American League Power Rankings: April 11
Week one of the 2016 Major League Baseball season is in the books, and their were definitely some surprising starts both good and bad. See where the teams ended up after the first week of play wrapped up in our latest American League Power Rankings at Southside Showdown.
team. 7. The Royals opened the season strong with a 4-1 record, good enough to keep them at the top of both the AL Central, as well as our Power Rankings for this week. After splitting a pair with the Mets, and sweeping the Twins the Royals will take on the Astros, who have stumbled out of the gates this week. . (4-1). Previous: 1st. Kansas City royals. 1
The Rangers jump the intrastate rival Astros this week by a hair, as they opened just a smidgen stronger than the Astros this week. The Rangers split a four game series with the Angels after dropping two of three to the Mariners to open the season. . (3-4). Previous: 3rd. Texas Rangers. 2. team. 126
135. The Astros have stumbled out of the gate during Opening Week, after losing two out of three to both the Yankees, as well as the Brewers. As if that wasn’t bad enough, they open a series with the defending champion Kansas City Royals this week. . (2-4). Previous: 2nd. Houston Astros. 3. team
The White Sox took three of four to open the season in Oakland, on the strength of strong pitching, and timely hitting. After splitting a pair this weekend on the south side, the White Sox head to Minnesota to take on the lowly Twins for a three game tilt, looking to continue their best start since 2005.. (4-2). Previous: 6th. Chicago White Sox. 4. team. 128
(3-1). Previous: 8th. Detroit Tigers. 5. team. 63. The Tigers rose three spots in our power rankings after a 3-1 start to the season. The Tigers took two games from the Marlins in south beach, before splitting two games with the Yankees in Mo-Town, and having the rubber match rained out. The Tigers kick off a series with the Pittsburgh Pirates this week.
Previous: 7th. New York Yankees. 6. team. 43. The Yankees climb a spot in the Power Rankings this week after a 3-2 start to the season. The Yanks’ took two of three at home against the Astros in a rematch of the 2015 AL Wild Card game, before splitting a pair in Detroit. The Yankees begin a series this week in Toronto versus the division rival Blue Jays.. (3-2)
39. The Blue Jays had a less than stellar start to the 2016 season as they managed just a split of a four game series with the Rays, before dropping two of the to the Red Sox this weekend. The Jays will open a series with the Yankees in Toronto this week.. (3-4). Previous: 4th. Toronto Blue Jays. 8. team
(3-2). Previous: 9th. Boston Red Sox. 9. team. 14. The Boston Red Sox opened the season by splitting a frigid pair with the Tribe in Cleveland, and managed to take two of three in Toronto this weekend, almost impressive enough to rise in the latest Power Rankings, but I feel at this point that the Red Sox potential this season is as inflated as both their payroll, and <a href=
The Orioles opened the 2016 season, as well as they possibly could have at 5-0, good enough to climb three spots in this weeks rankings. Why not higher? Because their five wins are against the Twins, and the Rays all at Camden Yards as well. I’m not going to get too high on the Orioles just yet, they will have a tough few weeks ahead as they play the Red Sox, Rangers, Blue Jays, and White Sox.. (5-0). Previous: 13th. Baltimore Orioles. 10. team. 11
The Tampa Bay Rays started the season at 2-4, about what I expected for the Rays. The will have their hands full this weekend at The Trop, with a series versus the Indians who are looking to thaw out from the frigid temps of both Cleveland, and Chicago. . (2-4). . Tampa Bay Rays. 11. team. 21
While the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim had a strong showing in Cactus League play, they stumbled out of the gates this week to open the regular season dropping four of their first six games, good for a share of last place with the Mariners in the AL West.. (2-4). Previous: 11th. Los Angeles Angels. 12. team. 102
team. 62. The Mariners like the Angels opened the season 2-4, and have to play the staunch Texas Rangers this week.. (2-4). Previous: 14th. Seattle Mariners. 13
2. The Minnesota Twins are a young team, with some excellent emerging stars ready to break out at anytime, but severely lack starting pitching depth. They showed their youth, and lack of pitching this week as they dropped all six of their games to open the season. Now at 0-6, the White Sox come to town this week looking to continue their hot start. The Twins might be in big trouble early in a rough, and tough AL Central.. (0-6). Previous: 12th. Minnesota Twins. 14. team
Not even a 4-3 record to open the season could convince me that the A’s are not the worst team in the American League. The A’s dropped three of four to the White Sox at home to open the season, with their lone win being in the tails of a stellar performance by <a href=. (4-3). Previous: 15th. Oakland Athletics. 15. team. 96