New CNN/SI Power Rankings

[CSF]

CNN/SI Power Rankings

 

Rank LW Team

1 13 Anaheim Angels

Setup man Francisco Rodriguez has fanned 23 batters in 14 2/3 innings while allowing eight hits, three walks and one unearned run. You know, just in case closer Troy Percival needs a little motivation.

2 3 Los Angeles Dodgers

They're 9-0 in one-run games this season. Since Jim Tracy took over in 2001, they have a .589 winning percentage in one-run games, .526 in other games. Not sure what that means, except it probably has something to do with Eric Gagne.

3 11 Texas Rangers

They're off to their best start since 1997, and one reason is a major league-leading .309 team batting average -- .342 in The Ballpark at Arlington.

4 9 Houston Astros

Last week, while the rest of the team was in Pittsburgh, Roger Clemens flew to Omaha, Neb., to visit with troops at Offut Air Force Base. Hey, look at me -- I'm resisting the urge to make a lame Rocket joke.

5 17 New York Yankees

Closer Mariano Rivera says he wants no part of a World Cup for baseball. "What do you do if someone fails a drug test over there?" he said. "What happens to you in the big leagues?" Nothing, unless you have something to worry about.

6 7 Chicago White Sox

They have six walkoff victories in their first 26 games. They're all intentional walkoff victories. Their opponents say it's getting a little tiring.

7 10 San Diego Padres

Trevor Hoffman, who has had two shoulder surgeries, had a nice quote the other day after hitting 88 mph. "Radar guns are juiced," he said. Of course, I liked it a lot more than the motorcycle cop did.

8 5 Chicago Cubs

Greg Maddux set a team record when he went 4,223 days between victories as a Cub, shattering Ferguson Jenkins' old mark by 1,105 days. But don't count out Rick Reuschel just yet.

9 1 Florida Marlins

As the Royals did last year, they're allowing fans to turn in ticket stubs for a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts when they get 12 or more hits. It happened for the first time April 24 -- in front of a rare sellout. That'll be 494,712 donuts, please. With sprinkles.

10 4 Minnesota Twins

Mike Ryan scored on a wild pitch during an intentional walk against the Blue Jays. Intentional walks ... they're nothing but heartache and pain, I tell you.

11 2 Boston Red Sox

Charles Manson, Grizzly Adams, Tom Hanks at the end of Castaway -- Johnny Damon's scraggly look has prompted various descriptions. Kevin Millar's: "I started, 'In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit ... '"

12 14 Atlanta Braves

Eli Marrero has two hits this season -- one for each time he's been on the disabled list.

13 8 Baltimore Orioles

David Segui is on the shelf again, this time with knee problems. Since signing a four-year, $28 million deal before the 2001 season, he's played in just 188 games because of various ailments. Segui isn't Spanish for "15-day DL" -- but it should be.

14 15 St. Louis Cardinals

When Phils manager Larry Bowa had umps check Julian Tavarez's cap for foreign substances April 28, Tony La Russa responded by asking them to check Pat Burrell's bat for cork. Wow, when did Immaturity Day become a special promotion?

15 6 Cincinnati Reds

Adam Dunn got a little sticker shock after renting a big-screen TV to play video games in his Pittsburgh hotel room. The four-day tab came to $884. "To rent a TV!" Dunn said. "When I saw that bill, I asked for my room key back so I could go to the room and carry out that TV I just bought."

16 16 Milwaukee Brewers

Harley-Davidson has had a promotion offering a motorcycle to any Brewers player who hit for the cycle -- until this year. So when Chad Moeller accomplished the feat last week, manager Ned Yost gave him ... a bicycle.

17 19 Pittsburgh Pirates

Raul Mondesi became Roger Clemens' 4,137th strikeout victim Wednesday night, allowing the Astros' ace to "rocket" past Steve Carlton on the all-time K list. Oops.

18 28 Cleveland Indians

Jake Westbrook retired 27 consecutive batters -- over three games -- before Carlos Pena homered off him on April 25. "I guess that's my own personal perfect game," he said. Yes, and they can never take that away from you.

19 12 Detroit Tigers

They finished April with a 12-11 record, their first winning mark in the month since 1993. If you believe in signs, they finished 85-77 that season. Heck, even if you don't.

20 20 Philadelphia Phillies

David Bell couldn't believe that he and Marlins pitcher Carl Pavano were each fined a reported $500 apiece for "aggressive actions" in a bench-clearing brawl. Said Bell: "I got fined for getting put in a headlock?"

21 18 Oakland Athletics

When the Yankees beat Barry Zito, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson last week, it was the first time Oakland's Big Three had been beaten in a three-game series since April 27-29, 2001 ... also by the Yankees. Someone dig up Rod Serling.

