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MLB Power Rankings - April 14

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

1. Detroit Tigers

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
6-4 5-5 - 1

A marked decline in velocity for closer Joe Nathan has made the ninth inning a little more precarious these days, but Detroit's unimpeachable rotation has combined for a sterling 3.00 ERA/2.82 FIP thus far, and while small sample caveats apply, it's reasonable to presume this starting corps remains among the league's finest all season.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
9-4 8-5 - 3
Dee Gordon has been a pleasant surprise for the Dodgers, hitting .400/.457/.525 with three extra-base hits and nine stolen bases in 11 games

No Kershaw? No problem. Despite an increasingly prolonged absence from the reigning Cy Young award winner, the Dodgers rotation hasn't waned in effectiveness, as Zack Greinke, Hyun-jin Ryu, and Dan Haren have crafted a collective 2.45 ERA over 10 starts.

3. St. Louis Cardinals

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
7-5 6-6 - 2
Yadier Molina has accounted for three of the Cardinals' seven home runs this season

Speaking of impressive rotations, the Cardinals' triumvirate of Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, and Joe Kelly has been dominant through the nascent stages of April, compensating for a lineup that has been noticeably devoid of power thus far.

4. Washington Nationals

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
7-5 7-5 - 4

The battle for playing time between Anthony Rendon and Danny Espinosa was resolved, at least temporarily, after third baseman Ryan Zimmerman suffered a fractured thumb on Saturday that will sideline him for four to six weeks. Though his defense has drawn criticism of late, Zimmerman's bat will be sorely missed in Washington's lineup.

5. Boston Red Sox

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
5-8 6-7 - 6

Yeah, fine, Grady Sizemore looks awesome and Jackie Bradley Jr. has been a pleasant surprise at the plate, but Dustin Pedroia's ailing wrist could pose a serious problem. Koji Uehara's shoulder stiffness, meanwhile, is seriously disconcerting. Probably because he's one of the greatest relief pitchers in modern history and those pitchers are usually tough to replace.

Player ERA+ ▾ SO/BB SO IP G
Mariano Rivera 205 4.1 1173 1283.2 1115
Jonathan Papelbon 182 4.53 662 564.1 531
Koji Uehara 181 8.92 339 291 235
Sergio Romo 166 5.68 341 297.2 345

[Courtesy: Baseball-Reference Play Index]

6. Tampa Bay Rays

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
7-6 7-6 - 5
David Price hurled 8.1 innings of one-run ball against the Reds on Friday, and owns a 2.91 ERA across three starts in 2014

A torn ulnar collateral ligament befell left-hander Matt Moore this week -- an injury that could easily precipitate Tommy John surgery -- delivering a serious blow to Tampa Bay's rotation. Speaking of which, an oblique strain will sideline Alex Cobb for the next several weeks, so while their rotation is still vaunted, it's not nearly as vaunted.

7. San Francisco Giants

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
8-5 7-6 - 8

Though Brandon Belt has cooled since his torrid start, prominent resurgences from Angel Pagan and Michael Morse have distributed a considerable amount of talent throughout San Francisco's lineup, which is currently averaging 5.08 runs per game, the fifth-most in the league. The offense has been so good, in fact, you probably didn't even notice Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain have surrendered seven home runs over 28 innings thus far.

8. Pittsburgh Pirates

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
6-6 6-6 - 7

An ankle injury that forced Andrew McCutchen to an early exit Friday night proved to be nothing serious, a huge relief for the Pirates. Apropos of nothing, is there a more productive .178 hitter than Pedro Alvarez? The 27-year-old third basemen has five homers and a 124 wRC+ in 53 plate appearances and yet his batting average is barely scraping the Mendoza line. 

9. Atlanta Braves

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
8-4 8-4 - 13
Freddie Freeman is hitting .442/.519/.814 with four home runs over 12 games, posting the second-best wRC+ (255) in the league

Justin Upton is once again teasing us with the prospect of a season reminiscent of his 2011 campaign, while his brother, B.J., recorded his first home run of the season Saturday night and didn't strike out even once in five trips to the plate. There have certainly been worse times to be an Upton or a Braves fan.

10. Cincinnati Reds

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
4-8 6-6 - 9

Everyone expected Billy Hamilton to struggle at the plate in 2014, but he's hardly the only member of the Reds who's been unproductive thus far: Ryan Ludwick owns a .651 OPS over 10 games while Zack Cozart is just 4-for-35 (.114) on the year, contributing to Cincinnati's relatively anemic average of 3.33 runs per game.

11. Kansas City Royals

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
4-7 4-7 - 10
Yordano Ventura hurled six shutout innings in his season debut Tuesday, notching six strikeouts while yielding just two hits against the Rays

As good as Kansas City's pitching has been, it's tough to win ballgames with a lineup comprised of nine Cesar Izturises -- the Royals offense has combined for a .305 on-base percentage and an anemic .073 isolated power thus far, a mark nearly thirty points below the second-lowest team.

12. Milwaukee Brewers

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
10-2 9-3 - 18

Incensed by my suggestion that his thumb injury could undermine Milwaukee's efforts this season, Ryan Braun spent his week assaulting National League pitching, going 10-for-24 (.417) with three home runs, one double and one triple, reinforcing his status as someone who's very, very scary to pitch to. And now the Brewers have won nine games in a row...

13. Seattle Mariners

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
6-5 7-4 - 15

Things actually haven't worked out too poorly for the Mariners thus far, as their rotation has been supremely effective despite the absence of Hisashi Iwakuma and Taijuan Walker, while four different players have notched multiple home runs. Amazingly enough, Robinson Cano's .053 isolated power represents the lowest mark among Seattle's regulars.

