Even with another positive gain, the Cards’ lead shrank just a bit, thanks to a big week by the Boston Red Sox, who moved into second place.  Rounding out this week’s top five are the Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers.

Detroit’s return to the top five was due to a major ratings jump and one of the biggest weeks in baseball.  The top five teams (since the last poll) are as follows:

Kansas City Royals: +35 points

New York Yankees: +29 points

Detroit Tigers: +28 points

Milwaukee Brewers: +26 points

Colorado Rockies: +20 points

The Cleveland Indians are the big losers of the week, falling six spots and thirty seven ratings points.  Here are the five teams that had the biggest decline over the last seven days:

Cleveland Indians: -37 points

Houston Astros: -29 points

Texas Rangers: -21 points

Los Angeles Angels: -17 points

Minnesota Twins: -17 points

The entire list of Power Rankings are as follows, featuring one streaking Fantasy Baseball player for each of the thirty teams, while highlighting the clubs that had positive or negative jumps in the latest poll:

Adam Wainwright and the St. Louis Cardinals continue to dominate baseball

KP’s MLB Power Rankings: June 11, 2013

Note: Statistics and point totals as of Tuesday morning (6/11/13) and do not include night games

1. St. Louis Cardinals (165 points) – Last Week: #1 (+5)

Adam Wainwright – Last 15 Days: 3-0, 2.25 ERA, 24 IP, 22 K’s, 1 CG

2. Boston Red Sox (136 points) – Last Week: #3 (+15)

Ryan Dempster – Last 15 Days: 2-1, 3.60 ERA, 20 IP, 16 K’s, 3 quality starts, available in nearly 44% of ESPN Fantasy leagues

3. Detroit Tigers (114 points) – Last Week: #8 (+28)

Rick Porcello – Last 15 Days: 1-1, 1.80 ERA, 20 IP, 25 K’s, 3 quality starts, available in nearly 85% of ESPN Fantasy leagues

4. Atlanta Braves (110 points) – Last Week: #5 (+8)

Freddie Freeman – Last 15 Days: .367 average, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 13 RBI, a good trade target, especially in keeper leagues

5. Texas Rangers (102 points) – Last Week: #2 (-21)

Jeff Baker – Last 15 Days: .300 average, 4 HR in 30 AB’s, is filling in for the injured Mitch Moreland and is available in nearly 96% of ESPN Fantasy leagues

6. Cincinnati Reds (94 points) – Last Week: #4 (-16)

Mat Latos – Last 15 Days: 2-0, 3 quality starts, 1.86 ERA, 19 K’s in 19 1/3 innings

7. Oakland Athletics (85 points) – Last Week: #6 (-4)

Jarrod Parker – Last 15 Days: 3-0, 1.77 ERA and three quality starts; what took him so long?  Oh, by the way, he’s available in nearly 43% of ESPN Fantasy leagues

8. Arizona Diamondbacks (81 points) – Last Week: #7 (-5)

Paul Goldschmidt – Last 7 Days: 12 RBI during this span, which is tied for the most in baseball

9. New York Yankees (74 points) – Last Week: #12 (+29)

Brett Gardner – Last 7 Days: 12 hits, 5 doubles and a .571 average in 21 AB’s

10. Colorado Rockies (65 points) – Last Week: #13 (+20)

Nolan Arenado – Last 7 Days: The rookie third basemen is batting .400 with two doubles, two triples, a homer and 3 RBI in 25 AB’s – and he’s available in 84% of leagues

11. Pittsburgh Pirates (58 points) – Last Week: #9 (-13)

Francisco Liriano – Last 15 Days: 2.50 ERA and 22 K’s in 18 IP; one of the steals of the offseason

12. Baltimore Orioles (57 points) – Last Week: #10 (-10)

J.J. Hardy – Last 15 Days: .400 average, 20 hits, 4 doubles, 4 HR, 8 RBI

13. Tampa Bay Rays (48 points) – Last Week: #11 (-13)

Ben Zobrist – Last 7 Days: His bat is waking up, to the tune of a .481 average, 4 doubles, 13 hits and a home run over his last 27 AB’s

