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As we prepare to enter July, we are just about halfway through the 2014 season. Isn’t that crazy?
This is around the point where we can no longer look at teams as simply “hot starts”. Teams like the Brewers have proven that we must take them seriously. The same goes for the Angels and the Giants, who are, unlike last season, playing up to the level they should be from a talent perspective.
Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, two equally-talented teams, have also started heat up despite being asleep at the wheel for much of the first three months. The only question now is, with the Brewers still leading the division and the Cardinals not rolling over and dying, is it too late? We all know the cliche you can’t win a pennant in April but you can certainly lose one. Well, the Pirates and Reds may be the latest example of just that.
Still, feel free to see how they stack up in today’s Power Rankings:
MLB POWER RANKINGS – JUNE 30TH
1. Oakland Athletics | 51-30 (24-15 Home, 27-15 Road) [Change From Last Ranking: ± 0]
One of only two 50-plus-win teams, the A’s are on pace for a 100-plus-win season.
2. Milwaukee Brewers | 51-33 (24-18 Home, 27-15 Road) [+ 2]
Holding a 6.5-game lead over the Reds, Bucs, and Cards all with winning records is super impressive.
3. Detroit Tigers | 44-34 (19-19 Home, 25-15 Road) [+ 2]
After a brief mid-season lull, the Tigers are hot once again. And, once again, the division is theirs to lose.
4. San Francisco Giants | 46-36 (24-21 Home, 22-15 Road) [- 2]
Their recent skid has allowed the Dodgers to catch up to them. Hello, pennant race.
5. Los Angeles Angels | 45-35 (26-14 Home, 19-21 Road) [+ 1]
Their only mistake is being in the same division as the A’s. Well, also not playing better on the road.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers | 47-37 (21-21 Home, 26-16 Road) [+ 2]
If last year’s second half is any indicator, L.A. might be on pace to win well over 100 games.
7. Toronto Blue Jays | 45-39 (23-21 Home, 22-18 Road) [- 4]
The frustratingly hot-and-cold blue birds are at it again.
8. Atlanta Braves | 44-38 (20-18 Home, 24-20 Road) [+ 1]
The clusterf*** in the N.L. Central means you probably want to win your division. ASAP.
9. Washington Nationals | 43-38 (23-17 Home, 20-21 Road) [+ 2]
Speaking of divisions, Washington could be leading theirs had the played better in Chicago.
10. St. Louis Cardinals | 44-39 (23-17 Home, 21-22 Road) [- 3]
They now find themselves in a clogged division that envies that of the A.L. East.
11. Seattle Mariners | 44-38 (21-22 Home, 23-16 Road) [+ 3]
If the playoffs began today, the Mariners would be in. How in the world did that happen?
12. Baltimore Orioles | 42-39 (19-21 Home, 23-18 Road) [± 0]
This may seem a bit high, but I just don’t have the heart to drop them off this perch. Yet.
13. Cincinnati Reds | 43-38 (19-18 Home, 24-20 Road) [+ 7]
Hi, Cincy. Where’ve you been for the past three months?
14. New York Yankees | 41-39 (18-20 Home, 23-19 Road) [- 4]
Remember when I said some home stands should do this team some good? Oops.
15. Pittsburgh Pirates | 42-40 (24-19 Home, 18-21 Road) [+ 4]
Even when they’re playing better it’s not great news, because Cincy blew right by them.
16. Kansas City Royals | 42-39 (21-22 Home, 21-17 Road) [- 1]
After that big hot streak, they’ve cooled off and watched Detroit pull away yet again.
17. Miami Marlins | 39-43 (25-21 Home, 14-22 Road) [- 4]
As that stellar level of play at home has dwindled, the Marlins are becoming the team we expected.
18. Cleveland Indians | 39-42 (23-15 Home, 16-27 Road) [± 0]
I should drop them for going 4-7 since the last rankings, but I just can’t.
19. Texas Rangers | 37-44 (18-23 Home, 19-21 Road) [- 3]
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. It is, in most ways, pretty perplexing.
20. Boston Red Sox | 38-44 (20-19 Home, 18-25 Road) [+ 3]
No one remaining deserves to be this high. Consider Boston the least undeserving.
21. New York Mets | 37-45 (17-21 Home, 20-24 Road) [+ 3]
Again, least undeserving. No one remaining here has even a remote hope for October.
22. Chicago White Sox | 39-44 (21-18 Home, 18-26 Road) [± 0]
They’ll fight with Minnesota for control of the A.L. Central cellar the rest of the way.
23. Colorado Rockies | 36-46 (20-19 Home, 16-27 Road) [- 6]
I should drop them lower, but they’ve had a hard enough time these past two weeks.
24. Minnesota Twins | 37-43 (19-17 Home, 18-26 Road) [- 3]
When are they going to get some young, premium talent in their a la Springer in Houston?
25. Philadelphia Phillies | 36-46 (18-27 Home, 18-19 Road) [+ 2]
The Phillies, on the other hand, can’t get premium talent up to the Majors because their farm is dry.
26. Houston Astros | 36-47 (20-23 Home, 16-24 Road) [- 1]
I don’t know the last time an Astro graced the cover of SI, but it’s had to be at least a decade, no?
27. Chicago Cubs | 34-46 (19-20 Home, 15-26 Road) [+ 2]
I’ll give them a modest boost up, if just for splitting a 4-game series with the Nationals.
28. San Diego Padres | 35-47 (20-23 Home, 15-24 Road) [± 0]
It’s about time this franchise bereft of talent made a change at General Manager.
29. Arizona Diamondbacks | 35-49 (15-30 Home, 20-19 Road) [- 3]
Very tempting to put them at the very bottom here. We’ll see how these next two weeks go.
30. Tampa Bay Rays | 35-49 (19-25 Home, 16-24 Road) [± 0]
So, what? You have a winning record over the last two weeks. You want a cookie?
