Beats a picture of Youk.

Dave Cameron over at FanGraphs has put together a super-comprehensive ranking of all 30 MLB teams, rating their franchise using five criteria: Ownership, Front Office, Major League Talent, Minor League Talent and Overall.

Rounding out the top three are the Red Sox at No. 1, with the Yankees and Rays tied for third. Cameron had this to say about the Sox:

Well capitalized owner who wants to win and invests in the product? Check
A cohesive front office that combines scouting and statistical analysis? Check.
A major league team that can win immediately and has pieces to build around? Check.
A minor league farm system that will replenish the major league roster? Check.

The Red Sox are the cream of the crop in baseball right now.

Hard to argue with that, though the AL East certainly remains up for grabs as the Yankees continue to spend and the Rays keep improving their young club.

The worst three franchises are the Nationals, Marlins and Astros. Cameron’s thoughts on the Nats:

It’s impossible to find an organization in worse shape than the Nats. They’re coming off a major league worst 102 loss season and their GM just resigned amidst a scandal over significant issues with their Dominican scouting operations. Rather than hiring a new general manager, the team president is just handling business himself while giving Asst. GM Mike Rizzo some increased authority without a promotion.

Yeesh.

Source.

Joe Blancato astros, dave cameron, fangraphs, marlins, nationals, rankings, rays, redsox, yankees

Price will start the year in AAA Durham

Bart Given, former Assistant GM in the Blue Jays organization, has weighed in on the Rays’ decision to send post-season phenom David Price back to AAA Durham, at least for the bulk of the regular season.

Given believes that the Rays were wise to restrict Price to minor-league duty, as he imagines the organization doesn’t want to expose Price to 200 innings of Major League ball, and therefore expose his young arm to injury. “He pitched just under 140 innings combined in the Majors and Minors last year,” he said, “and I’d imagine the organization would like to limit his innings in 2009 to the 170-175 range.  Many Clubs feel the ideal way to keep a starting pitcher healthy is to limit his increase in innings pitched to approximately 20% from one year to the next.”

Given also poo-pooed the notion that Price could get his work in the Rays’ bullpen. Given Joba Chamberlain’s injury last year, possibly the result of straddling the bullpen-rotation divide, it’s hard to argue with Given’s assertion, at least anecdotally.

Source.

Joe Blancato bart given, david price, joba chamberlain, rays