2017 Major League Baseball Team Rankings

MLB 2017 Team Rankings

With Spring Training officially here with the start of pitchers and catchers today, it feels like the perfect time to do my annual MLB team rankings. I have been doing this for a while, and the 2017 season looks like it will be a lot of fun so here it goes:

#30 (last years’ ranking {25}): Minnesota Twins- The Twins are coming off of a season were they had the worst record in all of baseball. With Joe Mauer getting one-year older, the pitching staff not changing, and the bullpen still with noticeable wholes—the Twins are most likely going to have a reoccurring season in 2017. I see the Twins going 61-101 this season.

#29 (2016{29}): Cincinnati Reds- Cincinnati is in no place to move forward. With not that many changes for the better, that being apparent with the Brandon Philips to the Atlanta Braves. With a bullpen that has a ton of holes with still no clear answer for the absence of Aroldis Chapman. The lineup is young, and I would compare this Reds team to the Brooklyn Nets in basketball. Even though baseball is king in Cincinnati, it will be a tough year for Red fans. I see the Reds only a game ahead of the Twins going 62-100.

#28 (2016{24}): San Diego Padres- For San Diego, I am truly sorry. After losing your beloved football team, your baseball team will not bring you much happiness. The team is very young and will have good years to come from a position player point of view. The pitching rotation and bullpen is a serious question. Clayton Richard isn’t an ace, rather a good number 2 or 3 on a good roster. Brandon Maurer is a second year closer that isn’t really a good closer going 0-5 with a 4.52 ERA with only 13 saves in 71 games. Maurer also had less than a strike out per inning which is concerning from a closers point of view. The Padres in my mind will go 65-97.

#27 (2016{27}): Milwaukee Brewers- Listen, it’s never easy losing your number one home run hitter in Chris Carter in a season where you look to build on the year you just had. It’s also not easy losing your starting catcher because he didn’t want to play for you, and it isn’t easy paying a 33-year-old Ryan Braun $19 Million a year. The talent on the roster isn’t easy to work with but having players like Jonathan Villar, Travis Shaw, and Danny Santana is a good young group of players to build around. The only man in the rotation I trust is Junior Guerra who is a stud in the making. Neftali Feliz isn’t what he was, but he is still a viable option to close ball games. The Brew Crew will be going 68-94 in 2017, just based off what they have and what they lost.

#26 (2016{16}): Arizona Dimanondbacks- This team is an interesting team that if you asked me if they would do well 3 years ago, I would tell you of course. I feel bad for Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollack. This is a team has talent but not enough to do well in a 2017 baseball world. Patrick Corbin isn’t who he once was, and Zach Greinke is the only legitimate starter on the Arizona’s roster. Fernando Rodney is a part of this class of closers who aren’t what they were and shouldn’t be looked at as who they once were on the back of their baseball card. The D-Backs will be will have their exact number of wins and losses that they had in 2016 going 69-93.

#25 (2016{28}): Colorado Rockies- This is a team that had a great off season and is a team that in a couple of years can challenge the Dodgers and Giants. I don’t think that will be this season based off the fact that their rotation and majority of their pen isn’t the best. The Rockies have incredible talent from a position player stand point, but the only pitcher that can produce great numbers is their closer Greg Holland, and I am cautious with what Holland will do after coming off Tommy John Surgery. This team will make a pitcher’s ballpark an offensive juggernaut with the talent they have. It will be an interesting year with an unproven rotation and a second year catcher. The Rockies will go 71-91, taking a step back this year because of the pitching but they are on the right track.

#24 (2016{30}): Philadelphia Phillies- The Phillies are in my opinion the most improved team in all of baseball, but this team is still the last team in a tough NL East division. This club is also missing an ace in the rotation and have a questionable closer in Jeanmar Gomez. Gomez had 37 saves, a 4.85 ERA, and a 3-5 record. Their middle infield is young and is a question mark to how good they will do. Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera are the two main attractions for Phillies fans this year and should have fantastic year and years to come. The age of their first two men in the rotation in Hellickson and Bucholtz is a concern for me, but this team will win more games than they did last year, going 73-89 this year in my opinion.

#23 (2016{22}): Atlanta Braves- Baseball in Atlanta is definitely on the rise in 2017. The Braves might not be the teams that they were 3-4 years ago, but this team is going to be better than they were in 2016. The Braves have possibly the Rookie of the Year in Dansby Swanson. Brandon Phillips will do wonders for Swanson and Freeman, and Matt Kemp might have a resurgence of what he once was. This rotation is one of the best in the National League, but their bullpen is a problem.  Jim Johnson is a huge question mark at closer because of his past closing with the Orioles. I don’t like the bullpen this year, but this team will win games because of the talent their everyday players have and the good rotation. This team will go 75-87, not great but defiantly a step in the right direction.

