Back by popular demand, or perhaps by blatant indifference, it’s Throwing Tomatoes.

It’s been a busy stretch in the world of sports lately, leaving plenty of opportunities to show displeasure at people in the world of sports, whether it be directed at baseball’s offseason, the NBA or NHL seasons, College Football, or the NFL as it nears its finale.

So as the sports world turns, the stories pile up and more sports frustration emerges.  Don’t sweat it, The Wife Hates Sports has them all covered – in lycopene, that is.

Throwing Tomatoes: January 19, 2012

Target: The New York Jets

It feels like the negative Jets headlines are coming out faster than Rob Lowe can break sports news.  First, it was New York’s subpar season, followed by Santonio Holmes.  But that was only the beginning…

Sub-Target: Mark Sanchez

The artist formerly known as “Sanchise” has taken the brunt of it, first being referred to as “lazy” by some unnamed teammates, who also endorsed the acqusition of Peyton Manning.

Then again, it’s hard to argue the history, what with GQ and other pretty boy ads coming out of the woodwork, plus an open video on the sidelines featuring Sanchez eating a hot dog.  Those stories never had legs when the team was winning games.

Sub-Target: Rex Ryan

The New York head coach chimed in, stating that “the majority of our football team” had confidence in Sanchez.  Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but…

Sub-Target: LaDainian Tomlinson

LT opened up on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” show, tossing shots at nearly everyone.  But while Tomlinson could have found a way to take the heat off the Jets, he instead threw gas in the fire.  The better move would have been to keep everything behind closed doors.

Sub-Target: Woody Johnson

That’s not all on Sanchez.  Jets owner Woody Johnson said that “we think he’s our guy”, but also wouldn’t dismiss the idea of Peyton Manning wearing green.  For those that are counting, that’s another ringing endorsement for Sanchez.

Sub-Target: The Final Word on the Jets – “The D”

In the end, the majority of the criticism has been against offensive players like Sanchez, LT, Holmes, plus the departed Brian Schottenheimer.  Somehow avoiding the heat is the Jets defense, who deserves its fair share.  A clear strength in past seasons, the Jets did manage to finish 5^th in yards per game and 5^th in pass yards allowed.  However, the run D was in the middle of the pack, and the team defense also allowed 22.7 points per game, good for 20^th in the NFL.

Target: Rob Lowe

For those that hadn’t heard, Rob Lowe recently tweeted that Peyton Manning would retire.

Keep in mind, a guy that played a character known as “#2” can easily be full of crap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_A8bFsBKTs

Joe Biden

In front of a San Francisco crowd, Biden said that the Giants are “on their way to the Super Bowl”.

Don’t worry… he didn’t follow that by predicting that Tim Lincecum would be the Super Bowl MVP.  Still, ouch.  Poor guy.

Target: Aaron Rodgers

Recently crowned Miss America Laura Kaeppeler gave a recent shout-out to Rodgers, asking him to call her.  Rodgers saw the broadcast, and has yet to drop her a line.

While the rest of the world is doing a “discount double take” on Kaeppeler, the Green Bay quarterback is clearly still fuming over the team’s recent loss to the Giants.

(h/t Shutdown Corner)

Innocent Bystander: Laura Kaeppeler

A woman this beautiful (below) is likely not used to rejection.  Eh, she’ll get over it.

While many men are giving Kaeppeler "discount double takes", Aaron Rodgers is not biting.

Target: Matt Antonelli

Signing with the Baltimore Orioles during the offseason, Matt Antonelli is basically an unknown in baseball, but he does tweet a whole heck of a lot – including this recent nugget:

MattAntonelli9 Matt Antonelli

“Day one in the books and still haven’t been beat up for wearing my Brady jersey around Baltimore”

Now, it’s my turn.  Hi, I’m Matt Antonelli.  I’m new to Baltimore.  This new fanbase is very disgruntled, and before I came here, no one had ever heard of me.  I know how passionate this city is about its football team, yet I’m going to wear a Tom Brady jersey during AFC Championship week.  Oh, and if you didn’t see me wearing it, I’m also going to tweet about it.  Bravo, Matt… BRAVO.

Target: Glen Davis

“Big Baby” Davis was called for a technical foul after dropping his drawers after a call that frustrated him.  Fortunately, there was no resulting visual where we’d have to call him for traveling, too.  If you didn’t catch that joke, then don’t ask me to explain it.

