Updated MLB Power Rankings

The first full week of the 2012 MLB season is in the books, and while we are still just 10 or so games into the season, the landscape of what we can expect as far as division races is already taking shape.

The Dodgers have to be considered the surprise team so far, as they have baseball's best record at 9-1, while last year's pennant winners, the Cardinals and Rangers, are off to hot starts as well.

Now that the sample size is greater than the three games we had in the books last Monday, these power rankings have a number of teams making big jumps and a few dropping a significant distance.

Keep in mind, these are power rankings, not standings, so while record is certainly taken into account, it is far from the sole deciding factor that went into ranking all 30 teams.

So here is a look at this week's MLB power rankings, and check back here each Monday morning for an updated look at where your favorite team stands.

*Note: Rosters taken from MLBDepthCharts, a fantastic website worth checking out if you've never visited it.

No. 30: San Diego Padres (2-8, Previous: 30)

Current Lineup

CF Cameron Maybin
RF Will Venable
3B Chase Headley
LF Jesus Guzman (Injury Replacement—Carlos Quentin on 15-Day DL)
1B Yonder Alonso
C Nick Hundley
SS Jason Bartlett
2B Orlando Hudson
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Edinson Volquez
SP Cory Luebke
SP Clayton Richard
SP Anthony Bass (Injury Replacement— Dustin Moseley on 15-Day DL)
SP Joe Wieland (Injury Replacement—Tim Stauffer on 15-Day DL)
CP Huston Street

Team Overview

Not much positive to say about the Padres so far, as they struggled to a 1-5 record this past week and currently have the worst record in the National League.

Their already thin pitching rotation has two of its starters on the disabled list, and offseason acquisition Carlos Quentin has yet to play a game.

The team could certainly use Quentin's bat, as their offense has been as anemic to say the least, hitting a collective .178. Shortstop Jason Bartlett has the highest average of any regular at .222.

No. 29: Minnesota Twins (2-7, Previous: 23)

Current Lineup

CF Denard Span
SS Jamey Carroll
C Joe Mauer
DH Justin Morneau
LF Josh Willingham
RF Ryan Doumit
3B Danny Valencia
1B Chris Parmelee
2B Alexi Casilla

Current Rotation

SP Carl Pavano
SP Francisco Liriano
SP Anthony Swarzak
SP Nick Blackburn
SP Liam Hendriks 
CP Matt Capps 

Team Outlook

After getting swept by the Orioles to open the season, the Twins went 2-4 this past week as they currently have the worst record in the American League.

Starter Scott Baker is lost for the season after undergoing elbow surgery, and the starters who are healthy have struggled with the exception of Anthony Swarzak, who has a 3.75 ERA in 12 innings of work.

The lineup has hit well enough to win, led by Josh Willingham who has hit .444 BA, 4 HR, 7 RBI, but the pitching has held them back to this point, and likely will continue to be an issue.

No. 28: Pittsburgh Pirates (3-6, Previous: 19)

Current Lineup

LF Alex Presley
RF Jose Tabata
CF Andrew McCutchen
2B Neil Walker
1B Garrett Jones
C Rod Barajas
3B Pedro Alvarez
SS Clint Barmes
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Erik Bedard
SP Jeff Karstens
SP James McDonald
SP Kevin Correia
SP Charlie Morton
CP Joel Hanrahan 

Team Outlook

After a dramatic opening series that saw the team celebrate back-to-back walk-off wins, the Pirates stumbled badly last week with a 1-5 record.

A win on Sunday snapped a five-game losing streak, and marked just the third time they topped the two-run mark this season, as they bested the Giants 4-1.

Still, their .188 team average is the worst in baseball, and their 18 runs scored on the season is 10 fewer than the second-worst team in baseball. The offense should get better moving forward, if for no other reason than they can't possibly get worse, but there is a lot of work to do in Pittsburgh.

