MLB Power Rankings Week 7

Overview:
-Just in case you have been living under a rock all week, Josh Hamilton is playing like a Hall of Famer right now. Put aside his Triple Crown numbers on the year (.402 BA, 18 HR's, 44 RBI's) let's take a look at his numbers in the month of May. Hamilton has posted a 1.194 Slugging Percentage this month, to go along with a .500 On Base Percentage. Hamilton has stepped it up this past week though with 9 Home Runs, including 4 (16th player ever) on May 7th against the Orioles. Hamilton's' road from No.1 Pick, to drugs to Texas, has been a long one but with this hot start he is on pace to shatter some offensive records and maybe become the first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox in . There were other games in baseball aside from Hamilton, so let's get to it.

By the Numbers:


18: Total Bases on Tuesday by Josh Hamilton (4 HR's 1 2B) now an American League record.

.441: On Base Percentage this season by Cubs 1B Bryan LaHair. 6th best in the Majors

.74: WHIP this season by Giants SP Matt Cain who is 2-2 on the year thanks to little run support.

1.768: OPS this week by Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen has hit safely in 10 of his past 17 AB's and is a big reason for the Pirates new win streak.

12: Strikeouts by Rangers SP Colby Lewis against the Orioles Thursday. Lewis gave up 6 ER thanks to 5 HR's and became the first pitcher to allow 5 ER or more and strike out 10 or more in the same game.





Clutch Factor:
-On Mothers Day Joey Votto delivered a special present to his mother, and all the fans in Great American Ballpark got to celebrate with him. The situation, bases loaded 2 Outs in the Bottom of the 9th, his team down 6-5 and Votto did this
Joey Votto Walk off Grand Slam

The Clutch Factor of the Week goes to Votto for this Grand Slam Walk off Home Run on one of the greatest days in the year. Reds fans are ecstatic, Votto is ecstatic, and Votto's mom is happy.

Power Rankings:

1.) Los Angeles Dodgers (23-11):
-Are the Dodgers for real, or have they been very fortunate with sheer schedule so far this season. No matter what your opinion is their record can't be denied. The Dodgers have picked up the slack for try ailing Matt Kemp sweeping the Rockies at home, and taking out of 3 against the rival Giants earlier in the week. The team made the recent Closer switch going from Javy Guerra to the flame throwing right Jenley Jansen. Jansen has a 14.146 K/9 Ratio on the year, and should be more reliable then Guerra had been. As the Dodgers prepare for next week, they have to be excited facing the Diamondbacks and Padres, before a 3 game series against the Cards.
2.) Texas Rangers(23-12):
-It just might be time for the Rangers to call themselves the "Texas Hamiltons" with how insane CF Josh Hamilton has been hitting thus far. Because of guys like Hamilton, C Mike Napoli, and RF Nelson Cruz, the team leads the American League in Runs and doesn't look like they are going to stop very soon. This isn't just about offense though, as Derek Holland, Yu Darvish, Matt Harrison, and Colby Lewis have all pitched well for Texas so far. The Rangers took on the Orioles and showed they are the better team, and they took care of the Angels over the weekend. This Rangers team has been to the World Series the past 2 years, and is on track to make it back their for a 3rd year in a row.
3.)  Baltimore Orioles (22-13):

-The Orioles came into the week aiming to prove that they were a legitimate team in the AL East as they went on the road for back to back series against the Rangers and the Rays. Agaisnt the Rangers, it turned into the Josh Hamilton show as he pounded the Orioles SP into oblivion as Texas took 3 of the 4 games, scoring 10 or more runs twice. The Orioles then went to Tampa looking to seek revenge on the Rays and they did just that, taking the first 2 games of the series and falling just short of a sweep after their comeback fell short on Sunday, and it even got Evan Longoria talking

I love all these Os fans now diggin themselves too! Just don't get too obnoxious, it can sometimes be a bit excessive.

4.) Atlanta Braves (22-13):

-The Braves are starting to het hot again and it couldn't come at a better time with the Brewers and Cardinals continuing to struggle, and the Nationals staying hot. The Braves went out on the road this week and were stunned by the Cubs pitchers scoring getting shutout once and being held to 1 run in Game 1. The team bounced back though in St. Louis thanks to Michael Bourn and Brandon Beachy. Bourn continues to find ways to get on base with a .399 On Base Percentage and 24 Runs scored. Meanwhile Beachy looks like the Braves Ace with a .96 WHIP helping him towards a 4-1 record early in the year. The Braves look great, and are on the rise once again.

