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SoMnFan -> RE: MLB General Information PT 4 (6/6/2016 9:35:06 PM)
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Nice to see Houston did not panic.
Not long ago, the White Sox were dominating, the Royals were sinking, the Tigers were flailing and the Indians were a team that really wasn't getting any attention.
The American League Central might not have the most talent, but as June gets going in earnest, it carries plenty of intrigue. The Tribe is in first place, and every team but the Twins has a record above .500. Only 3 1/2 games separate the fourth-place Tigers from the top spot, yet given recent trends, it's reasonable to wonder if the White Sox will soon be looking up at everyone but Minnesota.
Entering the season, the AL Central was considered to be little more than mediocre, but prognosticators also said it had a chance to be the most evenly spread. Two months in, that theory is proving to be accurate.
This week's MLB Power Rankings show the Indians in the top 10, and climbing.
Biggest jump: The Astros. We don't know exactly how many they went from being unranked to 16th, but for argument's sake, we'll assume that's the biggest improvement. Houston had a dreadful April but has come back to go 21-13 since May 1, and the Astros have won 11 of their past 13 games. They took advantage of a softer part of their schedule to move within two games of .500 after sinking to 11 under after being swept by the Rangers two weeks ago.
Biggest drop: The Mariners (No. 4 to No. 9) and the White Sox (No. 12 to No. 17) each dropped five spots, and it's hard to argue against it given the recent results. Early-June series are not dire situations, but it's notable that the Mariners are now three games back in the AL West after they were swept over the weekend by the Rangers. And the White Sox, after soaring through April, have dropped to third in the AL Central and are barely above .500 at 29-28. That's what a 5-14 stretch will do to a once-surging team.
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