No. 27: Chicago Cubs (3-7, Previous: 25)

Current Lineup 

RF David DeJesus
2B Darwin Barney
SS Starlin Castro
LF Alfonso Soriano
3B Ian Stewart
1B Bryan LaHair
C Geovany Soto
CF Marlon Byrd
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Ryan Dempster
SP Matt Garza
SP Jeff Samardzija
SP Chris Volstad
SP Paul Maholm
CP Carlos Marmol

Team Outlook

With a 2-4 week under their belt against division rivals Milwaukee and St. Louis, the Cubs find themselves in last place in the NL Central.

Despite a terrific start to the season for starters Ryan Dempster (1.88 ERA, 14.1 IP), Matt Garza (1.23 ERA, 14.2 IP) and Jeff Samardzija (3.95 ERA, 13.2 IP), the Cubs are off to a rough start.

The bullpen has scuffled and the bottom of the lineup has produced next to nothing, as Geovany Soto (.120 BA) and Marlon Byrd (.071 BA) have just five hits between them.

No. 26: Houston Astros (4-5, Previous: 28)

Current Lineup

CF Jordan Schafer
SS Jed Lowrie
LF J.D. Martinez
1B Carlos Lee
RF Brian Bogusevic
3B Chris Johnson
C Jason Castro
2B Jose Altuve
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Wandy Rodriguez
SP Lucas Harrell 
SP Bud Norris
SP J.A. Happ
SP Kyle Weiland
CP Brett Myers

Team Outlook

The Astros have played better than expected so far this season, and while they went 2-4 this past week, they remain in second place in the NL Central.

Shortstop Jed Lowrie is back after a thumb injury sidelined him to open the season, and he should give the offense a boost hitting towards the top of the order.

They are by no means a contender, but the Astros might not be as bad as many people expected this season, and J.D. Martinez looks to be for real with a .371 BA, 3 HR, 10 RBI start to the season.

No. 25: Kansas City Royals (3-6, Previous: 18)

Current Lineup

LF Alex Gordon
2B Chris Getz
1B Eric Hosmer
DH Billy Butler
RF Jeff Francoeur
3B Mike Moustakas
CF Mitch Maier (Injury Replacement - Lorenzo Cain on 15-Day DL)
C Humberto Quintero
SS Alcides Escobar

Current Rotation

SP Bruce Chen
SP Luke Hochevar
SP Jonathan Sanchez
SP Luis Mendoza
SP Danny Duffy
CP Jonathan Broxton

Team Outlook

Currently riding a four-game losing steak, the Royals are coming off of a 1-5 week as poor starting pitching continues to hold back their young lineup. 

Luke Hochevar (7.84 ERA) and Jonathan Sanchez (8.22 ERA) have struggled mightily, as has the back-end of the bullpen with Aaron Crow (6.75 ERA), Tim Collins (5.68 ERA) and Greg Holland (7.71 ERA) all getting hit hard early. Meanwhile, Bruce Chen (1.64 ERA, 11 IP) has been terrific as the staff ace.

If the pitching staff can figure things out, and Eris Hosmer (.206 BA) and Alex Gordon (.133 BA) can start hitting the ball, the Royals have the pieces to push for second in the AL Central. As of now, though, they look like potential cellar dwellers.

No. 24: Oakland Athletics (4-6, Previous: 29)

Current Lineup

2B Jemile Weeks
LF Coco Crisp
RF Josh Reddick
CF Yoenis Cespedes
DH Seth Smith
C Kurt Suzuki
1B Daric Barton
3B Eric Sogard
SS Cliff Pennington 

Current Rotation

SP Brandon McCarthy
SP Bartolo Colon
SP Tom Milone
SP Graham Godfrey
SP Tyson Ross (in minors, to be recalled for April 17 start)
CP Grant Balfour

Team Overview

The Athletics were a solid 3-3 this past week, as their pitching staff has performed well and they have gotten just enough offense to win some games.

First baseman Daric Barton is back, and that led to the team designate Opening Day first baseman Brandon Allen for assignment.

As long as the team continues to pitch well, they should hover around .500, but time will tell if their unproven rotation can maintain their current level of play.

