Throughout the 2014 regular season, some teams will shine and some will falter. Power Rankings will identify who has been moving upwards and who may be hitting a cold spell.
In this week, the team with the best record moved back up but the chances they maintain their spot on the top of the mountain may have hit some unlucky circumstances. Some teams that dealt with offseason injuries remain relevant and many projected contenders are still putting together a strong showing towards the end of the first month of the season.
1. Milwaukee Brewers (Last week: 9) This week: 5-1 record
The Brewers received some major power from Ryan Braun throughout the season but the biggest swing of the week severely hurt the Brewers instead. While Braun was preparing for an inning that he was coming up in against the Chicago Cubs, he would break a cardinal rule of baseball at any level: don’t swing your bat near the dugout. He would injure teammate Jean Segura as a result of this but if this is not a long-term injury, the chances of the Brewers staying atop the National League Central are that much better.
2. Oakland Athletics (Last week: 3) This week: 3-4 record
Third baseman Josh Donaldson and first baseman Brandon Moss are looking to prove that last season was not a fluke and this week was a good representation of what these two infielders can do. Donaldson contributed four home runs this week. Brandon Moss contributed the expected power. Despite getting swept by the Texas Rangers, the A’s remain atop the West right along side the Rangers in what is expected to be a clash for the span of the 2014 season.
3. Atlanta Braves (Last week: 1) This week: 4-2 record
When pitchers like Julio Teheran, Aaron Harang and Alex Wood are pitching the way they have this season, you may take some strikeouts on offense knowing the bats will find a way to put the runs on the board that they need to win games. Alex Wood was a hard-luck loser this week, allowing one in eight innings on a loss but batters like Freddie Freeman and Justin Upton have been contributing enough to give them a solid hold on the National League East.
4. San Francisco Giants (Last week: --) This week: 4-2 record
While the Giants did not make many serious big acquisitions this offseason, names like Mike Morse and Tim Hudson are living up to every dime invested in them and they have provided the Giants with what they were missing, power and leadership. Before this season, I don’t think the Giants were ever expected to hit six home runs in a single game. It was in Colorado where the pitching isn’t great and the elevation is tremendous but they needed all the home runs in a 12-10 win over the Rockies. Add in Hunter Pence’s consistency and the Giants lead the National League West.
5. Texas Rangers (Last week: 2) This week: 4-2 record
Despite the success of sweeping their division rival’s, the A’s, the Rangers ran into the newcomer Jose Abreu, who helped the White Sox put up 16 runs on the Rangers. The Rangers split their two game series with the White Sox but split their games with the Mariners as well. Martin Perez continued to have an outstanding season, throwing a shutout against the A’s during their series. Offseason acquisitions like Prince Fielder and Michael Choice have started to pay off with each passing week. Adrian Beltre returned to the team and will help strengthen this lineup as they continue contending in the American League.
6. Washington Nationals (Last week: --) This week: 4-3 record
Despite being on the wrong end of a milestone home run, the Nationals took the series when visiting the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals. They would lose two out of three with the Angels in interleague but won their games with the San Diego Padres. Starter Tanner Roark wasn’t expected to be in the rotation this season but when the opportunity presented itself, Roark ran with it and may not let it go. After 6.2 scoreless against the Angels, Roark briefly teased a no-hitter but settled with a three-hit shutout of the San Diego Padres. While names like Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez will be the brand names, expect Roark to be a effective presence for the division-contending Nationals.
7. New York Yankees (Last week: --) This week: 4-2 record
The Yankees would escape with a series win in Tampa but it came at a cost. Losing Ivan Nova to Tommy John surgery weakens the strong pitching rotation. The Yankees would also take the series in Boston but another shorter cost was paid. The ejection of Michael Pineda and subsequent suspension may play a factor in the strength of the Yankees in coming weeks but offseason acquisitions, Carlos Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury and Masahiro Tanaka have been paying immediate dividends to the first place team in the American League East.
8. St. Louis Cardinals (Last week: 4) This week: 2-5 record
The defending National League champions are not the offensive force from top to bottom that they were last season but Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina in the middle of the lineup are producing runs to assist starters Adam Wainwright and Shelby Miller. Losing the series of the week explain their dip in the rankings but expect them to remain relevant throughout the season.
9. Los Angeles Dodgers (Last week: 8) This week: 3-4 record
Adrian Gonzalez is a model of consistency no matter what uniform he wears. Yasiel Puig, while not a model of consistency, he is a productive member of the second place Dodgers as they try to contend for the West against the rival Giants. Despite losing three out of four to the visiting Philadelphia Phillies, the Dodgers did take the series with the Diamondbacks and have a chance at winning the series with the Rockies. The Dodgers are the biggest threats to the NL West-leading Giants.
10. Colorado Rockies (Last week: 10) This week: 3-3 record
The offensive powerhouse of the National League; the Colorado Rockies put up some tremendous amounts of runs that would get a good pitching staff plenty of wins. Unfortunately for the likes of Troy Tulowitzki and batting leader Charlie Blackmon, the pitching has given up the second most runs in the National League. Remaining in the middle of the pack in the West, clearly it shows that offense alone can make a team relevant, but not necessarily the top dog.
