MLB Top Ten--April 25

The MLB Power Rankings are something I've checked on every single week during every single season -- now I get to write about it??? Oh, how good life can be.

Still, this week is going to be tough.  On a separate blog of mine, the Indians were third last week and the Reds were sixth... given their lousy weekends, that will change.  The landscape of Major League Baseball changes constantly.  This is the aspect of the league that makes these Power Rankings so intriguing.  Without further ado, I give you my Bleacher Report debut of the Top Ten.

10: Cincinnati Reds

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

CINCINNATI, OH - APRIL 17: Edinson Volquez #36 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after giving up a solo home run in the sixth inning to Garrett Jones #46 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on April 17, 2011 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Pirates

The photo of Edinson Volquez above really sums up the last eleven games for the Reds.  After an 8-3 start, they have gone 3-8 and fallen out of first place.  Even Joey Votto's bat has slipped up.  Through those first eleven games, the Reds scored 72 runs collectively.  In the last eleven, however, the total has been 40.  Adding to the problem is that the pitching has completely fallen apart.  They need to get on track... fast. 

9: Kansas City Royals

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

KANSAS CITY, MO - APRIL 17: Alex Gordon #4 of the Kansas City Royals connects during the game against the Seattle Mariners on April 17, 2011 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

At 12-10, the Royals come in at the number nine position, which still shocks me to have them here... and this is MY countdown!  Alex Gordon is leading the shocking charge of the Royals with an outstanding .356 average, good for second in the American League.  Jeff Franceour and Billy Butler are also batting above .300, and Bruce Chen is 3-1 with a respectable 3.86 ERA.  Pitching hasn't been great, but the hitting has.

8: St. Louis Cardinals

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ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 24: Reliever Mitchell Boggs #41 and Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate defeating the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium on April 24, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

The Cardinals currently reign supreme in the NL Central, only half a game atop the Brewers.  As many know, it has not been Pujols' best year, but rather, it's been Lance Berkman's heroics that have carried this team.  In this past weekend's three game set with the Reds, Berkman had at least two hits in each game.  Overall, they are tops in the National League with a .293 batting average and fourth with a very respectable 3.19 ERA; quite impressive given that Pujols is not at his best and Wainwright is on the shelf.

7: Los Angeles Angels

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 10: Jered Weaver #36 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim reacts on the mound as he waits to be relieved in the eighth inning after recording his 15th strikeout against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 10, 2011 at Angel Stadium in Anahe

With below-average hitting, guys like Jered Weaver and and Dan Haren have stepped up in a big way.  Weaver leads the Majors with five wins, with Haren only a step behind him with four.  In addition, they are both among the elite in ERA, with Weaver's at 1.23 and Haren's at 1.46.  At 12-10, this team worries me -- when two of your pitchers account for nine of the twelve wins, something has to change.

6: Cleveland Indians

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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 24: Jack Hannahan #9 and Michael Brantley #23 of the Cleveland Indians celebrate what was thought to be a three-run home run by Brantley against the Cleveland Indians during the third inning of their game on April 24, 2011 at Targe

The Tribe is 13-8, which puts them a game and a half up in the AL Central.  There is some cause for concern with their debacle in Minnesota this past weekend, but I do not think the effects will last.  Travis Hafner is batting .348 and Justin Masterson has been pitching some amazing games.  In a weak division, the Indians can pull away with two crucial series coming up against the Royals and Tigers.

5: Florida Marlins

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - APRIL 24: Josh Johnson #55 of the Florida Marlins pitches during a game against the Colorado Rockies at Sun Life Stadium on April 24, 2011 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Here's the creepy part about the 13-7 Marlins:  they're doing well with star-studded shortstop Hanley Ramirez batting an abysmal .182.  The team as a whole is batting a respectable .259, though I worry about how far that will get them.  The impressive part about this team has been the pitching, led by Josh Johnson.  Johnson leads all of baseball with a 1.06 ERA and is 3-0.  They're in second place behind the Phillies, and while I don't think they can beat them, the Marlins can beat most of the NL for a wild card spot.

4: New York Yankees

Rob Carr/Getty Images

BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 23: Third base coach Rob Thomson (L) talks with baserunners Derek Jeter #2 (C) and Curtis Granderson #14 of the New York Yankees during a pitching change against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 23, 2011

At 12-6, they Bronx Bombers could definitely be higher, but they've played less games than most teams, so they will have to settle for number four.  Early season highlights belong to catcher Russell Martin, batting .328 and Robinson Cano, going for .316.  As I predicted at the beginning of the year, however, the pitching has not been all that great, besides the great C.C. Sabathia.  The offense won't slow, and they'll pull away from their AL East foes quickly for that reason.

3: Colorado Rockies

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - APRIL 24: Troy Tulowitzki #2 of the Colorado Rockies reacts after hitting a 2 RBI double during a game against the Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium on April 24, 2011 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Since starting a red-hot 12-3, they've got "rocky mountain cold" after dropping four of their last six games.  The good news is that Troy Tulowitzki continues to have one of the hottest bats in baseball.  Problem is that someone else in the lineup needs to pick a bat up to take to the plate.

2: Texas Rangers

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ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 24: Mike Napoli #25 of the Texas Rangers celebrates a run with Yorvit Torrealba #8 against the Kansas City Royals in the 6th inning at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on April 24, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/G

They're in first place at 14-7, but that's hardly satisfying to a lot of Ranger fans right now.  They've gone cold since the hot 7-0 start.  The good news is that youngsters Matt Harrison and Alexi Ogando are among the top ten in ERA in the American League, and the offense is reigning supreme in the AL.  They'll pick up a better pace very soon.

1: Philadelphia Phillies

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WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 13: Roy Halladay #34 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers to a Washington Nationals batter at Nationals Park on April 13, 2011 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

How do you win nine out of thirteen baseball games when you haven't scored more than four runs in any game in over two weeks?  Well when Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt are among the top 40 in pitching, that could be the reason.  Hitting has really been an issue for this team, and it's no secret that they have offensive tools.  However, it's been their stellar pitching that has led them to a 15-6 record, good for number one on this week's edition of the Top Ten.