A L WEST PREVIEW SEASON 19

Arizona Cobras (AL) swishnev23 View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:99-63

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Swish and his Cobras finished close to predictions . And Swish did pick up several IFA's (Anibal Tavarez,Cesar Berroa,Miguel Tabaka) along the way.He also grabbed Jerome Cochrane in the draft.Now in his 5th season Swish can be proud that his guys have improved every year while beefing up the farm system.Like last season, Swish had lots of cap space but this time he landed several top shelf free agents. And with last years late editions of Alexi Rios , Randy Rogers , Tony Wood , Gorkys Lopez this team is ready to take their place among the heavyweights.This division just got a little tougher.PREDICTION:90-72

OUT: Rich Ward , Dixie Stankiewicz , Harold Bates , Chad Wood

IN: Carlos Estrada , Billy Tenbrink

SWISH'S PREVIEW: There are a lot of question marks for the Cobras as we try to make the playoffs for the second straight season.Former prospect Alexi Rios will be playing CF full-time this season so his health/durability is a huge question mark as is the production of Ricardo Torres after his injury at the end of the season last year.The starting rotation was very healthy last season so it would be a surprise if that happened again but look for Gus Grossman (7-0 in the playoffs last season) to lead the way.Carlos Estrada looks to help out on offense as Johnny Stone and Harry Padilla can't do it all themselves. With a lot of teams in the AL improving it remains to be seen if this team has enough to get back to the playoffs.

PREVIEW: Swish's Cobras are dangerous and they finished above my prediction. Swish has built a tremendous team and that is one of the reasons he was last years Durocher Award winner. Congrats on the award and a great regular season Swish! He not only won this division but went into the playoffs as the #1 seed. Arizona breezed by the Crushers in the DCS then won in 7 games against the up and coming P-Dogs.In the World Series, Swish's Cobras took the champion Kickapoos to a 7th game but came up short. The Cobras have a good hitting (2.79 team BA) and pitching team (3.78 team ERA) and this combination made them hard to beat.In the offseason, Swish let Ward and Stankiewicz go to free agency and Bates was released. Then he traded Wood to New Britain for a prospect. With just a few spots on the roster to fill, Swish signed free agents Estrada and Tenbrink.Looks like Swish gave up a little defense for a 12 million dollar Slugger .Perhaps this will get them a World Series win. Who knows ?? The Cobras will battle for the division again and are a lock to make the playoffs.95-67

Scottsdale Shock Squad (AL) coach34 View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:87-75

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Scottsdale Shock Squad keeps getting better folks. Last season they won the World Series against the Juggernaught San Juan Santurce Crabbers.When Coach added his 3 new pitchers last season I thought this team was gonna be pretty good. But I was suprised at the success they had against the best teams in Wrigleyville. Great Job coach, Well deserved .Coach is gonna miss Yofeet Stinks and Olivares in the bullpen. But Cortes was a upgrade over Morris. This is basically the same team and they will Battle for the Division. At worst they will grab a wild card berth. Then look out! PREDICTION:100-62

OUT: Nicholas Jamison , Jerome Floyd , B.C. McMillan , Glen Swann

IN: Bailey Gil , Craig Serrano , Bobby Bush

PREVIEW: Coach's Shock Squad did grab a wild card but finished below my lofty prediction of 100 wins.Scottsdale had the best defensive team(68 team errors, .989 FPct) in Wrigleyville. And this kept them in games when their average pitching staff(4.19 team ERA) faltered.They smoked the Tabaky Farmers in the first round of the playoffs. And Coach's dream of a repeat was crushed when the Shocksquad were swept by Fargo in the DCS.In the offseason, Coach let Jamison ,Floyd and McMillan go to free agency and waived Swann. He signed free agents Gil,Serrano and Bush to fill the major league roster. The signing of Gil made Swann expendable and Coach brought in some pitching and a defensive bench player.The Shock Squad is in a pseudo arms race with his division foes. And Coach's rivals are bringing in a nuclear bats to decimate their rivals.And Gil is Scottdales Nuke.Coachs team will battle for the division and should make the playoffs.PREDICTION:91-71

Salem Salmonbellies (AL) mdymond View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:86-76

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Mdymond and his Salmonbellies are a pain in our sides.And with the move to a neutral Park in Salem . The Salmonbellies will have a better offensive output. In fact Mdymond considered re-naming his team the Salembellies but decided against it. Word has it he nixed the re-naming due to the size of the bellys in Salem.Belly Bucking in the Stands might cause the bleachers to collapse.And nobody wants to see that!Mdymond has AAA prospects Tony Hernandez, Victor Ozuna and Esteban Guzman waiting in the wings.He also has about 25 million in cap space and has one of the lowest payrolls in Wrigleyville. My guess is he'll bring up the youngsters and save the money for more IFA's and his 5 first round draft picks. Things are looking good in Salem.PREDICTION:90-72

