Power Ranking All 10 MLB Playoff Teams' Offenses
By Rick Weiner ,
They say that pitching wins championships, but what good is pitching if a team's offense can't provide any run support?
For each of the 10 teams that have made the playoffs, that's not an issue. While each lineup has its strengths and weaknesses, they are all capable of putting runs on the board in a hurry.
But some are more potent than others; it's just how things work.
Let's take a look at which playoff team is the most dangerous when taking its turn at bat, along with who's hot, who's not and what we think the startling lineups might look like.
Yoenis Cespedes is the best hitter in an inexperienced lineup.
Team Stats: .238/.310/.404, 195 HR, 676 RBI, 713 R
While the Oakland A's don't get on base often, the lineup is quite opportunistic in its production, as evidenced by the team's .796 OPS with runners in scoring position—second to only the Detroit Tigers.
Only two players, Yoenis Cespedes and Brandon Moss, finished the season with a batting average better than .270. While eight A's reached double digits in home runs, only two, Cespedes and Josh Reddick, drove in more than 55 runs.
Probable Lineup
CF Coco Crisp
SS Stephen Drew
LF Yoenis Cespedes
1B Brandon Moss
RF Josh Reddick
3B Josh Donaldson
DH Seth Smith
C Derek Norris
2B Cliff Pennington
Who's Hot
Coco Crisp: 6 G, .400/.444/.680, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 SB, 9 R
Brandon Moss: 7 G, .391/.407/.783, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 5 R
Yoenis Cespedes: 7 G, .360/.467/.720, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 7 R
Who's Not
Josh Donaldson: 7 G, .222/.250/.333, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R
Josh Reddick: 7 G, .222/.250/.593, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R
Stephen Drew: 7 G, .154/.313/.269, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R
Cliff Pennington: 7 G, .154/.313/.154, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 R
Adam Jones was the O's offensive MVP in 2012.
Team Stats: .247/.311/.417, 214 HR, 677 RBI, 712 R
The Baltimore Orioles' 712 runs scored on the season may rank eighth out of the 10 playoff teams in baseball, but their success is tied more closely to when they scored those runs, with 208 of them coming in the seventh inning or later.
That helps to explain how no team in baseball had a better record in one-run games, in which the Orioles went a ridiculous 29-9. With the game tied after nine innings, the team was an even more ridiculous 16-2.
Baltimore's offensive attack, fully capable of utilizing the long ball to its advantage, is predicated on timely hitting more than anything else.
Probable Lineup
LF Nate McLouth
SS J.J. Hardy
RF Chris Davis
CF Adam Jones
C Matt Wieters
DH Jim Thome
1B Mark Reynolds
3B Manny Machado
2B Robert Andino
Who's Hot
Chris Davis: 7 G, .333/.391/1.048, 5 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R
Who's Not
Mark Reynolds: 6 G, .100/.182/.150, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 R
Adam Jones: 6 G, .143/.174/.143, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R
Nate McLouth: 6 G, .217/.280/.391, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
Matt Wieters: 6 G, .167/.211/.333, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
Meet your 2012 NL MVP, Buster Posey.
Team Stats: .269/.327/.397, 103 HR, 675 RBI, 718 R
After Pablo Sandoval, Buster Posey and Hunter Pence, the San Francisco Giants lineup is pretty much devoid of power, but like the St. Louis Cardinals, the Giants have the ability to play small ball, manufacturing runs by any means necessary.
Probable Lineup
CF Angel Pagan
2B Marco Scutaro
3B Pablo Sandoval
C Buster Posey
RF Hunter Pence
1B Brandon Belt
LF Gregor Blanco
SS Brandon Crawford
Who's Hot
Buster Posey: 6 G, .450/.500/.800, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R
Marco Scutaro: 6 G, .350/.381/.550, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R
Hunter Pence: 7 G, .192/.222/.538, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 4 R
Who's Not
Angel Pagan: 6 G, .227/.261/.364, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 R, 1 SB
Pablo Sandoval: 7 G, .190/.320/.286, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R
Not only do the Braves need Chipper Jones to get hot, but the future Hall of Famer doesn't want to end his career on a whimper.
