MLB Power Rankings: Week 22 – Part 1
The Major League Baseball has entered Week 22 of the regular season and a few teams have staged a mesmerising revival. Where the Philadelphia Phillies have remained unmatched since the onset of the 2011 season and have been on top for seven-consecutive weeks,
the New York Yankees have finally managed to topple the Boston Red Sox for the second-overall position and are now on track to build a formidable lead over the American League and East division rivals.
The Atlanta Braves have shown what consistency is all about and are in-line to make their second-consecutive appearance in the postseason. The Braves have constantly troubled the Phillies at the top of the National League East division but are likely to
qualify via the Wild Card.
One team which has silenced everyone late in the season is Milwaukee. The Brewers were in a constant struggle with the St. Louis Cardinals to attain the top spot in the NL Central division but are now in a position to finish among the top-three in MLB. The
Brewers have finally got their script right and the entire team is now performing to its optimum level. The bull-pen is complimenting the All-Star batting line-up and fielding has been commendable. This is the reason why they have dropped just three games
in their previous 25 encounters.
Another bolt-from-the-blue which no one expected was the toppling of reigning World Champions San Francisco Giants at the hands of Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West division. The Giants looked strong to defend their title this season but a sudden dip in
form coupled by a strong re-emergence by the Diamondbacks has possibly ended the campaign for the Giants.
The Diamondbacks now have a cherished lead over the Giants and it will take a genius effort from here on for the latter to regain their lost glory.
Following is an overview of the MLB Power Rankings for Week 22.
The Phillies are going strong at the Number one position for the eighth week running. They are all-set to achieve a hundred wins this season and this will be some accomplishment for the team who has proved that hard work does lead to success. A winning percentage
of just less than .650 explains their domination of the Majors this season and they will want to continue with this form in the postseason.
The Phillies have one of the best pitching rotations on the circuit and using it effectively here on will be vital to how their campaign in the playoffs shapes up. Roy Halladay has been unarguably their ace this season and he will have a major responsibility
when the all-important games begin after the regular season. The starting pitchers should not be overworked and it might be a good time for Philadelphia to test its top prospects and give them a feeler of the Majors.
Their batting line-up has started to fire at just the right time and the management should now see to it that a dependable yet flexible line-up is sought out before the team heads to postseason. While there are high chances for Philadelphia to prevail in
the Divisional Series, the Championship Series might become their first test of the season. The Phillies would not want to get complacent at this stage and should aim for at least a spot in the World Series primarily, if not the title.
Note: All stats included are as of August 25, 2011.
Continued in Part 2
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