S61 Power Rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

Cincinnati haters continue to hate, as the team continues to be the top rated in the league. Going from last to first with the change of owners. 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:

• 61-21
• Cincinnati Reds (NL-E)
• 59-23
• Atlanta (AL-E)
• 57-25
• Houston (AL-S)
• 53-29
• Helena (AL-W)
• 51-30
• Santa Fe (NL-S)

In the AL, Minnesota, Dover, and Philadelphia are still in a tight race for the division; even if once again the winner will have a losing record. To no surprise, Atlanta has already ran away with the East and once again should already be resting players for their playoff run - 17 game lead. Similar with Houston, no matter how hard Huntington tries; they still trail by double digit games. Colorado Springs is doing their best as they come out of a rebuild but are 6 games out of Helena who have owned the division the last 3 seasons. The wildcard is looking like Huntington and Colorado Springs with Augusta not too far behind.  

For the NL, Tacoma seems to have slipped a bit from last year's run but are still holding onto the division crown by 6 games. Cincinnati nearly has a 20 game lead on the division and should likely be rest players at some point too. While many thought Santa Fe might lose the division because the owner was replaced after FA, they hold an 8 game lead and the 5th best record in league, second best in the NL. The West was all over the place, but lately OKC is starting to pull away; which means this will jinx them. Wildcard is looking like either Charleston, Austin, or Washington DC. New Orleans needs to step it up a bit, as they risk not getting to 55 games per our last report.  

The big gainers were Oklahoma City, Buffalo, and Austin. While the big droppers were Vancouver (no surprise there - Canada sucks!) and New Orleans. 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.  

1. .712 - Cincinnati Reds (NL-E Champ)
2. .688 - Atlanta Expos (AL-E Champ)
3. .649 - Houston Space Cowboys (AL-S Champ)
4. .574 - Helena Hot Dogs (AL-W Champ)
5. .596 - Huntington Tropics (AL Wildcard 2)
6. .586 - Tacoma Aroma (NL-N Champ)
7. .577 - Santa Fe Surf Riders VIII (NL-S Champ)
8. .552 - Montreal Fighting Poutine Plates 
9. .547 - Augusta Alcoholics
10. .539 - Austin Son's of Odin (NL Wildcard 2)
11. .526 - Colorado Springs From My Loins (AL Wildcard 2) 
12. .511 - Boston Mass Hysteria
13. .501 - Minnesota North Stars (AL-N Champ) 
14. .495 - Washington DC Nationals
15. .495 - Tucson Toros
16. .491 - Salem Bourbon Makers 
17. .490 - Oklahoma City Barons (NL-W Champ) 
18. .489 - Anaheim Diablos 
19. .480 - Columbus Corgis 
20. .460 - Buffalo Bisons 
21. .460 - Philadelphia Harpers
22. .459 - Jacksonville Lizard Kings 
23. .450 - Charleston Offspring (NL Wildcard 1)
24. .449 - Vancouver Canucks
25. .441 - New York Empire
26. .434 - Hartford Rising Stars 
27. .422 - Scottsdale Sazeracs 
28. .402 - New Orleans Hurricane Dodgers 
29. .398 - Dover Hazmats 
30. .388 - Mexico City Staring Frogs 
31. .380 - Fargo Snowmen
32. .344 - Chicago Gunslingers 

S61 - Wins Countdown

Jack Torrance - contributing reporter

With the season nearly at its mid-way point, let's take a look at the countdown to 55 wins! We'll take a look at what pace each team is on as well. As a reminder, the minimum win actually goes up for Year 2 to 115 and then Year 3 of 180. So if you win the bare minimum this year, you'll need at least 60 wins next season, and 65 in Year 3. 

As it stands, the commissioner's office can stick to eating their donuts without worry of getting on an owner's release papers.

