Hard to believe we’re three days from the end of the 2022 VBL season already- feels like we started just a few days ago. Let’s take one last crack at power rankings for this bunch.

Stats: Team record, runs scored-runs allowed, batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage, team ERA, walks/strikeouts and innings pitched, last week’s ranking, and then something about the team that seems important.

The Best of the League

  1. Waynesboro: 24-14, 240-181 RS-RA, .274/.398/.416, 4.03, 149/307 BB/K, #1 last time. Zac Cole has just been named the Head Coach at Florida Southwestern- congratulations!- and this is the way to go out, with the (arguably) strongest team in the league. The offense is the best at all three rate stats, and ERA is third, and all of that puts the Generals at #1.
  2. Harrisonburg: 24-14, 240-184, .259/.366/.384, 159/228 BB/K, #5 last time. Michael Rosario has thrown his hat into the MVP ring. The staff is second in the league in ERA, but interestingly is last in strikeouts.
  3. Charlottesville: 24-14, 232-174, .259/.379/.380, 4.27, 192/328 BB/K, #8 last time. Do I actually believe the South owns the best three teams right now? Yeah, I guess so! The offense has three super bats- Christian Martin, Carter Cunningham, and Cole Wagner. The C’s have it.
  4. Woodstock: 22-15, 191-134, .249/.341/.333, 3.21, 134/272 BB/K, #2 last time. The best pitching staff in the league by a pretty fair margin- will the bats produce enough?

The Middle

5. Strasburg: 21-18, 205-205, .244/.366/.326, 4.16, 185/361 BB/K, #4 last time. Such an interesting makeup for a team in Strasburg- that slugging percentage is usually much higher. The team got a bump from Zane Denton arriving, and Cam Clonch has been hitting well.

6. Purcellville: 16-21, 177-201, .237/.342/.335, 4.13, 175/350 BB/K, #9 last time. The lineup strikes out an awful lot, but is also third in home runs. The team ERA is fourth, and the team is 6-4 in its last ten- this is a dangerous team.

7. New Market: 19-20, 197-206, .246/.353/.332, 4.54, 178/317 BB/K, #3 last time. Garret Wallace is back and hitting for power.

8. Covington: 18-21, 195-230, .262/.354/.344, 5.24, 188/267 BB/K, #7 last time. The South’s last playoff qualifier in one of the best hitting teams, but one of the highest ERA’s, too.

Work to Do

9. Winchester: 14-22, 169-188, .248/.342/.350, 4.26, 164/290 BB/K, #6 last time. 4-11 in their last 15, the Royals have endured a change to their start times because of a damaged light standard, a game cancelled because of suspicious packages…

10. Front Royal: 13-26, 176-269, .223/.340/.280, 6.05, 194/289 BB/K, #11 last time. At the bottom of the league in hitting, team ERA, and team record, but the team is still alive in the playoff chase.

Eliminated

11. Staunton: 15-25, 199-249, .242/.344/.336, 5.16, 212/308 BB/K, #12 last time. Joe Delossantos still leads the league in home runs and RBIs, but the team was eliminated from playoff contention just last night. (Would slot them #10 overall.)