Updated: April 2, 2013, 1:06 PM ET

Nationals open the season at No. 1

Week:

ESPN.com

The Washington Nationals were No. 1 in our final Power Rankings of the 2012 regular season. And they open 2013 in the same spot.

The Nationals, who owned Major League Baseball's best record in 2012, are followed by the defending American League champion Detroit Tigers at No. 2. The Cincinnati Reds, the World Series champion San Francisco Giants and the Atlanta Braves round out the top five.

This week's voters were Jim Bowden of ESPN Insider, Tim Kurkjian of ESPN The Magazine, David Schoenfield of the SweetSpot Blog Network/ESPN.com and Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. Most of the team comments come courtesy of the fan bloggers on the SweetSpot Blog Network. Meanwhile, you can rank the teams yourself.

Tell us what you think about the Power Rankings. Use the hashtag #ESPNMLBPOWER.

2013 Power Rankings: March 30
RANKTEAM / RECORD TRENDINGCOMMENTS
1
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Last Week: NR		The Nationals had 98 wins last season. This year they are healthy on offense, brought in Dan Haren and Rafael Soriano to pitch, and have an improved defense. See you in October. -- Harper Gordek, Nationals Baseball
2
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Last Week: NR		There's no such thing as an underdog in Detroit anymore, not where the Tigers are concerned. In 2013, they have the fifth-highest payroll in baseball, at a shade over $149 million, and have $77 million of that committed to only four players (Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez). -- Joshua Worn, Walkoff Woodward
3
Reds
0-0
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Last Week: NR		Joey Votto is healthy again, Cincinnati finally has a true leadoff hitter (Shin-Soo Choo), and the NL's second-best pitching staff returns intact. There hasn't been this much preseason optimism in the Queen City since the mid-1970s. -- Chad Dotson, Redleg Nation
4
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Last Week: NR		The Giants enter 2013 with largely the same squad that netted the team its second World Series championship in three years. Is that good or bad? Only time will tell. But for now, the team will try and do the difficult job of defending its title. -- Chris Quick, Bay City Ball
5
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Last Week: NR		In the past several years, the Braves have had one of the most left-handed lineups in the game, frequently finishing near the bottom of the league in offensive performance against left-handed pitching. Acquiring the Upton brothers this past offseason should balance out a 94-win team's offense and put them in prime position to make another run at the playoffs. -- Ben Duronio, Capitol Avenue Club
6
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Last Week: NR		After a disappointing season in 2012, the Angels retooled and reworked their roster in the offseason. The club's offense should be as good as any in baseball, but the back of the rotation and the bullpen are both causes for concern. Opening week will provide a pair of early tests as the Angels take on Cincinnati and division rival Texas. -- Hudson Belinsky, Halos Daily
7
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Last Week: NR		Expectations are through the roof for the Dodgers. Getting off to a good start would definitely be beneficial. -- ESPN.com
8
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Last Week: NR		Excitement is palpable among Jays fans. Offseason acquisitions have transformed Toronto from also-rans to front-runners in the AL East. It's World Series or bust. -- Matthias Koster, Mop-Up Duty
9
Rays
0-0
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Last Week: NR		Roberto Hernandez -- formerly Fausto Carmona -- was given the final spot in the Rays' rotation. How long will he be able to fend off top pitching prospects Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi? Tommy Rancel, The Process Report
10
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Last Week: NR		The Rangers fell hard on Opening Night, but stole the overnight headlines, reportedly nearing an eight-year deal worth as much as $120 million with Elvis Andrus that will keep him in Texas almost into the next decade. -- Joey Matschulat, Baseball Time in Arlington
11
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Last Week: NR		Brett Anderson will get the Opening Day start for the A's after pitching in only six games last season. -- ESPN.com
12
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Last Week: NR		The Cardinals finished spring training a bit bruised, with Jason Motte and David Freese on the disabled list, but they're ready to begin the season with a deep lineup and pitching staff set to improve on last year's team strikeout record. -- Matt Philip, Fungoes
13
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Last Week: NR		The Orioles' hope this season is for another playoff appearance, not simply a winning record. Plus, it is backed by the exploits of Manny Machado and a starting rotation that performed well last season. -- Jon Shepherd, Camden Depot
