My Take: Salem and Anaheim are the class of the AL and I don't see that changing this season. Very similar to the NL east with Syracuse and Charlotte, there is a chance these two teams could have the top two records in the AL, but only one will get a bye. Seattle embarked on "tear it completely down" rebuild project last season and that continues this season and probably for a couple more. Oakland is under new management as the former Iowa City owner takes over and will hopefully get this franchise going in the right direction after several different owners the last few seasons.
1. Salem Beavers
2. Anaheim Trojans
3. Seattle Huskies
4. Oakland Golden Bears
Seattle Huskies
Seattle raised some eyebrows in season 11 by changing the face of the franchise and trading four all-star mainstays for nine, very young prospects who are already providing visible returns.
Division foes, the LA Angels, cemented their World Series claim for season 11 by obtaining future Cy Young winner Miguel Barcelo (17-9) for ROY Carlos Soriano (20-10, 2.82, 1.13), spot starter Angel Trevino (9-1, 3.06, 1.23) and future setup man Al Bonilla. 2B Tyson Seaver also debuted and showed that he belongs on the big club.
Making the ML squad for opening day is the much sought after C Bill Saipe with 1B Homer Bush, 3B Achilles Harper and SP Howie Hawkins likely midseason call-ups. IF Coco Laroche is on the radar for future seasons.
The Huskies gave up a great deal of mature talent but filled a lot of holes for many seasons to come.
Salem Beavers
Reluctantly sent down Kid Torre to try and get more ABs for Chip Leonard. Hoping to bring up Olmedo Acosta. Lost Octavio Rivera , Shawn Walker and Wes Thomas. Added FA Jared Strickland , Doc Hyers and Vinny Shigetoshi
Anaheim Trojans
None Submitted
Oakland Golden Bears
None Submitted
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Season 12 - AL East Divisional Preview
My Take: The Owls have to be a huge favorite here to not only repeat the division championship, but also win it by 15+ games. They upgraded their team significantly offensively. They will definitely compete for the AL crown. The rest of the division resembles the AL South as it doesn't look like any of them will have the horses to compete for a wild card spot. New York has a new owner who took over from a long term owner who never committed to rebuilding once they were passed by the Owls. Charleston continues their rebuilding efforts by stockpiling draft picks and looking to sign some Intl Free Agents. Chicago has actually moved from the Southside to the Northside of Chicago and is hoping that jumpstarts the franchise.
1. Philadelphia Owls
2. New York Red Storm
3. Charleston Cougars
4. Chicago Blue Demons
Philadelphia Owls
Key Players Added : LF Dave Ramsay, DH Dante Thompson and RP Howie Grim.
Key Players Lost : C Gaylord Burke, RP Ismael Rios, RP Enrique Guzman and SP Pat Gibbons.
Key Transactions : Only one trade but a blockbuster one. LF Dave Ramsay and young SP Nolan Boone came from Portland for C Gaylord Burke, SP Pat Gibbons and another young SP Anthony Mecir.
Rookies expected to contribute: SP Nolan Boone .
Their future is near: LF/2B B.C. Polanco, SS Danny Smoltz, RP Phil Worrell and RP Julio Brito.
Another great season for the Owls but another bad finish.
During off-season we tried to found what is the problem with our team and we came to conclusion that we need a little help on the offence, a better leadoff hitter and a real good DH and in the bullpen too..
We think we found them in Ramsey, Thompson and Grim.
Here's what our top of the order should look like.
Ramsey in the left, Kotsay at second base followed by Thompson the DH and two times MVP Bryant at first.
On the mound, 3 times Cy young award winner Domingo Servet, Daisuke Suzuki and Otis Damon will lead the rotation.
The bullpen should be strong enough with the addition of Grim and Orber Pierre.
Our goal is still to represent the AL in the World Series.
Of course all that will be possible if everyone stays healthy.
New York Red Storm
Added: Ismael Rios
Lost: Matthew Lennon, Ronnie Hamill (trade)
Rookies: Milton Hermanson, Javier Sanchez
Outlook: Hoping to contend for a WC spot, but most likely going to be a seller come the trade deadline.
Charleston Cougars
Charleston continues its rebuilding efforts this year. The team currently holds 5 of the top 60 picks in the draft after losing Jared Strickland and Freddie Upshaw to free agency. The team also figures to be active in pursuit of international free agents. The Cougars picked up Miguel Rodriguez and Gabe Randolph in the Rule 5 Draft, and promoted Al Morris and Omar Holmes to the Major League Roster. The pitching staff will be anchored by Gregg Padden who comes off of a 13-9 season and Eswalin Sierra who pitched a team high 271 innings last season. 3B Odaliz Velazquez enters his second season as the Cougar’s top offensive threat.
Chicago Blue Demons
None Submitted
1. Philadelphia Owls
2. New York Red Storm
3. Charleston Cougars
4. Chicago Blue Demons
Philadelphia Owls
Key Players Added : LF Dave Ramsay, DH Dante Thompson and RP Howie Grim.
Key Players Lost : C Gaylord Burke, RP Ismael Rios, RP Enrique Guzman and SP Pat Gibbons.
Key Transactions : Only one trade but a blockbuster one. LF Dave Ramsay and young SP Nolan Boone came from Portland for C Gaylord Burke, SP Pat Gibbons and another young SP Anthony Mecir.
Rookies expected to contribute: SP Nolan Boone .
Their future is near: LF/2B B.C. Polanco, SS Danny Smoltz, RP Phil Worrell and RP Julio Brito.
Another great season for the Owls but another bad finish.
During off-season we tried to found what is the problem with our team and we came to conclusion that we need a little help on the offence, a better leadoff hitter and a real good DH and in the bullpen too..
We think we found them in Ramsey, Thompson and Grim.
Here's what our top of the order should look like.
Ramsey in the left, Kotsay at second base followed by Thompson the DH and two times MVP Bryant at first.
On the mound, 3 times Cy young award winner Domingo Servet, Daisuke Suzuki and Otis Damon will lead the rotation.
The bullpen should be strong enough with the addition of Grim and Orber Pierre.
Our goal is still to represent the AL in the World Series.
Of course all that will be possible if everyone stays healthy.
New York Red Storm
Added: Ismael Rios
Lost: Matthew Lennon, Ronnie Hamill (trade)
Rookies: Milton Hermanson, Javier Sanchez
Outlook: Hoping to contend for a WC spot, but most likely going to be a seller come the trade deadline.
Charleston Cougars
Charleston continues its rebuilding efforts this year. The team currently holds 5 of the top 60 picks in the draft after losing Jared Strickland and Freddie Upshaw to free agency. The team also figures to be active in pursuit of international free agents. The Cougars picked up Miguel Rodriguez and Gabe Randolph in the Rule 5 Draft, and promoted Al Morris and Omar Holmes to the Major League Roster. The pitching staff will be anchored by Gregg Padden who comes off of a 13-9 season and Eswalin Sierra who pitched a team high 271 innings last season. 3B Odaliz Velazquez enters his second season as the Cougar’s top offensive threat.
