVP credentials and the history of their pitching staff having a group full of 30-plus game starters and 14-plus game winners. Those things all add up to a division title over the long haul.
Yes, the Astros still enter the season with holes. Last time we checked, they haven't exactly been a juggernaut offense despite playing half their games in one of the best hitter's parks in baseball.
About the only team that didn't get bad pub in the inbox was the White Sox, and their fans spent all of last year spewing hate. So, here are some further explanations on the Preseason Power Rankings, which remain unchanged from a week ago, with a forecast on where the team finishes in 2006:
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=bg0 align=left><TD class=bg0 colSpan=8>POWER RANKINGS</TD></TR><TR class=bg4 align=middle><TD colSpan=2>Current</TD><TD>Team</TD><TD>Previous</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>1</TD><TD align=middle>Chicago White Sox</TD><TD align=middle>1</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They enter as the favorite this time after sneaking up on all of us last year. With their stable pitching staff and improved thump, they should finish where they start: atop their division, league and baseball.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>2</TD><TD align=middle>St. Louis Cardinals</TD><TD align=middle>2</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Still the class of the NL, although the cushion is shrinking. There are still some holes in the bullpen, middle infield and corner outfield spots. But they're a team built to stand the test of a long season.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>3</TD><TD align=middle>Cleveland Indians</TD><TD align=middle>3</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They can stand toe to toe with baseball's best team and are a threat to win the wild card, keeping either the Red Sox or Yankees out of the playoffs for once. Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia are underrated young front-line pitchers.</TD></TR><TR class=bgH vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>4</TD><TD align=middle>
New York Yankees</TD><TD align=middle>4</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Their offense will make them capable of winning the AL East, even if their rotation is full of question marks. With the revamped bullpen, all they need is six decent innings and that's what made the White Sox and Cardinals runaways last year.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>5</TD><TD align=middle>Boston Red Sox</TD><TD align=middle>5</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Yes, it was a very good winter again, but the Yankees came in ahead. Coco Crisp is a nice young player, but he wasn't good enough to lead off for the Indians last year, so suggesting he's better than Johnny Damon is a little premature at this point.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>6</TD><TD align=middle>Oakland Athletics</TD><TD align=middle>6</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>If you followed these rankings last year, this was not one of our darlings in a rebuilding year. Now they are the pick to win the AL West with a great mix of young talent and veterans in the rotation, bullpen and lineup.</TD></TR><TR class=bgF vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>7</TD><TD align=middle>
Atlanta Braves</TD><TD align=middle>7</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Until the Braves fail to win a division title -- for the first time in almost a decade and a half -- they will be the default pick in the NL East. It's getting old picking against them, so if you can't beat them, fall in.</TD></TR><TR class=bgH vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>8</TD><TD align=middle>
New York Mets</TD><TD align=middle>8</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>John Smoltz calls the Mets the favorite. Has he seen their history of winter hype becoming summer disappointment? The Carlos Delgado's, Carlos Beltran's, Pedro Martinez's and Billy Wagner's are important improvements, but the development of youngsters David Wright and Jose Reyes will be what determines their fate.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>9</TD><TD align=middle>Los Angeles Angels</TD><TD align=middle>9</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Without someone protecting Vladimir Guerrero, the A's look like a better pick in the AL West. Yes, there are young hitters developing, but ask the A's on how long it takes to become true championship-caliber. At least a year away.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>10</TD><TD align=middle>San Francisco Giants</TD><TD align=middle>10</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Another point of contention with the critics of Mr. Power Ranker. But, if you watched last September, when Barry Bonds was in the lineup, this team felt like a winner. In the sub-.500 NL West, it will be as long as Bonds plays the 100-120 games that he's expected to play. Remember, with unbalanced schedules, the division's best team after June 1 last year will have a lot of games against sub-par opponents.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>11</TD><TD align=middle>Houston Astros</TD><TD align=middle>11</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Quick, name their No. 4 and 5 starters. OK, now you can understand why we say the defending NL champs are short of the Cardinals in the NL Central. The Cards run six or seven deep with quality starting pitching that wins over the long haul. The Astros have half that, at best.</TD></TR><TR class=bgH vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>12</TD><TD align=middle>
Philadelphia Phillies</TD><TD align=middle>12</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Ryan Howard is a 40-homer beast in one of the NL's most potent lineups and hitter's parks. The problem is their pitching staff will struggle to keep the ball in the park, too. They are clearly third-fiddle in their division going into this season.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>13</TD><TD align=middle>Toronto Blue Jays</TD><TD align=middle>13</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>The $55 million dollar elbow worry, A.J. Burnett, is already getting a DL stint before he even starts his Blue Jays era. There are plenty of other reasons to like them to improve -- except for the fact the Yankees and Red Sox are still too good to catch.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>14</TD><TD align=middle>Texas Rangers</TD><TD align=middle>14</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>If baseball was just about scoring runs as opposed to limiting them, the Rangers could compete with the A's and Angels. But this rotation revamping doesn't look complete. Now, if they add Roger Clemens? They might have themselves some playoff hopes.