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.
2. Texas Rangers (25-17, Last Week: No. 1)
Things looked a little weird last week, They get swept by the red-hot Tigers in Detroit, go to Houston and sweep the Astros.
Overall, I still like where this team is headed. With the offense remaining in the top ten and their pitching improving as well, I still don't se a reason to put them out of the top five.
3. Detroit Tigers (24-17 Last Week: No. 14)
This team jumped up 11 spots this week because of their 7th-best pitching staff, they're 6th in the majors in runs scored (221), and they've won seven of their last ten, and they swept the Rangers (who seem to be having a hard time beating the Tigers (Rangers are 0-6 vs. Detroit this season.))
4. Milwaukee Brewers (26-17, Last Week: No. 2)
Happy trails, Rickie Weeks! J.J. Hardy is injured too, and Bill Hall is in a slump. This teams is going to need a lot of help on the offensive side from their infield very soon. if they want to remain in the top ten.
5. St. Louis Cardinals (26-17, Last Week: No. 10)
St. Louis' starters have allowed four earned runs in their past 46.2 innings (0.77 ERA).
6. New York Yankees (25-18, Last Week: No. 12)
They Yankees have five walk-off wins in the month of May, the most walk-offs in a month since September 1988.
7. Philadelphia Phillies (23-18, Last Week: No. 9)
Apparently, it doesn't matter if you put this team on the road or at home. They still are expected to play well. They are 16-6 on the road this season (best in the majors.)
8. New York Mets (23-19, Last Week: No. 6)
The Mets have only hit 29 home runs this season, tied with Pittsburgh for the second fewest total among MLB clubs.
9. Boston Red Sox (25-18, Last Week: No. 8)
The pitching staff is definitely not owning up to their expectations. At the beginning of the season, I thought this team had a top-five pitching staff. Now it's almost June and they've given up 203 runs (18th in the majors).
10. Toronto Blue Jays (27-19, Last Week: No. 4)
After watching this team get crushed by the Red Sox, I had no other choice but to drop them out of the top five for the first time in a while. This team has lost nine games against teams with .500 records or better.
11. Tampa Bay Rays (23-22, Last Week: No. 16)
This team might not be as good as they were last year, but their offense is definitely doing its job. Thanks to guys like Carl Crawford, Jason Bartlett, and Evan Longoria, they lead the majors in runs scored (259).
But if they want to see playoff contention in a few months, their pitching has to improve. They've already given up 217 runs.
12. Atlanta Braves (22-20, Last Week: No. 11)
Jair Jurrjens has given up two runs or less in nine of his last ten outings.
13. Los Angeles Angels (22-20, Last Week: No. 13)
The Angels are looking a little better no that their injury bug has left them and biten other teams (i.e. Mets, Brewers) But catching up to those much-improved Rangers is going to be a much more difficult task than what many might think.
14. Cincinnati Reds (22-20, Last Week: No. 7)
I do think that the Reds could still be a dark horse in the NL. But in order for this to happen, their offense has to step it up. Their pitching staff is in the top ten for obvious reasons but it's their hitting that needs to come up big.
15. Chicago Cubs (21-20, Last Week: No. 3)
This team deserves to fall 12 spots after not winning a single game all week. They are 4-6 over their last ten and are on a six-game losing streak, as of Sunday morning.
16. San Diego Padres (21-22, Last Week: No. 28)
This team has improved a little bit. As of Sunday, they were 8-2 over their last ten games and were on an eight-game winning streak. I like these numbers. It's a little odd though, because they have absolutely no offense. They've only scored a league-worst 159 runs over their first 43 games.
17. Minnesota Twins (21-23 Last Week: No. 18)
Congratulations Joe Mauer! He already has more HRs this year (10), than what he did all of last season (nine).
18. Chicago White Sox (19-23, Last Week: No. 24)
This week, the White Sox became the first team ever to record two shutouts in a row after allowing 20 runs in a single game.
19. Kansas City Royals (21-22, Last Week: No. 15)
Wow! This team isn't hot right not. Only three wins over their last ten games and were on a four-game losing streak as of Sunday morning. I still think Zack Greinke is the favorite to win the AL Cy Young (for now), but to give hi and their pitching staff a little help, their offense needs to get better.
20. San Francisco Giants (21-23, Last Week: No. 19)
I'm not even going to lie...I'm getting pretty bored watching Randy Johnson's 300-win chase. With the Giants offense and the way it is, it could take a while to get to number 300.
21. Arizona Diamondbacks (19-24, Last Week: No 29)
I think this team is starting to get it. Maybe I was wrong about their managerial switch. I usually think that any team that switches managers during the season has no shot of being successful over the remaining of the season.
