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LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Looks like the wait will be a little longer before the Bruins bust out.They won 78 games last year way below my prediction of 92. Last season New Britain had good defense (82 errors-9th), hitting (.270 team BA-12th) with average pitching (4.41 team ERA-18th).The Bruins have some very good young players at the ML level. In fact the Bruins have the 3rd youngest team in Wrigleyville ( average of 27.5 years old). And he has more talent in AAA ready to be called up. Looks like he filled the holes with R-5's until the magic 20 game mark. Then perhaps this team gets even younger. Right now they have the talent to win 90+ games, But will they play like it?? I think they will suprise us. PREDICTION:88-74
OUT: Orber Dotel , Philip Schultz , Fred Kennedy , Al Zerbe, Cristobal Tarasco , Royce Butler , Cory LaRocca , David Merced
IN: Mark McCartney , Rico Mateo
PREVIEW: Boy did the Bruins play like it. They surpassed my lofty predictions and won the N L North with 101 games. They did it with vey good hitting (279 team BA-8th), Good pitching (4.32 team ERA-12th) and average defense ( 85 errors, .986 FPct). The Bruins had a first round bye in the playoffs, then lost Game 5 in the DCS to the evetual AL Champion Sometimes. In the off-season Dodger let Dotel, Schultz, Kennedy and Zerbe go to free agency and released Tarasco, Butler, LaRocca and Merced. Dodger promoted McCartney and Mateo late last year during roster expansions. And as of this writing, he still has 3 open roster spots. But from what I can see , The Bruins will be in the hunt for another division win. They may go deep in the post-season after the roster is filled out.PREDICTION:94-68
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LAST YEARS RECORD:97-65
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Who let the DOGS OUT!!! Whoof!! The Prairie Dogs won the division with 93 wins and went into the playoffs with the #2 defensive team (70 errors) and the #4 hitting team (.276 team BA). Throw in a average pitching staff (4.23 team ERA-13th) and you have last years A L Champs. They played against the N L Champs In the World Series, but couldn't overcome the tough Red Light Districts. Still a very good year for Fargo and Aaronwayne.Congrats!Sullivan was a defensive upgrade and Pimentel and Megias was brought in to cover the loss of some pitching. This is a very good team and I like them to win the division or at least grab a wildcard.PREDICTION:95-67
OUT: Patsy Hartman , David Pineda , Tony Quantrill , Vic Chavez , Harry Megias , Tony Tejada , Napoleon Wall , Woody Sullivan , Magglio Rodriguez , Scott Cookson
IN: Fritz Gruber , Bernie MacDougal , Tito Brea , Francis Doumit , Fausto Cruz , Dwight Brooks , Enrique Alfonseca
PREVIEW: The P-Dogs backed up last years 93 win season with a 97 win seasons. But even though they won 4 more games they had to settle for a wild card berth. Just like last year they did it with another great defensive team ( 77 errors, .987 FPct) and a great hitting squad (.283 team BA-5th). The pitching is still average with a team 4.78 ERA, good for 20th overall. In the playoffs the P-Dogs lost in the first round to the suprising Sometimes. In the off-season Aaron let Hartman, Pineda, Quantrill and Chavez go to free agency. Then he traded away Megias, Tejeda, Wall, Sullivan, Rodriguez and Cookson. Aaron signed free agents Gruber, MacDougal and Brea then promoted Doumit. He also added Alfonseca after a earlier trade. The P-Dogs lost alot of talent thru free agency and trades. And the replacements are made up of R-5 and low level Free agents. Looks like a step back year for the P-Dogs unless he brings up some of them tasty prospects in AAA. PREDICTION:84-78
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LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Blacksox were still in the red last year with 76 wins. They hit the ball really well with a team Batting Average of .274 which was ranked 6th overall. The pitching (5.18 team ERA-30th) and defense (130 errors-30th) were very near the bottom and thats never good.Chicago has the 5th ranked average salary per player at 4.2 Mil per. Like my high priced Totems, I'm sure Hacker will want a return on his money spent. They will continue to try and outhit their opponents to win. So if the pitchers get hot , the Blacksox will make the post-season. But that is unlikely right now they are a .500 team or below.PREDICTION: 79-83
OUT: Pat Stargell , Wandy Matos , Dweezil Walker , D'Angelo Gutierrez , Sammy Manzanillo , Fausto Baez
IN: Wes Burks
PREVIEW: The Blacksox finished close to my prediction of 79 wins. Last year Chicago had an average hitting squad (.271 team BA-15th) and not very good pitching (4.99 team ERA-25th). Add a terrible defense (130 errors, .979-30th) and you get a sub-500 team.... again. In the off-season Hacker re-signed Vinny Tartabull , Juan Guerrero , Chip Wilson , Hiram Sweeney then let Matos and Walker go to free agency. He released Gutierrez, Manzanillo and Baez outright. Hacker signed free agent Burks to a big contract. Burks will help out in the pitching department but until the Blacksox do something about the defense............ It will be a long year in Chicago. PREDICTION:81-81
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LAST YEARS RECORD:74-88
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Pbsilver got his guys to win 79 games last year mainly on the backs of his batters (.272 team BA-8th). The pitching (4.82 team ERA-25th) and defense (108 errors-18th) were the drag on Minnesotas season.Give Pbsilver credit. He knew pitching was his weakness and he brought in alot of pitching talent with his trades. This should make the Misfits a contender in the AL North. PREDICTION:89-73
OUT: Abraham Brownson , Raul Castillo , Robb Holder , Kirk Tomko
IN: Quinn Collins , Tomas Alvarez , Nick McConnell , Justin Ellis
PBSILVER's PREVIEW: Once again the Misfits disappointed by under-performing. Traded off a few players hoping to gain prospects as we are now in a definite rebuild mode.
PREVIEW: Pbsilvers Misfits are ....well.... giving him Fits. They won 79 games last year, well below my prediction of 89. Minnesota has a very good hitting team (.282 team BA-6th) but they are getting hammered with poor pitching (5.11 team ERA-25th) and defense (108 errors, .982 FPct-23rd) .In the off-season Pbsilver re-signed Ernie Jenkins , Jackson Dellucci and let Brownson and Castillo go to free agency. He then traded away Holder and Tomko. To plug the gaps, Pbsilver claimed Collins and Avarez off the wire and signed free agent McConnell. Finally he promoted Ellis. With the trades that sent 2 of the best Misfits to other teams. It may signal Pbsilver raising the white flag? This team may be heading for a re-tool.PREDICTION:70-92
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