Arfy's Ramblings

Arfy's Ramblings....  Season 29

• Arfy's Ramblings is just me rambling off observations I have seen in the Pinetar World.  Enjoy!
• I guess Boston didn't like my projection for him for the season.  He is using it as motivation and is currently on pace to win 121 games this season.
• Probably jinxing myself.  But Russell Powell (Louisville) currently has a 21 game hitting streak.
• Julio Silva(Oklahoma City) has the longest so far this season at 23 games.
• FYI- Tomas Carrasco has the Pinetar record at 38 games.  I couldn't tell you what season though.
• Nobody ever looks at triples.  Benito Rodriguez(Toronto) is leading the league with 8 this season.
• Carlos Zorilla(Oklahoma City) and Benny Navaro(Fresno) lead the league in Intentional Walks as a hitter with 16 a piece.
• In case you are wondering....I don't spend time looking at who leads in home runs and rbi's and such.    Those are already posted on the main page from time to time, so I'm not gonna repeat it.
• Ed Jodie(Scranton) leads the league in Pinch hits with 14, however Darrin Wells(Jacksonville)  has one of the best pinch hit averages this season as he is 9 for 18 pinch hitting this season.
• Sticky Farqua(Kansas City) leads the league in Quality Starts with 12.
• P.T. Rosa(Texas) has the most negative plays at any position with 11.
• kjmulli at Boston said before the season that he would be disappointed if he didn't score 1000 runs this season.  He is currently 2nd n the league with 372 runs.  That puts him on pace for 942. 
• There are currently two players in the league whom are competing for the all time career batting average.  Vinny Hill(Boston) is hitting .336 career and Matt Jaha(Boston) is hitting career .333.  The all time average is held by Randy Posednik with a career .339 average.  He did in only 5 seasons fyi.  The minimum amount of plate appearances for this record is 2510.
• In case you missed it Sam Slotnick(New Orleans) passed Hall of famer Will McCarthy on the all time HOME RUN list last season.  Slotnick now has a career 690 home runs at the age of 35.    McCarthy sits second at 669.
• Slotnick is also the all time strikeout leader.  He currently sits at the top of the list with a career 1954 K's.  Second on the list has 1901.
• Kevin Griffiths(Philadelphia) moved into #2 on the all time career pinch hits list.  He currently has 97.  The all time record is 169 by Vic Diaz
• Moises Olmedo(Boston) has won the Cy Yound award the last two seasons.  Currently he is 5-2 with a 3.33 ERA.
• New York Damage Controllers are 0-6 in extra inning games this season
• Boston Pilgrims are an impressive 12-3 in one run games this season
• Need to fix your minors?  Team with gosh awful horrible records.  Probably need to fix pitching staff:  BostonAAA 5-59, FargoAAA 8-56, Florida AA 10-54, FargoAA 11-53, FargoHiA 13-51, NO LoA 12-52,  VanLoA 13-51, ColoLoA 12-52, 

Hall of Fame Spotlight
This is who we voted into this years Hall of Fame:
Cyrus Torres
He became our 20th member into the Pinetar Hall of Fame.  Perhaps the best pitcher to ever come out of this World.  He was selected in season 6 as the seventh overall pick.

Top 20 owners in Pinetar wins
*-No longer in Pinetar

1. Starbuckdc Fargo 2536
2. Greygoose123 Jacksonville 2497
3. rxw1 Tampa Bay 2480
4. Toe64 Colo Spring 2398
5. Phillie26 Philadelphia 2335
6. jbburner Cincinnati 2304
7. Ghutton9 Seattle 1980
8. bnags Nashville 1727*
9. Alogman1 Durham 1685
10. jquick1 Milwaukee 1487*
11. Bodean Wichita 1476*
12. bobbyj7 Jackson 1420
13. Roundfrog Dover 1366*
14. prezuiwf Kansas City 1306*
15. kjmulli Boston 1265
16. bjohara1 Houston 1228*
17. qtip32 Indianapolis 1217
18. brentcnb Oklahoma City 1214
19. tk21775 Iowa City 1164
20. Moosedrool  Toronto 1143*

Get to know your fellow coaches!

Get to know your fellow coaches!

A great way to make new friends.  I decided to put them in order of where people live.    Pardon me if my geography is a little rusty, since I'm not as familiar with the east coast.  Great turnout!   Heard from all except for one person.  I find these quite interesting as we learn what a diverse group we have here.  Seems Chicago and Boston are the most popular places to live here.   Thanks everyone for participating!

Sgmedia, Toronto Phantoms- I live about ten minutes east of Toronto.  My name is Derek, and I am a self-employed event planner, and stay-at-home father of two autistic kids. I also am a manager in the world of professional wrestling. My favourite sports teams are the Green Bay Packers,  Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Argonauts, Toronto Rock, and Toronto Maple Leafs...in no particular order. My favourite hobby is spending time with my beautiful fiancee, who is carrying my third child (her first).

Csudak.  Albuquerque Komodo Dragons.  Casey Just north of Boston 32 Youth sports director I'm a homer, so I'll cheer for any Boston based teams I have 12 tattoos, at least 7 of them I regret.

Soxfan_9.  Florida Retirees.  Nick, 26, North East. Run a cafe, Boston Red Sox. Tired of my team sucking in this world,lol

Holleybard.  Kansas City Yardbirds.  My name is Michael. I'm 44. I live in Boston. I have the greatest job in the world: I'm a sportswriter and broadcaster.  I've written a few books on football and one on baseball. So, clearly, I'm obsessed with sports and have been that way for as long as I can remember. When I'm not doing that, I'm spending time with my wife and three kids.  As for sports teams, I root for all New England teams in professional sports. In college, I have a major soft spot for Ohio State football (I'm a native Buckeye).

JKenned, Salem Volcanoes.  Jason, 32 from Binghamton NY. I am a college professor of archaeology originally from Missouri who is a die-hard Cardinals fan. My research is focused on the organization of early farming villages in Mesopotamia around 5000 BCE.

Qtip32.  Indianapolis Valhalla Varauders.  I from Brooklyn Ny, where I'm a coach on my 8 year old sons baseball team. There is no place I'd rather be then on the filed having a catch with him. I'm a Yankee fan since the days I couldn't choose who was favorite Donnie baseball or Dave wWindfield.

Phillies26, Philadelphia Moneymakers.  My first name is John. I was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA and I currently live in Clinton, MD which is right outside of Washington, DC. I'm 55 years old and I currently own my own Real Estate investing business. I love all of the Philadelphia sport teams.