OUT: Edgard James , Tony Matos , Arthur Phillips , Gabe Kent , Tomas Cruz , Ewell Morris , Braden Duffy , Bobby Bush , Ivan Ortiz

IN: Rolando Jose

PREVIEW: Mdymond Salmonbellies came close to predictions, but playing in this tough division is cruel.And this Salem club has great up side with plenty of room to grow. Last season Mdymonds youngsters were one of the better defensive teams(83 team errors,.986 FPct) in Wrigleyville. And this is a great foundation for winning. Salem also landed a big IFA last year(Alfonso Mairena) and he will be a monster if he reaches his projections.In the offseason Mdymond let James,Matos,Phillips,Kent,Cruz and Morris go to free agency.The only player added so far is free agent Jose. This team is incomplete and who knows how they will play.PREDICTION:????

Helena Barking Moonbats (AL) sordie View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:84-78

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: I forgot to warn the Moonbats about the new kid in town, The Shock Squad. I'm sure Sordie knew that it would be a battle again for the division. And the Moonbats did very well indeed, but they just missed the division by 5 games. In the post season, Sordies nocturnal bloodsuckers went into the second round against Scottsdale, and lost game 5. I'm sure Sordie and his rabid friends are foaming at the mouth looking for revenge.Sordie still has a few roster spots open at this writing. And he has a couple buns in the AAA oven (Louis White,Andres Borbon , Larry Walker ). He could rush these guys up or spend some of that 20 million in cap space on free agents. My guess he wants to keep some money for IFA's or a Pony. But its nice to have options. Sordie always fields a good team and the Moonbats will be in the thick of a division race.Probably grab a wild card at the least.PREDICTION:100-62

OUT: Glenn Hull , Rick Cashman , B.C. Olivares , R.A. Ward , Del Lopez

IN: Fred Daal , Joaquin Morlan , Herm Harris , Victor Torres

PREVIEW: This is a good team and it's not easy playing in the A L West. Sordies Barking Moonbats had a good year just not good enough for this division. 84 wins was the worst win total since Sordie came to this league in season 4.......Thats Crazy Good!! Even with the mid-season pickup of Alfonso Mairena couldn't get this team to the top of the division, but it still was a good trade.Perhaps it was the defense(119 Team errors,3rd worst) that sunk Sordie, but his offense is stout(.279 team BA) and should be feared. In the offseason, Sordie re-signed Hub Taguchi and Jose Roque and let Hull,Cashman,Oliveras, Ward and Lopez go to free agency. Then he signed free agents Daal,Morlan and Harris and promoted Torres. The promotion of Torres will help out the bullpen and the FA signings have some upside.But playing in this division you have to field a stout team on the field and at the plate. If Sordie can cut down the team errors he should be in the post season.PREDICTION:86-76

N L EAST PREVIEW SEASON 19

San Juan Santurce Crabbers (NL) rbedwell View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:109-53

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Crabbers tore thru the regular season like Oprah in a Twinkie factory. Then in the post season he won the NL pennant and lost game 7 in the series to the Shock Squad. The Crabbers are a tough bunch. No matter how much you shave and scrub they just keep coming back. You all know what I mean!Ralph also extended the contracts of Che Cho and Sam Gray and still has two more slots open. This is the same ol Crabs that we know and lament. They will continue to be the bane of our existence. PREDICTION:105-57

OUT:

IN:  Miguel Martinez

PREVIEW: Yep ,Them Crabs are a pesky bunch. They won this division and the best record in Wrigleyville with the #1 hitting squad(.283 BA) and the 3rd best pitching team(3.22 ERA). Needless to say fellas.... the Crabbers are here to stay and you can't get RID of them. As the #1 seed in the post season ,Ralphs Crustations sidestepped all the way to the LCS. Then they were quick boiled by the Champs.In the offseason Ralph promoted Martinez from the minors and he may move Pascual Marichal or Miguel Martinez to the DH. At least until inter-league play is over. These are the same resilient Santurce Crabbers that won't go away no matter how often you shave and scrub. And they are the best in the NL and will be again this year. They are my World Series pick , Sorry Ralph no jinx intended! PREDICTION:107-55

Burlington Coat Factory (NL) ehull11 View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:101-61