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>15</TD><TD align=middle>San Diego Padres</TD><TD align=middle>15</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They moved in the troublesome right-center gap from 411 feet to 402, but it's still deep. Brian Giles and the rest of that offense need a little more help than that. This looks like a .500 team, but still a contender in the Bonds division.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>16</TD><TD align=middle>Chicago Cubs</TD><TD align=middle>16</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>A third-place prediction with Mark Prior and Kerry Wood starting on the DL is not so bad in the NL Central. They'll take it, especially if they wind up getting anything out of those arms.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>17</TD><TD align=middle>Minnesota Twins</TD><TD align=middle>17</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>The offense still has holes and the pitching is not as good as the White Sox and Indians. They will be looking up to those two teams all year -- even if Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau finally make good on the M&M Boys hype.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>18</TD><TD align=middle>Milwaukee Brewers</TD><TD align=middle>18</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They finally enjoyed a .500 season and have burgeoning superstars in Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder. The problem is Ben Sheets needs to get -- and stay -- healthy for this team to entertain any hopes of getting out of the bottom half of the division. They are probably just a year away from truly competing for the postseason.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>19</TD><TD align=middle>Los Angeles Dodgers</TD><TD align=middle>19</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They added veterans in hopes of sneaking up in the NL West, but their future is in their deep and talented minor league system. The sooner Joel Guzman, Andy LaRoche, Chad Billingsley and Delwyn Young arrive and contribute, the better. There are too many injury risks here to pick them ahead of the Giants or Padres.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>20</TD><TD align=middle>Baltimore Orioles</TD><TD align=middle>20</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>The pitching staff and the Leo Mazzone factor are very good reasons for optimism, but the offense really doesn't scare you after Brian Roberts, Melvin Mora and Miguel Tejada. They play in a mashing division, so the staff is going to have to be really good for them to sniff the heels of the trio of teams ahead of them.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>21</TD><TD align=middle>Tampa Bay Devil Rays</TD><TD align=middle>21</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>One of the biggest surprises in the second half and one of the most underrated offensive teams in baseball, but they need four more Scott Kazmir's. They might not finish last, but they won't finish any better than .500. There's always a first time, but that's a few years away.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>22</TD><TD align=middle>Cincinnati Reds</TD><TD align=middle>22</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Another team that can hit but can't pitch. It sells tickets, but it doesn't win. The Reds are no better than a spoiler in the second half like the Rays of 2005.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>23</TD><TD align=middle>Washington Nationals</TD><TD align=middle>23</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>The first-half surprise team in 2005 received a reality check in its success in one-run games. The skeptics were right about how those wins don't last over the long haul. The young and energetic Marlins could challenge them for the basement in the NL East.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>24</TD><TD align=middle>Colorado Rockies</TD><TD align=middle>24</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Another one of those second-half spoiler teams. This was actually the second best team in the division after June 1. Matt Holliday, Clint Barmes and Garret Atkins will only get better, while Ian Stewart is on the way, but how many teams have we mentioned that there's trouble with the rotation?</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>25</TD><TD align=middle>Detroit Tigers</TD><TD align=middle>25</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>They are no longer baseball's whipping boys, but they still have a ways to go to reach .500. The AL Central is too top heavy for them to truly surprise in 2006, but they understand this is a work in progress in Comerica.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>26</TD><TD align=middle>Seattle Mariners</TD><TD align=middle>26</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Felix Hernandez is well-hyped, but he's a fifth starter on a fourth-place ballclub. They're the clear pick to wallow in the AL West cellar.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>27</TD><TD align=middle>Pittsburgh Pirates</TD><TD align=middle>27</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>It's possible they wind up as the only sixth-place team in baseball. The young talent is promising, but since when is it a good thing to have a pitching staff full of mostly unproven young arms? They're a few years away, assuming everything can come together quickly enough for them to compete.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>28</TD><TD align=middle>Arizona Diamondbacks</TD><TD align=middle>28</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>An example of a rebuilding project. With the high-end talent close to impacting the big leagues, they will become the model franchise in three years. Stephen Drew, Carlos Quentin and Conor Jackson are stars in training.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>29</TD><TD align=middle>Florida Marlins</TD><TD align=middle>29</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>This year's example of the 2005 Rockies, except the young pitching is far more promising with this group. They will still fight to get out of the NL East cellar, but there is a lot of fight in Dontrelle Willis, Miguel Cabrera, Jeremy Hermida, Hanley Ramirez and Josh Willingham. That's one solid core to build around.</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=middle rowSpan=2>
</TD><TD align=middle>30</TD><TD align=middle>Kansas City Royals</TD><TD align=middle>30</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left colSpan=3>Even fire-sold Marlins have more talent and promise. This is a long rebuilding project. How can this team not have drafted the deepest minor league system in baseball with all those years of awful big league baseball?</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>