The top teams didn?t change much this past week and neither did the bottom teams, but the middle ground is full of influx. With long win streaks being the only key for a fast rise up the charts, check out which teams took this path in the last week in April. 1. (2) Boston Red Sox (16-8) The Red Sox are in first place by four games and outfielder Manny Ramirez is just starting to get hot. Watch out for Boston. 2. (11) Cleveland Indians (14-8) He doesn?t get the publicity of designated hitter David Ortiz, but Travis Hafner is just as good (.338-5-16) if not better than the Boston slugger. 3. (1) Atlanta Braves (15-9) The bats are coming alive, but rotation depth and a trip to the DL for Bob Wickman should have people in Atlanta early heading into May. 4. (3) New York Mets (15-8) Veteran outfielders Shawn Green and Moises Alou are both hitting over .345, providing the stopgap needed for young outfield prospect Lastings Millegde.

MLB guidelines require the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to present their new team name to league officials by May 31, but the team says it won't announce a change until after the season.

For the second time in five seasons, the Cardinals will have to get back to playing baseball while mourning the death of a teammate. On Monday night, the Cardinals will take the field for the first time after reliever Josh Hancock's death in a car accident when they visit the Brewers in the opener of a three-game series at Miller Park.

The Mets were forced to assign Orlando Hernandez to the 15-day disabled list. The move forced the Mets to dip into their Minor League reserve for a pitcher to start the Monday night game against the Marlins. Because of bursitis in Hernandez' right shoulder, Chan Ho Park has been summoned from the Triple-A New Orleans affiliate to pitch in the first of the three-game series. Park, who was scheduled to start for New Orleans against Round Rock, had produced a 3-1 record and 7.29 ERA in four starts and 21 innings in Triple-A. Jorge Sosa, who has a 4-0 record and 1.13 ERA in four starts, had started Sunday.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner backed manager Joe Torre and GM Brian Cashman on Monday, challenging players and staff "to show me and the fans what they are made of" following a start he termed "clearly not acceptable." Steinbrenner previously had refused comment on his team, which went 1-5 against the Red Sox the past two weekends and dropped into last place in the AL East at 9-14. "The season is still very young, but up to now the results are clearly not acceptable to me or to Yankee fans," Steinbrenner said in a statement. "However, Brian Cashman, our general manager, Joe Torre, our manager, and our players all believe that they will turn this around quickly."

Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez headed to New York on Sunday for tests on his ailing right shoulder. According to general manager Omar Minaya, Hernandez felt tightness in his shoulder. The 41-year-old right-hander, who threw a bullpen session Saturday, has started strong this season, going 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA. Hernandez, who battled neck arthritis and a right hamstring cramp in spring training, is scheduled to start tonight against the Marlins and Minaya said he believed Hernandez would still take the mound.

The Indians filed a formal protest Sunday with Jimmie Lee Solomon, Major League Baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations, because of their 7-4 loss to Baltimore on Saturday night at Jacobs Field. General Manager Mark Shapiro said the Indians' protest included documentation and videotape evidence supporting their claim that the Orioles should not have been given a third run in the sixth inning. Crew chief Ed Montague awarded the run to make up for plate umpire Marvin Hudson's missed call in the third inning. MLB has five days to make a ruling. Bob DuPuy, or someone designated by him, will make the final decision. DuPuy is MLB's president and chief operating officer.

According to multiple sources within the organization, George Steinbrenner was silent in the hours after the Yankees dropped a 7-4 decision to the Red Sox yesterday at Yankee Stadium. While Steinbrenner is livid over the last-place Yankees' 9-14 start, he wasn't showing signs he was about to make a change. "Writing a story that [Torre] will be fired is going out on a limb," a person with knowledge of Steinbrenner's thinking said last night. "He hasn't made any decision." "I take full responsibility. If people are looking to blame, blame me," Brian Cashman said.

Shortstop Davey Concepcion, the Big Red Machine's infield anchor and one of the best defensive players of his time, will have his No. 13 retired by the Reds. The nine-time All-Star played for the Reds from 1970-88, winning five Gold Gloves. The Reds will formally retire his number before a July 28 game against the Cubs.

The Athletics got some relief for their injury-depleted outfield Sunday, acquiring Ryan Langerhans in a trade with the Braves for a player to be named or cash. Langerhans will join the A's in Boston on Tuesday and is slated to start in center field for the opener of the two-game series with the Red Sox. "He plays all three outfield positions, and given our situation with all the injuries, we need as many healthy bodies as we can get," A's GM Billy Beane said. "He's a player we've liked in the past. He's off to a rough start in Atlanta and he became available to us."