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Coat Factories have a Crab problem . As do we all. Ehull has the unenviable position of playing in the same division as Ralph and his Rum drinking Crabs. But the Coat Factories had a great year winning 101 games and I would be kicking up my heels with that success. I think Ehull needs a tweak or two and this team will be a Crab Free team.Looks like the Coat Factories Are going for it.The Talent level has risen in Burlington and this may get rid of them pesky Crabs! Its gonna be a Battle in the N L East. If they dont win the division they will surly be a wild card. And pitching always is a premium in the post season.The Coats are Sporty! PREDICTION:105-57

OUT: Matty Cruz

IN: Kris Glauber

PREVIEW: Ehulls Burlington team almost reached last years prediction.They won 101 games for the second consecutive year with the second best pitching staff in Wrigleyville(3.09 team ERA).Because they play in the division of death the Coat Factories went into the post season as the #5 seed. They swept Durham in the first round and lost a heartbreaking game 5 to Ralphs Crustations. In the offseason ,Ehull re- signed Oswaldo Silva and released Cruz outright. Then he signed free agent Glauber to fill the only open roster spot. This is a easy preview!! Same team as last year, with stellar pitching they should battle for the division and if not......................Wild Card Baby!!PREDICTION:102-60

Cincinnati Red Light District (NL) jeff2106 View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:90-72

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: You would think the Peachfuzz would have the best chance to get Rid of the Crabs. But you would be wrong. They took a step back and finished with only 78 wins and that was all it took for desanders. He snuck out in the dead of night and hasn't been seen since. It's rumored he joined Chaz Bonos Dancing Dikes and is touring the U.S."He got dem Happy Feet". Jeff2106 was picked by Mark3313 to take over the abandoned Peachfuzz. "Choosy commish's Choose Jeff!" Jeff  the Peanut Butter kid  moved the team to Cincinnati's Red Light District. So he could walk across the street to What If Sports headquarters and rap them on the skull whenever one of his superstars gets injured.You know I really like this team now. They have a ton of talent and the Coaching staff is good except for a weak fielding coach.If this team wasn't in such a tough division I would say they were a shoe in to make the playoffs. But getting thru the Crabs and Coat Factories will be a challenge. This is my Dark horse pick.I have a penchant for whorehouses. It could be 3 teams from the N L East in the post season.PREDICTION:93-69

OUT: Hiram Sweeney , Flash Reimold , Kris Karros , Ruben Reyes , Pat Clark , Carson Bailey , Frank Vanguri , Shin-Soo Wan

IN: Nicholas Bevil , Claudio Schmidt , William Mateo , Bryan Greisinger , Garry Olsen , Thom Gates , Adam Hamilton

JEFF2106's PREVIEW: The Red Lights made it to the playoffs under their new owner but thats all that they can say. We went up 2-0 on the Toyotas, got back to Cinci and stayed out too late in the red light district and lost the next 3.This year will be harder to make the playoffs again with the loss of Kris Karros. He was a little bit older than the rest and could not take being a father figure trying to keep his boys away from the party scene.Cinci has traded away a couple relievers and and let Reyes, Flash and Hiram all go to FA to get draft picks out of them. Cinci released Carson Dawley as fast as they could. Cinci traded away a Pena for Gary Olsen to help the pen out.Still needing some SP they signed Bevil to hold down the fort till next year when a few guys will be ready for the bigs. This season is going to come down to SP or the lack there of at the moment.Maybe a trade midseason will put them back in the playoffs but it looks like were playing for next season. Prediction: 86-76 good for 3rd again Out: Flash Reimold Kris Karros , Ruben Reyes , Hiram Sweeney , Jimmie Pena , Pat Clark , Carson Bailey , In: Garry Olsen , Jair Seneca , Nicholas Bevil
P.S I guess i wrote that a lil too early. ive trade away Frank Vanguri and added Thom Gates and Adam Hamilton

PREVIEW: My Dark Horse pick came thru and the N L East did get 3 teams in the post-season. Lucky guess, I guess?? The real hero is jeff2106 and the Red Light District Team. Jeff did a great job with this team trading many prospects for key players throughout the season. It looks like we have another quality owner in a quality league fellas.The Cininnati RLD's won 90 games with great pitching(3.90 team ERA) and free whorehouse passes to WIS senior management. The magic season was over when Jeffs guys lost to the Toyotas in 5. In the offseason ,Jeff let Sweeny,Reimold,Karros and Reyes go to free agency and he released Dawley outright. Then Jeff went a trading, gone are Clark,Bailey,Vanguri and Wan. Then with a few roster spots open ,Jeff signed free agent Bevil and promoted Schmidt,Mateo and Greisinger. The earlier trades added Olsen,Gates and Hamilton to complete this years roster. I'm amazed at the trading prowess of Jeff. Not only has he strengthened the M L squad but he will have 4 extra first round picks and 3 extra second round picks in this years draft. The Red Light District will battle the Crabbers and Coat Factories for the division.Not sure if there will be 3 teams again in the playoffs again, but its a possibility.PREDICTION:88-74

