2014 MLB Power Rankings Week 9

Boy is it hot in this room. I can tell just by the heat we are well into the season. This is great weather for baseball. I truly have no clue how June is here already. I think the simple fact that the calendar has flipped to June and I have yet to attend a baseball game, pro or minor league, speaks poorly of my fandom. I need to rectify that and soon. Don't worry baseball, I'm coming. But for now I'm going to sit here in this stifling hot room and rank all thirty teams like I do every Monday. Enjoy. And don't forget to tell me how good or bad this list is. Truly. I mean it. Tell me. It lets me know you're out there.

*Note ~ As always all stats and records are through Sunday's games.

1. San Francisco Giants (37-20) ~ Michael Morse has found a home by the Bay. He is currently leading the Giants in home runs (11), RBI (38) and OPS (.925). This team has a great mix of offense and pitching this year and nobody saw it coming. (Last Week's Ranking 1)

2. Oakland A's (35-22) ~ Just when things were getting tight in the American League West division the A's flexed their muscle and swept the Los Angeles Angels right out of Oakland taking down their nemesis Jered Weaver on Sunday. (LWR 2)

3. Detroit Tigers (31-22) ~ Justin Verlander has been knocked around a bit of late giving up at least three earned runs (including a home run) in each of his last four starts. The fact that his next start is against the home run bashing Toronto Blue Jays could spell trouble. (LWR 3)

4. Milwaukee Brewers (34-23) ~ Carlos Gomez is officially a star. The enigmatic outfielder is slashing .313/.390/.572 while continuing to play gold glove calibur defense. Oh, and he is always a threat to steal with 88 thieveries in his last 334 games (just slightly over two full seasons).

5. Toronto Blue Jays (34-24) ~ Could this year's Jays be the team most pundits (and myself) picked to win the AL East last year? Recent results would say yes. No team has been hotter than Toronto since the calendar flipped to May and no player has been hotter than Edwin Encarnacion who tied Mickey Mantle's AL record for home runs hit in the month of May with 16. (LWR 12)

6. Los Angeles Angels (30-26) ~ Josh Hamilton is set to be activated from the disabled list tomorrow. The Angels are hoping the slugger can pick up right where he left off as he was hitting .444 when he was placed on the DL after the first week of the season. (LWR 5)

7. Atlanta Braves (31-25) ~ The week started poorly as the Braves were swept by the Boston Red Sox in a four-game set to fall into a tie for first placed in the National League East with the Miami Marlins. Atlanta then swept the Marlins in Miami to re-open a cushion in the division. (LWR 7)

8. Los Angeles Dodgers (30-28) ~ I am a huge fan of Yasiel Puig. There doesn't seem to be anything the kid can't do. But, in reality, there is. In his young career Puig is only 16-for-28 in stolen base attempts. He has the wheels but he needs to learn the art of stealing a base. Speed will only take you so far. (LWR 9)

9. Colorado Rockies (28-28) ~ Colorado looks like a different team when they play away from Coors Field. They have the best home record in baseball at 16-7 and are kicking off a 10-game homestand this week. (LWR 6)

10. St. Louis Cardinals (30-27) ~ Top prospect Oscar Tavares homered in his first game as a pro this weekend. There really can't be a better feeling than that. (LWR 8)

11. New York Yankees (29-26) ~ Right now the Yankees are Masahiro Tanaka and not a whole lot else. Lucky for them the majority of the AL East, save Toronto, is also struggling. (LWR 13)

12. Miami Marlins (28-28) ~ The Marlins had the Braves right where they wanted them: at home where they are tough to beat for a three-game set tied for first in the division. It didn't quite work out how they had planned. (LWR 11)

13. Baltimore Orioles (28-27) ~ All Nelson Cruz has done since I mentioned him last week was raise his average from .295 to .314, slug four more home runs and drive in seven runs. Not a bad week. Not bad at all. (LWR 10)

14. Washington Nationals (27-28) ~ Ian Desmond may be leading the team in home runs (10) and RBI (32) but his average (.226) and OBP (.292) are below his career averages of .269 and .315. Mediocrity thy name is Washington. (LWR 14)

15. Cincinnati Reds (26-29) ~ The Reds could really use their anchor Joey Votto and his .410 OBP back in the lineup. Lucky for them he is going out on a rehab assignment this week and could return shortly thereafter. (LWR 16)

16. Texas Rangers (29-28) ~ Yu Darvish was his dominant self yesterday striking out 12 Nats' batters while going eight scoreless innings on the road. (LWR 17)

17. Chicago White Sox (29-29) ~ Chris Sale has been remarkable since coming off of the disabled list and now the Sox get Jose Abreu back as well. There's reason to watch baseball on the south side of Chicago once more. (LWR 19)

18. Seattle Mariners (28-28) ~ If you asked me before the season started who would have the better record at the end of the year: Seattle or Texas, I would have said Texas. Ask me that now and see if my answer has changed. (LWR 18)

19. Boston Red Sox (27-29) ~ It seems all the Red Sox needed to snap out of their 10-game losing streak was to play the Braves. Boston is 20-8 against Atlanta since 2004. (LWR 21)

20. Kansas City Royals (26-30) ~ Billy Butler was thrown out at first after lining what looked like a single to right field. Jose Bautista had other thoughts. (LWR 15)

21. Minnesota Twins (26-28) ~ Josh Willingham came off the disabled list last week and has a five-game hitting streak to go along with a four-game RBI streak with three homers in that stretch. Rust? Willingham laughs at rust. (LWR 22)

22. New York Mets (27-29) ~ The Mets have played three consecutive extra inning games in Philadelphia winning the last two. I think it's safe to say they are hoping for a solid outing from their starters in the next two games to give the bullpen a rest. (LWR 23)

23. Cleveland Indians (27-30) ~ Michael Bourn capped off the series sweep of the Rockies with a walk-off home run. That's right. Michael Bourn with a walk-off home run. (LWR 24)

24. Pittsburgh Pirates (26-30) ~ I really feel like Randy Quaid needs to sit in the outfield bleachers at PNC Park and yell "We Stink Again!" as loudly as possible. Maybe put some duck tape over his team shirt. (LWR 25)

25. Philadelphia Phillies (24-30) ~ Did you hear there was free baseball this weekend in Philly? Too bad nobody wanted to see it. (LWR 26)

26. San Diego Padres (26-31) ~ San Diego: still the lowest scoring team in all of baseball. (LWR 27)

27. Tampa Bay Rays (23-34) ~ Tampa is in the midst of a six-game losing streak, placed Wil Myers on the disabled list and now have the worst record in the AL. That's what those in the business call a bad week. (LWR 20)

28. Houston Astros (24-34) ~ Last week they were on a seven-game winning streak and I didn't even know until it ended. I'm sorry Houston. Enjoy the two spot bump this week for your efforts. (LWR 30)

29. Arizona Diamondbacks (23-36) ~ Remember Mark Trumbo? He's been on the disabled list since late April and isn't expected back for another three weeks. That's just how things seem to be going out in the desert this year. (LWR 28)

30. Chicago Cubs (20-34) ~ Rumor on the street is that Jeff Samardzija may be on the move much earlier than the trade deadline. (LWR 29)