Tampa Bay Rays

For the third week in a row I have the Tampa Bay Rays at the top spot. They have the best pitching staff in the majors. The best offense was a toss up between them and the Yankees. I pushed up the Yankees a spot because they are the hottest team in the majors right now, winning nine of their last 10 games. No other team can say that they’ve won at least eight of their last 10 other than the “Bronx Bombers.”

These rankings are based on a 300-point system, 150 for offensive production and 150 for pitching production. 30 points (1 point for each team) is the most points any team can get in a given category. For instance, if the Rays lead the league in HR’s they will get 30 points for that category. The 5 offensive categories used: HR’s, RBI’s, Runs, Average, and SB’s. The 5 pitching categories used: Wins, Saves, WHIP, ERA, and K’s.

Is April gone already?  Last year, it couldn't end soon enough.  The Rays 2008 World Series hangover left them 9-14 at April's end, leaving Rays fans searching for the aspirin.  The Rays would never recover.

Lesson Learned.

The Rays capped off the first month of the season with their best start in team history.  The offense pummelled other pitchers into frequent early showers.  The starting pitching led the AL in ERA.  And for the most part, the bullpen shut the door.

But have the Rays finally started to cool off?

The Rays (18-7) are off to the best start in baseball but begin a tough western road trip this week that sees them travel to Seattle, Oakland, and Anaheim.

They open up with the Mariners (11-13) on Tuesday, who come in having lost three straight after being swept at home by the Rangers.

For a second week in a row, the Rays are in the top spot in my Power Rankings. I still don’t see a reason to have them lower than that. They have the best offense in the majors by far and their pitching is also very good. If it weren’t for the Mets, I’d say that they were the hottest team in the league right now.

Matt Garza is partly to blame for the number four ranking in pitching. His 4-1 record, 2.06 ERA, and 34 strikeouts puts him in the top four in my AL Cy Young Award, which you can check out at the bottom of the page.

As part of the Tampa Bay Rays' housekeeping after Dioner Navarro's two-game suspension, the Rays optioned long man Mike Ekstrom to AAA.

Ekstrom's spot was taken by Durham catcher Jose Lobaton. 

It will be a short stay for Lobaton. Once the Oakland two-game series is concluded, Navarro will be back with the team.

Joining him will be a new reliever.

Major League Baseball finally brought the hammer down on Tampa Bay Rays catcher Dioner Navarro Tuesday morning.  Navarro was suspended for two games for bumping an umpire this past weekend.

Now on to the fun part.

This means Rays fans will get at least two more long looks at the emerging youngster John Jaso.  And it has been a sight for sore eyes.  Jaso has caught the attention of both Rays fans, teammates and coaches alike. 

There's no reason why the Rays shouldn't be in the top spot in this week's power rankings. They are the only team to be ranked in the top five in scoring and team ERA. They are also the only team that has won at least eight of their last 10 games.

The Royals' Jose Guillen (.352 average, 6 HR, 15 RBI) and the Brewers' Ryan Braun (.382 average, 5 HR, 20 RBI) take the top spots for the AL and NL MVP races while the Yanks' Andy Pettitte (1.29 ERA) and the Phillies' Roy Halladay (0.82 ERA) are on top the AL and NL Cy Young races.

When Chan Ho Park landed on the disabled list with a sprained hamstring the Yankees hoped it would be a short stint for the reliever who has quickly become a valuable member of the bullpen, but

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