Chicago Blue Demons
None Submitted
Season 12 - AL South Divisional Preview
My Take: As of now, one of the weaker divisions in the world. It looks like this may have been the season for one of the other teams to step up to make a run at Little Rock as they lost some pieces, but it doesn't look like any of the other teams made enough changes to do so. Nashville has a ton of work to do to salvage what the previous owner did to that franchise and to his credit is trying to win now and not ripping it all apart. Jackson and New Orleans are sticking to their rebuilding plan by building from within. I'm projecting Little Rock as the division winner and sole playoff participant and a good turnaround for Nashville as I believe they under performed last season with an MIA owner.
1. Little Rock Razorbacks
2. Nashville Commodores
3. New Orleans Bayou Bengals
4. Jackson Rebels
Nashville Commodores
Added thru FA
C Corky Buckley
C Ted Brock
1B Will Cook
2B Anthony Lombard
3B Crash Becker
3B Ben Brown
SS Mark Shaw
CF Joaquin Andujar
RP Adrian Kendall
Promoted
RP Kane Fordyce
RP Kip Jennings
Losses
C Von Field
3B Ron Davis
LF Raul Aquino
SS Davey Jackson
RP David Costilla
RP Mac Douglas
1B Bubbles Haynes
LF Roger Valentine
C Jeff Cameron
C Roberto Puente
Basically a complete offensive overhaul in Nashville.
Outlook depends on pitching staff bouncing back from a terrible year.
The expectations are to flirt with .500
Little Rock Razorbacks
The Razorbacks biggest offseason signing was that of 39-year old Matthew Lennon. Lennon should fill the void left by Clinton Carr who became a free-agent over the offseason. Also added the Razorbacks pitching staff is Austin Byrne. Austin is making the short drive from Texas to Arkansas where he was the closer for the Mustangs the previous 9 seasons. Austin brings his experience along with a career 238 Saves to the Razorbacks where he'll help mentor young fireballer Bill Perez. The Razorbacks also added Luis Santana to the pitching staff in a trade from Anaheim. Luis is slated to be the #4 or #5 starter in the rotation out of Spring Training. Luis won 13 games for the Trojans last season and the Razorbacks are hoping for similar results from him this season.
On offense, the Razorbacks added Derek Cashman in a trade from Huntington. As of right now Derek projects to play 3rd base for the Razorbacks. Derek struggles at times with making contact but should fill in nicely towards in the bottom half of the lineup. The Razorbacks also added Marcus Perez from Huntington. Marcus should fill in nicely at the DH spot and in the field when needed. Marcus brings an average to an above average bat to the middle part of the Razorbacks lineup. Finally, the Razorbacks added Walter Goodwin as the backup Catcher. Walter does an excellent job of managing the pitch calling while bringing an average bat to the plate. He will fill in nicely when starter C Welington Calderone needs a day off.
Key Players Lost
The Razorbacks lost a slew of players to free-agency including SS/3B Anthony Lombard, 2B Oscar Purcell, 1B Martin Davis, C Chico Duran, CF James Lee, RP Quinton Hamilton and SP Clinton Carr. They lost DH Grant Dickerson to trade this offseason and lost RP Benji Cairo to trade late last season.
Rookies
There are 2 players on the radar right now for making the Big League club out of Spring Training. The first is RP McKay Benes, the Razorbacks 1st-round pick from Season 10. Most believe he'll start the year in AAA and wait the minimum 20 games to allow the club to gain an extra year before Arbitration begins. There has also been some conversation about ugueth Santos, the powerful 28-year old who has spent his entire career in the minor leagues. The Razorbacks could really use a big hitting DH and if Santos can have a good spring, he may find himself on the ML roster opening day.
Outlook and Expectations
The Razorbacks lost a lot of key components to last years Division Championship team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The pitching staff is better with the additions of Lennon and Bryne. Red Lofton won 17 games last season and the Razorbacks are hoping for another good year from him. Bill Perez will be the Closer from Day 1 and the Razorbacks and fans alike are very interested to see how he performs this year. On offense, the Razorbacks are looking for someone to step up this year. It will be interesting to see if the improvement in the pitching staff can outweigh the possible offense lost. Owner miggyt4 has promised the Razorback fan base another year competing for the division title. The next step for the Razorbacks would be to advance past the opening round of the playoffs. Owner miggyt4 hopes the upgrade in the pitching staff will help with that. On the offensive side of the ball, I think it will all depend on some of the younger players stepping up and playing a bigger role for this team.
New Orleans Bayou Bengals
Key Losses: FA pitchers Allen Guerrero and Vic Calles, FA outfielder Hawk Tyner, 3B Josh Foulke (traded late last season)
Key Additions: 3B Matty Bohannon (acquired via trade late last season), Rule 5 draftee P Jose Andujar, rookie P Michael Comer
counting on strong seasons from several players in their prime - 1B Carlos Molina, 2B Jolbert Lopez, SS Carlos Gonzalez, 3B Matty Bohannon, LHS Julio Lira, LHRP Julio Rincon, and solid contributions from young players CF James Hernandez, RHS Francisco Bournigal, LHS Michael Comer and CL Bart Pellow
expected finish: somewhere between 82 and 86 wins and hopes of at least a wild card berth
Jackson Rebels
Key Players Added: P Carl Rossy, free agent signing to absorb the losses of Borges and Padilla
Key Players Lost: P David Borges (started hot last season, but tapered off), P Carlos Padilla (3-16 record last season does not serve him justice)
Possible Rookie Call-ups: SP Yander Santos and RP Nash Messmer. One or both could be called up but probably not likely. I would like to give them a full season of AAA seasoning before actually bringing them up for next season.
Outlook & Expectations: I am basically bringing back the same squad with Rossy the only major addition. The Rebels played above expectations for most of the season until a double digit losing streak late in the year brought them back to earth with a thunderous thud. Hopefully, my rookies from last year will avoid the dreaded sophomore slump and produce in the ways I expect them to. Torey Vallarata and Andres Martinez (both with 33 HR & 98 rbi) should continue to produce at a high level and be the clubhouse leaders that I expect them to be.
If the team can avoid any prolonged slumps, the Rebels SHOULD see a plus .500 season in their future.
1. Little Rock Razorbacks
2. Nashville Commodores
3. New Orleans Bayou Bengals
4. Jackson Rebels
Nashville Commodores
Added thru FA
C Corky Buckley
C Ted Brock
1B Will Cook
2B Anthony Lombard
3B Crash Becker
3B Ben Brown
SS Mark Shaw
CF Joaquin Andujar
RP Adrian Kendall
Promoted
RP Kane Fordyce
RP Kip Jennings
Losses
C Von Field
3B Ron Davis
LF Raul Aquino
SS Davey Jackson
RP David Costilla
RP Mac Douglas
1B Bubbles Haynes
LF Roger Valentine
C Jeff Cameron
C Roberto Puente
Basically a complete offensive overhaul in Nashville.
Outlook depends on pitching staff bouncing back from a terrible year.
The expectations are to flirt with .500
Little Rock Razorbacks
The Razorbacks biggest offseason signing was that of 39-year old Matthew Lennon. Lennon should fill the void left by Clinton Carr who became a free-agent over the offseason. Also added the Razorbacks pitching staff is Austin Byrne. Austin is making the short drive from Texas to Arkansas where he was the closer for the Mustangs the previous 9 seasons. Austin brings his experience along with a career 238 Saves to the Razorbacks where he'll help mentor young fireballer Bill Perez. The Razorbacks also added Luis Santana to the pitching staff in a trade from Anaheim. Luis is slated to be the #4 or #5 starter in the rotation out of Spring Training. Luis won 13 games for the Trojans last season and the Razorbacks are hoping for similar results from him this season.
