It’s starting to get to that time of year where we can look past hot and slow starts, fluky one-game performances, and start putting teams in different tiers based on overall performance. Without using any personal analysis, the standings provide a strong starting off point for this kind of division. We have:
Tier One: Teams well above .500
Tier Two: Teams that are .500 or one win/loss away from .500
Tier Three: Teams at least two games under .500
This year features perhaps the most balance the league has had this decade with only four teams are in tier 1 and four teams in tier 3. Over half the league is swimming in that middle division. The year this is most similar to is 2017 when four teams had 13+ wins, five teams had 13+ losses, and the rest of the league was somewhere in between. The author of this piece is hoping 2019 ends the same way 2017 ended.
In a twist from previous power rankings, there is a lot of stability at the top:
- Wallman (1): The curse of the #1 ranked teams is over. I’ve been surprised by the high runs allowed total, but if their rookie slugger Ziolkowski continues to rake and Wallman keeps up his resurgent year, they can get away with not having a top 5 defense.
- Pollock (2): Conversely, I’m surprised our offense hasn’t fully clicked yet. This is a team that has over half the same players as 2017 and 2018 when we led the league in runs scored. This is a team being led by pitching and defense.
- Lapine (4): They beat a Brock team missing Justin (as did we) but that should not prevent them from flip flopping with Brock in the rankings. The team energy is great and I don’t see many games where their bats will be silenced. This is a team that feasts on Union Hill fields. Getting a top field choice for the playoffs will be important.
- Brock (3): You all know what’s going to happen. Missed games is going to cause this team to finish either second or third in the division. Then because each division winner gets seeded before the other teams, Brock will be the 5th seed. Whoever they play is going to complain about their luck. They have to play the most talented team in the first round even though they’re not even one of the worst four teams in the playoffs.
- Goldfarb (NR):As we enter the second tier, it gets much harder to separate these 10 teams. WHat impresses about Goldfarb is that they’ve won these last three games without their star rookie, Evan Rosenthal. While some teams would use missed games to justify losses, top teams find ways to win anyway.
- Ferrarese (5): There are other teams with better records I could put in this spot, but like I always say: If these rankings were only based on team record, there would be no reason to publish this list. I like teams that have clear strengths to build around. In this team’s case, they have one of the best infield defenses and more power than probably anyone in the league. I’d be curious to see Team Stats listed on the website again; Team Ferrarese probably leads the league in home runs.
- Marrone (9):I’ll be honest. I had a lot of trouble figuring out who to put in this slot, and who to fill out for the rest of the rankings for that matter. I went with Marrone because they’re currently on the second longest streak of giving up single digit runs, have done very well over the course of their last five games.
- Applebaum (NR): Trivia question. Name the only team not to lose two consecutive games yet this year? If you said Applebaum because why else would I be mentioning it here, you’d be correct! Yes, this arbitrary little piece of information is enough to break away from a pack of similar performing teams and earn the 8th spot this week.
- Fradkin (5): Like I mentioned, it was tough determining who would round out this week’s power rankings. I went with Fradkin because I think they have the best chance at having a good week, being they have a double header on Union Hill against teams with a combined 4-11 record. It was only a few weeks ago Fradkin was sitting atop the rankings. Here’s a chance to gain back some momentum.
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