A look at the playoff race down the stretch

Entering Sunday's doubleheader, there were three different ties involving eight teams across the standings with about a dozen games remaining for most teams.

Green Lake holds the No. 1 seed (85-62) but only 1.5 games ahead of Sardine City (84-64) and 3.5 games ahead of Livingston (82-66) in the treacherous the Hobbs Division, where only one team is slightly under .500 (Hopatcong, 73-75).

On the other end, three teams are tied across the 6th through 8th seeds (Mountain Top, Poovey Farms, and Blue Ridge), with three more teams only 1/2 game back of them (Hoboken, Empire City, and Newark). 

		W	L	PCT		SoS
*1	GL	85	62	0.578		0.463
*2	SCS	84	64	0.568		0.495
*3	VAN	79	68	0.537		0.504
*4	TUC	79	68	0.537		0.512
5	LIV	82	66	0.554		0.506
6	MTN	78	70	0.527		0.494
7	POO	78	70	0.527		0.522
8	BR	78	70	0.527		0.486
9	HBK	77	70	0.524		0.509
10	EC	77	70	0.524		0.483
11	NWK	77	70	0.524		0.483

Four division winners make the playoffs followed by the next four teams with the best records. 

		W	L	PCT		SoS
*1	GL	85	62	0.578		0.463
10	EC	77	70	0.524		0.483
11	NWK	77	70	0.524		0.483
8	BR	78	70	0.527		0.486
6	MTN	78	70	0.527		0.494
*2	SCS	84	64	0.568		0.495
*3	VAN	79	68	0.537		0.504
5	LIV	82	66	0.554		0.506
9	HBK	77	70	0.524		0.509
*4	TUC	79	68	0.537		0.512
7	POO	78	70	0.527		0.522

 

Looking at the final stretch of the regular season, it would appear that Green Lake is in good shape, facing the weakest opponents of the bunch (.463). The Gators have only one team with a winning record left on their schedule, four games versus Poovey Farms, and then it's 11 games against four teams under. 500. They hold a 3 1/2 game lead on Livingston, which has among the strongest remaining opponents (.506). The Lords of Swing face three playoff contenders in 9 of their final 10 games (Hoboken, Vancouver, and Tucson). Even if they don't catch Green Lake, they could still be in good shape to nab a wild card spot, currently 4 games ahead of Mountain Top, Poovey Farms, and Blue Ridge.

Defending champion Empire City and Newark have a little ground to make up, sitting 1/2 game back of 3 teams tied for the 6th seed. That dog pile should shake out this week and both have the 2nd weakest schedule remaining (.483). But Blue Ridge, among the trio 1/2 game ahead of them, doesn't have a much stronger path remaining (.486) either.

		W	L	PCT		SoS
7	POO	78	70	0.527		0.522
*4	TUC	79	68	0.537		0.512
9	HBK	77	70	0.524		0.509
5	LIV	82	66	0.554		0.506
*3	VAN	79	68	0.537		0.504
*2	SCS	84	64	0.568		0.495
6	MTN	78	70	0.527		0.494
8	BR	78	70	0.527		0.486
10	EC	77	70	0.524		0.483
11	NWK	77	70	0.524		0.483
*1	GL	85	62	0.578		0.463

 

The teams with the strongest remaining schedule are both in the Paige Division and only 1 1/2 games apart.  Traded off some parts at the deadline must have changed the chemistry in Tucson because the King Snakes have been on a tear, going above .500 after July 1 and catching the Dairy Cows for the division lead. Tucson has 4 games against two teams with losing records (El Paso and Erie) sandwiched around 3 series versus playoff contenders (Empire City, Sardine, and wrapping up against Livingston). Poovey Farms faces Green Lake for 4 games, making for the strongest schedule remaining.

And if Hoboken wants to catch Vancouver for the Quisenberry Division, the Cutters will have to do it against 3 contenders (Livingston, Empire City, and Sardine City) after a four-game set versus Erie (57-91).