Season 17 Synopsis

AMERICAN LEAGUE SYNOPSIS

A.L. NORTH

Is Ottawa for real?

Will the new-look pitching staff put the Blue Sox on top?

Are inexperience and depth problems for the retooling Trout?

Can Trenton stay in the race this season?

Back in Ottawa? Looks like the Hosers have been re-hoserfied! After determining that moving the team to Dover didn’t make much difference, the franchise has come back to rediscover its’ eastern Ontario roots. They’re coming off a year in which they lost the division to Syracuse on the last day of the regular season, but went on to win two playoff series before falling to the Clowns in the ALCS. They did take a step back, winning 10 fewer games than in the previous season and it would appear that pitching may have been the reason. In season 15, closer Kevin Baek was good for 50 of 53 save opportunities on his way to the Fireman of the Year award. Season 16 saw Baek’s ERA rise from 2.47 to 4.02 as he blew nine saves and racked up 8 losses. At 24 years old, Baek is entering his 5^th season and is still one of the premier late inning talents in the league. The top pitcher on the team last season was Cy Young candidate Alex Ortiz, whose sparkling 18-4; 2.37 season was highlighted with a No Hitter! Still only 23, the sky is the limit for Ortiz to become one of the best pitchers in baseball. With dependable veterans Jon Gonzalez and Butch Bowen, and curve-baller Juan Guzman entering his prime, the Hosers should have a great staff this season. They have good talent in the bullpen, although perhaps depth could pose problems especially if anyone gets hurt. Ottawa felt strong enough on the hill that they could part with struggling righty David “I-might-be-big-but-don’t-call-me-papi” Ortiz. The towering 26 yr old former first rounder has yet to live up to his immense potential and the Hosers decided to cut their losses and sent him to Richmond for 5-time All-star catcher Eduardo Sanchez.

With Sanchez, Ottawa has netted a solid backstop in his prime who can hold his own both at the dish and behind it. His presence meant the departure of incumbent Hosers catcher Chad Mulder who takes his rising talent to Philly on the heels of a promising rookie season. While Sanchez should be an overall upgrade, Ottawa may soon regret giving Mulder away for so little. Meanwhile, despite being the slowest team in baseball (and being beaned by the fewest pitches), the Hosers should once again be in the playoff mix with a young lineup that looks to retain momentum and keep control of the A.L. North. Talented third baseman Sammy Reyes clubbed 29 homers as a rookie and at only 22 years of age he should have numerous accolades ahead of him. Fellow rookie Derrick Flaherty didn’t reach the pros until he was 25, but looks to develop into one of the premiere power hitters in the game. The youngsters will still be led by Pedro “Boom Boom” Chavez who steadily hammered out another 42 home runs last season as he continues his march towards Cooperstown. For now, “Boom Boom” will set his sights on a World Series ring.

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In Syracuse there’s growing hype surrounding the direction that the young franchise is headed. After capturing the division title on the last day of the season, the Blue Sox are ready to challenge any of the top teams in the A.L. and they officially don’t need to feel like an underdog anymore! Team leader George “the cleaner” Hoover responded to his lucrative new contract by setting career highs with 114 runs, 42 home runs and 117 RBIs decimating his former bests in each category. Still only 25 years of age despite entering his sixth pro season, Hoover is the face of the franchise and a pillar of the Syracuse community. But, in Syracuse, one of the top five offenses in baseball, Hoover wasn’t even the most dangerous hitter in the lineup. That honor belonged to former MVP Tom Borland who also notched career bests with 131 runs, 45 round-trippers and 137 RBIs! They’re supported by the capable bat of catcher Benji Concepcion, who earned his first All-star nomination with another strong campaign; and rookie Sawyer McCartney who impressed fans with 24/77/.294 in three quarters of a season as a 20 yr old. An excellent athlete, Sawyer has immense potential and despite a slight weakness against lefties, he should be able to hit for both power and average, while trying to improve on the 21 bases he swiped as a rookie. Hector Mercedes is the most notable departure, as he’ll try to repeat his 30 home run season for the Tiger Sharks. Newcomer Sparky Page will try to pick up some of the slack as he tries to regain his power stroke in a seriously talented lineup.

While pundits have long criticized the Blue Sox as a one-dimensional team, this year all eyes are on pitching coach Todd Kline as he’s working with one of the most talked about groups of arms in baseball! At the top of the list has to be Ralph Lambert, who had an outstanding year, picking up 44 saves on his way to the A.L. Fireman of the Year award. To push Lambert, Syracuse has added longtime Toronto closer Tony Bautista to the bullpen mix. Bautista is third all-time on the saves list and should provide a fearsome one-two punch late in games. The Blue Sox will bring back incumbent #1 starter Joaquin Fernandez, who looks to improve on last year’s 14 wins. The rest of the rotation is a high-budget retooling and time will tell if Kline can coax the best out of them. Josh Shelby hit a big pay day and will earn 11.5 million this season, despite his 93-103 career record and 4.70 ERA. With an outstanding fastball and great control, Shelby has the potential to have a career year with such a great offense behind him. Rolando Armas will earn 7.5 million and is a three time all-star, but he’s on the decline and he’s eight years removed from his last season of 15+ victories. Tuck Meacham will earn 6 million and after nine seasons with New York, he’s only topped 11 wins once. Many eyes will be on promising rookie Joshua Zimmerman, who will get every chance to succeed despite cynics suggesting that he would be best served with another year of AAA. This will be a fun team to watch.

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It’s becoming difficult to know which version of the Toronto Trout we can expect to see. The “on-again off-again” club has long been a contender and only in recent years has faced some frustration with losing some key players to free agency and retirement. They’ll have a solid campaign one year and follow it with an under.500 finish the next. According to the pattern the team is due for a rebound, as last season they shaved 14 wins off of their season 15 total. Of course the biggest news in Toronto this off-season was the signing of Dominican sensation Fernando Rosado, who signed a massive deal and exponentially brightens Toronto’s future outlook. Assuming that Rosado is still a couple of seasons from stepping up at the pro level, the Trout will first need to figure out how to fill the holes left by the departure of closer Tony Bautista and free swinging first baseman Sarma Wall. The offence in Toronto will rely heavily on outfielders Javier Lopez and Chet Neal, each of whom are young, talented and possess a high ceiling in terms of their offensive upside. They’ll be joined in a very young lineup by rookie first baseman Pedro Gonzalez, who has a chance to be an impact player on a team looking for some mid lineup punch.

The bullpen duties that have been handled for many seasons by the dependable Bautista will be passed to the relatively untested Oscar “The Arm” Pittinger. Management is hoping that “The Arm” is ready for the pressure. He’s demonstrated that he can pitch every day; he has two “go to” pitches and good control, but he’ll need to get better against lefties and his stuff isn’t exactly overpowering. How many save chances he gets is another question, as the rotation isn’t exactly intimidating after posting a 5.04 ERA last season. Juan Sosa has proven to be a dependable front-end starter, but Trevor McCarthy is inconsistent and Matt Boone is on his last legs. Prospect Dock Strong isn’t quite ready to make the jump, so the final two rotation spots should be filled by Mel Leach and Clint Walker. Leach struggled in 18 starts last season, but the team feels that he can get the job done. They’re more excited about the rookie Walker, who turned in an impressive 50-23 minor league record and could be a top of the rotation starter for the Trout. There are a few question marks here, but if the pitching comes together for the Trout they have the ability to join the pennant race by season’s end.

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After three straight 4^th place finishes, the Trenton Terror Hawks are starting to wonder what it will take to get back into the playoffs. There are some good prospects in the system and some solid players on the ML squad, but the T-Hawks have been coming up a few games short of a serious challenge each season. This off-season they signed former Rodeo Clown DH “Big Jim” Donatello, giving them a solid middle of the lineup veteran with a dangerous bat. He’ll join team leader Justin “The Colossus” Jacome and the two forty homer boys Felipe Vega and Eli Chavez. The supporting cast is decent, but they’ll need a rebound season from former first round pick Carl Bevil, who seems to have shaken the star potential from his resume after signing his big contract. Bevil reached career lows in several offensive categories last season and is certainly capable of more.

The rest of the lineup looks sound with Mendoza, Johnson and Marv Williamson capable of providing thunder to compliment Shuey and Bryant’s speed game. There are some decent future stars on the horizon as well, as the T-Hawks posture to challenge their A.L. North rivals.

The pitching staff in Trenton seems officially ready to declare former #1 overall pick Brendan O’Neil as their leader. “B.O.” finished 14-8 last season and was the only starter with less than ten losses. They let Ahmad Griffith walk to Sacramento and traded 16-game loser Duane Belinda to the V-Bats for prospects. The moves open the door for Dale Branson to try his hand as a starter, and 22 yr old phenom Phil Knotts to take aim at major league hitters after racking up greater than a strikeout per inning in the minors.

Time will tell with the T-Hawks rotation, as 5 former first-rounders could just as easily click as struggle to find their groove in a new situation. The bullpen remains shaky, despite closer Frankie De La Vega settling down to deliver his best pro effort last season. His setup men are fairly young and untested, and their best long reliever Chico Flores seems alone and unproven in his role. That being said, there really isn’t a huge gap between Trenton and the other teams in their division. Surprisingly, they were much better on the road than at home last season. The team is strong enough to beat anybody, inconsistent enough to lose any game, and with a little luck they could stay in the mix come season’s end. They’ll just need a couple of heroes to step forward.

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Prediction:

1. Syracuse

2. Ottawa

3. Toronto

4. Trenton

A.L. EAST

Will Boston’s pitching be good enough to support their dynamic offense?

How much does Durham miss Wayne Grey?

Do the Sunbirds have enough tools to get ahead in the East?

Does more experience for the young stars put the Crunch over the top?

The Boston Red Sox finished yet another season as A.L. East champs, and despite a playoff loss to Ottawa, they still look like a championship caliber team. They’re the poster team for the “offense first” approach, as they led the majors in home runs for an astounding eighth consecutive season (and 11 of the last 13)! The top run-producing squad in baseball has been the envy of the league for so long now that many teams are keeping a nice bottle of champagne for when Boston finally stumbles from their spot entrenched among the perennial contenders. This season should represent more of the same from the beantown sluggers, as Alfonso Mercedes reached the 60-homer mark for the 7^th time in his remarkable career last season and still appears to be performing at a peak level. Blake Robinson and Terry Davis could be the centerpiece of most teams’ offenses, and only with the Red Sox would such great numbers be overshadowed. The entire lineup is rock solid with Chad Valentine and Emil Franco turning the most heads with their combination of great defense and star quality bat skills. The most notable off-season departures for the Sox are Hootie Park who was send to Vancouver in exchange for pitcher Alex Darling, and Harold Gonzales who signed a lucrative five year deal with the Bearcats. Gonzales was a Type A free agent, as was pitcher Ryan Cash, but the Red Sox wound up on the wrong end of Iowa City’s three free agent signings, and will only receive a 3^rd and a 4^th as compensation, due to the Bearcats signing Clint Adcock as well. At least Boston will be sporting 4 supplemental picks this season!

The pitching is always a question for the Sox, and that isn’t about to change this season.

Mark Aoki and Ryan Cash are the most notable departures, while joining the pitching staff are Darling, and aging veterans like Brook Perez, Arthur Koskie, Rodney Davis and Paul Nicholson (each of whom are between 35-37 years old and hope to prove that they still have the stuff to succeed). Bruce Denny will step into Aoki’s shoes in the closer role, while Sammy Moya will try to anchor the rotation after a hot and cold rookie year. Needless to say, there are some valid concerns with both fading veterans and unproven talent. The Boston offense always provides their pitching with a greater than average cushion to begin with, but they’ll still need some stand-out performances along the way.

Ralph Perry is the only returning pitcher who notched double digit wins for the Red Sox last season, so the victories have to wind up somewhere. Assuming that they do, Boston will be in the playoff hunt once again.

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The always competitive County Ramblers endured yet another narrow playoff miss in season 16, slipping out of a wildcard spot in the last week of the season. Some might point to the mid-season injury to slugging outfielder Wayne Grey, who was on pace for 40+ round-trippers when he tore his ACL. He’s the heart of the Durham lineup and it’s feasible that his absence kept them out of the playoffs last year. They’ll also be starting this season without Mr. Grey as he continues to rehab his knee until approximately the all-star break. Where the offensively-minded club will be upon his return will fall on a host of other sluggers. Vinny Morton has led the club in hits for the past four seasons and is a clutch hitter and a good power threat. Al Grey (Wayne’s half brother) took over the home run lead on the team with 43, while Sherry Grebeck and Tomas Arias have both been nominated to multiple All-Star teams and round out a nice lineup. Durham finished second only to Boston in dingers last season, but unfortunately the similarities don’t end there. The hitting was almost as good, and the pitching was almost as bad! Top starters Boomer Buck, Moose English and Kelly Bravo all return for another season at the Athletic Park where keeping the ball in the yard is a definite challenge. The back end of the rotation might be a weakness, as the rest of the staff either lacks experience or talent. There are some decent pieces in the Ramblers’ bullpen, including incumbent closer Philip Fontenot (a former Fireman of the Year) and former division rival Mark Aoki who spent nine seasons closing for the Red Sox before “benedict-arnolding” over to Durham. It would appear that Aoki will set-up Fontenot, but there are two experienced late-inning arms to fall back on if the bats can generate their share of leads. If the team struggles, one wonders if it might be the last season for legendary bench coach Grant Redding. “Grandpa Grant” is far and away the longest tenured bench coach in the majors as he enters his 14^th season as the ML BC in Durham (the next longest is two tied with 8). Redding is 65 years old and has six 100+ win seasons under his belt. If there were a Hall of Fame for coaches, this lovable strategy-master with the wonderful moustache would be a first ballot entry. The Ramblers will try to put together a solid campaign for old coach Redding this year to try to send him out on top! (or possibly convince him to stick around for another season or two?)

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The resurgence of the Crunch has seen the Jacksonville Sunbirds finish last in their division for the past four seasons. While attempting to “fit in” in the tough A.L. East, the Sunbirds have adopted the popular “hitting strong/pitching weak” philosophy shared by Boston and Durham. Jesus Astacio remains the team’s ace, but despite tossing an excellent 33 starts, “the Jesus” is often abandoned by the team’s bats and came out with a losing record in season 16. Expect a nice rebound from the pinpoint curve/change dynamo. Former first round pick Emil Woods didn’t get it together in his first season as a starter. Woods often nears 100mph on the radar gun, and has decent command of the strike zone, but so far in his career he flat out just hasn’t had the stuff to succeed. Still only 23 years old, the S-Birds would love for him to take the next step, mostly to show that he’s worth the five-year deal that he inked in the off-season. A definite bright spot this season is rookie closer Dana Wheeler, another former first round pick whose lively low fast ball should help clean things up. The 22 yr old is a youthful presence on a pitching staff with nine hurlers over 30 years old and could be the closer in Jacksonville for many years to come.

The offense will remain rock solid, with the quartet of Spencer, Hayes, Arroyo and Villafuerte hitting in perfect harmony. Spencer might be the best all-around hitter; Arroyo has over 2000 hits (the most in franchise history); “Benny V” is the club’s all time home run leader and at 29 years old still has massive power, while Matty Hayes can boast power almost as good as Benny’s with the potential for a batting average fifty points higher. The Jacksonville “Fab Four” welcomes rookie center fielder Vinny Scott into the fold this season. The 22 yr old brings grit and speed, and if the S-Birds are going to make a playoff push this season, they’ll need all the tools they can muster.

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It seems like the Crunch have had a “team on the rise” label forever, but the tag still seems to fit. Youngsters MigMar, VictRo and Davey Schulte are all coming off strong rookie seasons, and with more experience should help make New York a yearly playoff contender. Miguel “MigMar” Martinez and Schulte both clubbed 20 home runs and will benefit from another season of every day play. Schulte, brings great speed and defense and the potential to hit for average, setting the table for the heart of the order. MigMar finished his rookie campaign with 20 taters and a .254 average – not bad for most rookies, but Martinez is faaaaaaar more talented than that! By most accounts, he should demolish those numbers and never look back on his way to an All-Star caliber career. We’ll see soon enough if he’s ready to meet the immense pressure that comes with such high expectations. The rest of the Crunch lineup is solid if unspectacular, with Don MacRae and Alex Wright coming off solid seasons, as is Miguel Beltran, though he isn’t what he used to be. Ken Bailey suffered a mysterious drop-off in his power totals, slipping from 30 to 16 home runs in approximately the same number of at bats. Expect a rebound season from Bailey, perhaps to about 25 homers with a decent average and good all-around run production. A statistical spike from both Bailey and MigMar will be a huge boost to New York this season. On a side note, the Crunch struck out fewer times than any team in the majors last year.