On offense, the Razorbacks added Derek Cashman in a trade from Huntington. As of right now Derek projects to play 3rd base for the Razorbacks. Derek struggles at times with making contact but should fill in nicely towards in the bottom half of the lineup. The Razorbacks also added Marcus Perez from Huntington. Marcus should fill in nicely at the DH spot and in the field when needed. Marcus brings an average to an above average bat to the middle part of the Razorbacks lineup. Finally, the Razorbacks added Walter Goodwin as the backup Catcher. Walter does an excellent job of managing the pitch calling while bringing an average bat to the plate. He will fill in nicely when starter C Welington Calderone needs a day off.
Key Players Lost
The Razorbacks lost a slew of players to free-agency including SS/3B Anthony Lombard, 2B Oscar Purcell, 1B Martin Davis, C Chico Duran, CF James Lee, RP Quinton Hamilton and SP Clinton Carr. They lost DH Grant Dickerson to trade this offseason and lost RP Benji Cairo to trade late last season.
Rookies
There are 2 players on the radar right now for making the Big League club out of Spring Training. The first is RP McKay Benes, the Razorbacks 1st-round pick from Season 10. Most believe he'll start the year in AAA and wait the minimum 20 games to allow the club to gain an extra year before Arbitration begins. There has also been some conversation about ugueth Santos, the powerful 28-year old who has spent his entire career in the minor leagues. The Razorbacks could really use a big hitting DH and if Santos can have a good spring, he may find himself on the ML roster opening day.
Outlook and Expectations
The Razorbacks lost a lot of key components to last years Division Championship team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The pitching staff is better with the additions of Lennon and Bryne. Red Lofton won 17 games last season and the Razorbacks are hoping for another good year from him. Bill Perez will be the Closer from Day 1 and the Razorbacks and fans alike are very interested to see how he performs this year. On offense, the Razorbacks are looking for someone to step up this year. It will be interesting to see if the improvement in the pitching staff can outweigh the possible offense lost. Owner miggyt4 has promised the Razorback fan base another year competing for the division title. The next step for the Razorbacks would be to advance past the opening round of the playoffs. Owner miggyt4 hopes the upgrade in the pitching staff will help with that. On the offensive side of the ball, I think it will all depend on some of the younger players stepping up and playing a bigger role for this team.
New Orleans Bayou Bengals
Key Losses: FA pitchers Allen Guerrero and Vic Calles, FA outfielder Hawk Tyner, 3B Josh Foulke (traded late last season)
Key Additions: 3B Matty Bohannon (acquired via trade late last season), Rule 5 draftee P Jose Andujar, rookie P Michael Comer
counting on strong seasons from several players in their prime - 1B Carlos Molina, 2B Jolbert Lopez, SS Carlos Gonzalez, 3B Matty Bohannon, LHS Julio Lira, LHRP Julio Rincon, and solid contributions from young players CF James Hernandez, RHS Francisco Bournigal, LHS Michael Comer and CL Bart Pellow
expected finish: somewhere between 82 and 86 wins and hopes of at least a wild card berth
Jackson Rebels
Key Players Added: P Carl Rossy, free agent signing to absorb the losses of Borges and Padilla
Key Players Lost: P David Borges (started hot last season, but tapered off), P Carlos Padilla (3-16 record last season does not serve him justice)
Possible Rookie Call-ups: SP Yander Santos and RP Nash Messmer. One or both could be called up but probably not likely. I would like to give them a full season of AAA seasoning before actually bringing them up for next season.
Outlook & Expectations: I am basically bringing back the same squad with Rossy the only major addition. The Rebels played above expectations for most of the season until a double digit losing streak late in the year brought them back to earth with a thunderous thud. Hopefully, my rookies from last year will avoid the dreaded sophomore slump and produce in the ways I expect them to. Torey Vallarata and Andres Martinez (both with 33 HR & 98 rbi) should continue to produce at a high level and be the clubhouse leaders that I expect them to be.
If the team can avoid any prolonged slumps, the Rebels SHOULD see a plus .500 season in their future.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Season 12 - NL West Divisional Preview
My Take: I think this division will be tight, but with Arizona pulling away. I'd be shocked if they even come close to winning the division by as huge a margin as they did last season. They lost Bernie Ortiz which is a significant blow to the lineup and the other three teams in the division got better. Boise boasts two pitchers that could both be termed "Aces." KC needs to bounce back from their second half collapse last season. Picking the Grizzlies in last is another testament to how tight this division is teams 2-4, because they have a solid squad.
1. Arizona Sun Devils
2. Boise Broncos
3. Kansas City Wildcats
4. Helena Grizzlies
Boise Bronces
For the first time, I am very optimistic about the season ahead. With Elvis Fox and Terry Powell up to the majors and the rule 5 addition of Parra at 1B our starting 8 are vastly improved. While I think our catching situation needs improvement I think it’s good enough to compete. Our pitching staff is just getting better as it matures. Daly will hopefully be lights out and the bullpen is solid. With Wall and Cairo just a short while away in AAA, the pitching will only get better. If (always the big if) we stay away from major injuries, I think we’ll be in the running at the end of the season. I know there are some good teams in my division, but I think we match up pretty well right now.
Helena Grizzlies
KEY PLAYERS ADDED - SS Glendon Reichert, P Willie Sabathia and P Daniel Mullens. The Grizzlies added Sabathia and Mullens as veteran free agent pitchers to stabilize the pitching staff. Mullins is expected to be the 5th starter in the rotation. Glendon Reichert was a rule 5 draftee and is considered the teams franchise SS. Reichert is a solid defensive SS with the potential to hit 20 home runs.
KEY PLAYERS LOST – LF Oswaldo Diaz (.271 avg, 22 HR, 78 RBI)
POSSIBLE ROOKIE CALL UPS – Alfredo Guzman and Benito Valbuena. Guzman was the 44th pick of the season 8 draft. Alfredo is a solid hitter and a plus base runner that is expected to win the RF job out of spring training. Benito Valbuena is the feel good story of the spring for the Grizzlies. He is a former 8th round pick of the season 8 draft and is expected to get the majority of the at bats behind the plate this season. Valbuena is a plus hitter who is still working to develop his defensive skills.
OUTLOOK – The Grizzlies return their core of young players led by pitchers Jose Mendoza and Victor Valdes. Both hurlers turned in solid rookie campaigns and the expectations are that they continue to develop and improve in their sophomore seasons. Helena will hope to generate runs with a balanced offense with little starts. Last season Dorian Griffin was called up late in the year and generated some excitement with this raw speed. He will be the opening day starter this season at 2b.
EXPECTATIONS - Grizzly fans have suffered through 5 consecutive losing seasons and are hopeful this is the season they can at least threaten to finish above .500. If last years rookies improve on their first year performances, the team should take a step forward in their quest for a winning season.
