Organizational Rankings

[etothep]

i will be very suprised if the pirates are in contention for even a playoff spot in the next decade (which is saying something in the nl central)

[200tang]

Although I would personally put Florida higher, I can definitely see why they're at 29. Having one of the worst owners in baseball with a terrible budget isn't a winning formula.

[HoustonGM]

i will be very suprised if the pirates are in contention for even a playoff spot in the next decade (which is saying something in the nl central)

I wouldn't be. Huntington actually has a plan. He's made large strides already and has been in power for just a year.

[HoustonGM]

So far:

#30: Washington Nationals
#29: Florida Marlins
#28: Houston Astros
#27: Kansas City Royals
#26: Pittsburgh Pirates
#25: San Diego Padres
#24: Cincinnati Reds
#23: Colorado Rockies
#22: Detroit Tigers
#21: St. Louis Cardinals


Again, going mostly off the top of my head...I'd put Florida ahead of Houston, Pittsburgh, and San Diego, and I'd put Kansas City ahead of Florida. I'm also wondering where the hell Seattle is.

[Coach Owens]

So far:

#30: Washington Nationals
#29: Florida Marlins
#28: Houston Astros
#27: Kansas City Royals
#26: Pittsburgh Pirates
#25: San Diego Padres
#24: Cincinnati Reds
#23: Colorado Rockies
#22: Detroit Tigers
#21: St. Louis Cardinals


Again, going mostly off the top of my head...I'd put Florida ahead of Houston, Pittsburgh, and San Diego, and I'd put Kansas City ahead of Florida. I'm also wondering where the hell Seattle is.

I'm betting that Seattle's in, at least, the top 15. They're really not that bad of a team...

[HoustonGM]

I'm betting that Seattle's in, at least, the top 15. They're really not that bad of a team...

Really? Because they just lost 101 games, and even going by their runs scored/allowed, were a 95-loss team. Bavasi left them in terrible shape. They have 2 or 3 excellent prospects but there's a major dropoff after that. Compared to the rest of the league, their farm system is nothing special (BA ranks them 24th). Their major league roster has the bloated contracts of Carlos Silva, Kenji Johjima, and likely soon, Ichiro. They don't have much of a bullpen to speak of.

There's no way that the Mariners have a better outlook than the Cardinals. I'd put them ahead of Washington, Houston, and San Diego, in a virtual tie with Pittsburgh.

[Coach Owens]

Really? Because they just lost 101 games, and even going by their runs scored/allowed, were a 95-loss team. Bavasi left them in terrible shape. They have 2 or 3 excellent prospects but there's a major dropoff after that. Compared to the rest of the league, their farm system is nothing special (BA ranks them 24th). Their major league roster has the bloated contracts of Carlos Silva, Kenji Johjima, and likely soon, Ichiro. They don't have much of a bullpen to speak of.

There's no way that the Mariners have a better outlook than the Cardinals. I'd put them ahead of Washington, Houston, and San Diego, in a virtual tie with Pittsburgh.

Ah, but see, that's where you're wrong. They have 3 or 4 very good players, Hernandez, Ichiro, Beltre and Bedard, a cheap bullpen that has the potential to be great, and some young players that could be superstars when they come up. Plus you have to factor in that they have one of the best GMs in baseball and an owner who'll basically give them as much money as they need.

[200tang]

Really? Because they just lost 101 games, and even going by their runs scored/allowed, were a 95-loss team. Bavasi left them in terrible shape. They have 2 or 3 excellent prospects but there's a major dropoff after that. Compared to the rest of the league, their farm system is nothing special (BA ranks them 24th). Their major league roster has the bloated contracts of Carlos Silva, Kenji Johjima, and likely soon, Ichiro. They don't have much of a bullpen to speak of.

There's no way that the Mariners have a better outlook than the Cardinals. I'd put them ahead of Washington, Houston, and San Diego, in a virtual tie with Pittsburgh.

