Minor League Monday: June 28, 2021

- Dawson Haywood

12 Weeks Left

#1 (-): Durham Bulls: (31-16) +3 -3 (Series: 6-1-1)

The Bulls are safe at the #1 spot this week despite tying their series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, who would likely be a middle of the pack team if they were from North Carolina. Their 6 series wins is the most impressive number on the board and has made it hard to logically put another team at #1. This is only the second time the Bulls have not won a series this season so it is doubtful that this will cool them down a bit and give other teams a chance to be #1. 

Weekly Titles: 6

#2 (-): Greensboro Grasshoppers: (28-20) +5 -1 (Series: 2-0-6)

The Grasshoppers are finally beginning to show signs that they could win this whole thing winning two of their last three series 5-1. Greensboro has taken a slow and steady approach up to this point but seem to be heating up and very well could start sprinting for first. Are they heating up too early is the question. This week the Grasshoppers will go up against the Bowling Green Hot Rods who are another team that has been hot for majority of the season. 

#3 (+1): Down East Wood Ducks (27-20) +3 -3 (Series: 4-2-2)

Though the Wood Ducks tied in their series against the now #4 Carolina Mudcats this week they finished the series in dominating fashion winning their last two games with a combined score 20-4. The Wood Ducks have remained a top team in North Carolina this season despite being one of the more inconsistent teams. With the middle of the season approaching the Wood Ducks do still have time to hit their stride and make their run for the Ok Listen Here State Title.

Weekly Titles: 1

#4 (-1): Carolina Mudcats (28-18) +3 -3 (Series: 3-2-3)

The Mudcats are a good team and have a good chance at finishing the season in the Top-3, they just need to win a few more series. Their performances in the last two games of the series against the Wood Ducks is what brought them down to #4, but their 28 individual game wins on the year keeps them in the Top-4. Hiccups from any of the #1-#3 teams could land them a solid spot in these power rankings. 

Weekly Titles: 1

#5 (-): Asheville Tourists (22-25) +4 -2 (Series: 4-3-1)

The Tourist are one of the more confusing teams on this list because even though they win most of their series they have a losing individual record which is why it is difficult to put them above a team like the Wood Ducks or the Mudcats. If they could get that individual game record above .500 they could seriously be in the running for #2 like the Grasshoppers, Wood Ducks, and Mudcats, who are all right their competing for that spot. They need to have a good outing against the now #10 Hickory Crawdads this upcoming week or they are likely to fall a few spots.

#6 (-): Charlotte Knights (18-28) +2 -4 (Series: 2-5-1)

Just when the Knights start to show signs of life they turn around a lose. Luckily, the teams in the bottom 4 have not proven that they belong in a position higher than #6 based off this last week's performance. Charlotte has the potential to be a Top-3 team but has been one of the biggest letdowns of the season. 

#7 (-): Winston-Salem Dash (22-26) +2 -4 (Series: 1-3-4)

The Dash are in baseball purgatory. They are not necessarily terrible but they aren't good either. This is another team that is slightly confusing because their 22-26 overall record does not indicate that they should have a 1-3-4 series record. Every other team with a minimum of 20 wins has just as many or more wins than they do either ties or losses. The Dash could be a top team in the State but they have to win a few series in order to be considered such. They should be a Top-5 team and this week's matchup against the Greenville Drive gives Winston-Salem the chance to prove that they can compete. 

#8 (+2): Kannapolis Cannon Ballers: (15-32) +4 -2 (Series: 2-5-1)

Wow!!! The Cannon Ballers have finally removed themselves from the #10 spot after 8 weeks of baseball! This is the third week in a row that the Cannon Ballers have not lost a series and the second week in a row that they have won a series. They still have a long season ahead of them but this run that they are going on keeps them competitive and not stuck at the bottom of the barrel anymore. 

#9 (-): Fayetteville Woodpeckers: (17-29) +2 -4 (Series: 2-5-1)

The Woodpeckers fall to a Kannapolis team that seems to be heating up as we near the middle of the season. Could this be a sign of things to come for the Fayetteville team? They have been unable to put together a good run for the entire season and only have little stints where they show signs of life. 

​#10 (-2): Hickory Crawdads (17-31) +2 -4 (Series: 0-5-3)

The Crawdads are our new #10 team. They are the only team in the state that has yet to win a series and aside of the Cannon Ballers who are heating up they have one of the worst individual game records in the State. Could the Crawdads be the Cannon Ballers 2.0 and be stuck at the bottom of the barrel for weeks to come? Something needs to change and it needs to change quick before the second half of the season begins. 

Last Week's Results
#1: Durham Bulls (28-13) (Series: 6-1)
#2 (+1): Greensboro Grasshoppers: (23-19) (Series: 1-0-6)
#3 (+2): Carolina Mudcats: (25-15) (Series: 3-2-2) 
#4 (-2) Down East Wood Ducks (24-17) (Series 4-2-1)
#5 (-1): Asheville Tourists: (18-23) (Series: 3-3-1)
#6 (+1): Charlotte Knights: (16-24) (Series: 2-4-1)
#7 (-1): Winston-Salem Dash: (20-22) (Series: 1-2-4)
#8 (-): Hickory Crawdads: (15-27) (Series: 0-4-3)
#9 (-): Fayetteville Woodpeckers: (15-25) (Series: 2-4-1)
#10 (-): Kannapolis Cannon Ballers: (11-30) (Series: 1-5-1)