MLB Power Rankings: Cleveland Indians Continue to Falter

In this edition of MLB Power Rankings, the Cleveland Indians continue to fall and the top of the list gets clustered.

Cleveland has continued to struggle and they are slowly letting their division catch them. 

Once again, the Yankees and Red Sox are battling for the lead in the AL East, and Big Papi's seemingly insignificant bat toss has heated things up.

In the NL, the Phillies are going through a bit of a rough stretch.

The Cardinals have surpassed them for the best record in baseball, and Albert Pujols is finally finding his swing.

Let's rank every team in Major League Baseball at this point in the season.

30. Houston Astros

Bob Levey/Getty Images

HOUSTON - JUNE 09: Pitcher J.A. Happ #30 of the Houston Astros throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Minute Maid Park on June 9, 2011 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Record:  24-39

Last 10:  5-5

Run Differential:  -64

The Houston Astros have been terrible so far this season. 

They have almost identical home and road records, failing to spark interest for the home fans.

Hitting has not been the weakness for the Astros.

Houston currently ranks 26th or worse in four major pitching categories:  ERA, Quality Starts, WHIP, and BAA.

29. Oakland Athletics

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 09: Hideki Matsui #55 of the Oakland Athletics reacts after striking out against Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field on June 9, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox defeated the Athletics 9-4. (Photo by Jon

Record:  27-37

Last 10:  0-10

Run Differential:  -20

Oakland was having a very nice year until this losing streak hit.

They were sitting at 27-27, but have now lost ten in a row.

Run-producing has been the biggest issue.

Cliff Pennington is their leading hitter, and he only bats .261.

28. Chicago Cubs

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PHILADELPHIA - JUNE 9: Manager Mike Quade #8 of the Chicago Cubs argues a call that was ruled a ground rule double during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 9, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin

Record:  25-36

Last 10:  2-8

Run Differential:  -60

The Chicago Cubs have disappointed their fans yet again this year.

Pitching has been horrid.

Despite having the third best team batting average in the majors, they are last in ERA, Quality Starts, and WHIP.

That is not a winning formula.

27. Minnesota Twins

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JUNE 9: Ben Revere #11 of the Minnesota Twins dives for a ball hit into play by the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning of their game on June 9, 2011 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Twins defeated the Rangers 5-4. (Photo by

Record:  24-38

Last 10:  7-3

Run Differential:  -70

Minnesota has played extremely well recently, winning seven of their last eight.

Fans are beginning to get behind this team, despite the fact that it is made up of about half of the Triple-A team.

They have only played 22 home games thus far, which means they can continue this upswing in front of the home crowd.

Never count the Twins out.

26. Kansas City Royals

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KANSAS CITY, MO - JUNE 9: Aaron Crow #43 of the Kansas City Royals wipes his face as he walks back to the dugout following the eight inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium on June 9, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals defeated th

Record:  27-36

Last 10:  4-6

Run Differential:  -43

The Royals, after a hot start, have cooled off significantly.

In their 22 road games, they are only 6-16.

With an abundance of road games left on the schedule, expect them to continue to falter to their normal position: the bottom of the AL Central.

25. Washington Nationals

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 6: John Lannan #31 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the San Francisco Giants during an MLB game at AT&T Park on June 6, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Record:  27-36

Last 10:  5-5

Run Differential:  -15

The Nationals are still a step or two away from relevance.

Without Stephen Strasburg the hype that surrounded the team last season has dwindled away.

Still, this team has some young talent.

Their biggest issue right now is hitting. Jayson Werth leads the team in hitting with .244 BA.

24. New York Mets

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MILWAUKEE, WI - JUNE 9: Jose Reyes #7 of the New York Mets throws against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on June 9, 2011 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Mets defeated the Brewers 4-1. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images)

Record:  30-32

Last 10:  6-4

Run Differential:  -22

The Mets are slowly turning the corner.

Their hitting has been solid all year. All they are missing is a solid pitching staff.

New York ranks 23rd in both ERA and Quality Starts, and 26th in WHIP and BAA.

23. Los Angeles Dodgers

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

DENVER, CO - JUNE 09: Matt Kemp #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes an at bat against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 9, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. Kemp had a double, triple and a homerun in the game as the Rockies defeated the Dodgers 9-7.