No. 23: Baltimore Orioles (5-4, Previous: 26)

Current Lineup

LF Nolan Reimold
SS J.J. Hardy
RF Nick Markakis
CF Adam Jones 
C Matt Wieters
DH Wilson Betemit
3B Mark Reynolds
1B Chris Davis
2B Robert Andino

Current Rotation 

SP Jake Arrieta
SP Tommy Hunter
SP Jason Hammel
SP Brian Matusz
SP Wei-Yin Chen
CP Jim Johnson 

Team Outlook

The Orioles were the surprise team of the season's opening weekend as they swept the Twins, and while they have come back to earth since with a 2-4 week, there is plenty of reason for optimism.

Aside from Brian Matusz, the starting rotation has looked fantastic, and the team ranks first in the American League with 13 home runs, as five different players have two long balls on the year.

It likely won't be enough for them to have any real chance at contention, but things are moving in the right direction in Baltimore, and they could be a thorn in the side of their AL East counterparts this season.

No. 22: Seattle Mariners (6-5, Previous: 22)

Current Lineup

LF Chone Figgins
2B Dustin Ackley
RF Ichiro Suzuki
1B Justin Smoak
DH Jesus Montero
3B Kyle Seager
C Miguel Olivo
CF Michael Saunders
SS Brendan Ryan

Current Rotation

SP Felix Hernandez
SP Jason Vargas
SP Hector Noesi
SP Blake Beavan
SP Kevin Millwood
CP Brandon League

Team Outlook

The Mariners opened the season strong with a 3-1 series victory over the Athletics, but they fell back a bit this past week with a 3-4 record.

Their pitching has been solid, but once again their offense is an issue, as they lack a true run producer in the middle of the order, with Justin Smoak hitting just .179 so far.

If someone can step up offensively, they have the pitching to win games, but it looks as though it could be another long season in Seattle.

No. 21: Colorado Rockies (4-5, Previous: 21)

Current Lineup

2B Marco Scutaro
CF Dexter Fowler
LF Carlos Gonzalez
SS Troy Tulowitzki
1B Todd Helton
RF Michael Cuddyer
C Ramon Hernandez
3B Chris Nelson
Pitcher

Current Rotation 

SP Jeremy Guthrie
SP Jamie Moyer
SP Juan Nicasio
SP Jhoulys Chacin
SP Drew Pomeranz
CP Rafael Betancourt

Team Outlook

A 3-3 week leaves the Rockies in third place in the NL West, as the Dodgers and Diamondbacks have both gotten off to great starts.

The Rockies were as busy as anyone this offseason, adding three new starters to their lineup in an effort to fill what had been glaring holes, and that has helped the team rank second in batting average (.272) and third in runs scored (44) in the National League.

However, their pitching staff has been abysmal, as Jamie Moyer is the only starter with an ERA under 5.00 at 4.22, and he holds an 0-2 record. Rookie Drew Pomeranz struggled mightily in his first start of the season Sunday, and as a whole, the staff will need to improve drastically if they hope to contend.

No. 20: Cleveland Indians (4-4, Previous: 20)

Current Lineup

CF Michael Brantley
SS Asdrubal Cabrera
RF Shin-Soo Choo
C Carlos Santana
DH Travis Hafner
1B Casey Kotchman
LF Shelley Duncan
2B Jason Kipnis
3B Jack Hannahan

Current Rotation

SP Justin Masterson
SP Ubaldo Jimenez
SP Derek Lowe
SP Josh Tomlin
SP Jeanmar Gomez
CP Chris Perez

Team Outlook

A 3-2 week pulled the Indians to .500 on the season, and puts them in third place in the AL Central, as they have rode solid starting pitching to this point.

Offseason acquisition Derek Lowe (2-0, 1.98 ERA, 13.2 IP) has been fantastic, and Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jimenez both have ERAs under 3.00 after two starts.

Despite a .217 team average, the team is fourth in the AL in runs scored at 39, but if they hope to keep winning games and scoring runs, they are going to need to pick it up offensively.