14. Kansas City Royals (44 points) – Last Week: #16 (+35)

Jeremy Guthrie – Last 15 Days: A semi-silent contributor (available in 70% of ESPN Fantasy leagues), he’s 2-0, with a 2.45 ERA and three quality starts spanning two-plus weeks

15. San Francisco Giants (31 points) – Last Week: #15 (+8)

Chad Gaudin – Last 15 Days: A small sample size in the rotation, but he’s 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 14 K’s in 15 IP, plus is available in 97% of ESPN Fantasy leagues

16. Washington Nationals (6 points) – Last Week: #18 (+2)

Anthony Rendon: He will soon be second base eligible, and is 6 for 16 with two runs and 3 RBI in the four games since being called up

17. Philadelphia Phillies (-3 points) – Last Week: #21 (+1)

Domonic Brown – Last 15 Days: .396 average, 10 HR (second highest has 6), 4 steals

18. San Diego Padres (-4 points) – Last Week: #23 (+7)

Everth Cabrera – Last 15 Days: .379 average, with an MLB-high 25 hits

19. Chicago Cubs (-6 points) – Last Week: #17 (-12)

Jeff Samardzija – Last 15 Days: 1-1 record, 2.95 ERA, one complete game and 26 K’s

20. Cleveland Indians (-7 points) – Last Week: #14 (-37)

Ubaldo Jimenez: Available in 87% of ESPN Fantasy leagues, Jimenez has allowed three earned runs or fewer in seven of his last eight starts

21. Los Angeles Dodgers (-12 points) – Last Week: #22 (-3)

Yasiel Puig – Last 7 Days: The talented rookie is batting .500 with 4 HR, 10 RBI in 28 AB’s

22. Chicago White Sox (-13 points) – Last Week: #24 (+10)

Adam Dunn – Last 7 Days: The K’s are still there, but Dunn has 4 HR, 7 RBI, 7 walks and a .308 batting average over his last 26 AB’s

23. Minnesota Twins (-14 points) – Last Week: #19 (-17)

Ryan Doumit – Last 15 Days: .288 average, with an AL-high 16 RBI, plus catcher eligibility

24. Los Angeles Angels (-18 points) – Last Week: #20 (-17)

Mark Trumbo – Last 15 Days: 4 HR, 10 RBI and 10 walks spanning 48 AB’s

25. Milwaukee Brewers (-20 points) – Last Week: #28 (+26)

Jonathan Lucroy: Adding nice value as a catcher and available in 52% of ESPN Fantasy leagues, Lucroy is batting .385 with 3 HR and 13 RBI over the last fifteen days.

26. Toronto Blue Jays (-26 points) – Last Week: #26 (+2)

Colby Rasmus – Last 15 Days: Available in 38% of ESPN Fantasy leagues, Rasmus is batting .304, with 3 HR and 10 RBI during this recent stretch

27. Seattle Mariners (-34 points) – Last Week: #25 (-9)

Hisashi Iwakuma – Last 15 Days: 22 2/3 shutout innings during the stretch, with 18 K’s and three quality starts, but just a 2-0 record; Oh, that Seattle offense

28. New York Mets (-39 points) – Last Week: #27 (+1)

Dillon Gee – Last 15 Days: 2-0 record, 2 quality starts, 19 K’s in 14 1/3 IP, with a 1.26 ERA

29. Houston Astros (-84 points) – Last Week: #29 (-29)

Dallas Kuechel: Available in 98% of ESPN Fantasy leagues, Kuechel has posted a 2-1 record, with a 1.89 ERA over the last 15 days.

30. Miami Marlins (-88 points) – Last Week: #30 (+1)

Marcell Ozuna: A surprise success, he’s batting .358, with six doubles, two steals and seven runs batted in over the last fifteen days

* All stats per MLB.com

Note: RED = Falling 3+ spots from last week, GREEN = Rising 3+ spots from last week

The Wife Hates Sports’ MLB Power Rankings system has a method to its madness, attempting to be different and not just rank by popularity and record.  It mixes a secret formula of six completely different categories, meshed into a points system.  The categories don’t just include team results regarding record, but how each team has performed recently, as well as incorporating some statistics on both a team’s offense and pitching staff, too.

