Say hello to the new Tampa Bay Rays.

For the better part of the last 20 years, Ewing Kauffman, the man responsible for bringing the Royals to Kansas City, must’ve been turning over in his grave. He built a proud franchise that won six divisional championships, two AL pennants, and the 1985 World Series, and he did it through youth and solid spending manners. He passed away in 1993.

At that point, the Royals were without an owner and began dumping salaries left and right. In fact, in 1995, the team only spent $18.5M on salaries, which was easily the lowest in baseball. It was only $16.5M, less than contracts that some individual players were signing, by 1999.

Under Manager Tony Pena, the Royals won 83 games in 2003, marking their first winning season since 1994 when things began to fall apart. Since then though, Kansas City has been nothing more than a loveable loser. 2004, 2005, and 2006 were all 100+ loss seasons, and since that point, they haven’t won more than 75 games.

If the end of this story sounds familiar, you’re probably reading some article on the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays as well, who were a god awful franchise before putting all the pieces together for one of the more memorable runs in baseball history that took them all the way to the World Series.

The difference for the Royals this year? They don’t have to contend with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

We’ll start right there. It’s pretty clear that the Minnesota Twins aren’t the same team that they normally are without closer Joe Nathan for the entire season. The Chicago White Sox feel like they’re one Ozzie Guillen moment in front of the media away from the entire franchise just imploding from the inside, out. The Detroit Tigers only had a prospective win total by the oddsmakers of just 80.5 this year.

What do you want, Cleveland to challenge for the AL Central crown?

Someone has to win this division this year, and if there’s a season in which the Royals can really get it done, this is it.

On Friday night, the newly acquired OF Rick Ankiel (and yes, I said “outfielder,” and not, “excuse for a starting pitcher) went 4/4 and drove in three runs, including the two that won the game in the 8th inning against the mighty Red Sox.

Some may say, “Ok, it’s one game.” And that’s true. Until October, baseball generally isn’t made off of one game or even one series.

But let’s go back to the Rays again. The moment that changed that team’s entire season in 2008 had nothing to do with even a regular season game! Tampa Bay picked a fight with these same Red Sox in a Spring Training game that brought the team together. It came out of the blocks on fire and just never looked back, essentially going wire-to-wire in the AL East.

Things looks gloomy for the Royals on Friday night, as they couldn’t figure out how to hit that tricky knuckleball of Tim Wakefield’s. Normally, the Kansas City team that we all remember would’ve just folded up shop, someone would’ve given up a three-run homer, and the team would’ve lost 6-1 or something of the sorts.

Not on this night. SP Kyle Davies became the fourth straight starter for the Royals to allow three runs or less to start the season. They might be a combined 0-0, but they’ve done their job. Thank C Jason Kendall for that, who has come to Kansas City and brought a veteran presence behind the dish, something that this city hasn’t had in years.

The bullpen threw three spotless frames after allowing 18 hits and six walks, to go with three blown saves in as many games to start this season.

Today, AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke is taking the mound against Boston’s Josh Beckett. Not only is it a chance for the Royals to get back above .500, but it’s also a chance to say, “Hey, we beat the Sox in this series.”

Baseball may not just be a game or a series, but the lowly Royals… the team that we’ve just love to beat up on in years’ past… can take a major step in the right direction if it can just reverse that losing mentality.

If that the case, wouldn’t it be just awesome to see the AL East winning Tampa Bay Rays playing the AL Central winning Kansas City Royals in the playoffs?

You can still get Kansas City at +2100 to win the AL Central, +5000 to win the American League, and +13500 to win the World Series at 5Dimes Sportsbook.

The MLB betting season is back and will start on Easter night! BetUS Sportsbook will have all of the action covered for you all season long, and we’ll get started with some of the props offered at BetUS that could prove to be real moneymaking efforts.

Prop Bet #1: Kansas City Royals +3 wins vs. Cleveland Indians: Any combination of team season wins totals is available for you to bet on at BetUS Sportsbook, but the one that we’re going to focus in on is the duel between AL Central rivals, the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals. We already discussed our opinions on the Royals in our MLB season win totals predictions, but a look at the Indians shows that this team isn’t all that great either. Aside from the fact that this was the worst bullpen in the majors last year and made absolutely no improvements there, the lineup card is going to struggle this year as well unless someone like a OF Grady Sizemore or DH Travis Hafner steps up. Even if that is the case, the Tribe just don’t have a winning mentality about them at all right now, and it’d be shocking to us to not see the Royals finish in front of Cleveland in the AL Central.

Selection: Kansas City Royals +3 wins at BetUS. 100% Deposit Bonus by clicking This Link.)

Prop Bet #2: Zack Greinke Over/Under 13.5 Wins: Here we go again with the Royals. Last season, the AL Cy Young Award winner had a breakout season, winning 16 games on an awful Kansas City team. He had a 2.16 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. Remember this as well. He had a whopping nine starts on the season in which he allowed no more than two earned runs in which he either got a no-decision or a loss. If Kansas City really does have an improved team, at least a few of those NDs should become wins. Don’t be surprised to see Greinke contending for the Cy Young once again this season, as he may approach that coveted 20 win barrier for the first time in his already illustrious career.

Selection: Zack Greinke over 13.5 wins at BetUS. 100% Deposit Bonus by clicking This Link.)

Prop Bet #3: Adam Dunn vs. Jason Bay Total Regular Season Home Runs: Washington Nationals’ 1B/OF Adam Dunn is laying 8.5 homers to the newly acquired New York Mets OF Jason Bay in spite of the fact that Dunn only hit two more bombs than Bay did a year ago. But let’s remember one crucial difference this year for Bay. Last year, he was taking potshots at the Green Monster. Now, he goes to a ballpark that ate fly balls for lunch at Citi Field. Granted, Bay will still have half of his games on the road, and Dunn also plays in a huge pitchers park. The Nats’ slugger has popped at least that 38 bombs in each of the L/3 seasons. We fully expect that Bay is going to struggle to reach 30 in that ballpark.

Selection: Adam Dunn -8.5 home runs at BetUS. 100% Deposit Bonus by clicking This Link.)

Prop Bet #4: Manny Ramirez vs. David Ortiz Total Regular Season Hits: What a fun little prop this is! The guys who used to bat #3 and #4 in Boston’s lineup for years are pitted against each other for hits in the season, and Manny is spotting Big Papi 30.5 hits to start. Over the L/2 years, Ortiz has only managed to averaged 120 hits per season, and it feels like Ramirez, future Hall of Famer, would be able to clear 150 hits with ease, right? Not so fast. We’ll start with Papi. For a year in which Boston’s cleanup hitter only hit .238, Ortiz still managed 129 hits. Even if he bats just .250 and gets the same number of plate appearances, he’ll have 135 hits. Now we’re talking about Manny having to get to 166 to beat us. Ramirez batted .290 last season, and if we safely assume that he doesn’t get busted for steroids again in this year, he’ll be on a clip for about 150 hits. It’s clear that this isn’t the same Manny Ramirez that was lighting it up in Boston, as he’s already talking about retirement after this season. If that’s the case and Manny starts to become disinterested, you may be stealing that 30 hit head start with Boston’s slugger.

Selection: David Ortiz +30.5 hits at BetUS. 100% Deposit Bonus by clicking This Link.)

Sportsbook.com is an excellent sportsbook for betting MLB futures! Today, we’re taking at look at some of the juiciest season win totals that you can dig into for the 2010 season!

New York Yankees Over 95.5 Wins: Let’s just analyze the Yankees in a really quick nutshell, because no one wants to admit outside of the Bronx that they’re betting on the Yankees to do well. But this was a team that won 103 games last season and is just better this year than it was a year ago. Yes, both DHs Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui have moved on, but new DH Nick Johnson can really tear the cover off the baseball, and replacement OF Curtis Granderson could go 30/30 by taking potshots at those short porches in left and right field at New Yankee Stadium. Add RHP Javier Vazquez into the mix, and the recipe is just far too ripe to pass on the boys in pinstripes.

Kansas City Royals Over 72 Wins: Now here’s a team that we like and like quite a bit. Before we even look at anything that the Royals did in the offseason, just take a look at the rest of the division. The Twins certainly are not a better team than they were a year ago, as SS Orlando Cabrera and closer Joe Nathan are both gone. Detroit lost both SP Edwin Jackson and OF Curtis Granderson and only got back SP Max Scherzer of any note in return. Chicago is still a time bomb waiting to happen. Just from that standpoint alone, Kansas City should find a few more wins in divisional play. That being said, this is clearly a better team than the one that won 65 games last year. C Jason Kendall will bring some stability to a pitching staff that really hasn’t had a competent defensive catcher ever, and OFs Scott Podsednik and Rick Ankiel should be notable upgrades on what was playing in the outfield last year for this team. We tend to think that KC can compete, though we’d just be happy to see it reach 73 ‘W’s.

