Dodgers, Nats power ahead in Rankings
NL's finest hold edge over Rays, Rangers and Yankees
Where does the best team in the National League play its home games, at Dodger Stadium or Nationals Park?
If you could only watch one player play today, would your choice be Bryce Harper or Matt Kemp?
If you could pick just one, would you choose Stephen Strasburg or Clayton Kershaw?
Are you part of the group that believes the Rays, not the Nationals or the Dodgers, are the best team in the game?
By the way, what has happened to the two-time American League champion Texas Rangers? Don't look now, but the Angels are making a move up the standings in the AL West.
It's time to discuss the most powerful teams in the game, and it's time to hear your voice.
For the third season, MLB.com has set up a panel of experts to vote on the top 15 teams each week. Three former Major League players -- Larry Dierker, Mitch Williams and Frank Thomas -- are part of the process, as are columnist Peter Gammons and Carlton Thompson, vice president and executive editor of MLB.com. Former general manager and current MLB.com analyst Jim Duquette, along with MLB.com columnists Mike Bauman, Hal Bodley, Anthony Castrovince, Richard Justice, Matthew Leach and Jesse Sanchez, are also part of the group.
Agree? Disagree? The power is yours.
| This Week | Movement | Power Player | Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |  The winningest team in baseball won seven of 10 games on its recent 10-game road trip and continues to dominate the NL, even without Kemp. The Dodgers lead the Giants by five games and are optimistic that Andre Ethier -- who homered on Sunday -- can get on a roll at the plate. | 3 |
| 2 |  |  The Nationals are coming off a thrilling three-game sweep of the Red Sox and maintain a two-game lead over the Braves in the NL East standings. Harper and Strasburg just might be the most exciting young teammates in all of baseball. | 2 |
| 3 | |  The Rays have moved into the top spot in the AL East, and they might get a boost to the lineup at the end of the month. Evan Longoria (partially torn left hamstring) should be able to start a Minor League rehab assignment in mid-June. | 4 |
| 4 |  |  The Rangers have lost six of their past 10 games, lost starter Derek Holland to the disabled list, and now it appears that Alexi Ogando (groin) might miss some time. Add Yu Darvish's recent control issues, and some fans in Texas are starting to get worried. | 1 |
| 5 | |  Coming off a three-game sweep of the Mets, the Yankees are starting to pick up steam. Ivan Nova is shining on the mound, and the club could not ask for more from veteran Andy Pettitte. The left-hander is 3-2 with a 2.81 ERA in six starts this season. | 9 |
| 6 | |  Paul Konerko, Alex Rios, A.J. Pierzynski and Adam Dunn pace the first-place White Sox. Dayan Viciedo has been hot at the plate lately, hitting nine home runs and driving in 24 runs since May 14. | 7 |
| 7 | |  Here is a big reason why the Reds are leading the NL Central: Through the first 58 games of the season, the club has used just five starting pitchers -- Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake, Bronson Arroyo, Homer Bailey and Mat Latos. | 7 |
| 8 | |  Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan continue to provide a much-needed spark at the top of the lineup. Pagan has hit safely in 47 of 50 games, and the Giants trail the first-place Dodgers by just five games in the NL West. | 12 |
| 9 | |  Baseball fans in Anaheim are feeling good these days. After starting the season 13-17, the Angels are 19-12 in their last 31 games, cutting the Rangers' lead in the AL West from 6 1/2 games to three. | |
| 10 | |  The Orioles have dropped nine of 12 and have fallen out of first place in the AL East, but on the bright side, Adam Jones is fine. Jones, who has been bothered with right wrist soreness the last few weeks, has contusions on both wrists and hands, but is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday in Boston. | 8 |
| 11 | |  The Braves have won eight of their past 10 games and are creeping up on the Nationals in the NL East standings. Chipper Jones (calf) is back off the disabled list, and he is batting .298 with five home runs and 24 RBIs in 30 games this season. | |
| 12 | |  The Marlins finished May with a 21-8 record and had many believing they had turned a corner. But they've struggled this month, losing six in a row. | 6 |
| 13 | |  Want to know how the Tribe has stayed within striking distance in the AL Central? The Indians have only 29 errors in 59 games, they've drawn 225 walks on the year, and they sport a .329 on-base percentage despite a .250 team batting average. | 13 |
| 14 | |  Scott Hairston keeps on hitting, and the Mets keep on battling in the NL East. The outfielder is batting .429 (12-for-28) with five home runs and 10 RBIs over his past 12 games for the third-place club. | 14 |
| 15 | |  The Cards have lost six of their past 10 games, dropping them to just one game over the .500 mark and into the middle of the pack in the NL Central. Rafael Furcal is hitless in his past 11 at-bats and is hitting .167 in his last 10 games. | 15 |