Generally speaking, I start eyeing a topic for the Power Rankings intro around Friday. Last Sunday, though, I told myself one thing was off-limits: I'm not writing on the Brewers again. I had done so two straight weeks and three of the last four.

Though the Cincinnati Reds snapped their 14-game winning streak and kept them from sweeping a fifth straight series, the Brewers are anchored in the No. 1 spot on all MLB power boards this week. Here are a few national observations why:

The Milwaukee Brewers remain the hottest team in baseball in August, losing just one game all month, as the Philadelphia