Two series are complete, and the league is beginning to sort itself out. Here is where all 10 clubs stand entering Series 3.
Orlando sits last in the standings at 1-5 with a -22 run differential. While they have faced two solid teams in the Razorbacks and the Tsunami, they have not put up much of a fight. They have scored more than five runs only once this season, a 10-6 win in their second game against the Razorbacks, and they have allowed at least five runs in every game so far. They are not scoring efficiently or consistently, and they are giving up runs at a high rate. If there is a positive to take away, it is that the top of the lineup has produced. Rogers Hornsby, Cool Papa Bell, and Willie Mays all have an OPS+ over 100. The problem is that no one else in the lineup does.
Technically, El Paso sits ahead of Sacramento in the standings because of a better run differential, but the Peanuts have also played the easier schedule. Getting swept by a previously winless Glendale team does not help their case. This is a club that could be looking at changes in the pitching rotation soon. Their three starters, Lefty Grove, Eddie Plank, and Cy Young, all have ERAs above 6.00. If there is a silver lining, they could easily be 2-4 if not for Joe Nathan blowing a save in the first game of the series against Glendale.
As the final 1-5 team on the board, Sacramento lands at No. 8. They have played what look like the two best teams in the league so far, Anaheim and Manhattan, so there is some curve built into this ranking. Still, the offense has to improve over the next few series if the Bears want to stay in the mix. Sammy Sosa has been ridiculous, with six home runs in six games and the league’s best OPS at 1.763, but outside of him there has not been enough production. Ryne Sandberg is the only other regular sitting at even a 100 OPS+. The rotation has had many of the same issues as El Paso’s, with Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan, and Bert Blyleven all carrying ERAs above 7.00.
Glendale has been a team of extremes through two series. This is the same club that got swept by Indianapolis to open the year and then turned around and swept El Paso, finishing that series with a comfortable 11-4 win. Maybe they are just starting to find their footing. Josh Gibson has been the star of the offense, posting a 1.636 OPS through six games, which is second best in the league. On the other hand, Arky Vaughan has a .312 OPS and Bill Dahlen sits at .317. Those are two of the five worst OPS marks in the league so far, with the other three belonging to Orlando hitters. Upcoming series against Atlanta, Orlando, and Kansas City should tell us a lot more about where Glendale belongs.
This spot was close between Atlanta and Kansas City, but Kansas City gets the edge for now after winning the head-to-head series. Atlanta has shown that it has a steady lineup, with five players carrying an OPS+ above 100. The hitters struggling most are also the ones you would expect to bounce back, namely Joe DiMaggio and Johnny Bench. Aside from a couple of rough pitching outings from Felix Hernandez and Urban Shocker, the Razorbacks’ staff looks like one of the better groups in the league.
Kansas City has done a nice job weathering injuries early. Babe Ruth, Johnny Mize, and Gabby Hartnett have all missed time, which has tested the depth of the lineup. Their next series is against Orlando before the schedule gets tougher against some of the league’s top teams. Right now, they still feel like a team in progress until everyone is back and healthy. That said, being 4-2 with a +2 run differential despite those absences is impressive.
This might feel aggressive for a 3-3 team with a -5 run differential that currently sits sixth in the standings, but Boise has played six competitive games against two of the league’s top three teams. The lineup has real depth, with 10 home runs already coming from six different players, and the front-end pitching has been excellent. Roger Clemens, in particular, has shoved with a 2.57 ERA. The schedule eases up a bit with upcoming series against El Paso, Atlanta, and Orlando, so Boise now has a real chance to make up ground and separate itself from the teams below.
Indianapolis is living up to its nickname. This speedy club leads the league in stolen bases with 13 through six games. The top of the lineup has been outstanding, with Rickey Henderson and Ty Cobb both sporting OPS marks above .900 and each swiping four bases. The Racers did struggle to score against Boise, putting up just six total runs in three games, but they have a good opportunity to get the offense rolling again in the next series against Sacramento.
Nearly every metric says Manhattan has the best offense in the league right now. The Liberty lead in batting average (.295), OPS (.879), and home runs (16). They took two of three from both Boise and Sacramento, and the bats have been driving the team. Barry Bonds and Bobby Grich have both been on heaters, with four home runs apiece. The one concern is Randy Johnson, who has allowed 12 runs in 12 innings across his two starts. If he gets back on track, it is hard not to view Manhattan as a serious contender by season’s end.
A bit anticlimactic, maybe, but the undefeated Tsunami have earned the top spot. Anaheim has scored the second-most runs in the league with 33 while allowing just 10 through six games. There is not an obvious weakness here, though strength of schedule is the one question worth mentioning since their wins have come against Orlando and Sacramento. That changes quickly with Manhattan up next. We are about to get a much better idea of how the top two teams stack up against each other. For now, though, it is hard to argue against a team that already owns a two-game lead over the next-best club in the standings through just six games. Team MVP so far is Christy Mathewson, who has allowed only one total run in 13 innings over his two starts.