The Angels fly into the top 10, while Baltimore makes it's first appearance in the bottom two.
Just as a reminder: some of the things that go into these rankings include runs scored and allowed, run distributions, wOBA, wRC, FIP, xFIP, DRS, UZR, etc., Base Runs, BABIP and HR/FB% adjustments, and our guts.
Rank | Team | Wins | Losses | Comments |
1 | Red Sox | 54 | 35 | We know about the vaunted offense, but the Red Sox also have the majors' highest UZR at +28 runs. |
2 | Yankees | 52 | 35 | Alex Rodriguez potentially being out for a while hurts, but he's already given the team 4 fWAR - more than the 3.8 from 2010. |
3 | Phillies | 56 | 34 | The Phillies go into the break with the best record in baseball, and as the only team on pace to win over 100 games (101). |
4 | Rangers | 50 | 41 | Despite a low batting average - largely thanks to his .250 BABIP - Ian Kinsler (4 fWAR) has a case as an All-Star snub. |
5 | Braves | 54 | 37 | Craig Kimbrel has the lowest FIP (1.44) in baseball (min. 30 IP). Ton of K's (13.7 per nine) and improved control (3.5 BB/9). |
6 | Brewers | 48 | 43 | Prince Fielder leads the NL with 72 RBI, but you could argue that he's only the Brewers' third most valuable player this year. |
7 | Cardinals | 48 | 43 | St. Louis still has the best offense in the NL, by a fair margin. Their 111 wRC+ is well ahead of Milwaukee's 104. |
8 | Rays | 49 | 40 | They'd be a game up in the AL Central, and yet they're as far out of the Wild Card (5 games) as Chicago is in that division. |
9 | Giants | 51 | 40 | Aubrey Huff has the most plate appearances on the team (369). He also has the lowest fWAR (-1). |
10 | Angels | 49 | 42 | LA has the best record in baseball over the last two weeks (11-2), and are just a game back in the West. |
11 | Mets | 46 | 44 | RA Dickey leads the team in innings pitched (114.2), and has been a solid contributor in the middle of the rotation (3.88 xFIP). |
12 | Diamondbacks | 49 | 42 | Daniel Hudson has done a nice job on both sides of the ball. His 0.8 fWAR (.333/.351/.417) with the bat is tops for NL pitchers. |
13 | Reds | 45 | 46 | Something tells me Edinson Volquez (5.93 ERA, 5.8 BB/9) won't be getting any Rookie of the Year votes this year. |
14 | Tigers | 48 | 43 | Outfielder Andy Dirks has shown a fair amount of pop since being called up in May (6 homers in 123 PA). |
15 | Blue Jays | 44 | 47 | Ricky Romero strike-out and walk rates, and xFIPs the last two years; 7.46/7.43, 3.51/3.51, 3.64/3.65. |
16 | White Sox | 44 | 47 | AJ Pierzynski leads the way in the anti-three true outcomes club; only 11% of his PA are a HR, K, or BB. |
17 | Indians | 47 | 41 | Cleveland is the only team in the AL Central who has actually outscored their opponents, and then only barely (386 to 382). |
18 | Rockies | 43 | 47 | Todd Helton (.321/.400/.494) is having a nice bounceback season. Might even reach 20 home runs for the first time since '05. |
19 | Mariners | 43 | 47 | The M's OBP is below .300 as a team (.290). Jack Cust leads the club at .353, and he only has a .314 wOBA overall. |
20 | Dodgers | 40 | 51 | Ted Lilly has had an xFIP between 3.90 and 4.16 for four straight years coming into 2011, and is at it again (3.99). |
21 | Nationals | 45 | 46 | Laynce Nix is getting some playing time (232 PA), and producing (.274/.315/.502). Can he maintain a .326 BABIP? |
22 | Pirates | 46 | 43 | Pirates' pitchers have the largest gap between ERA (3.46) and FIP (3.97) in the majors, led by Jeff Karstens (2.55 ERA, 4.66 FIP). |
23 | Athletics | 39 | 52 | After leading AL shortstops in brWAR last year, Cliff Pennington has fallen off, well, a cliff; .262 wOBA, and -6 UZR. |
24 | Royals | 37 | 53 | Despite having a below average wRC+ as a team (99), the Royals are actually 12th in baseball in that category. |
25 | Marlins | 42 | 48 | Hanley Ramirez started out the year struggling, but has been on fire the last couple weeks (.356/.463/.667, 4 HR). |
26 | Padres | 40 | 51 | Anthony Rizzo has struggled in the majors this year, striking out a ton (36.5%) and with only 1 homer. |
27 | Cubs | 37 | 54 | With his BABIP rebounding from '10, Aramis Ramirez is back to hitting more like his usual self (.298/.346/.497). |
28 | Twins | 40 | 48 | The Twins have bounced back some after a very rough start, and are 17-9 over the last month. |
29 | Orioles | 36 | 51 | In their last 7 games, O's pitchers have given up 62 runs in 56 IP (including 10+ in a game 4 times). Shockingly, the team's 0-7. |
30 | Astros | 30 | 61 | Houston has one of the game's best baserunners this year (Michael Bourn +5 runs), and one of the worst (Brett Wallace, -4). |