It’s Monday, so you know what that means, Brilliant Reader- time for the Valley League power rankings!

In the second installment of our series, we’ll rank the teams using won-loss record (of course), runs scored/runs allowed, team batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage, team ERA, and I’ll compare the ranking from a week ago. Then I will include a sentence about something about the pitchers that caught my eye.

This is ridiculous, of course. Remember that it’s just one person’s opinion!

So let’s take a look at the season’s second power rankings- stats through Sunday, June 16:

The Cream of the Crop

  1. Covington Lumberjacks: 9-4 W-L, 60/55 (RS/RA), 257/348/343 (average/on-base/slugging), 3.49 ERA, last week: #4. The Jacks have the best ERA in the league, and get on base, too. Riley Davis has given up 2 earned runs in 18 innings pitched.
  2. Charlottesville Tom Sox: 7-5, 106/75, 309/436/439, 5.35, #1 last week. Almost the inverse of the Jacks- not pitching as well as hitting. Antonio Balducci has 16 strikeouts in 8 innings pitched- all in relief.
  3. Staunton Braves: 9-5, 119/96, 294/395/451, 5.90, #2 last week. A similar profile to the Tom Sox. Lliam Grubbs has 25 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings pitched.
  4. Waynesboro Generals: 6-5, 69/47, 255/378/371, 3.54, #3 last week. Second best ERA in the league, Joseph Acosta has 0 walks and 9 strikeouts in 4 innings so far.

The Middle

5. Strasburg Express: 7-5, 80/72, 258/352/398, 3.81, #7 last week: Coming up fast.. you can make the case that the squad belongs in the top section. Bryce O’Brien is the story here-20 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings pitched.

6. Winchester Royals: 5-5, 86/70, 275/390/390, 6.03, #6 last week, too: Michael Anderson has two excellent starts under his belt.

7. Woodstock River Bandits: 7-7, 93/97, 267/383/370, 5.88, #5 last week: Conor Miller has appeared in half the Bandits’ games, and has not allowed an earned run.

8. Front Royal Cardinals: 6-9, 74/101, 231/349/316, 5.54, #9 last week: Sean Miller has 23 strikeouts in 15 2/3 relief innings.

Have Work To Do

9. Harrisonburg Turks: 4-8, 53/71, 232/363/320, 4.08, #8 last week: Out of the bullpen, Eli Ellington has 17 strikeouts in 9 innings pitched.

10. New Market: 6-7, 61/80, 191/321/254, 5.29, #10 last week: Submariner Sam Prince has an 0.77 ERA in 11 2/3 innings pitched in relief.

11. Purcellville Cannons: 3-9, 65/102, 261/378/389, 6.09, #11 last week: Nathan Barolet has 14 strikeouts in 7 2/3 relief innings.

So there it is, folks- Power Rankings #2!

Leave a comment if you wish- how would you rank them?

Covington Lumberjacks