2011 MLB Preseason Offensive Power Rankings
The 2011 baseball season is almost upon us. The hot stove is winding down and pitchers and catchers will begin tossing in just a matter of days. Plenty of big moves peppered the off-season and teams will shortly find out if those moves will be major payoffs or major busts. Plenty of questions stand ready to be answered.
Did the Red Sox add enough to compete with the Yankees?
Did the Rays lose too much talent?
Can anyone in the National League compete with the Phillies?
Can the Reds young team repeat their success from 2010?
Can the Padres pitching again carry a team that lacks any real offensive threat?
What were the Nationals thinking giving all that money to Jason Werth?
1. New York Yankees
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The season has yet to begin, but I believe the Yankees have already scored 100 runs. They add Russell Martin, who may not give much in the way of power, but he runs the bases well and he allows Jorge Posada to move into the DH slot he has belonged in for a season or two now. Derek Jeter may have lost some pop, but every other slot in this lineup is potent. Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson provide speed. Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriquez and Robinson Cano provide power.
BOTTOM LINE: The only people allowed to question the fact that this is the best offense in baseball are die hard Red Sox fans who would never say a nice word about the Yankees.
2. Boston Red Sox
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The Sox have to be considered the big winners of this past postseason. Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez join the second highest scoring team in the majors. Kevin Youklilis, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz should all benefit from adding those two big bats to the lineup. Jocoby Ellsbury should bounce back after an injury-riddled 2010 campaign.
BOTTOM LINE: What’s not to love about this lineup? They did exactly what they had to do to keep up with the Yankees.
3. Philadelphia Phillies
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The Phillies field the undisputed best offense in the NL. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino provide no breaks for opposing pitchers. Right field has yet to be determined, but Ben Francisco has a great combination of speed and power and would be a lethal option in the bottom of the lineup.
BOTTOM LINE: I’m not surprising anyone by calling Philadelphia one of the best teams in baseball. They have to be considered the odds-on favorites to represent the NL in the Series going into 2011.
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4. Texas Rangers
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The Rangers look to get back to the World Series in 2011 and they have the offense to do it. Josh Hamilton brought home the AL MVP and anchors a lineup that should score a ton of runs. Adrian Beltre comes over from Boston after his best season since jacking 48 homers in 2004. He hit nearly 50 points above his career batting average in 2010, so don’t expect that again. Still, with bounce back years from Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler, the Rangers should be right in the thick of things in the AL.
BOTTOM LINE: The offense is very good, but there are some holes. Chris Davis and Michael Young leave a lot to be desired, but with Hamilton, Beltre and a healthy Ian Kinsler, Texas can afford a few question marks.
5. Chicago White Sox
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The White Sox were the No. 10 scoring team in all of baseball last year. They added Adam Dunn to an already potent lineup. Paul Konerko, Alexi Rameriz and Alex Rios all had great years in 2010. Carlos Quentin has 30-homer potential pop and Juan Pierre runs the bases as well as anyone in the game. Gordon Beckham seems poised for a breakout.
BOTTOM LINE: This team can rake. The addition of Dunn means that more than half this lineup could hit 30 home runs.
6. Minnesota Twins
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Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau make any lineup dangerous and there are more than enough moving parts around them to make this lineup dangerous. Denard Span brings decent speed to the table and the arrival of Tsuyoshi Nishioka from Japan makes for a pretty solid top of the order for the Twins. Delmon Young finally delivered on his power potential last year. Jim Thome and Jason Kubel make for a serviceable DH duo.
BOTTOM LINE: Thome’s numbers should drop, but his power is still there. Nishioka comes with some questions, but was a batting champ in Japan. Some players lack flash, but everyone brings something to the offensive table.
7. Milwaukee Brewers
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It should be a great baseball year in Wisconsin. The Brewers have the best offensive outfielder in baseball in Ryan Braun. Prince Fielder has 50-home run potential and promises close to 100 runs and RBI every season. Corey Hart probably is not the power hitter his 31 dingers from a year ago would lead you to believe, but he is a 20-20 guy. Rickie Weeks and Chris McGehee round out one of the most rock solid lineups in the NL.
BOTTOM LINE: Milwaukee ranked No. 12 in runs scored in 2010 during a down season. Braun and Fielder, while posting excellent numbers, did not give their usually production. If McGehee continues to scorch the ball and Carlos Gomez can find a way to get on base, look for big numbers from the Brew Crew.
