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.
The San Francisco Giants are the top NL team mainly because of their pitching staff (which has been kicking some major butt this year.)
The Yankees are not skipping a beat and are right where they belong at number 3.
The red-hot Mets move up in the top ten to number eight.
The Cardinals’ pitching staff keeps them in the top four.
In the bottom five we have the Indians (bad offense), the Royals (bad pitching), the Astros (bad offense), the Orioles (also a bad offense), and the Pirates (who just absolutely stink…still.)
The Yankees’ Robinson Cano and the Cards’ Albert Pujols are my AL and NL MVP award favorites while the Twins’ Francisco Liriano and the Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez are my AL and NL Cy Young Award leaders.
Carter’s MLB Power Rankings
1. Tampa Bay Rays (17-7)
Offense Rank: 1st
Pitching Rank: 4th
Last Ten Games: 7-3
2. San Francisco Giants (14-9)
Offense Rank: 19th
Pitching Rank: 1st
Last Ten Games: 6-4
3. New York Yankees (15-8)
Offense Rank: 5th
Pitching Rank: 6th
Last Ten Games: 5-5
4. St. Louis Cardinals (16-8)
Offense Rank: 14th
Pitching Rank: 2nd
Last Ten Games: 7-3
5. Minnesota Twins (15-9)
Offense Rank: 7th
Pitching Rank: 8th
Last Ten Games: 5-5
6. San Diego Padres (15-9)
Offense Rank: 18th
Pitching Rank: 3rd
Last Ten Games: 7-3
7. Philadelphia Phillies (13-10)
Offense Rank: 4th
Pitching Rank: 9th
Last Ten Games: 5-5
8. New York Mets (14-10)
Offense Rank: 20th
Pitching Rank: 5th
Last Ten Games: 8-2
9. Colorado Rockies (11-13)
Offense Rank: 8th
Pitching Rank: 12th
Last Ten Games: 4-6
10. Detroit Tigers (15-10)
Offense Rank: 6th
Pitching Rank: 19th
Last Ten Games: 7-3
11. Oakland Athletics (13-12)
Offense Rank: 15th
Pitching Rank: 11th
Last Ten Games: 4-6
12. Chicago Cubs (12-13)
Offense Rank: 10th
Pitching Rank: 17th
Last Ten Games: 6-4
13. Texas Rangers (12-12)
Offense Rank: 17th
Pitching Rank: 12th
Last Ten Games: 7-3
14. Florida Marlins (12-12)
Offense Rank: 11th
Pitching Rank: 16th
Last Ten Games: 4-6
15. Toronto Blue Jays (12-13)
Offense Rank: 12th
Pitching Rank: 18th
Last Ten Games: 3-7
16. Seattle Mariners (11-13)
Offense Rank: 27th
Pitching Rank: 7th
Last Ten Games: 4-6
17. Milwaukee Brewers (10-14)
Offense Rank: 3rd
Pitching Rank: 24th
Last Ten Games: 3-7
18. Arizona Diamondbacks (11-13)
Offense Rank: 2nd
Pitching Rank: 29th
Last Ten Games: 5-5
19. Los Angeles Dodgers (10-14)
Offense Rank: 9th
Pitching Rank: 25th
Last Ten Games: 3-7
20. Atlanta Braves (10-14)
Offense Rank: 25th
Pitching Rank: 13th
Last Ten Games: 2-8
21. Washington Nationals (13-11)
Offense Rank: 22nd
Pitching Rank: 20th
Last Ten Games: 6-4
22. Chicago White Sox (10-14)
Offense Rank: 24th
Pitching Rank: 21st
Last Ten Games: 5-5
23. Boston Red Sox (11-13)
Offense Rank: 13th
Pitching Rank: 26th
Last Ten Games: 6-4
24. Cincinnati Reds (10-13)
Offense Rank: 16th
Pitching Rank: 28th
Last Ten Games: 6-4
25. Los Angeles Angels (12-13)
