MLB power rankings for mid-August

By Rick Morris

Start of August power rankings in parentheses.

TOP TIER (Playoff Contenders)
1 New York Yankees (1)
2 Tampa Bay (2)
3 San Diego (5)
4 Atlanta (8)
5 Cincinnati (7)
6 Minnesota (12)
7 Philadelphia (11)
8 San Francisco (6)
9 Boston (4)
10 Texas (3)
11 Chicago White Sox (9)
12 St. Louis (10)
SECOND TIER (Playoff Longshots)
13 Toronto (13)
14 Colorado (14)
15 Los Angeles Dodgers (15)
16 Los Angeles Angels (19)
17 Florida (20)
18 New York Mets (16)
19 Oakland (17)
20 Detroit (18)
21 Milwaukee (21)
THIRD TIER (The Dregs)
22 Washington (22)
23 Houston (23)
24 Kansas City (25)
25 Chicago Cubs (24)
26 Cleveland (26)
27 Seattle (28)
28 Arizona (27)
FOURTH TIER (The Worst of the Worst)
29 Baltimore (30)
30 Pittsburgh (29)

BIGGEST RISERS: Minnesota (6 spots), Atlanta and Philadelphia (4 spots), Florida and Los Angeles Angels (3 spots)

BIGGEST FALLERS: Texas (7 spots), Boston (5 spots)