2011 Playoff Rankings
Playoff rankings require us to peer into a cloudy crystal ball, and predict who is going to win which series. Thus, there's a lot of volatility in the rankings, and you'll also see lesser players boosted in the rankings because they're projected to play more games. This year is different, though - I don't think a "bankroll" strategy works well this year. I don't see one team in the playoffs where I think "happy to be there, will get knocked out quickly" like the Reds last year. The Phillies, because of their starting pitching and the time they've had to set it up, are probably the favorites, but I don't see them being prohibitively better than even the Cardinals. The big thing that they have going for them is that Chris Carpenter pitched the regular season finale for the Cards, and thus can only start one game on full rest against them. If I had to seed the eight teams in the playoffs, I'd rank them as:
1. Phillies
2. Rangers
3. Brewers
4. Yankees
5. Tigers
6. Diamondbacks
7. Rays
8. Cardinals
(Players qualify at a position with 10 or more games there in 2011 - or in the case of fewer than 10 games at any position, where that player has played the most.)
1B
1. Ryan Howard (PHI)
2. Prince Fielder (MIL)
3. Miguel Cabrera (DET)
4. Mark Teixeira (NY-A)
5. Albert Pujols (STL)
6. Michael Young (TEX)
7. Mike Napoli (TEX)
8. Lance
2011 Playoff Rankings
Playoff rankings require us to peer into a cloudy crystal ball, and predict who is going to win which series. Thus, there's a lot of volatility in the rankings, and you'll also see lesser players boosted in the rankings because they're projected to play more games. This year is different, though - I don't think a "bankroll" strategy works well this year. I don't see one team in the playoffs where I think "happy to be there, will get knocked out quickly" like the Reds last year. The Phillies, because of their starting pitching and the time they've had to set it up, are probably the favorites, but I don't see them being prohibitively better than even the Cardinals. The big thing that they have going for them is that Chris Carpenter pitched the regular season finale for the Cards, and thus can only start one game on full rest against them. If I had to seed the eight teams in the playoffs, I'd rank them as:
1. Phillies
2. Rangers
3. Brewers
4. Yankees
5. Tigers
6. Diamondbacks
7. Rays
8. Cardinals
(Players qualify at a position with 10 or more games there in 2011 - or in the case of fewer than 10 games at any position, where that player has played the most.)
