S60 Power Rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

Atlanta must have read the blog as they've come on strong this 1/4 of the season since our last update. We are not at the mid-way point of the year with teams making final decisions on being buyers or sellers. By record after game 80/81, here are the top 5 records:

• 56-24
• Houston (AL-S), Columbus (NL-E)
• 56-25
• Tacoma (NL-N)
• 55-26
• Helena (AL-W)
• 55-25
• Atlanta (AL-E)
• 51-30
• Santa Fe (NL-S)

In the AL, Minnesota and Dover are still in a tight 1 game race with Dover on top currently. Philly is not far behind though all of the NL North is still sub-.500. In the East, Atlanta has run away with the division again even though Boston has the 6th best record in the AL. The AL South is gearing up to have 3 of its 4 teams in the playoffs. Houston leads the division but not quite by double digits yet, Huntington and Mexico City are looking to secure the wildcards. Out West, Helena has run away with division. 

For the NL, Tacoma has started to run away with the division, up to a near double digit lead after Harford and Montreal continue trying their best. Columbus has basically won the East but nice to see Washington DC with a winning record though I'm not sure they capture a wildcard spot or not. New Orleans "rebuild" has them in line for a Wildcard 2 slot at the moment; which wouldn't be awful for the franchise as they work to reshuffle money into their draft. It's only a 5.5 game lead, but Santa Fe will win the division. OKC appears to continue to struggle and has them 6 games back from Salem who looks to win the division for the first time since S39 when they went 76-86. What a year that was! It will be staeben's second playoff with the franchise. After some trades, I'd look for Scottsdale to drop in the standings and fall close to those awful Canadians in Van...nope, can't even say their name. 

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. The big droppers were Montreal and Jacksonville, while the big gainers were Mexico City and Santa Fe. But overall looks like the expected teams are the ones currently in a playoff spot - no surprise there. Along with some changes in order for the bottom three teams. I'd have to check the records, but I'm not sure if we've seen a franchise with a 25 / 25 ratings; perhaps we get there this year. 

1. .701 - Tacoma Aroma (NL-N Champ)
2. .682 - Columbus Corgis (NL-E Champ)
3. .668 - Atlanta Expos (AL-E Champ)
4. .668 - Houston Space Cowboys (AL-S Champ)
5. .644 - Helena Hot Dogs (AL-W Champ)
6. .627 - Mexico City Staring Frogs (AL Wildcard 2) 
7. .612 - Huntington Tropics (AL Wildcard 1)
8. .594 - Hartford Rising Stars (NL Wildcard 1)
9. .591 - Santa Fe Surf Riders VIII (NL-S Champ)
10. .588 - Oklahoma City Barons 
11. .574 - Salem Bourbon Makers (NL-W Champ)
12. .559 - Boston Mass Hysteria
13. .545 - New Orleans Hurricane Dodgers (NL Wildcard 2)
14. .531 - Tucson Toros
15. .529 - Scottsdale Sazeracs 
16. .522 - Montreal Fighting Poutine Plates 
17. .501 - Washington DC Nationals
18. .475 - Philadelphia Harpers
19. .472 - Vancouver Canucks
20. .467 - Anaheim Diablos 
21. .453 - Buffalo Bisons 
22. .453 - Jacksonville Lizard Kings 
23. .451 - Dover Hazmats (AL-N Champ) 
24. .424 - Minnesota North Stars 
25. .419 - Fargo Snowmen
26. .407 - Colorado Springs From My Loins
27. .403 - Augusta Alcoholics
28. .360 - Charleston Offspring
29. .328 - Austin Son's of Odin
30. .282 - Chicago Gunslingers 
31. .265 - New York Empire
32. .237 - Pittsburgh Yinzers