MLB Power Rankings: Who's on Top After Another Week of Action?

Another week of premium Major League Baseball has come and gone and as we move closer to the All-Star break, a number of team made their mark this week, inserting themselves into playoff contention.

However still early in the season, it is fairly easy to pick out who the top teams are and who will be hoping to make major changes in the offseason in hopes of not repeating their tumultuous years in 2012.

There are contenders and pretenders, and it is during this portion of the season in which we separate the teams who, in fact, should be feared from those who are having seemingly fluky seasons.

Until then, it is time to determine the pecking order for every team in baseball with this week's power rankings.

Without further ado, here are your MLB power rankings for the season through June 4.

30. Chicago Cubs

Darn you, you billy goat and Steve Bartman. You have yet again given Cubs fans false hope for the first few weeks of the season. Now, not so much.

It's no secret that the Chicago Cubs are having a horrific year, sporting an abysmal 18-35 record in the National League Central division that currently sees the Pittsburgh Pirates—yes, the Pittsburgh Pirates—in second place in the division.

Even the addition of Theo Epstein to the front office this offseason hasn't helped anything. And now, Epstein has opened up his roster for any and all trade options, minus Jeff Samadrzija and young phenom shortstop Starlin Castro.

Whenever a team willingly admits they are open to trading everybody on their team, they have figuratively thrown in the towel on the season.

Unfortunately for Cubs fans, that means they will spend another year wondering what went wrong and when, if ever, they will have a winning team.

29. San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres aren't the only team in the NL West struggling, and yet, they are the worst team in the division.

Only managing to pick up two wins in their last 10 games, the Padres also have a problem with scoring runs, currently owning a differential of minus-63, the second worst in baseball ahead of only the Minnesota Twins.

Besides Chase Headley, who leads the team in home runs, runs batted in and runs, there isn't a lot for Padres fans to be excited about this season. Also, Headley's stats can't compare to some the baseball's best as he is nowhere near tops in the league in any of the three categories.

Needless to say, San Diego is struggling in a big way, and it doesn't appear they are going to crawl out of that hole anytime soon.

28. Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins have always been a team that has managed to do remarkable things out of a roster that is entirely made up of farm system players.

2012 has not been very kind to that same mentality. In fact, it would appear that it is time for Twins management to finally abandon that way of building a team and venture out into the free-agent market for a change. They did that with one of the only player producing for the Twins this seasons, so maybe they will learn from this.

Josh Willingham is seemingly the only productive player currently on the Twins roster. When you consider that roster includes former MVPs and batting champions in Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, and Willingham is the one producing the most, the Twins are more likely to flounder this season than ever before.

Minnesota's string of talented, young teams making playoff runs may be over. Now, the rebuilding can begin.

27. Colorado Rockies

If there is one team at the bottom of the barrel that has the potential to make a run at the postseason later this season, it's the Colorado Rockies.

Colorado doesn't have a sparkling record right now—23-30 through Sunday's action—but that can quickly turn around with one of their famous winning streaks to help propel them into the playoffs.

Keeping the Rockies' hopes alive this season has been the continued stellar play from Carlos Gonzalez, whose 14 homers and 45 runs batted in have sparked an offense that ranks ninth in the league in batting average.

Things don't look great right now for the Rockies, but their fortunes have been turned around towards the end of the season before. Who says they can't do it again?

26. Oakland A's

It's been a long time since the days that Oakland dominated the American League West with their pitching staff of Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito and a lineup that consisted of Miguel Tejada,Eric Chavez and Jermaine Dye. These Oakland Athletics have yet to find their identity.

Ranking dead-last in battling average and slugging percentage and second-to-last in runs and on-base percentage, Oakland finds itself behind a loaded top-half division with the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels, meaning any possibility of making the playoffs are all but lost for the season.

However, Oakland has the tools to make themselves a legitimate threat in the years to come. Just not this year.

25. Houston Astros

With a team full of players that would have most people scratching their heads asking, "Who the heck are these guys?" the Houston Astros have actually been doing all right, all things considered.

