ESPN Power Rankings: 22nd?????

[rynesrevenge0206]

This is over the top.

 

First, the Red Sox. Then, the White Sox. Is it the Cubs' turn? Not yet, unless Mark Prior and Kerry Wood can both remain healthy. Given their histories, don't bet on it. And don't count on the Cubs signing Nomar Garciaparra. But Prior and Wood are all that matter. Without either of them, the Cubs will have to wait another year.

 

 

I'm not saying I would be happy with another year hovering around .500, but that is worse case scenario, and that makes us worst case like...15th best (or worst) team.

 

Other notes:

 

Indians (1st) - While I love rooting for a young team, predicting a WS title is farfetched, even for ESPN. With the White Sox expected to compete at the same level again, I don't see how they can even predict a division title for the youngsters.

 

Mets (6th!!!!!) - Suddenly Tom Glavine is "strong" again, and while I agree that Beltran will likely experience a resurgance, this team will struggle to keep up in the NL East once again.

 

I can't believe the Tigers, O's, Nationals, and Diamondbacks are ranked in front of us.

 

UGH. I hate ESPN. :x

[rynesrevenge0206]

Looks like the fans voted the Cubs at 14th. I guess that's betterrrrrrrrr.....

[burnt out cubbie fan]

Amazing how Z still doesn't get any respect. Shesh.

[Andy]

Amazing how Z still doesn't get any respect. Shesh.

Should only take one or 10 more years of a sub-3.00 ERA and 16+ wins before he gets it. :x

[rynesrevenge0206]

Just looked through Carlos's game log and I couldn't believe that on 2 occasions, he pitched 7 or more innings, gave up 1 hit, 0 ER, and didn't get the win. That's sick. He also failed to get wins in games where he gave up grand totals of 3 hits, 3 hits, and 4 hits. Sheesh.

[nilodnayr]

Just looked through Carlos's game log and I couldn't believe that on 2 occasions, he pitched 7 or more innings, gave up 1 hit, 0 ER, and didn't get the win. That's sick. He also failed to get wins in games where he gave up grand totals of 3 hits, 3 hits, and 4 hits. Sheesh.

 

Go look at Clemens game log.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Don't put much stock in these. Last year, the pre-season ranking had the Astros below twenty. We saw how that played out.

[Banedon]

Uhhhh...ok I like rankings and polls and everything as much as the next guy, but isn't it just a wee bit early in the offseason to be ranking teams considering teams can't even sign free agents yet?

 

The White Sox just won the World Series. What has changed between then and now that suddenly makes the Indians better?

[otis89]

The White Sox just won the World Series. What has changed between then and now that suddenly makes the Indians better?

 

[sarcasm] The White Sox will not have the almighty Carl Everett next year. [/sarcasm]

[Banedon]

The White Sox just won the World Series. What has changed between then and now that suddenly makes the Indians better?

 

[sarcasm] The White Sox will not have the almighty Carl Everett next year. [/sarcasm]

 

They declined his option, but they COULD resign him... :P

[SouthSideRyan]

Uhhhh...ok I like rankings and polls and everything as much as the next guy, but isn't it just a wee bit early in the offseason to be ranking teams considering teams can't even sign free agents yet?

 

The White Sox just won the World Series. What has changed between then and now that suddenly makes the Indians better?

 

The Indians were a better team by the end of the year.

[Mizzou]

The White Sox just won the World Series. What has changed between then and now that suddenly makes the Indians better?

 

[sarcasm] The White Sox will not have the almighty Carl Everett next year. [/sarcasm]

 

Don't worry, their GM will figure out a way to trade for him. Again.

[Zaphkiel]

The Indians clearly weren't a better team by the end of the year. They lost 6 of their last 7, choking their way out of the playoffs, and the White Sox won the World Series. The White Sox are a better team, and hardly anything has changed to make that not true.

[SouthSideRyan]

The Indians clearly weren't a better team by the end of the year. They lost 6 of their last 7, choking their way out of the playoffs, and the White Sox won the World Series. The White Sox are a better team, and hardly anything has changed to make that not true.

 

Why is the relative ability of the two teams defined as what happend in the last 7 games of the year. The Indians were better over the last 81, why not use that definition? They were 4 games better than the Sox in the 2nd half, and made up 8 games in pythagorean standings which are supposed to measure a team's true ability. The Indians will finish ahead of the White Sox next year barring injury problems.

[Marco4]

The Indians clearly weren't a better team by the end of the year. They lost 6 of their last 7, choking their way out of the playoffs, and the White Sox won the World Series. The White Sox are a better team, and hardly anything has changed to make that not true.

