The Leaders
1. Oakland A’s (29-16): Winners of four straight and 9-1 in their last 10, the Oakland A’s land our coveted top spot. The A’s have a +98 run differential so far this season. The next closest team — Colorado — is at +52.
2. Detroit Tigers (27-15): Though they’ve lost three in a row, the Tigers are still 6-4 in their last 10 games. They also boast the third highest run differential at +49 and lead the AL Central by a comfortable 5.5 games.
3. San Francisco Giants (28-18): The Bay is blooming. In addition to the A’s, just across the water at At&T, the Giants are looking mighty fine. The Giants have played in a lot of close ball games — something we’ve grown accustomed to seeing the past few years.
4. Colorado Rockies (26-20): The Rockies sit in second place in the West — two games back of the Giants — but they’re well positioned to contend for a playoff spot. In addition to having a +52 run differential, they also have one of the best hitters in baseball to this point: Troy Tulowitzki (.757 SLG).
5. Atlanta Braves (25-19): After taking the first two games of a four-game set against the Brewers, the Braves round out our top-five. Though Washington sits just 1.5 games back of first place, the Braves’ league-leading 2.76 ERA bodes well for the team’s future.
6. Milwaukee Brewers (27-19): Losers of four straight — including two to the cellar-dweller Cubs — the Brewers slide to our sixth spot. After getting outscored 12-5 in those four games, their run differential now sits at -1.
Hunting For October
7. Los Angeles Angels (25-20): After a poor start to the season, the Angels all of a sudden are five games over .500 and have a +43 run differential. Life’s always going to be a bit easier when you have Mike Trout wearing your uniform, as they’ve scored the fourth most runs in the league.
8. St. Louis Cardinals (24-21): Seems like the Cardinals are always positioned to make a playoff push. This season, though they trail the Brewers in the NL Central, the Cardinals are +16 in run differential compared to the Brewers’ -1 total. They’re not a particularly good hitting team — 22nd in runs — but their pitching and offense both rank near the top.
9. Washington Nationals (24-21): They’re one of the worst fielding teams in all of baseball (40 errors), yet they only find themselves 1.5 games out of first place in the NL East. With four games against the Pirates on tap, the Nationals have a prime opportunity to gain on the Braves.
10. Miami Marlins (23-23): The third team in the NL East to hold a positive run differential (+19) also leads the division in that statistic. Despite this, the Marlins still sit in third place behind the Braves and Nationals. Miami is dreadful away from home, winning only six games in 23 attempts on the road.
Hanging Around
11. Toronto Blue Jays (24-22): The Blue Jays — the team that always seems to wind up above .500, but are never good enough to overtake the top teams in the AL East — are back to doing their thing in third place. However, they’re the only team in the division with a positive run differential (+10). Could this be their year?
12. LA Dodgers (24-22): The Dodgers might boast the highest payroll in the league, but so far in 2014, they’ve been nothing but mediocre. They’re 5-5 in their last 10 and have only scored two more runs than they’ve given up. Maybe they should’ve spent more money.
13. Baltimore Orioles (23-20): The current leader of the AL East, Baltimore screams mediocre: three games above .500, a -1 run differential, and 4-6 in in their last 10.
14. New York Yankees (24-21): Another high payroll, middling team. The Yanks are -11 in run differential so far this season. I guess money can’t buy everything.
15. Seattle Mariners (22-23): I love Felix Hernandez. And, for the first time in what feels like forever, the offense is ranked in the middle of the league in total runs. With Iwakuma healthy and straight-up dealing, the Mariners have a chance to stay within range of a wild card spot.
16. Minnesota Twins (22-21): They’re 7-3 in their last 10, but pitching continues to be a problem out in Minnesota. In terms of ERA, the team is ranked 28th overall.
17. Kansas City Royals (22-23): Playing in the AL Central means playing catch up with the Tigers. The Royals won’t catch them, so they will set their sights on the wild card.
18. Cincinnati Reds (20-24): Despite having committed only 19 errors all season long, which is the fewest in the league, the Reds are still lingering six games back of Milwaukee. Losing Joey Votto to the 15-day DL hurts.
19. Chicago White Sox (23-24): Like the Royals, the White Sox aren’t catching the Tigers, but could be in play for a wild card spot.
Searching for Answers
20. Texas Rangers (22-24): The AL just isn’t big enough for the Rangers to have a playoff spot. They’ve accumulated a dreadful run differential so far (-36) and would be in last place in the division if not for the lowly Astros.
21. Philadelphia Phillies (20-22): Against the Reds, the Phillies took 2-of-3. Chase Utley ranks 11th in OBP (.394).
22. San Diego Padres (21-25): They have the third best ERA in all of baseball, but they’re four games under .500. That might have something to do with their 142 runs scored — the lowest number in the big leagues.
23. NY Mets (20-24): Last in the NL East and looking like the Mets we all know and love.
24. Cleveland Indians (22-25): Can Johnny Football pitch too?
25. Boston Red Sox (20-24): I’m guessing this is not where Red Sox fans want to be. The good news: the rest of the AL East isn’t shaking out to be all that good, and despite their poor start to the season and their current five-game losing streak, the Sox are just 3.5 games back.
The Cellar-Dwellers
26. Pittsburgh Pirates (18-26): At least last year was fun, right?
27. Tampa Bay Rays (19-27): Playing in the AL East this year means you can play 19-27 baseball and be just 5.5 out of first place, though losing three in a row never helps.
28. Chicago Cubs (16-28): Funny stat: the last-place Cubs have a better run differential than the first-place Brewers.
29. Arizona Diamondbacks (18-29): 6-18 at home and -65 in run differential. Yikes.
30. Houston Astros (17-29): I miss Craig Biggio.