14
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Last Week: NR		It will be an uphill battle for the Phillies to catch the Nationals and the new-and-improved Braves with an aging and injury-prone roster, but they will benefit by having one of baseball's easiest first-half schedules. -- Bill Baer, Crashburn Alley
15
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Last Week: NR		After a positive spring where the rotation posted an overall 2.13 ERA, the Red Sox hope that success carries over when they open the season against the Yankees before traveling north for their first real test of the season -- against the Blue Jays. -- Hunter Golden, Fire Brand of the AL
16
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Last Week: NR		A postseason without the Yankees? If it does happen, it will be only the second time since 1993 that the Bombers don't reach the playoffs. -- ESPN.com
17
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Last Week: NR		Ian Kennedy, the Diamondbacks' No. 1 starter, has made 30 or more starts in each of the past three seasons. -- ESPN.com
18
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Last Week: NR		The Wil Myers-James Shields trade will be debated for quite a while, but if "Big Game James" can carry K.C. to the playoffs in the next two years, then Royals GM Dayton Moore will be canonized. Shields' first assignment: the White Sox in Chicago. -- Diane Firstman, Value Over Replacement Grit
19
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Last Week: NR		The Brewers hope their newly acquired starter, Kyle Lohse, improves on his career performance at Miller Park. The right-hander owns a 6.95 ERA in 44 IP in his new home. -- J.P. Breen, Disciples of Uecker
20
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Last Week: NR		Looking forward to seeing what Chris Sale does this season in his second year as a starting pitcher after his breakthrough campaign from a season ago. -- ESPN.com
21
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Last Week: NR		Felix Hernandez heads into the 2013 season having pitched 200 or more innings in each of the past five years. -- ESPN.com
22
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Last Week: NR		With the second-half collapses of the past two years, you might have thought April was a good month for the Pirates. Actually, 2009 was the last season that saw them with a winning record in April (11-10), and that year they finished 62-99. First up: Hosting the Cubs for three, then off to L.A. and Arizona. -- Diane Firstman, Value Over Replacement Grit
23
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Last Week: NR		In what has been a journeyman career, Jason Marquis is entering his 14th season (with eight different teams) in the majors. -- ESPN.com
24
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Last Week: NR		Fans wanted change after last season and the front office gave it to them. After hiring manager Terry Francona, the Indians made some smart moves that brought, among others, Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn to the team. Fans who've spent countless seasons "waiting 'til next year" can't be faulted for thinking that "next year" might actually be this year. -- Susan Petrrone, It's Pronounced "Lajaway"
25
Mets
0-0
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Last Week: NR		After hitting .303 with a .378 OBP, .969 OPS, and five home runs this spring, Collin Cowgill won the job as the Mets' every-day center fielder and leadoff hitter. -- Joe Janish, Mets Today
26
Cubs
0-0
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Last Week: NR		The Cubs are probably not going to be in contention for a playoff spot, and may even finish with the worst record in the majors, but the organization is moving in the right direction and still have chips to move before the trade deadline as the rebuilding effort continues. -- Joe Aiello, View from the Bleachers
27
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Last Week: NR		The Twins will throw Vance Worley, Kevin Correia and Mike Pelfrey at Detroit in their season-opening series, which tells you all you need to know about the state of the rotation. -- Nick Nelson, Twins Daily
28
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Last Week: NR		The Rockies need a healthy rotation in 2013 to have a chance at .500. Last year, 14 pitchers started for the Rox. That needs to be cut in half. -- Travis Lay, Blake Street Bulletin
29
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Last Week: NR		How many steps back has this franchise taken this past offseason? The biggest question for them this year appears to be whether Giancarlo Stanton is still with them come July 31. First up: Stephen Strasburg and the Nats in Washington, D.C. -- Diane Firstman, Value Over Replacement Grit
30
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Last Week: NR		The Astros enjoyed a great beginning, beating the in-state rival Rangers on Opening Night, to what could be a horrific season. -- ESPN.com

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