Power Rankings: Impressive Tigers, Reds suddenly armed

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By Eric Mack Senior Fantasy Writer Tell Eric your opinion!

Updated May 2 Sure, the drama in Fenway between the Red Sox and Yankees is always riveting and usually ends with David Ortiz doing something really cool, but it's the teams in baseball's heartland most deserving of attention. Jeremy Bonderman is one of the Tigers' coveted young arms. (AP) Break up the Central! It's not just the world champs bopping along with baseball's best record through the season's first month. Check out the upstart Reds and Tigers. Two teams expected to score runs, but now finding a way to stop them from scoring, too. In a bit of irony, Wily Mo Pena was flying out with the bases loaded in Boston while Bronson Arroyo was putting the finish touches on a complete-game four-hitter. Might the Red Sox want a redo on that trade? Arroyo, who was gone from Red Sox cornrows to flowing (Reds) goldie locks, is 5-0 with a 2.06 ERA in his new home. He has three outings that have been nothing short of spectacular, allowing just two runs in 25 innings. Who needs a bullpen when you're going over eight innings a night? Also for the red-hot Tigers, now No. 7 in CBS SportsLine.com's latest Power Rankings, AL rookie of the year candidate Justin Verlander is just a portion of baseball's top pitching staff to date. If the bruising lineups of the Reds and Tigers get the pitching to support them, look out. The Reds, who move all the way up to No. 8, lead an NL Central right now that also has the Cards, Astros, Brewers and Cubs all off to good starts. It should be quite a race in that division this season, one finally worthy of switching to instead of Red Sox-Yankees. The complete Power Rankings for May 2: POWER RANKINGS Current Team Previous 1 Chicago White Sox 1 Third in runs scored and fifth in runs allowed. There can be no argument who's the best in baseball now, or has been for the past 13 months. 2 New York Mets 5 They have built the biggest NL East lead through April since baseball went to the six divisions. They have the right mix all around that can run away and hide in their division, even if this overall ranking is a little optimistic. 3 St. Louis Cardinals 3 Albert Pujols put together a record-setting April. Just wait until Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds get hot; he might actually start getting pitched to. Scary. 4 Houston Astros 4 Their creampuff April schedule gets only marginally more difficult in May. It has been a nice showcase to impress free-agent shopper Roger Clemens. 5 Boston Red Sox 2 The David Ortiz victory was nice, but that was a bad week before the Yankees series. Even with Lenny DiNardo in the rotation, the Sox lead the East. 6 New York Yankees 7 Save for Mike Myers' failure to get the out he's paid to get, it doesn't surprise us their pitching looks much improved with Mel Stottlemyre gone. He wasn't just a scapegoat, he was the root of their problems. 7 Detroit Tigers 11 We knew they would score runs, but that pitching staff is best in baseball with a 3.17 ERA and .218 batting-average against. There's talent and fire in those young arms. 8 Cincinnati Reds 13 The pitching likely won't hold up for the long haul, which is the reason for our skepticism thus far, but you have to give them credit for their 10-2 run against teams that finished above or near .500 last season. 9 Milwaukee Brewers 19 Underrated lefty Chris Capuano won 18 games in his second full season and goes through the first month looking like a Cy Young candidate. Not bad production out of a guy who entered the season as a No. 3 starter. 10 Oakland Athletics 16 The rotation is getting a mini overhaul with Rich Harden (back) out 3-5 weeks. First for audition is Brad Halsey, who got off to a great start as a D-Backs rookie last season. And masher Nick Swisher is proving to be a sophomore breakout. 11 Texas Rangers 17 The pitching staff is finding some hidden gems in it lately and if not for Francisco Cordero's meltdown, this team would have a nice lead on its division rivals. 12 Los Angeles Angels 6 They've hit a serious rough patch, partially because young hitters Casey Kotchman, Jeff Mathis and Howie Kendrick can't buy a hit right now. Those are all very big talents who will eventually get hot, though. 13 San Francisco Giants 8 Barry Bonds and Felipe Alou both have heated up at the same time, not coincidentally. Still, it hasn't gotten them anywhere of late. 14 Cleveland Indians 9 They got their ace back Tuesday, which should help improve their awful 5.54 team ERA. Even with their disappointing start, last year's was much worse. 15 Toronto Blue Jays 15 Until the pitching gets its ERA out of the 5s, or even close to 5.00, they Jays are going to be disappointing for those north of the border. 16 Chicago Cubs 14 Carlos Zambrano is struggling mightily in his post-WBC hangover, and three rookies are now in the rotation -- albeit good ones (Sean Marshall, Angel Guzman and Rich Hill). Greg Maddux can't keep this pace all season. 17 Atlanta Braves 10 This drop is a little overdue, but we gave them the benefit of the doubt until they let the Brewers sweep them and almost allowed the Mets to sweep them at home. They'll be there in the end, despite an early six-game deficit. 18 Colorado Rockies 23 The Rockies have baseball's second-best road record at 10-4. That bodes well for a team that traditionally owns games in its rare air. This ranking a little too low for you? Well, the Marlins rolled over and played dead. Sweep aside, the pitching isn't convincing just yet. 19 Philadelphia Phillies 18 If Ryan Madson and Gavin Floyd don't right themselves in a hurry, finally healthy Philly phenom Cole Hamels will be taking their rotation spot. The arrival of Hamels would help their pitching situation (third-worst ERA in NL) in two critical spots. 20 Baltimore Orioles 12 They are just 2-7 after a somewhat promising 11-7 start. Surprisingly, it's on the Leo Mazzone-massaged pitching right now. They are third-worst in baseball with a 5.67 ERA and they have given up a league-high 160 runs. 21 Arizona Diamondbacks 24 They slide up a few spots thanks to the struggles of the Padres, who they swept last week on the road. It's still a rebuilding year, though. They're going to be truly running hot in the second half. 22 Los Angeles Dodgers 20 They would be cellar dwellers if not for the lowly Padres. Coincidentally, the Padres are the only team worse in slugging percentage through the first month. A glance at those lineups that boast little in the way of pop and it makes sense. 23 San Diego Padres 22 Yes, Jake Peavy looked better and they have put wins together, but they have already had separate losing streaks of three, four and five games. They look a lot less capable of competing, if not because of their regression then due to the improvement of the rest of the division. 24 Seattle Mariners 27 Kenji Johjima was being blamed by some for the slow start of the pitching staff, but M's starters then went out and won 4-of-5 in their past rotation, including taking a series from the champs. 25 Minnesota Twins 21 Twins fans now agree with us: Something stinks in the Metrodome. Wait, something? Forget it, everything does. 26 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 26 Some of their best talent is in Triple-A for a reason, apparently. B.J. Upton still can't pick it, Delmon Young is the next Albert Belle -- a whack-job slugger -- and Elijah Dukes reportedly has little respect for authority. 27 Washington Nationals 25 The rotation is in shambles and the offense still is not threatening. Hey, contenders in the AL: Whatcha got for Alfonso Soriano? 28 Pittsburgh Pirates 28 Pirates fans can't possibly be wistful for the days of Lloyd McClendon, can they? Hang with Jim Tracy, folks; young pitching takes three years. 29 Florida Marlins 29 Getting swept at home by the Rockies is a lesson in how long a full rebuild can be turned around by good young talent. Last year, it was the Baby Rocks in this position. Hey, Royals, take notes. 30 Kansas City Royals 30 This week's bad sign for the Royals: A rare Reggie Sanders slam and a 6-1 lead gets wiped out by a PPD. When it rains, it pours.