2015 marked a low point in the history of the Bedford franchise. They tied their mark for fewest wins (75) and finished in last place for the first time in team history. Sadly, it was all avoidable, as the Crunch sat in second place most of the season before going 2-8 over their final 10 games to sink to the basement of the North Division. The offense never got on track, with Prince Fielder seeing a 173 point drop in his OPS without much of a supporting cast to pick up the lost production. Reluctance to start rookie Basil Elton-John early in the season cost him at least 150 at-bats (he hit 35 HR, 85 RBI in 479 AB's), so there were missed opportunities. Luke Hochevar improved on his RPOY numbers but was still stiffed on run support, while Jon Ellis was a big bust in the rotation. Good years from Haren and Marti kept the season from being a total disaster. 

After taking a $4 million hit to their cap, the Crunch had to invest wisely. Their big addition was Taipei right-hander Ted Striker; his signing pushes Jon Ellis to the pen. A few bullpen arms were added as well, giving the team a little better chance to overcome what has become an expected lack of run support each year. 

As usual, Bedford will be a team that will need to lean heavily on their pitching to win games. For whatever reason, Brooklyn, NY has not been friendly to hitters in the past. The talent just isn't on par with Halifax or Philly, but a key injury to either of those teams could open the door for the Crunch to sneak in and steal a playoff spot. The North was tight all last season, so there is no reason to count any team out before the first pitch is thrown. 

Offense:

The offense should be improved, if only because Elton-John will get a full season at the clean up spot. It would surprise no one if he cranked out 50 HR this season, and if Prince Fielder can shake off his bad 2015 season, the Crunch might enjoy two of the biggest sluggers in the game. How many runs they drive in will depend on the younger members of the lineup. Paddy Farr, Todric Johnson, and now rookie Ken Woodward need to get on base at a good clip to give the team a chance to win. Woodward is a rare breed; a speedy third baseman who stole 20 bases in AAA Detroit last year. Should be interesting. 

Pitching:

The Crunch bring a really solid starting five to the mound this season, lead by the under-appreciated Danny Haren. Lost in his 12-10 record a year ago was a sparkling 0.93 WHIP and an OpSlg of just .366. Luke Hochevar knocked nearly an entire run off his ERA last year, while Yadel Marti has developed into one of the top young pitchers in the league. If Ted Striker can reverse his current trend (ERA and OpAvg have increased each of the past 3 years) then you can live with whatever Luis Martinez gives you. GM Richard Gin added Rafael Soriano and Doug Waechter to the bullpen in hopes of shoring up some holes. I'm not sure what part of "three straight years with 5+ ERA" earns Jason Ray another look at the closer spot. Maybe he has naked photos of 89 year old manager Tommy LaSorda or something. 

Man on the Spot:

Todric Johnson all the way. BE-J and Fielder are known commodities, but Johnson has just 12 HR in 583 major league at-bats (career .443 SLG) and is expected to hit 5th. Recipe for disaster?

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2015 Recap:

The '15 Dawgs provided some first half surprises before finally playing down to their abilities in the second half. They avoided last place by a single game, saving them from taking a step back financially. The offensive core of Gordon, Walker and Hildenbrand was solidified with the emergence of Jonny Gomes, giving Cleveland four solid middle of the order hitters. Justin Verlander didn't quite earn his $15 million, but did pitch much better than the previous season, while James Howell and Mike Miller grew into capable major league starters. The bullpen was a disaster. 

It was a low risk, low reward off season for the Dawgs. The team is still not expected to seriously compete for anything in 2016, so the additions tended to be on the mediocre level, though they may catch lightning in a bottle with a few guys. Alexis Rios has been good as recently as 2012 (career high .867 OPS) and Matt Bush...well, he's always had talent. Will he find his stroke on his 6th new team? The pitching additions were fairly inconsequential. 

Despite some promise shown early last season, expectations are still low for Cleveland. The team has a shot to be about .500 if the young hitters continue to improve and the cobbled together pitching staff can stay afloat. If the team tanks early, you can expect GM Kevin Parks to shop free agent Justin Verlander before the deadline.   

Offense:

It's a good lineup in the middle, but the top and bottom look suspect. Matt Bush and his career .290 OBP (woof) leadoff, followed by Rios. These two need to get on base at a much higher clip to give Walker and company enough chances to drive in runs. Walker is probably the most underrated catcher in the league, posting a career high .926 OPS last season, and the emergence (finally) of Alex Gordon and Alex Hildenbrand makes for some tough hits in the middle. Newcomer Al Allen and rookie John Mercer have a combined 4 major league at-bats. Mercer's speed could quickly move him to the top of the order, especially if Bush plays to his career norms. 

Pitching:

Verlander is a solid #1 starter, though he has never earned his lofty price tag in Cleveland. After him, it's a dice roll. Daniel Pursel doesn't walk anybody but averages about 35 HR allowed a year. Calvin Y'Barra had a nice spring, but still has to improve from his career 5.67 career ERA. Mike Miller could be a nice surprise here, especially if he can carry over his momentum from last year. James Howell was a solid 12-11 last year but has been banished to long relief (in favor of the annually horrible Mike Maroth). The bullpen is all sorts of bad, with Steve Colyer replacing Francisco Rodriguez at closer and a mish-mosh of free agents and hangers-on filling out the rest of the bullpen. Parks gave away Reed Rothchild despite very good years in 2014 and 2015. Strange.

Man on the Spot:

Matt Bush was a highly regarded prospect who chose to play SS over pitch. One wonders if he would have been better on the mound than he's been at the plate, as regardless of fantastic skills, just can't do anything with the bat. Now he's called on to get on base at the top of the order. This doesn't bode well for the Cleveland offense.

2015 Recap:

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GM Lars Cain achieved his two goals for 2015: a) don't win much and b) don't finish in last place. The second goal was only reached in the waning days of September as they finally passed the slumping Crunch and Dawgs to finish in 2nd place. Cain knew he'd have a truckload of cash coming off the books this off season and positioned himself to make the most of it, trading off expensive assets for younger, cheaper alternatives (Miller, Longoria, etc). Rand McPherson won RPOY in a landslide, while Miller and McCormick added to the quality young arms in the rotation. Delmon Young had a career year, posting a .973 OPS, while Johjima continued to hit behind the dish. Young hitters like Longoria, Bristow and Gillespie cemented their place in the 2016 lineup with quality performances.  

