My Rankings

When I do a rankings I look at all 12 stats and the chances of a team winning them any given week. Hence a team with a ton of power I see RBI and HR's being a solid lock week to week. Same for pitchers and quality without inflating based on hype. Try to give more of a realistic approach, and finally I look at depth. especially SP depth as we know its rare to see no injuries especially at SP.

1. Olivet Killer Eagles

A team I felt has followed the same ideas as my own. Cover all 12 stats and then work on depth. Team did a nice job after missing 2004 playoffs to secure a run last year but fell short. This year reloaded and ready to once again challenge for the title. All 6 stats covered in his offense. Solid starting staff if a few can repeat. 1 closer will need to be addressed and mediocre hold guys as most are not the top setupmen. Still top to bottom this is the best team starting the year. Some of the work ons include RP and SP depth. Offense is covered.

2. New Jersey Mets

We are VERY close to Olivet but differ in a few ways. The offense is very close but Olivet has a little more power. The SP is also a question mark due to having 2 guys that need to prove they can stay healthy. We benefited from a a low draft pick. Something that never has happened before with this team. Like Olivet depth in offense is a major plus. Not many teams have a Reggie Sanders guy as a bench player. SP will be very good if Escobar and Penny stay healthy but due to their question marks I can't put myself up top. Pen solid 3 closers and good setup men. Will make a title run again unless I hit more massive injuries.

3. Springfield Slammers

The next few teams are very close. Springfield gets the edge due to better SP and RP. Team doesn't have the dominating offense but will be in it 4-5 stats per week. Yet NO depth at all. 1 goes down this team could find themselves out of the playoff bracket. The trades in the offseason really helped this team. SP are much better then in years past. Hudson and Zito will carry them. 2 very god closers in Wagner and Turnbow. That with plenty of holds. The pitching combine with the offense they have will make them a contender even more so if he can get depth.

4. Carolina Yankees

Like Springfield very solid with only a few little holes. The difference between 1 and 6 is a hair. Very hard to rank. This team has one fo the top offense in the league. Weakness is maybe a few more HR's. Yet top to bottom should win or compete with every stat. Like most others no depth. SP love the top 4. Solid proven guys Wang is a question mark but as a #5 you can't complain. 1 closer is the weakness of this team and that's probably the reason they are not in the top 3. If Clemens returns this team is going to be stacked. Looks like Chris finally put it together right. Lets see if he can maintain it when injuries happen.

5. Columbus Stuff

Overall the top Offense in Runs/HR/RBI. Decent speed and BB. Most weeks will win or at least be in the running. Solid BA guys. 4-6 stats per week from offense will offset other areas. SP is a big concern IMO. Santana will dominate but lets go to 2-5. Lowe was decent last year but being a groundball pitcher and not power year after year has proven to be different. I am not a Sabathia fan. 1 year of a sub 4ERA. He is of but not as a #2. then we get into the Chacon and Vargas. Both who I expect to struggle. Leaving this team reaching for SP later in the year. I like this teams RP. Solid setup guys. Yet maybe 1 closer. If a few moves are made this team might be able to pull off back to back. Yet I don't see the owner making enough moves to do it.

6. Gaylord Dingers

Team has a solid offense. Good Run producers and very good power, Decent RBI's but the trouble areas are BB and BA. No SPEED. Punting that one. Not 1 guy that walks 90 times and only 1 guy hitting over .300. Still every week this team will contend with 4-5 stats. SP is a big question. Beckett when healthy is solid but most are expecting his ERA to hit 4 now in AL East. Webb will be decent. Now we come to the AARP guys. Maddux and Glavine. I have more faith in Glavine then Maddux but both look to fall. Maddux has since 2000. 2 closers. Something most teams don't have and the best 2 MR's. OVerall the Pitching makes up for the loss at some of the offense but they will need to make moves if they want to contend. Can easily drop out with a few injuries.

