1. Sioux Metropolis Explorers (42-23, 1st, West)
Report final week: 2-1 @ Lincoln, 2-1 vs. Sioux Falls
It was one other take-care-of-business week for Sioux Metropolis, which capped off a heck of a primary half with a giant collection win towards rival Sioux Falls that would have gone both means. The Explorers haven’t misplaced a collection for the reason that finish of June in Winnipeg and so they lead the league in staff ERA (3.61) by a very good margin, due to having three of the highest eight starters within the league by way of ERA, together with reigning pitcher of the week Austin Drury.
2. Lake Nation DockHounds (38-24, 1st, East)
Report final week: 4-0 vs. Gary SouthShore, 3-0 @ Chicago
The most well liked staff within the American Affiliation going into the all-star break resides in Oconomowoc. The DockHounds ended the primary half on an eight-game profitable streak, together with what may very well be a collection that defines their season with a sweep on the highway in Chicago to place them a full 3.5 video games up. They continue to be a captivating staff on the stat sheet, rating third within the league in staff ERA (4.02) and simply sixth in staff batting common (.259) regardless of enjoying in a really hitter-friendly ballpark. All however one collection within the second half for Lake Nation is towards groups from the East, so that they nonetheless have loads of work to do to safe their first division title in membership historical past.
3. Sioux Falls Canaries (37-27, third, 4.5 GB in West)
Report final week: 3-0 vs. Winnipeg, 1-2 @ Sioux Metropolis
Regardless of the powerful collection loss in Sioux Metropolis, the Canaries have to enter the break feeling inspired about their means to cope with the 2 high canines within the West in Sioux Metropolis and Kansas Metropolis. What they’ll positively do is cope with them offensively, main the league with a .829 staff OPS due to having 5 gamers with 11 dwelling runs or extra. If they’ll enhance on the pitching aspect of issues within the second half, they’ll simply be within the dialog with the highest groups in both division.
4. Kansas Metropolis Monarchs (39-26, 2nd, 3 GB in West)
Report final week: 1-3 @ Fargo-Moorhead, 1-2 vs. Fargo-Moorhead (in Kansas Metropolis)
The RedHawks obtained the most effective of the Monarchs this week of their home-and-home collection, sweeping a doubleheader on Tuesday and really practically sweeping all seven video games they performed all through the week. Maybe most stunning concerning the week was the shortage of offense for the staff that also leads in staff batting common (.277) as they had been shutout as soon as and scored two runs or much less in 4 different video games. Going into the break down three within the division needs to be a disappointment for a staff which had a giant lead and will have halted the Explorers’ momentum final week, however there’s tons of expertise nonetheless on this staff to make a run at a title this season.
5. Cleburne Railroaders (33-31, third, 6 GB in East)
Report final week: 2-1 @ Kane County, 3-0 @ Milwaukee
Right here comes Cleburne! What every week on the highway for the Railroaders to get again above .500 and again within the dialog within the East. It may possibly by no means be understated for a staff over 1,000 miles away how powerful these week-long highway journeys will be and so they took care of enterprise whereas additionally furthering themselves within the standings from each Kane County and Milwaukee. Like typical Cleburne groups, they’ve a number of huge time sluggers in Kyle Martin who leads the league with 18 homers and reigning batter of the week in former main leaguer Aaron Altherr who leads the league with 57 RBI.
The submit July twenty second Energy Rankings appeared first on American Affiliation of Skilled Baseball.
