S4 Initial Power Rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

Ladies and gentlemen, baseball romantics, and those of you who read these rankings purely out of spite—welcome back. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Long enough that I half-expected to return and find the league replaced by robots, scandals, or a shocking midseason plot twist involving identical twins. But no—Hardball Stitches is alive, dramatic as ever, and finally ready to unveil the very first power rankings of Season 4.

Now, early-season rankings are a bit like first chapters: wildly misleading, full of red herrings, and guaranteed to break someone’s heart by page ten. But that’s the fun of it. New contenders rise from the shadows, old favorites stumble out of the gate, and at least one team inevitably insists, “We’re better than our record.” Sure, and I’m a quiet, subtle writer who hates attention.

But enough preamble. The scene is set, the suspects are assembled, and the plot is already thickening faster than a New York cheesecake. So grab your magnifying glass—or your popcorn. Season 4’s story begins now, and trust me… you’re going to want to read every word.

• Best Record
• Fargo Mud Dogs
• 2nd Best
• Baltimore IronBirds & Trenton Thunderbolts
• 3rd Best
• Boston Act As If Afflects
• 4th Best
• St Louis Archers
• 5th Best
• Syracuse Firebirds & Texas Toast

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. 

.736 - Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N Champ)

.679 - Boston 'Act As If' Afflects (AL Wildcard 1) & Baltimore IronBirds (AL-E Champ)

.675 - Fargo Mud Dogs (AL-N Champ)

.629 - St. Louis Archers (NL-E Champ)

.609 - Texas Toast (AL-S Champ)

.600 - Chicago Northsiders (NL Wildcard 1)

.583 - Buffalo Bomb Squad & Montgomery Fightins

.541 - Syracuse Firebirds (AL Wildcard 2)

.540 - Tucson Road Runners (NL-W Champ)

.536 - San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo (NL Wildcard 2)

.512 - Cincinnati Redlegs

.495 - Fresno Romans

.493 - Mexico City Luchadors

.491 - New Orleans Voodoo

.489 - Tacoma Armada 

.485 - Vancouver Blue Heron

.477 - New York Pizza Rats

.467 - Colorado Springs Ranchers

.463 - Durham Corgis

.462 - Indianapolis Speedsters 

.458 - Nashville Hot (NL-S Champ)

.426 - Philadelphia Hooligans

.411 - Rochester Mighty Flour Mills

.398 - Los Angeles Labradors (AL-W Champ)

.391 - Scottsdale Sazeracs

.378 - Louisville Bourbon Chasers

.362 - Helena Highlanders

.352 - Salt Lake City Trappers

.324 - Arizona Canyon Kings

.316 - Charlotte Intimidators 

The dreaded list

 
Team                            On Pace Wins    Expect Win %

Salt Lake City Trappers       45 W                57 W

Arizona Canyon Kings        53 W                53 W

S3 Updated Power Rankings

 Richard Castle - contributing reporter

"Another quarter of the season gone, and here we are again—like a detective returning to the crime scene, only this time the body count is measured in shattered dreams and blown saves. The standings board looks less like a leaderboard and more like the plot outline of one of my thrillers: heroes rising, villains crumbling, and a few wildcard suspects lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce."

"Some teams have rewritten their fates with plot twists worthy of a bestseller, while others are still stuck in the rough draft stage—clunky, messy, and destined for the bargain bin. But that’s the beauty of baseball, isn’t it? Every game, every inning, every swing is a new page in the story, and with the final act just around the corner, the drama is about to hit overdrive."

• Best Record
• St Louis Archers
• 2nd Best
• Trenton Thunderbolts
• 3rd Best
• Syracuse Firebirds
• 4th Best
• Fargo Mud Dogs
• 5th Best
• New Orleans Voodoo

The top four? Still the same cast of characters it’s been all season. Their only crime: being infuriatingly good at baseball. And now St. Louis, riding a monster win streak that feels less like momentum and more like divine intervention, has muscled its way into the top spot. Boston, after briefly wandering in the wilderness of mediocrity, claws its way back into the top five—because apparently, redemption arcs aren’t just for novel heroes. New Orleans deserves a standing ovation too, vaulting from No. 15 all the way to No. 6 like they found a cheat code.

But of course, not everyone gets the happy ending. Texas tumbles from 5 to 13, and Indianapolis stumbles from 8 to 15, proving that gravity never takes a day off. At the other end of the rankings, Nashville finally escapes the basement, scaling up to 26 like a scrappy underdog who refuses to die in Chapter One. Arizona, however, decided to drop the ball—literally—falling from 18 to 28 after a strong half-season. And then there’s Scottsdale, the commissioner’s own team, clinging to the dreaded final spot at No. 32. Talk about irony: the author of the rules now trapped in his own cautionary tale. Even I couldn’t have scripted it better.

