NOTE: Team W-L records updated through Sunday Morning, May 24.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (30-14, Last Week: No. 5)
This team is back in the top spot once again because they play great offensively and their pitching staff (at the moment) is second to none.
They have the best pitching staff in the majors (only giving up 165 runs over 44 games), and are ranked No. 4 in runs scored (238). And they've won eight of their last ten games. They are no longer showing any signs of missing Manny.
Albert Pujols has been the model of consistency in Major League Baseball for the last decade. Regarded as one of the best hitters of his generation, Pujols is an amazing offensive talent—a great slugger who also hits for contact and rarely strikes out.
Combine that with good defense as a first baseman and you have one awesome baseball player.
He is a solid postseason player too, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to the World Series twice (2004, 2006) and winning once (2006).
With the song "We Are Family" glaring from the speakers in Three Rivers Stadium, the Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 7-1, in Game Five of the 1979 World Series to extend the series. It would be two games later when the Pirates would go on to defeat the Orioles by winning the next two games in Baltimore.
Here, I give you my MLB power rankings through week 3 of the 2009 season.
1. Boston Red Sox (11-6)
I honestly think the Red Sox forgot how to lose a baseball game. A nine-game winning streak will get you an automatic top five spot no matter what in my opinion. Their offense is coming together. Strong rotation, good bullpen. Life is good in Boston.
I hoped I would never have to come to this conclusion, especially after their playoff berth in 2008, but the Brewers stink.
At 3-8, Milwaukee is already in the divisional cellar and searching for the light to get out but are not finding it.
I usually never admit that my team stinks, and I haven't said it about the Brewers since they really did stink, back in the early 2000's. But now I am left with no choice but to say it and not get my 2009 hopes up.
The Chicago Cubs opened a three-game homestand in Wrigley North with a 4-3 loss to last year’s Wild Card squad, the Milwaukee Brewers.
With one swing of the lumber, Koyie Hill provided Rich Harden with his first lead of the game via a two-run, sixth-inning bomb.
Milton Bradley got his first hit of the season, a solo jack to lead off the fourth inning. While Bradley has gotten off to a slow start hitting wise, it hasn’t been for lack of good at-bats.