The Times’ baseball rankings
With the NFL exhibition season kicking off Sunday, Times staff writer Kevin Baxter takes a helmet-jarring look at how MLB’s 30 teams line up. (Statistics through Friday’s games. Last week’s rankings in parentheses):
SPECIAL TEAMS
1. DETROIT | Monsters of the Midway are averaging MLB-best 5.15 runs a game. (7)
2. ATLANTA | High-completion rate: Braves have converted 79% of save opportunities. (9)
3. DODGERS | West Coast Offense: Dodgers topped MLB in hitting (.289) in July. (3)
4. PITTSBURGH | Pirates, 9-7 since the break, hoping to avoid another second-half collapse. (8)
5. CLEVELAND | False start: Have division’s best record since opening 8-13. (12)
6. BOSTON | Running game: MLB’s most successful base-stealing team with 83 in 100 tries. (6)
7. TAMPA BAY | Tampa 2: Price, Moore went 9-1, 1.84 combined in July. (1)
8. ST. LOUIS | Balanced attack: Lead NL in hitting, scoring, rank fourth in ERA. (2)
9. OAKLAND | Raiders gave up more points in 16 games than A’s have given up runs in 109. (4)
10. TEXAS | Have been to 2 World Series since Cowboys last made playoffs. (13)
11. KANSAS CITY | Stopped for short gain: 9-game win streak earned 1¿1/2¿ games in division. (16)
FACING THIRD AND LONG
12. BALTIMORE | Defense-oriented: Orioles have fewest errors (33) in majors. (11)
13. CINCINNATI | Ocho cinco: Reds may win that many back-to-back for first time since 2000. (5)
14. ARIZONA | Calling an audible: Diamondbacks dump Ian Kennedy for stretch run. (10)
15. N.Y. YANKEES | Field general: Jeter homers on first pitch in his return from DL. (15)
16. WASHINGTON | Win one for the skipper: Johnson under fire over team’s steep fall. (19)
TIME TO TRY A HAIL MARY
17. COLORADO | Peyton’s place: Broncos camp news pushes sliding Rockies off front page. (21)
18. ANGELS | Injured reserve: Angels have lost 612 games combined to the DL. (20)
19. PHILADELPHIA | Eagles deeper at QB than Phillies are in rotation. (18)
20. SEATTLE | Hard hitters: Mariners’ 35 HRs in July were second in majors. (14)
21. SAN DIEGO | Philip Rivers (15 interceptions) had better control than Marquis (68 walks). (27)
22. N.Y. METS | Daniel Murphy is as scatter-armed at 2nd as Mark Sanchez is at Jets’ QB. (17)
23. TORONTO | Jays last in AL East but Grey Cup champion Argos lead their CFL division. (25)
24. SAN FRANCISCO | Fumble!! Giants 2nd in NL with 78 errors, leading to 35 unearned runs. (24)
THESE GUYS MAKE THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS LOOK GOOD
25. CHICAGO CUBS | High turnover rate: Cubs make 31 transactions in July. (22)
26. MILWAUKEE | Three and out: Leads MLB with 32 triples but ranks 20th with 425 runs. (23)
27. MINNESOTA | Good ground game: Deduno 2nd among pitchers with 69 groundouts in July. (26)
28. CHICAGO WHITE SOX | Team takes a knee on 2013; trades Peavy to start rebuilding. (28)
29. MIAMI | Unnecessary roughness: Marlins sack hitting coach over verbal abuse. (29)
30. HOUSTON | Missing their receivers: Astros staff has walked MLB-high 397 batters. (30)
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