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Where Do the Houston Astros Fit in Our MLB Power Rankings?
By Jason Burke
Apr 1, 2015; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (2) hits a two run home run during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
The 2015 baseball season should prove to be an exciting one with so many teams being able to make the claim that they’re going to win the World Series this year. The teams that aren’t making that claim quite yet are on the cusp, and will be shortly. Here, we’ll briefly go over each team in the majors, and what needs to go right for them to compete. While we may be Houston Astros fans, we’re baseball fans above all else.
Let’s get right to it!
Previous: --th. Philadelphia Phillies. 30. team. 6. The Phillies still have Cole Hamels, and an aging Ryan Howard to go along with a declining Chase Utley. If anyone is going to lose 100 games this season, Philadelphia will be it.. (0-0)
Previous: --th. Minnesota Twins. 29. team. 2. The Twins got some bad news on Friday afternoon, with Ervin Santana receiving an 80-game suspension for the use of PEDs. With Santana out for half of the season, the Twins biggest question mark, their rotation, just took a large blow. On the bright side, Miguel Sano is waiting in the wings, and Torii Hunter has returned to where it all began. The future is bright for the Twins, they’ll just have to wait a couple of years to see the results.. (0-0)
Previous: --th. Colorado Rockies. 28. team. 108. It has been years since the Rockies saw sluggers Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez for a whole season. As it is every year, their health will dictate how the season goes. If we’re looking at recent history, the outlook shouldn’t be terribly optimistic. At the very least, top prospect Jon Gray will be fun to watch on the mound when he makes his debut.. (0-0)
The Diamondbacks have had a complete overhaul–in the front office. Fomer A’s bench coach Chip Hale takes over as the team’s new manager, former A’s ace Dave Stewart is the new GM, and former A’s manager Tony La Russa is their Chief Baseball Officer. The team has some pop with Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo, and the addition of Yasmany Tomas could provide dividends for the club as well. The team has some potential, but based on last year’s results, we’ll keep our expectations low.. (0-0). Previous: --th. Arizona Diamondbacks. 27. team. 8
(0-0). Previous: --th. Cincinnati Reds. 26. team. 61. Outside of free-agent-to-be Johnny Cueto, the Reds starting rotation doesn’t have much to offer. Offensively, Billy Hamilton is a speedster (but you knew that) and Devin Mesoraco is a power-hitting catcher. Add them to the regulars in Joey Votto, Todd Frazier “The Todd Father” and Jay Bruce, and the offense could help the team gain some victories. That said, a last place finish could be in the cards for Cincinnati this season.
Bold Prediction: The Diamondbacks get a stellar season from Rubby De La Rossa in the fifth spot in their starting rotation (9-6, 3.80), while the Twins fall out of contention early but turn things around after the All-Star break when Santana returns. They’ll still finish last, but in a weak division they won’t be too far back.
Next: Teams 21-25