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. 

.720 - Syracuse Firebirds (AL-N Champ)

.701 - St. Louis Archers (NL-E Champ)

.668 - Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N Champ)

.646 - Fargo Mud Dogs (AL Wildcard 1)

.611 - Boston 'Act As If' Afflects (AL-E Champ)
.587 - New Orleans Voodoo (AL-S Champ)
.575 - San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo (NL-S Champ)
.570 - Montgomery Fightins (AL Wildcard 2)
.552 - Chicago Northsiders (NL Wildcard 1)
.551 - Fresno Romans (NL-W Champ)
.546 - Tucson Road Runners
.545 - Buffalo Bomb Squad
.540 - Indianapolis Speedsters (NL Wildcard 2)

.530 - Mexico City Luchadors 

.530 - Texas Toast 

.526 - Tacoma Armada 

.491 - Salt Lake City Trappers (AL-W Champ)
.472 - Philadelphia Hooligans

.449 - Baltimore IronBirds
.448 - Rochester Mighty Flour Mills
.443 - New York Pizza Rats
.435 - Charlotte Intimidators 
.422 - Cincinnati Redlegs
.418 - Helena Highlanders
.414 - Vancouver Blue Heron 

.392 - Nashville Hot
.385 - Los Angeles Labradors
.383 - Arizona Canyon Kings 

.379 - Durham Corgis
.376 - Louisville Bourbon Chasers
.372 - Colorado Springs Ranchers
.335 - Scottsdale Sazeracs 

The dreaded list

 
Team                            On Pace Wins    Expect Win %

Everybody is above the threshold currently, though Scottsdale's expected win % is one to watch. 

And so, another chapter of Hardball Stitches comes to a close—complete with plot twists, surprise heroes, and a few villains who forgot their lines. The top looks untouchable, the middle’s a knife fight in a dark alley, and the bottom… well, let’s just say some teams are auditioning for the tragic ending rather than the happy one. But that’s the beauty of baseball: one hot streak, one miracle rally, and suddenly the whole narrative shifts. With the season barreling toward its final act, the question isn’t just who will win—it’s who will survive the chaos long enough to make the ending unforgettable. And trust me, I know a thing or two about endings.

S3 Updated Power Rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

"I know what you’re thinking—‘Castle, where have you been? Did you forget about us?’ Not at all. I was just giving the league a little time to spice things up—because let’s face it, power rankings are so much more interesting when teams are busy tripping over themselves, staging heroic comebacks, and rewriting the script in ways even I didn’t see coming."

"But now… now we return to the action. And trust me, the plot twists are worth the wait. We’ve got contenders free-falling, underdogs climbing like they just found rocket fuel, and more drama than a double homicide in a locked-room mystery. So buckle up, grab a snack, and let’s see who’s still in the hunt—and who’s about to be written out of this story altogether."

• Best Record
• St Louis Archers
• 2nd Best
• Trenton Thunderbolts
• 3rd Best
• Syracuse Firebirds
• 4th Best
• Texas Toast & Fargo Mud Dogs
• 5th Best
• Indianapolis Speedsters

The top four? Still holding strong—but not without a little game of musical chairs. Syracuse struts up from No. 3 to claim the crown, because why not add a little flair to dominance? Meanwhile, the Texas Toast pull off a Hollywood glow-up, leaping from No. 15 to No. 5, and Buffalo rockets from No. 25 to No. 7 like they’ve been hiding rocket fuel in the dugout. Tacoma, however, tumbles from No. 5 to No. 11, and Mexico City takes a slide from No. 8 to No. 13—proof that gravity works in baseball, too.

Chicago Northsiders? They’re the real mystery—climbing from No. 23 to No. 12 with one of the league’s weakest lineups but pitching so good it deserves its own Emmy. Scottsdale holds steady at No. 21 like a supporting character waiting for a rewrite, while Helena makes a dramatic jump from No. 31 to No. 23, proving that redemption arcs are alive and well. But not everyone gets a happy ending—Charlotte plummets from No. 13 to No. 26, and Los Angeles… well, someone has to be last. No. 32. Still can’t figure out how you struggle with pitching in a ballpark built for pitchers. 

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. 