Minnesota Twins: +35 points

Tampa Bay Rays: +28 points

Houston Astros: +28 points

Oakland Athletics: +26 points

St. Louis Cardinals: +18 points

The Texas Rangers return to second place, barely holding off the Boston Red Sox.  Rounding out this week’s top five are the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves.

The Chicago White Sox are the big losers of the week, falling seven spots, and here are the five teams that had the biggest decline over the last seven days:

Chicago White Sox: -38 points

New York Yankees: -29 points

Detroit Tigers: -26 points

Los Angeles Angels: -22 points

Colorado Rockies: -19 points

The entire list of Power Rankings is as follows, featuring one statistic from the month of May for every team in Major League Baseball, while also highlighting the clubs that had positive or negative jumps in the latest poll:

Yadier Molina and the St. Louis Cardinals are pointed in the right direction

KP’s MLB Power Rankings: June 4, 2013

Note: Statistics and point totals as of Tuesday morning (6/4/13) and do not include night games

1. St. Louis Cardinals (160 points) – Last Week: #1 (+18)

It’s not just the pitching that is dominating, but also the bats, as the Cardinals batted .289 during May, which is the best team average in baseball for the month.

2. Texas Rangers (123 points) – Last Week: #3 (+11)

An unsung offensive hero in May, Adrian Beltre posted 44 hits in the month, tied with Miguel Cabrera and Manny Machado for the most in baseball.

3. Boston Red Sox (121 points) – Last Week: #5 (+15)

The Red Sox are back in the top three

May was a rough month for Ryan Dempster, who walked 18 batters (the most in the AL for the month), with a 1-4 record and 5.51 ERA over six starts.

4. Cincinnati Reds (110 points) – Last Week: #4 (+2)

The Reds finished 19-8 in May, second only to the red hot Cardinals (20-7).

5. Atlanta Braves (102 points) – Last Week: #6 (+11)

After a torrid April, Justin Upton cooled off in May, batting .210, with just 2 HR and 10 RBI in 95 AB’s.

6. Oakland Athletics (89 points) – Last Week: #11 (+26)

Underrated: During 28 May games, Josh Donaldson batted .330, with 6 HR and 13 RBI.

7. Arizona Diamondbacks (86 points) – Last Week: #7 (-4)

Patrick Corbin was 5-0 in May, and the only National League pitcher to post five victories last month.

8. Detroit Tigers (86 points) – Last Week: #2 (-26)

Miguel Cabrera’s 12 HR in May were tied for the most in baseball, and his 33 RBI are seven more than any other player.

9. Pittsburgh Pirates (71 points) – Last Week: #8 (-7)

The Pittsburgh pitching staff posted the best overall team ERA (2.51) during the month of May.

10. Baltimore Orioles (67 points) – Last Week: #12 (+4)

Buck’s Orioles are hitting, but struggling to get outs

While the offense flourishes (46 HR in May, the most in MLB), Baltimore’s pitching staff has struggled, posting a 5.06 team ERA for the month, tied with Houston for the worst mark in baseball.

11. Tampa Bay Rays (61 points) – Last Week: #15 (+28)

More known for its pitching, Tampa Bay’s 166 runs (in May) were the most in baseball.

12. New York Yankees (45 points) – Last Week: #9 (-29)

Despite its recent team struggles, the Yankees managed the best ERA in the American League for the month of May, a 3.25 mark.

13. Colorado Rockies (45 points) – Last Week: #10 (-19)

After tossing 11 1/3 shutout innings in May, Rex Brothers has earned a chance to be Colorado’s closer.

14. Cleveland Indians (30 points) – Last Week: #13 (-15)

The Indians were a Major League best 14-5 at home during the month of May.

15. San Francisco Giants (23 points) – Last Week: #14 (-18)

Marco Scutaro led all qualifying batters with a .420 average in May (over 100 AB’s).