In recent seasons the Crunch have had the best pitching in their division, but that isn’t saying too much! Closer Victor “VictRo” Rosado piled up 43 saves as a freshman and has filthy stuff that might be the best on the team. The trick will be how to get the ball into his hands, and it likely won’t always be easy. #1 starter Moises Vega should be the team’s ace, but has regressed in wins in each of his pro seasons (17, 15, 11, 10). After dealing with some shoulder trouble and lacking sorely in run support (2.71 ERA) look for Vega to work out some of the quirks and put together a 15+ win season if he can stay healthy. The rest of the rotation will likely struggle at times, though veterans Ray Fischer and Mike Washburn are savvy enough to pitch their way through some tough lineups. The litmus test for the Crunch will be whether the youngsters are ready to carry the team to the next level. All the parts are coming together, so it’s likely just a matter of when.

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Prediction:

5. Boston

6. New York*

7. Durham

8. Jacksonville

* denotes wildcard

A.L. SOUTH

Can the D.D.’s make it three straight division wins?

How long until Florida’s young stars have a team around them?

More steps forward for Little Rock?

Will “Team Wilt” take a run at the Drinkers?

Two straight years in the playoffs means that the Designated Drinkers are starting to turn a few heads. Even more impressive is that last season their 92 wins was the most by an AL South team in ten seasons! Charlotte has a well-rounded squad with great power and the ability to give the top teams a run for their money. Their home/road splits demonstrated that no team in the A.L. likes to play at home for their own fans more than the D.D.’s (that way they don’t have to drive anywhere after the game).

They didn’t make a big splash in the off-season, save for bringing in the tiny journeyman Kevin Cambridge to take the roster spot of the departed all-time stolen base king Joshua Meadows. Last season’s hero was left fielder Miguel Jiminez, who swatted 47 home runs while reaching career highs in both RBIs (147) and batting average (.319). Abraham Velarde, Al Guerrero and “Mad” Max Cora all topped 30 home runs as well, to give the D.D’s multi-faceted power sources at the heart of their lineup. If there’s a concern with Charlotte’s offence, it might be depth, as the big four don’t have much support beyond first baseman Tony Wright who has 20 home run power and has twice topped ninety RBIs. Cambridge won’t hurt the team, and he’ll score some runs but he’s never shown much pop and he won’t replace Meadows’ 20 homers and 90+ steals. Catcher Nigel Valentin and shortstop Benji Costilla are in the lineup primarily for their defense, and former rookie league MVP William Shibata isn’t quite ready. There’s some swagger here, but they’ll definitely need to take it up a notch to make a playoff run.

The pitching staff is decent, but lacks a true number one starter. Bryant Linden and Bruce Wilson are both dependable #2 grade starters, with Wilson having a bit more upside of the two. Neither is overpowering, but they should both be good for 10-15 wins if healthy. Trenidad Castro has a bit more juice, but a lot less consistency. He’s due for a rebound season and is a fairly capable “back of the rotation” arm. Both Eugene Darnell and Tike Leonard have yet to prove themselves and can’t exactly inspire confidence at this point. The bullpen is also a legitimate concern, as they lack a true #1 closer. Felix Forbes led them team with a mere 10 saves last season as they opt for a true closer-by-committee approach. Overall the team is good enough to win the division again, but still has enough kinks and wrinkles that a serious post-season showing will require a minor miracle. That being said, Jiminez and Cora quite often seem capable of miracles.

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The move from New Orleans to Florida saw a slight improvement (7 more victories) last season and the team has begun to garner enthusiasm from their new fan base. One of the key reasons that the crowds come to the park is to watch crowd-pleaser, “Raffi” Rodriguez. The good-natured, stocky Dominican outfielder has clubbed exactly 33 homers in each of the past three seasons to go along with blazing speed, unparalleled hustle and the willingness to sign autographs until the wee hours of the morning. Something of a “bon vivant”, Rodriguez helps fans remember that “passion for the game” is reason enough to get behind a team that’s not quite ready for prime time. The GATORs are a team with upside though, and young Alex Keller is a player that could become a star in the league. A torn hamstring derailed the former first rounder in season 16, putting a halt on a season in which Keller was poised to demolish his rookie numbers. If he stays healthy, young Alex should be a dangerous GATOR for many seasons, teaming with “Raffi” and blue chip hitting prospect Herb Wilkinson (who should turn pro in the next season or two) to form a lethal offensive trio. For now, the ML team should get some secondary power from DH Fernando Chavez and 3B Will Mulholland, but the talent drops off steeply after that.

The pitching should struggle this season as well, but there are some promising arms down the pipeline. 24 yr old star closer Matthew Langerhans is entering his third pro season and has already appeared in two All-Star games. Langerhans has some of the best stuff in the league and should be grow to be one of the ninth innings’ finest. Aside from solid starter Hector Mateo (who likely yearns for his Vegas days) the GATORs pitchers will be battling hard for every out. The future looks more hopeful with prospects like Hamish Vining, “Zoltan”, Malcolm Rossy and Paul Kuroda vying for spots on the big club in the seasons ahead. For now it will be baby steps for Florida as they work on strengthening their franchise from the bottom up and planning for the future. The fans can breathe easier, as the ship is being righted here, but it will still take a little longer.

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The Little Rock Razorbacks have finished the last four seasons in the basement in the A.L. South, which has afforded them the privilege of a top draft pick in each of the last three seasons. With gems like season 15 #2 overall pick Dicky Gleason (who hit 19 homers as a rookie last year) and the season 16 #1 overall pick of future star Vernon Moore its hard not to see a bright future for Little Rock. In fact there are several positive elements already in place on this team, as they were 7^th in the majors in team batting average despite their poor record! Truth be told, with up and coming stars like Gleason and blossoming first baseman Fausto Posada leading the way, the bats in Little Rock command some respect. With great team speed, and four regulars who hit .300+ the

Razorbacks can certainly be competitive. Second year man “Cortes” had an outstanding sophomore season with a stat line of 116 runs, 47 doubles, 28 HRs, 105 RBIs, 29 steals and a .318 batting average! Certainly an eye-opening well-rounded season! Aaron Lidge contributed 106 RBIs of his own, giving Little Rock run production throughout their lineup. Without any significant departures, the offense should be a stabilizing factor as the team tries to climb the standings in the south.

The glaring problem here is pitching plain and simple. Posting the worst team ERA in the majors last season, the Razorbacks only saw three pitchers under 5.00 and had five over 7.00 (all five pitched over 50 innings and two of them even pitched over 100 innings)! While things certainly can’t get too much worse for Little Rock pitching, there don’t appear to be any saviors on the horizon either. The rotation will have a new look, with three veteran free agents Frank Hartman (Durham), Sam West (Chicago) and Norberto Diaz (Los Angeles) bringing experience and durability to a pitching staff in need. The aging trio is each capable of double-digit win totals, although all three have more career losses than wins and won’t be blowing anyone away with their stuff. Marty Stockton is likely the strongest starter on the team, but on many teams he’d be #3 or #4. With the bullet-throwing “Wildman” Tony Feng retaining his closers job, things should be a roller-coaster in Arkansas this season. While there’s still a long way to go, they’ve become an exciting team: making steady progress and fun to watch. They’ll battle hard to get out of the basement this season!

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Season 16 was generally a positive one for the Lobsters. While they couldn’t keep pace with Charlotte in the divisional race, and still finished below .500, Louisville jumped from 66 to 75 wins and boasted the American League MVP in star slugger Wilt Blair. While some could argue that there were others besides Blair who would have been equally as deserving of the honor, no player was more single-handedly responsible for his teams offense than the powerful first baseman. Mr. Blair was responsible for approximately one quarter of the teams total home runs, and his .360 batting average and 147 RBIs stand out far more for the Lobsters than they would for a team like Boston. The supporting cast is a bit top heavy, with Bert Lee and “the Heart of Hicksville” Walter Taft shouldering most of the load. Lee’s quiet demeanor and stoic leadership provide a sharp contrast to Taft’s terrible temper and off the field legal trouble. Both players provide solid defense and great all-around offensive production, and if Taft can avoid his altercations with fans and blow-ups with the media they should both put up great numbers. Another interesting piece of the puzzle is DH Tony Mendez, who despite a great throwing arm has never fully grasped the concept of catching, and is therefore left without a role in the field. With surprisingly little power for a DH, Mendez nonetheless has displayed great hitting skills (a la Wade Boggs) and scored an impressive 103 runs as a rookie last season. Mostly a natural singles hitter, Mendez doesn’t need to be a genius to be knocked home by Wilt Blair!

While the Lobsters assets are great, the drop off is also significant. They have one of the weakest hitting outfields in the A.L. and the pitching staff is very much contingent on the success of a few select arms. The bullpen is likely an Achilles heel, as they don’t have an overpowering closer and Ed Hurst is the only proven commodity. The top billed hurler on the team is Javier “The Arrow” Estrada, who at 24 years of age has achieved double digit wins four times on a mediocre team and hasn’t even reached his full potential. “The Arrow” is a workhorse with great velocity who absolutely freezes left-handed hitters. His supporting cast is a motley crew of unproven hopefuls led by David Pressley, who at 27 years old is trying to get his once promising career back on track. Pressley has the potential to log 200+ innings and 15+ wins if he clicks in Louisville. The rest of the crew could be labeled as “hit or miss” and they’ll try to keep things stable until top pitching prospects like Russell Workman, Ray Sodowsky and Richie Franco are ready to ply their trade at the pro level. None of the three is too far off (perhaps next season?) so the future certainly looks brighter!

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Prediction:

1. Charlotte

2. Louisville

3. Little Rock

4. Florida

A.L. WEST

Can champion Oklahoma make it happen back-to-back?

Will a dominating Vegas team take down the Clowns?

Is Scottsdale ready to make their mark?

How long will it take to rebuild in Sacramento?

Coming off their first World Series win, the Las Vegas Numa Numa didn’t miss a beat. There was no champions “hang-over” as the defending champs tied with the division rival Oklahoma City for the top spot in the A.L. before falling to those same eventual champion Rodeo Clowns in the playoffs. The off-season marked the sad departure of long-time clutch-hitting shortstop Mark “The Kobra” Kyung who signed a 5-year deal in Burlington after nine seasons in Vegas. Kyung scored 100+ runs in seven of nine seasons with the Numa Numa, stole 30+ bases eight times and leaves a healthy career .310 batting average. Also slinking away with a World Series ring and 552 home runs under his belt is Torey “Rosie” Rosario. Rosie finally ran out of steam last season, and in coming off the bench, it proved difficult for him to find any sort of rhythm. Vegas had no choice but to decline on his option, and wait until the long-time icon enters the Hall-of-Fame conversation in a season or two. The offense will surely continue to click without “Rosie” and “The Kobra”, as they boasted 7 hitters with 20+ dingers last season (4 batters reached 100 RBIs). Still only 25 years old, C.C. Cervantes is the class of the A.L. backstops with two Silver Sluggers awards and three trips to the midsummer classic in three pro seasons.

With the poise of a veteran, C.C. is a measured hitter, capable of hitting for both power and average while asserting himself as a capable defensive catcher as well. Cervantes is a true student of the game! He’s joined by Rookie of the Year Sam Hodges, whose 117/33/101/.303 line took the league by storm and thumbs his nose at the Hosers who traded him away. “El Halcon” Jose Fernandez, Joel Purcell and one of the Tomas Bennett’s will give the Numa Numa a playoff caliber lineup that’s bound to compete for All-Star spots and a division title.

The true star of the Numa Numa remains ace pitcher Vasco Montanez. When an 18-12 record with a 3.46 ERA qualifies as an off year, it becomes apparent that the 26 year old is rewriting the record books. The former Rookie of the Year is a 5 time All-Star with two Cy Young awards on his mantle and has already reached 124 career wins (halfway to the career win mark and he’s only 26). Montanez leads a very capable rotation, with talented sophomore Ricardo Gonzalez and rising talent Emil Piniero coming off an 18 win season. With a sound bullpen, this team has no real weakness and will continue to be among the A.L’s elite teams. Watch for them in the post-season!

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First Vegas, now Oklahoma City finally bring home the hardware and punctuate that the A.L. West has become the class of the American League. The Rodeo Clowns can breathe a sigh of relief, as they shake their post-season frustrations that saw them finish several seasons as one of the elite teams in baseball before collapsing in the playoffs to supposed underdogs. The Clowns are still among the top hitting teams in baseball as they look to defend their title. The Carlos Cruz “Missile” remains the offensive general in Oklahoma City, as he once again hit 30 home runs, reached 100 RBIs and led the team with a .311 batting average. Cruz is only 32, so he still plays at close to his peak level, however he missed more games than he’s used to last season, which resulted in fewer hits, runs and steals than we normally see from him. He could be losing a step, or just taking a little extra rest to stay fresh for the duration of the season. Cruz struck out a career low 41 times last season and if he can stay healthy look for him to punch in with the familiar All-Star caliber season that we’re used to. Not to be overshadowed, Gary Purcell and Luis Lee accounted for as much or more of the offense in O. City. Season 14 MVP Purcell clubbed a career best 52/155/.298 and actually topped all the numbers from his MVP season. The towering first baseman has hit 40 homers or more in four of his six seasons, and while his batting average can fluctuate from year to year his power is money in the bank. Luis Lee exploded for 46 home runs of his own in his sophomore season and is showing why the Clowns gave him the near 20 million dollar signing bonus back in season 10. Lee, a special hitting talent and a very capable infielder was an All-Star for the first time last season and it figures to be the first of many for the young Venezuelan.

It was also another memorable year for “The Mailman” John Mailman. After it appeared that perhaps his best years were behind him, Mailman turned in one of his finest seasons yet, setting personal bests with 255 innings pitched and 7 complete games en route to his 7^th twenty win season and 3^rd Cy Young Award. Despite all the accolades, the World Series ring was the most important to John, who posted a 5-0 playoff record to take his team to the promised land. His right-hand man (and #2 starter) Geraldo Oliva struggled with tendonitis last season and looks to regain his own 20 win form. Reliable veteran Eric Simmons and promising 2^nd year man Brian Donahue should give them Clowns a very solid rotation that hopes to repeat as the top-ranked pitching team in the A.L. The task of repeating as champs will be a long and daunting journey, but this team has the tools to pull it off. We should see them playing important games come season’s end.

-bourbonmoon

The franchise that’s finished at the bottom of the A.L. West for the past three seasons and the worst team in the majors last year has had trouble finding a stable home. They hope that a fresh start in Sacramento will help their fortunes as will the #1 overall pick in the upcoming amateur draft. The new owner of the freshly dubbed Big Tomatoes inherits some dubious distinctions as the team surrendered the most walks in the majors, had the fewest save opportunities, the second worst team ERA and the third worst team fielding percentage. The offense has been a relatively consistent bright spot for many years, and although they’ve tailed off a bit, there are still enough live bats to remain competitive. Despite not having a .300 hitter, anyone with 100 runs or RBIs and being 7 strikeouts away from having 8 hitters with 100 or more whiffs, there is still some talent and depth in the Sac-to lineup. The loss of Bruce Sellars to Atlanta last season certainly hurt, and the deal faced some real criticism, but the veteran bats of Jose Guerrero, Sam Baxter and Kerry Perez are still solid and can help the team win games. In their mid thirties, the trio is best suited as the supporting cast for some other top talent, and the Big Tomatoes are hoping that fleet-footed center fielder Edgard Garces, slugging 3B Roger Clapp and rising talents like left fielder Pablo Rosario (who has already shown three 20 homer seasons) will give them a well-balanced lineup that can hurt opposing pitchers in a variety of ways.

On the bump they have Juan James, who at 26 years old needs to find some consistency in order to shake his “underachiever” image. James is still trying to get back on track after his shoulder trouble from a couple seasons back. He throws a good low splitter and can pitch workhorse innings if he keeps his composure and spreads out his mistakes. Behind James is a rag-tag supporting cast of veteran free agent signing Ahmad Griffith, journeymen Chris Rose, floundering Russell Tice and the light tossing “Powder Puff” Pineda rounding out the rotation. There’s really no chance that things will come together for all four of them, though the aging Griffith has a decent track record and Tice put together 14 wins as a rookie. The Big Tomatoes bullpen is actually pretty good, and some youngsters like Joe Delahanty could be on the verge of something great, but the question remains as to how many games will still be close after six or seven innings. There are some pieces for the future in Sacramento, but with so many needs to be addressed, the high point of this season will certainly be landing a blue chip top draft pick. The franchise needs a consistent hand to guide them forward.