Record:  29-35

Last 10:  5-5

Run Differential:  -27

The Los Angeles Dodgers organization has been in the news a lot for all the wrong reasons.

The team on the field has resembled the corporate culture of the team:  inconsistent.

Since the takeover of the team, not much has changed.

Los Angeles is still filled with talent, yet cannot find the consistency to crack .500.

22. Los Angeles Angels

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 08: Jered Weaver #36 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays in the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 8, 2011 in Anaheim, California. The Rays defeated the Angels 4-3 in ten innings. (Pho

Record:  30-34

Last 10:  3-7

Run Differential:  -7

Statistics for this team tell us that they should have a much better record.

They are an average hitting team and sport a couple of the best individual pitches in the American League in Jered Weaver and Dan Haren.

San Francisco proved the importance of pitching last season.

They are 3-7 in their last 10 and hope to turn it around behind the pitching staff.

21. San Diego Padres

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SAN DIEGO, CA - JUNE 9: Anthony Rizzo #27 of the San Diego Padres hits a triple during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park on June 9, 2011 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)

Record:  29-35

Last 10:  6-4

Run Differential:  -18

The San Diego Padres are one of the worst hitting teams in the league.

Due to this, they have gained a lot of experience in close ball games this season.

Recently, they have won more than they have lost and have even added a few convincing wins as well.

This team is not filled with big names after losing Adrian Gonzalez last year.

Still, they are hanging around this season thus far. 

20. Baltimore Orioles

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BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 08: Mark Reynolds #12 of the Baltimore Orioles follows his infield hit against the Oakland Athletics during the eighth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 8, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore Orioles defeated the Oa

Record:  29-31

Last 10:  5-5

Run Differential:  -38

Statistically, the Baltimore Orioles are not all that impressive.

They also play in the AL East.

Early in the season, it appeared that they had turned a corner within the division.

Now, they find themselves in the basement of the division.

There are a number of teams ranked behind them that would struggle just as much as them if they played in Baltimore's division.

19. Florida Marlins

Marc Serota/Getty Images

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JUNE 09: Pitcher Chris Volstad #41 0f the Florida Marlins Reacts after giving up a double to the Atlanta Braves at Sun Life Stadium on June 9, 2011 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Record:  31-30

Last 10:  1-9

Run Differential:  -7

The Florida Marlins have been terrible over that past week and a half.

They have lost eight in a row. Seven of these eight games have been decided by one run.

This could mean two things.

First, they could be close to getting back to form.

Or, they struggle in closing out games.

Either way, they are not in the position they were a couple of weeks ago.

18. Pittsburgh Pirates

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PITTSBURGH - JUNE 08: Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a walk off solo home run in the 12th inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the game on June 8, 2011 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Get

Record:  30-31

Last 10:  6-4

Run Differential:  0

The Pirates are slowly winning over fans in Pittsburgh.

Andrew McCutchen is one reason. He is leading the team in BA, HR, Runs, and OPS.

Plus, he might be one of the most exciting players to watch in all of baseball.

Pittsburgh is still quite a significant distance from competing with St. Louis within the division.

Still, with their young talent, they are on their way. 

17. Colorado Rockies

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

DENVER, CO - JUNE 09: Todd Helton #17 and Troy Tulowitzki #2 of the Colorado Rockies celebrate their 9-7 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on June 9, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Record:  30-32

Last 10:  5-5

Run Differential:  +11

The Rockies are a very good team.

The problem is that they are not great at anything.

In major hitting and pitching statistics, they do not rank in the top five in a single one.

Troy Tulowitzki struggled mightily in April, but has appeared to turn it around in June.

With their leader on the mend, look for Colorado to crack .500. 

16. Chicago White Sox

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 09: Paul Konerko #14 of the Chicago White Sox hits a two-run home run in the 8th inning against the Oakland Athletics at U.S. Cellular Field on June 9, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Record:  31-34

Last 10:  7-3

Run Differential:  -7

It seems to happen every year.

No matter where the White Sox stand after the first quarter of the season, they seem to make a run toward the top by the end.

They have looked very good recently, boasting a 7-3 record in their last 10.

With their bats coming alive, look for Chicago to continue to rise. 

