Epoch Times MLB Power Rankings

10. New York Yankees: 27–23 record; 4.6 runs scored, 4.3 runs allowed—The third-place Yankees have yet to hit their stride this season, but there are signs of a breakout. Slow-starting Mark Teixeira has come on of late posting a .548 slugging percentage in May, while the similarly sluggish Alex Rodriguez had a .314 batting average over the same stretch. Forty-year-old starter Andy Pettitte has a 3.49 ERA through his first four starts while Hiroki Kuroda is coming off his best start of the season—eight shutout innings in a 2–0 win over Oakland. Despite the lukewarm start, the Yankees are still just a game and a half out of first place. Previous: 9

9. Miami Marlins: 29–22 record; 4.0 runs scored, 4.0 runs allowed—Winners of eight of their last 11 contests the Marlins, that made so much noise in free agency last winter, have quietly crept up to within a half a game of the NL East lead. Cubs castoff starter Carlos Zambrano is his old self again sporting a 3.00 ERA through 10 starts with a 3–3 record. Fellow starter Mark Buehrle is fairing the best of their three mammoth free-agent signings with a 3.26 ERA and 5–4 record through 10 starts. Twenty-two-year-old outfielder Giancarlo Stanton has hit 12 of his 13 home runs in May. Previous: NR

8. Baltimore Orioles: 29–22 record; 4.5 runs scored, 4.4 runs allowed—With five losses in a row, one has to wonder whether this is the beginning of the end for the Orioles that haven’t finished above third place in the AL East since 1997. Good pitching is generally a high need to sustain any success in baseball and the Orioles don’t have much of it. Just two starters have ERAs under 4.00 (Jason Hammel and Wei-Yin Chen) on the season, though closer Jim Johnson has made a name for himself with 16 saves and an 0.84 ERA. Adam Jones, who just signed a six-year $85.5 million extension, is third in the American League with 16 home runs. Previous: 7

7. Chicago White Sox: 29–22 record: 4.7 runs scored, 4.0 runs allowed—The hottest team in baseball is none other than new manager Robin Ventura’s Chicago White Sox. Winners of eight straight games and 12 of their last 13 Chicago has benefited from bounce-back performances courtesy of highly-paid veterans Alex Rios, (.283 batting average, and is paid $12 million) Adam Dunn (16 home runs, $14 million), and Jake Peavy (6-1 record, 3.07 ERA, $17 million). Under-appreciated 36-year-old first baseman Paul Konerko continues to amaze with an AL-leading .381 batting average while hitting 11 home runs. Previous: NR

6. St. Louis Cardinals: 27–24 record; 5.3 runs scored, 4.0 runs allowed—Despite the worst record of any team in these rankings the St. Louis Cardinals, which have lost nine of their last 14 games, still have the best run-scoring differential in the National League, (+65). The anomaly usually means that a team has been unlucky in close games and that their record soon will even out and indeed the Cardinals are just 3–9 in one-run games. Outfielder Carlos Beltran continues to be a tremendous addition with his league-leading 15 home runs while hitting .294. Fellow veteran Rafael Furcal is hitting .333 through 222 at-bats on the season. Previous: 3

5. Cincinnati Reds: 28–22 record; 4.0 runs scored, 3.7 runs allowed—The first-place Reds, winners of nine of their last 12 games, have finally woken up from their April-slumber to take the lead in the NL Central. First baseman Joey Votto has been on a tear this past month, hitting .355 with a .483 on-base percentage and a .677 slugging percentage—exactly what the Reds wanted when they signed him to a 10-year, $225 million extension. Starter Mat Latos, for whom the Reds gave up a king’s ransom in the offseason finally has his ERA under 5.00 after going 3-0 with a 3.26 ERA in May. Top-starter Johnny Cueto keeps rolling along with a 5-3 record and a 2.54 ERA in 11 starts. Previous: 10

4. Washington Nationals…