Kansas City Wildcats
The Kansas City Wildcats finished 2nd last year in the NL West after a second half collapse. KC did not sign any free agents or lose any key players. Five players signed contract extensions and four more were arbitration signings. I do not foresee any players from the minor leagues making it to the majors this year. KC has a good bullpen and enough offense. The key is the starting pitching has to get better this year for any chance at winning the division and getting into the post season.
Arizona Sun Devils
None submitted.
1. Arizona Sun Devils
2. Boise Broncos
3. Kansas City Wildcats
4. Helena Grizzlies
Boise Bronces
For the first time, I am very optimistic about the season ahead. With Elvis Fox and Terry Powell up to the majors and the rule 5 addition of Parra at 1B our starting 8 are vastly improved. While I think our catching situation needs improvement I think it’s good enough to compete. Our pitching staff is just getting better as it matures. Daly will hopefully be lights out and the bullpen is solid. With Wall and Cairo just a short while away in AAA, the pitching will only get better. If (always the big if) we stay away from major injuries, I think we’ll be in the running at the end of the season. I know there are some good teams in my division, but I think we match up pretty well right now.
Helena Grizzlies
KEY PLAYERS ADDED - SS Glendon Reichert, P Willie Sabathia and P Daniel Mullens. The Grizzlies added Sabathia and Mullens as veteran free agent pitchers to stabilize the pitching staff. Mullins is expected to be the 5th starter in the rotation. Glendon Reichert was a rule 5 draftee and is considered the teams franchise SS. Reichert is a solid defensive SS with the potential to hit 20 home runs.
KEY PLAYERS LOST – LF Oswaldo Diaz (.271 avg, 22 HR, 78 RBI)
POSSIBLE ROOKIE CALL UPS – Alfredo Guzman and Benito Valbuena. Guzman was the 44th pick of the season 8 draft. Alfredo is a solid hitter and a plus base runner that is expected to win the RF job out of spring training. Benito Valbuena is the feel good story of the spring for the Grizzlies. He is a former 8th round pick of the season 8 draft and is expected to get the majority of the at bats behind the plate this season. Valbuena is a plus hitter who is still working to develop his defensive skills.
OUTLOOK – The Grizzlies return their core of young players led by pitchers Jose Mendoza and Victor Valdes. Both hurlers turned in solid rookie campaigns and the expectations are that they continue to develop and improve in their sophomore seasons. Helena will hope to generate runs with a balanced offense with little starts. Last season Dorian Griffin was called up late in the year and generated some excitement with this raw speed. He will be the opening day starter this season at 2b.
EXPECTATIONS - Grizzly fans have suffered through 5 consecutive losing seasons and are hopeful this is the season they can at least threaten to finish above .500. If last years rookies improve on their first year performances, the team should take a step forward in their quest for a winning season.
Kansas City Wildcats
The Kansas City Wildcats finished 2nd last year in the NL West after a second half collapse. KC did not sign any free agents or lose any key players. Five players signed contract extensions and four more were arbitration signings. I do not foresee any players from the minor leagues making it to the majors this year. KC has a good bullpen and enough offense. The key is the starting pitching has to get better this year for any chance at winning the division and getting into the post season.
Arizona Sun Devils
None submitted.
Season 12 - NL North Divisional Preview
My Take: I think the surprise team here could be the Buckeyes. They've done a good job assembling some young arms and have built their team solidly. They are my pick to "surprise" in Season 12 in the NL and challenge for the division and a wild card spot. Detroit will again lead the NL in pitching which is a combination of solid arms with that pitchers park. Dover continues their rebuild project that started last season. Iowa City is under new management and is tasked with turning the losing around in Iowa City, but that will take a few seasons.
1. Detroit Wolverines
2. Columbus Buckeyes
3. Dover Fightin' Blue Hens
4. Iowa City Hawkeyes
Detroit Wolverines
S11 Record: 90 – 72 (1st in NL North); Lost in 1st Round
Free Agency: No signings; Lost Herm Thompson
Trades: Lost Artie Hinch & Alex Franco
We ended up losing 3 pitchers that threw for the ML squad in S11 but we were beginning to pile up young arms in AAA and thought it was time to give them a chance on the mound. Detroit picked up a Type B pick and two young power bats that will be swinging in the majors some day for us as a result of losing our pitching.
Erik Haynes was traded for late in S11 and will be wearing a Wolverines uniform for the entire season in S12. We’ll be watching him as he makes a move to CF to make room for Lynn Prior, another player called up late from AAA last season who will be taking over 3B. 7 players hit double digit HR last season to build upon, and with the core pieces of our pitching staff back in place (2nd straight season leading ML in era, 3rd time in 4 seasons), we feel very confident about winning the division for the 3rd straight season and making our 6th straight playoff appearance. The goal now is to not just make the playoffs but find a way to advance.
Iowa City Hawkeyes
Outlook and Expectaions I hope to get the team to .500 anything above that would be gravy
Possible rookie call -ups Gabe Price David Rodriguez
Key Players Lost : None
Key Players Added Quinton Hamilton Billy Rivers Buddy Daniels
Columbus Buckeyes
Key Players Added: The Buckeyes made no trades during the off-season and the only FA we signed was our own.
Key Players Lost: 3B Ben Brown left via FA and RP Louie Chang was released.
Key Transactions: Avoided arbitration by signing C Benito Goya and 1B Joshua Hall to contract extensions. Went to arbitration with RP Brian Messmer, RF Rock Stinnett, and SS Harry Turner.
Rookies: SP Dallas Parrott and LF Jack Torre
Outlook: Losing Type A 3B Ben Brown was a blow but hopefully the additional draft choice we get for.him will turn out to be the next Michael Seay. Other than that we stayed pat this off-season. The additions of rookie SP Dallas Parrott and LF Jack Torre are as good as any trade or FA we could sign. They both should be major contributors this season and hopefully will push us over the hump in the elusive chase for .500. I really believe this could be the breakout season for the Buckeyes and my prediction is 2nd place in our division behind Detroit and a serious challange for a wild card spot.
Dover Fightin’ Blue Hens
Key Players Added: FA Braden Sager was brought in to play shortstop. FA Jeff Cameron will compete for the starting catcher position. Rule 5 pitcher Orlando Galvez is one of the better rule 5's I've landed. 4 players acquired in last season's trades will all make an impact this year.
Key Players Lost: SP Otis Damon and 2b/3b Charlie Spencer were traded during last season. SS Sam Belitz and C Hawk Matthews were let go in the off season.
Rookies: 2b Albie Tejada is here to stay and should be a bright spot. CF Torey Feliz will also be given a major league spot unless he flounders. 2b/Herm O'Shea and SP Albert Crespo will be amoung the first callups.
Outlook: The Blue Hens traded several veterans last season and began a full-fledged rebuilding project that will continue this season. The Hens will try to avoid 200 losses in 2 seasons and then begin the upward climb next season. Projection: 3rd or 4th in division.
1. Detroit Wolverines
2. Columbus Buckeyes
3. Dover Fightin' Blue Hens
4. Iowa City Hawkeyes
Detroit Wolverines
S11 Record: 90 – 72 (1st in NL North); Lost in 1st Round
Free Agency: No signings; Lost Herm Thompson
Trades: Lost Artie Hinch & Alex Franco
We ended up losing 3 pitchers that threw for the ML squad in S11 but we were beginning to pile up young arms in AAA and thought it was time to give them a chance on the mound. Detroit picked up a Type B pick and two young power bats that will be swinging in the majors some day for us as a result of losing our pitching.
