CRUZIN’ ALONG: Nelson Cruz and the Rangers are back to being one of the hottest teams in baseball. Photo courtesy Rick Yeatts/Getty Images
In the last season where interleague play will be confined to a specific time of the year, things are wrapping up between the AL and NL. It’s always fun to watch the ball clubs play by a different set of rules (starts with a ‘D’ and ends with an ‘H’), but it also creates some surprising movers and shakers.
The Red Sox took advantage of a woeful Marlins squad to help jumpstart their season. But now, with Youklis heading to Chicago, a LOT is riding on the play of Will Middlebrooks. If this team wants to continue to make moves up these charts, the youngster is going to have to perform.
Like I said, Miami is struggling but they don’t even have the most concerned faces IN their division. The Phillies are falling apart at the seams and it’s quickly looking like a “first to worst” scenario is actually possible. Unlike the Yankees, these veterans are starting to show their age.
Speaking of those Yankees, they’re on an absolute tear midway through the season and it’s a major reason why the honor’s of this week’s top team practically came down to a coin flip.
But those are just a few of the movers and shakers. Here is a complete, updated list of our MLB Power Rankings…
MLB POWER RANKINGS – JUNE 25TH
1. Texas Rangers | 45-28 (22-13 Home, 23-15 Road) [Change From Last Ranking: + 3]
10-2 since the last power rankings. Already have almost 100 more runs scored than allowed.
2. New York Yankees | 43-28 (20-14 Home, 23-14 Road) [+ 3]
Second-best record and third-hardest strength of schedule. Uh, yeah. Sounds like the Bombers to me.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers | 43-30 (24-12 Home, 19-18 Road) [- 2]
With a weak strength of schedule, you need to keep winning to stay up on this list. The Dodgers haven’t.
4. Tampa Bay Rays | 40-32 (21-15 Home, 19-17 Road) [- 2]
‘Glovegate’ put a ‘smudge’ on the bullpen, but the rotation remains phenomenal. They miss Longoria.
5. Baltimore Orioles | 41-31 (21-15 Home, 20-16 Road) [+ 1]
They’ve had the hardest road of any team, which helps explain their propensity for ugly, scrappy wins.
6. Washington Nationals | 41-29 (20-14, 21-15 Road) [- 3]
Even with Morse back, the offense has sputtered. How long can the rotation perform this well?
7. Cincinnati Reds | 39-32 (21-15 Home, 19-17 Road) [+ 1]
The tight-knit pennant race is going to make a gem out of one team. Right now, that gem is Ohio red.
8. San Francisco Giants | 40-33 (21-14 Home, 19-19 Road) [+ 2]
They can catch the Dodgers by the all-star break. Who thought THAT was possibly a month ago?
9. New York Mets | 39-34 (23-17 Home, 16-17 Road) [± 0]
If it’s not their defense, it’s their bullpen. Having two Achilles’ could prove fatal by September.
10. Los Angeles Angels | 40-33 (22-17 Home, 18-16 Road) [+ 4]
Turns out Mike Trout was the Angel young Joseph Gordon-Levitt prayed for. The rookie has delivered.
11. Atlanta Braves | 38-34 (15-17 Home, 23-17 Road) [- 4]
Did their postseason hopes die with Beachy’s arm? They need the veterans to step up immediately.
12. St. Louis Cardinals | 38-35 (17-16 Home, 21-19 Road) [- 1]
I’m telling you this should be a 90-win team, but it’s time for “should” to turn into “is”.
13. Pittsburgh Pirates | 38-33 (23-13 Home, 15-20 Road) [+ 2]
They’re hanging in there with the perennials. Now if only they could win outside of Pennsylvania.
14. Chicago White Sox | 38-34 (19-21 Home, 19-13 Road) [- 2]
Is this ranking a tad low? Maybe. So prove me wrong, starting with your brand new third basemen.
15. Cleveland Indians | 37-34 (20-18 Home, 17-16 Road) [- 2]
They’re still above .500, but their opponents are not. How much longer will that stay the same?
16. Boston Red Sox | 38-34 (19-20 Home, 19-14 Road) [+ 5]
Big moves happen when you get as hot as they have, but they’re still in fourth place in the A.L. East.
17. Arizona Diamondbacks | 37-35 (20-17 Home, 17-18 Road) [+ 1]
They’re just over .500, but so are a lot of teams. October baseball will require them to be better.
18. Detroit Tigers | 35-37 (17-18 Home, 18-19 Road) [+ 1]
I’m smelling a comeback, but will my senses deceive me? Somehow only 3 games out of the pennant.
19. Toronto Blue Jays | 37-35 (19-15 Home, 18-20 Road) [- 3]
Might we have a cellar dweller over .500? The Jays seem determined to find out.
20. Miami Marlins | 34-38 (18-20 Home, 16-18 Road) [- 3]
If there’s a more hot-and-cold team in the majors, Katy Perry hasn’t pointed them out to me yet.
21. Oakland Athletics | 35-38 (19-19 Home, 16-19 Road) [+ 4]
They’ve hit that critical 10-game plateau. 10 games out of the division lead, that is.
22. Philadelphia Phillies | 34-40 (15-22 Home, 19-18 Road) [- 2]
The turnarounds by L.A. and Boston have made Philly the frontrunners for “bust of the year”.
23. Kansas City Royals | 31-39 (11-23 Home, 20-16 Road) [+ 1]
The Royals quietly have a Top-10 strength of schedule. They’re tougher than their record suggests.
24. Milwaukee Brewers | 33-39 (18-18 Home, 15-21 Road) [- 2]
The great mid-season comeback has hit a speed bump. Unfortunately, that’s more costly as July nears.
25. Seattle Mariners | 31-43 (12-19 Home, 19-24 Road) [- 2]
They’re playing like, well, the Mariners. They’re bad, but not horrendous. Tough opponents, too.
26. Houston Astros | 30-42 (21-17 Home, 9-25 Road) [± 0]
A winning record at home while 12 games under .500? You don’t see that every day.
27. Colorado Rockies | 27-44 (15-21 Home, 12-23 Road) [± 0]
Down to a four-man rotation and one of them is Josh Outman? Yep, things are pretty ugly in Denver.
28. Minnesota Twins | 29-42 (13-22 Home, 16-20 Road) [± 0]
Still not wowing their fan base. The only thing over .500 with this club are the teams they play.
29. San Diego Padres | 26-47 (16-24 Home, 10-23 Road) [+ 1]
Oh, the Padres. Can’t win with them, can’t complete a division without them.
30. Chicago Cubs | 24-48 (14-19 Home, 10-29 Road) [- 1]
Winning only one out of every four on the road is classic lovable loser material.
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NOTE: This story was originally published on SportsHead. To read this article and others, click here.
When Bryan isn’t writing, he is on Twitter! Follow him @bclienesch!
