Explaining a most unexpected June MLB Power Rankings
How great and unexpected has this Major League Baseball season been? Well, just soak in the latest 'Baseball Isn't Boring' Power Rankings and you can get an idea.
It is the middle of June and you have a Top 10 that includes the Rays and Diamondbacks as the top two teams. That would be a Tampa Bay team that carries the 27th highest payroll in MLB, and a club in Arizona that sits at No. 21.
Then you go to No. 5 (the Orioles) and No. 6 (the Marlins) and you get another reminder that money isn't everything, with Baltimore sitting second-to-last in spending and Miami residing at No. 22 overall.
Yes, the list does have plenty of big spenders, with Braves (No. 8 in spending), Rangers (No. 9), Yankees (No. 2), Blue Jays (No. 7), Dodgers (No. 5) and Astros (No. 10) cracking Producer Evan's Top 10.
But that doesn't take away from the fact that this might be the most unexpected June 12 MLB Power Rankings in the history of June 12 MLB Power Rankings.
No. 10: Houston
The case: Despite losing five of their last six, the Astros sit with the same record as the Dodgers and Marlins while still clinging to the final Wild Card spot.
No. 9: Dodgers
The case: While it seems Los Angeles is taking on water thanks in large part to a rash of injuries - putting them an unbelievable 3 1/2 games in back of Arizona - they still are ultra-talented. They also managed to break up the red-hot Phillies win streak Saturday, which is something.
No. 8: Blue Jays
The case: You aren't going to find too many hotter teams than Toronto, which has now won 10 of its last 14 games. They were always perceived as one of the most talented teams in baseball, and now the Jays are living up the billing.
No. 7: Yankees
The case: The Aaron Judge-less New Yorkers are clearly offensively challenged without their star slugger. But you aren't going to find many teams with as good as top-to-bottom pitching and defense as this version of the Yanks.
No. 6: Marlins
The case: Not only are they sitting atop the National League Wild Card standings with the Dodgers, but unbelievably sit just 3 1/2 games behind the Braves for first-place in the National League East. And after dramatic ninth-inning comebacks the last two days, Miami is starting to seem like a team of destiny.
No. 5: Orioles
The case: They are 17 games over .500, have won four in a row and simply don't seem to be going anywhere. Oh, and Aaron Hicks is hitting .345 with a 1.058 OPS since leaving New York for Baltimore.
No. 4: Rangers
The case: Sure, perhaps they lost two of three in the big weekend showdown against the Rays, but that doesn't mean the Rangers are going anywhere. They are 18 games over .500 with a major league-best plus-149 run differential.
No. 3: Braves
The case: Atlanta might be the most unappreciated better teams in baseball, and now they are getting hot. Before Sunday's loss, the Braves were riding a seven-game win streak, marking their territory against the Mets along the way.
No. 2: Diamondbacks
The case: The Fighting Lovullos have become one of the best stories in baseball. They have one of the game's best starters (Zac Gallen), one of the game's top rookies (Corbin Carroll) and a roster that actually has come to realize they are for real.
No. 1: Rays
The case: Sure, they are 31-7 at home and just 17-13 on the road. So what? These guys are the best team in baseball until somebody starts proving otherwise. The Rangers had their chance this weekend, and fell to the same fate as virtually every other Tampa Bay opponent.