Syracuse Moose (NL) rugby1 View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:87-75

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Moose were the dominate team in this division of death for many,many moons. I thought the Moose would make 500 even though they are re-tooling. But they finished well below 500. Last season the Moose did promote Jorge Fernandez and Jair Arias but also added Dude Long. Which should help them this season after last years lack of Runs Scored (626). In the offseason Rugby had a bunch of guys clamoring for money.This leaves a couple spots open on his M L roster and he could fill them with several AAA prospects that are ready. (Davey Gomez , Jose Sanchez). Or with a 12 million dollar surplus he could choose some late free agent signings. Either way the Re-tooling is close to completion and the Moose are about ready to get back to them winning ways. PREDICTION:81-81

OUT:  Ebenezer Daniels , Gene Robinson , Benny O'Leary , Posiedon Borders , Fred Lemke

IN:

PREVIEW:Poor Rugby and his Moose. Normally a 87 win season would put them near the top of any division but this is not ANY division.Still them Moose are a loose bunch and they can be proud of a good season. Not sure if the great divisional pitching contributed to their woeful offense(.247 team BA-2nd worst). But it's a good bet that they will have to improve at the dish if they want to compete in this division. In the offseason Rugby let Daniels go to free agency and he released Robinson,O'Leary,Borders and Lemke. So far no players have been added, but from what I can see.......Rugby has alot of talent in AAA. That could mean that the Moose will be turned Loose on Wrigleyville. This division just became a 4 Moose race with the development of the Moose calves.PREDICTION:90-72

N L WEST PREVIEW SEASON 19

San Francisco Kickapoos (NL) mark3313 View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:97-65

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: It was a no brainer when I predicted the Kickapoos to win the division. And they did prove me right when they went to the NLCS and lost game 7. Mark has stated that this team is growing gray and are in the twilight of their run. Yeah..Right!The loss of Nelson is just a minor chink in the Kickapoo armour. But it may be the start of the decline. Right now they are still the best in this division and will go far in the playoffs. PREDICTION:101-61

OUT: Julio Fernandez , David Vazquez , Robin King

IN: B.C. McMillan , Quinton Sauer

PREVIEW: Just my luck (or Marks) that I predicted the decline of the Kickapoos.  It was a given on the division crown and tho I thought they would go far in the post season. I figured they would be beaten by one of the N L East teams.And in classic Kickapoo fashion, they turn around and win the whole darn thing! Congratulations Mark and maybe you should slip me a little green so I will underestimate your team in this years preview.I was right about Marks bunch not winning as many games in the regular season. It was the first sub 100 win season since season 3,an impressive  run indeed! The Kickapoos had the 2nd best defense last year(69 team errors,.989 fielding percentage) and the #1 pitching team (3.00 team ERA). Pitching and Defense is always great in the playoffs and could be the reason why they won the World Series. In the offseason Mark re-signed Fred Lee , Pablo Mairena and Sammy Gandarillas then let Fernandez and Vasquez go to free agency.King was waived for cap space and picked up by the Stars. To fill a couple of holes in the roster, Mark signed free agents McMillan and Sauer. The Champion Kickapoos are not as strong as before, but Mark will make some moves during the season, like last year. San Francisco will win this division and the mid-season adjustments will have them primed for a repeat.PREDICTION:99-63

Vancouver Totems (NL) madmuldoon View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:84-78

LAST YEARS PREVIEW:  I was disappointed winning only 74 games last season. But Peter Okajima won the ROY and Rolando Valenzuela didn't perform up to my expectations. But lets be realistic here, There is only 1 player older than 30 and youngsters are unpredictable. So I may have been overly optimistic last year.Late last year I brought in Antone Teagarden , Kid Sanders and Rob McNamara so my team is even younger. I increased my training budget and brought in a new hitting coach and fielding coach. I'm still optimistic ,this team should at least play 500 ball. PREDICTION:81-81

