NEWS

 

 

With the season's halfway point come and gone, playoff races are starting to heat up. As teams around the league angle for each division's final six spots, the competition is certainly going to kick into high gear over the last few weeks of the regular season. Let's take a very unscientific look at a where each squad shakes out in the second installment of the MABL Power Rankings!

**All records/standings/stats represent Pointstreak results as of 6/14/17

 

15. NEW YORK BRAVES (0-17) 

It has been a rough inaugural season for the Braves, who have yet to pick up their first win of the year. A few weeks ago, it looked as though that first victory may be imminent, but last weekend’s thrashing at the hands of the Mariners appears to be a setback.

Although it would take a miracle to see the Braves sneak into the postseason, the team has shown flashes of promise, so it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to see this crew figure into the playoff race in a big way – as big time spoilers.

 

14. Downtown Bulls (4-14)

The Bulls aren’t out of it by a long shot, but getting swept by the NY Giants last weekend didn’t help their playoff hopes.

A spot of bad news for the Bulls is that their final weeks will see them play two of the top teams from the Brooklyn/Queens division as they have tilts with the Tigers and Mud Hens remaining on the schedule. The good news? They have six games left against the three teams they are currently chasing in the standings. If they can play .750 ball against the NY Tigers, Giants and Blue Jays to end the season, they have a good chance at stealing that final Bronx/Manhattan spot.

 

13. NY Tigers (6-11)

With an unlikely win over a good Indians’ team on June 10, the NY Tigers were able to end a 12-game slide before it cost them a postseason spot. But they will need to pick up a couple of wins over the next few weeks to ensure that their season doesn’t end when the playoffs roll around.

Pitching has been a problem for the club, as the team’s 5.91 team ERA is the second-worst among teams currently in line for a postseason berth. The Tigers have also committed 32 errors on the year, putting them towards the bottom of the fielding percentage rankings.

 

12. NYC Giants (7-11)

Last weekend’s sweep of the Bulls bought Dexter Khan’s squad a little more breathing room, and the Giants seem to be headed in the right direction, having won their last three ballgames. With the winless Braves on the docket this weekend, the current sixth-place team in the Bronx/Manhattan division could potentially find themselves just two games under .500 heading into an all-important June 25 showdown with the Beers.

Jacob Fowler has been the catalyst for the Giants’ offense so far, hitting .400 on the season, and the team has been getting effective outings from starters Brendan Henriquez and Alex Azcona, who have both logged 33 innings pitched.

 

11. Whitestone Nationals (8-8)

Although the Nationals are in no danger of missing the playoffs, the last half of the season will be important for them as they try to secure home-field advantage in the first round.

The Nats have shown the ability to beat just about anyone in their side of the standings, earning wins over the Mariners, Mustangs and Tigers – all teams that currently sit above them in the standings. But pitching is something of a concern behind Tyler Quintana, who has somehow not allowed an earned run this season. The Nats’ pitching staff currently holds a 7.68 ERA and end the season with four games against the Indians and two against the Mariners.

 

10. Blue Jays (8-10-2)

The Blue Jays may currently be in fourth place in the Bronx/Manhattan division, but the jury is still out on how this young team will perform in crunch time.

The squad has managed to fare well against some of the top teams in their own division, earning splits with the Riders and Patriots, but also dropped two tight games to the Beers in May, which could go a long way in deciding which team comes up with a more favorable postseason draw.

Jeff Santos has emerged as a terrific arm for the club, pitching to a 1.16 ERA and fanning 26 batters in just 18 innings of work. 

 

9. San Pedro Mariners (8-8)

The Mariners are a tough team to figure out. One of the most talented teams in the league, they have been plagued by attendance issues throughout the year, one of the biggest reasons for their .500 record.

Sources report that the team will be making big changes before the June 15 roster deadline, so we need to wait and see how that comes into play as they head into the home stretch.

 

8. NY Beers (7-10-1)

The Beers’ record might not be anything to write home about, but the fact that they have the best pitcher in the Bronx/Manhattan division means that they are the team that nobody wants to see in a one-game playoff.

In 27 innings of work, Beers’ hurler Ryan Smith has allowed just two earned runs and struck out 55 batters. Although he has been beaten once this year, he is the kind of singular talent that may be enough to push the Beers into second-round contention once the postseason kicks off.

