2013 MLB Power Rankings Week 6

Is it happening already? Are the Atlanta Braves collapsing? A team that started the year 12-1 is just 9-15 since. For those of you that aren't math majors that is a .375 winning percentage. That is not a stretch one can expect from a team with serious title aspirations. I like to think they will even out and play somewhere between those two extremes. The National League East race is going to be a tight one. One that the Braves still lead. For now. By one game. What they don't lead is the power rankings. That spot is retained this week by the Texas Rangers who continue to own the best record in the bigs.

*Note ~ As always records and stats are through Sunday's games.

1. Texas Rangers (24-13) ~ The Rangers starting rotation is set to get a boost shortly as Colby Lewis should begin a rehab stint next week and Martin Perez is not far behind. The best get better. (Last Week's Ranking 1)

2. St. Louis Cardinals (23-13) ~ If you hadn't noticed rookie pitcher Shelby Miller before there is no avoiding him now. Fresh off of a one-hit shutout in which he fanned 13 Colorado Rockies the rookie is putting up numbers that rival Matt Harvey of the New York Mets. Kid is for real. (LWR 5)

3. San Francisco Giants (23-15) ~ Ryan Vogelsong is very much in danger of losing his spot in the rotation. A year after winning 14 games with a 3.37 ERA Ryan has more than doubled that number as he is sporting a 7.78 ERA through seven starts so far. (LWR 6)

4. New York Yankees (23-13) ~ They just keep winning and Curtis Granderson has looked good during his minor league rehab. Trust me. I saw it in person. (LWR 10)

5. Baltimore Orioles (23-15) ~ There is much ado about Machado. Manny Machado that is. The second year player is boasting a .331/.370/.521 slash line and is also is playing stellar defense at the hot corner with a .975 fielding percentage. And there is something I did not tell you. Manny, is not a natural third baseman. (LWR 9)

6. Boston Red Sox (22-16) ~ First Jack Morris accuses Clay Buchholz of cheating and then Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe accuses David Ortiz of using PED's because he is old and Dominican. Sigh. (LWR 2)

7. Detroit Tigers (20-15) ~ The Tigers have lost their table setter Austin Jackson to the disabled list. I wonder if the most powerful offense in baseball will miss a beat. (LWR 3)

8. Atlanta Braves (21-16) ~ Atlanta's scuffling offense got a big boost this week with the return of six-time all-star catcher Brian McCann. His bat in the middle of the lineup should settle things down. (LWR 4)

9. Washington Nationals (20-17) ~ The Braves struggles have helped the Nats creep to one game back in the division. Things are interesting again in DC. (LWR 11)

10. Arizona Diamondbacks (21-17) ~ With closer J.J. Putz on the disabled list the D'Backs have turned to Heath Bell. After an implosion Sunday one has to wonder how long of a leash Kirk Gibson will give him. (LWR 13)

11. Cincinnati Reds (22-16) ~ Brandon Phillips made another eye-popping play at second starting a double play while falling down and touching second base with his knee before firing a strike over to first. Dat Dude is something else. (LWR 15)

12. Colorado Rockies (20-17) ~ The Rockies were nearly no-hit on back-to-back nights by the Cardinals Shelby Miller and Adam Wainwright. Yikes. (LWR 8)

13. Pittsburgh Pirates (21-16) ~ Francisco Liriano made his Pittsburgh debut last week and struck out nine in just over 5 innings en route to the win over the Mets. He essentially replaces Johnathan Sanchez who was released last week. Just a smidge of an upgrade there. (LWR 14)

14. Cleveland Indians (20-15) ~ Don't look now but Cleveland is getting seriously good pitching of late from the likes of Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Kazmir. Those two haven't been relevant in the bigs for a few years. (LWR 17)

15. Kansas City Royals (18-16) ~ Not a good week for the Royals as they went 1-5 against the Orioles and Yankees along with a loss to the White Sox to start if off. Not a good week at all. (LWR 7)

16. Tampa Bay Rays (19-18) ~ The Rays are rolling and their next 12 games are against the other four teams in the division. This could be a very good week and a half or a very bad week and a half for Tampa. (LWR 16)

17. Oakland A's (19-20) ~ The A's are falling and are only a half-game ahead of the third place Seattle Mariners. They are six games back of Texas, the largest deficit in any of the divisions for a team in second place. (LWR 12)

18. Minnesota Twins (17-17) ~ The Twins are 8-8 at home and 9-9 on the road. They have scored 156 runs and given up 155. The twins are coming up identical no matter how you look at it. (LWR 20)

19. Seattle Mariners (18-20) ~ King Felix has some company. Hisashi Iwakuma has been nothing short of spectacular in the Pacific Northwest as he sits at 4-1 with a dazzling 1.74 ERA and 0.73 WHIP. (LWR 22)

20. Philadelphia Phillies (18-21) ~ The Phillies have to feel better knowing that there was something wrong with Roy Halladay. The former ace is set for surgery and may miss the rest of the season. (LWR 23)

21. Milwaukee Brewers (15-20) ~ Milwaukee is in need of a few wins this week as they visit Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Considering how they have played over the last week plus I don't see how things can get any wurst. (LWR 18)

22. New York Mets (14-20) ~ Things are going so well for New York's outfield that they signed Rick Ankiel today. Ankiel struck out 35 times in 65 at bats this year while a member of the Houston Astros. He is starting for New York tonight. (LWR 21)

23. Los Angeles Angels (14-23) ~ Josh Hamilton has hit four home runs in six games against the Astros this year. He has hit exactly zero in his other 31 games. (LWR24)

24. Toronto Blue Jays (15-24) ~ R.A. Dickey was quoted that the Blue Jays were playing "hard as crud". All I can picture is Chris Farley asking David Spade if he fell in some mud or something. (LWR 25)

25. Chicago White Sox (15-20) ~ Chris Sale joined Shelby Miller and Jon Lester in the one-hitter party this weekend. He looked downright dominant against the Angels giving up only a 7th inning single to Mike Trout. (LWR 26)

26. San Diego Padres (16-21) ~ The Padres are not in last place. I repeat. The Padres are not in last place. (LWR 27)

27. Los Angeles Dodgers (15-21) The Dodgers are in last place. I repeat. The Dodgers and their massive payroll are in last place. (LWR 19)

28. Chicago Cubs (15-22) ~ They locked up their first baseman Anthony Rizzo to a team friendly 7-year $41 million contract. Baby steps people. (LWR 28)

29. Miami Marlins (11-27) ~ Someone pointed out to me that even though the Marlins are attracting the lowest amount of fans this year owner Jeffrey Loria will still turn a profit after he slashed payroll by $50 million during the past year. Disgusting. (LWR 29)

30. Houston Astros (10-28) ~ Houston has allowed 235 runs so far this season. Toronto (201) is the only other team to allow at least 200. (LWR 30)