Erichanville, Texas GalvestonWave, Obviously my name is Eric.  I am 37, live in Richmond Va, have a wife and a 2year old baby girl. Luckily looks like her mom, thank god. ;) Another baby on the way due March 4th. Will find out actually tomorrow if it is a boy or girl. Can't wait to find out!   I am a SEO(Search Engine Optimizer) which is nice because I get to work from home. I am also studying for the ACSM exam. Would like to start my own personal training business eventually. I love to workout at least 5 days a week. Love almost all sports.   I am a Atlanta Braves fan. Football I am a die hard Chiefs fan and a USC fan for college. Basketball, I am a Lakers fan and for College I go for Kansas Jayhawks. I moved around a lot. (Military) plus I was born in Kansas Fort Leavenworth.  I forgot to add that I also love to watch Movies and play Texas Holdem. Oh and I love Turkey Hill's Moose Tracks Ice Cream. Major Addict, might need to see counseling to get off of the stuff. lol If you need to ask me any questions feel free. :)

Starbuckdc, Fargo Wood Chippers, Joel wash dc 47 photojournalist. Love the Nats! Matt williams needs to go

Reggie988, Scranton Red Barons-   I'm Nick, 33, from Bloomington, IN.  I just recently returned to Indiana University to study Informatics, after spending the last few years as a tour manager for mostly indie bands. I've been cursed a Cubs fan since childhood, but at least the Colts give me a chance to root for a winner

Ghutton9, Seattle Strikers.  Glenn, 38, Kentucky.  I'm a project manager for commercial roofing. my favorite teams are the Cincinnati Bengals, Reds, UC Bearcats, and while not a huge bball fan,  I like to keep up with the OKC Thunder. My hobbies are this of course, but I also make time for my PS4 games, and my absolute favorite past time is weight lifting.

Skplayer07. Vancouver Canucks.  My name is Tyler and 26 years old.  I live in Hinesville, GA and I'm a Military Policeman on FT. Stewart, GA. I enjoy UK basketball/football and love the Cincinnati Reds/Bengals. I play a lot of softball on my off time, I enjoy fishing, and spending time with the family.

Rxw1.  Tampa Bay Thunder.  Robert / Live in Orlando, Florida / 47 / I am an IT Executive / Favorite teams are Mets,
Raiders, & Magic / Something of interest is I won the WS in my very first SimLeague Baseball League in 2003 - been playing WIS ever since. Right now I am only playing Hardball & Gridiron Dynasty.

Greygoose123, Jacksonville Juice.   My name is Jim. I am from the Chicago area. And I work in Information Technology.  Over the years my interest level in sports has waned. And now I mostly follow Soccer. I equate playing WIS HBD to being a parent of young children. It can be infuriating and unexplainable. But if your patient, it can be rewarding.

jbburner, Cincinnati Firestorm.  My name is JB. I am 52 and live in Chicago. I am a retired Wildland firefighter. The Cubs and Blackhawks are my favorite sports teams and I love to play golf!

Toe64.  Colorado Springs Night Watchmen.  Tom, Illinois, 51, Insurance, all Chicago sports teams

Horvie78. Milwaukee Magnitude.  Matt - 33 years old. I am a high school math teacher and live in the suburbs of Chicago.  My favorite sports teams are Chicago Bears, White Sox, Blackhawks, Notre Dame football, and DePaul basketball. I am fairly new to HBD so that is a major hobby right now, along with drinking craft beer.

Fantasy Frea.  New Orleans Zephyrs.   My name is Nathan, 36 years old, I live in Jacksonville, IL with my wife and 2 girls (a 3 year old and 9 year old).  I work as a sales associate for a privately owned cell phone agent. I am a huge Cubs and Bears fan ( finally got to see my first game at Wrigley this year), but I also like the Bulls and Blackhawks but baseball and football are my favorite sports.  My main interests is during the summer and fall I play softball. Occasionally when my kid doesn't steal my Xbox to play Mindcraft I will play some Madden football.    Most of the the time I do this though. I have been playing WIS for a long time. Thought about quitting a few times but it was a big time killer when I had been going through chemo that I just never did and probably won't either.

tk21775, Iowa City Hawkeyes, Travis, 33, from Iowa.  Insurance, Michigan Wolverines fan, Iowa, spend most of my time coaching/watching my 4 kids in sports

Jibe, Wichita DwArf'y Mojados,  Jim Age: 46 I live 20 miles from where the mighty Mississippi river begins in Minnesota. where you can walk across. Occupation: We have a nursery specializing in edible fruit plants with a U-Pick fruit operation. I also farm small scale. Do carpentry and have rental properties. I am married and no rug rats. Serial number: 000-00-0000.  Also my favorite team is the Minnesota Twins, ugghh, and major league baseball. Followed closely by Minnesota Gopher sports and college football.

Bobbyj7, Jackson Juggernauts.  Bob, Live: Minnesota, Age: over 40, Job: work in the financial industry, Sports teams: Twins, Gophers, Timberwolves, Interests: family, fishing, traveling

Tmfran.  Dover Dinklebergs.  Toby, 37 live in St. Louis. Follow all St. Louis teams. Work for Monsanto, which is headquartered in STL.

Flucie.  St. Louis Arch Angels.  Phillip, I live in the Great state of Alabama, I'm 61 years old, Retired Correctional Supervisor,    I worked at the highest security facility, worked at the biggest facility in the state and work at community facility (work release) St.Louis Cardinals fan since 1964, Dallas Cowboys fan since 1966, Alabama Crimson Tide fan since I was born.

Bagwellbluff.  Houston Roughnecks.  My name is Tim. I am 57 years old.  Baton Rouge, LA.   I am a former ordained Pentecostal minister, now an agnostic. I was in management in the automobile industry before I retired to get my PhD in History in 2009.  I am currently in the History PhD program and am a graduate teaching assistant at LSU. My favorite pro sports teams are the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Houston Rockets, and Arsenal.  No St. Louis roots; I've rooted for the Rams since 1967, and wish they'd move back to Los Angeles.) Why the name "Bagwellbuff" for a Cardinals fan? My son is the Astros fan and after helping him with some GD and Sim League baseball teams,  I just took the name over when he moved on from WIS. My original username, under which I played a little GD and a lot of Sim League baseball-including a coveted Tournament of Champions trophy--is timlan2057.

kjmulli. Boston Pilgrims.  'm a 30-year-old pit boss at a casino in the old wild, wild west -- Dodge City, Kansas. I was born in New York and grew up between Maine and Pennsylvania,  with short stays in Florida and New Hampshire as well. I've been around but I'm an East Coast guy at heart. Growing up in Maine, I'm a Red Sox and Bruins fan (and somehow, Dolphins for football). No mater where I'm living,  I make it back to Fenway at least once a year and last fall I ponied up a large amount of cash to go to Game 6 of the World Series to see Boston clinch it at home for the first time in almost 100 years, and I would pay double to do it again.

Brentcnb.  Oklahoma City Prarie Dogs.  Brent. I was not born in Oklahoma but have lived in the land of hot and windy basically all of life. I enjoy sports, having played high school football.  I played baseball up until I was 15 but did not have the opportunity to play after that age. That may be just as well as I was a passable fielder, OK pitcher, but a pretty lousy hitter. I have 2 kids and work in the health profession.

Wylie715.  Rochester Retards.  My name is mark. I'll be 58 years old on 10/28. I have a 17 year old daughter and twin 13 year old sons. I am a customer service advisor for a company that makes automotive accessories.  I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. My favorite sports teams are MLB: Yankees & Giants, NFL: 49ers, NBA: Warriors. I grew up in NY but have lived here for 26 years.

