Cleveland Indians at No. 6 overall in ESPN power rankings

The Cleveland Indians ended the weekend on a sour note, but remain ranked among the best teams in all of baseball entering this week.

The Cleveland Indians didn’t exactly have a great weekend. It’s a good thing the Cavs gave the city something to cheer about.

The Indians were outscored a combined 22-8 on Saturday and Sunday as the team now prepares for a three-game series against a Texas Rangers team in the basement of the competitive AL West.

When it comes to power rankings, the Indians remain near the top in the latest edition from ESPN. The team moved up one spot from No. 7 to No. 6. Here is what the article had to say:

"While the pitching staff is responsible for much of the Indians’ early success as the lone AL Central team above .500, there have been signs of hope that their position players are finally thawing out. A four-homer week from Yonder Alonso was a good sign that their investment in the free agent was worth it, while a defense anchored by shortstop Francisco Lindor and third baseman Jose Ramirez leads the AL in defensive runs saved."

Yonder Alonso was indeed a bright spot from the week, as was Tyler Naquin. The young outfielder is hitting .294 as he fights to stay on the roster when Lonnie Chisenhall eventually returns.

The main thing that fans angry right now is the pitching of Josh Tomlin, but that is nothing new around these parts. And for right now, his spot in the rotation is safe until Danny Salazar or Ryan Merritt are able to return from their respective injuries.

The good news is that the AL Central is atrocious, aside from the Indians of course, and the current 14-12 record is good enough for a three-game lead entering play today. The Indians are the only team with a winning record in the division, with the Detroit Tigers currently sitting in second place with a record of 11-15.

Next: Indians: Is it time to remove Tomlin from the rotation?

A series against the lowly Rangers should help get things back on track, but even after watching Tomlin get shelled once again, fans should be feeling good heading into the week.