Season 71 American League Preview
AL North
Cincinnati Adena (76-86, 2nd pl last season)
Top Pitchers: Jett Sweeney, Erubiel Jose, & Julian Reyes
Top Bats: Earl Dugan and Napoleon Graves
This team has concerns in the bullpen, with the offense other than Dugan & Graves, and with their fielding. If these areas get better then .500 may be achievable, otherwise it may be a fight to retain their place in 2nd with a reduction in wins.
Prediction: 74-88, 2nd pl
Madison Nursing Homers (63-99, 3rd pl)
Top Pitchers: Edward Orosco, Jesus Rosado, Zoltan Lukasiewicz, & Pat Lorraine
Top Bats: Bennie McGuiness, Keith Neal
The starting rotation was a weakness last season, and the same group this year, they will need to improve to give the bullpen an opportunity to secure the win. The offense was solid with a .270 avg yet needs to find a way to push more runs across the plate to take some of the heat off the pitching staff. It looks like morgman needs to add more weapons to the pitching staff and a few bats to get this team on the path to the playoffs.
Prediction: 65-97, 3rd pl
Salt Lake City Stallions (89-73, 1st pl)
Top Pitchers: Clyde Meyers, Lou Parker, Rio Cortez & Hector Aquino
Top Bats: Storm Whitney, Forrest Maldonado, Gregor Mercedes, & Stevie Benson
The rotation and bullpen were a big reason this team won the division and made the playoffs. If the staff can repeat their performance again this season they will be tough to beat. Everyone contributes to this team’s offense with Benson posting the strongest numbers last season. They too will need to repeat last season’s performance to keep this team at the top of the division
Prediction: 85-77, 1st place
Toronto FC Dinamo (55-107, 4th pl)
Top Pitchers: Aramis Gonzalez, Hisashi Kang, Orlando Rios, & Ricardo Johnson
Top Bats: Marwin Santiago, Quincy McMurtry, Moose Robinson, & Paco Rios
This team is in rebuild mode as they wait for the youngsters to get acclimated to the big league. Seven pitchers posted 10 or more losses last season showing a need to either improve their performances or be replaced by someone that can put up better numbers. The offense needs some attention too after combining for a .252 avg and scoring only 573. Realistically avoiding another 100 lose season would be a big step in the right direction and finding a handful of ML prospects in the draft would be another.
Prediction: 60-102, 4th place
AL EAST
Boston Beacon Hillers (82-80, 3rd pl)
Top Pitchers: Groucho Freeman, Hades Belt, Ismael Megias, & Stretch Schmidt
Top Bats: Dixon Bland, Christy Anna, Jameson Zeid, & Thom Barclay
The rotation is a bit suspect, but the hope is the addition of Schmidt will help solidify it, allowing others to take lower spots that they may be better suited for. The bullpen should be in good shape so if the rotation can reduce their workload this team may become a very interesting team come playoff time. The offense is dangerous producing a .285 avg and 859 runs last season, if they can do it again and the pitching improves, a 90-win season may be possible, if not, then a sub .500 season will be the more likely result.
Prediction: 78-84, 3rd pl
New York Torrones (74-88, 4th pl)
Top Pitchers: Cleatus Carmon, Max Cooper, Rubby Fernandez, & Zoltan Hernandez
Top Bats: Chili Lowe, Erisbel Cortes, Victor Johnson, & Damion Conner
Cooper was the only SP with a winning record and/or 10 wins. However, Hernandez was brought in via trade to take over the number 1 spot in the rotation. This will be a year of transition for the staff as ownership hopes for improvement from the returning vets, and hope that the newcomers will be better than those let go. The offense put together an unimpressive .254 avg, yet found a way to reach 500 runs scored. Both the staff and offense need more help so this will be a transition year.
Prediction: 65-97, 4th pl
Rochester Renegades (101-61, 1st pl)
Top Pitcher: Andrew Nixon, Christy Maxwell, Jeff Darling, & Khiry Craig
Top Bats: Hoss Kramer, Lew Hughes, Walter Dunn, & Glenn Quachenbush
Last season was a bit of a surprise as the team took control of the division. The starting rotation was a big part of this rise in the standings with all five starters posting more than 10 wins and All-Star Closer Khiry Craig was integral in the staff’s success. The offense is a team effort after you get past Kramer as they posted a .280 average with 796 runs scored. Everyone returns and if everyone repeats last year’s success they will again be tough to beat.
Prediction: 95-67, 1st pl
St Louis Naturals (85-77, 2nd pl)
Top Pitchers: Dan Robinson, JD Hubbard, Rondell Montgomery, & Tony Vogelsong
Top Bats: Ricky Humber, Jimmie Monzon, Walt Mitchell, Luis Cordero, & Casey Blasingame
The backend of the rotation needs to be upgraded, yet last season this team posted a sub 4.00 ERA. Humber, Monzon, & Cordero were solid at the plate but some additional support will be needed to improve the .257 batting average which could allow this team to make a run for the division. There should be enough talent to keep this team in 2nd place, however some moves will be needed to be made to give them a shot at the division crown.
Prediction: 86-76, 2nd pl
AL South
Houston Oilers (91-71, 2nd pl)
Top Pitchers: Albert Almonte, Jacob Suzuki, Juan Carlos Guerrero, & Nate Melhuse
Top Bats: Russ Lewis, Salvador Morales, Alex Yamakazi, & Carlos Pena
The pitching staff was productive while making things a bit more exciting than management would have liked. There is a solid core so a few additions would help narrow the gap between them and first. The offense was a awesome display of big bats as they bludgeoned their opponents, forcing them into high scoring battles. The questions are can this team’s pitching improve to help lessen the need for the long ball and can the offense continue its assault on opposing pitchers?