14. Toronto Blue Jays

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
7-6 7-6 - 16
The Blue Jays have managed the fourth-worst batting average (.228) in the American League

The Blue Jays have received negligible production from the likes of Colby Rasmus, Brett Lawrie, and Edwin Encarnacion thus far, but the potent bats of Jose Bautista and Melky Cabrera have managed to provide enough offense to keep this team afloat. And really, do you want to know the terrifying truth, or do you want to see Jose and Melky sock a few dingers?

15. New York Yankees

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
7-6 6-7 - 11

Wait, you really thought a week could go by without one of the Yankees hitting the disabled list? This week's winner is David Robertson, who could be out until May with a strained groin, consequently thrusting Shawn Kelley into the ninth-inning role. Maybe Mariano should've stuck around for one more season, too.

16. Oakland Athletics

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
8-4 8-4 - 17

Another blown save from Jim Johnson compelled manager Bob Melvin to remove him from the closer role, creating a little bit of confusion in Oakland's bullpen. Yoenis Cespedes (.288 OBP) and Josh Reddick (.179 OBP), meanwhile, have yet to show much refinement in their respective approaches, as they've combined for just seven walks in 91 plate appearances.

17. Texas Rangers

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
6-6 5-7 - 14

It was only a matter of time before Adrian Beltre's cranky legs forced him to the disabled list -- frankly, it's astounding that he missed just seven games from 2012 to 2013. The timing, however, is particularly rough, as the Rangers' highly-touted offense hasn't impressed at all thus far, and Prince Fielder has yet to homer this season.

18. Baltimore Orioles

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
5-7 5-7 - 12
Chris Davis, who launched nine home runs last April, has one homer through the first 13 games of 2014

Ubaldo Jimenez is a notoriously slow starter, but that only slightly mitigates the fact that he's been downright awful through his first three starts with the Orioles, managing a 7.31 ERA over 16 innings. And he's considered one of Baltimore's better starters.

19. Cleveland Indians

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
6-7 6-7 - 19

Cleveland's unheralded lineup, punctuated with names like Nyjer Morgan and Yan Gomes, has done a pretty good job compensating for a ghastly rotation that has fashioned a 5.19 ERA over 13 games. The Indians rotation has been so bad, in fact, that Trevor Bauer, an emergency call-up, has been their most impressive starter thus far.

20. Los Angeles Angels

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
6-6 7-5 - 21
Jered Weaver has served up five home runs over 18.2 innings in 2014, resulting in an ugly 5.79 ERA

An ill-conceived slide into first base resulted in a torn thumb ligament for outfielder Josh Hamilton, who's poised to miss the next six to eight weeks recovering from surgery. It's alright, though, the Angels are pretty comfortable with overpaying unproductive veterans.

21. Miami Marlins

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
5-8 7-6 - 20

Jose Fernandez's struggles in his most recent outing punctuated the pervasive regression that struck the Marlins this week, as they remain winless in their last seven contests. Growing pains, man.

22. Arizona Diamondbacks

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
4-11 5-10 - 22

Randall Delgado's tenure in the rotation lasted all of two starts this season, as the beleaguered 24-year-old was consigned to the bullpen after another shaky outing on Thursday against the Giants. Josh Collmenter will take over his spot in the rotation for now, so, you know, watch out, National League.

23. Colorado Rockies

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
6-7 7-6 - 23
Troy Tulowitzki has a .964 OPS with five extra-base hits in 11 games this season

The Rockies will be without left-hander Brett Anderson for at least a month due to a broken finger sustained during Saturday's start against the Giants. And yes, there will be open auditions to fill his spot.

24. Chicago White Sox

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
7-6 7-6 - 26

A torn labrum effectively ended Avisail Garcia's campaign after just eight games, but at least that $68-million investment in Jose Abreu appears to be working out -- the 27-year-old Cuban has four home runs and a 157 OPS+ through 13 contests.

25. Philadelphia Phillies

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
6-6 5-7 - 24

Philadelphia's seasoned lineup has been surprisingly effective thus far, as Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins have both managed to imitate younger versions of themselves through the early stages of the season. The same can't be said about Cliff Lee, though, whose inconsistency has fueled a 5.50 ERA over three starts.

26. New York Mets

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
5-7 4-8 - 25

It'd be nice if New York's two highest-paid players, David Wright and Curtis Granderson, would actually, you know, do something, but it's really tough to focus on anything at this point beyond Bartolo Colon's shapely physique.

[Courtesy: MLB.com]

27. San Diego Padres

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
5-7 4-8 - 27

It's easy to overlook a profoundly mediocre team in a division that features the Dodgers and Giants, but it's tough to ignore the burgeoning stardom of right-hander Andrew Cashner, who twirled a one-hitter against the Tigers on Friday night and owns a 2.58 ERA over his last 21 starts. Also, the movement on his two-seamer can be seen from space.

28. Minnesota Twins

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
6-6 6-6 - 29
Brian Dozier has blasted four home runs with a 126 wRC+ in 58 plate appearances

Minnesota's rotation fashioned the worst earned run average in the majors last season, so general manager Terry Ryan spent $73 million this winter to bolster his shaky starting corps. Today their rotation boasts just the third-worst earned run average in the majors, so I suppose progress is being made. Baby steps, I guess.

29. Chicago Cubs

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
4-8 5-7 - 28

Did Javier Baez get promoted yet? No? Then we have nothing to talk about.

30. Houston Astros

2014 RECORD 2014 PYTHAG RECORD PLAYOFF % PREVIOUS RANK
5-8 4-9 - 30

Scott Feldman delivered one of the young season's most compelling performances Friday, tossing seven pristine innings against the Rangers just two days after his father passed away. It doesn't make the Astros any better -- they lost Friday's game, in fact -- but I'm a sucker for an emotional narrative.

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