Power Rankings- MLB Spring Training

Before I go into my pre-PR intro, I would like to say to those fine readers out there that my blog name is SayHey for a reason. Im not a Yankee fan, nor a Redsox fan, or hell, even a Dodger fan. If you actually took time to read and NOT look at placements of your teams, I am in fact a Giants fan. Hence, the Willie Mays reference in my tag. If you are willing to strike up a debate, then I’m all for it. Don’t knock my rankings and not back it up. That is childish and simply makes you look foolish.

That being said, God I love spring training. To me, its as exciting as the NFL draft. It was AWESOME to see clips of Aaron Rowand (our prize off-season acquisition) snag fly balls out in Scottsdale. Next week we should see some games and really get a good look at new look ball clubs and the "potential" young rookies can bring to the table.

1 (1). Boston Red Sox- Coco Crisp has expressed his desire to leave Boston if he loses the starting OF slot to Ellsbury. I don’t think Red Sox nation is losing sleep over this.

2 (2) Detroit Tigers- Pound-for-pound best offense in baseball. They are also blessed with a weak AL-Central pitching staff. Other than Sabathia, who can stop this wrecking machine of an offense?

3 (3) New York Yankees- For the record, I hate the Yankees. But give credit where credit is deserved. They have a good young pitching staff, and excellent outfield, and A-Rod. Gonzo got me thinking that maybe i was to generous in giving them a 3 seed and I somewhat agree. Let’s just see how Spring Training pans out. Will Joba, Kennedy, and Hughes dominate??

4 (4) Chicago Cubs- The signing of Alex Cintron gives the Cubs great depth. He can play SS and 2b and play it well. They have a dynamite offense and good starters. The only question mark I see is the in bullpen and closer.

5 (5) LA Dodgers- For the record, I LOATHE the Dodgers more than anything on this planet. They may not be sexy but they have great pitching all around. And their lineup, if healthy, is pretty solid to.

6 (6) New York Mets- They bring in another OFer in Brady Clark. O's fans remember that he had a decent rookie year and nothing else. I like the offense alot but even with Santana, I have my doubts about the rest of the rotation.

7 (7) San Diego Padres- For the record, I HATE the Padres (I used to like them, but a certain blogger and his anti-everything bay area, failure to credit teams OTHER than SD of their successes, and SD smugness has made me bitter). They have a great rotation to go along with a pitcher friendly ballpark. That and they built their lineup around getting on base and not hitting homeruns. That kind of adaptability will win games.

8 (8) Cleveland Indians- Seems the Indians have entered into the Brian Roberts trade circle. I don’t think Cleveland has much to offer the O's but they do need a 2b man. Lets see how this pans out.

9 (8) LA Angels- They may have built a solid OF, but their infield lacks alot of depth. But they do have a good rotation and bullpen.

10 (10) Arizona Diamondbacks- I get it, they have a smoking hot rotation, but name someone other than Eric Byrnes that will be run producers. They had a horrible offense last season and did very little to make it better this season. In my opinion, 10 is a generous spot and they could easily lose it.

11 (11) Chicago Whitesox- The only gripe I have with the Sox is that they aren’t getting any younger. Nick Swischer helps but I can’t remember the last time they had an impact player rise from their minor league system. Oh yeh, Aaron Rowand!

12 (12) Colorado Rockies- I get it, they were in the WS but what have they done to improve? To get over the hump? Not a whole lot. They locked up their impact players but failed to address pitching needs.

13 (13) Houston Astros- I don’t think adding Shawn Chacon will help their pitching staff. He failed as a closer and hasn’t been a starter in 2 years. But you have to love their offense.

14 (14) Milwaukee Brewers- All of that successful youth is now major league ready. The only question mark i see is in the bullpen. And, will Gagne be dominant again?

15 (15) Tampa Bay Rays- This team has so much potential one can chock. I know, I hate that term "potential" and thats why I have them at 15. I cannot wait to see this team in Spring Training.

16 (16) Seattle Mariners- The best 1-2 lefty combo in all of baseball. But will Beltre put up 2007 numbers? Can Sexton be good again? There are alot of question marks in the offense.

17 (17) Philadelphia Philly’s- Ryan Howard got his arbitration victory and that’s good news. But can their pitching carry the load? I don’t know. To many "ifs" in the rotation and in the bullpen.

18 (18) Washington Nationals- A new ballpark and right handed power hitters ACHING to prove themselves. I like what the offense can bring to the table this season. Their minor league system is stacked with talent as well. The question is, can John Patterson REALLY be this teams ace and can the rotation stay healthy??

19 (19 Atlanta Braves- I have no confidence in this team right now. But Bobby Cox is that good of a manager to prove me wrong and 2 of his OG's are in the rotation. I don’t like the OF and the bullpen but Cox has performed miracles before.