Cain threw everything plus the kitchen sink at Darren Lemming and was shocked that the normally conservative Jim Masters matched his $17.5 million offer. With money to spend, Cain acted aggressively in signing Kendry Morales, Justin Upton and Buckner (all former Knights) and then traded for Mark Mulder and Grady Sizemore. The team is 2 or 3 deep at all offensive positions with a promising rotation and strong bullpen. 

The Sailors are loaded with talent and poised to make a push for the World Series. A lot will depend on the young pitching rotation's ability to perform in the pressure of a pennant race, but they will get plenty of help from an All Star laden lineup and a top notch bullpen. The rest of the division now pales in comparison to Halifax, with Philly the only team really capable of challenging them for the North Division title. No one is looking forward to playing this team in 2016.  

Offense:

The Sailor lineup now has four legitimate 30 HR, 100 RBI hitters in the middle of the lineup, with only Johjima and Sizemore older than 29 years old. Bristow and Gillespie both have great speed, and with Gillespie switch-hitting, provide a great balance at the top of the order. Young now has some protection again, with the big time slugging Kendry Morales backing him up in the order. A lot of the team's success will hinge on the development of the young hitters, but on paper, they look very dangerous. 

Pitching:

The Killer M's? Not catchy as a marketing phrase, but the McCormick / Miller / McPherson / Mulder quad-fecta should get the job done at the Wanderer's Grounds this summer. Poor Eric Ridener is the odd man out, both for his name and his increasingly poor performances on the mound (his 1.54 WHIP and 5.53 ERA were his worst numbers since an injury shortened 2011 campaign). Still, he's just 27, making 4 of the 5 starters less than 30 years old. The exception is Mark Mulder, who is the SLB all-time leader in strikeouts but third overall in hits allowed. The bullpen is a real strong spot on this team. Heck, Cain spent $8 million on Dante Inferno (ERA's of 2.39, 2.59 and 2.64 the past three seasons) and is starting him in Long Relief. He would be the closer on about 12 other teams right now. Craig Hansen is rude, and now he has Buckner setting up for him. 

Man on the Spot:

Andrew Miller had a pretty nice rookie season splitting time between Scotland and Halifax, but is a #2 (ahead of last year's RPOY?) Time will tell, but he has a lot to live up to on what looks to be the favorite for the North Division.

2015 Recap:

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2015 Recap:

After leading the North for most of the season, Philly had to hold on down the stretch, managing just 81 wins and a 4 game lead for the division crown. Great starting pitching was hobbled by a bullpen that lost 36 games, resulting in a 22-28 record in one-run affairs. Will Hunting continued his awesomeness, supported by the aging (but underrated) Craig Brazell and Miguel Cabrera. Early exit from the playoffs came as no surprise. Rookie Andy Hunter made people stand up and take notice with his .990 OPS in 352 AB's. 

Despite posting a career year, Neal Cotts fetched just $3.25 million per year (hometown discount?) Philly added the speedy BB Boo-Ya via trade and Adam Wainwright in the auction, outweighing the losses of Sizemore and Trest. Not a terribly active off season, but the team ended up in better shape. 

The Fever have the potential for improvement this year, with the additions listed above plus a full year of Andy Hunter. The starting pitching looks solid and the bullpen had too many guys have numbers way below their career norms to be that bad again. While Halifax is clearly the team to beat in the division, Philly could give them a run for their money if the team comes together.

Offense:

Philly's offense last year was pretty much the definition of "middle of the pack", but should be above league average in 2016. If Boo-Ya can reverse his recent downward trend at the top of the order, there are plenty of high OBP guys behind him (Bruce, Hunting, Cabrera) to score a lot of runs. Andy Hunter was putting up Lemming-esque numbers in his 1/2 season in 2015, so if he's anywhere close to that over a full season, lookout! Could be one of the best offensive OF's in the league. Frank Buhner is a REALLY interesting looking catcher who adds to the overall team speed.  

Pitching:

This is where things may get dicey. Miller and Harden are solid at #1 and #2 in the rotation, but after that, you don't quite know what you'll get. Neal Cotts suddenly knocked 2 runs off of his career ERA (in his walk year), while Mark Buehrle has never posted an ERA under 4.20. Newcomer Adam Wainwright pretty consistently put up 4.50ish ERA's in pitcher friendly Halifax, so will that go up? The bullpen could be better if some of these guys step it up, but another disaster like last season will likely see the Fever watching the playoffs from home.

Man on the Spot:

I'm putting it on Cotts this year. You always get suspicious when a guy suddenly decides to play way over his head in his free agent year, but, to management's credit, he didn't get paid a ridiculous sum for one good year. Can he hold down the #3 spot in a rotation that has no true ace and a few big question marks?

2015 Recap:

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After peaking with 119 wins in 2013, the Flyers have been on a double digit downward trend the past two seasons, falling to 98, then 83 wins. The team that has been so good at developing All Stars has had a tough time keeping them around, and now with a disproportionate amount of the salary cap going towards a few superstars, the overall quality of the roster has suffered. Lemming missed 62 games due to injury but still created 111 runs. Eric Valent was the unsung hero of an offense that sorely missed Dennis Dennis Jr. The pitching rotation did well enough, with rookie Gabriel Hernandez finally freed from Charleston when Bailey went on the DL.   

In a move that shocked the league, the usually conservative, mild-mannered Jim Masters matched Halifax's slam-dunk, $17.5 million/year bid for Darren Lemming. The result was very little money for the rest of the team, especially after another $8 million was committed to Francisco Rodriguez. In his first 12 seasons, Masters has been the Billy Beane of SLB, developing young studs on the cheap then trading them for more prospects before the get too expensive. How badly might the Lemming contract cripple this team? Worst case scenario, he wins the next two MVP awards and costs a staggering $20.5 million in 2018. Totally untradeable, and the resigning of Homer Bailey now looks bleak. Lemming may be the best in the league, but he can't win alone.

The Lemming contract has caused another new phenomenon in Atlanta; Masters is debuting three rookies in the same season. John Twain, Ryan Tucker and Joshua Bray bear the pressure of putting up good numbers on the cheap, filling some big holes in the lineup and rotation. If the team can stay healthy (a feat they couldn't manage last year), the team may win close to 90 games. The team is weakened, but it's key players are just that good. Lack of depth, however, is going to be a huge issue if another superstar misses significant time. If the team gets huge years from the kids, it could battle Savannah for the division crown, but, more likely, the Flyers will be in the wildcard race in an attempt to make the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year.  

