MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers here to stay

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By Steve Roney

CSNwashington.com

There are many reasons for the Dodgers' ascension -- from Adrian Gonzalez' consistency and Yasiel Puig's flash to the shutdown pitching. Blazing hot after the break, they're exactly the sort of team that no one wants to run into in October.

Here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the rest of the league shaking out:

1. Atlanta Braves (77-49; LW: 2) - Zuckerman: The bullpen is so good, they've basically turned every game into a 6-inning affair.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (73-52; LW: 1) - Hughes: Everyone knows about Yasiel Puig, but Hanley Ramirez has been as important as anyone to their unbelievable run over the past few months.

3. Pittsburgh Pirates (74-51; LW: 4) - Roney: Pedro Alvarez may never hit for average, but his power is seriously impressive -- as is leading the team with 83 RBI despite a .234 average.

4. Boston Red Sox (75-54; LW: 3) - Zuckerman: Everyone may have shared Dempster's sentiments, but his A-Rod plunking may have cost Boston that game.

5. Detroit Tigers (73-52; LW: 5) - Roney: It almost doesn't matter that Prince Fielder is disappointing. Miguel Cabrera is set to top last year's batting average, RBI, and home run totals -- which won him the Triple Crown and 2012 MVP.

MLB Power Rankings: Blue Streaking

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1. Los Angeles Dodgers (69-50; LW: 7) - Zuckerman: No, they don't have MLB's best record. But when you win 39 of 47, you deserve No. 1 ranking.

2. Atlanta Braves (74-47; LW: 1) - Roney: Beachy continues to provide a big boost to Atlanta's rotation, after a shaky debut. Better than trading for an ace at the deadline, for sure.

3. Boston Red Sox (72-50; LW: 2) - Roney: Their monster road swing isn't going all that great so far -- but the good news is, the Rays and Os are struggling even worse right now.

4. Pittsburgh Pirates (71-48; LW: 3) - Hughes: Pittsburgh is starting to slip as the Cardinals and Reds are surging. The NL Central is about to get real interesting.

5. Detroit Tigers (70-49; LW: 4) - Hughes: With the frontrunners for AL MVP and Cy Young in store, this could be their year. Verlander has to come around for it to happen, though.

6. St. Louis Cardinals (68-51; LW: 5) - Hughes: It doesn't matter who they throw out there or when, the Cardinals know how to win ballgames, especially this time of year.

7. Texas Rangers (70-51; LW: 9) - Zuckerman: Yu Darvish is only the 3rd pitcher in history with five 14-strikeout games in a season. The others: Nolan Ryan, Pedro Martinez.

MLB Power Rankings: Braves, Tigers on fire

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By Steve Roney

CSNwashington.com

The Braves and Tigers are each riding winning streaks of epic proportions, and are benefitting in different ways. The Braves have used their 13-game streak to put serious distance between themselves and the remainder of the NL East field, putting the division crown all but out of reach for the second-place Nationals. The Tigers, meanwhile, have used their 11-game streak to stave off the also-surging Indians and Royals.

Here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the rest of the league shaking out:

1. Atlanta Braves (70-45; LW: 7) - Hughes: They've won 13 straight games and show no signs of slowing down, but are they peaking too early?

2. Boston Red Sox (70-46; LW: 3) - Hughes: Jake Peavy fared well in his first start with the 'other' Sox and could solidify their rotation for the stretch run.

3. Pittsburgh Pirates (69-44; LW: 1) - Zuckerman: It's no longer a question if they'll snap the 20-year losing streak, only if they'll also snap their postseason drought. Looking good for that, too.

4. Detroit Tigers (67-45; LW: 5) - Zuckerman: Just when it looked like they might be in danger, Tigers take down Indians and roll off 11 straight wins.

5. St. Louis Cardinals (66-47; LW: 6) - Zuckerman: They're really feeling the loss of Molina, not just at the plate but behind it as well.