8. Cincinnati Reds
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Much was made of the Reds’ deep pitching staff during their breakout 2010 run, but the offense scored the fourth most runs in all of baseball. Joey Votto emerged as a bona fide star and veteran Scott Rolen returned to his early-career form. Brandon Phillips provided both power and steals to go along with his gold glove work in the field and Jay Bruce continued to see his number rise to the .280/30/90/90 potential many believe him to have.
BOTTOM LINE: Cincinnati adds Edgar Rentaria and Fred Lewis and returns every key component to their high-scoring offense from a year ago. Drew Stubbs is probably the best player you’ve never heard of. He hit 22 dingers with 90 runs, 77 RBI and 32 steals a year ago.
9. San Francisco Giants
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After an improbable World Series title a year ago, the Giants look to find that magic again in 2011. Buster Posey dominated big league pitching. The first year player hit .305 with 18 home runs in just 108 games. Pablo Sandoval’s numbers dipped slightly in 2010, but should rebound. Freddy Sanchez again flirted with a .300 average and Aubrey Huff posted one of the best seasons of his career.
BOTTOM LINE: Huff will need to again be strong and Pat Burrell could certainly add more production. Miguel Tejada should give the Giants more offense from the shortstop position. Posey’s talent should keep a sophomore slump from happening.
10. Tampa Bay Rays
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It will be a new-look Rays this season, as Carl Crawford will be singing “Sweet Caroline” in Boston. Tampa adds two aging, possible over-the-hill stars – Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez – to a roster full of youth. The only sure-fire sources of offense on the team are Evan Longoria and B.J. Upton. Ben Zobrist needs to rebound from a somewhat disappointing 2010 campaign after a breakout year in 2009.
BOTTOM LINE: This is a young team in a tough division. The Rays hope Upton and Zobrist can get on base and hope Manny and Damon can drive in runs. That is a lot of hoping in such a tough division.
Los Angeles Angels
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The Angels may be the best base-running team in baseball. Virtually every position player has the ability to steal double-digit bases. They were a middle-of-the-pack team as far as runs scored last year, but a healthy Kendry Morales and newly acquired Vernon Wells could change that. Peter Boujos looks to be the everyday centerfielder and considering the fact that he stole 82 total bases in two minor league seasons, seems a natural fit at the top of the order.
BOTTOM LINE: Lack of power could be a concern. The Angels have a several 20-homer guys, but not many that could jack 30. Getting Morales healthy is the key. Also, Bobby Abreu will need to improve on a pedestrian .255 batting average if the Angels want to challenge Texas for the West crown.
12. Florida Marlins
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Hanley Ramirez may be the best five-tool player in the bigs. He has speed and power and, if he ever found runners on base, he would easily top the 100-RBI plateau. The Marlins also boast two great young hitters in Mike Stanton and Gaby Sanchez. Each have 30-home run potential and the Marlins will need that potential to be realized this season.
BOTTOM LINE: Florida has their fair share of power. Ramirez, Stanton, Sanchez and catcher John Buck have 20-dinger potential. Scott Cousins brings a nice blend of speed and power to center and Chris Coghlan looks to rebound from a disappointing sophomore season. Marlins fans have plenty to be excited about.
13. Detroit Tigers
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Miguel Cabrera may be the best hitter in the game. He hits for average and power. He scores and drives in runs. However, even with a talent like this in the heart of the order, the Tigers do not look overly impressive. They added Victor Martinez behind the plate, but you would be hard pressed to find another 20-homer guy after those two. Magglio Ordonez’s career seems to have crested and Carlos Guillen heads into 2011 with injury concerns.
BOTTOM LINE: The Tigers might score enough runs to win because their pitching is decent. Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch should be big time talents, but that still leaves plenty of holes in the lineup.
14. Colorado Rockies
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The Rockies have assembled quite a batch of talented young hitters. Carlos Gonzalez threatened for the triple-crown last year Troy Tulowitzki is arguably the best shortstop in the NL. Dexter Fowler has stolen 40 total bases in his first two full Major League seasons. There is cause for concern though. Chris Iannetta has great power, but cannot seem to hold on to the everyday catcher role. Todd Helton’s best days might be behind him.
BOTTOM LINE: The Rockies lineup is very top heavy. Gonzalez and Tulowitzki are among the league’s elite, but finding runs anywhere else in the lineup could be a challenge.
15. Baltimore Orioles
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The Orioles offense will depend heavily on three young stars: Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and Nick Markakis. They added Derek Lee at first, J.J. Hardy at short and Mark Reynolds at third. Lee’s best days are likely behind him. Hardy has some pop for a shortstop and Mark Reynolds will give them either a strikeout or homerun at every at bat. Luke Scott has pop, but mostly against righties. He only hit .240 against southpaws.
