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LAST YEARS RECORD:84-78 (Division Winner)
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: I predicted a 81-81 record for the Pirates and in true Pirate fashion they won 82 games. AAARRGGHH! Ardthomp did pick up Wilin Matos and Oscar Ross in the draft so last year wasn't a total loss. In the off-season Ardthomp let Pena, James, Liverman, Miller, Blackburn go to free agency and released Rollins. He signed free agents Lockwood, Leslie, Richard and McKnight. Ard brought in 4 veteran pitchers thru free agency. But the real story here was last years promotion of Hipolito Hernandez. The kid looks good and he could make all the difference in this weak division. The Pirates will be raping, pillaging and plundering all the way to Madagascar.PREDICTION:89-73(Division Winner)
OUT: Carlos Gomez , Jung Kim , Geovany Aguilar , Nicholas Paramore , Edgar Carrasco , Danny Wilson , Charles Fujiwara , Vic Mercado , Gustavo Nunez , Charlie Lockwood , Haywood Leslie
IN: Gene Larish , Dom Woods , Aaron Wells , Alex Elcano , Walt Lieberthal , Rob McNamara , Edinson Trinidad , Thomas Dingman , Tim Perry , Cozy Williams
PREVIEW: Ardthomp's Pirates won the division as expected and after losing in the first round of the playoffs. He sailed away never to be seen again after 20 seasons (.482 win Pct). Ard will be missed and he is on a beach some where sporting a new eye-patch. Wcrebel took over this team and moved them to Rochester. Welcome Wcrebel and may you have success and a great season. In the off-season Wcrebel re-signed Chris James and Bob Karros and let Gomez, Kim, Aguilar and Paramore go to free agency. He released Carrasco, Wilson, Fujiwara, Mercado, Nunez, Lockwood and Leslie. Wcrebel claimed Larish off the wire and signed free agents Woods, Wells, Elcano, Lieberthal, McNamara, Trinidad, Dingman, Perry. Finally he picked up Williams in the R-5 draft. Sufferin Succotash !! When you get a new owner, a house cleaning is sure to ensue. Wcrebel kept the core of young studs and brought in older seasoned vets. The defense will be good and while the offense should hit there share of homers, the average will be in the middle of the pack. The Rotation is near the bottom in the AL and the bullpen looks decent, keeping the ball on the ground. I think right now the Tigers will win between 80 and 90 games. PREDICTION:85-77(Division Winner)
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LAST YEARS RECORD:72-90
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: I stated that the Northmen would be lucky to reach 71 win and they went out and won 77. Take that Mad! Avantrael added some talent to the farm system by picking up Matt Norman , Victor Rodriguezand Brett McCorley in the draft.In the off-season Avantrael re-signed Davey Wise and let Lee and Fernandez go to free agency. He released Halter and Hernandez Then Avantrael signed free agents Alonso and Romo and picked up Saito and Moreno in the R-5.Augusta lost a good bullpen pitcher in Frenandez and their GG center fielder, Hernandez. To replace the Dez's, they picked up some R-5 pitchers(Saito, Moreno) and will plug Del Lee in CF. They are not upgrades and the Northmen will hope that Junior Sano and Alex Olivares can overcome their loss. Methinks not. PREDICTION:70-92
OUT: Reese McGee , Pat Shelley , William Mateo , Phil Koh , Thumper Worrell , Paxton Wells , Clint Conway
IN: Yorvit Diaz , Johan Sullivan , Ronald Rivers , Tomas Aguilera
PREVIEW: Avantrael's team is stuck in the 70's with polyester and disco. They won 72 games with above average pitching (4.50 ERA with 807 runs allowed) and below average hitting (.260 BA with 726 runs scored). Giving up more runs than you score is never good. On the good side, Avantrael did add Andy Vasquez and Esteban Perez in the draft. In the off-season Avantrael let McGee, Shelly, Mateo, Koh, Worrell, Wells and Conway go to free agency. He signed free agents Diaz and Sullivan and picked up Rivers and Aguilera in the R-5. Augusta still has 3 open spots on the M L roster and depending on Avantraels moves, This team could go either way. Right now they are a .500 team.Here come the 80's and a mullet hairdo for Avantrael. PREDICTION: 81-81 with a upside
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LAST YEARS RECORD:65-97