No. 19: Miami Marlins (4-6, Previous: 13)

Current Lineup

SS Jose Reyes
CF Emilio Bonifacio
3B Hanley Ramirez
RF Giancarlo Stanton
LF Logan Morrison
1B Gaby Sanchez
2B Omar Infante
C John Buck
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Josh Johnson
SP Mark Buehrle
SP Ricky Nolasco
SP Carlos Zambrano
SP Anibal Sanchez
CP Heath Bell

Team Outlook

It was a tough week for the Marlins, as they went 3-3 but made headlines thanks to manager Ozzie Guillen's comments about Fidel Castro that resulted in a five-game suspension.

Offensively, a number of players are struggling as Emilio Bonifacio (.353 BA) and Omar Infante (.367 BA, 3 HR, 5 RBI) are the only regulars hitting over .250.

Ace Josh Johnson has been shelled (8.38 ERA, 21 H, 9.2 IP) in his two starts, and new closer Heath Bell has blown both of his save opportunities and holds a 12.00 ERA. All in all, not the start the new-look Marlins were looking for.

No. 18: Chicago White Sox (5-3, Previous: 27)

Current Lineup

CF Alejandro De Aza
3B Brent Morel
DH Adam Dunn
1B Paul Konerko
C A.J. Pierzynski
RF Alex Rios
SS Alexei Ramirez
LF Dayan Viciedo
2B Gordon Beckham

Current Rotation

SP John Danks
SP Jake Peavy
SP Gavin Floyd
SP Chris Sale
SP Phil Humber
CP Hector Santiago

Team Outlook

A 4-1 week in which they took two of three from division rival and AL Central favorites Detroit has the White Sox looking good heading out of the first full week of the season.

The continued struggles of Adam Dunn (.192 BA), Alex Rios (.190 BA) and Gordon Beckham (.136 BA) are certainly cause for concern, but they have found ways to win in spite of that trio.

Converted reliever Chris Sale looked great in his first start of the year, and Jake Peavy has shown signs of the Peavy of old through his first two starts.

No. 17: Milwaukee Brewers (4-6, Previous: 14)

Current Lineup

2B Rickie Weeks
CF Nyjer Morgan
LF Ryan Braun
3B Aramis Ramirez
RF Corey Hart
1B Mat Gamel
C Jonathan Lucroy
SS Cesar Izturis (Alex Gonzalez on Paternity Leave List)
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Yovani Gallardo
SP Zack Greinke
SP Randy Wolf
SP Shaun Marcum
SP Chris Narveson
CP John Axford

Team Outlook

After taking 3-for-4 from the Cubs, the Brewers were swept by the Braves, as they fall to the middle of a clustered NL Central division.

While the concern entering the season was whether the team would score enough runs in the post-Prince Fielder era, it has instead been the pitching staff that has struggled.

Top three starters Yovani Gallardo (5.91 ERA), Zack Greinke (6.75 ERA) and Randy Wolf (10.61 ERA) have all been hit hard, and closer John Axford (7.71 ERA) has struggled as well.

One unexpected bright spot has been backup catcher George Kottaras, who has three home runs and six RBI in 10 at-bats.

No. 16: New York Mets (6-3, Previous: 24)

Current Lineup

SS Ruben Tejada 
2B Daniel Murphy
3B David Wright
1B Ike Davis
LF Jason Bay
RF Lucas Duda
C Josh Thole
CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Injury Replacement—Andres Torres on 15-Day DL)
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Johan Santana
SP R.A. Dickey
SP Jon Niese
SP Mike Pelfrey
SP Dillon Gee
CP Frank Francisco

Team Outlook

After a 3-0 start to the season, the Mets went 3-3 last week and are currently a half-game behind the Nationals in the NL East.

David Wright missed time with a broken pinky, but he returned on Saturday and homered in his first at-bat, so all looks to be well with the star third baseman, who is off to a blistering .571 BA, 2 HR, 5 RBI start.

The team's top three starters in their rotation have been terrific through two starts each, and if they can stay healthy, they could stay right in the thick of things in the NL East.