• New Orleans - 27 wins (on pace for 55 wins)
• Chicago & Mexico City - 29 (58)
• Fargo - 31 (63)
• Scottsdale - 33 (67)
• Dover & Philadelphia - 34 (68)
• Anaheim & Hartford - 35 (70)
• Minnesota & Vancouver - 36 (72)
• Boston, Jacksonville, & Salem - 37 (75)
• Columbus & Montreal - 39 (79)
• Buffalo, New York, & Tucson - 40 (81)
• Augusta - 41 (83)
• Austin, Charleston, Oklahoma City, & Washington DC - 42 (85)
• Huntington - 44 (91)
• Colorado Springs - 45 (91)
• Tacoma - 46 (92)
• Santa Fe - 49 (99)
• Helena - 52 (104)
• Houston - 56 (112)
• Atlanta - 58 (117)
• Cincinnati - 61 (122)

S61 Initial Power Rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

Alright, who unplugged Skynet?!? We are 6 games past the 1/4 of season mark, so apologies for running a bit late. Seems interesting to see the team with the #1 pick in this season's draft having the best record in Cobbfather. Did he pay off the commissioner in donuts? Probably so, we all know everybody in Cincinnati is a bit shady like that. Might as well bet on your own team while you're at it. Colorado Springs fanbase like to point out their record and the WAYYYY to early pre-season rankings, so let's see where they fall here as a top 5 record team. Here are the top 5 records:

• 34-12
• Cincinnati (NL-E)
• 33-13
• Atlanta (AL-E)
• 32-14
• Houston (AL-S)
• 30-16
• Colorado Springs (AL-W), Helena (AL-W), Tacoma (NL-N)
• 29-17
• Huntington (AL-S)

In the AL, Minnesota and Philly are once again in a tight race for the North...still with sub .500 records. The East belongs to Atlanta who rumor has it, has already started resting players. Their magic number for the division is down to single digits already we think. Could be wrong though. Houston holds down the South pretty strong but Huntington as expected is still hanging around. Helena sits atop the west...with my Loins.  

Back in the NL, Tacoma is trying to improve their lead in the North while Cincy is doing the same in the East; though only Buffalo is sub-.500 at the moment. Tough division for sure! The South seems to be a 3 team dog fight with Charleston holding a single game lead. Speaking of dog fights, the NL West is in a 3-way tie with only Scottsdale many games out.  

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.  

For the record, 55 wins is a .340 winning %, appears 2 teams are currently projected to fall below that. We'll see what Skynet knows, because both are on pace judging by their actual wins. 

1. .746 - Cincinnati Reds (NL-E Champ)
2. .700 - Atlanta Expos (AL-E Champ)
3. .627 - Huntington Tropics (AL Wildcard 2)
4. .624 - Tacoma Aroma (NL-N Champ)
5. .605 - Houston Space Cowboys (AL-S Champ)
6. .590 - Helena Hot Dogs (AL-W Champ/AL Wildcard 1) 
7. .587 - Santa Fe Surf Riders VIII (NL Wildcard 1)
8. .586 - Colorado Springs From My Loins (AL-W Champ/AL Wildcard 1)
9. .571 - Montreal Fighting Poutine Plates 
10. .562 - Augusta Alcoholics
11. .557 - Boston Mass Hysteria
12. .544 - Washington DC Nationals
13. .535 - Tucson Toros
14. .521 - Salem Bourbon Makers 
15. .519 - Austin Son's of Odin
16. .507 - Minnesota North Stars (AL-N Champ) 
17. .507 - Charleston Offspring (NL-S Champ)
18. .502 - Columbus Corgis (NL Wildcard 2)
19. .492 - Vancouver Canucks
20. .481 - Oklahoma City Barons 
21. .481 - Anaheim Diablos 
22. .475 - Hartford Rising Stars
23. .444 - Philadelphia Harpers
24. .427 - New Orleans Hurricane Dodgers
25. .393 - Jacksonville Lizard Kings 
26. .384 - New York Empire
27. .382 - Scottsdale Sazeracs 
28. .376 - Mexico City Staring Frogs
29. .362 - Buffalo Bisons 
30. .348 - Fargo Snowmen
31. .339 - Dover Hazmats 
32. .313 - Chicago Gunslingers 

One of: #14 Salem, #19 Vancouver, or #20 Oklahoma City would win that division. It's too late to figure out who the three team tie goes to. 

S61 Owner Trading Tiers

Catherine Trammell - contributing reporter

While we are creating tiers, let's do one for how often an owner is to make a trade. Also including how many trades that owner has made in up to the last 10 season. Kept the tiers in alphabetical order. 

