Orioles 6th in SI Power Rankings

[LookitsPuck]

The Rays are being underrated by many on here. Their offense is underrated by everyone as it is the first thing people bring up to discredit them. However, the Rays were an above average offensive club last year (108 wRC+) and I don't think they lost anything and get a full year of Myers. They will be just fine offensively.

They'll be fine offensively, but it's their weakest spot. Still, their pitching and defense is phenomenal.

[OFFNY]

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The Cardinals over the Orioles 4 games to 3.

The Orioles will win the Silver in 2014, and back-to-back Golds in 2015 and 2016.

Maybe ......... maybe it will be the Braves over the O's (in 7 games) instead of the Cardinals over the O's this October.

[survivedc]

I can understand a D+ a couple weeks ago, but I don't see how you can say its a D+ now. And they say Weeks is a key addition but not Yoon, J. Santana or Webb?

I wouldn't put too much if any stock in that ranking...I mean they said that Michael Morse was a key loss for us. Gimme a break.

[isestrex]

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The Cardinals over the Orioles 4 games to 3.

The Orioles will win the Silver in 2014, and back-to-back Golds in 2015 and 2016.

Maybe ......... maybe it will be the Braves over the O's (in 7 games) instead of the Cardinals over the O's this October.

I might have agreed with you a week ago but now that 3 of their starters went down with injuries, I think they're going to struggle to even make the playoffs.

[cacavolante]

Personally I see Boston regressing quite a bit. I don't see the Yankees being as good as people are making them out to be.

I think Tampa is the best team in the division (excellent pitching, excellent defense, so-so offense). Boston's season is entirely dependent on Lester and Bucholz. They got lucky last year in the sense that Lackey turned into Super Lackey and summoned his inner Cy Young.

So:

1. Tampa

2./3./4. Red Sox, O's, Yankees

5. Blue Jays

I certainly wouldn't put the Red Sox in the top 3. Maybe top 10. But they're not nearly as good as they were last year, IMHO.

The Red Sox can (and probably will) regress a ton and still be the best team in the division. It won't be as easy for them as it was last year but they are going to be very tough to beat. I don't think its fair to say that they got lucky last year- they had the highest WAR in baseball, way ahead of the Rays.

[MrOrange82]

The problem with the Orioles is that they could be justifiably ranked anywhere from the top-10 to the 20's. Just depends on how you feel about the pitching.

[WEAVERMAN]

http://www.businessinsider.in/sports/mlb/mlb-power-rankings-heres-where-every-team-stands-at-the-start-of-spring-training/22-Baltimore-Orioles-85-wins-last-year/slideshow/31297542.cms

This has to be the worst poll I have ever seen.

The Orioles are 22nd and won 85 games last year and added Jimenez Cruz

The Angels, who won 78 games and added Ibanez, are 8th

The Giants, who won 76 games and added Hudson, are 9th

The Yankees, like the Orioles won 85 games, added some good players and lost some good players, but I think they are maybe a small bump at best above last year, are 12th

The Mariners, who won 71 games are 14th

The best a team behind had was 11 wins less than us, and a slew more ahead of us. This poll is garbage

That is certain.

[Jonesy10]

Ridiculous that the one article said the BEST case scenario for the O's was finishing in 3rd in the division. That's middle ground IMO considering we were 3rd last year and should be much better this year.

[25 Nuggets]

http://bosoxinjection.com/2014/03/09/mlb-power-rankings-spring-training-edition/

13.) Baltimore Orioles: A flurry of late off-season signings have put the orange birds in a much better position to compete in the toughest division in sports. The O?s have extensive depth in the rotation, a strong lineup, and the best defense in Major League Baseball. The only knock against them is their lack of southpaws in the bullpen. Matusz is solid, but after that there is a grey area.

That's an awful lot of praise for a team that is ranked barely above the median.

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/mlb-power-rankings-16-baltimore-orioles-11746/

16. Baltimore Orioles Best Case: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez continues 2014 the way he closed out 2013 and assumes a role at the top of the rotation. Kevin Gausman starts the year in AAA, but pitches his way into a spot in the big league rotation in June and contends for AL Rookie of the Year. 3B Manny Machado recovers quickly, debuting at the beginning of May, and resumes his Brooks Robinson impersonation. Chris Davis continues crushing AL pitching while again leading the AL in HR?s. Adam Jones continues to be one of the most underappreciated players in baseball. Nelson Cruz mashes in the middle of the lineup in a park that should suit him well. RHP Dylan Bundy?s rehab goes well and he pitches in September for the Orioles. The Orioles finish in third in the AL East, but manage to get the second AL Wildcard.

Best case scenario is 3rd place in the division? C'mon guys. If all that happens -- if we get CYA contender Jimenez and AL RoY Gausman the rotation will be one of the best in baseball (Tillman #3?). Then you get 50 HRs from Davis and oh, 35 HRs from Cruz... and 30 from Jones and blah blah... top offense, top defense, top rotation = at least a division crown jeez.

[LA2]

If the O's get Ervin and the rankings are still middling then they're complete rubbish.

[cacavolante]

http://www.businessinsider.in/sports/mlb/mlb-power-rankings-heres-where-every-team-stands-at-the-start-of-spring-training/22-Baltimore-Orioles-85-wins-last-year/slideshow/31297542.cms

This has to be the worst poll I have ever seen.

The Orioles are 22nd and won 85 games last year and added Jimenez Cruz

The Angels, who won 78 games and added Ibanez, are 8th

The Giants, who won 76 games and added Hudson, are 9th

The Yankees, like the Orioles won 85 games, added some good players and lost some good players, but I think they are maybe a small bump at best above last year, are 12th

The Mariners, who won 71 games are 14th

The best a team behind had was 11 wins less than us, and a slew more ahead of us. This poll is garbage

There are some problems with this poll, but I don't think it's as simple as listing who each team added or subtracted. Not many people give Chris Davis much of a chance of being as valuable as he was last year. Maybe Nick makes up for that. Maybe Wieters is better. I certainly don't think Cruz is really going to offer much over what we could have replaced him with. I was in a Fangraphs chat after we signed Ubaldo and Cruz and someone asked Dave Cameron whether the O's would be over/under 87 wins. His answer was, "way, way under." Now those guys were down on us last year too, so I don't treat their word as gospel. Actually, I think they are wrong but I do treat their opinions seriously. I would have us higher but I don't think this ranking is outside the realm of possibility. I'm happy to watch us prove it on the field.

[BohKnowsBmore]

If the O's get Ervin and the rankings are still middling then they're complete rubbish.

Well it doesn't seem like that will be an issue.

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[Orioles0615]

Mid teens sounds about right to me, I was thinking 13-14. As long as we are ahead of the Blue Jays, I am tired of reading comments from their fans how they still think they are high and mighty and their GM could kill puppies and they would still throw a parade for him.

[Babypowder]

They'll be fine offensively, but it's their weakest spot. Still, their pitching and defense is phenomenal.

I think it's quite possible they are better than us offensively, just as they were last year.

[Babypowder]

That's an awful lot of praise for a team that is ranked barely above the median.

Best case scenario is 3rd place in the division? C'mon guys. If all that happens -- if we get CYA contender Jimenez and AL RoY Gausman the rotation will be one of the best in baseball (Tillman #3?). Then you get 50 HRs from Davis and oh, 35 HRs from Cruz... and 30 from Jones and blah blah... top offense, top defense, top rotation = at least a division crown jeez.

I think most people outside of Baltimore would put the Red Sox and Rays above us in the division, with the Yankees and us fighting it out for 3rd. It doesn't seem like much of a stretch.