OUT: Pedro Colon , Harry Aparicio

IN: Sting Hansen , Reese McGee , Bobby Collins

PREVIEW: I have a young team here and they play that way. The win streaks were followed by losing streaks and repeated over and over.It kind of reminded me of bungie jumping. It's fun for a while, but to much will make you throw up. Last year my Totems improved their hitting by .005 percent(.260 in S-17 to .265 in S-18) and the pitching stayed pretty much the same(4.37 ERA in S-17 to 4.13 ERA in S-18).My defense was also constant (88 errors in S-17 to 84 errors in S-18). Looks like a average team to me, so in the offseason I may have to improve, or risk losing my lunch. In the offseason I downed several Dramamine and let Colon test the free agent market. I also released Apracio for cap reasons. I only had a few open roster spots and some extra cap space so I first signed Hansen to a big contract and promoted McGee and Collins. I hope that the signing of Sting(You Two) Hansen will keep other teams from pitching around Peter Okajima. Most of my team is coming into their prime and I hope they will play consistant ball. I'm optomistic about this year but were still not good enough to supplant the Kickapoos.PREDICTION:88-74

Colorado Springs Bandits (NL) ressda View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:68-94

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Speaking of dissapointment. Brownsox was so deflated he picked up his bat and balls and left town. He did leave behind his Blow up plastic girlfriend Polly Esther. She keeps asking "Why dont he Write??". After Brownsox blew town ressda stepped up to the plate and took over the team and Polly. Brown sox left behind more than his main squeeze. He also left the farm system in fine shape with all his draft prospects intact. Thats good news for ressda.Looks like ressda lowered the payroll by 14.6 million and still kept this team together. They have good coaching and a revamped bullpen. But their catching concerns me. Both are great hitters but not much defensivly. Looks like teams will be stealing the bases when playing the Bandits. Turn around is fair play!! PREDICTION:81-81

OUT: Fonzie Bittle , Del Bonilla , Placido Cruz , Juan Durazo , Harry Paz , Walt Barfield , Eswalin Canseco , Devaris Gibbs , Howard McGehee , Adam Hamilton

IN: Mickey Harville , Tony Jang , Herman White , Gary Stern , Carson Bailey , Shin-Soo Wan

PREVIEW: Ressda and Polly Esther have gone their seperate ways. She was deflated after Brownsox blew town. The Colorado Spring Bandits also were left behind by most of the league with only 68 wins. This team took a step back from the previous seasons mainly due to a porous defense(110 team errors,.982 fielding percentage).As expected, the catching core was tied for the worst caught stealing percentage (.186 ). They threw out only 27 base stealers in 188 attempts.In the offseason Ressda let Bittle,Bonilla,Cruz,Durazo,Paz,Barfield and Canseco go to free agency then he released Gibbs and Mcghee outright. Then Hamilton was traded to Cincy to complete the purge. To replenish the team, Ressda signed free agents Harville,Jang, White and promoted Stern. Then Bailey and Wan were added in the afor metioned trade.The Bandits still need a defensive catcher and have a slot open with 8 million in cap space.Ressda added some good pitching and a nice RF'er and that should help. But this team still not ready for the post season.PREDICTION:75-87

Wichita Wind (NL) hoopcoach07 View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:60-102

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Last season was actually a good year for the rebuilt Witchita Wind. They almost reached .500 but they gave up to many runs (810 RA) for the offense (788 RS) to overcome . But still it was a great showing for a 55 million dollar team. Last season Kyle Romero was promoted and he helped win some games for the Wind. Look for Hoopcoach to promote Terry Jordan or Bo Mercedes and bring in a backup Catcher to complete his squad.The Wind have some serious talent and are young. But last year they allowed to many runs to cross the plate (810). They also were the worst defensive team in Wrigleyville with 145 errors and a fielding pct of .976.With a fielding coach that should be back in the minors its unlikely this will improve. PREDICTION:75-87

OUT: Alfredo Valentin , Julian Navarro , J.J. Melhuse

IN: Lonny Black

PREVIEW: Yep, Hoopcoach's Defense was the worst ..again. They outdid last years error total by 15. With 160 total errors and a fielding percentage of .974 this team never had a chance. But on the bright side the Witcita Wind picked up Felipe Baez and Diego Sanches in the draft and the # 4 pick in this years draft.In the offseason Hoopcoach let Valentin,Navarro and Melhuse go to free agency. The only player brought in so far is Lonny Black, and he was grabbed in the R-5 draft. Hoopcoach still has 3 spots open and the season starts in a few hours. So I have no idea how this team will fare?? And he only has 200k in cap space so he may have to promote some talent from AAA. PREDICTION:70-92???

