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LAST YEARS RECORD:103-59
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Kickapoos were still strong enough to win 109 games and the division. They went into the playoffs with the #2 rated pitching staff (2.97 ERA) a good defense (.985 FPct-8th) and good hitting (.273 BA-9th). With a first round bye, Marks boys faced the Coat Factories in the DCS and lost 3 games to 1. In the offseason Mark re-signed Quinton Sauer then let Gandarillas,Morales,McMillan,Lee,Scanlan and Mairena go to free agency. Now Mark has a few holes to plug up, so he first signed free agents Martis,Merced,Franco,Hausmann and promoted Quinones. Then he picked up Shin and Herrera in the R-5 draft. Marks team is growing old and he let many senior citizens walk the free agent plank. They also freed up some money, so Mark spent 13.5 million on free agent replacements. From what I can see the replacements are solid players that will help the ageing Kickapoos vie for the Division crown...again. PREDICTION:98-64
OUT: Ken Andrews , Hector Padilla , Ignacio Sosa , Stuart Hausmann , Henry Wells , Miguel Martis , Benito Franco
IN: Joaquin Morlan , Tony Pena , Jose Calles , Jim Sheldon
PREVIEW: Mark and his Kickapoos continue to own this division. They won an N L best 103 games last year and went into the playoffs with the #1 seed. San Francisco lost in 7 to the eventual champs, no shame in that. The Kickapoos always has great pitching (3.65 Team ERA) and last year was no different. But the Kickapoos also had the #1 defense last year commiting a league low 68 errors. In the offseason Mark re-signed Rodrigo Merced , Don Dixon , Quinton Sauer and let Andrews, Padilla, Sosa, Hausmann, Wells and Martis go to free agency. He also released Franco outright. With some holes to fill Mark signed free agents Morlan, Pena and Calles and traded for Sheldon. The Kickapoos still have a core of very good players but Sosa will be missed and it's hard to replace that kind of talent. But Mark lowered his overall salary by 25 million and put some cash into scouting. Perhaps he will pick up some talent for the Sosa comp picks. The Kickapoos are still the favorite to take the division, but the gap is narrowing. PREDICTION:95-67
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LAST YEARS RECORD:78-84
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: My team beat my expectation of 88 wins and the Vancouver fans took the paper sacks off their heads. All the credit goes to the 5th ranked pitching staff (3.63 ERA) and the 13th ranked defense (.984 FPct). If the woeful offense (.257 BA-24th) could have got their act together.Who knows what could have been?? Regardless, the Totems went into the post-season as the #6 seed and beat the Bullshippers 3 games to 1. Then they were summarily swept by the eventual champs in the DCS. In the offseason I let the Dongster go to free agency and I replaced him by promoting Daniels. I'm gonna give this bunch another try after they made the playoffs hoping the Kickapoos slip a little. Most of my team is home grown and should be coming into their prime. We will see how well my farm system worked! PREDICTION:95-67
OUT: Benny Norton , Andres Guillen , Marv Trombley , Jim Sheldon , Bert Nathan , Pablo Reyes
IN: Shane Cole , Daniel Jefferies , Albert Torres , Jarrod Mann
PREVIEW: First I must appoligize to the fans of the Totems. And I understand why the angry mob rammed the Totem Pole up my ass. I will be fine after the stitches heal and on the upside, my breath is Cedar fresh. But I may change the team name to the much smaller Vancouver Dashboard Jesus's. That would be way less painful if my team sucks next year.My offense was again offensive ,ranked 27th with a BA of .255. Maybe time to shake things up at the plate.My pitching (4.06 team ERA-9th) was decent and my defense (92 errors-13th)was average. Late last season during the playoffs I traded for Asdrubal Morales knowing my hitting needed help. In the offseason I let Norton and Guillan go to free agency and released Trombley outright. Then I traded away Sheldon,Nathan and Reyes. With only a couple roster spots open I promoted Cole and Jeffries and traded for Torres and Mann. I hope Torres and Morales will help my struggling offense . The Rotation is weak and my bullpen got stronger with the additions of Jeffries and Mann. I still think this team is good and if they don't produce I may have to try something drastic. And nobody wants a drastic madman!!PREDICTION:90-72