.707 - Syracuse Firebirds (AL-N Champ)

.695 - St. Louis Archers (NL-E Champ)

.684 - Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N Champ)

.633 - Fargo Mud Dogs (AL Wildcard 1)

.609 - Indianapolis Speedsters (NL Wildcard 1)

.604 - Boston 'Act As If' Afflects (AL-E Champ)

.576 - San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo (NL-S Champ)

.569 - Mexico City Luchadors 

.566 - Texas Toast (AL-S Champ)

.564 - Tacoma Armada 

.559 - Fresno Romans (NL-W Champ)

.558 - Chicago Northsiders (NL Wildcard 2)

.545 - Montgomery Fightins

.540 - New Orleans Voodoo (AL Wildcard 2)

.539 - Buffalo Bomb Squad

.495 - Tucson Road Runners

.469 - Vancouver Blue Heron 

.458 - Philadelphia Hooligans

.448 - Arizona Canyon Kings (AL-W Champ)

.428 - Charlotte Intimidators 

.428 - Baltimore IronBirds

.428 - New York Pizza Rats

.418 - Salt Lake City Trappers

.417 - Rochester Mighty Flour Mills

.406 - Cincinnati Redlegs

.395 - Colorado Springs Ranchers

.392 - Los Angeles Labradors

.389 - Helena Highlanders

.383 - Nashville Hot

.381 - Durham Corgis

.378 - Scottsdale Sazeracs 

.364 - Louisville Bourbon Chasers

The dreaded list

 
Team                            On Pace Wins    Expect Win %

Everybody is above the threshold currently. 

And just like that, we’ve reached the halfway mark—81 games down, 81 to go. The plot has thickened, the suspects are nervous, and the baseball gods are sharpening their red pens for edits no one asked for. Some teams look like bestsellers destined for a Hollywood ending, while others are clinging to their season like a paperback left out in the rain. But here’s the thing about a good mystery—you never know when the next twist will drop. One hot streak, one bad break, and the entire story changes. Buckle up, folks. The second half isn’t just a continuation—it’s the part where everything unravels… or finally comes together.

S3 Initial Power Rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

EDITOR NOTE -  I promise to get back to our standard quality of articles soon.

• Best Record
• St Louis Archers
• 2nd Best
• Fargo Mud Dogs & Syracuse Firebirds
• 3rd Best
• Boston Act As If Afflects & Trenton Thunderbolts
• 4th Best
• Mexico City Luchadords & Indianapolis Speedsters
• 5th Best
• Texas Toast, Vancovuer Seawolves, & Arizona Canyon Kings

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. 

.768 - St. Louis Archers (NL-E Champ)

.719 - Fargo Mud Dogs (AL Wildcard 1)

.710 - Syracuse Firebirds (AL-N Champ)

.684 - Boston 'Act As If' Afflects (AL-E Champ)

.672 - Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N Champ)

.645 - Indianapolis Speedsters (NL Wildcard 1)

.635 - Mexico City Luchadors (NL-S Champ)

.548 - New Orleans Voodoo

.545 - Tacoma Armada 

.540 - San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo 

.528 - Charlotte Intimidators 

.521 - Fresno Romans (NL-W Champ)

.500 - Salt Lake City Trappers

.487 - Tucson Road Runners

.485 - Vancouver Blue Heron (AL Wildcard 2)

.484 - Montgomery Fightins

.480 - Philadelphia Hooligans

.480 - Cincinnati Redlegs

.477 - Texas Toast (AL-S Champ)

.476 - Arizona Canyon Kings (AL-W Champ)

.473 - Baltimore IronBirds

.470 - Scottsdale Sazeracs (NL Wildcard 1)

.441 - Rochester Mighty Flour Mills

.430 - Buffalo Bomb Squad

.426 - Chicago Northsiders

.423 - Colorado Springs Ranchers

.376 - Durham Corgis

.374 - Louisville Bourbon Chasers

.357 - New York Pizza Rats

.323 - Los Angeles Labradors

.295 - Helena Highlanders

.248 - Nashville Hot

The dreaded list

 
Team                            On Pace Wins    Expect Win %

Helena Highlanders             49 W                48 W

Nashville Hot                       49 W                40 W

Los Angeles Labradors        53 W                52 W

S2 Updated Power Rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

EDITOR NOTE - Apologies for the short and sweet update, but here are our initial power rankings for S2. I promise to get back to our standard quality of articles before long. 

• Best Record
• Boston 'Act As If' Afflects 
• 2nd Best
• Syracuse Firebirds
• 3rd Best
• St Louis Archers
• 4th Best
• Trenton Thunderbolts
• 5th Best
• New Orleans Voodoo

In future updates, we'll keep track of past power rankings, because what's the fun in rankings if we can't obsess over who's rising, who's falling, and who's spiraling into oblivion?  But work-life balance is limited at the moment...still. 

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. 

