Preseason 2011 MLB Power Rankings

- By Jordan Adduono

2011 MLB Power Rankings " March 31
Rank	Team	Change	High/Low	Comment
1		--	1/1	The Red Sox come into the season with one of the best line-ups, rotations and bullpens in the majors, and are the early favourite to win it all come October.
2		--	2/2	The line-up has some question marks, and Brad Lidge will start the year on the DL, but you can't argue with what is one of the best rotations the major leagues has ever seen.
3		--	3/3	Joey Votto should contend for the MVP once again, and the rotation goes six men deep with pitchers that are better than bottom of the rotation fillers. My sleeper to win the whole thing.
4		--	4/4	With what could be the next best rotation in the National League, a better line-up and young promising arms in the pen, the Braves could give the Phillies a run for the division.
5		--	5/5	Although they didn't make the huge splash in free agency we've come to expect, they will still score a ton of runs to support what looks to be a very questionable rotation.
6		--	6/6	I don't really like this team much, and I'm not even sure they'll make the playoffs. But as the defending champions and with that rotation, I have to give them respect to start the season.
7		--	7/7	They can hit, that's for sure. The question is how a questionable rotation and mediocre bullpen will hold up through an entire season. As defending AL champs, they get the benefit of doubt.
8		--	8/8	With what could be the best combination of everyday players " Carlos Gonzalez & Troy Tulowitski " and a Cy Young candidate in Ubaldo Jimenez, their my pick to win the West.
9		--	9/9	Their season, I believe, depends on how well Justin Morneau and Joe Nathan bounce back from injuries. If they can be anywhere near the players they were before, I expect another division win.
10		--	10/10	A revamped rotation, a MVP candidate and a star in his contract year make this a make or break year for the Brewers, and they look to be in position to make some noise late in the season.
11		--	11/11	Adam Dunn could be in for a monster year in that ball park, and if the rotation can pitch like it can, the bullpen gives them some good innings you could be looking at a solid playoff team.
12		--	12/12	Any team with Albert Pujols can't possibly be bad, so this team won't be terrible. Losing Adam Wainwright really hurts though, and will make it hard to beat the Reds and Brewers in the Central.
13		--	13/13	After losing the core of what made the Rays a power in the AL East, they will probably take a step back. However, with a strong rotation and some promising young talent, don't count them out.
14		--	14/14	Miguel Cabrera remains one of the best hitters in the game, off-season issues or not, and Justin Verlander remains one of the best pitchers. A solid team that has an outside shot at October.
15		--	15/15	The rotation is pretty good, and the line-up is too. If they can get optimal performances out of everybody and they can contend for the playoffs. The bullpen could be an issue though.
16		--	16/16	When looking at money spent compared to talent, this is one of the best teams in the league. I've seen some pick them for the wildcard, and it's not something that's outside the realm of possibilities.
17		--	17/17	The pitching staff is there, as they have what could be the best young rotation in the majors. What remains to be seen is how they'll score runs with a line-up with no real established power/RBI hitters.
18		--	18/18	With ownership a mess, it was hard for the Dodgers to do much this off-season, and they basically stayed put. I'm not sure what they got is enough to make a serious push for the playoffs.
19		--	19/19	With an aging line-up and a shaky staff, the Cubs don't look like much of a contender for the year. Guys like Starlin Castro and Carlos Marmol have promise, but their key players are on the decline.
20		--	20/20	Armed with a promising rotation, a revamped bull-pen and a mashing line-up, the Jays could surprise some this year. However, there probably a year or two away from true contention.
21		--	21/21	Last year was probably more of an anomaly then a sign of things to come, especially with the loss of Adrian Gonzalez. They do have a nice bullpen though, and a rotation filled with young strong arms.
22		--	22/22	The Orioles made improvements to every part of their team, and actually have made it a very respectable team. I wouldn't be surprised if every team in the AL East flirts or even reaches .500 this season.
23		--	23/23	The line-up is filled with guys like Justin Upton, Stephen Drew and Chris Young who have yet to completely see their potential. The rotation and bullpen also has some glaring holes at this point.
24		--	24/24	They do a star in David Wright, and some dwindling stars around him in Jason Bay, Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran. After that, however, there isn't much and the team's pitching is in shambles at this point.
25		--	25/25	The Nationals have the world's most exciting prospect both at the plate and on the mound. They may have to suffer a couple more rough seasons, but will be a team to watch in a couple years.
26		--	26/26	A nice core to build around is in place (Michael Bourn & Hunter Pence), but not much else in place after that. A couple of nice veteran pitchers are also there, but nothing close to a contending team in Houston
27		--	27/27	I've lost all hope that Grady Sizemore can return to the form that made him one of the best outfielders in the MLB, and the rotation is a mess. A solid bullpen is in place, but not much else looks good right now.
28		--	28/28	It's not all lost if you're a Royals fan, as its only a matter of time this season before all the promising prospects like Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer get some action with the big club this season.
29		--	29/29	The only thing that kept the Mariners over the Pirates is Felix Hernandez. They are going to have to go through growing pains with guys like Michael Pineda this year, and the offense is still pretty terrible.
30		--	30/30	The rotation is in shambles, the bullpen is well below average and they have no real established hitters. I am, however, excited to see guys like Pedro Alvares and Neil Walker develop with everyday jobs.