Wandy Rodriguez has been doing fairly well this year, posting a 4-4 record with a 3.14 earned run average. Unfortunately for him, his run support hasn't been the greatest, with the Astros scoring two runs or fewer in his four losses.

Carlos Lee, who has lost some of his power from previous years but kept his batting average near .300 throughout the season, is on the DL with a strained hamstring.

The Astros, much like the Athletics from the previous slide, are having trouble finding their rhythm but are not completely out of the hunt for the playoffs. It may take a miracle to get there, but anything is possible.

24. Kansas City Royals

The Royals are finally out of last place in the AL Central!

Granted, they are only in fourth place ahead of the Twins, but they are loaded with young talent and have the capability of doing some great things in the future.

With Alcides Escobar, Billy Butler, Yunieski Betancourt, Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer and Jeff Francouer, the Royals have the makings of what could be a great team, giving the rest of the American League a run for their money.

The talent is there for the Royals, and with a ranking of eighth in the league in batting average, it's not crazy to think the Royals could make a run at a division title by the end of the year as long as they continue to produce.

23. Milwaukee Brewers

Two unsurprising facts about the Brewers season thus far: They are struggling without Prince Fielder's power threat in their lineup, and last season's NL MVP, Ryan Braun, is running the show once again.

The Twins rank 11th in the league in runs and slugging percentage, and the batting average and on-base percentages aren't matching up to help them win games.

Luckily for the Brewers, the Cincinnati Reds are the only team in the NL Central playing consistently well, meaning that if the Brewers can pick up a few winning streaks here and there, they are right back into the playoff race.

22. Seattle Mariners

King Felix (Hernandez) has had his struggles this season, meaning that the Seattle Mariners are bound to struggle along with him. And when Ichiro is hitting under .300 for the year, there is little hope for team success in Seattle.

Seattle has had its problems over the year producing at a high level, and this season is no different. Currently nine games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West, the Mariners have almost no hopes of a playoff berth this season.

Now with Ichiro possibly retiring soon, there are many holes to fill in Seattle. One thing is for sure in this time of uncertainty for the Mariners: It may take a while for them to finally be a legitimate threat again.

21. Arizona Diamondbacks

A year removed from their surprising playoff berth in 2011, the Arizona Diamondbacks have found their way back into baseball obscurity.

Their offense ranks in the middle of the pack in most major categories, including batting average and on-base percentage, Arizona's young exuberance has become stagnant this season as they battle behind the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

Justin Upton, Jason Kubel and Aaron Hill have not been producing as much as they would like, making the offensive production lack that pop, which is one of the biggest reasons they have become mediocre once again.

Arizona has the talent to compete with the best, but they are not playing up to that talent right now.

20. St. Louis Cardinals

This being the first season in the post-Pujols, LaRussa era in St. Louis, the Cardinals find themselves searching for that spark to make them big players in baseball once again.

One very high point for the Cardinals this year has been the outstanding pitching of rookie Lance Lynn. Lynn has posted an 8-2 record while touting an ERA under 3.00, something remarkable for a young pitcher in such a prominent position: pitching for the defending world champions.

On the offensive side, Matt Holliday, David Freese and Carlos Beltran have been doing some great things, combing for 35 home runs and 109 RBIs between the three of them. Along with them, Yadier Molina has been doing work with eight homers and 32 driven in.

Despite these upsides, the Cardinals have been flirting with .500 for much of the year. However, if Lynn keeps pitching well and the offense keeps slugging, they could be right back in the middle of playoff talks.

19. Detroit Tigers

Here's one of the first teams that have a loaded lineup but hasn't been able to pick of the victories necessary to be in the conversation for best team in the league.

The combination of Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera certainly strikes fear into much of the league. Add in possibly facing ace Justin Verlander, and on any given night you have a recipe for disaster for Tigers opponents.

Unfortunately for Detroit, the rest of the team must not have heard they were supposed to be great, because right now they are average beyond those three big names.

