The Dodgers are better than the Phillies in almost every way. PECOTA told me this, and I told PECOTA "everybody knows that," and suddenly PECOTA and I were in a Geico commercial. When we returned, I asked PECOTA something a bit less obvious: How many teams would need to combine to be better than the Dodgers?

Now, I'd guess the true answer is probably only two or three, because depth is important in a long season and when you start throwing three entire pitching staffs together you'd get an amazing bullpen and lots of depth. But we're just going to to look at the starting lineup. This is how much better the Dodgers' starting lineup is than the Phillies':

Position Dodgers Phillies C 2.9 2.7 Ruiz 1B 3.8 1.1 Howard 2B 3.2 4 Utley 3B 2.6 1.2 Asche SS 2.2 1 Galvis LF 3 1 Brown CF 3.2 1.6 Revere RF 4.1 -0.3 Sizemore Total WARP 25 12.3

Good stuff. About twice the WARP, and superior players at seven of eight positions. Above average at every position, and All-Star level at five or six. So let's throw the Twins in, too.

Position Dodgers Twillies C 2.9 2.7 Ruiz 1B 3.8 2.3 Mauer 2B 3.2 4 Utley 3B 2.6 1.2 Asche SS 2.2 1 Galvis LF 3 2.3 Arcia CF 3.2 1.9 Hicks RF 4.1 1.1 Hunter Total 25 16.5

And we start to see how this is going to go: Bad teams' mediocre players will nudge the other bad teams' mediocre players aside, but bad teams don't have a lot of All-Star-level players. Settle in.

Adding the Diamondbacks:

Position Dodgers Diamondtwillies C 2.9 2.7 Ruiz 1B 3.8 4.9 Goldschmidt 2B 3.2 4 Utley 3B 2.6 1.7 Lamb SS 2.2 1.8 Owins LF 3 2.3 Arcia CF 3.2 1.9 Hicks RF 4.1 1.5 Tomas Total 25 20.8

Goldschmidt's the sort of bad-team outlier the bad-team amalgamation needs. The Dodgers are now superior at only six of the eight positions. Now adding the Astros:

Position Dodgers Astmondtwillies C 2.9 2.7 Ruiz 1B 3.8 4.9 Goldschmidt 2B 3.2 4 Utley 3B 2.6 1.7 Lamb SS 2.2 2.1 Lowrie LF 3 2.3 Arcia CF 3.2 1.9 Hicks RF 4.1 3.3 Springer Total 25 22.9

Lowrie and Springer paper over some weak spots in the competing lineup, but the Dodgers are still better at six of eight positions. Add the Indians, a legitimate playoff contender:

Position Dodgers Astmondtwilliedians C 2.9 2.7 Ruiz 1B 3.8 4.9 Goldschmidt 2B 3.2 4 Utley 3B 2.6 1.7 Lamb SS 2.2 2.1 Lowrie LF 3 2.3 Arcia CF 3.2 1.9 Hicks RF 4.1 3.3 Springer Total 25 22.9

No change, which sort of puts this in perspective: We've created a super team good enough to beat the Indians–a legitimate playoff contender!–at every position. Add the White Sox:

Position Dodgers Astmondtwilliedian Sox C 2.9 2.7 Ruiz 1B 3.8 4.9 Goldschmidt 2B 3.2 4 Utley 3B 2.6 1.7 Lamb SS 2.2 2.1 Lowrie LF 3 2.3 Arcia CF 3.2 2.3 Eaton RF 4.1 3.3 Springer Total 25 23.3

Small bump in center field, but even against six entire rosters the Dodgers remain better at three-quarters of the positions on the field. Royals? Defending American League champion Kansas City Royals?

Position Dodgers Royastmondtwilliedian Sox C 2.9 2.7 Ruiz 1B 3.8 4.9 Goldschmidt 2B 3.2 4 Utley 3B 2.6 1.7 Lamb SS 2.2 2.1 Lowrie LF 3 3.9 Gordon CF 3.2 2.4 Cain RF 4.1 3.3 Springer Total 25 25

And there it is. Seven teams collectively form a superlineup just good enough to match the Dodgers, though still worse at five of eight positions. Seven teams! That's more teams than there were Power Rangers! Presumably the Dodgers will respond to the Royastmondtwilliedian Sox' threat by signing Hector Olivera.