#22 (2016{26}): Oakland Athletics- I like but don’t love this team. The A’s have a decent rotation, a nice bullpen (one of the better pens in the American League), but I am cautious about the everyday players they have on the roster. Steven Vogt is a 1^st baseman to me (not a catcher) the same way Joe Mauer is now a 1^st baseman, and questions about level of play up the middle. Rajai Davis is not the same player, he is a year older and is playing in a huge ballpark where he is going to use all of his speed. This should be an interesting year of baseball in Oakland and I see the A’s having the same record as the Braves going 75-87.

#21 (2016{12}): Los Angeles Angels- Man, sometimes I am wrong, and I was so wrong about the Angeles last year. This is a team with absolutely no farm system, and some serious salary cap issues with paying players. I don’t like the majority of the Angeles rotation, even with Garrett Richards being a good number one, and the biggest concern I have for Angeles is moving Luis Valbuena to 1^st base. I had the same concerns about the Red Sox moving Hanley Ramirez to 1^st a year ago. 1^st base isn’t just a position that anyone can play. For the Angeles having all these problems I see having an identical record as the past few teams going 75-87. I put this team at 21 because of their closer, ace of the staff, and a man named Mike Trout.

#20 (2016{21}): Tampa Bay Rays- The AL East will be one of the best divisions in baseball because all the teams in the division got better in the offseason. The Rays added a much needed power option at catcher in Wilson Ramos who will come back at some point in 2017. Alex Colome will be a good closer in the back of the pen, the rotation is a good rotation, and the biggest strength of this team to me is their outfield. I really like Tampa Bay’s outfield this year and that should carry the team in 2017. Don’t take the last place finish in 2017 as a major failure because this division will 79-83. The Rays are in a confusing place in 2017, but again like most teams in 2017, this season will be a step in the right direction.

#19 (2016{11}): Chicago White Sox- The White Sox have some serious power in their order, but this rotation is rough at the back end of it. David Robertson is a good closer at the back end, Tim Anderson is an interesting shortstop and Yoan Moncada at second following the Chris Sale trade, this team is built in their infield. A young centerfield and catcher (Charles Tilson and Omar Narvaez) should be an interesting storyline to manage over a course of a season. Having a young catcher handling a good veteran rotation is always interesting. Todd Fraizer will have a great season at 3^rd for the Chi-Sox and Jose Abreu needs to stay healthy for this team to really hit their celling of 81-81.

#18 (2016{17}): Miami Marlins- This group of guys have been together for years with the one exception being the turnover in the rotation this offseason. Wei-Yin Chen and Edinson Volquez should provide a good bluster their rotation with A.J. Ramos being a viable option as the closer. The position players need to show some sign of improvement or the Marlins will have a similar conversation that the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Clippers will need to have. I see the Marlins going 83-79 this year with the band of guys in 2017.

#17 (2016{13}): Pittsburgh Pirates- Pittsburgh to me is a lesser Kansas City Royals team. I like the outfield, the infield, and their catcher. I like the middle of the bullpen, a few starters, and they are on the right track. I love Ivan Nova in the National League as a 15-18 game winner, Garrett Cole NEEDS to stay healthy for this team to do well. The Pirates are in the toughest division in all of baseball, and I feel bad for the Pirates. This is a good team that have a real possibility of making a run at the post season. I think this team will make a run but fall about 4 games short going 85-77.

#16 (2016{7}): Houston Astros- I absolutely love the Astros up the middle of the field. The corner infield positions are shaky, the same can be said about the bullpen. I don’t think the people in Houston think that the bullpen is a serious issue, but that is their biggest weakness of the Houston team. The young core of Altuve, Correa, and Springer is superb and will be for years to come. Houston has a difficult problem giving Gattis, McCain, and Beltran an equal number of at-bats. I like Gattis as the DH, but signing Beltran at this stage of his career is a difficult thing to manage. I like this team but I don’t love this team, this team to me will go 83-79.  