No. 15: Cincinnati Reds (4-6, Previous: 9)

Current Lineup

2B Brandon Phillips
SS Zack Cozart
1B Joey Votto
3B Scott Rolen
RF Jay Bruce
LF Ryan Ludwick
CF Drew Stubbs
C Ryan Hanigan
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Johnny Cueto
SP Mat Latos
SP Bronson Arroyo
SP Homer Bailey
SP Mike Leake
CP Sean Marshall 

Team Outlook

A 2-5 week exposed some of the Reds' problems, as they fell back in the NL Central and will need to pick things up offensively very soon.

Currently hitting under .200 as a team, the Reds rank 14th in the National League in runs scored and have four everyday players hitting under .200.

The pitching has been solid, led by Bronson Arroyo (2.63 ERA) and Johnny Cueto (1-0, 2.25 ERA), but the rest of the staff needs to step things up as well if the Reds are going to be legitimate playoff contenders.

No. 14: San Francisco Giants (4-5, Previous: 17)

Current Lineup 

CF Angel Pagan
LF Melky Cabrera
3B Pablo Sandoval
C Buster Posey
1B Aubrey Huff
RF Nate Schierholtz
SS Brandon Crawford
2B Ryan Theriot (Injury Replacement—Freddy Sanchez on 15-Day DL)
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Tim Lincecum
SP Madison Bumgarner
SP Matt Cain
SP Barry Zito
SP Ryan Vogelsong
CP Brian Wilson

Team Outlook

The Giants were swept by the Diamondbacks to open the season, but bounced back with a 4-2 week last week as they took 2-of-3 from both the Rockies and the Pirates.

The biggest area of concern for the Giants right now has to be ace Tim Lincecum, who struggled all spring and has a 12.91 ERA through his first two starts. The rest of the staff has been solid, and the lineup has outperformed expectations to this point.

Nate Schierholtz has played his way into a starting job, or perhaps it was more a case of Brandon Belt playing his way out of the starting lineup, as he is off to a 1-for-11 start.

No. 13: Toronto Blue Jays (5-4, Previous: 15)

Current Lineup

SS Yunel Escobar
2B Kelly Johnson
RF Jose Bautista
1B Adam Lind
DH Edwin Encarnacion
3B Brett Lawrie
LF Eric Thames
CF Colby Rasmus
C J.P. Arencibia

Current Rotation

SP Ricky Romero
SP Brandon Morrow
SP Henderson Alvarez
SP Kyle Drabek
SP ?? - (Aaron Laffey optioned to minors on April 15)
CP Sergio Santos

Team Outlook

A 3-3 week has the Blue Jays tied with the Orioles for the AL East lead; there's something I bet most people didn't think they'd hear, even at this early stage of the season.

The usually potent offense has scuffled to a .214 combined average to open the season, as this is a team that could be dangerous once some of their sluggers come around and start hitting.

Meanwhile, the starting rotation has been terrific, albeit without an established fifth starter, and if they can continue to pitch like they have, the offense will be there eventually and they could make some noise in the AL East.

No. 12: Boston Red Sox (4-5, Previous: 11)

Current Lineup

SS Mike Aviles
2B Dustin Pedroia
1B Adrian Gonzalez
3B Kevin Youkilis
DH David Ortiz
CF Cody Ross
RF Ryan Sweeney (Injury Replacement—Carl Crawford on 15-Day DL)
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
LF Darnell McDonald (Injury Replacement—Jacoby Ellsbury on 14-Day DL)

Current Rotation

SP Jon Lester
SP Josh Beckett
SP Clay Buchholz
SP Felix Doubront
SP Daniel Bard
CP Alfredo Aceves

Team Outlook

After dropping five of their first six games, the Red Sox have won three straight to keep pace in an AL East that has first and last place separated by one game.

While the recent success is promising, the team will now have to deal with the loss of Jacoby Ellsbury who is on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. On a positive note, Carl Crawford is moving closer to returning.

For now, the Red Sox will continue to rely on their offense to win games, as they have the highest-scoring offense in the American League, but a 5.66 team ERA that ranks second-to-last.