Well in Seattle's defense they have a new GM who so far looks to know what he's doing (and since this rankings is going off future success that is probably really important), they have some pretty good prospects : Aumont, Truinfel, Halman, Saunders, Fields. They've also got an actual payroll and their bullpen, while not terribly great now has a lot of upside to it with guys like Cordero, Aaradsma, Fields (future), and you could throw Morrow in their (all those guys are first rounders if that means anything). The rest of the guy in the bullpen are pretty average. Seattle will likely have the best OF defense in baseball this next year in a pitchers park with some of the best pitchers in baseball in their 1-3 spots (although Morrow and Bedard will obviously have trouble staying off the DL and pitching more than 150 innings; in terms of talent though they've got it). They've also got a lot of guys who have the ability to be better than they are (Aaradsma, Clement, Balentien, Gut?(probably not but I'll list him), etc...).

So I don't think it's totally crazy that Seattle hasn't been listed yet especially when you take in to account how little they have to do to win the West (although I'm not sure if the rankings are taking that sort of thing in to account).

[HoustonGM]

They have 3 or 4 very good players, Hernandez, Ichiro, Beltre and Bedard

Ichiro is aging. He's not lasting forever. Beltre and Bedard are nearing the end of their contracts. This is a forward-looking exercise. What's the likelihood they both stay in Seattle? Furthermore, Bedard is a gigantic injury risk.

a cheap bullpen that has the potential to be great

Potential to be respectable, maybe.

and some young players that could be superstars when they come up.

Like I said, a couple prospects and then a major dropoff after them.

Plus you have to factor in that they have one of the best GMs in baseball

Woah now, I think we have to wait a little longer for heaping that amount of praise on him. I know that anybody would seem like a GM god when you've been stuck with Bavasi for a few years, but let's take it easy there.

[200tang]

Ichiro is aging. He's not lasting forever. Beltre and Bedard are nearing the end of their contracts. This is a forward-looking exercise. What's the likelihood they both stay in Seattle? Furthermore, Bedard is a gigantic injury risk.

Although Beltre and Bedard are coming to the ends of their contract, by no means does Seattle not have the money to lock them up again even with all the bad contracts they have (especially when Washburn comes off the books this year). I would pretty much just take the Beltre/Bedard leaving argument out since the only reason Seattle wouldn't keep them is if they don't want them. And if they both leave, then Seattle has a ton of money at their disposal to use elsewhere.

[HoustonGM]

I would pretty much just take the Beltre/Bedard leaving argument out since the only reason Seattle wouldn't keep them is if they don't want them.

Or if they don't want to stay...

[Joe12Pack]

I don't want to burst the Mariner fans' bubble, but Seattle really is in a poor position. The only things they've got going for them right now are a change in management and fairly deep pockets.

They may have x amount of "very good players," but that sure didn't help them this past season, and it won't be helping them in the near future with an aging/departing Beltre and an aging Ichiro. Most of the rest of the roster seems like a coinflip to stay healthy and play well. I'd have them around 25.

Also, how is San Diego so high? Granted, they've got some pretty good young talent and nice prospects, but that franchise is an absolute joke. If the Nationals even HAD a front office at the moment and had more of a team than just 50 outfielders, I'd have San Diego and Houston tied for dead last. San Diego deserves to be relegated to the PCL.

i will be very suprised if the pirates are in contention for even a playoff spot in the next decade (which is saying something in the nl central)

I wouldn't be. Huntington actually has a plan. He's made large strides already and has been in power for just a year.

I wouldn't be surprised either, and I agree completely. The moves this team made last season were great, and there's some good homegrown talent there. Plus, if they can build a solid core and start winning some games, they have the ability to rebuild their fan base and come upon some more money.

[KowboyKoop]

Their GM is already one of the best in baseball , huh? Yeah, that's reasonable....


The Mariners should be better...but they got a ways to go.

[ragecage]

Well these rankings are based on now as opposed to looking at the past. Maybe with all the change in management and going in a new direction has helped their rank. Im wondering where Oakland will wind up, I say top 10 for sure.

[haveacigar]

I really wanted to argue that the Tigers were way better than 22 and that he's wrong for this reason or that reason, but, really, I can't. It's a pretty rock-solid ranking and analysis series so far.

I will say that I think he underrates the ability of the Detroit market to support the team. I know times are getting pretty bad in the state, but it's nothing new. Michigan's economy has been in the toilet the last 4 years, and they've still been moved to support a competitive product.

I also think that the minor leagues in particular have more talent than they get credit for, but I won't blame Dave Cameron for that, he's probably not able to do in-depth analysis beyond talking to scouts.