After years of mediocrity and unfulfilled promise, the Bedford Crunch stepped it up last year to clinch the wildcard and their first playoff appearance. Now, as the division is reaching greater parity, it may be their shot at surpassing Halifax and winning their first division title. The off season wasn't terribly busy, so the same team that won 94 games returns for '09. It seems the Crunch have finally figured out how to hit and pitch at the same time, perhaps finally acclimating themselves to their new stadium.  

Mostly paid the bucks to keep their own free agents in Bedford Blue. Ichiro got a healthy (and much deserved) pay raise, as he was one of the big catalysts for Bedford's success a year ago. GM Richard Gin surprised many around the league when he introduced LHP Oliver Perez for auction, as Perez wasn't even on a roster at season's end in 2008. Could he have been the signing of the off season? Spring training numbers say he may have been. The only other significant addition was LF Wily Mo Pena, an outfielder who finally lived up to his potential last year in Havana.

Offense:

As mentioned above, this lineup is almost identical to last year's playoff team with the exception of Pena. No player had 35 HR or 100 RBI last year, though four had 27+ HR and five 80+ RBI. In other words, the production is more evenly distributed 1-8 than many teams built on the "three bangers in the middle" philosophy. Ichiro is back leading off, bringing his high average and truckload of extra base hits to kick start the offense on a daily basis. Eric Chavez, if healthy, could win the MVP award, while David Ortiz looks to lead the team in power numbers. It's nice to have players the quality of Vidro and Hernandez batting low in the order, especially considering that they are highly productive for their respective positions on the field. 

Pitching:

The Crunch pitching rotation bragged five 10+ game winners last year, though their high man in wins (Rich Harden with 17) is now playing in Baltimore. Still, the team comes back with Lohse, Oswalt, Nathan, and the surprising William Bray. Bray was in the race for RPOY last year before tiring late in August and September. Hopefully for Bedford, he won't suffer the same type of sophomore slump as Jeff Niemann and Jeremy Sowers. Oliver Perez, whose career record is 32-41, looked awesome in spring camp, but is that to be believed? The bullpen is full of no-names, but could be very effective. It's probably too much to ask to have Luis Vizcaino post a 1.23 ERA again, so his role as a closer will be put to the test this year.  

Man on the Spot:

Oliver Perez, who could be one of those spring training teases who doesn't pan out in the regular season. Don't expect him to replace all 17 or Harden's wins. 

I think things are sort of settling into place for this to be a big year for the Crunch—maybe even the year if they can get past whoever the Euro Division puts into the playoffs.  Richard Gin has slowly built the team to fit the realities of Bedford—better to have speed and contact than power, pitchers seem incapable of failure, so gamble on guys other owners won’t take.  Last year’s best in the League home record of 57-24 is evidence of good planning.  Oliver Perez looks like a good fit and Wily Mo Pena is perfect for this team.  I’m not sure the bullpen is up to the job, so they may be in the reliever scramble if they are competing at the trade deadline.

Off Season Analysis:

Lost Harden and got Oliver Perez which looks like a wash or even an improvement.  Probably will feel the sting of losing Nomar as he was a huge plus for this team after they traded for him last year.  Wily Mo Pena exploded onto the scene last year in Havana and could be a great addition if he can do another 30/30 year.

Offense:

I have to say, I really like this offense.  Full of good athletes like Ichiro, Bradley, Pena—they get the merry-go-round going and move runners around.  There’s no real “weak” spot, as 8^th hitter Ramon Hernandez had an .895 OPS last year.  Can Wily Mo Pena repeat his 2008 season hitting .308 with 30 HR and 40 SB?  Is David Ortiz starting to slow down and will he hit into too many DPs?  Some questions, sure, but this is serious offense, don’t let the Bedford effect fool you.  Watch Eric Chavez closely.  He had 66 2B in 140 games last year and is really putting up some MVP numbers.

Pitching:

I’m not sure what they’d do on my team, but I think the starting rotation here looks ready to put up some winning records.  Guys like Joe Nathan and Oliver Perez benefit tremendously from having a few HRs turned into long outs in Bedford and both should thrive here.  Nathan went 13-8 with a 2.90 ERA last year after being run off basically every other team in the league.  Rich Harden led the team in wins with 17, but somehow I don’t think his loss will mean that much.  Oswalt is up for FA, so he’s probably going to kick it up a notch.  The pen, outside of Vizcaino, who is in the WTF category after his 1.23 ERA last year came from nowhere, is pretty shaky.  Even with the Bedford effect, they could need some help via the trade market for this team to hold onto slim leads.

Man on the Spot:

I’m going to go with Bobby Crosby.  He had a great spring and if he hits anywhere near .300, this offense could be impressive.  But if he hits under .250, Bedford will want to move Vidro up and/or look for another option at SS.

Cleveland, meet your 2009 Dawgs! If you tried calling GM Mike McAvoy this off season, you probably got a busy signal. Burdened with a huge luxury tax hit, McAvoy was forced to completely blow up and rebuild his team on the cheap, making this the busiest winter an SLB team has ever seen. Seventeen new faces on the 25-man roster alone! These players are going to need nametags for the first month of the season just to figure out who is who after this unprecedented turnover (and I though Havana was going to be bad!) Has building a team on a budget meant that the team is going to be terrible? Not at all, though with so many new faces, it's hard to gauge how they will do compared to an exciting 85 win season a year ago.

Where to begin? The ENTIRE starting lineup is new, as well as seven of the eleven members of the pitching staff. How do you even start to sort through all this activity? Well the team bought out seven big contracts to free up some cash, then went to town, grabbing some guys for super cheap deals while trying to field a team. A few trades this spring helped shore up the pen and make up (in part) for the losses of guys like Helton, Wilson and Drew.

Offense:

Tike, meet Justin. Geoff, meet Jose. Ahh, team chemistry is overrated anyways, right? Despite all the new faces, the lineup isn't that bad. Tike Redman has had some surprisingly good career numbers in limited playing time and could be a great leadoff guy. Reyes and Everett are two more speedsters who could add some excitement, while Geoff Jenkins comes over from Bedford to provide some pop. Should be interesting to see how Justin Morneau does. He was good for Atlanta, but is he worthy of cleaning up? You'll take what you can get out of Cuddyer and Matheny, though you would like one or the other to be better.

Pitching:

If you go on the assumption that Verlander and Ridener are as good as their rookie numbers show, the rotation isn't too shabby. Mike Hampton was a great pickup this spring (at the very low cost of Grady Sizemore) and could relish his chance to play for a new team. Brad Radke had a great spring, but has been notoriously bad, and it's anyone's guess how good Kawabata will be. The bullpen is 100% new (big surprise), but some great names in there like Benitez, Urbina and Lopez. Can Don Drysden find the magic in northern Ohio? 

Man on the Spot:

We'll go with two. First, Justin Morneau needs to prove that he wasn't just the best player on a sucky team last year. Second, Eric Valent needs to prove that his numbers weren't a result of that magic Parisian water over in France. 

I’m not sure I fully understand what Mike McAvoy is up to, but it seems something like building around the young starters Verlander, Ridener and Kawabata while cutting everybody else free.  It might make more sense to me if they’d spent some big cash to land a couple big time hitters like A-Rod, Delgado, Nomar, etc. but they blew 15mil on Reyes, Morneau and Valent, which isn’t the trio I’d build an offense around.  But, heck, if there’s a team that’s likely to really make me look bad, this is probably it.  They have a solid rotation, adding Hampton in a late trade and what could be an above average bullpen.  If they put runs across the plate, they could surprise us.  Even if they can’t contend, a point of pride might be if they can finish better than a bunch of teams  record wise with less on the payroll.

Off Season Analysis:

Thanks to going way over the cap last year with the Colon trade in hopes of getting the Wild Card, Cleveland was financially in dire shape.  Thus, they let most of the big names go.  Still, McAvoy picked up some bargains like Strickland and Restovich and then made some savvy trades to add Hampton, Jenkins, Benitez, Drysden and Urbina.  Given what he had to work with, I think it was a bravo job.