A L EAST PREVIEW SEASON 19

Hartford Crushers (AL) ARomano View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:86-76

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Last year was an anomaly and the Crushers rebounded nicely. ARomanos guys lived up to their names.The Crushers were the best hitting club in Wrigleyville with a batting average of .299 , .364 OBP and 288 Taters. You could hear the announcer say all season in Hartford "That one was Crushed".In the post season ARomanos Crushers fell in the first round to the vaunted Salmonbellies.One of the reason the offensive numbers are so gaudy, is the fact that Welch Park is a extreme hitting park. And this team is built to win there. What suprised me was the fact that the Crushers had a better road record than home record.But if you can keep the game close you have a chance to beat this team. And Good Luck with that!Next year will be the same. The Crushers will make the playoffs and run into a good pitching team and try to outscore them. PREDICTION:89-73

OUT: Vicente Iglesias , Kris Glauber , Nicholas Bevil , Albert Torres

IN:

PREVIEW: ARomanos Crushers were the best in the A L East again. And like season 17 ,they were one of the best hitting teams(.281 team BA), second only to the Crabbers.Hartford led the league in doubles(282) and were third in homers(267). They could have won more games but the pitching staff was one of the worst(5.00 team ERA). This is the pros and cons of playing at Welch Park.In the playoffs ARomanos Crushers mashed the New Britain Bruins in the first round then lost the the A L Champion Cobras in the DCS. In the offseason ARomano let Iglesias,Glauber,Bevil and Torres go to free agency.Last year ARomano called up Odalis Suarez ,Rob Stults and Wilkin Segui and this may be one of the reasons the Crushers finished well. I never underestimate ARomanos baseball sense and he usually fields a competative team. And this year he will also have the #19 ,#20, #39, #40, #45 picks in the draft.So I'm inclined to think it will be another good year for Hartford and they will improve the farm system at the same time. Nice!!.PREDICTION: 88-74

Pittsburgh Pirates (AL) ardthomp View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:72-90

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Well now we know! These Swashbucklers didn't scare anybody and only won 68 games. The Pirates were marooned on a the Deserted Island of Death.And when Ardthomp was rescued in the offseason. All he could say was "Wilson.....Oh Wilson ...No Wilson.....NO!! Poor Ard he is adjusting to light switches and ice cubes as we speak. Ard slipped on his eye patch, grabbed a piece of eight at the local brothel and went to work rebuilding his Bucaneers.Ard did improve his Pirates with many additions to his crew. They are mostly a young bunch with a veteran here and there.And with a new hitting coach it will be interesting to see how the new guys sail.Right now they look like a middle of the pack team.PREDICTION:81-81

OUT: Terry Lewis , Thom Wright , Julio Colon , Sammy Oropesa

IN: Flash Reimold , Juan Durazo , Brian Martin , Peter Griffin , Nicholas Paramore

PREVIEW: Ards Pirates didn't finish at .500 as I predicted but he did pick up a couple of nice prospects. Ard has lowered the overall pay for his bunch of Bucaneers the last 4 years to strengthen the farm system. He threw 20 million in gold dubloons at Harry Lucano in the IFA market and shanghaied Roy Cousins in last years draft. Both of these scurvy dogs will make fierce Bucaneers when they reach the Bigs! AARRGG!! In the offseason ,Ardthomp let Lewis,Wright and Colon head to free agency. Then he released Oropesa who was acquired  last year from Arizona. Now that he has some open spots, Ard first signed free agents Riemold and Durazo. Then he promoted Martin, Griffin and Paramore to finish out the roster.The Riemold contract of 4 years 55million and a 10 million bonus can mean only one thing. Ard is starting to make his move. Then you throw in the promotions of some good prospects and the Pirates just became contenders. While they still have some youngsters waiting to finish cooking. Ard's Pirates will improve on last years win total.PREDICTION: 83-79

Boston Knights (AL) avantrael View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:72-90

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Avantrael's boys fell on their swords last season. And my prediction was way, way off in a land far, far away.The Knights Defense was atrocious (126 errors) which made them the third worst pitching team (5.45 ERA) in Wrigleyville. Bostons Great Offense (.282 BA) could not overcome the failures of the Pitching and Defense.This failure was apparent on the road where the Knights were only 31-50.The signing of Tresh will help the defense but the 3 waiver pick ups are low level big leaguers, at best.Perhaps with 2 roster spots open ,Avantreal will promote Albert Sierra and Len Hawkins or make a trade for some pitching.With only 4 million in cap space that will not be easy. Right now with the pitching, this team is not goinig anywhere.PREDICTION:70-92