Pittsburgh Pirates Under 69.5 Wins: Newsflash: The Pirates aren’t very good. They’re not going to get any better this year either. The Bucs are almost certainly the worst team in baseball. Their pitching staff isn’t anything to write home about, and their lineup is basically 2B Akinori Iwamura and a ton of guys that are barely old enough to drink a beer, let alone rent a car. Everyone in Steeltown knows that another 100-loss season could very well be on the horizon, and there’s nothing stopping us from saying that they won’t touch a 70-win barrier that they haven’t reached since 2004.

Houston Astros Under 73.5 Wins: This is almost a bit of a prospective futures bet than anything else. What we’re hoping for out of the ‘Stros this year is that 1B Lance Berkman and OF Carlos Lee both get traded. If that’s the case, this is a team that will almost certainly rival Pittsburgh for the gutter in the NL Central. Let’s also realize that Milwaukee and Cincinnati are both going to be competing with the Cubs and Cardinals for divisional supremacy, so it is very possible to see two teams finish with at least 100 losses in the same division, particularly in one with six teams. Houston’s pitching staff is just woeful beyond SPs Wandy Rodriguez and Roy Oswalt, and taking SS Miguel Tejada out of this lineup is only going to make things that much worse for a team that didn’t have much of an offense last season either.

Washington Nationals Over 72 Wins: Are we insane for backing the Nats after they lost 103 games last season? It’s possible that we’ve gone a tad bit crazy, but we think that the boys from DC are in for a much better year this year than they had in ’09. Adding SP Jason Marquis to the front end of the rotation will help out John Lannan quite a bit, as will the inevitably moment that SP Stephen Strasburg comes up from the minor leagues. The lineup hasn’t been the issue with this team. 1B Adam Dunn and 3B Ryan Zimmerman can mash, no doubt, and OF Nyjer Morgan is expected to produce big things at the top of the order. But the staff ranked 28th in the majors last year with a 5.02 team ERA and absolutely must get better.

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Complete List of Odds to Win The World Series Can Be Found Below!

The 2010 MLB betting season is just around the corner, and Bankroll Sports has all of the ins and outs in for the World Series odds that you should be looking to invest in and those that you should stay away from in the upcoming year.

No Way New York! – The New York Yankees are once again easily the favorites of the oddsmakers at +300 at BetUS. The defending champs are still as stacked as they have ever been, but even though they’re clearly going to make the postseason and be the favorites to win the World Series once they get there, these odds are just far too short to invest in. Remember that the Bronx Bombers have an aging squad, and at any point, guys like SS Derek Jeter, C Jorge Posada, RP Mariano Rivera, and SP Andy Pettitte could break down. In addition to that, heralded Opening Day starter SP CC Sabathia is a few donuts short of three bills and has tossed a tremendous amount of innings over the L/3 seasons. There’s no doubting that CC is one of the elite pitchers in the game, but his weight and tired shoulder could be cause for concern deep in the season.

The Rabid Dawgs of the Desert – Last season, the Arizona Diamondbacks were amongst the favorites in the NL West and had an over/under of 86.5 wins. The team has a new starting pitcher in SP Edwin Jackson, who was acquired from Detroit in the big swap with the Yanks and Tigers in the offseason. SP Brandon Webb should be able to give a lot more to Arizona than his one start from the ’09 campaign. There’s already a legitimate ace on the staff as well in SP Dan Haren. The bullpen is suspect, but with youngsters like OF Justin Upton and 3B Mark Reynolds in the lineup, this is a team that could live up to its ’09 expectations in 2010. Don’t be afraid to grab that 30-1 price at BetUS Sportsbook.

The Hunt for Red October – Could this finally be the year that the Cincinnati Reds make the playoffs? If you look around in the National League, there are plenty of contenders for the Wild Card berth, but the only legit competition that Cincinnati may have from its own division comes in the form of the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals. Even if the Redbirds win the NL Central, the prospects of winning 90 games are there for the Reds. The pitching staff got a huge shot in the arm with the acquisition of Cuban defect SP Aroldis Chapman, who has topped 104 MPH in the spring. SS Orlando Cabrera is a proven winner, and he’ll help solidify a very young lineup much like he did in Minnesota last season. He’ll be a perfect #2 hitter to slot into the lineup around 1B Joey Votto, OF Jay Bruce, and 2B Brandon Phillips. The Reds may still be a year away, but if it all comes together, having a price of +4000 from BetUS Sportsbook could be a total steal.

Not So Sweet Caroline – It’s hard to say that we’re not going to back either the Yankees or the Boston Red Sox to win the World Series this year, as the chances of at least one of them not playing in the ALCS have to be considered slim to none. However, the Beantown Bombers may have a real issue on their hands if DH David Ortiz gets off to the same type of year that he had last season. Yes, C Victor Martinez is a great prize either behind the dish or at 1B, and 2B Dustin Pedroia, 1B/3B Kevin Youkilis, and OFs JD Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury make up a solid top of the order, but something just doesn’t seem right without a slugger like Big Papi or OF Manny Ramirez in the heart of the lineup. Boston’s pitching from #1 to #12 is incredible, making it a nice team to back in a short series, but with New York’s dominance and Tampa Bay’s ability to win 90 games, just making the postseason is going to be difficult for this team. You don’t ever only take odds like this on a team that may not make the playoffs. Stay away from that +700 at BetUS Sportsbook.

Current 2010 World Series Odds @ BetUS (as of 3/24/10):
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Arizona Diamondbacks +3000
Atlanta Braves +2200
Baltimore Orioles +10000
Boston Red Sox +700
Chicago Cubs +2200
Chicago White Sox +2000
Cincinnati Reds +4000
Cleveland Indians +8000
Colorado Rockies +1600
Detroit Tigers +3500
Florida Marlins +3000
Houston Astros +8000
Kansas City Royals +8000
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim +1600
Los Angeles Dodgers +1400
Milwaukee Brewers +4000
Minnesota Twins +2200
New York Mets +2400
New York Yankees +300
Oakland Athletics +6500
Philadelphia Phillies +600
Pittsburgh Pirates +15000
San Diego Padres +10000
San Francisco Giants +2000
Seattle Mariners +1400
St. Louis Cardinals +1000
Tampa Bay Rays +2000
Texas Rangers +2200
Toronto Blue Jays +12000
Washington Nationals +15000

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*Baseball Records & Team Rankings are as of 8/16/2009
(Our Next Major League Baseball Power Ratings Update: 8/29/2009)

1. New York Yankees (74-44) – The Yankees have extended their lead in the American League East to a robust 7.5 games. New York is a season high 30 games over .500 heading into Monday’s action. The Yankees failed to complete a four game sweep on the road in Seattle, but three out of four on the road will work for Girardi and the team. Derek Jeter has bumped his batting average to .323, as Mark Teixeira leads in power numbers with 30 homeruns and 86 runs batted in. Free agent pick-up C.C. Sabathia leads the pitching staff in wins (13), earned run average (3.64) and innings pitched (170.2). The Yankees continue their long road trip on Monday when they start a three game series in Oakland. After they finish out west, New York will come back home to take on the Red Sox in a huge late August four game set at Fenway Park.

2. Los Angeles Angels (70-45) – The Angels have won seven of their last ten games, and kept their lead in the American League West at 4.5 games over the Texas Rangers. Los Angeles is 36-22 when playing at home, while winning 34 of 57 on the road. The Angels got a big boost when outfielder Torii Hunter came back from the disabled list. He went 2-6 in his return, which was his first game since July 7^th. Juan Rivera has taken over as the teams batting leader, with a .312 batting average, while Kendry Morales has blasted 25 homeruns on the season. Jered Weaver has been the pitching staff for the Angels, winning 12 games, while pitching 153.0 innings. The Angels will finish their four game series at Baltimore on Monday. Los Angeles will look to finish the series winning the final three games. After they leave Baltimore, the Angels will head to Cleveland and Toronto for three game sets.

3. Los Angeles Dodgers (70-48) – At 22 games over .500, the Dodgers are shaking off the ideas of their struggles. Despite going 4-6 in their last 10 games, Los Angeles continues to lead the NL West by 5 games over the Colorado Rockies. After losing two of three to Arizona, the worst news of the recent weeks has been the loss of starter Jason Schmidt and then the scary injury of Kuroda, after getting hit in the head with a line drive. Matt Kemp is leading the offense with a .311 batting average, while Andre Ethier has hit 24 homeruns, and drove in 80 runs. Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw are doing the job on the mound for LA, as Billingsley has picked up 11 wins, and Kershaw has an ERA under 3.00. The Dodgers will start a huge three game series with the Central leading St. Louis Cardinals starting on Monday. Following that series, the Cubs will come to Los Angeles for a four game weekend series.

4. Philadelphia Phillies (65-49) – The Phillies continue to have a strangle hold on the National League East. Philadelphia currently sits 4.5 games ahead of a surging Marlins team and 5.5 ahead of an Atlanta team that will not go away. The Phillies, mysteriously are 29-29 at home this year, but have won 37 of 57 road games. Philadelphia has feasted on NL Central teams winning 18 of 24 overall against the division. The Phillies are getting quality offensive performances from Shane Victorino (.313), Ryan Howard (30 homeruns, 91 runs batted in) and Chase Utley (82 runs scored). The Phillies, after finishing a two out of three series at Atlanta, will now come home and take on the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three game series, starting Tuesday. The Phillies will then play at New York for a weekend set.