(h/t Game On!)

And finally, the current faces of team frustration in sports:

Boston Celtics – A slow 5-8 start is stirring up trade rumors in Beantown

Buffalo Sabres – Four straight losses and a 2-6-2 record over its last ten games

Columbus Blue Jackets – The team’s 31 points is seven fewer than any other NHL team.

This has been Throwing Tomatoes, where we practice the “discount double chuck”.

“The grass is always greener on the other side.”

It’s a simple little phrase that every human being at a career crossroads encounters at least once in a lifetime.

In Theo Epstein’s case, it shouldn’t even be considered – not even for a second.

The 37-year-old Epstein has done more in his young life than most of us will do in our entire time on this Earth.

Epstein’s resume is chock-full of gold star achievements, dating back to 2002 when he took the Red Sox GM job as the youngest to ever have such a position in the history of Major League Baseball.  Two years later, he “reversed the curse” and had a major part of sending the city of Boston out of 86 years of misery, all in dramatic fashion against the hated Yankees.  Three years after that (in 2007), the Sox added another title to its rich history.

But there’s still so much more that Epstein could add to his trophy case, and plenty of reasons to do so, especially after Boston’s 2011 season result.

Some out there say Epstein comes off as very arrogant, but no one can question the success he's brought to the Boston Red Sox since 2002

To explain why, one would have to look at the Epstein situation from a number of different angles.  First and foremost, Theo Epstein might just be one of the most arrogant sports figures in the game – and while I haven’t met him personally, I’m banking this fact on numerous unnamed sources outside of the baseball world that have had encounters with him in other social situations.  In each person’s case, they mentioned how most of the Red Sox members were actually quite pleasant, including the likes of Dustin Pedroia and yes, even the fiery Jonathan Papelbon.  But Epstein, not so much – and that point will be revisited shortly.

As most sports fans are already aware, Theo Epstein’s name has popped up in the rumor mill numerous times over the last few weeks, mainly circulating around two positions – continuing to work as the GM of the Boston Red Sox, or moving on to fill that position with the Chicago Cubs – a franchise marred in a 100-plus-year championship drought.

Days back, the report emerged that the Chicago Cubs had asked the Red Sox to talk to Theo Epstein about their open GM position.  No concrete news followed these reports, leaving the baseball world curious if Boston had given the okay for these talks to even occur.

Over the weekend, a new rumor emerged, where a Cubs fan stated that he had spotted Epstein in Lincoln Park (yes, the Chicago area, for those that are unaware), and had a discussion with him at a local Starbucks coffee shop.

Whether that rumor was true or not, no one can be sure right now – but one thing is clear, if the door opens for Epstein to take the Cubs job, then he should 100% grab that role by the horns – and for many reasons, from continuing to build his legacy, to the need for a change, and to the likely reactions from the Boston media and fanbase.

For decades, Cubs fans have dreamed of seeing the Wrigley Field sign say this after a World Series Game 7

First, it may be time for a change.  Epstein has been in the Boston role for nearly a decade, and while he’s made plenty of quality moves over the years, some of his decisions were ill advised in 2010 and 2011.  While most critics will point at the pricey additions of Carl Crawford and John Lackey, I can’t help but look at July’s trade deadline.  The Red Sox were clearly hurting for depth in its starting rotation due to a number of injuries.  But all Epstein could muster up were attempts for Erik Bedard and Rich Harden – both talents that have been – yes, you guessed it – injured for the majority of their careers.  Why attempt to fill a hole vacated by injury with another player with an injury-rich history?

Second, it’s the pressures brought on by the Boston media.  Epstein himself likely can easily ignore the constant prodding from the media, but the cries from the fanbase could get louder and louder.  The Boston sports fan is extremely passionate, much like the rest of the major market fanbases in the Northeast.  As quickly as the Boston sports fan can build a love and passion for its team, they can turn on them that much quicker, especially after a collapse such as the one that the Red Sox had in September.

And the feverish hunger generated from two World Series titles over the last seven years only makes things worse.  That hunger simply turns to more anger for each time that John Lackey gets shelled, or Carl Crawford has an ‘oh-fer’ night.  It gets to the point that the best option would be a fresh start for all parties, much like Terry Francona has already received, after being dismissed from the Red Sox manager position just days ago.