No. 11: Los Angeles Angels (3-6, Previous: 4)

Current Lineup

SS Erick Aybar
2B Howie Kendrick
1B Albert Pujols
DH Kendrys Morales
RF Torii Hunter
LF Vernon Wells
3B Alberto Callaspo
C Chris Iannetta
CF Peter Bourjos

Current Rotation

SP Jered Weaver
SP Dan Haren
SP Ervin Santana
SP C.J. Wilson
SP Jerome Williams
CP Jordan Walden 

Team Outlook

Aside from the Marlins, there may have been no team in baseball with more buzz surrounding it heading into the season, but a 2-4 week has left the Angels in last place in the AL West.

The team dropped 2-of-3 to both the Twins and the Yankees, as the pitching staff has struggled early, notably Ervin Santana (7.71 ERA) and Dan Haren (6.97 ERA), although new addition C.J. Wilson has a 1.38 ERA and is 2-0.

The pitching will come around, and if the offense can remain around the middle-of-the-pack in the American League as far as run scored, they should win plenty of games. It has not been a good start, but there is no reason for the Angels to panic at this point.

No. 10: Tampa Bay Rays (4-5, Previous: 5)

Current Lineup

CF Desmond Jennings
1B Carlos Pena
3B Evan Longoria
LF Matt Joyce
RF Ben Zobrist
DH Luke Scott
2B Jeff Keppinger (Injury Replacement—B.J. Upton on 15-Day DL)
SS Sean Rodriguez
C Jose Molina

Current Rotation

SP James Shields
SP David Price
SP Jeremy Hellickson
SP Matt Moore
SP Jeff Niemann
CP Fernando Rodney (Injury Replacement—Kyle Farnsworth on 15-Day DL)

Team Outlook

After sweeping the Yankees to open the season, the Rays struggled through a 1-5 week last week, as they will try to avoid being swept by the Red Sox tomorrow.

The offense has been inconsistent, although Carlos Pena continues to hit well with a .379 BA, 3 HR, 9 RBI line hitting out of the No. 2 hole.

The pitching staff has been the real disappointment, carrying a league-worst 6.75 ERA, and while it does not look good now, the Rays are simply too talented on the mound not to turn things around.

So while they drop five spots, I'm not ready to bump them down any further just yet.

No. 9: Philadelphia Phillies (4-5, Previous: 8)

Current Lineup

LF Juan Pierre
3B Placido Polanco
SS Jimmy Rollins
RF Hunter Pence
CF Shane Victorino
1B John Mayberry Jr. (Injury Replacement—Ryan Howard on 15-Day DL)
C Carlos Ruiz
2B Freddy Galvis (Injury Replacement—Chase Utley on 15-Day DL)
Pitcher 

Current Rotation

SP Roy Halladay
SP Cliff Lee
SP Vance Worley
SP Cole Hamels
SP Joe Blanton
CP Jonathan Papelbon

Team Outlook

The Phillies were 3-3 last week leaving them in fourth place in what has already proven to be a deep NL East.

The team will go as far as their pitching can take them, as the offense is a shell of what it was only a few seasons ago. Age has begun to catch up with guys, and Chase Utley and Ryan Howard have yet to suit up in 2012.

Roy Halladay has been his usual dominant self, going 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA in his first two starts, while the rest of the staff has been solid outside of Cole Hamels (0-1, 5.06 ERA).

No. 8: Arizona Diamondbacks (6-3, Previous: 7)

Current Lineup

SS Willie Bloomquist (Injury Replacement—Stephen Drew on 15-Day DL)
2B Aaron Hill
RF Justin Upton
C Miguel Montero
CF Chris Young
LF Jason Kubel
1B Paul Goldschmidt
3B Ryan Roberts
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Ian Kennedy
SP Daniel Hudson
SP Josh Collmenter
SP Trevor Cahill
SP Joe Saunders
CP J.J. Putz

Team Outlook

The Diamondbacks followed up a season-opening sweep with a 3-3 week as they faced the Rockies and Padres on the road.

Chris Young has led an offense that has started off slowly, as he is hitting .364 BA, 4 HR, 11 RBI and he is currently the only regular hitting over .300.