Not only does the rest of the team lack firepower in the lineup, but Verlander has lost his last three starts, dropping his record to 5-4 with a 2.67 ERA. If Verlander isn't winning his starts, the Tigers seem to have have problems picking up the slack on the offensive end outside of Fielder and Cabrera.

Still, the season is still significantly young, giving Detroit prime time to get back to where they belong: on top of the AL Central.

18. Phladelphia Phillies

Realistically speaking, the Philadelphia Phillies could be a lot lower on the list, but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt considering their special circumstances.

Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, two of the biggest power hitters for the Phillies, have been battling injuries all season long as Howard is coming off of a torn Achillies in the final play of the Phillies' season in 2011 and Utley is going through an extended spring training to help rehab his injured left knee.

Without those two in the lineup, the Phillies have lacked firepower in the middle of the lineup, relying heavily on Placido Polanco and Hunter Pence to come through for them. Even Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins have had serious issues at the plate, causing a drop in runs for the offense.

Luckily for Philadelphia, the pitching has been up to par, with Cole Hamels leading the league in wins with eight. However, Roy Halladay just went to the disabled list with a shoulder injury.  Cliff Lee has only managed eight starts, and Jose Contreras also went to the DL recently.

All in all, given the injury issues the Phillies have been dealing with all season, they are lucky to still be in the race for the NL East. Even if they are currently in last place, never count out Philadelphia.

17. Pittsburgh Pirates

What a season the Pittsburgh Pirates are having this year.

Sure, being one game over .500 doesn't say much, but they are right behind the Cincinnati Reds for first place in the NL Central, three games out of first to be exact.

In fact, if you look at the team on paper, Andrew McCutchen (nine home runs, 30 RBIs, 30 runs) and James McDonald (5-2, 2.14 ERA) are the only real big names producing for the Pirates, yet this young team of no-names keeps managing to win games, something they haven't done for most of the club's existence.

Their success may not last, but right now, they are a feel-good story everybody can enjoy.

16. Boston Red Sox

In the case of the Boston Red Sox, the numbers do lie.

Boston currently ranks in the top ten in the MLB in runs (second), batting average (third), on-base percentage (seventh) and slugging percentage (second), and yet, they find themselves in last place in the AL East.

Luckily for the Red Sox, last place only puts them three games out of first place in the division, giving them hope yet.

David Ortiz and Jared Saltalamacchia have been providing most of the offensive punch in the lineup, but Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Youkilis haven't necessarily given much in the terms of statistics for Boston.

Boston is in a nice position to make a run in the second half of the year, so panic mode has not set in just yet.

15. Toronto Blue Jays

Finally, Jose Bautista has some pop surrounding him in Toronto.

Not only is Bautista continuing to show his power—knocking 14 home runs so far this season— but Edwin Encarnacion is actually besting him, having hit for 17 himself. Toronto has scored the fifth most runs in the league (260), which has propelled them to a 28-26 record this season.

Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow have been the stud aces for the Blue Jays, each winning six games and providing solid strikeout-to-walk ratios.

In Bautista, Toronto has an MVP candidate. They will ride him, and the supporting cast, as far as he is willing to carry them.

14. Cleveland Indians

There's something interesting going on in the Cleveland sports world that, finally, has nothing to do with LeBron James.

The Cleveland Indians have quietly crept up into second place in the AL Central by playing overall team baseball.

Derek Lowe is having a fantastic year on the mound, sporting a 7-3 record to go along with a 3.08 ERA to front the rotation for the Indians, providing the needed go-to pitcher for a club that has had trouble keeping those pitchers around in recent years.

For the offense, there are five batters that have driven in over 20 men, with three or four other not too far behind them. In essence, there is not one man who is standing out for the Indians in their batting order.  It is the entire roster that is working to get those runs no matter who gets them.

So far, so good for Cleveland.

13. Atlanta Braves

Atlanta really shot themselves in the foot this time around, going only 3-7 in their last 10 games, staying two games back in the NL East standings. While they floundered, the Nationals, Marlins and Mets surged and remained on top of the standings.

