Baseball Super 7: May 2
The first release of District One power rankings (pdf) occurred Sunday, and they don’t reveal too many surprises for the Delco contingent. This isn’t the first time Interboro has been perched atop the rankings, so there’s no reason to be surprised that the Bucs are there now. Were the season to end now, 10 Delco teams would make the postseason across three classifications, and the only realistic chance of another joining the ranks comes in Class AAA where Chichester (fifth), Sun Valley (seventh) and Radnor (ninth) are all jockeying at the fringe of the seven-team field.
The ratings bring a little clarity of one of the three parallel tracks (District One, Catholic League and Inter-Ac) that feed into the Super 7. But comparisons between the groups remain fraught, and even the echelons in the Central League contingent are tough to demarcate. (Records based on games through Saturday, April 30. Keep an eye out for stat leaders later in the week.)
1. Haverford School (17-6) Last week: No. 1
The Fords remain on top thanks to their nonleague mark, a 15-2 record outside the Inter-Ac, and the lack of a Central League power. The latest scalp is Conestoga, though beating the Pioneers isn’t as select a group as most seasons (count Springfield, Strath Haven and nearly Radnor in that group). Haverford has struggled in the Inter-Ac, losing four of six, including a 10-run demolition by Malvern Prep at home Friday. The pitching hasn’t always excelled, but Haverford’s lineup depth separates it from the field, though that margin is shrinking.
2. Interboro (10-0) Last week: No. 5
All the Bucs can do is play the league opponents placed before them, then do their best to seek nonleague challenges. Thus far, they’ve flawlessly passed both tests. The Bucs can all but clinch the Del Val title Tuesday against second-placed Academy Park. The top seed in the district counts Cardinal O’Hara and Bonner & Prendergast among its conquests. As ever, the postseason serves as a canvas for the Bucs to prove they deserve the top seed. Until then, I’ll reserve judgement.
3. Springfield (9-3) Last week: NR
The Cougars are this week’s highest risers, winning five straight and seven of eight, the only loss an extra-inning, one-run setback to Haverford. The Cougars have won games a variety of ways: They scored six or more runs in seven straight games, then eked out a 1-0 win over Conestoga behind a Mike Smith gem. They may have the shallowest dropoff from pitchers one through three in the rotation of any Central League team. The Cougars are situated 19th in the district, though that’s showing only a 7-3 mark.
4. Marple Newtown (9-5) Last week: No. 7
The Tigers have avoided slipups against teams far below them in the standings, dropping contests to Strath Haven, Garnet Valley and Conestoga. Their lineup, boosted by a hot season from Alden Mathes, has expectedly kept them in games against any pitcher, particularly second and third starters. Marple is 14th in the power rankings, third among the Central teams and first of the Delco Central contingent. Though they’ve gotten consistent innings from Ricky Collings, Cameron Mathes and Vince Greco, Marple may not have the shutdown ace to rely on in a big game (like Smith or Garnet Valley’s Mike Bechtold or Conestoga’s Tim Miller). But the lineup ensures they don’t have to win 1-0 and 2-1 games.
5. Episcopal Academy (10-10) Last week: NR
I have no idea where to place the Churchmen. They fell off the Inter-Ac with an 8-1 loss to Penn Charter, but they also nipped Malvern Prep, 6-5, last Wednesday in a game that validates Mike Hickey’s devilish nonleague scheduling. The Churchmen are in many ways the opposite of Haverford School: When Kyle Virbitsky is on for five or so innings and hands off to a fresh arm like Isaiah Payton, EA can beat most anyone. But pitching depth is missing, meaning they can’t replicate that game after game.
6. Strath Haven (7-4) Last week: No. 2
I feel like we’ve talked about offensive concerns for Strath Haven since 2013’s perfect regular season. The Panthers, ranked 16th in District One, have scored five runs in their four losses, including 5-1 setbacks to Haverford and Garnet Valley since the last Super 7. They’ve scored seven or more runs on three occasions against teams in the lower rungs of the league, but even against Lower Merion, they eked out a 2-1 win. The staff keeps the Panthers in games, but they could use more offensive help.
7. Garnet Valley (8-4) Last week: No. 3
The win over Strath Haven last Friday was much needed, not just for ending a two-game skid. The Jags have beaten Haven and Marple, but that’s all for quality wins. The offense seems hit-or-miss, more reliant on a big hit in the middle of the order from Dom Bertone or others than it should be. At 22nd in the power rankings, the Jags are by no means secure.
Dropped out: Bonner & Prendergast, Cardinal O’Hara
Honorable mention: Haverford (8-5, the Fords have succeeded against their top league foes, but losses to Ridley and Penncrest look more regrettable by the week, reflecting a pitching staff that isn’t that deep. The Fords are 25th in the district for a 26-team field); Bonner & Prendergast (8-4, the Catholic League teams slip this week, and it’s partially because Bonner’s preseason trip to Florida provides fewer nonleague indicators against local opposition. The Friars’ 10-0 loss to Interboro Saturday should be taken with a grain of salt at the end of a three-game week. The Friars are fifth in the Catholic League and second among the AAA teams, behind Archbishop Wood, which they beat); Cardinal O’Hara (6-6; the loss to Archbishop Carroll last week at home is regrettable, and the schedule gets tougher); Academy Park (8-3; the Knights are 24th in District One. Getting into the field would be a monumental accomplishment for Nick Russo’s bunch. Interboro looms Tuesday, but more vital is to avoid slipups against the Del Val’s lesser teams).