Blapo21.  Nashville Merchants.  Tyson, Chehalis WA, 34, Mariners, UW, Gonzaga, EWU

Arfy, Louisville ARF ARF ARF ARF's .  Lauren, age 41. I'm a Pastafarian, and love to talk about it.    I live in Walla Walla, WA, and am a Sales Rep for Frito Lay Inc.    I grew up in Montana, but also lived in Wisconsin for a number of years. I'm a Braves fan, Boise State, and also a diehard Denver Broncos fan!  I love watching movies, Facebooking(laurenarf@yahoo.com) and  playing on the Xbox(Arfy3123).  Feel free to add to me on either!

Skuff730.  New York Damage Controllers.  Al-Amin, I currently live in Anchorage, AK. I am 30 yrs old.   I do IT up here. My favorite sports teams are, the NFL: Saints, NBA:knicks, baseball: Mets, college football: Bama. I like PC games, SWTOR, Diablo, etc. and I enjoy playing NCAA 14 on PS3. Also, if you have steam: swizzkillz is my name, hit me up.

dlmose.  Fresno Grizzlies.  My name is Dave. I'm about 8 years older than dirt. Most of the 4 years I spent in the military were overseas so when I got out I went to work for an Engineering & Construction company and spent 30 more years overseas. We built refineries, pipelines, off shore platforms and the like in places like Saudi Arabia,  Russia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Australia, Pakistan, and some others. Even built a gold mine on a place called Lahir Island, Papua New Guinea. I retired about 10 years ago and since I was single (as in divorced for the 4th,  or was it 5th) time, I plopped my old *** down in Bangkok determine to live out my days drinking fairly bad beer, eating spicy food, chasing some of the most beautiful girls on the planet and spending every penny in my bank account.  As fate would have it, before I ran out of money, I met a sweet young li’l brown girl whose family owned quite a bit of land and she made me an offer I couldn't refuse, "upgrade their rice farms." Oh, and for reasons unknown,  marry her. Now my rice framing abilities are bout equal to my success in marriage (I once was paying child support in 3 currencies). However comma, I have never been one to let ignorance get in the way of speculation so here I am,  all grown up, married, again, and farming rice in SE Asia. I still love baseball, primarily a Cards fan that grew up in Little Rock listening to Harry Carey call their games on the radio.  I got the first transistor radio in my neighborhood and there were 5-10 kids in my driveway every night (that the travelers weren't in town) hanging on his every word.  Stan Musial and Red Schoendienst were my heroes. Harvey Haddix came up when I was 8 or 9 and immediately became the hero of the neighborhood. Even adults joined us in the driveway on the nights he pitched.  The minor league baseball team in LR was the Travelers in the Southern association and sold out most games. Us kids would go out to the park during BP hoping to get a ball that you could turn in and get into the game free. The fences had "  knotholes" drilled into them, all between about 3and 5 feet high. My gang would climb the 2 big oak trees behind the LF wall and sit on the limbs. I still remember those limbs were worn as smooth as glass by generations of kid’s butts.  Both of my older brothers sit on them and they are 14 and 8 years older than me. It was such a pure and beautiful game then. It's grossly different now and not as rewarding in my opinion. Everything is about money.  George Brett would be laughed out of town today and I still don't know how they tell the difference between 49.5 and 57 million? Sorry, didn't mean for this to turn into a Russian Novelette but I couldn't find a spot to shut ‘er down.

NL West- Season 29 preview

Somehow Seattle made their way back to the top of this division last season after a 3 year post season drought. They ended up with the #1 seed in the NL, but that didn't help them. They went on to lose to division rival Colorado Springs 3-2 in the Division championship series. Colorado Springs finished in second after 3 straight division titles and went on to lose in the NLCS to Scranton. In third place was Oklahoma City, who ended a 17 season playoff drought. It also marked the first back to back winning seasons for this franchise since seasons 8-10. They eventually lost to Scranton in the Wild Card round. Albuquerque finished in last. They were likely the most disappointing team in the NL after finishing the previous season with 92 wins and a wild card berth. This has become a very competitive division with 4 teams that have post season potential.


Seattle Strikers
owner- ghutton9(22 seasons)
Season 28 record- 100-62(NL West champs)
Last 5 seasons- 379-411

Offensively, this is not a team with much pop. They have solid contact abilities and really good batting eyes. They should get on base a lot. They even mix in some decent speed. The defense is among the best in the league. They could use a bit better glove at shortstop, but they have a great centerfielder and good gloves at most positions with really good range. They could be a top 3 defense. The rotation is good. They have a few good top of the rotation type pitchers and solid back end guys as well. The bullpen is this teams real strength. It's a deep bullpen and the guys at the top of it are among the best in the league. The pitching staff ranks in the upper half of the NL. Seattle should be tough to knock from the top of the division this season and could even make a post season run.

Owners perspective- Since the preview is basically my perspective anyway, I'll tell you how I feel about my team. I'm off to a great start, but I don't feel like this will be the norm for my team. I do feel like they are good, but I think I'm still a piece or two away. I like my off season additions and feel like my team is better than they were last season. This might be my favorite team I've ever put together.


Colorado Springs Night Watchmen
owner- toe64(28 seasons)
Season 28 record- 96-66(Wild Card, NL runner up)
Last 5 seasons- 474-336

This team has a good amount of power. They also have some guys that can hit and get on base. They aren't a team that will steal a lot of bases. I really think they have a good offense. I put them in the top 5 of the NL. The defense is below average though. They lack a real shortstop and a centerfielder with range. I think if anything will be this teams downfall, it'll be the defense. I rank them near the bottom of the league. The rotation looks about average and they lack an ace. They have a good group of mid rotation guys to make up for that though. The bullpen has a few good arms, but they lack depth. That could hurt over the long run. The pitching staff looks about average to me. This team has the offense to really be good, but I don't know if it'll be enough to overcome the defense issues. This is still a good team, but they'll need some things to go their way in order to take the division title.

Owners perspective- I have virtually the same team as last year minus King Ashburn in center which was a big loss. Nonetheless, appears another year of age on my guys is the straw that broke the camels back. Not much to say except it's a marathon and not a sprint. We'll see how that works out for me.


Oklahoma City Prairie Dogs
owner- brentcnb(16 seasons)
Season 28 record- 91-71(Wild Card)
Last 5 seasons- 392-418

This team gets it's power from 2 players and one of those, Jin-Chi Yamamoto is a superstar. They have some good hitting and decent batting eyes. They also have some good speed. This is a really good offense. The defense is solid but they don't look good at shortstop. The rest of the field will feature pretty good gloves though. That is what brings them to slightly above average. The rotation is below average, but they have lots of options and guys with good stamina and control. The bullpen is pretty much the same since some of those potential starters will be relieving. The pitching as a whole is a little less than average. I really like this teams offense and the defense is pretty solid also. I think that should be enough to help this team contend again this season and possibly get them into the post season.

Owners perspective- I tried to improve the team defensively with a couple FA signings. Strength of the team is probably speed and defense. That is probably my biggest concern in that the pitching staff is maybe a bit above average but not much and the overall hitting ability of the team leaves something to be desired. The Prairie Dogs could finish anywhere from 1st to 4th in the division and it would not surprise me.