Finally, we come back to Epstein himself, and the passion that hides inside him, coupled with the arrogance that some people have been exposed to.  When you have an individual of Epstein’s mind and talents, wouldn’t it make complete sense for him to take on the Chicago Cubs GM position if the opportunity presented itself?

Plain and simple, if Theo Epstein headed to the Cubs and was able to end Chicago’s curse, too – he would easily be known as the best general manager in the history of Major League Baseball, and the man who was able to overturn two of the biggest droughts in sports history.

Ego or not, it’s an opportunity that Theo Epstein simply would have to take – and is there another more clear no-brainer in sports today?

That answer is no, and you don’t need to check the grass to know it’s true.

The roaring finish to the 2011 Major League Baseball regular season was one for the history books, with a furious finish by the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays, coupled with a pain-inducing collapse by both the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox.

With the 2011 MLB Playoffs already underway, let’s take a moment to look back one lsst time on the regular season, see how each team finished the year in our MLB Power Rankings, plus to provide some key final stat lines both from the team and individual player angle.

The Philadelphia Phillies finished KP’s MLB Power Rankings in the top spot, while the Houston Astros finished the year in the cellar.  Even with the added Wild Card bonus, the Rays still finished behind Boston overall.  Here’s how the final numbers sorted out:

The Phanatic is happy with the best record and TWHS Power Rankings crown, but still wants a World Series ring

KP’s MLB Power Rankings: End of 2011 Regular Season

1. Philadelphia Phillies – 102-60 (231 points) – Last Week: #1

Not surprisingly, the Phillies finished the regular season with a 3.02 team ERA, the best in baseball and nearly two tenths of a run better than any other team.

2. New York Yankees – 97-65 (218 points) – Last Week: #2

The Yankees finished the regular season with the most home runs (222) and the second-most runs batted in, with 836.

3. Texas Rangers – 96-66 (213 points) – Last Week: #3

The Rangers finished the regular season with the best team batting average in baseball (.283) and the second best OPS (.800).

4. Detroit Tigers – 95-67 (148 points) – Last Week: #5

The final stat line for Justin Verlander’s masterful season: 24-5 record, 2.40 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, .192 opponents average and 250 strikeouts in 251 innings pitched.

5. Milwaukee Brewers – 96-66 (144 points) – Last Week: #6

The Brewers had five double-digit game winners in 2011.  The list: Gallardo (17), Greinke (16), Marcum (13), Wolf (13) and Narveson (11).

6. Boston Red Sox – 90-72 (139 points) – Last Week: #4

The Red Sox finished the regular season with the most runs batted in, with 842.  Boston also had the most doubles in baseball, with 352.

7. St. Louis Cardinals – 90-72 (129 points) – Last Week: #9

The 167 double plays converted by the Cardinals during the regular season are more than any other team in baseball in 2011.

8. Arizona Diamondbacks – 94-68 (125 points) – Last Week: #8

The D’Backs pitching staff had the most saves (58) in baseball during the regular season.

9. Tampa Bay Rays – 91-71 (122 points) – Last Week: #7

The Rays finished the regular season with the best team WHIP in the American League (1.22).  Statistically, they fell behind Boston in the rankings, but earned a spot ahead of them.

10. Los Angeles Dodgers – 82-79 (72 points) – Last Week: #13

Matt Kemp was a major bright spot for the Dodgers this season

Matt Kemp’s fantastic season nearly hit the 40-40 mark.  His final line in 2011 was a .324 average, 39 HR, 126 RBI’s, 33 doubles and 40 stolen bases.

11. Atlanta Braves – 89-73 (69 points) – Last Week: #10

The Atlanta pitching staff had 1,332 strikeouts during the regular season, the most in baseball.

12. Los Angeles Angels – 86-76 (68 points) – Last Week: #11

If not for the performance of Justin Verlander this year, Jered Weaver (18-8, 2.41 ERA and 198 strikeouts) would have a legit shot at the Cy Young.

13. San Francisco Giants – 86-76 (39 points) – Last Week: #12

The San Francisco pitching staff held opponents to a .232 batting average, the best in baseball.

14. Cincinnati Reds – 79-83 (21 points) – Last Week: #16

Drew Stubbs’ 205 strikeouts during the regular season were more than any other player in Major League Baseball this year.

