Houston Astros & Texas Rangers' rivalry, new No. 1 team for MLB Power Rankings & more

Ben Verlander and Alex Curry discuss is the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers' rivalry is currently the best in baseball, whether or not Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. is the best shortstop in baseball and whether or not the NL Central is the best division in baseball. Ben also gives his updated MLB Power Rankings with a new team at the top & his updated 'Team of the Week.'
#FlippinBats #MLB #HoustonAstros
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Houston Astros & Texas Rangers' rivalry, new No. 1 team for MLB Power Rankings & more
• Houston Astros & Texas...

[@dengex2260]

José Altuve should be in the 2nd base spot with a OPS of 1.183 and AVG of 382

[@case139]

You could say that Rangers/Astros are the best rivalry in MLB for right now. The Silver Boot Series 2024 currently has the Astros leading 4 games to 3. Been good so far. Houston's starting to play better, but they've been having some pitching problems. The Rangers just had so much right going for them last year, but I've said it cannot happen two years in a row, and so far with that, I've been right. Texas is just 8-8 now for the season, so they've appeared to fall back to Earth. And Kansas City is for real. What a start THEY have had!

[@Gdf55105]

Rangers were 8-6 this time last year, you’re just talking to talk with the coming back to Earth comment. And no, I don’t think they will go back2back.

[@lb12thriverwarrior]

The rangers are missing 2 main starters and Jung at 3rd base. The same could be said about Houston but we know they are hurt too.

[@sethchambers8368]

As a Braves fan I can personally set my love and bias for the Braves aside and say the Yankees absolutely deserve that 1 spot. The fact the dodgers are even top 3 is mind boggling

[@joshuabombardieri3113]

How Ozuna not the best DH this week. Bro hit .458 with 3 bombs and 11 RBI’s. 🤯

[@kitjenson]

The rationale for Dodger #1 is ludicrous. Top 3 should be NYY, ATL, LA. Results have to matter.

[@luisonofre235]

As a dodger fan, we don't deserve #1 😭

[@earlybird9679]

Nah... Scottie Scheffler is the undoubted #1.

[@mikio6444]

Dodgers leap frog Atlanta with Strider going down. Yankees are smoke and mirrors

[@Adrian-zw6sc]

Considering the current state of pitchers and the recent flux of injuries, along with his personal perspective of pitchers throwing too many pitches near max velo, it seems as though Ben is talking out of both sides of his mouth when he gives props to Paul Skenes for the 100 mph AVG in velocity.

[@RS7Wes]

Yordan over Ozuna is insane

[@ryanrodriguez8918]

Ben hit a joint before the show...its ok

[@mike-0451]

In what world is Ozuna better than Yordan?

[@ryanrodriguez8918]

@@mike-0451 look at the numbers my guy! Astros historically suck!

[@RS7Wes]

@@mike-0451 in literally every capacity this season so far

[@mattadams7558]

And I'm surprised Ben made such an easy error. Spencer isn't doing Tommy John. He's doing the new UCL brace surgery which has a quicker turnaround.

[@Michael-kf7gm]

Alex really has a crazy awesome personality. It annoys me every time she roots for the Dodgers, but then I say…oh well, it’s Alex. You just can’t hate on her. That said, get her an Altuve shirt!

[@Lowgiebeara]

Dodgers lose their home series to the Padres, move up to #1. Makes complete sense.

[@kbonics25]

Marcell Ozuna is currently the best DH in ALL of baseball... the Big Bear 🐻 is clutch and tied for the MLB HR leader

[@mike-0451]

You should watch Yordan Alvarez sometime

[@mike-0451]

Also Ozuna beat his wife and drove drunk

[@kbonics25]

@mike-0451 ATL vs HOU series starts today so...

[@kbonics25]

@@mike-0451 so both dudes rake'd for 400+ in game 3... I say YA and MO are two powerhouses!!

[@elijahsmith4359]

Arguments for why the Yankees should be #1 - Average almost 5 runs per game without Judge and Gleyber firing on all cylinders - 2nd best ERA in baseball without having the best pitcher in baseball - Have yet to lose a series this year - Just beat the team with the 2nd best record in the AL twice at their place - oh and also BEST RECORD IN BASEBALL

[@BryanRainey]

Gifted four wins by the Astros atrocious play at the beginning of the season.

[@mattadams7558]

It's hilarious watching Alex, a Dodgers fan, throw charity kudos at the Royals for "trying this offseason". Not every team can afford to buy the entire free agent class AND trade for a Cy Young pitcher AND re-up their catcher Karen.