5. Texas Rangers (66-50) – With a weekend series win over the Boston Red Sox, the Rangers took over the American League Wildcard. Currently, Texas leads Boston by just ½ game. Texas is trying to figure out what they are going to do at the catcher position, with Jarrod Saltalamacchia going on the disabled list. Ian Kinsler has continued his hot season, as he has hit 25 homeruns, and drove in 66 runs. Kevin Millwood has been solid on the bump for Texas, with 9 wins, a 3.31 earned run average, and leads the team in innings pitched with just under 150. The Rangers will look to continue their winning streak on Monday when they host the Minnesota Twins in the first of a four game series. Following Minnesota coming to town, the Rangers will head Southeast and take on the Tampa Bay Rays on the road.

6. St. Louis Cardinals (67-52) – The St. Louis Cardinals have been the hottest team in the Major Leagues as of late, as new comers Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa have keyed the offense, along with triple crown candidate Albert Pujols. Pujols is leading in homeruns and runs batted in, and third in batting average coming into Monday’s play. Along with the MVP candidate, St. Louis also has a shot at crowing a CY Young, with Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. Carpenter is second in the NL in earned run average with a 2.27 and Wainwright leads the NL in wins with 13. The Cardinals lead the NL Central by a full five games, which is the high water mark of the season for St. Louis. The Cardinals will head west, starting on Monday as they take on the Los Angeles Dodgers, for a three game series. Over the weekend, the Cardinals will look to repeat the three game sweep of the San Diego Padres, this time for four, and on the road.

7. Boston Red Sox (66-51) – The Red Sox dropped the final two of the series at Texas to fall to half game behind Texas for the American League Wildcard lead. Boston is looking for more production from slugger David Ortiz, who has yet to get going in 2009. Jason Bay, after his quick start, continues to lead the team in homeruns, with 25, and runs batted in (83). Boston will begin a three game series on the road in Toronto on Tuesday, and then start a huge weekend series with the New York Yankees on Friday. Boston currently trails the Yankees by seven games in the American League East.

8. Colorado Rockies (65-53) – The Rockies remained in the lead in the wildcard standings, after picking up a win over the Florida Marlins on Sunday. Colorado leads the wildcard over San Francisco by one game, and the Marlins by two. Todd Helton leads the team in batting with a .318 average. Troy Tulowitzki and Brad Hawpe are also putting up solid numbers, with 23 homeruns and 70 runs batted in. Colorado is looking towards the NL West crown, as they come into Monday’s action just five games behind the Dodgers. The Rockies and Nationals will start a three game series in the nation’s capital on Tuesday, and then Colorado will come back home and play a huge three game weekend series with the Giants.

9. San Francisco Giants (63-54) – The Giants remain just six games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, but more importantly, just a game behind Colorado within the wildcard. San Francisco has two of the top five candidates for Cy Young in righthanders Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum. Cain leads the team in wins with 12, while Lincecum leads all NL pitchers with a 2.19 earned run average. Rookie first base men Pablo Sandoval leads the team in hitting (.329), homeruns (18) and runs batted in (70). The Giants will finish their four game series on Monday at Citi Field in New York, before heading for three in Cincinnati, followed by a three game set at Colorado.

10. Tampa Bay Rays (63-54) – After losing in the first game of a three game series with Toronto, the Rays bounced back and won the final two. Tampa Bay is turning towards the wildcard, as they trail the New York Yankees by ten full games. Tampa Bay is led in hitting by Jason Bartlett and his .342 batting average, while Carlos Pena leads the team with 31 homeruns. Tampa Bay starts a six game home stand on Tuesday with three against Baltimore and three against Texas.

11. Florida Marlins (63-55) – The Marlins continue to make a run at the Phillies, and also the Rockies and Giants for a playoff spot. Florida has been sparked by all star shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who is leading all NL batters with a .356 batting average. Ramirez also leads the team with 82 runs batted in, 76 runs scored and 22 stolen bases. Dan Uggla leads the Marlins with 21 homeruns. Josh Johnson is putting up near Cy Young numbers, with 12 wins and an earned run average under 3.00. Florida will start a road trip on Tuesday, at Houston, followed by a three game, weekend series at Atlanta.

12. Atlanta Braves (61-55) – Atlanta continues to hang around within the National League East, trailing both the Philadelphia Phillies and the Florida Marlins. The Braves are coming off losing two out of three to the Phillies over the weekend. Atlanta has been sparked offensively by Yunel Escobar, with a .298 batting average, and Chipper Jones, who leads the team with 15 homeruns. The Braves play a single game against Arizona on Monday, and then start a three game series at New York, followed by a home weekend series with the Florida Marlins.

13. Detroit Tigers (62-55) – The Detroit Tigers, at 7 games over .500, have a 2.5 game lead over the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central. The Tigers are coming off a two out of three series win at Kansas City, including a 1-0 shut-out, followed by a 10-3 thrashing. Miguel Cabrera leads the Tigers in all three of the top offensive categories, with a .330 batting average, 24 homeruns and 70 runs batted in. Justin Verlander has bounced back with a solid 2009 season, leading the team with 13 wins, and an earned run average of 3.28. The Tigers will start a home series with the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday, and then head out on the road in Oakland over the weekend.

14. Chicago Cubs (60-55) – The Chicago Cubs were rained out of Sunday’s action with the Pittsburgh Pirates. That was a game the Cubs wanted to play, as Chicago had won the first two of the series and were poised for a third. The Cubs have fallen five back of the St. Louis Cardinals within the National League Central. The Cubs look to have a few of their starting pitchers back, including Ted Lilly and Carlos Zambrano. Chicago will start a West Coast road trip on Monday, starting with three against the San Diego Padres, and then four over the weekend at the Los Angeles Dodgers.

15. Seattle Mariners (61-57) – The Mariners, at four games over .500, have fallen to 11 full games behind the AL West leading Los Angeles Angels. Seattle avoided a four game on Sunday with a 10-3 win over the Yankees. Ichiro Suzuki leads the team with a .360 batting average, while power hitter Russell Branyan leads in power numbers with 27 homeruns. Felix Hernandez leads the starting pitching staff with 12 wins, and leads the team in innings pitched, with 165.1. The Mariners will start a road trip on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers , and then a weekend series at Cleveland.

16. Chicago White Sox (60-58) – The White Sox remain three games behind the Detroit Tigers at the top of the American League Central. The White Sox failed to sweep the series at Oakland, falling on Sunday 3-2. Alex Rios coming over from Toronto was supposed to spark plug the offensive unit for Chicago,  but two games after being shut-out, the White Sox scored just two runs. Mark Buerhle has been outstanding for Chicago, leading the team with 11 wins, an earned run average at 3.78, all while leading the team in innings pitched, with 166.2. The White Sox will start a series with the Kansas City Royals on Monday, then take Thursday off before hosting the Baltimore Orioles at home over the weekend.

17. Milwaukee Brewers (58-59) – The Brewers were on the verge of climbing over .500, and sweeping divisional rival Houston, until the bullpen faltered and they dropped an 8-5 decision. The Brewers are in third place in the NL Central, eight games behind the St. Louis Cardinals. Ryan Braun is having another outstanding season with a .316 batting average, while Prince Fielder is challenging Albert Pujols at the top of the NL runs batted in category with 105, along with 30 homeruns. The Brewers and Pirates will hook up for a three game set in Pittsburgh, starting on Monday, and following an off day on Thursday, the Brewers and Nationals will meet in the nation’s capital.

18. Houston Astros (57-61) – The Astros have fallen to fourth place, and 9.5 games out of first place in the NL Central. Houston avoided a sweep, and snapped a three game losing streak on Sunday, banging around the Milwaukee bullpen to win 8-5. Houston is getting quality performances from aging veterans such as Miguel Tejada (.313 batting average) and Carlos Lee (19 homeruns, 74 runs batted in). Michael Bourn leads all national league players in stolen bases with 44. Roy Oswalt and Wandy Rodriguez have both been solid of late in the front end of the rotation, as Oswalt leads in innings pitched with 148 and Rodriguez leads in wins (11) and earned run average (3.05). The Astros will start a home stand  this week, as they host the Florida Marlins for three and the Atlanta Braves for three.

19. Minnesota Twins (56-61) –  The Twins, despite the fact that they are 5 games under .500, continue to sit within striking distance of the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central. The Twins have struggled of late, losing two straight, and seven of their last ten. The latest rash of losses came in the final two games of a three game series with the Cleveland Indians. Joe Mauer is leading all of baseball with a .377 batting average, and Justin Morneau continues to put up impressive numbers with 28 homeruns, 94 runs batted in, and 79 runs scored. The Twins and Texas Rangers start a four game series in Arlington on Monday, followed by a trip to Kansas City over the weekend.