15. New York Mets – 77-85 (17 points) – Last Week: #15

Jose Reyes had a stellar season, batting .337, with 39 steals, 31 doubles, 16 triples and 181 total hits in 126 games this year.

16. Washington Nationals – 80-81 (15 points) – Last Week: #19

Stephen Strasburg managed five starts at the end of the season.  His final stats: 1-1, 0.87 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 24 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched.

17. Toronto Blue Jays – 81-81 (2 points) – Last Week: #14

Jose Bautista’s 132 walks on the regular season were 22 more than any other player.  He also hit 43 HR’s and batted .302 this year.

18. Chicago White Sox – 79-83 (0 points) – Last Week: #17

The nightmare season is over for Adam Dunn.  The final line: 122 games, 415 AB’s, 11 HR, 42 RBI’s, 177 strikeouts and a .159 batting average.  Ouch.

19. San Diego Padres – 71-91 (-17 points) – Last Week: #24

The Padres finished the regular season with more stolen bases (170) than any other team.

20. Cleveland Indians – 80-82 (-24 points) – Last Week: #18

Asdrubal Cabrera had one of best seasons for a shortstop in 2011, batting .273 on the year, with 25 HR’s, 32 doubles, 17 stolen bases and 92 RBI’s.

21. Oakland Athletics – 74-88 (-34 points) – Last Week: #23

The 136 home runs allowed by the Oakland pitching staff were fewer than any staff in the American League this season.

22. Colorado Rockies – 73-89 (-36 points) – Last Week: #20

Troy Tulowitzki had another solid year with the Rockies

In just 143 games this season, superstar shortstop Troy Tulowitzki still managed a .302 batting aveage, with 30 HR’s and 105 RBI’s.

23. Kansas City Royals – 71-91 (-39 points) – Last Week: #22

The KC offense showed tons of promise this year.  The Royals’ 1,560 hits was the third most in baseball during the regular season.

24. Florida Marlins – 72-90 (-50 points) – Last Week: #21

Florida’s .811 stolen base percentage was the highest in baseball this season.

25. Pittsburgh Pirates – 72-90 (-70 points) – Last Week: #25

Andrew McCutchen posted a 20-20 year, hitting 23 HR’s and stealing 23 bases in 2011.

26. Chicago Cubs – 71-91 (-81 points) – Last Week: #26

The Cubs posted the worst fielding percentage (.978) in baseball during the regular season.

27. Baltimore Orioles – 69-93 (-114 points) – Last Week: #28

It may come as a surprise to many, but the Orioles actually had the fourth most home runs in Major League Baseball this season, hitting 191.

28. Seattle Mariners – 67-95 (-115 points) – Last Week: #27

The Seattle offense finished the season with both the worst team batting average (.233) and the worst team OPS (.640).

29. Minnesota Twins – 63-99 (-164 points) – Last Week: #29

Opposing hitters hit .281 against the Minnesota pitching staff, which was the highest average against any team in baseball this season.  Twins pitchers had the fewest K’s, too, with 940.

30. Houston Astros – 56-106 (-184 points) – Last Week: #30

The Houston pitching staff allowed 188 home runs, more than any other staff in the National League this season.

* All stats per MLB.com

Note: RED = Falling 3+ spots from last week, GREEN = Rising 3+ spots from last week

The Wife Hates Sports’ MLB Power Rankings system has fa method to its madness, attempting to be different and not just rank by popularity and record.  It mixes a secret formula of six completely different categories, meshed into a points system.  The categories don’t just include team results regarding record, but how each team has performed recently, as well as incorporating some statistics on both a team’s offense and pitching staff, too.

The Major League Baseball season has just a few weeks remaining in its regular season, with a few key pennant races becoming quite exciting down the stretch.

In KP’s recent edition of MLB Power Rankings, the Top 10 remains mostly unchanged.  The only shift was the struggling Red Sox falling out of the top three for the first time in months, being replaced by the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.

Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Phillies maintain a strong lead over the New York Yankees, and the Detroit Tigers continue to fend off the Milwaukee Brewers for fifth place.

NOTE: This post was delayed due to KP falling ill – All stats and records as of Wednesday evening, but point totals still as of Monday morning

Cliff Lee and the Philadelphia Phillies are continuing their dominant ways in September

KP’s MLB Power Rankings: September 19, 2011

NOTE: Point totals as of Monday morning (and do NOT include games on 9/19/11)

1. Philadelphia Phillies – 94-49 (236 points) – Last Week: #1

Cliff Lee’s 34 strikeouts in September are the second most in baseball for the month.  In four September starts, Lee is 1-1 with a 1.13 ERA.