Offense:

When healthy (big if), this lineup can tear you a new one. The offense isn't stacked top to bottom anymore, but Lemming is Lemming, Jeff Clement is the strongest catcher in the league, and Jed Lowrie is an effective run producer. The key will be the rookies, especially Twain, who is being asked to step in as the clean up hitter. He murdered AAA pitching a year ago, posting a 1.018 OPS and belting a HR every 11 or so at-bats. I question sitting Berroa in favor of a severely atrophied Orlando Cabrera and benching Valent in favor of a rookie, but we'll see how it works.  

Pitching:

The starting pitching in Atlanta is still unreal. Homer Bailey is now 89-22, 2.69 for his career, and would probably have 100 wins by now if not for some health issues. He finally wrestles the Opening Day start from Zambrano, who falls to #3 behind Prior. Rookie Ryan Tucker and sophomore Gabriel Hernandez round out what could be a great rotation. Tucker was 13-3, 2.35 for Charleston last year, winning his 2nd straight Top Pitching Prospect award. Looks good to go. The pen? Potentially good, as K-Rod bumps a less worthy player from closing, and Rodney and Baez have had successful seasons in the past. There are some holes, but that is true of, oh, 13 or 14 other teams in the league, so it all washes after awhile.

Man on the Spot:

John Twain may have ripped up AAA pitching, but to clean up on a division contending team is something else entirely. He's a switch-hitter with a big swing, so he could be really fun to watch. Or he could be a goat. Stay tuned.

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Lucky with a capital L. That's the best way to sum up Baltimore's unlikely "surge" to .500 last season. The Panthers were outscored by 80 runs, putting their Pythagorean Win % closer to .453 than .500. The moral of this story is "there is less to be excited about here than you have been lead to believe". McPherson and Guerrero did their usual thing, but when your next best hitters were Frank Coogan and Jody Gerut....ouch. The starting pitching improved thanks to the continued development of El Ron Ubardo and the steady presence of Jeremy Sowers. Kyle Newby didn't suck just enough to almost maybe forgive his salary. Almost.  

Only on Baltimore would losing Marquis and Gerut to retirement be so devastating. I'm only half serious, as Gerut posted a .904 OPS (!) making him the third best hitter on the team. The team's meager funds went towards re-inking Sowers and De La Cruz and luring Josh Barfield away from Kyoto. Barfield will fill the void left by Gerut while Marquis' spot will be taken by Ricardo Romero. PROFIT! 

First off, don't expect much from this team if it gets outscored by 1/2 a run per game. Second, somehow this "rebuilding" team go older this year (adding the ancient Mike Rivera and Aaron Looper). Third, the division is just too top heavy. You hate to say it, but this team is pretty much mathematically eliminated before the first pitch is thrown. That said, the Panthers have a great chance to finish in third place if they get even league average pitching.   

Offense:

It's a tough offense to analyze due to the roughly 73 platoons being implemented by manager Eric Chavez. Why platoon two right-handed hitters? Why do that in three different spots in the order? It's not because the team is so bursting with talent that everyone HAS to play. Figure out who is good and stick with one lineup here. Guerrero has to be on his last hurrah; only some sort of team loyalty (he's played all but a half season for the franchise) has kept him around this long as the 39 year old has seen more misery than anyone deserves. He's joined by McPherson and Barfield for a fairly decent core. The rest of the lineup is some conglomeration of Rich / Gammell / Gutierrez / Martinez / Matthew / Bluege / Dyche / Pope. You try figuring it out. 

Pitching:

The starting rotation is a parade of mediocrity (career ERA's of 4.59, 4.31, 5.68, 4.60 and 4.82), though Ubardo has come on strong as of late. Rookie Cole St. Clair gets the closer role after a sparkling 5.03 ERA in AAA (29 baserunners in 19 IP). De La Cruz should take over the closers role if he can ever harness his amazing cannon of an arm. 

Man on the Spot:

Oh, let's pick on Ricardo Romero. Along with Adam Wainwright and Chris Lambert, he was a highly touted amateur who has never gotten it right in the majors. He had two very good seasons in Scotland but got blown up after a trade to the Panthers last year. Can he nail down his rotation spot?

2015 Recap:

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The afterglow from the 2014 World Championship had barely worn off before the cold reality of the 2015 disaster hit. The Senadores lost a whopping 25 more games last season, finishing dead last at 66-94, 30 games out of first place and 14 games behind the third place Panthers. How did it all go wrong? No Danny Haren to start, plus Gil Meche was reminded that he's Gil Meche, crashing from 10-7. 3.10 to 6-19, 5.19. Truthfully, the '14 team was the definition of "lightning in a bottle", and when the magic was gone, the team hit rock bottom.   

Cut ties with CC Sabathia, replacing him with the mercurial Jeff Niemann to ace the rotation. Yeah, not good. If rebuilding is the plan, letting Sabathia was a good idea, though a trade at the deadline last year would have at least netted a few prospects. Retreads like Myers and Perez were brought in to eat innings on what could be the worst pitching staff in the league. Hafner retired and Huff went to Thailand, and their production is not likely to be matched by newcomer Carl Crawford. It's clear the team doesn't expect much this year. 

Let the kids play! That's the mantra in San Juan as the World Series cash evaporated with the last place finish. The offensive side of things is well ahead of the pitching, with some youngsters already getting a few years under their belts and more on the way. The pitching is a piecemeal band-aid while the team tries to add more talent to the system. San Juan's offense is probably better than Baltimore's, but the pitching is worse. Which wins the coveted 3rd spot in the division?

Offense:

A pretty impressive group of young players are being assembled in Puerto Rico. GM Bill Gluvna has adopted a "learn on the job" mentality, bringing the most promising hitters to the majors after just a cup of coffee in rookie and minor league ball. The "veterans" Buzz Bliss and Floyd Larkin are joined by last year's Top Hitting Prospect John Miller as well as versatile OF'er Matt Musser. Carl Crawford (33) and David Wright (31) are the old men in this lineup. Mark Teixeira has been benched in favor of the rookie Miller and his trade demands have been all over the San Juan media.  

Pitching:

Yeah, wow. Niemann, Myers (released twice last year) and Perez are your 1-3 starters, all coming off pretty lousy '15 campaigns. Meche and Carlos Hernandez round it out. I'm surprised that Alvin Dailey, a rookie who did well in September and spring training, has been relegated to middle relief in favor of these hacks. Let him take his lumps in the rotation...it worked for Ubardo in Baltimore. The less said about the bullpen the better. Well, Paps is solid...should probably be traded.

