S1 Power Rankings Updated

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

Baseball fans, we've officially hit the halfway point of the inaugural Hardball Stitches season! That's right - half the games are in the books, the contenders are separating from the pretenders, and some teams are just praying for a miracle. 

First up, the top five records, because winners deserve the spotlight. Then, we'll take a deep dive into the division races, where some teams are dominating like action heroes, while others are crashing and burning like a failed spinoff series. 

And of course, no power rankings would be complete without Skynet, our trusted-but-possibly-evil AI overlord. It's back to rank each team, mercilessly grading their hitting and pitching on the 80-scale. Is it cold and calculating? Yes. Could it one day turn against us? Also yes. Bur for now, it's giving us the hard truths we need. 

We'll also be keeping receipts on who's surging up the charts, who's free-falling into oblivion, and who's clinging to respectability like a washed-up detective on his last case. Then, we'll dig into expected win percentages, exposing which teams are playing over their heads and which are one bad week away from a full-blown existential crisis. 

And finally, the 55-win danger zone - where teams stare into the abyss and the abyss stares back. Will they rewrite their season's narrative, or are they destined for a tragic final chapter?

One thing's for sure: The stakes are rising, the pressure is mounting, and Skynet is still watching. 

• Best Record
• Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N)
• 2nd Best
• Syracuse Firebirds (AL-N)
• 3rd Best
• St. Louis Archers (NL-E), Buffalo Bomb Squad (NL-N)
• 4th Best
• Texas Toast (AL-S)
• 5th Best
• Salt Lake City Trappers (AL-W), Fresno Romans (NL-W)

If the first 40 games of the season were a bestseller, the American League is delivering a sequal with higher stakes, bigger twists, and no shortage of suspense. In the AL North, the Syracuse Firebirds aren't just leading - they're torchbearers, scorching their way to an 11-game advantage over the Tacoma Armada, who, for now, are keeping their playoff dreams alive in the Wild Card 1 spot. Meanwhile, the AL East is tighter than a detective novel's final twist. The Philadelphia Jawns have the lead - for now - just one game ahead of the Baltimore IronBirds and two games ahead of the Boston Afflects. This race is anything but settled. In the AL South, the Texas Toast have been cooling off in the last 10 games, but thanks to the New Orleans Voodeoo hitting their own rough patch, they're still clinging to the division lead. For how long? That's the million-dollar question. Out West, it's all about the Salt lake City Trappers, who seem to be cruising comfortably toward the division crown - unless, of course, the baseball gods decide to throw in a plot twist; or the Arizona Canyon Kings go on another 10+ game win streak. 

Not to be overshadowed by the American League's blockbuster sequel, the National League is delivering a drama-filled saga of its own - full of dominat leads, underdog chases, and a division that refuses to settle down. In the NL North, the Buffalo Bomb Squad boast the second-best record in the national league, yet they still trail the might Trenton Thunderbolts by 7 games. It's like running a marathon at full speed, only to realize your opponent is in a sports car. Over in the NL East, the St Louis Archers have turned the division into their personal playground, holding a commanding 15-game lead over Indy - and an even more absurd advantage over last-place Scranton, whose season has gone from hopeful to horror story in record time. The East belongs to St. Louis. Period. Down in the NL South, the Charlotte Intimidators are playing strong, holding a four-game cushion over the Mexico City Luchadors and San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo (who may need to stop yo-yoing and start climbing if they want a shot at the crown). And then there's the NL West, which is easily the national league's most chaotic division. With Fresno, Scottsdale, and Tucson constantly swapping places, it feels like a high-speed chess match where nobody wants to blink first. As of now, Fresno holds a slim two-game lead over Scottsdale, but if history has taught us anything - it won't stay that way for long. The second half of the season is here, and the National League's script is still being written. 

The Los Angeles Labradors take the biggest tumble this week, plummeting from #9 all the way down to #25 - a fall so steep it should come with a parachute. Meanwhile, our Canadian "friends" (looking at you, Vancouver) take their own hit, sliding from #6 to #16 as their grip on the standings loosens. On the flip side, Trenton Thunderbolts claim the top spot, climbing from #5 to #1 and proving they belong among the elite. But the biggest leap belongs to Salt Lake City Trappers, vaulting from #21 all the way to #9 - a meteoric rise that has the rest of the league on notice. 

But for now, let's talk about expected wins - or, in other words, how teams SHOULD be playing. Are some squads punching above their weight class? Are others underperforming like a blockbuster flop? Time to separate reality from illusion. 

.744 - Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N Champ)

.693 - Buffalo Bomb Squad (NL Wildcard 1)

.652 - Syracuse Firebirds (AL-N Champ)

.647 - St. Louis Archers (NL-E Champ)

.595 - Texas Toast (AL-S Champ)
.566 - New Orleans Voodoo (AL Wildcard 2)
.561 - Tucson Road Runners 

.553 - Salt Lake City Trappers (AL-W Champ)
.550 - Charlotte Intimidators (NL-S Champ)
.549 - Fresno Romans (NL-W Champ)
.532 - Scottsdale Sazeracs (NL Wildcard 2)
.530 - Helena Highlanders
.515 - Chicago Northsiders
.507 - Mexico City Luchadors
.501 - Montgomery Fightins 
.491 - San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo
.489 - Vancouver Blue Heron 
.487 - Arizona Canyon Kings
.485 - Durham Corgis 
.483 - Baltimore IronBirds
.475 - Indianapolis Speedsters
.471 - Boston 'Act As If' Afflects
.467 - Tacoma Armada (AL Wildcard 1)
.466 - Fargo Mud Dogs
.460 - Cleveland Guardians
.453 - Colorado Springs Ranchers
.438 - Los Angeles Labradors

.435 - Philadelphia Jawns (AL-E Champ)

.361 - Cincinnati Redlegs

.356 - New York Pizza Rats

.324 - Nashville Hot
.243 - Scranton Paper Weights

No one wants to be here, yet here we are - teams teetering dangerously close to the unforgiving 55-win threshold set by the Hardball Stitches commissioner. Will there be leniency in this inaugural season? Maybe. But don't count on divine intervention - the baseball gods have seen it all, and they aren't known for their mercy. For those on the edge, the message is simple: win now or risk becoming a cautionary tale. Appears the Cincinnati Redlegs have joined the Hot and Paper Weights on the list. Not a good sign for the Hot or Paperweights as this means they haven't made much progress since the last 40 games. The Hot are close, but still on the list. Scranton has gone backwards; but they are also now under new ownership - which should greatly help their cause, even if there's not much talent out there. 

 

Team                        On Pace Wins    Expect Win %

Cincinnati Redlegs            54                    59 W
Nashville Hot                    54 W                53 W

Scranton Paper Weights    44 W                40 W

Finally let's stack the divisions against each other and find out which one truly brings the heat. Which division is relentless gauntlet of competition, and which one is letting a team waltz to the top uncontested? Bragging rights are on the light, let's see who's really battling it out and who's just along for the ride. Tie breaker goes to division with team with best record. 

The results are in, the NL North stands heads and shoulders above the other division, with more than 20 wins than the rest. Trenton and Buffalo have really turned it on, but don't forget about Chicago - or do, it's windy there. Insider scoop - what everyone thinks is the wind blowing out towards the outfield - driving up their home totals, they actually use big fans. Staying in the NL, the East has a lot to be desired with two teams struggling to get to 55 wins. St. Louis is coasting at this point. 

 

191-133 - NL North
171-153 - AL South

170-154 - AL North
165-159 - NL West

155-169 - AL West

153-171 - NL South

151-173 - AL East
140-184 - NL East