RFF Power Rankings: Week 4

For the first time this season, it’s not Harwich and Orleans in the top two spots. The Mariners remain No. 1 but the Firebirds’ 1-5 walk puts them behind Falmouth.

RANK	TEAM	RECORD	THE SKINNY
1	Harwich Mariners	16-6	After a rough end to week three, the Mariners quietly got back to their winning ways, going 4-1 in the last seven days. They’re not hitting home runs at the torrid pace they were earlier in the season and their team batting average is only seventh in the league, but they’re finding a way to get it done. Cool or hot, the lineup is still the most fearsome in the league.
2	Falmouth Commodores	13-9	Falmouth never seems to have a bad week. The Commodores went 3-2 in the last seven days and they remain the most balanced team in the league. Their ERA ranks second in the league and their team batting average is good for fifth. Falmouth also had three quality starts this week, with Craig Schlitter and Sean Hagan emerging as two of the best starters in the league.
3	Orleans Firebirds	14-9	Orleans was 13-4 this time last week but went 1-5 in the last seven days. They still have the second-best record in the league so they don’t tumble far here, but it was certainly a rough week. While the pitching staff still leads the league in ERA, Orleans gave up seven runs four times in the last week.
4	Y-D Red Sox	12-11	Y-D still hasn’t really gone on a hot streak yet, but their offensive strength keeps them just outside the upper echelon. The Red Sox are hitting .308 as a team, best in the league. Pitching is coming around more and more, with the Red Sox ranking fifth in the league in ERA.
5	Cotuit Kettleers	12-10	Cotuit makes the biggest jump the power rankings have seen all season, climbing up from eighth last week after a 4-1 stretch. Kevin Ziomek is a true ace for a pitching staff that is starting to get it done. On the other side, the Kettleers hit .381 for the week and they now rank second in the league in team batting average. The week also included two wins over Y-D.
6	Brewster Whitecaps	10-12	The streaks continue for the Whitecaps, who lost two to start the week but won their next three, including lopsided victories over Orleans and Falmouth. Tom Windle is emerging as an ace and the bats continue to shine. The Whitecaps have seven players hitting above .300 and they rank third in the league in hitting.
7	Chatham Anglers	11-11	Still not completely sure what to make of the Anglers. They have the lowest batting average in the league and have lost three in a row. But they also beat Brewster and Harwich this week and their team ERA is still good for third in the league. If they can hold steady and get hot at some point, they’ll be right in the mix.
8	Wareham Gatemen	10-12	The Gatemen had climbed up to fifth last week but a rough week coupled with Cotuit’s hot streak sends them right back down. Wareham went 1-4 in its last five, allowing 29 runs in the four losses. The offense is still very capable, but the Gatemen are having to out-slug people, and that’s tough to do every night.
9	Bourne Braves	7-15	The Braves leapfrog back over Hyannis thanks to a 3-2 week that included a win over first-place Falmouth. Mason Robbins is on fire and Colin Moran is steadily becoming one of the league’s most productive hitters.
10	Hyannis Harbor Hawks	6-16	The Harbor Hawks went 2-3 for the week despite hitting .291 as a team in the five games. Sean Manaea has been lights out and David Garner delivered a solid start this week, but the starting pitching beyond those two has been pretty inconsistent.