Monday, July 12th -

The Power Rankings was on a vacation hiatus last week and took a week off from an update. But we’re back for Week 15 just in time for the All-Star break. This season marks the first time in the history of baseball’s 6-division format that no division has a leader of 5 games or more before the break. League competitiveness and parity is greater than it ever has been. Here is how we rank each team, 1-30, going into the midseason All-Star break.

This Power Rankings takes into account season performance thus far, but also accounts for expected future performance and reasons for past performance (such as a major injury, etc). Therefore, current team records won’t always correspond with a team’s spot in the rankings. Like always, debate is encouraged. Here is the Week 15 MLB Power Rankings, with Last Week’s Rank in parentheses:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

1. (1) New York Yankees, 56-32 - The Yankees missed out on an opportunity to add the AL’s leading Cy Young candidate to their rotation when their trade stalled for Cliff Lee. But that would have just been extra insurance; New York is still the best team in baseball. The breakout performances of Brett Gardner and Phil Hughes have this team loaded in every phase of the game. Mark Teixeira is starting to come around and C.C. Sabathia has won 8 straight starts. At this point, the only concern is Joba Chamberlain’s huge drop-off in performance, as he sports a 5.79 ERA and 1.50 WHIP at the break and continues to frustrate fans with his great stuff but awful command.

2. (4) Tampa Bay Rays, 54-34 - No surprise here that the Rays have established themselves as the second best team in baseball. They are heading into the All-Star break just as they started off the first month of the season: on a serious tear. The Rays have won 11 of their last 15 games and look primed to be serious contenders. This team has almost no flaws, yet still has room for improvement. Jason Bartlett, BJ Upton, and Carlos Pena, all of whom have been an All-Star in the past two seasons, are hitting under .240. Tampa Bay has stolen 30 more bases than the next highest team.

3. (2) Atlanta Braves, 52-36 - The Braves are without question my team to beat in the National League. Not enough can be said about the value of five solid, consistent starting pitchers that give them a good chance to win every night. There are questions about whether this team is built for the postseason, but they have established themselves as the best team in the NL during the regular season. They are 4th in baseball in both team ERA and OBP. Martin Prado has 13 more hits than any NL player.

4. (5) Texas Rangers, 50-38 - The recent addition of ace starter Cliff Lee immediately makes this team a legitimate contender for a championship. Oddly enough, they are in the biggest funk of their season right now, having lost 8 of their last 11 games including a 4-game home sweep at the hands of the last-place ORIOLES to end their first half! Josh Hamilton is in the top 4 of the AL in hits, average, home runs, RBI, OBP, slugging, OPS, and total bases. There are several worthy candidates, but he’s the frontrunner for AL MVP.

5. (3) Boston Red Sox, 51-37 - I, like everyone else, was worried that the huge pile of injuries would quickly start to catch up to the Red Sox. That’s exactly what has happened, as Boston stumbles into the break on a 5-9 slide. They still have a top-5 record in baseball and will be dangerous as they start to get healthy. The Sox have the highest slugging percentage and 2nd highest on-base percentage in all of baseball.

6. (18) Colorado Rockies, 49-39 - Two weeks ago, I had Colorado in the muddled middle of the rankings just like several of their division competitors. But given their recent history, and current hot streak, I’m ready to claim the Rockies as my darkhorse team for the second half. I expect them to win the NL West. They come into the break on a 10-3 streak, including several heroic comeback efforts in the 8th and 9th innings to lead to wins. Carlos Gonzalez is blossoming into a 5-tool superstar in center field right before our eyes. He gets better every day, and is a huge spark at the top of this lineup that can do everything on the field for this team.

7. (6) St. Louis Cardinals, 47-41 - The Cardinals had a very unimpressive first half, but still find themselves just a game back of first place and ready to strike at any moment. They are always in safe hands with Wainwright and Carpenter leading the staff, and Pujols and Holliday in the middle of the order. Their 7-15 record against the NL West has been killer.

8. (13) Chicago White Sox, 49-38 - The hottest team in baseball 2 weeks ago is back at it again. The White Sox head into the All-Star break on ANOTHER 8-game winning streak. Their turnaround from near cellar-dwellers to confident division-leaders came out of nowhere but might be here to stay. I’m ready to buy into them as second-half division favorites, though the Twins will bounce back and make for a close race. We knew all along that this team had talent in all phases, and a manager that could ignite a spark, but they were plagued by awful inconsistency and some underperforming hitters. They’ve gotten it together and now look like a force to be reckoned with, though the season-ending injury to starter Jake Peavy is a big loss.

9. (10) Cincinnati Reds, 49-41 - I’m still not ready to claim the Reds as the favorites in the NL Central, but it’s certainly neck and neck with the Cards. They currently sit a game up and sport the midseason NL MVP in Joey Votto. Their star first baseman leads the NL in home runs and OPS. As has been the case all season, the starting rotation will determine how good this team can be.

