New for the 2017 season are the Sports Daily Major League Baseball Power Rankings. Comprised of writers from Burning River Baseball, Cards Diaspora, Metstradamus, Angels Win and The Giants Cove, every month we’ll get together to determine who is the best of the best and rank all 30 MLB teams.
1. Chicago Cubs – 2016 Record: 103-58 – World Champions
No longer the lovable losers, the Cubs are poised to be the most dominant MLB franchise since the late 90’s Yankees. Las Vegas has them as the heavy favorite to repeat as World Series Champions (4/1) and why wouldn’t they? With all the young talent having shed 108 years of baggage, they’re free to ball. Oh… and they get Kyle Schwarber back for a full season. – Aaron Hooks
2T. Boston Red Sox – 93-69 – AL East Champions
The Red Sox look to be a team vying for the American League Crown this season. They did lose David Ortiz to retirement and it will prove interesting to see how he is replaced both on the lineup as well as in the clubhouse, but they bolstered their pitching staff with the addition of Chris Sale and still have MVP candidate Mookie Betts returning. – Danny Cunningham
2T. Cleveland Indians – 94-67 – AL Champions
The Indians have been dealing with health concerns at every corner this camps as they look to defend their AL crown. Andrew Miller ramped up early for the WBC, Carlos Carrasco had an up and down camp health wise, Jason Kipnis is out a month and Cody Anderson, one of their depth starters, is out for the season. Michael Brantley appears to be back though and they scored the most runs in the Cactus League (212). – Justin Lada
4. Los Angeles Dodgers – 91-71 – NL West Champions
The Dodgers are built to be balanced offensively and defensively, with quality multi-positional hitters and a flexible bullpen. They start the 2017 season ready for post season play in October. – Richard Dyer
5. Washington Nationals – 95-67 – NL East Champions
Blake Treinen has been named the Nationals closer. With the rest of the team so stacked, the Nats hope that they don’t have a luxury car with two dollar brakes. – John Coppinger
6. Houston Astros – 84-78
On paper one of the better lineups in all of baseball, top to bottom, but will they have enough starting pitching to challenge their Texas rival? One thing is for certain, they have a loaded farm system so I expect them to make a trade mid-season for a top tier starting pitcher. Jose Quintana anyone? – Chuck Richter
7. New York Mets – 87-75 – NL Wild Card
With Steven Matz starting the season on the DL, the Mets’ “Big Five” might never be in the same rotation at the same time. Luckily, Zack Wheeler and Seth Lugo give the rotation some depth. – John Coppinger
8. San Francisco Giants – 87-75 – NL Wild Card
The Giants strength is that they will throw Bumgarner and Cueto in every 2017 series, but this is a one-dimensional 25 man roster that has no league-average replacements, and a terrible farm system. – Richard Dyer
9. Texas Rangers – 95-67 – AL West Champion
The Rangers are the team to beat in the AL West with the best 1-2 punch out of the rotation in the division in Darvish and Hamels. If starters 3-5 out of the rotation are solid, combined with a strong lineup, this team could be a force in the AL all season. – Chuck Richter
10. Toronto Blue Jays – 89-73 – AL Wild Card
The Blue Jays powered their way to conescutive ALCS losses and will bring back most of that offense, with the exception of Encarnacion who was lost to the team that beat them in the ALCS in 2016. They probably can’t hold off the Red Sox, but are definitely in the hunt for another play-off appearance. – Joseph Coblitz
11. St. Louis Cardinals – 86-76
Will adding Dexter Fowler (via free agency) and Lance Lynn (back from surgery) be enough to close the 17.5 game gap they had with the Cubs in 2016? Probably not, but after missing postseason action via the wild card by only only 1 game last year, the Cardinals are willing to live by the old “make it to October and see what happens” mantra in 2017. – Aaron Hooks
12. Seattle Mariners – 86-76
The Mariners have a good blend of offense, speed and defense heading into the 2017 campaign. With big boppers like Cano, Cruz and Seager and newcomers Segura and Haniger atop the lineup, the M’s look poised for another winning season. The rotation 1-4 while not spectacular, is solid. – Chuck Richter
13. Baltimore Orioles – 89-73 – AL Wild Card
The Baltimore Orioles are in an interesting position having one of the games’ most enjoyable players to watch in Adam Jones as well as one of baseball’s best relieves in Zach Britton. It will be interesting to see how they compete in the AL East with Boston looking to hold on to that crown. – Danny Cunningham
14. New York Yankees – 84-78
The Yankees have some of baseball’s best young hitters and, after resigning Aroldis Chapman, have a top-notch bullpen. If the rotation performs and the young players meet expectations, the Bronx Bombers could one of the game’s most dangerous teams. – Gavin Potter
15T. Pittsburgh Pirates – 78-83
The Pittsburgh Pirates find themselves in the middle of what could be baseball’s best division. The reigning world champion Chicago Cubs as well as the most consistent team in baseball in the St. Louis Cardinals will fight for the top spot. It seems as if the best Andrew McCutchen and the Buccos can hope for is a WC spot. – Danny Cunningham
