MLB Power Rankings: Red-Hot Risers

Yes, the Minnesota Twins are good enough to hold onto the top spot in these MLB Power Rankings for a second week. There were some doubts, but the Twins thumped the White Sox and the Athletics last week and have won 22 of their last 30 games. They are as dominant as a team can be right now and are distancing themselves from the rest of their division.

In the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies are still in second place in the NL East to the Braves, but no one is playing better baseball. The Phillies -- just like the Twins -- have won 22 of their last 30 games and now have a healthy lineup for the first time in months. Add that to the fact that they have the best playoff rotation in the majors with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels and you'll see why I'm so high on the Phillies, and why Atlanta should be running scared.

Not to add insult to injury -- since the Cubs lost their manager this week -- but Chicago is at their lowest rank all season and have continued selling off talent.

1. Twins | Record: 72-52 | Previous Week: 1
The Twins have turned things around in August to build a five-game lead over the White Sox, but there are some reasons for concern. Kevin Slowey was just placed on the disabled list, and now the team is shuffling the rotation to get Francisco Liriano a few extra days off because he's been dealing with a "dead arm." - Tom Fornelli
2. Phillies | Record: 70-53 | Previous Week: 4
The Phillies have been on fire lately, winning 14 of their 19 games in August and closing the gap between them and the Braves in the National League East. The best news that the Phillies can give their fans is that Shane Victorino, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are all healthy and ready for a title run.
3. Rays | Record: 76-48 | Previous Week: 2
If scuttlebutt about interest for Manny Ramirez is correct, the Rays might want to stay behind the Yankees until the Dodgers decide what they want to do. Hard to see the Bombers allowing Manny to pass by without a claim when his addition could mean so much for the Rays in September and October.- Josh Alper
4. Yankees | Record: 77-47 | Previous Week: 3
Alex Rodriguez and Lance Berkman hit the disabled list, A.J. Burnett and Javier Vazquez pitch poorly once again and the Yankees still go 5-2 for the week. Will the Yankees run into an obstacle that they can't avoid or is this team just so good that potholes barely register a bump on their ride to the playoffs? The American League must be hoping for the former, but history says it is the latter. - Josh Alper
5. Braves | Record: 73-51 | Previous Week: 7
The Atlanta Braves have been doing exactly what a division-leading team needs to do lately. They've won all seven of their August series and just went out and traded for a bigger bat for the middle of their lineup. Derrek Lee was a great addition, but will he be enough to hold off Philadelphia?
6. Padres | Record: 74-49 | Previous Week: 6
The Padres hiccuped a little this weekend, losing two of three to Milwaukee. Fortunately the earlier portion of the week was spent sweeping the Chicago Cubs. In another positive turn of events, seven of their next nine games are against the less-than-stellar Arizona Diamondbacks.
7. Reds | Record: 72-52 | Previous Week: 5
It's weird to say it, but being swept by the Cardinals was the best thing that's happened to the Reds this year. That sweep fired the Reds up and they've ripped off eight wins in nine games and opened up a 3 1/2-game lead in the division, their biggest of the season. They've got nine more games until their final series with the Cardinals and six are against the Brewers and Cubs. Their lead is by no means insurmountable, but the Reds are in a really good place right now. - Pat Lackey
8. Cardinals | Record: 67-54 | Previous Week: 8
A five-game losing streak last week dropped the Cardinals into second place, but they've got a chance to make up some ground this week as they go to Pittsburgh to play the hapless Pirates just as the Reds match up against the Giants. The Cards are 5-1 against the Pirates this year, so this week's three-game set may be just what they need. - Pat Lackey
9. Giants | Record: 69-56 | Previous Week: 9
Starting pitching was supposed to be the backbone of this team, but lately the starters have failed. Over the past 18 games, Giants starters are 2-11 with a 5.43 ERA. Tim Lincecum has lost four consecutive starts, with an 8.38 ERA in that stretch. - Jeff Fletcher
10. Red Sox | Record: 71-54 | Previous Week: 12
Moral victories don't mean much and missing the playoffs is always a failure, but the Red Sox can take some solace in the fact that their season means no other team can use injuries as an excuse for a disappointing one. It's remarkable that the Sox are breathing in baseball's toughest division. With six of their last 10 games against the Yankees, they could still wind up doing a lot more than that. - Josh Alper
11. Rangers | Record: 69-54 | Previous Week: 11
The Rangers had a tough week. First they were swept by the Rays, and then they could only muster a split against the Orioles, who absolutely pounded Cliff Lee for eight earned runs -- including four home runs -- in 5 2/3 innings. The team is considering additions, as hometown hero Brad Hawpe has cleared waivers and was given his release by the Rockies. He could fill in nicely for injured outfielder Nelson Cruz.
12. Blue Jays | Record: 64-59 | Previous Week: 10
Competing in the AL East is always difficult, but Brett Cecil is having the kind of season that has to make Toronto think they can put up a fight in the years to come. Cecil is 6-1 with a 2.11 ERA against divisional foes this season. More generally, the group of Cecil, Shaun Marcum, Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow have made this a year of growth for the Jays. - Josh Alper
13. White Sox | Record: 67-57 | Previous Week: 13
August hasn't treated the White Sox nearly as well as July did. The team is 9-12 during the month. The once mighty bullpen seems to be hitting a wall as blown saves are racking up at an alarming rate, and playing three extra-inning games in less than 24 hours this weekend probably didn't help much. - Tom Fornelli
14. Rockies | Record: 63-60 | Previous Week: 14