Still, the Braves' offense remains in the middle of the pack statistically speaking, providing some good hope for Atlanta.

Michael Bourn has been carving up the base paths, stealing 15 bases thus far. He has also scored 35 times, pacing the offense.

Atlanta is still in striking distance for the division. They just need to keep from having a stretch similar to the one they are currently in.

12. Los Angeles Angels

Look who has finally figured out that winning is the best way to play baseball!

Only the Miami Marlins were hyped up more than the Angels before the season began, with their acquisitions of CJ Wilson and Albert Pujols, giving them their own version of a power team.

The Angels have won eight of their last 10. Most of that success is highlighted by Pujols' elevated home runs stats as of late.

Obviously, the talent is there in Pujols, Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells. It's just a matter of maintaining the pace they have right now and keeping their confidence along the way.

11. Baltimore Orioles

Make no mistake about it: That is the face of a man who is upset with his team's play as of late, not throughout the entire season.

Buck Showalter has done a remarkable job with the Orioles since taking the position last season. Posting a 30-24 record through so far, Baltimore is in the thick of the playoff hunt in the AL East. Who would have thought we would be saying that a few years ago?

Adam Jones has put himself into the MVP race with 16 home runs, 34 RBIs and 38 runs scored while batting a sizzling .318. His play has been so stellar that he has already been given a contract extension to his troubles.

Going 2-8 over the previous 10 for Baltimore does not bode well with Showalter, but there is still plenty of time to recover and get back on top of the division.

10. New York Yankees

The Yankees edge out the Orioles this time around because of their stellar play lately.

Going 7-3 in their previous 10 games, the Yankees, as always, find themselves in the thick of the playoff hunt even though they currently are behind the Tampa Bay Rays and Orioles.

Curtis Granderson has been doing some great things in a Yankee uniform, and this season is no exception. Granderson has hit for 17 homers and 33 runs batted in.

CC Sabathia is being CC, and Derek Jeter is continuing to prove a solid hitter will always be a solid hitter even in old age, batting for .316 average this season.

New York, or course, has the players to succeed but now must fight off the rest of the emerging division to maintain their place on top.

9. Cincinnati Reds

Joey Votto is hitting the stitching out of the ball, batting .346 through the season and leading the Reds to leading the NL Central once again this season.

One of the keys to the Reds' success this season has been the continued growth of Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs. Each has contributed in a big way, but so has the veteran Brandon Phillips. Phillips has been with the Reds through thick and thin and is now being rewarded for his loyalty by being on a good, winning club.

Another young guy who has emerged himself as a leader for the Reds is young gun Johnny Cueto. This season, Cueto has a 5-3 record with a 2.54 ERA. Not too shabby by any stretch of the imagination.

Cincinnati has the chance to widen the gap ahead of the Pirates in the coming weeks and could very well do so if Votto keeps hitting the way he has been.

8. New York Mets

After 8,020 games in the history of the New York Mets, Johan Santana finally threw the club's first no-hitter in team history on Friday night. 

It's a great story for the Mets, but their entire season has been something to look at.

David Wright is coming off a stretch of a few seasons were he was not the same player we knew and teams feared. 2012 is a different story, and Wright is batting a blistering .361. He is also tied for the team lead in runs batted in with Lucas Duda with 32.

R.A. Dickey and Santana have a combined 22 starts, with 17 of them being quality starts.  Dickey is tied for the ML lead with eight wins, and Santana is posting a 2.38 ERA. Together they are one of the most feared pitching duos in baseball.

The Mets are the best team in New York. They can take solace in that for right now, as well as being tied for the NL East lead.

7. Nationals

Is there a stranger success story this season than the Washington Nationals?

Statistically, they should be back in the tail end of the league, and yet, they are sitting atop of the NL East standings right now.