15T. Colorado Rockies – 75-87
The Rockies have a talented young starting staff and a potent bullpen. Oh, and the best offense in the Majors. If it all comes together Colorado could be the surprise team of 2017. – Richard Dyer
17. Detroit Tigers – 86-75
Detroit’s best players – led by Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander – are as good as anyone’s. How the team addresses concerns in the bullpen and outfield will determine whether the Tigers can play in October. – Gavin Potter
18. Miami Marlins – 79-82
It’s up to Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich to carry this team. Yelich has been solid between spring training and the WBC. Stanton is starting slow though. Without him, it’ll be a long season in Miami. – John Coppinger
19. Kansas City Royals – 81-81
The Royals were barely hanging onto contention hopes early in the off-season, but the untimely death of Yordano Ventura hurt the team more than any other loss could have. With a very thin rotation and an otherwise unremarkable team, they’ll probably hang towards the middle of the AL Central this year. – Joseph Coblitz
20. Tampa Bay Rays – 68-94
It’s hard to believe that a team with this much good starting pitching only won 68 games a season ago. Chris Archer will finally get the results he deserves, when Wilson Ramos returns this offense is interesting and they have depth behind their starting five. Don’t count them out for a playoff run. – Justin Lada
21. Arizona Diamondbacks – 69-93
The DBacks thought they would be contenders in 2016, but many set backs hurt them before they even got started. They have multiple potential bounce back players and at least they aren’t as bad as San Diego, but they aren’t likely to contend with the Dodgers and Giants at the top of the West. – Joseph Coblitz
22. Philadelphia Phillies – 71-91
Howie Kendrick and Michael Saunders are nice improvements. The Phillies will need a big year from Clay Buchholz and young pitchers like Aaron Nola and Vince Velasquez, but even if it all goes right, it may not matter. The Phillies Pythagorean W-L was nine wins below their actual record. They could improve and nobody would notice. – John Coppinger
23. Atlanta Braves – 68-93
Atlanta was 31-25 after the acquisition of Matt Kemp last season. While Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey seem like a risk, even a normal season from them will be much better than what that rotation had in 2016. – John Coppinger
24. Los Angeles Angels – 74-88
Don’t sleep on the Angels. They were riddled with injuries last season and have improved their overall roster depth. The Angels biggest weaknesses last season were all addressed: LF (Revere/Maybin), 2B (Espinosa) and overall pitching depth. If Richards and Skaggs can stay healthy all season to go along with Shoemaker and opening day starter Rickey Nolasco, they will challenge both Texas clubs for the top spot in the division. – Chuck Richter
25. Milwaukee Brewers – 73-89
From Ryan Braun, Keon Broxton,Domingo Santana, Travis Shaw, Eric Thames and Jonathan Villar, this offense has the potential to score some runs. Waiver pickup Jesus Aguilar had an incredible camp adding to the offense. Beyond Junior Guerra, this pitching rotation has the potential to put the team in some very high scoring games. – Justin Lada
26. Minnesota Twins – 59-103
The Twins may have been the worst team in baseball last year, but don’t look for them to lose 100 this year. They have a decent mix of talented young players with a few veterans mixed in that has nowhere to go, but up. – Joseph Coblitz
27. Oakland Athletics – 69-93
The Athletics won just 69 games last season and they may not do any better in 2017. Still, there’s optimism in the development of players like Healy, Semien, Manaea, Cotton and their opening day starter Kendall Graveman. Khris Davis clubbed a career high with 42 home runs and 102 RBI last season and is surrounded by vets Joyce, Plouffe, Alonso, Davis and Lowrie in the lineup. – Chuck Richter
28. Chicago White Sox – 78-84
It’s going to be a brutal ’17 for the Sox. But. BUT. Unlike the last two years where high off-season exceptions were parlayed into 170 total losses, this year everyone is on front street about sucking. The long-awaited rebuild is underway for the South Siders and while it won’t help the win/loss column this year… Sox fans can take solace in a farm system that went from meh to YEAH in a single winter. – Aaron Hooks
29. Cincinnati Reds – 68-94
The Reds were really bad in 2016 and will continue to be so in 2017. If healthy, their rotation would be one of the worst in baseball, but they rarely are even able to send out the top five. This will be ugly, but at least enjoy the chase for another great draft pick. It worked for the Cubs, Astros and Nats. – Joseph Coblitz
30. San Diego Padres – 68-94
The Pads are a year or two away from contending, but credit their extensive investment in the international player market and their six-year $83 million extension of first baseman Wil Myers as a start in the right direction. – Richard Dyer
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