BOTTOM LINE: Some upside here. They will rely on Reynolds, Jones and Lee for power.
16. Atlanta Braves
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The Braves field a somewhat uneven offensive team in 2011. At the top end, there are some studs. Jason Heyward arrived for his first full season with a bang, knocking 18 dingers and hitting .277 and those numbers should only go up. Brian McCann is one of the best offensive catchers in the league and Dan Uggla brings 30 home runs and triple digit RBI and run numbers to Turner Field.
BOTTOM LINE: Nate McLouth has 20-20 potential, but can’t hit for average. Chipper Jones finally started showing his age last season. Martin Prado had a breakout campaign in 2010 and moves to left field with Uggla coming to town. I just wonder if the studs can carry the load.
17. Toronto Blue Jays
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The Blue Jays have some big-time offensive potential. Jose Bautista came from nowhere last year to hit 54 home runs. That will be tough for the 30-year old to repeat, considering he hit 59 total in his previous four seasons. Juan Rivera comes over from the Angels to join a stable of potential 20-dinger hitters. Adam Lind and Aaron Hill have gotten it done in the majors before, but both saw numbers dip last year, especially average-wise. J.P Arencibia and Travis Snider have killed the ball in the minors and will need to translate that potential into production.
BOTTOM LINE: This team has the potential to score a ton of runs. They also come with a ton of questions.
18. St. Louis Cardinals
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Everyone knows about Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, so I won’t waste much time there. Colby Rasmus should continue to improve in his third full season, which means 30-20 is likely and 30-30 is not out of the realm of possibility. Lance Berkman playing left field should be entertaining, but his offensive numbers have been in steady decline for the past five seasons.
BOTTOM LINE: Pujols and Holliday make the lineup solid and they have role players that should keep them in contention for the playoffs, but more due to their stellar pitching than their ability to score runs.
19. New York Mets
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Ah, the Mets. Regardless of how much talent they have, this team always finds a way to not meet expectations. David Wright and Jose Reyes will get their numbers, but the real questions are in the outfield. Can Carlos Beltran stay healthy and get back to form? What was wrong with Jason Bay last season? Who will play right field? With the division title likely having been decided when Cliff Lee returned to Philadelphia, the Mets will need answers to all of those questions quickly in 2011.
BOTTOM LINE: Bay is not nearly as bad as he was last year, but probably not as good as he was in Boston. Beltran must stay healthy for this offense to click. Ike Davis is interesting at first and could be a great source of offense in a lineup that could need it.
20. Chicago Cubs
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It could be more hard times in Wrigley this year. Chicago added power with Carlos Pena. Pena has hit 144 home runs and driven in 427 runs in the past four seasons. The problem is he batted below .250 in each of the last three years. Starlin Castro showed great promise and Geovany Soto bounced back after a terrible 2009. Still, the outfield is suspect. Alfonso Soriano has watched his numbers fall in virtually every major offensive category since coming to Chicago four years ago.
BOTTOM LINE: If Aramis Ramirez can find his stroke again and Pena finds a way to get on base more than 25 percent of the time, it might not be too bad for the Cubbies. Still, runs could be hard to come by no matter what.
21. Cleveland Indians
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The Tribe hope Grady Sizemore will be ready by opening day or shortly after. Shin-Soo Choo comes into 2011 with two straight 20-20 seasons where he batted exactly .300 each year. Carlos Santana showed great promise in an injury-shortened first season. Outside of those three, there really is not much to be excited about in Cleveland. Matt LaPorta needs to prove he is more than a triple-A talent.
BOTTOM LINE: The Indians have some players, but not enough. If Asdrubal Cabrera can return to his 2009 form and if LaPorta starts to produce in the Majors and if Sizemore can stay healthy, the Indians might score some runs. That is a lot of ifs though.
22. Arizona Diamondbacks
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Justin Upton and Chris B. Young both have 20-20 potential in the outfield. Expect Kelly Johnson to come back to earth after a career year in 2010. Brandon Allen has big upside at first, but it is hard to expect a first-year player to not come in with some growing pains.
BOTTOM LINE: Far from a terrible lineup, the Diamondbacks are also far from stellar. Upton and Young could carry the team if role players like Steven Drew and Gerardo Parra can pick up the slack. Catcher Miguel Montero has good pop at a weak position and belongs in the conversation as a top-tier NL catcher.
