MLB Power Rankings 2012: New York Mets and Teams off to Surprising Starts

It's very early, but the New York Mets are proving people wrong already. Maybe all they needed were really low expectations to play well. Most prognosticators predicted the Mets would finish last in the NL East this season.

While it's still possible that they fall by the wayside, they have shown no signs of that yet. They are 4-2 and playing well about a week into the season.

The Mets aren't the only team surprising on either side of the spectrum so far this season. Here are my early power rankings, spotlighting the surprising teams.

1. Detroit Tigers (4-1)

No surprise here, as the Tigers figure to lead the AL Central from wire to wire. Aside from the 25-run slugfest with the Red Sox, and the loss to the Rays, the Tigers have outscored opponents, 18-4.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (5-1)

The Dodgers are my pick to win the NL West, and they have started the season strong. The Giants and Diamondbacks are the likely favorites in the division, but the Dodgers aren't buying into that.

Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are hitting a combined .374, with four home runs and 19 RBI. 

If the Dodgers continue to get that type of production from the middle of the lineup, they will make me look like a genius.

3. Tampa Bay Rays (4-1)

The Rays' pitching is allowing fewer than four runs per game, but the Rays' hitting has stood out as well. Their .263 team batting average is second only to the Tigers in the American League.

4. Arizona Diamondbacks (4-1)

As expected, the D-Backs are riding their pitching. The bullpen has four saves, and opponents are hitting just .202 against them.

5. St. Louis Cardinals (5-2)

The defending champions have started well. Perhaps they won't miss Albert Pujols as much as many thought they would. Scoring more than five runs per game says they're doing just fine so far.

Carlos Beltran has banged out three HR.

6. Texas Rangers (4-2)

The Rangers will be fine, and the start through six games hasn't shown me any different. Neftali Feliz's victorious debut as a starter was impressive. Yu Darvish's second start will be much better than his first—and the Rangers even won that game as well.

7. New York Mets (4-2)

The Mets are tied for first place and playing very well. Mets' pitching has struck out 56 batters this season while recording a 3.00 ERA through six games.

They are winning now with a less-than-stellar hitting attack, but ultimately, Mets' hitters must step up.

It isn't realistic to expect Johan Santana and Co. to keep carrying the team on the mound.

8. Toronto Blue Jays (4-2)

The Jays are ahead of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox—for now. They can make some noise if they can continue to pitch the way they have early on. Blue Jays pitching has held opponents to a .174 batting average, which is the best in the major leagues.

Brandon Morrow and Henderson Alvarez were great in their starts and and have bailed out the Jays' less-than-spectacular hitting.

9. Washington Nationals (4-2)

The Nats are off to a great start, but the injury bug has begun to bite them. Slugger Michael Morse will be sidelined up to six weeks.

That will cloud what has otherwise been a solid first week of the season. The team ERA of 2.25 is the third-best in the majors. Adam LaRoche and Ian Desmond have carried the offense up to now. They will miss Morse, but if they can continue to pitch this way, they can continue to surprise.

10. Milwaukee Brewers (4-2)

The Brewers have benefited from playing the Cubs early, but the hitting has been solid. They have scored five runs per game. They aren't higher on this list because they have also allowed five runs per game.

11. New York Yankees (3-3)

The Yanks started the season with three consecutive losses, but then along came the Orioles to help the Bombers right the ship. Good ole Baltimore.

12. Chicago White Sox (3-2)

The Southsiders have pitched exceptionally well through five games. Allowing fewer than four runs per game will keep you in most contests, but the Sox are only scoring four runs themselves.

13. Seattle Mariners (4-3)

The Mariners have been very impressive this season. I know, they are only 4-3, but they have yet to play a home game. They are scoring only four runs per game, but their pitching is keeping them in it.

If Seattle can find some hitting, it will surprise people this year. The team can't reach the postseason in the nasty AL, but it can certainly have a respectable season.

14. Philadelphia Phillies (2-3)

The Phillies have been atrocious at the plate this season, but the pitching has been stellar. Even though they have only scored 15 runs in five games, they have allowed only 14.

15. Kansas City Royals (3-3)

Sitting at .500 this year is something we may see a lot of from the Royals. They are moving in the right direction, but there's still a ways to go before an AL Central crown is realistic.