MLB Power Rankings: Pirates are back

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By Steve Roney

CSNwashington.com

A full generation of baseball fans has grown up without watching the Pittsburgh Pirates reach the playoffs -- but barring a truly epic collapse, that should change in just a couple of months. Thanks to a recent winning surge at the expense of longtime NL Central leader St. Louis, and with the advent of the second wild card, the postseason will likely feature the first winning Pirates team since 1992.

Though Pittsburgh takes the top spot, here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the rest of the league shaking out:

1. Pittsburgh Pirates (65-42; LW: 4) - Roney: Pittsburgh has been in good position to post a winning record the last two seasons, but has faded down the stretch; thanks to a deep rotation, that isn't likely to be the case this year.

2. Tampa Bay Rays (64-44; LW: 5) - Zuckerman: 6-10 record vs. Boston right now is the difference. They only face each other 3 more times.

3. Boston Red Sox (65-44; LW: 2) - Zuckerman: The acquisition of Peavy really helps bolster the rotation and sets them up for stretch run.

4. Oakland A's (63-45; LW: 3) - Hughes: Bartolo Colon is 14-3 with a 2.50 ERA at the age of 40, but will reportedly avoid a Biogenesis suspension. Exactly how is anyone's guess.

5. Detroit Tigers (61-45; LW: 8) - Roney: The Tigers inserted themselves into the Peavy trade, netting noted gloveman Jose Iglesias. He could stick in the majors for 10 years based on his defense alone, but he's likely to be a No. 9 hitter the entire time.

MLB Power Rankings: All-Star edition

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By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

The past week may have featured fewer actual games thanks to the All-Star break, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been significant movement in the rankings. The Rays and Dodgers made moves towards the top, while the Royals continue to fall off. The Cardinals, though, continue to hold the No. 1 spot, buoyed by their six All-Stars.

Here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer/producer Chase Hughes and I see the rest of the league shaking out as the second half of the season begins...

1. St. Louis Cardinals (57-36; LW: 2) - Hughes: At this rate they will have almost half their lineup receiving N.L. MVP votes at the end of the season.

2. Boston Red Sox (58-39; LW: 1) - Roney: Not to harp, but Ben Cherington just traded for another reliever (Matt Thornton). Not saying it'll be an unmitigated disaster, but the trades for Andrew Bailey, Mark Melancon, and Joel Hanrahan haven't exactly turned out as hoped.

MLB Power Rankings: Power at the top

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By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

There's a line of demarcation right now in major league baseball -- 39 wins. A quick glance at the standings shows that each team with at least 39 wins either occupies, or is within two games of, a playoff spot. Does your favorite team have fewer than 39 victories? They'd better play in the NL West, where San Francisco, Colorado, and San Diego are all within three games of first place -- behind the Diamondbacks, who have a record of 39-33.

Here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the rest of the majors shaking out:

1. St. Louis Cardinals (46-26; LW: 1) - Hughes: The Cardinals have one of the best pitching staffs and lineups in the majors, and have been fortunate to stay very healthy. Everything is going their way.

2. Boston Red Sox (44-30; LW: 2) - Roney: Not to kick a dead topic, but closer is my least favorite role in sports. Felix Doubront pitches eight innings, giving up three hits with no walks on just 93 pitches. John Farrell brings in Andrew Bailey to slam the door, and he gives up a homer on his second pitch, tying the game at 1-1. Infuriating.

3. Cincinnati Reds (44-29; LW: 3)  - Hughes: Arroyo, Latos, and Leake are all pitching like All-Stars. If they can keep it up the Reds are as complete a team as anyone.

4. Atlanta Braves (43-30; LW: 4) - Roney: El Oso Boo-boo just hit the DL, sidelining one of Atlanta's most reliable power bats. Kudos to the Braves, however, for shelving him right away.

5. Oakland A's (43-31; LW: 5) - Zuckerman: Their stadium may reek of sewage, but this team smells awfully good right now.

