S32 PRESEASON PREVIEWS AL NORTH

The AL North was a runaway division as Milwaukee was the only team to finish over .500, and ran away with the division by 21 games.  Milwaukee won the division for a third straight season.  He eventually lost in the ALCS to Salem 4 games to 2.   Kansas City placed in second winning 76 games, but placing under .500 for the fourth straight season.  New York placed third in the division, winning their lowest amount of games in the last 7 seasons.  And Dover finished in last place for the third straight season.

I ranked all teams in each category.  The AL teams are ranked separately from the NL teams.  16 teams obviously in each league.


Dover Dinklebergs
Owner: Tmfran(15th season)

Offense- 16th

Pitching- 16th
Starters-16th
Relief-10th

Defense-10th

New York Damage Controllers
Owner:Skuff730(13th season)

Offense-14th

Pitching-12th
Starters-9th
Relief-12th

Defense-8th

Press release- If I can get to 82-80, then it was a successful season as we try to regroup.


Milwaukee Magnitude
Owner: Horvie78(7th season)

Offense-5th

Pitching-3rd
Starters-3rd
Relief-3rd

Defense-4th

Press release- I'm expecting to win 95-100 games this season. We didn't lose any key pieces and added former Cy Young winning SP Julio Valdivia, RP Apollo Fletcher, 3B Buddy Berry, and rookie DH Vince Tollberg. The bullpen will be a major strength, but
they will be pitching everyday b/c there are no starters with high stamina. The offense should be about the same as last season. I don't expect MVP Zip Sullivan to have as good of a year as the past two, but Benito Rodriguez can't be any worse than he was last season. Our fielding is lacking good range in a few positions, but hopefully we have the glove ratings to make up for it. I am nervous about the health of this team, as we have some key contributors with health ratings in the 50-70 range.

Kansas City Yardbirds
Owner: Holleybard(6th season)

Offense-11th

Pitching-15th
Starters-14th
Relief-15th

Defense-5th

Press release- The Yardbirds will be really good....next year. We're talented and very young. I can see a 72-90 finish, with a late push to crack the 70 win mark.

Prediction

I don't see a whole lot changing this season at the top.  Milwaukee is clearly the best team in the division by a  long ways.  They should challenge for the AL pennant again this season.    Kansas City and New York should race back and forth twenty or so games out again.  I gave Kansas City the nudge, because I think their defense is a little bit better.  Dover should finish at the bottom again as they are still in a rebuilding process.



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

Your Win/Loss Predictions(by you) - Season 32

NL

North
Scranton Red Barons       95-67
Wichita Tornados            83-79
Iowa City Hawkeyes       81-81
New York Highlanders    72-90


East
San Juan Dw'Arfy Mojados  96-66
Jacksonville Juice                 81-81
Cincinnati Firestorm             76-86
Philadelphia Moneymakers    70-92

South
Houston Roughnecks                      85-77
Louisville ARF ARF ARF ARF's    84-78
Texas Galveston Wave                   82-80
Jackson Juggernauts                        80-82


West
Seattle Strikers                            95-67
Oklahoma City Prairie Dogs        90-72
Albuquerque Komodo Dragons   86-76
Colorado Springs Sky Sox          64-98


AL

North
Milwaukee Magnitude                    97-65
Dover Dinklebergs                         -------
New York Damage Controllers      82-80
Kansas City Yardbirds                   72-90

East
Boston Pilgrims                     95-67
Chicago Thugs                      86-76
Rochester Renagades            81-81
Durham Doormats                 76-86


South
Nashville Merchants            102-60
Tampa Bay Thunder            81-81
El Paso Arfydillos                --------
Huntington Drunkin' BArfys  70-92

West
Anaheim Skywalkers 97-65
St. Louis Arch Angels  ------
Omaha Oracles            84-78
Salem Volcanoes         -------

