Sox Reassert Dominance
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A lot has changed since the last "Fanatic" Power Poll. Now whether that is because of the action on the field or the fact that I have not posted a poll in two weeks is up for debate. The Tigers have been surprisingly bad as of late, while the Red Sox have maintained, and maybe even upped, their great play. As for the Mets and Yankees watch, the Mets continue to play well, as they now have sole possession of the top record in the National League (not saying much I know, but you take what you can get), and the Yankees have not gained or lost any ground to the Sox since the last poll due to the consistent play of both squads. This weeks poll will not only address the Top 10, as I normally do, but also hit on the rest of the teams, with an outlook for the remainder of the year. Enjoy.
The "Fanatic" Power Poll (records as of the completion of games played on 8/5)
1. Boston Red Sox (68-43, LW 2): The addition of Gagne can't hurt a team that already has a strong bullpen. Prediction: 1st-A.L. East
2. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (64-46, LW 4): The Halos are back on track, and just in time too, as the Mariners seemed to right their ship as well. Prediction: 1st-A.L. West
3. Arizona Diamondbacks (63-50, LW 14): Maybe this spot at 3 was just to quell any rumors of me favoriting my Mets, but who really cares? The D-Backs have played extremely well for the past two weeks. Prediction: 2nd-N.L. West (Wildcard)
4. New York Mets (63-48, LW 5): I'm a fan of the Luis Castillo trade. It's not going to hand us a league championship, but it's a positive step. Prediction: 1st-N.L. East
5. New York Yankees (61-50, LW 10): Just so you all know, I hate having the Yankees up this high. I thought they were dead, and like everyone else, I spoke too soon. This season could prove to haunt dreams. The keyword is could. Prediction: 2nd-A.L. East
6. Cleveland Indians (62-49, LW 3): The top of the A.L. Central has not been well lately. I can't put my finger on what's wrong in Cleveland, but i'm confident this ship can right itself. Prediction: 2nd-A.L. Central (Wildcard)
7. San Diego Padres (60-50, LW 9): Not bad, not great. Still looking for that power bat, and I'm not sure that there's anyone out there who can help them. That being said, their staff is still lights out. Prediction: 1st-N.L. West
8. Seattle Mariners (60-49, LW 8): Somehow, this team is still under the radar. They've been in the thick of things for months, and yet are still left out when discussing baseball's best. Prediction: 2nd-A.L. West
9. Detroit Tigers (61-49, LW 1): I don't know what's going on here, but the Tigers have got to fix it soon. With the Yankees playing like an elite again, and arguably the six best teams in baseball competing for the league's four playoff spots, Detroit can't afford to slack. Prediction: 1st-A.L. Central
10. Milwaukee Brewers (60-52, LW 6): I almost lost hope in this season's "feel good story", until the Cubs came back down to earth. Until Ben Sheets returns, they'll have to try to stay atop the division or else. Prediction: 1st-N.L. Central
11. Chicago Cubs (58-52, LW 11): Prediction: 2nd-N.L. Central
12. Atlanta Braves (59-53, LW 12): Prediction: 2nd-N.L. East
13. Philadelphia Phillies (58-53, LW 15): Prediction: 3rd-N.L. East
14. Minnesota Twins (57-53, LW 13): Prediction: 3rd-A.L. Central
15. Los Angeles Dodgers (58-53, LW 7): Prediction: 3rd-N.L. West
16. Toronto Blue Jays (56-54, LW 18): Prediction: 3rd-A.L. East
17. Colorado Rockies (56-54, LW 16): Prediction: 4th-N.L. West
18. Oakland Athletics (53-59, LW 21): Prediction: 3rd-A.L. West
19. Baltimore Orioles (52-58, LW 20): Prediction: 4th-A.L. East
20. Chicago White Sox (52-59, LW 24): Prediction: 4th-A.L. Central
21. Washington Nationals (51-60, LW 23): Prediction: 5th-N.L. East
22. Florida Marlins (52-60, LW 17): Prediction: 4th-N.L. East
23. St. Louis Cardinals (52-58, LW 19): Prediction: 3rd-N.L. Central
24. Kansas City Royals (48-62, LW 22): Prediction: 5th-A.L. Central
25. San Francisco Giants (47-62, LW 27): Prediction: 5th-N.L. West
26. Houston Astros (48-63, LW 26): Prediction: 5th-N.L. Central
27. Cincinnati Reds (47-64, LW 28): Prediction: 4th-N.L. Central
28. Texas Rangers (48-63, LW 25): Prediction: 4th-A.L. West
29. Pittsburgh Pirates (44-64, LW 29): Prediction: 6th-N.L. Central
30. Tampa Bay Devil Rays (42-68, LW 30): Prediction: 5th-A.L. East