7. Knoxville Possums

Team has solid run producers and good power. Very good speed and will take that every week. The weaker parts of this offense is the BB and BA guys. 1 guy that walks more then 80 times a year and only 2 guys that hit 300 or better. Those areas are the needs this team on offense. Burnett and Colon are a solid 1-2 punch. Most of the pitching stats will be a question mark. They have 2 closers but no really MR. Team is going to need some management during the year. if it wants to move up to the elites but it isn't impossible.

8. Nor Cal Sluggers

Here is an offense that is solid all around but not many "studs" Will be decent in Runs/HR/RBI taking out some of the middle to lower tier teams every week. If Podsednik plays every week he will compete with SB's. He will make or break them their. Team needs to work on finding guys to BB. Most weeks they will lose that and the smae for BA. Alnother weaker spot. Alou won't hit that well again and Castillo is declining. SP is what keeps this team within striking distance. Solid top 3 with Halladay, Schmidt, Mulder. 3 good closers and ok MR. The pitching is what balances out some of the needs in the hitting area. Not totally out of it. A few moves and this team is fighting for a spot.

9. Bay Area Dawgs

Solid offense even with part timer Barry. Have decent run producers and solid power. Will need a few guys to step up in the RBI areas. Solid SB will win most weeks there. Teams work is going to be on BB and BA. Bonds is a moster BB guy but no way of knowing how many games he will play. Lee their best BA guy but last year was MVP season. Only can go down. Teams work is going to be on SP. They don't have one solid, proven, dependable SP. Prior is solid but not dependable. Perez you never know what you get but if history repeats he will have a good year. Cain is young and not enough innings to see how he will last all year. Seo and Sosa won't come close to those numbers but overall it could be worse. 1 closer with some ok RP. Work will need to be done on this staff but if the chips fall right they might be able to make a run at the title.

10. Mid Michigan Tigers

Very hard choice the next 3 are tight. Team has solid offense all around. Not great any where but will compete each week for 3-5 stats. The 2 areas this team will need to work on are speed. I don't see Freel being a starter. Already have hinted he is going to be a platoon guy and in a weekly start league guys who play 2-3 games a week are worthless. BB is also weak for this team. I put this team here based on the fact they have 2 studs at SP in Martinez and Carpenter. Morris is fading and Byrd is decent. 2 closers is a plus in this league and of setup men. Another team that if they make the right moves can be a contender.

11. South Texas Heat

Team is in transition this year. Last few years have been fighting for the title only to come up short. he keeper loss hurt them. The offense won't scare many teams Mainly cause health is a major issue. Hunter, Drew and Floyd even though he stayed healthy last year always an injury concern. They have ok power and didn't have 1 100 RBI guy last year. With Crawford they will win SB almost every week and very good BA guys. Need to find some guys who can walk though. They could have a decent bench if some guys are traded or win starting jobs. The pitching is what will make or break them from making a run. Zambrano is the proven ACE of this team. Feliz has a nice future. Most expect great things I do too eventually. Yet he has sophmore slump written all over him. Still won't be terrible. Lieber will be avg in Philly as its a hitters park. Cabrera I love and should improve a lot this year. Liriano will he will be in AAA to start. basically a non factor this year. 1 closer but solid MR. Overall they will need to improve SP and closers to make a run.. I see this team building for next year.

12. Encinitas Beach Bums

Has a lot of avg areas. Team is looking towards next year and the signings will could make this team a contender for next year or another mediocre season. Kent and Beltran are his 2 offensive studs. Runs/HR's/RBI's will be ok against the bottom of the league but most likely not enough punch for the top 6-9 teams. Beltran his real SB threat and NOBODY who will take a walk. BA will also be avg. Team is obviously built on pitching. Staff will be decent but nothing mind blowing. Should be in ERA/WHIP battle each week. Along with solid K's. Having 3 closers will win saves and solid holds guy. Overall the pitching will keep them in most weeks but will find that they will be on the short end most weeks.