-bourbonmoon

The Scottsdale Fighting Chokes were the epitome of average last season, a refreshing change from the franchise’s old habit of languishing in the cellar of the league. The Chokes had their share of chokes, but also lots of great wins. There were plenty of negatives, but also many positives to draw on. The Chokes hitters had the most strikeouts in the American League. The Chokes pitchers recorded the fewest strikeouts in the American League. The Chokes led the majors in doubles. The Chokes finished 22 games behind Oklahoma and Vegas. The Chokes were only 8 games out of a playoff spot.

Scottsdale is slowly getting their act together and have become about a .500 team finishing 82-80 in season 15 and 80-82 last season.

Unlike many American League teams, Scottsdale doesn’t look like an offensive juggernaut with a knitting team for a pitching staff. Here the organization has some promising young pitchers and the strength of the hitting talent might raise some concern.

They’ll rely on the bats of Darren Carillo and Jake Douglass, both of whom have proven to be valuable assets at the plate. Perhaps it’s the hitter-friendly Davis Ballpark that makes Carillo and Douglass look very good despite not having a pure hitters pedigree. Others like Clyde DePaula, Fernando Saenz and R.J. Borbon have also hit well in Scottsdale despite possessing lesser that ideal tools at the plate. The Fighting Chokes have high hopes for similar success from youngsters Walt Reid and Joaquin Armas who both should become solid regulars in a balanced lineup.

The Davis Ballpark factor might hold back certain pitchers in Scottsdale, despite having a good young group of arms. The off-season trade of Sparky Page to Syracuse for Juan Seanez gives the Chokes a proven #1 starter. Seanez was a two time All-Star with Montreal and is still only 31 years old. He’ll be followed in the rotation by two 23 year old second-year talents in Jorel Howington and Shooooooooter Owens, both of whom showed great progress as rookies and look to turn a few heads in year two. Former Durham pitcher Darrin Patrick signed a rich three-year deal to help strengthen what could be an underrated staff. The bullpen looks rock solid as well, with former Rodeo Clown Victor Canseco holding down the fort. 38 year old Lonny Mercado left Vancouver to be Canseco’s set up man, and with the trio of youngsters Chris Christensen, Cesar Beltre and Max Gonzalez all gaining in the experience department, it looks like the Chokes have things figured out. They’re a dark horse to surprise people this season and could sneak into the playoff hunt if some other teams falter. The franchise is becoming more competitive from season to season.

-bourbonmoon

Prediction:

1. Las Vegas

2. Oklahoma City *

3. Scottsdale

4. Sacramento

* denotes wildcard

NATIONAL LEAGUE SYNOPSIS

N.L. NORTH

Can Chicago’s offence compensate for their depleted staff?

Will the highest money per player team in the NL guarantee Detroit success?

Is there any sign of weakness in Montreal?

How long before Philadelphia’s a player in the North?

After 3 consecutive seasons of 100+ loss baseball, Chicago narrowly avoided a 4-peat last season by posting a 68-94 record. Long gone are the glory days of yesteryear which saw the Crushers throw the likes of Kelly Brave, Matt Boone and Mike Taylor out for innings on end. Unable to sign dependable starter Sam West in the off-season, this year looks bleak again. Under performers like Chuck Thomas and Clay Nitkowski along with newcomers Zoltan Monahan and Bill Young, get most of the innings from the stretch but poolies shouldn’t expect great results. The saving grace of the rotation over the past few seasons has been Gerald Mills and, heading into a contract year, he better hope that continues. The problems don’t end with the starters in Chicago. Closer Yuniesky Saez, claimed off waivers from Las Vegas a season ago, will be given the opportunity to finish whatever might resemble a save in the windy city, and though Chicago has much depth to boast in the pen, a sure fire reliever has yet to emerge. Veteran Aramis Pena may be an option for Chicago on either the end. The former 17 game winner has logged more innings than just about anybody on staff and is disarming against right-handed hitters. Catching this motley crew continues to be Santos Estalella who, at age 36, is aging quite well. Gone are his 30 homerun seasons though Esalella, who stands alone atop the all-time Chicago leader board in almost all offensive categories, is quite capable of getting on base. Alfredo Baerga returns to Third Base this year, though at 33 his best years are also behind him. Joining Baerga in the middle of the line-up will be ex-Toronto First Basemen Sarma Wall. Wall has more than enough power for the clean-up spot though his average rarely sneaks above .250. Second Basemen F.P. Jones was the Crushers big signing this off season. At 7 million per season, Jones brings a solid glove and good speed to Chicago on an everyday basis. The star of the line-up will be former 3^rd overall pick, Fred Medina. Medina turned some heads during his minimal at bats as a rookie last season. Look for the sophomore to improve on last season’s totals on his way to earning favour with the Chicago faithful. Speaking of draft picks, that is where the strength of this team most certainly is. 1^st overall pick Julio Pascual will likely be stationed at AAA again this season, though don’t be surprised if he makes the jump to the majors at some point. Last season’s 3^rd overall pick, Willie Jacquez, is already 22 and has yet to play a game of professional baseball. He will start the season in rookie ball but should move quickly through the ranks to avoid minor league toil.

I know we talk about it every year, but the accomplishment keeps getting better with age; Detroit has now notched eleven straight 100+ win seasons! With ‘the incident’ now seven seasons in the past, the Tiger Sharks have carved out a new identity for themselves. Their team ERA of 3.40 was tops in the majors last season. In terms of last years pitching results, credit veterans Jesus Perez, Felipe Villa and Dick Zentmeyer as well as the emergence of rookie Bart Murray. This year, rookie Clayton Cooper looks to add to the fantastic pitching tradition enjoyed in Michigan. In an interesting twist, “Razor” Ricardo Tavarez slide nicely into the bullpen posting a 2.88 ERA in the long reliever role. Though at 40 Tavarez’s Cy Young days seem far behind him, he will still play an important role for Detroit during those late innings. Former Fireman of the Year Hunter Wilkinson was used primarily as a setup man over the past two seasons, but this year it looks like he will return to the familiar role of closer. Former 1^st overall pick Scot McGowan looks ready to take the ML plunge this season. His emergence made it possible for the Tiger Sharks to walk away from FA Second Baseman Russell Rivera, saving much money in the process. 4 time All-Star Tony Calderon, entering his 5^th major league season, remains a staple at Shortstop. Though his bat doesn’t always impress, his speed and glove make him a force to be reckoned with. A spring training injury to Third Baseman Sam “Jules” Jackson will see him sidelined until after the All-Star break. Watch for Julio Renteria to take over his duties until the All-Star is ready to return. An impressive outfield, augmented by one of the best leadoff hitters in the NL Joey Kramer, rounds out the fierce some Detroit roster. Of course the problem with boasting such an impressive team is certainly financial. Detroit will pay 12 players at least 5 million dollars this season on their way to paying a 100 million dollar total player payroll salary. Furthermore, they already have 65 million tied up in only 9 players for next season. At 3.6 million per player, Detroit has the highest average salary of any team in the NL. Still, it is hard to argue with how the Tiger Sharks are sending their money and as long as they keep winning no body will say anything.

Does it make you old to say “I remember when Montreal was a joke of a team.” Probably. Over the past 8 seasons, the Maroons (formerly the Habs) have missed the post season only once and have won the World Series twice. Over the past 4 seasons, they have posted a 424-224 record for an astounding winning percentage of .675 and second only to their divisional rivals in Detroit. Canadian hero and reigning NL MVP Fernando Rios has been the crucial reason those teams have succeeded. After 5 seasons in Montreal Rios has smacked 252 homeruns, averaging just over 50 per season. Though Rios was certainly deserving of the MVP honour, some of his stiffest competition may have come from his teammate First Basemen Enrique Valdes. Valdes, winner of the MVP and Rookie of the Year back in season 15, hit 54 homeruns and knocked in 147 runs too boot. Still Rios and Valdes only make up a portion of this potent offence. Outfielders Bailey Dykstra, Joe Rollins and Steve Guerrero are all All-Stars and all have the potential to go deep. Second Baseman was a late re-sign for the Maroons. He can only improve on his disappointing numbers from a year ago, but even if he doesn’t his glove will keep him on your scorecard every day. Watch for second-year catcher Michael ‘Cheech’ Phelps to further improve on his totals from last season. While his pitch calling leaves much to be desired, he has the potential to be one of the more impressive contact hitters on the club. Despite the powerful approach to offence in Montreal, pitching may be the strength of this club. Last seasons NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young finalist Edgard Garces shone in 198.2 innings pitched posting an 18-4 record and an incredible ERA of 2.36. The most amazing thing about the soft-throwing Cuban is that he posted those numbers at the age of 21. That being said, class of the Maroons staff is Garces’ fellow country-man Vic Lopez. Incredibly, Lopez posted better numbers than Garces last season and is more capable of going deeper into games. If there is a drawback to his game its that he has a tendency to give up the long ball at inopportune times. D’Angelo ‘Cedar Teeth’ Lopez will close out games again this year. After 5 impressive seasons with the club, Lopez is finally demanding big money. He scored a 7.7 million dollar deal in arbitration this year making him one of the highest paid closers. Montreal will have to shell out big money and a long-term deal for this gem in the near future. Definitely all systems go this year.

Philadelphia has the unfortunate geographical disadvantage of being in the toughest division in the National League. The franchise’s successes from their Madison days have resulted in tough times for the Pheremoniacs who have yet to make the playoffs since departing Wisconsin. The Pheremoniacs bullpen took a hit in the off season as 4 prominent relievers who pitched strong innings filed for free agency. A few off-season signings, waiver claims and a trade that saw 7 million dollar man Sheldon Stewart come to town should give the pen enough stability. Ace Tony Silva will reprise his role as number one on a fairly strong starting rotation. The starting rotation is far from flashy, but is definitely capable of getting the job done in Philadelphia. For example, Shane Fleming, who may slide into the number two spot behind Silva, has always had issues with his control but was good enough last season to post a 3.53 ERA on his way to notching 12 wins. 37 year old FA acquisition Willie Acosta moves into town following a difficult season at Fenway Park. He seems primed for one last hurrah to close out his career. The Standridges, Matthew and Marc, make up the left side of the infield as well as the heart of Philadelphia’s line-up but may get bumped down if the inexperienced duo of 1B Brett Meyers and 2B Oscar Kennedy can make an impact early on. Joshua Meadows also joins the fold this year via free agency. Though Meadows has lost a bit of the game changing impact he once had on the base paths (1032 career stolen bases and first all time), his is still a dynamic and smart baseball player who will likely see a lot of time at the top of the order. His transition from Second Base to Left Field will most likely improve his durability and another 500+ at bats and 50 stolen bases are not out of the question for him. AAA prospect, closer Earl Jakubauskas, may make the jump to the majors this season should the closing role become vacant due to performance. At 21 years of age, Jakubauskas has succeeded everywhere he has played and may move up the ranks quickly. AA prospect starting pitcher Tom Messmer is anticipated in Philadelphia. The 21 year old is able to throw all of his pitches across for strikes and keep the ball in yard. If his durability can improve, Messmer will be an All-Star someday. Aside from them, prospects aren’t plentiful in Philadelphia as many of their youngsters are already here.

Prediction:

1. Montreal

2. Detroit *

3. Philadelphia

4. Chicago

* denotes wildcard

N.L. East?

Is Tampa Bay’s old-man approach getting old?

Can high draft picks get results in Burlington?

Will Washington draw upon their post-season successes from a year ago?

Will off-season changes turn the tide in Pittsburgh?

Without a winning record in 11 seasons, Burlington needs to start turning some of those high draft picks into ML success. Benny Diaz, Henry Ulrich, Jimmie Shannon, Trenidad Sanchez, Jarrod Anderson, Shawn Pittinger, Reagan Buchholz, Rich Jones, Clay Wise, Toby Nation, and Dann Kelly are all former 1^st round picks on the ML roster but most haven’t been able to develop the their full potential. Perhaps 2^nd overall Stu Burke and 4^th overall Skeeter Young can contribute on the big league team this year, but for the time being the Barons’ minor league affiliates will be their home. Of this mix of talent, the Second Baseman Trenidad Sanchez seems most capable of taking his game to the next level. Sanchez hit .314 with 20 HR’s in his rookie season narrowly missing both the All-Star and Rookie of the Year vote. Also, rookie Benny Diaz is a 5 tool player who hopes to slide into the heart of the order. The Barons did turn some heads in the offseason by inking 6 time All-Star Shortstop Mark Kyung to a 5 year contract. Kyung will bring leadership and a winning attitude to this home grown team. Burlington also stole Willie Lee away from divisional rival Tampa Bay in the off season. Lee brings with him speed and a solid glove out in Center Field. Burlington also signed starting pitcher Francis Mota to a very modest .9 million dollar contract. If Mota can gain some sort of semblance of control and begin throwing his impressive fastball for strikes more consistently, he may be a bargain. That being said, he currently does have a career walk to strikeout ratio of nearly 1:1. Currently, Burlington does have the most pitcher friendly park in the majors though their team ERA must drop significantly from it 4.35 mark from a year ago in order to take advantage of that fact; compare Burlington’s team home ERA of 3.93 to their road ERA of 4.80 (2^nd lowest in the NL). Pitching coach Brutus Valdes is entering his 6^th season with the club and will need better results to guarantee his job after this year. Times are tough in Burlington and may continue to be unless Burlington can start converting some of those high draft picks ( 5^th overall this season) into ML stars. Expect another rocky road on the path to success.

In an effort to shake up an underperforming team that missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season (finishing below .500 for the first time in 8 seasons), Pittsburgh parted ways with Free Agents Rolando Armas (Syracuse), Jolbert Saenz (Richmond), Wilson Lee (Richmond), Mitchell Griffin (New York), Karl Frank (Las Vegas), Bennie Pedersen (Durham) and Mike Sadler (unsigned). The moves were done to inject fresh life into the Grindermen who consistently field a solid team but have been under performing at the plate and from the mound. The FA signings of infielders Stan Jones and Andres Alonso are most certain capable hitters, but don’t strike fear into opposing pitchers. Long time World Police pitcher Richard Lee also signed a good money deal and will attempt to transition to a starting rotation that is backed by hard luck hurler Dave Gibson. Gibson has managed to post sub 4.00 ERA’s over the past 3 seasons, yet has not been able to break the 12 win plateau in any of them. After making the All-Star team in his rookie season, Gibson has been hard pressed to find the love from either his teammates or the voting fans. Pedro Lunar has been nothing short of lights out since joining Pittsburgh a few seasons back, though he has never been a starter who could pitch deep into games and this has been tiring out the Grindermen’s bullpen over the past few seasons. Chris Wheeler has the potential to top 250 innings if he can gain his managers trust and shave something off of his unimpressive 5.03 career ERA. The former 5^th overall selection needs to start producing now to improve Pittsburgh’s chances. The offence on the team is spearheaded by the likes of Glenn Montgomery and Winston Marte who combine speed, average and power to provide a fearsome duo. Tony Servet and Roc Ledee provide great support, though both have seen a great decline in their offensive numbers over the past 2 seasons. Both are former All-Stars and have the potential to reach the mid season classic again, but another slow start will have the fans turning on these high priced sluggers very quickly. At 36 years old, former first overall pick Cal Brumfield has slowed down significantly and will likely be a platoon or pinch hitting specialist for the remainder of his career. The emergence of rookie backstop Rickey Relaford has made sweet hitting Aramis Villafuerte expendable and rumours have it that Pittsburgh is actively looking for a new home for him. In short, the Grindermen need to get off to a good start to have any hope of catching a wildcard spot this season.