[@zacherylong2411]

I’m not a Yankees fan but no doubt they should be 1 in the power rankings

[@traviseubanks7556]

Ozuna had more homers than yordan

[@mike-0451]

Yordan is not a home run hitter. Rather, Ozuna is a wife hitter and a hitter of that Hennessy while driving.

[@traviseubanks7556]

@mike-0451 original

[@Jake-ry9wt]

@mike-0451 Cry about it. The Big Bear is just better 🐻

[@criticiz3]

No love for Altuve. Dudes legit a walking hit right now

[@ryanrodriguez8918]

@FlippinBats...how could you not keep Marcell Ozuna as your DH...he IS the best hitter in baseball right now! Come'on man

[@bradmiller1266]

Currently? I mean I would consider the Braves and Phillies also in the conversation. All 4 of these teams have been in a WS in the last 4 years. So, flip a coin between the 2 matchups.

[@crzbz23]

Yankees deserved number 1. Dodgers 2. Disrespectful that pads didn't make top 10, they are exciting as dodgers

[@denniscale1538]

The Astros through the first three weeks, the Astros have the tie-breaker with over half of our head to head games played!

[@Bubby0304]

If you are ranking true power rankings based on how teams are playing right now then there is no reason the yankees are below the dodgers. The Dodgers have no business at 1 right now and im not even a yankee fan

[@yateswebb]

Dude it’s talking bats, they love the dodgers more than anything ever.

[@Coop22]

Facts. As a Braves fan, I said the same thing. Braves at 3 is fair, but how the Dodgers are over the Yankees, is beyond me.

[@2sday538]

Who cares whether a team is 1 instead of 3, or 9 instead of 7 in a personal power ranking. Relax, it's mid-April. And maybe his ranking is based 75% on recent history, and 25% on projected future, while also taking into consideration strength of schedules.

[@Bubby0304]

@@2sday538 I agree it doesn't really matter, but it still doesn't reflect a good list. You understand this is what a comment section is for right?

[@thebronxbambino2]

@@2sday538agreed I think its a mix of factors which is how a power rankings should be tbh and ima Yankees fan and don’t have a problem with it lol.

[@Jbryan23]

Braves fan here, I don't have any issue with Braves 3rd. We have an absurb offense and OPS leads all of MLB last i checked, but our starting pitching needs to improve sitting at 23rd and Dodgers barely ahead of us. Our offense has really bailed us out of some games already because we have been down by 4 or 5 runs a few times early but came back to win some of those. Can't keep getting behind like that, though. Yankees deserve the top spot. Dodgers just lost 2 of 3 to the Padres, and I'm not seeing them as the 1 or 2 best teams yet so far. Yanks look good to begin the year, no doubt, and how about the Pirates and Royals? Don't sleep on those teams!

[@Jake-ry9wt]

Yeah especially with Strider out our pitching needs some work. At least Sale and Reynaldo look pretty good

[@schroeder4930]

Whether or not they qualify in the true sense as true, or current rivalries, the actual match-ups that I'd be most curious to see now- Braves/Dodgers Yankees/Orioles Rangers/Reds

[@oscararredondo9672]

Yankees Astros is the bigger rivalry

[@susantownsend8397]

Used to be but it’s gotten old and tired.

[@mikevwalters]

how do you mention elly and not gunnar in the SS convo

[@Elephant2024-wi2li]

The Cleveland Guardians are an interesting story. Steven Vogt has done an excellent job so far succeeding a Hall of Fame manager in Terry Francona. Though their lineup has not changed that radically over last season, thus far the offensive production has. Even though they lost out of three to the Yankees, that game yesterday where they came back to win by scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the 10th after falling 2 runs behind is a game they definitely don't win last season. On another subject, was wondering Ben if you could interview Ryan Pepiot and/or Tyler Glasnow. Glasnow off to a great start with the Dodgers and the Rays are counting very heavily on Pepiot with their injured starters.

[@mel-nq6re]

What!? How on earth did Ben get to play at Augusta?⛳

[@res3382]

The best short stop in the league plays second base(for some reason) for the Guardians.

[@Hothrax]

Astros a bit more sleepy this season than others but i but they will eventually reclaim #1 in the AL West

[@Realdrlipschitz]

How do you talk about young SS’ and not mention Volpe 🤣 he’s 22, won the gg last year, went 20/20, is hitting .383 with a .477 obp this season and 5 sb.

[@mike-0451]

Because his swing is still terrible and he will regress.

[@Jake-ry9wt]

The Braves not dominating? But the Dodgers are? Very funny. Of course an 11-7 team is dominating, especially after losing the last 2 series they played

[@mikio6444]

Bobby Witt is the real deal. If I were building a team I’d take him over Seager in an instant

[@FlippinBatsPod]

He's turning into a MONSTER

[@mattadams7558]

If baseball had a salary cap the Dogers would be "trying this offseason" too.😂😂😂

[@mattadams7558]

Yordan over Ozuna? That's crazy.

