MLB Power Rankings: Week 16

MLB Power Rankings: Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.

Big ups to Prez for taking the PR reigns over while I was off last week. But we're back in the saddle, fresh out of the All-Star break and ready to incite you with our rankings. Also, I should point out that this is, relatively speaking, the "home stretch." Where even the most minuscule of mini-streaks can change a team's fate. Or something like that. Anyway, let's go to the list, where we'll find out if an attack on Jack Nicholson by the Phanatic and the addition of Petey was enough to vault the Phillies into the top spot of the Week 16 MLB Power Rankings. Cue drumroll.

• 1. Dodgers | Record: 59-34 | Previous Week: 1
  If Jason Schmidt can even approach what he once was, he'll make the Dodgers even more dominant. However, a guy doesn't miss two years and then just pick up where he left off. The Dodgers are still going to be trolling for a starter. - Jeff Fletcher
  
• 2. Yankees| Record: 55-37 | Previous Week: 3
  The team that usually does its giving to free agents is showing its charitable side this month with "HOPE week" (Helping Others Persevere & Excel). Every day this week, the team will reach out to an individual, family or organization that has been active in its community. - Ed Price
  
• 3. Phillies| Record: 52-38 | Previous Week: 7
  If Philly stays this hot and no one in the NL East improves, the Phillies could clinch division title before Labor Day. And winning five games before the All-Star break and rolling it into another five afterward is a decent way of "staying hot." - EP
  
• 4. Angels | Record: 46-35 | Previous Week: 5
  If Dustin Pedroia can win the MVP, why can't Chone Figgins? Figgins is hitting .310 with a .395 OBP and he's leading the league with 72 runs. He also plays good defense. With Vlad and Torii Hunter out, this Figgins is the guy you have to worry about, even without power. - JF
  
• 5. Red Sox| Record: 55-37 | Previous Week: 2
  Why Boston values pitching depth: When Tim Wakefield goes on the DL, the Sox plug in Clay Buchholz. Meanwhile, the Yankees turned to Sergio Mitre to fill the spot opened by Chien-Ming Wang's trip to the disabled list. - EP
  
• 6. Cardinals| Record: 48-42 | Previous Week: 8
  They've still got their two-game lead in the NL Central and they've been mentioned in both Roy Halladay and Matt Holliday talks. Albert Pujols made his desire to win known prior to this season; the Cards may be looking to load up and make a run in the weak National League this season. - PL
  
• 7. Rays | Record: 51-42 | Previous Week: 4
  Lefty Scott Kazmir, who left his last start with a sore forearm, is said to be good to go Thursday. If he and David Price (12 innings, 13 strikeouts, three walks in past two outings) get on the right track, Tampa Bay can make a charge. - EP
  
• 8. Tigers| Record: 48-42 | Previous Week: 6
  Good news-bad news time! Good news: the Tigers won in Rick Porcello's last start (Tuesday night; yes, I am indeed cheating a bit). Bad news: Porcello stunk again. On the bright side, the Tigers are at least leading what has turned out to be a horribly disappointing division.
  
• 9. Rangers| Record: 50-41 | Previous Week: 9
  They've played .500 ball since the start of June despite pitching only slighter worse than they did during their May surge. Their offense, on the other hand, has dropped off significantly, which makes for an abnormal state of affairs in Arlington. - Josh Alper
  
• 10. Giants | Record: 50-42 | Previous Week: 10
  This 10-game trip is critical for the Giants. They started it by losing two of three in Pittsburgh. Now they're in Atlanta, and next they'll go to Colorado. The latter two stops will be tough tests for a Giants team that has played poorly on the road all year. - JF
  
• 11. Rockies | Record: 51-42 | Previous Week: 12
  Welcome back Franklin Morales! One of the stars of Colorado's run to the 2007 World Series collapsed in 2008 and got sent to Triple-A after two poor April starts, but he's come back with a vengeance. Since his July 7 recall, he's given up one hit in five scoreless innings out of the 'pen. The Rockies are 8-3 since that date. - JA
  
• 12. Cubs | Record: 47-44 | Previous Week: 18
  Thanks to the schedule-makers giving them a four-game series against the Nationals to open the second half, the Cubs are again in the thick of the NL Central race. Despite all their struggles, they're still just one hot streak away from overtaking the Cardinals. Seven games against the Reds and Astros starting this weekend might be a good place to start. - PL
  
• 13. White Sox | Record: 48-44 | Previous Week: 14
  The offense has slowed down over the past week, but fortunately for the Pale Hose, the pitching picked up. Nice outings by Clayton Richard, Mark Buehrle and Gavin Floyd helped bring the Chisox within two games of the division lead. They'll need John Danks to pick up steam if they want to make a run for the playoffs, though.
  