The key for the Beers will be making sure they can scratch out enough wins in games that Smith does not pitch in order to ensure that they won’t be on the outside looking in in August. They have lost four straight games and will need to turn things around quickly.

 

7. NY Patriots (9-8-1)

A convincing sweep over a depleted Tigers team last week should continue to build momentum for a Pats’ team that has won three of its last four games, but the Patriots have a tough out-of-conference slate ahead, with upcoming games against the Mariners and Mustangs.

The Pats have a few solid bats setting the pace offensively, with Snoop Ferreira leading the way with a .513 AVG. Chayanne Berges and Carlos Florentino have combined to smack seven homers, giving the team some pop in the middle of the lineup.

The team will need to keep slugging, however, as they still haven’t found a true shutdown ace. Derek Ferreira currently leads the club with 5-1 record and 4.47 ERA.

 

6. NY Mustangs (9-7)

The Mustangs are another team that has had an up-and-down season, although this latest stretch should be a good measuring stick. In three straight weeks, the Mustangs have gone 2-4 against elite competition, but scored two huge divisional wins in that time, splitting with the Tigers and Mud Hens.

They have an honest-to-goodness thumper in the middle of the lineup, as Steven Marguez has been on a tear this season, hitting .478 with two home runs and 17 RBIs.

The pitching staff is rounding into shape, and while the team lacks a No. 1 starter, they have a number of arms that could cause problems in a three-game series.

 

 5. Tigers (10-8)

Much like the Beers, the Brooklyn/Queens Tigers are a team that nobody wants to face in a one-game playoff.

Ace hurler Greg Polius has been nearly unhittable this year, going 5-1 with a 0.00 ERA and fanning 69 batters in 39.1 innings of work. But the Tigers have seemed vulnerable in the games Polius doesn’t start, posting a 5-7 record.

If Walter Chaluisant’s crew can head into its final 12 games with its full compliment of players, expect the Tigers to contend for one of the top two playoff seeds.

 

4. NY Indians (10-6)

Despite losing stud lefty David Singleton for the season, the Indians are a balanced, veteran team that knows how to win ball games. Although the team has been on a bit of a slide, losing its last three games, they’re going to look to turn things around against the Beers this week.

The Indians were hurt by a four-game weekend that saw them lose three of their four contests, but shouldn’t be in trouble in the long run. The Indians are the type of team that does everything well – while their individual stats won’t blow you out of the water, they generally find a way to come up with hits in big spots.

The Tribe has emerged victorious in a number of close ballgames this year, and once the playoffs start, expect them to have an edge in close games.

 

3. Gotham City Bats (11-5)

Although the Bats may be having a disappointing season – by their standards – make no mistake, this team is going to be absolutely dangerous in the playoffs.

With a well-stocked rotation (the team’s 2.51 ERA is second-best in the league) and a potent offense (their .319 AVG puts them in third), the Bats can beat teams in a variety of ways. The only weakness, thus far, has been a propensity to commit errors in key spots. The Bats have a fielding percentage of .918, which puts them closer to the Bulls and the Braves than to the other top teams in the league.

But with the four-headed monster of Tripp, Lisle, Durr and Laverty on the mound, this team will be a nightmare for opposing hitters in a three-game series.

 

2. NYC Mud Hens (14-2)

The Hens suffered their first loss since April last week, in typical Mud Hens fashion. Against the Mustangs, the Hens left 10 runners on base and were never able to break through in a 4-2 defeat.

Does this mark a chink in the team’s armor? Or was it an anomaly?

Predictably, the Hens’ staff is once again among the best in the league, boasting a sub-2.00 team ERA, but the bats had been hot, thanks to several key pickups, before last weekend’s double-header. If the Hens can get back on track at the plate, their ability to shut opposing teams down could pay dividends in a long series.

 

1. NY/LI RoughRiders (16-2-2)

The RoughRiders have won their last 10 games and seem to be heading into the home stretch as the team to beat in the MABL. They are hitting .354 as a team, allow just three runs a game, and lead the league in stolen bases by a mile.

The big three in this lineup consists of Rogelio Suriel (.446, 1 HR, 16 RBIs), Jordanis Nunez (.443, 3 HR, 15 RBIs) and Juan Ramon (.431, 16 RBIs) and there are no soft outs anywhere in the order.

The Riders will also be tested down the stretch, which should get them ready for fierce battles in the playoffs. Their next three opponents will be the Mud Hens, the Mariners and the Tigers (Brooklyn/Queens).