Man on the Spot:

No need to pile on the pitching, so I'll pick Matt Musser. Musser, a 2nd round pick out of University of Tennessee in 2014, is a true 5-tool player who could provide Larkin with some serious lineup protection. If he plays to expectations, this offense could be surprisingly good.

2015 Recap:

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Amazing starting pitching a a surprisingly potent offense lead the Savannah Sabers to their second championship in three years (and the 4th in 5 years for the South). They won the South by a whopping 13 games over division favorite Atlanta, then dismantled everyone in the playoffs, including the high powered Kwaan in the World Series. Phillip Humber deservingly won the Cy Young while Andruw Jones snagged the South MVP. Not much to complain about. 

After a great run with the Sabers, Roy Oswalt and Roy Halladay have gone overseas for new challenges. The freed up cash allowed GM Richard Vohs to fill in a lot of gaps, including former Kwaan starter Lance Broadway, veteran Albert Pujols, and closer Shane Mungitt. It's nice having all that World Series money, eh? 

Expectations are high for the Sabers as the team still looks loaded. The pitching may have lost a couple of vets, but the offense is still strong, and the only real competition in the division is the Flyers. Unlike San Juan, Savannah does not look like a team that will fall regress after their championship season, as the roster is reloaded and ready to go. Anything short of a playoff spot has to be considered a failure this year.

Offense:

With the emergence of Brandon Leahy (and the seemingly ageless Andruw Jones), the Savannah offense is geared up and ready to roll. Choi is joined by Pujols in the infield, giving the team two more power options (and a big upgrade over Joe Crede). A couple of rookies in the lineups, with Zach Tobin expected to provide the spark a the top. Tobin hit .366 with 40 doubles in AAA Tampa a year ago, so he's got the creds to get it done. The offense should score enough runs to win with this pitching.

Pitching:

Speaking of which, the pitching is good. Really good. It's nice when you can lose two All Star pitchers and not drop off too much. Kyle Lohse isn't as good, but Lance Broadway could do very well on this team. The bullpen took a hit by losing Inferno, but Shane Mungitt is here looking to revive his once stellar career. A pair of rookies share the setup duties; Otto and Richardson both posted sub-3.00 ERA's in AAA last year. Should be a team strength once again.

Man on the Spot:

Lance Broadway is a two-time Comeback Player of the Year. Of course that means he had two really crappy seasons before the comebacks, which makes you worry that he could post a 5.00 ERA any given year. Has he matured enough to stay consistent?

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One of three 66-win teams last season. They didn’t get on base (15^th in SLB), they didn’t hit bombs (11^th), they struck out a ton (13^th) and they were slow (last in SB). Of course they scored the second fewest runs last year. Team ERA ranked 9^th. Just an all around stinker of a season, bringing this year’s payroll to 65.5M. 

What’s the plan here? What is adding CC Sabathia at the auction and resigning Bobby Brownlie (pre-auction deal with Philly) going to accomplish? Is anyone worried about the outfield of Lance Nix, Josh Phelps and Austin Kearns? Even if the goal is to not finish in the basement this year and take another cap hit, I’m not sure this team doesn’t finish a distant last.

A nice rotation, giving Invaders fans a feeling of hope every day. A journeyman bullpen. A boring offense. When’s Jerry Ferrera come up? Maybe GM Tony Blake will be active early this season and shop some of these vets around for youth. This team has stagnated and needs more than 1B Boog Johnson and C Earl Hickey to inject some excitement.  

Offense:

3B Sean Burroughs hits 7^th - does that make this a deep lineup? Nope. Nobody’s terrible but there’s no one here that would be another teams best player if they got him. 

Pitching:

Maybe Beckett can throw another perfect game, or CC or Bobby Brownlie can set some pitching records. That’s going to be what gets fans in the seats this year. If they falter, leave the game or endure John Lackey (he went 10 seasons between appearances for a reason) and Rocky Biddle. Hey, maybe Aquilino Lopez can duplicate last season’s 2.38, 16 save performance! That was only 2 runs better than his career mark - he’ll do that again, right? Right?

Man on the Spot:

CC Sabathia. For some reason (okay, it was the money) he returned to Ireland. CC must have a lot of fond memories - they were good when he was here last time. Now he’ll have to tear it up just to let the Invaders have a shot at 3^rd. He had better stay healthy (he didn’t last year and he’s 34) for 34 starts, too.

2015 Recap:

Ireland went into 2015 looking like a young team that might catch a couple of breaks and find themselves in a playoff race. Not so much. The Invaders ended the year in the cellar, tied with Taipei and San Juan for the worst record in the SLB. Boog Johnson had a nice – albeit injury shortened – season, and Josh Beckett pitched well. Other than that, not too much went well. Whammy May regressed, Earl Hickey flat out sucked and both Jeff Weaver and Matt Clement had ERAs over 4.50

Off Season Analysis:

The Invaders blew their offseason load on pitching, and they added two of the better hurlers available. Both C.C. Sabathia and Bobby Brownlie joined the Ireland staff, and they now give the Invaders one of the more formidable top of the rotations in the league. You’ve got to feel sorry for the team that catches Beckett-Brownlie-Sabathia in a three-game series. The offense is the same, but if May comes back to form and one of the young catchers (Hickey or Al Murphy) stakes a claim behind the plate, the O should score some runs, and you know this staff isn’t going to give too many up.

Season Preview:

Ireland moves into 2016 much the same way they went into 2015, young on offense and experienced on the mound. The difference is that this year’s staff shouldn’t be terrible. I still think they might be a little too young to make it to the off season, but who knows? It seems like every season a team comes out of nowhere, wins a bunch of games and makes everyone go “Ohhh, yeah, we should have seen that coming.”

Offense:

The offense should be…adequate. You know what Sean Burroughs is going to give you, a healthy Boog Johnson will be one of the better first basemen in the league and you’ve got to figure that one of the catchers will be able to hit. Whammy May tore the league to shreds in 2014, but lost his power stroke last season, dropping almost 70 points off of his slugging percentage. Scouts have always hinted that his swing wasn’t exactly tailor made for hitting against southpaws, but May has almost the same career average against lefties (.286) as he does against righties (.287).

