Welcome to the third edition of the 2006 Serious Baseball Power Rankings.
This week the New York Mets claim the top spot with their gaudy 9-2 record. The team that climbed the most spots this week was the Baltimore Orioles who moved up eleven spots. The team that fell the furthest was the Oakland A's who ranked 2nd last week but dropped all the way to 20th this week and have a sub-.500 record.
The huge jump-ups and drop-offs are sure to subside once the season wears on, but for now it'll be a roller coaster ride for many teams.
Anyhow, without further ado:
| Rank | Last Week (+/-) | Team | Record (Last 10 Games) | Comment |
| 1 |
4 |
 |
9-2 (8-2) |
By winning 9 of their first 11 games the Amazin's are off to their best start in franchise history. |
| 2 | 3 (+1) |
 |
9-4 (7-3) |
Being an everyday player seems to be fitting Kevin Youkilis just fine. As the Red Sox' everyday first baseman he is batting .345/.444/.483 with 6 RBI. |
| 3 | 1 (-2) |
 |
8-5 (6-4) |
The numbers Travis Hafner is putting up at this point in the season are an absolute joke: .390/.510/.976, with 7 HR and 11 RBI in 4 AB's. Most players would consider that a good month! |
| 4 | 10 (+6) |
 |
8-4 (7-3) |
Wandy Rodriguez is off to a great start so far in 2006. He currently stands at 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 19 innings and has 11 strikeouts. |
| 5 | 13 (+8) |
 |
7-4 (7-3) |
The Giants have scored 44 runs so far this season, and their opponents have scored fifty one. I'd say they are lucky to be 7-4, wouldn't you? |
| 6 | 6 (-) |
 |
7-5 (6-4) |
The White Sox seem to be back on track in 2006 after starting the season 1-4; and they've done it on the backs of Mark Buerhle (2-0, 2.25 ERA), and Jose Contreras (1-0, 1.93 ERA). |
| 7 | 9 (+2) |
 |
7-4 (6-4) |
The Cubs rank 6th in the NL in Runs Scored this season, and Juan Pierre hasn't even been getting on base much this season (.250 OBP in 42 AB's). |
| 8 | 14 (+6) |
 |
7-5 (6-4) |
Is this the year Austin Kearns finally breaks out? He's sure making it look like it by batting .333/.348/.667 with 3 HR and 9 RBI in his first 45 AB's. |
| 9 | 5 (-4) |
 |
7-5 (5-5) |
Scott Rolen seems to have recovered just fine from the shoulder injury that caused him to miss most of last season. Thus far in 2006 he is hitting .311/.385/.556 with 3 HR and 13 RBI in 45 AB's. |
| 10 | 20 (+10) |
 |
7-5 (6-4) |
The Rockies have a team OPS of .911! Yes, that does rank them number one in the National League in that category. |
| 11 | 11 (-) |
 |
7-5 (5-5) |
Unfortunately for the Brewers they ran into the buzz saw called the New York Mets and lost their second straight series in a row. |
| 12 | 12 (-) |
 |
7-6 (4-6) |
What goes up must come down. After starting the season 5-0, the Tigers went 2-5 in the next 7 games, including losing four straight at one point. |
| 13 | 23 (+10) |
 |
7-6 (6-4) |
Even though their recent three game winning streak came against the lowly Kansas City Royals, a sweep is a sweep and the D-Rays are hot heading into their mid-week series versus the Boston Red Sox. |
| 14 | 22 (+8) |
 |
6-6 (5-5) |
The Twins successfully rebounded from getting swept by the Cleveland Indians last week by sweeping the Oakland A's in their very next series. |
| 15 | 26 (+11) |
 |
7-6 (5-5) |
Like he did last season, Erik Bedard is off too a great start in 2006. In 20 IP he is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA and has 11 strikeouts. |
| 16 | 7 (-9) |
 |
6-6 (5-5) |
The 2005 American League Cy Young award winner, Bartolo Colon, isn't off to a great start thus far in 2006. In three starts he has a 0-2 record to go along with a 7.07 ERA. |
| 17 | 8 (-9) |
 |
6-6 (5-5) |
Even though they are only .500 so far on the season, the Yankees actually rank 1st in the American League in Team ERA (3.84). |
| 18 | 16 (-2) |
 |
6-6 (5-5) |
The Blue Jays pitching hasn't been very good, to say the least. With a 5.91 ERA they rank 12th in the American League in that category. |
| 19 | 17 (-2) |
 |
6-7 (5-5) |
Two new comers, two different stories: Bill Mueller has thrived thus far as a Dodger (1.010 OPS in 45 AB's), while Rafael Furcal has not (.612 OPS in 48 AB's). |
| 20 | 2 (-18) |
 |
6-7 (4-6) |
The A's are having trouble getting the offense going in 2006. As of right now the 55 runs they have scored ranks them 12th in the American League. |
| 21 | 15 (-6) |
 |
6-7 (4-6) |
Everything is going well for the Braves offensively as they rank first in the National League in runs scored (79), but their pitching has let them down tremendously thus far (5.79 team ERA). |
| 22 | 21 (-1) |
 |
5-7 (5-5) |
So far Ryan Madson has taken very well to being a starting pitcher. In his first two starts he is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in 13 IP. |
| 23 | 24 (+1) |
 |
6-8 (3-7) |
Age is only a number! At the ripe age of 43, Jamie Moyer is having no problem getting big league hitters out this season. Even though he is 0-2 after his first three starts, his ERA is only 3.93 and he has struck out 14 hitters in 18.3 IP. |
| 24 | 18 (-6) |
 |
5-7 (4-6) |
The Diamondback's team batting line of .232/.311/.393 is definitely going to have to improve if they have any plans of competing this season. |
| 25 | 25 (-) |
 |
5-8 (4-6) |
Newest Ranger Kevin Millwood thus far hasn't been the Ace they paid him to be. After three starts he is 1-2 with a 5.50 ERA. But, look for him to get better as his high ERA may be the result of some bad luck since his peripheral numbers are phenomenal (15 K's against only 1 walk in 18 IP). |
| 26 | 19 (-7) |
 |
4-7 (6-7) |
San Diego's offense hasn't been exactly "clicking" so far in 2006. By only scoring 45 runs thus far this season they rank 15th in the NL in that category. |
| 27 | 27 (-) |
 |
4-9 (3-7) |
When Nick Johnson is healthy, he can be a very good offensive player. He is proving that this season so far by hitting .357/.509/.619 with 3 HR, and 7 RBI in 42 AB's. |
| 28 | 29 (+1) |
 |
4-10 (4-6) |
Craig Wilson may find himself back in the starting lineup sooner than later with the way he's hitting to start the season (.333/.405/.970, 6 HR, 12 RBI in 33 AB's). |
| 29 | 30 (+1) |
 |
3-8 (3-7) |
Josh Willingham has been a pleasant surprise this season for the young Florida Marlins. In his first 40 AB's he is hitting .350/.386/.700 with 3 HR and 11 RBI. |
| 30 | 29 (-1) |
 |
2-9 (2-8) |
To be worse than the Marlins is just plain wrong. Let's hope for the sake of a once-great baseball city that they end up ranked higher than Florida once the season is over. |
Thank you for reading. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to email me at frnkbndy@yahoo.com.