20. Toronto Blue Jays (55-61) – The Blue Jays continue to hover just below .500, at 55-61. The Blue Jays have lost two straight games, and six of their last ten overall. Toronto traded their top offensive star, Scott Rolen to Cincinnati at the trading deadline, and recently traded outfielder Alex Rios to the White Sox. Aaron Hill leads the team in homeruns with 28 and runs batted in with 80. Roy Halladay continues to lead the starting pitching staff, with 13 wins, an earned run average of 2.65 in 173 innings pitched. The Blue Jays and Red Sox will meet up in Toronto for a three game series spanning from Tuesday – Thursday, and then welcome to Angels to town for a weekend set.

21. New York Mets (55-62) – The Mets simply cannot wait for the 2009 season to end. After the rash of injuries struck New York throughout most of the season, the biggest blow came this weekend when David Wright was struck on the head by a Matt Cain fast ball. Manager Jerry Manuel says Wright may be out for the season, which would probably be a wise choice at this point. Wright was leading the team in batting average, with a .324 batting average, along with runs batted in (55), runs scored (74), and stolen bases(24). New York is eight games under .500 and 12.5 games behind the front running Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets are 5 games over .500 at home, but have really struggled, to the tune of 23-35 on the road. The Mets will finish a four game series with the Giants at home on Monday, and then welcome the Braves and Phillies to down for the rest of the week.

22. Arizona Diamondbacks (54-64) – The Diamondbacks are trying to make a push near the .500 mark in the final month and half of the season. Arizona sits at ten games under .500, and 16.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Arizona is 28-35 when playing at home this season, and 26-30 on the road. The Diamondbacks failed to complete a three game sweep at home over the Dodgers on Sunday, but taking two out of three is a quality series. Arizona will play a single game on Monday at Atlanta, before heading to Philadelphia for three games and Houston for three more over the weekend.

23. Oakland Athletics (52-65) – The Athletics took the final game of a three game series with the White Sox, to salvage one in the three game series. Now the Athletics will host the AL leading New York Yankees for a three game series. Oakland is getting quality production from Adam Kennedy, as he is batting .287. Jack Cust leads the team in homeruns with 16 and runs scored (63). Dallas Braden leads the team in wins, with 8, but is under .500, with 9 losses. The Athletics lost Braden with a rash on his left foot on August 8^th, but appear to have Justin Duchscherer on his way back on Tuesday.

24. Cleveland Indians (51-66) – The best of a poor state of Ohio baseball, the Cleveland Indians are 15 games under .500, and 11  games out of first place. The Indians trail third place Minnesota by 5 games, and 8.5 behind second place Chicago. The Indians are 25-36 when playing at home, and 21-35 on the road. After getting drubbed 11-0 by the Minnesota Twins in the first of a series, the Indians knocked off the Twins in the final two games. The Indians will host the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and then host the Seattle Mariners on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

25. Cincinnati Reds (50-67) – After competing until early July, the Reds have fallen completely flat on their face. Cincinnati has dropped to 17 games below .500, and just 3.5 games ahead of divisional doormat Pittsburgh. The Reds have lost starting pitchers Micah Owings and Edinson Volquez to injury, and also offensive stars Jay Bruce and Scott Rolen. The Reds have continued to be puzzled by the poor performances of starting pitcher Aaron Harang. Harang leads the team with 155.1 innings, and also an earned run average of 4.35, but is 6-14 on the season. Brandon Phillips has become the offensive star for the Reds, leading in batting average (.262), runs batted in (75) and runs scored (58). After losing three of four to Washington, the Reds will host the San Francisco Giants for a three game series, starting Tuesday. After the Reds host San Francisco, they will head on the road for a three game set in Pittsburgh.

26. Baltimore Orioles (48-69) – The Orioles once again look to finish at the bottom of the rugged American League East. Baltimore trails the leading Yankees by 25.5 games, but more importantly for Baltimore, they trail fourth place Toronto by 7.5 games. On Monday, the Orioles traded first basemen Aubrey Huff to the Detroit Tigers. Baltimore will finish a four game series with the Angels on Monday, and then start a road trip that begins Tuesday at Tampa Bay and extends to a weekend series at Chicago.

27. San Diego Padres (49-70) – The Padres dropped their fourth straight game on Sunday, this time in walk-off fashion. After leading 5-4 heading into the ninth inning, Heath Bell surrendered a fifth run, and then allowed a two run homerun to Cardinals rookie Colby Rasmus. The win for the Cardinals completed a three game sweep of the Padres. San Diego has fallen to 21.5 games behind  the Dodgers, and five games back of Arizona, for fourth place in the NL West. The lone bright spot for the Padres has been first base men Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez leads the team in batting average (.279), homeruns (32), runs batted in (72) and runs scored (70). San Diego will host the Chicago Cubs for three starting on Monday, and then a re-match with the Cardinals, for four, over the weekend.

28. Kansas City Royals (46-71) – The Royals look to just play the role of the spoiler in the American League Central. Kansas City will see an array of games with the Central Division leader Detroit, and teams chasing them, Chicago and Minnesota. Kansas City just came off a Sunday win against Detroit. Now the Royals will start a three game series in Chicago with the White Sox. After taking Thursday off, the Royals will host the Minnesota Twins over the weekend.

29. Pittsburgh Pirates (46-70) – The Pirates have fallen to 24 games under .500, and dropped 19.5 games back of the Cardinals, in last place in the NL Central. Pittsburgh is just 18-43 when playing on the road this season. Pittsburgh was saved by the rain, in what separated them from what looked like a three game sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs. The Pirates will start a three game series at home with the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, and then after taking Thursday off, the Pirates will host the Reds for a three game series over the weekend.

30. Washington Nationals (43-75) – The Nationals are approaching coming out of the bottom, as they are just three wins behind Pittsburgh. Washington has won three in a row, and seven of their last ten, coming off three wins in a row over the Reds. The Nationals main problem has been winning on the road, as they are a lowly 17-42 overall on the road. The big news for Washington is the questionable nature of if they can sign first overall pick Stephen Strasburg, as Monday evening is the deadline. The Nationals are getting solid numbers from power hitting outfielder Adam Dunn. Dunn has proven his ability this season, hitting 31 homeruns and driving in 86 runs. The Nationals are 24.5 games behind the Phillies in the NL East. Washington will start a three game series on Tuesday with the Colorado Rockies. Following that series, Washington will host the Milwaukee Brewers for three games over the weekend.

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*Baseball Records & Team Rankings are as of 7/26/2009
(Our Next Major League Baseball Power Ratings Update: 8/10/2009)

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (62-35) – The Dodgers continue to play red-hot baseball, leading their division by a full week of games. Los Angeles has used the right arm of Chad Billingsley to lead the way. Billingsley is 10-5 with a 3.72 earned run average for Los Angeles. Offensively Andre Either, Matt Kemp, Orlando Hudson and Juan Pierre are aiding Manny Ramirez in the middle of the lineup. The Dodgers had won seven of ten games, before Sunday’s affair with Florida. The Dodgers will head west, and play a ESPN game Monday evening in St. Louis, in part of a four game set with the Cardinals, and then travel to Atlanta for three games over the weekend with the Braves. The Dodgers could really put a damper on both Colorado and San Francisco in August, as they travel to both cities for three game sets during the month.

2. New York Yankees (60-38) – The Yankees defeated the Athletics on Sunday and finished a 3-1 set, and have now won 9 of their last 10 games overall. Derek Jeter has led the way offensively, upping his team leading batting average to .319.  Mark Teixeria is making a run for the AL MVP with his 25 homeruns and 71 runs batted in. Off-season acquisition C.C. Sabathia leads the team in wins, with 10, and also earned run average with a 3.67. New York currently leads second place Boston by 2.5 games, while the Rays lurk at 6.5 back. New York is an AL best 35-17 at the new Yankee Stadium. The Yankees will start a road trip on Monday, at Tampa Bay, and then head to Chicago for three games, starting Friday with the White Sox.

3. Anaheim Angels (58-38) – Sunday’s blowout loss to the Minnesota Twins snapped Anaheim’s eight game winning streak. After sweeping a road series at Kansas City, the Angels had won the first two against Minnesota. Hard throwing Jered Weaver has led the pitching staff with 10 wins, to just 3 losses, also compiling a 3.57 earned run average. Chone Figgins has been a spark plug for the offense, leading the team in runs scored (78) and stolen bases (31). Anaheim will continue their home stand on Monday, as the Cleveland Indians visit. After the series with Cleveland, the Angels will fly to Minnesota to play a three game series with the Twins.