20 (20) Minnesota Twins- I don’t really have much to say here. They locked up their MVP and other supporting offensive guys but they have no starters to brag about. They do, however, have a good bullpen and Joe Nathan.

21 (21) Toronto Blue jays- The more I think about it, the more I regret placing them here at 21. On paper, they do have a better team than the Rays. But all of their impact players spent significant time on the DL last season. That carries alot of weight for me.

22 (22) Cincinnati Reds- They won the "Josh Fogg" sweepstakes. Here’s the thing, I never thought he was THAT good. But I think he will do good things in Cinci.

23 (23) San Francisco Giants- I do like the direction we are going in for now. But I do weep. I can’t help but think we will occupy the NL West basement for the entire season. I do LOVE LOVE LOVE our starting rotation, but the bullpen still sucks. We do have 2009 to look forward to when we drop about 20 million in payroll!

24 (24) Oakland A's- They have heard alot of GREAT offers for pitcher Joe Blanton. Dodgers offered Either and LaRouche, while Cinci offered Baily. This trade I do support. They have little to look forward to this season however.

25 (25) St Louis Cardinals- For your Cardinal fans, talk to me. Why should they move up? Yes, they HAD Carpenter but he does need to prove himself this season.

26 (26) Pittsburgh Pirates- I give them the benefit of the doubt. NL Central, New GM, new coach. At least they are trying.

27 (27) Texas Rangers- No pitching whatsoever. Millwood is their ace and he spent alot of time on the DL, as did Padilla. Nuff said.

28 (28) Kansas City Royals- Time will tell as to the value of last seasons rookie class. But they have no impact players. I’m starting to like the rotation, but its very iffy none the less

29 (29) Florida Marlins- They lost their talent but still managed to scrape the bottom of the barrel in terms of replacements. I like the rotation and they signed alot of IFers. This will force them to play at the height of their ability and earn spots.

30 (30) Baltimore Orioles- For the record, i DO like Baltimore. They may be better than a couple of teams ranked in front of them. But they are in the AL East and will lose more games because of that. I don’t want Roberts to go, but you, fine people, are convinced that its necessary. Fair enough.

Power Rankings- MLB Spring Training

*THE Anna Benson*

ALAS!!!, Spring training has officially begun. Well, for some teams. The Giants Spring Training begins today as our pitchers and catchers will report to THE Scottsdale, Arizona training facility. I am pumped up, as I’m sure all of you are. To prevent any fallout from last week, I want to re-iterate. This is a 2008 Power Ranking, NOT 2009 or 2010. I could careless how talented a rookie may be, if he isn’t on a 40 man roster now, he is not included in any of my rankings. Simple as that. I was also asked to consider making 2 lists, one for the AL and one for the NL. After some thought, I deem that impossible. Every sport has a level of competition that is unequal, just as the AL East is much more competitive than the AL Central. The Yankees will play the Orioles 19 times, where as the Yankees will play the Athletics only 6 times. As for Anna Benson....Keep reading

1 (1). Boston Red Sox- No Schilling, no problem. Bucholtz and Lester are young, talented, and can only get better. Word on the street has it that setup man, Hideki Okajima has a new "secret" pitch.

2 (2) Detroit Tigers- Some board members felt I am to harsh on this teams rotation, thinking it may not be better than Boston's. My rebuttal: Until Kenny Rogers, Nate Robertson, and Dontrell Willis prove that they were not just a 2007 bust, I will continue to stick to my guns.

3 (3) New York Yankees- I doubt Ill ever step foot in "Steinbrenner Field". My only thought on this Clemens steroid case is that Jeter needs to shut up and focus on baseball. If this is a bad time to have hearings, when is a good time??? No your role and quit talking.

4 (4) Chicago Cubs- Speaking of morons, Ryan Dempster damn near guaranteed a Cubs World Series ring. Who elected this guy Nostradamus?

5 (5) LA Dodgers- My clone and I debated the Dodgers legitimacy as a viable WS champion while gambling on some college hoops games at Mandalay Bay. I may hate this team with every drop of Black and Orange blood I bleed, but they have a very threatening rotation, bullpen, and closer. They have the talent to neutralize any lineup in baseball. They also signed Pinch Hit master Mark Sweeney!

6 (6) New York Mets- They may have gotten their man, but they didn’t stop there. They added Tony Armas Jr as an insurance policy and brought in veteran 1b Olmedo Seanz.

7 (7) San Diego Padres- These bastards signed Tony Clark. Now I’m starting to question Brian Sabeans logic. This gives the Padres 2 solid left handed 1st basemen.

