88th Senbatsu Team Rankings

So since I have a bit of time before Koushien, I can give an overall rank to teams. Of course, this still tends to turn out badly as most prognostications do, but what the hey.

Sapporo Dai-ichi - Pitching C+, Offense D
Aomori Yamada - Pitching D+, Offense C
Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei - Pitching D, Offense C+
Kisaradzu Sougou - Pitching B+ (extra points for better depth), Offense C
Jyousou Gakuin - Pitching B (points for experience negated due to lack of control), Offense C
Toukaidai Koufu - Pitching C-, Offense C+
Kiryuu Dai-ichi - Pitching C+, Offense C+
Hanasaki Tokuharu - Pitching B+, Offense C
Kanto Dai-ichi - Pitching B-, Offense B-
Tsuruga Kehi - Pitching B+, Offense A-
Fukui Koudai Fukui - Pitching C, Offense C
Touhou - Pitching C+, Offense D+
Inabe Sougou Gakuen - Pitching C, Offense D+
Osaka Touin - Pitching B-, Offense A-
Shiga Gakuen - Pitching B-, Offense B-
Akashi Shougyou - Pitching C+, Offense C+
Ryuukokudai Heian - Pitching C, Offense C
Chiben Gakuen - Pitching C+, Offense C
Shiritsu Wakayama - Pitching C-, Offense C- (Review upcoming)
Soushi Gakuen - Pitching B+, Offense C+
Nanyou Kougyou - Pitching C-, Offense C (grade up for clutch in close games)
Kaisei (Shimane) - Pitching C-, Offense C-
Takamatsu Shougyou - Pitching B+, Offense B+
Meitoku Gijyuku - Pitching C-, Offense C-
Tosa - Pitching C-, Offense C- (Review upcoming)
Shuugakukan - Pitching B, Offense B
Kaisei (Nagasaki) - Pitching C+, Offense C+
Kagoshima Jitsugyou - Pitching C-, Offense C
Nichinan Gakuen - Pitching C, Offense C-
Kamaishi - Pitching D+, Offense D+ (Review upcoming)
Nagata - Pitching B-, Offense C- (Review upcoming)
Shoudoshima - Pitching C, Offense D+ (Review upcoming)

As you can see, it's a lot of the same teams that have strong squads all around (Tsuruga Kehi, Osaka Touin can easily carry A ratings in offense). Of course as I've stated, all it takes is a good pitching performance and an offense can go silent. That's where the B pitching staffs can come in (Kisaradzu Sougou, Jyousou Gakuin, Hanasaki Tokuaru, Kanto Dai-ichi, Shiga Gakuen, Soushi Gakuen, Takamatsu Shougyou, Shuugakukan and maybe even the 21st century team Nagata). Again though, these are well-known names. Which means a lot of teams will either be playing for the honor of being there or at best looking for a win, maybe 2 if the draw falls their way. It's what the world of Kokoyakyu is for the most part.