2014 MLB Power Rankings Week 17

Well it's been two weeks in real time since I last updated my rankings. We have the All-Star break to thank for that. Now that baseball's "second half" is officially under way let's check in where each team sits as the clubs all push their way towards October baseball.

*Note ~ As always all stats and records are through Sunday's games.

1. Oakland A's (65-39) ~ It's truly staggering to think that more than 100 games into the season the A's are still boasting a run differential of +170. No other team is even close. (Last Week's Ranking 1)

2. Los Angeles Angels (63-41) ~ The Angels are second in run differential at +91 which is slightly more than half of what the A's have done so far. Again, staggering. (LWR 2)

3. Los Angeles Dodgers (59-47) ~ In keeping with the California theme the Dodgers have won three in a row to regain the lead in the National League West. Rumor has it they have interest in adding to their already vaunted rotation. Could Jon Lester be a target? (LWR 3)

4. Washington Nationals (57-45) ~ Pop quiz: Who leads the Nationals in wins this year? Stephen Strasburg? No. Gio Gonzalez? Sorry. Jordan Zimmermann? Try again. I bet Tanner Roark wasn't among your top three guesses was he? Well, he leads the team in wins with 10 although Doug Fister tied him last night which makes this quiz a little less fun. (LWR 5)

5. Detroit Tigers (57-45) ~ Could Joe Nathan be in danger of losing his job? The Tigers acquiring closer Joakim Soria from the Texas Rangers might signal that or it might just be insurance. Soria set up for Nathan last year in Texas. Either way the bullpen just got stronger. (LWR 4)

6. San Francisco Giants (57-48) ~ The Giants picked up Jake Peavy in a trade with Boston to help bolster the starting rotation. I have high hopes for Peavy back in the NL West. The Giants also picked up second baseman Dan Uggla off the scrap heap after he was released by Atlanta. In his three game debut he has gone 0-for-8 while committing three errors. I don't have high hopes for Uggla by the bay. (LWR 6)

7. Milwaukee Brewers (59-47) ~ Ryan Braun is quietly having a nice year in Milwaukee after coming back from a 65-game suspension stemming from the Biogenesis scandal last season. He is slashing .297/.347/.523 which aren't as good as his career numbers but they aren't far off either. (LWR 8)

8. Baltimore Orioles (58-46) ~ In the race for starting pitching help as the trade deadline approaches Baltimore is front and center. The AL East is theirs for the taking right now and adding another starter would only help their cause. (LWR 10)

9. Atlanta Braves (57-48) ~ Yesterday was Braves Day in Cooperstown as three of their all-time greats were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Bobby Cox. You all shaped my baseball youth and made me the Braves fan I am today. (LWR 7)

10. St. Louis Cardinals (56-48) ~ When A.J. Pierzynski was released by Boston I thought for sure St. Louis would pick him up when Yadier Molina went down. It took a bit longer than I thought it would but A.J. is doing it the Cardinal way now. (LWR 9)

11. Pittsburgh Pirates (55-49) ~ Josh Harrison did his best Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez and got out of a pickle against the Colorado Rockies this weekend. That's the second time he has done that this year. Color me impressed. (LWR 13)

12. Kansas City Royals (53-51) ~ There have been three games this season in which Kansas City hitters have struck out a combined 10 or more times. In all three of those games they were facing Cleveland's Corey Kluber. (LWR 14)

13. Toronto Blue Jays (56-50) ~ Toronto won their first series in the Bronx since August 2012 over the weekend and in doing so jumped over the Yankees for second place in the American League East. (LWR 15)

14. Seattle Mariners (54-51) ~ Does anyone else find it hilarious that the Mariners not only didn't re-sign Kendrys Morales in the offseason but they then lost the compensation pick when he signed with Minnesota late. Then the Mariners give up a prospect to bring him back to Seattle. Just an all-out weird situation there. (LWR 11)

15. New York Yankees (54-50) ~ The names may not be sexy but Brandon McCarthy and Chase Headley have been pleasant additions to this Yankees squad. They will need more if they are going to get Derek Jeter into one more postseason. (LWR 17)

16. Tampa Bay Rays (51-54) ~ Their nine-game winning streak was halted but the Rays are positioning themselves to make a run this year. Who would've thunk it when a month ago they had the worst record in all of baseball? (LWR 21)

17. Cincinnati Reds (52-52) ~ Cincy has lost eight of nine since the break and can't hit their way out of a wet paper bag right now. Since the break they are batting a mere .178 as a team. That isn't going to get it done. (LWR 12)

18. Miami Marlins (51-53) ~ Miami is the only NL East team to have a winning record this year against the Braves. This pains me in more ways than you can imagine. (LWR 19)

19. Cleveland Indians (52-53) ~ Carlos Santana is scorching hot right now. He has multiple hits in five of his last six while blasting six home runs and driving in ten. That's the Santana the Indians have been waiting for all season long. (LWR 16)

20. Chicago White Sox (51-55) ~ Like Atlanta the pale hose saw one of their all-timers be inducted into the Hall Sunday. The Big Hurt, one of my favorite players as a kid, joined Maddux and Glavine as the only players inducted this year. (LWR 18)

21. New York Mets (50-55) ~ Jacob deGrom has been lights out lately without much fanfare. The rookie right-hander won his fourth straight start over the weekend and has allowed only two earned runs in that stretch. (LWR 20)

22. Boston Red Sox (48-57) ~ The trade of Jake Peavy was the proverbial white flag for the season. Last years champs will officially be sellers as the deadline approaches. (LWR 22)

23. San Diego Padres (46-58) ~ The Padres can only sit and wonder about the package of players they could have received if they traded Chase Headley two years ago. (LWR 25)

24. Minnesota Twins (47-57) ~ Hey, at least Minnesota hosted the All-Star game this year. That gave the AL home field advantage in the World Series. The Twins won't be there but that game in their stadium decided that potentially crucial tidbit. (LWR 23)

25. Philadelphia Phillies (46-59) ~ Ryan Howard has been benched, Cole Hamels is reportedly available and it looks like the Phillies are finally going to accept that this is a broken team going nowhere. (LWR 24)

26. Chicago Cubs (42-61) ~ With all the teams in the market for starting pitching the Cubs have to be praying someone will call asking about Edwin Jackson. (LWR 26)

27. Arizona Diamondbacks (45-60) ~ One has to figure that anyone not named Paul Goldschmidt is available in a trade. It's time to clean house in Arizona. (LWR 29)

28. Colorado Rockies (43-61) ~ The Rockies misspelled Tulowitzki on jerseys they gave out to the fans. I'm not even sure how something like this can happen. (LWR 27)

29. Houston Astros (42-63) ~ Houston has gone on record saying closer Chad Qualls will not be made available at the deadline. Not sure what a team like Houston needs with a veteran closer but he has had a solid year and could bring back a nice return. (LWR 28)

30. Texas Rangers (41-64) ~ Neftali Feliz is back where he started as the closer for the Rangers. He may not get a whole lot of chances the rest of the year. (LWR 30)