With an average player age of 30 years old, Tampa Bay is the oldest team in the National League. The heart of this once potent offence is still lead by Barney Webster and Rick Nicholson, but at 33 and 35 years respectively, they are both starting to show signs of slowing down. Rick Nick’s 91 RBIs last season marked only the 2^nd time in the players illustrious 14 year career that he failed to reach the 100 mark. He also failed to hit the 30 HR mark for the first time ever. Though the first ballot Hall of Famer is on the downside of his career, he is still a threat at the plate and will likely be the first player to top the 2000 career RBI mark early next season. At 27 years of age, Kordell Kramer is far from over the hill, but injuries have slowed him down significantly. Kramer was placed on the 60 day Dl early last season with a herniated disc in his neck. He tweaked it again during Spring Training and may miss the first month of the season. This will open the door for former first round draft pick Jerome Leskanic to get some time at Shortstop. FA grab Harry Romero joined the club in the offseason and will definitely play a larger role in the Terrific Balls line-up than he ever did in Boston. On the mound William Ishii, Ben Black, Pedro Guerrero and Jerry Rhodes are all over 33; though Ishii, at 39, shows no signs of slowing down. He posted a tremendous 3.42 ERA last season and still the ace of the staff. In the pen, Boots Cash looks to cash in on a superb year as a set up man last year. Boots posted an ERA of 2.00 in 96 appearances (a franchise record) and a whopping 152.2 IP. He will likely be handed the ball in all closing situations for Tampa this season. Though they were likely better than their 80-82 record of a year ago would have you believe, time is running out in Tampa. With limited prospects on the rise and an 87.8 million dollar salary hit this season, Tampa needs to win now. Another strong pitching performance from the veterans and solid hitting from guys who have shown they are more than capable will surely see the Balls in the race come playoff time.

In an impressive post season feat from a year ago, Washington D.C. managed to knock out 98-64 Montreal in the first round and 102-60 Detroit in the second round before succumbing to Richmond in the 7 game NLCS final. Not bad for a team that snuck into the playoffs with an 82-80 record. The Swamp Cats proved to be quite inactive in the off-season with the biggest move turning out to be the non-resigning of veteran outfielder and former 46 HR man Tomas Bennett. Instead, the Swamp Cats elected to continue the youth movement. As a result, Washington can now boast the youngest average age (25.6 years) and the lowest average salary (1.1 million) of any team in baseball. Leading the charge will be First Baseman Sandy ‘Hitman’ Hale and his astounding 197 career homeruns all hit before his 26^th birthday. Not bad for a guy who has also managed to squeeze in shoulder surgery in his short time in the majors. Hale has managed to drive in runs and hit for a solid average making him a definite Triple Crown threat. He’s also the only guy on the team earning over 5 million this season. At 25 years of age, Lonnie Tobin is entering his 5^th Major League season and is coming off his first trip to the All-Star game. Tobin posses a good eye and a knack for hitting the ball out of the park. Look for him to Improve on last season’s career numbers. Guillermo Nieves, Vicente Perez and Kevin Yoshii add depth to an impressive line up and are all under 25 years old. Still, the most exciting player to emerge this season may be 22 year old Joey Swann. The former 2^nd overall pick (taken behind fellow rookie Scot McGowan) joined the club for the impressive playoff run last season but will likely start this season at AAA. Look for Swann to join the club early in the year and earn enough at bats to garner consideration for Rookie of the Year. Still, Washington’s greatest asset may prove to be on the mound with a young trio of highly drafted studs leading the way. D.J. Gragg (26 years, 3^rd overall), Cord Epstein (24 years, 2^nd overall) and F.P. Webster (23 years, 9^th overall) can throw strikes, pitch innings and get outs. Sure these talented players will be commanding high paydays in the not so distant future but for now Washington has the perfect mix of youth, talent and low salaries to make them competitive for years to come, and with the second highest scouting budget in the majors the prospect watch is far from over.

Prediction:

1. Washington

2. Tampa Bay

3. Pittsburgh

4. Burlington

N.L. South

Which Iowa team will take to the field this season?

Will keeping Brad Street prove worthy in Atlanta?

Is Richmond for real?

Will stability ever come to El Paso?

After appearances in 4 of the last 6 playoffs, followed by quick exits, Atlanta is looking to hang around with the big boys a bit longer this year. The World Police’s biggest move this off season was the resigning of 5 time All-Star Brad Street to a massive 4 year 40.5 million dollar (plus bonuses) contract that will see the former Rookie of the Year and perennial Silver Slugger be the cornerstone of the offence for the foreseeable future. Though Street’s payday was higher than any GM would’ve liked to pay, his bat in the cleanup spot is irreplaceable. Also joining the World Police is FA acquisition Grady Peterson, fresh off a World Series win in Oklahoma City. Peterson will be the primary setup man before the Police can hand the ball off to Walter ‘Don’t Stand so Close to Me’ Milton. Milton, a finalist for the Fireman of the Year last season, has posted 107 saves and a tidy ERA of just under 3 in his first 3 seasons in the bigs. At First Base, Lloyd Harper looks to build upon a fairly successful rookie campaign. Harper is a well rounded hitter with a great eye and has definite All-Star potential. Bruce Sellers, who came over in a trade early last season, is a good number 2 hitter behind the always speedy Edgardo Seguignol. Orlando Vega rounds out a very strong infield, but lacks the range to play an effective Shortstop. Street, Sellers and Vega will be making a combined 27.9 million dollars this season and with both Sellers and Vega’s contract up at the end of the year, they have a lot to prove to the Atlanta faithful. Waiting in the wings is AAA prospect Hector Mintz who is a defensive wiz at short and a not to bad hitter to boot. He will most likely make some of those high priced infielders expendable at season’s end. Atlanta has always had a knack for finding good starting pitching in the draft and internationally. Gabe Miller, Karim James and Randy Bradford are fine examples of that, though the Police are salivating at the chance of seeing prospect Domingo Johnson pitch in the majors sometime soon. Though he very well may be ML ready, Atlanta is taking their time with the 21 year old and he will likely spend this season in AAA. Look for Johnson to be called up if Atlanta finds itself in the playoff mix towards the end of the year.

Having relocated 9 times over the past 12 seasons (a sure sign of an indifferent league) the…ummm…errr…franchise has settled in El Paso where they hope to grow some deep, deep roots. To their credit, the Blancos made some good decisions in the off-season opting to do very little instead of much. They allowed some role players and minor leaguers to walk away rather than ink them and didn’t chase any high priced talent. Management in El Paso has recognized that for this team to do well, now is not the time to spend extravagantly. The Bancos have 62 million committed to players this season, but only 26 million the following year as some bad contracts come off the books. Expect more money to be placed into the scouting, signing and training budgets than have been in the past for this club. Also of note this off-season was the trade with Vancouver that saw 27 year old Logan Harper join the mix. Harper and Todd Kennedy, 26, finally give the franchise a sold 1-2 punch on the mound, something they have lacked previously. After spending last season in the bullpen, Ramon Li will likely join the rotation this season to give the Blancos 3 dependable options and if rookie Doug Campbell can keep throwing that nasty screwball for strikes, the Blancos will be looking even better. New faces FA Frank McCorley and Herm Lamb (another part of the Vancouver deal) will provide ample support for the rotation late in innings until the ball can be handed over to Tim Xavier. If El Paso has a chance at succeeding this season it will be solely due to their pitching. Corner infielders Richard Brea and Javier Pena have some punch in their bat and are the two best options for the club, though after them the talent drops off quickly. The lack luster offence that had trouble scoring runs last season and that trends is expected to continue this year. 28 year-old rookie Jed Hawkins will likely be the everyday starter in Right Field, but we’re not quite sure what to expect out of him this season. His long road to the majors has made him hungry, though there is a definite ceiling to his capabilities. Starting in Center Field this year will be the “Alaskan Assassin” Haywood Gibson who can throw a ball further than he can hit one. Tony Baez, acquired in an off-season deal with Boston, will provide stellar defense making him both a fan and pitcher favourite. This year will be one of growth for El Paso, but anything is possible. Allow this team to stay put and they could be a team on the rise.

Following a trip to the World Series 2 seasons ago, Iowa bottomed out last year dropping 96. While the Bearcats pitching was strong enough to keep them in games, their bats went limp mid-season. The offseason was a busy one for Iowa, kicked off by the 51.5 million dollar signing off oft injured Harold Gonzales. Gonzales was a trade deadline acquisition by the Bearcats 2 seasons ago and hit .317 before suffering a season ending injury that sent the Free Agent packing for Boston. Last season Gonzales, battling injuries, batted .320 with 22 HR in limited time at the plate. This set him up for his tremendous Iowa City payday. If he can stay healthy, and that is a big if, he will be a tremendous addition to the top of the Bearcats lineup. Days after the monumental Gonzales signing, Iowa again shelled out giving big bucks to FA starter Ryan Cash – also from Boston. Cash’s 5 year 62 million dollar deal will undeniably put pressure on the 29 year old pitcher who has only shown glimpses of promise up to this point. 4 time All-Star Ivan Armas will earn 12.5 million this season and closer Perry Campbell has signed on for 11.5 million meaning that Iowa has committed 47.3 million to just 4 players. For the record, that is almost 10 million more than Washington’s entire team. Iowa City franchise record holder Larry Franklin returns for his 13^th major league system with the franchise and will be commanding a modest .8 million this year. His leadership role has never been in question, though this season he will also have to mediate between the high priced egos in the dugout. Iowa was also busy on the trade front bringing in Jacksonville slugger Kris Brock to patrol Center Field in the pitcher friendly confines of Principal Park. Still, the most anticipated new face this year for Iowa will undoubtedly be rookie First Basemen Otis Davis. Pundits agree that Davis is the odds on favourite to capture this seasons Rookie of the Year. Davis’ combination of power and contact means he will likely transition into the clean-up role in a much improved lineup. Sophomore Tsubasa Chang has the bat and will get the opportunity to show that he is worthy of being an everyday starter, though the hole in his glove means he will likely never be a good option at Shortstop. If Chang does start at Short, that will relegate the 5 million dollar man Pasqual Beltre, to the position of bench warmer. On the mound, 23 year old Ross Lawson may prove to be the ace of the rotation. His control and ability to keep the ball in the yard will remind everyone why he was taken 12^th overall in season 13. Don’t expect great things from this high priced group of talent, but don’t expect a repeat of last year’s disaster in the Midwest.

After a trip to the World Series last season, Richmond’s Eric Klassen put it best. “There’s no let down. Getting that far and not winning has only made us hungrier. We expect to be right back there again this year.” Klassen should know about hunger. He made it to the Series back in season 12 with Durham only to lose the 7^th game to a hungrier Montreal club. This year, pieces are in place to make another impressive run. Joining Klassen on the mound will be the returning Chuck Russell, Nicholas Ford and Raphael Belliard. Russell has been The River City Rebel’s best starter since coming over from Toronto in a trade a few seasons back, posting an ERA under 4.00 in every year since the deal. While at 33, Belliard has appeared to breathe new life into himself posting his best numbers over the past 2 seasons. New arrival David Ortiz moves from Ottawa to Richmond in a deal that saw All-Star catcher Eduardo Sanchez go the other way. Should any of those guys falter, look for Willie Astacio, Felipe Colome or Eduardo Alvarez move in for a spot start. The pen should belong to the ancient one Jayson Levine, though rookie Daniel Hall and FA Jolbert Saenz could push him Levine’s arm weaken. The departure of Sanchez to Ottawa opened the door for young Curt Monroe to prove he can be the everyday starter behind the plate. Monroe has a great relationship with the pitchers, though he most certainly cannot replace Sanchez’s presence at the plate. To make up for the lost offence, Richmond will rely on veterans Rickey O’Brien, Jimmie Lopez and Eli Izquierdo to have career years. The three sluggers will combine for a whopping 29 million dollar payout this season and they all need to continue posting All-Star numbers to receive the approval of team management. First Baseman Juan Rodriguez followed a successful rookie campaign in season 15 with an equally impressive sophomore year last season. Rodriquez has the perfect mix of power and contact and a good eye to boot. If he can sandwich himself between some of the clubs veterans in the lineup, you can expect even better numbers this season than in his previous two. Last year’s success is a direct result of strong hitting (top average of any NL team), good pitching (a sub 4.00 team ERA) and a dependable team defence (the third best + to – plays ratio in the NL). Without too much leaving this off season, Sanchez aside, expect another strong showing from Richmond.

Prediction:

1. Atlanta

2. Richmond

3. El Paso

4. Iowa

N.L. East?

Is now the time to win in Los Angeles?

Can Helena translate be successful in their new home?

Will Vancouver return to the playoffs?

How long will the rebuild take in San Francisco?

After a storybook season which saw a group of waiver wire pickups, Rule 5 guys and youth turn the perennial NL West bridesmaids into the toast of the Majors; Tacoma has picked up and headed east to the less pitcher friendly park in Helena. Aside from the Sacramento bound Donaldo Trinidad (and his miniscule 3.23, 3.39 and 3.43 ERA’s over the past 3 seasons), the team looks very similar to the one the Phantom der Nacht’s fielded last season. However don’t expect the same 99 win total from a year ago. Though Tacoma’s ML low .244 BA and 89 HR will improve in their new confines, it probably won’t be a drastic enough improvement to support the team. Still here are the speed and defence that catapulted Tacoma into the playoffs for the first time in 15 seasons. The 558 steals posted last season, shattered the previous ML franchise record of 364 set by New Britain back in season 7. Sammy Hines, Josias Castro and Angel Henriquez all posted over 100 individual stolen bases and were all grabbed off the waiver wire. Greg Bradley, another waiver claim, posted 79 SB, won the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards in RF, appeared in his first All-Star Game and garnered some consideration for NL MVP. Not bad for a guy with 143 at bats prior to last season. Most likely to improve in Helena will be Pedro Maduro and his pitiful .224 BA. Falling out of favour with the team’s manager last season was Ralph Goodwin who saw his average of 600 AB per season drop to 192 in an injury free season. Goodwin is a sure thing on the field and at the dish and most definitely will find his way back into the lineup on a consistent basis. Most excitingly, last season’s highly coveted IFA Juan Mantalban will probably be called up at some point this year. If this happens, he will surely inject the offence with his 5-tool game. On the mound, pitching phenom Carlos Lopez looks to build on his impressive 3.20 ERA posted in his rookie season. 27 year old Sal Rossy posted big numbers on the mound despite only starting 20 games last season. Their successes made it possible for Helena to turn their back on Trinidad this season. Bobby Courtney and Ron Atkins close out what is an impressive rotation no matter what park they are pitching in. The pen is full of a bunch of guys who have had a second life blown into them. They will be lead by the impressive Willy Ginter who’s 42 SV and 1.41 ERA saw him fall just short of capturing his first ever Fireman of the Year Award.

The future is fast approaching in Los Angeles and the Dead Bunnies are looking to build on a strong finish to last year’s 85 win total. Pitching has always, and will continue to be, the strength of this club. Mike Taylor and Warren Peterson are both, however, 34 years old and Mark Koehlert and Ivan Gonzales can hardly be considered young anymore. For a team without much on the way in terms of Starting Pitcher prospects, LA needs success to come sooner rather than later. With an incredible career ERA of 3.38 and a miserable record just barely over .500, Gonzales can definitely be labelled the most hard luck starter in Baseball. His contract is up after this season and he could very well be looking to try his luck elsewhere if the Bunnies bats can’t get him into the playoffs. Ebenezer ‘The Scrooge’ Caruso wowed on lookers and befuddled batters on his way to posting 54 Saves and a neat and tidy 2.11 ERA last season. Expect nothing less this year.Cementing himself in Leftfield as the face of the franchise for years to come is 11^th overall pick from season 12, Freddie Small. His weak showing at the plate is more indicative of the contours of Dodger Stadium than any offensive weakness he may possess. Joining Small in the Outfield this year will be the 5 time Gold Glove winner and 4 time All-Star, FA acquisition Napoleon Watson. There will be a battle for the starting job in Right Field with the early favourite being another FA acquisition in Monte Shields. Though the torch will be passed from Josh Moore to Small this season, Moore continues to play a vital role in a pretty limp line-up. Moore’s consistently good for 20-30 HRs, though LA is hoping for better contact numbers from the highly paid veteran. Early Rookie of the Year candidate, Donovan Barr, could put up decent numbers this year, especially if he continues to hit 5^th or 6^th in the line-up. Barr will bring strong defence, a solid bat and youthful energy to Third Base this season. Look for 20 plus HRs and 100 plus strikeouts from First Basemen Ed Towers this season. LA loves his presence in the line-up, but would be ecstatic if he could improve on his career .261 BA. What Cuban exile Jose Lopez lacks at the plate he makes up for with his glove. Don’t expect anyone to challenge him for his spot at short. Expect a .250 BA, 0 HRs and a whole lot of flair in the field this season from Lopez.