Erik Haynes was traded for late in S11 and will be wearing a Wolverines uniform for the entire season in S12. We’ll be watching him as he makes a move to CF to make room for Lynn Prior, another player called up late from AAA last season who will be taking over 3B. 7 players hit double digit HR last season to build upon, and with the core pieces of our pitching staff back in place (2nd straight season leading ML in era, 3rd time in 4 seasons), we feel very confident about winning the division for the 3rd straight season and making our 6th straight playoff appearance. The goal now is to not just make the playoffs but find a way to advance.
Iowa City Hawkeyes
Outlook and Expectaions I hope to get the team to .500 anything above that would be gravy
Possible rookie call -ups Gabe Price David Rodriguez
Key Players Lost : None
Key Players Added Quinton Hamilton Billy Rivers Buddy Daniels
Columbus Buckeyes
Key Players Added: The Buckeyes made no trades during the off-season and the only FA we signed was our own.
Key Players Lost: 3B Ben Brown left via FA and RP Louie Chang was released.
Key Transactions: Avoided arbitration by signing C Benito Goya and 1B Joshua Hall to contract extensions. Went to arbitration with RP Brian Messmer, RF Rock Stinnett, and SS Harry Turner.
Rookies: SP Dallas Parrott and LF Jack Torre
Outlook: Losing Type A 3B Ben Brown was a blow but hopefully the additional draft choice we get for.him will turn out to be the next Michael Seay. Other than that we stayed pat this off-season. The additions of rookie SP Dallas Parrott and LF Jack Torre are as good as any trade or FA we could sign. They both should be major contributors this season and hopefully will push us over the hump in the elusive chase for .500. I really believe this could be the breakout season for the Buckeyes and my prediction is 2nd place in our division behind Detroit and a serious challange for a wild card spot.
Dover Fightin’ Blue Hens
Key Players Added: FA Braden Sager was brought in to play shortstop. FA Jeff Cameron will compete for the starting catcher position. Rule 5 pitcher Orlando Galvez is one of the better rule 5's I've landed. 4 players acquired in last season's trades will all make an impact this year.
Key Players Lost: SP Otis Damon and 2b/3b Charlie Spencer were traded during last season. SS Sam Belitz and C Hawk Matthews were let go in the off season.
Rookies: 2b Albie Tejada is here to stay and should be a bright spot. CF Torey Feliz will also be given a major league spot unless he flounders. 2b/Herm O'Shea and SP Albert Crespo will be amoung the first callups.
Outlook: The Blue Hens traded several veterans last season and began a full-fledged rebuilding project that will continue this season. The Hens will try to avoid 200 losses in 2 seasons and then begin the upward climb next season. Projection: 3rd or 4th in division.
Season 12 - AL North Divisional Preview
My Take: Fargo and Minnesota both went through rebuilding periods several seasons ago and did a good job building their teams for the long haul. Cincinnati turned over a good portion of their roster and Portland made a huge move in trading away start player Dave Ramsey, but got back several nice players. Best guess is that this division will continue to produce two playoff teams, but a third will be difficult since the AL West will almost definitely produce two as well.
1. Fargo Bison
2. Minnesota Golden Gophers
3. Portland Ducks
4. Cincinnati Bearcats
Cincinnati Bearcats
Key Losses: Rosa, 1b (waived), DaSilva,p (FA), Santiago,p (FA),Smith,ss (FA), Leon,lf (FA). Rosa and Smith will be missed. Roster crunch caused the Bearcats to gamble that Rosa would be overlooked on the waiver wire, he wasn't.
Key Additions: Shawn Tremie, 1b (FA), Oscar Purcell, 2b, (FA). Tremie was signed as a lf and moved to 1b to replace Rosa and make room for the rookie Bradford. Purcell brings some defensive versatility and much need patience at the plate.
Key Rookies: Lloyd Roberts, SP, Philip Stearns, RP, Kirk Bradford, LF. Roberts and Stearns are not frontline prospects; but, they are an improvement over those they will be replacing on the staff. Bradford is a can't miss stick and should step in as a middle of the order type for years to come.
Outlook: The Bearcats improved last season and are expected to accent the trend this season. Four rookies contributed last season, three more should do likewise this season. Stretch Bailey was expected to anchor the staff last season. The FA signee was felled by a season-ending injury in spring traing. He is back at a somewhat reduced effectiveness. However, his addition, the improvement of last year's rookie Brandon Gragg, an improved offense, and maturation of the young players bodes well for Cincinnati. Oddsmakers would suggest that the Bearcats improvement will not be dramatic enough to out-compete Minnesota, Portland, or Fargo for a playoff spot.
Portland Ducks
Key Player Added: Gaylord Burke, Pat Gibbons and Joe Creek
Key Player Lost: Dave Ramsey and Nolan Boone
Key Transaction: Dave Ramsey and Nolan Boone have been traded to Philadelphia in return of Gaylord Burke, Pat Gibbons and Anthony Mecir.
Rookies: None
Outlook: The Ducks decided to trade Dave Ramsay who never played like he should have for his 18 millions per year contract. When Philadelphia’s owner contacts us about the possibility to trade Ramsey, we were not sure. Ramsey was about to become free agent and didn’t want to sign another contract with the Ducks. So, we started the negotiations, and it ended by bringing us Gaylord Burke, a young catcher with power, and also Pat Gibbons, an experienced starting pitcher. We also got an almost ready prospect in Anthony Mecir.
Our team has not change very much, but we are hoping more from Bingo Speier, Omar Encarnacion and Boots Lundquist. If those guys could produce more, the Ducks would be on the run for a playoffs spot. Gaylord Burke and Frank Landrum will be the power hitter of the team.
Also, in our pitching staff, we have some interesting young guys that should be better this year. I’m talking about Alvin Barnes, Vic Keefe and Clayton Brunette. Pat Gibbons will add some deep to our pitching staff since Gene Wise is decreasing and would probably ended in a bullpen duty for the rest of his career. Richard Vanguri should be back in his closer spot, but Bob Serrano and Vic Redmond are both ready if we need them.
If all players are aiming the same goal, we will be in the playoffs, at least we hope so. Only time will give us the answer.
Fargo Bison
key additions:none
key losses: hector guerrero and david cox
i will be calling up erubiel ordaz to take the 5th spot in the rotation this year, hoping he will do alright in his rookie season, also mark glover will be in the rotation this season as well in the 4th spot....we expect him to do very well.
im looking for this team to once again bring home the division in a tight race as usual and compete for the AL pennant. we should be stronger than last season and should win about 100-105 games
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Key Additions: None
Key Losses: Chad Gold
Key Rookies: Jay Rhodes
Outlook: This team is pretty much identical to last year's Wild Card team. However, that far from ensures success this year. Last year's team finished well behind the top teams in the AL and the Golden Gophers also enjoyed near perfect health. That being said there is some reason for optimism as Minnesota is still a rather young team. Best case scenario is probably 90 wins which should keep them in the Wild Card hunt most of the season, although the division would appear out of reach. If they fall out of contention early look for the Golden Gophers to deal off the few remaining veteran pieces as they continue to build a deep farm system. Whether or not they make the playoffs this year, the future looks bright in Minnesota.