Offense:

It’s superstar free—unless you count Jenkins in that category—and there are some guys like Tike Redman and Michael Cuddyer that have yet to prove they can hit a lick.  So, it’s possible this will be the worst offense in the league.  It’s really hard to conceive they’d be as good as last year where you had Drew, Rolen, Estrada, Preston Wilson, Corey Patterson, Helton and Sizemore.  But, this is a blank sheet and it’s hard to predict how this bunch will “script” together.  Morneau played well on Atlanta, hitting .292 with almost 100 RBI and Valent and Restovich have done fine in bit roles for the Pimps.  Maybe good, probably not.

Pitching:

With the exception of Brad Radke, whose career 21-68 record speaks for itself, this is probably the best “bang for the buck” staff in SLB.  All are pretty cheap and with ROY Verlander and last year’s first half surprise Eric Ridener joined by 2^nd year Japanese star Tadeshi Kawabata, they should be a middle of the league ERA staff or better at less cost than many teams pay for their ace alone.  Jeremy Sowers had one of the all time Sophomore slumps last year after winning the 2007 ROY award for the Dawgs, so they gotta pray that Verlander and Ridener don’t follow suit or this will be a painful year.  Ridener’s ERA ballooned to 4.76 toward the end of last year, mostly due to control problems that he hopefully worked out in the off season.  But, you add in Hampton, who I’m a big fan of, and you do have a team that could lead the league in walks—not a good thing.  Half the pen (Drysden, Aquilino and Strickland) were part of the Evzones’ pen last year, which isn’t comforting, but with Urbina and Benitez in the mix, they actually could be pretty good—and truth be told, Drysden and Strickland seem to be working out well so far as Dawgs.

Man on the Spot:

I’m going with Kawabata.  He looked like the next Kaz Sasaki when he first got called up last year, blowing everybody away.  But then the league figured his stuff out and started teeing off on him.  Seemed like they still had him pegged this spring, so it’s pretty iffy whether he’s going to be a big part of this team’s future or not.

Could this be the year that breaks Halifax's streak of division titles? Despite a large payroll, the team just doesn't look as good on paper as they have in years past. A quick look at the off season transactions shows that the Sailors have lost more than they have gained, and with some big losses to the pitching staff, the team might not make the post season at all. It's tough to count the team out though, and with Lars Cain still at the helm, losing won't be an option. That said, I'm just not convinced this year.

Added a few big free agent names, including hard-luck fireballer Bartolo Colon and "new year, new team" Ivan Rodriguez behind the plate. Beyond that, most money was spent retaining players like Choi, Looper and Garland and adding cheap bullpen help like Brazelton. One trade netted Halifax Josh Barfield, a second baseman who seemed to have hit his ceiling in Baltimore. The bullpen losses were heavy, and while Colon was brought on board, two big starters were lost. 

Offense:

Not bad overall, but not ranked amongst the elite in the league. Tejada, Andruw Jones and Prince Fielder are called upon to bear much of the load in offensive production, with multiple platoons in other positions in the lineup. Orlando Cabrera isn't your prototype leadoff man, though his average was good and his extra base hits "Ichiro-like" last year. This lineup is very similar to Bedford's, with no true 40 HR, 120 RBI man anywhere on the roster. Have Fielder and Delmon Young reached their potentials? I think management was hoping that one of these rotund sluggers would be the next David Ortiz. As it stands, Fielder is closer to stardom than Young, who has been stuck going on and off the bench for much of his young career. 

Pitching:

This staff may be the Achilles Heel of Halifax this year. Brandon Webb and Javier Vazquez are now playing elsewhere, forcing Cain to insert Adam Wainwright and Jon Garland into a weakened starting rotation. Colon/Halladay/Morris should be as solid as ever, and Colon could be outstanding if he gets even 4 runs a game of support (something he's lacked for the past 2 seasons).  The bullpen is suspect, with the losses of Rivera, Wunsch and Lopez weighing heavy. We know the cold air in Nova Scotia can work wonders on mediocre pitchers, but making successes out of Victor Alvarez or Jon Garland may be asking too much. 

Man on the Spot:

Adam Wainwright had a decent season last year ( 14-8, 4.01), but he needs to match or improve on those numbers this year as the #4 starter.

After the initial season in the cellar, Halifax has done nothing but win division titles.  But, those young guys on the arbitration scale are all coming due, so it may be time to move to the next Five Year Plan.  I doubt if Halifax misses the playoffs this year they miss it by much, but the losses of Vasquez, Webb, Mariano Rivera—they add up.  I wonder, too, if the season doesn’t start out so well if Lars Cain might just go into “dump it” mode and unload guys like Colon, Morris, and Dotel to see what he can do in terms of repeating his first masterpiece of team construction.

Off Season Analysis:

The Sailors had to shell out big time to keep some guys like Choi and Looper who’d been cheap the year before.  They didn’t put up much of a fight to keep Brandon Webb and Javier Vasquez, which might piss a few fans off.  Bartolo Colon might make them forget that.  I like the trade to add Barfield, who could be a nice fit here, much like Soriano was once.  So far Jon Garland looks like an “oops.”

Offense:

Believe it or not, the Sailors had the lowest team BA last year, .255, below even Atlanta’s .257.  Somehow they still managed to finish 6^th in runs scored, but still, I was shocked the team with the worst BA could make the playoffs.  It has to be cause for concern here.  Halifax still has a couple of guys like Choi and Tejada that are among the best at their position, but otherwise, it’s a pretty average bunch.  Average is okay if you lead the league in ERA, I guess, but on the other hand, it isn’t hard to see why they exited early in the playoffs and this could be what takes them out of the post season this year. 

Pitching:

A League leading 3.61 team ERA just about says all you need to know.  The Canadian weather seems to do wonders for the staff here and 2009 should be no different.  Well, maybe a little.  Halladay, Matt Morris and Adam Wainwright are all back, and all had winning records although Morris and Wainwright had ERAs over 4.00, high for this staff.  Brandon Webb, arguably their best pitcher in 2008 is gone, but he’s replaced by Bartolo Colon who is nasty enough in places that are hitter-friendly.  He could have an ERA under 2.00 in Halifax.  However swapping Javier Vasquez, a big part of the last 3 years’ success for Jon Garland doesn’t sit too well.  We’ll see.  The bullpen took some hits, too.  Ayala, Alvarez, Fuentes and Brazelton don’t strike me as any better than just about anyone else’s pen.

Man on the Spot:

I’ll peg Barfield.  He’s shown signs of brilliance but also been a disappointment some years.  Halifax has him protecting Jones and Fielder in the lineup so if doesn’t get back to 30HR 100RBI territory, teams will start pitching around the big guys to get to him.

Thanks to GM Brian B (and a truckload of cold, hard American cash), the Phynatics look ready to go for 2009. The team had very few roster spots to fill and a lot of money to spend, which translated into some great free agent signings and a much improved team. Are the additions enough to compete for the division? Probably, but Philly's track record of sub par performances warrant some caution when it comes to predictions. As tempting as it is to say this team will blow by everyone and take the title, I'll take the safe road and say the team will improve, but just miss the playoffs in 2010 (I know, I'm a pussy).

Almost entirely comprised of additions, with the only notable subtraction being Pudge Rodriguez (who is in a decline anyways). Thanks to Cleveland's rampant off season cuts, Philly had the chance to nab Scott Rolen, Rafael Furcal and Preston Wilson; all are significant upgrades at their position. B also brought in closer Brad Lidge and catcher AJ Pierzynski, making for a very successful off season. The team still has a ton of cash to spend, so trading should come easy from a financial perspective.

Offense:

We are happy to report that Josh Phelps is no longer the go-to guy in this lineup. In fact, he's now the 4th or 5th best hitter in the lineup. Preston Wilson should pay great dividends for an offense that has struggled mightily the past few seasons, and Scott Rolen (if playing to his potential) is a marked improvement at 3B over Morgan Ensberg. Scouts were thrilled to see Orlando Hudson step it up this spring, as his 2008 numbers were terrible. Still might be an iffy decision batting him leadoff. I'll be interested to see if Carlos Beltran has finally put things together, or if his spring numbers were just a smokescreen.

Pitching:

Philly returns with the same rotation as a year ago. These guys are pretty consistent, and will benefit quite a bit from the added run support they are expected to get. Though none of these guys is likely to vie for a Cy Young award, you aren't going to get much better than Wood/Mulder/Zito at the front of your rotation. The bullpen was surprisingly good a year ago, with no-names like Rodney and Donnelly doing great in late innings. Shingo Takatsu came out of nowhere to win the Rolaids Reliever award, and with Brad Lidge now in a setup role, the pen looks solid.