OUT: Christopher Beimel , Clyde Perkins

IN: Denny Donatello , Giomar Molina , Bob Lloyd

PREVIEW: Avantrael's Boston Knights finished close to last years prediction. Yep, the pitching was again the 3rd worst in Wrigleyville (5.03 team ERA).Avantreal's Knights did bring in James Wainhouse in the draft and he could help lower the ERA in 2 years.Boston still has a good hitting club (.275 team BA) and this kept them out of the scrap heap. In the offseason Avantael released Beimel and Perkins outright. Then he claimed Donatello off the wire and promoted Molina and Lloyd from AAA. The promotion of Molina will help the Team ERA but Lloyd is a little wild for my liking. With one more open roster spot, maybe Avantrael will trade for a impact Pitcher to get this team to the next level. The Knights can still hit the rock with the best of them and should be near the top in batting aveage.Right now this team is average but with an upside! PREDICTION:81-81

Louisville Howlers (AL) jmuhtoff View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:56-106

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: I was wrong when I though the Howlers would battle for the division.The Howlers almost made it to .500 with the waiver wire pickups. Perhaps that is why they were on the Wire. But hey, the wire guys for the most part were nice pickups. Freddie Mohr and Kevin Holmes had pretty good years .Only Stuart Mench was considered a bust.Last year was a nice try with the waiver pickups and it looks like Holmes got a new contract out of it. This year The Howlers went a different way. They filled the holes with Free agents and R-5 pickups. The Howlers increased the payroll to bring in the talent and they look like a solid team. Can they get by the Crushers? Perhaps,anything is possible. But it will be long odds.PREDICTION:84-78

OUT: Duffy Peterman , Ronnie Bradley , Edgar Santos , Raul Veras , Royce Jennings , Aaron Wells , Jamie Yang , Virgil Guerrero

IN: Don Hyzdu , Ross Griffin , Dan Hamilton , Ivan Cortez , Lyle Ruffin , Davey Vazquez , Quinton Womack

PREVIEW: Jmuhtoff's Louisville Howlers held a Fire Sale last season. This is why they finished far below my prediction. Jmuhtoff was howling mad when his team started slow and he cleaned house. This brought in many good young players and the #2 pick in this years draft. With extra money after moving out salaries, the Howlers were able to grab Pablo Lee in the International market. In the offseason Jmuhtoff re-signed Lyle Ruffin then let Peterman,Bradley,Santos,Veras and Jennings go to free agency. Then he traded away Wells,Yang and Guerrero to Durham and picked up Hydzu and Griffen in exchange. With some holes to plug, Jmuhtoff claimed Hamilton off the wire and signed free agents Cortez and Ruffin. Then he grabbed Vasquez and Womack in the R-5 draft to finish rounding out the roster. Its obvious with the lowering of the cap by 22 million, Jmuhtoff is in a rebuild.The Howlers will look for more draft picks next year.PREDICTION:65-87

A L SOUTH PREVIEW SEASON 19

Charleston Tobacco Farmers (AL) nwsheehy007 View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:86-76

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Tabaky were smoking hot when they lost the tie-breaker in the division battle. And with the tough A L West gobbling up the wild cards. The Tabaky Farmers were left without a chair when the playoff  music stopped. Nwsheehys youngsters got another year of expierience under their belts and that is a good thing. Once the smoke cleared, Nwsheehy went into the offseason to make some tweaks to this good team.The Tabaky Farmers still like to hit the long ball but they're batting average needs improvment. The additions should help with that and this team will be battling for the Division, again. PREDICTION:87-75

OUT: Vicente Rodriguez , Herman White , Phil Satou , Clarence Christiansen , Virgil Siqueiros

IN: Jim Caufield , Shane Ryal , Arthur Phillips , Daniel Suppan

PREVIEW: The Tabaky Farmers are back on top of the A L South and they finished close to predictions. This year when the rest of the division faltered, Nwsheehy didn't have to play musical playoff chairs . Charleston is built on pitching(3.94 team ERA) and they hoped it would bring them a second Wrigleyville World Series.But they were smoked in the first round by a very good Scottsdale team, and thus ended the dream. In the offseason Nwsheehy let Rodriguez,White,Satou,Christiansen and Sisqueros go to free agency.To replace the departed Caufield, Ryal and Phillips were signed in free agency and Suppan was snatched in the R-5 draft. The loss of some good pitching may hurt the Tabaky Farmers but he plugged the holes with some competent free agents.They are still a good pitching club and the Tabaky Farmers should win the division title. PREDICTION:87-75