Ace Ian Kennedy is off to a nice start going 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA, but Daniel Hudson (8.71 ERA) and Josh Collmenter (12.86 ERA) have struggled, and the staff will need to round into form.

No. 7: Atlanta Braves (5-4, Previous: 10)

Current Lineup

CF Michael Bourn
LF Martin Prado
3B Chipper Jones
C Brian McCann
2B Dan Uggla
1B Freddie Freeman
RF Jason Heyward
SS Tyler Pastornicky
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Tommy Hanson
SP Jair Jurrjens
SP Mike Minor
SP Brandon Beachy
SP Randall Delgado
CP Craig Kimbrel

Team Outlook

After a season-opening sweep at the hands of the New York Mets, the Braves have turned things around quickly, thanks to a 5-1 record last week.

Chipper Jones is back from injury and has started the season strong, going 4-for-9 with a home run and two RBI. However, Freddie Freeman, Michael Bourn and Tyler Pastornicky are all hitting under .200 right now.

The pitching staff has been especially good over their current five-game winning streak, and the team looks to be back on track after stumbling out of the gates, as they should be considered legitimate contenders in the NL East.

No. 6: Washington Nationals (7-3, Previous: 12)

Current Lineup

SS Ian Desmond
2B Danny Espinosa
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
RF Jayson Werth
CF Rick Ankiel
LF Mark DeRosa (Injury Replacement—Michael Morse on 15-Day DL)
C Wilson Ramos
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Stephen Strasburg
SP Gio Gonzalez
SP Jordan Zimmermann
SP Edwin Jackson
SP Ross Detwiler
CP Brad Lidge (Injury Replacement—Drew Storen on 15-Day DL)

Team Outlook

Despite being without their best hitter from last season in Michael Morse and their good young closer Drew Storen, the Nationals are tied for the second-best record in the National League after a 5-2 week.

Adam LaRoche has been huge on the offensive side of things, with a .333 BA, 2 HR, 10 RBI line, and he will need to continue to be produce after Morse suffered a setback that will shelve him for some time. 

The pitching staff has been as good as advertised, with Stephen Strasburg leading the way with a 0.69 ERA and 14 Ks in 13 innings of work. The Nationals are for real, and should be in the running for the NL East all season.

No. 5: New York Yankees (5-4, Previous: 6)

Current Lineup

SS Derek Jeter
CF Curtis Granderson
3B Alex Rodriguez
2B Robinson Cano
1B Mark Teixeira
RF Nick Swisher
DH Raul Ibanez
C Russell Martin
LF Brett Gardner

Current Rotation

SP CC Sabathia
SP Hiroki Kuroda
SP Phil Hughes
SP Ivan Nova
SP Freddy Garcia (Injury Replacement—Michael Pineda on 15-Day DL)
CP Mariano Rivera 

Team Outlook

Swept to open the season for the first time since 1998, the Yankees bounced back with a 5-1 week to leave them tied atop the AL East.

After sweeping the Orioles, they took 2-of-3 from the new-look Angels as their offense helped them overcome some shaky starting pitching.

So far, C.C. Sabathia (6.75 ERA) and Phil Hughes (9.00 ERA) have both struggled, and the team is still without injured starter Michael Pineda. Once their rotation sorts things out, there is no reason to think they won't be the team to beat in the AL East.

No. 4: Los Angeles Dodgers (9-1, Previous: 16)

Current Lineup

SS Dee Gordon
2B Mark Ellis
CF Matt Kemp
RF Andre Ethier
LF Juan Rivera
1B James Loney
3B Juan Uribe
C A.J. Ellis
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Clayton Kershaw
SP Chad Billingsley
SP Chris Capuano
SP Aaron Harang
SP Ted Lilly
CP Javy Guerra

Team Outlook

Weeks don't come much better than the 6-0 performance the Dodgers are coming off of last week, and while they swept lesser competition in the Padres and Pirates, it is an impressive start to the season nonetheless.