2. New York Yankees – 88-57 (215 points) – Last Week: #2

The Yankees clinched a postseason berth with a 4-2 come-from-behind victory over the Rays on Wednesday afternoon.

3. Texas Rangers – 85-61 (175 points) – Last Week: #4

Hamilton and the Rangers have been swinging hot bats

As a team, the Rangers are batting .321 in September, which is the best in baseball.  Also this month, Texas leads MLB in HR, slugging percentage and OPS.

4. Boston Red Sox – 83-64 (155 points) – Last Week: #3

Boston’s 118 runs in the month of September are 2^nd most in baseball, but the team’s 5.98 ERA is the worst in baseball.

5. Detroit Tigers – 84-62 (139 points) – Last Week: #5

The Tigers are 14-4 in the month of September so far, best in baseball to this point.

6. Milwaukee Brewers – 86-62 (131 points) – Last Week: #6

Yovani Gallardo has struggled a bit in September, posting a 5.32 ERA in four starts.  He’s also allowed 9 HR’s, more than any other pitcher in September.

7. Tampa Bay Rays – 81-64 (118 points) – Last Week: #7

Despite pressuring the Red Sox in the Wild Card race, the Rays are batting just .225 in September, which is the worst average in baseball.

8. Arizona Diamondbacks – 85-62 (110 points) – Last Week: #8

Arizona ace Ian Kennedy is 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA in four September starts.

9. St. Louis Cardinals – 79-67 (110 points) – Last Week: #9

The Cardinals are 13-5 in September to this point, best record in the National League.

10. Atlanta Braves – 84-63 (101 points) – Last Week: #10

In three September starts, Derek Lowe is 0-3 with a 10.13 ERA.

11. Los Angeles Angels – 80-66 (84 points) – Last Week: #11

Ervin Santana has walked more batters (16) than any other pitcher in September.

12. San Francisco Giants – 72-73 (68 points) – Last Week: #14

The bats have woken up some. Most notable is Pablo Sandoval, who has 6 HR and 16 RBI’s so far in the month of September.

13. Los Angeles Dodgers – 73-72 (55 points) – Last Week: #12

In four September starts, Clayton Kershaw is 4-0 with a 0.99 ERA.

14. Toronto Blue Jays – 76-70 (24 points) – Last Week: #16

In seven September appearances, Shawn Camp is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA.

15. New York Mets – 71-75 (15 points) – Last Week: #17

Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey has been great in September, going 2-2 with a 1.95 ERA.

16. Cincinnati Reds – 74-73 (14 points) – Last Week: #15

In September, the Reds are batting just .247 as a team, but the team’s 27 HR are tied for the most in the National League this month.

17. Chicago White Sox – 71-75 (-1 point) – Last Week: #13

Brent Morel has played well in September, posting 6 HR and 14 RBI’s to date.

18. Cleveland Indians – 69-77 (-7 points) – Last Week: #19

Shelley Duncan has played well in September, posting 6 HR and 14 RBI’s to date.

19. Washington Nationals – 72-72 (-14 points) – Last Week: #23

Strasburg has had a solid return in DC

In his three starts since returning, Stephen Strasburg is 0-0 with a 1.29 ERA over 14 IP.

20. Colorado Rockies – 66-79 (-25 points) – Last Week: #18

The Colorado defense has converted 152 double plays this season, most in the National League.

21. Florida Marlins – 63-84 (-29 points) – Last Week: #20

In three September starts, Javier Vazquez is 3-0 with a 0.41 ERA.

22. Kansas City Royals – 66-80 (-40 points) – Last Week: #25

Kansas City’s .313 average in the month of September is the second best in baseball to date.

23. Oakland Athletics – 67-77 (-42 points) – Last Week: #22

The A’s have committed 121 errors on the season, most in the American League.

24. San Diego Padres – 66-80 (-42 points) – Last Week: #21

Aaron Harang has a 3.24 ERA in four September starts, but just a 1-3 record to show for it.

25. Pittsburgh Pirates – 62-86 (-71 points) – Last Week: #24

Pittsburgh’s 4.88 ERA in the month of September is the worst in the National League, but good for 25^th in Major League Baseball.