Pitching:

What needs to be said here? This staff should be among the league’s best, as Sabathia, Beckett and Brownlie are each fantastic. Matt Clement and Zach Day round out the rotation as serviceable back-end options. The bullpen? Well, not so good, but really, who’s bullpen is good anymore? The SLB is more and more becoming a league where the key to a pitching staff is to not give up runs in the first six innings, and hope the pen can hold on. There might not be a team in the league better prepared for that strategy than Ireland.

Man on the Spot:

Gotta go with Sabathia, here. The big lefty was expansion San Juan’s first big free-agent splash, and he rewarded the Senadores with a championship. Bill Gluvna got a title with an average offense and dominating pitching, and it looks like Ireland is trying to duplicate that.

2015 Recap:

The Knights won the division by 8 games but there was no way they were taking the pennant from the Kwaan. 2B Jose Reyes was awesome despite missing 27 games and will be asked to lead this team back to the playoffs. 22 year-old SS Justin Upton had his best season yet and hit for more power than any other Knight. Daisuke Matsuzaka was steady and excellent, 216 IP and 210 strikeouts. London went with an underwhelming CF platoon of Vernon Wells and Hunter Dravinger, which gave them only a .246 batting average and 18 HR.  

Made a nice deal with Chiang-Mai which netted them another 1^st round ammy pick this year. Justin Upton was made expendable by last year’s #1 pick Diego Clemente. The Knights were also able to absorb the loss of 1B/LF Kendry Morales due to some excellent drafting lately. They picked up the frustrating Jered Weaver to be their 4^th starter and former Rookie Pitcher of the Year Tosekawa Mahara to take the 5^th spot, giving them one heck of a rotation. Didn’t sign a player in round 2 of the auction and picked up most of his bullpen in round 3.

That’s a pretty sweet lineup. What about the bullpen? Jon Switzer’s the closer? Having a weak link with a 65.5M payroll is one thing, but this bullpen is more of a gaping wound. If this strategy works, London is in the playoffs. Or we’ll see some wheeling and dealing once GM Sean O’Hallaran gets beat up in the press for having a team that can’t hold a lead. Chokers, they‘ll say. Not enough talent, I say. 

Offense:

23 year-old Warren McFadden gets promoted to the Show. He’s ready and has a nice spot to break in with, hitting 6^th. 22 year-old 3B Diego Clemente is getting called up as well, and is the early favorite for Rookie Hitter of the Year. James McNulty is 24, LF Jim Russell is 25 - this team will be fun to watch and hard to play against. Ridiculous speed.

Pitching:

Okay, Weaver and Mahara join Matsuzaka, Volstad and Bray to make a great rotation. And maybe with that offense and these starters Manager Davey Johnson is confident that they’ll just have to protect huge leads. Maybe he’s right. Or maybe these guys will pitch just like they always do and the Knights won’t be pulling away from the pack this time. Seriously, the ‘pen has James Brauer (career 7.06 ERA), David Bush (5.35), Nick Neugebauer (4.95), Mike Zagurski (6.80), Andrew Beatty (5.40) and Brandon Claussen (6.08) leading up to Closer (I’m not kidding) Jon Switzer (4.97). How bad is it? It would fit in perfectly in the Far East division.

Man on the Spot:

GM O’Hallaran who put it together or the whole bullpen? He might be a trading partner early this season. But I’ll go with Setup Man Andrew Beatty. Just because you took him in the Rule 5 last year doesn’t mean he has to be on your team this year. How long before he gets sent down?

2015 Recap:

London as a team in 2015 was one of those squads that ends up being more than the sum of its parts. No particularly dominating pitching performances and outside of Jim Russell and Justin Upton, no one really stood out on offense. In the end, in the slightly altered words of Ice Cube, the Knights F’d around and won 89 games. It wasn’t like they picked apart a weak division, either. Ireland was bad, but Paris and Scotland each won 81 games, and if it wasn’t for the Pimps dropping seven in-a-row to end the season, they would have been right there behind London. One thing that helped – the Knights had the best road record in the league (47-33).

Off Season Analysis:

Upton and Kendry Morales bolted for Halifax, a pair of moves that will definitely curtail any offensive enthusiasm. When he wasn’t injured, Morales was great and Upton blew up in his walk-year. London also added Jered Weaver and Tosekara Mahawa to bolster the back of the rotation.

Season Preview:

It doesn’t look like the Knights will win 89 games again, but they replaced two talented players (Upton, Morales) with two more talented players (first-and-second  round picks Diego Clemente and Warren McFadden). Both guys have amazing tools, but, for instance, Clemente is a guy who’s numbers never matched what was expected of him. Now he’s stepping right into the big leagues. It’s all on the young guys. If they step up (Like Ireland’s kids in 2014), London will be in good shape. If it takes them a year or two to get accustomed, it could be a long season.

Offense:

Like I said, it’s on the kids. If they hit, you could do much worse than what they’ve got. Losing their two best hitters will hurt, but there isn’t much offense in the Euro, so they might find themselves up near the top of the division, offensively. Of course, Clemente and McFadden could shit the bed, and leave London, without shut-down pitching, in a lot of trouble.  

Pitching:

The starting staff looks…ugly. Dice-K is good, Christopher Volstad is young and has promise, but the other three guys are all nothing special, though Jered Weaver has the potential to be more than he has been. If they score a lot of runs, the staff is decent enough to win you some games. If not, I don’t think there’s enough talent here to stay above .500.

Man on the Spot:

This is more of a men on the spot, and I know I’m reiterating myself here, but McFadden, Clemente and McNulty have to hit like major leaguers for London to stay afloat in the Euro. The good news? McFadden was fantastic in the rookie league last year (Clemente, not so much), and fellow rookie James McNulty raked to the tune of a 1.350 OPS.

2015 Recap:

Another team barely over .500 in the World League, the Pimps folded down the stretch, losing their last 7 games and missing the Wildcard by a game. They were 29-22 in one-run games but I don’t think they should be rewarding their bullpen - Joel Piniero had the lowest ERA at 4.52. In their defense, they did have the aging (and retired) Derek Lee and Jimmy Rollins miss a lot of games, but what team didn’t get bit by the injury bug last year? 3B Yuliesky Gourriel had a small sophomore slump but it was the pitching that let this team down. Has offense ever been a problem in Paris? 

Former 1^st round pick (by these same Pimps) Troy Paris signed with Paris after playing for Atlanta, Kyoto and Scotland the past 3 seasons. He’ll get a majority of the playing time at catcher. They traded for RFA Carl Pavano and signed him for his age 39, 40 and 41 seasons. They’ll need him to put up his usual high 3’s ERA and pitch 200 innings and replace the retired Tim Hudson. Scott Williamson was a nice pickup for an area of the team that needed it. Mark Malaska resigned for a bullpen role so GM Michael Taylor has probably been taking thank-you calls from Euro Division hitters all spring.

