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Archive for February 12th, 2011

February 12th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

NFL Power Ratings

Our staff has developed NFL football power ratings with up to date rankings and how we as handicappers see these teams. We will list our NFL team rankings on a week by week basis and as much as possible. You can check this page for up to date NFL power ratings from Cappersinfo Sports Handicapping. Thanks for visiting and don't forget to check out all the free sports picks in the forums and free picks monitor, other sports betting information, and NFL Football predictions for sports handicappers!

Cappersinfo Current NFL Power Rankings
(Through the end of the 2010 NFL betting season)

1: Green Bay Packers (10-6) – It's really hard to argue with anything that the Packers did this season down the stretch, and what we have to remember about them is that they are only going to be getting more help back this coming season. TE Jermichael Finley was one of the better tight ends in the league before getting injured, and the loss of RB Ryan Grant left the team in shambles with its passing game. QB Aaron Rodgers was legitimately one of the best quarterbacks in the league this year, and he is only going to get better in this, his fourth straight year as the Packers' starting signal caller.

2: Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) – Hindsight 20/20, it wouldn't have made a bit of difference, but had QB Ben Roethlisberger actually played in the first four games of the regular season, perhaps the Steelers could have been even better than they already were. They'll get back both OT Willie Colon and OT Max Starks this year, and you can bet that the team will be searching for more offensive line help over the course of the offseason and in the NFL Draft. Could C Maurkice Pouncey be welcoming his brother, another Florida Gators standout to the Steel City? Don't be so sure that that won't be the case late in the first round of the draft.

3: New England Patriots (14-2) – Whatever Head Coach Bill Belichick seems to touch works, especially while he has QB Tom Brady calling the shots. Brady was the league's unanimous choice for MVP this year, and for good reason. New England is really a major wide receiver short of where it needs to be to get back to the form of the undefeated season, but aside from that, it really isn't all that far away from being truly dominating again. Things will get better next year for the Pats, who probably did have the best team in the entire NFL this season.

4: Baltimore Ravens (12-4) – No one will be able to convince us that the Ravens weren't one of the best five teams in the NFL this past season. They were unlucky not to win the AFC North, and who knows what could have happened at that point for the men in purple and black. You might think that this defense is aging with LB Ray Lewis and S Ed Reed, but we have to remember that DB Dominique Foxworth was out for the whole season, and men like LB Terrell Suggs and DT Haloti Ngata are still very young and very, very hungry. QB Joe Flacco isn't a tremendous gunslinger, but he just keeps finding ways to win games. He and RB Ray Rice should be in for big years again in 2011.

5: Atlanta Falcons (13-3) – When you think of tremendous offenses, you don't really think of the Falcons, but when push really comes to shove, the trio of QB Matt Ryan, WR Roddy White, and RB Michael Turner might be as good as it gets in this league. (Heck, we can throw TE Tony Gonzalez in there for the fourth too, if we want) There are still some secondary issues that really reared their ugly heads against the Pack in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, but if Head Coach Mike Smith gets that figured out, look out! Atlanta is a tough team to tame.

6: New York Jets (11-5) – Somehow, the Jets just keep finding ways to win games at the right time of year. They came up just short of the Super Bowl for the second straight season, but with each passing game, QB Mark Sanchez gets better and better. Odds have it, he won't have all of the same tools to work with, as either WR Braylon Edwards and/or WR Santonio Holmes will be gone, and there will still be questions as to whether RB LaDainian Tomlinson can keep going this year, but as long as that defense is intact, we aren't going to want to go against this team.

7: San Diego Chargers (9-7) – It seems a tad early to be putting a non-playoff team on this list, but the Chargers were absolutely the best team in the AFC West this year, and they were clearly one of the best teams in the whole league. We think that San Diego did right by retaining Head Coach Norv Turner this year, as it is clear that a team that outscored its foes by 119 points is going to be better than 9-7 again next year, especially knowing that there is a decent first round draft choice coming to town to boot. Watch out for QB Philip Rivers and company next year.

8: Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) – If something happens to QB Michael Vick again next year, there are going to be issues, as QB Kevin Kolb is clearly not going to be in town to help pick up the slack. However, had Vick started the season and stayed healthy, he really might have been the MVP of the league along with the league's Comeback Player of the Year. If the defense can shore up just a tad and the running game doesn't fall off with RB LeSean McCoy, Philly should fly to the top of the NFC East again in 2011.

