Major League Baseball Power Rankings Week 18: An Overview – Part 5
Minnesota Twins held on to their 20th spot this week despite an ordinary performance. Their pitching’ staff, especially Carl Pavano (6-8) has been wayward and this needs to be sorted out sooner than later if the Twins aim to avoid the last spot
in the American League Central division. Minnesota is currently four games ahead of last placed Kansas City Royals.
Twins have lost ten of their 19 games after the All-Star break and have not managed to win any series except a four-game series against the Royals at home. Minnesota has managed just one win in the last four games and may be ousted from the top 20 teams
if this lacklustre show continues.
Minnesota have three tough series ahead with the Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. A lot of hard work needs to be done.
Colorado Rockies are now 51-58 for the season and are struggling in the National League West division. Even though the Rockies are placed third in their division, they are ten games behind San Francisco Giants and nine games behind second placed Arizona
Diamondbacks. Colorado is in tough contention with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the third spot with the latter just 1.5 games shy of toppling the former.
Rockies are satisfied after trading the experienced Ubaldo Jimenez in an attempt to strengthen their bull-pen with top prospects but this could prove to be risky moves as the Rockies do not have any solid starter around whom they can build a rotation. Although
Jimenez was 6-9 with the Rockies thus far this season, his experience was immense and that is why he was rated as the most significant commodity in the transfer market.
After a lacklustre start to the second half, the Rockies have now shown improvement and are 3-3 in their last six games. They have the Phillies to tackle now and it would be interesting to see how the Rockies manage them without ace pitcher Jimenez.
The Washington Nationals made an exit from the top 20 this week, slipping three places from 19 to 22. A six-game losing-streak can be cited as the major cause of this dip.
In 16 games so far after the midsummer classic, the Nationals have won just six games while ten have ended in disappointment. Their debacle was initiated by two consecutive losses to the Dodgers before being swept 3-0 by the Florida Marlins at home.
Three of their six wins have come from their last three games and the Nationals have two relatively easier series to play before they take on the Phillies on road. They have a chance to improve from their last position in the NL East with a deficit of just
1.5 games from the Marlins.
The Oakland Athletics have slipped to 49-60 after a mixed start to the second half of the season. They are 10-7 thus far in the stretch and have impressed in bits.
The Athletics have won all three series played at home after the midseason break and their stature will be tested when they take on the two American League heavyweights, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox on the road in August.
The A’s do not have anything more than personal glory to play for and they are now more likely to experiment the young blood to prepare for their next campaign.
Continued in Part 6
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