November Power Rankings

		Coffee Time
		by Carl Coffee

Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I love power rankings whether they are during the season or in early November. Releasing the rosters has given me the itch again. Right now I believe there are 3-4 powerhouse teams, but never before have I seen such a cluster in the middle. The 2014 season has the potential to be the most wide open in league history.

10. King Friday Richard Hurd is the only returning member of the 2013 King Friday team that was actually pretty competitive. He is bringing back six guys from his 2012 team and each of them is a one star player. It’s not about winning for this team, they just enjoy playing. I do think there are some bright spot on this team though. Tristan Birotte was decent in 2012 on the mound but I think the star of this team will be Ryan Hurd Jr. He showed some signs two years ago, and will now return bigger, stronger and better. I am glad this team is back, but I don’t see them anywhere else but #10 all season.

9. Oakland County Onanism It is really hard to predict this team. It reminds me of the 2012 Belgian Wiffles, and how clueless I was on how well they would actually be. Kiefer Haffey is very enthusiastic about his team and he did have a very nice rookie season, but I have no idea who anyone else is. Apparently his team is full of baseball players so I expect they will do alright at the plate. But as everyone knows, it will come down to pitching. This team could be full of rookie of the year candidates, or they could be full of duds. Until we see them play, I really can’t put them anywhere but #9.

8. Islanders When you look at the Islanders roster, it really isn’t that bad. This team will compete for a playoff spot but they do have some holes. After Mundel, their pitching really drops off. Linebrink and Murtha can both throw and will likely alternate starts as the #2, but they are both coming off bad seasons. The reason this team can compete is because Will Mundel is capable of winning any game he starts. It may sound crazy, but after Austin and Skinner, I think Mundel is right there as the top pitcher. Besides a #2 pitcher, their biggest question mark is hitting. Andrew Mott and Daniel Egan are both above average at the plate, but they aren’t always reliable. It should be a fun season though for these guys now that they have Mundel from start to finish.

7. Belgian Wiffles I do like how this team was put together, but the truth is I have no clue how well Belgian will perform. A lot is riding on the arms of rookies Stephen Farkas and Travis Strojny. They will be a part of a rotation that also includes Nick Braden. Josh Nagorski signed as well and will provide a very reliable bat. If the rookie arms do prove their worth I truly believe this team can compete for a playoff spot. If not, this could be a long season for a team coming off only four wins.

6. Flying Squirrels I absolutely love the way Sessions put this team together. It has the perfect combination of veteran leadership mixed with two rookies who have huge potential. The Squirrels will be in it until the end. Ryan Bullard and Ryan Alexia will anchor the left side of the field and all they do at the plate is get on base. Hewlett proved his worth at the plate with the black bats and also gives the Squirrels a solid pitching option. The other pitchers will be Adam Cosby and Kevin Doby. Doby had a nice showing in the September tournament and Cosby is rumored to have better availability in 2014. This team will be near .500 all season, and will be right there in the playoff race.

5. Wolfpack Jason Hollister quietly assembled a very athletic team. Nicco Lollio went from being another piece of the puzzle with El Diablos, to the centerpiece of the Wolfpack. No one is questioning this team’s ability to hit, but they will go as far as their pitching takes them. Mark Brannan was the ace of the Belgian Wiffles last year, and was then put in the King Friday rotation after being traded. No pitcher saw more innings than Mark in 2013, so you have to believe he will be the ace of the Wolfpack. The #2 spot in the rotation looks to be Andrew Piasecki. Lollio can also give you innings, but Hollister, Greg Brannan and Dancza are not pitchers. It really scares me to rank them at #5 with all of the question marks, but I had to put someone here.

4. Holy Balls The Holy Balls were the biggest surprise in 2013 and although I feel they got better on paper, will the chemistry be there in 2014? Their 6th roster spot is rumored to be Phillip Morris, who would add pitching depth to a team full of pitchers. Dennis Pearson doesn’t need an introduction. He provides the most feared power bat in the game and will be most likely be the ace. Paquin, Corbett, and Morris (if he signs) will compete for the #2 spot in the rotation. Chris Lewis is saying he will have a bigger role next season, and Dylan Braden gives this team another big bat. These guys lost a lot of talent in free agency, but you have to be impressed with Paquin’s signings this offseason. They reloaded quickly.

3. Westside Warriors The 97 Marlins…I mean the Westside Warriors went all out this offseason in hopes of winning a title. Alex Shore is hungry and could almost taste it last year after Sam Hatt returned from injury. If you could promise me Hatt and Bortmas would show up consistently and start 20 games combined, this team may have got the #1 ranking. Hatt lives in Chicago and no one ever knows where Bortmas lives. Lost in the shuffle is David Castle, who will be called upon a lot this season. Woods and Voustos add speed and solid hitting, but in the end I see the Warriors as a wildcard team.

2. Whiteford Wicked Aces Am I an idiot for ranking an Austin Bischoff team #2? Do I really want to motivate him and make him angry? Eh, oh well. I just don’t know about the Aces in 2014. Bortmas is gone. Crozier’s availability is unknown. Hughes (if he signs) is always a question mark. Their core three are Fisher, Little E, and Austin, who are all top 10 pitchers in the league. I believe that 4th spot in the lineup will be a revolving door. This team will still compete for a title and in no way do I think they will struggle, but I also don’t see them winning 25 games again.

1. El Diablos No disrespect to the two-time champs, but I believe 2014 will be the year of the Fighting Chickens. Losing Lollio doesn’t hurt as much as the Aces losing Bortmas, but it does sting a little. Their 6th roster spot will be a rookie, and even if he isn’t Nicco 2.0, they still have a ridiculous top four guys. Skinner/Chandler may be the most dangerous 1-2 punch in the league. Most of these guys now have two years of WSEM experience under their belts, so I believe their 3rd time (year) will be the charm.