16. Kansas City Royals (9 points) – Last Week: #18 (-5)

Kansas City’s 14 home runs in May were the fewest in baseball for the month.

17. Chicago Cubs (6 points) – Last Week: #20 (+5)

The Cubs posted just two saves in May, less than any other team in baseball for the month.

18. Washington Nationals (4 points) – Last Week: #19 (-7)

Most of the talk in D.C. has been Washington’s struggling offense or the performance of Jordan Zimmermann, but in six May starts, Stephen Strasburg was 2-1, with 37 K’s and a 1.95 ERA.

19. Minnesota Twins (3 points) – Last Week: #26 (+35)

Joe Mauer swung a hot bat in May, posting a .371 average, with 12 doubles, 3 HR and 10 RBI.

20. Los Angeles Angels (-1 point) – Last Week: #16 (-22)

Jason Vargas was 5-0 in May, and the only American League pitcher to post five victories last month.

21. Philadelphia Phillies (-4 points) – Last Week: #22 (+3)

Domonic Brown’s 12 HR in May led all National League hitters, and was tied for the Major League lead with Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera.

22. Los Angeles Dodgers (-9 points) – Last Week: #21 (-4)

L.A.’s dangerous rotation duo was stellar in May.  Clayton Kershaw posted a 1.97 ERA in six starts and Hyun-Jin Ryu posted a 2.38 ERA in five starts.

23. San Diego Padres (-11 points) – Last Week: #23 (+2)

Everth Cabrera’s 12 steals in May are more than any other player in baseball last month.

24. Chicago White Sox (-23 points) – Last Week: #17 (-38)

No regular starters posted an average over .300 during the month of May.  The closest batter to hit the mark was Alex Rios, who batted .280 through 27 games.

25. Seattle Mariners (-25 points) – Last Week: #27 (+8)

Seattle’s top starter in May was not King Felix, but Hisashi Iwakuma, who posted a 4-0 record, with 37 strikeouts and a 2.53 ERA over six starts.

26. Toronto Blue Jays (-28 points) – Last Week: #24 (-10)

Adam Lind proved his worth to the organization by batting .346 in May, with 4 HR in 78 AB’s.

27. New York Mets (-40 points) – Last Week: #28 (-5)

Matt Harvey posted a 2.15 ERA in five May starts, but no other member of New York’s rotation posted an ERA under 5.00.

28. Milwaukee Brewers (-46 points) – Last Week: #25 (-15)

Milwaukee’s 6-22 record in May was tied with Miami for the worst winning percentage in baseball.

29. Houston Astros (-55 points) – Last Week: #29 (+28)

Houston’s 5.06 ERA in May was tied with Baltimore for the worst mark in baseball.

30. Miami Marlins (-89 points) – Last Week: #30 (+3)

Miami’s .217 team batting average was the lowest mark in baseball for the month of May.

* All stats per MLB.com

Note: RED = Falling 3+ spots from last week, GREEN = Rising 3+ spots from last week

The Wife Hates Sports’ MLB Power Rankings system has a method to its madness, attempting to be different and not just rank by popularity and record.  It mixes a secret formula of six completely different categories, meshed into a points system.  The categories don’t just include team results regarding record, but how each team has performed recently, as well as incorporating some statistics on both a team’s offense and pitching staff, too.

Shelby Miller (2.02 ERA), Trevor Rosenthal (2.16), Adam Wainwright (2.48) and Lance Lynn (2.95) have all been lights out on numerous occasions.  It therefore comes as no surprise that the Cardinals own the best record in all of baseball, leading to a top ranking in the latest edition of MLB Power Rankings at The Wife Hates Sports.

The rest of the top five features three American League teams, with the Miguel Cabrera-sparked Detroit Tigers landing in second, followed by the Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox.

This week’s big winners are the Los Angeles Angels, a talented bunch that vaulted nine spots in the ranks, while the Cleveland Indians are the big losers after falling eight slots and out of the top ten.