4. Philadelphia Phillies (56-40) – After the red hot streak, the Phillies were stopped Friday night by the new look St. Louis Cardinals. Philadelphia rebounded well, picking up 23 runs in two games, to beat the Cardinals in both games. J.A. Happ took his first loss of the season, but the rookie sits at 7-1 on the season. Shane Victorino leads the high powered Phily offense with a .318 batting average, as slugger Ryan Howard has pounded in 72 runs. The Phillies lead the second place Atlanta Braves by 6.5 games in the National League East. The Phillies will now take the road, starting Monday with a three game series at the Arizona Diamondbacks. Following the trip to Arizona, Philadelphia will play four with the Giants, in San Francisco. The Phillies are still in talks with the Blue Jays for their ace Roy Halladay.

5. Boston Red Sox (57-40) – The Red Sox could not finish a three game sweep on Sunday over Baltimore, and fell to 2.5 games behind the New York Yankees in the AL East standings. Boston has got 11 wins from ace Josh Beckett, as he has also compiled a 3.42 earned run average. Dustin Pedroia the 2008 AL MVP is batting .304 for Boston, which leads the team. New comer Jason Bay leads the team in both homeruns and runs batted in, with 20 and 72 respectively. Boston traded disgruntled former shortstop Julio Lugo to St. Louis earlier in the week, also picking up Adam LaRoche from Pittsburgh.  Boston will continue their seven game home stand on Monday, when the Oakland Athletics visit Fenway. After the series with Oakland, Boston will make the trip to Baltimore for a three game weekend set with the Baltimore Orioles.

6. Tampa Bay Rays (54-45) – Toronto used a Scott Rolen three run homerun to avoid the sweep of the Rays on Sunday. Tampa Bay has climbed to within 6.5 games of the front running Yankees. It was an adventurous week for the Rays, who were held to no base runners in the Mark Buerhle perfect game, they next night they turned around and beat Roy Halladay, and then down eight runs to Toronto, Tampa bounced back and beat the Jays 10-9. Jason Bartlett leads the team in batting with a .341 mark, while Carlos Pena leads in homeruns (25) and runs scored (65). Tampa Bay will begin a very important three game set with the first place Yankees on Monday at home. Following the Yankees, the Kansas City Royals will visit Tampa for a three game set over the weekend.

7. Texas Rangers (54-42) – Texas took advantage of a weak Kansas City bullpen on Sunday to gain a little ground on first place Anaheim. The Rangers picked up the 7-2 win, which led to a 2-1 series win. The Rangers got bad news when starting pitcher Kevin Millwood left the game with tightness in his left gluteus.  This came a few days after right hander Vicente Padilla was scratched with flu like symptoms, which was later diagnosed as the Swine Flu. Texas has got great offense from Michael Young, with a .313 batting average, and also Ian Kinsler, who leads the team with 23 homeruns, 59 runs batted in, and 68 runs scored. The Rangers start a seven game home stand on Monday with Detroit and Seattle coming to town for three and four respectively.

8. Colorado Rockies (54-44) – The Rockies got seven sharp innings from Aaron Cook to win the final game of a three game series over the Giants. The win for Colorado pushed their wildcard lead to two games over San Francisco. Colorado is getting excellent production from Brad Hawpe (.322 batting average, and 61 runs batted in), Troy Tulowitzki (18 homeruns, and 56 runs scored) and Dexter Fowler, who has stolen 23 bases. Staff ace Jason Marquis leads the National League with 12 wins. The Rockies start a seven game series on Monday with the New York Mets, for four and then Colorado will travel to Cincinnati for a three game set over the weekend.

9. San Francisco Giants (52-46) – The Giants have struggled of late, losing seven of their last ten, falling to third in the NL West, and two games behind second place, and wildcard leading Colorado. Colorado, after falling in the first game of the series, came back with two straight wins, allowing the Giants just two runs in both games. Pablo Sandoval leads the team in most offensive categories including batting average (.324), homeruns (15) and runs batted in (58). Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain have been an excellent 1-2 punch at the start of the rotation, Lincecum with a 10-3, and 2.45 earned run average, and Cain leading the team with 12 wins. The Giants will start a home stand on Monday when the Pittsburgh Pirates come in for three. Following Pittsburgh, the Giants will then face the NL East leading Philadelphia Phillies for a four game set.

10. Seattle Mariners (51-46) – Seattle fell to 7.5 games behind Anaheim after being swept on Sunday by the Cleveland Indians. Seattle was outscored 31-6 in the three games at home. Ichiro Suzuki is the leading hitter for the Mariners with a .358 batting average, while the resurging Russell Branyan has hit 24 homeruns and knocked in 55 runs. Seattle will play a three game home series starting on Monday with the Toronto Blue Jays, before heading to Texas for a four game series with the Rangers.

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11. Detroit Tigers (52-44) – The Detroit Tigers came into Sunday Nights game winners of three straight over second place Chicago. The Tigers won both games of a doubleheader on Friday 5-1 and 4-3, and repeated the 4-3 game on Saturday to move to three games ahead. Miguel Cabrera is making a strong case for AL MVP with a .328 batting average, while Brandon Inge has hit 21 homeruns and knocked in 58 runs. Justin Verlander leads the team with 11 wins, while Fernando Rodney has converted 21 saves on the year. Detroit will start a three game series at Texas on Monday, take Thursday off, and battle the Cleveland Indians on the road on Friday.

12. St. Louis Cardinals (53-48) – After acquiring Julio Lugo and Matt Holliday, the Cardinals picked up a 8-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The win was the first time Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ lost a game. After that, the Cardinals pitching could not get anyone out, allowing 23 runs in two games. The losses for St. Louis dropped them to second place, ½ game behind divisional rival Chicago. Albert Pujols continues to lead the team in all offensive categories, including a .325 batting average, 34 homeruns, 91 runs batted in, 79 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases. Adam Wainwright leads the staff in wins with 10. St. Louis will start a four game series Monday night at home with the West leading Dodgers. Following Los Angeles, the Cardinals will host the Houston Astros, who just swept the Cardinals in Houston last week.

13. Chicago Cubs (51-45) – The Cubs picked up their fourth straight win to place them into first place in the NL Central for the first time since April 21^st. Ryan Theriot leads the team in batting, despite hitting just under .300 for the season. Derrick Lee leads the team in homeruns and runs batted in, with 19 and 63 respectively. Ted Lilly leads the starting staff with 9 wins, but was placed on the disabled list recently with left shoulder inflammation. Ryan Dempster is also on the disabled list with a fractured big toe. The Cubs and Astros will start a four game set at Wrigley on Monday, before Chicago heads to Miami for a weekend set with the Marlins.

14. Chicago White Sox (50-48) – After the historic win for the White Sox and left hander Mark Buerhle, the White Sox fell in three straight games to the Tigers. Chicago will look to snap the losing streak, and salvage a game Sunday night on ESPN. The White Sox are three games behind the Tigers, in the division. Chicago is 27-23 when playing at home, and 23-25 on the road. After finishing Sunday’s game at Detroit, the White Sox will head north to Minneapolis to take on the third place Twins. On Thursday, the White Sox and the Yankees will begin a four game set at US Cellular Field.

15. Houston Astros (50-48) – After sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals at the start of the week, and knocking Johan Santana off on Friday, the Astros were not able to complete the huge week, by dropping two straight against the Mets. The Astros are in the running in the NL Central, just two games behind the Cubs at the top. Houston has won 28 of 53 at home this season, and 22 of 45 on the road.  The Astros placed outfielder Lance Berkman on the disabled list on July 24^th with a strained left calf muscle. Miguel Tejada continues to hit well, batting .326 to lead the team. Carlos Lee continues to make a move towards 100 runs batted in, as he leads the team with 59. Wandy Rodriguez leads the team in wins with 10, and also has a solid earned run average of 2.72. The Astros will face a huge week ahead of them, as they start a four game series at Chicago against the Cubs on Monday, and in St. Louis against the Cardinals over the weekend.

16. Florida Marlins (51-48) – The Marlins continue to remain within striking distance in both the NL East (6.5 games back) and the NL Wildcard (3.5 games back). Florida is 25-24 at home this season, and 26-24 when playing on the road. Hanley Ramirez leads the team, and the entire National League in batting, with a .346 mark, and also runs batted in (62) and runs scored (58). The Marlins are confident following two out of three wins over the NL leading Los Angeles Dodgers on the road. Florida’s closer Matt Lindstrom has been on the disabled list since June 24^th with a right elbow strain, but that has not seemed to dimmer the Marlins hopes’. Florida will host the Atlanta Braves, starting on Tuesday, and then host the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.

17. Atlanta Braves (51-48) – Atlanta is another team that continues to remain within striking distance. Atlanta, at 51-48, remains in a second place tie with the Florida Marlins, 6.5 games behind Philadelphia. The Braves just completed a two of three weekend at Milwaukee in which they were blanked in the middle game, but scored 19 in the other two. Yunel Escobar leads the Braves in batting average, with a .309 batting average, and also runs batted in, with 57, while Chipper Jones leads in homeruns (12) and runs scored (52). Atlanta and Florida will start a three game series in Miami on Tuesday, and then the Braves will host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

18. Milwaukee Brewers (49-49) – The Brewers fell back to .500 on Sunday with a loss to the Atlanta Braves. Milwaukee is continuing to attempt to find ways to become a more consistent team, as they continue to hang around. Milwaukee is just three games behind the front running Chicago Cubs. Ryan Braun leads the team with a .310 batting average, and 67 runs scored, while homerun derby winner Prince Fielder leads in homeruns (24) and runs batted in (86). Seth McClung was the latest Brewer to find the disabled list with a right elbow strain. Milwaukee will hope to get back on track on Monday, as they start a four game series with the Washington Nationals. After the series with Washington, Milwaukee will head west and take on the San Diego Padres for a weekend series.

