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LAST YEARS RECORD:94-68
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Dodgers Bruins finished exactly as predicted in last years preview. They won the A L North and went into the playoffs as the #2 seed. I know ...my jaw dropped at a team with only 88 wins got a 1st round bye. But thats the way this game is ...you never know. New Britain took their good fortune and ran with it all the way to the N L championship series. There they lost in 7 games to a very good Cobra team. The great playoff run may be due to the good pitching (4.27 ERA, 133WHIP-12th) and defense (80 errors, .987FPct-7th). The hitting (.264 BA-17th) was the weak spot in last years team ,but still respectable.Dodger has 14 million in cap space so he has flexability in rounding out this years roster. He traded away a couple of really good players to land Stuart and he may be worth it. New Britain also strengthened the back end of the Bullpen and that should fix last years 17-21 record in one run games. I had my eye on free agent pitcher Tomas Alvarez as did Dodger. I think he will help out this years rotation. Dodger is the favorite to win the division but Fargo and the improved Misfits will be nipping at their Heels. PREDICTION:92-70 (Div Winner)
OUT: Tomas Alvarez , Ramiro Pena , Santiago Rodriguez , Quinton Sauer , Brandon Robinson , Ryan Vaughn
IN: Destin Brow
DODGER'S PREVIEW: My preview is simple: same team, hoping for the same result, with the exception of winning game 7 this time.
PREVIEW: Dodgers Bruins finished close to my prediction of 92 wins and the Misfits were nipping at their heels. In the end, they did win the division due to their great pitching staff (4.00 ERA-6th, 1.32 WHIP-5th). The hitting was good with a .274 BA-(9th) and 891-(5th) runs scored. The defense (97 errors-16th, .984 FPct-13th) was like a dingle-berry on a bears butt..... not a problem.They went into the playoffs as the #2 seed and battled all the way to the World Series. It was a bear of a series and the Bruins lost to the Black Bears in 7 games. In the off-season Dodger re-signed Jeremy George and let Alvarez, Pena, Rodriguez, Sauer, Robinson and Vaughn go to free agency. He signed free agent Brow to fill out his roster. Last year Dodger called up youngsters Gill Hartzell , Adam Green , Esmailyn Figureoa and Gio Francisco and looks as if they're in the Bigs to stay. New Britain will finish with a division win with the Misfits and P-dogs finishing close behind.PREDICTION:100-62
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LAST YEARS RECORD:89-73
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Pbsilvers affable collection of players surprised me and the league with 79 wins. While they didn't make the playoffs,It's safe to say that PB got the most out of this team. The Misfits had the 3rd ranked hitting team (.286 BA) and below average pitching (5.13 ERA-27th) and defense (101 errors, .983FPct-22nd). While writing this preview the Misfits had their first major injury Rafael Uribe. That seems to be the Misfits luck! PB went out and spent alot of cash on James and traded for some very good players. It's apparent that he is going for it, in true Chevy Chase fashion. I like the additions to this years Minnesota team and think they have a good shot at winning the division.PREDICTION:89-73
OUT: Nick McConnell , Jim Caufield , Chris Everett , William Resop , Del Martin , Cleatus Canseco , Keith Aurilia
IN: Jose Pena , Rick Surkamp , Louis Little , Cesar Roque , Victor Torres
PB's PREVIEW: Had a good season last time. Most players are back and picked up some extra pitching. Hoping we can have back to back success but lots of challenges in my own division!