.706 - Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N Champ)

.675 - Boston 'Act As If' Afflects (AL-E Champ)

.671 - Syracuse Firebirds (AL-N Champ)

.656 - St. Louis Archers (NL-E Champ)

.634 - New Orleans Voodoo (AL-S Champ)

.615 - Buffalo Bomb Squad 

.594 - Montgomery Fightins (AL Wildcard 1)

.594 - San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo (NL Wildcard 2)

.568 - Indianapolis Speedsters (NL Wildcard 1)

.557 - Chicago Northsiders

.556 - Texas Toast (AL Wildcard 2)

.530 - Fresno Romans (NL-W Champ)

.523 - Mexico City Luchadors (NL-S Champ)

.519 - Salt Lake City Trappers (AL-W Champ)

.518 - Durham Corgis 

.505 - Baltimore IronBirds

.499 - Fargo Mud Dogs

.483 - Scottsdale Sazeracs 

.474 - New York Pizza Rats

.468 - Tacoma Armada

.468 - Tucson Road Runners

.456 - Rochester Mighty Flour Mills

.442 - Louisville Bourbon Chasers 

.434 - Arizona Canyon Kings

.431 - Charlotte Intimidators 

.423 - Helena Highlanders

.408 - Vancouver Blue Heron 

.373 - Cincinnati Redlegs

.355 - Colorado Springs Ranchers

.341 - Philadelphia Hooligans
.297 - Los Angeles Labradors

.295 - Nashville Hot

The dreaded watch list

 
Team                            On Pace Wins    Expect Win %

Nashville Hot                           55 W                48 W

Colorado Springs Ranchers     56 W                58 W

Los Angeles Labradors            58 W                48 W

S2 Updated Power rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

EDITOR NOTE - Apologies for the short and sweet update, but here are our initial power rankings for S2. I promise to get back to our standard quality of articles before long. 

• Best Record
• Boston 'Act As If' Afflects 
• 2nd Best
• St Louis Archers
• 3rd Best
• Syracuse Firebirds
• 4th Best
• New Orleans Voodoo
• 5th Best
• Indianapolis Speedsters

In future updates, we'll keep track of past power rankings, because what's the fun in rankings if we can't obsess over who's rising, who's falling, and who's spiraling into oblivion?  

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. 

.667 - Syracuse Firebirds (AL-N Champ)

.652 - St. Louis Archers (NL-E Champ)

.641 - Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N Champ)

.628 - New Orleans Voodoo (AL-S Champ)

.617 - Boston 'Act As If' Afflects (AL-E Champ)

.600 - Montgomery Fightins (AL Wildcard 1)

.595 - Indianapolis Speedsters (NL Wildcard 1)

.583 - Buffalo Bomb Squad 

.581 - San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo (NL Wildcard 2)

.561 - Fresno Romans (NL-W Champ)

.541 - Mexico City Luchadors (NL-S Champ)

.537 - Chicago Northsiders

.535 - Texas Toast 

.532 - Scottsdale Sazeracs 

.526 - Durham Corgis (AL Wildcard 2)

.513 - Tacoma Armada

.511 - Baltimore IronBirds

.509 - Salt Lake City Trappers (AL-W Champ)

.504 - Fargo Mud Dogs

.482 - New York Pizza Rats

.477 - Louisville Bourbon Chasers 

.468 - Tucson Road Runners

.438 - Arizona Canyon Kings

.425 - Charlotte Intimidators 

.424 - Rochester Mighty Flour Mills

.417 - Helena Highlanders

.411 - Vancouver Blue Heron 

.399 - Cincinnati Redlegs

.353 - Philadelphia Hooligans

.343 - Colorado Springs Ranchers

.333 - Nashville Hot

.274 - Los Angeles Labradors

The dreaded list

 
Team                            On Pace Wins    Expect Win %

Los Angeles Labradors        51 W                44 W

Nashville Hot                       55 W                54 W

Colorado Springs Rachers   57 W                56 W

S2 - Initial Power Rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

EDITOR NOTE - Apologies for the short and sweet update, but here are our initial power rankings for S2. I promise to get back to our standard quality of articles before long. 

• Best Record
• Boston 'Act As If' Afflects 
• 2nd Best
• Trenton Thunderbolts & Indianapolis Speedsters
• 3rd Best
• Syracuse Firebirds
• 4th Best
• Durham Corgis,  Salt Lake City Trappers, St Louis Archers
• 5th Best
• Tacoma Armada & San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo

In future updates, we'll keep track of past power rankings, because what's the fun in rankings if we can't obsess over who's rising, who's falling, and who's spiraling into oblivion?  

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. 