The entire list of MLB Power Rankings is as follows, featuring some specific team or player related statistics, along with the clubs that had positive or negative jumps in the latest poll:

Shelby Miller and the St. Louis Cardinals have been dominating opposing hitters this season (Credit: StLToday.com)

KP’s MLB Power Rankings: May 28, 2013

Note: Statistics and point totals as of Tuesday morning (5/28/13) and do not include night games

1. St. Louis Cardinals (142 points) – Last Week: #2

The Cardinals have nine pitchers on its roster with an ERA below 3.00, including two 22-year-olds, Shelby Miller (5-3, 2.02 ERA, 65 K’s) and Trevor Rosenthal (2.16 ERA, 37 K’s in 25 IP).

2. Detroit Tigers (112 points) – Last Week: #8

Miguel Cabrera is once again triggering Triple Crown chatter in the American League, what with this .377 average (1^st in AL), 14 HR (2^nd to Chris Davis) and 57 RBI (1^st in AL).

3. Texas Rangers (111 points) – Last Week: #1

In limited time, highly touted prospect Jurickson Profar has impressed at the plate, posting a .304 average in 23 at bats, with one home run and five runs batted in.

4. Cincinnati Reds (108 points) – Last Week: #4

Dusty Baker and the Reds are off to a hot start

Cincinnati’s statistical pitching leaders show that the staff is balanced, with Bronson Arroyo leading in wins, Mike Leake in ERA and Homer Bailey in strikeouts.

5. Boston Red Sox (106 points) – Last Week: #7

Veteran David Ortiz has been a surprising unsung hero in 2013, once again posting high quality numbers, batting .346, with 11 doubles, 8 HR and 34 RBI in 33 games.

6. Atlanta Braves (91 points) – Last Week: #9

Of the team’s five current starters, each has posted at least five quality starts, and only Tim Hudson (5.37 ERA in 11 starts) has an ERA over 4.00.

7. Arizona Diamondbacks (90 points) – Last Week: #6

Paul Goldschmidt is carrying Arizona’s offense, leading in average (.324), home runs (12), RBI (40) and on base percentage (.407).

8. Pittsburgh Pirates (78 points) – Last Week: #10

A.J. Burnett has posted 8 quality starts with 85 strikeouts and a 2.57 ERA over 11 appearances, yet has posted a 3-5 record on the season.

9. New York Yankees (74 points) – Last Week: #3

With 72 2/3 innings pitched over 11 starts, C.C. Sabathia continues to be a workhorse, but his 3.96 ERA is more than four tenths higher than his career average of 3.52.

10. Colorado Rockies (64 points) – Last Week: #11

Tulo has been hitting for power again this season

Each batting over .300 on the season, the trio of Carlos Gonzalez, Michael Cuddyer and Troy Tulowitzki has combined to hit 31 home runs.

11. Oakland Athletics (63 points) – Last Week: #16

Living up to his name, Grant Balfour has as many walks (11) as he has saves this season.

12. Baltimore Orioles (63 points) – Last Week: #13

Sure, the pitching has struggled, but opponents should beware of Baltimore’s offense, which is second in baseball in batting average (.275), first in slugging percentage (.459) and first in home runs (69).

13. Cleveland Indians (45 points) – Last Week: #5

Mark Reynolds (.259 average, 12 HR, 40 RBI) is enjoying a slight career resurgence this season.

14. San Francisco Giants (41 points) – Last Week: #12

Marco Scutaro (.323) and Buster Posey (.311) are the only Giants hitters batting over .300.

15. Tampa Bay Rays (33 points) – Last Week: #15

At this point in the season, who could have predicted that Jeremy Hellickson and David Price would have as many combined quality starts as Alex Cobb (8)?

16. Los Angeles Angels (21 points) – Last Week: #25

Mike Trout (10 HR, 37 RBI, 12 SB, .304 batting average) has been a major spark for an Angels team that has finally begun to wake up.

17. Chicago White Sox (15 points) – Last Week: #18

Barring a major team winning streak, Jake Peavy (6-2, 2.97 ERA), if healthy, appears to be a logical choice to be trade bait once the July trade deadline arrives in a few months.