10. (12) Philadelphia Phillies, 47-40 - The Phillies are finally playing some good baseball, and are primed to make a run in the second half. I still think the Braves are in as good shape as any team in the NL, but don’t sleep on the Phillies being major players in the second half race. The Wildcard race in the National League is going to be fun to watch. Jimmy Rollins has been hot since he returned from the DL.

11. (8) San Diego Padres, 51-37 - The Padres still have a 2-game lead in the NL West, and undoubtedly were the surprise team of the first half of the season. As you can see, though, I’ve never really bought into them as serious contenders. That could all change with the addition of a big bat, but until then I’m not sure that they have enough offensive firepower to win this division. They sport the best team ERA in baseball, including having 4 starters with an ERA under 4.00 and the league leader in saves (Heath Bell). Their pitching continues to carry them thus far.

12. (9) San Francisco Giants, 47-41 - The Giants are not making positive progress in the standings and have to be worried about their competition that is doing so. They still are built to be a contender in the second half with their deep rotation. Since being inserted as the full-time starting catcher, Buster Posey has been the hottest hitter in baseball. The 23-year-old is batting .567 with a 1.820 OPS in his past 8 games, including 5 HR, 13 RBI, and just 2 strikeouts. He’s already their best hitter. Aubrey Huff leads the team in every major offensive category.

13. (11) New York Mets, 48-40 - The Mets are one of the darkhorse teams to make a run in the second half. They have 4 dependable starting pitchers, a versatile lineup, the reliable closer Francisco Rodriguez, and Carlos Beltran is ready to rejoin the lineup as soon as the team returns from the break. Except New York to be in heavy pursuit of Roy Oswalt or another starter at the trade deadline to add one more consistent pitcher to the rotation. Ike Davis has quickly developed into a dependable cleanup hitter. The disappointing season of Jason Bay has definitely held back the production of this lineup, and few teams are scared of their starting pitching, as consistent as it has been the past 2 months.

14. (7) Minnesota Twins, 46-42 - Wow how Minnesota has fallen fast. The Twins were cruising for much of the first half of the season as clear frontrunners of the AL Central, but are now in the midst of a major slide. Coinciding with the Twins’ struggles are the major hot streaks of the Tigers and, especially, the White Sox. I still think they will make some noise in the second half and challenge for the division lead, but I don’t think they’re a top-10 team the rest of the way. Justin Morneau suffered a concussion on Wednesday, and he has a history with major head injuries.

15. (15) Los Angeles Dodgers, 49-39 - The NL West race is going to be something special. The Dodgers feel they have just as good a chance as anyone in that division, and sit just 2 games back of the Padres. With Furcal, Kemp, Ethier, Manny, and Loney, this team is stacked at the top of the lineup. Hong-Chih Kuo is a deserving late addition to the All-Star team. He has a 0.99 ERA and 0.77 WHIP out of the bullpen and is the most dominant lefty reliever in baseball this season. Still, though, the overall inconsistency of the team holds them back. It seems as soon as one hitter gets hot, someone else goes into a funk.

16. (16) Detroit Tigers, 48-38 - At 32-13, the Tigers have the best home record in the American League. They have the 3rd highest OBP in baseball. Miguel Cabrera is a top-3 MVP candidate and continues to carry their run production, while they have an All-Star starter (Verlander) and closer (Valverde). The pieces are there to make a run, but they need more starting pitching help and a little more consistency in the lineup. Having their pre-season #2 starter currently in the minor leagues sums up how unpredictable their pitching has been after Justin Verlander.

17. (14) Toronto Blue Jays, 44-45 - Toronto is under .500 for the first time all season, and we can officially say that their hot start was a fluke. I was wrong about this team being a potential contender. Their lineup is way too one-dimensional, and their overall pitching staff is below average. They have the slugging ability to beat any team on a given night, but they are too hit-or-miss on a nightly basis and often times fail to beat teams that they should. Jose Bautista has come out of nowhere to lead all of baseball with 24 HR. As a team, they have slugged 18 more home runs than anyone else, yet are 28th in baseball in on-base percentage.

18. (17) Los Angeles Angels, 47-44 - The Angels won just 3 of their last 12 games heading into the break. They continue to hit well and get solid pitching from Jered Weaver and Joel Pineiro, but Joe Saunders and Scott Kazmir have been disappointing. There’s just not likely going to be enough on this roster to make a run at the Rangers, especially if their starting rotation is unable to stay consistent.

19. (20) Florida Marlins, 42-46 - I think that the Marlins really do suffer from their infamous lack of attendance at their home games. They are the only National League team that has a better road record than home record. Maybe the Miami Heat’s acquisition LeBron James (to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh) can spark some newfound interest in the team. Their ace Josh Johnson has quietly had an unbelievable season. I think he is 1A to Ubaldo Jimenez’s number 1 candidacy for NL Cy Young. Johnson sports a 1.70 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and .203 batting average against, just phenomenal numbers.

