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.

MLB Power Rankings Week 6

Overview:

-It was another great week of baseball this week in which history was made and several 2011 All Stars went down with some serious injuries. First off is Angels SP Jered Weaver who became the 10th Angels player to throw a no hitter in the team's history. It took Weaver 121 Pitches to do so as he struck out 9 Twins and only walking one as part of the Angels 9-0 victory. Just up north in San Francisco Giants slugging 3B Pablo Sandoval found out he had broken the hamate bone in his left hand. Sandoval broke the same bone last year in his right hand and missed 6 weeks which is the expected time table for this injury. Fellow 3B Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays will be out even longer with a partially torn hamstring. Longoria suffered the injury Monday Night while trying to steal Second Base. The biggest injury news though had to be the Yankees loss of Mariano Rivera who went down with a torn ACL during warm ups. It was a hectic week around baseball, with Weavers no-no and the Rays and Giants losing their All Stars, but it still managed to be a exciting week. 

By the Numbers:

7: RBI's by Cardinals OF Carlos Beltran in the teams 12-3 Win against the Pirates on Wednesday

110: At Bats as an Angel before Albert Pujols finally hit a HR. A Major League record for a player with more then 400 Career HR's

97: Pitches thrown by Blue Jays SP Henderson Alvarez in his Complete Game Shutout of the Angels. The 1st of his career. 

1: HR's this season by Angels 1B Albert Pujols. He finally hit one Sunday against the Blue Jays. He is still hitting .196 on the year with 7 RBI's.

5: Wins this season by Giants SP Madison Bumgarner. He didn't have 5 Wins until July 19th last year.

Power Rankings:


1.) Washington Nationals (18-10):
-The Nationals take the No.1 spot in the Week 6 Power Rankings even after getting handled in their 3-9 loss to the Phillies at home. The story for the Nationals though has become 19 year old phenom Bryce Harper who has already set the Majors ablaze. Harper has showed all the tools of a future MVP, he has shown off his rocket arm throwing home both which should have been outs. Harper also has shown off his baseball IQ with smart base running and situational awareness. With the Nats offense continuing to struggle Harper may have found a play to stay in the Majors.
2.) Tampa Bay Rays (19-10):
-You would have thought the devastating loss of Evan Longoria would have crippled this team but they just keep on pressing, that was until Matt Moore and Joel Peralta crushed the teams momentum as they lost a 3 game series to the A's. Rookie Matt Moore hasn't lived up to expectations this year with a 5.71 ERA and a 1-2 record. Despite his struggles and the absence of Longoria the Rays should continue to play like the best team in baseball.
3.) Baltimore Orioles (19-9):
-The Orioles easily have to be the biggest surprise so far early in the 2012 season. A team everyone expected to finish last in the AL East, is not only first in the East, but first in all of baseball. The team has been solid throughout with the offense getting contributions from everyone in the lineup with guys like Matt Weiters, Adam Jones, and even Mark Reynolds. As for their pitching, well it has been great to as Jason Hammel, Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta have been pitching well as of late. The team is now coming off a 3 game sweep in Boston, and now head back home for a 4 game series against the red hot Rays. It will be a true test to determine if this Orioles team is legit or just a flash in the pan.
4.) Los Angeles Dodgers (18-10):
-The Dodgers drop a bit in my Power Rankings after blowing their win Sunday against the Cubs. The Blown Save was the 3rd by Javy Guerra this season, and it appears he may be close to losing the job to Strikeout Master Kenley Jansen. The Dodgers have made it here so far thanks to crazy numbers from Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, but it appears the hot start has faded a bit. As the Dodgers head back home for a crucial 3 game series against the Giants, it will be a true test to determine who is the best team in the NL West.
