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Raising Arizona
Webb leads D'backs into top 10; Phillies fading
Posted: Monday May 22, 2006 2:47PM; Updated: Wednesday May 24, 2006 2:16PM
MLB Power Rankings Rank LW Team 1 1 
They don't have the best record in baseball anymore -- heck, they're not even leading their division -- but World Series champions that can score like they can, with that kind of pitching, are tough to kick out of the top spot. Plus, how can you not absolutely love that teddy bear of a catcher, A.J. Pierzynski? 2 2 
Among the comments skipped over in Albert Pujols' denial of using steroids last week (and his defense of Barry Bonds) was this beauty: "I want to be the best player that ever [played] baseball." Well, we'll hold off on the "ever" for now, but with 22 homers and 54 RBIs already, Prince Albert has 2006 covered. 3 3 
So how can the team with the best ERA in baseball, not to mention the best record, not be No. 1? The Tigers have thrown eight shutouts already, for crying out loud. They're on a tear, winning nine of their last 10. They have Kansas City coming up this week. I know, I know. Let's see what they do against Cleveland this week. Then we'll talk No. 1. 4 7 
Who gave David Wells the impression that we care what goes on in that big bald head of his? The portly left-hander was busy spewing about Barry Bonds the other day when he all but accused Philly outfielder David Dellucci (29 homers in 2005) of steroids use. "I guess I would say I take that as a huge insult," Dellucci said. Just take it as one guy's huge mouth, Dave. 5 4 
Billy Wagner had an interesting, albeit schizophrenic, interleague weekend. He struck out the side on 12 pitches in picking up a win on Friday night. On Saturday he blew a 4-0 lead in a Mets loss. Then on Sunday he threw a scoreless ninth to earn a save. All in front of a rabid Mets crowd and all against the Yankees. We'll now say Wagner has been officially welcomed to the Big Apple. 6 12 
The Rockies already have swept four three-game series this season, including last weekend's rout of the Blue Jays. Why is that notable? The Rocks had three three-game sweeps all of last season. So, are the National League West leaders for real? We'll find out in an upcoming nine-day road trip through L.A., San Francisco and San Diego. 7 8 
The Yankees begin a three-game series in Boston on Monday -- is it just me, or do the Sox and Yankees play every other week or so? -- trying to figure out why Alex Rodriguez is struggling at third base. "Baseball is a game of errors, and I will continue to make them," he said after making his eighth. "It's not that big of a deal." Continue making them at this rate, A-Rod, and New Yorkers will make it a big deal. 8 6 
Pitcher Bronson Arroyo was hard on himself and harder on the Pirates -- "I felt like I took us completely out of the game against a weak lineup," he said after a Reds loss. "That's just a fact. It's a weak lineup ..." -- then the Reds came down hard on Dave Williams (2-3, 7.20 ERA). Cincinnati demoted the lefty they landed from the Pirates in the Sean Casey deal, another example of the aggressive new Reds' management. 9 13 
Boy, I hate to keep putting supreme sinkerballer Brandon Webb on a pedestal, but on Saturday he allowed only one fly ball to the outfield in a complete game shutout of the Braves. And that didn't come until the eighth inning. He gave up four hits (all singles), struck out eight, induced 18 ground balls and let up the one fly in a 101-pitch beauty. Webb is 7-0 with a 2.44 ERA and the early fave to start the All-Star Game. 10 16 
A weekend sweep of the crosstown Angels clinched the surging Dodgers' fifth straight series win. The Dodgers did it in convincing fashion, too, outscoring the lame Angels 31-7 in the series, which drew nearly 167,000 fans, the most ever to a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. The Angels can call themselves L.A. all they want -- the courts say so -- but L.A. still is a Big Blue kind of town. 
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