• 14. Mariners | Record: 49-43 | Previous Week: 12
  Barring an injury, Ichiro Suzuki is going to become the first player to have nine consecutive 200-hit seasons to start his big league career. Of course, he was also the first player to have eight in a row. - JF
  
• 15. Astros | Record: 47-46 | Previous Week: 19
  If it's July, it must be time for the Astros to pull themselves into contention, despite no one really having any idea how they're doing it. They're very quietly 12-6 in July and now find themselves deadlocked with the Cubs and Brewers for second in the NL Central. That four-game set with the Cubs next week is already looming large. - PL
  
• 16. Braves | Record: 47-46 | Previous Week: 20
  After bottoming out at 34-40 during interleague play, Atlanta has rallied to get back above .500. The Braves' starting pitchers have just three losses in July. Say what you want about swapping Ryan Church for Jeff Francoeur (boooring) but at least it's a shift in the clubhouse attitude, right? - EP
  
• 17. Twins | Record: 47-46 | Previous Week: 13
  Scott Baker is showing signs of life, Francisco Liriano hasn't been horrible and Nick Blackburn, well, Nick Blackburn got his face kicked in during his last start. But cut the guy some slack. He's been anchoring this rotation all year. Speaking of slack, Justin Morneau picked it up the last week while Joe Mauer decided to pull the patented Home Run Derby Fade.
  
• 18. Marlins | Record: 47-47 | Previous Week: 15
  The same weekend Florida got swept by Philadelphia, it broke ground on its new stadium, scheduled to open in 2012. Was there any clearer message to look toward the future? On the bright side, at least this team is full of younger stars. - EP
  
• 19. Brewers | Record: 47-46 | Previous Week: 16
  I've been saying it since March and I'll keep saying it now; if the Brewers get another starting pitcher before July 31, they're going to be a real contender. And keep an eye on Manny Parra; in two starts since returning from Triple-A, he's thrown 15 innings, struck out 13, and yielded just one earned run. -PL
  
• 20. Blue Jays | Record: 46-47 | Previous Week: 17
  Anyone for realignment? Toronto is 35-27 outside the AL East. How about an AL Great Lakes division, along with Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago? - EP
  
• 21. Reds | Record: 44-48 | Previous Week: 21
  Very slowly, the wheels seem to be coming off in Cincinnati. After hanging around .500 for most of the year, they're now five games under and closer to the last place Pirates than the three-way second place deadlock. The best news for them is that Edinson Volquez is throwing and nearing a rehab assignment. Maybe his return can help them right the ship a little.- PL
  
• 22. Mets | Record: 44-48 | Previous Week: 22
  If Gary Sheffield goes on the disabled list, a possibility if his sore hamstring doesn't improve, the Mets would have 1,347 career homers on the DL -- and pretty much no one capable of hitting one on the active roster. - EP
  
• 23. Orioles | Record: 41-51 | Previous Week: 23
  Baltimore is on pace for 54 road losses, which would be the franchise's most since 1988, when the O's went 20-61 away from home and lost 107 overall. So, on the bright side, they're not totally horrible at home. Right? Right??? - EP
  
• 24. Athletics | Record: 36-47 | Previous Week: 24
  With all the talk about Matt Holliday, it's gone largely unnoticed that the A's might be unloading a few more players before the July 31 deadline. Orlando Cabrera could be attractive, as could reliever Mike Wuertz. - JF
  
• 25. Pirates | Record: 41-51 | Previous Week: 27
  Word out of Pittsburgh today is that Adam LaRoche has become the latest Pirate to walk the plank out of town. He won't be the last before July 31 either. Who will follow LaRoche? Freddy Sanchez? Jack Wilson? John Grabow? Matt Capps? All of the above? - PL
  
• 26. Diamondbacks | Record: 39-54 | Previous Week: 24
  Are the Diamondbacks a cautionary tale about building around youth, or do these things just take some time? There's evidence on both sides of that equation, but the only thing that's for sure is that Dan Haren deserves much, much better. - JA
  
• 27. Royals | Record: 37-55 | Previous Week: 26
  I remember thinking "why didn't I pick them to win the division???" back when they were close to leading the division. Now I remember why -- this is still a team on the up-and-up though, I think, even if the second half could be a long one for Royals' fans (and Zack Greinke's Cy Young hopes).
  
• 28. Padres | Record: 37-56 | Previous Week: 29
  Fish tacos are excellent. Sea World is a lot of fun, and it's not nearly as crowded as other theme parks. Legoland, a little north in Carlsbad, is perfect for kids 3-8 ... What? You don't want to go to San Diego to see the Padres, do you? - JF
  
• 29. Indians | Record: 36-57 | Previous Week: 28
  Hey! I did pick these guys to win the division, which actually makes a lot of sense given my past history with such things. The Tribe have been awful all season and will probably continue to be awful for the rest of it. I know people blame Eric Wedge and I guess that's fair, but shouldn't they be making a move for some keepers at this point?
  
• 30. Nationals | Record: 27-66| Previous Week: 30
  Turnover isn't helping. Just two pitchers remain from Washington's Opening Day roster, John Lannan and Joe Beimel. But the Nats are still on pace for the worst NL team ERA (not including mile-high Colorado) since the 2000 Cubs and Astros. - EP