Post by Royals GM (Mac - Retired) on Sept 12, 2011 11:19:51 GMT -8
Rankings for the 2011 playoffs...non playoffs teams will be ranked during finals.
1. New York Yankees - very tough not to have them as #1 because of their undefeated record. the Yankees have a tough team from top to bottom. some of their bench players would start for alot of other teams. top notch starters will carry them in the playoffs. they have 3 good closers and several middle relievers. if the yankees are not in the finals, it would be a surprise. they are talented from top to bottom. this week matchup: Texas Rangers
2. Washington Nationals - clearly the 2nd best team in the league. their pitching is phenominal. excellent starters and top notch relievers. they have very good young hitting. can put up a full lineup any day of the week. lots of depth on this team. gotta put them as the 2nd best throught the playoffs. this week's matchup: Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Texas Rangers - forget about the record. they made moves, late in the season, for the playoff run. 2 excellent closers. fantastic starters. clearly they will go as far as their pitching takes them. infield is good just not great. outfield has two good starters but needs more production from the rest of the outfield. hitting relies on their three top players to have great weeks ahead. weakness: strength of infield and catching. this week's matchup: New York Yankees
4. Cincinnati Reds - Great hitting power and run production. their starting lineup can compare with the yankees lineup. so hitting will be up there throughout their playoff run. their bullpen is excellent. saves and holds are plenty. the starting pitching will be a determining factor. weakness: depth of starting pitching only big concern. this week's matchup: Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Los Angeles Dodgers - three stud starters who should pitch twice this week and if they pitching in the playoffs like they did during the regular season, the dodgers will have several wins this week. their bullpen is a strength and will get a good amount of holds/saves. their hitting is good but not great. several productive hitters but do they have the depth in their hitting to carry them through the entire week? weakness: very weak infield. not enough SP depth to carry throughout the playoffs. this week's matchup: Cincinnati Reds
6. Tampa Rays - excellent hitting. plenty of power and run production. both infield and outfield are strong but dont dominate. three very good starters. weakness only one SP pitching twice. no saves or supporting bullpen to carry throughout playoffs.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks - during the regular season, they are a top 3 team, IMO. they are going into the playoffs with three injured SP and an injured closer. tough to compete this week with those pitchers not close to returning. the hitting and the bullpen will have to carry the dbacks this week until the SP's/Closer come back. weakness: SP depth-healthy starters pitched twice last week.
8. Kansas City Royals - This team made a great push to win their division. the team has good hitting but might have peaked before the playoffs started. costly injuries will affect them during the playoff week. two hitters from their starting lineup got injured this weekend and are day-to day. SP was good during the season but with the youth of his some of their staff will only be productive if the ML teams decide to play them. their bullpen is a strength but young as well and seem to be falling out of favor with their ML teams. weakness: injuries to hitting and strength of SP
please feel free to respond to these power rankings. i looked over the rosters and made injuries to key players on teams as a determining factor.
1. New York Yankees - very tough not to have them as #1 because of their undefeated record. the Yankees have a tough team from top to bottom. some of their bench players would start for alot of other teams. top notch starters will carry them in the playoffs. they have 3 good closers and several middle relievers. if the yankees are not in the finals, it would be a surprise. they are talented from top to bottom. this week matchup: Texas Rangers
2. Washington Nationals - clearly the 2nd best team in the league. their pitching is phenominal. excellent starters and top notch relievers. they have very good young hitting. can put up a full lineup any day of the week. lots of depth on this team. gotta put them as the 2nd best throught the playoffs. this week's matchup: Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Texas Rangers - forget about the record. they made moves, late in the season, for the playoff run. 2 excellent closers. fantastic starters. clearly they will go as far as their pitching takes them. infield is good just not great. outfield has two good starters but needs more production from the rest of the outfield. hitting relies on their three top players to have great weeks ahead. weakness: strength of infield and catching. this week's matchup: New York Yankees
4. Cincinnati Reds - Great hitting power and run production. their starting lineup can compare with the yankees lineup. so hitting will be up there throughout their playoff run. their bullpen is excellent. saves and holds are plenty. the starting pitching will be a determining factor. weakness: depth of starting pitching only big concern. this week's matchup: Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Los Angeles Dodgers - three stud starters who should pitch twice this week and if they pitching in the playoffs like they did during the regular season, the dodgers will have several wins this week. their bullpen is a strength and will get a good amount of holds/saves. their hitting is good but not great. several productive hitters but do they have the depth in their hitting to carry them through the entire week? weakness: very weak infield. not enough SP depth to carry throughout the playoffs. this week's matchup: Cincinnati Reds
6. Tampa Rays - excellent hitting. plenty of power and run production. both infield and outfield are strong but dont dominate. three very good starters. weakness only one SP pitching twice. no saves or supporting bullpen to carry throughout playoffs.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks - during the regular season, they are a top 3 team, IMO. they are going into the playoffs with three injured SP and an injured closer. tough to compete this week with those pitchers not close to returning. the hitting and the bullpen will have to carry the dbacks this week until the SP's/Closer come back. weakness: SP depth-healthy starters pitched twice last week.
8. Kansas City Royals - This team made a great push to win their division. the team has good hitting but might have peaked before the playoffs started. costly injuries will affect them during the playoff week. two hitters from their starting lineup got injured this weekend and are day-to day. SP was good during the season but with the youth of his some of their staff will only be productive if the ML teams decide to play them. their bullpen is a strength but young as well and seem to be falling out of favor with their ML teams. weakness: injuries to hitting and strength of SP
please feel free to respond to these power rankings. i looked over the rosters and made injuries to key players on teams as a determining factor.
