Power Rankings!

The time has come to rank all eleven teams in the Valley League!

A couple things to work through first. One: This is just my opinion. You may have a different one, and that’s fine! Two: I use team record, of course, along with rate stats, like team batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage, runs scored and runs allowed, and team ERA. Most baseball analysts believe that runs scored/allowed become relevant after 40 games, which is the length of the entire Valley League season, so take that with a grain of salt (so to speak). Three: Don’t think that I’m predicting who will win the title or anything, because as we all know, what has happened in the first 15 or so games does not mean that the next 15 games will go the same way. We can look for trends, but that’s about all.

Ok? Got it? So let’s rank them!

I’ll do this for each team: record, hitting stats, runs scored-runs allowed, ERA, and then a comment about what’s going on.

1. Front Royal Cardinals: 12-3, 294/386/389, 93-56, 2.49 ERA. Hitting stats are very good (just behind Staunton), pitching ERA is 2nd. The Cards have scored the most runs, and have allowed tied for allowing the 4th fewest. The lineup has 5 hitters batting over .340 (Newman, Wolfe, McCain, Sinay, and Stephens). Hunter Newman has been completely on fire- he has clearly been one of the top two or three hitters so far in the league. Keegan Long and Jake Harper are anchoring a very strong rotation, too.

2. Waynesboro Generals: 12-3, 232/339/299, 72-54, 3.07 ERA. Even with a low batting average, the team is still getting on base at a decent clip. Gruber, Marcinko and McClellan lead the offense, and seven active pitchers have ERAs 2.50 or lower.

3. Covington Lumberjacks: 6-4, 271/358/353, 67-49, 4.00 ERA. They have finished 5 fewer games than the top two, but the ‘Jacks are building a strong resume (already +18 run differential). Blake Edwards joins Hunter Newman as one of the top hitters in the league, and Matt O’Neil and Jose Carrera help give the lineup pop. Cody Strayer and Luke Cahill anchor the rotation.

4. Charles Town Cannons: 8-7, 254/346/346, 86-85, 4.23 ERA. The Cannons look like the best of the “middle tier.” Bryant Munoz and Matt Gandy (15 walks already!) lead the hitters. Interestingly, ten different pitchers have started at least one game for the Cannons.

5. Staunton Braves: 5-8, 301/384/381, 81-74, 4.14 ERA. The sleeping giant in the mix. James Vazquez and Tommy Williams joined the team about a week ago, making an already strong lineup lethal. Gunnar McNeill and Hunter Thomas are also having tremendous summers. Assuming the pitching staff settles down a bit, the Braves may start moving up this list.

6. Harrisonburg Turks: 7-6, 254/331/355, 66-71, 3.78 ERA. Matt Rose is hitting .415, and Thomas Spitz is hitting very well, too. If Thomas Smith returns to the form he showed last summer, look out!

7. Strasburg Express: 4-8, 238/340/283, 47-56, 3.41 ERA. The record doesn’t look very good, but the other numbers are stronger, making the Express the best of the bottom tier. Jose Bonilla leads the hitters, and Brock Hunter hasn’t been scored on yet (in 9 innings). Not playing a home game surely can’t help, though.

8. New Market Rebels: 6-9, 212/341/279, 65-79, 4.33 ERA. Very low batting average, but good OBP. Darian Carpenter has two home runs, while Jake Perkins and Garrett Kelly lead the rotation.

9. Aldie Senators: 5-8, 241/332/274, 41-71, 3.54 ERA. The -30 run differential is the worst in the league, which is partially the fault of a 14-3 thumping by Charles Town. Matt Malacane and Tremayne Toorie lead the hitters, while Junior Delatorre is a hammer in the rotation- 29 strikeouts in 19 innings!). This team may shoot up this list.

10. Woodstock RiverBandits: 4-8, 210/300/261, 45-52, 2.40 ERA. Look at those numbers: .210 batting average; 2.40 ERA. Definitely a tale of two numbers (of course, 24 unearned runs twist things a bit). Eight pitchers have an ERA of less than 2.00. I’m not sure what to make of all this. Can they hit enough? Field enough?

11. Winchester Royals: 4-9, 212/291/280, 47-63, 3.53 ERA. Losing Edwin Medina to the draft didn’t help. Alex Mata is the only regular hitting over .300, and the starting rotation will have to improve to have the Royals climb out of the last spot.