8 (8) Cleveland Indians- Those Sabathia extension talks ended with no resolution. No worries, he wants Oakland and Oakland wants him. Beane hates to spend, but mark my words, if C.C is available, Beane will write him a blank check. WTG Indians!

9 (8) LA Angels- Their off-season was as quiet as Anne Frank....Or was it Hellen Keller?? Damn you Clerks!!

10 (10) Arizona Diamondbacks- They failed to negotiate a deal with Livan Hernandez. This could be a good thing. Micah Owings wants the #3 spot in the rotation, well, now ya got it!

11 (11) Chicago Whitesox- I honestly don’t know what else they could do to get any better. Maybe a 5th starter?

12 (12) Colorado Rockies- The weirdest contract in baseball. Garrett Adkins signed a 1 year contract worth $4.3875 million. What ever happened to an even sum with alot of zero's?

13 (13) Houston Astros- With Ensberg gone, who will be their go-to utility guy?

14 (14) Milwaukee Brewers- Not much action this week

15 (15) Tampa Bay Rays- They goto Spring Training in their back yard with a new team and fresh perspective. My God I like this team!!

16 (21) Seattle Mariners- Ask and yee shall receive. Erik Bedard is a Mariner and will be the opening day starter. The Mariners paid a premium but this transaction will pay off with interest. Very well done Seattle! They now have the best Lefty combination in all of baseball. This is trouble for Oakland and Texas, who rely heavily on left handed bats.

17 (16) Philadelphia Philly’s- They take my advice and sign a decent starter. But it’s not the pitcher who I care about, its his hot wife, ANNA BENSON!!! Look out Chase Utley; you’re now the Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn in the clubhouse, as Kris Benson remain the Roger Dorn!

18 (17) Washington Nationals- They didn’t seal the deal on Livan Hernandez, but who cares. They are healthy and young. We expect big things in DC this year.

19 (18) Atlanta Braves- Those Bobby Cox retirement rumors are flaring up again. Its a shame he wont see the post-season this year.

20 (19) Minnesota Twins- They trade baseballs best lefty pitcher and replace him with Livan Hernandez. Yeh, I don’t get it either. If Liriano isnt ready for Opening Day, Livan will be throwing out the first pitch. Spooky!

21 (20) Toronto Blue jays- I may have them as the most under-rated team on the PR at number 20. But they need to dazzle me in order to move up.

22 (22) Cincinnati Reds- They picked up Craig Wilson, whom I used to really like with the Pirates. He may not be an everyday starter, but he brings decent power and a good glove. Very well done Reds!

23 (23) San Francisco Giants- We signed Scott Williamson. Yes, that Scott Williamson. Who won the 1999 ROY award. Yeh, the one who pictched 2/3 of an inning last year with Baltimore before blowing out his arm. Yeh, I know. We are in for a long season. The only bright side is that Bonds will take all that attention away from our potentially lousy season. And yes, if his positive steroid test is indeed true, then i need to re-evaluate my Bonds loyalties.

24 (25) Oakland A's- As bad as we may be, Oakland is still worse. But they picked up one of my all-time favorite players. Mike Sweeney is an A and he is thrilled. Unlike other A's DH's, Sweeney can still play 1b if called upon. Also, they signed Keith Foulke. Yes, the same Foulke that retired last season with the Indians

25 (24) St Louis Cardinals- Lets see, their top 3 pitchers all spent most of 2007 on the DL. Not good news for the Cardinals

26 (26) Pittsburgh Pirates- They have potential to play spoiler come September, but that’s about it

27 (27) Texas Rangers- They bring back the guy with the biggest skull (7 7/8 i Believe) back home. Welcome back Kevin Mench

28 (28) Kansas City Royals- Not a bad pickup with Mike Maroth. If he can pitch 25 games this season, then they chose wisely

29 (30) Florida Marlins- They keep this spot, and most certainly solidify this one.

30 (29) Baltimore Orioles- Bedard is gone and the Roberts rumors are active again. But Oriole fan is happy hence I will get off their backs. Remember, this is 2008 and NOT 2009. Potential means nothing to me or these rankings. Adam Jones has it but he needs to prove it. But even you fine folks have to admit he is not the savior of this franchise in 2008. So let the debates begin.......

2008 Power Rankings- Pre Season MLB

Spring training is right around the corner and I couldn’t be happier. Days pass with little excitement in the sports world. Other than reading the blogs on LSWTF and making adjustments on my fantasy rosters, the work week has been rather dull. Not alot seems to have happened in terms of the waiver wire and trades since last week, but enough to irritate a few members of this fine board. Side note, we did have some fine Caribbean World Series action!! Other than Miguel Tejada becoming the all time Latin League HR king, I didn’t pay much attention to the series it either.

