Week Eleven
by Asher B. Chancey, BaseballEvolution.com
June 20, 2007

If I had to pick one team, right now, to win the World Series, there is simply no doubt that it would be the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They have the pitching, the hitting, the defense, and the bullpen, but here is the clincher – they could be better. Howie Kendrick hasn’t hit his stride after returning from injury, Garrett Anderson is still getting playing time despite the emergence of Reggie Willits in the outfield, Bartolo Colon is still trying to work things out, and Chone Figgins isn’t where he needs to be.

In the end, the only thing that can keep this team out of the World Series will be either injury, or starting Ervin Santana on the road in the playoffs. Seriously, how has no one slipped Mike Scioscia a note in the dugout yet? It doesn’t take Annie Savoy to stare through her binoculars to tell you that Santana can’t get it done away from Los Anaheim.

Sidebar – is there any more an endangered species than white guys named Reggie? The last one I remember was the semi-villain in 48 Hours, and that was so long ago Nick Nolte was still an action-movie actor and Eddie Murphy was still edgy.

In other AL news, the New York Yankees have taken my “Line of Death” challenge personally, and have reeled off 13 wins in their last 16 games. No amount of my pointing out that the Yanks have been beating up on the likes of the White Sox, Pirates, and slumping Mets will denigrate the impressive run they are on, but they remain 8.5 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East, and have Cleveland/Detroit, Oakland, and Seattle in front of them in the AL wild card race. The Yankees will have to add a pitcher and probably a hitter if they seriously think they will be playing in October.

The Phillies, too, took my Line of Death designation personally, and have won 10 of their last 15 to pull within 2.5 games of the Mets in the NL East. Nevertheless, no matter optimistic the resurgent Ryan Howard and the Phillies’ offense may make Phillies’ fans, there is no way the current starting rotation and bullpen take this team to the post-season. The Phillies need a closer and a setup man, because Tom Gordon, Brett Myers, and Antonio Alfonseca are a big fat 0-for-3 in that department.

Without further ado, here are the Week Eleven Power Rankings. Enjoy and, as always, feel free to comment.

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Questions? Concerns? Comments? Asher lives in Philadelphia, PA, and can be reached at asher@baseballevolution.com.