9: New Orleans Saints (11-5) – Maybe we're shortchanging the Saints just a bit, but there is no doubt in our minds that this is a team that can win it all for the second time in three years next year. QB Drew Brees has all of the weapons in place to make things work, and inevitably, he won't suffer as many running back injuries as he did this year. The defense has been surprisingly solid under Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams, and you can bet now that he is certainly coming back for another season, that the black and gold will be contenders again in 2011.

10: Indianapolis Colts (10-6) – It took a lot of work this year for the Colts to wrap up the AFC South title, something that they have won virtually every season since it was formed. Indy knows that it has to find a way to stay healthy next year, as the injury problems both in the secondary and in the skill positions on offense were just not able to be overcome. QB Peyton Manning is still a proven winner, and he would love to capture yet another ring to go past his brother, Eli once again.

11: New York Giants (10-6) – Speaking of QB Eli Manning… The Giants were arguably a bad punt away from winning the NFC East and making the playoffs as the division winners instead of the Eagles. Manning didn't have all of his targets in place either for this whole year, and the injuries to a very deep defensive line finally took their toll at the end of the campaign. This is a make or break year for Head Coach Tom Coughlin, as the memories of that Super Bowl from all those years ago has been forgotten in the Big Apple.

12: Chicago Bears (11-5) – The Bears were one of the last four teams left standing in the playoffs this year, but we really still don't know how and why. Sure, they won the NFC North this season and were deserving of a first round home game in the playoffs, but to draw arguably the worst team that the postseason has ever seen was just a total gift. QB Jay Cutler was really exposed for being awfully soft in the loss to the Packers in the NFC Championship Game, and though this defense is fantastic, the offense is just beyond repair right now.

13: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6) – 2010 was supposed to be a year in which the Bucs took a big step forward. We didn't think that that meant that they were going to win 10 games and only be eliminated from the second season on the very last day of the regular season. QB Josh Freeman has absolutely proven that he was worth the first round draft choice two years ago, and a young defense which features a ton of starters under the age of 28 is only going to get better and better with time. Head Coach Raheem Morris should have this team in the playoffs next year.

14: Kansas City Chiefs (10-6) – We're not so sure whether Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis was that good, or whether QB Matt Cassel has all of a sudden really emerged as a starting quarterback at the NFL level. Cassel did look horrible in KC's first round postseason game against the Ravens, but a lot of QBs look terrible against the men in purple and black. The Chiefs took an amazing step forward this year, but this really might have been the ceiling for a team that never really felt like a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

15: Oakland Raiders (8-8) – Apparently, being the only team in the entire league to go 6-0 in division wasn't good enough to save the job of Head Coach Tom Cable from the wrath of Owner Al Davis. For whatever reason, Cable was dismissed after the best season that the silver and black have had since Bill Callahan finished ruining the franchise that Jon Gruden had built. QB Jason Campbell really showed some signs down the stretch of becoming a great signal callers, and the world now knows just how great RB Darren McFadden really can be.

16: Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8) – Eight wins was good enough for Head Coach Jack Del Rio, and it was probably good enough for QB David Garrard as well. However, these two have their jobs tied together at the hip, and if one goes, expect the other one to end up going as well. Getting close was acceptable this year, but anything less than a playoff bid next season will see both probably end up getting dismissed.

17: St. Louis Rams (7-9) – The most improved team in the league this year was clearly St. Louis, which went from having the worst record in the game at 1-15 to being just one win away from the postseason. QB Sam Bradford is going to be very special in due time, and Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo knows that his defense is going to get there eventually. One more solid NFL Draft choice is going to help bring the Rams that much closer to where they want to be.

18: Dallas Cowboys (6-10) – From the point that Head Coach Jason Garrett took over, the Cowboys all of a sudden became formidable again, and it is clear that the team is going to be a lot better next year with a healthy QB Tony Romo and the young gun in Garrett calling the shots. The only question is whether it was just a luster from Garrett being the new guy, or whether Big D is really ready for this era to begin with a bang.

19: Miami Dolphins (7-9) – This is going to be a very interesting offseason for the Fish. Head Coach Tony Sparano was clearly set to get fired if Jim Harbaugh was ready to come to town, but when that wasn't the case, Sparano kept his job. This could lead to some interesting power struggles in the locker room with a coach that might be a lame duck. Sparano took over a team that went just 1-15. He might leave the team in the same spot, especially if QB Chad Henne doesn't prove to really be a viable option as a starting quarterback. Don't be shocked if the Fins take their QB of the future in the first round of the NFL Draft this Spring.