20. (19) Oakland Athletics, 43-46 - The A’s have hit the fewest home runs in baseball and are constantly searching for runs. Only the Rays and Yankees have lower team ERA’s than the Athletics in the American League. Trevor Cahill is a 8-1 with a 2.49 ERA in his last 11 starts and was a worthy All-Star addition. But they don’t have any one single dominant starter, and the inability to consistently score runs hurts their candidacy as contenders.

21. (23) Washington Nationals, 39-50 - The Washington rotation has a bright future, led by the phenom Stephen Strasburg, but this lineup needs to find its identity going forward. Will Adam Dunn be a part of this team’s future? Is 30-year-old Nyjer Morgan the leadoff hitter of the future? The only guarantees on the team are the left side of the infield, with franchise 3B Ryan Zimmerman and young developing SS Ian Desmond.

22. (21) Chicago Cubs, 39-50 - Cubs fans will have to wait another year to get excited about a chance for a championship. Aramis Ramirez has 4 home runs in the past week to show that he is still alive, but he needs to have a monster second half to make up for his terrible start to the season. Center fielder Marlon Byrd is the team’s lone All-Star, and he has been a solid player in all phases. Still, it says something when Marlon Byrd is your #3 hitter and lone All-Star.

23. (27) Houston Astros, 36-53 - The Astros are much improved from their awful start to the season. Lance Berkman’s resurgence gives them some credibility in the lineup, and they have have a solid defensive team. Their 1-2 punch of Roy Oswalt and Wandy Rodriguez is not what they expected. Oswalt is likely to be traded soon, and Rodriguez has 11 losses before the All-Star break! Houston is a notorious second-half surge team, but there’s no chance that they have enough to make a run at the playoffs.

24. (24) Milwaukee Brewers, 40-49 - The Brewers are 4-14 against the NL East and get nothing from their starting rotation after Cy Young candidate Yovani Gallardo. Ryan Braun is their leading hitter, and he’s at .292. Corey Hart is having a monster slugging season, with 21 HR and 65 RBI. Prince Fielder has come on of late but is still hitting just .265. They don’t have enough slugging to overcome their atrocious pitching staff.

25. (26) Kansas City Royals, 39-49 - The Royals continue to lead all of baseball with a .282 team average. They put the ball in play, that’s for sure. Unfortunately, they don’t do all that much with it, with a slugging percentage in the lower half of the league. They also have the 2nd worst team ERA in the AL. Kansas City continues to struggle and look for a team identity.

26. (25) Arizona Diamondbacks, 34-55 - Arizona has the worst team ERA in baseball, at 5.27. That’s really all there is to say. They have some nice young sluggers, but their strikeout rate is the highest in the NL. Their overall lack of discipline and consistency has spoiled any shot of a fun, young winning ballclub.

27. (22) Seattle Mariners, 35-53 - The trading away of Cliff Lee officially signifies this season as a major failure for the Mariners. They have conceded this year as a disappointment and will look to a new strategy to find wins. The pitching and defense M.O. does not get it done when you can’t hit a lick. They will definitely hold onto franchise ace Felix Hernandez, who is hotter than any starter in the AL. His overall numbers are starting to look like the Cy Young candidate we all expected; 2.88 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 131 strikeouts, and 4 complete games.

28. (28) Cleveland Indians, 34-54 - 3rd worst team ERA in the AL, 2nd worst team slugging percentage in the AL. All-around this team struggles to compete and is hard to watch sometimes. However, they’re still in better shape than the Cavaliers and their fans. I guess they can build on that.

29. (30) Baltimore Orioles, 29-59 - The O’s are finally out of the rankings cellar, riding a 4-game win streak into the break and showing some signs of life. They still have the worst record in baseball but are creeping up on the Pirates, D’Backs, and Indians. They still don’t have a single starting pitcher who is any good.

30. (29) Pittsburgh Pirates, 30-58 - The Pirates have lost 6 in a row are now dangerously close to the worst record in baseball, just 1 game ahead of the Orioles. They’ve already passed by Baltimore for last place in my Power Rankings, as the O’s have at least shown signs of life after their horrific start. Pittsburgh, though, has the worst pitching staff in baseball and no hope to outscore opponents, either, for wins. Their -194 run differential is over 50 runs worse than the Orioles.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

BIGGEST RISERS -
Colorado Rockies (Currently 6th, up 12 from last update)
Chicago White Sox (8th, up 5)
Houston Astros (23rd, up 4)

BIGGEST FALLERS -
Minnesota Twins (Currently 14th, down 7 from last update)
Seattle Mariners (27th, down 5)

Disagree with any of these rankings? Drop a comment and let me know. Be on the lookout for a new update every Monday.