It took them half a season, but the St. Louis Cardinals have finally landed at the top of the power rankings. With Montreal and San Francisco tied for second, and Cincinnati surging behind them, the top of the table is starting to reflect performance rather than reputation. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Spiders and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the week’s biggest risers, and the Texas Rangers and Orlando Sun Rays are sliding fast.
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) St. Louis Cardinals (124.9, ++)
2) Montreal Expos (123.0, +)
3) San Francisco Giants (123.0, -)
4) Cincinnati Reds (120.4, +)
5) Kansas City Royals (118.6, –)
6) New York Mets (105.2, o)
7) Chicago Cubs (99.8, +)
8) Cleveland Spiders (99.8, ++)
9) Pittsburgh Pirates (99.4, +)
10) Toronto Blue Jays (93.0, +)
11) Los Angeles Dodgers (91.0, ++)
12) Washington Senators (90.2, –)
13) Seattle Pilots (87.8, +)
14) Minnesota Twins (87.0, ++)
15) Texas Rangers (86.6, –)
16) San Diego Padres (84.8, o)
17) Colorado Rockies (83.0, –)
18) Orlando Sun Rays (74.8, –)
19) Baltimore Orioles (72.1, o)
20) Boston Red Sox (66.4, ++)
21) New York Yankees (66.4, o)
22) Detroit Tigers (64.2, o)
23) Oakland Athletics (63.3, –)
24) Chicago White Sox (31.1, o)
🏆 Top Tier: Cardinals Break Through
1) St. Louis Cardinals (124.9, ++)
Winners of 8 of their last 10, the Cardinals are peaking at the right time. Their run prevention has been elite this month, and their bullpen has quietly become one of the most efficient in the league. They now sit atop both the standings and the power rankings.
2) Montreal Expos (123.0, +)
Montreal continues to trend upward. A mid-month correction in their pitching has paid off, and they’ve regained their early-season form. Their .266 team average still ranks near the top of the league.
3) San Francisco Giants (123.0, -)
San Francisco slides slightly, not due to poor play, but because they’ve cooled off just as others got hot. Still a top-three team by most measures, but the offense has hit a wall lately.
4) Cincinnati Reds (120.4, +)
The Reds are surging and now boast one of the league’s best run differentials. Matt Stairs continues to drive the offense, and their bullpen hasn’t blown a lead in two weeks.
5) Kansas City Royals (118.6, –)
After a brief stay at No. 1, Kansas City takes a step back. Their potent offense is still dangerous, but back-to-back series losses and a few rotation stumbles raise concerns.
⚔️ Second Tier: Holding Ground or Gaining Momentum
6) New York Mets (105.2, o)
Still stable, but they’ve stopped climbing. The Mets are playing .500 ball over the last 10 games, and the pitching staff is showing signs of wear.
7) Chicago Cubs (99.8, +)
Back on the upswing. Derek Bell and Sammy Sosa have carried the offense lately, while the bullpen has quietly cleaned up its act. Trending in the right direction.
8) Cleveland Spiders (99.8, ++)
This is the highest Cleveland has been all season. Howard Johnson’s power streak and a bullpen ERA under 3.00 in June have completely transformed their trajectory.
9) Pittsburgh Pirates (99.4, +)
The Pirates hang around the top 10, thanks to a solid 6–4 stretch. Their defense remains one of the league’s best.
10) Toronto Blue Jays (93.0, +)
Toronto is finally recovering from a June swoon. Ellis Burks remains a steady producer, and the back end of the bullpen has stabilized after a rough patch.
11) Los Angeles Dodgers (91.0, ++)
Up three spots, the Dodgers are showing life. The offense remains inconsistent, but their rotation—led by Clemens—is keeping them competitive in tight games.
🔄 Middle Tier: Up, Down, or Spinning in Place
12) Washington Senators (90.2, –)
Down sharply this week. The Senators’ pitching has regressed, and their offense has cooled. They’ve lost four of five and are trending the wrong direction.
13) Seattle Pilots (87.8, +)
Seattle continues to hover near .500 but gained ground this week with a well-rounded series win. Edgar Martinez remains their anchor.
14) Minnesota Twins (87.0, ++)
One of the biggest risers of the week. The Twins have suddenly found their stride, thanks to improved situational hitting and a much sharper bullpen.
15) Texas Rangers (86.6, –)
Texas tumbles this week, and deservedly so. Their walk rate remains among the worst in the league, and the rotation hasn’t gone deep enough in recent outings.
16) San Diego Padres (84.8, o)
San Diego holds their ground—thanks mostly to their pitching. The offense is still bottom-five in most metrics, but they remain pesky and capable of pulling off upsets.
17) Colorado Rockies (83.0, –)
The Rockies slide further. Their lineup, once feared, has become middle-of-the-pack, and their team ERA continues to trend upward.
⬇️ Bottom Tier: Still Waiting for Liftoff
18) Orlando Sun Rays (74.8, –)
The regression continues. After a midseason spark, Orlando has dropped back to earth. Their pitching depth is being exposed.
19) Baltimore Orioles (72.1, o)
Baltimore hasn’t moved much, but they’ve shown a little more fight lately. Still, defensive errors remain a problem.
20) Boston Red Sox (66.4, ++)
One of the few risers in the bottom four. Boston’s offense has shown signs of life, and the pitching staff hasn’t collapsed—yet.
21) New York Yankees (66.4, o)
Even at .500 over the last 10 games, the Yankees aren’t building any momentum. Bullpen issues continue to plague them in tight games.
22) Detroit Tigers (64.2, o)
Still treading water. The Tigers’ young arms have had moments, but the offense hasn’t offered much support. They’ll need to make a decision on direction soon.
23) Oakland Athletics (63.3, –)
Oakland slips again. The bats have gone cold, and a string of late-inning losses isn’t helping morale.
24) Chicago White Sox (31.1, o)
Still firmly in last. The White Sox are on pace for one of the worst pitching seasons in DBL history. No progress, no plan, no movement.