Its now three straight weeks at No. 1 for the Chicago Cubs since regaining the top spot in our rankings. They might not be on a record winning pace anymore, but the Cubs have won 10 of their past 11 games and were the unanimous pick at No. 1. The Cubs have been No. 1 for 17 of 19 weeks, including the preseason.While the Cubs are strengthening their hold on the top spot, the Washington Nationals are doing the same at No. 2, where they were the unanimous pick this week.After the two NL teams, the next four spots are all AL teams, with the Toronto Blue Jays leading the way at No. 3, while the Texas Rangers (No. 5) and Baltimore Orioles (No. 6) inch their way up closer to the top.Another AL team making a big move this week is the Detroit Tigers, who jumped from No. 12 all the way up to No. 8. The Tigers are 10-2 in their past 12 games.This weeks voters are Jim Bowden of ESPN Insider, Eric Karabell of ESPN Fantasy, Christina Kahrl of the SweetSpot Blog Network/ESPN.com, David Schoenfield of the SweetSpot Blog Network/ESPN.com and Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. Most of the team comments come courtesy of the SweetSpot Blog Network.Past rankings: Week 17 |?Week 16 |?Week 15 |?Week 14 |?Week 13 |?Week 12 |?Week 11 |?Week 10 | ?Week 9 |?Week 8 |?Week 7 |?Week 6 |?Week 5 |?Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1 | Preseason1. Chicago CubsRecord: 69-41 Week 17 ranking: No. 1The Cubs are 12-4 since the return of Dexter Fowler from the DL. In that stretch, Fowler is hitting .283 with two homers, eight RBIs and 15 runs scored.?--?Joe Aiello (@VFTB), View from the Bleachers2. Washington NationalsRecord: 66-45 Week 17 ranking: No. 2Tanner Roark is tied with Jake Arrieta and Adam Conley for most scoreless starts in the majors with seven, but hes the only one to go at least seven innings in each of those outings. His ERA is down to 2.88. Remember when Matt Williams moved him to the bullpen??-- David Schoenfield (@dschoenfield), SweetSpot3. Toronto Blue JaysRecord: 63-49 Week 17 ranking: No. 4After going 1-for-4 on Sunday, Devon Travis is batting .357 (10-for-28) while atop the batting order in August. In his first start since he was acquired from the Pirates at the trade deadline, Francisco Liriano delivered six solid innings and gave up two earned runs Friday. -- Diane Firstman (@dianagram), Value Over Replacement Grit4. Cleveland IndiansRecord: 62-47 Week 17 ranking: No. 3If the highlight of your week is not being swept by the team with the worst record in the league, you might be having a bad week. Corey Klubers strong showing in Saturdays 5-2 win over the Yankees was one of the few highlights. In five starts prior to that, the Tribes rotation was 0-4 with a 15.58 ERA.?--?Susan Petrone, Its Pronounced Lajaway5. Texas RangersRecord: 65-47 Week 17 ranking: No. 6The trade deadline has paid dividends thus far for Texas. Deadline acquisitions Carlos Beltran (RBI single) and Jonathan Lucroy (two solo homers) were key in a 3-2 Texas victory on Saturday in Houston, and the win helped keep the Rangers in the drivers seat in the AL West. Lucroy followed that game with a 2-for-6 effort in Sundays 11-inning win. --?Brandon Land (@onestrikeaway), One Strike Away6. Baltimore OriolesRecord: 63-47 Week 17 ranking: No. 9After taking two of three from the White Sox in Chicago, the Orioles are clinging to a one-game division lead. They now head west for seven games against the As and Giants, hoping to return home still in first. --?Matt Kremnitzer (@mattkremnitzer), Camden Depot7. San Francisco GiantsRecord: 63-48 Week 17 ranking: No. 5A tough second half has seen the Giants lead over the Dodgers in the NL West shrink to just one game. In the past two weeks, the rotation has struggled, and Eduardo Nunez got off to a slow start before a 4-for-5 effort Saturday. -- Jeff Wiser (@OutfieldGrass24), Inside the Zona8. Detroit TigersRecord: 61-50 Week 17 ranking: No. 12Justin Upton?is quietly becoming the player the Tigers thought they were getting. His isolated slugging percentage (ISO) has gone up from a pre-All-Star Game mark of .146 to a post-break showing of .208, which is much more in line with his career .198 ISO. That gives him a .801 OPS since the All-Star break, which is much better than his .670 first-half showing.?