MLB Power Rankings Week 12: Athletics, Giants separate from the pack

Those two teams in the bay area are flat out dominant.

The Oakland Athletics are 39-24 with a staggering +128 run differential. They have earned that mark with the most runs scored in the American League (327) and the fewest runs allowed (199). We are well past the point where this kind of dominance is a fluke. The Athletics are scary good.

More from Arizona Diamondbacks

The San Francisco Giants are similarly impressive with their 42-21 win-loss record and +65 differential. Their 278 runs scored ranks third in the National League and their 213 runs allowed is second. Combine that with their uncanny ability to come through in clutch situations and win close games and you begin to understand why the Giants own the largest cushion (9.5 games) of any first place team in baseball.

In this week’s MLB Power Rankings we have those two teams on top, a big confusing mish-mash of near-.500 teams in the middle, and a new team at the bottom.

1. Oakland A’s (39-24, no change) /

2. San Francisco Giants (42-21, no change) /

3. Toronto Blue Jays (38-26, +1) /

4. Los Angeles Angels (34-28, +1) /

Keep an eye on the Angels, who now have a hot-hitting Josh Hamilton back in their lineup in addition to Mike Trout doing Mike Trout things.

5. Milwaukee Brewers (38-26, +1) /

6. Detroit Tigers (33-26, -3) /

The Tigers will be fine, but they still need help badly in the bullpen. Just ask Joba Chamberlain…

joba /

7. Washington Nationals (32-29, +5) /

8. St. Louis Cardinals (33-21, no change) /

9. Los Angeles Dodgers (33-31, no change) /

10. Atlanta Braves (32-29, -3) /

11. Seattle Mariners (33-29, +5) /

12. Miami Marlins (33-30, +2) /

13. Texas Rangers (31-32, no change) /

14. New York Yankees (31-31, -4) /

15. Cleveland Indians (32-31, +5) /

16. Baltimore Orioles (31-30, -5) /

My house, my rules: the Orioles are dropped this far almost strictly because of the impossibly immature actions of Manny Machado this week and how much they bugged me.

17. Cincinnati Reds (29-32, no change) /

18. Chicago White Sox (31-33, +1) /

19. Kansas City Royals (31-32, +3) /

20. Boston Red Sox (28-34, -2) /

21. Colorado Rockies (29-33, -6) /

22.

Minnesota Twins /

Signing free agent first baseman/designated hitter Kendrys Morales was the second weirdest thing the Twins did this week.

The newest statue at Target Field is... @TC_00! Grab a photo near Gate 29 as you head to the game! pic.twitter.com/vfqbdg3W3p
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) June 8, 2014