18. Kansas City Royals (14 points) – Last Week: #14

While many of KC’s bats have struggled, Alex Gordon (.338 average, .377 OBP) has not.

19. Washington Nationals (11 points) – Last Week: #20

While the Nats have struggled offensively, it’s still a bit surprising to see a combined record of 6-8 between Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg over 22 starts.

20. Chicago Cubs (1 point) – Last Week: #17

Alfonso Soriano has posted a .278 average on the season, yet has just six walks in 180 AB’s.

21. Los Angeles Dodgers (-5 points) – Last Week: #21

In his first season with the Dodgers, Hyun-Jin Ryu is 5-2 with a 3.30 ERA and has settled in as the Dodgers’ second most consistent starter behind Clayton Kershaw.

22. Philadelphia Phillies (-7 points) – Last Week: #23

Acquired for his bat – and not his defense – Michael Young has struggled, batting just .260, with only 1 HR and 10 RBI in 173 AB’s.

23. San Diego Padres (-13 points) – Last Week: #19

It’s clear that the Padres need a power arm, as Eric Stults and Andrew Cashner are the current team leaders, with only 38 strikeouts each.

24. Toronto Blue Jays (-18 points) – Last Week: #28

Adam Lind (.304 average, 10 doubles, 4 HR in 115 AB) is having a bounce back year for the Jays.

25. Milwaukee Brewers (-31 points) – Last Week: #26

Jean Segura (6 doubles, 5 triples, 8 HR, 21 RBI, 14 steals, .347 average) continues to be the biggest surprise in the National League this season.

26. Minnesota Twins (-32 points) – Last Week: #22

Kevin Correia (5-4, 3.96 ERA) is the only Minnesota starter to have an ERA under 4.00 this year.

27. Seattle Mariners (-33 points) – Last Week: #24

Replacing the recently demoted Dustin Ackley, the Mariners hope Nick Franklin can add some spark to the team’s offense and middle infield.

28. New York Mets (-35 points) – Last Week: #27

Despite being surrounded by a struggling offense, David Wright (7 doubles, 4 triples, 7 HR, 29 RBI, .291 average) continues to post solid numbers in New York.

29. Houston Astros (-83 points) – Last Week: #30

Bud Norris leads the team in wins (4), qualifying ERA (3.71) and strikeouts (38).

30. Miami Marlins (-92 points) – Last Week: #29

The Marlins would be wise to try and move Ricky Nolasco (3-5, 3.65 ERA, 56 K) for prospects at the trade deadline in July.

* All stats per MLB.com

Note: RED = Falling 3+ spots from last week, GREEN = Rising 3+ spots from last week

The Wife Hates Sports’ MLB Power Rankings system has a method to its madness, attempting to be different and not just rank by popularity and record.  It mixes a secret formula of six completely different categories, meshed into a points system.  The categories don’t just include team results regarding record, but how each team has performed recently, as well as incorporating some statistics on both a team’s offense and pitching staff, too.

When measuring pain, we men often don’t verbalize, or when we do, it’s often while dropping phrases such as “Rub some dirt on it, kid”, or “Suck it up, pal”.

For women, it’s the opposite, as more often than not, emotions are expected in any way, shape, or form.

And in the never-ending gender battle of MAN vs. WOMAN, we men usually avoid the whole pain conversation, especially when it comes to childbirth.

Still, that doesn’t mean that some of us don’t sometimes think, “Oh, how bad could it REALLY be?”

How painful can being in labor be? I think this guy’s face says it all

Two husbands sought out and got an answer to that question – and the result, well… was a strange and twisted mixture of concern and humor.

But for the WIFE, the wife’s friends – and the wives in the video – it was hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppzV6hoPkIc

Well, gents, where do we feel that these guys rank in the world of pain threshold?  While I have the utmost appreciation for what the wives of the world have to go through, we must briefly – and I said briefly – admit that neither of these two were presented with the option of an epidural.

Either way, it was an entertaining watch, and I was especially amused by the guy on the right, when he kept telling his wife to leave him alone and stop talking.