This article is part of our Weekly Hitter Rankings series.
I received a couple of requests for the teams to be ranked. Personally, I don't see the need, but this is for you, not me. Convince me why it would be better to attach a rank with the teams. What factors should go into the rank? Specifically how would that aid your prep? For those preferring keeping the order to remain alphabetical, please weigh in as well.
For the record, I plan on adding a metric to quantify the quality of pitcher faced, likely weighted on base average (wOBA). From my perspective, a rank is cosmetic. Context is everything. Ranking often shades context. Maybe I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.
The floor is yours.
MLB HITTER RANKINGS
| TEAM | vLHP | vRHP | HOME | AWAY | HR LHB | HR RHB | Comment |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 92 | 107 | Tough week for lefty swinging Snakes like David Peralta and Jake Lamb |
| Atlanta Braves | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 103 | 103 | Five at home, only facing one lefty, another big week for Freeman and Inciarte |
| Baltimore Orioles | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 108 | 103 | Only facing on top-end starter all week (Marco Estrada) |
| Boston Red Sox | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 86 | 82 | On the road in two pitcher's parks, first two without DH, tough week |
| Chicago Cubs | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 81 | 116 | Home for six, facing weak arms, expect Cubs sticks to emerge from hibernation |
| Chicago White Sox | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 100 | 100 | Rare chance to play fringe White Sox with seven |
I received a couple of requests for the teams to be ranked. Personally, I don't see the need, but this is for you, not me. Convince me why it would be better to attach a rank with the teams. What factors should go into the rank? Specifically how would that aid your prep? For those preferring keeping the order to remain alphabetical, please weigh in as well.
PITCHNG MATCHUPS
For the record, I plan on adding a metric to quantify the quality of pitcher faced, likely weighted on base average (wOBA). From my perspective, a rank is cosmetic. Context is everything. Ranking often shades context. Maybe I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.
The floor is yours.
MLB HITTER RANKINGS
| TEAM | vLHP | vRHP | HOME | AWAY | HR LHB | HR RHB | Comment |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 92 | 107 | Tough week for lefty swinging Snakes like David Peralta and Jake Lamb |
| Atlanta Braves | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 103 | 103 | Five at home, only facing one lefty, another big week for Freeman and Inciarte |
| Baltimore Orioles | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 108 | 103 | Only facing on top-end starter all week (Marco Estrada) |
| Boston Red Sox | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 86 | 82 | On the road in two pitcher's parks, first two without DH, tough week |
| Chicago Cubs | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 81 | 116 | Home for six, facing weak arms, expect Cubs sticks to emerge from hibernation |
| Chicago White Sox | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 100 | 100 | Rare chance to play fringe White Sox with seven on the docket, albeit road affairs |
| Cincinnati Reds | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 105 | 114 | Three southpaws won't bother Joey Votto, but might cost Scott Schebler some at-bats |
| Cleveland Indians | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 107 | 102 | All righties starting, Lonnie Chisenhall approves, Brandon Guyer doesn't |
| Colorado Rockies | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 110 | 109 | Away from Coors all week after a long homestand, get DH for first three vs. Twins |
| Detroit Tigers | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 99 | 100 | J.D. Martinez back and home cooking all week, Tigers ready to roar |
| Houston Astros | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 98 | 88 | In Miami, no DH for first three, then come home to trio of tough Tribe righties |
| Kansas City Royals | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 85 | 94 | Four LHP, not ideal for Eric Hosmer or Mike Moustakas but Whit Merrifield psyched |
| Los Angeles Angels | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 96 | 109 | Weekend set at Citi Field so no DH, likely costs Albert Pujols at least a game |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 92 | 87 | Not the greatest hitting venues, but one of a few teams with seven on the docket |
| Miami Marlins | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 106 | 88 | Seven games but facing four southpaws, consider sitting Justin Bour, Derek Dietrich |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 2 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 77 | 110 | Tough draw for Brew Crew, four in Petco Park then three in Wrigley |