5.) Washington Nationals (21-13):

-The team from our Nations Capital hit a little bump early this week getting taken down by the Pirates in 3 games, before finding the way back to victory road against the Reds. Unfortunately, for the Nationals what could have been a sweep of the Reds turned into a massive choke job by the Nationals bullpen. With a 6-3 lead in the Bottom of the 8th, the Nats gave up 2 Runs in the 8th on a Bruce double that was really lost in the night sky by Bryce Harper. When Hendry Rodriguez came into the 9th he loaded the bases and with 2 outs gave Votto the perfect pitch for a walk off Grand Slam. The Nations rotation is legit, and despite Harpers' recent struggles he should stay in the lineup, and lead that offense. 

6.) New York Yankees (19-15):
-The Yankees are starting to get momentum rolling again, even after the devastating loss of Mariano Rivera. The team is coming off series wins against the Royals, Rays, and now the Mariners as they slowly climb their way back into the AL East. As the Bronx Bombers lineup begins to heat up, so does their pitching. CC Sabathia stands 5-0 on the season, and Phil Hughes has won his past 2 starts allowing 3 ER in 14 1/23 Innings Pitched. The Yankees now head out on the road where they will face the Orioles and Blue Jays in 2 game series, followed y a 3 game series in Great American Ballpark.
7.) Tampa Bay Rays (21-14):
-After starting out strong the past few weeks, the Rays have stumbled in their past 3 series, losing to the A's, Yankees, and the surging Orioles. Much of the Rays recent struggles can be blamed on the loss of their leader and offensive powerhouse Evan Longoria. In his absence, the Rays have cracked more then 3 runs only twice in their past 8 games. Another problem for the Rays has been their pitching as heralded rookie Matt Moore has not had any command of his pitches early on in the season, and outside of James Shields and David Price, there has been little help from the rest of the Rays rotation. The team will now head out on a tough stretch vs. the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Braves this week and hope to change their fortunes.
8.) St. Louis Cardinals (20-14):
-After starting the week off with a 3 game sweep in Arizona, the World Champions ran into a buzz saw also known as the Atlanta Braves.. In the weekend series the Cardinals were swept in embarrassing fashion, as their pitching allowed 7 or more runs in all 3 games. Playing at home the Cardinals pitchers had issues with command often throwing pitches right into the "happy zone" and turning around to see them go over the fence. The sweep pushed the Cardinals into 3rd place in the Central, as they now prepare for a 2 game series at home vs. the Cubs, before they head out on the road for 5 games (2 @ SF, 3 @ LAD). It will be a tough test for a Cardinals team, as they take their quest to repeat.
9.) Toronto Blue Jays (19-16):
-The Blue Jays have really struggled as of late in staying consistent, and because of it they are coming off a 4 game draw against the lowly Minnesota Twins. In that series, Toronto has failed to find a reliable group in the rotation, but even if they did it's not as if there would be run support to help them. A team that was supposed to be led by Jose Bautista, brett Lawrie, and J.P Arencibia, instead they are led by the 1 man show that is Edwin Encarnacion. Fortunately there are some signs of light for the Jays as control artist Henderson Alvares has been using great command in his past 3 starts winning all 3 starts, while only allowing 2 ER. As for Jose Bautista, well the power may finally be on the way, as Bautista has hit 3 HR''s in the past 2 games. If the Jays want to be a playoff caliber team this year, they will need more production the rest of the way.
10.) Miami Marlins (18-16):
-After a very slow start to begin the season, the city of Miami has to love what they are now seeing from the Marlins. In the month of May, the Marlins are 9-2 as they have been brilliant on the road. This week the Marlins took 2 out of 3 in Houston, then took the series Sunday against the Mets in dramatic fashion. The biggest reason for their success is Giancaro Stanton with 5 HR's in the month of May, including the walk off grand slam on Mothers Day. This is a team built for success and if they could just find a consistent closer could turn into a dangerous team in the National League.
11.) New York Mets (19-15):
-The Mets took the challenge this week with a 3 game series against the injury plagued Phillies as they swept the series on the road. The team has been led by 3B David Wright and 2B Daniel Murphy thus far as they continue to come up with clutch hits again and again. After the sweep however, the tides turned a bit in Miami. The Mets had their chances with Marlins Closer Heath Bell giving them every opportunity in the 9th, but the team fell short. The Mets have been a underrated team so far in 2012, and will continue to sneak under the radar of many fans.
12.) Cleveland Indians (18-16):
-This early into the season, I'm still not sure what to think of the Indians. After taking the series late last week against the Rangers, the team fell flat on their face with series losses against the White Sox and Red Sox. The team has no true Ace as Ubaldo will look great in 1 outing then get shelled his next time out. Offensively, they still are waiting on the power surge from Carlos Santana, yet they remain atop the AL Central. Fortunately, the team now has a 5 game stretch against the Twins and Mariners, which should get them back to their winning ways.
13.) Cincinnati Reds (17-16):
