MLB: Ranking the Top 10 Teams Right Now
As the 2013 MLB regular season begins to see an end in sight, we start to wonder who the best teams are. How do they compare to one another? Here I rank the top ten teams in Major League Baseball; the ten teams that are currently in a position to make the playoffs (the six teams on top of their divisions and the four teams currently in the lead for the wild card spots).
10) Pittsburgh Pirates
Aug 18, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Clint Barmes (12) completes a double play over Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Didi Gregorius (1) during the fifth inning at PNC Park. The Diamondbacks won 4-2 in sixteen innings. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
You may be wondering why a team leading a great division is in the tenth spot. Yes, Pittsburgh does have 72 wins, a strong bullpen and a playoff-caliber team, but there are some potential problems. Since the All-Star Break, the Pirates have gone 16-14, barely a winning record. Also, their batting is the weakest of any team on this list. They rank 23rd in runs scored and 20th in batting average. While there is a very good chance St. Louis and Cincinnati will catch Pittsburgh (they are 1 and 2.5 games back respectively), Arizona is five games behind Cincinnati for that final wild card spot.
Pittsburgh has dropped series to both Cincinnati and St. Louis. Even though they did beat St. Louis in one series, the Cardinals won their most recent encounter. They also lost series to Colorado and Miami. Lastly, the Pirates are 3-7 in their last ten game.