The Steaks, the Stops, the Knucks, and the Wiffers were all down or tied when late runs propelled them ahead for good in an exciting weekend of games. The Stops remained undefeated, the Wiffers got their first wins, and WCW made it four in a row. It's already midseason and yet these rankings could very arguably be very different. Let the speculation begin...
Power Rankings After Week Four
1. Bilabial Stops (8-0)
Last Week: #1
Down 1-0 in the 5th inning of game two, Eddie Brown's grand slam snatched victory from the Juice and completed a sweep of the defending champs. With a three game lead and several good teams in their wake, the one seed is theirs for the taking. They’ll take Sunday off before marching towards a favorable playoff spot.
2. West Coast Washout (5-3)
Last Week: #4
WCW stayed hot, chipping away at Paul Rogers to eek out a 6-5 nailbiter and trouncing the Crows in game two to complete the sweep. Karl Koch continues to be a revelation on the mound and the addition of Jonathan Stevens gives their defense a major upgrade. In no particular order, the Juice, RBI Steaks, and ISO Pale await on the other side of a week five bye.
3. 100% Real Juice (5-3)
Last Week: #2
Adam Brickett limited the potent Bilabial Stops lineup to just 4 runs on 10 hits, a very good sign for a team that has relied on dominant pitching against tough teams in the past. While a sweep at the hands of the Stops is a tough pill to swallow, the Juice is still in good shape ahead of Sunday’s contest against ISO Pale. It'll be a great opportunity to reset with WCW and the Steaks still ahead.
4. Sheryl Crows (4-4)
Last Week: #3
A late-inning rally against WCW in fell short in game one before the Crows dropped a laugher in game two. Their pitching situation seemed similarly uncertain last year when they swept the Mighty Knucks and turned their season around. They’ll meet the Knucks again this Sunday in a crucial matchup for playoff contention looking to repeat last year's magic.
5. RBI Steaks (2-4)
Last Week: #5
Mitch Barham reached in 9 of 11 plate appearances in his season debut, Jimmy Froio’s bat is heating up, and Jack Sandstrom’s propensity for the three true outcomes underlies how clutch he has been. Even so, a sweep of the Wiffers this Sunday seems almost mandatory with the Juice and WCW still looming on their schedule.
6. Mighty Knucks (4-4)
Last Week: #6
Alex Hatch had a successful return to the mound and Joseph Marcoly went 4-4 with a walk off single in the first game of Sunday’s double header split against the Steaks. Momentum and consistency have eluded the Knucks so far this year and tough challenges lie ahead. Sheryl Crows, the Wiffers, and the Bilabial Stops remain on their regular season schedule.
7. Wiffers (2-4)
Last Week: #7
A doubleheader sweep of ISO Pale is a nice step forward and their bats look to be the real deal. One or more victories against the Steaks this Sunday would get them into the playoff conversation. John Selivanoff has stranded runners and limited walks in putting up a very respectable 6.00 ERA and 2.60 WHIP. Limiting damage in the other game of the series will be a key to their success.
8. ISO Pale (0-8)
Last Week: #8
It’s been a tough go for ISO, trailing the rest of the league in both OPS and ERA in addition to wins. Pat Riley has been a bright spot, showing up on offensive leaderboards and showing good hands in the field. Keep grinding.
The remainder of the regular season schedule will be released soon. Please contact us ASAP with any last scheduling requests. Have a great week!