.721 - Indianapolis Speedsters (NL-E Champ)

.662 - Boston 'Act As If' Afflects (AL-E Champ)

.651 - San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo (NL-S Champ)

.626 - Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N Champ)

.626 - Syracuse Firebirds (AL-N Champ)

.614 - Buffalo Bomb Squad (NL Wildcard 2)

.607 - St. Louis Archers (NL Wildcard 1)

.605 - Tacoma Armada (AL Wildcard 1)

.586 - Texas Toast 

.580 - Durham Corgis (AL-S Champ)

.565 - New Orleans Voodoo

.562 - Scottsdale Sazeracs (NL-W Champ)

.560 - Louisville Bourbon Chasers (AL Wildcard 2)

.528 - Salt Lake City Trappers (AL-W Champ)

.519 - Fresno Romans

.513 - Mexico City Luchadors

.505 - Montgomery Fightins

.495 - Tucson Road Runners

.480 - Baltimore IronBirds

.459 - Chicago Northsiders

.432 - Charlotte Intimidators 

.432 - New York Pizza Rats

.422 - Vancouver Blue Heron 

.411 - Arizona Canyon Kings

.397 - Philadelphia Hooligans

.392 - Rochester Mighty Flour Mills

.385 - Colorado Springs Ranchers

.363 - Cincinnati Redlegs

.351 - Helena Highlanders

.334 - Nashville Hot

.317 - Los Angeles Labradors

.294 - Fargo Mud Dogs

The dreaded list

 
Team                            On Pace Wins    Expect Win %

Fargo Mud Dogs                  47 W                48 W

Los Angeles Labradors        47 W                51 W

Colorado Springs Rachers   51 W                62 W

S1 Best Players

Jack Torrance - Contributing Reporter

S1 Top Players

Since we often reference a player's fantasy points on the blog, let's take a quick second to explain them. It's simple really, 1 point for every base, run batted in, run, walk, and each stolen base. A player gets minus 1 point for every strike out and minus a half point for each caught stealing. On the pitching side, we use a point for every inning pitched, plus 2 points for every strike out, plus 3 points for a win, and plus 4.5 for every save. The goal was to put points into things that are more controllable to the pitcher - how long they last in a game and how many strike outs they achieve but still wanted to award the W/L/SV categories as well. The pitchers have a lot more chances to lose points, but again tried to keep them based on things that are more directly tied to the pitcher's control, minus 0.4 for each walk or earned run, minus 0.75 for each home run given up and every walk. They also get minus 2 for every Loss and blown save. This system was tweaked from Yahoo's Fantasy Baseball settings. 

We'll group players by position with their Fantasy Points, perhaps one year we'll add back in the stats like extra base hits (xBH), Weighted Runs Above Average (wRAA), weighted On-Base Average (wOBA), weighted runs created plus (wRC+), weighted stolen bases (wSB). For pitchers we could do Adjusted ERA (100 is league average), etc. But for now it's just the Fantasy Points. Bold names indicate Silver Slugger. Underlined names indicate Gold Glove Winners.  

Top 20 Position Players

1. 1B Liam Steinbach (Fresno) - 689
2. 2B Vin Nunez (Syracuse) - 681
3. LF Rubi Veras (Syracuse) - 680
4. 1B Len Priest (St Louis) - 658
5. DH Benito Gonzales (Montgomery) - 637
6. 1B Dustan Nevin (Durham) - 628
7. 1B Matt Roberts (Baltimore) - 627
8. LF Mickey Villegas (Los Angeles) - 620
9. 3B Jim Smith (Boston) - 612
10. 1B Jason Bako (Trenton) - 609
11. 1B Rajai Johnstone (Scottsdale) - 601
12. CF Juan Mota (Tacoma) - 588
13. LF Edgar Nunez (Tacoma) - 581
14. 1B Wayne Pennginton (New Orleans) - 568
15. 3B Joe Winston(Baltimore) - 562
16. LF Anthony Luke (Arizona) - 545
17. CF Harry Ugueto (Durham) - 544
18. RF Deven Bickerton (Tacoma) - 544
19. SS Arquimedes Villanueva (Chicago) - 528
20. LF Walt Swindell (Cleveland) - 527

Bottom 10 Position Payers

Requires a minimum of 300 At-Bats; this is generally full of Shortstops. 

