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MLB Power Rankings: Cubs still on top

By Joshua Sadlock

Apr 4, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (49) walks off the field after the top of the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 4, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (49) walks off the field after the top of the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 3, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marco Estrada (25) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marco Estrada (25) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /
10

Toronto Blue Jays (0-2)

Last week: N/A
Last rank: 8

Opening Day in Baltimore yielded some interesting results for the Blue Jays. Marco Estrada pitched very well, and was able to work around a few doubles by the Orioles in the early innings. The bottom of the lineup did most of the work, with Steve Pearce and Ezequiel Carrera both recording multi-hit games. The heart of the order, however, was shut down.

Jose Bautista struggled in the first two games of the year, and the middle of this lineup no longer strikes the same type of fear in opposing pitchers. What they continue to do well, and will continue to do well, is work counts and get into good hitter’s counts. That will help hold off the aging curve for MLB’s oldest team. The starting rotation is going to do the heavy lifting as was the case last season.

Apr 2, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez (18) pitches to a Chicago Cubs batter during the fifth inning of opening night at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez (18) pitches to a Chicago Cubs batter during the fifth inning of opening night at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
9

St. Louis Cardinals (1-1)

Last week: N/A
Last rank: 11

There are several things that stood out from the opening series between the Cardinals and the Cubs, a matchup that remains the best rivalry going in baseball these days. First, Carlos Martinez is now the hands-down ace of this staff. Adam Wainwright has ceded that title. Mike Matheny tried to go the route of stretching his closer out on Opening Night, and it backfired. The St. Louis bullpen lacks depth, and that could prove to be a problem going forward.

St. Louis has a very scrappy ballclub, and they did not bow down to the World Champion Cubs. They will be a very competitive team all year if the rotation can hold up. Martinez is going to do his part, and Wainwright put the Cardinals in a good position to win.

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