Minor League Monday: May 24. 2021

Author: Dawson Haywood

Last Week's Standings
1. Carolina Mudcats 
2. Down East Wood Ducks
3. Durham Bulls 
4. Greensboro Grasshoppers 
5. Asheville Tourists 
6. Winston-Salem Dash 
7. Charlotte Knights 
8. Hickory Crawdads 
9. Fayetteville Woodpeckers 
10. Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 

#1 (+1) Down East Wood Ducks (13-5) (Series 2-0-1) 
Weekly Titles: 1

The Wood Ducks are the only remaining undefeated team (series record) with a win on this list after the Mudcats losses this past week. The Woodies sit atop of the Low-A East division in front of the #3 Carolina Mudcats by 3 games.  With the success of the team this upcoming week they may find themselves on cruise control as they enter a series against the Fredericksburg Nationals, who have only won a single game this year. 

#2 (+1) Durham Bulls (12-6) (Series 2-1)
Weekly Titles: 1

The Bulls bounced back from their last week's performance dominating their in-state-rivals, the Charlotte Knights, 5-1 in the series. If this momentum continues, the Bulls could find themselves back on top of the standings despite the Wood Duck's undefeated performance. The Bulls will be tested this coming week as they face the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, who defeated them and pushed them off the top of the standings.

#3 (-2) Carolina Mudcats (10-8) (Series 1-1-1)
Weekly Titles: 1

The Mudcats were knocked off the podium by the Delmarva Shorebirds, who have yet to lose a series. The Mudcats are very much still in contention for the top position as they have proven that they can run with the best. This could just be a minor setback for Carolina. They move into this week facing the #10 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. We can expect a dominating performance by the Mudcats and expect the club to be 2-0-1 against North Carolina teams at the conclusion of this coming week.

#4 (+1) Asheville Tourists (8-9) (Series 2-1)
Weekly Titles: 0

The Tourist find themselves moving up in the standings after their successful series against the Greenville Drive. Though they have lost one series they have proven that they can win, which is why they have switched places with the #5 Greensboro Grasshoppers this week. 

#5 (-1) Greensboro Grasshoppers (9-9) (Series 0-0-3)
​Weekly Titles: 0

The Grasshoppers have yet to be defeated in a series but also have yet to win a series. The Grasshoppers give up their #4 spot to the Tourists because they need to prove that they can actually win a series. Two of their series have been with the #7 Hickory Crawdads. This week they go on to play the Wilmington Blue Rocks who are also 9-9 currently this season. A successful series could set them up to crack into the Top-4 once again.

#6 (-) Winston-Salem Dash (9-9) (Series 1-2)
​Weekly Titles: 0

The Dash struggled this week against the Jersey Shore BlueClaws as they lost the series 2-4. The Dash are heading into this week with another series against the #7 Hickory Crawdads, who they nearly swept in their last series. If the Dash can win this series in dominating fashion they could find themselves in the Top-5 depending on the performance of the top 5 teams. 

#7 (+1) Hickory Crawdads (7-11) (Series 0-1-2)
​Weekly Titles: 0

The Crawdads are heading into the week against the #6 Dash. They have yet to win a series but have tied in both of their series against the #5 Grasshoppers. Between the Dash, Crawdads, and Grasshoppers the standings could change significantly at the conclusion of this week. A win against the Dash, who have dominated them before, and a poor performance by the Grasshoppers could jump the Crawdads up two spots.

#8 (-1) Charlotte Knights (7-11) (Series 1-2)
​Weekly Titles: 0

The Knights have moved down in this weeks rankings below the Crawdads even though they are in a higher division than the Crawdads, have the same record, and have won a series because they were nearly swept this past week by the #2 Durham Bulls. This week they will play in a series against the Norfolk Tides, who have only won 4 games this season. This is a must win series as the #9 Woodpeckers are lurking to get out of that #9 position. 

#9 (-) Fayetteville Woodpeckers (9-9) (Series 1-1-1)
​​Weekly Titles: 0

The Woodpeckers are gaining momentum as they have won 8 of their last 12 games. They are still stuck at #9 because the teams they have played have been teams that they should beat. They move into the week with a series against the Charleston RiverDogs, who have a 9-9 record on the year. 

#10 (-) Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (2-16) (Series 0-3)
​Weekly Titles: 0

The Cannon Ballers continue to struggle against opponents three weeks into the season. There is one team in all of Minor League Baseball that has less wins than the Cannon Ballers, the Fredericksburg Nationals. After nearly getting swept by an out of state team, the Columbia Fireflies, they will face the #3 Carolina Mudcats this upcoming week. The Cannon Ballers have to find a way to win more than one game in a series and have to find some sort of momentum. For the time being, they have secured their position at the bottom of these standings unless they turn things around.