5.) Texas Rangers (18-10):
-The Rangers are your typical story of the team that could hit well and had great pitching but has just run into some bad luck. After dropping the series to the Rays last Sunday, the Rangers stumbled in their next 6 games losing 4. Coming off a trio of series losses to the Rays, Blue Jays, and Indians, the Rangers just look forward to taking out their frustrations on the team with the best record in baseball. It will be the ultimate test for both the Rangers and the Orioles and will show who is the best team in the American League.
6.) Atlanta Braves (18-11):
-The Braves played decently this week going 4-3. The week started with losing 2 of 3 to the Phillies at home, but they went back on the road and got things going again in Colorado. The Braves swept the 3 game series thanks to an offensive explosion that saw them score no less then 7 runs in the 3 game series. The performance vaulted them to the top of the Majors in runs scored and much of that credit has to go to Freddie Freeman and the old wonder Chipper Jones. The corner infielders have been the balance of youth and experience combined for 14 RBI's in the 3 game span (Chipper did not play Sunday). The Braves are definitely for real and have to be licking their chops as they head to Chicago to take on the Cubs.
7.) St. Louis Cardinals (17-11):
-Your 2011 World Series Champions are simply firing on all cylinders right now and are showing that they may be better off without Albert Pujols, ok well I won't go that far. Never the less the offense is going full force right now with guys like Jon Jay leading the team with a 3.92 BA, RF Carlos Beltran atop the team leader board with 7 HR's, and David Freese doing it all with 24 RBI's. It has truly been a team effort and we haven't even got to the pitching yet. Lance Lynn has simply been a monster registering a stellar 1.6 ERA to match with his 5-0 record.  He isn't the only Cardinals pitcher contributing as Kyle Lohse also has a 2.11 ERA along with an equally impressive 4-1 record. The Cardinals appear to be one of the best teams in baseball, and have a great shot at defending their title.
8.) Cleveland Indians (15-11):
-Remember last season when the Indians were playing great baseball in the 1st half of the season, then cooled down in the 2nd half, well it's happening again. The Indians stand atop the AL Central at 15-11, and have won their past 3 series against the Angels, White Sox, and Rangers. While their pitching hasn't been stellar they have gotten contributions from Asdrubal Cabrera, Jason Kipnis, and Jack Hannahan. The Indians are still waiting on Carlos Santana to start finding his power stroke, but they still have to be happy with the direction they are header.
9.) Toronto Blue Jays (16-13):
-The team up north has hit some early bumps in this 2012 season. Jose Bautista still isn't hitting above .200 and Brett Lawrie hasn't seen his hot start to end the 2011 season carry over into this year. While the Jays offense continues to struggle, their pitching has surprisingly been effective. Most recently 22 year old righty Henderson Alvarez threw a Complete Game Shutout, and Brandon Morrow leads the team with a 2.38 ERA. The Jays are a team with a lot of potential if their pitching can keep it up, because we all know at some point this Jays offense will have a breakout game.
10.) New York Yankees (15-13):
-The Yankees didn't have the greatest week going 3-4 despite some nice performances by their hitters. AFter a 3 game series loss to the Orioles at home, the Bronx Bombers went out to Kansas City hoping to turn things around in a 4 game series. Instead, they walked out of KC with a series split and some devastating news on top of that. Their closer for the first time in nearly 20 years. Rivera tore the ACL in his knee after taking fly balls during warm ups as he has done throughout his career. It is a devastating blow not just for the Yankees bullpen, but for their clubhouse as well. The road ahead will be a long one for the Yankees, as they hope David Robertson can do enough to fill the void.

