Analyzing the Northern Division

Keene has come all the way back to
.500. (Photo by Doc Gordon)

The Northern Division has been very interesting as we sit on the 4th of July with the difference between the teams in first place and last place just six games. No team has taken overwhelming control on the division- Vermont leads but holds just a half game on Sanford. I've decided to take a look at each team and try to figure out who has the best chance to win the divisional title at the start of August.

Vermont Mountaineers
The Mountaineers lead the division behind the combination of top-ranked hitting (in average) and second-place pitching (ERA). They've struggled against divisional rival Keene, dropping two games late but with the exception of a loss to Plymouth, they've been excellent. They've gone 7-3 over their last ten games, and they boast one of the better rotations in the league.

Trey Amburgey currently leads the league in average by almost 30 points with a .431 mark, while teammate Blake Tiberi ranks fifth at .365. Aggressive baserunning has paid off for Vermont, as they lead the league in stolen bases with 42. Manager Joe Brown has also manufactured runs, as they've laid down 14 bunts-  a mark that ranks second.

Sanford Mainers
Sanford sits at second by a half game, partly because of their 7-3 record on the road, second to only Plymouth. They have two elite pitchers- Christian Lavoie (1-1, 1.39 ERA, 26 IP) and Richard Vrana (2-0, 0.51 ERA, 17.2 IP) on a pitching staff that has a sub-3.00 ERA at 2.82.

The one big flaw for the Mainers has been their hitting- a .209 team average ranks ninth. Starting Sam Balazano (.140) and Cory Raley (.173) in every game has not helped their offense- neither has the fact that they have just one hitter over .300- Drake Parker, at .302.

Keene Swamp Bats
After starting the summer 2-7 and in last place, Keene has turned it around- similar to last summer, when they were the best team in July and won the championship. The Swamp Bats are currently on a four game winning streak, including victories over Vermont and Plymouth. Despite just having one hitter over .300 who qualifies for the hitting crown, Keene is winning in a variety of ways. They've taken two of three against the Mountaineers, both coming on rallies in the eighth inning.

Laconia Muskrats, North Adams SteepleCats, Valley Blue Sox
All three of these teams have some strengths, but each teams have glaring holes to be super competitive this season. One of them will get into the playoffs, but unless they can make a turnaround a first-round exit is imminent. Laconia has the best hitters of the group, at .257 but a team ERA of 4.29 is a weakness.

North Adams ranks near the middle in both categories, while Valley has the third-worst ERA and team fielding percentage. Out of these three teams, the SteepleCats would be my pick to pick up the fourth playoff spot.