Baseball rankings roundup: Giants-Dodgers rivalry still healthy
The Giants and Dodgers have been battling as rivals for more than 100 years. It began in 1911 in New York and continued when the teams moved to California for the 1958 season. They’re continuing to do so this season in the National League West, and here in the baseball power rankings roundup.
The teams have an average ranking of 9 among the four polls sampled here (ESPN, Bleacher Report, USA Today and SI.com). The difference between the former New York rivals is the Dodgers averaged a climb of plus 3.5, the Giants 1.5. In the bragging rights department, the Giants boasted the highest ranking of the state’s major league teams with a No. 7 showing on Bleacher Report.
Meanwhile, the A’s, whose franchise was born in Philadelphia in 1901, has the distinction of the week’s biggest drop among the teams sampled here. The A’s dropped an average of minus 3.5 and share last place here with the Angels with an average ranking of 24.5.
The Padres check in with an average ranking of 23 and managed an average improvement of 2.25.
Sorting the data:
Giants
Average rank: 10.5
Average change: +2.0
High/low: 9/13
From ESPN: “The outfield duo of Denard Span and Hunter Pence had big weeks for the Giants, who remain neck-and-neck with the Dodgers for the N.L. West lead. Even Jake Peavy got in on the action, as he tossed a strong game against the scuffling D-backs on Saturday.”
Dodgers
Average rank: 12.5
Average change: +.5
High/low: 11/16
From ESPN: “(Clayton Kershaw) has at least 10 strikeouts and no more than one walk in each of his past five starts, setting an MLB record.”
A’s
Average rank: 21
Average change: -3
High/low: 20/22
From Bleacher Report: “ … this is a team that has been trending downward as a whole since the calendar turned to May. After going 13-12 in April, the Athletics are just 3-10 with a minus-43 run differential so far this month. Rich Hill has been one of the best signings of the offseason at 5-3 with a 2.68 ERA.”
Angels
Average rank: 24.75
Average change: -2.75
High/low: 22/27
From USA Today: “Rotation has only one starter with an ERA below 4.00.”
Padres
Average rank: 25.25
Average change: +1.75
High/low: 24/27
From Bleacher Report: “It’s crazy to say, but as things currently stand, there’s little question that Melvin Upton Jr. is the better of the Upton brothers.”
Compiled by Jeff Caraska
This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 8:45 PM with the headline "Baseball rankings roundup: Giants-Dodgers rivalry still healthy."