#15 (2016{2}): Kansas City Royals- An overreaction seemed fitting at the time that I wrote the article because the Royals were the defending champion team, but they had a serious case of championship hangover. The 2017 Royals team can make a push at the playoffs, I just see them falling 3 games or so short of the second Wild Card spot. I loved the 2015 Kansas City Royals team, I thought after back to back World Series appearances, I thought they would become a team like the late 90’s Yankee teams. I was wrong, but this team is a really good team. Jorge Solar will have a good season for the Royals. The second year second baseman Whit Merrifield should have a better season than last. I love the corner infielders, catcher, centerfield, and leftfielder, but Ian Kennedy and Jeff Vargas will fall back to the backend of the rotation with former Cub Jason Hammel taking the 2^nd spot in the rotation. This group is extremely talented and in my expectations 86-76. I will look forward to watching the Royals play baseball in 2017.

#14 (2016{18}): Texas Rangers- Throughout the years, I have been a nonbeliever in the Texas Rangers. I didn’t think they would come back and win the division last year, or the year before, and that pattern is not going to be broken this year. I am worrisome about leftfield in Texas with Jurickson Profar moving from short to left. I don’t like the middle of the bullpen, and the middle of the rotation. Texas has their core of Beltre, Endrus, and Choo. They have added Carlos Gomez and Jonathan Lucroy who are really good players that can help the Rangers win ball games. However, there is just a stink over the Rangers that I don’t like going around. I think the Rangers will go 84-78 this year but just fall short of the playoffs.

#13 (2016{13}): Baltimore Orioles- Like the Rangers, year after year, I always give Baltimore the short end of the stick. However, losing Matt Wieters is a huge loss for Baltimore, and they will feel that on both sides of the ball. I don’t like the fact that the O’s fork over $37.5 Million over the next 3 years. Chris Davis will lead the league in strike outs, and the Orioles will have a tough time this year. The Orioles caught lighting in a bottle with their rotation because they still don’t have a legitimate starter in that rotation. Zach Britton will have a great season, nothing like his 0.54 ERA season last year. A 1.15 ERA season would fit Britton this year with the talent that has shifted around the league. If Britton makes me eat my words, I will have the up most respect for Zach Britton. I think the O’s will go 87-75 in a very competitive AL East.

#12 (2016{19}): Seattle Mariners- This Seattle Mariners team is my sleeper of 2017. I have the Mariners winning the AL West, this being the year that they finally get it right. I love the 3-4-5 hitters in their order (Cano, Cruz, and Seager), I like the speed in the outfield with Dyson and Martin. I think those two in any combination can be the best stealing tandem in all of baseball. I like Edwin Diaz at the backend of the bullpen, I think he can do well in a full season. Steve Cishek is a setup man that should be closing and I like the rest of the guys that can get the job done out of that pen. Mike Zuino is what the Mariners want in a veteran defense catcher and they have come to terms with that. This rotation with surprise a lot of people especially with the lefties on the staff. I’m drinking the Seattle kool-aid this year, I think the Mariners could pull it all together and go 85-78.

#11 (2016{6}): St. Louis Cardinals- Boy, has this team off the cliff… oh wait they haven’t!? The Cardinals are just truly remarkable with the run that they have been on. Their rotation is one of the best rotations in all of baseball. I am cautious about the bullpen of St. Louis but knowing St. Louis will find out a way to make it work. I like the movement of their infield with Carpenter moving to first, and Peralta moving to third. I like Randel Grichuk moving to left full-time, and Steven Piscotty moving to right. The big loss of Alex Reyes to Tommy John Surgery this season, but having Michael Wacha being a nice backup option. The way that the Cardinals play baseball is like the way the Patriots play football, the only difference is, the Giants, Dodgers, and Cubs are still in the National League. I think the Cardinals will go 88-74 and still be in the shadow of the Chicago Cubs.

#10 (2016{9}): Detroit Tigers- This is where you start to separate the good teams from the really good teams. And if they is any team fit for a battle for the second Wild Card spot, it’s the Detroit Tigers. Anytime you have the raining Rookie of the Year (Michael Fulmer) and the guy who SHOULD have been the Cy Young of the American League (Justin Verlander), and a guy named Miguel Cabrera you have a good shot at the postseason. I love the fact that Jordan Zimmerman will probably be the 3^rd man in the rotation. I also really like the corner outfield spots and the right side of the infield. The positions that I have some doubt about is the left side of the infield and in center. Listen, both Castellanos and Iglesias have been in the league for some time, but they need to produce if the Tigers want a fighting shot for the division, and they most produce if they want to win that second Wild Card spot. Their pitching is only going to get them so far. Upton, Martinez {J.D.}, and Miggy will only hit so many homers and drive in some many RBI’s. It’s up to guys like Castellanos and Iglesias to make a difference this year and help this team make a postseason run. I can realistically see this team going 89-73 this season, based off the strength of the staff and the power in the middle of that order.