[@mike-0451]

It’s the bottom of the ninth with two outs with a runner at second, down by one. Are you taking Yordan or Ozuna?

[@tonyfc8809]

@@mike-0451 add the postseason and it's not close. Yordon will go down as the greatest postseason hitter of all time when his time is done

[@mattadams7558]

@@tonyfc8809 ummm check their postseason head to head record🤣

[@mattadams7558]

@mike-0451 It's called TEAM OF THE WEEK. Ozuna had the better week. I never said Yordan was the inferior hitter. Save your homerism for someone who cares

[@mattadams7558]

@@tonyfc8809 2021 WS : .100/.308/.200 0HR 0RBI. Wouldn't crown him just yet🤣🤣

[@chauminhhuy]

I am a Braves fan, make the Braves number 4 or 5, but OMG, why the Dodgers is number one not the Yankees.

[@Lowgiebeara]

Taking Yordan over Ozuna is a complete joke.

[@raymonddeaguila5212]

Based on how teams are playing yanks prob should be one. But saying the Braves haven’t dominated liked the teams above them is just factually wrong. The dodger are 4-6 in the last ten. Braves are top five in run differential and lead in many offensive categories again. So I’m not sure what the dodgers are dominating and the Braves aren’t lol. But it doesn’t really matter.

[@mattadams7558]

Also, leave Jackson Holliday alone! What is wrong with sports journalism? All I saw were articles about how the "pressure is off" after his first hit. YOU PUT THE PRESSURE ON IN THE FIRST PLACE. And now Ben says that his first hit will lead to tons more. Let. Him. Play.

[@angelvargas872]

Cubs and Cardinals?

[@FlippinBatsPod]

Cardinals didn't make the playoffs last year

[@rosettaokabayashi2030]

No the rivalry is between the Astros and the Yankees

[@shanewininger]

I don't think Kansas City will continue to win! The AL is just too deep! Their time will be in 2-3 years!

[@kf7197]

Without even watching the video I’m gonna guess somehow the dodgers have lost 4/5 and are number one because Shohei something something something

[@bryanmichael108]

No love for Gunner.

[@Enragedham]

Dodgers cope is hard, 4-6 in last 10 games = 1st place? They are definitely a top tier team but using their logic, over the last two weeks, they are not the number 1 team.

[@kellytaylor7699]

Good morning Ben,Alex and all the Rangers fans 🎉💪💪💪

[@BryanRainey]

Ozzie Albies OVER Altuve after LAST WEEK. Ben, you have done lost it

[@wholewheaties]

As of the last few days the best rivalry in the NL is the Dodgers vs Padres. Straight A students vs punks.

[@alexortega714]

Braves vs Phillies is NOT a rivalry (not until the braves beats Philadelphia in the postseason (and I don't think it will ever happen because the braves always CHOKE vs their kryptonite 😂😂😂)😊

[@BassYakCam]

The fact you got so triggered you had to post this, proves it’s a rivalry. And I’m not a fan of either team. Don’t give a shit.

[@alexortega714]

@BassYakCam and the fact that you replied to me let's me know how "intelligent " you are thinking I'm a phillies fan...I don't give a shit either , my team is AMERICA'S team , THE HOUSTON ASTROS! the dynasty of 7 straight ALCS and 2 legit world championships , (waiting on you reply with the cheaters trash bangers lol.......)

[@BassYakCam]

@@alexortega714 Omfg. Makes so much sense. You’re a Trashtros fan. I’m a Rangers fan. The defending champs. So based one your criteria, does knocking y’all out of the playoffs qualify as a rivalry? Btw, 2 rings in 6 years is not even close to a dynasty. AL dynasty? Sure. MLB? Not close. Oh and I like how you said 2 “legit” rings….said no fan ever of a respectable franchise.

[@BassYakCam]

@@alexortega714 Still salty about the Braves kicking y’all’s ass huh?

[@alexortega714]

@BassYakCam yes I'm salty , but at least I'm salty , and not a saltine (cracke*,)

[@mickeyellison7929]

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!! No way you can move the Braves out of number one already. What have the Dodgers or Yankees done to prove they are better? Terrible take. Braves are STILL the best team in baseball, and it is NOT close.

[@thebronxbambino2]

To say not even close is a comical 😂

[@a22509]

Astros about to play the Rockies and nationals… back to first place

[@harmonydavis6784]

I'm going to ask what about the first 4 guys in the Dodgers line up? Is Will Smith being underrated on this show currently?