Week 1: Anglers On Top

The top two spots are easy. The rest? That’s where it gets interesting. The group from three to seven are all pretty even.

RANK	TEAM	RECORD	THE SKINNY
1	Chatham Anglers	6-1	The Anglers’ 6-0 start was the best by any Cape League team since the 2007 Y-D Red Sox. It ended Wednesday, but certainly not with a thud – Bourne beat them 1-0. Chatham leads the league in team batting average and ERA, making them an easy choice for the top spot. They’ve also beaten Cotuit, the only other contender for No. 1.
2	Cotuit Kettleers	6-1	The Kettleers weren’t going to surpass Chatham in the first rankings, not with a 5-4 loss to the Anglers on their resume, but that is their only loss. They rank third in the league in batting average and third in ERA. They also lead the league in runs scored, home runs and extra-base hits, and they’re tied for second in strikeouts. Those categories make me think the Kettleers have the chance to be explosive, in addition to being steady.
3	Orleans Firebirds	3-3	The Firebirds’ record isn’t all that impressive, but there are reasons to think they’ll be a contender. Their pitching staff has a surprisingly high 3.02 ERA but ranks second in strikeouts and owns the league’s best strikeout-to-walk ratio. On the offensive side, they’re hitting .230 but rank third in extra-base hits, behind only Cotuit and Chatham.
4	Bourne Braves	3-4	The Braves are under .500, but have won three in a row since an 0-4 start, including a shutout of previously unbeaten Chatham on Wednesday. Bourne has the second-best team ERA in the league. With Austin Gomber and Ryan Kellogg now in the fold, the pitching staff should be getting even better. Offensively, the Braves just need more production. They’ve only scored 16 runs despite 56 hits.
5	Falmouth Commodores	3-4	The Commodores have been up-and-down so far but they have a lot of characteristics of a team that can be one of the best in the league. The middle of the order has been steady and Falmouth ranks third in the league in runs scored. The team ERA is over three, but Falmouth leads the league in strikeouts.
6	Harwich Mariners	3-3	Harwich looked like one of the most talented team in the league in the preseason, and even with some losses to Team USA, it’s a strong-looking roster. It hasn’t all come together yet, but the Mariners do rank fourth in ERA. Offense has been an issue. Their team batting average is only .214 and they’ve been held to a total of three runs in their three losses.
7	Y-D Red Sox	3-4	The Red Sox are sitting just behind Chatham in the team batting average rankings, but the difference is production. Y-D has just eight extra-base hits for a slugging percentage of .291. The pitching staff has had some struggles, with a 3.66 ERA, but starting pitching has been solid.
8	Hyannis Harbor Hawks	3-2	Hyannis started 3-0 and still has a winning record, but the Harbor Hawks have come crashing to earth in their last two games, losing 10-0 to Chatham and 7-0 to previously winless Brewster. The Harbor Hawks are hitting a league-worst .180 and the pitching staff ranks seventh in team ERA.
9	Wareham Gatemen	1-5	The defending champs are trying to hold it together with a lot of their roster in Omaha, and it’s been a tough go. The pitching staff has been middle of the road, which keeps them out of the bottom spot on the rankings, but the offense has struggled mightily. The Gatemen have just one extra-base hit in six games.
10	Brewster Whitecaps	1-5	The Whitecaps broke into the win column on Wednesday, but it’s certainly been a tough start. Their 3.78 ERA ranks last in the league and their .209 team batting average is just eighth.