-Uh Oh! it may be getting hot now in Cincinnati, and the red lights are going off around baseball. After surging to find his power stroke so far this season, Joey Votto stepped up big time on Sunday against the Nationals. Votto hit 2 Solo shots in the game, but his 3rd HR was the biggest. In the bottom of the 9th with his team down 1, bases loaded 2 outs Votto went deeeeeep. The walk off grand salami kept the Reds away from the sweep and may be the boost that Joey Votto needs to get things going. The offensive prowess is their for the Reds, and if Votto has indeed found his power stroke this team could get hot very quickly.
14.) Oakland Athletics (18-17):
-Look at the A's record now, and imagine what this record could look like once Manny Ramirez has his suspension end, and Yoenis Cespedes comes back from the DL. This A's team is one of the greatest mysteries so far this year, as they sit above .500 despite trading Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill in the off season. The reason the A's find ways to win is because they are a team of castoffs and young guys looking to prove themselves. Brandon Inge has 3 HR's in his short stay with the A's and Jarrod Parker already looks like the real deal. This is a team built for success in the future, and that success could come sooner then many expected.
15.) Detroit Tigers (17-17):
-The Tigers were excited in the off season when they brought in Prince Fielder to pair with Miguel Cabrera, their visions of the two setting the American League on fire together have been simply dreams thus far. Fielder and Cabrera have yet to find consistency with both players alternating between hot and cold every week. It wouldn't be so bad if the rest of the the Tigers lineup was hitting, but they are doing everything but that. The Tigers are a team with loads of potential, but until they capitalize on that potential and play well on a consistent basis, they aren't even the best team in their division.
16.) San Francisco Giants (17-17):
-The Giants thus far have been a team of mystery, confusion and injuries. The year started with Brian Wilson going down with the 2nd Tommy John Surgery of his career, Tim Lincecum has looked like Barry Zito, while Zito has looked like Lincecum, and Pablo Sandoval broke the same bone he did last year (Hamate Bone) just in his other hand. At 17-17 the Giants should be somewhat optimistic about the future of this team. Freddy Sanchez should come back in June, and Sandoval  will be back a few weeks later. The additions should give San Fran some more punch to their lineup, and if Lincecum can avoid the 1 bad inning in every start, they will be ready to contend in the West.
17.) Boston Red Sox (15-19):
-Up and Down, Up and Down, this has been the story so far of the Boston Red Sox. Coming off a 5 game losing streak last week, the Sox now are riding a 5 Game W Streak thanks to a sweep of the Cleveland Indians.  The team finally saw good outings from Daniel Bard and Felix Doubront, as they now hope to see bounce back starts from Jon Lester and Co. This is a Red Sox team that has plenty of fire power despite the absence of Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury, but still is dealing with trouble in the rotation. This team may struggle in the 1st half, but keep an eye out for them once they are healthy.
18.) Pittsburgh Pirates (16-18):
-Remember when I said the Pirates were struggling and alot of that blame could be placed on Andrew McCutchen, well their recent success can be credited to McCutchen as well. In the Pirates past 7 games, has a .588 BA with 10 H's and 3 Home Runs. Thanks to his recent success the team has won their past 2 series including a big series over the Washinton Nationals. The team now heads out on the road where they hope McCutchen can stay hot, and the teams success will grow.
19.) Philadelphia Phillies (16-19):
-The Phillies didn't have very much success this week being swept at home by the Nets including a disappointing loss on National Television. Fortunately, Philadelphia bounced back against the Padres taking 2 out of 3 with big wins from Cole Hamels and Vance Worley. The biggest shocker for the Phillies aside from the injuries has been the disappointing season thus far by Ace Roy "Doc" Halladay. Halladay stands at 3-3 on the year and while for an average pitcher a 3.2 ERA and 1.08 WHIP would be great it isn't what the Phillies faithful are used to seeing. The good news is Halladay will bounce back, and with Howard and Utley making progress the run support is on the way.
20.) Los Angeles Angels (15-20):
-A team that was supposed to be led by "The Machine" Albert Pujols has turned into the worst team in the AL West and the biggest bust of a team this year. Pujols only has 1 HR on the year, but an even bigger sign of his struggles is his .232 OBP, which compared to his career .417 On Base Percentage seems to be the biggest mystery in baseball. Yes, there are plenty of other Angels struggling but the man who was supposed to lead this team to the mountain top, instead has pulled them down off the hill into a dark abyss. Pujols will eventually turn it around,  but until he does the Angels will continue to sit in the cellar of the American League.
21.) Seattle Mariners (16-20):
-King Felix is doing it again and may make a case for Cy Young once again this year despite pitching for a team that rarely gives him runs back. More impressive then his 2.29 ERA is the fact that Felix is already 3-2 with a whopping 58 Strikeouts.  The rest of the Mariners team has been less then stellar with the only notable starter performing well is Jesus Montero. Montero still isn't getting On Base often (.287 OBP) but when he does he hits with power. Montero leads the team with 5 HR's and 17 RBI's as he proves the Mariners were big time winners in the Michael Pineda-Montero trade before the season. All the Mariners can hope for now is that Felix continues to pitch like Cy Young, and their young guys like Montero and Dustin Ackley start to get things going.
