30 MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 3 MLB Baseball 2014

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21

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A little rant before the power rankings this week

Well, another 7 days has passed in baseball for this year.

There are no more home openers, attendance is down, fans are scattering about their Easter business and the NFL Draft is around to swing its mighty sword on the sports landscape.

Parity has hit the MLB to an extent, however the teams atop this week are not too surprising.

The Milwaukee Brewers were the biggest mover up this list, while the Royals saw the biggest fall to the ground.

The Yankees look like they are going to take the heavy lumber out to some clubs at home.

The Astros have 7 out of their 9 position players hitting under .200 – yet are a respectable 5 – 7.

Power seems to be down in a lot of the games.  You would believe speed would play a bigger factor in games.  The only caveat is you have to make it to 1st base to begin with.

Strikeouts are at an ALL – Time high – and that coupled with hitters working counts, is the reason games are going so long in baseball in this latest generation, not video replay or tv timeouts, although they do play a factor.

It is also something where fans line up to patron the 1st game of every season, and then the next night’s attendance couldn’t be bothered with coming back to the yard. 

It were as if the 1st game has more importance in the standings, but it doesn’t.  Word of advice:  Save your $$, and watch multiple games in a year at a park for the same dollar price tag going than that opener will carry.

You only have to fight more traffic, busier washrooms in the concourse, and in some parks, half the stadium exits before the end of the game anyway, killing your chance for a fast getaway – should you want to view a complete game.

This Weeks Rank (last week in Parenthesis)

* Denotes Leading Their Respective Division

Records are before play Sunday

1.  *Detroit Tigers 6 – 3: (1)  They still have the strongest Starting Staff in the Majors – to spite their every year anemic Relief Core.  Best Division to play in.

2.  *LA Dodgers 8 – 4: (5):  Adrian Gonzalez swinging solid, and Zack Greinke is still pretty damn good.  Had a nice week after Australia jetlag

3.  *Washington Nationals 7 – 4: (2):  Hated this lingering Ryan Zimmerman throwing issue, now he is out for 6 – 8 weeks.

Huge chance for Danny Espinosa to reclaim his big league job.  If he can pan out, the team should consider trading Adam LaRoche – and move Zimmerman to 1st base.

4. *St. Louis Cardinals 6 – 5: (3): Early in the season, and St. Louis always finds a way as the season progresses.  Adam Wainwright is still filthy.

5. *Oakland A’s 7 – 4: (10) – A 5 – 1 week, and withdrawing Jim Johnson out of the Closer’s role is a good start.  Josh Donaldson found hit stroke.

Sonny Gray has filled in well as the teams #1, and Scott Kazmir may do the job after him.  Professional AB still carrying the club.

6. *Tampa Bay Rays 7 – 5: (4) Matt Moore injury hurts their World Series aspirations, but this club still has 3 legitimate Starters.  A Joe Maddon team = add water and stir for success.

7.  San Francisco Giants 7 – 5: (6)  Where are you old Tim Lincecum?  Mike Morse looks like 2011 version of himself and Brandon Belt has arrived!

8.  *  Atlnta Braves 7 – 4: (7)  They have weathered the 1st few weeks despite a similar routine from last year.  Jason Heyward, B.J. Upton and Dan Uggla are on the Interstate Highway with their mid .100 BA’s.

9.   New York Yankees 6 – 6: (13) A brutal start for HR power has seen some great home cooking with Alfonso Soriano, Brian McCann and Kelly Johnson finding the porch.  May end being one of the best home teams this campaign.

10.  Milwaukee Brewers 9 – 2 (18):  An 8 game winning streak will turn some people into believers.

I also like them taking advantage of Cincinnati’s slow start.  Ryan Braun‘s wrist mus hold, but boy did he ever crush it in Philly this week.

Mark Reynolds may end up smacking 25 – 30 HRs, and Aramis Ramirez could have one more great year left in him.

11.  Boston Red Sox 5 – 7:  (12) – Their ranking has more to do with the Angels, Rays and Rangers sustaining major injuries this week more than their own performance.