Man on the Spot:

Shawn Green. He is asked to bat cleanup, even though his numbers a year ago were pretty mediocre (.290, 14, 56). If Rolen struggles like he did this spring, there is even more pressure on Green to step it up.

With the probable exception of Ellas, the Phynatics are top candidate for most improved team from 2008.  A shift of 15 or even 20 wins is not inconceivable.  GM Brian B finally managed to put some sting back into this offense that had been scuffling since their World Championship in 2005.  Adding perennial stars Rolen and Preston Wilson to bat around Shawn Green means that this won’t be just a team known for its obscenely well paid pitching staff.  Can they win enough to get in the playoff hunt?  I’m betting against it, but it wouldn’t be much of a surprise at all.

Off Season Analysis:

Look at the “Key Additions” and “Key Losses” to see the story.  Only lost Pudge, who, truth be told is about ready to be sent out to pasture, and added probably 2 100 RBI guys, 100 SB and a potential closer.  Not too shabby.  Must have let out a big “D’oh” when they saw they were the only bid on Wilson, though.  Could have had him for peanuts.

Offense:

Markedly improved from last season where they scored the fewest runs (652) and had the fewest HR.  I’m not really sold on Orlando Hudson, who hit .235 last year, leading off, but Furcal is usually a solid run-scorer and then Rolen/Green/Wilson should be a solid middle of the order.  They need Phelps to keep up his unlikely production, which was tops on the team with 33 HR and 97 RBI plus they need to be the team to finally get Carlos Beltran to play for this to be a real contender.  The C platoon is pretty weak unless Doumit wins the job outright.

Pitching:

Still loaded with big time stars: Wood, Mulder, Zito, and Freddy Garcia.  And now for less money!  Wood should be a 15 game winner with better offense, same could be for any of the other 3.  Mays I’m not so sold on, but, he’s a 5^th starter so, what do you want, right?  Bullpen looks respectable if Takatsu continues on from where he left off winning the Rolaids award last year.  Donnelly is rarely the one to cost you a game and Brad Lidge is one of the league’s better relievers, stuff-wise at least.  Inferno and Rodney were fine last year, though Westbrook as a long reliever was not a highlight.

Man on the Spot:

Mark Mulder.  His stock has really fallen the last couple of years, down to where he put up a mediocre 10-10 year with a 4.82 ERA last season.  I’d rather have Neal Cotts.  So, if Philly is to contend for anything this year, he has to kick it up to 15 wins or more.  Half-assed isn’t getting it done from a guy that once commanded a $14mil salary.

And so here we are in Atlanta, a team that has successfully reached the lower limit of the salary cap after five straight seasons of last place finishes. The only place to go is up, right? I'm going to go out on a limb and say that they will improve quite a bit....on one condition. If GM Jim Masters sticks with his opening day roster until at least June 1st, you will likely see a significant improvement in the Flyers' outcomes on a day-to-day basis. If he trades away any and all of his high-priced veterans in the first two weeks, then all bets are off. As it stands now, I like the makeup of this club. The improving rookies have been complimented by some good veterans, hopefully taking some pressure off of the youth and allowing everyone to just play their best baseball. Since the team can't get any less money, they really have nothing to lose.

Masters may have been bidding high "only to drive up the prices" (his own words), but the end result was actually pretty good for the team. Delgado is the big bat the team has been craving (and at $6 mil/year, a bargain), while Raul Mondesi is a proven veteran presence. Dontrelle Willis might be a disaster in Atlanta, but at least it keeps Jon Switzer out of the rotation. Atlanta even added a bona fide closer in Bob Wickman.  For a team with a low payroll and not a ton of money to work with, the moves were about as good as you could hope for. 

Offense:

Amazing how a couple of ex-Invaders can change the complexion of a lineup, eh? With a pair of 30+ HR guys in the middle of the lineup, younger guys like Hunting, Kolkhorst and Thurston can relax and play more to their strengths. Kolkhorst was probably the most surprising rookie last season, as his name wasn't among the Paris/Lemming/Dennis discussions, but he came through with a .299/12/31 effort in 321 at-bats. Derek Jeter really needs a good year at the top of the order, or else you may be suffering through a lot of solo shots by Delgado. We finally get a chance to see Troy Paris, who, surprisingly, is the only rookie in the starting lineup (two more first-years are on the bench). How long will Dennis² be stuck on the bench? He should either be starting or sent back to AAA for everyday AB's.

Pitching:

Carlos Zambrano could be fantastic if the run support improves. He was tied for 2nd in the league with Mark Prior with 24 quality starts last year (one behind Roy Halladay), but won just 6 games. Expect that to change this year. Byung-Hyun Kim and Dontrelle Willis are basically a righty and lefty version of the same pitcher; they could go out and pitch 8 shutout innings one day, then get rocked for 7 earned in 2 IP the next. If Runelvys Hernandez and Neil Cotts can stay around .500, you're basically looking at a rotation with four guys breaking even and one acting as ace. Not a first place formula, but better than anything the team has seen to date. Impossible to say what you're going to get out of the bullpen, but at least Meche and Belisle have been pushed to long relief.

Man on the Spot:

Raul Mondesi. Delgado can't possibly be reduced by the Atlanta curse, but Mondesi seems like a prime candidate for the legendary "Georgia Statistical Correction." 

Yet another year and the question is “What are the chances the Flyers just don’t finish in last place again?”  Actually, pretty good.  With Mondesi and Delgado in the lineup and what looked like a respectable staff if you go by ST, I think it would be a real shock if this team loses 100 games again.  OK, that was the “pat, pat” part, now for the slaps.  In trying to answer the question, “Why does Atlanta suck so bad?” I’ve settled on three things: 1) Bad luck, no doubt there’s been some of that, 2) Sitting on the prospects, and 3) A criminal neglect of the bullpen.  As to #2, we’ve been over this before, but this year, I’m putting my money where my mouth is, so to speak and doing much of what I’ve prodded Atlanta on, starting a bunch of rookies and spending money on FA pitching.  Jim will surely rebut this, but I think his team and my team are about in the same boat, we had similar records, we had similar amounts of cash for the auction—I have more overall cap room, but he’s got 2 #1 overall draft picks.  Anyway, we’ll see how I do with my “rebuild with the farm system” plans.  As to #3, I think this bears some attention.  Last year’s starting pitching wasn’t so bad, especially Zambrano and Cotts.  But the bullpen was just godawful and this year’s isn’t much better, unless you think Almanza and Wickman are the solution.  A bullpen full of closers is a luxury that the Flyers can’t afford, but I think some criticism here is valid, since other teams have found ways to get a couple of good RPs and then bargain shop for middle relief, at least to the point you don’t have to concede you’ll have 2 or 3 guys with 6.00+ ERAs out there.

Off Season Analysis:

To hear Jim Masters tell it, he landed a couple of players because he got caught trying to bid them up.  But, given how well the “well-laid plans” have gone in Atlanta, why not try screwing up?  For a screw up, I’m pretty sold on Mondesi and Delgado being nice additions.  Not so much on Willis, who I’m not sure is worth $8mil a year.  Runelvys was a useful bargain pick up as could be Almanza and Wickman.   Maybe should have tried harder on one of the Rodriguezes that they bid on in the B section.

Offense:

There are three big “If’s” that if met should mean Atlanta is a fair offense if not of the caliber of Paris or Tennessee.  If Derek Jeter has a good year (by which I define as hitting .290 and scoring 110 runs), if Troy Paris can contribute (which I’d say means .270 and 30 HR) and if Jim doesn’t trade Mondesi and Delgado for, like, Eddie Guardado and Chris Carpenter, then they should score enough runs to stay in games.  The farm system is finally paying off as everybody but Mondesi, Delgado and Jeter are home grown, including Dennis Dennis who finally gets to the show if only as a bench player for now.  Not a tremendous amount of speed, but lots of doubles and triples if not stolen bases.

