By IAN WILSON
Oh, the ups and downs of the baseball season.
The latest edition of the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) Power Rankings are here and, as expected, there’s been plenty of movement over the last week.
Teams from Alberta and Saskatchewan continue to jockey for 2024 summer collegiate supremacy.
Here’s a look at the current WCBL Power Rankings:
1. OKOTOKS DAWGS: With just one loss on the year, the Dawgs have a firm grasp on top spot in both the overall WCBL standings and the Power Rankings. Now sitting at 13-1, Okotoks has the best on-base percentage and earned run average (ERA) in the league.
2. REGINA RED SOX: The Sox are riding a six-game win streak that vaulted the team to first in the East Division. Regina has a 13-5 record and the club is the best in the WCBL at drawing walks. The Red Sox pitching staff also leads the division in ERA and strikeouts.
3. SYLVAN LAKE GULLS: Back-to-back losses to Regina bumped the 12-5 Gulls down a spot, but Sylvan Lake remains a force. No one in the league has produced more runs, doubles, stolen bases or a better batting average than the Lake Boys. They continue to receive strong pitching, as well.
4. MEDICINE HAT MAVERICKS: The Mavs fall out of the top three after losing the East Division lead to the Red Sox, but Medicine Hat is 7-3 over their last 10 games. Catcher Nick Thibodeau continues to pace the offence with a .408 batting average, five homers and 25 runs batted in (RBI) through his first 17 games this season.
5. LETHBRIDGE BULLS: Lethbridge has won three games in a row and the team now sports an 11-9 record. The Bulls lead the WCBL in hits and righty pitcher Donovan Gamez has been outstanding in his four starts, going 1-0 with 12 strikeouts and a 1.05 ERA in 17 innings.
6. MOOSE JAW MILLER EXPRESS: At 10-10, the Millers are looking to rise above their .500 record by putting together a winning streak. Moose Jaw has the best fielding percentage in the league, as well as the most hits, long balls, RBI and total bases in the East Division.
7. SASKATOON BERRIES: The Berries edge up another spot after seeing their stock rise more than any other club last week. At 7-10 on the season, Saskatoon sits in fourth place in the East Division, but they’ve gone 6-4 over their last 10 contests. Outfielders Carter Beck (.317 average, 12 RBI, four homers, six steals) and Payton McHarg (.313 average, nine RBI) have been offensive catalysts, while Wyatt Wiatrek (3.21 ERA, 17 Ks, 14 innings) and Cory Wouters (1-1, 3.46 ERA, 14 Ks, 13 innings) have done great work on the mound.
8. FORT McMURRAY GIANTS: The Giants continue to slip. Fort McMurray is in fourth spot in the West Division with a 8-10 record after a recent four-game losing skid dropped the club below the .500 mark. They’ll look to get back on track against the Edmonton Prospects this week, but an upcoming four-game homestand against the Dawgs could prove to be a major challenge.
9. WEYBURN BEAVERS: At 6-10, the Beavers will look to start moving up the East Division standings, as well as the Power Rankings. To do so, they’ll need infielder Ryan Muizelaar to continue to play well. The returning player has a .354 batting average, 11 RBI, 10 runs and four stolen bases over the course of 15 games this season. Weyburn will also lean on two-way star Ian Heck (1-1, 3.70 ERA, 20 Ks, 17 innings; .286 batting average, 11 RBI, 10 runs) to produce at the plate and on the mound.
10. BROOKS BOMBERS: The high-powered offence has the Bombers leading the WCBL in home runs, RBI and total bases, but the pitching needs to improve if Brooks wants to do better than a 5-12 record. The team’s pitching staff is tops in the league in strikeouts, but they also lead the circuit in wild pitches, earned runs and homers allowed.
11. SWIFT CURRENT 57’s: A recent visit to Mitchell Field from the Saskatoon Berries and their head coach, Joe Carnahan, provided the 57’s faithful with the opportunity to tip their caps to the former Swift Current player and skipper. As a member of the organization in Swift Current, Carnahan helped deliver six WCBL titles to the 57’s between 2001 and 2017. It was a reminder of how good the club once was. Now sitting at 4-11 and in last in the East Division, they’ve got some work to do to return to championship form.
12. EDMONTON PROSPECTS: After suffering five-straight losses, the Prospects have a 3-14 record, which has the team in last place in the West Division and WCBL standings. Edmonton will look to perform better in games this week against the Giants and Bulls. This weekend, the Prospects square off against the 57’s, the cellar dwellers of the East Division.
The WCBL Power Rankings are a weekly feature that examines how all 12 squads are playing. You can find the East and West Division standings, as well as team and individual statistics on the league’s website. The WCBL This Week: Red Arrow Report also provides weekly updates, highlights and analysis from around the league.
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