#9 (2016{15}): Toronto Blue Jays- I underestimated this team last year. It might have been because of what the Jays did the season before when they beat the Yankees out for the division, but the Blue Jays are a consistent team, and I team that shouldn’t be taken lightly. The Jays can still hit bombs out of the yard even with the exist of Edwin Encarnacion, the Blue Jays are perhaps the team with the most power on their roster. Give that young staff another year to grow with a great catcher behind the plate in Russel Martin, the rotation could be scary. I like Osuna out the back of the Jays pen. I personally think Osuna is one of the only great closers in the game today. The signing of Steve Pearce will show its value in September when a player like that is really needed. I am curious to see what Ezequiel Carrera can bring to this team. I really think Toronto has something that can impact the AL East for years to come. I have the Blue Jays at the same record as the Tigers at 89-73 because I can’t see who gets that second Wild Card spot on paper.

# 8 (2016{14}): New York Yankees- Now, before you say this is bias coming from a Yankee fan, I truly do think that the Yankees have a legitimate shot at the first Wild Card spot in 2017. Selling at the deadline last year and making this team have the best farm system in the entire league has a huge boost for the franchise. I like the fact that Gary Sanchez has a full season to become one of the best hitting catchers in the league, and I am excited to see what the compotation will be like. The Yankees are built up the middle of the field, with a great shortstop and second base combo in Didi and Castro. The play of Gardner and Ellsbury will be crucial to the success of the team, and the fight for right field should be interesting. Signing Matt Holiday is a big signing for a young team that needs a power hitting DH. Re-acquiring Chapman to pair with Betances will prove huge for the Yankees, by making many games 7-inning ball games. The rotation is a concern after Tanaka and Pineda, but I think Sabathia and Mitchell will be a good 3 and 4 in that rotation. The jury is still out on Severino and I will just leave it at that. I think this Bronx Bombers team gets the second Wild Card spot at worst going 90-74 this year.

#7 (2016{5}): New York Mets- For the Mets to live up to my expectations this year, the key to their success is the health of their pitching. Having the pleasure of having Matz or Wheeler as the 5^th man in your rotation is a wonderful pleasure to have. The health of David Wright would be my main concern as a Met fan. The Mets are just bleeding pitching but David Wright is the captain of the team and if he can play 70+ games this year, the Mets are in good shape. The Mets also cannot trade Jay Bruce if they want to make the playoffs. For all the Mets to make the playoffs Jay Bruce needs to be on the roster in September. I have my feelings about Jeurys Familia, but he is the closer and he will have to have a great season for a World Series shot. As a fan of baseball it will be fun to watch the Mets in 2017, but again PITCHING, PITCHING, PITCHING. The Metropolitans will go 91-73 this year behind that potent staff.

#6 (2016{4}): Washington Nationals- This is a team that HAS to win a playoff series in 2017. The Nationals are a team that is retooled for yet another run into October. Adding Adam Eaton, Adam Lind, and Derek Norris in offseason shows me that the Nationals are focused on depth and a combination of speed and power in 2017. Norris is a good 15+ homer catcher, Lind is just pure depth, and Eaton is an interesting move to move their young Phenom {Trea Turner} to his natural position in shortstop. In the rotation, Gio Gonzalez is going to need to have a bounce back year, after a disappointing 2016. Expect great things from Tanner Roark in his 6^th full season. 2016 was Roark’s first season over 200 innings pitched and he had 16 wins. I wouldn’t be surprised if Roark got 18-20 wins in 2017. Strasburg needs to stay healthy for any type of postseason run. In a very close divisional race, the team in our Nation’s Capital will go 92-72 behind an extremely talented team. 

#5 (2016{3}): San Francisco Giants- The “even year dynasty” can be officially put to bed after a great series against the Cubs last October. The Giants are one of the few teams that just know how to win ball games, and that will do them great things for this year and seasons to come. There was no question that the bullpen was the biggest Achilles heel of the Giants last season and that was addressed with the signing of Mark Melancon. The hard throwing right-hander will easy the nerves of Pitching Coach Dave Righetti and Manager Bruce Bochy. The bullpen caracal that was an issue late in October should be put to rest. For the rest of the ball club, let’s see what Eduardo Nunez has to offer starting at 3^rd this year, the pitching will be solid, and you always have Crawford, Posey, and Pence to fall back on. The Giants will be a heated playoff race in 2017, battling the Dodgers for the entire season, but ultimately falling short going 93-72.

