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LAST YEARS RECORD:85-77
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Its better to be a big fish in a small pond. Right! Sergei didn't cotton to that notion so he bailed on Sante Fe .Though they won the division with a sub 500 record.The Sergeis almost upset the Coat Factoties in the opening round of the playoffs. This team gets a new owner in Wishlist3677. He bought the team for 20,000 drachma's and 2 Carnival cruise boarding passes.Last year this team was the best defensive team but that didn't help them overcome the lack of Runs scored. Maybe Hyzdu will help with that and he brought in some good bullpen help to replace the departing West. But with a AAA coaching staff this team is in trouble. Not sure who will win this weakest of divisions. This team looks like it may slug it out with Austin to be another sub-500 playoff team. PREDICTION:79-83
OUT: B.C. Palacios , Carlos Estrada , Travis Hocking , Ivan Rosado , Don Hyzdu , Ross Griffin
IN: Virgil Guerrero , Aaron Wells , Jamie Yang , Albert Torres , Del Lopez , Kris Karros , Ruben Reyes , Clarence Christiansen , James Lee
PREVIEW: The Bullshippers won the Division with a winning record so thats an improvment from last season. Last years preview I was concerned about Durhams lack of scoring when they were in hitter friendly Sante Fe.The move to Durham is still a hitter friendly park but not as extreme as Sante Fe. So the fact that Wishlist was able to score 69 more runs probably was a main factor in a winning season.Wishlist took his formidable defensive team into the post season and were swept by the a great Burlington team. In the offseason, Wishlist let Palacios,Estrada and Hocking go to free agency and released Rosado outright. Hyzdu and Griffin were traded to Louisville for Guerrero,Wells and Yang. Wish then grabbed a Bag full of cash and spent 35 million on free agents Torres,Lopez,Karros,Reyes and Christiansen. Then he promoted Lee to finish the M L roster.Looks like Wish is making a move by bringing in a ton of talent. Not only will Durham win this division they will be a force in the post season. The N L South just became respectable. PREDICTION:91-71
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LAST YEARS RECORD:82-80
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: One thing you can say about Wylie. He bucks the Odds. He Buck near had a winning season with 74 wins and he Buck near won the division. But his City Limits Bucked him in the end. OUCH thats gonna leave a mark! Cheer up Buckaroo , Its a new season and this could be Austins year. The City Limits had the same problem I had last year. No Scoring!! And I dont know if Wylies guys are gonna overcome a rookie Fielding coach. Thats right ...This guy has never Coached at any level....Never. Thats what I call Bucking the Odds! Could win the division with a 500 or below record. PREDICTION:75-87
OUT: Stuart Hausmann , Aramis Estrada , Alex O'Donnell
IN: Victor Volquez , Arthur Blackburn , Brian Chamberlain
PREVIEW: Wylies Austin City Limits did have a winning season but just not quite enough to win the division of illrepute. I was wrong about the hiring of a rookie Fielding coach. Austin had one of the best defensive units in all of Wrigleyville(85 Errors,405 Double Plays,.986 Fielding Percentage).Makes me think coaching is not very significant?? Austin also had the 4th best offensive team(.280 team BA) and a average pitching team(4.14 team ERA). So I'm at a loss to why the City Limits only had a .500 record.Maybe it has to do with the fact they were 18-23 in one run games. If that was switched around to 23-18 they would be 87-75 and division champs. In the offseason Wylie re-signed Vinny Nomo and let Hausmann go to free agency. He then released Estrada and waived O'Donnell. With only a couple roster spots open Wylie signed free agent Volquez and picked up Blackburn and Chamberlain in the R-5.This team is good and talented and they should finish with more than 82 wins. Perhaps luck didn't go their way in 1 run games. This year may be the breakout year were waiting for.PREDICTION:90-72
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LAST YEARS RECORD:69-93
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: They were close to 500 again but this isn't the real news about Tampa Bay. Nelig added 4 more first round prospects to go with the 6 last year. And now this season he has 3 more first round picks.This team is being built thru the draft while still fielding a competative team. Well done Nelig.This team is still a couple of seasons away from the youngsters reaching their projections. Look for Nelig to add some draft prospects with a few IFA's. But there is no hurry to win right now when the future looks bright.has a chance of winning this division. PREDICTION:75-87
OUT: Jose Gonzalez , J.T. Nichols , Jamie Flaherty , Joakim Acosta , Dee DeHart , Ugueth Gonzalez
IN: Glen Swann , Robin King , Anibal Franco , Steve Teahen, Vince Williams
PREVIEW: No suprise here. Nelig is now in his 4th season as the skipper of the Tampa Bay Stars and he continues to add youngsters to the farm system. Like 4 first round draft prospects( Wayne Howard , Denny Satou, Hector Mercado , Brian Jackson) and a IFA (Welington Fernandez).So with only 69 wins last year, Nelig will get the #6 draft choice in this years draft . In the offseason Nelig let Gonzalez and Nichols go to free agency and released Flaherty,Acosta,DeHart and Gonzalez. With many holes to plug Nelig claimed Swann,King and Franco off the wire and signed free agent Teahen. Then he finally picked up Williams in the R-5 draft.Tampa Bay is still a work in progress and will be coasting this season. Perhaps the waiver wire pickups will land them some future comp picks and this team will look to add another nice prospect in the draft. Right now they may win 80 games.PREDICTION 77-85
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LAST YEARS RECORD:51-111
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Olemiss won the Draft sweepstakes and will pick #1 overall. Olemiss picked up some nice draft propspects and also some Nice IFA's. Theres lots of money to bid on IFA's with a 25 million dollar payroll. With no minimum win rule, this is a good way to build a winner.No mystery here. The Black Bears will ride out the season at the bottom and pick up another high draft pick. PREDICTION:62-100
OUT: Tony Duncan , Ed Norman , Oscar Li , Mack Manning , Dutch Moore , Ricardo Hernandez , Sting Hansen , Thom Sellers , Clarence Cookson
IN: Al Pelaez , Ivan Rosado , Nigel Hasegawa , Pete Penny , Stan Knight , Floyd McAnaney , Joe Wesson , Victor Guerrero
PREVIEW: Olemiss and his Jackson Black Bears were worse than my prediction of 100 losses. So he is taking full advantage of a no minimum win rule and the Black Bears will have yet another #1 overall pick. Last year Olemiss added #1 overall pick Jerry Myette to the farm system while adding IFA prospects Carlos Wilfredo and Oswaldo Veras. In the offseason Olemiss let Duncan,Norman,Li,Manning,Moore,Hernandez and Hansen go to free agency. He then released Sellers and Cookson. Pelaez, Rosado and Hasegawa were free agent signings and he promoted Penny,Knight and McAnaney. Then Olemiss picked up Wesson and Guerrero in the R-5 to complete the roster. With the promotion of 3 young studs the Black Bears are a better team, but not good enough to reach .500. I don't think they will lose 111 games but 90 losses could be their future. Olemiss will pick up some more tasty prospects and the farm teams will be hard to beat.PREDICTION: 65-97
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