1 (1). Boston Red Sox- They continue to impress me. Just when you think they are finished cleaning up, they sign lefty powerhouse Sean Casey and resign Bobby Keilty. This team has depth as deep as the Atlantic Ocean. But bad news proceeds. Curt Schilling is still hurt and may not be ready for Spring Training. Granted its Spring Training, but Ill bet dollars for donuts he hasn’t touched a baseball since October. Its a good thing they held onto Lester.

2 (2) Detroit Tigers- Their biggest off-season trade wasn’t Willis or Cabrera, it was the departing Johan Santana. They also gave Granderson a very well deserved contract extension.

3 (3) New York Yankees- I really liked their acquisition of Morgan Ensberg. He is a true utility player and this will allow Girardi to rest his infield once in awhile.

4 (4) Chicago Cubs- Seems those Brian Roberts trade rumors have quieted down a bit. Good news for Oriole fan, whether they will admit it or not.

5 (5) LA Dodgers- Seems they are content with their off-season. I don’t blame them, They have solid athletes all over the field.

6 (6) New York Mets- They pulled the trigger and gave Johan exactly what he wanted. A happy Johan equates to a 20 win season Johan.

7 (7) San Diego Padres- Enrique Gonzalez adds depth to an already phenomenal bullpen.

8 (8) Cleveland Indians- The biggest off-season acquisition for the Indians was the departing of Santana. I will continue to stress this. They also added some pitching depth with the signing of Brendan Donnelly

9 (8) LA Angels- How could you let Dallas McPherson go?? Chone isn’t getting any younger (or durable)

10 (10) Arizona Diamondbacks- The DBacks announced that Brandon Lyon is their new closer. Im not quite sure how I feel about it, but he didn’t do half bad as a setup man. Their is a huge difference in those 2 roles though. Time will tell.

11 (11) Chicago Whitesox- I honestly don’t know what else they could do to get any better. Maybe a 5th starter?

12 (12) Colorado Rockies- I like that they brought in Josh Towers. I liked him in Baltimore and in Toronto. He could get a real chance to prove himself this season.

13 (13) Houston Astros- With Ensberg gone, who will be their go-to utility guy?

14 (14) Milwaukee Brewers- Not much action this week

15 (15) Tampa Bay Rays- I really wish I put a bet on the Rays winning it all this season. They signed former ROY Eric Hinskie, which gives them tremendous depth in the infield, if he can stay healthy of course

16 (16) Philadelphia Philly’s- Still scratching my head as to why they wont make an attempt to pick up any starters. I repeat, other than Cole Hammels, who do you have??

17 (17) Washington Nationals- Rumor has it Livan Hernandez wants to come back to Washington. I’m not a fan of him at all but this makes sense. He eats innings as if they were bear-claws. This is what the Nats rotation needs badly, especially those young guys. For the sake of Nats fans everywhere, I hope they can reach an agreement.

18 (18) Atlanta Braves- I’m still trying to figure out what they are trying to do. Holes all over the lineup and bullpen. I’m sorry, Mike Hampton is not going to save this team!

19 (19) Minnesota Twins- At least they have a solid lineup, setup man, and closer. But the starting pitching is all gone. This season could be over before it even starts.

20 (20) Toronto Blue jays- B.J Ryan appears to be healthy, which is great news. Their closer by committee worked well last season, but those guys are better as setup men.

21 (21) Seattle Mariners- Bedard is currently in Seattle taking his physical. About 4 weeks later than he should have been. Cant blame Seattle for this, Baltimore executives have redefined how NOT to manage a ball club.

22 (22) Cincinnati Reds- A minor acquisition in Catcher Paul Bako. At least it addressed a need for depth.

23 (23) San Francisco Giants- I see dark days ahead. We didn’t even make a move on Dallas McPherson and haven’t even considered Tony Clark. Both would be immediate upgrades to what we have, defensively speaking that is.

24 (24) St Louis Cardinals- Juan Gonzalez has been offered a spring training invite. At his peak, I don’t even think he could save this team.

25 (25) Oakland A's- Apparently Chavez is healthy. Ill be impressed if he is playing baseball in May.

26 (26) Pittsburgh Pirates- They have potential to play spoiler come September, but that’s about it

27 (27) Texas Rangers- Their saving grace is the fact that the AL West is beatable.

28 (28) Kansas City Royals- They may win a few more games now that Santana is out of the division.

29 (30) Florida Marlins- Yes, your not the worst anymore. You signed Mr. Extra-base hits himself, Luis "Gonzo" Gonzalez and a young talented 3b in Dallas McPherson. You all know my thoughts on Dallas and what he could be if given a chance. And Gonzo is pretty good also, even as a 4th option in LA last season. Anibal Sanchez says he is healthy, and if he truly is, he will make for an excellent #3 starter. VERY well done Florida.

