2011 MLB Playoffs: Power Ranking Each Team Through the First Weekend

The first weekend of the 2011 Major League Baseball postseason is complete. The excitement may not have matched day 162 of the regular season, but there were surely plenty of surprises as October baseball came underway.

Three of the four series are deadlocked at 1-1, with the Milwaukee Brewers being the lone squad with a 2-0 lead. They're also the only team who has looked great across the board through the first two games.

Anything can happen during the postseason, however, so no lead is ever safe. You can bet we'll have plenty of excitement as these first round series' play out.

Here are the rankings of all eight teams based on their performance over the postseason's first weekend.

8. Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks looked well out of their league during the first two games of their NLDS matchup with the Brewers, being outscored 13-5 and never being in the game late.

Diamondbacks' starters Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson combined to give up nine runs over 12 innings, a far cry from their 2011 season performances.

The lone bright spot was the D-Backs' ability to hit for power, as all five of their runs came from four home runs.

The Diamondbacks have a lot of work to do in order to stay alive past Tuesday's Game 3 in Arizona.

7. Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers laid an egg during Game 1 of their NLDS matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays, losing 9-0 as Rays rookie starter Matt Moore dominated their usually potent lineup for seven innings.

The worst part about that game was the fact that staff ace C.J. Wilson got blitzed for eight runs in only five innings—not what the Rangers had hoped for considering the Rays' deep rotation.

The Rangers held off a late comeback by the Rays to win Game 2, but they're exactly where they didn't want to be heading into Game 3 in Tampa Bay.

6. St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals did a stellar job at attacking Phillies pitchers Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee during Game's 1 and 2, even managing to squeak out a victory in the latter.

The problem is, however, that now they have to face Cole Hamels in Game 3 before starting over with Halladay in Game 4. The Cardinals' pitchers can't match the Phillies trio, and the Cards' hitters aren't likely to find success against them the second time around.

That being said, the Phillies have plenty of weaknesses and the Cardinals hold home-field advantage through the remainder of the series. If Edwin Jackson or Jaime Garcia can step up with a solid performance in Game 3, the Cardinals may just have a decent chance at winning this thing.

5. Detroit Tigers

Considering the Tigers have a much better three-man rotation than the Yankees, they had to be thrilled when Game 1 was postponed, knowing CC Sabathia wouldn't have an effect on the series until Game 3.

Unfortunately, Doug Fister got annihilated on the mound when Game 1 resumed, failing to take advantage of his matchup with rookie Ivan Nova.

Max Scherzer tossed a stellar Game 2 to knot the series up at 1-1 before heading back to Detroit, yet the Tigers already failed to take advantage of a situation that could have greatly played in their favor. 

They still have a chance, of course, but I wouldn't hold my breath if I were a Tigers fan.

4. Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays kept their magical run going by pouncing on the Rangers 9-0 during Game 1, giving them home-field advantage for the remainder of the series.

With David Price set to take the mound for Game 3 on Monday night, the Rays stand a good chance of taking a 2-1 series lead before rookie Matt Moore gets a chance to close out the series.

Surprisingly, the Rays' have received production from up and down their lineup, with Kelly Shoppach and Johnny Damon leading their surge of 15 runs through the series' first two games.

If the Rays can stay even keeled, everything is lined up for them to coast into the ALCS.

3. Philadelphia Phillies

I'm not sure what to make of Cliff Lee's poor performance during Game 2 of the NLDS against the Cardinals, but Roy Halladay settled down nicely after a rough first inning in Game 1.

In both cases,  it was a good thing the Phillies' flaccid offense showed up for 16 runs over the two games.

Ryan Howard leads the team with six RBI, but the big surprise has been Raul Ibanez, who is hitting .375 with four RBI so far.

With Cole Hamels, Halladay and Lee in line to start the next three games (if necessary), I have to like the Phillies chances of advancing to the NLCS, regardless of the fact two games will be in St. Louis.

2. New York Yankees

The New York Yankees could have been put at a disadvantage after Game 1 was postponed in the second inning due to rain. With CC Sabathia leading an otherwise group of youngsters and misfits in the Yankees' rotation, it didn't bode well to lose him until Game 3.

The Yanks had other ideas, and led by young pitcher Ivan Nova, they pounded the Tigers 9-3 in Game 1. Robinson Cano led the offense with a grand slam and six RBI.

New York dropped Game 2 to let the series fall to 1-1, but they should be very confident with CC coming back for Game 3. Considering the way Nova pitched in his first playoff start, there is reason to believe in him this October as well.

1. Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers spent the weekend making the Arizona Diamondbacks look like pretenders and proving that they themselves are for real.

The Brewers jumped out to a 2-0 series lead before heading to Arizona for Game 3 on Tuesday. 

Led by their two-headed monster of Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun—who've combined to go 9-for-16 with six runs, six RBI and two home runs—the Brewers appear poised to coast through the NLDS to await a match up with the Phillies or Cardinals in the NLCS.

Yovani Gallardo pitched a gem for the Crew in Game 1, and don't discount Game 2 starter Zack Greinke, who wasn't at the top of his game after making his second consecutive start on three days rest.

Jeffrey Beckmann is a MLB Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow Jeffrey on his new  Twitter account for all of his latest work. You can also hear him each Friday at 1 p.m. EST on B/R Baseball Roundtable.