RFF Power Rankings: Week 7

It’s the second-to-last edition of the power rankings, and there’s a first-timer in the top spot.

RANK	TEAM	RECORD	THE SKINNY
1	Cotuit Kettleers	25-12	I’ve been a little slow to get on the Cotuit bandwagon, but I think it’s time. The Kettleers have won 10 games in a row — the longest streak by any team this season — and have won 17 of 19 since July 5. That doesn’t happen by accident. Cotuit has turned into a dynamic offensive team, the bullpen has been outstanding and the players seem to have really embraced this run and the goals it’s brought within reach.
2	Y-D Red Sox	21-17	The Red Sox haven’t been hot for a while now and went 2-2 this past week, but their offense still isn’t slowing down much. The Red Sox are hitting .306 with a league-best 243 runs scored. The reason for leap-frogging Harwich is their pitching. Y-D got three really good starts this week and took hard-luck losses in two of them. If Ben Lively, Andrew Thurman and Alex Gonzalez keep it up, this team will be tough to beat.
3	Harwich Mariners	23-14	Since going 11-2 to start the year, the Mariners have gone 12-12, and it’s catching up with them a bit. Harwich went 2-2 on the week and, with Cotuit scorching, the Mariners saw their season-long stranglehold on the league’s best record finally run out. The Mariners are probably going to break the Cape League’s team home run record — they need just three more — and there’s still a lot of talent here. There are red flags, though. The team is hitting .244, ninth in the league, and has struck out more than any team in the league. The pitching staff saw its ERA rise to 4.49 this week.
4	Orleans Firebirds	21-16	Orleans has had the best ERA in the league all season and it continues to be the team’s defining quality. Even in its only loss this past week, Orleans pitched pretty well. For the Firebirds, it’s not about dominant starters or lights-out bullpens — everybody is just steady, and that’s a pretty good starting point for success. The offense had a pretty good week of its own, scoring 19 runs in three games.
5	Falmouth Commodores	18-19	Last week, I wrote that the Commodores — then mired in an eight-game losing streak — still had in them their strong play from the beginning of the season. This week, the Commodores found it, snapping the skid and going 4-0. The pitching set the tone. Sean Hagan almost threw a no-hitter and settled for a complete-game shutout. Craig Schlitter and John Simms turned in dominant starts, as well, and five pitchers combined on a shutout of Bourne. Provided they make the playoffs, the Commodores are going to be a team whose record you throw out when you evaluate the postseason.
6	Wareham Gatemen	17-20	We’re still waiting for the Gatemen to really put things together, but I still wouldn’t want to run into them in the playoffs, either. The lineup is as powerful as any this side of Harwich. Pitching remains the concern. Wareham actually got some quality performances this week, but the inconsistency was there, as well.
7	Chatham Anglers	17-20-1	The Anglers went 0-3-1 for the week and have won just two of their last 12 games. They’ll have to heat up at the right time if they want to make a playoff run. Their ability to trot out Mike Wagner and Ryan Thompson in a playoff series gives them a leg up on the teams below. Andrew Knapp has been a bright spot on offense, with a .385 average and two home runs in the last seven days.
8	Hyannis Harbor Hawks	14-22	Hyannis dropped below Bourne in the standings thanks to an 0-4 week and they have a tough schedule remaining that includes two games against Y-D. I have no idea who to predict as the final playoff team in the West, but for the purposes of the rankings, Sean Manaea and David Garner give the Harbor Hawks the edge.
9	Bourne Braves	15-22	Bourne took a hit with the loss of Mason Robbins but did go 2-2 for the week. The Braves hold a one-game lead on Hyannis for the fourth and final playoff spot. They got their best pitching performance of the year on Sunday as Jeff Thompson threw a six-inning no-hitter in a rain-shortened game. Still, I’m not entirely sure what to make of this team.
10	Brewster Whitecaps	14-22-1	Brewster had another rough week, going 1-3-1. The Whitecaps have won two of their last eight games and though their offense continues to rank third in the league in hitting, it’s been a tough go overall.