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LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Salmonbellies did fill out the roster and did battle his division foes . Salem also grabbed the last wildcard spot and lost in the first round to the Pirates. Mdymonds team always plays well and last year they had good hitting (.274 team BA-7th) and great defense (77 errors-5th), but the pitching (4.40 team ERA-17th) was about average.Mdymond will continue to keep me guessing. He still has 2 roster spots open and from what I can see this is mostly the same team as last year. look for them to battle for a division or wildcard spot. PREDICTION:92-70
OUT: Tim Oliver , Art Gaudin , Jimmie James , Solly Porcello , Brad Cogan , Clarence Crisp , Matty Guerrero
IN: Vinny Goldman
PREVIEW: When the dust cleared it was the Salmonbellies on top of the A L west last year. They won 102 games with the #2 offensive team in Wrigleyville (.286 Batting average).They also had the #3 defense (73 errors ,.988 FPct) and a decent pitching staff (4.27 team ERA-9th). Mdymonds team enjoyed the first round bye then dispatched the Cobras in 4 and lost a heatrbreaking game 7 in the ALCS. In the off-season Mdymond let Oliver, Gaudin, James, Porcello and Cogan go to free agency. He then released Crisp and Guerrero. With several holes to fill Mdymond signed "old" Vinny Goldman and thats it!
This is normal for Mdymond, He always starts with a incomplete roster, and hey! it works. He has a ton of really nice players at AAA just waiting for the call-up. Look for this team to compete for the division and they should make the playoffs.PREDICTION:99-63
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LAST YEARS PREVIEW: It was a battle as predicted but the Cobras came up short on the division title. They did make the playoffs as a wildcard and were swept in the second round by division nemisis Scottsdale. Like last season Swish's guys have no weakness with great hitting (.275 team BA-5th) , pitching (3.74 team ERA-4th) and defense (75 errors-3rd).It's hard keeping you're guys when they want to get paid. So it was a no-brainer letting Mendoza's 17 million contract go to free agency.And the trades that sent a couple of young Cobras to the Misfits and Stars not only helped free up some extra cash, the players from Minnesota were delt for Cho. Swish Signed some most excellent free agents including my long time want, Sosa. So the Cobras are still stout and should battle for the division and wilcards. Always dangerous in the playoffs, even more so with Cho...PREDICTION:98-64
OUT: Art Stewart , Phil Satou , Brady Hamilton , R.J. Lima
IN: Brad Cogan , Polin Pineiro , Julio Johnson
SWISH's PREVIEW: After making the playoffs for the fourth straight season and falling short for the fourth straight season,the Cobras opened up their checkbook and shelled out big money in free agency to Polin Piniero and Brad Cogan. Cobras management felt that the offense was lacking at times last season so hopefully these two help solve that issue.The rest of the roster remains pretty much the same with Season 21 AL Cy Young Winner Che Cho heading up the rotation with Gus Grossman and Tommy Peterson helping to round out the top three.Anibal Tavarez and Benji Martin will lead the bullpen and they will be needed because right now they are at least one man short.With Piniero and Cogan added to the offense there will be less pressure on Harry Padilla and Johnny Stone to carry such a heavy load.If Alexis Rios and Phillip Pryce stay healthy and continue to improve then this should be one of the best offenses in the AL. This team is built to win in the playoffs and anything less than that would be a disappointment.