After 12 seasons in Cheyenne, 1 plus .500 season and 0 post season appearances, the Alpini have picked up and headed to San Francisco where the long ball is hard to find. The Streets will likely platoon the incredibly defensive minded duo of Eduardo Aquino and Les Reid at Shortstop. Though neither have much of a hitting game, their range, gloves and arms will make them a favourite of the pitching staff. Second Base looks to belong to B.C. Morgan and his 3 year 16 million dollar contract. Word is that management in San Fran is looking to deal the underachieving Morgan, and if that happens look for Quinn Key or rookie Gary Tannehill to man the bag. Del Guerrero anchors the infield at Third providing solid defence and good contact numbers. The Streets will be looking for the former 6^th overall pick to provide some more leadership both on and off the field as the team is undoubtedly his. Rule 5 pickup Willie Megias will provide great defence at First Base and provide the club with a bit of pop in a line-up that saw them hit only 153 dingers a year ago. At 22 years old, Tuck Stuart is coming off a fantastic rookie year that saw him notch 19 HRs and hit .297. Tris Lefebvre, Al Matrinez and Ed Benitez round out a decent Outfield, but look for speedy Omar Fernandez to steal most of the at bats in California. Veteran Keith Bunch will set up behind the plate while San Francisco waits for the young Octavio Uribe to prove he’s Major League ready. Starting pitching may prove to be a weakness for the club this season. Though the team lacks a definite Number 1/2 starter, Kennie Broome, Achilles Houston, Hugh Thurman, Julio Galarraga and Julius Shelley give them some depth to work with. Last season a closer was a hard thing to come by in Cheyenne. Anthony Epstein was handed the ball most often, but his 0-9 record and embarrassing 7.79 ERA won’t earn him favour in the dugout. There is even talk of hard throwing starter Thurman being given the ball in closing situations. He posted decent numbers in that role during Spring Training, but he may be more useful to the club pitching more innings on a day to day basis.

Following a 97 win campaign and a trip to the National League finals, Vancouver posted 2 disappointing season totals of 81 and 78 wins respectively. Though 81 wins was good enough to sneak the Vampire Bats into the playoffs, the 78 wins from a year ago landed them in 3^rd place in the increasingly competitive NL West. So where did it all go wrong for Vancouver last season? Their .254 team BA was the second lowest in team history and aside from the breakout performance of young All-Star Catcher Erik Redman, the dish didn’t treat the Bats too well. Vancouver hopes to overcome their offensive deficiencies this seasons through the signing of 3 time All-Star and World Series champ Russell Rivera who knows how to win. Rivera left Detroit after 6 and a half seasons in the Motor City for the payday and the challenge that will surely be the Bats this season. Complimenting Rivera will be the powerful bats of Dan Stanley, Bart Stewart and youngsters Del Calvo and Arthur Davis. Also joining Vancouver this season via a trade with the Red Sox is Hootie Park who will look to duplicate his 49 HR performance from 2 seasons ago. The power is all fine and good, but Vancouver needs more guys on base. That job will be left up to leadoff hitter and Gold Glove Second Baseman Matty Medrano. The speedster will start the season off on the DL, but expect him to be patrolling Vancouver’s infield for many years to come. Departing Vancouver in the Park deal was Alex Darling who will be replaced by the young and capable arms of Carmen Hinske and Ralph ‘The Rocket’ Rocker. Workhorse and 6 time All-Star, Bruce Schoendienst will undoubtedly get the ball on opening day and as many other times this year as the manager can get him to the mound. Rookie Norman McMillan and reliever turned starter Frank ‘The Laser’ Lunsford look to close out the rotation in Vancouver. You can expect growing pains from McMillan and not a whole lot of innings out of Lunsford, but still, this is one of the better rotations in the Majors. Closer Jimmy Parker surpassed Del Garces career Major League record 433 saves. He’ll have to get his puffy 5.30 ERA from a year ago to shrink for Vancouver to have absolute faith in the absolute saves leader. Expect the pitching to remain solid and the Bats bats to improve.

Prediction:

1. Helena

2. Vancouver *

3. Los Angeles

4. San Francisco

* denotes wildcard

American League Predictions

M.V.P.

1. Wilt Blair (louisville)

2. Miguel Martinez (new york)

3. Luis Lee (oklahoma city)

4. Alfonso Mercedes (boston)

5. Tom Borland (syracuse)

Runners up: Fausto Posada (little rock), Terry Davis (boston), Miguel Jiminez (charlotte), Blake Robinson (boston)

Borland puts up great numbers, but he’s too well rounded to stand out against the extreme power and run production of the other candidates. Mercedes should have another standout year, but the Boston hitters often cancel each other out. There could be two Red Sox on this list, but they’ll steal each others votes as well as RBIs. Luis Lee and MigMar are both tremendous hitters on the rise and large leaps in production seem likely, but they might fall short of what Wilt Blair is capable of in Louisville, where he’s a likely candidate to repeat. Wilt Blair is truly valuable to his team.

Cy Young Award

1. Vasco Montanez (las vegas)

2. John Mailman (oklahoma city)

3. Moises Vega (new york)

4. Brendan O’Neil (trenton)

5. Alex Ortiz (ottawa)

runners up: Joaquin Fernandez (syracuse), Juan Sosa (toronto), Javier Estrada (louisville), Jesus Astacio (jacksonville) (yes, all the runners-up needed to have “j” names)

Ortiz, O’Neil and Vega are all good pitchers on the cusp of becoming great pitchers. There are many pitchers around the A.L. with great talent who have the potential to break out this season. That being said, none of them have the experience or pure stuff to rise into the stratosphere of Vasco and Mailman. Mailman is older and he won last season, so Vasco could easily be the man this season.

Rookie of the Year

1. Pedro Gonzalez (toronto)

2. Phil Knotts (trenton)

3. Clint Walker (toronto)

4. Vinny Scott (jacksonville)

5. Joshua Zimmerman (syracuse)

runners up: Enrique Vega (las vegas), Andres Picasso (louisville), Moe Stovall (boston), Glenn Faulk (durham)

Zimmerman looks great but I think his P1 is just not there yet. The same can be said for Knotts, though the rest of the package is a little more impressive. Scott has grit, speed and might hit for decent average but he fields a tough position that he’ll likely struggle with initially and he doesn’t wow me enough at the plate. Walker is a gamer, but I think he’ll have his ups and downs in his rookie year. Pedro Gonzalez is mature, has a great eye and is a well-rounded hitter so he gets the pre-season ROY nod.

Fireman of the Year

1. Victor Rosado (new york)

2. Matthew Langerhans (florida)

3. Victor Canseco (scottsdale)

4. Ralph Lambert (syracuse)

5. Matty Koplove (oklahoma city)

runners up: Kevin Baek (Ottawa), Philip Fontenot (durham), Oscar Pittinger (toronto), Enrique Vega (las vegas), Dana Wheeler (jacksonville)

This is a really wide-open field and many closers could easily take a run at it. It’s Koplove’s first crack at closing, but he has great stuff and he pitches for a team that should give him lots of chances so I think he’ll rack up the saves. Lambert is last year’s winner and while I think he should have another fine season, his weakness against righties could cost him the award. The “Victors” Rosado and Canseco are both ridiculously good, but I think Scottsdale will be a harder place to find save opportunities. The same goes for Florida, though I’ll go out on a limb and say that if Langerhans gets enough work he could be the best of them. However, Rosado is going to be lights out and he pitches for a team that will win enough games to let him flourish. He could have won it last year if he brought his ERA down, and I’m thinking that a year of experience did him a world of good.

National League Predictions

M.V.P.

1. Sandy Hale (washington)

2. Fernando Rios (montreal)

3. Enrique Valdes (montreal)

4. Winston Marte (pittsburgh)

5. Ivan Armas (iowa)

runners up: Brad Street (atlanta), Joey Kramer (detroit), Jimmie Lopez (richmond), Steve Guerrero (monteal)

The M.V.P. trophy could easily return to Montreal with a handful of players in the mix, though we wonder if their evenly distributed offence has the potential to cancel each other out come M.V.P. voting time. Hale puts up phenomenal numbers and is far moer ‘valuable’ to his team’s offence than any of Rios, Valdes or Guerrero. Marte won the award in the AL and was a finalist for the NL version a year ago. If Armas can have anybody getting on base ahead of him, he is capable of putting up M.V.P. type numbers. Some veterans are still sticking around this board and have the potential to make an impact.

Cy Young

1. Felipe Villa (detroit)

2. Vic Lopez (montreal)

3. Edgard Garces (montreal)

4. Carlos Lopez (helena)

5. Dick Zentmeyer (detorit)

runners up: Cord Epstein (washington), Bruce Schoendienst (vancouver), Jesus Perez (detroit), William Ishii (tampa bay)

The NL Cy Young will most certainly end up in the north this season. Detroit and Montreal are consistently sending two of the best pitching rotations to the mound day in and day out. The early favourite, by a nose, is Villa. Through 4 full ML seasons, Villa has yet to post an ERA over 2.57. Though Montreal will get more run support than Detroit, it’s hard to turn your back on the 2 time winner. Carlos Lopez can surprise if Helena continues its winning ways from a year ago. Look for a lot of wins, innings and strikeouts from the 22 year old. Epstein enters the mix this season as Washington seems poised to provide a lot more run support for the starter this season. A few wily vets (Shoendienst and Ishii) are still in the mix.

Rookie of the Year

1. Scot McGowan (detroit)

2. Juan Mantalban (helena)
3. Otis Davis (iowa)

4. Benny Diaz (burlingon)

5. Donovan Barr (los angeles)

runners up: Joey Swann (washington), Clayton Cooper (detroit), Willie Person (vancouver), Doug Campbell (el paso), Jed Hawkins (el paso)

The long awaited debut of 1^st overall pick McGowan will be capturing headlines across the baseball world this season. Expect great things from the rookie, especially if he can find a nice spot somewhere atop the batting order. McGowan could get bumped if Mantalban, the most highly sought after IFA, makes a debut this season as most expect he will. They are in a class by themselves, but Davis, Diaz, Barr and Person’s bats make the second tier of rookies a force as well. Swann could easily jump into the mix should he be called up at some point this season. Don’t expect much from NL rookie pitchers this season. Cooper will get wins in Detroit, but none of his pitches look to impressive outside of his cut fastball. Campbell has the potential to throw innings and keep opponents averages down, but his control may be an issue.

Fireman of the Year

1. Ebenezer Caruso (los angeles)

2. Hunter Wilkinson (detroit)

3. Boots Cash (tampa bay)

4. D’Angelo Lopez (montreal)

5. Perry Campbell (iowa)

runners up: Walter Milton (atlanta), Jimmy Parker (vancouver), Willy Ginter (helena), Tim Xavier (el paso)

It’s a pick ‘em how you want for fireman. The head of the class, in no particular order, goes to Caruso, Cash, Lopez, Campbell and Wilkinson. The winner will most likely depend on who gets the most save opportunities. For that reason, Campbell is ranked 5 where on any other team he could’ve been as high as 2 or 3. Expect great things from the young Boots this season, while Wilkinson and Lopez will get their fair share of chances this season too. A nod goes to Caruso who will steal and save almost every opportunity this season. Also in the mix will be Milton, Xavier and Parker if he can lower his ERA. Ginter posted great numbers last season, but we’ll have to wait and see if he and Helena are for real.

One on One Interview With Boston Red Sox Owner Mike45

We recently sat down with one of Yastrzemski world's original owners, Boston's 13 time division titlist mike45. We chatted about the state and outlook of the Red Sox franchise, some of his all-time favorite players, and sundry others items of interest. Here's what he had to say:


Which of your HBD teams is your favorite and why?

Boston Red Sox (Yastrzemski). It’s where I’ve had the most success, but it’s really the one I work at the most as well. I’ve been here since the very beginning and it’s sort of fun to watch the players come and go as I build an organization, rather than just a team.


The Red Sox have not yet missed the playoffs in 15 completed seasons. Without giving away any secrets, can you explain how you have kept this team so competitive over the years? Do you see the team continuing to be on top for the foreseeable future?

In the first few seasons, I think I figured out quicker than most what ratings were important and which weren’t. Lots of owners focused on overall ratings which weren’t very accurate. For example, they heavily weighted stamina, which doesn’t add nearly as much to a player’s effectiveness as the ratings bump would suggest. So I signed the right players and was able to make good trades. Since then it’s really been a lot of luck.


You have had many elite players on the Red Sox over the years. Name for us your top three, and explain how and why they have been special for you.

Ron Karnuth was just ridiculously good. I’ll give you 14 reasons why I love him the most. .318, .354, .414, .356, .377, .371, .341, .382, .357, .384, .360, .369, .361, .359. Those were his batting averages in Boston. Then you add in 5 World Series rings, a couple of MVPs, 13 all star appearances, 12 silver sluggers, 4 gold gloves…you get the picture.

Alfonso Mercedes (current); 675 homers and really shows no signs of stopping (leads ML with 46 jacks this season)

Herman Parrish: I had him for only 6.5 years, but he had an 1.173 OPS while he was in Boston. That’s just absurd.

Honorable mentions: Terry Davis (current), Miguel Beltran

Without necessarily telling how you voted, do you feel that all time career saves leader (for now) Del Garces deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame? Why or Why not?

I’m not a big proponent of closers being in the Hall, but Garces is a special case. He’s the best this world has seen. 9 time all-star, 6 fireman awards. I think he’s worthy.

Who amongst your current prospects in the minors do you feel will make the biggest contribution at the ML level?

I’m hoping for Moe Stovall (currently .333/.433/.598) at AAA to make a big impact, possibly next season.


In your opinion, which ratings are the most important when it comes to determining how successful a pitcher might be?

I’ll be damned if I know anything about pitching. I quickly realized early on that I knew more about the offensive side of the game so my resources have gravitated to that side of the ball. However, playing half of my games at Fenway, I try to find pitchers with good control, groundball tendencies, and effectiveness against right handed hitters. If this year’s stats are any indication, I should try a new strategy next season.

If you could change one thing about HBD, what would it be and why?

Coach hiring is way too time consuming. We should just be able to allocate resources among levels or coach type.

Season 16 American League Synopsis (pre-season)

AMERICAN LEAGUE SYNOPSIS

A.L. NORTH
Are Dover still playoff caliber Hosers?
Can Syracuse get the pitching they need to win?
Without Marte and Meng, who will lead the Trout?
What will it take for Jacome and the T-Hawks to get some pitching?

