On to week three… The Cubs and Marlins cooled a bit, the Nationals just lost a game in which they led 6-2 at one point and 11-7 at another (still the worst team in baseball) and the Sox have gone on a tear and gotten themselves right back in. The Dodgers have proven that Manny Ramirez is not the only heavy hitter in Tinsel Town, for sure, but their pitching is suspect through several games. Philadelphia, the culprit in the aforementioned Nats game, has ridden Chase Utley (he leads all second-basemen in OBP), Raul Ibanez, and Ryan Howard back into the Top 10 on the strength of four straight wins. With their unbeatable pitching the Jays have a slim lead in a tough division and a tight edition of the SportsHuman Power Rankings. A poor week by the mediocre Yankees (and another loss tonight), of which terrible pitching has been the catalyst all season, dropped them out of the rankings as well.

1. Blue Jays: Toronto stays strong and Roy Halladay is freakin’ sweet. They lost the division lead to Boston (who just keeps winning) but their pitching really makes them a legitimate candidate for the division lead when these two teams meet. Then we can really evaluate their talent, and see if all this early season power is not just a fluke. Oh, and, they have SCORED THE MOST RUNS in baseball.

2. Cardinals: Albert Pujols makes every pitcher week in the knees. He launched a grand slam a few days ago that reminded everyone watching just how incredible he is. The Cardinals’ hero is on pace to hit more than 200 ribbies. The fact that the Cards are leading a surprisingly competitive division without the AwardWatch Cy Young man from the first week is a testament to their team ability.

3. Red Sox: This is baseball right? The Sox have won 11 in a row, and that span of games includes a sweep of the Bronx Bombers and a STEAL OF HOME. That is swagger right there. Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia are really, really good.

4. Dodgers: One wonders about the long-term pitching prospects of this team but they enjoy a pretty easy top 5 pick because they hit so well and their ERA is actually really low so far. They keep winning.

5. Cubs: Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukodome, and Ryan Theriot ensure the Cubs a place in the Top 10 for a while, especially if Geovany Soto plays like he can. This team is more balanced than they were last year, and only the Cardinals will challenge them in that division; however, so far, the Cardinals have looked like the superior team, and the Redbirds have taken the division lead after winning their series against Chi-town. Chicago has proven before that they can maintain a high level of play throughout the season, so this will be an interesting battle.

6. Tigers: Earlier in the season, we had an inkling that these guys might make a play for their division. With the Twins and Indians playing poorly, Miguel Cabrera might just be able to will this team to the playoffs.

7. Mariners: They look legit after the first few weeks. Great pitching and a good outfield have Seattle rolling. With Los Angeles fading, the Mariners have a chance to run away with their division. Ken Griffey and the rest of the gang are making this teaHalladay brings dominance to the mound.

8. Phillies: The Phillies have the worst ERA in the National League. That is really terrible, considering the supposed talent they have on the mound. However, when Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, and Raul Ibanez step up to the plate, you can never, ever count out this team The first of those players is 5th in the Majors in OBP; the rest have each hit a grand-slam within the last three games. They have given up way, way too many first and second inning runs, forcing the offense to battle their way back into games, but with even Pedro Feliz hitting over 300, they just swept the Marlins and put up 13 runs and a W against the Nationals.

9. Marlins: Emilio Bonifacio has cooled off. Hanley Ramirez just became a temporarly day-to-day guy because of an injury. We said last week that the Marlins have terrific talent on the mound; let’s fix that. The Marlins have good starters. A tip of the hat to Josh Johnson, who is just unbelievable so far. That bullpen… not so much. 7 straight losses can really hurt a team’s morale. The Marlins are in danger of losing the division lead to Philadelphia, and if they don’t right the ship they are in danger of falling out of our rankings.

10. Pirates: With the best ERA in baseball, the Pirates have muscled their way into this spot. SportsHuman opinions remain skeptical, but a sweep of the Marlins and out-dueling the Padres to win that series at least deserves some respect. Plus, it’s just darned funny to watch THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES beating other teams into submission! Maybe they will figure out who they really are soon, but for now, this is as humorous as our Book Worth a Look.