26. Chicago Cubs – 64-82 (-75 points) – Last Week: #26

The Cubs have committed 128 errors on the season, the most in Major League Baseball.

27. Seattle Mariners – 61-85 (-103 points) – Last Week: #27

Seattle’s .226 average in the month of September is the second worst in baseball.

28. Baltimore Orioles – 58-87 (-122 points) – Last Week: #28

The Orioles have 23 steals so far in September, which is the most in baseball for the month.

29. Minnesota Twins – 59-87 (-163 points) – Last Week: #29

Minnesota’s 97 HR’s on the season is the fewest in the American League.

30. Houston Astros – 49-97 (-164 points) – Last Week: #30

In three September starts, Brett Myers is 3-0 with a 1.16 ERA.

* All stats per MLB.com

Note: RED = Falling 3+ spots from last week, GREEN = Rising 3+ spots from last week

The Wife Hates Sports’ MLB Power Rankings system has a method to its madness, attempting to be different and not just rank by popularity and record.  It mixes a secret formula of six completely different categories, meshed into a points system.  The categories don’t just include team results regarding record, but how each team has performed recently, as well as incorporating some statistics on both a team’s offense and pitching staff, too.

Holding steady in recent weeks, this week’s MLB Power Rankings instead saw some significant shakeup this week, starting at the top, where the Philadelphia Phillies not only regained the top position, but also built quite a commanding lead, too.

Elsewhere, the red-hot Detroit Tigers cracked the top five for the first time this season.  But the Tigers are not the only team shifting in the top 10, as the freefalling Red Sox nearly lost its grasp on third place and the slumping Atlanta Braves fell four spots to tenth place.

Here is KP’s latest list, which features a hefty helping of team stats, too.

The Phanatic can celebrate the Phillies sitting on top of KP's MLB Power Rankings this week

KP’s MLB Power Rankings: September 12, 2011

NOTE: Point totals as of Monday morning (Do NOT include games on 9/12)

1. Philadelphia Phillies – 94-49 (247 points) – Last Week: #2

When facing a full count, the Phillies are batting a sub-par .209 in 444 AB’s, but have also swatted 17 HR’s, which is good for most in the National League.

2. New York Yankees – 88-57 (221 points) – Last Week: #1

Similar to the Phillies, the Yankees are batting just .211 when facing a full count, but have hit 24 HR’s, which is tied for the most in baseball.

3. Boston Red Sox – 85-61 (158 points) – Last Week: #3

Boston’s Wild Card lead is shrinking.  But even in their struggles, the Red Sox continue to have the best average (.304) in the AL out of the leadoff spot.

4. Texas Rangers – 83-64 (157 points) – Last Week: #4

The Rangers, headlined by Josh Hamilton on offense, have been stellar with runners in scoring position

As a team, the Rangers are batting .285 with runners in scoring position on the year, which is currently the best average in the American League.

5. Detroit Tigers – 84-62 (124 points) – Last Week: #9

The Tigers have the best average in baseball out of the cleanup spot, batting .331 with 27 HR’s and 99 RBI’s in 529 AB’s.

6. Milwaukee Brewers – 86-62 (115 points) – Last Week: #5

Clutch hitting is one reason for Milwaukee’s success.  The Brewers are batting .272 as a team during the 9^th inning or later, which is tied for the best average in baseball.

7. Tampa Bay Rays – 81-64 (112 points) – Last Week: #8

The Rays are making a late charge at the Wild Card, but with little assistance from the cleanup spot this season.  In 561 AB’s, Tampa Bay cleanup hitters are batting .230 (28^th in MLB).

8. Arizona Diamondbacks – 85-62 (109 points) – Last Week: #7

As good as the D’Backs have been this year, the offense is batting just .161 with two strikes in the count – which is tied for the worst average sin baseball.

9. St. Louis Cardinals – 79-67 (102 points) – Last Week: #10

The Cardinals’ .378 average with the bases loaded is better than any other team in Major League Baseball this season.

10. Atlanta Braves – 84-63 (99 points) – Last Week: #6

The freefalling Braves have had their share of struggles offensively.  However, out of the cleanup spot, Atlanta’s .312 average is better than any team in the National League.

11. Los Angeles Angels – 80-66 (86 points) – Last Week: #11

In ten September games, the Angels have held opponents to a .210 batting average, which is the best in baseball to this point.

