Spring training 2019 is less than one week away! With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror and the NCAA March Madness tournament right around the corner, it is time to start thinking about the boys of summer.
Hope springs eternal
The best part about Spring Training for baseball fans is that every team has a chance to win the World Series. Sure, some teams definitely have better odds of capturing the Fall Classic then others, but during spring training hope is always there.
Each year a team or two surprises us. It is guaranteed to happen. Last year the long shot Oakland A’s and Tampa Bay Rays both exceeded expectations in a huge way.
Both were listed at well over 100/1 odds to win the AL Pennant, yet they were two of the best teams in the league. The A’s won 97 games in 2018 while the Rays collected 90 wins in the regular season. Who will be this year’s team that doesn’t draw an early crowd - yet flirts with a postseason bid this September?
While we don’t know the answer, the truth is it can be any one of the 20 listed long shots on the Vegas odds board.
Spring Training power rankings
Who is No. 1 heading into spring training? That honor belongs to the Boston Red Sox.
According to a Masslive report, the defending champion Boston Red Sox officially begin their title defense when they report to camp on February 13. This team is stacked and if they remain healthy, they have a great shot at repeating as world champs.
Right behind Boston is their long-time rival the New York Yankees. Coming off a 100 win season, the song remains the same in the Bronx – World Series or bust!
A few major changes occurred over this offseason including the Cardinals signing Paul Goldschmidt, A.J. Pollock heading to the Dodgers and Adam Ottavino joining the Yankees – and that is just a few.
Below is a look at the 2019 spring training edition of the MLB power rankings. Next to each team is there over/under total win projection for the upcoming season.
MLB Power Rankings:
- Boston Red Sox -- 99.5
- New York Yankees 95.5
- Houston Astros -- 96
- Los Angeles Dodgers -- 94.5
- Atlanta Braves -- 84
- Chicago Cubs -- 88.5
- St. Louis Cardinals -- 88
- Milwaukee Brewers -- 84.5
- Cleveland Indians -- 90.5
- Washington Nationals -- 87.5
- New York Mets -- 84.5
- Tampa Bay Rays -- 84.5
- Philadelphia Phillies -- 84
- Oakland Athletics -- 83.5
- Colorado Rockies -- 82
- Pittsburgh Pirates -- 77.5
- Minnesota Twins -- 84.5
- Los Angeles Angels -- 83.5
- Arizona Diamondbacks -- 77
- San Francisco Giants -- 73
- Chicago White Sox -- 75
- San Diego Padres -- OFF
- Cincinnati Reds -- 77
- Detroit Tigers -- 67.5
- Toronto Blue Jays -- 76.5
- Seattle Mariners -- 74.5
- Kansas City Royals -- 69
- Texas Rangers -- 70.5
- Baltimore Orioles -- 64.5
- Miami Marlins -- 65.5