Finn Factor Baseball Power Ratings: The Home Stretch
MLB Power Ratings
WagerTalk handicapper Tony Finn offers his mid-September MLB state of the union and updated power ratings. With just three weeks remaining in the Major League Baseball regular season, which teams are in top form heading into the postseason? Which teams are scratching and clawing to hold onto their spots?
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September 10 MLB Power Ratings
1. San Francisco Giants – Record: 87-50 (Previous ranking: 1)
The San Francisco Giants own the best record in baseball. When Labor Day presented itself, the franchise that Bobby Bonds built owned a one-game lead on the reigning World Series champs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and were in control of their own destiny in the National League West and to end the season with the best record in the NL and all of baseball.
Entering Labor Day weekend, the Giants were slotted as the seventh team most likely to win the Fall Classic World Series, with odds of +900.
The Giants were the first team to reach 80 wins and are in a good position to be the first to claim 90. San Fran will send Gausman, Webb, and DeSciafani to the hill for the set at Coors before climbing aboard a plane headed to Wrigley for three.
At this point of September, despite holding just a one-game lead on the Dodgers, the Giants will top the Finn Factor Power Poll until the Dodgers hold down first place for more than one day.
2. Houston Astros – Record: 79-57 (Previous ranking: 2)
Dusty Bakers bunch are on cruise control. They haven’t been over-the-top good the last two weeks, but they have been head and shoulders better than their division rival Oakland who has been chasing them for what seems like an entire summer. Labor Day’s MLB standings didn’t reveal that the Athletics as the second-place team in the division. The A’s, a pedestrian 4-6 across their last 10 games, have surrendered second place to the Seattle Mariners.
To a sportsbook director, few believe that Houston will relinquish the top spot in the division, and the World Series future odds reflect this.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers – Record: 86-51 (Previous ranking: 3)
The Dodgers have closed the gap on the Giants since my last rankings update. The Chavez Ravine squad were two-and-one-half games back the last time I checked in, August 25th. The Dodgers remain at the top of every sportsbook World Series future charts. I used to report the updated numbers to win the 2021 Fall Classic, with the Milwaukee Brewers being the second choice to represent the Senior Circuit in October.
4. Tampa Bay Rays – Record: 86-51 (Previous ranking: 4)
The Rays were an attractive +1100 to win the 2021 Fall Classic when I published my last Baseball Power Rankings here at WagerTalk. At that time, the New York Yankees were in front of Tampa Bay with odds of +900.
The Kevin Cash Rays were eight games before the Yanks and the Boston Red Sox when this MLB report went to press.
5. Milwaukee Brewers – Record: 84-54 (Previous ranking: 5)
The NL Central Brewers hold a slight edge over the Atlant Braves in this week’s poll. The primary reason for this is not the talent of the Brew Crew but their decisive 11.5 game lead in the NL Central. Toss in the pitching variable, with what is the best three-pitcher playoff rotation, and there is every reason for the bookmakers to have the Crew as the team most likely NL roster to success save the Dodgers.
6. Atlanta Braves – Record: 72-64 (Previous ranking: 6)
7. Chicago White Sox – Record: 79-58 (Previous ranking: 7)
8. New York Yankees – Record: 78-59 (Previous ranking: 8)
9. Boston Red Sox – Record: 79-60 (Previous ranking: 10)
10. San Diego Padres – Record: 73-64 (Previous ranking: 14)
11. Cincinnati Reds – Record: 73-66 (Previous ranking: 9)
12. Philadelphia Phillies – Record: 71-66 (Previous ranking: 12)
13. Seattle Mariners – Record: 75-62 (Previous ranking: 16)
14. Oakland Athletics – Record: 74-63 (Previous ranking: 11)
15. New York Mets – Record: 69-69 (Previous rank: 13)
16. Toronto Blue Jays – Record: 74-62 (Previous ranking: 15)
17. St. Louis Cardinals – Record: 69-68 (Previous ranking: 17)
18. Los Angeles Angels – Record: 68-69 (Previous ranking: 18)
19. Cleveland Indians – Record: 68-66 (Previous ranking: 19)
20. Kansas City Royals – Record: 61-75 (Previous ranking: 21)
21. Chicago Cubs – Record: 64-75 (Previous ranking: 26)
22. Detroit Tigers – Record: 65-74 (Previous ranking: 22)
23. Miami Marlins – Record: 57-80 (Previous ranking: 23)
24. Colorado Rockies – Record: 63-74 (Previous ranking: 25)
25 Minnesota Twins – Record: 59-77 (Previous ranking: 24)
26. Washington Nationals – Record: 57-80 (Previous ranking: 20)
27. Pittsburgh Pirates – Record: 49-89 (Previous ranking: 27)
28. Texas Rangers – Record: 48-88 (Previous ranking: 28)
29. Arizona Diamondbacks – Record: 45-93 (Previous ranking: 29)
30. Baltimore Orioles – Record: 43-93 (Previous ranking: 30)
MLB First Pitch
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