 

Why is the relative ability of the two teams defined as what happend in the last 7 games of the year. The Indians were better over the last 81, why not use that definition? They were 4 games better than the Sox in the 2nd half, and made up 8 games in pythagorean standings which are supposed to measure a team's true ability. The Indians will finish ahead of the White Sox next year barring injury problems.

 

This depends on the definition of 'end of the year'. Its vague. I can see both sides of the argument. The second half of the year, the Indians were stronger - this is why we had the exciting game of catch-up. The last week of the year, and post-season, the White Sox were masters.

 

For me? The end of the year would be the last quarter (forty/forty-one games), I think.

[SouthSideRyan]

By that definition the Indians were 4 games better.

[Bgbird68]

A November ranking of baseball teams.....?

 

I don't put a lot of stock in a November ranking.

 

Who cares.

[wvcbxl]

ESPN has a crystal ball and already knows the opening day lineups for all teams. :pig:

[fromthestretch]

Just looked through Carlos's game log and I couldn't believe that on 2 occasions, he pitched 7 or more innings, gave up 1 hit, 0 ER, and didn't get the win. That's sick. He also failed to get wins in games where he gave up grand totals of 3 hits, 3 hits, and 4 hits. Sheesh.

 

Go look at Clemens game log.

 

Using the Joe Morgan philosophy, one might say that neither of them knows how to win. :roll:

[Balsa]

Aren't the Indians due to get a lot more expensive this year? Especially with a couple in their pitching staff?

 

BTW, ESPN and SI have horrible predictions. They can't even get it right at the beginning of the season, let alone before the hot stove finishes.

[RynoRules]

Amazing how Z still doesn't get any respect. Shesh.

Should only take one or 10 more years of a sub-3.00 ERA and 16+ wins before he gets it. :x

 

We really should stat inindating the press with notes about Z.

 

And does anyone else think the whole "Prior-Wood" argument is getting old? Its like the press doesn't feel like looking at the rest of the team. If Prior and Wood stay healthy and pitch well, it won't matter if our OF still has Burnitz and Patterson and our IF is populated in aprt by Perez and Macias.

[TheDude]

I'm not upset at all by a 22 ranking. I think it has more to do with the Cubs are more unknown than other teams.

 

This team is only fractionally composed...is even half the 25 man roster known?

 

You can't justify a pre-season ranking this early based on speculation of a Giles or Furcal improvement. But if those things happen, then the team becomes more known, and the ranking improves.

[biittner77]

Just looked through Carlos's game log and I couldn't believe that on 2 occasions, he pitched 7 or more innings, gave up 1 hit, 0 ER, and didn't get the win. That's sick. He also failed to get wins in games where he gave up grand totals of 3 hits, 3 hits, and 4 hits. Sheesh.

 

Go look at Clemens game log.

 

Using the Joe Morgan philosophy, one might say that neither of them knows how to win. :roll:

 

Don't be silly, Zambrano doesn't know how to win. Clemens merely forgot.

 

One thing is certain, neither of them were valuable to their respective teams.

[RationalSoxFan]

The Indians clearly weren't a better team by the end of the year. They lost 6 of their last 7, choking their way out of the playoffs, and the White Sox won the World Series. The White Sox are a better team, and hardly anything has changed to make that not true.

 

Why is the relative ability of the two teams defined as what happend in the last 7 games of the year. The Indians were better over the last 81, why not use that definition? They were 4 games better than the Sox in the 2nd half, and made up 8 games in pythagorean standings which are supposed to measure a team's true ability. The Indians will finish ahead of the White Sox next year barring injury problems.

You forget how easy the Indians schedule was over the last month and a half. They beat up on the Rays/Royals/Tigers for a long time.

[Andy]

The Indians clearly weren't a better team by the end of the year. They lost 6 of their last 7, choking their way out of the playoffs, and the White Sox won the World Series. The White Sox are a better team, and hardly anything has changed to make that not true.

 

Why is the relative ability of the two teams defined as what happend in the last 7 games of the year. The Indians were better over the last 81, why not use that definition? They were 4 games better than the Sox in the 2nd half, and made up 8 games in pythagorean standings which are supposed to measure a team's true ability. The Indians will finish ahead of the White Sox next year barring injury problems.

You forget how easy the Indians schedule was over the last month and a half. They beat up on the Rays/Royals/Tigers for a long time.

Only because the Sox had been hogging all the fun in the first half of the season.