Team Stats: .247/.320/.389, 149 HR, 660 RBI, 700 R
The Atlanta Braves lineup has a little bit of everything.
You've got speed with Michael Bourn; power with Jason Heyward, Chipper Jones, Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla; and quality all-around hitters like Martin Prado.
Atlanta will need that well-balanced attack to be firing on all cylinders as it prepares to take on the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Wild Card Game.
Probable Lineup
CF Michael Bourn
LF Martin Prado
RF Jason Heyward
3B Chipper Jones
1B Freddie Freeman
C Brian McCann
2B Dan Uggla
SS Andrelton Simmons
Who's Hot
Brian McCann: 3 G, .375/.444/.375, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R
Andrelton Simmons: 7 G, .348/.375/.478, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R
Who's Not
Jason Heyward: 6 G, .227/.261/.273, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R
Martin Prado: 6 G, .167/.273/.333, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
Freddie Freeman: 7 G, .130/.200/.304, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R
Chipper Jones: 6 G, .118/.286/.118, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 R
Washington needs Ryan Zimmerman to snap out of his funk in the playoffs.
Team Stats: .261/.322/.428, 194 HR, 688 RBI, 731 R
Only the St. Louis Cardinals scored more runs than the Washington Nationals in 2012 when it comes to National League playoff teams.
The Nationals offense had no player who appeared in more than 100 games finish the year with a batting average over .300, only had one player reach the 100-RBI mark (Adam LaRoche) and had only one more, Ryan Zimmerman, finish driving in more than 75 runs.
But the Nationals have the ability to put runs on the board in a hurry, with six of their eight starters having at least 10 home runs and 50 RBI on the season.
Probable Lineup
RF Jayson Werth
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
LF Michael Morse
SS Ian Desmond
2B Danny Espinosa
C Kurt Suzuki
Who's Hot
Bryce Harper: 7 G, .476/.542/.905, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R
Adam LaRoche: 7 G, .364/.440/.636, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R
Michael Morse: 7 G, .348/.348/.957, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 5 R
Who's Not
Kurt Suzuki: 6 G, .235/.316/.294, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 R
Ryan Zimmerman: 6 G, .208/.240/.458, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R
Ian Desmond: 7 G, .208/.240/.250, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
Danny Espinosa: 7 G, .125/.192/.250, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R
Joey Votto is as dangerous a hitter as there is in the playoffs.
Team Stats: .251/.315/.411, 172 HR, 636 RBI, 669 R
While the Cincinnati Reds check in as the only playoff team to not score at least 700 runs during the regular season, they still boast one of the more explosive lineups in the postseason.
Their trio of All-Stars—Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce—along with Todd Frazier and Ryan Ludwick are capable of changing the game with one swing of the bat.
Despite a down season statistically due to missing nearly two months of the season to injury, Votto remains an on-base machine and a powerful force in the middle of the Reds lineup.
Probable Lineup
2B Brandon Phillips
SS Zack Cozart
1B Joey Votto
LF Ryan Ludwick
RF Jay Bruce
3B Scott Rolen
C Ryan Hanigan
CF Drew Stubbs
Who's Hot
Scott Rolen: 5 G, .353/.353/.588, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
Who's Not
Brandon Phillips: 6 G, .227/.227/.227, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R
Jay Bruce: 7 G, .167/.200/.167, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
Drew Stubbs: 7 G, .130/.130/.130, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 R
Todd Frazier: 6 G, .077/.133/.308, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R
Miguel Cabrera, the first Triple Crown winner in more than 40 years.
Team Stats: .268/.335/.422, 163 HR, 698 RBI, 726 R
Whenever a team's offense features a Triple Crown winner and perennial MVP candidate, it has a chance to do something special.
The combination of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder in the heart of the Detroit Tigers lineup makes for one of the more potent duos in the game today.
Austin Jackson is a dynamic leadoff hitter, but the bottom half of the lineup—while talented—has underperformed in 2012.
