1. ATLANTA (1) - Somewhere, Bobby Cox is getting thrown out of something. Oddly comforting, isn't it?
2. NY YANKEES (4) - They're starting to look like the team to beat. Again.
3. SAN FRANCISCO (2) - Find me a better father-son duo in sports history than Bobby and Barry Bonds. (hint: you're wasting your time)
4. BOSTON (5) - And Pedro hasn't even been pitching.
5. OAKLAND (6) - Losing Mulder and his 9 complete games for the stretch run hurts.
6. SEATTLE (3) - Better start winning soon and I doubt Armand'oh! is the answer.
7. PHILADELPHIA (8) - Check out Thome's numbers vs. the Cardinals: 6 games, 5 homeruns, 10 RBIs, 6 runs scored, and a .450 average (that's good).
8. CHICAGO WHITE SOX (12) - A 6-1 week has them on top of the AL Central. (By a whole game and a half!)
9. FLORIDA (7) - Hanging on despite grabbing just one win all week.
10. ST. LOUIS (13) - See Philly (except, in this case, "that's bad").
11. HOUSTON (9) - Top of the NL Central is a total mess. The teams are just too similar.
12. CHICAGO CUBS (14) - Top of the NL Central is a total mess. The teams are just too similar.
13. ARIZONA (10) - Have now scored 2 or less runs in a game 20 times since the All-Star break - worst in the majors.
14. LOS ANGELES (16) - Believe it or not, the Dodgers actually put up 5 runs in one game this week! (of course, they lost that game and only scored 9 total runs in the other five games they played for the week... but that's not the point)
15. MINNESOTA (15) - Remember when you didn't think you should start Johan Santana? Yeah, I'd try to forget too.
16. KANSAS CITY (11) - Gave up 42 runs in just six games this week. Oh, and now Appier's hurt.
17. MONTREAL (19) - Well, at least you still lead in the fight for Canadain supremacy. That's all that really matters anyway.
18. TORONTO (20) - Not to place blame on any one individual, but Eric Hinske is now just seven for his last 39 (.179). I blame Eric Hinske.
19. ANAHEIM (22) - You know, if you were to finish behind Texas in the AL West, I think the league could legally repossess those World Series rings.
20. COLORADO (17) - Baseball 101: you should win games if you want to make the playoffs.
21. TEXAS (23) - It's time to play "Name That Rangers Pitcher"! The game where nobody wins!
22. BALTIMORE (18) - Now mathematically eliminated for next year.
23. CINCINNATI (24) - Good thing you built that new stadium.
24. PITTSBURGH (21) - With Randall Simon gone, who will fight off those scary giant sausages from Milwaukee?
25. NY METS (26) - Hey, they could still surprise you ... like maybe they'll just contract themselves right out of the league.
26. CLEVELAND (25) - Just a few years away from being legitimate (Little League) World Series contenders.
27. MILWAUKEE (28) - Longest winning streak of year (6 games) moves them up to #27... can't tell if that's cause for celebration or just plain sad.
28. SAN DIEGO (29) - What's the big deal with this Pujols character? The Padres have a hit in 30 consecutive games too. Lets hear it for San Diego! Hooray, Padres!
29. TAMPA BAY (27) - This is still what dreams are made of.
30. DETROIT (30) - Believe it or not, they're actually getting worse (12 losses in a row).
Luke took the time out of a monster road-trip from Phoenix, AZ to Boston, MA to get this story into us. Give him some road tips at thebigll@hotmail.com.