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LAST YEARS RECORD:82-80
LAST YEARS 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.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
OUT: Jeremy George , Jose Calles , Jim Caufield , Eswalin Ordonez , Arthur Phillips , Benito Franco , Carlos Velazquez
IN: Andre Scanlan , Luis Gil , Damaso Martin , Sammy Gandarillas , Juan Marmol , Sam Bailey , Vic Cervelli , Justin Wallace , Kory Span
NWSHEEHY's PREVIEW: The Tobacco Farmers are older...not much else to say. Winter is not coming...it is here. Hopefully these veteran starting pitchers can survive one more year and get in that last playoff run before things fall apart.The bullpen looks like it might be a problem. But this team can hit...and for power. The addition of Damaso Martin as a true DH will make this one of the more potent offenses.
PREVIEW: When the music stopped last year. The Tabaky Farmers won the tie breaker against Memphis. That put Charleston in the playoffs with 82 wins and a 3rd division crown.Charlestons long balls powered this team with 234 taters(5th best) but they were 23rd in overall hits (1469) ,Curious? The hole in the Tabaky Farmers game is defense. They were ranked 26th overall with a FPct of .982.This doomed them in the playoffs when they met the Moonbats with the #1 ranked offense. In the offseason Charleston re-signed William Tabaka , then let George,Calles,Caufield,Ordonez and Phillips go to free agency. Franco and Velazquez were released outright to complete the purge. With several holes to fill Nwsheehy signed free agents Scanlan, Gil, Martin and Gandarillas. Then he promoted Marmol, Bailey, Cervelli and grabbed Wallace and Span in the R-5. While the 3 prospect promotions will help out the Tabaky Farmers in the long run. They still haven't fixed their defensive problem. The Tabaky Farmers will try to outscore their opponents again this year. PREDICTION:84-78
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LAST YEARS RECORD:82-80
LAST YEARS 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.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
OUT: Al Astacio , Fausto Fernandez , Alex Mateo , Dixie Stankiewicz , Billy Connor ,Aramis Tavarez , Daniel Coleman , Luis Gil
IN: Sammy Oropesa , Junior Maeda , Harpo Cepeda , Will Byrdak
PREVIEW: The short timers almost helped Tchagnon and his Blues reach the playoffs. The Tie-Breaker just wasn't in their favor. Memphis still finished above .500 with a good defensive club(.985 FPct-9th). But they will have to work on the average pitching(4.58 ERA-18th) and hitting(.266 BA-15th) if they want to make it back to the playoffs. In the offseason, Tchagnon re-signed Felipe Jose , Ossie Hyers and let Astacio,Fernandez,Mateo,Stankiewicz and Conner go to free agency. Then he released Tavarez,Coleman and Gil to finish the exodus. He filled the gaps with free agents Oropesa,Maeda and Cepeda, then traded for Byrdak. Memphis helped pitching and offense with the aquisition of Byrdak and Oropesa. but will it be enough?? Anything is possible in this weak division. Right now it's a two horse race with the Tabaky Farmers and the Blues. Hopefully it won't come down to a Tie-Breaker...again.PREDICTION:84-78
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LAST YEARS RECORD:74-88
LAST YEARS 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.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
OUT: Bryan Buckley , Nick Byrne , Kirk Davidson
IN: Jim Roundtree , Rene Walker
PREVIEW: The Posse were run out of Nashville. Illicit and his players were chased out by unruly fans hoisting pitchforks and yelling "The Posse Stink". So the Posse sprayed on some deodorent and moved to Little Rock where the fans recieved the club with open arms. Last years team wasn't too bad. They won 74 games with a average offense(.270 BA-13th) and horrid pitching(4.86 ERA-24th) and defense(.977 FPct-31st). In the offseason Illicit let Buckley,Byrne and Davidson go to free agency. Then he replaced them with free agents Roundtree and Walker. Will the new digs be kinder to the Posse? Probably not. Weak pitching and Defense is always a killer no matter where you play or how you smell.PREDICTION:72-90
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LAST YEARS RECORD:61-101
LAST YEARS 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.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
OUT: Anthony Malone , Chad Catalanotto , Walter Kerr , Welington Quixote , Rich Hendrick , Denny Hunt , Jorge Lopez , Ricardo Lima , Will Byrdak , Scott May
IN: Emmanuel Caseres , Dixie Stankiewicz , Taylor Riggs , Santiago Rodriguez , Albert Glynn , Ren Chang , Shayne Janish , Jonathan Valdes , Pedro Figureoa
PREVIEW: Sometimes you feel like a nut,sometimes you don't. Well I feel like a nut after I predicted a .500 season for Charlotte. Hattons young team had improved every season till last year. Hattons pitching(5.03 ERA- 29th) was the big culprit in his 101 loss season.The hitting ( .286 BA-14th) and defense (.984 FPct-16th) was average so its not all bad for Charlotte. In the offseason Hatton let Malone, Catalanotto and Kerr go to free agency. He released Quixote,Hendrick,Hunt and Lopez, then traded away Lima,Byrdak and May. With many holes to fill Hatton brought in free agents Caseres,Stankiewicz,Riggs and Rodriguez. He then promoted Glynn,Chang,Janish,Valdes and picked up Figureoa in the R-5.I like the direction the Sometimes are going this offseason. Bringing up some young talent while keeping salaries low.This team could be good in a few years, but for now they will do well to hit even steven.PREDICTION:70-92
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