ESPN.com has updated its rankings of how teams have improved this offseason. Philadelphia maintains its #1 status followed by Baltimore and Boston, while last place deservedly belongs to Pittsburgh, whose marquee signing is the illustrious Daryle Ward.

Toronto dropped from third to ninth in the new rankings. ESPN.com generally limits its comments to recent activity, offering the tepid observation that there’s “no harm adding a left-hander to the bullpen” in reference to Valerio de los Santos.


I might place the Jays just a bit higher. Why Seattle deserves a higher ranking than Toronto is beyond my limited cognitive abilities. Regardless, these rankings don’t appear to consider “bang for the buck” or long-term implications of signings and losses, so don’t take them for more than a grain of infield dirt.

Incidentally, whoever performs this service for ESPN.com would make a fine press secretary. In approving of the Yankees acquisition of Tony Clark, he notes that Clark “had more homers than Nick Johnson last season in 70 fewer at-bats.” Well, yes, but he conveniently neglects to mention that Clark posted a Royce Clayton-esque .300 OBP compared to Johnson’s .422. Scott McClellan, watch your back.