The tightest division in baseball became much looser last season, as Ottawa separated itself from the pack. After making the post-season with 98 wins, the franchise (in a baffling move) has packed it’s bags and moved from the Canadian capital to the much smaller city of Dover, Delaware. The newly dubbed Prodigious Assault (seems that the name “the Dover Hosers” didn’t stick for some reason) will rely heavily on the bat of Pedro “Boom Boom” Chavez, who nonchalantly clubbed 44 home runs while knocking in 126 runs last season. His 41/100/.279 counterpart, Miguel Jiminez has moved on to Charlotte after one productive season with the club, and the team is hoping to fill his shoes. They’ve added an experienced veteran in free agent Steve McRae, a twelve year pro who doesn’t exactly put the ball into orbit, but has managed a career batting average of .308. There will be secondary power in spurts from Tony Vega and Vic Esposito, but in order for the offense to excel they’ll need two things:1)Former Rookie of the Year Denny Yeats needs to take a leadership role, shaking off his sophomore season in which he saw his average dip by sixty points while having less success with both base-running and run production. Yeats is realistically a 20 homer guy, not 30, but he should be able to ratchet his average up towards .300 and help his team score a few more runs. 2) Rookie catcher Chad Mulder has crushed minor league pitching to the tune of a .341 average and is behind the plate more for his bat than his defense. He possesses great plate patience and 20+ home run potential. Despite a reputation as the slowest team in the majors (only swiping 14 bases last season) if they get solid contributions from Yeats and Mulder, the “Dover” offense should be competitive if not dominating. If the team is to recapture the division title, the pitching should be their strength. Last season they boasted both the Fireman of the Year Kevin Baek and the Rookie of the Year in pitcher Alex Ortiz. Baek, who has made great progress since his rookie season had a career year in season 15, converting 50 of 53 save opportunities and fine tuning his cutter and change up to keep hitters off-balance. Ortiz finished with a 16-1 record and a 2.91 ERA in 142 innings, mostly as a reliever. It would appear that young Alex is ready to move into the rotation, and all indications are that he should dominate. The rest of the rotation looks solid with Vinny Bryant coming into the rotation from the bullpen and David “the other” Ortiz hoping to shake off his 1-10 season (13-42 over three years!!) to live up to the potential that made him a first round pick. Curve-baller Juan Guzman also won an astonishing 26 games in 200+ relief innings and will be given starting responsibilities this season. The bullpen looks solid and with Baek closing things out, the D.P.A. should not need to lead the league in hitting to challenge for another division title. This has become a competitive squad.
-bourbonmoon

The Syracuse Blue Sox finished with the same record last season as they did the year before. The problem was that in season 14 it was good enough to narrowly win the division and in season 15 it left them on the outside looking in from 18 games behind.
Their problems mostly stemmed from the pitching staff, who were in the bottom third of the league in most categories and were one of five ML teams not to enjoy a complete game. On the flipside, the Syracuse hitters struck out the fewer than any other major league club, while being generally above average in most offensive categories. In his first full season with the team, Tom Borland led the offense in runs, doubles, RBI’s, home runs, stolen bases and represented the team at the mid-season classic. Designated hitter Benji Concepcion contributed career bests in homers, RBI’s and batting average, while outfielder Kevin Cambridge added career highs of 94 runs and 192 hits while not missing a game in his first season with the team. The offense should continue to come naturally to the Blue Sox, who signed former first rounder George Hoover to a cushy five-year deal.
The athletic shortstop is a natural run producer, but would like to see a rise in batting average this season. Hoover has a similar “speed meets power” skill set to veteran Ned Daly who is a long-time team leader on and off the field. Rookie Riku Nomo is a terrific contact hitter who brings speed to the top of the order. There are many tools in the Syracuse lineup to get the job done.
The key will no doubt be pitching, as the Blue Sox will need to find a way to keep runs off the board. The huge potential that burns within 6’4” Connecticut righty Joaquin Fernandez took a backwards slide last season. Fernandez made progress each of the previous three seasons and has been anticipated to break out as the team’s top starter since he came over from Detroit. Hopefully a new multi-year contract will give him the boost he needs to put last year’s 17-loss campaign behind him. Syracuse will also need better things from last season’s two free agent signings. Both Juan Seanez and Art Koskie were mediocre at best and with over 18 million in payroll going between them, fans had reason to grow frustrated. Seanez threw about 40 innings less than his career average and his ERA was over six. Koskie simply isn’t worth his contract if he can only muster seven wins in a season. If he matches that, the B-Sox would be paying him close to 2 million dollars per win!! There is talent at the top of this rotation, and they likely can’t do worse than they did last season. 24 yr-old Ralph Lambert has gracefully evolved into the team’s closer, saving 32 of 37 games last season. Lambert is the team’s only returning pitcher who posted a sub-4 ERA last season, and the more times the ball winds up in his hands, the better!
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The departure of A.L. MVP Winston Marte to Pittsburgh will leave a gaping void in Toronto that the Trout will not easily overcome. They’ve simultaneously lost veteran Brian Meng (a first ballot Hall-of-Famer) to retirement, leaving Trout fans wanting for a new team identity. After leading the A.L. in stolen bases, maybe they’ll focus on the basepaths? Are youngsters Horacio Guerrero, Chet Neal and Willis Swift ready to take over the team? Swift hit .306 with 20 homers as a rookie and has the potential to become an All-Star. Neal is a good hitter with 30+ home run potential, but comes with a serious strikeout reputation, while Guerrero (at 24 yrs old) is entering his 4th season with the team as a terror on the bases and a true run scorer. Offensive success for the Trout will largely depend on the progress that they get from these three talented twenty-somethings. They have a dependable power source in the “Great Wall of Sarma”, as 35/110/.250 seems like a reasonable expectation. Journeyman DH Cookie Morgan and young outfielder Javier Lopez have also shown enough pop in their bats to keep Trout fans optimistic that they can recoup some of Marte’s lost offence.
If the offence gets going, the pitching should be effective enough to win games. Starters Matt Boone, Brook Perez, Juan Sosa and David Pressley each won at least 13 games. Boone has had a terrific 15-yr career, but at 37 years old there are questions as to how much he has left in the proverbial tank. Time will tell, but odds are with Boone to post twelve or more wins for Toronto this season. Sosa enjoyed a fine transition from the bullpen to the rotation, finishing with over 200 innings and a dignified 3.80 ERA on his way to a 15 win season. He’s in his prime and should be solid this season. Perez is another aging vet with an impressive resume. With eight 15-win seasons and a Cy Young award to his credit, Mr.Perez is showing signs of slowing down. Over the past three years he’s posted a 38-35 record, which isn’t cause for alarm but might not be worth the 17.6 million that he’ll receive over the next two seasons. Brook certainly isn’t throwing as hard or as late into games as he used to, but if the bullpen is solid he can certainly still do the job. David Pressley on the other hand, is entering his prime and can throw very late into games. Drawing comparisons to the like-mustached Jack Morris, Pressley will rely on 5-6 runs from his offence to win but can certainly rack up the innings. D.P. will continue to frustrate the Trout by surrendering untimely home runs, but he’s tossed 12 complete games in four seasons and could be capable of winning 18-20 games with a hot offence in front of him. The Trout’s big free agent gamble of the off-season was to bring in long time Detroit stalwart “T-Mac” Trevor McCarthy. McCarthy had posted a career record of 134-53 before blowing out his elbow at the beginning of last season. Toronto will watch closely, hoping he fully recovers from his surgery and can give them his solid career average 16-7 season.
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For two seasons now the Trenton Terror Hawks have finished fourth in the east. The team hasn’t gotten any worse since they won the division in season 13, but they haven’t improved much either and the competition around them certainly has! The team’s strength is usually a good group of well-balanced batsmen, however despite finishing in the top half of the league offensively, they still had the fourth best offense in their division. To keep pace with Toronto, Syracuse and Dover, the T-Hawks have brought in former Rodeo Clown catcher Marvin Williamson (a career .319 hitter) to augment their offence. Williamson simply murders left handed pitching and should slide nicely into the Trenton lineup to protect the power bats of Justin “the Colossus” Jacome and Felipe Vega. Fan favorite Jacome is coming off a solid 32/126/.328 campaign and is as respected and dangerous as hitters come. Cleanup hitter Vega is a free-swinging masher who smacked 56 round-trippers last season, and is entering the prime of his career. With speedy Benji Shuey at the top of the order swiping bags and scoring runs, and RF Carl Bevil and SS Jeff Bryant still looking to prove themselves as first round draft picks, the Hawks should once again have a competent group of speedy sluggers who can get the job done.
The biggest question in Jersey once again surrounds their pitching staff and whether they can stay consistent enough to win. Former top prospect Brendan O’Neil can’t seem to buy a win, as he consistently gets the worst run support of the Trenton starters. “B.O.” has the stuff to succeed and is ready to take the helm among a solid if unspectacular group of starters. Marshall, Griffith and Mendez should all reach double digit wins, and if any of them has a career season, the team’s fortunes could turn around. Rookie Duane Belinda posted a 40-16 record in the minors and looks to make his mark in the final spot in the T-Hawks rotation. The bullpen has been an adventure over the last two seasons with “Frankie” De La Vega barely hanging on to his closers job with a 4.25 ERA, but if many of Trenton’s games are being decided in the ninth inning, then they’ll probably be in good shape.
-bourbonmoon

Prediction:
1. Syracuse
2. Dover
3. Toronto
4. Trenton


A.L. EAST
How long can the Sox stay on top?
Will the “blue chippers” carry the Crunch?
Can Durham’s pitching get the job done?
Are the Sunbirds on track to make it a four-team race?

Yes, the Red Sox made the playoffs again with one of the top offensive juggernauts in the league. Maybe it’s Fenway Park? Maybe it’s a strong organization that’s been able to keep a steady stream of talented young sluggers at the ready when their veterans decide to move on? Any way you slice it, Boston seems to lose a marquee free agent each season and still haven’t skipped a beat. This time around it’s the living legend Ron Karnuth, (as much a fixture behind the plate as the 37’ green wall is in left field) who at thirty five years of age has ventured out of Boston to sign a three year deal in South Carolina. Not to digress, but Karnuth’s Red Sox accolades are great: 5 World Series rings; 2 American League MVP awards; 13 All-Star game appearances; 12 silver slugger awards; 4 gold glove awards; not to mention numerous batting titles high-lighted by an unheard of record .414 average in season 4. At 35 years of age, Karnuth no longer has the cannon arm behind the plate or thirty home run power, but he’s still (wait for it) a career .363 hitter, and those are hard to replace! But with Blake Robinson hitting .337 and jacking 54 homers last season, and tremendous power throughout the lineup, Boston should still find a way to get it done. Behind Robinson is the intimidating triumvirate of Terry Davis, Hootie Park and “The Great Alfonso” Mercedes. Davis is as solid as they come and has been crushing opposing pitchers in Beantown for the past decade. The late blooming Park has twice flirted with 50 dingers and despite his strikeouts is a force to be reckoned with. “The Great Alfonso” certainly needs no introduction, with 639 home runs to his credit and one of the all-time best power bats in the league. A free agent at season’s end, Mercedes will swing for the fences with a big contract looming. The Sox also welcomed free agent infielder Emil Franco from Detroit. Franco, an 8 time all-star, signed a four-year deal, giving Boston a solid source of speed and power to compliment their big sluggers. Rookie catcher Pablo Uribe is a skilled hitter who will look to fill Karnuthian shoes both behind and at the plate. He leads a solid supporting cast of what should once again be one of the top few offences in baseball.
Pitching is always a secondary concern in Boston, but there are some high hopes for rookie starter Sammy Moya. He joins a rotation that also includes 36 yr old free agent French pitcher Jim Sewell, out to prove that he still has what it takes. Ryan Cash and Ralph Perry should both throw some key innings for the Sox, along with rookie relievers Damaso Guapo and Bruce Denny. Mark Aoki has the closers job for a ninth straight season and looks to improve on a 4.98 ERA if he’s to hold off 19 year old Ben Reed from taking his job a season or two earlier than expected. The pitching staff will try to “hang on” and let the team win games with their bats. Those bats should once again make a serious post-season splash!
-bourbonmoon


The always competitive County Ramblers finished in a statistical tie with the Red Sox, but the tiebreaker left them on the outside of the playoffs looking in. With multiple strong teams in the North and West, the days of two East teams easily making the playoffs appear to be over. Like Boston, Durham is an offensive juggernaut with perpetual question marks in the pitching department. That their home park is a hitter’s paradise doesn’t help, but the road wasn’t much kinder to the Ramblers hurlers. They were still in the bottom echelon in most categories. No nicknames are needed as one glances down the rotation at Buck, Moose and Bravo. Top starter Boomer Buck is a consistent workhorse entering his seventh season with the team. Buck has 13 or more wins in each of his pro seasons and should have a steadying effect on an often-suspect rotation. In Moose English’s first full season with the team he posted a very solid 14-7 record, but upon closer inspection much of his success can be attributed to timely run support. Moose will try to bring the 5.51 ERA back down to respectability. Veteran Kelly Bravo enters his 11th pro season looking to regain the form that won him 18 games in back to back seasons. Bravo has never had ERA trouble and is one of the few Durham pitchers who can keep the ball in the park with regularity. If veterans Frank Hartman and Reginald White or rookie Louis Hill can pick up the back end of the rotation, then the Ramblers should forget about free agent Darrin Patrick’s departure to Scottsdale and once again be in the hunt for a playoff spot. The bullpen can be reliable enough if the rag tag group of middle and setup men can effectively get the ball to former Fireman of the Year closer Phil Fontenot.
The offense is a well balanced machine that produced nine 20+ home run hitters last season. Leading the way was first baseman Vinny Morton with an impressive 46/145/.310 line and outfielder Wayne Grey who has 120+ RBI’s in each of his first six seasons as a pro. Second baseman Sherry Grebeck returned to the All-Star game and won a Silver Slugger award with an excellent season (32/105/.327 with 27 steals and 134 runs scored). Durham brought in fragile speedster Max Felix (in his second go around with the team) to try to fill the hole left by shortstop Abraham Brinkley’s departure to Boston. The Ramblers have a few notable prospects ready at AAA if there are any injuries or problems on the big club, notably 21 yr old CF Joaquin Vega and 22 yr old 2B Chad McDonald. If at some point either gets promoted they should bolster an already solid lineup that will likely be praying for a little bit of pitching to get them over the hump and into the post-season.
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The Jacksonville Sunbirds are consistently trying to figure out a way to pull even with the teams at the top of their division. They’ve reached a plateau where they can hit with the better teams in the league, but the pitching always seems stuck in the lower tier. The team’s ace, Jesus Astacio is as reliable as they come, and pitched considerably better than even his respectable 13-8 record would indicate. Beyond “the Jesus”, the Sunbirds aren’t getting much value for their pitching dollar. Douglas Steenstra and Olmedo Martin won 10 games each, which doesn’t equate with the nearly 18 million dollars that they’ll share. Ellis Springer posted a 6-11 relief record, while relinquishing his closer job to Patrick Garcia (whose 3-12 record; 28/37 saves and 5.01ERA all caused headaches for the Jacksonville faithful). Top prospect Emil Woods continued to struggle mightily with a 7.05 ERA and has yet to turn the corner that his obvious potential suggests he should. This season, Woods should receive a decent audition in a starter’s role and the S-Birds have brought in 39 year-old 5 time all-star Randall Wilson to add some experience to the rotation. Decent production from those two would be a great bonus, but the success of this club will fall heavily on Astacio, Steenstra and Martin as well as Springer to get the pen back in order.
Offensively, the Sunbirds have a few gems that form a young and powerful nucleus in the middle of their lineup. After suffering through some serious shoulder problems in season 14, team leader “Benny V” returned to form in season 15 clubbing a team high 45 homers and making his fourth all-star appearance. Fan favorites Matty Hayes and Brandon Spencer both managed 100+ RBI’s and pose serious power threats in the heart of the Jacksonville order. Beyond the top three, the ‘Birds have great depth with Durham, Brock, Arroyo and Dickerson all capable of getting their uniforms dirty and doing the little things to scratch and claw and find a way to succeed. Catching might be a weakness, with Ignacio Estrada getting his first crack as an everyday starter. His offensive potential is moderate and his defense is average at best. He’s backed up by grizzled veteran Walter Wade, while Shawn Young and Ken Glaus are ready at AAA if Estrada has problems. The Jacksonville team might still need a few minor tweaks to compete offensively with Boston and Durham, but until the pitching gets on track it will be very tough to think about the post-season. Top pitching prospects Marc McLaughlin and Dana Wheeler provide bright spots in the not-too-distant future, although the question remains as to when that future will arrive.
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After a solid couple of seasons, it’s safe to say that the New York Crunch is back in the mix in the A.L. East. This season should be an exciting one in the Big Apple, with “MigMar” and VictRo” capturing all the headlines. Fans are coming out in droves to watch the two talented Dominican youngsters take the field. Right fielder Miguel “MigMar” Martinez fast tracked through the minors, posting astronomical hitting numbers. An athletic outfielder with a great arm, Martinez has power and pure hitting skill. At 22 yrs old, he should patrol the Crunch outfield for years to come. Victor Rosado is a pitcher with pinpoint control and a dominant fastball. He’ll take over the ninth inning duties in New York and should give the whole team confidence, as New York fans are very happy to have seen the last of Elrod Weston and his 6.03 ERA.
In season 15, the offense was already on the fringe of joining the elite clubs in the A.L. Miguel Beltran’s presence had a great impact on first baseman Don MacRae, who finally broke out in his fourth pro season, setting personal bests with 100 runs, 117 RBI’s, a .300 batting average and 34 home runs (16 higher than his previous best). Beltran himself failed to reach 100 RBI’s for the first time in twelve seasons, but still had a solid year with 30 round-trippers and 93 RBI’s, while endearing himself to the Crunch fans with his tireless charity work and visits to the children’s hospital. The ever-dangerous Ken Bailey (30/95/.321) continues to shine, while developing a reputation for consistency. A patient and talented hitter, Bailey scored a few more runs than he knocked in last season, while finishing with a sparkling .406 OBP. The solid supporting cast of Pascual, Gabriel, Schmidt and Wright all topped 20 dingers and should bolster an even more formidable lineup with MigMar in town.
The pitching that took them to the playoffs in season 14 wasn’t quite the same without Juan Sosa last year. The team ERA slid from 3.99 to 4.88 and troubled closer Elrod Weston played a significant role in that. With VictRo taking over the shutdown role, and bright spot Max Gardel coming off an encouraging rookie season to bolster the middle relief corps, success should once again (as with most teams) depend on the starting rotation. Returning are Ray Fischer, Moises Vega, Tuck Meacham and Mike Washburn. Orlando Torres came over in a trade from Tacoma to fill out the rotation, and he should take a steady if unspectacular turn in the Crunch pitching mix. Tuck is a career Crunch favorite, and he’s certainly put in his service time in New York. He’ll never be great, however he’s capable of getting the job done, and he’ll need to reassert himself in his role if he’s going to convince the team to resign him as his contract expires at season’s end. It’s a familiar situation to the one Mike Washburn found himself in this off-season. Washburn quickly tested the free agent waters before inking a new two year deal with the Crunch. With only 9 wins last year, Washburn is looking to rediscover the groove that won him 16 games a few seasons back. At 36 years old, Ray Fischer still has the stuff to be the staff workhorse. He’s led the team in innings pitched in each of the past two seasons and hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down. Fischer is a season removed from 17 wins and has previously posted 18 and 19 win seasons while never reaching the 20-win plateau. He’ll likely never get a better chance than this season. Moises Vega is a hard thrower who keeps the ball low and accurate. A 17 game winner as a rookie, and subsequently an all-star in season 14, Vega hasn’t quite fulfilled his promise since then, as he’s failed to improve either his win or inning totals since then. It hasn’t been for the lack of quality pitching, however, as his career ERA still sits at 3.13. Vega has the most upside of any of the Crunch starters and if he can overcome the pressure of playing in New York with a substantial new contract, he could be the difference maker on this team on the cusp.
-bourbonmoon

Prediction:
5. Boston
6. New York*
7. Durham
8. Jacksonville

* denotes wildcard

A.L. SOUTH
Will Charlotte take another step forward in season 16?
Is Florida ready to play .500 ball?
As the youth movement hits Little Rock, will they find some pitching?
Will Estrada and Blair put the Lobsters into the post-season?