Matt Kemp (.457 BA, 5 HR, 15 RBI) is playing out of his mind right now, and Andre Ethier (.303 BA, 3 HR, 14 RBI) is providing him plenty of protection hitting behind him, as the duo has proven capable of carrying the team.

On the pitching side of things, Chad Billingsley (2-0, 0.63 ERA), Clayton Kershaw (0-0, 0.90 ERA) and Javy Guerra (5 G, 5 Sv, 0.00 ERA) have all been phenomenal, and at this point there is nothing but positive things to say about the Dodgers.

No. 3: Detroit Tigers: (6-3, Previous: 2)

Current Lineup

CF Austin Jackson
RF Brennan Boesch
3B Miguel Cabrera
1B Prince Fielder
LF Delmon Young
C Alex Avila
SS Jhonny Peralta
DH Andy Dirks
2B Ryan Raburn

Current Rotation

SP Justin Verlander
SP Drew Smyly
SP Max Scherzer
SP Rick Porcello
SP Adam Wilk (Injury Replacement—Doug Fister on 15-Day DL)
CP Jose Valverde 

Team Outlook

The Tigers have looked like the best team in baseball at times so far this year, but they just dropped 2-of-3 to the White Sox to wrap up a 3-3 week.

The offense is loaded and ranks second in the American League in batting average and runs, and Austin Jackson has been a fantastic table-setter, going 13-for-30 to open the season.

The pitching has been more or less solid, aside from Max Scherzer, who has struggled to a 10.38 ERA over his first two starts. While they slipped a bit, the Tigers look like they have the pieces to be legitimate title contenders.

No. 2: St. Louis Cardinals (7-3, Previous: 3)

Current Lineup

SS Rafael Furcal
2B Tyler Greene (Injury Replacement—David Freese Day-to-Day)
LF Matt Holliday
RF Carlos Beltran
C Yadier Molina
1B Matt Carpenter (Injury Replacement—Lance Berkman Day-to-Day)
CF John Jay
3B Daniel Descalso
Pitcher

Current Rotation

SP Kyle Lohse
SP Jaime Garcia
SP Adam Wainwright
SP Lance Lynn (Injury Replacement—Chris Carpenter on 15-Day DL)
SP Jake Westbrook
CP Jason Motte

Team Outlook

The defending champions continue to defy the odds, as they have had to deal with the loss of Albert Pujols along with injuries to Chris Carpenter and now Lance Berkman and David Freese, yet they still had a 5-2 week and are tied for the second-best record in the National League.

Berkman's replacement, Matt Carpenter, had a five-RBI game against the Cubs on Sunday and now has 10 RBI in 22 at-bats, as there is seemingly always someone ready to step up for the Cardinals.

If any other team were hit with injuries to the likes Lance Berkman and David Freese, they would drop on this list, but those injuries have only served as a way for the Cardinals to show the type of depth their organization has.

The Cardinals are still the favorites in the NL until there is a reason to think otherwise.

No. 1: Texas Rangers (8-2, Previous: 1)

Current Lineup

2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
CF Josh Hamilton
3B Adrian Beltre
DH Michael Young
RF Nelson Cruz
LF David Murphy
C Mike Napoli
1B Mitch Moreland

Current Rotation

SP Colby Lewis
SP Derek Holland
SP Matt Harrison
SP Yu Darvish
SP Neftali Feliz
CP Joe Nathan 

Team Outlook

The Rangers just wrapped up a 6-1 week as they have the best record in the American League, and have done it thanks more to their pitching than their vaunted lineup.

While they are third in the American League in runs scored, a number of key players are off to slow starts, as Mike Napoli (.100 BA), Mitch Moreland (.150 BA), Elvis Andrus (.188 BA) and Nelson Cruz (.206 BA) are all struggling at the plate.

On the mound, Matt Harrison (2-0, 0.64 ERA) has been phenomenal, and Colby Lewis (1-0, 1.42 ERA) is off to a nice start as well.

In fact, the staff as a whole has the best ERA in the American League at 2.22, as the bullpen has allowed just six earned runs in 22.2 innings of work. They were my preseason pick to win it all, and there is no reason to doubt that at this point.