Pitching:

I’d feel a lot better saying good things about this staff if they weren’t, you know, pitching in Atlanta where strange things seem to happen to good pitchers.  Zambrano is probably as good as anybody’s #1 starter, a legit ace, and if you take away the W-L record had a great 2008.  Kim hasn’t panned out so well, but maybe the team can win him a few more close games this year.  Dontrelle Willis has had an up and down career in SLB and I’m taking a gamble that the “curse of Flyerdom” will hit him hard.  Cotts, for reasons I don’t really know has borne out to be a pretty impressive guy, maybe the best Atlanta has.  Runelvys is adequate for a 4^th starter.  The pen, as argued above, is pretty shitty unless Almanza really can hold down a 3.00 ERA all year and Townsand plays a big role.  Will they trade a prospect for some help?

Man on the Spot:

I’ll go with the aforementioned Willis.  If he has a winning record, I’m guessing the Flyers are at least close to .500 ball.  But he’s had some truly ugly games and he could have a horrendous year if his ERA is over 6.00.  And at his current salary, he’d be tough to trade.

154 miles southwest and not a whole lot better. It could be a truly lateral move, as the last place Gamblers might end up the last place Panthers in one season. Granted, with some other weak teams in the division, a lot would have to happen for GM Jose Gutierrez's team to "out-suck" Atlanta and Savannah, but I'm hardly impressed with this roster. The off season pickups (outside of Harden) weren't new-worthy, which is bad news when you just lost 92 games. A poor spring (playing all the starters) doesn't provide any optimism either.

The team essentially swapped Rich Harden for Dontrelle Willis, which was certainly an upgrade. Unfortunately, Luis Castillo and Jermaine Dye aren't upgrades over anyone, while Marcus Giles is pretty good at best. Plus, the geographic move won't have any effect on the team, as they move from one dome to another. 

Offense:

Very similar to last year's lineup. Sure, Ramirez, Sexson and Vlad are a pretty formidable 3/4/5 combo, but once again, the rest of the lineup is riddled with easy outs. Luis Castillo was beyond terrible last year (.235, 1, 21). Castro has speed to spare (84 steals) but also hit slightly above his weight. Rookie David Wright could be a big spark if he can play like scouts believe he can, but he's in a platoon situation with the underwhelming Nap Paplounous. Who else can hit? LaForest? Crisp? Yikes. The curse of the Boo-Ya has moved to Baltimore.

Pitching:

As I said before, Harden was a great signing. Tankersly needs to stay healthy to give this team a shot (and it looked like he wasn't 100% in spring training). Penny is okay, Hernandez and Fossum, well who the hell knows? You have to like Gagne closing games, but a pair of Rule V pitchers plus a host of other no-names doesn't engender a ton of confidence in this staff overall. Sorry to piss in your soup Panther fans. 

Man on the Spot:

Tankersly needs to pitch like he did in 2008 (10-4, 3.85) for this team to have any shot whatsoever. 

The Atlantic City franchise packed up and moved a bit south, establishing a new franchise in Baltimore and moving into the South Division.  If I were going to pick a division to move to, this might be the best.  Havana is the reigning world champs, but their team blew to the four winds in the off season, Tennessee has a suspect pitching staff to be generous and Savannah and Atlanta have a combined zero playoff appearances.  So what are the prospects for the Panthers this year?  I’m guessing about 3^rd place, actually.  They should be able to keep up with the other teams scoring runs, but other than Tankersley, nobody on the staff is proven to be a winner on this team. 

Off Season Analysis:

Financial constraints made priority number one getting Vladimir Guerrero inked for another 3 years.  After that, they snagged Rich Harden, who, so far, looks like a steal as a starter for $7.25mil.  Didn’t do much in the Group B round, which could be a mistake since the Panthers really could have used a few bargain back ups or vets.

Offense:

Castro at lead-off has proven himself capable of scoring 100 runs or more on SB even if he doesn’t hit all that well.  If he can hit .280, he’d be a menace.  The heart of the order, Guerrero, Ramirez and Sexson combined for 117 HR and 189 RBI last year, so they do their jobs.  The big questions linger around the back of the order, where the Panthers don’t need miracles from the 6,7,8 hitters, but they do need some production, not .220 from everybody.  Don’t know if that’s too much to ask.  It’ll help if the 3B platoon of Paplounous and Rookie David Wright works out or if Wright just wins the job for himself.  

Pitching:

Getting pretty thin, isn’t it?  Harden is the new #1 guy, but he’s one of those “Bedford guys” who you don’t know if you can trust outside of the NEFAC (see: Joe Nathan).  Tankersley has become the team’s most reliable starter, 10-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 2008.  The 3-5 guys are all hit or miss.  Penny lost 17 games last year, though not all were his fault.  Hernandez and Fossum can pitch well on occasion, but neither is carrying a good career ERA.  The pen now has two Rule Fivers to go with Gagne and Hendrickson.  Not much to feel good about there either.  Middle relievers Lawrence and Taylor got thumped last year, both ERAs well above 6.00 so, yeah, not good.

Man on the Spot:

Casey Fossum is being asked to take the 5^th starter job and his last season’s OSlg of .582 doesn’t inspire much confidence.  I’m guessing he won’t be around by the time the Midseason Reports come out.

"We don't rebuild, we reload." That was the mission statement of GM Darin Keesing, whose World Champion Diablos saw almost half the 40-man roster file for free agency this winter. But with all that cash freed up, the team simply bought themselves a new pitching staff and bullpen and upgraded a few spots in the lineup. The result? The team could be better than the 104 win team a year ago. Scary? Yes, especially in a division that is so inconsistent. While the team looks great on paper, the players have to actually play the games, and while there isn't much worry that Havana will miss the playoffs, there certainly could be some nasty surprises along the way (just look how badly the bullpen played this spring and alarm bells should ring). Still, would it surprise anyone if this team wins the division by 20 games?

After losing three pitchers to retirement and another five to free agency, the auction was very busy for Keesing. He chose not to pay the big bucks for Sasaki and Miller, opting instead to weaken his rivals' staffs by signing Javier Vazquez away from Halifax, Danny Haren from Tennessee, and Odalis Perez from Paris. The team also lucked into Bobby Abreu and Nomar Garciaparra, two restricted free agents they thought would be matched. Lots of late round signings filled the pen.

Offense:

Woke up the morning after the auction and said, "well crap, how the heck did I end up with Abreu and Nomar?" Two big upgrades on positions that were good last year for no real good reason (Alex Gonzalez was a monster and Pena was good for the first time). Abreu could be an MVP on this team, with his blend of speed and power suiting him as the ideal #3 hitter. Plus Travis Hafner, signed basically for bench duty, played so well this spring that he bumped Lane out of the everyday first base job. German had a great rookie year leading off, but rumors have the club worried that his batting average might drop off. Darin Erstad was a lucky find when Alex Sanchez got hurt last year. Overall, a good lineup, but not one that will rival Paris or Tennessee for pure power numbers.

Pitching:

You tell me! A ton of turnover (equaled only by Cleveland) has a slew of new faces showing up for camp in Havana. Brownlie, who narrowly missed winning a Cy Young in his 2nd year in the league, deserves the Opening Day nod, and Johan Santana looks to be more than a .500 pitcher this year. Then we have the new faces, with the aforementioned Vazquez, Haren and Perez. None are as good as Sasaki, but all are better than El Duque, so they probably even out in the long run. Brock Landers is the only pitcher to return from last year's pen (thanks to retirements and free agency). Some good names in the pen (Hawkins, Cordero, Baez), but you just never know what you'll get out of your pen in any given year. Can Havana make Jason Davis a useful pitcher?

Man on the Spot:

Danny Haren wasn't much to write home about in his first stint in Cuba, but the club is expecting better things upon his return. If anything, he isn't playing for division rival Tennessee anymore. 

Apparently shitcanning the Castro family cronies worked as the Diablos won their first World Series in 2008 in a dramatic seven game battle with the Pimps.  It was good they did, though, because the free agents were on the phone with their agents as soon as the corks were popped, it seems, and as a result most of the pitching staff and about a third of the offense are new.  Can Keesing revamp the whole team in a year?  We’ll see, but I think the loss of Sasaki and Miller, especially, both now in Athens, will be hard to remedy.  Still, with Tennessee a one note team and the Georgia squads their usual, nobody stands out as the heir apparent in the South the way Bedford does in the North, so I’m still going with the Diablos for now.