22.) Chicago White Sox (16-19):
-The White Sox have to be counting down they days until July 31st approaches. The team sits below .500 once again and the time appears to be now to begin the rebuilding movement. The White Sox haven't won a series dating back to their April (20-22) sweep of the Oakland Athletics. As the White Sox continue to fall in the standings expect names like John Danks, Paul Konerlo, and others to be in some Trade Rumors.
23.) Houston Astros (15-19):
-The Astros showed us a flash of potential, but it turned out to just be a flash in the pan as fools gold. After an impressive 5 game winning streak last week, Houston dropped back to mediocrity this week losing to Miami and Pittsburgh. The Astros lineup struggled all week to make contact, as Jose Altuve and Jed Lowrie have started to cool down. Houston is a team built for the future, and now with the team falling back to earth, they can focus on the future once again.
24.) Milwaukee Brewers (15-19):
-Anyone who thought the loss of Prince Fielder in the off season, wouldn't significantly hurt the Brewers playoff chances has been proven wrong. The team can't score Runs, and outside of Ryan Braun there has been ugly at best. As for their rotation, well it hasn't been the brightest spot on the team as their best pitcher so far has been 30 year old Shaun Marcum. Maybe one of the biggest disappointments in the National League, the Brewers have a long loom up atop the NL Central and have to wonder what their chances are.
25.) Chicago Cubs (14-20):
-The Cubbies played a bit of a momentum killer earlier this week cutting down the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field, before nearly being swept in Milwaukee this weekend. The Cubs continue to be led offensively by breakout 1B Bryan LaHair who after being Player of the Year in AAA last year has built on his success in Chicago. Pitching whose the Cubs, have to be impressed with Ryan Dempster who leads the Majors in ERA (1.02) and is 2nd in WHIP (.85) has yet to register a win this year. If Dempster can keep pitching like an Ace he could be a hot commodity come July.
26.) Arizona Diamondbacks (15-20):
-The breakout team in 2011, has fell flat on their face so far in 2012. Injuries could be used as an excuse for this team but they have now reached the point where there overall play is to blame. Justin Upton hash''t improved on his 2011 season, and Ian Kennedy has fell short of a repeat 2011 season. This D-Backs team has yet to deliver offensively, and the rotation has not lived up to any expectations. Daniel Hudson and Chris Young may be on their way back, but the hole has been dug by Arizona, and it will take some serious work to climb out of it.
27.) Kansas City Royals (13-20):
-The city that will be hosting the 2012 All Star Game hopes that the team will start making their cases to play in the All Star series. As of now though, the only Royals player who may be representing his team is DH Billy Butler who leads the team in HR's (6), RBI's (25), and is 3rd on the team in Slugging (.492). The Royals rotation has looked nothing close to an All Star level with Bruce Chen being their Ace with a 4.83 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. It has been a rough season for fans in Kansas City, as they just now have to look forward to July where the real fun begins.
28.) Colorado Rockies (13-20):
-The Mile High City is playing like anything but that, at least their pitching isn't. The Rockies rotation which has been plagued by injuries (Drew Pomeranz, Jorge De La Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin) ranks last in baseball in nearly every category. The Rockies have always been known for their hitting but the recent performances by their rotation and bullpen have pushed the team to an all time low of mediocrity. The Rockies will now turn to young guys such as Alex White, Juan Nicasio, and Christian Friedrich in hopes that they can give them even the slightest production in the future.
29.) San Diego Padres (12-23):
-Aside from the Dodgers and maybe the Giants, the NL West really looks bleak this year. Already with the Diamondbacks and Rockies sitting at 20 Losses, the Padres have found a way to stay at the bottom of their division. Their offense has been futile as Yonder Alonso finally hit his first HR of the year, and the rest of their lineup can't do much better. The bright spot for the Padres has been Edinson Volquez who out dueled Roy Halladay on Saturdya, and looks great in Petco Park with 59 Fly balls in the spacious park helping keep his ERA to a very low 2.79 good for 23rd best in the Majors. This San Diego team is building toward the future of their rotation, but changes will eventually have to be made if they want their hitters to produce at home.
30.) Minnesota Twins (10-24):
-The understatement of the year has to be how pathetic the Minnesota Twins look this season, but why have made progress. After looking like a AA team through the first 6 weeks of the season, there is the tiniest spec of hope. The team split a 4 game series with the Blue Jays, and also managed to take a game against the Angels. It is a very bleak sign of hope for a team that is destined for the worst record in baseball, but is it hope regardless.