Baseball fans always look ahead to see what competition there team will have- is it a .500 team, or is it a team in the cellar, particularly in the NECBL. Summer baseball is known for close playoffs races, and that is no different in the NECBL.
So, with the season winding down, its time to look at what teams have the chance to coast into the playoffs, and what teams might not have smooth sailing the rest of the way.
Here are the strength of schedule rankings for all 13 NECBL teams for after the All-Star break; they are listed toughest to easiest.
1. Plymouth Pilgrims
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 8
Home/road: Four of ten games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .552
Schedule notes: Plymouth is lucky and doesn't have to play any doubleheaders (yet), but they face some tough competition. At one point, the Pilgrims play five straight games against the top four teams in the Eastern conference- including the Newport Gulls twice in that stretch.
The big finish: The Pilgrims close out with a three game stretch on the road, including matchups against Newport, Danbury and Mystic.
2. Sanford Mainers
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 7
Home/road: Four of eleven games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .526
Schedule notes: Sanford, like Plymouth, are lucky and don't have to play any doubleheaders but they do have to go on a four game road trip including visits to the 19-9 Gulls and the 15-12 Muskrats. They do have a big opportunity to get into the playoffs, as they play Mystic and Laconia (the two teams in front of the mainers) a combined four times.
The big finish: The Mainers finish with a two game road trip against Mystic and Laconia which has the possibility to be huge for Sanford.
3. New Bedford Bay Sox
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 6
Home/road: Four of ten games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .519
Schedule notes: The Bay Sox come out after the All-Star break with three away games, including a double header against the Muskrats. After that, they have to face the second place Waves twice over the rest of the week and games in Sanford, Newport and Mystic.
The big finish: The Bay Sox end with Ocean State at home.
4. Vermont Mountaineers
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 5
Home/road: Seven of thirteen games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .512
Schedule notes: The Mountaineers have there hands full with double headers, numbering three and have the challenge of playing 13 games in 12 days. Big games include a doubleheader against Newport, as the two league leaders will face off against each other in Vermont. Other things on the schedule include two other doubleheaders, against North Adams and Holyoke.
The big finish: The Mountaineers finish off their season with a doubleheader in Holyoke, against the Blue Sox.
5. Newport Gulls
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 6
Home/road: Six of twelve games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .489
Schedule notes: Newport may currently be the best team in the NECBL with a 19-9 record, but they're going to have to prove it. The Gulls start with a game against Keene (second place in the East) and two in Vermont (the best team in the East). The Vermont doubleheader marks the start of a three day road trip, with games in Sanford and Plymouth. Then, they go on a stretch where they play Laconia, Mystic and Ocean State- all in a row.
The big finish: The Gulls end with a game in Danbury against the Westerners.
6. Ocean State Waves
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 5
Home/road: Four of ten games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .482
Schedule notes: Ocean State, unlike a lot of NECBL teams, don't have to play a doubleheader, but they do have some tough games ahead of them. The Waves have a four game road series that includes stops in Vermont (16-9) and Newport (19-9). Ocean State will have there hands full in trying to catch the Gulls for the Eastern Division title.
The big finish: The Waves finish there inaugural season on the road, taking on the New Bedford Bay Sox.
7. Laconia Muskrats
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 5
Home/road: Eight of eleven games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .481
Schedule notes: Laconia does get to play a lot of games at home (8), but they also face some stiff competition. The Muskrats play second place Ocean State twice, and add games against Sanford, a team who is trying to make there way into the playoffs. They do start with four home games in three days, including a doubleheader against the bottom of the Eastern Division, New Bedford.
The big finish: Laconia ends 2013 at home, against Sanford, in a game that has the possibility to be for a playoff spot for Sanford.
8. Holyoke Blue Sox
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 6
Home/road: Seven of eleven games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .477
Schedule notes: Holyoke has some important divisional games, as they play the Mountaineers three times over the course of the week and also have a doubleheader against Keene. The Blue Sox also have some easier spots, as they play North Adams twice and Danbury once.
The big finish: The Blue Sox finish in Keene, taking on the Swamp Bats.
9. Keene Swamp Bats
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 4
Home/road: Five of eleven games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .470
Schedule notes: Keene has a four game home set in the middle of the week, including a game against Vermont which could be important in who gets the first seed. They also get to go play last-place Danbury and North Adams three times over the course of the week.
The big finish: Keene ends with a home game against the Holyoke Blue Sox.
10. Mystic Schooners
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 3
Home/road: Six of eleven games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .470
Schedule notes: Mystic only has to play three above-.500 teams, but they are the three best teams in the NECBL- Newport, Vermont and Ocean State. They also have to play all three of them away, which is going to be tough for the Schooners. Mystic is clinging to the fourth playoff spot, and can hang on to it by knocking Sanford out of the equation, seeing as they play them twice.
The big finish: The Schooners finish 2013 with a two game home set against Sanford (which has the possibility to impact the playoffs) and Plymouth.
11. North Adams Steeplecats
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 4
Home/road: Three of eleven games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .464
Schedule notes: The Steeplecats begin the post-All-Star week with nine games in seven days, including doubleheaders against the division-leading Mountaineers and the bottom of the division Danbury Westerners. However, after they get the Mountaineers out of the way, they only have to play two above-.500 teams the rest of the week.
The big finish: North Adams closes the 2013 season with a game against the Saratoga Brigade.
12. Saratoga Brigade
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 4
Home/road: Seven of eleven games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .447
Schedule notes: The Brigade start with a three game home series against the two cellar-dwellers in the Western division and continue with seven games in six days. In that stretch, Saratoga gets to take on four sub-.500 teams, including Holyoke twice.
The big finish: The Brigade end their first season in the NECBL with a three game home series against the Blue Sox, Swamp Bats and the Steeplecats.
13. Danbury Westerners
Games against teams with records of .500 or better: 5
Home/road: Seven of eleven games at home
Average opponent winning percentage: .442
Schedule notes: Danbury has it the easiest, as they play mix in really good teams (Newport) with teams like New Bedford and North Adams, who have the same or worse record then Danbury. The toughest stretch is a four game series against Vermont, Keene, Holyoke and Vermont again.
The big finish: The Westerners end there year with a two game home series against the Pilgrims and the Gulls.
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