22 22 Colorado Rockies

Leave it to manager Clint Hurdle to put their wild 13-10 win over the Marlins last week in Denver in proper perspective. "That was vintage Coors Field," Hurdle said. "Last bucket wins."

23 24 San Francisco Giants

Tough season so far at SBC Park. "Every time I go up there, I get booed," said catcher A.J. Pierzynski. "A guy ran down from the upper deck to scream at me when I made an out. He did." Peter Magowan, you're better than that.

24 23 Arizona Diamondbacks

Owner Jerry Colangelo was in a military mood when he issued his vote of confidence for manager Bob Brenly. "I'm in the foxhole with you," he told Brenly. We're just glad he didn't use the word "commando."

25 25 New York Mets

Scott Erickson's first rehab start for Class A St. Lucie lasted only 19 pitches before he re-injured his left hamstring. Scott, you're 36, you haven't pitched since 2002 and not effectively since '00. Go home. Lisa Guerrero awaits.

26 29 Seattle Mariners

They picked up Bob Melvin's option for 2005, and he'll need the extra time to fix this aging team. The other day a fan was so upset he posted an ad on eBay, trying to auction off CEO Howard Lincoln.

27 26 Toronto Blue Jays

Putting the odds at 4-1, a betting service says Carlos Tosca will be the first manager fired this season. Just guessing, but general manager J.P. Ricciardi going on the radio and second-guessing your pitching moves can't be a good sign.

28 21 Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Manager Lou Piniella quit smoking earlier this year and is now vowing to go on a diet to deal with his Type 2 diabetes. Sadly, there is still no known cure for managing the Devil Rays.

29 27 Kansas City Royals

Blow three straight saves, like Curtis Leskanic did last month, and you start to notice things. "I was driving to the stadium the other day in bright sunshine," he said. "My car was the only one with windshield wipers on."

30 30 Montreal Expos

The first month of the season, they played just three games in Montreal. Orlando Cabrera kept track of the odyssey by buying 25 pairs of underwear, each night throwing away the pair he wore. When he ran out, he knew the trip was over. Orlando, one word: calendar.

 

 

Dan George is a senior producer for SI.com.

 

No complaints. I'd like to see the Sox ahead of the Yankees, but the Yankees did sweep the A's last week in the Bronx, and have taken the 1st 2 at Network Associates, so I'll let that one go. Still much, much better than the BS rankings ESPN comes out with on a weekly basis.

[Texsox]

Greg Maddux set a team record when he went 4,223 days between victories as a Cub, shattering Ferguson Jenkins' old mark by 1,105 days. But don't count out Rick Reuschel just yet.

 

:fthecubs

[Wise Master Buehrle]

They do some really good rankings. ESPN, on the other hand...

[DonkeyKongerko]

Wait the Sox ranked 6th?? But they are leading their division, that should put them down near 14th if i calculate correctly.

[SnB]

these are the best so far......6 is right about where I'd put us.

14 is a f***in' joke.

[Gene Honda Civic]

for all that think 14th is outrageous.

 

Here's a Baseball RPI from ESPN -- This is an impartial computer ranking that currently has us at 13 -- Yesterday, when the ESPN rankings came out, we were 14th in this one also.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/rpi

[aboz56]

While these rankings are entertaining, they are also totally meaningless...As long as we are in first or close to it, I could care less whether SI or ESPN thinks we are the best team or the 29th best team in baseball...Thanks for sharing though...

[gsoxs1]

They're all intentional walkoff victories.

 

Heck yea there Intentional, its not like we have done it on accident.

[witesoxfan]

David Bell couldn't believe that he and Marlins pitcher Carl Pavano were each fined a reported $500 apiece for "aggressive actions" in a bench-clearing brawl. Said Bell: "I got fined for getting put in a headlock?"

 

LMFAO

[YASNY]

They have six walkoff victories in their first 26 games. They're all intentional walkoff victories. Their opponents say it's getting a little tiring.

 

I'm not sure I understand what they are trying to say here. Are they saying we are intentionally winning by only one run? Now, if our opponents find losing to us "a little tiring" then I say life's a b****.

[Be Good]

While these rankings are entertaining, they are also totally meaningless...As long as we are in first or close to it, I could care less whether SI or ESPN thinks we are the best team or the 29th best team in baseball...Thanks for sharing though...

Ya abooz that's the same way I look at it, I like looking at the rankings, as I seem them entertaining but I could careless where we are ranked.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

CNN/SI has always had a much more realistic set of power rankings than ESPN ever could hope to have. Kudos!

[witesoxfan]

I'm not sure I understand what they are trying to say here. Are they saying we are intentionally winning by only one run?  Now, if our opponents find losing to us "a little tiring" then I say life's a b****.

No, I think it is a crack at a joke. Saying last year and in years past we would accidentally win by walk-off variety.

 

I do not think it is a shot at the Sox at all.