30 (29) Baltimore Orioles- Daniel Cabrera is your soon to be Ace and as much as I like Adam Jones, he has not proven himself yet.....Get used to last place.

2008 Power Rankings- Pre Season MLB

This is the Thursday edition of the Pre Season MLB Power Rankings. Why so early? Well, the good doctor Gonzo will be in Vegas tomorrow and I, along with other members of this blog, will be to pumped up to even speak of anything other than this trip. Some significant movement in the rankings. Im sure you are all aware of the major trade of the year, and the other trade that never was.

1 (1). Boston Red Sox- No Santana, no worries. They still have the best, pound for pound, pitching rotation, bullpen, and closer in the game. And Ellsbury and Lester remain on the roster. Life is good in Bawston! Did I mention they made a trade for FORMER Giants closer and first round pick, David Aardsma. Well done!

2 (2) Detroit Tigers- Now that Tiger killer, Johan Santana is out of the division, the Tigers become that much better. They are micro-points away from taking the number 1 spot away from Boston. The Tigers have the best lineup in all of baseball and 5 proven starters. Whats holding them back is the inconsistent bullpen and an aging closer Todd Jones.

3 (3) New York Yankees- Biggest loser of the week by far. They had a solid deal in place and still couldnt find a way to snag Santana. But stupidity doesnt mean a loss in rank here. They still keep Cabrera, Joba, and Hughes and that aint bad

4 (4) Chicago Cubs- If they acquire Brian Roberts they could dethrone the Yankees in this PR.

5 (5) LA Dodgers- The Dodgers keep this spot because they still have the best pitching rotation, best bullpen, and best closer by committee in the NL

6 (13) New York Mets- I discussed this the other day, the Mets win BIGTIME because the NL East is stacked with left handed bats. Santana will make them all his drop in productivity and he has proven this during inter-league. He joins a pretty decent staff, which includes John Mainne, Pedro Martinez (when healthy), Oliver Perez, and Orlando Hernandez. Gonzo nailed this earlier, the Mets didnt give up much to pull this trade off. Damaged goods if you will. Also,The Mets have the payroll and a GM nutty enough to give him that 6 year 150 million dollar contract. This move easily puts NY among the NL's best.

7 (6) San Diego Padres- This team has to the tools to compete with LA.....Expect big things in SoCal

8 (7) LA Angels- Nothing new AGAIN. This team is still lacking depth.

9 (8) Cleveland Indians- The Indians are a big winner of the week as well. They are littered with left handed talent and now each and everyone of them will see a spike in productivity. But they still lack pitching depth.

10 (9) Arizona Diamondbacks- Peter Gammons nailed it, the NL West is by far the most competitive division in the league.

11 (10) Chicago Whitesox- Even Moses stopped to take a breather.

12 (11) Colorado Rockies- The only thing holding these guys back is the pitching. Can they repeat what they did in 2007?

13 (12) Houston Astros- The offense will be carrying the burden 4 days out of 5.

14 (14) Milwaukee Brewers- A very well rounded bunch of kids. Key word is kids. I think they will do alot better than people think.

15 (15) Tampa Bay Rays- Until someone gives me a reason why they wont scare teams, I still have them as my sleeper pick. Dont give me the Redsox and Yankees either. They bitch slapped both teams last season.

16 (16) Philadelphia Philly’s- The Phillies get the 2nd place award for moron team of the week. There is a reason we would not sign Pedro Feliz. Now he is your problem. Enjoy that career OBP of .280. Oh, and dont expect Chase or Howard to do much 5 games of the year. Thank you Mets.

17 (17) Washington Nationals- Seems that the time of completion for the new ballpark is on schedule. This makes me happy

18 (18) Atlanta Braves- Braves fans everywhere should be afraid. This team relies on its lefties. Kotsay and Franconia are sure to suffer a few days a year.

19 (11) Minnesota Twins- Yeh, you lose BIGTIME. Instead of an Ellsbury, or a Lester, or a Melky Joba or Hughes, you get Carlos Gomez and JACK SQUAT damaged goods. Good luck in rebuilding. You traded 2 solid pitchers this offseason, which leaves you with Boof and an gimpy Liriano. Oh, and word has it Nathan is on the block. Way to keep the fans happy Twins.

20 (20) Toronto Blue jays- Other than a few bats, I dont expect much noise in Canada this season.

21 (21) Seattle Mariners- How the hell do you fuck this one up. Not only did you put your cards on the table to early, you find out Baltimore didnt even show up for the game. Without Bedard they are a mediocre team at best and whats funny, they know it.

22 (22) Cincinnati Reds- If Dunn can keep his k's under 2 times a game, they could be my NL sleeper pick

23 (23) San Francisco Giants- As I continue to weep. Sabean says the FA signings are complete. I dont know which is worse, empty positions to fill or our young OUTFIELDERS platooning at 3rd and 1st. But hey, at least Nate and Dan can hit. We could easily have the worst infield defense in baseball.