The starters will have to keep games within reach while Pimpernel hitters hammer away at the plate. (Is this considered cutting-edge strategy anymore? Do World League teams care about their ‘pens anymore?) There are going to be some high-scoring games in Europe and the Far East this season and Paris wants in on the action. Fans in Maginot Line Stadium will have to sit for well over 3 hours to watch these 8-7 slugfests. Can their manager go that long without a nap? We know they’ll hit but how many games will this bullpen blow? I think we’ll need a new statistical category put up - either Blown Saves or Losses by Relievers.

Offense:

Ryne Robinson will get the everyday CF job after impressing in a 25-game trial last season. Sophomore 2B Spaz Dinkman looked good in his rookie season and will get a lot of at-bats at the top of the order. Sandwiched between spots 2 and 8 will be the heavy hitters, they may look decent (25 HR?) on other teams but over here they crush. Todd Linden hit 24 bombs for Savannah last year, will that be 40 this season? Juan Rivera’s high was 19 for Philly in 2011 until he drilled 36 for the Pimps last year. Troy Paris has hit 31 twice in his career - look for some gaudy offensive numbers from him and the Pimps this year.

Pitching:

The starters should be fine as long as they go directly home after being pulled and don’t stick around to watch what this bullpen does to their games. Sophomore closer Daniel Arizmendi had 9 saves and a 4.54 ERA last year despite allowing more than half of his inherited runners to score. Paul Davis and BJ Ryan are consistently terrible - the offense can’t falter or 91 year-old Manager Yogi Berra could be looking for a new job. Or a retirement home.

Man on the Spot:

New LF Todd Linden wasn’t heavily pursued this off season and Taylor got him for 2.5M a season. Will he really come through batting in the 3^rd spot? This team can’t afford to have any holes in their lineup.

2015 Recap:

Paris found themselves in the same place that Scotland did at the end of 2015, namely, one game out of the playoffs. They got there differently, though, as the Pimps lost seven in a row to close out the year. Kind of hurts knowing that 2-5 in that same span gets them in the post season. Juan Rivera took advantage of his first starting opportunity and led the team in home runs (36) and RBI (112). Their pitching was decidedly below average, as the only guy with a sub 4.00 ERA was Jerome Williams, who snuck by with a 3.95.

Off Season Analysis:

Derrek Lee and Tim Hudson both took off to a retirement home in Florida, while Piniero was let go. They added Carl Pavano to the rotation and Scott Williamson to the pen, which will help. They also grabbed Troy Paris (he of the resurgent 2015) and Todd Linden who hit .288 with 24 home runs last year.

Season Preview:

Unlike the Far East, where the division is clearly divided between the have’s and the have not’s, in the Euro there’s just no telling. A couple of breaks here and there for any team could make the difference between the playoffs and spending the off season with Taipei.

Offense:

With Lee gone, the newly acquired Linden immediately becomes the third hitter, quite a task for a guy who has never topped 26 home runs. Gourriel, who blew onto the scene in 2014, winning Rookie Hitter of the Year honors, regressed in 2015 and has been dropped to the seventh spot in the lineup against right-handers. A hot start could see him moved back up, though.

Pitching:

Pavano takes over as the ace, with Williams and Willis backing him up. Kim and Beltre are nothing special, but not many staffs are going to get strong performances out of their four-five guys, anyway. Williamson is a huge addition to the pen…as long as he pitches like he did last year. He’s had a history of mediocrity, but 2014 (3.53 ERA) and last season (2.59) were great, and Paris is hoping that he can duplicate those numbers. It’s just $1.5 million either way. If he repeats, he might find himself in the closer’s role, as Arizmendi is untested.

Man on the Spot:

If Gourriel bounces back to 2014 levels of production, this offense has the potential to be really good. And they’re going to need to be good, because the pitching could implode on them. Maybe if he has another big year, the Pimps won’t have to rely on not going on an 0-fer to close out the season to make the playoffs.

2015 Recap:

The Rebels finished in second place last season but GM Carmelo Guarneri had to have been looking for a little more than 2 games above .500. He made 12 deals in ‘15, constantly tinkering with the mix to get him into the playoffs. It wasn’t to be. Scotland had plenty of power (4^th in HR) led by slugging RF Adam Dunn. The Rebels finished 6^th in runs scored, so it looks like giving SS Matt Bush 310 AB’s and BB Boo-Ya having a down year didn’t give the big guys enough men on base. The Rebels were 9^th in team ERA led by RHP Brandon Webb’s 3.62. A decent team - perhaps they need to make some small adjustments to get them in the playoffs this season.

Small adjustments? GM Guarneri has already made 6 deals before Opening Day. I’m not sure its always based on need - maybe boredom. Scotland traded for Grady Sizemore in January and flipped him in March. He traded Alexis Rios in January and flipped him in March. Seeing a pattern here? Agents should be advising their players to rent, not buy, when they get to Edinburgh. You could be gone on a whim. Gone from last year’s team are … okay, the list could get long. The auction saw the Rebels sign Dennis Tankersley - he’ll get Jered Weaver’s innings.

More deals ahead? Scott Hodges is 35, Dunn and Webb are 35. The window of playoff opportunity is closing with these guys, so look for Scotland to pull out all the stops to finally see some postseason success. The lineup has a nice combination of youth and experience, but that rotation is all 35 or older, save Degerman, the new 5^th starter. There’s options at his weakest positions, so if Wilson Finney doesn’t hit, Canizaro will get another shot. Howie Sloat is on board in case Ryan Zimmerman doesn’t replicate last year’s .331. 

Offense:

The Rebels have a nice lineup but don’t mix it up very well. Three left-handed hitters in spots 3-6, all right-handed in spots 1-2, 7-8. That might make them easier to deal with in the late innings - or with the debacles that are the World League’s bullpens, perhaps Manager Whitey Herzog isn’t too worried about those left-handed relievers. He’s got power, speed, youth, experience and depth. A quality offense.