MLB Power Rankings: Pirates get a boost

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By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

The NL Central is packed with dominant pitching, making it no accident that three of baseball's best teams reside there. St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh are all in line for playoff spots right now, and if their arms hold up, the postseason could feature some pretty familiar matchups early on in the NL.
Here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the rest of the majors shaking out:

1. St. Louis Cardinals (42-23; LW: 1) - Zuckerman: Miller, Wainwright and Lynn all have WHIPs under 1.12. Simply dominant pitching.

2. Boston Red Sox (41-26; LW: 3) - Hughes: Boston has emerged as the best offense in the majors by a good margin. Everyone packs power as they're slugging over .450 as a team.

3. Cincinnati Reds (40-26; LW: 4) - Zuckerman: Mat Latos (6-0, 2.87 ERA) not getting enough credit as one of the NL's best starters.

4. Atlanta Braves (39-27; LW: 2) - Hughes: While the Nats have struggled with injuries, the Braves have used the same five starters all season and are about to get Brandon Beachy back.

MLB Power Rankings: Red Sox rising

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By Steve Roney

CSNwashington.com

After taking two of three from the Rangers thanks to David Ortiz's walk-off home run last night, the Red Sox move back into the top three as the top-ranked team in the American League.

Here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the rest of the league shaking out:

1. St. Louis Cardinals (39-21; LW: 1) - Roney: After a stellar debut, Michael Wacha was roughed up a bit in his second start. If he can shake it off their rotation is even scarier.

2. Atlanta Braves (37-23; LW: 3) - Zuckerman: They've done a better job overcoming bullpen injuries than most expected.

3. Boston Red Sox (37-24; LW: 6) - Zuckerman: Clay Buchholz still undefeated, Boston still defying the odds after last year's disaster.

4. Cincinnati Reds (36-24; LW: 2) - Roney: Joey Votto's power has finally started to match his impressive average and on-base totals.

MLB Power Rankings: NL Central rules MLB

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By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

St. Louis leads a stacked NL Central division, which by any measure has three of the top teams in the major leagues. Texas, meanwhile, is still the class of the AL, but they've been surpassed by a couple of the Cardinals' rivals.

Here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the rest of the big leagues shaking out:

1. St. Louis Cardinals (35-17; LW: 1) - Hughes: Each week we laud about their rotation, but their offense isn't too shabby either. Among their key contributors are Yadier Molina (4th rd. pick), Allen Craig (8th rd. pick) and Matt Carpenter (13th rd. pick). It's incredible how they find talent.

2. Cincinnati Reds (33-20; LW: 3) - Hughes: Everything is coming together for Cincy's pitching staff with Mat Latos, Bronson Arroyo, Homer Bailey, and Mike Leake all pitching as well as they ever have in their careers.

3. Atlanta Braves (31-21; LW: 4) - Roney: Whatever they do, they need to keep giving Evan Gattis regular at-bats. WIth Uggla, Heyward, and Upton Senior struggling, he's too good to languish on the bench.

4. Texas Rangers (32-20; LW: 2) - Zuckerman: Texas is absolutely dominating its division: 19-9 vs AL West, 13-11 vs everyone else.

MLB Power Rankings: Drama at the bottom

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By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

The Cardinals are holding strong as the top dog in the league, and the Braves are trending back upwards as the Marlins and Astros duke it out to see if there will be a challenger to the '62 Mets. Here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the rest of the league shaking out:

1. St. Louis Cardinals (29-16; LW: 1) - Zuckerman: Every member of the rotation boasts an ERA under 3.60. That's how you win night in and night out.

2. Texas Rangers (29-17; LW: 2) - Roney: Baseball America No. 1 prospect Jurickson Profar has finally made the show -- it'll be interesting to see if he's up for good.

3. Cincinnati Reds (28-18; LW: 4) - Zuckerman: Shin-Soo Choo might prove to be the most important acquisition of 2013 across the big leagues.

4. Atlanta Braves (27-18; LW: 10) - Hughes: Atlanta is getting hot while the Nats are having trouble. Evan Gattis is back to hitting homers and Kris Medlen is looking like the ace he was last season.