Memphis Blues (AL) tchagnon View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:79-83

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: It's happy days in Memphis. Tchagnon threw away his Muddy waters CD's and flushed his Zoloft down the toilet.The Memphis Blues won another Division crown due to a tie breaker(21-9 division record).The jubilation was short lived, when in the playoffs, they were beaten in the first round.The Blues lost only a couple of players and with a upgrade at catching and Josh Parker stepping back in the Closer position. This should be another good year.The Blues will be near the top of the Division again. PREDICTION:87-75

OUT: Jared Hermansen , Ivan Cortez , Willie Gonzales , Bailey Gil

IN: Glen Hughes , Dixie Stankiewicz , Billy Connor , Harry Paz , Al Astacio

PREVIEW: It's was a sad, sad year for Tchagnon and his Memphis Blues. They finished below .500 and my prediction was very sad indeed.When I look at last years statistics its obvious that the average hitting(.265 team BA) and average pitching(4.38 team ERA) and average fielding(100 team errors) makes for a average team record.TC did pick up Vitas Sager in last years draft and he should be a big defensive help in 3 years. In the offseason Tchagnon let Hermansen,Cortez,Gonzales and Gil go to free agency. And now that TC has several spots open, he signed free agents Hughes,Stankiewicz,Connor,Paz and Astacio to fill them. The fans hope that the sweet music will return this season. Tchagnon signed some free agents with short contracts to see if his core players will do better this year. If this team falters look for a fire sale. Playing in this weak division will help them but they will have to win the division to make the playoffs.PREDICTION:85-77

Charlotte Sometimes (AL) hatton98 View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:79-83

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Sometimes never even sniffed 500. Sometimes you lay a egg and this time I laid a big one with my prediction..With only 65 wins it seems this franchise is in disarray and needs some help with a poor pitching staff (5.15 ERA,1.49WHIP) and poor defense(118 errors, .981 FPct).The Sometimes were a decent hitting team (.270 BA) and its something to build on. Hatton upgraded his pitching staff but never addressed the defense. Perhaps the hitting and pitching may overcome. Usually this isn't the case.PREDICTION:76-86

OUT:  Victor Volquez

IN:

PREVIEW: Hattons Sometimes did get close to .500 last year. And his team was much better defensively(85 team errors,.986 FPct) and the pitching was good(3.91 team ERA). The culprit seems to be the offense.They hit below last years .270 team batting average and finished with a team .260 average. Charlotte added Louis Ramirez in last years draft and David Hernandez in the IFA market. And these two prospects will be great additions in a few years. In the offseason Hatton re-signed Scott May and let Volquez go to free agency. Pretty much the same team as last year. Hatton did promote Al Carrasco last year after 30 games, which makes him a rookie this year. And Hatton could do the same thing this year with all that talent in AAA. Right now Charlotte is a .500 team. If he brings in some minor league talent or makes some trades this team could win the division. PREDICTION:81-81 as of now

Nashville Posse (AL) illicit View Hardball Dynasty Profile

LAST YEARS RECORD:71-91

LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Oh Dear! The Posse have hit the 100 million rock bottom.The Nashville Posse had the worst pitching in Wrigleyville with a 5.60 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.They gave up a mind boggling 989 runs with 241 Taters...Egads! You can say the Posse were good at Hanging Sliders and Curves.And Illicit could be heard in the clubhouse screaming."Get a Rope"! The good news is. The season is over and the slate is clean.The Posse improved in pitching and fielding in the offseason. But can these young Buckarroos get the Posse back on the right trail? Time will tell. PREDICTION:75-87

OUT: Eswalin Benavente , Marco Shouse , J.D. Gregg , Ted Hunt

IN: Julio Colon , Kenny Moreno , Vicente Azocar , Ted Brush

PREVIEW: The 100 million dollar Posse rode hard but came up on the short end of the rope. It was an improvement on last years finish but not where illicit had hoped. It seems the Posse pitching staff is still hanging curveballs with the second worst team ERA(5.23).  Illicit may be ready to string up a pitcher or two........just sayin. On the good side, Nashville picked up  Grant Ventura  in last years draft and he should be deputized in 3-4 years. In the offseason Illicit let Benavente go to free agency and released the trio of Shouse,Gregg and Hunt. Illicit then signed free agents Colon,Moreno,Azocar and promoted Brush. Posse pitching is still weak as a kitten and this makes for another down year. Hanging out in the A L basement is the only hanging going on here.PREDICTION:70-92