A CUP of JOE in the SHOW Report May 2012 Power Rankings.....DITTO from April...RANGERS and BOYS in BLUE at the Top Spots....Fightin' PHILS at the BOTTOM?

The April Power Rankings almost meant nothing as far as how things may shape up in September and early October. Now in the May Power Rankings everyone has settles in and it looks like the Cream is started to rise to the top.

The Rangers and Dodgers led by Two MVP Candidates respectively in the Natural of Ballpark in Arlington....CF Josh Hamilton and the Oklahoma 5-Tool Box....CF Matt Kemp.

Teams that started out the gate and still seem to be hovering at the bottom are the Fightin' Phils, Carmines, Halos, and the Twinkies. The Halos, Carmines, and Phils are a real surprise as the Halos' $250 Million Man...the Gateway Arch Hammer or should I call him the Orange County Robber Albert Pujols has 1 Bomb. Now 1 Bomb and its the middle of May really which leads me to believe what the BLUEDUDE has always believed.

The 2nd Installment of the Cup of Joe in the Show Report is sponsored by Josh Beckett...WHY SO SERIOUS Man when asked about Golfing on your off day? Tell them it's also Chicken and Suds away from Bobby V and the BoSox Clubhouse until Last Call to get your Jersey on before we take the field:

Only the Top 10 Teams in the Show combined from AL and NL......
NOTE: In parenthesis last months ranking

1. BOYS in BLUE (2) 24-11: They have the Oklahoma 5-Tool Box Matt Kemp manning CF and a fire #1 in LHP Clayton Kershaw. Throw in Billingsley and the rest of the Staff with a nice Pen and you have MLB's Best. they should have no problem running away with the NL West...none.

2. RANGERS (1) 23-13: Last month when the rankings came out they were 13-3 and they have played right at .500 ball. All of the Lights by CF Josh Hamilton has been the Story of the MLB Season thus far. But quiet as kept he has been the mask for a few notable Rangers struggling at the Plate. The one good mix is Good Pitching and Defense and the rangers do that well. Halos by the looks of things...we might have a Problem with the Rangers.

3. NAT'S (4) 22-13: At press time in April they were 12-4 and they have still maintain a steady pace having gone 10-9 since then. Phenom Bryce Harper hit his 1st Bomb last night and RH Ace Strasburg is the real Deal right after Tommy John Surgery from World Famous Sports Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. James Andrews around UAB Medical Center in Birmingham. The Injury to Springfield, Illinois' (Home of the Simpsons (Bart n Homer and IGGY of the Sixers) Jayson Werth will be a blow and we will see if the NATS' can maintain a good pace until his return.

4. O's (NR) 22-14: Led by Stud CF Adam Jones' 10 Bombs and 36 Ribbies the O's are going to be in the AL East Race. They have been getting timely play from then influx of youth and the real surprise is RHP Jason Hummel. JH is #1 in W's and #2 in ERA and K's and leads a pretty good starting staff. The good thing is when the O's get to the Closer Jim Johnson it is light out. Johnson has 11 Saves and a stingy ERA 0.57 with a K to BB ratio of 3 to 1.

5. RAYS (10) 22-14: 3B Evan Longoria was carrying the Rays until a torn left hamstring put him on the DL until Mid-June. BJ Upton has been playing descent but not burning up the Junior Circuit by any stretch. They have those 2 Horses in David Price and James Shields who are a combined 11-3 with 87 K's between them. They are at the Top with the O's and the Bombers right behind. Can the Offense stand up until Longoria comes back is the Question.

6. BRAVES (6) 22-14: The young talent on the Braves is undeniable mixed in with some savvy Vets and Wayne Chipper Jones the Braves once again look the part in the best Division in the Show the NL East.  Chipper is hitting.300 with 5 round trippers and 22 knocked in. 1B Freedie Freeman has 6 round trippers and 28 knocked in. OF Jason Heyward they are still waiting on as he has been slumping at .252 with only 5 Bombs and 18 knocked in. RHP Brandon Beachy leads the staff with 4 Wins and a 1.61 ERA.  The Braves will be there at the end...will the NATS and AMAZINS'.

7. REDBIRDS (3) 20-15: They have slowed down a bunch and have lost 4 straight including last nights loss to none other than the Cubbies.  Carlos Beltran was hot with 13 bombs and 32 Ribbies but has been plagued with reported leg soreness. They need to get Holliday going and Berkman healthy enough  to get back in that lineup. Jake Westbrook and Kyle Lohse are a combined 9-3 and they need carpenter back ASAP. Wainright has been trying to find himself and he is only 2-4. Lucky they play in the NL Central.

8. BRONX BOMBERS (7) 20-15: They said he was almost done and he leads the AL in hitting. SS Derek Jeter has hit the Fountain of Youth and is leading the Yanks again. Swisher and Granderson have been carrying the Offense along with AL Pick Up of the year thus far OF Raul Ibanez. On has to be thinking can the yanks really compete with CC holding down the Front End and no Sandman in the Back End?

9. AMAZINS' (NR) 20-15: 3B David Wright has been carrying the Amazins' with 4 HR's, 21 RBI's, and a League Leading .398 Batting Average. Can the Amazins' stay in the race in that rugged and tough NL East is the 2012 question of the season for them.

10. the TRIBE (NR) 19-16: They have been playing better than anyone else in the Division. Are they doing it with Smoke and Mirrors or is it the Division the AL Central is the weakest in Baseball.  Someone has to win this Division and if I were not on House Money I would go with the Detroit Tigers hands down. Pitching Vet RH Derek Lowe leads the tribe at 5-1 with a 2.47 ERA.

Ones to Watch for Winning or Losing....

HALOS 15-21
Fightin' PHILS 17-19
TIGERS 17-18
CARMINES 16-19
D-BACKS 15-21
RED LEGS 18-16
BUCCOS 17-18

STATS from MLB.com