Rank, Team ... ... Last Year ... ... Comment
1. Atlanta .. ... .. .. 104-58 ... .. ... How many teams can afford
Braves ... .. ... .. .. ... ... .. .. ... to leave a no-hit pitcher out of the
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. ... rotation?
2. Toronto .. ... .. .. 95-67 ... ... The rest of the American League
Blue Jays ... ... ... ... ... ... ... can only hope that Joe Carter doesn't
... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. ... ... break his other thumb.
3. S.F. ... ... .. ... 103-59 ... ... It's going to be a free ride in the NL
Giants .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... West, but the Giants have picked up
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. right where they left off last year.
4. Cincinnati ... .. .. 73-89 ... ... Surprising early rush should put
Reds ... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... pressure on mediocre NL Central
.. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... competition.
5. Boston .. .. ... ... 80-82 ... ... How about this for a role reversal:
Red Sox ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. Roger Clemens is the big question
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. mark. Everything else is fine.
6. Baltimore .. ... ... 85-77 ... ... About $43 million later, they're still
Orioles ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. looking up at the Blue Jays, but
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. return of Sid Fernandez should help.
7. Cleveland .. ... ... 76-86 ... ... Finally, a fast start that might
Indians ... ... ... ... ... .. .. ... actually mean something, but why
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. is Manny Ramirez batting ninth?
8. Chicago .. .. .. ... 94-68 ... ... How many teams have enough
White Sox ... .. .. .. .. ... ... ... depth to keep a three-time league
... ... ... .. .. ... ... ... ... ... MVP at the Double-A level?
9. Phila. ... .. ... .. 97-65 ... ... Defending NL champs appear to be
Phillies ... ... ... ... ... .. .. .. dropping in class. Pitching staff is
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. putting them at a big disadvantage.
10. Texas ... ... .. .. 86-76 ... ... Still solid favorite in AL Mess
Rangers ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. despite slow start, but Rangers are
... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... .. starting to look like a paper tiger.
11. New York .. ... ... 88-74 ... ... Supposedly solid pitching
Yankees ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. staff not doing the job. Team is .500
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. despite averaging six runs a game.
12. Houston ... ... ... 85-77 ... ... The Astros are right in the middle
Astros ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. of the pack, which is where they
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. figure to be all season.
13. Milwaukee .. .. ... 69-93 ... ... Not as bad as they look on
Brewers ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. paper. If starting rotation knits
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. together, Brew Crew could be
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. competitive.
14. Oakland ... ... ... 68-94 ... ... Tremendous starts by Mark
Athletics ... ... ... ... ... ... ... McGwire and Geronimo Berroa have
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. jump-started unheralded team.
15. St. Louis ... .. .. 87-75 ... ... There's some potential, but a lot
Cardinals ... ... ... ... ... ... ... has to go right to move the Cards
... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... .. into the Top 10.
16. Montreal .. ... ... 94-68 ... ... With Braves off to fast start, this is
Expos ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... no time to have another one of
... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. ... those Expo Aprils.
17. New York ... ... .. 59-103 .. ... This is nosebleed territory for the
Mets ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. .. Mets, who still figure to spend season
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. about 5 inches lower on page.
18. Seattle ... ... ... 82-80 ... ... Don't let 0-5 start fool you. The M's
Mariners ... ... ... ... ... .. .. .. may be the best team in their division,
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. though that isn't saying a lot.
19. Chicago ... ... ... 84-78 ... ... Offensive lineup doesn't look like
Cubs ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. .. much and pitching looks worse.
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. Will Cubs fans ever get a break?
20. Colorado ... .. ... 67-95 ... ... Exciting offensive lineup should
Rockies ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. make Rockies respectable enough
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. to draw another 4.5 million fans.
21. L.A. ... ... .. ... 81-81 ... ... Interesting team, but hasn't started
Dodgers ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. to click and maybe never will.
22. K.C. ... ... ... .. 84-78 ... ... Supposed to be new and improved,
Royals ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... but failed to get out of the box again.
23. California .. .. .. 71-91 ... ... Decent start should have
Angels ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... them higher, but Mark Langston
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. injury leaves just one
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. dependable starter.
24. Detroit ... ... ... 85-77 ... ... Fielder and Co. are flexing their
Tigers ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. muscles again, but pitching staff
... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... .. still leaves much to be desired.
25. Florida ... ... ... 64-98 ... ... Slightly more punch than last year,
Marlins ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. but it isn't going to keep them out
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. of the NL East cellar.
26. Pittsburgh .. .. .. 75-87 ... ... Why does a nice guy like Jim Ley-
Pirates ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. land have to go through this again?
27. Minnesota ... .. .. 71-91 ... ... The only question is why Kent
Twins ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Hrbek is waiting until the end of
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. the year to retire.
28. San Diego ... .. .. 61-101 ... .. When does Andy
Padres ... ... .. ... ... ... ... ... Benes get here?