BIG TESTS COMING
FOR APRIL'S HOT STARTERS
Just one more week into the season, we're starting to see
some stronger teams emerge. But we're also ready to crown a new No. 1, as the
Astros rode their nine-game win streak to the top of rankings, earning three
first-place votes to replace the Dodgers in the top slot. But that was just the
start of some major reshuffling by our voters.
As he prepares to make his 2019 debut Monday, the Dodgers
ace knows "if you keep getting hurt ... you have to change." The
could mean bringing back a pitch he hasn't leaned on often.
It shouldn't surprise anyone that the Indians fell from the
top 10, or that the Cardinals might move in. The biggest surprise is that the
Dodgers and Phillies were so quickly crowded out of the top two spots. As a
result, we have three new teams in the top five, as the Astros and Rays moved
into the top two rungs, and the Mariners moved up to No. 5.
The Astros' jump up to claim the top slot may have been the
most impressive gain of the week, but the Cardinals and Reds made even bigger
gains over Week 1, advancing seven spots apiece. And can the teams that
declined rally? The Red Sox, our No. 1 team on Opening Day, slipped down to No.
12, while the injury-wracked Yankees almost fell from the top 10. The biggest
drop was suffered by the Rockies (nine spots).
The challenge for the week to come is how well the hot teams
can consolidate their gains. This early, you're going to see some big swings in
the rankings -- anyone remember last year's Mets? But last year also showed us
how teams such as the Rays and A's can rise high late in the season. Which
teams will make this week's results stick?
1. HOUSTON
ASTROS
2019 record: 11-5
Week 1 ranking: 7
This week's matchups: 2 games at Oakland, 3 at
Texas
What to watch: Houston will head into Tuesday night's game against
the A's riding a nine-game win streak after consecutive sweeps of the A's,
Yankees and Mariners. Like their 42-16 start in 2017, this is the kind of run
that could put away the AL West race by June -- if they can keep it going. And
keep an eye on Jose Altuve.
After homering in five straight games last week, he saw his bid to tie the team
record of six straight come up short. But who says the former MVP won't keep
raking?
2. TAMPA BAY
RAYS
2019 record: 12-4
Week 1 ranking: 5
This week's matchups: 3 games vs. Baltimore, 3
vs. Boston
What to watch: Friday's series opener against Boston potentially
pits Blake Snell and Rick Porcello in
a showdown between former Cy Young winners. Austin
Meadows is enjoying a breakout season after six early-season
homers and 17 RBIs, reminding people why he was once a top Pirates prospect.
Watch for Joey Wendle too;
the Rays' best position player via WAR last year is expected back from the IL.
3. MILWAUKEE
BREWERS
2019 record: 10-6
Week 1 ranking: 3
This week's matchups: 3 games vs. St. Louis, 4
vs. L.A. Dodgers
What to watch: It's a tough week on the schedule, but it's also an
opportunity to climb higher. Winning last weekend's series against the Dodgers
was nice, but next weekend both teams return to the site of the Brewers'
National League Championship Series Game 7 loss to L.A. And you know you want
to see if Christian
Yelich can continue his career own age of Clayton Kershaw now
that the Dodgers ace is back in action. Yelich has two homers and a 1.240 OPS
in 23 plate appearances, but he also has seven strikeouts.
4. NEW YORK METS
2019 record: 9-6
Week 1 ranking: 4
This week's matchups: 3 games at Philadelphia, 3
at St. Louis
What to watch: While some might wonder if Pete Alonso can
keep up his early-season hitting exploits, fantasy fans already know
this should be a two-start week for Noah
Syndergaard, with turns on Monday night and next weekend. So far,
Thor is throwing his fastball more often than he has since 2015, with velocity
sitting at about 98 mph, while generating an eye-popping 20-2 ratio of
strikeouts to walks in his first three starts. Hitters are managing an exit
velocity of just 83.9 mph against him, tied for second lowest in baseball.
5. SEATTLE
MARINERS
2019 record: 13-5
Week 1 ranking: 10
This week's matchups: 3 games vs. Cleveland, 4
at L.A. Angels
What to watch: Suffering a sweep at the hands of the Astros may
have reminded Seattle who the big dogs of the AL West are, but the Mariners'
surprising hot start is creating new heroes on the national stage. Start
with Marco
Gonzales, still 4-0 despite Seattle's loss in his last start. Also,
what has gotten into Daniel
Vogelbach? The beefy backup 1B/DH has ripped 10 extra-base hits, six
of them home runs in just 12 games, slugging .973.
