Four weeks into the MLB season brings the end of the first month of the season. Things have changed each and every week so far and this week is no different. Teams like the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants went on streaks that brought them back to earth. Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox continued their strong start and the Arizona Diamondbacks have moved into a tie for first. So how does all of this shake up the rankings? Just take a look below.
30. Miami Marlins (Last Week 30)
Giancarlo Stanton is starting to heat up, but the rest of the team is still pretty ice cold. In fact, I’m not sure I would even call this a team right now.
29. Houston Astros (Last Week 29)
After winning a season against the Seattle Mariners early in the week, it looked like the Astros were ready to make a move in the standings, but then came the Boston Red Sox.
28. Chicago Cubs (Last Week 27, Down 1 Spot)
The Cubbies got four wins last week, but three were against the Marlins. They’re up to nine wins and are getting better, but not enough to move too far up the list yet.
27. Los Angeles Angels (Last Week 22, Down 5 Spots)
The train wreck that is the Angels only got worse this week. After ending last week strong with a sweep of the Detroit Tigers, the Angels only won one game in each of their series this week and just did not look good at all.
26. Cleveland Indians (Last Week 23, Down 3 Spots)
The Tribe still can’t seem to click on offense. They sit at the bottom of what is looking like a very good AL Central early on.
25. Toronto Blue Jays (Last Week 21, Down 4 Spots)
The Jays just continue to be overrated. R.A. Dickey finally looked like the reigning Cy Young award winner yesterday, but the Jays still couldn’t pull out the win over the Yankees. J.P. Arencibia is smashing home runs, but the rest of the offense just isn’t keeping up.
24. San Diego Padres (Last Week 28, Up 4 Spots)
After sweeping the defending world champions, the Padres are the best nine-win team out there right now. Chase Headley is back from the DL and picking up right where he left off last season.
23. Chicago White Sox (Last Week 24, Up 1 Spot)
The Sox continue to slide down the division. The team just doesn’t seem as strong as it was last year before their collapse in the last two weeks of the season, but somehow, at 10 wins, they only sit 4.5 games back of the division leaders.
22. New York Mets (Last Week 16, Down 6 Spots)
Matt Harvey has continued to pitch at a very high level, but they have yet to make a big move. They ended the week losing four in a row.
21. Seattle Mariners (Last Week 25, Up 4 Spots)
The M’s had a good week, but still, most of that was at the hands of the very bad Los Angeles Angels. If this team continues to smash the ball they may very well make this AL West division a three-team race.
20. Minnesota Twins (Last Week 19, Down 1 Spot)
Don’t look now, but the M&M boys appear to be getting back into form and Josh Willingham has continued where he left off last year. Oh yeah, and they’re only 1.5 games back of first place. All those games cancelled because of weather could catch up to them, but right now, Twins fans have to be happy about the early success of the team.
19. Philadelphia Phillies (Last Week 26, Up 7 Spots)
The Phils still aren’t the team they could be on paper, but they are starting to heat up. If that pitching staff pitches up to their talent level, watch out! But, that seems to be a big “if” right now.
18. Los Angeles Dodgers (Last Week 20, Up 2 Spots)
12-12 is not what the ownership expected when they put this team together, but when you take into account all of the starting pitching they’ve lost because of injuries, it is surprising that they are still .500.
17. Tampa Bay Rays (Last Week 18, Up 1 Spot)
The Rays’ bats are heating up, but 4-3 over the week is not enough to catch the red hot Red Sox and overcome the hole they dug themselves into.
16. Milwaukee Brewers (Last Week 15, Down 1 Spot)
Don’t look now but the Brew Crew is the hottest team in baseball after a horrible start. They’re only two games out of first now, and if they keep this pace up, it will be no time before they’re on the top looking down on the NL Central.
15. Detroit Tigers (Last Week 17, Up 2 Spots)
The higher the expectations for the Tigers get, the more they let their fans down. You just know this team will make the playoffs, but they sure do take their fans on a roller coaster ride during the season.
14. Kansas City Royals (Last Week 9, Down 5 Spots)
The Royals only went 3-2 last week, but still managed to stay ahead of the Tigers in the standings and on these rankings. They’re dropping in the rankings, but they’re in a good position right now.
13. Washington Nationals (Last Week 8, Down 5 Spots)
Even though Bryce Harper continues to put up MVP like numbers and Gio Gonzalez pitched like a beast, the Nats take a tumble down the rankings after being swept by the Cards.
12. San Francisco Giants (Last Week 6, Down 6 Spots)
Oh how the mighty have fallen. The defending Champs had one of the worst weeks in baseball and are on a five game losing streak. After being swept by the Padres, this team needs to turn around, and quick.
11. Oakland Athletics (Last Week 5, Down 6 Spots)
Even though the A’s had a week to forget record wise, they had a few highlights. Josh Donaldson won player of the week, a 7-inning complete game shut out by Bartolo Colon and the return of Yoenis Cespedes, were the big highlights, but that only led to two wins on the week.
10. Cincinnati Reds (Last Week 7, Down 3 Spots)
The Reds have 14 wins and are looking great. Their only problem is the Cards and Pirates are looking just as good, if not better. Don’t forget the Brew Crew are right on their tails as well. At this rate this could be the best division in all of baseball, but it’s only been four weeks.
9. St Louis Cardinals (Last Week 10, Up 1 Spot)
They swept the Nats, but then lost the series to the Pirates, who are on a roll. A series with the Reds is on tap this week and could change where both teams end up in the power rankings next time.
8. Baltimore Orioles (Last Week 13, Up 5 Spots)
Only two loses in the last week, both in extra inning heart breakers. Nate McLouth is one of the hottest hitters in the league and they’re playing at a high level as a team overall.
7. New York Yankees (Last Week 12, Up 5 Spots)
A lot of people are calling the Yankees old, because they are, but that also means they’re experienced. If the Yanks continue to play like this while they’re old and injured, it is going to be scary when they get healthy.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates (Last Week 14, Up 8 Spots)
The Pirates just continue to win series. After going 5-2 last week, the Pirates have shot up into first place and shot up the rankings.
5. Colorado Rockies (Last Week 2, Down 3 Spots)
The Rox built a big lead early on and that’s kept them in the top five, but after losing to the Braves and D-Backs last week, they are now tied atop the NL West. Another week like this could prove what everyone was saying last week, they just aren’t that good.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks (Last Week 11, Up 7 Spots)
The D-Backs are rolling and it shows in the standings. After beating the Rockies three out of four, they’re tied at first and looking fantastic. This is a team that was more worried about chemistry than talent level, and they look like geniuses right now.
3. Atlanta Braves (Last Week 1, Down 2 Spots)
Rough week for the Braves, but much like the Rockies, they built a big enough lead in the division to remain up top. They ended the week losing four in a row and the pitching seems to have finally come down to earth. Don’t worry if you’re a fan, though, Justin Upton is still playing at an MVP level and the rest of the team will eventually catch up.
2. Texas Rangers (Last Week 4, Up 2 Spots)
This team just remains consistent. They aren’t the runaway team they were last year, but the Rangers have yet to lose a series this season. With the other teams in the league all having ups and downs, as long as the Rangers continue to split or win series, they will be among the top teams in the league.
1. Boston Red Sox (Last Week 3, Up 2 Spots)
The only loss last week was a rain shortened game where Alfredo Aceves just could not get it going and gave up run after run, but Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester continue to dominate, and solidify the rotation. The return of David Ortiz has added even more fire power to an offense that was already firing on all cylinders. At the rate the Red Sox are going they could top this list for weeks to come.