The good news is that talented outfielder Carlos Gonzalez was able to return to the lineup this weekend after banging up his knee colliding with the outfield wall. The bad news is that slugger Brad Hawpe cleared waivers and was released by the Rockies. Colorado has lost 10 of 19 games in August and its usual second-half spike is looking like it may not come this year.
15. Dodgers | Record: 63-62 | Previous Week: 16
So much has gone wrong for the Dodgers in the second half that they are now falling perilously close to the .500 mark. (They are 63-62.) The Dodgers haven't finished under .500 since 2005. Hey, at least Vin Scully is coming back. - Jeff Fletcher
16. Marlins | Record: 62-61 | Previous Week: 18
The Marlins are in a bit of a transition period right now, some of it planned and some of it not so much. The team placed Cody Ross on waivers and the Giants obtained him, even though they may not have wanted him. Ricky Nolasco is dealing with an bum knee after hurting himself bending over to tie his shoes. There is still a chance he'll make his next start, but not a huge chance. Don't be surprised if he's shut down.
17. Brewers | Record: 59-65 | Previous Week: 17
With the Brewers stranded in the not-competitive, not-awful August limbo, let's talk about how good John Axford's been this year: well more than a strikeout per inning, a 2.70 K/BB ratio, just one homer allowed in 44 1/3 innings. Trevor Hoffman will probably be allowed to get his 600th save before the season ends, but it's obvious who the club's closer of the future is. - Pat Lackey
18. Athletics | Record: 61-62 | Previous Week: 19
If nothing else, the A's are consistent. They are consistently getting good pitching and no hitting. They have gotten a quality start in each of the past 15 games, the longest such streak in Oakland history. They are only 7-8 in those games because of an offense that has hit .223 and averaged 3.1 runs per game in that span. - Jeff Fletcher
19. Angels | Record: 62-63 | Previous Week: 15
The Angels have won just two of their six series in the month of August and have fallen eight games behind the division-leading Texas Rangers. Heralded rookie Peter Bourjos is just 9-for-55 with a .542 OPS, and the team welcomes Tampa Bay and Baltimore -- a team that swept the Angels earlier in the month -- to make matters worse.
20. Mets | Record: 62-62 | Previous Week: 20
Now that the Mets can admit they are no longer in contention, it was easy to place Rod Barajas on waivers and make Josh Thole the everyday catcher. Thole has developed faster than expected, and the Mets want to see what the 23-year-old, 13th-round draft pick can do with the rest of the season as the regular backstop.
21. Tigers | Record: 61-63 | Previous Week: 21
While the Tigers are now 11 games out of first, there is some good news for the team when looking at next season. Since the All-Star break, Max Scherzer has a mediocre 3-3 record, but that 1.94 ERA is a good sign that he is starting to figure things out. - Tom Fornelli
22. Astros | Record: 54-69 | Previous Week: 22
Chris Johnson's emergence (.337/.362/.512 with six homers in 58 games) allowed the Astros to dump Pedro Feliz on the Cardinals. That sort of thing, meaning young players playing well, is actually more important than the Astros' decent record over the past few months. - Pat Lackey
23. Orioles | Record: 44-81 | Previous Week: 25
Some nice signs from rookie third baseman Josh Bell were the only positives as things got back to normal for Baltimore. He hit his first two major league home runs off of Cliff Lee on Saturday, the only game in the last five that the Orioles won. Still, with more than a week to go, Buck Showalter has led the O's to 12 wins, their most in any month this season. - Josh Alper
24. Royals | Record: 53-71 | Previous Week: 26
Signs that your season hasn't gone very well: When, after trading away any valuable offensive chips you have, your leading home run hitter and RBI guy is Yuniesky Betancourt. That's right, Yuniesky Betancourt. - Tom Fornelli
25. Nationals | Record: 53-71 | Previous Week: 24
It's stopped mattering what's going on with the 2010 Washington Nationals as a whole. Most of the time and effort will now be spent on introducing first-round draft pick Bryce Harper to the world and wondering just how bad Stephen Strasburg's forearm injury is. Is Strasburg's season over? Everyone is still waiting on an answer, and I mean everyone.
26. Indians | Record: 50-74 | Previous Week: 23
The Tribe have lost 11 of their last 14 and look like a team that's just ready to get 2010 over with already. Or at the very least, they're a team waiting for September when rosters expand so they can bring up more youngsters and try to figure out what this team is going to look like in 2011. - Tom Fornelli
27. Mariners | Record: 49-75 | Previous Week: 27
As the Seattle Mariners flounder with just 49 wins thus far in the 2010 season, many cries have been heard about the salaries of Ichiro Suzuki and Chone Figgins. These two account for just under 30 percent of the team's payroll while the Mariners are in a tricky situation of not being able to rebuild or contend.
28. Diamondbacks | Record: 49-76 | Previous Week: 29
Brandon Webb has downgraded his high hopes for the season. The ace hasn't pitched since Opening Day of 2009 and was looking to log at least 10 starts in 2010. Now, Webb said he'll just be happy with making one start. "Hopefully, I'll pitch the last game of the season if that's what I get."
29. Cubs | Record: 51-74 | Previous Week: 28
Since July 6, Aramis Ramirez is hitting .340/.377/.673 with 13 home runs. Apparently, he's got more left in the tank than anyone suspected after his brutal start. Unfortunately, the Cubs are just 15-27 since then, dropping out of the playoff race, sending Lou Piniella into a slightly early retirement and getting Derrek Lee and Ted Lilly shipped off to contenders. - Pat Lackey
30. Pirates | Record: 41-83 | Previous Week: 30
The good news is that on Sunday, Zach Duke outdueled Johan Santana and the Pirates got a clutch home run from rookie Jose Tabata to beat the Mets 2-1. The bad news is that the Pirates were on a five-game losing streak that was only separated from a seven-game streak by one win. It's been a long year in Pittsburgh. - Pat Lackey

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