24 (24) St Louis Cardinals- Very little shot to compete. The good news is Carpenter is working out pain free. The bad news is they still have Mulder and Clement to DL.

25 (25) Oakland A's- It will be a long year in the bay area

26 (26) Pittsburgh Pirates- Its quiet time in Pittsburgh

27 (27) Texas Rangers- I expect very little in Alrington this season. Lots of homers on both sides of the field

28 (28) Kansas City Royals- They may win a few more games now that Santana is out of the division.

29 (29) Baltimore Orioles- You all know my thoughts on the O's. No need to rub O's fans noses in thier crap every week

30 (30) Florida Marlins- Yeh. They could shock people during Spring Training.

2008 Power Rankings- Pre Season MLB

The more weeks that I post these MLB Power Rankings, the closer we get to Spring Training. And if memory serves correctly, pitchers and catchers should be arriving within the next week or 2. Most of this weeks action include arbitration settlements and non-roster additions. That being said, a round of applause goes out to Baltimore Oriole's fan, for they FINALLY signed a free agent with some value.

1 (1). Boston Red Sox- It looks like Boston is emerging from Johan Santana purgatory. In all honestly, I dont think the Sawx need another Starter, but it is Johan and he is special. They also signed Danny Kolb, who could very well be the bargain of the year.

2 (2) Detroit Tigers- Now why the Tigers only gave Cabrera a 1 year deal and Willis a long term is beyond me. Once they pony up the extension in July, Miggy will be wealthier beyond his wildest dreams

3 (3) New York Yankees- They are making a wise decision by giving Robinson Cano that long term deal. Its nice to spend that "Roger" money on someone other than Roger.

4 (4) Chicago Cubs- With a solid lineup and pitching, they could easily win the Central. Problem is they are injury prone and Sweet Lou is unstable. Its their division to lose.

5 (5) LA Dodgers- They will be playing an exhibition game in China. How cool is that?? Baseball is doing what the NFL failed to do, and that is sending a rivalry overseas to promote their sport. I have a feeling this will work out beautifully. No knock on the NFL, but i wouldnt even pay to see the Dolphins vs Giants. Now Raiders vs Bronco's in Hooligan land...Sign me up!!

6 (6) San Diego Padres- They signed a solid backup OF in Jody Gerut. I like this move alot.

7 (7) LA Angels- Nothing new AGAIN. This team is still lacking depth.

8 (8) Cleveland Indians- They took this week to sign minor leaguers and non-roster invites.

9 (9) Arizona Diamondbacks- The Orlando Hudson FA rumors have been crushed. The Dbacks did what they should have done months ago and resigned him. Sure its 1 year but he is coming off a major injury.

10 (15) Chicago Whitesox- I know I will get some heat for this one but I did say if they picked up that one key ingredient they will crack the top 10. If Octavio Dotel can stay healthy, they have one of baseballs best setup men. This automatically skyrockets Bobby Jenks value. I truly love this move!!

11 (10) Colorado Rockies- Troy Tulowitzki got a sophomore record 6 year deal. WOW. Apparently they havent learned from the Clint Barnes experiment. I sure hope Troy doesnt fall down the stairs and break his leg trying to haul meat. Yes, Like Clint Barnes did.

12 (11) Minnesota Twins- Twins GM is constantly earning my respect. He is playing hardball the way George did back in the 70's. He knows he can get Bull Market value on his star pitcher. Even the Mets have up'ed their anti and it looks like the 3 way race to the Santana line has re-ignited.

13 (12) Houston Astros- Would you be happy if your #2 pitcher is Woody Williams?? I know I wouldnt.

14 (13) New York Mets- Seems Omar is getting desperate in the Santana race. Lets see if he has what it takes.

15 (14) Milwaukee Brewers- A nice FA acquisition in Abraham Nunez. He can play just about every position. He may not get many at-bats, but those he gets should be solid.

16 (15) Tampa Bay Rays- They pulled the trigger and gave Carlos Pena a sweet 3 year deal. On top of that they are projected to give James Shield a long term deal. You better believe Im putting a bet in Vegas on the Rays to win it all this season. Hell, if the 1999 Rams could turn people into Millionaires, why not the Rays??

17 (17) Philadelphia Philly’s- So Brett Myers is back in the rotation. We shall see how long that lasts.

18 (18) Washington Nationals- Leave it to Washington DC to compete for "moron city of the week" Some assbag decided it would be cute to hang a noose outside of the stadium. Yeh, REALLY STUPID DC..

