MLB Power Groupings: Win How You Can, Just Make It Happens

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

I like the middle, where the center is warm.

Tampa Bay, Toronto, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle, Cincinnati, Chicago Cubs, Colorado

A few weeks ago, I was started to wonder if Tampa would take a tumble and just fall on what happened last year. That isn't the case as the Rays are now just two games out of second place in the tough AL East.

Toronto is right ahead of them and you have to give them serious props for sticking around like this so far. The bad news for the Jays is it isn't even the All-Star Break and they could start fading.

Don't look now but the pitching is coming together, Texas is sort of floundering about and the Angels are just a half game back of them. I said it at the start of the year and I will say it again, not getting off to a great start might be the best thing for them.

Look at Seattle hanging tough up here! You'd think that when the Mariners started to fade they'd actually fade. Nope, they are just two and a half games behind of Texas and right there with the pack.

I love what happened in the NL Central this past week and unfortunately a lot had to do with Cincinnati's recent struggles. I'm pulling for them, after this week of course, because well, we all know who their in-state rivals are.

Chicago won four games last week and three of them were in grand-fashion. The Cubs may have only been three wins, but winning that way three times in one week is pretty motivating and to me, that's huge.

Or you could just be Colorado and win like sixteen of your last seventeen. I think that's what they did, didn't they? Those damn Rockies!

In it to win it.

New York Yankees, Detroit, Texas, Milwaukee, San Francisco

The Yankees really blew a golden opportunity. Being in a division like the AL East means you've got very few easy weeks. A week facing Florida and Washington is pretty nice and they came away with just two wins out of six chances.

Detroit lost two games to St. Louis, but managed to pull off a nice sweep of Milwaukee. The Tigers really needed that sweep and it shows they've got some bounce back after losing to a really good team and coming back and sweeping another really good team.

I said that interleague can really make or break you. That couldn't be truer for Texas. The Rangers pulled off the sweep against Houston and two more wins against them last week, but they haven't faired well against anyone else with a series loss to the Dodgers and a sweep at the hands of the Giants.

Here we are, where we should be.

Boston, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Los Angeles Dodgers

Every year there is a team that really uses interleague play to win a lot of games. But every year it seems Boston just wins a bunch of games and you say, "Hey, they did a great job the past few weeks." So far that's the case with the Red Sox.

I've mentioned Philadelphia's faltering the past few NL East teams. Getting swept by a last place team like Baltimore isn't good news, but what's more concerning is the Phils' abysmal home record.

Boy did the Cardinals really come through after losing a series to the Indians and at the right time too with Milwaukee getting swept. Taking on the Tigers like they did was pretty big as well.

Consistently good, that is what the Dodgers are and I don't think you can categorize them in any other way.

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*All statistics, standings, and opinions were based off their states going into action on June 22.

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