--?Richard Bergstrom (@rbergstromjr), Rockies Zingers9. Boston Red SoxRecord: 60-50 Week 17 ranking: No. 10An up-and-down week for Boston was highlighted by a complete-game shutout of the Dodgers by knuckleballer Steven Wright?on Friday. With plenty of run support, Wright limited Los Angeles to three hits while striking out nine and lowering his ERA to 3.01. -- Ryan P. Morrison (@ryanpmorrison), Inside the Zona10. Los Angeles DodgersRecord: 62-49 Week 17 ranking: No. 7On their 40-man roster, the Dodgers currently have 14 players (12 of them pitchers) on the disabled list. Additionally, a new blister for the recently acquired Rich Hill will push the southpaws return date back and leave the team shuffling its rotation yet again. --?Diane Firstman (@dianagram), Value Over Replacement Grit11. St. Louis CardinalsRecord: 58-53 Week 17 ranking: No. 8After going 2-4 against the lowly Reds and Braves, the Cardinals fell to 12-11 since the All-Star break. More alarmingly, theyve been outscored 115-97. Their 4.50 ERA since the break ranks 26th in the majors.?-- ESPN.com12. Miami MarlinsRecord: 59-52 Week 17 ranking: No. 13Ichiros first 2,999 hits were amassed against 872 pitchers, with John Lackey (37-for-122) his most frequent victim. His 3,000th hit came off Chris Russin on Sunday. Since the All-Star break,?Christian Yelich?is batting .348 with four homers and 18 runs driven in. -- Diane Firstman (@dianagram), Value Over Replacement Grit13. Houston AstrosRecord: 57-54 Week 17 ranking: No. 11Since getting to 2.5 games behind the Rangers on July 24, the Astros have gone 3-10, including dropping two of three to the Rangers over the weekend. Astros outfielders are 28th in the majors in wOBA (even George Springer is hitting just .213/.300/.371 since the All-Star break).?-- David Schoenfield (@dschoenfield), SweetSpot14. New York MetsRecord: 57-54 Week 17 ranking: No. 14The Mets got a much-needed win Sunday, but still went just 3-4 on the week and have fallen two games behind in the race for the final NL wild-card spot. Six of the players in the Opening Day lineup are currently on the DL (including pitcher Matt Harvey).?-- ESPN.com15. Pittsburgh PiratesRecord: 55-54 Week 17 ranking: No. 15Pittsburgh sold high on All-Star closer Mark Melancon when it flipped him to the Nationals at the trade deadline. Tony Watson appears primed to seize the opportunity, however, as he has allowed just two earned runs since June 7. -- Ryan P. Morrison (@ryanpmorrison), Inside the Zona16. Seattle MarinersRecord: 57-53 Week 17 ranking: No. 16The Ms retired Ken Griffey Jr.s No. 24 on Saturday, and the team slugged its way to another high-powered win over the Angels. Just 3.5 games behind in the wild-card race, Seattle isnt finished. Shrewd bullpen moves over the weekend highlighted the franchises willingness to keep fighting. -- Jeff Wiser (@OutfieldGrass24), Inside the Zona17. Colorado RockiesRecord: 55-56 Week 17 ranking: No. 17Fans are jumping on, off, then back on the Rockies bandwagon so fast theyre in danger of pulling their Twitter finger muscle. Call it an introduction to a young and exciting but inconsistent roster thats still playing meaningful games in August at a time when many in Denver usually hop over to the Broncos.?--?Richard Bergstrom (@rbergstromjr), Rockies Zingers18. New York YankeesRecord: 56-55 Week 17 ranking: No. 18The Yankees began the week by bidding adieu to Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova at the trade deadline, and they ended it by saying goodbye to both Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. Between, they went 4-3 against the Mets and Indians, and they are still hovering around the .500 mark. The Yankees are currently a team in transition, and the changes made this week will help ensure a bright future for the franchise. --?Stacey Gotsulias ((@StaceGots),?Its About the Money19. Chicago White SoxRecord: 53-58 Week 17 ranking: No. 19Chicago has won just a single series since the All-Star break after Sundays loss to the Orioles. The bullpen has been the weakest link, with the worst ERA in the American League the past two weeks. -- Jeff Wiser (@OutfieldGrass24), Inside the Zona20. Kansas City RoyalsRecord: 53-58 Week 17 ranking: No. 20Alex Gordon, signed to that $72 million extension, continues to struggle, hitting just .199 with 18 RBIs in more than 300 PAs. Hes hitting .160 with runners in scoring position and .141 with men on base.?