5 Up 5 Down: Power Rankings – 28th August 2013

The post-season race is really starting to heat up, with the new wildcard system keeping more teams in contention than ever. In the NL, the five play-off teams have almost got their tickets stamped, as the Diamondbacks are the only team that can realistically chase down a wildcard spot. There will still be a hectic race to the title in the NL Central however, as three teams are all within four games of each other and will look to clinch the first place spot and avoid a one-game shoot-out.

In the American League, the picture is far less clear, with the Tigers the only obvious division winner, although with a 5.5 game lead, they can’t afford to be complacent. Boston are currently on top in the East, but Tampa Bay are just 1.5 games back and the Orioles and Yankees refuse to leave the post-season picture. Texas has a 2.5 game lead in the West, but the Athletics will refuse to give up the chase, especially when their wildcard lead is shrinking by the day.

All in all, it adds up to a fascinating September, with a lot of storylines to follow and a lot of drama to keep up with. So, with that said, which team’s arrow is pointing upwards, and which teams are desperately trying to get out of a minor tailspin?

1. St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have something of a history of September dominance, and they look geared up for another huge post-season run after going 8-2 in their last 10 games and taking the lead in the NL Central race. Although starting pitching may become a problem when Shelby Miller nears his innings limit, the bullpen has been dominant and the line-up has impact bats from 1 to 7 (sorry Pete Kozma). Their schedule is huge over the next two week, with series against the Reds, the Pirates, the Reds again and finally the Pirates again. If they can play .500 in those games, they have to be favourites for the division, but it’s going to be a really tough stretch to get through unscathed.

2. Tampa Blue Rays

The Rays haven’t lost a series since August 10 when they were swept by the Dodgers, as series wins against the Mariners, Blue Jays, Orioles and Yankees have propelled them into AL East contention. Matt Moore’s return from injury will be a big boost to the already impressive rotation, whilst Evan Longoria’s recent resurgence is cause for optimism on the hitting side of the ball. Over the next couple of weeks, it’s all AL West for the Rays, as they have series against the Angels (2), Athletics and Mariners. Over the same stretch, the Red Sox will have to deal with the Orioles, Tigers and white-hot White Sox. Joe Maddon will be ready to make his move.

3. Cleveland Indians

It seems that every season the Indians have a crazy 20-game stretch early in the season that makes them look like contenders, before fading down the stretch. Well, this season they’re not fading, and they refuse to leave the play-off picture. They’re 7-3 over their last 10, and the introduction of Danny Salazar to the rotation has given it some new found bite and malice. The line-up still has holes, but the bullpen has been outstanding this season, and is a major reason why they’re 24-15 in one-run games and 9-2 in extra-inning games. The Indians still have work to do to grab a play-off spot, but they are capable of doing it.

4. Chicago White Sox

Whilst their cross-town rivals have been scuffling in the NL Central of late, the White Sox have been on a tear themselves of late, going 8-2 over their last 10 games. Pitching has been the main reason for their success, as Chris Sale has been dominant and Hector Santiago, Jose Quintana and John Danks have all contributed well. Avisail Garcia has hit well since arriving in the trade with Detroit, and though these are clearly rebuilding years for the Sox, it’s nice to see the potential flash through every now and then.

5. Philadelphia Phillies

It has mostly been a season to forget for Phillies fans, but a 7-3 run in their last 10 games gives them cause for optimism. Roy Halladay’s return from injury was a good sign for Phillies fans, and whilst he isn’t anywhere near his best yet, there is reason to believe he can contribute in a major way next season. The Phillies were on the losing side of the crazy 18 inning game with Arizona on Saturday, as Casper Wells was forced to pitch (although he did hit 91mph). They also had three walk-off wins in a row against Colorado, and whilst the team is going to need a serious revamping, this small run is a glimpse of their former dominance.

1. New York Mets

As if their 3-7 record over the past ten games wasn’t bad enough, the Mets suffered a huge blow on Monday night when it was revealed that Matt Harvey had partially torn his UCL, ending his season and possibly leading to Tommy John surgery. Harvey has since said he will do everything possible to avoid surgery, and that he hopes to be back on April 1 next season, but this is awful news for Mets fans who were beginning to get a glimpse of the future with him and Wheeler performing strongly in the rotation.

2. Toronto Blue Jays

On a week when the Yankees kept their play-off hopes alive and the AL East all improved their records, the Blue Jays went 2-8, condemning themselves to a brutal season of below .500 ball. The Blue Jays will simply be hoping to trip their rivals up in September without much to play for, while Josh Johnson’s health will be a priority heading into next season.

3. Kansas City Royals

The Royals were always a long shot to be in the play-off race, but after a red-hot July it looked like they may have a chance. However, they were swept by the White Sox last week and then lost 2 out of 3 to the Nationals, pushing themselves seven games out of the wildcard race. Series against the Twins, Blue Jays and Mariners may help get their chances back on track, but a tough September schedule means they will need to be firing on all cylinders to be in with a chance at October baseball.

4. Seattle Mariners

After taking two out of three against Oakland, the Mariners appeared to be on the ascendency, but they have since lost five in a row against the Angels and Rangers, pushing themselves down to fourth in the division. GM Jack Zduriencik came under fire for not selling Morales, Ibanez or any of the other older players on one-year contracts, and whilst the Mariners do have young talent coming through, particularly in the form of right-hander Taijuan Walker, they are still to find the impact bat they need.

5. Chicago Cubs

The Cubs may have had a challenging season, but they appear to have a bright future, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Top prospects Javier Baez, Jorge Soler, Albert Almora and Kris Bryant all project to reach the big league team in a few seasons, with Baez putting together a monster campaign between AA and AAA this season. Current shortstop, Starlin Castro has not had such an impressive season, as he has underperformed woefully with the bat, and come under a stream of criticism for his mental lapses in the field. The talented 23 year old clearly has plenty left to give, but Dale Sveum is giving him tough love this season, and he may angle to get a trade away from Wrigley to start afresh.