MLB Power Rankings: Cardinals flying high

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By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

The top two spots in the rankings have held firm, with the Reds making a huge jump and Atlanta continuing to tumble. Here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the rest of the league shaking out:

1. Cardinals (26-13; LW: 1) - Roney: In St. Louis, having the best rotation equals having the best record -- all five regular starters (who have made all but one start this season) have an ERA under 3.00.

2. Rangers (26-14; LW: 2) - Hughes: Led by Yu Darvish and Derek Holland, the Rangers have built the best starting rotation in the American League. Plus, 38-year-old Joe Nathan has been great as their closer.

3. Yankees (25-15; LW: 6) - Zuckerman: Vernon Wells: Utilityman? Hey, the Yankees are making it work right now.

4. Reds (24-16; LW: 12) - Roney: Jay Bruce's power is starting to come back, which is great news -- even if he continues on his 200+ strikeout pace.

MLB Power Rankings: Cardinals ascend

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By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

On the strength of their starting pitching the Cardinals have finally knocked the Braves from the top spot in the rankings; here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the rest of the league shaking out.

1. Cardinals (21-12; LW: 5) Hughes - Their entire starting rotation boasts ERAs of 2.72 or lower and Carlos Beltran is an early MVP candidate.

2. Rangers (21-13; LW: 3) Zuckerman - Was Yu Darvish worth all the money? Right now, the folks in Texas certainly think so.

3. Braves (21-13; LW: 1) Roney - With Brian McCann back, wither Evan Gattis? Though he's cooled from his torrid start, the Braves need his bat to stay in the lineup.

4. Giants (20-15; LW: 8) Zuckerman - How is it that the World Series champs in two of the last three years still flies under the radar?

MLB Power Rankings: Rangers surging

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By Steve Roney

CSNwashington.com

This early in the season a lot can change in the space of a week, and while the Braves hold steady with the majors' best record, several teams have made big leaps -- and some have slid a mile. Here is how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the league stacking up as of today:

1. Atlanta Braves (LW: 1) – Hughes: The Braves look like the most balanced team in the majors and are playing without Brian McCann, Jonny Venters, and Brandon Beachy. It will be interesting to see what or who can slow them down.

2. Texas Rangers (LW: 9) - Roney: Josh who? They certainly don't miss Hamilton so far, and while Opening Day starter Matt Harrison is on the shelf until after the All-Star Break, Derek Holland and Yu Darvish continue to dazzle. 

3. Oakland Athletics (LW: 2) - Roney: Cleanup hitter Jed Lowrie is one of four Red Sox castoffs that Billy Beane has collected (Brandon Moss, Coco Crisp, Josh Reddick). Lowrie and Crisp, especially, are raking right now as they wait for Reddick - who led last year's team with 32 home runs - to finally get going.  

4. Boston Red Sox (LW: 4) – Hughes: Seeing the Red Sox do this well has to be a nice pick-me-up for the city of Boston. As long as Alfredo Aceves doesn’t get in the way (ed. note: Aceves was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket Thursday morning), they could be back in the playoffs this season.

MLB Power Rankings - 4/19/13

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The Braves top our MLB rankings this week.

By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

With the season fully underway, it's time to take stock of where all 30 major league teams are. These rankings, as with any power rankings, reflect how the league shakes out right now. With only about 15 games under each team's belt, there's only so much certainty right now. Here's how Mark Zuckerman, Chase Hughes and I see the league stacking up (Note: All stats are through Thursday)...

1. Atlanta Braves - Justin Upton is getting all the attention, but the pitching staff has been brilliant. (MZ)

2. Oakland Athletics - The A's have proven convincingly that last season was no fluke, riding strong pitching to one of the best starts of any team. Once Josh Reddick gets going, watch out. (CH)

3. Detroit Tigers - This is a team that will live and die with strikeouts — Tiger hitters whiff almost as often as their