MLB Power Rankings: Week 2

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Baseball’s back, alright!

After a week of the best sport on earth, there’s already a new No. 1 in my power rankings. The Tigers played some of the league’s best ball while the inaugural No. 1, the Cardinals, failed to make any type of statement.

The Atlanta Braves made the biggest jump as they moved up eight spots. That’s what good pitching will do for you.

And the Arizona Diamondbacks just gave up three more runs.

Here are my MLB Power Rankings for Week 2 of the MLB season.

1. Detroit Tigers (4-1) (Up 1): Waited until Sunday to lose their first game and Torii Hunter already has three home runs.

2. St. Louis Cardinals (3-3) (Down 1): Going .500 against two playoff teams from last year is nothing to hang your head about.

3. San Francisco Giants (5-2) (Up 7): First in Major League Baseball in runs scored. They deserve a big bump.

4. Washington Nationals (4-2) (Up 1): The Nats had a hard time scoring runs against the Braves, but their pitching staff kept them in every ball game.

5. Tampa Bay Rays (4-3) (Up 3): Evan Longoria is off to a quick start. Now all he has to do is stay healthy.

6. Atlanta Braves (4-2) (Up 8): The biggest jump this week goes to the Braves, who have held opponents to only nine runs in six games.

7. Los Angeles Dodgers (5-3) (Down 1): Yasiel Puig misses a start because he’s late and then gets hurt. The kid needs to grow up. And who knows how long Clayton Kershaw will remain sidelined. It’s a bit to0 early to fret, though.

8. Boston Red Sox (2-4) (Down 5): Getting swept the by the Brewers at Fenway is embarrassing.

9. Oakland Athletics (3-3) (Down 1): Six games at home and only three wins. Not ideal.

10. Pittsburgh Pirates (4-2) (Up 1): Took two of three from one of the best teams in baseball (St. Louis).

11. New York Yankees (3-3) (Down 2): Probably don’t deserve to drop two spots, but it is what it is. The Yanks can use my power rankings as motivation.

12. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2-4) (Down 6): The good news is that Josh Hamilton is swinging the bat well. The bad news is that they got swept by the Mariners at home.

13. Milwaukee Brewers (4-2) (Up 3): Starting pitching has been sensational, but Ryan Braun‘s thumb injury is worrisome.

14. Cleveland Indians (3-3) (Down 1): Have given up more runs than they’ve scored.

15. Cincinnati Reds (2-4) (No change): Only 15 runs scored in 54 innings. I still don’t think they addressed enough of their needs in the offseason.

16. Kansas City Royals (2-3) (Down 4): They have the fourth-lowest isolated power in the majors and are one of two teams that are without a home run.

17. Texas Rangers (3-3) (No change): Where’s the real Prince Fielder?

18.  Seattle Mariners (4-2) (Up 1): King Felix gave them two wins. Can he pitch every day?

19. Toronto Blue Jays (3-4) (Up 2): Melky Cabrera has three home runs. Steroids? I’m joking. Relax.

20. Baltimore Orioles (2-4) (Down 2): Bottom of the pack in almost every offensive category so far.

21. Colorado Rockies (3-4) (Up 1): 39 runs scored is the second most in baseball…but is so 38 runs allowed.

22. San Diego Padres (2-4) (Down 2): Dead last in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging.

23. Philadelphia Phillies (3-3) (Up 1): Chase Utley is batting .458 with two home runs. Too bad he can’t save the club from being terrible.

24. Miami Marlins (5-2) (Up 5): Could the Marlins surprise us all this year?

25. Chicago White Sox (3-3) (Up 2): Paul Konerko is still alive?

26. New York Mets (2-4) (Down 1): Remember when the Mets wanted Ike Davis out of New York? Wonder if his walk-off grand slam changed their minds.

27. Arizona Diamondbacks (2-7) (Down 4): Has the pitching coach been fired yet?

28. Minnesota Twins (3-3) (Down 2): Name one position player on the Twins not named Joe Mauer. I dare you.

29. Houston Astros (3-3) (Up 1): They took the series from the Yankees. They deserve a tiny boost.

30. Chicago Cubs (2-4) (Down 2): They weren’t terrible this week, they just have no bright side this season.