Despite a sub .500 record, the Designated Drinkers took home the division title in season 15. They even managed to dispose of the mighty Rodeo Clowns in a tight five game playoff series. Once again, the big ticket is catcher “Mad” Max Cora, who displayed great poise silencing his doubters after his sub-par campaign in season 14. In season 15, Charlotte saw Cora regain his awesome power stroke to the tune of 47 dingers and 113 RBI’s. The offense also relied on the newly dubbed “Wright Brothers”, Tony and Rob, who each hit 20+ homers, with steady run production and decent batting average. The always steady Joshua Meadows may be losing a step, but he only needs 30 steals to catch the legendary Chris Jordan for the all-time stolen base crown! Meadows has yet to take a trip to the disabled list in his illustrious career and will almost certainly overtake Jordan part way through season 16.
After tossing 200+ innings in three straight seasons, it’s time to finally take the “bust” label off of Bryant Linden. Linden has emerged as the steadiest of the D.D.’s pitchers although he’s yet to top 13 wins in a season and succeeds more by guts and guile than by overpowering hitters with his average fastball. The wildcard in Charlotte’s deck is Bruce Wilson, who enters his third pro season with good poise and the ability to keep runs off the board. Wilson led the team last season with a sparkling 1.13 WHIP and may eventually be the go-to guy on a team that will lean on second year man Eugene Darnell and long-time V-Bats vet Edge Ramsey to hold the fort until youngsters like Malachi Wilson, Tike Leonard and Angel Gonzalez are ready to ply their trade at the pro level. The D.D.’s are a competitive squad who will be looking to take the division for the second straight season. In the A.L. South it is certainly a possibility!
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The New Orleans VoDoo have moved to Florida and taken a fun “capital” twist by naming the team after the University of Florida Gators, only GATORs. Florida is another team who posted some decent offensive numbers in season 15, but finished with the worst team ERA in the majors. Marino Villa finished with a team-high10 wins, but his 7.11 ERA indicates that he probably had some good run support as he struggled with his mechanics through a forgettable season. Former 18 game winner Hector Mateo led the team in innings pitched, but gave up a career high 43 home runs en route to a 5-16 record.
The brightest spot (by far) was the team’s young reliever Matthew Langerhans, who in his first season as closer earned an all-star nomination on his way to a 1.63 ERA and saves in 34 of the team’s 64 wins. At 23 years old, Langerhans has an un-hittable curveball and should give the team rock solid relief when they’re playing with a lead.
Season 15 saw the emergence of designated hitter Fernando Chavez as a 30 home run hitter, and he should be a solid power source going forward. Outfielder Raffi Rodriguez is coming off his second consecutive 33 HR campaign and has been rewarded with a nice four-year contract. Youngster Alex Keller was called up part way through the season and clubbed 20 homers in a successful rookie audition. These three should lead the offense as the team plans for the future. Highly touted Herb Wilkerson will swing his hot bat at AA this season while pitching sensation ZOLTAN will ply his trade at HiA. These two top prospects (among others) give Florida legitimate hope for the future. The entire A.L. South is heading in the right direction, and this club has been doing the right things to turn their fortunes around. We’re sure to be talking about them a couple of seasons from now.
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The Little Rock Razorbacks woes continued in season 15, as they managed only 49 wins, scraping the bottom of the ML barrel. With the second worst team ERA in baseball, Little Rock surrendered more walks than anyone in the majors. They failed to have a pitcher record 10 wins, and Tim Brantley and Harry Spivey floundered in the closers role to the tune of 23 of 36 save chances converted! Let’s do the Razorbacks a favor and leave the past behind. There are many bright lights on the horizon, including the arrival of promising closer Tony Feng, who features a 96 mph slider that should strike him out more than a batter per inning! While the rest of the pitching staff is fairly pedestrian to be sure, Little Rock’s offensive future is growing brighter by the minute! Last season’s blue-chip first round pick Dicky Gleason saw a glimpse of major league pitching and .343 with a .919 OPS in 67 at bats!! Gleason joins former first rounders York Uribe and Morris Rice to give the team a formidable base of talent to build around. Consider that the Razorbacks hold this season’s first overall draft pick and fans in Arkansas are starting to get excited about the future of this lineup. It might take another couple of seasons, but this team will likely never be this bad again! Things are looking up!
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The Louisville Lobsters are yet another team who is hungry to field a winning club, but still has a ways to go to achieve their goals. The difference between the Lobsters and most of the other teams with fewer than 70 wins is that Louisville finished near the top of the league in most offensive categories. While not quite at “offensive juggernaut” status, the Lobsters are led by one of the brightest young hitters in the game in Wilt Blair. Blair has increased his home run and RBI output in each of his first four seasons in the league and is still improving. A tidy 44/133/.312 line is what he’ll be looking to improve on this season and he’ll anchor a good young lineup looking to battle their way to the top of a weak division. Blair is supported in the lineup by Walter “The Heart of Hicksville” Taft and shortstop Bert Lee. The volatile Taft has scored 361 runs over the past three seasons and if he doesn’t pull any “Milton Bradley moves” gives the Lobsters an exciting mix of speed and power. Lee is a former first rounder who is a stable defender with some untapped offensive potential. He should develop into a .300 hitter with the ability to knock in or score100+ runs per season. The team has more hitting on the horizon with DH Tony Mendez and RF Santo Figueroa set to join the team over the next season or two. The offense will need to dominate, however, as the pitching has been abysmal to say the least. Another team without a 10 game winner, staff ace Javier “The Arrow” Estrada only started 16 games last season leaving the rest of the rotation in the lurch. “The Arrow” won 16 games the previous season and should be an anchor for the Lobsters if he stays healthy and even scratches the surface of his enormous potential. Louisville will likely be patient with prospects Paul Koh and Russell Workman, and in the mean time would like to see some success from former Vampire Bat Tarrik Grimsley who suffered from some tendonitis after joining the Lobsters last season. The pitching staff is likely a few seasons from overall respectability, however, in the A.L. South it might still be within their reach to pull in a division title!
-bourbonmoon

Prediction:
1. Louisville
2. Charlotte
3. Florida
4. Little Rock

A.L. WEST
Oklahoma is due; can they shake the playoff jinx?
Can powerhouse Vegas repeat as World Series champs?
Can Salt Lake City find a way to keep runs off the board?
How long until Scottsdale starts thinking post-season?

After a disappointing 4th place finish, the Helena Cowboys have moved to Salt Lake City, hoping that a change of scenery will do them good. Despite tying for the league lead with 4 shutouts, the Cowboys pitching was among the league’s worst last season, as no pitcher with 20+ innings pitched had an ERA below 4.13. Juan James is now 25, and with a 16 win season under his belt is now entering his 5th year as a pro. James endured some shoulder problems last season, but he seems recovered and is a hard thrower who should be able to dominate once he finds his groove. Look for a rebound season from starter Josh Shelby who has nasty stuff and can throw late into games. Closer Juan Hernandez should continue to be a stabilizing force late in games if the team can get him enough opportunities to close the door. At some point Japanese youngster Alex Nakamura should get another call to the majors after a disastrous debut last season. Nakamura is tough on lefties and could help out in the pen if needed.
The offense will need to get going without the bat of veteran Eli Izquierdo who signed a four-year deal in Richmond after spending 10 seasons with the team. Izquierdo lead the team with 99 RBI’s last season and brought his batting average back up to .294 after a troubling campaign the year before. Sometimes being in a contract year will do wonders for a player’s swing! S.L.C. did choose to re-sign “El Caballo” Jose Guerrero to an extension, hoping that the slugger can continue his legacy with the Cowboys. Guerrero has over 500 home runs in his 13 seasons with the team and at 32 years old appears to be on a path to Cooperstown (while emphatically denying any allegations of performance enhancing substances in his past). Rookie third baseman Roger Clapp demonstrated his excellent power potential in AAA last season with 52 long balls and a .304 average. Clapp could make an immediate impact, and although he’s not expected to hit .300 as a pro he is a legit home run threat that the Cowboys desperately need. Rosario, Fox, Redding, Baxter and Perez give SLC a well-balanced attack that can hurt teams in several ways. They’ll have their share of exciting offensive battles, but it seems inevitable that they can’t score as much as the pitching will yield. A team on the rise, they’re a few significant pieces short of contention.
-bourbonmoon

World series champs Las Vegas Numa Numa are poised to repeat as division champs, as well as take another good run in the playoffs. With a team stocked full of stars in their prime, and with new talent still being added, this team should be a force to reckon with for many seasons. This offense scored more runs than any other last season, featuring six players who hit twenty four or more HRs, and ten players who hit fourteen or more. C Carlos Cervantes leads the charge, and he has an excellent supporting cast in DH Tom Bailey, CF Gerrit Hughes, SS Mark Kyung, LFs Jose Fernandez and Torey Rosario, IF Nate Coolbaugh, RF Sam Hodges and 2B Tomas Bennett. What a deep lineup! The pitching staff was good enough to win a championship last year, led by Cy Young winner Vasco “Monster” Montanez. The addition of super rookie Ricardo Gonzales is an absolutely scary prospect for the rest of the AL. This pitching staff now has two aces. The next two starters, Emil Pineiro and Brooks Jefferson are no slouches either, and help L.V. challenge for the world’s best SP staff. Edgard Guerrero collected sixteen wins from the bullpen last season, and remains the inning eater of the relief staff. All star closer Felipe Herrera is back as well. This is a team that is capable of defending their championship, and will be on top of their game for a few seasons to come.
-shobob

If there is a team in this world that is “due” to win a championship, the Oklahoma City Rodeo Clowns are that team. They had the third best team ERA in the world last season, and they’ll rely on a talented and deep starting staff to repeat the performance. The team also finished third in team FP and tied for fourth for BA so it’s a good thing that they return most of last season’s lineup intact. It looks like D.T. Rollins will be riding off into the sunset after nine seasons with the club, most notably season 12, when he sported a record of 22-0. World series champion free agent Bobby Joe Post takes Rollins’ place in this deep pitching staff. They will need a way to make up for the loss of closer Victor Canseco through free agency. Manuel Guillen looks to fill the role after two seasons of limited, but effective play. John “The Mailman” Mailman, Eric Simmons and Geraldo Oliva round out what might be the deepest top four starters on any team. The offense is led once again by LF “The Carlos Cruz missile”. He is surely headed for the hall of fame if he can avoid a catastrophic injury before long. Cruz’s supporting cast is impressive as well, including slugger Gary Purcell, and contact hitters SS Cristian Simon and 2B Kirby Martin. The team can count on solid contributions from RF Norm Hutton, SS Luis Lee, and the C platoon of Ricardo Matos and Max Padilla. The outlook for this team is once again good. They are going to have some intense competition for the division title, but a wild card spot should be available for whoever misses out on that. Due to the strength of their pitching staff and offence, anything short of 100 wins and playoff success would be a disappointment for this franchise.
-shobob

The winds of change are blowing in Scottsdale. Long-suffering fans are hoping that the Fightin’ Chokes have made the right moves to take this team into contention. Newfound stability in ownership has a good effect on this franchise’s ability to field a competitive team, and the results should start showing up in the win/loss column soon enough. The big money signings of former fireman of the year Victor Canseco and SP Darrin Patrick add some skill and depth to a starting staff and bullpen in need of good arms. The ‘Chokes pitching staff stuck out fewer batters than any other team in the majors last season and that emphasizes where the team needs to improve. Better numbers can be expected out of SP Jorel Howington, since he now has a full year of ML duty under his belt. Brad Servais, Victor Martin and Harry Tavares were among the more reliable arms on the squad, finishing 1,2,3 on the team in both innings pitched and wins. After two years in the minors, first round pick Shooter Owens looks to make his major league debut and the expectations are pretty high for the 22 yr old to take a place at the top of the rotation.
The Scottsdale bats have been a streaky bunch of late, capable of breaking out in one game and falling silent the next. Second in the majors in doubles, the lineup boasted three 30 home run hitters (Borbon, Douglass and Saenz) and some good quickness as well (4 with 20 steals). They’re hoping for rookie catcher Joaquin Armas to make an impact this season. He joins a very deep lineup, but one that lacks star power. The ‘Chokes are a team on the rise, but they’ll be in over their heads against Vegas and O.C. in one of the toughest divisions in baseball. Give Scottsdale another season or two as things are slowly coming together.
-shobonmoon

Prediction:
1. Las Vegas
2. Oklahoma City *
3. Helena
4. Scottsdale

* denotes wildcard

Season 15 Draft Recap

DRAFT ANALYSIS

A.L. North
Ottawa Hosers
Ottawa looks to have scored a solid pitcher with the 18th overall pick. Ebenezer “Wild Thing” House has a cannon for an arm and if he can learn even a modest amount of control, he could be a solid mid-tier starting pitcher. Second rounder Brian Ruth also represents decent value. Ruth might strikeout a little much to be a top hitter, but has enough skill to be an everyday player both defensively and offensively. Grade: A
Syracuse Blue Sox
With first round pick Joshua Zimmerman, Syracuse has a bonafide major league starter. Zimmerman has ace material, though there is some concern that he lacks a “go to” pitch in his arsenal. He appears to be the draft pick of significance in a draft that saw the Blue Sox select pitchers with their first five choices. Supplemental pick Jacob Sinclair has a chance to make the pros with some luck. Grade: B
Toronto Trout
First round pick Sammy Hall has some skill in certain areas, but looks to be a long-shot to be a productive major league hitter. As a centerfielder Hall’s defense certainly needs work, and if he can’t cover more territory in the outfield he may wind up in left. Hall has trouble hitting righties and despite a decent eye at the plate, doesn’t have tremendous power or bat control skills. The next three picks for the Trout all look to have some upside at the plate. There might be some major league skill among the group, although time will tell if any of them will have significant impact. Grade: B-
Trenton Terror Hawks
At #9 overall, the Terror Hawks selected shortstop Charlie Tolar, a very solid if unspectacular player in most areas. Tolar is a steady defender who can handle the duties at shortstop, but might really excel if moved to third base. He has average power and speed, but is a great pure hitter in the Stephen Garciaparra mold. At pick #33, Trenton landed the fastest player in the draft in second baseman Ronn Rooney. A decent fielder and a good contact hitter, Rooney will need to learn plate patience if he’s to become a leadoff hitter. Trenton also selected catcher Ron Grimsley, a power bat loaded with offensive potential, but considered a liability behind the plate. Maybe a future DH? Shane Worth should prove his worth as a useful bullpen arm at pick #97. Grade: A

