MBL POWER RANKINGS - 3/29/2015

As we approach Opening Day in the 2015 Major League Baseball season, the Millennium League has reached the one-third mark in the 2001 campaign.  The standings are taking shape.  Teams are making deals to either solidify or improve their current standing, or they're moving valuable assets with an eye on the future.  The rankings see the New York Rippers reclaiming the top spot, followed by their division rival, the Boston Beaneaters.  The Expansion League's top team, the Baltimore Stouts, move up to third, their highest ranking to date.  And despite having the league's worst overall record and a negative run differential of 251 runs, the Cleveland Rock 'N Rollers have finally moved out of the bottom spot in the rankings.  They move ahead of division rival Cincinnati, who fall into the cellar position.

RNK	+/-	TEAM	BAT	PIT	FLD	PCT	rDiff	PYTH	xW	xL	LUCK
1	1	New York Rippers	10	2	4	0.697	101	0.669	44	22	2
2	3	Boston Beaneaters	2	8	16	0.667	107	0.654	41	22	1
3	3	Baltimore Stouts	1	7	22	0.698	107	0.651	41	22	3
4	0	Washington Tribe	5	5	17	0.621	100	0.647	43	23	(2)
5	(4)	Oakland Osprey	7	4	15	0.606	97	0.648	43	23	(3)
6	(3)	Detroit Buckeyes	3	12	3	0.603	55	0.578	36	27	2
7	0	Atlanta Stonecutters	6	14	1	0.576	44	0.564	37	29	1
8	5	Houston Buffaloes	8	9	14	0.591	43	0.563	37	29	2
9	0	Seattle Lightning	13	6	9	0.561	50	0.579	38	28	(1)
10	7	Los Angeles Diablos	4	18	6	0.409	6	0.508	34	32	(7)
11	0	Minnesota Millers	21	1	11	0.561	42	0.574	38	28	(1)
12	(4)	San Francisco Quakers	18	3	13	0.515	25	0.542	36	30	(2)
13	(3)	Colorado Briar Jumpers	15	10	10	0.492	17	0.527	33	30	(2)
14	6	San Diego Vipers	17	11	7	0.439	(31)	0.456	30	36	(1)
15	(1)	Arizona Apaches	16	17	5	0.485	(28)	0.459	30	36	2
16	(4)	Miami Panthers	12	13	18	0.439	0	0.500	33	33	(4)
17	(2)	Milwaukee Phantoms	19	20	2	0.429	(47)	0.428	27	36	0
18	0	Pittsburgh Crawfords	11	16	20	0.439	(45)	0.439	29	37	0
19	(3)	St. Louis Sliders	14	15	24	0.485	(35)	0.451	30	36	2
20	1	Washington Senators	9	24	23	0.455	(31)	0.460	30	36	(0)
21	(2)	New York Bombers	20	19	21	0.394	(68)	0.399	26	40	(0)
22	0	Brooklyn Broken Arrow Bums	23	21	12	0.318	(129)	0.316	21	45	0
23	1	Cleveland Rock 'N Rollers	24	22	8	0.206	(251)	0.199	13	50	0
24	(1)	Cincinnati Red Stockings	22	23	19	0.318	(129)	0.328	22	44	(1)

GLOSSARY

RNK - Overall Power Ranking +/- - Difference between this ranking and the team's last ranking BAT - Batting Rank

PIT - Pitching Rank

FLD - Fielding Rank

PCT - Actual Win Percentage rDIFF - Run Differential

PYTH - Expected Win Percentage xW - Expected Wins xL - Expected Losses

LUCK - Difference between actual wins and expected wins

OBSERVATIONS:

• The LOS ANGELAS DIABLOS continue to be unlucky.  Their current record sits at 27-39 despite outscoring their opposition by six runs.  Their expected win/loss record comes out to 34-32.  They grade out as the 4th best batting team and 6th best team defensively.  Overall, the Diablos improved seven spots since the last rankings and come in at #10 overall.
• Unfortunately for the Diablos, they play in the same division as the luckiest team in the league, the BALTIMORE STOUTS.  Owners of the MBL's top overall record at 44-19, Baltimore theoretically have won three more games than they deserved to based on their run differential.
• The only team to rate in the top-10 in all three graded categories is our top team in the rankings, the NEW YORK RIPPERS, who rank 10th in batting, 2nd in pitching and 4th in fielding.   The Go Go Rippers lead the league in stolen bases by a large margin with 115 swipes.  The team hasn't been ranked any lower than 2nd in the overall rankings since the beginning of the season.  A well balanced team just waiting for their manager to muck things up (sorry Bill).
• The CLEVELAND ROCK 'N ROLLERS have somehow managed to move ahead of both the CINCINNATI RED STOCKINGS and the WASHINGTON SENATORS in the pitching rankings despite ranking dead last in both ERA and WHIP.  The reason - save percentage.  While Cleveland has only converted six of nine opportunities, it's a better percentage than both Cincinnati and Washington.  The Red Stocking have blown 11 saves in 27 chances.  And while that's bad enough, it pales in comparison the the Senators who have blown 13 of 24 opportunities.  Worse yet, the NEW YORK BOMBERS, who have blown 19 games already in only 32 chances.
• Teams are not running against the MINNESOTA MILLERS.  Regardless of who's behind the plate, opposing teams have only attempted to steal against a Minnesota catcher 13 times in 66 games.  Seven of those 13 have been gunned down.  By comparison, the ST LOUIS SLIDERS have had 83 attempts to steal against them, with 70 of those being successful.  That's a paltry .157 caught stealing percentage, worst in the league.
• The ATLANTA STONECUTTERS check in again as the 7th overall team in the rankings.  A big reason why is their team defense.  Atlanta leads the league in fielding percentage and is second in caught stealing percentage. 
• The second biggest mover up the rankings behind only Los Angelas is the SAN DIEGO VIPERS.  They moved up six spots from 20th to 14th.  Unfortunately, the move hasn't translated to a move up in the standings as the Vipers still bring up the rear in the Expansion League's Pacific Division with a 29-37 record.
• Leading that division is the OAKLAND OSPREY, who occupied the top spot in the ranking last time out.  They have dropped four spots into the 5th position this time around.  

MBL POWER RANKINGS - 3/1/2015

Another couple of weeks are in the books and we have a shakeup at the top of the Power Rankings.  The Oakland Osprey are the hottest team in the MBL and have vaulted to the top of the rankings on the heels of their current 10-game winning streak.  The New York Rippers, fresh of their first series defeat of the season, have dropped one spot into the second place.  The Detroit Buckeyes have picked up three spots to move into third, while their Rust Belt Division counterparts, the Cleveland Rock 'N Rollers and the Cincinnati Red Stockings, rank last and next to last respectively.

RNK	+/-	TEAM	BAT	PIT	FLD	PCT	rDiff	PYTH	xW	xL	LUCK
1	6	Oakland Osprey	4	7	13	0.619	72	0.667	28	14	(2)
2	(1)	New York Rippers	14	2	2	0.667	55	0.639	29	16	1
3	3	Detroit Buckeyes	2	11	4	0.564	42	0.594	23	16	(1)
4	(1)	Washington Tribe	3	6	21	0.692	71	0.669	26	13	1
5	(3)	Boston Beaneaters	5	5	18	0.667	69	0.655	28	14	0
6	(1)	Baltimore Stouts	1	9	22	0.690	72	0.644	27	15	2
7	9	Atlanta Stonecutters	5	17	2	0.533	17	0.534	24	21	(0)
8	0	San Francisco Quakers	18	3	8	0.595	30	0.578	24	18	1
9	5	Seattle Lightning	19	4	7	0.590	35	0.598	23	16	(0)
10	(6)	Colorado Briar Jumpers	15	8	10	0.548	35	0.585	25	17	(2)
11	0	Minnesota Millers	23	1	4	0.500	12	0.535	22	20	(1)
12	(3)	Miami Panthers	11	10	18	0.528	9	0.524	19	17	0
13	(3)	Houston Buffaloes	8	14	16	0.538	8	0.519	20	19	1
14	(2)	Arizona Apaches	13	15	6	0.476	(23)	0.449	19	23	1
15	0	Milwaukee Phantoms	16	18	1	0.463	(24)	0.446	18	23	1
16	2	St. Louis Sliders	8	13	24	0.444	(28)	0.432	16	20	0
17	5	Los Angeles Diablos	10	21	15	0.310	(22)	0.453	19	23	(6)
18	2	Pittsburgh Crawfords	7	18	24	0.429	(29)	0.440	18	24	(0)
19	2	New York Bombers	17	15	12	0.415	(28)	0.430	18	23	(1)
20	(3)	San Diego Vipers	21	12	8	0.429	(33)	0.424	18	24	0
21	(8)	Washington Senators	11	20	20	0.452	(23)	0.451	19	23	0
22	(3)	Brooklyn Broken Arrow Bums	22	22	10	0.333	(78)	0.334	14	28	(0)
23	0	Cincinnati Red Stockings	20	23	17	0.333	(76)	0.341	14	28	(0)
24	0	Cleveland Rock 'N Rollers	24	24	14	0.190	(163)	0.210	9	33	(1)