15. Seattle Mariners

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 08: Ichiro Suzuki #51 of the Seattle Mariners warms-up in the batters box before hitting against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field on June 8, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Mariners defeated the White Sox 7-4 in 10 innings.

Record:  32-31

Last 10:  5-5

Run Differential:  -1

Seattle has been above average this season, but they have gone about a unique way in doing it. 

Their pitching staff has been phenomenal, accumulating 40 quality starts in 63 games.

The Mariners have performed horribly at the plate, however.

Even Ichiro Suzuki is struggling with a .251 batting average.

It is amazing that Seattle is till above .500 with their terrible hitting.

14. Toronto Blue Jays

Rob Carr/Getty Images

BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 05: Jose Bautista #19 of the Toronto Blue Jays waits to bat against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 5, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Record:  32-31

Last 10:  5-5

Run Differential:  +30

Toronto may have the most explosive hitter in the league in Jose Bautista.

He has accumulated 20 home runs so far this season, and the rest of the bats in the lineup have followed his lead.

The Blue Jays are fourth in runs and fifth in batting average so far this season.

13. Cincinnati Reds

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 09: Joey Votto #19 of the Cincinnati Reds hits a double in the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on June 9, 2011 in San Francisco, California. Votto scored later in the inning on a pass ball. (Photo by

Record:  33-31

Last 10:  6-4

Run Differential:  +21

Surprisingly, the Cincinnati Reds are 26th in team ERA.

Joey Votto has really changed the culture of this team.

Pitching used to be the staple of this lackluster franchise, but recent success has come from the bats of Votto and others alike.

And the trend continues.

12. Tampa Bay Rays

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 08: B.J. Upton #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays catches a pop fly against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 8, 2011 in Anaheim, California. The Rays defeated the Angels 4-3 in ten innings

Record:  33-29

Last 10:  5-5

Run Differential:  +14

Tampa Bay has recovered from a poor start to join the AL East race.

They are only a few games off the pace, and have played somewhat well over the recent weeks.

They are below .500 at home, but have made up for it on the road.

This might be a promising statistic for this team. For most teams, wins on the road are difficult to come by.

11. Arizona Diamondbacks

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

PITTSBURGH - JUNE 08: Justin Upton #10 of the Arizona Diamondbacks lays on the ground at home plate after being hit by a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the game on June 8, 2011 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wicker

Record:  34-29

Last 10:  5-5

Run Differential:  +14

Arizona has been very consistent this season.

They do not produce eye-popping statistics in the pitching or hitting departments.

Still, they find a way to get it done.

It is as if the great things they do are cancelled out by bad things.

For example, Chris Young leads the team in HR, RBI, and Runs, but also leads them in strikeouts.

Nonetheless, it has been enough to be five games above .500 and second in the division.

10. Milwaukee Brewers

Scott Boehm/Getty Images

MILWAUKEE, WI - JUNE 7: Ryan Braun #8 of the Milwaukee Brewers screams after the baseball hits his shin during a game against the New York Mets at Miller Park on June 7, 2011 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images)

Record:  35-28

Last 10:  6-4

Run Differential:  +20

The Milwaukee Brewers have been a very exciting team to watch this season.

Ryan Braun received a new contract and has continued to lead this team.

The new pitching addition, Zack Greinke, has been the difference.

He is the ace the Brewers never had (aside from half a season of C.C. Sabathia).

9. Atlanta Braves

Marc Serota/Getty Images

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JUNE 09: Jair Jurrjens # 49 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium on June 9, 2011 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Record:  35-28

Last 10:  6-4

Run Differential:  +38

The Atlanta Braves have the best pitching staff in the majors.

This is good news for Braves fans.

Pitching has proven to be the most important factor in a playoff run, exemplified by the Giants last season.

Jair Jurrjens is the leader of this staff, and is turning into one of the best pitchers in the game.

8. San Francisco Giants

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 06: Tim Lincecum #55 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Washington Nationals during an MLB game at AT&T Park on June 6, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Record:  35-28

Last 10:  6-4

Run Differential:  +2

The San Francisco Giants only have a run differential of +2 this season.

This should not surprise or worry fans.

Close ball games are what this team thrives on. They are confident in their entire pitching staff, which can be a rarity today in Major League Baseball.

If the bats come alive down the stretch, the defending champions may bring another title to the bay area.

