BALTIMORE, MD – APRIL 20: A bat and batting gloves sit on the grass before the start of the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 20, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

20. Cleveland Indians – 2.12

-Matt Underwood (play by play)
-Rick Manning (analyst)

Previous rankings: 19 (2014), 22 (2016)
Previous grades: 2.09 (2014), 2.19 (2016)

Most popular grade: C (35.18% of the vote)

Analysis: This seems like about the right grade for the Indians, who have never been in the top half of our rankings but never in the bottom quarter. Over 60% of their votes were either B or C, but no team in the top 20 received a lower percentage of A grades than Cleveland’s 11.81%.

19. Detroit Tigers – 2.25

-Mario Impemba (play by play)
-Rod Allen (analyst)
-Kirk Gibson (analyst – select)

Previous rankings: 11 (2014), 15 (2016)
Previous grades: 2.46 (2014), 2.39 (2016)

Most popular grade: C (30.58% of the vote)

Analysis: This marks the second straight rankings in which the Tigers took a step back, going from just outside of the top ten in 2014 to barely inside the top 20 this year. Detroit’s crew is the first team we’ve seen where an F grade received the lowest share of the votes, thanks to one more voter giving them a D.

18. Cincinnati Reds – 2.27

-Thom Brennaman (play by play)
-Chris Welsh (analyst)
-George Grande (play by play – select)
-Jeff Brantley (analyst – select)

Previous rankings: 15 (2014), 25 (2016)
Previous grades: 2.20 (2014), 2.09 (2016)

Most popular grade: B (25.37% of the vote)

Analysis: Cincinnati’s crew comes in with their strongest grade yet, though they’re actually ranked lower than in 2014 when they hit their previous high. Just over 70% of the Reds’ grades were split between A, B, and C votes.

17. Chicago White Sox (home) – 2.31

-Jason Benetti (play by play)
-Steve Stone (analyst)
-Tom Paciorek (analyst – select)

Previous ranking: 10 (2016)
Previous grade: 2.57 (2016)

Most popular grade: B (26.93% of the vote)

Analysis: After a strong debut in 2016, the White Sox home crew took a step back this year, mainly due to a strong influx of F votes – they’re the only team in the top 20 with over 20% F votes. Maybe when Hawk Harrelson retires after next season, they can pick up some more momentum and finish higher in the rankings.

16. Seattle Mariners – 2.34

-Dave Sims (play by play)
-Mike Blowers (analyst)
-Aaron Goldsmith (play by play – select)
-Dan Wilson (analyst – select)
-Jay Buhner (analyst – select)
-Bill Krueger (analyst – select)

Previous rankings: 10 (2014), 12 (2016)
Previous grades: 2.47 (2014), 2.49 (2016)

Most popular grade: B (29.47% of the vote)

Analysis: After a pair of consistent grades, Seattle’s crew took a step back in 2017. However, more than 75% of their votes were concentrated in the top three scores, and their relative low placement can probably be tied to a lack of A votes – only one team ranked ahead of them had a lower percentage of first place votes.

15. Philadelphia Phillies – 2.34

-Tom McCarthy (play by play)
-Ben Davis (analyst)
-John Kruk (analyst)
-Gregg Murphy (play by play – select)
-Mike Schmidt (analyst – home weekends)

Previous rankings: 26 (2014), 17 (2016)
Previous grades: 1.90 (2014), 2.33 (2016)

Most popular grade: A (26.23% of the vote)

Analysis: This marks the third straight rankings in which the Phillies rank and score has improved, and it looks like the team finally has a standout broadcast team with Ben Davis and John Kruk sitting alongside Tom McCarthy. Philadelphia’s crew actually had the second-highest percentage of A votes of teams outside the top ten, and the third-highest vote total overall.

14. Arizona Diamondbacks – 2.36

-Steve Berthiaume (play by play)
-Bob Brenly (analyst)
-Luis Gonzalez (analyst – select)

Previous rankings: 17 (2014), 23 (2014)
Previous grades: 2.15 (2014), 2.14 (2016)

Most popular grade: B (36.84% of the vote)

Analysis: Arizona picked up the second-fewest total votes, but they still finished with their highest grade and ranking. The Diamondbacks team actually ended up with the highest percentage of B votes of any team, and is our first team to finish with a percentage of F votes under 10%.

13. Minnesota Twins – 2.40

-Dick Bremer (play by play)
-Bert Blyleven (analyst)
-Roy Smalley (analyst – select)
-Jack Morris (analyst – select)
-Torii Hunter (analyst – select)
-LaTroy Hawkins (analyst – select)

Previous rankings: 7 (2014), 19 (2016)
Previous grades: 2.63 (2014), 2.31 (2016)

Most popular grade: B (32.97% of the vote)

Analysis: The Twins finished with a ranking and score stuck in the middle of the prior two polls, which really doesn’t tell us a whole lot about how fans view their crew, aside from “they’re fine”.

12. Kansas City Royals – 2.43

-Ryan Lefebvre (play by play)
-Rex Hudler (analyst)
-Steve Physioc (analyst – select)
-Jeff Montgomery (analyst – select)

Previous rankings: 18 (2014), 20 (2016)
Previous grades: 2.13 (2014), 2.25 (2016)

Most popular grade: B (29.51% of the vote)

Analysis: The Royals make a big jump compared to the prior two rankings, but are still part of that middle of the road tier where teams can end up falling in any order. More than three-quarters of the Royals grades were either A, B, or C.

11. Oakland Athletics – 2.50

-Glen Kuiper (play by play)
-Ray Fosse (analyst)
-Mark Mulder (analyst – select)
-Shooty Babbitt (analyst – select)

Previous rankings: 6 (2014), 7 (2016)
Previous grades: 2.70 (2014), 2.58 (2016)

Most popular grade: B (33.41% of the vote)

Analysis: This marks a huge dropoff for a crew that has continually performed well in our tallies, and the main culprit is the extreme amount of B votes (second-highest percentage in this year’s rankings). Oakland is one of just six teams with D and F grades each under 10%, and five of those teams come consecutively outside the top five. Data is weird sometimes.

CLICK HERE FOR THE TOP TEN

About Joe Lucia

I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.