Off Season Analysis:

How much time have you got?  In short, they lost SPs El Duque (retired and can now admit his real age), Sasaki (who refuses to retire), and Miller who they replaced with Vasquez, Haren and Odalis Perez.  Net loss there, I think.  Lost basically the entire bullpen save for Brock Landers and added Baez, Francisco Cordero, and LaTroy Hawkins.  Call it even.  Upgraded at SS with Nomar and stole Abreu from Ellas to get some revenge for the pitching wars.  Probably a better offense, then. Got all that?

Offense:

Havana had the 4^th best offense in runs and BA last year, 2^nd in HR.  This year’s bunch looks to be a shade better, perhaps only second to Paris.  Seems that World Series cash often leads to temptation to get more bashers.  Bobby Abreu, who didn’t live up to expectations in Athens, is still capable of MVP awards if he can play up to his potential.  I’m not excited about the Hafner/Lane 1B platoon, but I could be underestimating them.  German needs to be above .276 to really do damage.  Somehow I suspect Erstad will have a drop in production, maybe a big one.

Pitching:

It should be good enough to win the division, but it’s a good bit more suspect than last year.  Brownlie is now the ace after a 2008 where his 22-5 2.76 year probably deserved the Cy Young Award.  He got run off the mound in Spring Training, though, so rumors are flying about off season motorcycles and drugs.  Santana is usually reliable, but only went 10-11 last year.  Haren was impressive on Tennessee going 14-12, but career he’s only 33-36.  Vasquez was a bust in Paris (never a good sign) before Halifax helped him get his ship righted.  Can he pitch outside of Canada?  And Odalis Perez?  Gopher ball king, man.  I have a bad feeling about that.  The Bullpen is stocked by the best arms money could buy in the off season, but still, last season’s pen was huge and messing with that chemistry strikes me as being a little too cocky on Keesing’s part, just letting Lidge, Stone and Wickman go without so much as a fight.

Man on the Spot:

Odalis Perez has had the luxury of spending his career pitching for Paris where a career 4.78 ERA makes you a winning pitcher.  Can he get it done without that offense behind him?  I’m thinking, no.

So, here we are again. Savannah, coming off yet another season that looked lost in the first half, and promising in the second. The question, of course, is can Savannah ever put together a full season of consistent, winning baseball? There is nothing to indicate they will, as they return with more or less the same team as a year ago. There is some excitement over the debuts of TJ Mackey and Phillip Humber, who could ignite this team into some early success. Third place is completely up for grabs in this division, and I'm picking the Sabers.

Not a whole lot to report. They retained Berkman, added Adrian Beltre at third, and signed Keith Foulke. Their big move came when they traded away Mike Hampton for Grady Sizemore. A questionable move, but the team's weak offense and Humber's promotion likely prompted the deal. 

Offense:

This team just never seems to live up to its potential. How many disappointing years have we seen from the likes of Berkman, Dunn and Ramirez? Now the team adds Adrian Beltre, who fits that mold of "under performer" to a tee. So what else is there to say, really? GM Rich Vohs needs to hope that these guys finally wake up or else there will be a lot of pressure on the pitching staff to throw perfect games. 

Pitching:

This is a good pitching staff, but one that has suffered from lack of run support in the past. Mark Buehrle looks to be ready for a great year, while Carl Pavano and Jason Schmidt have been consistent throughout their careers as Sabers. Phillip Humber has been a top 5 prospect in the league for a few years, and looks like he could be a prime candidate for RPOY. A rookie closer is cause for some concern, though his numbers this spring were very good.  

Man on the Spot:

I'll go with Adam Dunn. Berkman has been pretty consistent, but Dunn is very hot and cold. If he busts out with a great year, that could mean the difference between a winning and losing season. 

Savannah clawed their way to a game away from .500 last year, but I’m hard pressed to believe that wasn’t about as good as they’ll get.  This isn’t an offense that can overwhelm you with power and I’m not persuaded that they have the pitching—yet—to win the way Halifax or Bedford does with contact and speed.  That could change if Humber is a bona fide star, but that’s putting a lot on the shoulders of a rookie.  Rich Vohs traded away Mike Hampton, which forces Ishii into the rotation, which I’m pretty sure is not a great move.  So what’s the plan for this year?  Make some moves and go younger or just try to stay out of the cellar?

Off Season Analysis:

They didn’t have the cash to do much more than get Berkman inked up for 3 more, which mercifully only cost them $5mil a year.  Tried to upgrade post auction in offense by adding gap-hitter Grady Sizemore, but had to part with a reliable starter to do it.  Didn’t even try to get Phil Nevin back, who, after hitting .304 with 25 HR signed a minimum salary deal with Ellas.

Offense:

They hit a respectable .267 as a team last year, but with the lowest SB total and 198 HR, they were down towards the bottom with 702 runs.  They don’t look much better for 2009.  Lance Berkman, a career .311 hitter, carries the team when healthy, but he has to rely on Adrian Beltre to protect him in the lineup now, which probably means a lot of walks.  Wilkin Ruan, the career SB leader for SLB AAA will give them some action on the bases if he can get on.  The middle IF with Hill at SS and Mackey/Mike Young platooning at 2B is among the weakest hitting in SLB.  Jason Kendall, in theory, would be one of your better C for production, but he’s never delivered and is relegated to batting 8^th.  Adam Dunn is good for 30 or more HR over a full year, but he’s got some big holes in his swing.

Pitching:

Jason Schmidt and Carl Pavano have provided the foundation for a consistent staff—both had ERAs under 4.00 last year and winning records.  The Sabers got a good, if not spectacular year out of Mark Buehrle, at least he won games.  Ishii is probably going to stink, but stranger things have happened than a guy like that breaking out over a full year.  Phillip Humber was dominating in the minors but had a rough introduction to the majors last fall.  Even if he won every game he started, I’m not sure it’d be enough.  Set up men Koch and Sauerbeck are the best in the pen, given that rookie Chad Cordero is the closer for now.

Man on the Spot:

Adrian Beltre, who has a career avg. of .260 and career Slg. Of .439 is being asked to be the clean up man.  If he can’t get that slugging over .500, I don’t like the looks of this offense in the middle.

A tumultuous off season for GM Ben Royer has resulted in a team that is far inferior to its 2008 counterpart. Unfortunately, family affairs and other business pulled Royer away at a key time, and he has had to scramble to fill his roster that meets league rules. The losses far outnumber the gains, but this offense is still going to win some ballgames all by itself, and there is no reason that Royer, who is famous for making huge trades, can't turn the team around once cap restrictions are lifted. Don't be surprised to see this team in 2nd place at seasons end.

Their absence at the live auction was notable simply because the Thunder ended up grossly overpaying for both A-Rod and Miguel Cabrera. Those two contracts made signing other top-flight players impossible, and the roster has had to be filled with unproven commodities. Made the first of what will probably be several multiplayer deals this spring, netting Jake Peavy and others.

Offense:

You just can't knock an lineup with A-Rod, Pujols AND Cabrera in it. It's just not fair. Carl Crawford returns at the leadoff spot, hoping to match or better his league leading 90 steals from a year ago. Heck, that's just $100,000 a steal. One of the few new faces is Scott Podsednik, who has somehow usurped the right field position away from Vernon Wells. I don't expect that to last. Joe Mauer is an underrated catcher in this league, while Willie Harris is not underrated by anyone.

Pitching:

Yeah, not so much. Lost Danny Haren to Havana, but added Jake Peavy. Peavy was spectacular for Cleveland last year, but one season does not a career make. Derek Thompson and Jason Jennings are back as well, though both sported ERA's in the 5.00 range. Jennings was "Mr. Run Support", however, amassing 17 wins despite that large earned run total. Horacio Ramirez, another starter imported from Cleveland, had a rough spring; expect him to be replaced by Lidle or Lilly early if he stumbles. The bullpen was once a strong point of this team, but with Urbina, Benitez and Graves all gone in the same trade, there isn't much left.  

Man on the Spot:

Jake Peavy has to prove that last year was no fluke. He's been given the ball on Opening Day, which is a lot of pressure for a kid whose career has accelerated faster than anyone could have imagined.