PREVIEW: Hit the bulls-eye on last years prediction. PB's Misfits won 89 games and played very well last year offensively.They sported a batting average of .280 (4th) while scoring 875 runs (7th). Their pitching was below average (4.56 ERA-19th, 1.38 WHIP-15th) and may be due to one of the worst defensive squads (120 errors-30th, .980 FPct-30th) in Wrigleyville. Even though they missed winning the division, they did get into the playoffs as a wild-card. Where they swept Richmond in the first round, and in the DCS they took a good Bruins team to a 5th game, but came up short. This team makes me scratch my head, I thought you needed good pitching and defense to go far in the post-season. It just shows to go you, anything is possible in the playoffs. In the off-season PB re-signed Livan Mercado and let McConnell, Caufield and Everett go to free agency. He released Resop and Martin and waived Canseco and Aurilia. Then he signed free agents Pena and Surkamp and traded for Little, Roque and Torres. Minnesota improved the pitching with Surkamp,Little, Roque and Torres. They also brought in a good defensive player in Pena. With the improvements PB's Misfits are gonna be in the division race. And it may come down to who has the least amount of injuries. If not the division they will be in the wild card race.PREDICTION:94-68(Wildcard)
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LAST YEARS RECORD:81-81
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The P-dogs were the favorites to win this division but were overtaken and trampled by the Bruins. Finishing with only 80 wins last year. It demolished my prediction of a 93 win season and Aarons playoff hopes. Aaronwayne had good hitting (.280 BA-8th) and defense (90 errors,.986 FPct-10th)but it couldn't overcome the average pitching (4.70 ERA, 1.45 WHIP-20th).I won't spend much time on the guys that left, most were mid-season fill-ins. But I will point out the trading of a young super-closer and future FOY pitcher Butler, will be missed in the bullpen. Maybe the promotion of Efrain Willits last year made him expendable. Aaron spent about 30 million on free agents and most are solid veterans. Most of the signings were in his biggest need....Pitching. I like the direction the P-Dogs are heading and Fargo has 18 million in cap space for flexibility. I think Aarons P-dogs rebound from last years average season and vie for the AL North title. PREDICTION:91-71
OUT: Tito Brea , Steve Teahen , Albert Perez , Harry Ontiveros , Juan Mota
IN: Mickey Dawley , Kevin Leonard , Eddie Locke , Al Vincente , Craig Dodd , Ted McNamara , Dioner Redondo , Kendry Torcato
PREVIEW: The P-dogs lifted their leg and pissed on mine. I thought they would improve on a .500 season last year and I was wrong,wrong wrong. I keep forecasting a 90+ win season and they keep putting up 80 win seasons. They did have allot of turnover last year ,so my bad,but I still have wet pant legs. Last years team had good hitting again (.275 BA-7th, 860 runs-8th). Below average pitching (4.72 ERA-21st,1.45 WHIP-24th) and defense (102 errors-20th, .983 FPct-18th). In the off-season Aaron re-signed Johnnie Hurst , Harry Suarez , Raul Castillo and let Brea, Teahen, Perez and Ontiveros go to free agency. He sent Mota packing and he was picked up by Frisco. Then he signed free agents Dawley, Leonard, Locke, Vincente , Dodd and promoted McNamara, Redondo and Torcato. The youngster McNamara is finally ready to play a full season in the bigs. And if he plays up to his ability, that alone will improve the P-Dogs.Dawley and Leonard are good offensive players and Dodd was a multi GG shortstop on the decline. Looks like the P-dogs will try and out score their opponents with great hitting and poor pitching. Another average year in Fargo. PREDICTION:81-81
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LAST YEARS RECORD:78-84
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Blacksox were a better team last year but my 20 win improvement prediction was Optimistic. They won 10 more games with the worst defense in Wrigleyville (129 errors,.979 FPct-32nd). The pitching was below average (4.98 ERA,1.96 WHIP-25th) and hitting was about average (.263 BA-18th).The biggest story in Chicago was the signing of Olshan. He got a 10 million dollar signing bonus with a 3 year 30 million dollar contract. Lots of money for a below average defensive Catcher. But the guy can hit and would make a wonderful DH. Overall Hacker improved the hitting and pitching, but the defense will lead them into darkness. It will be Dark, Dark days for the Blacksox. PREDICTION:78-84
OUT: Dom Woods , Russell Baez , Juan Guerrero , Danys Mota , Wes Burks
IN: Juan Ruiz , Al Belliard , Amos Watkins
PREVIEW: The Black Sox finished with 78 wins as predicted. For the record, last years big signing of DH/C Ryan Olshan went well. He smacked 24 homers while hitting .279. Not great...but not bad either. Last year Hackers Black Sox had average hitting (.266 BA-16th, 859 runs-9th), below average pitching (4.85 ERA-24th, 1.51 WHIP-26th) and again the worst defense in Wrigleyville (125 errors-32nd, .979 FPct-32nd). In the off-season Hacker let Woods, Baez, Guerrero,Mota and Burks go to free agency. then he signed free agents Ruiz and Belliard and picked up Watkins in the R-5. Hacker continues to hand out big signing bonuses, 5 million for both Ruiz and Belliard. In the long run this will make future payrolls low and that may be his strategy. Ruiz will help the defense at the hot corner, and it's hard to believe this team is so bad at defense with a GG Cf'er. Maybe it's the lack of a good shortstop? None the less , The Black Sox are another one who will try and outscore their foes. It may prove to big of a hill to climb? PREDICTION: 82-80
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