RANKINGS

Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht is on vacation, so this week's rankings come from

the Seattle Times. Last week's ranking in parentheses

.

1. Boston (1): Sox option Jacoby Ellsbury

2. Angels (2): Chone Figgins had a great year last month

3. Detroit (4): If Neifi Perez (.172) was using a stimulant, it must have been

a pop-upper

4. Cleveland (3): Indians' skipper working wonders with staff; just call him

pitching Wedge

5. Milwaukee (5): Tony Gwynn Jr. recalled from minors; no action on Enzo

Hernandez Jr.

6. San Diego (6): Young is ''Last Man'' on All-Star team; Sledge wins ''Not

Even if He's the Last Man'' vote

7. Mets (8): Counting the days until Pedro is back, and we don't mean

Feliciano

8. Dodgers (7): Lasorda offers to give ''rear end over teakettle'' lessons to

honorary All-Star coaches

9. Seattle (10): Who knew that Hargrove's hot seat had an ejector button?

10. Arizona (9): Unfortunately, Randy Johnson is suffering from a herniated

career

11. Minnesota (11): Twins score 32 in doubleheader; Vikings jealous

12. Cubs (14): Where's Karl ''Tuffy'' Rhodes when you really need him?

13. Atlanta (15): Braves sign 16-year-old phenom: Colombian pitcher Julio

Teheran

14. Oakland (13): There is no there there -- but there's plenty of ''there''

on the disabled list

15. Philadelphia (12): Phillies have used 25 pitchers; wonder what Mitch

Williams is doing these days?

16. Colorado (20): Rockies first team to sweep series against Mets and Yankees

in same season

17. Toronto (16): Call him D.L. Burnett; Jays pitcher lands on injured list

for 10th time

18. St. Louis (18): Cards' 39-45 mark is worst at midpoint in La Russa's 12

years

19. Yankees (17): A-Rod's wife Cynthia (C-Rod) is a lock to make her first

all-swear team

20. White Sox (24): Sox trying to lock up Pierzynski; not to a contract --

just lock him up

21. Baltimore (21): Hear Danys and Joan Baez bemoan his lack of use in

''Diamonds and Rust''

22. Florida (19): Up and down Marlins: The Good, the Bad and the Uggla

23. Pittsburgh (23): Newspaper heir McClatchy to resign as CEO; team won't

receive Parade supplement

24. Houston (28): Hunter Pence is best player named after British coin since

Curt Schilling

25. Texas (22): Sammy Sosa already ordered his ''Me Me Me'' phone

26. San Francisco (27): Bonds skips Home Run Derby, but will compete in Head

Circumferencepalooza

27. Kansas City (26): Royals learning quickly that slugging Billy Butler's

best position is ''gloveless''

28. Washington (29): Flailing Nats sell their extra tickets on DrubHub

29. Tampa Bay (25): Rays lose 11 straight, Lou has sympathy meltdown

30. Cincinnati (30): Reds hire advance scout as manager; traveling secretary

was too busy