6. LOS ANGELES
DODGERS
2019 record: 9-8
Week 1 ranking: 1
This week's matchups: 3 games vs. Cincinnati, 4
at Milwaukee
What to watch: Welcome back the Dodgers' inconsistency that
bedeviled them in years past. Their six-game losing streak they finally snapped
Sunday was their longest since they tumbled 11 straight times in 2017. But now
that Clayton
Kershaw is due back from the IL to pitch Monday night, L.A.
might be able to flip the script and reel off a winning streak.
7. ST. LOUIS
CARDINALS
2019 record: 9-6
Week 1 ranking: 14
This week's matchups: 3 games at Milwaukee, 3
vs. N.Y. Mets
What to watch: It's early, but the slight improvement Marcell Ozuna is
showing in his average launch angle (up three points) is showing bigger
dividends in his power, as he's slugging almost 200 points higher. A trip to
Miller Park should give him a good venue to see how well those improvements
will pay off against the Brewers in an already important NL Central showdown.
8. ATLANTA
BRAVES
2019 record: 9-6
Week 1 ranking: 8
This week's matchups: 3 games vs. Arizona, 3 at
Cleveland
What to watch: A little later than teammates Ronald Acuna
Jr. and Ozzie Albies,
shortstop Dansby
Swanson might be having his own breakout season at the plate in
his age-25 season; his .995 OPS is best among NL shortstops. And with three
games against the team that traded him to lead off the week, he might be able
to show off what Arizona missed out on after sending Swanson to Atlanta in the
now-infamous Shelby Miller trade.
9. PHILADELPHIA
PHILLIES
2019 record: 9-5
Week 1 ranking: 2
This week's matchups: 3 games vs. N.Y. Mets, 4
at Colorado
What to watch: Everybody knew when the Phillies signed Bryce Harper that
they were getting an OBP machine. What was less expected was that Andrew
McCutchen would slide into the leadoff role and be just as
potent at getting aboard -- the duo of free-agent additions are tied for the
MLB lead with 14 walks apiece. How that grinding approach works out against the
Mets should bear watching in the first series between the teams this season.
10. NEW YORK
YANKEES
2019 record: 6-9
Week 1 ranking: 6
This week's matchups: 2 games vs. Boston, 4 vs.
Kansas City
What to watch: The banged-up Yankees aren't in great shape for
their first matchups with the Red Sox. New York enters the week having lost
five of six, and for the season, has lost six of nine at home against teams that
can't be considered the iron of the AL -- the Orioles, Tigers and White Sox.
This is a big week for left-hander James Paxton,
who gets his first taste of the rivalry when he faces Chris Sale.
Paxton (1-2, 6.80) said he thought he was tipping pitches in Houston when he
allowed five runs and eight hits, including two homers, in four innings last
Wednesday.
11. WASHINGTON
NATIONALS
2019 record: 7-7
Week 1 ranking: 12
This week's matchups: 3 games vs. San Francisco,
3 at Miami
What to watch: The Nationals will want to take advantage of two weaker
foes as their present .500 record isn't going to cut it in the
ultra-competitive NL East. Doing his part so far is Anthony
Rendon, who entered Sunday ranked as follows: tied for second in
slugging (.922), second in isolated power (.510), third in wOBA (.553) and
third in WRC+ (242).
12. BOSTON RED
SOX
2019 record: 6-10
Week 1 ranking: 11
This week's matchups: 1 game vs. Baltimore, 2 at
N.Y. Yankees, 3 at Tampa Bay
What to watch: The weekend series against the Rays takes on a bit
of importance as the Red Sox dig out from their slow start, and having their
Cy-winning trio of Rick Porcello, David Price and Chris Sale lined
up to pitch might still look good on paper, but Boston's starters have an
MLB-worst 7.34 ERA, and their rotation's strikeout rate of 18.8 percent ranks
27th.
13. SAN DIEGO
PADRES
2019 record: 11-6
Week 1 ranking: 13
This week's matchups: 2 games vs. Colorado, 4
vs. Cincinnati
What to watch: The Padres head home in first place after a 7-3 road
trip despite having a minus-3 run differential on the season. Part of the
reason is their pitchers have been great at stranding runners (NL-high 108),
but of course that also means they're letting a lot of guys on in the first
place. Fernando
Tatis Jr. came alive on the trip, posting a 1.180 OPS. Now he'll try
to impress the home fans, in front of who his OPS is just .619.
14. CLEVELAND
INDIANS
2019 record: 8-7
Week 1 ranking: 9
This week's matchups: 3 games at Seattle, 3 vs.
Atlanta
What to watch: As if getting swept by the Royals over the weekend
wasn't bad enough, seeing Corey Kluber get
crushed Sunday while walking five batters in a turn for the first time in his
career doesn't bode well. And when will Jose Ramirez's
bat come to life? Between a .373 OPS and no homers so far, last year's
MVP-worthy breakout seems like a distant memory.
15. OAKLAND
ATHLETICS
2019 record: 10-9
Week 1 ranking: 16
This week's matchups: 2 games vs. Houston, 3 vs.
Toronto
What to watch: Fueled in part by Khris Davis '
MLB-leading 10 home runs, the A's will have to run their streak of seven
straight games with multiple home runs up against the Astros, but will at least
miss both Justin
Verlander and Gerrit Cole in
their abbreviated series.
16. CHICAGO CUBS
2019 record: 5-9
Week 1 ranking: 19
This week's matchups: 3 games at Miami, 3 vs.
Arizona
What to watch: Following a snow postponement Sunday in Chicago, the
Cubs head to warmer climates having somewhat righted their ship following a 1-6
start. Offense hasn't been an issue, especially if Jason Heyward can
continue his resurgence. Heyward has a .375/.460/.700 slash line with four
homers and 10 RBIs. Two big changes from his recent struggles: an improved
launch angle (19 degrees this year after being at 9.0 from 2015-18) and a K
rate of just 8.0 percent (second best in baseball).
17. MINNESOTA
TWINS
2019 record: 8-4
Week 1 ranking: 15
This week's matchups: 4 games vs. Toronto, 3 at
Baltimore
What to watch: The surprising first-place Twins have a chance to
pad their AL Central lead against the AL East's bottom-feeders. Eddie Rosario has
helped fuel Minnesota with an 1.187 OPS over the past nine games, but his
combined career OPS against Toronto and Baltimore is just .647.
18. PITTSBURGH PIRATES
2019 record: 8-6
Week 1 ranking: 18
This week's matchups: 2 games at Detroit, 3 vs.
San Francisco
What to watch: The Pirates, who were 15-5 in interleague play last
season, dive in against the AL for the first time this season Tuesday and
Wednesday at Detroit. Pittsburgh's surprising pitching staff (2.69 ERA) faces a
pair of teams hitting below .210 for the season.
19. LOS ANGELES
ANGELS
2019 record: 8-7
Week 1 ranking: 21
This week's matchups: 3 games at Texas, 4 vs.
Seattle
What to watch: Getting Mike Trout back
from his strained groin, because after five homers and a 1.529 OPS in his first
dozen games, nobody who doesn't pitch for a living wanted to see his hot start
come to an end. He's supposed to travel to Texas, not a moment too soon for an
injury-wracked Angels team trying to stay over .500.
20. CINCINNATI
REDS
2019 record: 5-9
Week 1 ranking: 27
This week's matchups: 3 at L.A. Dodgers, 4 at
San Diego
What to watch: Yasiel Puig hit
his first home run as a Red on Sunday, just in time to get off the schneid as
he faces his former teammates in his former home ballpark. Will a return to
Dodger Stadium cure what's been ailing Puig's bat? As bad as Puig's season has
been (.502 OPS), it's almost 100 points better than fellow former Dodger Matt Kemp (.405).
21. DETROIT
TIGERS
2019 record: 8-7
Week 1 ranking: 23
This week's matchups: 2 vs. Pittsburgh, 4 vs.
White Sox
What to watch: Tune in Tuesday to see how Matthew Boyd --
whiffing batters at an MLB-best 15.1 K/9 clip -- fares against the Pirates, who
beat him badly in both of his previous starts against them. And then stay tuned
to see if he draws the assignment against the White Sox on Sunday -- Boyd has
an 18-inning scoreless streak against them ever since Chicago inflicted a
five-run inning on him on August 27, 2017.
22. SAN FRANCISCO
GIANTS
2019 record: 7-10
Week 1 ranking: 26
This week's matchups: 3 games at Washington, 3
at Pittsburgh
What to watch: After suffering their third shutout loss of the
season Sunday, the Giants have been held to one run or none in seven of their
first 17 games, they're below the Mendoza line at the plate, last in the league
in OPS (.572) and OBP (.259), and next-to-last in runs (averaging just 2.76 per
game). All of that has combined to mute the excellent start from the pitching
staff, whose 2.75 ERA ranks third in the majors.
23. ARIZONA
DIAMONDBACKS
2019 record: 7-9
Week 1 ranking: 20
This week's matchups: 3 at Atlanta, 3 at Cubs
What to watch: Coming off a 4-5 homestand, the D-backs open a
10-game trip looking to build some positive momentum. Robbie Ray is
scheduled to start Tuesday's opener at Atlanta, and though he has allowed three
or fewer hits in three straight starts to begin the season, he also has 11
walks. Pitch count issues have prevented him from going deeper than 5⅓ innings.
24. Texas Rangers
2019 record: 7-7
Week 1 ranking: 22
This week's matchups: 3 games vs. Angels, 3 vs.
Astros
What to watch: This figures to be a challenging week for the
Rangers, who scored just four runs in suffering a three-game sweep at the
Angels earlier this month, then tangle with the red-hot Astros. Texas'
rotation, which was held together with bubble gum and shoestrings, to begin
with, could use some good signs from Shelby Miller,
who is scheduled to make two starts, including Monday. His first two starts
haven't gone well (5⅔ IP, 8 walks, 3.18 WHIP, 9.53 ERA).
25. TORONTO BLUE
JAYS
2019 record: 5-11
Week 1 ranking: 24
This week's matchups: 4 games at Minnesota, 3 at
Oakland
What to watch: The combination of a slow start, an injury-wracked
pitching staff and a long road trip may not sound like a great week to watch
them, but the window for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to get called up without being
credited with a full season of service time should soon open. He already has
hit his first home run at Triple-A Buffalo, so it's only a matter of time.
26. COLORADO
ROCKIES
2019 record: 4-12
Week 11 ranking: 17
This week's matchups: 2 games at San Diego, 4
vs. Philadelphia
What to watch: Needless to say, the Rockies are in scramble mode,
having lost 12 of 13 before German
Marquez one-hit the Giants on Sunday. They're tied with the
Marlins for last in the NL with 46 runs (which can't last, right?), and start
the week with two games at the first-place Padres. Then they host the Phillies
at Coors Field, where they still haven't won a game this season (0-5).
27. CHICAGO WHITE
SOX
2019 record: 5-9
Week 1 ranking: 25
This week's matchups: 3 games vs. Kansas City, 4
at Detroit
What to watch: Check out Tim Anderson 's
see-ball, hit-ball approach while he's still hot; his MLB-high .500 BABIP while
seeing just 3.27 pitches per plate appearance (185th out of 188 players). What
the White Sox need to see is their rotation get turned around; their 6.78 ERA
is second-worst in the majors, with both Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo
Lopez combining to allow 31 runs in 29⅓ IP.
28. BALTIMORE
ORIOLES
2019 record: 6-10
Week 1 ranking: 30
This week's matchups: 1 game at Boston, 3 at
Tampa Bay, 3 vs. Minnesota
What to watch: The O's might be mired in a 2-8 skid, but they've
been more competitive than expected, Chris Davis finally
did end his epic oh-fer, and they should get Alex Cobb back
from the IL to shore up the rotation this week.
29. KANSAS CITY
ROYALS
2019 record: 5-10
Week 1 ranking: 28
This week's matchups: 3 games at Chi. White Sox,
4 at N.Y. Yankees
What to watch: Brad Keller is
showing that his strong rookie season was no fluke, opening the season with
four straight quality starts, five if you count back to last season. With a 1.8
ground ball/fly ball ratio that rates in the top five and a strikeout rate
that's going up, he might take the injured Salvador
Perez's place as a legit Royals All-Star.
30. MIAMI MARLINS
2019 record: 4-12
Week 1 ranking: 29
This week's matchups: 3 games vs. Chi. Cubs, 3
vs. Washington
What to watch: The lineup may be struggling to score, averaging
just 2.9 runs per game, and they may not have won a series yet this season, but
they finally reached five figures in attendance for a home game in both of
their weekend games. Will the marquee power of the Cubs and Nationals keep that
streak going? Having Trevor
Richards and Caleb Smith going
strong in the rotation might also help.
No comments:
Post a Comment