• Tier 1 
• Atlanta (ekoontz41) - 43 trades
• Everybody receives at least 5 offers a year from this year, you knew he'd be on top. 
• Houston (rawdk27) - 37
• No wonder Houston has a space station, always shipping people out!
• Tucson (foolsgold79) - 60
• Only dates back to S54 but the most active trade partners out there. Thought about putting him in his own tier. 
• Tier 2
• Colorado Springs (topoftheworl) - 25
• Winning or Less, always up for a trade
• Scottsdale (minihouston) - 26
• Includes his days in New Orleans from 51-54. Would likely be up there in Tier 1 if he wasn't gone from S55-59
• Tier 3
• Chicago (slashtc) - 18
• The true gunslinger, that keeps you on your toes - never know what he's going to do. 
• Jacksonville (rwings1927) - 17
• Delayed start but has been very active. 
• New Orleans (SenorPloppie) - 28
• Remove his trades with foolsgold (30% of his deals) and he's a lot less active on the trade market. Includes the three S51 & 52 deals he made while in charge of the (now) Mexico City franchise. 
• Tacoma (mcandrews) - 26
• Loves a good trade with Atlanta. 
• Vancouver (daubs2334) - 24
• Canada loves trading for all things American!
• Tier 4
• Augusta (jsapp12) - 13
• As the team comes out of a build, I'd expect some more trades as the team is rounded out for that playoff push. 
• Buffalo (bjc30) - 14
• 8 since S59 when he was selling off parts.
• Fargo - (nickzaji) - 4
• Give it time, only his second season but we think he'll be active. 
• Hartford (jverrier85) - 14
• Can't speak for how many offers are sent, but doesn't make a ton of deals. Middle of the pack sounds about right. 
• Mexico City (dakar) - 11
• Only 3 deals prior to this year. Start of a new trend? For now he'll stay ranked low. Might fall into the only trades at start or end of a build. 
• Montreal (FW_Kekionga) - 15
• Don't count them out on any trade. 
• Tier 5
• Anaheim (goldenbaer88) - 15
• Not afraid to trade / trade for a big name. 
• Columbus (mike22182) - 15
• Bumps this low because majority have been in two seasons, one he was selling and the other became a buyer. 
• Dover (drichter) - 7
• More so in recent years, but you gotta catch him at the right time. 
• Helena (alanharwell) - 13
• Streaky, majority of the last 10 seasons were in S52 and 59.
• Huntington (cwiddoes) - 13
• Trading seemed a right of passage, didn't really start until a few season into the league minus the initial new owner I have no attachment to these players. 
• Oklahoma City (klown61455) - 17
• Feels like 8 of those deals involved Shea Crowe, but kidding aside active but on the low end. Noticed a lot of 3 for 1 deals. 
• Philadelphia (TheManUtley) - 10
• I'd put them on the second tier of talent they trade, but could be wrong. 
• Salem (staeben) - 11
• Had a quite spell on the trade market but as the team becomes a favorite in the NL West, they've started making moves. 
• Washington DC (keltic44) - 8
• Took over in S55, but good for close to a trade a year. 
• Tier 6
• Charleston (opie5) - 3
• Not likely to make many moves. 
• Boston (CollegeBoy33) - 3
• Seems to like 3s, could he be done trading?
• Austin (norsk44) - 2
• Stick with what you got is the story in Austin. 
• Minnesota (cmcrhstians) - 9
• Only 2 deals since S53. 
• Santa Fe - buddy996 - 0 
• Former owner went from S38-51 without any trades. New Owner by his words is only a temp, so not likely to make any deals
• Unrated - too little history
• New York - arfy
• Cincinnati - WallyRez

S61 IFA Spending Tiers

Jessica Fletcher - contributing reporter

The Cobbfather owners love spending on the international market, let's break the teams into tiers for available prospect money. We've tried to keep in mind teams who have higher draft picks and will need to save a little for the Rule 4 draft versus the others who might be only spending on IFA this year. Listed teams in alphabetical order by their tier. 

• Tier 1 
• Buffalo
• Colorado Springs
• New York
• Tier 2
• Fargo
• Tier 3
• Atlanta
• Chicago
• Hartford
• Vancouver
• Tier 4
• Augusta
• Montreal
• Scottsdale
• Washington DC
• Tier 5
• Mexico City (already signed one IFA for $6.1M - this accounts his remaining budget)
• Charleston
• Tier 6
• Austin
• Jacksonville
• Tier 7
• Anaheim
• Boston
• Cincinnati
• Dover
• New Orleans
• Oklahoma City
• Philadelphia
• Santa Fe
• Salem
• Tucson
• Tier 8 
• Columbus
• Helena
• Houston
• Huntington
• Minnesota
• Tacoma