Latest MLB Power Rankings: We should be talking more about the Orioles | CBS Sports

Latest MLB Power Rankings there's no change at top of their MLB power rankings as Matt Snyder kept the fight in Phillies at number one Padres are tied for the biggest risers up four spots and now sit inside the top 10 meanwhile the defending champs are down bad this week seven slots all the way to 23 hey there folks I'm Tommy TR no Matt Snider this week but Jim Bowden with us for our weekly chat our MLB Insider joining us here so Jim let's talk about Why we should be talking more about the Baltimore Orioles Matt Snyder's number three team in his power rankings the Baltimore orios who slug 60 homers in the month of June and Gunner Henderson entering the Home Run Derby we haven't talked about Baltimore too many times in our weekly chats here give me a little bit more about why we should be talking about the o yeah the Baltimore starting rotation has the best ER in the league you got to start with that and that's part of the reason why they're sitting there a top the American League right now in terms of the standings and with the best record although they are dealing with the injuries toy bradish and John means were both out for this season but Corbin Burns is pitching like an ace Grayson Rodriguez is doing the same and they've got a lot of production in the middle and back of the rotation including Cole Irvin but GM mik Elias interestingly has been out there uh he has been working on trades and I will be surprised if he doesn't land another starting pitcher between now in the July 30th trade deadline he only has 29 days left but he's talked to the White Sox about gar crochet and Eric fetty he's even talked to the Tigers about maybe bringing Jack flarity back if they trade him so that's something to watch with Baltimore now in terms of gunar Henderson pretty exciting that he was the first player announced going to the Home Run Derby uh this is going to be an exciting Derby we're waiting to see if Aaron judge is going to participate of course judge leads Major League Baseball in home runs Henderson is tied at 26 with shy Otani we're not expecting Otani to participate because of his continuing rehab coming back from that Tommy John surgery but I think we've got some former home run Champion winners that could participate we're waiting to hear about Bryce Harper Juan stto Pete Alonzo and maybe even Vladimir Guerrero Jr to see if any of them want to come back to to win yet another title and I think the one guy to watch in the National League is Marcel Ozuna who leads the NL with 21 homers it would be nice to see him in the derby and also one of the Guardians the Guardians that had a great season so far this year you saw them on your power rankings at number three Jose Ramirez has 23 Josh Naylor with 20 homers I would guess one of the two at least will be in this Derby thanks for the update and I'm hearing something about another tweak to the format but we've got a couple weeks to talk about it when we get there Jim by the way fun Series in the American League with the ALS leading Mariners starting this week for Baltimore Rodriguez and Kirby and the series opener should be fun so let's focus on the M's which despite their winning record Jim coming at 13 in Matt Snyder's Power Rankings maybe that has to do with their MLB Wars 218 team batting average here what are you hearing in terms of what Jerry depoto might do to help maybe get some reinforcements in that lineup yeah look I talked to Jerry depoto yesterday had him on my MLB Network radio uh radio show on SiriusXM and you know he pointed out that look his starting rotation is second in the league to Baltimore and and that's why they are where they are in the standings and yet the offense it's not just that they're last and batting average I think the number that really sticks out to me they have punched out 877 times as the team that's last in baseball uh so you know their bats just aren't making enough contact they are 12th in home runs which is how they are scoring their runs they're 25th and on base percentage so you know I talked to Jerry and I said look if you get to October you have the starting pitching that can literally run the table with Louis Castillo and George Kirby and Logan Gilbert and Brian woo I mean so the pitching is really good but the offense just can't compete really with Baltimore the Yankees and and we'll probably see it in this series with Seattle against Baltimore it's going to be fascinating uh which starts tonight but I think Tommy uh what Jerry made very clear to me and I asked him specifically will the owners give you the money to go out and spend it to get some bats at the deadline and will you trade your top prospects if that's what it takes to win knowing that your window to win a championship is probably the next two or three years he said absolutely to both ownership has the money to back it and he's willing to trade the prospects it takes now he's talked to the white socks about Lewis Robert he's talked to the Rockies about Ryan McMahon he's talked to the angels about Taylor Ward and he said look if I even if I don't get a star I might do something like I did last year when I traded for Carlos Santana and what he means by that is maybe bring in another leader type of hitter even if it's not a premium hitter but someone that can help get Julio Rodriguez started and Ty France started and JP Crawford started and who who Jorge palanco started because all four of those guys are underachieving he's worried about the off def but he said look first and foremost he's got to get his own guys going he's already fired the hitting coach I don't think he's going to fire another one so we better hope these bats start to come to fire but this is a very interesting Team all right those fans in the Pacific Northwest will like to hear about the aggressiveness heading into the trade deadline from their executive all right let's get to James Wood called up to make his major league debut for James Wood the Nationals now Nat's die hards Jim will certainly know who this young man is but others might not know and the link that he has to WAN stto tell us alum more yeah he was the headliner in the Juan sto deal when Washington traded him uh to San Diego he came along with uh Abrams the shortstop CJ Abrams the catcher kert Ruiz the leftand pitcher McKenzie Gore Robert Hassel Jr but James Wood was always looked as the headliner the player with the highest ceiling and he started the year with at Triple A for Washington batting 353 on basis percentage 463 with 10 overs and 10 Steals and all of us has been watching him all year going why isn't he in the big leagues why did they take so long so coming on this show I knew I was coming on I called Mike Rizzo an hour ago he's the president GM of the Washington Nationals and I said why did you take so long to promote James Wood why did it take until today and this is what he told me he said the goal in spring training was to get him 200 at bats at AAA number one number two they wanted him to see different pctures he wanted him to learn the strike zone increase his walks and decrease his strikeouts he's done both of those he said he wanted to see him that more at bats against left-handed pitching cuz he's going to play against righty and lefties he wanted to improve his base running and base running instincts he also said he wanted his reads and routes to get better not just in center but in right and left so he could play all three Outfield positions he said to me look understand he is not yet a finished product but he has done everything we've asked him to he has earned this promotion and it is James Wood day in Washington all right let's finish up with Matt Snider's seller dweller the white socks dead last in his power rankings you mentioned Garrett crochet there's rumors about an extension there's rumors about trades what are you hearing about what's happening with him and the white sock at the moment Jim yeah let's be very clear what Chris getts is telling the other general managers he is saying every player on my major league roster is available he is listening to all of them now I talked to four general managers yesterday who have been in discussions with Chicago and all of them said the same thing to me the white socks are not in a hurry they're going to take their time and every indication they're getting is that the white socks are going to wait until after the draft that takes place next week in Arlington Texas once that draft is over then the focus between the next day and the and July 30th is probably going to be the timetable most GMS believe Garrick crochet will be trade um they also believe that Eric fetty will be traded and Michael copc will be traded they're kind of mixed on whether or not Lewis Robert actually gets moved but make no doubt about who the Highlight who the headliner of this year's trade deadline is going to be it is going to be the Chicago White Socks as always great quality baseball time Jim Bowden with our Jim Bowden thank you Jim pretty light slate tonight in Major League Baseball everybody gearing up for the holiday but Matt on CBS sports.com on the White Sox put this this is Chris gets first trade deadline as the man in charge and it's a big one