20: Detroit Lions (6-10) – The poor Lions were really, really close last year. Had QB Matt Stafford stayed healthy for more than the equivalent of about a couple games on the season, perhaps they really would have had a chance to compete for a playoff spot. The team is clearly improving, and Head Coach Jim Schwartz has a great plan of action to get the team there. DT Ndamukong Suh wasn't just the best rookie defensive player this year. The argument could have been made that he was the league's best lineman.

21: Seattle Seahawks (7-9) – A playoff win over the defending Super Bowl champs validated the fact that the Seahawks deserved their spot in the playoffs, but all that we really learned about this team this year, we really weren't fond of. QB Matt Hasselbeck still doesn't really have it, and RB Marshawn Lynch wasn't really the answer that the team was looking for at tailback. The defense is improving, something that should come with the influence of Head Coach Pete Carroll, but there is still a lot of work to be done to get this team back in the playoffs this year.

22: Houston Texans (6-10) – Yeah, but… That was theme for the Texans this year, as they just lost heartbreaking game after heartbreaking game this year. Head Coach Gary Kubiak was retained for some unknown reason, and unless he gets to the playoffs, and maybe wins a game when he gets there, he is going to be out the door. Getting back LB DeMeco Ryans will help, as will avoiding injuries and suspensions for LB Brian Cushing. A real star emerged this year in RB Arian Foster on the other side of the ball, giving Houston arguably the best trio of QB, WR, and RB in the land with Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson. The pieces are in place. The question is whether Kubiak can do anything with them or not.

23: San Francisco 49ers (6-10) – This is where we're going to figure out whether the Niners really made the right choice by throwing oodles of money at Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh was the hottest commodity on the coaching market this year, but he inherits a team that really has underachieved now for three straight seasons. The mistake of drafting QB Alex Smith instead of QB Aaron Rodgers has now officially blown up in their face now that Rodgers has a ring on his finger, and this franchise is probably going back to the drawing board at the NFL Draft for another young signal caller to groom.

24: Minnesota Vikings (6-10) – It was just a weird year for the Vikes, as they lost QB Brett Favre towards the end of the year and lost chunks of their dome to Mother Nature as well. Minnesota should be much improved this season with new Head Coach Leslie Frazier taking over, but there is still a real question whether there is a commitment that is going to be made to QB Tarvaris Jackson or not. We know that RB Adrian Peterson is going to be run into the ground this year one way or the other, as the rest of the options just aren't there on this defense.

25: Washington Redskins (6-10) – Head Coach Mike Shanahan didn't do that great of a job this year with his new arsenal, and the fact that he benched QB Donovan McNabb for a two minute drill and then again at the end of the season really did cause a ruckus. This is a franchise that is really in shambles right now, as DT Albert Haynesworth is still causing some friction in the locker room as well. The former Denver Broncos coach probably only has one more year to turn this around, or he is going to be put back out into the cold.

26: Arizona Cardinals (5-11) – The good news is that the Cardinals really might be just one player away from competing once again in the NFC West. The bad news is that the NFC West is still atrocious and that that one player needed is a quarterback. Figure that there is only one more year to find that signal callers as well, or WR Larry Fitzgerald is probably bidding the desert adieu. If that's the case, Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt might be on the chopping block as well even though he really reformed this team into a contender from a pile of nothingness a few years ago.

27: Cleveland Browns (5-11) – Head Coach Eric Mangini finally got the axe, but there were definitely some things to be proud of it you were a fan of the Browns this year. RB Peyton Hillis is one of the best power backs in the game, and QB Colt McCoy really might be the real deal at this level. DB Joe Haden helped out a defense that was absolutely an abomination two years ago, but there are still approximately 10 more holes to fill on that side of the ball. Head Coach Pat Shumur has a lot of work to do.

28: Tennessee Titans (6-10) – Head Coach Jeff Fisher was dismissed, and it appears as though QB Vince Young might be as well. The Titans were ruined last year when Young was put on IR, as they really had no chance of challenging for a playoff spot, which really ultimately proved to be the demise of the longest tenured coach in the game. There's no telling where Tennessee is turning next, but we know that the AFC South isn't going to be doing it any favors in the near future.