Maybe the Diamondbacks can prove me wrong. As of Sunday morning (when I finished my notes for this article), they were 6-4 over their last ten games and were on a four-game winning streak.
22. Pittsburgh Pirates (19-24, Last Week: No. 23)
I moved them up a spot because they have played better over the past week. Last week, they were 3-7 over their past ten games. This week, they are 5-5 over that same span, which is an improvement. Not to mention this team has an excellent pitching staff. Mad props to Zach Duke, Paul Maholm and company.
23. Seattle Mariners (20-24, Last Week: Last Week: No. 25)
I'm a huge fan of teams with great hitting. The Mariners aren't one of them. They have only scored 165 runs in their first 44 games (27th in the Majors.) I moved them up two spots because I think they have a better team than the seven others below them.
24. Houston Astros (18-23, Last Week: No. 17)
After getting swept by the Rangers in their own backyard things aren't looking so great in Houston. Their offense ranks 26th in the majors and teams like the Diamondbacks and Pirates are starting to blow by them.
25. Florida Marlins (19-25, Last Week: No. 20)
As of Sunday, they have lost four in a row and eight of their last ten games. these are Ti reasons why the Marlins have dropped five spots.
26. Cleveland Indians (17-27, Last Week: No 30)
Call me crazy but I still think the Indians can turn it around soon and grab plenty of wins and make things interesting soon. If the Indians are in at least 3rd place in the AL Central by the All-Star break, they could still be a threat to be a dark horse in the AL Playoff race.
27. Baltimore Orioles (18-25, Last Week: No. 21)
Just like the Nationals, this team can't pitch worth anything. They've given up an AL-worst 255 runs in their first 43 games. Not good.
28. Colorado Rockies (17-25, Last Week: No. 26)
I honestly don't know what to say about this team. They have apparently fallen off the face of the earth ever since their trip to the World Series in 2007. They have a great hitting team, but their pitching needs a little work.
29. Oakland Athletics (15-25, Last Week: No. 22)
Numbers like 25th best offense and 21st best pitching staff and only winning three of their last ten games isn't going to cut it for me. This team is officially the worst in the American League for obvious reasons.
30. Washington Nationals (12-30, Last Week: No. 27)
Either this team finds a pitching staff or they will not have a chance of pulling out of the bottom five. As of Sunday morning, they were ranked last in the majors in runs against (257.)
Carter's American League MVP Race
1. Carl Crawford (Rays): .319 avg., 1 HR, 20 RBIs, 33 runs, 26 stolen bases
2. Jason Bartlett (Rays): .376 avg., 6 HR, 29 RBIs, 31 runs, 13 stolen bases
3. Evan Longoria (Rays): .331 avg., 11 HR, 49 RBIs, 33 runs,
4. Jason Bay (Red Sox): .287 avg., 13 HR, 44 RBIs, 34 runs
5. Aaron Hill (Blue Jays): .348 avg., 11 HR, 35 RBIs, 30 runs
Carter's National League MVP Race
1. Raul Ibanez (Phillies): .350 avg., 17 HR, 42 RBIs, 37 runs
2. Albert Pujols (Cardinals): .331 avg., 14 HR, 38 RBIs, 38 runs
3. Carlos Beltran (Mets): .364 avg., 6 HR, 29 RBIs, 30 runs
4. Ryan Zimmerman (Nationals): .348 avg., 11 HR, 34 RBIs, 35 runs
5. David Wright (Mets): .353 avg., 3 HR, 29 RBIs, 28 runs, 10 stolen bases
Carter's American League Cy Young Race
1. Zack Greinke (Royals): 7-1, 73 strikeouts, 0.82 ERA
2. Roy Halladay (Blue Jays): 8-1, 63 strikeouts, 2.52 ERA
3. Edwin Jackson (Tigers): 4-2, 48 strikeouts, 2.55 ERA
4. Justin Verlander (Tigers): 4-2, 77 strikeouts, 3.99 ERA
5. Mark Buehrle (White Sox): 6-1, 33 strikeouts, 2.77 ERA
Carter's Nationals League Cy Young Race
1. Jonathan Broxton (Dodgers): 5-0, 35 strikeouts, 1.17 ERA, 11 saves
2. Johan Santana (Mets): 6-2, 75 strikeouts, 1.50 ERA
3. Wandy Rodriguez (Astros): 5-2, 53 strikeouts, 1.83 ERA
4. Chad Billingsley (Dodgers): 6-1, 63 strikeouts, 2.51 ERA
5. Dan Haren (Diamondbacks): 3-4, 63 strikeouts, 2.57 ERA
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