San Diego Padres: Week #16 power rankings update

Where do the San Diego Padres rank among the rest of baseball as the trade deadline approaches? We take a look at the most credible lists.

It was an up and down week for the Padres. After a disastrous series in Colorado in which the pitching staff surrendered an average of 12 runs a game over the three game sweep, San Diego recovered by winning three of four games of a weekend set in San Francisco.

The 3-4 road trip is respectable, and brings the club’s record to 43-55. San Diego is 24.5 games out of first place Los Angeles, but lead the last place Giants by a comfortable six games. In the National League, San Diego has the fourth worst record in baseball, as they are also better than the Phillies and Reds.

But as we have learned from our past analysis of the power rankings, winning percentage isn’t everything. This week continues to confirm exactly this.

Let’s get week #16’s update underway.

ESPN: 28th

The Giants and Phillies fall behind San Diego according to ESPN. Fortunately, this list recognizes that the team has indeed exceeded expectations.

The Padres are hovering around .500 in July and looking for their first winning month of the season. Wil Myers, Hector Sanchez and Cory Spangenberg have been showing some power lately, and Jhoulys Chacin has pitched well this month. They should still trade everything not nailed down at the deadline, but the Padres aren’t the embarrassment some people expected before the season.

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USA Today: 28th

The bottom three on the USA Today’s list of MLB power rankings are identical to those of ESPN. Also much like ESPN, they focus on more of the positive, which is easy to do after the Friars have a series like the one they just had to conclude this week.

Wil Myers has more homers (5) at AT&T Park than Posey, Pence combined (2).

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FanRag Sports: 27th

It’s never wrong to credit the manager when the team is playing well.

Worst run differential, but Andy Green has them playing up a little.

Bleacher Report: 23rd

It’s hard to believe, but the Padres actually went down three spots on this list this week. By far, Bleacher Report has been the most generous of all the lists we look at. Even clubs with slightly better records such as Miami, Oakland, and Toronto rank lower.

Next: Padres rumors: Jhoulys Chacin

The Padres have quite an opportunity to move upwards in the power rankings this week, as they have seven games at Petco Park. The Mets and the Pirates aren’t to be overlooked, but the Friars have been playing good baseball, and have the possibility of a winning July at stake.