Don't laugh, this could very easily be you!
At long last, we have returned! Week one was a welcome reacquaintance in unfamiliar times. There were pitchers' duels, slugfests, and even a few Jose Cansecoesque bonks that went over the fence. In lieu of full recaps, this year we have elected to produce weekly power rankings to summarize and theorize. Here we go...
Power Rankings After Week One
1. Bilabial Stops (2-0)
The Stops impressed with a sweep against a perennial contender in the RBI Steaks. Bobby Vadnais smacked two one-armed homers, only to be outdone by Nick Usoff's five. This week, they'll face West Coast Washout with whom they split last season before defeating them two games to one in the first round of the playoffs.
2. 100% Real Juice (2-0)
Two straight titles and no #1 power ranking? Don't feel too sorry for this Rodney Dangerfield team. They pushed 41 runs across the plate, but tougher tests await. Their upcoming matchup against the Sheryl Crows this Sunday could tell us a lot about both teams.
3. Sheryl Crows (2-0)
Don't look now, but the pitching staff is completely retooled from 2019. Paul Rogers threw a no-no in his return to league play after a one-year hiatus. One or more victories against the Juice this weekend would solidify them as early contenders.
4. West Coast Washout (1-1)
The Washout edge the Knucks by virtue of winning the pitching duel of the series, but both offense and pitching will need to improve to keep their standing. This week, they'll face the Bilabial Stops with playoff revenge in mind.
5. Mighty Knucks (1-1)
The Knucks left runners on base in the opener, a mistake they would not repeat. They banged out 15 hits and 7 homers in the second game. They'll look to continue the fireworks against ISO Pale, whom they scored 37 runs against in their doubleheader last year.
6. RBI Steaks (0-2)
The Steaks lacked a little firepower from the mound against good competition, and came out on the wrong side of a pitching duel. When their pitching, look out above. A week two bye gives them a chance to regroup early on.
7. Wiffers (0-2)
At one point, the Wiffers led the Juice 7-1 before reality came calling for these newcomers. They will have to figure out their mound game, but feature a capable lineup. A few bullpen sessions might be in order during their bye week ahead of their week three matchup against the Sheryl Crows.
8. ISO Pale (0-2)
There wasn't a whole lot going on at the plate in the season debut for ISO Pale in their debut, managing only 4 hits over two games. Expect a shifting lineup to improve over the coming weeks. This Sunday's matchup against the Mighty Knucks is an important one for turning it around.
Jimmy Froio (DS, RBI Steaks).
That's all for this week, we'll see you Sunday!
