Category: MLB General

Two weeks into the baseball season and the rankings are looking awfully similar to what they were last year. The Braves still have the best record in baseball, so I’m finally ready to admit that they belong in the top ten, and with the Yankees pitching woes they’ve fallen from the top spot.

On the other hand the Phillies continue to look like an overpaid AAA team and their 200 year-old manager is challenging talk show hosts to a round in the octagon. And over in Chicago another rampaging manager and a no-hitter can’t prevent the Cubs and Sox from free-falling.

On the injury front, it seems every other marquee pitcher in the game is missing games because of an elbow or shoulder problem. Chris Carpenter, Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Rich Harden, BJ Ryan and Felix Hernandez are all looking at an indefinite spell on the injured list. On the other hand, it seems Chien-Ming Wang and Randy Johnson should be returning soon.

Week one of the Sportscolumn MLB Power Rankings and the top spot should really come as no surprise. Granted, the Yankees have pitching problems, but until somebody proves otherwise they’re the best team in baseball.

It’s too early in the season for records to matter much, but it is interesting to take a look at the teams with the best and worst records in the league. The Phillies are my dark-horse pick to win the World Series, but they’ve stumbled out of the gate with the worst record in baseball. The Atlanta Braves, on the other hand, have the best record in baseball and look more like the Braves team that didn’t miss the playoffs for a decade and a half than they do last year’s team.

As always, I look forward to your questions, comments and complaints throughout the season.