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Beyond the Box Score Power Rankings: Week 15

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).