Albuquerque Komodo Dragons
owner- csudak(9 seasons)
Season 28 record- 73-89
Last 5 seasons- 368-442

Albuquerque is a team that can hit some homeruns. They have quite a bit of power. They also should have a really good OBP as they have plenty of players with good hitting eyes and contact. They also have good speed. This could be the best offense in a division that has plenty of it. I wouldn't be surprised to see them score the most runs in the NL this season. Defensively they are average. I like the shortstop, but they don't have good range in centerfield. That's OK though, they have solid range and defense at most spots in the field. The rotation isn't bad, but they are below average. This team really lacks an impact starter at the top of the rotation. They also have plenty of options for the rotation as they have plenty of pitchers with good stamina. The bullpen is made up with those guys and that's not really a good thing. The bullpen doesn't look very good. I think this is a below average pitching staff that could use a few good arms. This team still looks pretty good overall though. I think they can challenge for the top spot and if not win the division they could still get into the playoffs.

Owners perspective- Thoughts on my team 1) Love my hitting, good solid young talent at most positions, 2) Fielding is questionable, probably going to cost me a few games, 3) I can't get pitching. Even when I think I have solid guys, the results just aren't there. In theory, my best pitcher over the last 2 seasons has been Preston Reese, which makes zero sense and he is on the DL for the first half of the year. My goal is to move hitting for younger pitchers and hope I find a couple of gems. Even with the rough start, I'm hoping to challenge for a wild card spot if I can piece a staff together.


Predictions
I'm really liking my Seattle team this season and really feel like they can make a good run in the post season. This is a really tough division though. Colorado Springs features a really good offense, but the defense and pitching aren't as good. They should still finish above .500 this season and challenge for at least a wild card spot. Oklahoma City looks really close to Colorado Springs. I'm not sure they can take the top spot, but they should battle for a wild card. Albuquerque looks like the closest team to taking the division title from Seattle. The pitching holds them back a bit, but the offense offsets that and the defense is better than OKC and CSP. I think all 4 teams finish above .500 and it's going to be a close race at the end. At least one team, if not two will take a wild card spot.

1. Seattle
2. Albuquerque
3. Oklahoma City
4. Colorado Springs

SEASON 29 AL WEST PREVIEW

SEASON 29 AL WEST PREVIEW

AL WEST

Always one of the closest divisions in Pine Tar.  Last season wasn't entirely different.  Salem made a couple of late season trades and then really went on a tear and ended up winning the division by 10 games.  They ended up winning the World Series.   It was the franchises second WS victory. Their first game in season one, under a different owner.  It also marked the franchises first playoff appearance in 8 seasons.   Fresno finished 2nd last season under previous ownership.  It marked their fourth straight winning season.  St. Louis finished third winning 91 games, but still took the wild card.  It was their fourth straight winning season and their 8th playoff appearance in the last 12 seasons.   Vancouver finished in last place.  It was their first last place finish in 10 seasons.  It also broke the franchises winning streak of 7 seasons.

Salem Volcanoes
Owner:Jkenned (7th season)
Last Season-103-59(1st Place)
Last 5 seasons-421-389(.520)
Payroll-$71.8m
Draft Pick-53rd

Great defense.   Great speed and baserunning.  Offense is one of the best in the AL, and they have great power.  Their pitching staff is easily the best in the American League.  100 wins?  I would think so.

Fresno Grizzlies
Owner: dlmose(1st season)
Last Season-93-69(2nd Place)
Last 5 seasons-442-368(.546)
Payroll-$75.1m
Draft Pick-28th

Defense is below average.  Great speed and baserunning.    Their hitting is below average and the team essentially has no power.    Pitching is below average.    I don't see this team winning 93 games again.

St. Louis Arch Angels
Owner: Flucie(15th season)
Last Season-91-71(3rd Place)
Last 5 seasons-435-375(.537)
Payroll-$89.5m
Draft Pick-26th

Defense is probably the weakest in the AL.   Poor speed and baserunning.  Hitting is above average with above average power.   Great pitching.  Should be another good season in St. Louis.


Vancouver Canucks
Owner: skplayer07(12th season)
Last Season-74-88(4th Place)
Last 5 seasons-424-386(.523)
Payroll-$87.1m
Draft Pick-13th

Defense is one of the best in the AL.    Average speed and baserunning.  Hitting is solid with decent power.  Pitching staff looks really good, above average.   Vancouver should be right back in the thick of things this season

Interviews

I spoke with Jkenned about his first Pinetar WS victory.  Congrats on your first Pine Tar World Series victory last season. How do you feel about this years team compared to last?  His response: We are a better team to start the year than last year with a full season from Rymer Tavarez and Lonny Gonzalez in the rotation. I just hope that Darren Banks can replace the production that the Volcanoes received from Sticky Farhquar after he came over in a midseason trade. The offensive should be better this season as well with a full season of Hipoloto Arredando. With the youth and depth of the lineup and with solid production from the rotation I think this group has a shot at repeating, especially given that the other squads in the division have lost a number of key pieces since last year.

I also spoke to newcomer dlmose.  Welcome to Pine Tar dlmose! The only new owner in the American League this season. How do you feel about the franchise you have inherited, and what are your expectations for your first season here?  His response: Fresno Factoids: 7 new pos. players( 4 Rule 5's) and 8 new pithcers(1 R5) set the lofty goal of somehow winning 60 games No talent in minors but have 7 picks in first 50 in this season's draft I already drink so no worries. Me: Any comment on why you called your team the Grizzlies? dlmose:  It's the name of the Fresno minor league team. I pondered on "The Fresno Raisin Eaters" which was the 1906 team but ran out of single malt in time.

Vancouver press release: After a disappointing season Vancouver is hoping to rebound and make the playoffs this season.With the signing a true leadoff hitter in Houston Graves and addition of Apollo Fletcher to the pen the Canucks are looking like they are in good position to have good season. Look for Yoshinori Zhou to anchor the rotation and be a possible Cy Young candidate. Willie Tarasco will bat 3rd and be a beast as usual. Im expecting this to be a 90 win season or else a failure.

Predictions

A great Salem team, just got better in the off season.  There are many good teams in this division again this season, but I think Salem might be in a class of their own.  Vancouver and St. Louis seem to be pretty even in many categories, however I think St. Louis's weak defense is going to cost them a few games.  This division should still win a wildcard this season.  Fresno appears to be lacking in too many categories to compete.  I'm sure new ownership will have that team heading in the right direction before we know it.

1. Salem
2. Vancouver
3. St. Louis
4. Fresno

SEASON 29 AL SOUTH PREVIEW

SEASON 29 AL SOUTH PREVIEW

AL SOUTH

Last season New Orleans won this division pretty easily, as he was the only team to even finish over .500.  They have won the division 2 of the last 3 seasons and have 6 winning seasons in a row now.  Florida, previously in San Juan finished 2nd place.  That marked the second straight losing season for the franchise.  Just a side note, this franchise has never won the division.  Nashville finished tied for 3rd last season.  It was actually the first time in 7 seasons that they didn't finish in dead last.  Tampa Bay finished tied for third last season.  It broke a streak of 9 straight winning seasons.

New Orleans Zephyrs
Owner: Fantasy Frea(8th season)
Last Season-88-74(1st Place)
Last 5 seasons- 439-371(.542)
Payroll-$79.5m
Draft Pick-32nd

Defense is one of the strongest in the AL.  Good speed and baserunning.  Hitting is slightly below average, and their power is about average.  Probably one of the weakest pitching staffs in the league.  I don't see this team winning 88 games again this season.

Florida Retirees
Previously San Juan Pollos Hermanos
Owner: Soxfan_9(13th season)
Last Season-75-87(2nd Place)
Last 5 seasons-412-398(.509)
Payroll-$84.2m
Draft Pick-14th

Defense is slightly above average.  Good speed and baserunning.  Offense is slightly above average.with average power.  Pitching is not too impressive,  below average.  I would expect to see them finish right around the record they did last season.

Nashville Merchants
Previously Nashville Nalas
Owner:Blapo21(3rd season)
Last Season-69-93(T-3rd)
Last 5 seasons-287-523(.354)
Payroll-$56.2m
Draft Pick-6th

Defense is slightly above average.    Not very good speed and baserunning.  Their offense is probably one of the strongest in the AL.    Slightly above average power.  And their pitching is very strong.    It's about time this team finished tanking.  Should be a great season in Nashville.

Tampa Bay Thunder
Owner:rxw1(29th Season, A Pinetar original)
Last Season-69-93(T-3rd)
Last 5 seasons-434-376(.536)
Payroll-$76.1m
Draft Pick-7th 

Defense is about average.  Above average speed and baserunning.  Offense is slightly above average but they have alot of power in the lineup.  This team should score alot of runs. Pitching is slightly above average.  I don't see this team having another losing season.

Interviews:

I asked Fantasy Frea, You don't look as strong as previous seasons. Are you taking a step back this season?  His response: I didn't mean to, but I ran out of funds. I meant to decline the options on Slotnick and Stratton, but I got busy and when I finally got on it was to late.

I also spoke to Soxfan_9.  You changed cities from San Juan to Florida. What was the reasoning behind your change? His response: My team was terrible in San Juan with a team that should have competed most seasons. Just wanted a new start and Retirees seemed fitting with Florida.

I also spoke to Blapo21 about moving.  You changed your team name from the Nala's to the Merchants. Does this team name change have any meaning behind it?  His response: My favorite downtown easygoing restaurant when I'm in Nashville

Tampa Bay Press Release: Season 29 looks to be a rebuilding year for the Thunder after only their 4th losing season in team history. I like to rebuild in flight, so we will added some youth on offense by adding a great young talent in Daniel Acosta and Ron Atkins then look pickup addition players in trades & International talent. With the #7 pick in the draft and some you pitchers making their way to the show, the Thunder should be ready to reload and contend quickly.

Prediction

I believe we are about to see the changing of the guard here in the South.  With probably the best pitching staff and the best lineup, I don't see anyone beating out Nashville.   Nashville might even be good enough to compete for the AL pennant this season.   Tampa Bay has a good strong team, but not quite in the same category as Nashville.  I think the biggest question mark in this division will be who will finish in 3rd.  I go back and forth on this one, and it could go either way.  I expect these teams to finish somewhere in the 70-75 win mark.

1. Nashville
2. Tampa Bay
3.  New Orleans
4. Florida

NL South-Season 29 preview

For the second time in the past three seasons, Louisville took this division title. The 95 wins by Louisville tied a franchise best, all of which have been done by the current owner, Arfy. Even with the first round bye, they still failed to win a playoff series. Finishing in second place was Texas. Even with 90 wins, the team failed to make the post season. Houston is a team that is rebuilding, but still managed to win 81 games last season. Even while rebuilding, this franchise still competes. The franchise in Jackson has been rebuilding for the past 5 seasons now and finished in last place with just 61 wins. That happens to be the worst record for them under the current ownership.


Louisville ARF ARF ARF ARF's
owner- Arfy(13 seasons)
Season 28 record- 95-67 (NL South Champs)
Last 5 seasons- 437-373

The offense in Louisville looks about average this season. They have decent power, a few good hitters and solid batting eyes in the lineup. They also have some decent speed on the team, but most of the stolen base threats aren't very good at getting on base. The offense is middle of the pack, but an addition or two could really give them a boost. The defense is about average. They really lack a shortstop with a good glove, but what they have will do. They really have solid gloves for most positions on the diamond and I love the range this team has. This team features a really good rotation. They have 4 really good starters, a true ace and even a solid number 5 with a backup option as well. The bullpen isn't as good as the rotation, but it's not bad. This might be the best staff I've previewed so far. Louisville should end up in the post season again, and I'd be surprised if they don't at least match last seasons record. I could see them making a post season run, if not for Arfy running the team. I'm joking of course, but man does he have some bad luck in the post season.

Owners perspective- Louisville is looking at the same old song and dance. We are an aging team, especially on our pitching staff. We have 6 pitchers 35 or older. I also believe that we have the best pitching staff from top to bottom in all of the league. Our hitting shouldn't be too bad either. Decent for the regular season. Offense lacks any superstars. Probably not enough pop in the lineup for the playoffs. Will certainly need to add a piece or two if I want to get any further than usual.


Texas GalvestonWave
owner- erichanville(4 seasons)
Season 28 record- 90-72
Last 5 seasons- 398-412

I'm liking the look of the offense in Texas. They have some good power, some good hitters and guys that can get on base. They even have a couple players that can get on base and swipe a bag. I think this is an above average offense if not top 5 in the NL. Texas has an above average defense, but they could use a shortstop with a bit better glove to really give them a top defense. They have the players at key positions to field a pretty solid D. The rotation looks good, but they will likely have some control issues. The bullpen doesn't have those control issues. They are an above average group with solid depth. I think Texas can really push Louisville for the top spot in the division this season and should at least make a good run at a wild card spot. This is a 90+ win group of players.

Owners perspective- The part I like about my club is the new addition of Molina, who should give us a little more power in the lineup. My main worries will be the defense and the bottom of the rotation. If they can hold up then I might make the playoffs this season, I hope.


Houston Roughnecks
owner- bagwellbuff(7 seasons)
Season 28 record- 81-81
Last 5 seasons- 435-375

This team has a below average offense. They lack good power and don't have many hitters that can get on base at a good clip. While they do have some speed, I'm not sure those players can get on base enough to make a difference. The defense is solid all around the diamond, but I'd like to see a centerfielder with more range and a shortstop with a bit better glove. I'll put them at average due to that. The rotation features a couple nice pitchers and youngster Albert Olivo could continue to develop. The bullpen looks about average and features youngster Khiry Clark who will continue to grow as well. This pitching staff is the strength of the team. That will not be enough to move Houston up near the top of the division, but I believe that they will continue to be a competitive team this season.


Jackson Juggernauts
owner- bobbyj7(16 seasons)
Season 28 record- 61-101
Last 5 seasons- 373-437

This isn't a team with good power. They do have some good contact hitters though and a couple of guys that can get on base. I also think this team has the ability to steal a lot of bases. The offense is just below average this season. The defense really isn't very good. The shortstop has good range, but he'll make too many errors. That will be the problem at most positions. The rotation ranks in the bottom half of the league. The lack any top of the rotation type starters and are mostly a patchwork group. The bullpen is right in line with that. Overall, this is a bad pitching staff. Jackson will continue another year of rebuilding, but the offense should keep them in games. I think they'll finish real close to the same record again this season.

Owners perspective- Another rebuilding year in Jackson.


Predictions
With a couple of the teams in rebuild mode, this is a two team race for the division crown. Louisville is the reigning champ and they have the makings of a pretty good team again. I think they are one of the top few teams in the NL. Texas is pretty good as well, but I don't think they have enough to take the division. I could see them getting a wild card spot though and possibly even winning a round in the post season. Houston is rebuilding but they are still competitive and should win 70+ games this season. Jackson is the team that is the farthest off from being competitive and I think they'll finish at the bottom.

1. Louisville
2. Texas
3. Houston
4. Jackson

NL East- Season 29 preview

For just the 4th time in franchise history, Cincinnati won their division last season. That ended their 4 season playoff absence. Their 89-73 record was the worst among division winners and pitted them against a very strong Colorado Springs team. That meant an early exit for them in a 3-1 series. Philadelphia finished 2nd and well out of the playoff picture to end a 2 season playoff run for them. Wichita moved up the division ladder into 3rd, but finished with a worse record than the previous season. Jacksonville finished last and missed the post season in consecutive years for only the 2nd time in franchise history.


Cincinnati Firestorm
owner- jbburner(28 seasons)
Season 29 record- 89-73(NL East Champ)
Last 5 seasons- 404-406

Cincinnati has a below average offense. The could use some more power. The batting average for this team should be decent enough and they have some solid batting eyes to get on base. They also have a little bit of speed that will help them out. The lack of power is a killer though and especially in a park built for power hitters. The defense is pretty good and would be better if gold glove caliber shortstop Walt Phillips was a regular. This team will rank in the upper half of the league defensively. The rotation is below average and really lacks a star. Control issues will be a problem for the rotation and the bullpen this season. I doubt they can be even average this season. I'm having a hard time predicting this team to finish above .500 again. They have too many weaknesses and the only chance they have of repeating as division champs is if the rest of the division didn't improve.

Owner perspective- There is not much optimism here in Cincy. I think last year was a fluke and this year will be back to the same old sub .500 team. I did miss the early seasons stuff, but no excuses. This team will be lucky to get to .500. I think I have an average pitching staff and hitters. Will have to make moves if the Firestorm want to compete this year!


Philadelphia Moneymakers
owner- Phillies26
Season 29 record- 74-88
Last 5 seasons- 384-426

The offense in Philly does not provide much power, but they do have some really good hitters. This team also is really fast and will steal a lot of bases. I think the offense in Philadelphia is going to be really good this season and should finish in the top 5 of runs scored. The defense is looking really good also. When SS Alex Lyons is in the field, this could be one of the best defenses in the NL. The starting rotation is a weakness though. They lack an ace and have a rotation loaded with below average pitchers. The bullpen is pretty solid though and could pick them up a bit. Overall the pitching just isn't very good. This team has the offense and defense to make a serious run in the NL, but the pitching staff needs too much work. They have enough to win this division, but until the pitching staff is fixed, I'm not sure they do much more. If they don't win the division then they likely won't make the playoffs.

Owner perspective- I think my hitting and fielding will be alright. I'm still concerned about my pitching. I don't know if my starting pitching will be able to carry us. I think my bullpen is pretty strong if my setup men can hold the lead. We're still young at the setup position.


Wichita D'wArf'y Mojados
owner- jibe(5 seasons)
Season 29 record- 57-105
Last 5 seasons- 321-489

Simply put, this offense stinks. They have 1 good hitter on the team. They lack much power, and the hitting is well below average. The one thing they have is speed. That will help them some.The AAA team is better than the ML team by a lot. When those guys come up, it will be a different story in Wichita.  The defense is below average, but not by much. I think the young talent in the minors could upgrade the team here also. They do have a really good shortstop though. The rotation isn't terrible, but they are below average. They lack any top end starters. The bullpen looks the same. They have some solid bullpen arms in the minors, but I'm just not sure when the plan to bring them up is. This teams AAA team is better than the major league squad. I'm not sure when they'll make their debuts, but my guess is that it'll be soon. If not this season then for sure next season. Whenever that happens, the Mojados will become much more competitive.

Owner perspective- Things  can only get better here. After 25 games, expect to see SS/3B Bartolo Ortiz, and SP's Alejandro Andujar and Javier Beltran come up. I'm hoping for good season out of SP Rondell Collins and 3B/OF Gorkys Gonzales and much improved SS play from Rafael Santana. OF Pete O'Keefe should also help the O. Eddie Plant and Dwayne Malone should continue to progress as SP. Though Wilfredo Navarre provided surprise punch last season, that's the good news. The bad is I have less than average D in CF which will hurt my pitchers. My bullpen has to be among the worst in Pine Tar if not the worst. Overall we will be better. I will say expect between 65 and 70 wins. This team is one to look out for for many season ahead and the playoff drought should soon be ended. Pine Tar is my favorite HBD world at this point.


Jacksonville Juice
owner- greygoose123(28 seasons)
Season 29 record- 53-109
Last 5 seasons- 393-417

Jacksonville is one team in this division with some solid power. Unfortunately they lack good hitting. They have some good speed on the team and a few players that can get on base. This offense is really pretty average this season. The defense doesn't look very good. I always look at CF and SS first to judge a defense and this team lacks both. I see too many errors in this teams future. The rotation is decent, but they are led by a couple young and improving starters that will be around for a long time. The bullpen doesn't look very good though and could really hurt this team. Jacksonville is in a rebuilding phase and will likely continue to finish at the bottom of the division again this season.


Predicitions
I think it's going to be really tough for Cincinnati to take this division again. I just don't think they have the talent to compete for a division title. I really don't see them getting into the post season at all. Philadelphia is the favorite to take this division. They lack good pitching, but have championship hitting and fielding. They are a top pitching staff away from being really good. Wichita will continue to improve and will bring along a few young guys this season from the minors that should help. I see them getting better over the next few seasons, but they'll finish out of the playoffs for now. Jacksonville is expected to continue to rebuild this season and finish near the bottom if not at it.

1. Philadelphia
2. Cincinnati
3. Wichita
4. Jacksonville

National League All-Youth Team

To add to the season previews, I've put together my top team of 25 National League players currently on MLB rosters who are 25 years-old or younger.  These are based on my opinion.  If you think somebody got snubbed, feel free to discuss on the message board.

