MLB Power Rankings: Surprises in opening week

Apr 10, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward reacts as he celebrates after scoring in the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward reacts as he celebrates after scoring in the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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The first week of the MLB season is in the books, and what a week it was to start the 2016 campaign. The first seven days of the season saw games postponed due to various weather conditions, including snow in April and spring showers.

There were also a couple injuries occurring that will hurt teams this season, or at least make them change their plan of attack for the remainder of the year, and there have even been a few surprises that have teams way higher on the list than many expected before the first pitch of the season was thrown last Sunday afternoon.

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One team that is off to a much better start than predicted are the young Cincinnati Reds, having the knack to get the big hits during the latter innings of games as they already have five wins this season. But a lot will be figured out on them starting Monday when they hit the road for the first time this year.

This week was so wacky, Madison Bumgarner, the ace of the San Francisco Giants, hit a home run off maybe the best pitcher in all of baseball, Clayton Kershaw … for the second time in his career.

There is one undefeated team left in baseball, the 5-0 Baltimore Orioles, and there are two teams still looking for their first wins of the season as Monday rolls around with the Minnesota Twins being 0-6 and the Atlanta Braves having a record of 0-5. When you think about it, does it really surprise you the Braves are winless this season?

All in all, it was an exciting week of baseball to start the year, and even though the San Diego Padres were scoreless in their first three games of the ’16 season, they aren’t 25th or worse on this list. However, a team that has the best “Story” thus far after the first week is one of the worst four teams on this power rankings list.

With that said, here is how this week’s MLB Power Rankings look after the opening seven days of the season.

Next: No. 30: Atlanta Braves

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

This last season at Turner Field for the Atlanta Braves won’t be much to brag about in the history books when it comes to positivity, because since they are 0-5 already this season, there isn’t much hope for this ball club in ’16. <p class=. (0-5). Previous: . Atlanta Braves. 30. team. 17

Next: No. 29: Minnesota Twins

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

Minnesota Twins. 29. team. 2. The Minnesota Twins are the other team who is winless this season after the first week of play, and to be honest, I thought they would have at least one win headed into Monday. <p class=. (0-6). Previous:

Next: No. 28: Colorado Rockies

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

Colorado Rockies. 28. team. 108.  Yes, they have a better record than teams ranked ahead of them, but that isn’t saying a whole lot after the way they played the San Diego Padres for two games this weekend, losing the series against the team who went scoreless in their first three games of the season. <p class=. (3-3). Previous:

Next: No. 27: Arizona Diamondbacks

Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports /

Arizona Diamondbacks. 27. team. 8.  “Disappointment” should be the word used to describe the Arizona Diamondbacks after one week of baseball. They are 2-5 after seven games, and in one of those games, they gave up 10 runs to the Colorado Rockies. <p class=. (2-5). Previous:

Next: No. 26: Miami Marlins

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

82.  Trust me, the Miami Marlins are this high in the rankings by default, as they have just one win in ’16, but who is really expecting a lot from Miami in ’16 to begin with? <p class=. (1-3). Previous: . Miami Marlins. 26. team

Next: No. 25: Philadelphia Phillies

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /

6. What is there really to say about the Philadelphia Phillies except they have a lot of work ahead of them, even with their two consecutive wins over the New York Mets on Saturday and Sunday. <p class=. (2-4). Previous: . Philadelphia Phillies. 25. team

Next: No. 24: San Diego Padres

 

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

 The first three games of the ’16 season, the San Diego Padres were a laughingstock as they were the first team to ever not score a single run in their first three games of the season, as the Los Angeles Dodgers held them scoreless for a combined 27 innings. <p class=. (2-4). Previous: . San Diego Padres. 24. team. 127

Next: No. 23: Seattle Mariners

Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /

62.  Even with “King” Felix Hernandez striking out 10 batters on Sunday against the Oakland Athletics, the Seattle Mariners still found a way to lose a close game by a 2-1 score, failing to get their ace much run support as they’ve scored three combined runs in his two starts. <p class=. (2-4). Previous: . Seattle Mariners. 23. team

Next: No. 22: Los Angeles Angels

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

102.  The Los Angeles Angels have won the opening game of a series both times in ’16, but they’ve also lost the next two games of both series as well, and in those four losses, three of them have been by four or more runs, so the season has been a little strange for the Angels thus far. <p class=. (2-4). Previous: . Los Angeles Angels. 22. team

Next: No. 21: Milwaukee Brewers

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

21. team. 76.  Being 12th in the NL in batting after the first week at .238, the Milwaukee Brewers have three wins in six games, and to be honest, they are playing better than I figured they would be at this very early point of the season. <p class=. (3-3). Previous: . Milwaukee Brewers

Next: No. 20: Tampa Bay Rays

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

(2-4). Previous: . Tampa Bay Rays. 20. team. 21. <p class=

Next: No. 19: Houston Astros

Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

team. 135. <p class=. (2-4). Previous: . Houston Astros. 19

Next: No. 18: New York Mets

 

Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

 

New York Mets. 18. team. 3. <p class=. (2-3). Previous:

Next: No. 17: Cleveland Indians

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

Next: No. 16: Toronto Blue Jays

Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

Previous: . Toronto Blue Jays. 16. team. 39. <p class=. (2-4)

Next: No. 15: Texas Rangers

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

(3-4). Previous: . Texas Rangers. 15. team. 126. The Texas Rangers could have had a better week to open the season; a 3-4 record after seven games isn’t that great for a team with a payroll like theirs. <p class=

Next: No. 14: Boston Red Sox

 

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

14. <p class=. (2-4). Previous: . Boston Red Sox. 14. team

Next: No. 13: St. Louis Cardinals

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

team. 33. <p class=. (3-3). Previous: . St. Louis Cardinals. 13

Next: No. 12: New York Yankees

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

12. team. 43. <p class=. (3-2). Previous: . New York Yankees

Next: No. 11: Pittsburgh Pirates

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

<p class=. (4-2). Previous: . Pittsburgh Pirates. 11. team. 4

Next: No. 10: Oakland Athletics

Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /

96. <p class=. (4-3). Previous: . Oakland Athletics. 10. team

Next: No. 9: Chicago White Sox

Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports /

9. team. 128. The Chicago White Sox are just one run away from being a team with five wins and one loss, but considering how they’ve played the past few seasons, their 4-2 start has to be a breath of fresh air for them after one week. <p class=. (4-2). Previous: . Chicago White Sox

Next: No. 8: Washington Nationals

 

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

Previous: . Washington Nationals. 8. team. 90. <p class=. (3-1)

Next: No. 7: Los Angeles Dodgers

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

team. 71. <p class=. (4-3). Previous: . Los Angeles Dodgers. 7

Next: No. 6: Cincinnati Reds

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /

61. <p class=. (5-1). Previous: . Cincinnati Reds. 6. team

Next: No. 5: Detroit Tigers

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

(3-1). Previous: . Detroit Tigers. 5. team. 63. <p class=

Next: No. 4: San Francisco Giants

Kenny Karst-USA TODAY Sports
Kenny Karst-USA TODAY Sports /

4. team. 40. <p class=. (5-2). Previous: . San Francisco Giants

Next: No. 3: Baltimore Orioles

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

<p class=. (5-0). Previous: . Baltimore Orioles. 3. team. 11

Next: No. 2: Kansas City Royals

John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports /

7. <p class=. (4-1). Previous: . Kansas City Royals. 2. team

Next: No. 1: Chicago Cubs

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Chicago Cubs. 1. team. 9. <p class=. (5-1). Previous:

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