S59 Power Rankings

 Richard Castle - contributing reporter

Time for another update to the power rankings, we are on the path to have 7 (SEVEN!) 100+ losers at the ML level. Unbelievable! With three of the four from the AL being in the AL North. Props to Minnesota for not losing 100 games and winning the division with a losing record! On a similar note, we'll have to look at the most L difference between making the World Series and the following year because New Orleans may have the record this year, as they stand with a sub-.400 win percent right now - good for 98 L's. Cobbfather has definitely turned into a HAVE's and HAVE NOT's league. The competition for the better draft pick is just as hot, if not more hot than it is for the World Series. 
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:

• 85-38
• Atlanta (AL-E)
• 83-40
• Houston (AL-S)
• 83-39
• Hartford (NL-N)
• 82-41
• Huntington (AL-S), Oklahoma City (NL-W)
• 81-42
• Santa Fe (NL-S)

In the AL, Atlanta has slipped a bit but still hold a 20+ game lead on their division. With the tanking on the AL North, Minnesota has pulled away  and leading by 10. Helena is holding off Anaheim with a near 10 game lead but the AL South fight between Houston and Huntington is down to just a single game. Thrilling times, winner also gets a first round bye - loser might be so tired from the division race they slip in the Wild Card round. Speaking of Anaheim, they currently hold the #2 Wild Card slot by 2 games to Mexico City and quite a few more to Boston and Jacksonville.  

For the NL, division winners are practically set - sure there are ~40 games left, but all teams lead their division by at least 10 games with Sante Fe leading their soft division by 26. The Wild Card race is really where it's at with Salem barely holding the top spot with Tokyo and Montreal right there behind them. 1.5 games separates the 3 threes - so anything could happen.  

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 World Series. But the NL pack is right behind them! The battle for the #1 pick next season is getting rather crazy. 

1. .699 - Huntington Tropics (AL Wildcard 1)
2. .683 - Houston Space Cowboys (AL-S Champ)
3. .680 - Atlanta Expos (AL-E Champ)
4. .679 - Helena Hot Dogs (AL-W Champ)
5. .663 - Hartford Rising Stars (NL-N Champ)
6. .626 - Santa Fe Surf Riders VIII (NL-S Champ)
7. .621 - Oklahoma City Barons (NL-W Champ)
8. .613 - Salem Bourbon Makers (NL Wildcard 1)
9. .594- Tokyo Nomo (NL Wildcard 2)
10. .555 - Boston Mass Hysteria
11. .547 - Montreal Fighting Poutine Plates 
12. .545 - Anaheim Diablos (AL Wildcard 2)
13. .532 - Buffalo Bisons (NL-E Champ)
14. .515 - Mexico City Staring Frogs
15. .507 - Jacksonville Lizard Kings
16. .500 - Tacoma Aroma 
17. .478 - Salt Lake City Punk! 
18. .478 - Vancouver Canucks
19. .463 - Washington DC Nationals
20. .463 - Charleston Offspring
21. .450 - Augusta Alcoholics
22. .443 - Minnesota North Stars (AL-N Champ)
23. .421 - Columbus Corgis 
24. .420 - Colorado Springs From My Loins
25. .387 - New Orleans Hurricane Dodgers 
26. .384 - Milwaukee Metronomers
27. .360 - Austin Son's of Odin
28. .353 - Chicago Gunslingers 
29. .350 - Dover Hazmats 
30. .342 - Philadelphia Harpers 
31. .328 - New York Empire
32. .281 - Pittsburgh Yinzers