2012 MLB Power Rankings: Top 10 Teams thru April 20

2012 MLB Power Rankings: Top 10 Teams Thru April 20: The 2012 MLB season is only a few weeks old, but it is never too early to start seeing how teams stack up. After all, who would have thought that Albert Pujols would be homerless and the Angles would be in last place in the AL West? More importantly, who would have thought Bartolo Colon would be 3-0 and set a MLB record by throwing 38 consecutive strikes? Early season surprises can often have long-term ramifications, and the first installment of Power Rankings features both some familiar faces and unexpected teams at the top.

1.      Texas Rangers (11-2): The two-time defending AL champs are off to a blazing start. Texas has one of the best lineups in baseball, and Josh Hamilton, Mike Napoli, Michael Young and the rest of the gang have come out of the gate swinging. The Rangers have the best batting average in baseball and are second the majors in home runs and in runs scored. There pitching staff is currently second in ERA, as well. With a deep rotation and a loaded lineup, Texas is looking like the best time in the American League.

2.      Los Angeles Dodgers (11-3): How good is Matt Kemp? He single handedly makes the Los Angeles lineup dangerous, and with Andre Ethier healthy and a full season of Dee Gordon at the top of the lineup, Kemp should have even more opportunities to drive in runs. The rotation features defending Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, and with arguably the best pitcher and player in the NL on their roster, the Dodgers fast start is no fluke.

3.      Detroit Tigers (9-4): As expected, Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera have been providing most of the offense for the Tigers, and Justin Verlander has been the workhorse at the top of the rotation. Detroit really doesn’t have a lot of depth, but armed with three of the biggest stars in the AL, it is no surprise that the Tigers are sitting atop a weak Central Division. Barring an injury to one of its key players, Detroit should be a factor all season long.

4.      St. Louis Cardinals (10-4): Life without Albert Pujols has been surprisingly easy for St. Louis. Despite a banged up rotation, the Cardinals look every bit the team that won the World Series last year. Carlos Beltran is hitting the ball like he did in his prime, Rafael Furcal looks rejuvenated, and David Freese’s bat has never cooled off from the postseason. The front office always seems to make the right moves, and this team should only get better as its pitching gets healthy.

5.      Washington Nationals (11-4): Bryce Harper may be the future, but the Nationals are contenders right now. With a healthy Stephen Strasburg leading a group of starters that also features Gio Gonzalez, Edwin Jackson and Jordan Zimmerman, Washington has one of the best rotations in the National League. A lack of consistent offense is a concern, but as long as the pitching holds up, the Nationals won’t have to score a ton of runs to win games.

6.      Atlanta Braves (9-5): Atlanta’s pitching was a mess the opening week, but a surprisingly potent offense has helped masked the issue. The Braves are leading the majors in runs scored this season, and after opening the season with four straight losses, a 9-1 stretch has powered Atlanta back into contention. The pitching is already starting to come around, and with a lineup that features young talents like Jason Heyward, Brian McCann and Freddie Freeman, along with the speedy Michael Bourn and the powerful Dan Uggla, it is no surprise to see the Braves turning into an offensive juggernaut.

7.      New York Yankees (8-6): It’s funny how all the offseason changes have done little to change to Yankees. The pitching is still inconsistent, and the lineup is still loaded. New York is leading the majors in home runs, and its pitching staff has an ERA above 4.00. The front office can make all the trades it wants, but in that ballpark, the Yankees are going to have to outslug opponents all season long. That being said, they have the bats to do just that.

8.      Baltimore Orioles (8-5): While we all know the Orioles will eventually fade into last place in the AL East, they deserve a little credit for another fast start. Baltimore’s pitching is definitely improved, especially the starting rotation, and Adam Jones’ emergence as a true star has helped the lineup. The Orioles don’t have the financial means or firepower to compete with New York, Boston and Tampa Bay over the long haul, but they do have enough talent to play spoiler down the stretch to somebody’s playoff hopes.

9.      San Francisco Giants (7-6): Tim Lincecum’s horrendous start to the year is cause for concern, but since Matt Cain is pitching like an ace and Barry Zito apparently thinks it is 2002, the rotation isn’t doomed. More importantly, a healthy Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey have provided a much-needed boost to a Giants’ offense that struggled to score last season. The Giants have won three straight games after a rocky start, and assuming Lincecum comes around before Zito falls off, San Francisco should be fine long term.

10.  Cincinnati Reds (6-8): Perhaps no team outside of Boston has been as big of a disappointment as Cincinnati to start the year. The Reds have been a mess on offense, and Mat Latos has been a huge bust as the team’s big offseason acquisition. Still, seven of the eight losses have come to division leaders St. Louis and Washington, and a lineup that features Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce is too good not to start scoring some runs. The bigger question for the Reds is what they are going to do with Aroldis Chapman. The flame thrower is being wasted as a middle reliever.

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