Of course, the Nationals have the fun, young duo of pitcher Stephen Strasburg and slugger Bryce Harper, but it's pitcher Gio Gonzalez and journeyman Adam LaRoach who are leading the way for the surprise team of the year.

Even if this story doesn't last all season, it's still fun to think about the possibilities of the Nationals in the playoffs.

6. San Francisco Giants

One of the hottest teams in baseball, the San Francisco Giants have been surging as of late, winning four games in a row and seven of the last ten.

One of the biggest surprises for the Giants this season is that they have done all of this without the normal production from the two-time Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum, who has only managed to win two of his 11 starts in 2012.

Melky Cabrera, Pablo Sandoval, Angel Pagan and Buster Posey have been picking up their offensive games to supplement Lincecum's short comings this season, so his ill effects haven't been necessarily felt thus far.

Sitting three games behind the Dodgers for first place, the Giants are in striking distance even without their top ace performing up to par. This is very good news for a team finding its stride at the right time.

5. Tampa Bay Rays

Tampa Bay is leading the battle of the AL East as of right now, ahead of the Orioles by one game behind the solid play of Ben Zobrist, Carlos Pena and Matt Joyce.

One factor as to why the Rays aren't leading the East more is because of the injuries that have plagued Evan Longoria, who has only played in 23 games this season. However, Longoria has driven in 19 runs on four homers in that short amount of time, which is a good sign for the Rays.

The stellar pitching performances from David Price and James Shields have gone hand-in-hand with the Rays' success.

Tampa Bay is on top of the AL East right now and have the tools to stay there the rest of the way.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers

Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are giving fantasy baseball owners wood this season, literally.

Ethier is .314 with nine home runs and 46 runs batted in. Kemp has 12 bombs while knocking in 28 runs in limited action this season. Combined, they are the perfect MVP candidate, but both have a legitimate claim to win it early in the season.

Another combination lies in the pitching rotation with Clayton Kershaw and Chris Capuano. Capuano leads the Dodgers with seven wins and a 2.50 ERA. Kershaw has whiffed 69 guys this season, asserting his dominance over the opposition.

The Dodgers have the National League in the palm of their hands right now and can continue to dominate by relying on the play of Kemp, Ethier, Kershaw and Capuano.

3. Miami Marlins

Miami has a new ballpark, a new name, a new manager.... long story short, the Marlins are fairly new in most aspects.

One thing that is very new is that they're winning. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that it took a little while for the Marlins to start winning, since the roster is still relatively young and figuring out its identity.

New acquisition Jose Reyes hasn't been his normal self offensively, but Omar Infante, Hanley Ramirez and Giancario Stanton have been picking up the slack in a big way.

If Miami can continue to win, they may find themselves as World Series contenders, not just playoff contenders.

2. Chicago White Sox

Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko have the White Sox back in position to once again dominate the AL Central.

With 28 home runs and 71 runs batted in between them, Konerko and Dunn have almost single-handedly brought the Sox back from the dead.

Jake Peavy and Chris Sale have anchored the rotation with a total of 13 wins and only three losses with 137 strikes combined. This team was supposed to struggle this season but has shocked everyone post-Ozzie. (Sometimes, yelling isn't the best way to manage a ball club.)

Give the White Sox credit for overcoming the odds to be a success.  Hopefully they can keep it up and make the otherwise struggling AL Central a front-runner.

1. Texas Rangers

If there is one person who is already a lock for winning the MVP award in the American League, it's Josh Hamilton.

Regardless of his relapse, Hamilton has hit for 57 runs batted in on 21 home runs while hitting .348. Hamilton has also accomplished the very rare feat of hitting four home runs in one game, a feat rarer than no-hitters, which are highly praised in today's game.

Yu Darvish has been everything the Rangers had hoped he would be, touting a 7-3 record with a 3.21 ERA to match. He and Matt Harrison have been putting up some solid numbers for the pitching rotation, something Texas needed after losing club ace C.J. Wilson to free agency.

Texas is the best team in baseball through and through. It will take a massive drop-off for them to fall from the graces of baseball's best.