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NL Central Power Rankings Week 15

*please note: all stats outside of team records only include games played through 7/12/14

1. St. Louis Cardinals (last week: 2):

52-44, 2nd Place, 1.0 GB, 360 RS, 346 RA (+14)

The Cardinals battled injuries and the incredible start of the Brewers to find themselves just 1.0 games out of first place at the All-Star break. The preseason favorite in the NL Central here at RN (and just about everywhere else) find themselves back at the top of the power ranking here at the break.

The St. Louis offense struggled for the majority of the first half. They scored just 358 runs going into Sunday (27th in the MLB). The peripherals are little more optimistic, as their 97 wRC+ is 12th best in the MLB. The Cardinals will have to deal with the major loss of Yadier Molina, who ESPN’s David Schoenfield says could cost them four wins.

The Cardinals starting pitching was the strength of the team. Their starters 3.31 ERA is good for 4th best in the MLB, and their 1.23 WHIP is good for 8th best. Joe Kelly was beat up in his first start since April on Friday (3.0 IP, 7 H, 6 ER), but his addition should help the Cardinals rotation, who should also feature Wainwright, Lynn, Miller, and Martinez. The Cardinals won’t get Michael Wacha back until later in the season.

Starting Pitchers this year

cards sp

 

Team MVP’s

  1. Adam Wainwright: 1.83 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 115 K, 27 BB, 3.3 WAR
  2. Jhonny Peralta: .252/.326/.458, 14 HR, 44 RBI, 122 wRC+, 3.2 WAR
  3. Matt Carpenter: .285/.380/.385, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 3 SB, 122 wRC+, 3.3 WAR
  4. Matt Adams: .333/.346/.535, 11 HR, 40 RBI, 2 SB, 2.5 WAR
  5. Yadier Molina: .287/.341/.409, 7 HR, 30 RBI, 111 wRC+, 2.6 WAR

Injuries (click to expand)

cards hurt

2. Milwaukee Brewers (last week 1):

53-43, 1st Place, 423 RS, 406 RA (+17)

The Brewers got off to an incredible 20-8 start in April, but are limping to the All-Star break. The Brewers lost 11 of their final 13 games in the first half, yet they still hold a 1.0 game lead in the NL Central.

Gomez (4.1 WAR, 143 wRC+) and Lucroy (3.7 WAR, 145 wRC+) have been absolutely tremendous this season for the Brewers. The Brewers offense has really carried them, as they had scored 412 runs entering Sunday (2nd most in the NL).

The Brewers will need to get off to a strong start to the second half. The Cardinals are missing Molina for around two months, and the Reds are down Votto and Phillips. The Brewers need to capitalize while those teams are banged up.

Starting Pitchers this year

brew sp

Team MVP’s

  1. Carlos Gomez: .299/.364/.504, 14 HR, 46 RBI, 17 SB, 143 wRC+, 4.1 WAR
  2. Jonathan Lucroy: .315/.385/.494, 9 HR, 44 RBI, 3 SB, 145 wRC+, 3.7 WAR
  3. Scooter Gennett: .302/.338/.475, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 5 SB, 121 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
  4. Kyle Lohse: 3.26 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 95 K, 23 BB, 1.7 WAR
  5. Ryan Braun: .296/.344/.515, 11 HR, 50 RBI, 8 SB, 136 wRC+, 2.0 WAR

Injuries (click to expand)

brew hurt

3. Cincinnati Reds (last week: 3):

51-44, 3rd Place, 1.5 GB, 377 RS, 349 RA (+28)

The injury bug absolutely destroyed the Reds in the first half, yet the Reds still find themselves just 1.5 games back at the All-Star break. Our own Steve Mancuso so eloquently wrote about the Reds Overcoming Adversity (that is a must read) yesterday. The Reds finished the first half 21-10.

Frazier, Mesoraco, and Hamilton provided the Reds with an incredible, surprising three-headed monster for the offense, and Johnny Cueto was one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. Frazier needs just 8 more homers to have the most HR by a  Reds third baseman since Tony Perez in 1970. Cueto finished the 1st half with the best ERA (2.13) since 1975, and the best WHIP (0.89) since 1944 by a Reds SP pitcher (minimum 100 IP).

Starting Pitchers this year

reds sp

Team MVP’s

  1. Todd Frazier: .291/.354/.496, 18 HR, 51 RBI, 14 SB, 137 wRC+, 3.7 WAR
  2. Devin Mesoraco: .298/.364/.600, 16 HR, 44 RBI, 165 wRC+, 2.8 WAR
  3. Johnny Cueto: 2.03 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 134 K, 33 BB, 2.7 WAR
  4. Billy Hamilton: .283/.315/.419, 5 HR, 38 RBI, 38 SB, 3.1 WAR
  5. Aroldis Chapman: 2.20 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 57 K, 10 BB, 1.7 WAR (28.2 IP)

Injuries (click to expand)

reds hurt

4. Pittsburgh Pirates (last week: 4):

49-46, 4th Place, 3.5 GB, 391 RS, 393 RA (-2)

The Pirates started the season slow, going 18-26. Since then, the Pirates are a much better 31-20. It has been the Pirates offense that has really carried them through their pitching issues/injuries. The Pirates team 105 wRC+ is good for 6th best in the MLB (2nd in the NL), and their .333 OBP is second best in the MLB (just 1 point behind the Tigers).

Andrew McCutchen is putting together another potential MVP season. McCutchen’s 4.6 WAR is second best in the NL (trailing Tulowitzki’s 5.2 WAR), and his 179 wRC+ is the best in all of baseball.

The Pirates starting pitching has been far removed from the group that posted the 5th best ERA in the MLB last season (3.50 ERA). This season, the Pirates have posted a 3.91 ERA (16th in the MLB).