1. SS Terry Baxter (Fresno) - 31
2. SS Ross Holt (Cincinnati) - 64
3. SS Bosco Frazier (Fresno) - 86
4. C Alan Damon (Los Angeles) - 113
5. CF Marshall Gilkey (New York) - 118
6. 2B Larry Keyes (Nashville) - 118
7. 3B Lyle Grove (Tacoma) - 127
8. LF Tony DeRosa (Colorado Springs) - 133
9. SS Bruce LaPorta (Philadelphia) - 135
10. LF JA Grieve (Colorado Springs) - 137

Top 10 Catchers

1. Shin-Soo Ishii (Texas) - 527
2. Tyler Stull (Scottsdale) - 496
3. Julio Rodriguez (Indianapolis) - 450
4. Sammy Kelly (Trenton) - 438
5. Dan Key (New Orleans) - 432
6. Ellis Curtis (Colorado Springs) - 399
7. Benny Lee (Tucson) - 397
8. Darryl Sadler (Helena) - 382
9. Will James (Tacoma) - 381
1. Sadler was a Rule 5 pick from Tacoma)
10. Jose Silverio (Boston) - 358

Top 10 First Basemen

1. Liam Steinbach (Fresno) - 689
2. Len Priest (St Louis) - 658
3. Dustan Nevin (Durham) - 628
4. Matt Roberts (Baltimore) - 627
5. Jason Bako (Trenton) - 609
6. Rajai Johnstone (Scottsdale) - 601
7. Wayne Pennington (New Orleans) - 568
8. Dixon Perez (Arizona) - 483
9. Curt Dunn (Cleveland) - 452
10. John Lansing (Chicago) - 441

Top 10 Second Basemen

1. Vin Nunez (Syracuse) - 681
2. Christy Winston (Fresno) - 481
3. Mark Harper (Scottsdale) - 460
4. Pascual Pescado (Boston) - 454
5. Santiago Tapies (Cleveland) - 447
6. Tim Olsen (Fargo) - 441
7. Beau McDade (Texas) - 439
1. That's one of the most Texas sounding names I've heard
8. Davey Dawkins (Charlotte) - 420
9. Glenn Green (St Louis) - 400
10. Skip Cooper (Mexico City) - 379

Top 10 Shortstop

1. SS Arquimedes Villanueva (Chicago) - 528
2. Vern Ashley (Arizona) - 473
3. Chris Gutierrez (Durham) - 458
4. David Horton (Tacoma) - 403
5. Oswaldo Candelaria (Scranton) - 372
6. Felipe Tabata (Cleveland) - 361
7. David Feldman (Scottsdale) - 340
8. Tony Slowey (Fargo) - 338
9. Douglas Altherr (Vancouver) - 328
10. Omar Rodriguez (Texas) - 304

Top 10 Third Basemen

1. Jim Smith (Boston) - 612
2. Joe Winston(Baltimore) - 562
3. Alex Martin (Trenton) - 473
4. Tyreace Moore (Syracuse) - 464
5. Taijuan Fick (Scottsdale) - 446
6. JP Cabellero (Fargo) - 436
7. Lewis Glanville (Montgomery) - 430
8. Alex Gonzales (Charlotte) - 421
9. Alex Ortiz (New York) - 414
10. Dingo Roberts (Indianapolis) - 394

Top 10 Left Fielders

1. Rubi Veras (Syracuse) - 680
2. Mickey Villegas (Los Angeles) - 620
3. Edgar Nunez (Tacoma) - 581
4. Anthony Luke (Arizona) - 545
5. Walt Swindell (Cleveland) - 527
6. Edgmer Pena (New Orleans) - 515
7. RA Trahan (Trenton) - 514
8. Harry Feliz (San Antonio) - 491
9. Vincete DeSoto (Charlotte) - 471
10. Nap McAnaney (Durham) - 471

Top 10 Center Fielders

1. Juan Mota (Tacoma) - 588
2. Harry Ugueto (Durham) - 544
3. Wilfredo Melendez (Texas) - 477
4. Eugene Dirks (Chicago) - 445
5. Adrian Sexson (Charlotte) - 433
6. Zephyr Daly (Scranton) - 414
7. Bill Gonzales (New Orleans) - 408
8. Midre Baez (Fresno) - 397
9. Allie Walls (Mexico City) - 396
10. Norberto Reynoso (Scottsdale) - 386

Top 10 Right Fielders

1. Deven Bickerton (Tacoma) - 544
2. Luis Padilla (Boston) - 505
3. Timothy Adams (Texas) - 495
4. Bono Betancourt (Arizona) - 474
5. Benji Richardson (Charlotte) - 464
6. Koji Katou (St Louis) - 449
7. Radley Frazier (San Antonio) - 437
8. Timothy Larkin (Tucson) - 420
9. Rey Cookson (Colorado Springs) - 417
10. Phil Wallace (Scottsdale) - 394