I figured last year that there was no way Tennessee could just hit their way to the playoffs and they just about proved me wrong.  In it until the last weeks, they finally ran out of luck with the pitching and couldn’t ride A-Rod any further than 2^nd place and a few games out of the Wild Card.  So, it’s the same story this year.  The Thunder will put a beating on even the best of pitching with a lineup featuring speed at the top then A-Rod , Pujols, Miguel Cabrera and Josh Hamilton.  But can a team with Jake Peavy as its ace really win a division?  What about a bullpen now shorn of Benitez and Urbina?  I just don’t buy it, do you?

Off Season Analysis:

GM Ben Royer had to miss much of the auction action due to family concerns, but he did put a “keep A-Rod and Cabrera at all costs” order in, so they at least didn’t walk.  They both got big time contracts, but if they repeat last year’s performance might be worth it. 

Offense:

If they aren’t the best, they’re right up there.  Much may hinge on what sort of OBA Crawford and Podsednik can provide at the top.  Tennessee had the most team SB, 244, by a wide margin last year and could have even more this year.  It’ll be hard for A-Rod to repeat his 2008 MVP season with .354/59/149 along with a record 150 runs scored and 40 SB to boot.  Pujols drove in 103 runs in just 125 games.  Hamilton has become a legit star with a tidy 1.000 OPS last year.  Only the 8^th hitter Willie Harris, a career .246 hitter provides any relief for opposing pitchers. 

Pitching:

C’mon it’s bad isn’t it?  Is it just me here or can you buy that a rotation of Peavy/Thomson/Jeff Weaver/Horacio Ramirez/Jason Jennings can be a winner?  Really?  And the bullpen?  Cory Lidle?  Ted Lilly?  Those guys are horrible.  Sure, Damaso Marte as closer should do the job, but don’t you think trading Benitez and Urbina to let Kiko Calero and Rocky Biddle set up Marte is a huge mistake?  I’m trying to convince myself as much as anything here, because every year I’m behind this team for the Wild Card and I’m just trying to figure out why.

Man on the Spot:

You could pick any pitcher and say “If he doesn’t keep his ERA under 5.00 they’re screwed,” but with too many options there, I’ll pick Podsednik.  He’s never hit for high enough average to make his speed worth it, but the same was true for Crawford before he got here.  If the Thunder can do the same for Scotty, can you imagine have those two hitting .300 in front of A-Rod and Pujols?  Scary.

Despite a terrible 2008 season, GM Tom Hey was quoted as saying that it was one of the most fun years he has had running a team. Well, if losing is fun, winning should be spectacular! The Evzones look like they should be back in contention, though a young offense will likely keep them out of the wildcard race this year. Some good auction finds and a nice trade has upgraded the roster tremendously in a short time, but will the gains outweigh the losses?

The team was a bit rattled when both of its major league catchers retired, but Johnny Estrada, arguably the best catcher available, signed on in December, resting the fears of the Evzone faithful. In a surprise move, restricted free agent Bobby Abreu was let go in favor of the rookie Walt Coon, but every team has tough decisions financially, especially when that team just ponied up the cash for Wade Miller and Kaz Sasaki. Danny Patterson was acquired from Cleveland in a dandy trade that upgrades the bullpen. 

Offense:

No longer a lineup that looks to contend with Tennessee and Paris for league dominance. New faces, three of them rookies, gives this lineup a whole new look, and its anyone's guess how they will gel. Utley, Burroughs and Berroa are the only holdovers from a year ago, and we know all three can perform. The aforementioned Estrada will be solid, and Phil Nevin has some pretty decent career numbers as well. So it's up to the rookies; Stieb, Coon and Rockwell have been called upon to replace Edmonds, Abreu and Durazo, which is a huge amount of pressure. Rockwell seems like a pretty solid bet to succeed, and Coon has the raw power to do well in the Malakadome, but Stieb is a mystery. His success at leadoff could be pivotal for a team hoping to contend right away.

Pitching:

So much better. Pedro Martinez and Ben Sheets no longer have to pretend to like guys like Ankiel or Capuano every day. They now have heavyweights Sasaki and Miller to hang out with, and that's four fantastic arms (probably the best starting four in the division). Jeremy Sowers was terrible in his second season, but his spring numbers weren't bad, and anything he gives you from the fifth spot is gravy. Injuries have been a recurring problem for this team, but if these guys can manage to stay healthy, the rest of the division better step up and take notice. The bullpen improved with the addition of Patterson, but Ray Werth at closer is a wildcard. The rookie had fine spring numbers, but 9 1/3 innings isn't a great sample size.  

Man on the Spot:

Chest Rockwell was a highly touted third base prospect who has never shown the power and RBI numbers expected of him. Can he do it over a full season, or will he be a bust? 

2008 was a season to make you pull your hair out in Athens.  They came in with high hopes (and Darin’s pick to win) but imploded when Pedro went down with a major injury.  There was more to it than that, of course, GM Hey got cute with starting Ankiel as the ace, bet wrong on Matt Clement and then traded Wade Miller.  So, there’s plenty of blame to go around.  But, when somebody has to take the fall, it’s the manager, so they fired Milt Pappas and brought in Greek hero Kurt Rambis to run the team this year.  A crazy move, but just crazy enough to work.  I’m picking this team to win it all, which means they won’t of course, but if it’s ever going to happen this could be the year since this is the best pitching the Evzones are likely to have.

Off Season Analysis:

From the looks of it, the Evzones really hit this one out of the park.  They addressed their biggest need—pitching—in a big way, signing Kaz Sasaki and Wade Miller plus trading for reliable middle reliever Danny Patterson.  They spent big to fill the C position, picking up Estrada, likely the best available C in the off season, and got Chase Utley back for a comparably cheap $4.25mil.  Also cleaned up in the bargain rounds picking up Torrealba, Sadler, Spooneybarger, Aurilia, Erasmo, and Nevin (!!) for 500K or less.  Rule V let them add a typical Evzone hitter, Eric Dalton, a dead-pull all-or-nothing lefty.

Offense:

They probably won’t be the best, but surely won’t be the worst. Whether they are in the top 3 depends on the rookies—Stieb, Rockwell, and Coon.  Stieb keeps hitting wherever they put him, so he’s going to lead off and if he can legitimately hit .320 or better he’ll score runs on a blistering pace in front of Utley (who finished in the top 10 in BA, SLG and 2Bs last year) and Sean Burroughs, who could be the MVP this year now he can drive in runs.  Estrada is being asked to bat clean up, which might be a bit much and then Rockwell and Nevin will bat either 5^th or 6^th.  Nevin tore it up in the Spring and could be an embarrassingly productive guy to have for $200,000.  Walt Coon has also pretty much tore it up wherever he’s been, so he could do damage back in the order.  Angel Berroa has never played to his full potential but if he can add 25 HR and 25 SB from the 8 hole, BA won’t much matter.

Pitching:

Just like Scotland, it wouldn’t be a shock if this team dropped a full run from last year’s league worst 5.48 ERA.  The top 4 are now Sasaki (arguably the best pitcher in SLB history), Pedro, Sheets and Miller all of whom are around .600 or better for career win pct.  Sowers is a big worry, but if he’s bad they have options in Sadler or one of the AAA stars.  The pen is full of no names, but should be able to hold most leads.  Patterson, Yarnall and Erasmo are unspectacular but efficient.  Real questions surround rookie closer Ray Werth who, for all I can tell, just walked off the street onto the team one day since he was never drafted or even claimed in transactions.  Regardless he’s a one pitch “curveball kid” who can spot his breaking ball anywhere.  Can one pitch get major leaguers out?  Well, Werth didn’t give up a run either at AAA or the majors last year and picked up 3 saves after the September call up.  He seems to baffle people.

Man on the Spot:

Jeremy Sowers had one of the worst Sophomore slumps ever last year, going from 10-6 as Rookie of the Year to a miserable 4-15 in 2008.  Ellas needs him to be a .500 pitcher or Carl Sadler will get moved into the rotation.  Rumors are Ellas has been quietly shopping Sowers around, too.

After a few years of scuffling along, the Invaders look poised to make a push in the wildcard race this year. While the offense is still pretty young, the pitching is definitely better, and that last playoff spot is definitely up for grabs. While the team still seems to green to make a serious run at the Pimps, I'm making the call that Ireland will finish in second this year and gain some momentum entering 2010.