7. Cleveland Indians

Jason Miller/Getty Images

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 6: Shin-Soo Choo #17 of the Cleveland Indians reacts after striking out during the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field on June 6, 2011 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Twins defeated the Indians 6-4. (Photo by Jason M

Record:  34-26

Last 10:  3-7

Run Differential:  +22

The Cleveland Indians are struggling.

Last weekend, they were swept in a four-game series against the Texas Rangers.

They barely avoided back-to-back sweeps with a 1-0 win over Minnesota on Tuesday.

The wheels are slowly coming off, as they often do in baseball.

At least the Cleveland fans can enjoy watching LeBron choke in the playoffs in a different uniform.

6. Detroit Tigers

Dave Reginek/Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - JUNE 09: Brennan Boesch #26 of the Detroit Tigers gets set for the pitch in a MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at Comerica Park on June 9, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Mariners 4-1 (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty I

Record:  34-28

Last 10:  8-2

Run Differential:  +9

Detroit is the hottest team in baseball.

In their 9-2 stretch over the last 11 games, they have won convincingly.

The Tigers have a number of promising young players who have turned into leaders of this team.

Brennan Boesch is exploding, and Justin Verlander continues to lead the pitching staff.

They are the biggest challenger to the Indians, and are on pace to take the division lead very soon.

5. Texas Rangers

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JUNE 9: Josh Hamilton #32 of the Texas Rangers reacts to striking out against the Minnesota Twins during the ninth inning of their game on June 9, 2011 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Twins defeated the Rangers 5-4. (Photo by

Record:  35-29

Last 10:  6-4

Run Differential:  +41

The Texas Rangers seem to lackadaisically run through the motions so far this season.

Yet, they are leading the AL West by two and a half games, and they have accumulated a run differential of +41 runs.

This team is one of the most talented in the league.

If they tune their focus for a playoff run, they may finally get the World Series ring that Nolan Ryan wanted so badly last season. 

4. New York Yankees

Nick Laham/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 09: CC Sabathia #52 of the New York Yankees is pulled from the game in the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox on June 9, 2011 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Record:  33-27

Last 10:  6-4

Run Differential:  +59

The Yankees were dominated by the Boston Red Sox over the past few days.

Still, New York is in a good position to win the division.

They have played very well on the road this season, and they lead the league in run differential.

The best part about watching a Yankee game is that they are never out of it. 

Their bats will continue to entertain us as they battle with Boston, who has the edge for now.

3. Philadelphia Phillies

Hunter Martin/Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - JUNE 8: First baseman Ryan Howard #6 of the Philadelphia Phillies bats during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park on June 8, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)

Record:  37-26

Last 10:  4-6

Run Differential:  +33

Philadelphia was expected to be leading the division and has one of the best records in baseball.

Still, they are going through a small turbulent stretch.

They may have been unseated by St. Louis for the best record in the league, but they are still in good shape within the division.

If a couple of bats begin hitting as they normally do, the Phillies will be exactly where they once were: on top, with the best record in Major League Baseball.

For now, however, they will settle at number three in the rankings.

2. Boston Red Sox

Nick Laham/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 09: David Ortiz #34 of the Boston Red Sox smiles after he walks to first after being hit by a pitch against the New York Yankees on June 9, 2011 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Imag

Record:  36-26

Last 10:  6-4

Run Differential:  +40

The Red Sox were very impressive in their series against the Yankees over the past few days.

David Ortiz showed that he still has plenty of "Big Papi" left to share with the league. 

Boston accumulated 25 runs in the three game series, and it failed to feel extraordinary.

Explosive run-scoring is the norm in Boston.

The impressive sweep of New York gets the Red Sox to number two in the rankings.

1. St. Louis Cardinals

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

ST. LOUIS, MO - JUNE 4: Albert Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium on June 4, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals beat the Cubs 5-4 in 12 innings. (Photo

Record:  38-26

Last 10:  6-4

Run Differential:  +52

Albert Pujols is back!

He batted .257 in April, .288 in May, and is currently at a .344 clip in June. He already has five home runs in 32 at-bats in June.

With Pujols on a tear, the Cardinals have thrived.

They now sit on top of the league with a 38-26 record.

The return of Pujols as we know him boosts the Cardinals into the vaunted number one spot in the rankings.