29: Buffalo Bills (4-12) – The Bills are making a real mistake if they get rid of QB Ryan Fitzpatrick this year. No, the Ivy Leaguer isn't going to ultimately bring this team to the Super Bowl, but he proved to be a heck of a lot better than QB Trent Edwards was, and he could be the bridge quarterback to get this team back in competition again in the AFC East. RB CJ Spiller proved to be a total bust this year, and Head Coach Chan Gailey really is to blame. Still, Buffalo showed some spunk at times in the second half of the season, and it might find a way to inch closer to .500 next year with some help acquired in the offseason.

30: Denver Broncos (4-12) – If you really doubted QB Tim Tebow before this season, you probably aren't doubting him that much anymore. The man from the University of Florida won two games down the stretch on a team that was dreadful this year. However, there are reasons to be optimistic in the Rockies. Head Coach John Fox has a proven track record as a winner, though his last year with Carolina was a real stinker, and this defense had a ton of injuries last year that are bound to not happen again in 2011. The AFC West is still lousy and is there for the taking if the Chargers slip up as they did this year.

31: Cincinnati Bengals (4-12) – QB Carson Palmer wants a trade, but the Bengals are trying to not give one to him. New Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden is going to try to smooth over the waters between the team and Palmer, but it is still unknown whether he is going to be able to get the job done or not. One thing is for sure, and that's that this team has a lot of holes to plug in a hurry on both sides of the ball, and a top pick in the NFL Draft isn't going to cure all of what ails it.

32: Carolina Panthers (2-14) – How this team ever won two games is beyond us. In fairness to the Panthers, they did have a lame duck head coach all season last year with John Fox, and they knew that they weren't going to be all that good. QB Matt Moore didn't work out, and QB Jimmy Clausen looked like a deer in headlights. It seemed like a foregone conclusion that QB Andrew Luck was going to be a Panther this coming year, but he's heading back to Stanford. It's anyone's guess what Carolina is doing from here, though there is no doubt that there are plenty of different names that could be called to help out with the first pick of the NFL Draft.

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February 12th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

MLB Power Ratings

Our staff has developed MLB baseball power ratings with up to date rankings and how we as handicappers see these teams. We will list our MLB team rankings on a week by week basis and as much as possible. You can check this page for up to date MLB power ratings from Cappersinfo Sports Handicapping. Thanks for visiting and don't forget to check out all the free sports picks in the forums and free picks monitor, other sports betting information, and MLB baseball predictions for sports handicappers!

Cappersinfo Current MLB Power Rankings
(As of the start of Spring Training 2011)

1: Philadelphia Phillies (97-65 in 2010) – The Phils might have had the best starting rotation in baseball last year with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels. Now, add Cliff Lee to the bunch, and there is just no doubt about it. Simply put, it's Philly against the field this year, as this is still a lineup that has names like Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, and overcoming the loss of Jayson Werth shouldn't be all that difficult. If the Phillies aren't back in the World Series this year after a one year hiatus, we'd be surprised.

2: Boston Red Sox (89-73 in 2010) – The boys from Beantown might not have made the playoffs last year, but they were a relatively unlucky club that had to deal with a ton of injuries and other setbacks. Now, Adrian Gonzalez has brought some pop to the middle of the lineup, and Kevin Youkilis is switching back to the other side of the diamond. Carl Crawford should terrorize his old team as well from Tampa Bay. This is a tremendously deep pitching staff with a ton of young arms in the minors that could be on most other staffs in the game. Last year was an anomaly for the Red Sox, who should be back in the hunt for October again this year.

3: New York Yankees (94-67 in 2010) – The Yanks were the biggest losers this offseason in the Cliff Lee hunt, and there really weren't any other huge names that were brought into town. The addition of Rafael Soriano will help out a shaky bullpen in front of Mariano Rivera, but the starting rotation took a big hit when Andy Pettitte retired. Now, it's CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, and… we're not so sure. What we do know is that this lineup can still mash, and after winning 51 games at home last year, we know that the Yankees are going to be tough to top again this year in the AL East.

