This Week's Top 10 MLB Takeaways

10) The Yankees rattled off eight wins in a row, because that's kind of what happens at the point in the season when the non-MLB+ teams quit

9) The Reds decided that a high-priced Cuban lefty who approaches 105 mph on the radar gun was finally worthy of a spot in their bullpen

8) Texas signed Mark Prior, who is somehow still just 30, to a AAA contract because with Rich Harden, Cliff Lee, Elvis Andrus and Josh Hamilton already hurt, their medical premiums were getting too low

7) With Boston dropping 6 out of 10 to fall 10 behind in the division, the magic number for Red Sox Elimination Day moved up to the third week of September

6) Buck Showalter earned his 900th career win, which finally gets him hot manager groupie action

5) The Padres dropped nine in a row and still lead the NL West, which tells you all that you really need to know about the NL West

4) Philly closed to a game of the Braves, which would mean a lot more if (a) Roy Halladay's arm isn't about due to go dead, or (b) the loser in the division race isn't going to go to the playoffs anyway

3) Jim Thome has found himself in another pennant race, moved into the top 10 in career home runs, and is more or less refusing to admit that he's 40

2) The Dodger divorce case provided far more drama than the Dodger pennant drive

1) St. Louis lost 8 out of 10, with the spiral closely matching the appearance of Albert Pujols and Tony LaRussa at a Glenn Beck rally