19. Minnesota Twins (49-50) – The Twins have moved to within one game of .500, despite winning just four of their last ten games. Minnesota sits just 4.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers at the top of the American League Central. Minnesota has won 28 of 48 at home, while losing 30 of 51 on the road. Joe Mauer leads the entire American League in batting with a .366 mark, while Justin Morneau is providing the power, with 24 homeruns, 79 runs batted in, and 67 runs scored. Kevin Slowey, the Twins leader in wins with 10, continues to be sidelined with  a strained right wrist. Minnesota will host second place Chicago on Monday for a three game set, followed by three at home over the weekend with Anaheim.

20. Toronto Blue Jays (48-51) – Have the Blue Jays seen the last of Roy Halladay in their uniform? Halladay pitched Friday against Tampa Bay, and have been rumored as being traded for some time now. As the trade deadline approaches, Philadelphia has made the most noise, in an effort to grab one of the best pitchers in the game. Toronto is in fourth place in the AL East, 12.5  games behind the front running New York Yankees. Scott Rolen leads the team in batting with a .316 batting average, while Aaron Hill is putting up excellent numbers, with 24 homeruns and 67 runs batted in. Toronto will start a road trip on Monday at Seattle, take Thursday off, and play three at Oakland, starting on Friday.

21. New York Mets (46-51) – The Mets are at a break point, with just over 60 games to play, they trail the Phillies by 10.5 games, and the wildcard leading Rockies by 7.5 games. New York bounced back from losing the opener to Houston, by winning the final two games at Minute Maid Park. David Wright has been the lone bright spot offensively for the Mets, leading the team in batting average (.317), runs batted in (46), runs scored (60), and stolen bases (21). Gary Sheffield leads the team in homeruns, with just 10. Johan Santana is 11-8 with a 3.12 earned run average to lead the Mets starting pitching staff. The Mets will look  to keep their winning streak going, and make up some ground on Colorado on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at home. After Colorado leaves town, the Mets will host the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three game set.

22. Cincinnati Reds (44-53) – The Reds lost their sixth straight game on Sunday, and fell to 7.5 games behind the Chicago Cubs. Cincinnati scored just 10 runs in the three games, allowing 18. Brandon Phillips leads the anemic Reds offense, with just a .271 batting average, along with 63 runs batted in and 47 runs scored. Bronson Arroyo leads the pitching staff in wins, with 10. The Reds and San Diego Padres will hook up on Monday to start a four game series. On Friday, Cincinnati will host the wildcard leading Colorado Rockies for a three game series.

23. Pittsburgh Pirates (43-55) – The Pirates were blanked for the second straight day by the Arizona Diamondbacks. This came after chasing Arizona ace Dan Haren on Friday evening. Pittsburgh with the loss, dropped to nine games behind the NL Central leading Chicago Cubs. The Pirates are 26-19 at home, but just 17-36 on the road. Pittsburgh traded their top power hitter Andy LaRoche this week to the Boston Red Sox. LaRoche had led the team in homeruns (12), runs batted in (40), and runs scored (46). The Pirates will continue their west coast road trip on Monday at San Francisco, before taking Thursday off, and then coming back home to host the Washington Nationals.

24. Baltimore Orioles (42-55) – The Orioles avoided a three game sweep, and snapped their losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Red Sox on Sunday. Baltimore used three runs batted in from Nick Markakis, and an excellent start from pitcher David Hernandez. The win for the Orioles broke an 11 game losing streak at Fenway Park. Adam Jones leads Baltimore in batting with a .302 mark, while Markakis leads in runs batted in, with 63. Baltimore will head home, starting on Monday and host the Kansas City Royals for four games. After that series, the Orioles will seek revenge against the Boston Red Sox Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

25. Cleveland Indians (40-58) – The Indians have won four straight games, to move ahead of the Kansas City Royals. Cleveland is 12.5 games behind the division leading Detroit Tigers. After finishing the final game of the series with a win over Toronto, the Indians swept the Seattle Mariners in a road series, in which saw them out score the Mariners 31-6. Victor Martinez, who is subject to recent trade rumors leads the team in homeruns, with 14, runs batted in, with 64, and runs scored (55). Cliff Lee, the Indians top starting pitcher is also being discussed in trades, he leads the team in earned run average (3.17) and innings pitched (145). The Indians start a three game series in Anaheim on Monday, and then come home and take on the Detroit Tigers Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

26. Oakland Athletics (41-56) – The Athletics made the move that had been discussed for months, by dealing outfielder Matt Holliday. Holliday was sent to St. Louis for three prospects, including Brett Wallace. The Athletics are in fourth place in the AL West, and trail the Angels by 17 games. Oakland just finished half of their eight game road trip, winning just one of four at the new Yankee Stadium. The second half of their road trip is at historic Fenway Park, where the Athletics and the Red Sox will play four games. Following the trip to Boston, Oakland will fly back home and host the Toronto Blue Jays starting on Friday.

27. Arizona Diamondbacks (42-56) – Arizona just completed a three out of four series win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the final two games, Arizona shut out the Pirates, 7-0 and 9-0. Dan Haren leads the team with 10 wins, and also in earned run average, with a 2.14. Mark Reynolds has been the Diamondbacks top offensive star, with 25 homeruns, 63 runs batted in, and 63 runs scored. The Diamondbacks are in fourth place in the NL West, 20.5 games behind the Dodgers. Arizona will start a three game series with the Phillies on Monday, then take Thursday off, before traveling to New York for a weekend series with the Mets.

28. San Diego Padres (38-61) – The Padres have fallen in eight of their last ten games, and slid below the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West. San Diego trails the front running Dodgers by 25 games, which ranks second worst in all of baseball, just ahead of Washington. The Padres have struggled on the road, winning just 14 of 49 games. San Diego’s leading homerun hitter and run producer Adrian Gonzalez has been rumored in trade requests, but it appears no team will give up what San Diego wants for his services. Gonzalez has hit 25 homeruns and drove in 55 runs. The Padres will continue their eight game road trip on Monday at Cincinnati, and then come home on Friday, and start a weekend series with the Milwaukee Brewers.

29. Kansas City Royals (38-59) – The Royals snapped their nine game losing streak on Saturday with a 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers. Kansas City was not able to win two in a row, as the Rangers downed Kansas City 7-2. The Royals have fallen to last place in the American League Central, and now trail Detroit by 14.5 games. While struggling as of late, Zack Greinke is still a bright spot for Kansas City with a 10-6 record and a 2.04 earned run average. The Royals will head out to the East and take on the Baltimore Orioles for a four game series starting Monday. After the trip to Baltimore, Kansas City will travel to Tampa Bay for a three game weekend set.

30. Washington Nationals (30-68) – Despite having the worst record in all of baseball, the Nationals are beginning to at least make head way towards Kansas City and San Diego. Washington just completed a two of out three series win over the Padres. Despite their recent wins, the Nationals find themselves 27 games out of first place, the largest margin in of all baseball. Adam Dunn has led the Nationals in power numbers with 25 homeruns and 70 runs batted in, while Nick Johnson leads in batting, with a 3.02 mark. John Lannan has been the best thing towards a staff ace, with just a 7-7 mark on the season. Washington will start a four game series in Milwaukee on Monday, and then travel to Pittsburgh over the weekend.

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*Baseball Records & Team Rankings are as of 7/6/2009
(Our Next Major League Baseball Power Ratings Update: 7/13/2009)

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (51-30) – Midway through the 2009 season, the Dodgers look to be head and shoulders ahead of everyone else in the National League. Manny Ramirez came back on Friday, going 0-fer in his first game, but hitting a homerun in his second game back. The Dodgers lead the Giants by 6.5 games in the National League West. Andre Either leads the team in homeruns and runs batted in with 15 and 53, and also leads in walk-off hits (4). The Dodgers will finish up their weekend series at San Diego on Sunday, and then head east, taking on the Mets, Tuesday through Thursday and then visit Milwaukee over the weekend before the All Star Break.

2. Boston Red Sox (48-32) – Losers of two straight games, the Boston Red Sox sit just one full game ahead of the Yankees for first place in the American League East. The Mariners have beat the Red Sox late in the game for both the wins. Kevin Youkilis leads the team with a .306 batting average, while Jason Bay leads in homeruns (19) and runs batted in (70). Boston will finish their series with the Mariners at home on Sunday, and then welcome to Athletics and Royals into town before the All Star break.

