The Times’ baseball rankings

(Statistics through Friday’s games. Last week’s rankings in parentheses):

“MASTERS, SPREAD YOURSELVES”

1. ST. LOUIS I am feared in field: Cardinals lead the league in fielding. (1)

2. OAKLAND I have had a more rare vision: Moneyball still paying off for first-place A’s. (2)

3. BOSTON Though [he] be but little, [he] is fierce! 5-foot-9 Pedroia leads team in hits, runs. (4)

4. DETROIT How can it be said I am alone? Tigers hitting .270 without Cabrera’s stats. (9)

5. CINCINNATI We have unearned luck: Latos 6-0 thanks to NL’s second-best run support. (6)

6. PITTSBURGH Are you sure that we are awake: Surprising Pirates 25-15 since May 1. (7)

7. BALTIMORE Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste: McLouth has 23 SB and 27 Ks. (12)

8. TEXAS That merry wanderer of the night: 28 of 38 wins have come after dark. (5)

9. ARIZONA Now the hungry [lion] roars: Goldschmidt leads NL with 59 RBIs. (8)

10. N.Y. YANKEES Yet but 3 comes 1 more: Teixeira, Pettitte, Joba off DL, Granderson next? (10)

11. ATLANTA Brief as the lightning in the collied night: Bullpen has NL-best 2.86 ERA. (3)

12. SAN FRANCISCO I am amazed and know not what to say: Champs have NL’s sixth-best record. (14)

13. TAMPA BAY With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover: Price nearing return from DL. (11)

15. COLORADO I’ll follow thee: Uh-oh. Tulowitzki (.347) on the DL for at least a month. (13)

15. CLEVELAND These things seem small and indistinguishable: Tribe 5-0 in extra innings. (16)

“THE HUMAN MORTALS”

16. KANSAS CITY Must I speak now? Advice from hitting coach Brett has Royals at .255 in June. (23)

17. SAN DIEGO Steal me awhile from mine own company: Padres lead MLB with 60 steals. (21)

18. PHILADELPHIA My heart is true as steel: Cliff Lee 6-0, 1.93 since May 1. (15)

19. WASHINGTON O me, you juggler: Leads the National League with 49 errors. (17)

20. TORONTO So quick bright things come to confusion: Spending isn’t paying off for Jays. (26)

21. ANGELS The true beginning of our end: Expensive, unproductive stars slow Angels. (20)

22. MINNESOTA Where is our usual manager of mirth? Twins headed for 3rd losing year in row. (22)

23. SEATTLE But an ace, for him, for he is but one: Iwakuma 7-1, 1.79, 12 quality starts. (18)

24. CHICAGO WHITE SOX I have an exposition of sleep come upon me: Last in AL in runs. (29)

“THUS I DIE. THUS, THUS, THUS. NOW I AM DEAD”

25. DODGERS A very gentle beast and of a good conscience: Puig hitting .487/.512/.846. (19)

26. CHICAGO CUBS O strange! We are haunted: Curse of Billy Goat still hexes last-place Cubs. (28)

27. MILWAUKEE And Robin shall restore amends: Haven’t made Series since Yount retired. (24)

28. N.Y. METS But you must flout my insufficiency? Mets MLB’s worst-hitting team (.225) (25)

29. HOUSTON Now name the rest of the players: Anonymous Astros have AL’s worst mark. (27)

30. MIAMI What fools these mortals be: County owes $2.4 billion for empty ballpark. (30)