Top 15 Starting Pitchers

1. Harry DaSilva (Buffalo) - 801
2. Franchy Rolison (Trenton) - 762
3. Glenallen Cepicky (Boston) - 752
4. Derrek Cone (St Louis) - 755
5. Magglio Mieses (Trenton) - 744
6. Donte Person (Carlotte) - 695
7. Ned Gaillard (Syracuse) - 694
8. Marcus Carpenter (Buffalo) - 693
9. Hideki Lim (Tacoma) - 690
10. Cristobal Rojas (Buffalo) - 688
11. Kiki Rodriguez (Mexico City) - 657
12. Polin Aceves (Trenton) - 653
13. Alen Baldwin (St Louis) - 652
14. Dillon Rupp (Scottsdale) - 648
15. Rando Rincon (Salt Lake City) - 631

Top 10 Relief Pitchers
Requires less than 5 starts

1. Laynce Johnson (Boston) - 637.3
2. Bono Grant (Chicago) - 550
3. Lyle Merrick (Indianapolis) - 481
4. Raimel Rodriguez (Fresno) - 475
5. Braulio Sanchez (Trenton) - 461
6. Josias Tatis (Helena) - 447
7. Ryan McPherson (Indianapolis) - 445
8. JJ Palmer (Syracuse) - 434
9. Willie Blanco (Scottsdale) - 416
10. David Gonzales (Salt Lake City) - 382

Bottom 10 Pitchers

Requires a minimum of 50 IP

1. Keenyn Murray (Scranton) - 26
2. Charlie Foster (Los Angeles) - 69
3. Robinzon Profar (Scranon) - 70
4. Sherry Pribanic (Vancouver) - 91
5. Mac Griffin (Boston) - 91
6. Michael Lawrence (Los Angeles) - 113
7. Heinie Grissom (Arizona) - 114
8. Melvin Ricarrdi (Arizona) - 116
9. Welington Segui (Nashville) - 119
10. Rube Robertson (Nashville) - 120

S1 - Updated Power Rankings

Richard Castle - contributing reporter

And just like that, we've reached the three-quarter mark of the season, where the contenders tighten their grip, the pretenders get exposed, and a few poor souls are desperately trying to rewrite their doomed endings. 

This is it - our last power rankings of the season. No more time for redemption arcs, no more "we're just heating up" storylines. The teams at the top? They've earned their place. The teams at the bottom? Well, let's just say their season is looking more like a tragic noir than a feel-good sports flick. 

As always, Skynet has done its cold, calculating work, breaking down who's rising like a hero in the final act and who's plummeting like a side character who should've seen the twist coming. We'll examine the biggest climbers, the steepest falls, and which teams are staring down an ending they'd rather not read. 

The final chapter of the regular season is being written. Some teams will make history. Others will be forgotten. The only question is - who gets the storybook ending, and who's about to be cut from the script? 

• Best Record
• 81-38 - Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N), St. Louis Archers (NL-E)
• 2nd Best
• 79-40 - Syracuse Firebirds (AL-N)
• 3rd Best
• 70-49 - Buffalo Bomb Squad (NL-N)
• 4th Best
• 69-50 - Texas Toast (AL-S)
• 5th Best
• 67-52 - Scottsdale Sazeracs (NL-W), New Orleans Voodoo (AL-S)

With 43 games left, the American League is serving up a little bit of everything - white-knuckle thrillers, heartbreaking tragedies, and yes, a few games that might as well come with a pillow and a bedtime story. In the AL North, the Syracuse Firebirds have built such a commanding lead, they've probably forgotten the names of the teams in their own division. A near 15-game cushion means they're basically on cruise control. But credit where it's due - the Tacoma Armada are still hanging tough in the Wild Card 2 spot. And as we know, once the playoffs hit, anything can happen. Over in the AL East, the Boston Afflects and Baltimore IronBirds are locked in a neck-and-neck brawl, but here's the kicker - the loser might miss the playoffs entirely. One will emerge victorious. The other? They could be left watching from home, drowning their sorrows in takeout and bad decisions. So basically a typical Canadian night. Down South, the Texas Toast and the New Orleans Voodoo are locked in a battle that's about way more than just bragging rights. The winner could land a coveted first-round bye, while the loser gets a lovely consolation prize - a possible date with Syracuse in the Divisional Round. That's like winning a free vacation...to a haunted house. And out West, the Salt Lake City Trapper are sitting on a comfortable near-10 game lead, but they're not just playing for the division title - they've got their eyes on a first-round bye of their own. A few key wins, and they could leapfrog the AL South frontrunners, skipping the chaos of the early rounds altogether. The state is set. The tension is building. And if history has taught us anything, it's that there's always one last plot twist waiting to shake everything up. 