C:

Alving Torrealba (Wichita) - .286 BA, .356 OBP, 14 HR, 50 RBI, 37% CS, 4.02 ERA

Shouhei Uehara (Houston) - .263 BA, .336 OBP, 23 RBI, 41% CS, 4.21 ERA

1B:

David Uribe (Scranton) - .275 BA, .382 OBP, 53 HR, 121 RBI

Jin-Chi Yamamoto (OKC) - .267 BA, .349 OBP, 45 HR, 111 RBI, 30 SB, 13 plus plays

2B:

Eugenio Canseco (Scranton) - .284 BA, .358 OBP, 28 HR, 86 RBI in 86 games

Marcell Escobar (Jacksonville) - Rookie: S25 14th pick - great range, contact, eye, and vs.L split

SS:

Jhonny Castro (Fargo) – Rookie: S25 32nd pick - great range, arm strength, accuracy, and splits

3B:

Neal Hartzell (Albuq) – Rookie: S26 4th pick - great offensive and defensive ratings 

Vladimir Torregas (Scranton): Rookie - S25 14M IFA - great glove, arm strength, and contact

CF:

Sean King (Seattle): .288 BA, .344 OBP, 65 RBI, 37 SB, 11 plus plays, .988 FP

Cliff Gray (Jackson): 53 SB, 42 RBI, 9 plus plays

LF:

Vladimir Molina (Texas) - .277 BA, .352 OBP, 40 HR, 114 RBI, 12 plus plays

RF:

Gorkys Gonzales (Wichita) - .286 BA, .346 OBP, 35 HR, 104 RBI

Harry Pizzaro (Albuq) – Rookie: S25 7th pick - great power, splits, and eye; strong arm

DH/PH:
Erik Miller (Seattle) - .275 BA, .375 OBP, 29 HR, 87 RBI

SP:

Boone Holmes (Cincy): S28 ROY, 11-7, 3.09 ERA, 1.13 WHIP

Gustavo Santos (Scranton): 13-10, 3.74 ERA, 1.32 WHIP

Mo Lee (Col Springs): 214.2 IP, 9-11, 3.48 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, .238 OAV

Rondell Collins (Wichita): Rookie - S24 5th pick - great control, velocity, and L/R splits

Willie Barrios (OKC): 7-4, 2.62 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, .230 OAV

Ray Henry (Jacksonville): 203 IP, 10-11, 3.50 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, .233 OAV

RP:

Vin Baker (Jackson): 3.59 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, .232 OAV, 100.1 IP

Albert Olivo (Houston): Rookie - S26 30M IFA - great control, velocity, L/R splits, and Gb/Fb

Rob Hermeida (Col Springs): 5-2, 3.09 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, .232 OAV
Yannick Truby (Philly): 4.83 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 87 IP, outstanding splits

NL North Season 29 preview

The North was a really competitive division last season. They had 3 teams with winning records and first place was decided by just 2 games. The franchise in Scranton won their first division title since season 20 and then went on to win the NL championship. They did all of that after finishing in last place the previous five seasons. Even with the division producing 3 really good teams, Scranton was the only one to make the post season.

Scranton Red Barons
Owner- reggie988(6 seasons)
Season 28 record- 92-70(NL North Champs, NL Champs)
Last 5 seasons- 377-433

Offensively, Scranton features one of the most powerful lineups in the NL. Mix that with some really good hitting and the ability to draw a walk, and this may end up being the top offense in the league. The defense looks solid, but they aren't any better than average. One weakness this team has is the starting rotation. They have just 3 starters that I think are good, but only 1 of them is great. The bullpen more than makes up for that weakness though. Scranton has a very deep bullpen that will bail out the starters and preserve victories. Scranton is looking poised to make another run at an NL championship and that means they should finish at the top of this division again.

Owners perspective: I feel pretty good about my team going into the season. Last season's run to the WS was a surprise, as I though I was another year out from real contention, but most of my pieces are now in place. The rotation is strong, and I still have a couple of good young guys in the minors who will soon be banging on the door. Same with a couple of position players. My only concerns are that my bullpen depth isn't quite where I'd like it, and my defense up the middle is average at best.


Fargo Wood Chippers
Owner- Starbuckdc(28 seasons)
Season 28 record- 90-72
Last 5 seasons- 440-370

The franchise in Fargo features a good offense. They have good power, but the overall hitting abilities hold them back some, and really did last season. They have a few good on base guys, but the overall hitting eyes on the team are a bit low. The defense is just average, but they do have some depth. Shortstop is a cause for concern, but they have a defensive replacement that is really good. When he's in the game the defense becomes really good. The rotation is this teams strength. They have 3 really good starters and a couple of solid back end of the rotation pitchers. The bullpen is a bit below average though. This team should make a run for the division title, but I don't think they are going to overtake Scranton. I could see them winning close to 90 games again and that could get them into the playoffs.


Toronto Phantoms
Owner- sgmedia
Season 28 record- 85-77
Last 5 seasons- 431-379

Toronto's offense is loaded with power. That is pretty much it though. The overall hitting and batting eyes on this team are below average. This team is going to be about average offensively this season. Defense is a real strength for this club. They have 3 potential shortstops and could put out a lineup that is loaded with defensive specialist. They could have the best defense in the league. The rotation is really weak for Toronto. Even the good starters have low stamina. The bullpen is looking pretty good though and could make a difference. I think Toronto will be a good team this season and could even push for 90 wins. I don't think they can take the division from Scranton though. I wouldn't be surprised to find them in the post season.

Owner perspective: I'm not going to quote sg on this one because he went really in depth, so I'll give sg's overall perspective.  Overall Outlook: With a new owner usually comes sweeping changes, but in this case a good nucleus was left behind. Some work went into tweaking the roster with JA Stanley and Alex Suzuki both testing the FA market, but once both of those players were back in the fold the overall picture began to unfold. Lots of work put into solidifying an already decent pitching staff. Hoping to contend for the division.


Iowa City Hawkeyes
Owner- tk21775(13 seasons)
Season 28 record- 62-100
Last 5 seasons- 431-379

This may be no surprise for most of you, but this team is rebuilding. In case you missed the many league chat messages, tk21775 is a seller. The offense still has a few good pieces you could possibly get for a really good prospect. Overall though, it's a bad offense. If you take away those couple of players then it's going to get really tough for this team. Defensively this is a really good team though. They have some really good defensive player and if all of them are in the lineup then there won't be many balls dropping in. I'd say they are among the NL's best. The rotation is solid. If anything will keep this team competitive it'll be the defense and rotation. The bullpen is solid as well. Believe it or not, I can see this team putting together a 70+ win seasons. While they aren't good, I've seen much worse and this team has solid pitching and great defense which will make it tough for teams to score.

Owner perspective: Looking forward to the preview, Iowa City rebuilding this season, thought we did fairly well restocking our pitching depth in the minors but looking to add a few prospects through the draft and int'l this season and next.


Predictions
I think it's going to be tough for any of the teams in this division to knock off the reigning NL champs. Scranton should win the division again and could even win the NL again. They are going to be really tough this season. Fargo is a good team and should find a way into the post season. Toronto is maybe a notch below Fargo, but if things go right, they could end up making a push at the top of the division. I just don't see them taking the division though, but they could also find a way into the post season. Iowa City is clearly rebuilding, but they aren't a bad team.

1. Scranton
2. Fargo
3. Toronto
4. Iowa City

SEASON 29 AL EAST PREVIEW

SEASON 29 AL EAST PREVIEW

AL EAST
Last season Boston ran away with the American League.  And then got beat in the first round.   First off, I just have to say.  I know how it feels.   Brutal.  Moving on though, it was Boston's 4th straight playoff appearance, and have made the playoffs 6 of their last 7 seasons.  Durham just missed out on the playoffs, which is a tough pill to swallow for a team that won 87 games.    On another note, that was Durham's 10th straight winning season.  Indianapolis, although they only won 74 games seems to be heading in the right direction as they posted their best record in the franchise's last 7 seasons.  And Rochester rounded out the bottom losing 100 games.  Rochester appears to be having an identity crisis as that team won 98 games, just two seasons ago.