3. New York Yankees (47-33) – The Yankees have won two straight games and nine of their last ten to sneak within one game of the Red Sox for first place in the American League East. The Yankees are 25-15 at home and 22-18 on the road this season, while feasting on teams not in the Central Division; 23-9. Derek Jeter leads the team in batting with his .308 batting average, while Mark Teixeira leads in homeruns and runs batted in with 20 and 61. Left hander Andy Pettitte leads the pitching staff with eight wins, while closer Mariano Rivera continues to shine, with 21 saves. The Yankees and Blue Jays will finish their series up on Monday, before heading to Minneapolis to take on the Twins – Tuesday, Wednesday and  Thursday. After leaving Minnesota, the Yankees will head west and finish the first half of the season in Anaheim, taking on the Angels.

4. Los Angeles Angels (44-35) – The American League West has developed into an extremely tight race, as the Angels and Rangers are deadlocked at nine games over .500, and the Mariners sit just 2.5 games back. The Angels have won two of three over the weekend over the Baltimore Orioles. Saturday’s game saw Vladimir Guerrero hit just his third homerun of the season to lead the Angels to a 11-4 win. Chone Figgins leads the Angels in batting with a .316 mark, while Torii Hunter continues to provide the power numbers (17 homeruns), (62 runs batted in). Brian Fuentes, the teams first year closer, has saved 23 of 26 saves on the season. The Angels and Orioles will close their four game series on Sunday, and then the Angels will welcome the Rangers and Yankees to town before taking the All Star break.

5. Texas Rangers (44-35) – The Rangers got a homerun and three runs batted in from Andruw Jones Saturday night to assist in a 12-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rangers are tied in first place with the Angels, both with records at nine games over .500. Centerfielder Josh Hamilton is on his way back from an injury. He is scheduled to start his rehab back, but his return to Arlington is not known at this time. Nelson Cruz continues to have a great breakout season, leading the team in homeruns with 20. Texas and Tampa Bay will play their Sunday Night game, before the Rangers head on the road to Anaheim for three games, and Seattle for four to finish the first half of the season.

6. San Francisco Giants (44-36) – The Giants have emerged into one of the hottest teams in baseball, and have jumped to within 6.5 games of the Dodgers, and more importantly are the current leaders for the National League Wildcard. The Giants are a sizzling 26-12 when playing at home. Tim Lincecum picked up another win Saturday evening, throwing seven more scoreless innings. Lincecum, along with Matt Cain, Randy Johnson and Barry Zito are the majors best starting rotation. Lincecum on the season is 9-2 with a 2.23 earned run average. Young offensive stud Pablo Sandoval leads the team in batting average with a .333 mark. Sandoval also leads in homeruns with 12. The Giants will look to finish a three game sweep over the Astros on Sunday, and then welcome the Florida Marlins for three and the San Diego Padres for four leading up to the All Star break.

7. Detroit Tigers (44-36) – The Tigers sit 2.5 games ahead of the Chicago White Sox for first place in the American League Central. Detroit fell on Saturday to divisional rival Minnesota 4-3, but picked up an 11-9 win on Friday. Miguel Cabrera leads the Tigers with a .324 batting average, while Brandon Inge has popped 18 homeruns and drove in 52 runs. Justin Verlander leads the starting rotation with a 8-4 record, and a 3.54 earned run average. Verlander has struck out 130 batters, while just walking 35 on the season. Detroit and Minnesota will finish up their three game series on Sunday, and then the Tigers will host the Royals and Indians for three game sets.

8. Tampa Bay Rays (44-38) – The Tampa Bay Rays, after winning seven straight games, have lost three straight. Tampa could not finish the three game sweep of Toronto, and have now fallen in the first two to the Texas Rangers. Carl Crawford leads the team in batting with a .318 mark, while Carlos Pena has knocked out 23 homeruns. Evan Longoria leads the team in runs batted in with 63. Jeff Niemann leads the starting pitching staff with a 7-4 record, and 4.14 earned run average. The Rays and Rangers will finish their series on Sunday, before Tampa takes Monday off and then host the Toronto Blue Jays for three games, starting on  Tuesday, and then welcoming the Oakland Athletics over the weekend.

9. Milwaukee Brewers (43-38) – The Brewers, tied with St. Louis, are currently on top of a division with no clear cut favorite. Milwaukee failed to sweep the three game series with the Mets on Wednesday, falling 1-0, and then dropped the first two to divisional rival Chicago. The Brewers snapped the three game losing streak on Saturday, blasting the Cubs 11-2. Prince Fielder is having a MVP type season for the Brewers, hitting .310 with 21 homeruns and 75 runs batted in. Yovani Gallardo leads the starting pitching rotation in wins with 8, also with a 2.75 earned run average. The Brewers and Cubs will conclude their four game set on Sunday, and then the Brewers will take Monday off. St. Louis and Los Angeles will come to Miller Park this week to finish the  first half of the season.

10. St. Louis Cardinals (44-39) – On Saturday, the Cardinals modest three game winning streak was snapped by Micah Owings and the Cincinnati Reds. The Cardinals, at 44-39 are tied with Milwaukee at the top of the competitive National League Central. The Cardinals are 24-20 at home and 20-19 when playing on the road this season. On Friday, Albert Pujols hit his fourth grand slam of the 2009 season, and tenth in his career. Pujols is 6-7 with 20 runs batted in, when hitting with the bases loaded this season. Pujols’ .336 batting average is .010 from keeping him from leading all three triple crown categories. His 31 homeruns and 82 runs batted in lead the NL. The Cardinals and Reds will play the rubber match of the three game series on Sunday, and then St. Louis will take Monday off. A three game series with Milwaukee will start on  Tuesday, and then the Cardinals and Cubs will play four games in three days over the weekend.

11. Philadelphia Phillies (41-37) – The Phillies, one year after winning the World Series have not found any consistency within their offense, or their starting pitching. Despite their woes, Philadelphia still sits in first place in the National League East, as the halfway mark looms. The Phillies are seven games under .500 on the road at 15-22, while they are 26-15 when playing away from Philadelphia. The Phillies have won two straight, both over the Mets. Raul Ibanez continues to lead the team in batting, and homeruns, but is on the disabled list still with a strained left groin. The Phillies will look to sweep the Mets on Sunday, and then host the Cincinnati Reds for four straight games, followed by hosting the Pirates for three over the weekend.

12. Colorado Rockies (42-38) – After coming off possibly the best month of June in franchise history, the Rockies find themselves in contention for 2009 postseason. Colorado, at 42-38, is just 8.5 games out of first place in the NL West, but more importantly just two games behind NL Wildcard leader- San Francisco. The Rockies have slowed down their pace as of late, winning just five of their last ten games. On Saturday, Colorado fell 11-7 to the Diamondbacks. The Rockies are led in hitting by right-hander Brad Hawpe, who is hitting .331. Ian Stewart leads the team in homeruns with 15. Colorado, after finishing the three game home series with Arizona, will welcome both the Nationals and Braves into town this week to finish the first half of the season.

13. Seattle Mariners (42-38) – The Mariners felt the most recent road trip could be a make/break time for the ball club, and after going 5-3 against the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox, the Mariners find themselves in contention in the American League West. The Mariners have a chance to sweep the Red Sox, on the road, on Sunday. Seattle, in third place, is just 2.5 games behind both Texas and Los Angeles in the AL West. The Mariners are 21-15 at home, and 21-23 on the road. Ichiro Suzuki is making a case for AL MVP, with his .365 batting average. Power hitting Russell Branyan has done his job hitting 20 homeruns in the first 80 games of the season. Felix Hernandez has been the staff ace thus far, winning eight games, and compiling an earned run average of 2.62 on the season. Seattle, after finishing the series at Boston on Sunday, will head back home, and host the Baltimore Orioles for three and Texas Rangers for four.

14. Chicago White Sox (42-39) – The White Sox seven game winning streak was snapped on Saturday night by the Kansas City Royals. Chicago’s seven game winning streak sparked them into second place in the American League Central Division, just 2.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers. Chicago has won 20 of 40 games at home, and 22 of 41 when playing on the road. The White Sox are led in batting by outfielder Scott Podsednik, with his .312 batting average. Mark Buehrle has been the staff ace thus far in 2009 with a 8-2 record, and a 3.09 earned run average. The White Sox and Royals will play the final game of the three game series on Sunday. After taking on the Royals, the White Sox will take Monday off, host Cleveland for a three game series, and then head to Minnesota for a weekend series.

15. Toronto Blue Jays (42-40) – The Blue Jays have fallen to fourth place in the American League East, despite being two games above .500. Toronto has lost two straight games and seven of their last ten games overall. Toronto has been led in hitting by a resurging third base men Scott Rolen. Rolen leads the team in batting with a .331 batting average. Aaron Hill leads in power numbers, popping 19 homeruns, and driving in 56 runs batted in. Roy Halladay, despite missing a few starts with an injury continues to be a front runner for AL Cy Young, with a 10-2 mark, and a 2.79 earned run average. Toronto and New York will play both Sunday and Monday, before the Blue Jays head to Tampa Bay, for a Tuesday-Thursday series. The final games before the All Star Break for Toronto will be on the road at Baltimore, over the weekend.

