S59 Power Rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

Time for another update to the power rankings. Mixing the graphic up a bit and included previous rankings and change in rankings to see whose doing the moving. Our biggest slider is Washington DC, going from 11 to 19 and our biggest gainer is Montreal going for 13 to 19. The hot streak definitely isn't help his rebuilding! In other rebuilding news, we have a new worst team - it's the Yinzers! Not only does the AL-South have two teams in the top 5 records of the league, all four teams are also above .500. What a tough division! Unlike the AL-North where every team is under .500 and nobody wants to win the division. 
By record as of this writing here are the top 5 records:

• 58-22
• Atlanta (AL-E)
• 57-23
• Houston (AL-S)
• 56-25
• Hartford (NL-N)
• 55-26
• Santa Fe (NL-S)
• 24-27
• Huntington (AL-S), Oklahoma City (NL-W)

In the AL, Atlanta has already started their playoff roster with a nearly 20 game lead on the division. The other three divisions are no more than 5.5 games and the closest being the AL South with Huntington trailing by 3.5 games. The Wildcard 1 really comes down to the loser of Huntington/Houston, with the Wildcard 2 having a few teams in the mix - Mexico City, Anaheim and to an extend Jacksonville and Salt Lake City. Boston could make a surprise late season run as well but the others I'd already consider out of it. 

For the NL, both the North (Hartford) and South (Sante Fe) are resting easy with double digit leads. OKC shouldn't be too stressed either as they'll likely finish the season with a double digit lead. Buffalo can't seem to run away with the East but have a 5 game cushion on Washington DC whose taken a drastic drop lately. The Wildcard likely ends up Tokyo and Salem who will lose the division to OKC but Montreal could sneak in there though their fanbase is hoping for a top 15 pick next season. 

If we look at how each team has expected to win based off recent play, here is what we'd see. Champs and Wildcard are listed based on current playoff standings and highlighted in bold. Once again, seems the AL might be favored in the All-Star game and the World Series. Hartford is the only NL team that comes close to the top dogs in the AL. Dover is quickly challenging NY for that top pick, going to be crazy stupid if NY ends up with their 4th straight #1 pick. At least they blew the first one!

1. .743 - Houston Space Cowboys (AL-S Champ)
2. .697 - Helena Hot Dogs (AL-W Champ)
3. .692 - Huntington Tropics (AL Wildcard 1)
4. .691 - Atlanta Expos (AL-E Champ)
5. .680 - Hartford Rising Stars (NL-N Champ)
6. .615 - Oklahoma City Barons (NL-W Champ)
7. .611- Tokyo Nomo (NL Wildcard 1)
8. .600 - Santa Fe Surf Riders VIII (NL-S Champ)
9. .593 - Salem Bourbon Makers (NL Wildcard 2)
10. .559 - Salt Lake City Punk! 
11. .550 - Boston Mass Hysteria
12. .542 - Montreal Fighting Poutine Plates 
13. .539 - Anaheim Diablos (AL Wildcard 2)
14. .530 - Jacksonville Lizard Kings
15. .507 - Buffalo Bisons (NL-E Champ)
16. .501 - Mexico City Staring Frogs
17. .494 - Tacoma Aroma 
18. .474 - Washington DC Nationals
19. .466 - Charleston Offspring
20. .443 - Augusta Alcoholics
21. .438 - Minnesota North Stars (AL-N Champ)
22. .438 - Colorado Springs From My Loins
23. .434 - Vancouver Canucks
24. .422 - Columbus Corgis 
25. .378 - Chicago Gunslingers 
26. .376 - Austin Son's of Odin
27. .360 - Milwaukee Metronomers
28. .356 - New Orleans Hurricane Dodgers 
29. .321 - Philadelphia Harpers 
30. .308 - Dover Hazmats 
31. .303 - New York Empire
32. .282 - Pittsburgh Yinzers