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LAST YEARS RECORD:71-91
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Bandits finished near my prediction last year. This was a step in the right direction mainly due to a upgrade in pitching. Ressdas hurlers went from a 4.40 ERA-18th best in season 18 to a 4.19 ERA-11th best last year. Now if he can upgrade the hitting (.264 BA-16th) and fielding (.982 FPct-27th) we may have a contender. In the offseason Ressda re-signed Carson Bailey and let White,Jamison,Floyd,and Myers go to free agency. Then he released Hayes and Riggs outright to finish the housecleaning. With a couple gaps to plug Ressda signed free agents Kwon,Bland and Dong. The he promoted Tamura and grabbed Johnson in the R-5. The additions of Bland,Johnson and Tamura will help the offense but the defense may still need some work. Still it's a step in the right direction for Colorado springs. Right now they are a .500 team and could do better with some breaks. PREDICTION:81-81
OUT: Tony Jang , Kevin Martin , Chien-Ming Dong , Rico Mateo , Trent Kingston , Kelvin George , Junior Izturis , Hong-Chih Tamura
IN: Turk Wallace , Ken Andrews , Jose Ethier , Randy Palmer , Darrell Huff , Mark Davis , Frank Vanguri
PREVIEW: The Bandits took a little step back with only 71 wins last year. It's not a bad record for a team in a mini-rebuild. The pitching (4.30 team ERA-15th) hitting (.261 team BA-20th) and fielding (.980 FPct-27th) Ranked about the same as last year. In the offseason Ressda let Jang, Martin, Dong, Mateo and Kingston go to free agency. He then released George and Izturis and traded away Tamura. Now that Ressda had several holes in his line-up he claimed Wallace off the wire and signed free agent Andrews.Then he promoted Ethier and Palmer and picked up Huff and Davis in the R-5. The trade with Minnesota earlier brought in Vangari to complete the roster. The Bandits still have 25 million in cap space they can transfer to the prospect budget if a good one shows up. With only a 5 million IFA scouting budget he may have to pick up some high priced players during someone elses fire sale,or get stuck with unspent cash. Either way the Bandits will get better in the farm system or at the big league level. It's a good position to be in. PREDICTION:81-81
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LAST YEARS RECORD:64-98
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Witchita Wind is just a breeze no with yet another 100 loss season.Last years doldrum of a season was mainly due to the 2nd worst hitting team (.246 BA) and the worst fielding team (.975 FPct) in Wrigleyville.Add a below average pitching squad (4.67 ERA-19th) and Hoopcoachs kite will no longer fly. In the offseason Hoopcoach let McCorley go to free agency and he released Gomez,Busby,Stratton and Wilson. With a few empty roster spots Hoopcoach signed free agent Kojima and promoted Mcbride. Then he grabbed Desmond and Wells in the R-5 draft. There was many questions and answers on the Chat about Witchitas defensive players. And Hoopcoach seems to be going in the right direction with the promotion of Mcbride.The 3 pitchers added will also upgrade the pitching but The Wind still has a ways to go. PREDICTION: 70-92
OUT: Abraham Brownson , Felix Guerrero , Albie Feliz , Mark Kim
IN: Glen Craddock , Terry Jordan, Pedro Owen , Brandon Foxx , Alex Black , Jeffrey Boyd , Brent Paramore , Cookie Bennett , Raul Castro
PREVIEW: What no more Fart Jokes??? No more Witchita Wind .....Here is the new Salt Lake City Utes. Ah..more Injun puns a coming. Hoopcoach is still getting his team to his liking and the new digs in SLC is the latest chnge to this team. The Utes A.K.A. the Wind are still a work in progress and they only won 64 games last year. The culprit was the worst hitting team(.235 team BA) in Wrigleyville last season...enough said. In the off-season the Utes let Brownson and Guerrero go to free agency and released Feliz and Kim. With many holes to fill Hoopcoach promoted Craddock, Jordan, Owen, Foxx, Black, Boyd and Paramore. Then he picked up Bennett and Castro in the R-5 draft. Let me say ..WOW! look at the talent that Hoopcoach promoted. They are a talented bunch and if the youths (Joe Pecci speak) play like projections... They may make trouble for Mark and Myself. It's looking good Hoopcoach thats why your my pick for most improved team this year and also my dark horse pick. PREDICTION: 88-74
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