PREVIEW: My regular season prediction of 98 wins was spot on. That may be due to the Blind Squirrel effect. The Cobras had the best hitting team in Wrigleyville (.287 team BA). Add the 5th best pitching staff (3.92 team ERA) and the 2nd best fielding team (68 errors,.989 FPct) , well you can see why they are tough to beat. They went into the playoffs as a wild card in name only .But couldn't get past their division nemisis Salem in the DCS. In the off-season ,Swish re-signed Billy Tenbrink and Craig Serrano and let Stewart, Satou, Hamilton and Lima go to free agency. Then he signed free agents Cogan and Pineiro and traded for Johnson. The signing of the big time bats of Pineiro and Cogan will keep the Cobras one of the best hitting teams. And the trade that brought in Johnson will help soften the loss of Stewart and Satou. This is one of the toughest divisions and the Cobras should make the playoffs.PREDICTION:95-67
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LAST YEARS PREVIEW: This division is enough to drive me Moonbatty. Sordies Pteropdidaes missed the playoffs with 84 wins and the Fever has subsided in Helena. The Barking Moonbats are a good team they just have a rough schedual from playing in this division. Last year they were tied for the #1 offense with a team BA of .281 and also were good defensivly (78 team errors-7th). The weakness was the pitching staff with a combined ERA of 4.56 ranked 20th.The Moonbats look to rebound after a down year and this team may do it. They may end up being the best 4th place division team again. But I've got the Moonbat fever and I believe they make the playoffs. PREDICTION:94-68
OUT: Eddie Metcalfe , Mike Tewksbury , Nicholas Bevil , Bump Tyson
IN: Miguel Duran , Miguel Lind , Jack Shave
PREVIEW: After my fever ran its course the Moonbats went out and won 91 games. But it wasn't enough for a wild card berth and Helena missed the playoff for the second year in a row. Last year the Moonbats had the 3rd best hitting squad with a team batting average of .284.They also belted 304 homers, second only to the Salmonbellies. The pitching was average (4.69 team ERA-18th) ,but they had a good defensive squad (86 errors,.986 FPct) backing them up. In the off-season Sordie re-signed Buster O'Connor and let Metcalfe, Tewksbury and Bevil go to free agency. Then he traded away Tyson to the Grizzlies. With several holes to fill, Sordie signed free agents Duran and Lind, then he traded for Shave. As of this writing Sordie still has 4 roster spots open. But from what I see so far this team got better with the addition of GG 3rd baseman Shave. I think the Moonbats are here to stay and should make the playoffs.PREDICTION:95-67
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LAST YEARS RECORD:85-77
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Nice bounce back Coach. Money can't buy happiness but it can buy the AL West. The Shock Squad played like a 127 million dollar team with 100 wins and the #1 seed in the AL. Scottsdale made it all the way to the A L Championship but were buried by the Prairie Dogs in 5 games. Last year the Shocksquad had the 3rd best hitting team (.279 BA) and the 5th best pitching squad(3.80 ERA). And the combination of the 2 are always a good thing.Scottsdale lost several pitchers and a corner infielder to free agency. But this also freed up some cash and he went shopping in the market. Coach did well replacing the lost pitching with younger better versions. The Shock Squad will still be in the hunt for a division and world serties championship. Scottsdale is a lock for the playoffs. PREDICTION:98-64
OUT: Harry Suarez , Kevin Martin , Rick Reagan , Quinn Kingman , Albert Coleridge , Vinny Goldman , Bobby Bush , Stan Knight , Jackson Reed , Darrell Fryman , Torey Acosta , Jack Shave , Quinn Collins , Tomas Alvarez
IN: Scott May , Rodrigo Merced , Tony Quantrill , Felix Gao , Don Hyzdu , Ruben Reyes , Leo Charles , Johan Lieber , Polin Rosado , Joakim Manuel , Geoff Hughes , Paul Sanford , Thom Gates , Miguel Maradona , Bump Tyson
PREVIEW: Coach 34 was here 9 seasons and he had some success winning the Series in season 17. It's rumored that he went to live in North Korea. After his good friend Dennis Rodman came back with a glowing endorsement. New owner and chief bottle washer Groger bought the team for five 50lb bags of rice and 250 gallons of heating oil (N Korean Currency). Groger moved the Shock Squad from Scottsdale to Cheyenne and changed the name to the Grizzlies. Last season this team had good hitting (.276 team BA), Average pitching (4.39 team ERA) and average defense (94 errors, .985 FPct). In the off-season Groger let Suarez, Martin, Reagan, Kingman,Coleridge and Goldman go to free agency. Then he released Bush, Knight, Reed and Fryman. He traded away Acosta and Shave and waived Collins and Alvarez. After completely dismantling this team Goger signed free agents May, Merced, Quantrill, Gao, Hyzdu, Reyes and Charles. Then he promoted Lieber, Rosado, Manuel, Hughes and Sanford and traded for Gates, Maradona and Tyson. Phew!! Good Lord! Talk about blowing up a team. Perhaps Groger is really Jeffrey Loria in disguise?? PREDICTION:60-100
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