Not a ton of player movement, but the acquisitions were big. Brandon Webb gives GM Tony Blake a legit 3rd starter behind Prior and Sabathia, while three new faces in the bullpen help cement the late inning roles. J.D. Drew was the only offensive addition, and he's riding the pine.

Offense:

Ireland has taken the same approach to their offense as Atlanta, growing a strong crop of young hitters and bringing them up one or two a year. This year it's Robb Quinlan at first and the two-headed catching monster of Tony Montana and Thurman Murman. These two backstops are identical in just about every way except which hand they bat with. Add the rookies in with other youngsters like Franklin Gutierrez, Ching-Fen Chen and David Kelton, and you can see the philosophy that management is taking. With Delgado and Mondesi gone, it will take one of these guys stepping up to lead this offense. Otherwise, expect a lot of 20 HR, 80 RBI performances.

Pitching:

What other rotation sports two Cy Young winners? In fact, three of the five trophies that have been handed out are on the mantle in the Ireland clubhouse. Now Webb comes in, pushing Livan Hernandez down to the #4 slot and solidifying an already good rotation. Jeff Niemann needs to turn it around, and he showed some signs of it this spring (though he gives up way too many homers). Felix Rodriguez, Kelly Wunsch and Jose Jiminez were added via free agency, adding to the already effective Matt Anderson and Trey Hodges for what could be the best 'pen in the division. 

Man on the Spot:

Kelton and Gutierrez have been given the opportunity to bat cleanup for this team. Is either a 100 RBI guy? 

They say you can never have too much pitching, but if there’s a team to prove that wrong, I think it’s Ireland.  They’ve got nearly $40mil wrapped up in 1-3 starters Prior, Sabathia and Webb alone.  Add in some expensive relievers, another $10mil approx. for Jimenez, Felix Rodriguez and Wunsch, and you’ve got enough left for an entire offense, including platoons that comes in, at my eyeball estimate at $3.9mil.  About a third of what Tennessee is paying A-Rod.  JD Drew, who is riding the pine would be another $3mil.  Seems a little extreme doesn’t it?  I guess if you are going to flood the zone with cash, you might as well give it to the guys who take the ball, but my guess is this team will have a rough time scoring runs against even 4^th and 5^th starters.  And, to make matters worse, some of these pitchers will be hard to trade no matter how good they are given the salaries they are lugging around.  Or, at least that’s my take on it, but I’ve been wrong once or twice before.

Off Season Analysis:

Decided Delgado and Mondesi could take a hike and sunk the cash into Halifax’s ace, Brandon Webb.  Not necessarily a bad move, but then also spent up on relievers and JD Drew, who they don’t even think should be starting.  A bit odd.  Not what I’d have done, at least.

Offense:

Scrubs is the first word that comes to mind.  OK, given, Hodges is above average for a 2B and Rios will be nice if he plays half as well as he did in the minors.  Murman might be Rookie of the Year if he gets the at bats, but basically it seems like Tony Blake thought if the Aussies could win the AAA title they should be able to win the SLB title, too.  I don’t think so.  My prediction: worst offense in the league by runs scored.

Pitching:

For the money, you’d expect nothing but the best and that’s pretty much the story.  Mark Prior is the only two time Cy Young winner in SLB and he’s got the bankroll to prove it.  Sabathia also has a Cy Young, so you’ve got 3 of the 5 given out so far right here.  Brandon Webb could also win one.  Livan Hernandez is a career 4.94 ERA guy, but he can be better than that would make you think.  Jeff Niemann, thought to be as good as any young gun in the league crashed last year going 3-9 with a 5.21 ERA.  They can’t have that again.  The bullpen seems fine, not that it should be that busy.  Jimenez may not be the ideal closer, but then again, same thing I would have said about Luis Vizcaino.

Man on the Spot:

I dunno, but Franklin Gutierrez, career .259 hitter is hitting either 3^rd or clean-up every day.  If he hits that or worse, this is probably going to be a pretty crappy offense.

Poor London. Full of underachievers and crappy pitching, and now on the brink of being the first team to finish in fifth place in Euro Division history. The offense is pretty good this year, but man, the pitching just can't catch a break. When the team announced that the Opening Day starter would be Rule V pick Kyle Newby, the phones were flooded with fans wanting a refund on their season tickets. Hopefully the team is more active on the trade market this year and can pick up some major league quality pitching.

Can't say they didn't try. Four of the five starting pitchers are new acquisitions, and a few new faces were added to the offense as well. A good off season, but probably not enough to crawl out of the basement. 

Offense:

Really pretty good. There is a glut of quality outfielders on the London roster, giving GM Sean O'Hallaran some options in trade situations. They have created a lot of platoons, but you probably don't want so many fielders getting starts for a whole year. Rowand and Ordonez are free agents and are probably the most likely to head out of town, which would solidify an outfield of Giles, Huff and Kearns. The infield is more problematic, though Mark Teixeira was a nice addition. Can Mike "Glass Jaw" Rivera stay off the DL this year? He's almost always a lock to spend 4-6 months on the shelf every year.

Pitching:

It's easy to say that the pitching rotation will be horrible, but really, we don't know. Kyle Newby certainly played his way into the rotation this spring, and Adam Eaton looked pretty solid as well. Fools Gold, or genius scouting? Eric Milton hasn't been good for years, and Randy Wolf was never any good. Bret Meyers gives Knight fans that sense of consistency they look for from their rotation. The bullpen has a chance to be decent, though we don't know why K-Rod is in middle relief. 

Man on the Spot:

Newby, duh. 

You gotta feel for these guys.  London started out SLB with a pretty good plan and even competed for a couple of years before they fell on some hard times.  Now, it’s hard to see how they can compete with the likes of Paris, Scotland and Ellas with a $62mil payroll.  And they probably can’t.  So what would I do?  Take a dive.  They get the #1 pick in the draft this year and have to hope the next Kerry Wood is sitting there.  Trade guys like Izzy and K-Rod for serviceable rookie hitters, get another #1 pick next year and plan about 2 years out.  Someday, they could be loaded up with talent, but this year, things just do not look much better than last years 55-107 nightmare.

Off Season Analysis:

Didn’t have the cash to do much on the Big Night, so snuck in bids for Eaton, Milton, C-Pat in Group B.  Smart strategy, those guys could be solid at least.  Probably overpaid for Teixeira, but, heck, so it goes.  Might have spent more wisely than to throw $4mil at a middle reliever in K-Rod.

Offense:

You know, they aren’t that bad.  Patterson, Rowand, Giles, Kearns.  Some pretty good OF to build around.  Betemit has good speed.  Rivera can get you 25 or 30 HR as a catcher.  You could do worse than Mark Teixeira at 1B.  Probably good for, I’ll estimate, 740 runs, which would be a 36 run improvement on 2008, maybe enough to avoid 100 losses.

Pitching:

Eeeeyikes.  I think the nicest thing you can say is, given the team ERA of 5.34 last year, second worst behind Ellas, most of them are new, at least.  So they are trying not to make the same mistakes twice.  Are Eaton, Newby, Milton, and Wolf the saviors of this franchise?  Uh, no.  But, they could be a lot less painful than Maroth, Ireland and Jason Davis.  Isringhausen is still a fine closer, but my advice to trade him stands.  Chad Gaudin was about the top pitcher in AAA last year, so he may be worth a shot at the rotation if somebody (hint, hint: Myers) sucks early. 

Man on the Spot:

Kyle Newby.  Your previous team forgot you in A ball and didn’t protect you by giving you a whopping $200,000 contract, but now you’re the Opening Day starter for the Knights facing Kerry Wood.  Good luck, kid.  You’ll be facing guys like Mark Prior and Kaz Sasaki all year, so I hope you’re not one to get nervous easy.

Though it's usually foolish to say that Paris will not be a good team, it certainly stands to reason that this team won't win 102 games again. The pitching staff tooks some hits and the offensive depth isn't there anymore, but overall, the core of players from last year's World Series runner up team returns. There is a sense of urgency in Paris, as the window for this group of players is closing fast. Free agency is going to tear this team up this year, so one last hurrah from this squad is what fans expect. You have to pick the Pimps to win the division again; you just pencil them in every year until someone actually unseats them.

Spent the bulk of their cash on resigning Escobar and Williams, and then had to make some frugal moves to replace the retired Pettitte and some of the bullpen. Jody Gerut gets his shot at Paris superstardom.