4: San Francisco Giants (92-70 in 2010) – If there's one team that really has the pitching staff to be able to hang around with the Phils, it's San Fran. Tim Lincecum is still a fantastic pitcher, and he has now closed out a World Series in his career as well. Matt Cain has been a horse for years, while the others in this rotation have really come around and are only going to get better and better. Expect another great year out of Buster Posey, who really came on strong once he was inserted into the everyday lineup. Offense is hard to produce at times, but when push really comes to shove, there are enough arms both in this pen and in the rotation to make it work for the G-Men.

5: Minnesota Twins (94-68 in 2010) – What we have to remember about the Twins is that they won 94 games last year without having Joe Nathan, one of the best closers in the game, throw a single pitch. There were really no splashes made in the offseason, but there was really nothing that Minnesota had to do. Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau still might be the most feared No. 3 and No. 4 hitters in baseball, and this rotation, though it doesn't have any real stars, is still good enough to get the Twinkies back into the playoffs once again in a relatively weak AL Central Division.

6: Atlanta Braves (91-71 in 2010) – This is the season in which we will see if the Braves were a farce or not. We know that they never stood a chance in the playoffs because they really abused their arms down the stretch of the regular season, and we hope that guys like Tim Hudson and Jair Jurrjens are still capable of having big years this year. There's also a big question as to how the team is going to react with Fredi Gonzalez managing instead of Bobby Cox. This is clearly a team with a huge step down from Philly, but the Braves are also clearly the second best team in the division as well and should at least challenge for a postseason berth.

7: Tampa Bay Rays (96-66 in 2010) – If Manager Joe Maddon can get this team back to the playoffs this year, it would be a real miracle. Gone are Matt Garza, Carlos Pena, Carl Crawford, Jason Bartlett, and virtually every single arm in the bullpen from last year. In are retreads Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon. Still, the likes of Evan Longoria and BJ Upton are exciting in the lineup, and Tampa Bay is ready to let Desmond Jennings, Reid Brignac, and Sean Rodriguez all take the field on a regular basis. We'll also see if Jeremy Hellickson is the second coming of David Price, who probably got screwed out of the Cy Young Award last year.

8: Chicago White Sox (88-74 in 2010) – Isn't there a point that Manager Ozzie Guillen has to win to keep his job? We're not so sure why this skipper is still around, but he definitely has a new piece to the puzzle to work with in Adam Dunn. Mark Buehrle had a great season once again, and he is anchoring this staff into place. There is still a lot of question around Bobby Jenks and this bullpen, but the lineup might be able to mash with a lot of the big boys in the AL. Chicago went on a great run at the end of last season, and it might be able to do some damage again in 2011.

9: St. Louis Cardinals (88-76 in 2010) – The clock is ticking for the Redbirds this year, as they have no choice but to get Albert Pujols signed before Spring Training starts, or it will feel like a season of gloom and doom in the making, as Pujols will probably test the free agent mark after the season is over. The good news is that this pitching staff is great, and the lineup with even a disgruntled Pujols and Matt Holliday is still intimidating. However, the Cards just never got it together last year until very late in the season when it was too late, and they need to be a lot more consistent this year to get the job done.

10: Colorado Rockies (83-79 in 2010) – The Rockies gave out a lot of big time contracts to keep their young guns in town for a long, long time, but it is still definitely to be determined whether all of these moves are going to pan out or not. This is a huge year for Ubaldo Jimenez, who looked like he was going to coast to the Cy Young with ease at the start of the season. However, he ended quite average, just like the Rockies did, and if things don't get any better than that, they'll be in some real trouble this year.

11: Texas Rangers (90-72 in 2010) – We know that this is a huge drop for the team that won the American League last year, but there seems to be some real turmoil right now in the Lone Star State. Texas obviously lost out on Cliff Lee in the offseason, and now, it really has a pitching staff that looks quite average once again. Vladdy Guerrero and Bengie Molina, both of which were cogs in the lineup are gone, and there is a big time chance being taken here on Adrian Beltre, which might cause Michael Young to get traded even before the season starts. Winning the division is still a possibility, as the AL West is weak, but that doesn't make the Rangers one of the best 10 teams in the game.

12: Cincinnati Reds (91-71 in 2010) – Is it just us, or are the Reds the Chicago Bears of the NFL? After all, Chicago is coached by a man that most of the city is wondering how he still has a job, and the team basically won a division title based upon spit and glue this past season. Cincinnati is the exact same way. Manager Dusty Baker was probably out the door if he didn't bring the Reds to the playoffs last year. Joey Votto was a breakout player for sure, while a young pitching staff was fantastic. It'll be interesting to see how Aroldis Chapman pans out after not really pitching much in the short postseason last year for Cincinnati.

