In this week's Major League Baseball Power Rankings: For the first time since June 23, there is a new #1 in the rankings. The (7) San Francisco Giants and (11) St. Louis Cardinals have been leapfrogging each other for the last few weeks as neither one could keep a spot in the top 10 longer than one week at a time. This week the Giants finally jumped well into the top 10, far enough they may just stay for awhile.

At the top: The (1) Los Angeles Angels, after the last few weeks of banging up against the top spot but unable to break through, have finally arrived in the top spot. The Angels swept the (2) Oakland Athletics in LA to take a five game lead in the AL West. Everything is clicking for the Angels right now and with just one month to go in the season they are in control of their own playoff destiny.

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Biggest rise: The (7) Giants went 6-1 this past week, winning six straight to close to within two games of the (5) Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West and rise for spots in this week's rankings. The Giants moved struggling starter Tim Lincecum to the bullpen, a move that has served to strengthen the rotation and the pen. After fading in August, the Giants have sent notice to the Dodgers that September will be a dogfight for the NL West crown.

Biggest Fall: The (10) Brewers slide has entered it's second straight week. In two weeks the Brewers have fallen five spots in the rankings with a combined record of 3-8. Their once solid hold on the NL Central is now gone as the Cardinals have tied them for the top spot. The Brewers ran into a buzzsaw in San Francisco as the rejuvenated Giants outscored them 31-8. Their once dependable rotation has struggled mightily.


Catcher Martin Maldonado #12 of the Milwaukee Brewers lies on the ground after diving for a ball that was throw home in the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on August 31, 2014 in San Francisco, California.
(August 30, 2014 - Source: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images North America)

At the bottom: The Texas Rangers remain the #30 team in the rankings for another week.

Major League Baseball Power Rankings
Rank Last Week Team Record L10
1 2 Los Angeles Angels 83-53 7-3
2 1 Oakland Athletics 78-58 4-6
3 4 Baltimore Orioles 79-57 6-4
4 3 Washington Nationals 77-58 5-5
5 5 Los Angeles Dodgers 77-60 6-4
6 6 Seattle Mariners 73-62 5-5
7 11 San Francisco Giants 74-62 7-3
8 9 Detroit Tigers 74-62 6-4
9 7 Kansas City Royals 74-61 4-6
10 8 Milwaukee Brewers 73-63 2-8
11 10 St. Louis Cardinals 73-63 4-6
12 14 Cleveland Indians 70-64 7-3
13 12 Atlanta Braves 72-66 5-5
14 15 Pittsburgh Pirates 71-65 7-3
15 13 New York Yankees 70-65 6-4
16 16 Toronto Blue Jays 69-67 5-5
17 17 Tampa Bay Rays 66-71 4-6
18 19 Cincinnati Reds 66-71 5-5
19 18 Miami Marlins 66-69 3-7
20 21 San Diego Padres 64-71 5-5
21 20 New York Mets 64-73 5-5
22 25 Philadelphia Phillies 62-74 7-3
23 22 Chicago Cubs 61-76 6-4
24 24 Chicago White Sox 62-75 3-7
25 23 Minnesota Twins 59-77 3-7
26 26 Boston Red Sox 60-76 4-6
27 27 Houston Astros 59-79 5-5
28 28 Arizona Diamondbacks 57-79 4-6
29 29 Colorado Rockies 54-82 4-6
30 30 Texas Rangers 53-83 4-6
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