Offense:

As I mentioned in the Overview, the main offensive weapons (Lee, Koonce, McPherson, Floyd, Damon, Glaus) all return, but some of the depth is gone. Michael Restovich and Eric Valent are both swinging their bats in Cleveland, leaving GM Michael Taylor with fewer platoon situations. Still a dominating lineup, and one that is virtually guaranteed to lead the league in runs and homers and just about every other offensive category. Put simply, we know what this lineup can do. Moving on...

Pitching:

Paris retained their two main starters this off season, so the tandem of Escobar and Williams returns to the front of the rotation. Zach Day, whose best days were in France, returns after a Goat of the Year season for ATL/AC. Can he pull a Joe Nathan and return to winning form? Doug Waechter has floated around as a middle reliever but is now expected to start. He isn't exactly Andy Pettitte, now is he? Some heavy losses in the bullpen department force three rookies into the 'pen, making for some iffy mid and late inning situations. You won't go wrong with Wagner in the 9th, but will Trenton Lare ever hand him the lead? 

Man on the Spot:

Zach Day. If he returns to early Paris form, he solidifies a rotation that looks shaky in the back end. If he repeats his Goat year, this team looks more and more like the European equivalent of Tennessee. 

It’s a little hard to know whether the Pimpernels’ 2008 season was a “success” or not in their own estimation.  They started off whooping on people, but in the end seemed to phone in September so Havana caught them and had a better record.  Likewise, they took a 3-1 lead against Havana in the World Series but blew that.  So was it another year of dominance that fell a bit short or does it feel more like they were the Diablos’ bitch, which is a little harder to swallow?  We’ll see how they respond to the challenge this year with, pretty much, the same team.  I probably shouldn’t pick them for 2^nd place, but after last season, I can see them being surly and hard to get going this year, sort of like a certain pinstriped team we all know.

Off Season Analysis:

It basically seemed to be “We’re going to keep putting the same team on the field and dare the rest of you to beat us.”  That meant paying market value for Jerome Williams and Kelvim Escobar, about $12mil each, but they got Zach Day back for a song.  Let some relievers and platooners walk, but they’ve got enough talent to not worry about Valent or Jimenez.  Replaced Odalis Perez with Doug Waechter, which could be a key decision.  Actually found a Rule V guy worth taking all the way down at the 13^th pick with Trenton Lare.

Offense:

What more can be said?  They scored a sickening 1018 runs last year and pretty much had their way with any pitcher who took them on.  Any of the following could win next year’s MVP: Troy Glaus, Dallas McPherson (my pick), Derrek Lee, Cliff Floyd or Shea Hillenbrand.  Johnny Damon, .339 last year, hits 8^th for this team, that’s how nasty they are.  Jody Gerut gets to test the “any Pimp is a stud” theory this year, batting against righties who he hits .321 against for his career.  I don’t even want to get into the fact that Troy Glaus, who led the league in slugging by a bunch, is now platooning—with batting champ Dallas McPherson. $#$%%!

Pitching:

They just shoot for “competent” so it’s hard to be too critical.  Williams and Escobar as the 1 and 2 starters are probably on par with most teams, though the Sasaki/Pedro combo in Ellas and the Prior/Sabathia duo in Ireland are maybe a hair better.  Zach Day, who was awful elsewhere is back home and, likely, a 15 game winner again as the #3 starter.  You feel less sure about Waechter and Washburn, career ERAs of 4.67 and 5.28, respectively, but then again, this team scores 6 runs a game, so maybe they are fine.  Wagner and Riedling anchor the end of the pen, but the middle relief is less trustworthy and the long relievers, Wang and Jackman (you couldn’t make that up), are both rookies.

Man on the Spot:

After a 1 year, $10million sabbatical where he checked out the other divisions, polished up on his gambling skills and picked up a Goat of the Year Award for his trophy case, Zach Day is back in Paris where he won nearly 20 games one year.  Is he done sucking or will the last laugh be on the Parisians?

Well, Bill Norris' team has escaped the heat and thin air of the desert, opting for cooler climes and, hopefully, a better pitching atmosphere. Will the move overseas show a marked improvement for the Rebels? Well they enter a tougher division, and any major injuries could put them in a struggle to stay out of the cellar. On paper, this team is better than London, so there is no reason to predict them for last place, but their rebuilding project is at least a year behind Ellas and Ireland, so they aren't likely to contend this year. But don't ever count Norris out, as no trade is too far fetched for this GM.

Sometimes, real life is just more important than baseball, and Norris had to deal with some real life around auction time. He managed to make up for his absence with some savvy free agent claims, adding Todd Helton (who was passed over by how many people?) and Lew Ford to the offense, as well as a pair of lefties in the pen. Not great, but under the circumstances, it could have been worse. 

Offense:

If the cooler weather is expected to make the pitching better, than one can expect the offense to suffer as well, right? Spring Training showed a marked drop in power, which is to be expected in such an enormous ballpark. B.B. Boo-Ya could just be the best leadoff hitter in the game (though Carl Crawford would argue) and is the catalyst for the Rebel offense. Blalock, Matsui and Helton make a pretty formidable core to the lineup, and Lew Ford, who wasn't given a chance by anyone prior to this year, could be a nice surprise. Buck at catcher and Bloomfield in RF are the only real weak spots in the order.

Pitching:

No more excuses for these guys, as they now get to pitch in the cold and rain like those guys in Bedford and Halifax. If they suck this year, there is no one left to blame. Burnett, Hudson and Beckett certainly didn't earn their fat salaries last year, so the pressure is on for these guys to show up and lead the team. Thomas Graham is the second Rule V pick this year to make the starting rotation, and is but one of six rookies on the staff. That much inexperience is bound to doom this team to a pile of late inning losses. Once again the team is carrying too many pitchers. When will Norris learn? 

Man on the Spot:

I'll go with AJ Burnett here, as he is the highest paid pitcher on the staff and had the worst record last year. Put up or shut up time buddy. 

As part of the league’s attempt to clean up the game, moving out of “gambling markets” and quelching rumors about racketeering, along with the move of Atlantic City, the Las Vegas Rounders, one time league champs, were relocated to—no, we’re not kidding—Scotland.  A bit of a change in conditions, no?  It seems hard to overstate just how different games are going to be for this franchise from now on.  From one of the worst places to pitch, they move to one of the best.  And they’ve got the staff to do it with, too.  The real question is whether they can win by manufacturing runs.  I think so, but I’m not sure they can contend for the division—yet.

Off Season Analysis:

GM Bill Norris also had some off season family matters to attend to and didn’t get much going in the auction, though, truth be told, they had a limited budget due to last year’s pitching orgy.  Got Matsui back and made some very smart moves picking up Todd Helton and Lew Ford post-auction.  Still have some cash left to make deals on, so it’s all good.

Offense:

Should be a lot of fun playing in a big park in a dead-ball climate.  2008 ROY BB Boo-Ya, Ford, Matsui and Soriano are all perfect for that sort of game—line drive, gap hitters who can run for days.  Blalock and Helton might not be so well-suited to Bagpipe-ball, but you have to play 81 games on the road, right?  I’m not sure John Buck is more than an out batting 8^th and I’d think they can do better than this Bloomfield in RF, where there is plenty of tradeable talent floating around.

Pitching:

I’ll make my bold prediction here that the move to Scotland will shave an entire run off the team ERA, so that means 4.04 or less.  The top starters, Beckett, Hudson, Burnett and Marquis should all kick ass in the new digs, especially Burnett, who struggled last year, but loved the cold weather in Halifax.  Hudson should be just devastating this year.  Thomas Graham, a Rule V acquisition was so dominating in Spring Training he took Kevin Millwood’s job away.  But, that means Millwood can be traded (like for a RF or RP) or moved into the pen.  The five rookies in the bullpen is not a good sign, but I really think that’s just temporary.  Farnsworth and Rhodes should be fine out there, though.

Man on the Spot:

Hank Blalock is a prime candidate for somebody who had his numbers (and his salary) inflated by the conditions in Vegas.  He could slip down to a .260 hitter with 25 or less HR this year.  If so, it’s probably a sign the Rebels are having trouble scoring runs.  Look at his OPS and see if it’s above .750.