1. Fargo Bison
2. Minnesota Golden Gophers
3. Portland Ducks
4. Cincinnati Bearcats
Cincinnati Bearcats
Key Losses: Rosa, 1b (waived), DaSilva,p (FA), Santiago,p (FA),Smith,ss (FA), Leon,lf (FA). Rosa and Smith will be missed. Roster crunch caused the Bearcats to gamble that Rosa would be overlooked on the waiver wire, he wasn't.
Key Additions: Shawn Tremie, 1b (FA), Oscar Purcell, 2b, (FA). Tremie was signed as a lf and moved to 1b to replace Rosa and make room for the rookie Bradford. Purcell brings some defensive versatility and much need patience at the plate.
Key Rookies: Lloyd Roberts, SP, Philip Stearns, RP, Kirk Bradford, LF. Roberts and Stearns are not frontline prospects; but, they are an improvement over those they will be replacing on the staff. Bradford is a can't miss stick and should step in as a middle of the order type for years to come.
Outlook: The Bearcats improved last season and are expected to accent the trend this season. Four rookies contributed last season, three more should do likewise this season. Stretch Bailey was expected to anchor the staff last season. The FA signee was felled by a season-ending injury in spring traing. He is back at a somewhat reduced effectiveness. However, his addition, the improvement of last year's rookie Brandon Gragg, an improved offense, and maturation of the young players bodes well for Cincinnati. Oddsmakers would suggest that the Bearcats improvement will not be dramatic enough to out-compete Minnesota, Portland, or Fargo for a playoff spot.
Portland Ducks
Key Player Added: Gaylord Burke, Pat Gibbons and Joe Creek
Key Player Lost: Dave Ramsey and Nolan Boone
Key Transaction: Dave Ramsey and Nolan Boone have been traded to Philadelphia in return of Gaylord Burke, Pat Gibbons and Anthony Mecir.
Rookies: None
Outlook: The Ducks decided to trade Dave Ramsay who never played like he should have for his 18 millions per year contract. When Philadelphia’s owner contacts us about the possibility to trade Ramsey, we were not sure. Ramsey was about to become free agent and didn’t want to sign another contract with the Ducks. So, we started the negotiations, and it ended by bringing us Gaylord Burke, a young catcher with power, and also Pat Gibbons, an experienced starting pitcher. We also got an almost ready prospect in Anthony Mecir.
Our team has not change very much, but we are hoping more from Bingo Speier, Omar Encarnacion and Boots Lundquist. If those guys could produce more, the Ducks would be on the run for a playoffs spot. Gaylord Burke and Frank Landrum will be the power hitter of the team.
Also, in our pitching staff, we have some interesting young guys that should be better this year. I’m talking about Alvin Barnes, Vic Keefe and Clayton Brunette. Pat Gibbons will add some deep to our pitching staff since Gene Wise is decreasing and would probably ended in a bullpen duty for the rest of his career. Richard Vanguri should be back in his closer spot, but Bob Serrano and Vic Redmond are both ready if we need them.
If all players are aiming the same goal, we will be in the playoffs, at least we hope so. Only time will give us the answer.
Fargo Bison
key additions:none
key losses: hector guerrero and david cox
i will be calling up erubiel ordaz to take the 5th spot in the rotation this year, hoping he will do alright in his rookie season, also mark glover will be in the rotation this season as well in the 4th spot....we expect him to do very well.
im looking for this team to once again bring home the division in a tight race as usual and compete for the AL pennant. we should be stronger than last season and should win about 100-105 games
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Key Additions: None
Key Losses: Chad Gold
Key Rookies: Jay Rhodes
Outlook: This team is pretty much identical to last year's Wild Card team. However, that far from ensures success this year. Last year's team finished well behind the top teams in the AL and the Golden Gophers also enjoyed near perfect health. That being said there is some reason for optimism as Minnesota is still a rather young team. Best case scenario is probably 90 wins which should keep them in the Wild Card hunt most of the season, although the division would appear out of reach. If they fall out of contention early look for the Golden Gophers to deal off the few remaining veteran pieces as they continue to build a deep farm system. Whether or not they make the playoffs this year, the future looks bright in Minnesota.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Season 12 - NL East Divisional Preview
My Take: This division boasts two of the top teams in the NL with Syracuse coming out on top the last couple seasons as they've now won the NL East for five straight seasons. As you can see below, the Tar Heels made some significant moves to bolster the top of their lineup to try to get more scoring opportunities for the middle of their order. The Orange made some slight tweaks, but nothing earth shattering. Why fix what isn't broken? Louisville looks to finish third in the division, but they weren't too far away from earning the second wild card spot and if things break right, they could do so. Buffalo continues with their rebuilding project.
1. Syracuse Orange
2. Charlotte Tar Heels
3. Louisville Cardinals
4. Buffalo Bulls
Charlotte Tar Heels
Expectations: Our main goals this season are to finally take the NL East divisional crown away from Syracuse and earn a bye in the playoffs. We were in it until the last game in Season 11 and we are hoping with the acquisitions this season that it will put us over the top. This season will be a disappointment if we do not make the playoffs.
Free Agents Added: Bubbles Haynes as a nice hitter off the bench
Free Agents Lost: Mel Reed back to the Thundering Herd after we traded for him for him at the deadline last season. At least we’ll get a couple draft picks for our trouble.
Players Added Via Trade: Our biggest acquisition is Ronnie Hamill who has absolutely torn it up in his career with New York in the AL. We were in desperate need for a top flight lineup guy which allows us to move some of our bigger bats back in the order. He is also great with the glove and will be able to take over 2B as Rich Perry moves to 3B and Moe Hermansen to RF which will make one of the top defenses in NCAA even better. Travis Hermansen and Eric Jacquez were both brought back in from Huntington to shore up the pitching staff. We also brought back Alex Lopez who will strengthen our end of the game options.
Players Lost Via Trade: Buddy Daniels has been a Heel his whole career, but with the our pitching staff getting younger, we decided to market Daniels and were able to secure a nice, young SP prospect from Iowa City in Hank Waltman. We wish the best of luck to Daniels. Scot Hunt has been a solid defensive replacement the last few seasons, but we have a couple younger guys we wanted to give that spot to so we moved him to Huntington. Also lost Javier Sanchez in the Hamill deal and our starting CFer, Felipe Rincon the past two seasons to Huntingon as we needed to shore up our pitching staff.
Rookies Promoted: Bobby Reese will take over Scot Hunt’s defensive replacement duties. Fausto Mercardo, who was claimed off the waiver wire at the end of last season, was promoted to be a defensive replacement, pinch runner, who also has a decent contact bat. He also went to Charlotte GM’s alma mater, Johns Hopkins.
Possible Rookie Promotion: As of now, there are no plans to promote anyone, but injuries or other circumstances could change that.
Syracuse Orange
‘Losses’ (No Key loses) only loses are pitchers Joe Creek and Rafael Osuna
‘Additions’ (No Key Additions) only addition is reliever Bernard Rucker.