-- David Schoenfield (@dschoenfield), SweetSpot21. Philadelphia PhilliesRecord: 52-61 Week 17 ranking: No. 23Hector Neris has been solid for the Phillies this year. He has struck out at least 10 batters each month while minimizing the damage, registering a WHIP of 1.02 and racking up 21 holds in the process. If Jeanmar Gomez ever gets traded or injured, Neris could be in line for some save opportunities.?--?Richard Bergstrom (@rbergstromjr), Rockies Zingers22. Milwaukee BrewersRecord: 49-60 Week 17 ranking:?No. 24A new era was ushered in following the departures of Jonathan Lucroy, Jeremy Jeffress and Will Smith, as Milwaukee called up its most highly touted prospect since Ryan Braun, shortstop Orlando Arcia.?-- Gabe Stoltz (@Stoltzy3), Disciples of Uecker23. Los Angeles AngelsRecord: 49-62 Week 17 ranking: No. 21Mike Trout celebrated his 25th birthday on Sunday by robbing Leonys Martin of a grand slam -- but also striking out four times against James Paxton. Still, his lead in WAR over Jose Altuve continues to grow, 7.3 to 6.4.?-- David Schoenfield (@dschoenfield), SweetSpot24. San Diego PadresRecord: 48-63 Week 17 ranking: No. 25Derek Norris awful year with the bat continues, as he is hitting .103 (6-for-58) with 24 strikeouts since the All-Star break. Now that the Padres have finished a homestand against the Phillies, Reds and Brewers, the softer part of their schedule continues with a road trip to face the Pirates, Mets and Rays. -- Diane Firstman (@dianagram), Value Over Replacement Grit25. Tampa Bay RaysRecord: 45-65 Week 17 ranking: No. 27Tampa Bay did well in several last-second deals at the trade deadline. As usual, they got some production for today, but also plenty of upside for down the road. Its not easy to play for both the present and future, but the Rays walk the rope as well as anyone. --?Jason Collette (@jasoncollette), The Process Report26. Oakland AthleticsRecord: 48-63 Week 17 ranking: No. 22Sonny Gray was put on the disabled list with a strained forearm, as his miserable season continues (5.74 ERA).?-- David Schoenfield (@dschoenfield), SweetSpot27. Minnesota TwinsRecord: 45-66 Week 17 ranking: No. 29The Twins have emerged in recent months as one of the best offensive teams in the game, and that has helped them to a 20-13 record since July 1. However, they still have the American Leagues worst record, which says plenty about their brutal first half. -- Nick Nelson (@NickNelsonMN), Twins Daily28. Cincinnati RedsRecord:?45-65 Week 17 ranking: No. 29The Reds finally dropped a series after winning six in a row following the All-Star break. The big surprise of the second half has been the unexpected resurgence of Brandon Phillips, who has hit .336/.360/.464 since July 1. --?Chad Dotson (@dotsonc), Redleg Nation29. Arizona DiamondbacksRecord: 45-66 Week 17 ranking: No. 26Outfielder David Peralta had a breakout campaign for Arizona in 2015 but has been mostly broken in 2016, as his third DL stint of the year (wrist) began over the weekend. Zack Greinke returns to the mound for the struggling D-backs on Tuesday. -- Ryan P. Morrison (@ryanpmorrison), Inside the Zona30. Atlanta BravesRecord: 41-70 Week 17 ranking:?No. 30Atlanta is 4-2 since the Matt Kemp era began, despite the sluggers hitting .181 in his first six games. The Braves showed everyone that a mere trade deadline wont stop them from trading when they shipped lefty reliever Hunter Cervenka to the Marlins for two prospects. -- Martin Gandy (@gondeee), Chop County Custom Baseball Jerseys Outlet . The news was first reported on Gonzalezs Twitter account and confirmed by the Rockies. Gonzalez has a six-week window before position players have their first workout at spring training in Arizona. Custom Chicago White Sox Jerseys . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. http://www.customjerseysbaseball.com/custom-seattle-mariners-jerseys-794x.html . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Custom Cincinnati Reds Jerseys . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. Custom St. Louis Cardinals Jerseys . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens gained sole possession of first place in the AFC North at the expense of the winless Cleveland Browns, who reached a historic low point in franchise history.Joe Flacco threw three touchdown passes, and the Ravens used a strong second half to notch a 28-7 victory Thursday night.Baltimore trailed at halftime before gaining control during a third quarter in which Flacco went 10 for 12 with two scores.The Ravens (5-4) have won two in a row following a four-game losing streak. Baltimore is the only team in the division above .500.Cleveland (0-10) has opened a season with 10 consecutive losses for the first time since joining the NFL in 1950. The Browns have dropped 11 straight on the road since winning in Baltimore in October 2015.The defeat left Clevelands all-time record at 461-461-10. The Browns have never been below .500.Down 7-6 at halftime, the Ravens moved 64 yards on their first possession of the third quarter to take a 13-7 lead. Flacco connected with five different receivers on the drive, closing with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Darren Waller.Browns coach Hue Jackson then opted to insert Josh McCown at quarterback after watching starter Cody Kessler go 10 for 17 for 94 yards. McCowns second pass was intercepted, giving Baltimore the ball at the Cleveland 40 with a chance to break the game open.The Ravens moved to the 15 before Flacco heaved an ill-advised throw into the end zone that was picked off by Joe Haden.Baltimores next drive, however, was run on a short field. After a 32-yard punt gave the Ravens the ball at the Cleveland 43, Flacco threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith, and a 2-point conversion made it 21-7.A 27-yard touchdown throw to Breshad Perriman sealed it with 6:21 remaining and marked the 10th straight game in which the Browns yielded at least 25 points.Flacco went 30 for 41 for 296 yards and two interceptions.McCown went 6 for 13 for 59 yards. He was picked off twice and lost a fumble when hit by Terrell Suggs, who was playing with a torn biceps..ddddddddddddAdrenaline. Adrenaline was working tonight, Suggs said.Jackson said Kessler will start the Browns next game, at home against Pittsburgh on Nov. 20.The first time these teams played this season, the Ravens had to rally from 20 points down to pull out for a 25-20 win. Baltimore needed another comeback in this one, though the deficit wasnt nearly as imposing.After their first three series produced two punts and an interception , the Ravens gained possession at the Cleveland 48 following a punt and used a 25-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead.Kessler followed with a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Seth DeValve, and at that point the Browns looked very little like a team that hadnt won a game in 11 months.NOT EVEN CLOSEIt was the first time this season that the Ravens had a game decided by more than eight points. It was their most lopsided victory since a 20-10 win over Cleveland on Dec. 28, 2014.QUOTABLEBrowns: Its fair to say we didnt expect to be here, but its also fair to say we expect to grow from this, McCown said.Ravens: Sizz is a once-in-a-generation type player, Baltimore safety Eric Weddle said about Suggs, who had a sack and a forced fumble.SMITH MOVES UPSmith had five catches for 60 yards and moved into eighth place on the NFL career list with 14,349 yards receiving. He passed Reggie Wayne, and now is in pursuit of No. 7 Marvin Harrison (14,580).INJURIESBrowns: CB Jamar Taylor (groin) was inactive.Ravens: LG Alex Lewis injured his right ankle in the third quarter, was carted off the field and did not return. X-rays were negative. ... C Jeremy Zuttah injured his right ankle on Smiths TD.UP NEXTBrowns: Host the Steelers, the first meeting of the season between the AFC North rivals.Ravens: Travel to Dallas on Nov. 20 to face the Cowboys, a team theyre 4-0 against since the series began in 2000.---For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '
