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LAST YEARS RECORD:92-70
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Red Light Districts did grab the final wildcard berth with 93 wins. They went into the first round as a underdog and swept the Muskellunges. For that they got to face their division foe, Burlington. The Coat Factories swept Jeff's Miscreants in the DCS and went on to win the series. No shame in that Jeff. Last year Cincinatti had the 3rd best pitching club (3.31 ERA, 1.21 WHIP-3rd). The defense (91 errors,.985 FPct-15th) and hitting (.265 BA-14th) is pretty close to average.It's all about pitching in Cincinatti and Jeff brought in some good free agents and traded for another good pitcher. He also landed a young Hooks Giovanola who may get off the pine if the Red Light Districts have a injury. Jeff always puts together a good team and this year is no different. The RLD's should at least get a wild-card and may win the division with the decline of Burlington.PREDICTION:95-67
OUT: Kevin Leonard , Walter Maurer , Grant LaRocca , Richard Dupler , Ismael Galvez , Hooks Giovanola
IN: Hector Ruth , Armando Javier , Alcides Gil , Will Schoendienst , Felipe Zurbaran , Cesar Melendez , Alex Outman
PREVIEW: My Neighbor Jeff is back on top of the N L East.His RLD's battled the tired and old Coat Factories up to the last week and finished with a 92-70 record. They accomplished this with great hitting (.279 BA-5th, 809 runs-16th) and great pitching (4.07 ERA-8th, 1.29 WHIP-3rd) . Not sure why a such a good hitting team only scored 809 runs,go figure!. The defense was in the middle (97 errors-17th, .984 FPct-16th) of the pack. They went into the post-season as the #3 seed where they bounced a young Ute team in the first round. Then got bounced themselves in the DCS by the eventual World Champs. In the off-season Jeff re-signed Buzz Person and Miguel Martis and let Leonard, Mauer, LaRocca and Dupler go to free agency. He then traded away Galvez and Giovanola. With some holes to fill, Jeff signed free agents Ruth, Javier, Gil,Schoendiest and Zurbaran. Then brought in Melendez and Outman through trades.Look out fellas!! The RLD's are greatly improved with quality free agents and savy trades. Jeff did a great job picking up talent from the old Coat Factories and others. This team will win the division easily and will go deep in the playoffs.PREDICTION: 102-60 (Div Winner)
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LAST YEARS RECORD:88-74
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: The Burlington Coat Factories have done what no other team in Wrigleyville has done. Ehulls bunch went Back to Back to Back. Congrats to Ehull, he has built a dynasty and should be proud of this accomplishment. Last year they had the best pitching (3.11 ERA, 1.17 WHIP-1st) and defense (59 errors,.990 FPct-1st) in the league. Burlington only needed a average offensive team (.264 BA-16th) to win 103 games and win the Series.When you win a World Series let alone 3 in a row. Your players want to get paid and there are many teams who are willing to pay them. So Ehull had to let several key players go to free agency and pick up some replacements that wouldn't break the bank. When you lose as much talent as Burlington did, it's hard to overcome. The Coat Factories will be competative...but.... I think they will fall short of 4 in a row. PREDICTION: 95-67
OUT: Mariano Rivera , Mickey Dawley , Alcides Gil , Armando Javier , Ricardo Amaral , Reed James , Vladimir Santiago , Albert Torres , Del Lopez , Cristobal Fernandez , Torey Acosta , Marty Allen , Kyle Romero , Rob Dillon , Yorvit Campos , Cesar Roque , Milton Kinkade
IN: Edgardo Rosario , Tomas Alvarez , Oscar Nix , Glen Craddock , J.J. Lansing , Tim Oliver , Don Hyzdu , Ryan Vaughn , Richard Dupler , Rob McNamara , Johan Sullivan , Juan Mota , Rolando Valenzuela , Andres Espinosa , Albert Cabeza , Gary Mullen , Haywood Webber , Braden Dixon , Jackie Guthrie , William Tabaka