The Syracuse Orange are playing this season with nearly the same class that they had in season 11. They’re expecting to contend again for the tough NL East crown.
As mentioned above, there are no key additions to the team. Mitchell Spencer appears fully healed from his game World Series Game five injury. Lead off platoon youngsters Raymond Nixon and Gustavo Sivilla look ready to take another step forward.
In the last four seasons we’ve
4 ago) Won the Wild Card Series
3 ago) Won the Divisonal Series
2 ago) Won 1 World Series Game
Last) Won 2 World Series Games.
Hopefully the trend will continue!
Louisville Cardinals
Key Players Added: Alex Franco via Trade to shore up the bullpen
Key Players Lost: Raymond Snow 3B and Will Cook 1B via Free Agency
Key Callups: Pedro Aviles, Stewart George and Santos Siqueiros
Outlook: Truthfully, our division looks like it will be a two horse race between the Heels and the Orange. We hope to finish above .500 again and take a wildcard spot.
Whatever happens, we are positioned now to improve year after year.
Buffalo Bulls
Key Players Added
Shawn Walker (L) LF
Vladimir Polonia (L) SP
Key Players Lost
None
Possible Rookie Call ups
We will hope a big surprise at spring training camp.
Expectations
No big expectation for this season. By the fact that the other teams are very strong. Don't finishing last in our division will be a good achievement.
1. Syracuse Orange
2. Charlotte Tar Heels
3. Louisville Cardinals
4. Buffalo Bulls
Charlotte Tar Heels
Expectations: Our main goals this season are to finally take the NL East divisional crown away from Syracuse and earn a bye in the playoffs. We were in it until the last game in Season 11 and we are hoping with the acquisitions this season that it will put us over the top. This season will be a disappointment if we do not make the playoffs.
Free Agents Added: Bubbles Haynes as a nice hitter off the bench
Free Agents Lost: Mel Reed back to the Thundering Herd after we traded for him for him at the deadline last season. At least we’ll get a couple draft picks for our trouble.
Players Added Via Trade: Our biggest acquisition is Ronnie Hamill who has absolutely torn it up in his career with New York in the AL. We were in desperate need for a top flight lineup guy which allows us to move some of our bigger bats back in the order. He is also great with the glove and will be able to take over 2B as Rich Perry moves to 3B and Moe Hermansen to RF which will make one of the top defenses in NCAA even better. Travis Hermansen and Eric Jacquez were both brought back in from Huntington to shore up the pitching staff. We also brought back Alex Lopez who will strengthen our end of the game options.
Players Lost Via Trade: Buddy Daniels has been a Heel his whole career, but with the our pitching staff getting younger, we decided to market Daniels and were able to secure a nice, young SP prospect from Iowa City in Hank Waltman. We wish the best of luck to Daniels. Scot Hunt has been a solid defensive replacement the last few seasons, but we have a couple younger guys we wanted to give that spot to so we moved him to Huntington. Also lost Javier Sanchez in the Hamill deal and our starting CFer, Felipe Rincon the past two seasons to Huntingon as we needed to shore up our pitching staff.
Rookies Promoted: Bobby Reese will take over Scot Hunt’s defensive replacement duties. Fausto Mercardo, who was claimed off the waiver wire at the end of last season, was promoted to be a defensive replacement, pinch runner, who also has a decent contact bat. He also went to Charlotte GM’s alma mater, Johns Hopkins.
Possible Rookie Promotion: As of now, there are no plans to promote anyone, but injuries or other circumstances could change that.
Syracuse Orange
‘Losses’ (No Key loses) only loses are pitchers Joe Creek and Rafael Osuna
‘Additions’ (No Key Additions) only addition is reliever Bernard Rucker.
The Syracuse Orange are playing this season with nearly the same class that they had in season 11. They’re expecting to contend again for the tough NL East crown.
As mentioned above, there are no key additions to the team. Mitchell Spencer appears fully healed from his game World Series Game five injury. Lead off platoon youngsters Raymond Nixon and Gustavo Sivilla look ready to take another step forward.
In the last four seasons we’ve
4 ago) Won the Wild Card Series
3 ago) Won the Divisonal Series
2 ago) Won 1 World Series Game
Last) Won 2 World Series Games.
Hopefully the trend will continue!
Louisville Cardinals
Key Players Added: Alex Franco via Trade to shore up the bullpen
Key Players Lost: Raymond Snow 3B and Will Cook 1B via Free Agency
Key Callups: Pedro Aviles, Stewart George and Santos Siqueiros
Outlook: Truthfully, our division looks like it will be a two horse race between the Heels and the Orange. We hope to finish above .500 again and take a wildcard spot.
Whatever happens, we are positioned now to improve year after year.
Buffalo Bulls
Key Players Added
Shawn Walker (L) LF
Vladimir Polonia (L) SP
Key Players Lost
None
Possible Rookie Call ups
We will hope a big surprise at spring training camp.
Expectations
No big expectation for this season. By the fact that the other teams are very strong. Don't finishing last in our division will be a good achievement.
Season 12 - NL South Divisional Preview
My Take: Well I was way off last season as I predicted the Spiders would finish third in the division and they ended up winning it and that Huntington would battle for the wild card and they had a hugely disappointing season which led them to make wholesale changes for the second season in a row. Just to mimic exactly what I wrote last season, I have no idea what is going to happen with this division. Richmond and Texas made minor changes to their Season 11 playoff teams while Huntington made huge changes, but I believe they did a much better job this season than they did last season. I think Huntington will be better this season, but will it be enough to overtake Richmond and Texas? I think this race will go down to the wire with Memphis bringing up the rear as they continue their rebuild job. I do believe that this division will once again produce two wild card teams and both the divisional crown and wild card could come down to tiebreakers.
1. Texas Mustangs
2. Richmond Spiders
3. Huntington Thundering Herd
4. Memphis Tigers
Huntington Thundering Herd
Key Additions
Free Agency: P Mel Reed, P Terry Simmons, P Allen Guerrero, P Pinky Matheson, P David Cox, P Enrique Guzman, 3B Bernie Ortiz, LF Roger Valentin
Trades: CF Felipe Rincon, SS Scot Hunt, 1B Jung-Lee Woo, P Artie Hinch, OF/IF Craig Henley, OF Lonny Offerman, 1B/C Paul Evans, P Billy North,
Key Losses
Free Agency: P Timo Brinkley, P Edgard Melendez, P J.J. Burns, P Haywood Thomson, P Juan Almanza, P Aramis Marichal, 2B Mel Brock, LF Tracy Nen, CF Joshua Becker, 1B Rex Allen
Trades: P Travis Hermansen, IF/OF Derrek Cashman, RF Billy Rivers, LF Marcus Perez, P Nate Forster
Summary:
The Thundering Herd had budget room to throw around, and throw it around they did. Signing a total of 10 free agents and adding up to 8 big-league players via trade, this management team is out to prove that last season was a fluke. Gone are some key contributors who were shipped out in order to provide an upgrade in talent for the farm system or other positions. The hope is that this team, as it is presently constructed, can provide consistently great offense and allow its pitching staff to be good, but not great. The pitching staff was upgraded significantly, with 3 new starters and 4 new relievers toeing the rubber. This should be the best staff in the history of the franchise.