19 (19) Atlanta Braves- Seems Braves brass is still getting high on that Kotsay deal. Seeing how they havent done anything since. But I have a feeling they make some noise in Spring Training.

20 (21) Toronto Blue jays- They picked up Rod Barajas. Another kick in the face for Philly fan, but then again, they are used to it. This move gives the Jays great depth at Catcher. They could alternate without the lineup suffering in production. Very well done.

21 (20) Seattle Mariners- Those Bedard rumors are flying as crazy as a Kennedy (to soon??). So much that MLB posted this as a feature article. This could help Seattle in more ways than 1. If they pull the trigger, watch them move up fast!

22 (23) Cincinnati Reds- They continue to impress me. They snagged hard throwing lefty Jeremy Affeldt from the Rockies bullpen. A necessary move.

23 (22) San Francisco Giants- We managed to settle arbitration on Brad Hennessey. He is more important to our bullpen than I give credit for. He may not be our closer anymore, hell, even a setup man, but he can pitch 3-4 innings if need be. But even Im not blind to see that we need more help in the pen.

24 (24) St Louis Cardinals- Only in St Louis will the team throw a kegger for re-signing a mediocre player. I completely forgot that Yadier Molina was a Cardinal until the press went nuts about his new 4 year deal. Way to go champ!!

25 (25) Oakland A's- Even Billy Beane himself said this could be a long year. At least Joe Blanton resigned for another year. Which means one thing; trade bait in July.

26 (26) Pittsburgh Pirates- They made some great moves this past week, not enough to move them up in the PR but close. Jaret Wright, Casey Fossom, and Hector Corrasco. Even if 1 of these guys pans out they will have a competitive rotation.

27 (27) Texas Rangers- Sammy Sosa says he will not resign. I honestly dont think anyone will miss him.

28 (28) Kansas City Royals- Im not sure what to think of that Brett Tomko signing. I guess he is good for about 6 wins at best.

29 (29) Baltimore Orioles- *Drum roll please*...............Lance Cormier is now a member of YOUR Baltimore Orioles. I make a big deal out of this for 2 reasons. They finally signed a free agent AND he is pretty damn good. He is an instant shot in the arm for a crap filled bullpen. Cormier and Walker have the potential to be the best tag team setup guys in baseball. The question now is will they get an opportunity to prove their armor??

30 (30) Florida Marlins- Why do I have this sneaky suspicion that Sammy Sosa will wind up here???

Power Rankings- Pre Season MLB

Ah life is good right now. The weather Gods spared us from a Vermont-Like snow storm, Shanes bachelor party in Las Vegas is right around the corner, and of course, lots of action in the world of baseball. Some odd trades, some good trades, and even a rumor about a former 2-time MVP making his way back into baseball. For those of you who are unaware of that shocking news, well then, I encourage you to read on, commercial and spin free.

1 (1). Boston Red Sox- Not a whole lot of action going on, however, their good news came at the expense of the NY Yankees. Hank seems to have taken the Yankees out of the Santana straw hat. Perhaps good news for folks in Queens.

2 (2) Detroit Tigers- They locked up Marcus Thames for another year and gave Nate Robertson a 3 year extension. That solidifies that already potent outfield and gives Boston a reason to worry.

3 (3) New York Yankees- Hank was on his knees and blew it again. We all know he is not his father, but come on, try to act like it. George would have pulled the trigger weeks ago.

4 (5) Chicago Cubs- I dont know if signing free agent SP Jon Lieber was worth a bump here or not. But what I do know is that he was the last Cub pitcher to win 20 games. They did good here by addressing the need for quality SP's

5 (4) LA Dodgers- The controversy at 3rd base is really the only thing making headlines. Apparently Adam LaRouche has done THAT well over the break. Nomar may ride the pine opening day.

6 (6) San Diego Padres- Its been nothing but a party town the past few weeks. Im pulling for ya Charger fan.

7 (7) LA Angels- Nothing new. I still think this team is lacking depth.

8 (8) Cleveland Indians- I still think this team needs a reliable 3rd SP. I dont see Paul Byrd putting up 2007 stats.

9 (9) Arizona Diamondbacks- It seems highly unlikely that Livan will re-sign. I love the Webb/Haren combo, but who do they have pitching the rear? I love Owings but he has a history if injury problems. Livan may not be great but he is an innings eater.

10 (10) Colorado Rockies- A very complete team. I dont expect much more action from this team at least until Spring Training

11 (11) Minnesota Twins- All signs are looking good that they will be a serious competitor at least until July 31. After that, Im afraid its rebuilding time. You better pray that Johan pitches like the Cy Young winner he is.

12 (12) Houston Astros- They failed to resign Jason Jennings. I know he missed most of 2007 but he still was the closest thing to a number 2 I can see in this rotation. BUT, you still have a potent lineup. Everything in Texas is bigger, that includes opposing batters HR's and extra base hits.