The Beantowners could see this season go south on them quickly if all goes wrong.  Dustin Pedroia hasn’t walked yet – what?

12.  Texas Rangers 5 – 6 (8):  Yu Darvish came back and was utterly brilliant in his 2 games started.  Adrian Beltre injury has to be a short term thing.

Prince Fielder has come out of the block real quiet.

13.  Pittsburgh Pirates: 6 – 5: (11th):  Watch this thing with Andrew McCutchen.  They are playing good ball despite not bringing in any players.  Have wharfed into the NL version of the Rays.

T14: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: 5 – 6: (18th):Losing Josh Hamilton for 2 months hurts immensely.  What happened to Jered Weaver being an ace?

Tyler Skaggs gives hope for the future.  Albert Pujols hit well in  Seattle, needs to into ‘honeybadger’ mode.

T14: Seattle Mariners 6 – 4:  (16) James Paxton going on the 15 DAY DL couldn’t come at a worse time.  Felix Hernandez is filthy right now, but can’t pitch every day.

Corey Hart is the best Right Handed M’s bopper since 1st few years of Richie Sexson almost a decade ago.

16. Toronto Blue Jays 6 – 6:  (19) Brett Lawrie is hitting near .100 and Edwin Encarnacion‘s wrist injury has to be alarming.  How long can Dustin McGowan be your best thrower?

17.  Kansas City Royals: 4 – 6: (9):  The seat might get hot in Ned Yost‘s office real quick.  No power on the offensive side.  Some prospects just maintain being suspect.  I am talking about you Mike Moustakas!

18.  Baltimore Orioles 5 – 6: (21): Manny Machado‘s absence will put them too far behind the 8 ball.  Love Chris Tillman emerging as one of the better Starters in the AL.

Delmon Young is the ‘Yankee killer”, too bad he won’t play them 162 games.

19 Cleveland Indians 6 – 6: (20) Power outage from the lineup, and I worry about their 2nd half Pitching something fierce.

20.  Cincinnati Reds 3 – 8: (17):  1 great game out of 10 isn’t going to cut it for Billy Hamilton.  Worried about the injuries to the staff, and this maybe one of those “everything went bad years for Cincy.”

21.  Colorado Rockies 6  – 6: (23):  The Rox need Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez to stay on the field at the same time.

They may not win a playoff spot, but they are going to do some damage to some other clubs.

22.  Chicago White Sox 6 – 6: (24): Enthusiasm for Jose Abreu tear to start the year is curbed a little by season ending injury to Avisail Garcia.  The young offense is better than anticipated.

23.  Miami Marlins 5 – 7: (21) Back to reality Fish, although they will be entertaining all year with Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Fernandez.

24.  Philadelphia Phillies 5 – 6: (22)  Were creamed by the Brewers in Interleague, but at least Chase Utley looks great thus far.

25.  Arizona D’backs 4 – 10: (26))   This is turning into “CAMP UGLY” extremely fast.  This is not a Division you can make up ground on the leaders once you fall behind.

26. New York Mets 5 – 6:  (25) It is only a matter of time before the “Dumpster Fire” Jose Valverde falls out of favor.  Curtis Granderson, the latest $15 MIL per year flop?’

Bobby Parnell – TJ Surgery rears its ugly head in Flushing Meadows once again,

27.  Minnesota Twins 5 – 6: (28) Maybe Phil Hughes is not going to change it around outside of New York.  Brian Dozier and Chris Colabello providing offensive spark.

28.  Chicago Cubs 4 – 7: (27):  Emilio Bonifacio won’t hit .500 for that long

29.  San Diego Padres 4 – 7: (29) Andrew Cashner will prevent this team from losing 100 games.

30.  Houston Astros 5 – 9 (30): Houston will finish last in the Majors – and that may be a good season if the young core can all improve.

 *** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com and their partners***

A Big thanks goes out to our chief writer Hunter Stokes for preparing today’s feature post

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