Richmond Spiders
It was a quiet offseason in Richmond for multiple reasons:
1. We liked our team from last season and didn't see immdeiate areas that needed upgrades. The primary emphasis was keeping the team intact by re-signing our own free agents.
2. We didn't have the prospects available to make impact trades and really need to spend the next few seasons restocking talent rather than dealing it away. As such, we also did not consider any Type A free agents this season.
3. The GM scheduled a vacation during the offseason and time/access was limited.
As such, most of the team remains intact. Pete Young was added to the bullpen to replace a departing Willie Sabathia, which we think is a slight upgrade. The primary upgrades though are a full season from Andrea Nelson (acquired mid-season last year) and the signing of Clinton Carr, who is still recovering from a major injury. When he returns later in the season, he should really upgrade the starting rotation.
I think the offense actually underperformed last season despite decent results, and we should be pretty strong there. The pitching should be solid even though we lack the true stud present on many of the other contenders.
We won the division last season via tie-breaker and made a good run in the playoffs. I expect to compete for the top spot in the division once again.
Memphis Tigers
Key Players Added: Octavio Rivera SP, Gary McBride RP
Key Players Lost: None
Key Transactions: Signed Paul Richard to a 4yr/$35M contract
Rookies to watch for: Phil Rapp SP, Hugh Bell 1B/OF
Outlook: Tigers Management shelled out big bucks this offseason in an effort to upgrade their pitching staff. After missing out on several top pitchers the past few seasons, Memphis signed Octavio Rivera to a hefty 4yr/$57M contract to anchor the rotation. Gary McBride (2yr/$9.6M) joins a bullpen that is arguably the Tigers biggest Achilles heel in effort to help keep late game leads. Rookie Hugh Bell looks to be the opening day leftfielder, while Phil Rapp projects to earn the #2 spot in the rotation.
Expectations in Tiger Town are still modest this season, but they expect to improve on their 69 win season from a year ago. While some around town may feel management overpaid for Rivera’s services, the team feels Rivera along with McBride should be significant upgrades from last years pitching staff. Also, Memphis expects Rapp , competing in his first full season at the major league level, to continue maturing while providing solid innings on the mound. Offensively, the Tigers will count on Richard and rookie Bell to power an offense that often became stagnant in season 11.
Texas Mustangs
The Mustangs did some roster fine tuning this season, but usually try to avoid the complete roster overhauls that are popular at some of the other schools within the division.
This year it will be a couple of promotions (Mariano Cedeno and Vincente Parra) filling the gaps of Vladamir Polonia and Austin Byrne on the mound.
In the field, two big free agent signings will cause some movement around the diamond. Freddie Upshaw was signed to play SS and Chico Tavarez will move into CF. Houston Hart moved on to a new opportunity at another institution. Wes Thomas was also signed to play in LF and should improve OF defense and add more speed on the base paths.
1. Texas Mustangs
2. Richmond Spiders
3. Huntington Thundering Herd
4. Memphis Tigers
Huntington Thundering Herd
Key Additions
Free Agency: P Mel Reed, P Terry Simmons, P Allen Guerrero, P Pinky Matheson, P David Cox, P Enrique Guzman, 3B Bernie Ortiz, LF Roger Valentin
Trades: CF Felipe Rincon, SS Scot Hunt, 1B Jung-Lee Woo, P Artie Hinch, OF/IF Craig Henley, OF Lonny Offerman, 1B/C Paul Evans, P Billy North,
Key Losses
Free Agency: P Timo Brinkley, P Edgard Melendez, P J.J. Burns, P Haywood Thomson, P Juan Almanza, P Aramis Marichal, 2B Mel Brock, LF Tracy Nen, CF Joshua Becker, 1B Rex Allen
Trades: P Travis Hermansen, IF/OF Derrek Cashman, RF Billy Rivers, LF Marcus Perez, P Nate Forster
Summary:
The Thundering Herd had budget room to throw around, and throw it around they did. Signing a total of 10 free agents and adding up to 8 big-league players via trade, this management team is out to prove that last season was a fluke. Gone are some key contributors who were shipped out in order to provide an upgrade in talent for the farm system or other positions. The hope is that this team, as it is presently constructed, can provide consistently great offense and allow its pitching staff to be good, but not great. The pitching staff was upgraded significantly, with 3 new starters and 4 new relievers toeing the rubber. This should be the best staff in the history of the franchise.
Richmond Spiders
It was a quiet offseason in Richmond for multiple reasons:
1. We liked our team from last season and didn't see immdeiate areas that needed upgrades. The primary emphasis was keeping the team intact by re-signing our own free agents.
2. We didn't have the prospects available to make impact trades and really need to spend the next few seasons restocking talent rather than dealing it away. As such, we also did not consider any Type A free agents this season.
3. The GM scheduled a vacation during the offseason and time/access was limited.
As such, most of the team remains intact. Pete Young was added to the bullpen to replace a departing Willie Sabathia, which we think is a slight upgrade. The primary upgrades though are a full season from Andrea Nelson (acquired mid-season last year) and the signing of Clinton Carr, who is still recovering from a major injury. When he returns later in the season, he should really upgrade the starting rotation.
I think the offense actually underperformed last season despite decent results, and we should be pretty strong there. The pitching should be solid even though we lack the true stud present on many of the other contenders.
We won the division last season via tie-breaker and made a good run in the playoffs. I expect to compete for the top spot in the division once again.
Memphis Tigers
Key Players Added: Octavio Rivera SP, Gary McBride RP
Key Players Lost: None
Key Transactions: Signed Paul Richard to a 4yr/$35M contract
Rookies to watch for: Phil Rapp SP, Hugh Bell 1B/OF
Outlook: Tigers Management shelled out big bucks this offseason in an effort to upgrade their pitching staff. After missing out on several top pitchers the past few seasons, Memphis signed Octavio Rivera to a hefty 4yr/$57M contract to anchor the rotation. Gary McBride (2yr/$9.6M) joins a bullpen that is arguably the Tigers biggest Achilles heel in effort to help keep late game leads. Rookie Hugh Bell looks to be the opening day leftfielder, while Phil Rapp projects to earn the #2 spot in the rotation.
Expectations in Tiger Town are still modest this season, but they expect to improve on their 69 win season from a year ago. While some around town may feel management overpaid for Rivera’s services, the team feels Rivera along with McBride should be significant upgrades from last years pitching staff. Also, Memphis expects Rapp , competing in his first full season at the major league level, to continue maturing while providing solid innings on the mound. Offensively, the Tigers will count on Richard and rookie Bell to power an offense that often became stagnant in season 11.
Texas Mustangs
The Mustangs did some roster fine tuning this season, but usually try to avoid the complete roster overhauls that are popular at some of the other schools within the division.
This year it will be a couple of promotions (Mariano Cedeno and Vincente Parra) filling the gaps of Vladamir Polonia and Austin Byrne on the mound.
In the field, two big free agent signings will cause some movement around the diamond. Freddie Upshaw was signed to play SS and Chico Tavarez will move into CF. Houston Hart moved on to a new opportunity at another institution. Wes Thomas was also signed to play in LF and should improve OF defense and add more speed on the base paths.
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