MLB Power Rankings Week 5

Overview

-A great week in baseball that saw the No.1 and No.2 Prospects (Bryce Harper and Mike Trout) get the Big Call to the Majors. Both players made their 2012 Debut Saturday, with Bryce Harper collecting his 1st hit on a double to CF, and later collecting his first RBI on a Sac Fly in the 9th. The bigger story though, is Dodgers CF Matt Kemp who hit a walk off HR in the 10th Saturday to give him 11 HR's on the year. Kemp is the Triple Crown leader with a .425 BA, 24 RBI's , and 11 HR's. In the American League the Rays had a great week winning 6 of their last 7 and taking the 3 game series in Arlington. A great week of baseball that showed us a glimpse of what the future of baseball holds.

By the Numbers:

20: Game Hitting streak by Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval to start the season. The streak set the franchise record, but was snapped Saturday against the Padres.

14: Strikeouts Saturday by Marlins SP Anibal Sanchez. Although Sanchez walked away with a ND

.90: Earned Run Average this season by Diamondbacks SP Joe Saunders.

9: Earned Runs by White Sox SP Phillip Humber Thursday against the Red Sox. Humber threw a perfect game last Saturday against the Mariners.

Power Rankings:

1.) Tampa Bay Rays (14-8)
-The Rays have been scorching hot this week winning 9 of their last 11 games, including taking the 3 game series against the Rangers this weekend. David Price has been stellar in his last 2 starts (2-0 17 1/3 IP 2 ER). Thanks to the hot streak the Rays have risen to the top of the AL East, and only 2 games back of the Rangers in the American League. The Rays may be one of the most underrated teams in baseball and if rookie SP Matt Moore can get it going, they could emerge as the best team in the American League.
2.) Texas Rangers (16-6)
-It may come to a surprise to some people that I have the Rangers in the No.2 spot behind the Rays. I give the Rays the slight edge just based on them taking the 3 game series in Arlington. The Rangers are still an Elite team and are getting even scarier with Yu Darvish finally settling into the majors and using his pitches. The biggest concern for the Rangers is Josh Hamilton leaving Sundays game with back stiffness, he is listed as Day to Day, but it is just proof of his inability to stay healthy. If Hamilton and the rest of the Rangers are healthy, they are still the No.1 or No.2 team in the American League.
3.) Los Angeles Dodgers (16-6):
-This may be the biggest surprise early on in the season, as the Dodgers hit 16-6 this type of success is simply insane. The man who should have been the MVP in 2011 Matt Kemp simply punished the ball in April smashing 11 Bombs to go along with 24 RBI's and a 4.25 BA. Fellow slugger Andre Ethier has found his own power stroke connecting with 5 HR's and 24 RBI's of his own. Ethier and Kemp have been the Dodgers offense, and as long as they keep raking, they will stay atop the National League.
4.) St. Louis Cardinals (14-8):
-The Defending World Series Champions have carried over their playoff success into the regular season. Even with Albert Pujols (now in LA) long gone and Chris Carpenter (shoulder) on the DL, the team has continued to play well. World Series MVP David Freese looks like a star with a .333 BA, 5 HR's and 20 RBI's. Adam Wainwright who missed all of 2011 still is trying to regain the magic. The real Ace of April for the Cardinals is Kyle Lohse who breezed through batters in route to a 4-0 record to go along with a 1.62 ERA and an even more impressive .84 WHIP. The Cardinals were the best team in baseball last year, and they are playing like it again in 2012.
5.) Atlanta Braves (14-8):
-After an 0-4 to start the season, the Braves have been scorching hot ever since. The offense has been solid with CF Michael Bourn hitting .344, RF Jason Heyward proving 2011 was just a sophomore slump, and 1B Freddie Freeman proving that the sophomore slump can't stop him. The rotation has also been excellent as Tommy Hanson has a 3.00 ERA, Brandon Beachy with a 1.05 ERA, and flame throwing Closer Craig Kimbrel leading the Majors in Saves (8). Things will only get better for the Braves as Tim Hudson came back on Sunday, and young guys like Julio Teheran ready at any moment for the call. There is no question the Braves are the best team in the NL East at this point.
6.) Washington Nationals (14-8):
-Another breakout team in 2012, and while many predicted the Nationals would be successful I'm not sure many had them doing it this quickly. Their rotation has been phenomenal with Stephen Strasburg (1.13 ERA 34 K's), Gio Gonzalez (1.82 ERA 34 K's), and Jordan Zimmerman (1.33 ERA) simply blowing through every batter they have faced. What makes it even crazier is the fact that the offense is struggling to provide run support for the trio. The solution, the Nationals hope it is super prospect Bryce Harper who not only will put fans in the seats but should give them a spark in the lineup.
7.) Baltimore Orioles (14-8):

-Raise your hand if you guessed the Orioles would be 14-8 to start the season, OK, keep your hand up if you thought they would be tied for 1st in their division. Nobody. The Orioles have been the biggest surprise so far in 2012 as they continue to find ways to win. C Matt Weiters and CF Adam Jones have been catalysts on offense, with little regarded Jason Hammel leading the team in ERA (1.73), Wins (3-0), and K's (25). I don' think the Orioles can keep the hot streak alive, but this will just build momentum for this young team.

8.) New York Yankees (12-9):

-The Bronx Bombers have been just that so far this year. Derek Jeter discovered the Fountain of Youth, hitting .396 on the year, to go along with a .440 OBP. Meanwhile Curtis Granderson is proving 2011 was not a fluke, as he has already blasted 8 HR's on the season, proving his new swing is where the power surge came from. What continues to hold the Yankees back is their rotation, C.C Sabathia has a 4.58 ERA, Hiroki Kuroda leads the team with a 4.38 ERA and that represents the better half of the Yankees rotation. The Yankees hoped Michael Pineda could come in and give them a boost, but he is still fighting to come back from shoulder discomfort.

9.) San Francisco Giants (12-10):
-After starting the season out being swept by the D-Backs and losing "The Beard' Brian Wilson only a week later the Giants have done a fine job bouncing back. 22 year old LHP Madison Bumgarner is 4-1 with a 2.53 ERA, Matt Cain has also been stellar with a 2.37 ERA, but the real story has been Barry Zito. After nearly losing his job in Spring Training Zito has found the Fountain of Youth with a 1.67 ERA through 4 starts.. The Giants offense isn't good but it is better then last year and if the team can continue to battle, they should be a playoff team.
10.) Detroit Tigers (11-11):
-After signing Prince Fielder few people didn't have the Tigers at the top of the American League, but 5 Weeks in the Tigers have been nothing short of a disappointment. Fielder and Miguel Cabrera have combined for 10 HR's and 31 RBI's (7 HR's and 20 RBI's from Miggy), while the rest of the Tigers offense has struggled to get anything going. Justin Verlander has been an Ace as always and rookie Drew Smyly leads the team with a 1.23 ERA. The duo of Miggy and Prince is the best in the NL, but if the Tigers want to be at the top they are going to need more of a team effort consistently.