16. Minnesota Twins (42-40) – The Twins, at 42-40, are in third place, three games behind the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central. Minnesota, has won six of their last ten games coming into Sunday’s game. The Twins are 25-16 at home, and just 17-24 when playing on the road. Saturday’s win was a comeback win, in which Justin Morneau led the comeback. Francisco Liriano did not pick up the win, but pitched well again, in his third straight start. The Twins and Tigers will finish their three game series on Sunday, and then the Twins will host the New York Yankees (Tuesday-Thursday) and the Chicago White Sox over the weekend.

17. Florida Marlins (42-40) – The Florida Marlins are taking full advantage of the struggles of the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets. As half the season has come to an end, the Marlins find themselves at 42-40, two games above .500. Florida is also just one game behind first place Philadelphia. Hanley Ramirez is making a case for runner up in the MVP voting (behind Albert Pujols) with his .346 batting average, and 60 runs batted in. Dan Uggla leads Florida in homeruns with 15. Josh Johnson leads the starting rotation in wins (7) and earned run average (2.76).  The Marlins and Pirates have split the first two games of a four game series, and will play the final game on Sunday, before Florida heads west to take on the Giants and Diamondbacks.

18. Cincinnati Reds (40-39) – The Reds, are another team that sits just above .500, and still in contention in the divisional race. Cincinnati is just two games out, behind Milwaukee and St. Louis in the NL Central. The Reds picked up a 5-2 win behind Micah Owings on Saturday, a day after blowing a 3-0 lead to the Cardinals on Friday. The Reds starting pitching staff has been excellent, with Johnny Cueto, Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, Edison Volquez, and Micah Owings, as of late. Jay Bruce leads the team in homeruns with 18, while Brandon Phillips is the leading RBI guy, with 53. The Reds and Cardinals will play the rubber game of the three game series on Sunday, before Cincinnati heads to Philadelphia for four and New York for three to conclude the first half of the season.

19. Chicago Cubs (39-39) – The Chicago Cubs, at .500, are still alive in the NL Central. Chicago sits just 2.5 games behind the Brewers and Cardinals, in fourth place in the NL Central. The Cubs have not found any consistency from their offense, but have seen a surge from first basemen Derrick Lee as of late. Lee leads the team in homeruns (14) and runs batted in (48). Ryan Theriot leads the team in batting with a .287 batting average. The Cubs’ three game winning streak came to an end on Saturday, as the Milwaukee Brewers blasted them 11-2. The Brewers and Cubs will finish their four game series on Sunday, before the Cubs host the Braves for three and then the Cardinals for four, including a Sunday doubleheader to end the first half of the season.

20. Atlanta Braves (39-41) – The Braves, despite being two games under .500 are just three games out of first place in the National League East. The Braves have not had excellent offensive numbers, but have had solid pitching from Derek Lowe, Jair Jurrjens, and Javier Vazquez at the top of their rotation. The Braves and Nationals will play the rubber match of their three game series on Sunday, and then Atlanta will head to Chicago for a three game series and then to Colorado for four to end the first half of the season.

21. New York Mets (39-41) – The Mets, with all their injuries have continued to plummet in the National League East standings. New York has dropped to two games below .500, but are just three games out of first place. The Mets have lost two straight games, and seven of their last ten games. Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, John Maine and J.J. Putz lead a long list of injuries for New York. The Mets are led in homeruns by aging veteran Gary Sheffield, with 10, while third basemen David Wright leads in runs batted in (42) and runs scored (51). The Mets will look to avoid a three game sweep at Philadelphia on Sunday, and then head back to Citi Field and take on the Los Angeles Dodgers for three, starting on Tuesday. Over the weekend, the Cincinnati Reds will come to town.

22. Houston Astros (38-41) – After creeping to just one game under .500, the Houston Astros have suddenly lost their bats. Houston has been outscored 22-0 in their first two games in a series in San Francisco. Miguel Tejada leads the team in batting with a .325 batting average, while Lance Berkman has hit 17 homeruns and drove in 48 runs. Wandy Rodriguez has been the staff ace, with a 7-6 record, and a 3.21 earned run average. After Houston finishes in San Francisco on Sunday, they will come back home, four seven straight against Pittsburgh(3) and Washington(4).

23. Baltimore Orioles (36-45) – The Baltimore Orioles are the lone American League East team that is out of contention. The Orioles are in fifth place, and 12.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox. Baltimore is 24-20 when playing at home, but a dismal 12-25 on the road. The Orioles are pleased with their production from outfielder Adam Jones, who leads the team in batting average, at .307. Luke Scott leads the team in homeruns with 16, while Aubrey Huff has drove in 55 runs, and Brian Roberts has scored 60 runs. The Orioles will look to split the four game series with the Angels on Sunday, and then head to Seattle to take on the Mariners in a three game set. Over the weekend, the Orioles will host the Toronto Blue Jays to finish the 2009 first half of the season.

24. Pittsburgh Pirates (37-44) – The Pirates, are seven games below .500, but are just six games out of first place in the National League Central. Pittsburgh are 22-17 at home this season, while they have struggled on the road, winning just 15 of 42 games. Zach Duke or Freddy Sanchez look to be the choices for the National League All Star team, Pittsburgh representative. Duke is 8-6 on the season with a 3.13 earned run average, while Sanchez is batting .316 on the season. The Pirates will look to win the rubber match of a three game set in Miami on Sunday, and then continue the road trip Monday-Wednesday at Houston, before playing three at Philadelphia over the weekend.

25. San Diego Padres (35-45) – The Padres picked up their fourth win in twelve tries over the first place Los Angeles Dodgers. San Diego has got to find a way to win more games on the road, as they are just 12-26 on the season. The win for the Padres snapped a three game losing streak for San Diego. The Padres are led in homeruns and runs batted in by Adrian Gonzalez with 24 and 51. San Diego and Los Angeles will finish their three game series on Sunday, before the Padres will finish the first half of the season on the road, at Arizona and San Francisco (for four).

26. Kansas City Royals (34-46) – After the hot start, the Royals have fallen to twelve games below .500, but are just 10 games out of first in the American League Central. Kansas City is 21-24 at home, while 13-22 on the road. The bright spot for the Royals has been staff ace Zack Greinke, and his 10 wins. Greinke is 10-4 with a 2.00 earned run average on the season. Kansas City and the White Sox will finish their four game series on Sunday, with the Royals looking to split the series. After the Royals finish up the series, they will head to Detroit and Boston, finishing up their first half season with series against first place squads.

27. Oakland Athletics (33-46) – The Athletics are marred in the middle of a two game losing streak, and have won just two of their last ten games. Oakland is in last place in the American League West, sitting 11 games behind the Angels and Rangers. Kurt Suzuki leads the team in batting, but is only hitting .282 on the year. Jack Cust leads in power numbers with 14 homeruns and 42 runs batted in, also adding 42 runs scored. Oakland will look to avoid the sweep in Cleveland on Sunday, and then head east and take on the Red Sox for three, and the Rays for four games.

28. Cleveland Indians (33-49) – The Indians cannot seem to find consistency, and are 33-49 barring down on the end of the first half. Cleveland sits 12 games back of the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central Division. The Indians are 19-24 at home, and 14-25 on the road. The Indians snapped a five game losing streak on Friday, led  by Shin-Soo Choo’s four hits and seven runs batted in.  Victor Martinez leads the tribe in power numbers of (14 homeruns) and (57 runs batted in). Carl Pavano has led the starting pitching staff, with seven wins, but also seven losses and an earned run average of over 5.30. The Indians look to sweep the Athletics on Sunday, and then head on the road to face fellow divisional foes Chicago and Detroit.

29. Arizona Diamondbacks (32-49) – At 32-49, the Arizona Diamondbacks have been the most disappointing team in 2009. Arizona is a MLB worst 19 games out of first place in the National League West, and have won just 15 of 33 games at home. Arizona is 2-8 in their last ten games, but did pick up a Saturday win over the Rockies. Felipe Lopez is the lone Arizona hitter batting over .300, with a .301 mark. Mark Reynolds may be on the trading block, despite leading the team in homeruns (23), runs batted in (58), runs scored (52) and stolen bases (13). Dan Haren leads the team in wins (7), innings pitched (115), and earned run average (2.19). Arizona and Colorado will finish their series on Sunday in Denver, before Arizona comes home and hosts the Padres and Marlins to conclude the first half of the season.

30. Washington Nationals (23-55) – The Washington Nationals are 18 games out of first place in the National League East. Washington will be one of the very few sellers as the trade deadline looms. Washington has won just 9 games on the road this season, losing 29. The Nationals have struggled against divisional foes winning just 7 of 38 games this season. Christian Guzman leads the team in batting with a .316 batting average, while Adam Dunn has hit 22 homeruns and drove in 59 runs. The Nationals will look to win the series on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, before heading out west to Colorado and Houston to finish the first half of the season.