13: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (80-82 in 2010) – We really might just be at the juncture where we realize that the Halos just aren't that good anymore. Manager Mike Scioscia built a real dynasty of sorts in the AL West that was finally toppled by the Rangers last year, and it seems like the Angels just missed out on all of the big time free agents this year. That being said, if the team can keep its starting staff intact, led by Jered Weaver, there is a chance to get back to the Promised Land, just off of Scioscia and his managerial skills. It'll be a tough battle, though.

14: Detroit Tigers (81-81 in 2010) – General Manager Dave Dombrowski is going for it this year, as he immediately started his free agency spending by bringing in Jhonny Peralta and Victor Martinez. Of course, it doesn't make any sense to bring in Martinez, a defensive liability behind the plate who has batted .225 for his career at Comerica Park, but it is true that Detroit really needed a catcher. This pitching staff had better be remarkable, or Manager Jim Leyland is in trouble.

15: Toronto Blue Jays (85-77 in 2010) – It's really a sin that the Blue Jays are in the AL East, where they know that they really cannot finish any better than third every single season, as they really do have a solid team that is inevitably going to win more games that it loses again this season. Ricky Romero might not quite be the second coming of Roy Halladay, but he is an ample replacement, while there are a ton of other young kids on this team that picked up the slack for the veterans like Vernon Wells that just slacked off. Adding Frank Francisco might prove to be the coup of the offseason for a very young team.

16: Florida Marlins (80-82 in 2010) – It'll be very interesting to see if Javier Vazquez can revive his career (again) in Florida, as he has been an historically great pitcher once you take him out of the Bronx. The rest of this lineup doesn't look all that sexy, but it never does. The Fish always seem to do more with less than any other team in the game, but they also always come up short of the postseason when push really comes to shove.

17: Chicago Cubs (76-87 in 2010) – Seasons of terrible spending have really strapped the Cubs, but they really made two solid moves in the offseason, pillaging the Rays by taking Carlos Pena via free agency and Matt Garza via trade. If Chicago can get anything out of Carlos Zambrano this year, whether on the field or via trade, it will be an added bonus. The Cubbies can't really be a team that finishes 12 game under .500 again this year… right?

18: Oakland Athletics (81-81 in 2010) – General Manager Billy Beane took a chance last year at bringing in Ben Sheets for 10 million bones, a move that didn't work. He hopes that his moves this year by acquiring David DeJesus, Josh Willingham, Hideki Matsui, and Grant Balfour look a little better by the end of this campaign. Oakland could be an interesting team that we are probably selling just a bit short at No. 18 to start the season, but we're just not so sure that it is all going to come together to be able to run down the Halos and Rangers in the AL West.

19: Milwaukee Brewers (77-85 in 2010) – The Brew Crew could be in for an interesting year with Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun doing damage in the middle of the lineup, but where is the rest of the production coming from? This pitching staff has the ability to be great if John Axford keeps up a solid job as the team's closer. Yovani Gallardo finally has another solid arm to help him out in the form of Zack Greinke, who is just thankful to be out of Kansas City this year.

20: Houston Astros (76-85 in 2010) – Though we know that the Phillies made the huge move to pick up Roy Oswalt from the 'Stros right before the trade deadline last year, it's not like Houston made out that poorly. JA Happ is definitely an up and comer in this league, while the rest of the starting pitching really looks solid. The problem is that this lineup is epically bad. Carlos Lee has to be looking around wondering what in the heck he deserved to be left here on this club.

21: Los Angeles Dodgers (80-80 in 2010) – Manager Don Mattingly might be able to infuse some more wins into this team this year, but the truth of the matter is that this is nothing more than a mediocre team that made it to the playoffs on the back of Manny Ramirez two years ago, but really doesn't have all that much else to work with. When your two biggest offseason acquisitions are Rod Barajas and Dioner Navarro, you've got some issues.