12. Los Angeles Dodgers – 72-73 (47 points) – Last Week: #12

The Dodgers have scored just 246 runs in 71 home games this season.  Only the Mariners, Padres and Giants have scored fewer at home.

13. Chicago White Sox – 73-72 (31 points) – Last Week: #16

The Chicago pitching staff is not helping the team close the gap on the Tigers.  In eleven September games, White Sox pitchers have posted a 5.40 ERA.

14. San Francisco Giants – 76-70 (29 points) – Last Week: #15

When facing a full count, the San Francisco offense is batting .183 in 475 AB’s, which is 28^th in baseball and worst in the National League.

15. Cincinnati Reds – 71-75 (25 points) – Last Week: #14

Cincinnati starting pitchers have allowed 123 home runs on the year, which is the most in Major League Baseball to date.

16. Toronto Blue Jays – 74-73 (21 points) – Last Week: #18

The Toronto pitching staff has posted a 4.72 ERA in 74 home games.  Only the Baltimore Orioles have a worse ERA at home.

17. New York Mets – 71-75 (21 points) – Last Week: #13

Out of the ninth slot in the order, the Mets are batting just .152, by far the worst in baseball – but obviously hard to compare to AL teams that have a DH in the order.

18. Colorado Rockies – 69-77 (-5 points) – Last Week: #19

The Colorado pitching staff has posted a 5.41 ERA in 193 innings on Sundays, which is the worst in all of baseball.

19. Cleveland Indians – 72-72 (-6 points) – Last Week: #17

The Indians pitching staff has a 4.71 ERA during day games this season, which is by far the worst in baseball to this point.

20. Florida Marlins – 66-79 (-19 points) – Last Week: #24

In 138 AB’s with the bases loaded this season, the Marlins have struck out 37 times, which is more than any other team in baseball.

21. San Diego Padres – 63-84 (-30 points) – Last Week: #21

The Padres have drawn 15 walks with the bases loaded this season, which is more than any other team in baseball.

22. Oakland Athletics – 66-80 (-33 points) – Last Week: #20

Oakland starting pitchers have allowed 83 home runs on the season, which is the fewest in the American League to date.

23. Washington Nationals – 67-77 (-38 points) – Last Week: #23

The Nats' pitching staff has struggled statistically in September, even with Strasburg back

Even with the return of Stephen Strasburg, the Nationals’ pitching staff has posted a National League-worst 5.14 ERA in September.

24. Pittsburgh Pirates – 66-80 (-47 points) – Last Week: #22

The Pirates offense has hit 51 HR’s on the road this season, which is good for 27^th in baseball.  Only Seattle, Houston and San Diego have hit fewer.

25. Kansas City Royals – 62-86 (-62 points) – Last Week: #25

Kansas City hitters have had 106 AB’s with the bases loaded this season. During those attempts, the Royals have struck out the fewest times in MLB (15), but just have a .217 average (28^th)

26. Chicago Cubs – 64-82 (-68 points) – Last Week: #26

Opposing batters are hitting .280 against Cubs starting pitching this season, which is the worst in the National League to date.

27. Seattle Mariners – 61-85 (-99 points) – Last Week: #27

Not surprisingly, Seattle hitters have a major league worst .209 batting average out of the cleanup spot.  The figure is eleven points lower than any other team.

28. Baltimore Orioles – 58-87 (-132 points) – Last Week: #29

Surprise, surprise – the Orioles have the best batting average out of the ninth slot, posting a .275 mark that is eleven points better than any other team in baseball.

29. Minnesota Twins – 59-87 (-140 points) – Last Week: #28

The Twins offense has hit 57 HR’s in night games this season, which is the fewest in the American League to date.

30. Houston Astros – 49-97 (-171 points) – Last Week: #30

Surprisingly, Houston leads MLB in a positive stat.  In tie games this year, the Astros have hit 51 HR’s, which is the most in baseball.

* All stats per MLB.com

Note: RED = Falling 3+ spots from last week, GREEN = Rising 3+ spots from last week

The Wife Hates Sports’ MLB Power Rankings system has a method to its madness, attempting to be different and not just rank by popularity and record.  It mixes a secret formula of six completely different categories, meshed into a points system.  The categories don’t just include team results regarding record, but how each team has performed recently, as well as incorporating some statistics on both a team’s offense and pitching staff, too.