All I have to say is *** to Sports Illustrated.

[joe cool]

Power rankings mean very little. The true rankings are what happen on the field.

Of course they mean nothing now since the O’s are much further down on the list. But back when they were near the top theses power rankings sure had meaning, at least in this place it did!!

[Softbank Orioles]

People still go to SI for sports info? I thought it was a p**n site.

Did you just self censor the word porn?

[ivanbalt]

Of course they mean nothing now since the O’s are much further down on the list. But back when they were near the top theses power rankings sure had meaning, at least in this place it did!!

The Orioles haven't been near the top of the SI "stat" based power rankings since April. And yeah I think rankings are meaningless when they have a team like the Orioles (usually 20 or so games under .500 in August) tied for the wildcard and ranked 23rd. Statistics are useful, but they don't tell the whole story.

[rick and roll]

Exactly.....and seeing those on field rankings.....your record shouldn't be anywhere near what is currently is.

Run differential was explained by Larry above, and WAR is a meaningless stat. There is no "replacement" - you have what you have, and a replacement in one area may be balanced by a replacement in another. It's a "pretend" scenario.

Wins and losses are the only stat that matters. When someone effectively comes up with a stat that measures a play like the cutoff man throwing behind the runner for an out, or getting thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double, then you may as well have Bill James' book in one hand and your member in the other.

[gottselig2004]

what kind of boob starts a thread whining about power rankings?