GLOSSARY

RNK - Overall Power Ranking +/- - Difference between this ranking and the team's last ranking BAT - Batting Rank

PIT - Pitching Rank

FLD - Fielding Rank

PCT - Actual Win Percentage rDIFF - Run Differential

PYTH - Expected Win Percentage xW - Expected Wins xL - Expected Losses

LUCK - Difference between actual wins and expected wins

OBSERVATIONS:

• As noted before, the OAKLAND OSPREY are winners of ten games in a row and haven't been defeated since the last edition of the rankings.  They have improved in every category, moving from 6th to 4th in batting, 9th to 7th in pitching, and 19th to 13th in fielding.  And despite owning an impressive 26-16 record, the numbers show the Osprey have been somewhat unlucky.  Their expected win percentage indicates they should be 28-14 at this point.
• Another team that is hot right now is the ATLANTA STONECUTTERS.  Fresh off their historic 24-5 drubbing of the defending champions, they have moved from 15th to 5th in the batting category.  They have actually improved in pitching and fielding as well, going from 19th to 17th in pitching and 8th all the way to 2nd in fielding.  Their improvements have vaulted them up nine full spots in the overall ranking into 7th overall.
• The NEW YORK RIPPERS felt the wrath of the Stonecutters in their most recent series, getting swept for the first time this season.  As a matter of fact, it was the first series defeat for New York through their first 15 series.  Despite their recent "struggles", the Rippers still grade out as the 2nd best pitching and defensive team in the league.  They also are tearing it up on the basepaths, on pace to swipe nearly 250 bags on the year.  They currently have stolen 69 bases which is 24 more than their closest competitor.  
• The BOSTON BEANEATERS continue their gradual slide down the rankings, dropping three spots into 5th overall.  They hold a 3-6 record since the last edition, and have dropped in all three ranked categories.
• The MBL's top hitting team, the BALTIMORE STOUTS, continue to be the league's luckiest team, winning two more games than they theoretically should have.  Regardless of luck or not, the team is on pace to shatter their own record for runs scored in a season.  At their current rate, the team would score 1083 runs to go along with 289 home runs.  The Stouts currently lead in runs per game, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS.  Their 25 stolen bases compared to just six caught ranks them 5th in the SB category.
• Their Continental Division rival, the MINNESOTA MILLERS, are having quite the strange season to date.  Owners of the best pitching team in all of the MBL, as well as the 4th best fielding team, the Millers bats have yet to get on track this year.  The team ranks dead last in batting average, 23rd in runs per game, 22nd in OBP, SLG and OPS.  All told they grade out 23rd overall in hitting.  Put it all together and they fall in at #11 overall, exactly where they ranked last time out.
• Another Continental Division team grades out as the unluckiest team in the league.  The LOS ANGELES DIABLOS currently sport a 13-29 record, but if luck was on their side, they would improve six games to 19-23.
• The MILWAUKEE PHANTOMS, the final Continental Division team, are playing surprisingly good ball recently, winners of seven of their last ten games.  Their success is based partly on their top rated defense.  They grade out just below average in both hitting and pitching and come in at #15 overall in the rankings.
• On the subject of defense, two teams are their own worst enemies.  The ST. LOUIS SLIDERS and the PITTSBURGH CRAWFORDS have booted their way to slow starts on the season.  The two teams are tied for last in the fielding category.  St. Louis ranks  last in fielding percentage and have allowed a league worst 41 runners to steal bases against them.  Pittsburgh, for their part, rank 23rd in fielding percentage and have only caught three would-be base-stealers in 22 attempts.  Overall, the Sliders come in at #16 in the standings while the Crawfords occupy the #18 spot.
• As noted in previous editions, the CLEVELAND ROCK 'N ROLLERS are struggling mightily.  They sport an 8-34 record and are on pace to lose over 130 games.  They grade out dead last in both the hitting and pitching categories.  A far cry from the 101 win team from just one year ago.
• The only other team to rank 21st or below in both hitting and pitching is the BROOKLYN BROKEN ARROW BUMS, who grade out 22nd in both categories.  Brooklyn actually ranks 20th or worse in every single hitting or pitching category graded except stolen base percentage.
• The defending champion COLORADO BRIAR JUMPERS are mired in a bit of a slump, losers of seven of their last ten.  They were the recipients of the historic 24-5 drubbing at the hands of Atlanta.  That game is in part responsible for the Briar Jumpers dropping from 3rd to 8th in the pitching category.  They also have fallen in the overall rankings, down six spots from 4th to 10th.
• Another team on the decline is the WASHINGTON SENATORS, who have dropped eight overall spots from 13th to 21st. 
• The NEW YORK BOMBERS are currently seven games under .500 with a 17-24 record.  Their prospects would definitely be brighter if their bullpen hadn't blown a whopping 13 games to date.  Their .409 save percentage ranks next to last in the league.
• On the other end of the spectrum is the WASHINGTON TRIBE, who's bullpen has accounted for a stunning 21-6 record with 16 saves so far, good for best in the league.  The Tribe pen has contributed to their #6 ranking in the pitching category.  Couple that with their #3 ranked hitting squad and they slot into the #4 spot overall.