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: When I picked Jmuhtoff's RedTails to win the division with a mid-80's record, many thought I was Mad, And I am! But This division is one of the weakest right now and Jmuhtoff's team was the strongest. They went into the playoffs as the #4 seed and gave the 93 win Blues all they could handle. But ended up losing game 5 at home....I feel your pain! In the off-season Jmuhtoff let Troncoso, Allen, Lieberthal , Kershaw go to free agency. He released Broxton. and traded away Pryce. Jmuhtoff claimed Wood off the wire and signed free agents Chang, Hill and Rivera. He promoted Gutierrez, Green, Garces and traded for Earley and Tatis. The only free agents I like are Green and Garces. Early is a great add but Tatis will only be effective against lefties. I think the Red Tails are a sub .500 team this year. PREDICTION:77-85
OUT: Darron Moses , Chien-Ming Chang , Yank Hill , Johan Sullivan , Freddie Long , Edgardo Rivera , Luis Vizcaino , Pablo Aramboles
IN: Nate Kashmir , Carlos Rios , Britt Lukasiewicz , Carlos Alvarez , Davey Renteria , Jim Creek
PREVIEW:I thought the Red Tails would be a sub.500 team and they finished well below that mark. It was a big step back from the 83 wins and a playoff berth. Having the worst pitching team in Wrigleyville will do that. Jmuhtoffs pitching staff allowed 925 runs with a ERA of 5.38. He did draft Dusty Spence with his first round pick but he can't help out the pitching. In the off-season Jmuhtoff let Moses, Chang, Hill, Sullivan, Long and Rivera go to free agency and released Vizcaino and Aramboles. Jmuhtoff claimed Kashmir and Rios off the wire and signed free agents Lukasiewicz and Alvarez. He promoted Renteria and Creek from AAA. The pitching was the problem last year and Jmuhtoff brought in some new arms. But it won't be enough even in this weak division.PREDICTION:75-87
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LAST YEARS RECORD:57-105
LAST YEARS PREVIEW: Thank God or Mark Knopfler, for that matter, that Fencer came in a rescued this team. The team was in a shambles and he righted the ship with the help of some owners that traded some badly needed farm hands. Fencer was able to add some prospects in this years draft, he grabbed Terrence Gibson , Harry Mujica , Otis Holdridge , Ray Greyand Richard Stanley . He also added many IFA's to shore up farm with Tony Molina being the best of the bunch. In the off-season Fencer re-signed Geronimo Cruz and Cristobal Beltran and let Reed, Hines, Lee, Delgado and Barker go to free agency. He released Jang and Leslie and traded away Price and West. Fencer signed free agents Acosta, Baker, Martinez and picked up Torres and Xavier in the R-5. And he made a Blockbuster trade that brought in Dickerson, Ochoa and Medlen. Fencer raised some eyebrows with his trades and I wont criticize them. But according to the franchise standings, this team is weak defensively but will hit for a high average with not many homers. The rotation will walk many a batter and get hammered by right handed hitting.The bullpen is near the bottom in all categories. This adds up to another losing season in New York, But it will take time for Fencer to right the ship. And thanks for sticking in there Fencer. PREDICTION:67-95
OUT: Glen Harris , Jamie Yang , Geronimo Cruz , Cookie Bennett , Willie Aquino , Michael Marshall
IN: Claudio Schmidt , Jesus James , Addison Terrero , Alving Franco
PREVIEW: Fencer was right there in the draft sweepstakes but will have to settle for the #2 pick. They only won 57 games like the Crabbers but lost the tiebreaker. Or was it that they won the tiebreaker..........?????? I'm so confused.....I think they won the tiebreaker only to lose the #1 pick?? He did get the #1 pick last year and selected Victor Pujols with the pick. In the off-season Fencer re-signed Al Zerbe and let Harris, Yang, Cruz and Bennett go to free agency. He released Aquino and Marshall. Fencer signed free agents Schmidt and James, picked up Terrero in the R-5 and traded for Franco. New York is a improved club and may with a couple moves take this weak division. But as they sit right now they should finish below .500.PREDICTION: 70-92
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