Prediction: 93-69, 2nd pl
Kansas City Athletics (89-73, 3rd pl)
Top Pitchers: Gene Nen, Jesus Johnson, Phil Bonds, & Rhiner Flande
Top Bats: Mark Sugawara, Ricardo Oviedo, Glenn Holloway, & George Statia
The pitching staff led this team to within in a breath of the playoffs last season. Resigning Bonds was a key move and returns the second half of a dynamic 1, 2 punch. Other additions aren’t as predictable so the jury will be out on if this year’s rendition will match last season’s success. The offense was in the top half of the league with a .267 average, however, with less than 700 runs scored they will need to find a way to push more runs across the plate. This too may create a wait and see situation. The biggest addition to the offense comes in the body of Glenn Holloway, the farm’s top prospect, yet he will be asked to produce right away with the team allowing the potent bat of Willy Cerveza to walk. Can the A’s staff continue to excel and take it up a notch while the offense improves enough to balance the team’s contributions.
Prediction: 88-74, 3rd pl
New Orleans Lumpies (72-90, 4th pl)
Top Pitchers: Clarence Bennett, Francisco Cruz, Kent Grimsley, & Rafael Nesbitt
Top Bats: Doc Key, Ivan Torrez, Alexei Posada, & Lorenzo De La Vega
The team is getting long in the tooth so this may be the last hurrah for several of the current Lumpies. The pitching staff had two solid starters last season and then a roll of the dice when the other three spots came up. The bullpen is well stocked so the ability of the SP to hand over a lead to the pen will be critical if this team is going to get out of the cellar. The offense faired better while putting together a .270 average and a very strong 777 runs scored. Veterans closer to retirement than their peak years and some players with talent that haven’t put it all together yet will be relied on to propel this team above the .500 line.
Prediction: 68-94, 4th pl
Texas Tornado (96-66, 1st pl)
Top Pitchers: Josh Leach, Marwin Estrella, Reed Carroll, & Yuudai Iwakuma
Top Bats: Mikey Baldoquin, Kennie Lowe, Howie Hodges, & Will Stark
The pitching staff compiled a sub 4.00 ERA last season with both the bullpen and the starters contributing mightily. With so many young pitchers the expectation is that they will improve, however, the closer role may be the one aspect that needs to be upgraded. As for the offense, a .279 average is impressive, but 870 runs scored is impressive. Youth will be served as this team should march to a 4th consecutive pennant. If they continue to improve and there is a way to pay all these youngsters when they reach the end of Arbitration this juggernaut may continue to roll for a while.
Prediction: 99-63, 1st pl
AL West
Albuquerque Isotopes (61-101, 4th pl)
Top Pitchers: Armando Guerrero, Charley Schwartz, Koji Huang, & Robert Pettitte
Top Bats: Horacio Solano, Miguel Andujar, & Reid Freel
This team’s staff struggled to a 5.00 ERA with the SP a bit worse off than the pen. Better arms need to be added to the roster for this team to escape the cellar. The pen showed some signs of life, however, that ended once they were called on in the late innings with a save on the line. The best option for the 9th has left via free agency so it will be necessary to once again find someone that can be effective. Some additions to the lineup would also be advisable although they were able to score enough runs to have done better. Not enough of a roster turnover will limit the amount of improvement the “topes” can make this season so all options to improve the ML team if Albuquerque wants to start positioning itself for the playoffs.
Predictions 60-102, 4th pl
Anaheim Fighting Trouts (91-71, 2nd pl)
Top Pitchers: BC Kingsale, Kurt Montz, Miguel Cornejo, & Sticky Griffin
Top Bats: Albert Bocachica, Lou Scott, Alfredo Lee, & Luis Bethancourt
A sub 4.00 ERA shows this team has talent on the mound. Yet improvements to the back end of the rotation would be wise as would finding someone else to man the closer role. Bocachica, Lee, & Scott provided a lot of pop and run production last season. If they repeat that success, then this team may once again be a dangerous opponent in the playoffs. Anaheim made a surprising run into the World Series and they fell just a hair short of taking home the trophy so it will be fun to see if that success springboards them this season into another similar run.
Prediction: 92-70, 2nd pl
Arizona Scrappers (104-58, 1st pl)
Top Pitchers: Aneury Doubront, Josias Calderon, Luigi Reynoso, Ralph Adams & Santos Navarro
Top Bats: Trever Costello, Earl McKnight, Deivi Uribe, & Sivilla
This team was the odds-on favorite to represent the AL in the World Series, unfortunately for the Scrappers faithful things didn’t play out as expected. A pitching staff that boasted a 3.60 ERA and had all five starting pitchers post 15 wins or more is a true force to be reconned with. The one concern may be Ren Chang’s 4.33 ERA, yet he converted 42 or his 48 save opportunities. What about the offense? 270 HRs, 863 runs scored, .275 average seems to indicate that this is a complete team with all cylinder’s firing. Nothing should keep this team out of the hunt for a World Series trophy as long as salary demands don’t create the need to start selling off pieces.
Prediction: 102-60, 1st pl
Salem Bearcats (72-90, 3rd pl)
Top Pitchers: Frank Ishii, Oscar Morgan, Rick Schneider, & Stan O’Keefe
Top Bats: Homer Tomlinson, Clyde Brand, Juan Prado, & Thomas Justice
Bringing in Ishii & O’Keefe to head the rotation was necessary in this highly competitive division that sports some of the top AL arms. Whether the rest of the staff will be up to the challenge and can provide the innings and support to give the team a shot at both the division title and the playoffs. The offense too is a work in progress; the lineup has several solid players but not the firepower of the two teams that finished above them in the standings last season. The Bearcats should make strides this season yet it may not be enough to get them a playoff spot or the division title.
Prediction: 82-80, 3rd pl