By Evan Blair, Operations Intern

The first week of the Potomac League brought great baseball and a lot of rain to Capital One Park. Games were delayed and postponed, but with the help of some creative scheduling, all games were completed. Previously, I ranked the Gators #1 in the preseason poll and the Bunt Cakes #3. Let’s look at how things have changed in the power rankings at the end of week one.
 
 
#7 Bunt Cakes
     
      Unfortunately, the Bunt Cakes could not figure out their offense or defense this week as they went 0-3. The team has a batting average of .135 and an OBP of .256. Last week I said speed, coaching, and young energy would lead to this team’s success, but none have proved to play a big role in the Bunt Cakes’ short season, so far.
 
The Bright Side: The coaching for the Bunt Cakes is a combination of fun, teaching, and a serious desire to win. These are all factors that are necessary to win a long summer league, filled with hot games and rain delays. If this team can stay positive and keep a winning mentality, there is no doubt the Bunt Cakes will end up a top seed in the tournament.
 
#6 Rough Riders
 
       Although the Rough Riders have had a great start to the season at 2-1, their success will not last for long. The Rough Riders are a solid team with good arms and a decent offense, but in the coming week it will be tough to maintain their positive start to the season. The Red Foxes, Yard Dogs, Bunt Cakes, and Gators are all lined up to play the Rough Riders. They would have to outperform multiple top teams to win more than 1 game in the coming week.
 
            The Bright Side: The Rough Riders have great arms in Ryan Dudak and Cole Snead, as well as a hot bat in JJ Mulhern. Any team can get hot, but if the Rough Riders start a winning streak, the rest of the league should be on the lookout.
 
#5 Hot Wings
 
            The Hot Wings have had an at best, okay start to the year. The hitting has been shaky, and pitching has been good, but the Hot Wings have struggled to piece it all together. After losing today to a great Gators team, the Hot Wings dropped to 1-2.
 
The Bright Side: The Hot Wings do not fall any further because of their great lineup, led by Brendan Cecka and Jake Slade. The Hot Wings are led by Morgan Spencer, a great coach with a long history of winning, so it won’t be long until the Hot Wings start to catch fire.
 
#4 Yard Dogs
      
            A great start to the season has Coach Carroll’s squad at 2-2. The Yard Dogs have had massive help from their pitching, but have also been aided by other teams’ blunders. The Yard Dogs will need to pick it up offensively, but otherwise, the team has been solid all-around.
 
            The Bright Side: The Yard Dogs are a scrappy team and one that could be in contention come playoff time. Carson Carroll has a knack for winning and a great pitching staff. If the hitting can continue to be consistent and the pitching stays dominant, the Yard Dogs will make a postseason run in late July.
 
#3 Chili Dogs
 
            With a record of 2-1, better than the Yard Dogs and Gators, the Chili Dogs only move up one rank. Why? The Chili Dogs are a good team, but need to find a way to win games without Carson Estridge on the mound. Once the games get tight the Chili Dogs will need to find a way to step it up defensively and start batting more runners in.
 
The Bright Side: Josh Gjormand, the star utility player for the Chili Dogs, is back from injury and will be a key player and leader for this team down the line. The Chili Dogs have talent all over the field, multiple hitters batting .400 or above, and a great coaching staff that seriously wants to win.
 
#2 Gators
 
The Gators record does not necessarily represent how good of a team they are. The losses come from struggles on the mound and at the plate, getting shutout by the Red Foxes in Saturday’s affair and losing 3-2 in their second game today. The Gators definitely were disadvantaged by the rain, with delays forcing them to play 3 games in two days, all against good teams.
 
The Bright Side: Although, the Gators have dropped 2 games in as many days, there are signs that the Gators will be a solid team down the road. With a strong, veteran filled lineup, the Gators are in a good spot to win multiple games this upcoming week.
 
#1 Red Foxes
 
The Red Foxes have had a perfect start to the season. With a 1.67 ERA and an 11-run differential during week 1, the Red Foxes are now the clear #1 team. Rixon Webb leads the offense in average, OPS, and stolen bases and plays a key role in this team’s success. On the mound, the Red Foxes have proved to be amazing. Four pitchers have ERAs of 0.00 and WHIPs of 1.00 or below. The Red Foxes will continue to have success if their pitching staff keeps up the excellent work.