22: San Diego Padres (90-72 in 2010) – We definitely don't buy that the Padres are going to be in contention this year, though we do give them all the credit in the world for fighting up until the very last day to try to get into the playoffs this year. Sure, missing out on Adrian Gonzalez is going to hurt, but we also know that bringing in names like Cameron Maybin, Brad Hawpe, and Jason Bartlett will help. The pitching staff really came on strong last year with Mat Latos and Wade LeBlanc pitching like studs at times, while the bullpen was simply lights out. Now, Chad Qualls is in the bunch in the pen, while Aaron Harang, who was one of the best starters for the Reds last year, is going to probably be the No. 2 man in the rotation. We're just not buying that it's working again in San Diego, though.

23: New York Mets (79-83 in 2010) – The M-E-T-S are an M-E-S-S right now. The Wilpon family is in all sorts of trouble thanks to the Bernie Madoff problems, meaning the team was really killed with the inability to go spending in the offseason. Thank goodness, the big contract for a very disappointing Carlos Beltran is finally coming up, but there is still no excuse to recover any of those other signings like Jason Bay last year. To make matters worse, this pitching staff is in shambles. Francisco Rodriguez literally jumped the shark last year and has made himself a public enemy on his own team, while Johan Santana probably isn't going to throw a pitch in the majors until the All Star Break.

24: Washington Nationals (69-93 in 2010) – The Nats really opened up the floodgates in free agency this year when they gave that ridiculous contract to Jayson Werth, but when push really comes to shove, is this team in any better shape now than it was with Adam Dunn? There's no noteworthy closer to speak of, and with Stephen Strasburg not pitching this year thanks to Tommy John surgery, there is a real issue about who will be helping out John Lannan in this rotation. Chien-Ming Wang might be a name to remember since he was basically brought here to Washington to try to revive his career outside of the bright lights of the Big Apple.

25: Baltimore Orioles (66-96 in 2010) – The O's are probably still a year away, as they have a lot of these young up and coming kids that makes them look a lot like Tampa Bay a few years ago. We're not so sure what Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero are doing here, nor are we really all that sure why Mark Reynolds came to town, but we know that the Orioles have a better team this year than they did a year ago. The question is whether they can even think about challenging the rest of the teams in the stockpiled AL East. Probably not.

26: Seattle Mariners (61-101 in 2010) – At least by record, the M's were the worst team in the AL last year, but we have to remember that this is a club that still has a ton of really top notch talent. Chone Figgins should play better ball this year, while we know that Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez really can't win any fewer games than he did a season ago. Ichiro, as always, will be good for his 200 hits. The only hope here is that the AL West absolutely stinks, but that doesn't really mean that the Mariners are going to help that cause any this year.

27: Cleveland Indians (69-93 in 2010) – Playing the Royals 19 times this year should really help out Cleveland's case to become relevant again, but we know better. Getting to 75 wins would be an amazing triumph. There are a lot of nice looking young arms in the bullpen, but aside, and the kiddies in the field will be exciting for certain at times, but there is still a lot of learning to do for a team that hasn't figured out how to win since CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee left town.

28: Arizona Diamondbacks (65-97 in 2010) – Pardon the pun, but the Diamondbacks are absolutely snake bitten. Justin Upton is great, and Stephen Drew is a fantastic middle infielder, while Kelly Johnson definitely made a name for himself last year. Chris Young is explosive, but the rest of this team is nothing to be desired. JJ Putz is heading a shaky looking bullpen, and save maybe Joe Saunders, there's nothing left in this rotation but guys like Ian Kennedy and Zach Duke that have never amounted to anything in their careers.

29: Kansas City Royals (67-95 in 2010) – Simply put, the Royals stink. They gave up on Zack Greinke, if nothing else, as a thank you gift to him for years of good service. David DeJesus, arguably the franchise's best hitter in years is gone as well. That leaves a great closer in Joakim Soria and a solid slugger in Billy Butler. However, if you want a great question that will stump all of your friends in a bar… Ask to name any member of the Kansas City rotation. If they get any of Jeff Francis, Luke Hochevar, Bruce Chen, Kyle Davies, or Vin Mazzaro, we'll be really, really impressed.

30: Pittsburgh Pirates (57-105 in 2010) – Zach Duke finally got his ticket out of town in the offseason after years of being stuck in baseball's purgatory, but unfortunately for him, Andrew McCutchen didn't. He's the only man worth anything in the lineup, while the rotation featuring Paul Maholm isn't going to have anyone shaking in their boots. Ross Ohlendorf is earning over $2M this year after winning salary arbitration… in a year in which he won exactly one game. If there's one thing you can bank on, it's that the Pirates will once again have a losing record in 2011.

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