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LAST YEARS RECORD:80-82(Division Winner)
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: O K Richmond proved it. They eked out a division win with 88 wins 10 games above my prediction. In last years preview, I wondered if this years offense could overcome this years porous defense (108 errors-23rd, .983 FPct -23rd) and this years below average pitching (4.63 ERA-20th, 1.44 WHIP-21st). They did ,and the Revolutionaries finished with the #2 hitting club with a .287 BA and 922 runs (3rd highest) while giving up 825 runs (12th highest). Ihateunc took his team into the post-season as the #3 seed and were upset by the Misfits in 3. Still it was a good first season for Ihateunc and I look forward to seeing what he does in the off-season.With the signing of Pena , Franco was the odd man out . Pena has averaged 12 wins the past 3 seasons, he also has averaged close to 10 losses in the same 3 seasons. It's a tad better than Francos 8-10 season last year.Padilla is a career .319 hitter and will be a good replacement for Baez. With the tweaks, the Revolutionaries got a little better,but I think the improved Pirates will edge Richmond for the division. PREDICTION:89-73
OUT: Bo Mercedes , Diego Arredondo , Michael Henry , Bump Tyson , Ken Flair , Jimmie Nieves , Wade Harris , Mule Crawford , Emil Aguilar , Ramiro Pena
IN: Robert Murphy , Rigo Duran , Hector Ruth
PREVIEW: I predicted it would be a 2 team race for the division,( Richmond and Pittsburgh). And it was a toss-up which would prevail. I chose Pittsburgh and of course it was Richmond that won it in the end. They went into the playoffs as the #4 seed and the only sub .500 team in the playoffs. So it's no surprise they lost in the first round to Salem. This was too much for Ihateunc to take and he packed his bags and entered a Anger Management facility to work on his hate issues. Ramonsfan bought the team and moved them to New York and named them the Yankees.....What?? Talk about Hate! In the off-season Mercedes, Arredondo, Henry, Tyson, Flair, Nieves, Harris, Crawford and Aguilar went to free agency. He traded away Pena to complete the purge. To field a team this year , Ramonsfan promoted Murphy and Duran and Ruth was acquired tru a earlier trade. Ramonsfan has disappeared and his M L roster is only at 15 . Not sure what happened but I hope he comes back soon. This team is in Dire Straits. PREDICTION: Money for nothing and the chicks for free.
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LAST YEARS RECORD:79-83
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Ards Pirates finished close to my prediction and was in the division race right up to the end. They came up a game short in that race and missed the wild-card by 2 games. Arrrggghhh Matey! Last year Pittsburgh had the #2 defense with only 75 errors committed and a FPct of .988. The pitching was good (4.32 ERA-11th, 1.36 WHIP-11th) and the hitting was about average (.267 BA-14th, 826 runs-13th).The Pirates got younger with several players going to free agency and retirement. He promoted some mid-level prospects that are ready for the bigs. Ard has done a great job here and this team is my pick for the division win. But it will be close with Richmond playing well. PREDICTION:90-72(Division Winner)
OUT: Carlos Estrada , Wally Clark , Don Camilli , Domingo Lira , Gary Stern
IN: Bob Liverman , Bert Stevenson , Ryan Lee , Jerry Rollins
PREVIEW: Oh ...the Pirates . Just when you think it's gonna be smooth sailing all the way to the playoffs. They hit a reef and have to bail out the bilge tanks to make it to the end of the season. In fairness Ard lost several players to free agency and retirement, so maybe it's just a hiccup until he can whip the replacements into shape. Last year this team won only 79 games with decent pitching ,ranked 5th in the A L. But the hitting (13th in the A L) and defense (9th in the A L) was the barnacle on the butt of the Pirates, and was the reason they floundered. In the off-season Ard re-signed Patrick Miller , Carlos Gomez , Juan Pena , Jimmie James after they became free agents. Estrada and Clark were lost to free agency and Camilli and Lira were released. Stern was traded to the Red Light Districts. With a couple holes to fill, Ard signed free agents Liverman and Stevenson and promoted Lee and Rollins. Veteran SP Liverman will help the pitching problem but Rollins is way too wild to be in the majors. Youngster Lee will be a solid hitter but lacks range and glove for 2nd base. Right now the P-dogs look like a .500 team.PREDICTION: 81-81