PREVIEW: Not only were the Coat Factories worn out so was Ehull. After winning 3 Series in a row, Burlington missed the playoffs completely. Ehull left Wrigleyville to chase pussy on Sordies Feline Ranch. Zsiegri bought the team for a Pony, a pair of Chaps and a roping lessons from Waltzing Matilda's S + M Emporium and Riding Stable. This should ensure success in Ehulls new endeavor. Last year this team had the # 1 (73 errors, .988 FPct) defensive team and the #2 pitching team (3.77 ERA, 1.29 WHIP). The hitting was atrocious with a .244 BA-31st and only 723 runs-25th. In the off-season Zsiegri re-signed Don Lim and let Rivera, Dawley, Gil, Javier, Amaral, James, Santiago, Torres and Lopez go to free agency. He released Fernandez and traded away Acosta, Allen, Romero,Dillion,Campos and Roque. Finally Kinkade was claimed off the wire to complete the purge. With no team left, Zsiegri has allot of work to do. He claimed Rosario and signed free agents Alvarez ,Nix ,Craddock ,Lansing ,Oliver ,Hyzdu ,Vaughn ,Dupler ,McNamara ,Sullivan,Mota and Valenzuela. Then he traded for Espinosa, Cabeza, Mullen, Webber, Dixon,Guthrie and Tabaka. This is the end of a dynasty. The Burlington Coat Factories are the only team to go back-to back-to back in Wrigleyville. And all the key players have been scattered to the Wind and have been replaced by so-so players. Witchita has many first round picks in the draft and will stock the farm system. Thus starts a re-build and they should finish with a 70'ish win total. PREDICTION: 75-87
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LAST YEARS RECORD:84-78
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: It was a breakout year for the Moose with 94 wins. They beat my Magic 8-Ball prediction of 84 wins and won a wildcard spot.In the post-season Syracuse got swept by the Utes,but the Moose are Loose again and thats trouble for us .Last year Rugbys Alces's had good pitching (4.00 ERA,1.33 WHIP-7th), but the hitting (.261 BA-25th) was poor and defense (99 errors, .984 FPct-20th) was average.We are 11 games into the season and the Moose still have 5 roster spots open. I looked at the AAA players and there are many tasty prospects waiting for the call-up. I think Rugby will bring them up soon and the Moose will give the Coat Factories a run fer their money. They have a great chance of winning the division.PREDICTION:95-67
OUT: Destin Brow , Shawn Terry
IN: Michael Green
PREVIEW: Looks like I was overly optimistic in my prediction of a 95 win season. It's hard projecting a team that has a incomplete roster. But the Moose did win 84 games and it was a step back from last years 94 win season. They had the number 3 ranked pitching staff with a 3.86 ERA and a WHIP of 1.31. It couldn't overcome the bad hitting (.261 BA-23rd , 778 runs-18th) and defense (111 errors-25th, .982 FPct-25th). In the off-season Rugby let Brow and Terry go to free agency. Then he promoted Green as the only addition so far. At the time of this writing Rugby has only 22 guys on his M L roster. And the AAA Cupboard is still full of tasty little Meese's such as Daniel Marshall , Charles Yamamoto , Ugueth Duran, Lance Bailey and Javier Megias. He didn't call them up last year and I would like to think he will call some up this year. Until I see it, I'm not ready to go out on a limb like last year and pick them to maybe win the division.When all his kids come of age ....look out! PREDICTION:89-73
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LAST YEARS RECORD:52-110
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: I predicted 70 wins for the Santurce Crabbers because of last years suprise 74 win season. That proved to be a optimistic prediction for the re-build of Ralphs team. They only won 55 games and I will not waste our time on last years stats, but I will point out some of the great young prospects he picked up for the future. San Juan picked up Logan Allensworth and Gaby Ramirez in the draft. Don Itou and Carlos Urena were added from the International Free Agent Market. The Future looks bright on Fantasy Island.No secret here folks. The Crabbers are in a re-build and this years M L squad is made up of old free agents and young waiver wire pick-ups. Maybe some will prove good enough as trade chips. But regardless, San Juan will be picking up IFA's a good draft prospects for the future.PREDICTION 60-102
OUT: Al Vincente , Jack Stewart , Miguel Piedra , Bernie MacDougal , Ramiro Osoria , Spud Kraemer , Perry Jenkins
IN: Bryan Greisinger , Wilin Pineda , Jalal Milton
PREVIEW: It's still a re-build on fantasy island and Ralph's Crabbers finished with 52 wins. He picked up Juan Chavez in last years draft and will add him to the pool of tasty prospects. In the off-season he re-signed Luis Gil , Pat Shelley and let Stewart, Piedra, MacDougal and Osoria go to free agency. He released Kraemer and Jenkins. Ralph claimed Greisinger and promoted Pineda. Finally he added Milton from the R-5 draft. Not much to talk about here, Ralph will continue to add prospects from the IFA and draft. Meanwhile Ralph will be on the beach in his speedo scoping out the Honeys. What a life !! PREDICTION:55-107
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