RUST BELT DIVISION DISPLAYING HISTORIC FUTILITY

Almost a quarter of the way through the 2001 Millennium League season, and the team's in the Classic League's Rust Belt Division are already looking forward to 2002.  A division which saw three of it's members make the playoffs in 2000 are struggling mightily in 2001.  The only exception is the Detroit Buckeyes, who sit atop the standings with a 22-17 record to date.  They are 5.5 games ahead of their closest rival and are almost assured a spot in the 2001 playoffs considering the way the other three teams in the division are playing.

In second place sits the Pittsburgh Crawfords.  They are currently 18-24, but are coming off a stretch where they lost ten games in a row and 13 out of 15.  The team ranks 21st overall in team pitching, and dead last in the league in team fielding.

Right behind them are the Cincinnati Red Stockings, who are currently sporting a 14-28 record.  They have lost five games in a row.  This on the heels of a 13 game losing streak.  They have won only four of their last 25 games played.

Bringing up the rear, already 15.5 games behind first place Detroit, is the Cleveland Rock 'N Rollers.  Oh how the mighty have fallen.  Winners of 101 games and the Division Champs one year ago, Cleveland is poised to break the Minnesota Millers record of 113 losses in 2001.  The Rock 'N Rollers record is currently an abysmal 8-34, a .190 win percentage.  That puts them on pace to lose a whopping 130 games on the season.  Currently, they are riding a 15 game losing streak, longest in league history, and have lost 22 of the last 24 games they have played.

   

Rust Belt Division W L PCT GB Home Road RS RA Diff Streak L 10 Detroit Buckeyes 22 17 .564 - 12 - 6 10 - 11 242 200 +42 Lost 1 7 - 3 Pittsburgh Crawfords 18 24 .429 5.5 9 - 9 9 - 15 228 257 -29 Lost 1 4 - 6 Cincinnati Red Stockings 14 28 .333 9.5 8 - 10 6 - 18 195 271 -76 Lost 5 3 - 7 Cleveland Rock 'N Rollers 8 34 .190 15.5 3 - 15 5 - 19 173 336 -163 Lost 15 0 - 10