16. Houston Astros (3-3)

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the season is that the Astros are at .500. I know it's only been six games, but this team is perhaps the most void of roster talent in the majors.

They are getting amazing contributions from Carlos Lee, Jose Altuve and J.D. Martinez. Each of them is hitting at least .364, with a combined three HR and 14 RBI.

While this may not last, if it does, it'll be one of the big stories of the season.

17. Cincinnati Reds (3-3)

The Reds' table-setters have failed them. Jay Bruce and Joey Votto are a combined .333 with four HR, but only 10 RBI.

That is a very low RBI total for productive middle-of-the-lineup hitters.

18. Baltimore Orioles (3-3)

The O's just dropped three in a row to the Yankees to come back down to earth after a fast start. It can be a decent year for the Orioles if AL East foes don't eat them alive, as is normally the case.

19. Oakland Athletics (3-4)

Exciting, young rookie Yoenis Cespedes has clubbed three HR and driven in seven. Unfortunately, that is one-third of the runs driven in, and Oakland's pitching hasn't been great.

20. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2-3)

The Angels will almost certainly rise from the AL West cellar, but they have struggled a bit with the bats early. Luckily, they have near lights-out pitching to hold down the fort.

21. Colorado Rockies (2-4)

The Rockies' pitching has been less-than-great. Their team ERA of 4.60 is 26th in the majors. That won't work, even with adjustments, for Coors Field.

22. Atlanta Braves (2-4)

The Braves' inability to score runs is the biggest reason they've started slowly. They are hitting only .212 as a team, and even the pitching got progressively worse through their first series.

They were swept by the Mets to start the year, losing 1-0, 4-2 and 7-5. They subsequently took two of three from one of the worst teams in the majors in the Astros. However, that won't impress many people.

The Braves are my pick to win the division, but not playing like this. One saving grace is that they have yet to play at home.

23. Miami Marlins (2-4)

Ozzie Guillen's comments have taken a ton of attention away from the ball club, but the Marlins, too, have played few games at home—only one game in the new stadium, but Miami even dropped that game This team will play better as soon as the drama clears.

24. San Diego Padres (2-4)

Not much is expected of the Pads this year. Considering that, the 2-4 start isn't too bad. They play the D-Backs today and will travel to L.A. to take on the Dodgers next. It could be a rough week.

25. San Francisco Giants (1-4)

The Giants have stumbled out of the gate, and at this pace, they will not contend with the D-Backs and Dodgers for the NL West. The pitching, which was thought to be a strength, has failed miserably in every game, except the lone win.

In the losses, the Giants have given up more than eight runs per game. No matter how well you swing the bat, no team can win consistently pitching that way.

The Giants' arms must get it together or this will be a very disappointing season.

26. Pittsburgh Pirates (2-3)

Even with the tough draws of the Phillies and Dodgers' pitching staffs, nine runs scored in five games is pretty bad. As bad as the hitting has been, the Pirates' pitching has been great.

Pittsburgh has surrendered only 12 runs this year. If it gets some hitting, watch the team rise.

27. Cleveland Indians (1-4)

I expected the Indians to finish a distant second to the Tigers in the AL Central. As of now, the pitching staff is getting shelled and they have mustered only one win.

Their 30th-ranked batting average hasn't helped things, either. My pick for AL MVP, Asdrubal Cabrera, is hitting just .217 so far.

It's early, but as of now, the Indians are struggling mightily.

28. Boston Red Sox (1-5)

The Red Sox are here purely off talent. They have played terrible through the first week. Of the 22 runs they've scored, 12 of those came in a slugfest loss to the Tigers.

That said, they have scored 10 runs in the other four. Not only are the two runs per game not enough to win games, the 6.40 team ERA is the worst mark in all of baseball.

The Red Sox have shown the ability to turn things around in recent seasons; they'll need another such magic act this year.

29. Chicago Cubs (1-5)

The Cubbies haven't impressed with the bats, and the bullpen has looked terrible in most every game. They have squandered great outings by Ryan Dempster in both of his starts, and thus, the Cubs have one win.

30. Minnesota Twins (1-4)

The Twins' situation is sad. It's painful to watch such a likable team headed for such a poor season, in such a great baseball city. Scoring just more than two runs per game will lead to seasons like the one the Twins and their fans are staring in the face.