Pitching:

New arrival Tankersley has a career ERA of 4.14. Kawabata is at 4.42. Horacio Ramirez 4.47. Brandon Webb (3.85) is the only one Herzog can count on for more than an above average start. Degerman went 12-3, 3.17 in AAA and won’t have to be great in SLB his rookie year, just provide some innings so he doesn’t tax the Rebel bullpen too much. The starters are all proven innings-eaters and should give Scotland chances to win every game. The pen however, features unproven players with rookies Lee Dedaux, Art Taylor and Kevin Roberts (6 innings career) sharing the workload with veterans Erasmo Ramirez, Wade Townsand, Jorge Julio and closer Francisco Cordero. Will all three youngsters last the season in Scotland?

Man on the Spot:

36 year-old Ryan Howard declined a little last season, down from 40 HR the year before to 29. That’s not horrible but any more of a drop off and the Rebel offense will suffer. He’s got Billy Gladden pushing him on Scotland, and Henry Sanchez looking for a shot it AAA, so maybe he’ll do well under pressure. A trade isn’t out of the question - Guarneri doesn’t give his guys much rope.

2015 Recap:

Scotland won three in a row to close out 2015, but went just 4-6 in its final ten games, missing out on a playoff spot by just a single game. Adam Dunn blew up, cranking out 47 home runs with a 1.001 OPS and Troy Paris bounced back, hitting 31 home runs with a .510 slugging percentage.

Off Season Analysis:

Yikes, this is a lot of turnover. The Rebels say goodbye to 3/5ths of their starting rotation, as Mulder, Wainright and Weaver peaced out in the off season. B.B. Boo-Ya said goodbye, too, but he really struggled in 2015, and Scotland has to be happy to have that contract off its hands. Dennis Tankersley moves in and will immediately be the No. 3 starter. Good idea? He had a 4.59 ERA last season, albeit in Osaka, where god himself might struggle keeping the ball in the park.

Season Preview:

Well, the Euro is totally up for grabs, but these guys just don’t have the pitching to keep up with the joneses. The lineup here looks good, though, especially if Dunn can replicate his 2015 numbers. It going to come down to the pitching, and outside of Webb and Horacio Ramirez, who was admittedly incredible last year, there really isn’t anything to get stoked about. That’s back-to-back great seasons out of the southpaw. Can he make it three in a row? His past doesn’t make it look probable, so I’ll say no.

Offense:

One through five, it looks great. Stubbs was great in 2015 and if he takes a step forward, he’ll move into the elite class of center fielders in the SLB. Dunn and Howard can mash, and they both terrify right-handers. Though, since they do bat back-to-back, you can get them out in the late innings, as long as you have a good left handed pitcher available in the pen. What? Those don’t exist. Well, then, you’re screwed.

Pitching:

Webb has been good for a long time now, and Ramirez has been great for the last two seasons, especially last year. The next three guys are rough, at best. Scotland is banking on Tankersley being so excited to not pitch in Osaka, that he turns his entire career around. Not having to face Chiang-Mai as much will definitely help his numbers. Scott Williamson tossed over 100 innings out of the pen with a sub 3.00 ERA,  but he’s not here anymore and the Rebel pen will hurt with out him. Dedaux and Taylor will begin their careers as dual long relief pitchers, but one or both might find themselves in the rotation if the regular guys struggle.

Man on the Spot:

I’m picking the entire Pitching staff. I know I said that they don’t have enough to keep up, but if they prove me wrong, with the lineup they have, they’re likely headed to the playoffs.

2015 Recap:

What a run the Kwaan had last season. Everything that could go right went right until they visited the Finals for their first time and lost to Savannah in 6 games. They won 100 games and had the Far East sown up by mid-August. They had the Comeback Player of the Year in Lance Broadway, the league MVP in Joe Belinda and the Rookie Hitter of the Year in Trevor Bayne. And even though big free agent signing Dennis Dennis missed 19 games, he still helped turn this franchise around and hit a nice .345 with 29 SB’s. 

Last year’s move of young talent for RFA Dennis Dennis paid off for GM Ben Royer but this off-season a similar deal backfired and cost the Kwaan plenty. They sent a #1 pick to London for RFA Justin Upton and then lost out during the bidding process. Last year’s 3B Albert Pujols was let go, Upton was penciled in at 3B and Royer ended up giving 38 year old Aubrey Huff 5.25M to take his statue impersonation to the hot corner. SP Lance Broadway, 18-6 3.48 took big money from SLB champs Savannah. Closer Shane Mungitt, who came over from Scotland in a deadline deal walks away as well.

Even with those losses, this team looks good. Not as great as Royer thought he’d have it before the auction but still an excellent squad. They have power, speed and possibly just one hole in their lineup - if Cap Jackson figures it out this year, lookout.

Offense:

They led SLB in SB’s by a margin of 152. Their 8^th place hitter (Jackson) hits .253 lifetime but has great wheels. The order might see 1-7 all hit over .300. They don’t hit into double plays (though that could change with Huff at the dish) and besides Huff who’s 38, their next oldest regular is 27. Look for increased power from Chiang-Mai this year.

Pitching:

Sure, Broadway leaves the rotation but he’s replaced by Mark Rogers who can put up decent numbers. If not, he’ll still be carried by the big 3 of Kazmir, Pelfrey and Derek Thompson who all had ERA’s under 3.30. But just like fellow Far East teams Osaka and Taipei, the Kwaan seem to have neglected their bullpen. There is no one in the ‘pen who will strike fear in an opposing batter. Closer Rudolph Quinonez is their only decent option and he had an ERA of 4.63 last year. Rookie Dane Smith gets one of the important setup spots, he didn’t get an inning in AAA last year but did have a 3.38 ERA … in Rookie ball.

Man on the Spot:

Dane Smith. Someone is going to have to step up in the ‘pen and if Manager Harrelson thinks that this 22 year-old can handle the pressure, we deserve to trash him if he doesn’t. A 5^th round pick out of Ball St. last season, he’s seen exactly 40 innings of professional ball. Good luck kid. Hope they hand you some big leads.

2015 Recap:

What can I say that you don’t already know? They had three players (D2J, Joe Belinda and Trevor Bayne) bat over .345. Read that again. I’m not even going to run through the rest of the numbers, because they make me sick. Even Cap Jackson warmed up a bit. His OBP was still below .300. but he stole 88 bases, so at least he got himself in scoring position whenever he did reach first.

Off Season Analysis:

Look out world, here comes Aubrey Huff! Just kidding, if they added anymore offense, it would be a crime. Losing Lance Broadway will hurt, but they have enough on the mound that his absence won’t kill them.

