MLB Power Rankings: Week 5

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

This week saw a handful of teams plummet down the rankings and others skyrocket upwards. Only two teams have been winning at a consistent basis this season — the Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers. The rest of Major League Baseball has fluctuated more than Jessica Simpson’s weight.

For the fifth consecutive week, I have a new No. 1 team atop my rankings in the Braves, and with the Miami Marlins coming up on their schedule, I think they’ll remain there next week as well.

Let’s take a look at my power rankings. Disagree? Bring it.

1. Atlanta Braves (17-7) (Up 2): The Braves pitching staff is insane. It’s impossible to score on them.

2. Milwaukee Brewers (18-7) (No change): Aside from Ryan Braun striking Jean Segura in the face with a bat, it was a good week for the Crew as they took two of three from both the Padres and Cubs.

3. Texas Rangers (15-10) (Up 6): Yes, they dropped the series to the Mariners, but Prince Fielder is starting to wake up. And they’ve won 9 of 12.

4. San Francisco Giants (15-10) (Up 3): Four-game winning streak with the lowly Padres coming to town.

5. Oakland Athletics (15-10) (Down 4): Texas teams weren’t too friendly to the A’s this week. Oakland got swept by the Rangers and lost two in Houston.

6. New York Yankees (15-10) (Up 4): Masashiro Tanaka. Enough said. Michael Pineda. Idiot.

7. Detroit Tigers (12-9) (Down 1): Losing an arm like Anibal Sanchez to the 15-day DL hurts. They’re already 19th in team ERA.

8. Los Angeles Dodgers (14-12) (Down 4): Clayton Kershaw, where art thou?

9. St. Louis Cardinals (14-12) (Down 4): 23rd in batting average, 2oth in OBP and 28th on slugging. If it wasn’t for their pitching, they’d be at the bottom of the NL Central.

10. Washington Nationals (14-12) (Down 2): I like what I’ve been seeing from Trevor Roark.

11. Kansas City Royals (12-12) (No change): If they had some freaking offense, they’d actually be a threat. I’m keeping them top 15 for at least another week.

12. Boston Red Sox (12-14) (No change): Grady Sizemore is barely hitting over .200. How long can John Farrell keep putting him out there?

13. New York Mets (14-11) (Up 10): The Mets made the biggest jump this week. They took three of four from the Cardinals behind some fantastic pitching.

14. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (11-13) (Up 4): Congrats to Albert Pujols for hitting career home run No. 500.

15. Baltimore Orioles (12-12) (Up 1): There’s a chance Manny Machado could come back this week. And guess what? He’s on my fantasy team.

16. Philadelphia Phillies (13-12) (Up 6): 6-2 over their last eight games. These old boys keep fighting.

17. Tampa Bay Rays (11-14) (Down 4): They sit at the bottom of the AL East. Joe Maddon better hurry up and pull another rabbit out of his hat.

18. Colorado Rockies (14-12) (Up 1):  Troy Tulowitzki for MVP. Or should I say Charlie Blackmon?

19. Toronto Blue Jays (12-13) (Down 4): Edwin Encarnacion finally hit his first home run this week…along with 14 strikeouts.

20. Cincinnati Reds (11-14) (Down 6): They miss you in Cincinnati, Dusty.

21. Pittsburgh Pirates (10-16) (Down 4): Pirates placed their closer and starting catcher on the disabled list. Rough week.

22. Minnesota Twins (12-11) (Up 4): They have actually scored more runs than their opponents. Crazy, right?

23. Chicago White Sox (13-13) (Up 2): I’d pay to watch Jose Abreu play.

24. Cleveland Indians (10-16) (Down 4): What is up with Carlos Santana? He’s batting .122 with one home run. At least he’s somehow managed to walk 21 times.

25. Seattle Mariners (10-14) (Down 1): Only one player has a batting average over .300 — Robinson Cano.

26. San Diego Padres (12-14) (Down 5): I’m still confused as to why some people thought they’d win NL West. Nobody on this team scares me.

27. Houston Astros (9-17) (Up 2): Who’s this Collin McHugh guy?

28. Chicago Cubs (8-16) (No change): Jason Hammel and Starlin Castro are the only two players worth watching on the Cubs.

29. Miami Marlins (11-14) (Down 2): 2-10 on the road is the worst in the Majors.

30. Arizona Diamondbacks (8-20) (No change): First team to 20 losses. Congratulations!