#4 (2016{10}): Los Angeles Dodgers- Resigning Turner and Jansen in the offseason was a big reason why I have the Dodgers sitting at #4 for my rankings. Trading for Logan Forsythe is a big deal given his ability to all over the field and just be an all-out professional ball player. In his time in Tampa he just got better throughout his career. It is safe to say in my opinion that Forsythe is at the prime of his career and will deliver tremendously throughout his time in Dodger Blue. Corey Seager in his second full season will just continue to get better, and I think Andre Either will win the starting rightfield job from Puig and Puig will be on a different team before the July 31^st deadline. Adding Sergio Romo at the back end of that pen will only make the Dodgers a better team and Jansen will make quick friends with Mr. Romo. Kershaw is Kershaw and if you expect anything less than a Cy Young caliber season than you just don’t watch baseball. Winning the division this year won’t be an easy task, but this group of guys has done it before and I think can pull of 94 wins this season. I am excited to see what the Dodgers can do with this core that they have put together.

#3 (2016{20}): Cleveland Indians- If there was any team that I was completely wrong about in 2016, it was the Indians. I would like to apologize to my good friend Tim Haines. Watching the Indians in 2015, I thought they were a good team that would make the run that they made last year in about 3 or so years. The 2015 Indians were a team that was “right there” and the 2016 Indians figured the entire thing out. In my opinion the Indians are the most balanced team in baseball going into 2017. From the infield, to the now healthy outfield, the re-energized starting rotation, and the incredible Andrew Miller at the backend of that bullpen. The Indians are a dangerous team in 2017, and for many years to come. The Indians have the best chance to get back to the World Series in all of baseball, and that includes the Cubs. This team was plagued with injuries during their World Series run last year, and the team just got healthy in the offseason. To add a cherry on top, the Indians went out and signed 42 homers, and 127 RBI’s to DH for them in 2017. Edwin Encarnacion will be the enforcer in the middle of an already imposing Cleveland lineup. If there was Cleveland Indians stock, I would be all-in for a large majority of it. I think the Indians tie for the most wins in the American League having 95. The balance on this roster will amaze people when they step on the field, just wait—it’ll be fun to watch.

#2 (2016{8}): Boston Red Sox- I am surprised my fingers aren’t breaking off my hand and are allowing me to right the words that will come next, but the Red Sox legitimately scare me this year. Just simply having David Price as the probable 3^rd starter in the rotation is astounding and terrifying. The raining Cy Young is most likely going to be the 2^nd man in that rotation, all behind a nasty left arm of Chris Sale. If there was a more shocking move this offseason than the Red Sox going out and trading for Sale, please tell me. Shale will do incredible things for the Red Sox this season. Then, we get to the everyday lineup. Having an outfield that will include the probable Rookie of the Year, an MVP candidate {Mookie Betts}, and a guy who can go out and roll out of bed and it .300. 3^rd base is the biggest question mark for Bostonians, but I personally think Brock Holt will out do Pablo Sandavol when Spring Training is over and done with. The other smaller question is what catcher is going to spend time in the minors. The Red Sox cannot carry three catchers for a large majority of the season. Kimbrel will still be the lock down closer that he is. Great things will happen in Fenway this year. I think the Sox will go 95-70 in 2017.

#1 (2016{1}): Chicago Cubs- Somethings never change, and baseball in Chicago’s North Side is as good as it’s ever been. Even with losing Chapman and Fowler the Cubs are still the best team in baseball. Trading Soler for Wade Davis was something that had to happen when the Cubs didn’t retain Chapman. This trade also starts to free up a crowded outfield. The play of the Cub outfield last year is the reason I think Theo Epstein and the Cubs can live with letting Fowler go. Having Jason Heyward play center will allow Kyle Schwarber play left and move Zobrist to right. The infield is the absolute best in all of baseball, and their catching situation is the best platoon of back stops to have. The rotation took a hit with letting Jason Hammel leave for Kansas City, but the Cubs still have arguably the best rotation in baseball. The bullpen will have a minor dip in production but not much with Wade Davis taking over the closer role. I think this team is the only team that will get over 100 wins in 2017, just because of the level of compition and swift of talent. The Cubs to me will do one game worse than they did in 2016, going 102-59. The 108-year curse of the Billy Goat is a distant memory and the Cubs have an extremely high chance of repeating as champions. Now, I will be careful about saying that because I thought Kansas City could do the same thing following the 2015 season, but that’s why we play the game.

I personally can’t wait for April 2^nd 2017 I am overjoyed for baseball season, and I cannot wait to watching baseball every day. It has been a long cold winter, so with today being the first day of Spring Training games; LET’S PLAY BALL!

Sources:(mlb.com, spotrac.com, mlbtraderumors.com, baseballreference.com)

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