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LAST YEARS RECORD:74-88
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Jmuhtoff Waved the white flag early last year. Check out his trades in last years update. The Week In Wrigleyville Season 24 #2 . So my prediction was way off due to Louisville's re-tool. What direction will the Redtails take in the future remains a mystery.Jmuhtoff lowered his overall salaries by 29 million. He also traded away some nice prospects for Allen,Romero and Ramirez, and they are solid players. Looking at the franchise rankings they will give up alot of fly balls but won't walk many. Defensively they have the worst arm strength and accuracy, Offensively they have the best hitting eye with the other categories about average. Looks like a average year. PREDICTION:81-81
OUT: Vern Coleman , Asdrubal Morales , Corey O'Brien , Albert Sierra , Lonny Black , Tim Perry , Del Lee
IN: Mark Gipson , Don Camilli , Wally Clark , Bump Tyson , Freddie Long , Darron Moses , Johan Sullivan , Benny Kershaw , Ivan Troncoso , Brennan Marson , Matt Fedroff
PREVIEW: Jmuhtoff's team was in a re-tool year last year and they aren't in a full re-build. And they did pretty well by winning 74 games with good hitting (6th in the A L). The pitching (14th in the A L) and defense (12th in the A L) need work, but he did pick up Artie Ward ,Wayne Lo Duca , Tony Spence and Cookie Armas in the draft. In the off-season Jmuhtoff re-signed Edgar Guzman after he left for free agency and Coleman, Morales , O'Brien and Sierra were lost to free agency. He released Black and Perry and traded away Lee. With a bunch off holes to fill, Jmuhtoff claimed Gipson off the wire and signed free agents Camilli, Clark, Tyson, Long, Moses,Sullivan, Kershaw and Troncoso. Finally he traded for Marson and Fedroff. Everyone .....meet the new Red Tails. There is only one super-star on this team (Kyle Romero) and the rest are mid-level M L players. They are in the middle of the pack defensively and offensively they will hit some homers without allot of strikeouts. The pitching will be the middle of the road. All signs point to a 80 ish win team.PREDICTION:84-78(Division Winner)
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LAST YEARS RECORD:71-91
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Avantrael's Northmen finished just a tad south of my 77 win prediction. Augusta won 75 games with good pitching (4.31 ERA-10th, 1.37 WHIP-13th) and good defense (91 errors-11th, .985 FPct-12th). They did however sport the third worst offensive club (.247 BA-30th, 666 runs-30th) and it was their downfall.Avantrael still has a couple roster spots open as I write this. He has some players in AAA he may call up or maybe he will play the waiver wire game. But I do know that the free agent pitchers he picked up will improve a already good pitching staff. He will need some offense to be a contender.PREDICTION: 80-82
OUT: Randy Palmer , Jose Brogna , Jose Lee , Domingo Delgado , Anibal Tavarez , Graeme Quinn , Ebenezer Washington , Brennan Marson
IN: Emil Aguilar , William Tabaka , Joakim Manuel , Pat Shelley , Clint Conway , Junior Sano , Artie Galloway , Duane Greinke , Del Lee
PREVIEW: Last year Avantrael added some new pitching and I predicted a sub .500 year for lack of offense. And they ended up as the worst offensive team in the A L by scoring only by scoring only 634 runs. It's a shame because Augusta has good pitching (4th in the A L) and defense (6th in the A L). In the off-season Palmer, Brogna, Lee, Delgado, Tavarez and Quinn left for free agency. Washington was released and Marson was traded away. Avantrael had to build a new team so he signed free agents Aguilar, Tabaka, Manuel, Shelly and Conway. He promoted Sano and picked up Galloway and Greinke from the R-5. Finally he traded for Del Lee to fill out this years roster. The only exciting new player here is Sano. He will be a star on the mound for the Northmen. This team will be lucky to reach last years 71 wins. PREDICTION:68-94
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