BWNE Vol. 5

Once again, I cleverly entice your eyes to the Bi-Weekly Narcissistic Rankings. Okay, so maybe you don't actually READ them but you at least look - I'll take my attention where I can get it.

This time as last is not the easiest to comment on. In the two intervening weeks saw no less than 16 teams finish within one more or less win of .500 ball. That produces little movement except when those teams get passed up by other teams making major moves. Our beloved Blue Jays won 10 games in the last two weeks, which is more than and other team in the majors, meanwhile some other highly regarded teams continue to flounder. That means I still find myself nonsensically ranking Florida ahead of the Mets (for one example).

It's approaching 1/3 of the season now and the day is coming when we are going to have to start asking "Is Tanpa really THAT good? Are the Tigers really THAT bad?"

1. Arizona (1) - While they were not as overtly dominant this last fortnight as they had been before, the D'Backs are still sporting the best record in the NL

2. Boston (2) - a .500 team over the past two weeks but clinging to the #2 ranking because the Angels did not - quite = steal it away.

3. LA Angels (3) - if I wasn't too lazy, I'd just put these two in a straight tie for #2 but I'm trying to avoid that crutch.

4. Chicago Cubs (4) - Here's another pair that are essentially tied....

5. St Louis (5) - ...but I saw no obvious reason to flip them.

6. Tampa Bay (9) - I may be biased but I'm still not sold despite the fact that (gasp!) the Rays have the best winning precentage in the AL!

7. Florida (7) - That said, at least the Rays have the talent to be up here...who can explain what's going on with the Marlins?

8. Houston (10) - slowly these guys are creeping into "take them seriously" status despite a less than impressive set of names in the rotation.

9. Philadelphia (8) - Like some other teams here, I really don't have any great insight to share about the Phillies

10. Atlanta (13) - Nine wins since the last list, the Braves seem to have gotten their act together.

11. Chicago White Sox (17) - had a rough patch but back to their devision-leading ways.

12. Toronto (20) - hopefully we've seen the last of that team who struggled through the last half of April.

13. Oakland (6) - Seem to be coming back down to earth.

14. LA Dodgers (12) - not a bad two weeks but passed by by hotter teams.

15. NY Yankees (15) - This sort of mediocrity probably can't last so lets pause a moment and savor it, shall we? . . . . . . . . . AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!! . . . . . . . . . .

16. Minnesota (16) - this is just about where this team really is, I think.

17. Texas (24) - no pair in the AL is producing like Bradley and Hamilton. Until they cool off I guess I can hold off speculating on Bradley (actually, I'm about ready to pony up for Bay anyway, as Johnny suggests, but that's another post)

18. Baltimore (19) - benefits a bit from the continued struggles of better teams.

19. Cleveland (14) - Given I still think this is one of the teams we have to worry about for the wild card, the longer they (inexplicably) struggle, the better for the Jays.

20. NY Mets (11) - All you folks who think Gibbons is letting a team under-achieve, check out the tiny tiny thread which holds Willie Randolph to his job.

21. Pittsburgh (23) - Hopefully they don't entertain the illusion of success too long, we can't keep the jet at the airport waiting for Jason Bay forever.

22. Milwaukee (16) - slowly watching things slip away from them.

23. Cincinnati (26) - finally pulled off the marathon win tonight despite not being able to hit Josh F'n Banks for 6 innings.

24. Detroit (22) - you're thinking all any team needs is a really good manager like Jim Leland? hold on just a sec...

25. Kansas City (21) early success is receding in the rear-view by now.

26. Washington (28) - a good couple of weeks by their standards.

27. Seattle (25) - Wheels have come completely off at this point.

28. Colorado (27) - I remember some boardies raving on O'Dowd as a GM based on that improbable run last year. The Rox probably are not THIS bad but I'll hear no more bragging about what a winner O'Dowd has built in Colorado for a while, I suspect.

29. San Francisco (29) - I'm a bit stunned the Padres can't even get past THIS team.

30. San Diego (30) - hard to believe they have such an awful record this year.