S31 NL Playoff Capsules

click on this link to view AL Playoff Capsules

#4 Wichita DwArf'y Mojados (87-75) vs. #5 Albuquerque Komodo Dragons (91-71)
Season Series: Wichita won 6-4

Wichita		Albuquerque
Owner: jibe		Owner: csudak
Recent Playoff Appearances		Recent Playoff Appearances
S30: #6 Seed - Lost in DCS		S30: #5 Seed - Lost in World Series
S29: #4 Seed - Lost in NLCS		S29: no appearance
NL Team Rankings		NL Team Rankings
Runs Scored: 719 (7th)		Runs Scored: 901 (1st)
Team ERA: 3.61 (5th)		Team ERA: 4.37 (13th)
Fielding %: .984 (7th)		Fielding %: .983 (10th)
Award Nominees/All-Stars		Award Nominees/All-Stars
1B - Eli Cruz: MVP Finalist, Silver Slugger, All-Star		3B - Ernesto Mendez: Gold Glove
P - Juan Sierra: Cy Young Finalist, Fireman of Year, All-Star		C - Sean Cousins: All-Star
SS - Bartolo Ortiz: Silver Slugger, All-Star		2B - Terry Holmes: All-Star
LF - Tony Caballero: Silver Slugger, All-Star		SS - Neal Hartzell: All-Star
		CF - Vicente Palmiero: All-Star
		RF - Harry Pizzaro: All-Star

Winner Faces #1 Seattle Strikers (106-56)

Season Series: Tied Wichita 5-5, Beat Albuquerque 6-4

Seattle

Owner: ghutton9

Recent Playoff Appearances

S30: #1 Seed - Lost in DCS

S29: #1 Seed - Lost in DCS

NL Team Rankings

Runs Scored: 777 (3rd)

Team ERA: 2.74 (1st)

Fielding %: .987 (4th)

Award Nominees/All-Stars

1B - Gus Justice: MVP Finalist, All-Star

P - Brendan Taylor: Cy Young Finalist, All-Star

P - Benny Villano: Cy Young Finalist, All-Star

P - Tim Daubach: Cy Young Finalist, All-Star

CF - Sean King: Gold Glove

P - Clyde Meusel: All-Star

P - Vinny Napoli: All-Star

C - Salvador Gallardo: All-Star

#3 Texas Galveston Wave (96-66) vs. #6 Oklahoma City Prairie Dogs (85-77)

Season Series: Oklahoma City won 7-3

Texas		Oklahoma City
Owner: erichanville		Owner: brentcnb
Recent Playoff Appearances		Recent Playoff Appearances
S30: no appearance		S30: no appearance
S29: #5 Seed - Lost in DPIS		S29: no appearance
NL Team Rankings		NL Team Rankings
Runs Scored: 763 (4th)		Runs Scored: 683 (8th)
Team ERA: 3.39 (3rd)		Team ERA: 3.71 (6th)
Fielding %: .986 (6th)		Fielding %: .982 (13th)
Award Nominees/All-Stars		Award Nominees/All-Stars
P - Kiko Hanrahan: Cy Young Finalist, All-Star		1B - Jin-Chi Yamamoto: MVP Finalist
RF - Alan Wilson: Silver Slugger, All-Star		P - Erik Zaun: ROY Finalist
3B - Jake Ashley: All-Star		CF - Russell Rucker: ROY Finalist, Gold Glove

Winner Faces #2 Scranton Red Barons (97-65)

Season Series: Tied Texas 5-5, Tied Oklahoma City 5-5

Scranton

Owner: reggie988

Recent Playoff Appearances

S30: #2 Seed - Lost in NLCS

S29: #3 Seed - Won World Series

NL Team Rankings

Runs Scored: 758 (5th)

Team ERA: 3.34 (2nd)

Fielding %: .984 (8th)

Award Nominees/All-Stars

P - Eric Bradley: Silver Slugger

2B - Eugenio Canseco: Silver Slugger, All-Star

P - Mitch Mota: All-Star

P - Babe Conroy: All-Star

P - Alfonso Puig: All-Star

LF - F.P. Gentry: All-Star

S31 AL Playoff Capsules

click on this link to view NL Playoff Capsules

#4 Boston Pilgrims (90-72) vs. #5 Vancouver Canucks (95-67)
Season Series: Vancouver won 6-4

Boston		Vancouver
Owner: kjmulli		Owner: skplayer07
Recent Playoff Appearances		Recent Playoff Appearances
S30: #3 Seed - Lost in DPIS		S30: #5 Seed - Lost in DCS
S29: #2 Seed - Lost in DCS		S29: #6 Seed - Lost in World Series
AL Team Rankings		AL Team Rankings
Runs Scored: 879 (4th)		Runs Scored: 909 (2nd)
Team ERA: 4.31 (4th)		Team ERA: 4.21 (3rd)
Fielding %: .988 (3rd)		Fielding %: .983 (9th)
Award Nominees/All-Stars		Award Nominees/All-Stars
SS - Miguel Garces: Gold Glove		1B - Bo Long: MVP Finalist
P - Moises Olmedo: All-Star		P - Rock Randall: Cy Young Finalist & All-Star
DH - Matt Jaha: All-Star		P - Yoshinori Zhou: All-Star

Winner Faces #1 Salem Volcanoes (110-52)
Season Series: Beat Vancouver 7-3, Tied Boston 5-5

Salem

Owner: jkenned

Recent Playoff Appearances

S30: #1 Seed - Won World Series

S29: #1 Seed - Lost in ALCS

AL Team Rankings

Runs Scored: 881 (3rd)

Team ERA: 3.31 (1st)

Fielding %: .990 (1st)

Award Nominees/All-Stars

P - Lonny Gonzalez: Cy Young Finalist & All-Star

P - Rymer Tavarez: Cy Young Finalist

1B - Brian Woolf: ROY Finalist

P - Jose Marquez: All-Star

C - Harry Gibson: All-Star

3B - Cristobal Izquierdo: All-Star

RF - Avisail Martin: All-Star #3 Nashville Merchants (97-65) vs. #6 Durham Doormats (85-77) Season Series: Nashville won 6-4 Nashville Durham Owner: blapo21 Owner: alogman1 Recent Playoff Appearances Recent Playoff Appearances S30: #2 Seed - Lost in DCS S30: no appearance S29: #3 Seed - Lost in DPIS S29: #5 Seed - Lost in DPIS AL Team Rankings AL Team Rankings Runs Scored: 974 (1st) Runs Scored: 869 (6th) Team ERA: 4.37 (6th) Team ERA: 4.97 (12th) Fielding %: .983 (10th) Fielding %: .983 (11th) Award Nominees/All-Stars Award Nominees/All-Stars 3B - Wendell Werth: MVP Finalist, Silver Slugger, All-Star 1B - Harley Rose: ROY Finalist P - Alex James: Cy Young Finalist, Fireman of Year, All-Star C - Bengie Trajano: Silver Slugger, All-Star 1B - Angel De La Rosa: ROY Finalist P - Matty Bennett: All-Star 2B - Abraham Logan: ROY Finalist DH - Phil Yamamoto: Silver Slugger P - Lariel Osuna: Gold Glove Winner Faces #2 Milwaukee Magnitude (97-65) Season Series: Beat Nashville 6-4, Beat Durham 6-4 Milwaukee Owner: horvie78 Recent Playoff Appearances S30: #4 Seed - Lost in DPIS S29: #4 Seed - Lost in DCS AL Team Rankings Runs Scored: 868 (7th) Team ERA: 4.11 (2nd) Fielding %: .989 (2nd) Award Nominees/All-Stars 2B - Zip Sullivan: MVP Finalist, Silver Slugger, All-Star 1B - Michael Chong: Gold Glove P - Tex Wagner: All-Star