Boston Pilgrims
Owner: kjmulli(15th season)
Last season-104-58(1st Place)
Last 5 seasons-490-320(.605)
Payroll-$107.4m
Draft Pick-33rd

Great defense.  Very strong speed and base running.  Offense appears about average, but really lack power.   Had the best OBP in AL last season.   There pitching is very strong however.  Last season  Boston posted the best WHIP in the AL.  I don't anticipate another 100 win season in Boston.

Durham Doormats
Owner-Alogman1(20th season)
Last Season-87-75(2nd Place)
Last 5 seasons-463-347(.572)
Payroll-$101m
Draft Pick-18th

Above average defense.  Below average speed and baserunning.    Average hitters with above average power.  Durham had the highest AVG and SLG last season.    A strong pitching staff.  Should be right about on par for another 87 win season.

Indianapolis Valhalla Varauders
Owner-qtip32(5th season in Indy, and 17th season in Pinetar)
Last Season-74-88(3rd Place)
Last 5 seasons-293-517(.362)
Payroll-$42.1m
Draft Pick-11th

Average defense.  Good speed and baserunning.  Offense might be the weakest in the American Leauge with no power.    Pitching is very weak.  It's going to be a long season in Indy.

Rochester Retards
Owner-wylie715(9th season)
Last season-62-100(4th Place)
Last 5 seasons-407-403(.502)
Draft Pick-5th

Defense is slightly below average.  Average speed and baserunning.  Offense is very weak, they might make up for some of it with average power.  Pitching is below average.    Not a good outlook for the Retards.

Interviews

Rochester Press Release: there's very little I like about my team, and a lot I don't like. we suck!

Boston Press Release: Got the back to back AL Cy Young award winner in Moises Olmedo. Added a big bat in the offseason in Boone Brow to go with Vinny Hill and Matt Jaha in the middle of the order.  Honestly, if I don't score 1,000 runs with this lineup I will be disappointed. Still have arguably the best bullpen in the world. Ready to win 100+ games and lose in the ALDS again! Haha

Predictions

I think it will be a close race between Durham and Boston this season.  Maybe within a game or two.   I believe the wildcard will come from this division as well.   Indianapolis and Rochester  are lacking too much to compete for the division.  I think it will be a good race between 3rd and 4th place though.

1. Durham
2. Boston
3. Rochester
4. Indianapolis

SEASON 29 AL NORTH PREVIEW

SEASON 29 AL NORTH PREVIEW

AL NORTH

Dover won this division for the seventh straight time last season.  Also marking their 11th straight winning season.  All of them have been under the management of tmfran.  New York had a good season, but came up short from making the playoffs for the 11th straight season.   Milwaukee showed signs of improvement this season, but also missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season.  And Kansas City rounded out the bottom, missing the playoffs for the 7th straight season.  It looks like you either win the division or go home.

Dover Dinklebergs
Owner: tmfran(12th Season)
Last Season- 88-74 (1st Place)
Last 5 seasons- 472-338(.583)
Payroll-$98.2m
Draft Pick-21st

Great defense.  Maybe the tops in the American League.  Team really is was one of the weakest as far as speed and baserunning goes.  Hitting is  below average with not much power.    And their pitching staff is one of the weakest in the American League.   I anticipate a large dropoff in Dover this season.


New York Damage Controllers
Owner-Skuff730(10th Season)
Last Season-83-79(2nd Place)
Last 5 seasons-391-419(.483)
Payroll-$91.1m
Draft Pick-16th

Defense is slightly under average.  Probably one of the best teams for speed and baserunning.  Their offense looks very very strong.  Yes, I used to very's.    Might be the tops in the American Leauge.  They also have very  good power.  Only one very this time, but certainly not to be overlooked.  And then we get to their pitching and it seems about an average pitching staff.  In fact, last season New York was dead last in Quality Starts with only a total of 10 for the season.  Should be a good season overall in New York.

Milwaukee Magnitude
Owner-Horvie78(4th Season)
Last Season-72-90(3rd Place)
Last 5 seasons-367-443(.453)
Payroll-$57.5m
Draft Pick-9th

Defense is about average.  Good speed and base running.  Their offense is really lacking, and don't have very much power to go with it.    They have vastly improved their pitching staff this season.  One of the strongest in the American League.  I'm guessing they come up just shy of the .500 mark.

Kansas City Yardbirds
Owner-Holleybard(3rd Season)
Last Season-71-91(4th Place)
Last 5 seasons-326-484(.402)
Payroll-$66.3m
Draft Pick-8th

Defense is the weakest in the American League..   Below average speed and base running.   One of the weakest hitting teams in the AL, with no power at all.   Last season finished at the bottom in OBP SLG, and HR.   Pitching is below average.  Another long season in Kansas City.

Interviews

Tmfran is obviously one of the best coaches in this game.  As shown by his 11 straight winning seasons.  But his talent level seems to be slipping.  I asked tmfran, "You don't look as strong as previous season.  Are you taking a step back?"  He responded, "maybe, but I'm not ready to turn over the division just yet."

Milwaukee Press release:  I think we will be a .500 ballclub. There are a lot of average players,  but no real all-stars. I believe that my relief pitching and my fielding are at least average. My starting pitching is probably a bit below average, and my hitting is definitely below average. Osoria, Shelby, and Martin have good speed.  I really wanted to sign CF King Ashburn but was beaten out by Philly. The top newcomers are Lee Coveleski (free agent SP) and rookie John Martin (LF - trade from Iowa). RP Ben Boyer has the best shot at being an all-star selection.

Kasnas City Press release: The good stuff: I like that I've started to build the foundation for my kind of team. Hugh Paterson is a terrific talent who does a little bit of everything well. I always think of the old KC Royals (George Brett, Hal McRae, Willie Wilson, etc.) being that way, and that's sort of the model I have for the Yardbirds. When your team is a total renovation job like the one I inherited, the mission is simple: acquire as much talent as you can without sabotaging the farm. I had ZERO pitching, so I was determined to get my man Sticky in FA. He's just one good pitcher, so he can't come close to solving all our problems. But he does give me an anchor,and it's up to me to find at least 2 more reliable starters that will keep me competitive. I paid a ton for Sticky, but the only tax, so to speak, was money: I still retain my draft pick, number 8, which should bring me another pillar-type player. I also took a big chance with Olmedo Johnson in FA. He's banged up and will miss my first round of divisional games, but I liked his price...and I feel with max training and medical, he'll return to approximate the player he was at his peak. We'll see. When you've got a talent deficit like us, you have to take some calculated risks. Bottom line? I need pitching. Lots of it. I think I can hang around for a while and make things interesting. Ultimately, I don't have enough to mix it up in the playoffs. I'm totally enjoying the journey, though. And when I do have success in this world, it would mean something because I have so much respect for the way business is handled here.

Predictions

Tmfran is really going to have to make some magic to win this division again.  I think this is finally going to be New York's season to take the division.  Milwaukee improved pitching staff might be enough to take the second spot, it will close with Dover.  And sadly I think Kansas City is missing too much across the board.

1. New York
2. Milwaukee
3. Dover
4. Kansas City