23. Houston Astros
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The Astros have a great outfield. Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence combined for 49 home runs and Michael Bourne has stolen 154 bases the past three sesasons. Bill Hall stands as the team’s best infield offensive threat, and he only batted .247 a year ago. They add Clint Barmes, but he is a lifetime .254 batter and if you take away his 23 home runs in 2009, he has never hit more than 11 in a season – and that is playing in Colorado.
BOTTOM LINE: The Astros are probably about middle of the pack in the NL Central and likely a bottom tier offensive team overall. The outfield is good, but not good enough to make up for the shortcomings of the infield.
24. Washington Nationals
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Jason Werth broke the Nationals bank this offseason, in a somewhat shocking move. It means the Nationals believe they can compete now, but that might be a bit of a stretch. Ryan Zimmerman is the real deal at third. He has posted 20-plus home run seasons in four-of-five big league seasons. Adam LaRoche takes at first after a solid year in Arizona in which he hit 25 home runs for the third straight season and topped 100 RBI for the first time in his career.
BOTTOM LINE: The Nationals will be better, but that doesn’t mean they will be good. Rick Ankiel has the potential to hit 30 home runs, but also has the potential to strike out 250 times. The Nationals just don’t have enough sure bets to count on.
25. Los Angeles Dodgers
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Matt Kemp and Andre Either anchor this lineup. If Kemp can find a way to improve his .249 average from a year ago, he could be a 30-30 guy. Actually, .250 was a pretty popular average for the Dodgers last year. Casey Blake, Juan Uribe and Kemp all floated right around that mark, despite posting decent power numbers.
BOTTOM LINE: The low batting averages cause concern for a team that ranked No. 21 in runs scored a year ago. James Loney needs to hit around .290 rather than his career low .267 mark from last year. They have guys that can knock runs in, they just need runners on base.
26. Pittsburgh Pirates
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At least Pirates fans have a few guys worth paying to watch. Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen posted impressive numbers in 2010: .286, 22 home runs, 94 runs and 33 steals. Look for those to go even higher. Pedro Alvarez hit 16 homers in just 95 games during his first trip to the bigs. Reports have surfaced that he make come to camp with 15 extra pounds, but expect him to continue to improve in 2011.
BOTTOM LINE: Garret Jones is a decent player, and McCutchen and Alvarez will be big time Major Leaguers. However, the Pirates are just too thin to warrant a higher ranking.
27. Oakland Athletics
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If Oakland plans on contending in 2011, they will likely need to depend on their talented young pitching staff. The offense just doesn’t have much going for it. They add Hideki Matsui and Josh Willingham and those are basically the power threats. Kevin Kouzmanoff has the potential to break out, but that has been said for the past three seasons. Kurt Suzuki looks to bounce back after a down 2010.
BOTTOM LINE: I just don’t know where the runs will come from here. Matsui had a decent season for the Angels, but he only knocked in 84 in a much more talented lineup. Willingham and Kouzmanoff need to play out of their minds, and even then, there just is not much firepower here.
28. San Diego Padres
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How the Padres managed to contend for a division title last year is beyond me. They ranked No. 22 in runs scored and now have lost Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox. Going into 2011, no one on the roster hit 20 home runs in 2010. Will Venable has as decent combination of speed and power and Ryan Ludwick has great power potential, but this lineup looks pretty rough.
BOTTOM LINE: Adding Orlando Hudson probably doesn’t give the team the offensive shot in the arm they need. The pitching carried them last year, and will likely have to do the same this season.
29. Seattle Mariners
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Any discussion of Seattle’s offense pretty much begins and ends with Ichiro Suzuki. The future Hall of Famer keeps smacking base hits and stealing bases and a remarkable clip. Chone Figgins gives the team more speed, but there really is no power threat on this team. Youngster Justin Smoak has the potential to hit 20 home runs, but that hardly makes up for a potential starting lineup that has no one else capable of hitting that many dingers.
BOTTOM LINE: Nothing impressive here at all except Ichiro. Franklin Gutierrez has a decent combination of speed and power, but without someone to drive in runs, the Mariners will likely struggle.
30. Kansas City Royals
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The Royals offense can be pretty much summed up in two words: Billy Butler. Anytime a team’s key offseason move is bringing in Melky Cabrera, you know pickings are slim. Mike Aviles is not a terrible player, but he should not be leaned on as the second or third best offensive option on any team. Alex Gordon has been a potential sleeper for years now, and could produce if he stays healthy. Wilson Betemit did not start playing baseball until high school, but has an intriguing combination of speed and power.
BOTTOM LINE: The Royals boast a rock solid farm system, so the team should be much better in the years to come. Notice how this year was not included in that statement.
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