A.L. East
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox had three draft picks between #27 and 36. Top choice Benjamin Reed is a great all-around pitcher with an active fastball-curveball combination. He projects to the a short reliever, with some slight concerns about facing lefties. Not a bad grab as a late first rounder, but it’s hard to get truly excited about short relief. Derrick Perkins is a tremendous shortstop with a cannon arm. He won’t scare too many pitchers with his bat, but he possesses one of the best infield arms in recent memory. His defense should certainly prove his worth. Boston also chose another shortstop in Elvis Kerr, who won’t hold a candle to Perkins in the field but shows a little more life in his bat. The 5’6” Kerr is a good contact hitter who might be better suited to third base if indeed he chooses to sign a contract with the Sox instead of opting for college. Grade: C+
Durham County Ramblers
With the 24th selection, Durham landed starting pitcher Anthony Keats. Keats shows a great arm with excellent stamina and control. He has the makeup of a great pitcher if he can work to improve his curveball and prevent deep flies. Keats is a solid late round pick.
Second round pick Dann Tomlinson should also be an effective pro arm for Durham in the late innings. Grade: A
Jacksonville Sunbirds
With only one pick in the top 100, the Sunbirds took a flyer on 20 yr old Michigan native Vinny Scott. A good all-around athlete, Scott has an interesting skill set that could see him turn into a solid outfielder for the Sunbirds. A good defender who is quick on the bases and absolutely kills right handed pitching, Scott doesn’t have a great eye at the plate and will likely never have more than modest power. Not a bad pick, it will be interesting to see how Scott does as he develops. Grade: B-
New York Crunch
Losing Juan Sosa, Brook Perez and Patrick Garcia netted the Crunch a hefty pile of first and second round compensation picks. None of their selections are without a caveat however, and it might take a season or two to see who could develop into a pro. The Crunch are very adamant that their draft choices pass a rigorous physical, so none of these guys are likely to have any injury problems. First baseman John Crane has a great eye and should hit for average, but he doesn’t have great power and his offensive ceiling is fairly low. Shortstop Dave Thomson is a great fielder and good contact hitter, but he can’t hit lefties, or really righties either. Third baseman Samuel Butler might be the best hitter that the Crunch drafted, but he doesn’t boast great power and he’ll really need to work on his plate discipline. The three pitchers are Cameron Walsh, who has the stuff to be a fantastic starting pitcher, save for his pathetic fastball; Scott White, a starter with great control who has tons of trouble against righties; and Clark Parker, likely the best of the three who may forego the start of his ball career to stay in college. The Crunch would love to sign Parker, but aren’t holding their breath. Grade: B-

A.L. South
Charlotte Designated Drinkers
At the 17th spot in the draft, the D.D’s opted for starting pitcher Angel Gonzalez. Gonzalez doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but should nonetheless compete to join the Charlotte team in a few seasons. In the second and third rounds, the Drinkers managed to land a couple of single-faceted hitters who could turn into productive hitters at any level. Giovany Silva would make a great designated hitter if not for durability concerns. He should still be a productive part of the team coming off the bench. Eugene Brett is another promising slugger who would best be served as a DH. Brett could also handle part time duties behind the plate, although his defense is average and like Silva, he’ll have a tough time playing a full season. Grade: B-
Little Rock Razorbacks
With the #2 selection in the draft, the Razorbacks were shocked to see shortstop Dicky Gleason fall in their lap. A complete package of offense and defense, Gleason is fundamentally sound in all areas and has “future star” written all over him. The 22 yr old has a sweet swing that should land him in the majors before long. He might take a couple of seasons to hone his defensive instincts… but first the Razorbacks are desperately trying to get Gleason signed to a contract. Second round selection Brandon Feliciano looks to be a welcome addition to any pitching staff. Likely a reliever, Feliciano has above average command, but could work on his fastball. Third rounder Albert Cuyler has the defense and the wheels, but may not be able to contribute with his bat.
Grade: B+ (higher if Gleason signs)
Louisville Lobsters
The Lobsters top three picks were 19, 72 and 107. They managed to come away with a boom or bust relief prospect in Ivan Mendoza, a superb defensive catcher in Vinny Yang and another decent bullpen prospect in Zeke “Smokin” Tabaka. Although they could have done much worse, none of their picks is terribly exciting. Catcher Yang’s presence behind the plate could certainly turn into the most valuable commodity to come out of the draft for the Lobsters. Yang has a terrific arm and an uncanny ability to manage pitchers. He may warrant a spot in the lineup despite his weak bat. Mendoza and Tabaka should both progress steadily for Louisville, but neither of the two short relievers is very good against lefties, which may prove to be a setback. Mendoza has the better control of the two, while Tabaka is an extremely hard thrower with a great fastball. Grade: C
New Orleans VoDoo
The selection of knuckle-baller Walter Zoltan with the third overall pick is something that New Orleans should be pretty confident about. Arguably the top pitcher in the draft, Zoltan has five pitches, no glaring weaknesses, and the VoDoo envision him as a #1 starter in a few seasons. New Orleans also drafted fielding whiz SS Gary Mulder with the 56th pick and a potential back of the rotation starter in Marvin Buford with pick 91. Grade: A

A.L. West
Helena Cowboys
With three first round picks, the Cowboys had reason to be excited about this season’s amateur draft. Top selection Jon Ardoin is a three pitch short reliever, possibly a closer one day, although he lacks the stuff to truly dominate. Antonio McLemore is a workhorse rightfielder, and a true power hitter. It remains to be seen if the other aspects of his hitting mechanics will translate well as he develops. Expect him to kill minor league pitching! Dan Ferguson is a steady hitter with some skill that could develop, but he’s not flashy and doesn’t have high upside. Second round selection Howie Robbins is a versatile fielder with good power, but little else. The Cowboys have some assets here, but nothing to get overly excited about. Grade: C+
Las Vegas Numa Numa
The Numa Numa opted for a relief pitcher with their first round pick and they can’t be too confident in lefty Sal Hamilton. Hamilton has great control and pitches especially well against righties, but he has no zip on his mediocre forkball which figures to be his prime pitch (if only he would throw that fastball a little more!). With low stamina and a difficult time throwing over 90 mph, Hamilton is definitely a work in progress. Vegas didn’t really land anyone else of much more than AAA potential. Grade: D-
Oklahoma City Rodeo Clowns
Oklahoma City selected pitchers with their first six picks. Three first rounders turned into Max Tarasco, Vic Reynoso and Macbeth Pierce. Tarasco is a groundball pitcher with a great fastball, a tricky curveball and a wild streak a mile wide. He certainly has raw potential and the Clowns may have a steal at pick #29. If Tarasco can keep the walks to a minimum, he could be an excellent addition. Reynoso is a bullpen arm with great control, but really doesn’t have the stuff that Pierce does. Still weighing the college option, Macbeth doesn’t have great stamina, but could give the clowns a “lights out” ninth with his slider/changeup combo. The real tragedy would be if he decides not to sign.
Grade: B+
Scottsdale Fighting Chokes
With the 20th selection in the first round, the Fighting Chokes were pleased to select second baseman Walt Reid. Already assigned to Scottsdale’s AA affiliate, Reid has a serious can’t miss power and speed combination. At 22 years old, Reid shouldn’t take long to take his game to a higher level. To become a complete player, Walt will need to learn to hit righties, as well as cut down on strikouts and boneheaded base-running mistakes. He might drive managers crazy at times, but he’s a gifted athlete and a steal with pick 20. Beyond Reid, Scottsdale didn’t land any other ML prospects. Perhaps catcher Grover Wyatt will prove to be part of a useful backstop tandem? Grade: A-

N.L. North
Chicago Crushers
With the first overall pick, the Crushers raised some eyebrows with the selection of shortstop Julio Pascual. The slick fielder was a consensus top ten pick, but the Crushers must have seen something special in Pascual to choose him above some of the other top talents. Pascual shouldn’t take long to reach the majors, with strong fielding, decent hitting and good intangibles. He’ll be counted on to be a focal point in Chicago’s rebuilding plan. He’s the only blue-chipper in Chicago’s draft this season. Grade: B
Detroit Tiger Sharks
Without a pick until #87 in the second round, Detroit should be fairly happy with their selection of Mac Denham, a workmanlike starting pitcher who could potentially fill a major league role. To give them high marks for top 40 value at the 87 spot, or low marks for not really having a high end draft choice? Well, they have Hunter Wilkinson to show for it, so I guess a generous Grade: C
Madison Moon Dogs
Taking pitcher Tom Messmer with the 11th pick in the draft looks like a great move for the Moon Dogs. With four solid pitches and an amazing ability to work the strike zone, Messmer has all the tools to be a star. He doesn’t blow hitters away, but should prove crafty enough to dominate. “Mess” also doesn’t have the stamina to go deep into ballgames, but the Moon Dogs love what they see and would be happy if he went a strong 6 or 7 each time out. 45th pick first baseman Pedro Duran has a solid bat and should give the M-Dogs some good clout. With the 64th they landed center fielder Josh Becker, who has excellent speed and could one day be a gold glove outfielder. Becker is a fantastic contact hitter, but the knock on him is that he’s “light’s out” against lefties but can’t hit righties. Maybe a platoon is in his future? After Becker, Madison went on to take a short reliever with some untapped potential in Arthur Thomas and a couple of fairly solid catchers in Shooter Foster and Derek Owens. Grade: A+
Montreal Maroons
While there’s still some debate as to whether Joshua Allen will be a better outfielder or a cornerback, everybody knows he’s leaning towards a football career. An outstanding athlete in the mold of Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson, Allen can write his own ticket and to spend a first round pick on a guy who won’t commit to your sport is a risky business. At pick 32, the Maroons felt that Allen was worth the risk. It would certainly be a coup if they were to convince him to sign. Montreal followed up the Allen pick with Woodie Musial, a quick contact hitter who could one day contribute. They also drafted some tiny infielders in Elroy Parker and Stan Matos, both of whom can hit well against lefties and demonstrate good patience at the plate. Parker in particular is a defensive gem, but he’ll need to cut down on his strikeouts to be an effective hitter. The Maroons have found some decent value if Allen doesn’t sign; outstanding value if he does. Grade: B


N.L. East
Burlington Barons
First rounder Skeeter Young has good speed and some decent bat skill. He has the makings of a solid if unspectacular outfielder, who could hit for decent average while swiping 30-40 bases per season, perhaps in a leadoff role. There’s some power here, but Young isn’t a natural slugger. Supplemental pick Al Robertson might do well to switch from shortstop to third base, and he could eventually find his way onto a major league squad. Phil Adkins and Sparky Acosta add more speed and some good skills and intangibles that could contribute down the road, however, neither should be a major league regular. Grade: B+
Pittsburgh Grindermen
With the selection of Fred Guerrero 25th overall, Pittsburgh found a solid arm with excellent control and a good changeup/curveball combo. Guerrero could wind up in the rotation or in the bullpen depending on how the Grindermen plan to use him. An undersized pitcher at 5’9”, he should be a competitive major league pitcher before long.
Grade: A-
Tampa Bay Terrific Balls
Picking much earlier than they’re used to, the T-Balls were happy to land a very good pitching prospect in Julio Martis. The 18 yr old is raw, but is a hard thrower with great potential. He’ll likely take at least three or four years to develop, but he should be worth the wait with terrific control and two terrific pitches. With their supplemental pick, Tampa chose Pascual Martin, an outstanding infielder who will likely never be a great hitter, but may be good enough to fit in somewhere. Second rounder Pedro Fernandez has a little more potential with the bat, although his eye at the plate leaves something to be desired. Martin and Fernandez won’t be stars, but Martis could be if he has the stamina to start. Grade: A-
Washington Swamp Cats
The Swamp Cats had the fifth overall pick and pinned all of their hopes on speedy power hitter Raymond Fisher. Fisher played center field in college, but could switch to the infield if and when he decides to sign with Washington. He likely will never hit for average, but scouts think that he should easily become a regular 20/20 guy. He’s patient at the plate and potentially could show even more power than that. It’s vital for the Swamp Cats to reach a deal with Fisher, as they didn’t unearth any other significant pieces to the puzzle in this year’s draft. Grade: C+

N.L. South
Charleston Southerners
Charleston has to be reasonably happy with their top two picks. Max Palacios slipped to them in the 8th spot, and scouts have been raving about the left fielder. He’s a serious power hitter who simply murders left handed pitching. Palacios will be a great everyday player at the heart of the order for the Southerners, the question remains as to whether he’ll be an all-star or just a solid player. Closer Vin Biddle is also worth the gamble for Charleston as he demonstrates pinpoint control, a nasty sinker, throws over 100 mph and knows how to generate ground balls. Time will tell if he can translate those tools to the pro level, but it was certainly worth the 61st pick to find out. Grade: A
Iowa City Bearcats
The Bearcats signed talented reliever Perry Campbell to fill their vacant closing role, and as a result didn’t have a pick in the draft until pick #78. The only choice of minor significance here was third baseman Edwards Holmes, who can hit for power but really lacks what it takes to make an overall impact. Campbell is a talented reliever and should continue to hold things together for the Bearcats. That’s the only reason that I’m not giving them an F in this season’s draft.
Grade: D-
Kansas City World Police
Orlando Jose dropped a little bit later in the first round than anticipated. Once considered a top ten prospect, the World Police did well to grab the flashy infielder with the 22nd overall selection. Jose has an outstanding arm, a steady glove, and is capable of playing any infield position or even making the transition to the outfield. A natural shortstop, he’ll likely find a home on the left side of the infield. Jose is a pure contact hitter with good plate instincts, and although he likely won’t display much power he definitely seems like a complete package. Second baseman Dioner Duran has average skill across the board and with good coaches could become a player. Second rounder Bryce Collier has much more upside both at the dish and in the field, but it might prove tricky to get him signed. Grade: B
Santa Fe Thunderbirds
As of yet, the Thunderbirds haven’t signed ANY of their top 7 draft choices. They didn’t have an excellent go of things, with only two picks in the top 100. First rounder Harry Elster is a capable third baseman with a good contact swing. He might struggle to keep his batting average healthy, but has enough clout to merit a spot at the heart of the order. Starting pitcher Irv Mays has a five pitch arsenal, but has some glaring control issues. Third baseman Stewart Trammell might be better suited to right field. He’s a power bat with little other upside. It won’t matter if Santa Fe can’t get them signed. Hopefully they can at least work something out with Elster. Grade: D+


N.L. West
Cheyenne Alpini
Johnny Manship has a good skill set on the field and off. He won’t wow anyone with his power or speed, but could turn into a good well-rounded player. He’s a contact hitter with good patience at the plate and reasonable defensive ability. Drafted as a second baseman, Manship will start getting some outfield experience with Cheyenne. Pitchers Stan Lee and Rudy Brand both have some good qualities, but it would be surprising to see either of them have a significant impact. Catcher Terry Quinn has some potential, but his bat isn’t strong enough to be a DH and his pitch calling isn’t good enough to be a regular behind the plate. Cheyenne is still hoping that they can agree on a deal with injury prone outfielder Todd Guerrero. Guerrero has great wheels and would be an ideal platoon vs. lefties at the top of the batting order, while playing great defense in center field. Grade: C
L.A. Dead Bunnies
6th overall pick Max Johnson is a sure thing and should be a star for the Bunnies. The 20 yr old left fielder shouldn’t take too long to reach the majors, and he has a good bat and good speed. 2nd rounder Walter Gonzalez has some good qualities and could develop into a solid fielder and a decent contact hitter. Really a one player draft for L.A. but they should be pleased with their top choice. Grade: B+
Tacoma Phantom der Nacht
First rounder Armando Soto is a classic boom or bust pick. Possibly the best pure hitter in the draft, Soto has many health concerns including a rebuilt spine and metal screws in his wrists. Tacoma sees him as a potential 1st baseman, although if he were a DH in the American League it may reduce his injury opportunity. If Soto can stay healthy, his bat has the potential to be among the league’s best. Time will tell. Grade: B
Vancouver Vampire Bats
In Matt Jensen, the V-Bats have another great pitcher with no stamina. It’s the second year in a row that Vancouver has addressed bullpen needs in the first round and they’ve found another late inning gem. That being said, Jensen appears to be a one-inning pitcher at best. Second rounder Pep Hubbard has some pop, but likely won’t be a ML contributor. Grade: C