Starting Pitchers this year

bucs sp

Team MVP’s

  1. Andrew McCutchen: .325/.422/.573, 17 HR, 61 RBI, 15 SB, 179 wRC+, 4.6 WAR
  2. Russell Martin: .283/.409/.406, 5 HR, 31 RBI, 3 SB, 138 wRC+, 2.4 WAR
  3. Josh Harrison: .294/.331/.445, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 9 SB, 118 wRC+, 2.1 WAR
  4. Neil Walker: .272/.343/.437, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 123 wRC+, 1.3 WAR
  5. Tony Watson: 1.42 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 50 K, 10 BB, 1.0 WAR (44.1 IP)

Injuries (click to expand)

bucs hurt

5. Chicago Cubs (last week: 5):

40-54, 5th Place, 12 GB, 366 RS, 396 RA (-30)

Two players on the Cubs five most valuable players of the first half (on the list below) were traded at the beginning of July. The Cubs made a major move when they traded Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the A’s

The Cubs are certainly not ready to compete this season, but they do have some great young talent. MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospects features four Cubs in the top 15: SS Javier Baez is 6th, 3B Kris Bryant is 8th, SS Addison Russell is 11th, and OF Albert Almora is 15th. That is a lot of offensive talent in a time in baseball when young offensive players are at a premium.

Starting Pitchers this year

cubs sp

Team MVP’s

  1. Anthony Rizzo: .276/.383/.503, 20 HR, 49 RBI, 143 wRC+, 2.9 WAR
  2. Jake Arrieta: 1.95 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 85 K, 22 BB, 2.6 WAR
  3. Jason Hammel: 2.98 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 104 K, 23 BB, 2.1 WAR
  4. Jeff Samardzija: 2.83 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 103 K, 31 BB, 2.1 WAR
  5. Starlin Castro: .278/.324/.442, 11 HR, 52 RBI, 109 wRC+, 1.9 WAR

Injuries (click to expand)

cubs hurt

NL Central Players of the Week

  • Kolten Wong, Cardinals: .333/.407/1.000, 5 HR, 8 RBI, 2 SB, 288 wRC+, 0.8 WAR

  • Jeff Locke, Pirates: 14.1 IP, 1.26 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 9 K, 1 BB, 0.3 WAR

See previous players of the week here.

NL Central All-1st Half Team

Starting Lineup

  • Catcher – Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers: .315/.385/.494, 9 HR, 44 RBI, 3 SB, 145 wRC+, 3.7 WAR
  • 1B – Anthony Rizzo, Cubs: .276/.383/.503, 20 HR, 49 RBI, 143 wRC+, 2.9 WAR
  • 2B – Scooter Gennett, Brewers: .302/.338/.475, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 5 SB, 121 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
  • SS – Jhonny Peralta, Cardinals: .252/.326/.458, 14 HR, 44 RBI, 122 wRC+, 3.2 WAR
  • 3B – Todd Frazier, Reds: .291/.354/.496, 18 HR, 51 RBI, 14 SB, 137 wRC+, 3.7 WAR
  • OF – Andrew McCutchen, Pirates: .325/.422/.573, 17 HR, 61 RBI, 15 SB, 179 wRC+, 4.6 WAR
  • OF – Carlos Gomez, Brewers: .299/.364/.504, 14 HR, 46 RBI, 17 SB, 143 wRC+, 4.1 WAR
  • OF – Billy Hamilton, Reds: .283/.315/.419, 5 HR, 38 RBI, 38 SB, 3.1 WAR

Bench

  • Catcher – Devin Mesoraco, Reds: .298/.364/.600, 16 HR, 44 RBI, 165 wRC+, 2.8 WAR
  • IF – Matt Adams, Cardinals: .333/.346/.535, 11 HR, 40 RBI, 2 SB, 2.5 WAR
  • IF – Starlin Castro, Cubs: .278/.324/.442, 11 HR, 52 RBI, 109 wRC+, 1.9 WAR
  • OF – Josh Harrison, Pirates: .294/.331/.445, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 9 SB, 118 wRC+, 2.1 WAR
  • OF – Ryan Braun, Brewers: .296/.344/.515, 11 HR, 50 RBI, 8 SB, 136 wRC+, 2.0 WAR

Starting Pitching

  1. Adam Wainwright, Cardinals: 1.83 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 115 K, 27 BB, 3.3 WAR
  2. Johnny Cueto, Reds: 2.03 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 134 K, 33 BB, 2.7 WAR
  3. Jake Arrieta, Cubs: 1.95 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 85 K, 22 BB, 2.6 WAR
  4. Kyle Lohse, Brewers: 3.26 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 95 K, 23 BB, 1.7 WAR
  5. Michael Wacha, Cardinals: 2.79 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 83 K, 26 BB, 1.7 WAR

Bullpen

  • Aroldis Chapman, Reds: 2.20 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 57 K, 10 BB, 1.7 WAR (28.2 IP)
  • Pat Neshek, Cardinals: 0.70 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, 37 K, 5 BB, 1.3 WAR (38.1 IP)
  • Zach Duke, Brewers: 1.18 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 49 K, 7 BB, 1.0 WAR (38.0 IP)
  • Tony Watson, Pirates: 1.42 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 50 K, 10 BB, 1.0 WAR (44.1 IP)
  • Mark Melancon, Pirates: 2.38 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 37 K, 6 BB, 0.8 WAR (41.2 IP)
  • Jonathan Broxton, Reds: 1.13 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 22 K, 11 BB, 0.4 WAR (32.0 IP)
  • Francisco Rodrgiuez, Brewers: 2.44 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 42 K, 11 BB, 0.3 WAR (44.1 IP)
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