Probable Lineup
CF Austin Jackson
LF Quintin Berry
3B Miguel Cabrera
1B Prince Fielder
DH Delmon Young
C Alex Avila
SS Jhonny Peralta
RF Andy Dirks
2B Omar Infante
Who's Hot
Prince Fielder: 7 G, .417/.462/.750, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
Miguel Cabrera: 7 G, .400/.423/.640, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R
Andy Dirks: 6 G, .364/.364/.545, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R
Who's Not
Omar Infante: 7 G, .217/.250/.391, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R
Austin Jackson: 6 G, .208/.240/.250, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 4 R
Jhonny Peralta: 6 G, .182/.217/.364, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
Quintin Berry: 5 G, .167/.250/.278, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R
Alex Avila: 5 G, .125/.222/.125, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 R
Delmon Young: 7 G, .120/.148/.160, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 R
Jon Jay has been outstanding for the Cardinals in 2012.
Team Stats: .271/.338/.421, 159 HR, 732 RBI, 765 R
The St. Louis Cardinals boast one of the deepest lineups of any playoff team, full of established stars like Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday, while others, like Jon Jay and Allen Craig, are nearly as productive though they're unnoticed by the casual fan.
They can beat you with the long ball just as easily as they can play small ball, advancing runners and manufacturing runs.
Probable Lineup
CF Jon Jay
RF Carlos Beltran
LF Matt Holliday
1B Allen Craig
C Yadier Molina
3B David Freese
2B David Descalso
SS Pete Kozma
Who's Hot
Pete Kozma: 6 G, .500/.524/.611, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R
Jon Jay: 5 G, .381/.391/.524, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 6 R
Carlos Beltran: 5 G, .375/.524/.750, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R
Matt Holliday: 5 G, .353/.455/.353, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
Who's Not
Yadier Molina: 5 G, .167/.273/.333, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R
David Freese: 7 G, .182/.357/.273, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 R
Robinson Cano is the best hitter in a talented lineup.
Team Stats: .265/.337/.453, 245 HR, 774 RBI, 804 R
Only the Texas Rangers scored more runs than the New York Yankees, who set a new franchise record with 245 home runs on the season.
It's been both a blessing and a curse.
The Yankees have become a team that relies heavily on the long ball. While the lineup is full of phenomenal hitters like Derek Jeter, Ichiro Suzuki and Robinson Cano, the rest of the team is very much all or nothing.
One of 10 Yankees to hit double-digit home runs, Curtis Granderson, has become the biggest culprit, blasting a team-best 43 home runs but finishing the season with only 18 doubles.
Penchant for home runs aside, the Yankees remain one of the premier offenses in all of baseball.
Probable Lineup
SS Derek Jeter
LF Ichiro Suzuki
2B Robinson Cano
1B Mark Teixeira
RF Nick Swisher
CF Curtis Granderson
DH Raul Ibanez
C Russell Martin
Who's Hot
Robinson Cano: 7 G, .613/.618/1.065, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R
Nick Swisher: 7 G, .480/.606/.600, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 8 BB, 4 R
Raul Ibanez: 6 G, .316/.350/.474, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
Who's Not
Derek Jeter: 7 G, .250/.294/.313, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R
Mark Teixeira: 3 G, .083/.200/.333, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R
Team Stats: .273/.334/.446, 200 HR, 780 RBI, 808 R
No team in baseball scored more runs this season than the Texas Rangers, who had three players drive in at least 90 runs each: Josh Hamilton (128), Adrian Beltre (102) and Nelson Cruz (90).
The American League's representative in the World Series in each of the past two years, the Rangers' ability to put up runs in a hurry makes them one of the most dangerous lineups in the playoffs.
Probable Lineup
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
CF Josh Hamilton
3B Adrian Beltre
RF Nelson Cruz
DH Michael Young
LF David Murphy
C Mike Napoli
1B Mitch Moreland
Who's Hot
Adrian Beltre: 7 G, .462/.517/.321, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
Nelson Cruz: 7 G, .346/.345/.731, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R
Mike Napoli: 7 G, .273/.333/.864, 4 HR, 10 RBI
Who's Not
Ian Kinsler: 7 G, .138/.194/.276, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 5 R
David Murphy: 6 G, .222/.300/.389, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R