1B
1. Ryan Howard (PHI)
2. Prince Fielder (MIL)
3. Miguel Cabrera (DET)
4. Mark Teixeira (NY-A)
5. Albert Pujols (STL)
6. Michael Young (TEX)
7. Mike Napoli (TEX)
8. Lance Berkman (STL)
9. Nick Swisher (NY-A)
10. Paul Goldschmidt (AZ)
11. Casey Kotchman (TB)
12. John Mayberry (PHI)
13. Mitch Moreland (TEX)
14. Jorge Posada (NY-A)
15. Lyle Overbay (AZ)
16. Mark Kotsay (MIL)
2B
1. Ian Kinsler (TEX)
2. Robinson Cano (NY-A)
3. Michael Young (TEX)
4. Chase Utley (PHI)
5. Ben Zobrist (TB)
6. Rickie Weeks (MIL)
7. Ryan Roberts (AZ)
8. Aaron Hill (AZ)
9. Ryan Raburn (DET)
10. Skip Schumaker (STL)
11. Sean Rodriguez (TB)
12. Ryan Theriot (STL)
13. Ramon Santiago (DET)
14. Michael Martinez (PHI)
15. Wilson Valdez (PHI)
16. Daniel Descalso (STL)
17. Taylor Green (MIL)
18. John McDonald (AZ)
19. Jerry Hairston Jr. (MIL)
3B
1. Evan Longoria (TB)
2. Adrian Beltre (TEX)
3. Michael Young (TEX)
4. Alex Rodriguez (NY-A)
5. Placido Polanco (PHI)
6. David Freese (STL)
7. Ryan Roberts (AZ)
8. Wilson Betemit (DET)
9. Casey McGehee (MIL)
10. Sean Rodriguez (TB)
11. Eduardo Nunez (NY-A)
12. Brandon Inge (DET)
13. Eric Chavez (NY-A)
14. Don Kelly (DET)
15. Daniel Descalso (STL)
16. John McDonald (AZ)
17. Sean Burroughs (AZ)
18. Craig Counsell (MIL)
19. Nick Punto (STL)
SS
1. Elvis Andrus (TEX)
2. Jimmy Rollins (PHI)
3. Jhonny Peralta (DET)
4. Derek Jeter (NY-A)
5. Yuniesky Betancourt (MIL)
6. Ryan Theriot (STL)
7. Willie Bloomquist (AZ)
8. Sean Rodriguez (TB)
9. Rafael Furcal (STL)
10. Reid Brignac (TB)
11. Ramon Santiago (DET)
12. John McDonald (AZ)
13. Nick Punto (STL)
14. Wilson Valdez (PHI)
15. Josh Wilson (MIL)
16. Elliot Johnson (TB)
17. Craig Counsell (MIL)
C
1. Mike Napoli (TEX)
2. Victor Martinez (DET)
3. Alex Avila (DET)
4. Miguel Montero (AZ)
5. Carlos Ruiz (PHI)
6. Jonathan Lucroy (MIL)
7. Russell Martin (NY-A)
8. Yadier Molina (STL)
9. Yorvit Torrealba (TEX)
10. John Jaso (TB)
11. Kelly Shoppach (TB)
12. Jesus Montero (NY-A)* - The only DH-only guy on the list - three games at catcher.
13. Jorge Posada (NY-A)
14. Brian Schneider (PHI)
15. Henry Blanco (AZ)
16. Gerald Laird (STL)
17. Jose Lobaton (TB)
18. Robinson Chirinos (TB)
19. Matt Treanor (TEX)
OF
1. Ryan Braun (MIL)
2. Curtis Granderson (NY-A)
3. Josh Hamilton (TEX)
4. Shane Victorino (PHI)
5. Justin Upton (AZ)
6. Hunter Pence (PHI)
7. Chris Young (AZ)
8. B.J. Upton (TB)
9. Ben Zobrist (TB)
10. Nelson Cruz (TEX)
11. Brett Gardner (NY-A)
12. Lance Berkman (STL)
13. Corey Hart (MIL)
14. Desmond Jennings (TB)
15. Nick Swisher (NY-A)
16. Johnny Damon (TB)
17. Nyjer Morgan (MIL)
18. Allen Craig (STL)
19. Delmon Young (DET)
20. Austin Jackson (DET)
21. Matt Joyce (TB)
22. John Mayberry (PHI)
23. Raul Ibanez (PHI)
24. David Murphy (TEX)
25. Mitch Moreland (TEX)
26. Endy Chavez (TEX)
27. Jon Jay (STL)
28. Ryan Raburn (DET)
29. Gerardo Parra (AZ)
30. Matt Holliday (STL)
31. Craig Gentry (TEX)
32. Andy Dirks (DET)
33. Willie Bloomquist (AZ)
34. Carlos Gomez (MIL)
35. Michael Martinez (PHI)
36. Sean Rodriguez (TB)
37. Andruw Jones (NY-A)
38. Justin Ruggiano (TB)
39. Corey Patterson (STL)
40. Sam Fuld (TB)
41. Ben Francisco (PHI)
RP
1. John Axford (MIL)
2. Mariano Rivera (NY-A)
3. Ryan Madson (PHI)
4. Neftali Feliz (TEX)
5. Jose Valverde (DET)
6. J.J. Putz (AZ)
7. Kyle Farnsworth (TB)
8. Jason Motte (STL)
9. David Robertson (NY-A)
10. Antonio Bastardo (PHI)
11. Mike Adams (TEX)
12. Francisco Rodriguez (MIL)
13. Joaquin Benoit (DET)
14. Joel Peralta (TB)
15. Fernando Salas (STL)
16. Brad Lidge (PHI)
17. Rafael Soriano (NY-A)
18. Koji Uehara (TEX)
19. David Hernandez (AZ)
20. Octavio Dotel (STL)
21. Darren Oliver (TEX)
22. Takashi Saito (MIL)
23. Kyle McClellan (STL)
24. Kameron Loe (MIL)
25. Brad Ziegler (AZ)
26. Michael Stutes (PHI)
27. Arthur Rhodes (STL)
28. Mike Gonzalez (TEX)
29. J.P. Howell (TB)
30. Eduardo Sanchez (STL)
SP
1. Roy Halladay (PHI)
2. Cliff Lee (PHI)
3. Justin Verlander (DET)
4. CC Sabathia (NY-A)
5. Cole Hamels (PHI)
6. C.J. Wilson (TEX)
7. Yovani Gallardo (MIL)
8. Ian Kennedy (AZ)
9. Derek Holland (TEX)
10. James Shields (TB)
11. Zack Greinke (MIL)
12. Shaun Marcum (MIL)
13. David Price (TB)
14. Dan Hudson (AZ)
15. Chris Carpenter (STL)
16. Ivan Nova (NY-A)
17. Doug Fister (DET)
18. Jeremy Hellickson (TB)
19. Max Scherzer (DET)
20. Roy Oswalt (PHI)
21. Matthew Moore (TB)
22. Matt Harrison (TEX)
23. Colby Lewis (TEX)
24. Edwin Jackson (STL)
25. Freddy Garcia (NY-A)
26. Kyle Lohse (STL)
27. Jeff Niemann (TB)
28. Joe Saunders (AZ)
29. Jaime Garcia (STL)
30. Randy Wolf (MIL)
31. Kyle Kendrick (PHI)
32. Rick Porcello (DET)
33. Wade Davis (TB)
34. Vance Worley (PHI)
35. Alexi Ogando (TEX)
36. Bartolo Colon (NY-A)
37. Josh Collmenter (AZ)
38. Wade Miley (AZ)
39. Phil Hughes (NY-A)
40. A.J. Burnett (NY-A)
41. Jake Westbrook (STL)
42. Chris Narveson (MIL)
43. Brad Penny (DET)
44. Joe Blanton (PHI)
45. Jarrod Parker (AZ)