13 Pacific Beach Bombers

Team has a solid well rounded offense but obviously needs a few guys to improve from last year. Guillen hurt is going to prove to be a big loss. Runs/HR/RBI will be competitive each week but against the top half of the teams will struggle. Tavarez gave this team a shot at SB each week. and onl1 guy that can walk will hurt. BA will be hit or miss each week but not the worst. For the SP Garcia is his lone stud. Yet at least he has guys that have thrown some innings in the majors. Capuano has to build on last year. faded towards end and Suppan has to repeat. Has 2 closers and most weeks win that, along with a quality pen. Overall I see them near 6-6 every week. Hopefully build on for next year to make a run.

14. ES Blacksox

This team is another in the line of Pacific. Can dominate some of the 12 stats but get blown away in the others. Team should win runs almost every week. Yet not 1 guy hit 20 or more HR's. and 1 with 80 or more RBI. Has a bunch of SB guys and most weeks could win that. Then back to losing BB and BA is ok. SP is decent. RJ, Kazmir,Haren are all solid guys and should hjelp him in the ERA/WHIP/K's area. 2 solid proven closers along with an avg MR. A team built on being near .500. Needs to have an identity. Is it a pitching team or hitting? Will have some big decisions on their future. Do they lock up pitching or hiting for next year and build on the other in next years draft?

15. North Texas Rangers

Here is a team that reached all draft. They have a few solid guys in Teixeira and Vlad but went rookie or youngster crazy. I think Adrian forgot this is really a 2-3 year keeper system not dynasty. By the time some of this guys get good they will be out of contract time. Team has little power after Tex and Vlad same with RBI's. No real BB guys or any speed. Lots of work with this team. Will obviously take some risky contracts to hopefully contend in a year or 2 from now. SP will be decent. Probably why I don't have them at or near last. They can compete with most of the pitching stats any given week. Something for this team to build on for next year. Hittinghas to be the top priority in setting contracts if it wants to improve for next year. Look for them to be lottery this year and consolidation next year if it all works out with the guys he gives contracts too.

16. Dallas Redbirds

Dallas could easily pull off a Columbus next year. They could be setup for next year buy having a few solid keepers and being a lottery team in a good draft class. If a few of these guys breakout Dallas could be in the consolidation bracket very easy based on a few of their hitting guys. They can sneak out some of the offensive stats any given week when they are hot. RBi's will be tough to come by along with SB's but Dunn will help them in BB and BA is ok. The strenght of this team is its hitting. Pettitte is a major improvement to his staff. Mussina on the down side and most feel Hernandez is getting burnt out. Blanton was a nice pickup in the draft. Still even with that. Most weeks they will struggle in K's, Holds, Saves. Meaning facing a top team they will have a hard time breaking even. The contracts they assign will tell you how much they will improve for next year.

17. Brewers

The self proclaimed playoff team seems to have less believers in everything he says. Only 4 of his 10 offensive starters had 500 or more AB's last year. Health is a concern and they have question marks all over. Will lose most of the offensive stats every week. Not much to like here. Yet has some nice keepers lined up for next year. Use this year as a building blocks and depending on who they lock up they might be on the way up finally. SP is a HUGE question mark. Sheets already hurt and didn't last all last year healthy. Schilling on the way back and Wells isn't getting any younger. They could be hurting in the K's/ERA/WHIP area. Well shit they are hurting all over. I see them losing most of the pitching each week easpecially facing a playoff team. They are only a hair above Michigan team. Thats sad too since they didn't really draft until round 11.

18. Michigan Miracles

The ex-Broskey team has a lot of work to do here. Broskey totally fucked the new owner. It's not like its one year. In the draft position they were in they couldn't even lock up many future guys as most went well before he drafted. They are just looking to play out the year and then lock up AROD next year. They make the right moves next eyar they could contend in 2-3 years. Lots of work here but at least they are not expecting to do much.
There you have it.. I could easily swap out so many as the league is getting very tight. An injury or 2 to major guys will throw the league. Depth is a huge factor.