Over in the National League, the Trenton Thunderbolts and the St Louis Archers are locked in a battle for the best record in all of Hardball Stitches - which, let's be honest, is the baseball equivalent of a heavyweight title fight. Two teams enter, only one gets to wear the crown (metaphorically speaking..unless someone actually made a crown, in which case, I fully support that level of pettiness). In the NL North, we've got a situation eerily similar to the Syracuse/Tacoma dynamic - a dominant leader and a determined but hopelessly distant chaser. Buffalo Bomb Squad is giving it their best shot, but trailing Trenton by 11 games is less of a chase and more of a long, slow march toward second place. Then there's the NL East, where the St Louis Archers hold a 21-game lead over the rest of the division. Yes, you read that correctly - twenty-one. That's not a lead; that's a total demolition. Honestly, we'd just skip writing about this division entirely if it weren't for St Louis. The Speedsters, Redlegs, and Paper Weights (a name that has never felt more fitting) are basically just NPC's in the Archer's championship campaign. Down South, things are at least more dramatic. The Charlotte Intimidators have taken advantage of a recent San Antonio skid and now hold a six-game lead. Not insurmountable, but unless the Yo-Yo Bros Yo can string together some consistency, Charlotte's looking good. And finally, out West, we have actual tension - the Scottsdale Sazeracs and Fresno Romans are battling for the division, with Scottsdale clinging to a one-game lead. And before anyone counts Fresno out, let's not forget they just took 3 of 4 from Trenton - ON THE ROAD - which is the baseball equivalent of walking into a villain's lair and making it out alive.  The loser of this West Coast showdown is still likely safe with Wild Card 2, unless NL North Chicago suddenly decides to wake up and make a run. But time is running out, and as we all know - every great thriller needs a twist before the final page. 

Tucson Road Runners are our biggest free faller this update, going from ranked #10 both at the 1/4 and 1/2 mark; falling down to #19. Durham Corgis are close by, going from #11 at both previous updates to #17. Sadly the Los Angeles Labradors continue to drop, this time from 25 to 27. Our bottom three teams have rearranged orders but still can't move out of the bottom - with New York, Nashville, and Scranton bringing up the rear. 

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. 

.706 - Trenton Thunderbolts (NL-N Champ)

.697 - St. Louis Archers (NL-E Champ)
.642 - Syracuse Firebirds (AL-N Champ)

.637 - Buffalo Bomb Squad (NL Wildcard 1)

.618 - New Orleans Voodoo (AL Wildcard 1)

.567 - Fresno Romans (NL-Wildcard 2)
.563 - Texas Toast (AL-S Champ)
.555 - Salt Lake City Trappers (AL-W Champ)
.550 - Scottsdale Sazeracs (NL-W Champ)
.545 - Charlotte Intimidators (NL-S Champ)
.526 - Chicago Northsiders

.520 - Tucson Road Runners 

.519 - Baltimore IronBirds

.518 - San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo

.511 - Boston 'Act As If' Afflects (AL-E Champ)

.507 - Helena Highlanders
.498 - Vancouver Blue Heron 

.492 - Tacoma Armada (AL Wildcard 2)

.487 - Mexico City Luchadors
.483 - Montgomery Fightins 
.479 - Indianapolis Speedsters

.474 - Arizona Canyon Kings
.461 - Durham Corgis 
.455 - Fargo Mud Dogs
.443 - Cleveland Guardians
.422 - Los Angeles Labradors

.421 - Philadelphia Jawns 

.418 - Colorado Springs Ranchers
.378 - New York Pizza Rats

.367 - Cincinnati Redlegs
.317 - Nashville Hot

.286 - Scranton Paper Weights

What's a Power Ranking update without looking at the dreaded 55-win threshold? I'm proud to report our teams are looking positive with this update. Only one team, the Scranton Paper Weights are below the mark. But as you know, we've already replaced the owner and he's made a 6 game improvement. Almost there! Nice work on the Cincinnati Redlegs and Nashville Hot for their improvements as well. 1/4 of the season to go, keep it up!

 

Team                        On Pace Wins    Expect Win %

Scranton Paper Weights    54 W                46 W

Finally let's stack the divisions against each other and find out which one truly brings the heat. The NL North duo top their AL counterparts. But surprisingly the AL South topped the AL North as well, but like I said; that's a tight division race. 

269-207 - NL North
251-225 - AL South

245-231 - AL North
239-237 - NL West

231-245 - AL East

224-252 - AL West

223-253 - NL East

222-254 - NL South

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