By IAN WILSON
The more things stay the same, the more they’re ready for change.
There’s little movement in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) Power Rankings this week, compared to last week, but the potential for more risers and fallers remains.
While the top four spots are secure for now, there has been some change in the middle of the standings.
Let’s take a closer look:
1. SYLVAN LAKE GULLS: The Gulls are in first place in the WCBL with a 31-9 record after 40 games. Equally important, they beat their rivals – the Okotoks Dawgs – for the first time this season. Sylvan Lake won two of three games against the Dawgs this past week and went 8-2 over their last 10 games.
2. OKOTOKS DAWGS: It was a bit of a rough week for the Dawgs, who lost three games in a row for the first time all summer and yielded first place in the West Division to the Gulls. Okotoks has a .500 record in their past 10 contests.
3. REGINA RED SOX: The Red Sox have done enough to maintain their hold on top spot in the East Division at 26-13, but the Mavericks are now visible in the rearview mirror.
4. LETHBRIDGE BULLS: Winners of five in a row and seven of their last 10, the Bulls have a stanglehold on third place in the West Division and they are setting their sights even higher. Can they catch the Dawgs or the Gulls down the stretch?
5. Medicine Hat Mavericks: The Mavs move up a spot in the Power Rankings after winning six of their last seven contests. That run put them within two games of the East Division lead. Medicine Hat rode a strong second half to the WCBL championship final in 2023. Will they be able to replicate that this year?
6. MOOSE JAW MILLER EXPRESS: The Millers seem to be secure in a playoff spot in the East Division, but they are 5-5 over their last 10 games and the Saskatoon Berries are threatening to overtake their third-place divisional position.
7. SASKATOON BERRIES: A pair of recent victories have the Berries hovering around the .500 mark at 19-20 on the season. Saskatoon appears to have a lock on the fourth and final postseason berth in the East, but a strong end-of-season push could improve their place in the standings.
8. BROOKS BOMBERS: The Bombers rise one spot in the Power Rankings and are edging closer to the Fort McMurray Giants in the race for the final playoff spot in the West Division. The Bomb Squad has won three of their last four games, including two huge victories over the Dawgs.
9. FORT McMURRAY GIANTS: A five-game losing streak has the Giants in danger of losing their West Division playoff spot to the Bombers. Can Fort Mac right the ship and hold off their challengers? The Giants face a major test this week with road games against Brooks, Lethbridge and Okotoks.
10. SWIFT CURRENT 57’s: At 12-27 on the season and 4-6 in their last 10 games, the 57’s will need to string more wins together if they hope to challenge for a place in the WCBL postseason.
11. EDMONTON PROSPECTS: The last-place team in the West Division has won just two of their last 10 contests, but those victories came over the Gulls and the Dawgs. If the Prospects can rise to their level of their opponents in the weeks ahead, they’ll be able to put together a strong finish to the season.
12. WEYBURN BEAVERS: Weyburn was finally able to snap their 17-game losing streak with a recent win over Regina. The Beavers followed that up with a triumph over Moose Jaw before dropping their last two games. Is their enough in the tank to find more wins and play spoiler in the WCBL playoff hunt?
The WCBL Power Rankings are a weekly feature from Access Storage and Sentinel Storage 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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