| Minnesota Twins | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 90 | 106 | Twins offense above average so far, should stay on "Target" with six at home |
| New York Mets | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 107 | 114 | Lining up to be another favorable week for the Mets left-handed swingers |
| New York Yankees | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 90 | 83 | Out of the Bronx all week, big park downgrades, facing three southpaws |
| Oakland Athletics | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 93 | 90 | Ending the week squaring off with three straight Boston lefties albeit at home |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 103 | 88 | Get to use DH for first two in Arlington, then onto Petco Park for a quartet |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 101 | 76 | At home, but have toughest draw in the league this week, facing six quality RHP |
| San Diego Padres | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 74 | 105 | Maybe some home-cooking will wake up dormant Padres offense |
| San Francisco Giants | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 79 | 80 | Offense looked suspect entering season, averaging fewest runs per game in NL |
| Seattle Mariners | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 110 | 102 | All seven in the Pacific Northwest, though seeing a trio of southpaw starters |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 98 | 85 | Only squad with five games, find a perch for your fringe Redbirds |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 105 | 95 | Strikeout happy Rays facing several strikeout pitchers this week |
| Texas Rangers | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 102 | 100 | My mom taught me when I have nothing pithy to say, say nothing. I got nothing. |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 1 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 109 | 105 | Home and home with Braves, second two with no DH, then onto Camden Yards |
| Washington Nationals | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 101 | 88 | Home, road, whatever. This offense is clicking, but can it stay healthy all season? |
PITCHNG MATCHUPS
| TM | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
| ARZ | Bonilla R | Milone L | Harvey R | @Weaver R | @Perdomo R | @Richard L | |
| ATL | @Bolsinger R | @Estrada R | Biagini R | Stroman R | Gonzalez L | Scherzer R | Strasburg R |
| BAL | @Boyd L | @Fulmer R | @Zimmrmn R | Sanchez R | Bolsinger R | Estrada R | |
| BOS | @Lynn R | @Leake R | @Gray R | @Graveman R | @Manaea L | @Triggs R | |
| CHC | Arroyo R | Feldman R | Garrett L | Peralta R | Anderson R | Nelson R | |
| CHW | @Chavez R | @Ramirez R | @Shoemkr R | @Bergman R | @Miranda L | @Gallardo R | @De Jong R |
| CIN | @Lackey R | @Hendricks R | @Anderson L | Anderson L | Senzatela R | Freeland L | |
| CLE | Archer R | Odorizzi R | Cobb R | @Fiers R | @Morton R | @Musgrove R | |
| COL | @Hughes R | @Santana R | @Berrios R | @Adleman R | @Bonilla R | @Arroyo R | |
| DET | Jimenez R | Miley L | Bundy R | Martinez R | Griffin R | Darvish R | |
| HOU | @Koehler R | @Chen L | @Urena R | Kluber R | Bauer R | Carrasco R | |
| KC | Sabathia L | Pineda R | Montgomery L | @Santiago L | @Wilk L | @Hughes R | |
| LAA | Pelfrey R | Holland L | Gonzalez R | @Gsellman R | @deGrom R | @Wheeler R | |
| LAD | @Cain R | @Blach L | @Cueto R | Volquez R | Straily R | Koehler R | Chen L |
| MIA | Musgrove R | Keuchel L | McCullers R | @Kershaw L | @Wood L | @Urias L | @McCarthy R |
| MIL | @Perdomo R | @Richard L | @Chacin R | @Cahill R | @Lester L | @Arrieta R | @Lackey R |
| MIN | Freeland L | Marquez R | Chatwood R | Karns R | Young R | Hammel R | |
| NYM | @Godley R | @Greinke R | @Corbin L | Nolasco R | Meyer R | Chavez R | |
| NYY | @Hammel R | @Vargas L | @Duffy L | @Snell L | @Andriese R | @Archer R | |
| OAK | @Gallardo R | @De Jong R | @Iwakuma R | Porcello R | Sale L | Pomeranz L | Johnson L |
| PHI | @Darvish R | @Perez L | @Cashner R | @Williams R | @Nova R | @Kuhl R | |
| PIT | Strasburg R | Ross R | Roark R | Hellickson R | Nola R | Velasquez R | |
| SD | Anderson R | Nelson R | Garza R | Davies R | Walker R | Ray L | Godley R |
| SEA | Manaea L | Triggs R | Hahn R | Covey R | Quintana L | Pelfrey R | Holland L |
| SF | McCarthy R | Hill L | Ryu L | @Martinez R | @Wacha R | @Wnwrght R | |
| STL | Johnson L | Rodriguez L | Moore L | Samardzija R | Cain R | ||
| TB | @Carrasco R | @Salazar R | @Tomlin R | Severino R | Tanaka R | Sabathia L | |
| TEX | Eickhoff R | Eflin R | Pivetta R | @Norris L | @Verlander R | @Boyd L | |
| TOR | Colon R | Garcia L | @Foltynwcz R | @Teheran R | @Tillman R | @Gausman R | @Jimenez R |
| WSH | @Kuhl R | @Cole R | @Glasnow R | @Dickey R | @Colon R | @Garcia L |
