Rays Lead "AHN Top 10" Rankings For Third Straight Week

(AHN) - The Tampa Bay Rays top the "AHN Top 10" baseball rankings for the third straight week, but face a serious challenge to hold off the more experienced and tested Red Sox.

The Rays could get a lift from reliever Troy Percival's return from DL.

No. 1: Tampa Bay Rays (85-54) - Best way to prepare for postseason would be to hold off BoSox in AL East. (last week: 1)

No. 2: Los Angeles Angels (85-55) - Move up a notch with Cubs horrid streak. (last week: 3)

No. 3: Boston Red Sox (83-57) - Winners of four straight won't let Rays out of their sight for division title. (last week: 4)

No. 4: Chicago Cubs (85-56) - Six straight defeats includes Friday's ugly loss to Cincy. (last week: 2)

No. 5: Chicago White Sox (79-61) Rout of Angels Friday night a nice start to series, but just 3-3 on week . (last week: 5)

No. 6: New York Mets (79-62) - Seemed to get in a groove with sweep of Brewers, but blanked by Phils Friday. (last week: 7)

No. 7: Milwaukee Brewers (81-60) - Must flip-flop in ranks with Mets due to sweep at their hands. (last week: 6).

No. 8: Minnesota Twins (78-63) - Second losing week in a row, dropping four of six. (last week: 8)

No. 9: New York Yankees (75-66) - Start the rebuilding process...or buy better players, probably the latter. (last week: 9)

No. 10: Philadelphia Phillies (77-64) - Could pass Yanks in ranks next week, probably more concerned with Mets, though. (last week: 10)

"Bubble teams": St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays.

The "AHN Top 10" will attempt to balance rankings based on the top teams in the league while considering who is playing the best in a given-week, with games through each Friday.

The rankings are the sole opinion of the author.