13 (13) New York Mets- They have their own Santana deal on the table. Luckily Omar Minaya is not stupid and refuses to include Jose Reyes in a trade. On a side note, Ricky is a first ballot HOFer for 2009. This should hopefully grab Carlos Beltran's attention.

14 (15) Milwaukee Brewers- Mark Cameron gives you only a slight bump. He is 35 years old and will miss the first month of baseball due to steroids. He is a good pick-up but not for this team. This forces Ryan Braum into the OF, which to me, doesnt seem to make sense. But hell, If Robin Yount could do it, so can Braum?? Yes, I made the comparison.

15 (16) Chicago Whitesox- This team isnt a middle of the road team, but I still think they are missing something. One more key ingredient and they will crack to top 10.

16 (17) Tampa Bay Rays- They continue make efforts to improve. They acquired Manny Aybar from the Braves. I dont need to tell you how big this is. They finally have infield depth!

17 (14) Philadelphia Philly’s- You lost a solid SP and that is why you lose this week.

18 (18) Washington Nationals- Im scratching my head as to why the Nats didnt give Chad Cordero a long term deal. But at least they settled that arbitration snafu. Pay the man! Washington drools over this kid in the 9th inning.

19 (20) Atlanta Braves- They actually did something. Mark Kotsay will now assume the CF duties. On paper I love this deal, but in reality he is still recovering from back surgery. Atlanta expects, hell, demands a CF be flawless. This is alot of weight on the metal rod in Kotsays back. But he is a proven lead off hitter, its a shame they had to give up so much to acquire him.

*On a side note- The Braves announced they will move their AAA affiliate out of Richmond in 2008. This is sad news; I remember going to Richmond Braves games all the time and having a great time. Oh well.

20 (19) Seattle Mariners- I know why they are hesitant to trade for Erik Bedard. They know that Adam Jones is THAT good of an OF prospect. I would think about that trade alittle longer also Mariners GM

21 (21) Toronto Blue jays- They trade one All-star, recovering from a serious injury, World Series winning, and disgruntle 3rd baseman for another one and acquired Scott Rolan. I would have made the same deal but im afraid this move doesnt make you any better. But I agree, it had to be done.

22 (22) San Francisco Giants- Those Pedro Feliz rumors are going crazy again. I think I speak for all Giants fans when I say "Sabean, WTF". He may hit 20 home runs but he is overall not very good, and for 5-7 million per year?? Please!! Do us a favor, bring in Dallas!! The good news is that we released our non-roster invitees list and that gives me some pleasure.

23 (23) Cincinnati Reds- If man-beast Brandon Phillips plays as well as he did last season, they will quickly move up in the rankings.

24 (24) St Louis Cardinals- I think Glaus will give the Cards a few extra home runs this season, however, the Defense will suffer. Ok, here is the shocker news I mentioned in the previous headline. It appears the Cardinals will give JUAN GONZALEZ, yes, "Juan Gone" an invitation to spring training. I dont know about you but this dropped my jaw. He was named in just about every steroid book and report and when he did drop the juice he was mediocre at best. But the Cardinals are not stupid. They saw what Sammy Sosa did in Texas and they drooled. 30 Home run potential for the league minimum?? That a deal you cannot pass up. But until the deal is made, this rank is where you will stay. Oh, and count your blessings that he makes the team. Word has it that Juan Encarnacion will miss the entire 2008 season due to an injury from last season. Yeh, the foul ball in the eye thing.

25 (25) Oakland A's- The loss of Mark Kotsay will hurt this lineup in a way that the Ultimate Warrior hurt Hulk Hogan in Wrestle mania (Yes, a wrestling reference). But there is good news. They acquired a damn good reliever in Joey Devine. They also found a replacement CF in Emil Brown. Brown had good years but he has had bad ones as well. They keep this spot mainly because Kotsay missed half of 2007 and still managed to compete.

26 (26) Pittsburgh Pirates- What are you waiting for??

27 (27) Texas Rangers- Jason Jennings will help this rotation, but not enough to make a huge impact.

28 (28) Kansas City Royals- Mr. 2-time no-hitter 38 year old, fomrmer ROY Hideo Nomo is back!!! He may have an inflated ERA but I do believe he can help that young pitching rotation.

29 (29) Baltimore Orioles- The good news is that they still have Bedard and Roberts. The bad news is that they are still on the trading block. The details of the Roberts deal to Chicago are pathetic and disgraceful, but I do like whats on the table for the Bedard deal. Anything less of Adam Jones would be a complete failure. But then again, this is Baltimore. Failure is the Orioles motto.

30 (30) Florida Marlins- Give them 3 years, they could easily crack the top 5.