Offense Rank: 23rd
Pitching Rank: 22nd
Last Ten Games: 4-6
26. Cleveland Indians (10-13)
Offense Rank: 29th
Pitching Rank: 14th
Last Ten Games: 4-6
27. Kansas City Royals (10-14)
Offense Rank: 21st
Pitching Rank: 27th
Last Ten Games: 5-5
28. Houston Astros (8-15)
Offense Rank: 30th
Pitching Rank: 15th
Last Ten Games: 4-6
29. Baltimore Orioles (6-18)
Offense Rank: 26th
Pitching Rank: 23rd
Last Ten Games: 4-6
30. Pittsburgh Pirates (10-14)
Offense Rank: 28th
Pitching Rank: 30th
Last Ten Games: 3-7
Carter’s AL Most Valuable Player Award Race:
1. Robinson Cano (NYY): .382 avg., 34 hits, 8 HRS, 18 RBIS
2. Vernon Wells (TOR): .323 avg., 31 hits, 8 HRS, 17 RBIS
3. Paul Konerko (CHW): .295 avg., 23 hits, 11 HRS, 21 RBIS
4. Jose Guillen (KC): .292 avg., 28 hits, 7 HRS, 19 RBIS
5. Ty Wigginton (BAL): .324 avg., 22 hits, 8 HRS, 14 RBIS
6. Alex Gonzalez (TOR): .277 avg., 28 hits, 7 HRS, 19 RBIS
7. Kendry Morales (LAA): .315 avg., 29 hits, 6 HRS, 16 RBIS
8. Dustin Pedroia (BOS): .287 avg., 29 hits, 6 HRS, 18 RBIS
9. Nelson Cruz (TEX): .323 avg., 20 hits, 7 HRS, 17 RBIS
10. Andruw Jones (CHW): .276 avg., 16 hits, 8 HRS, 11 RBIS
Carter’s NL Most Valuable Player Award Race:
1. Albert Pujols (STL): .344 avg., 31 hits, 7 HRS, 21 RBIS
2. Andre Ethier (LAD): .350 avg., 28 hits, 7 HRS, 22 RBIS
3. Jorge Cantu (FLA): .309 avg., 29 hits, 6 HRS, 25 RBIS
4. Mark Reynolds (ARZ): .353 avg., 23 hits, 9 HRS, 23 RBIS
5. Kelly Johnson (ARZ): .310 avg., 26 hits, 9 HRS, 18 RBIS
6. Matt Kemp (LAD): .280 avg., 28 hits, 7 HRS, 20 RBIS
7. Chase Utley (PHI): .294 avg., 29 hits, 6 HRS, 15 RBIS
8. Jason Heyward (ATL): .256 avg., 20 hits, 7 HRS, 20 RBIS
9. Adrian Gonzalez (SD): .286 avg., 24 hits, 6 HRS, 17 RBIS
10. Colby Rasmus (STL): .304 avg., 21 hits, 6 HRS, 12 RBIS
Carter’s AL Cy Young Award Race:
1. Francisco Liriano (MIN): 3-0, 0.93 ERA, 27 strikeouts
2. John Danks (CHW): 3-0, 1.85 ERA, 27 strikeouts
3. Matt Garza (TB): 4-1, 2.06 ERA, 34 strikeouts
4. C.J. Wilson (TEX): 2-1, 1.75 ERA, 21 strikeouts
5. Andy Pettitte (NYY): 3-0, 2.12 ERA, 25 strikeouts
6. Doug Fister (SEA): 2-1, 1,67 ERA, 13 strikeouts
7. Clay Buchholz (BOS): 2-2, 2.19 ERA, 22 strikeouts
8. Mitch Talbot (CLE): 3-1, 2.05 ERA, 7 strikeouts
9. A.J. Burnett (NYY): 3-0, 2.43 ERA, 20 strikeouts
10. Ricky Romero (TOR): 2-1, 2.25 ERA, 31 strikeouts
Carter’s NL Cy Young Award Race:
1. Ubaldo Jimenez (COL): 5-0, 0.79 ERA, 31 strikeouts
2. Tim Lincecum (SF): 4-0, 1.27 ERA, 43 strikeouts
3. Roy Halladay (PHI): 5-1, 1.47 ERA, 39 strikeouts
4. Barry Zito (SF): 4-0, 1.53 ERA, 24 strikeouts
5. Livan Hernandez (WSH): 3-1, 0.87 ERA, 10 strikeouts
6. Jaime Garcia (STL): 2-1, 1.04 ERA, 17 strikeouts
7. Adam Wainwright (STL): 4-1, 2.13 ERA, 30 strikeouts
8. Jonathan Sanchez (SF): 2-1, 1.85 ERA, 33 strikeouts
9. Brad Penny (STL): 3-1, 1.56 ERA, 18 strikeouts
10. Johan Santana (NYM): 2-1, 2.08 ERA, 28 strikeouts
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com