Season Preview:

I’ll save you the drama and let you know, now. It’s going to be Osaka and Chiang-Mai. These two teams are so far ahead of the rest of the division that they might dominate Kyodo and Taipei and wake up in October both with 100 wins. Barring injuries, it should be a fun year for the Kwaan, bet the house on a playoff berth.

Offense:

It doesn’t get much better than this. If you make it through Bayne, Willemburg and Dennis, all you have to do is get Belinda, Murman and Callahan. Enough of a murderer’s row, for you? Whatever, I’m not bitter. These guys are going to put up runs, and lots of them.

Pitching:

Kazmir, Pelfrey and Thompson is a pretty nice top of the rotation. Pelfrey took a big step forward last year and now looks like a future ace. The back-end is a little rough, but they’re going to score enough runs that these guys will surely make some leads stand up. Their bullpen resembles most of the pens in the league, one or two guys that could be pretty good and a bunch of question marks.

Man on the Spot:

God, who knows, here? I feel like the other three teams in the league are more “on the spot” than anyone on this roster. I guess you could go with someone like Willemburg. Can he repeat his performance from last year? If he hits .300 again and gets on base, it allows the Kwaan to keep Jackson and his sub-.300 OBP in the eighth spot of the order.

2015 Recap:

GM Darin Keesing’s team underachived all the way to a 82-78 record, making the playoffs due to the fact that Osaka was hit by the injury bug (again). They went 3-7 in their final ten games, using the backdoor to get into the postseason where London took care of them in the first round. This team looked better than 82 wins on paper and had some great regular season performances but didn’t seem to click. They also took constant beatdowns from division champs Chiang-Mai. 

Manager Bobby Valentine kept his job and took his concerns to Keesing regarding team chemistry. Two time Kyoto property Josh Barfield was let go, Lance Berkman retired and Kyle Lohse was another Savannah free-agent signing. Kyoto picked up 24 year-old Reed Rothchild to handle Middle Relief in a trade with Cleveland and traded a minor-league 2B to Savannah to get their new CF and leadoff man, Chris Kolkhorst. Without much cash to spend and very few holes, Keesing needed to do very little at the auction but did manage to get his 4^th starter, 36 year-old SP Jason Jennings.

A whole season of Kelvim Escobar has to help as long as he gets a little better run support this season. Despite his 3.32 ERA, Escobar went 6-17 last year. Hank Daniels will be on a short leash in the 5^th spot. This team has very few starters under 30 and are built to win now, so look for Keesing to make whatever moves are necessary to get his team in the playoffs.

Offense:

The Bushido showed a lot of power last season but was in the bottom half in runs scored. They don’t have much speed and that ends up killing a lot of rallies. Rookie SS Ed See is their lone speedster and will have to run wild on the bases if Blalock, Dalton or Utley go into power slumps. This won’t be a Kwaan or Ronin type offense, where opposing pitchers go to watch their ERA’s balloon. The Bushido will have to have better balance, which leads us to …

Pitching:

Jason Jennings has seen his ERA’s increase the last 4 seasons. The Bushido need better numbers than last years 13-15, 4.88 out of him. However, they do have the best bullpen in the Far East, maybe in the whole World League. Guthrie, Simons, Rothchild, Gudex and Unger lead to closer Huston Street. That ‘pen will shorten a whole of games. Its an interesting contrast of styles in the Far East and will be fun to watch whose strategy works. Offensive thunder or solid pitching?

Man on the Spot:

5^th round pick out of California Ed See will hit in the two-hole. He’s going to have to inject some enthusiasm and speed into this batting order. We’ll see if hitting .288 in Chiba translates and he’s going to have to do better than 9 SB’s.

2015 Recap:

The Bushido took advantage of Osaka’s cold start, finishing four games above .500 and making it to the playoffs as the wildcard. They hit a bunch of home runs, led by Eric Dalton’s 41, while Peavy, Kuo and Lohse (!) had good seasons on the mound. They also added Kelvim Escobar at the deadline, a move that gave them a pretty mean rotation. Also, the pen was really good at times, as both Tim Gudex and Zach Simons posted sub 3.00 ERAs (sub 2.00 in the case of Gudex).

Off Season Analysis:

They added Jennings and Rothchild to the pitching staff and the up-and-down Chris Kolkhorst to centerfield and leadoff. Jennings has won a lot of games, but his ERAs have been up and down. Rothchild had two good years in the pen to start off his career in Cleveland, and then pitched just seven innings in 2015. If he pitches like he’s capable up, the Bushido pen, actually, entire staff, will be pretty formidable.

Season Preview:

There’s a lot to like here, and in any other division, you would definitely plan on them making a run for the top of the standings. Sadly, they’re in the Far East, and will probably end up in third place. It’s a tough life out east.

Offense:

You know what you’re going to get with the vets, but do you really want to go into a season relying on Kolkhorst, Ed See and Mark Hamilton? Not in this division, you don’t. Kolkhorst and See are going to have to get on base in front of the mashers, otherwise Dalton is going to end up with 40 home runs and 60 RBI.

Pitching:

Definitely the strength of the team. They have a great top 3, lead by the otherworldly Kelvim Escobar, and their bullpen should be amongst the best in the league. No team wants to face Escobar for six innings and then see Simons, Gudex and Street come out of the pen.

Man on the Spot:

This one is tough for me to pick, as the offense doesn’t really rely on any one player and the pitching staff has depth all the way through. I’ll go double duty again and pick both Kolkhorst and See. They’re batting at the top of the lineup, and if the Bushido are going to keep pace in what might be the best division in the SLB, they are going to have to get themselves on base.

2015 Recap:

The Ronin finished 19 games back of the Kwaan but narrowly missed out on the Wildcard, just one game back of Kyoto. Owner Tom Hey once again scrimped on trainers and medical staff and Osaka had only 3 players play a full season. Would a healthy Soriano (92 GP) and Chest Rockwell (89 GP) have made them a playoff team? I think so. Johan Santana gave his usual terrific performance and Rick Ankiel led the Ronin with 13 saves … and an 8.80 ERA.

GM Tom Hey made a big play for CC Sabathia during the auction and a run at Darren Lemming before things got out of hand. The Ronin got neither, but then bought themselves one of the best pitchers in SLB in Halladay. They had to spend most of their remaining dollars on resigning Peppers, Soriano and long-time Ronin Ben Sheets. After that, it was the bargain bin: Ryan Anderson, Bobby Seay, Calvin Trest - and these guys weren’t signed for AAA either. Nope, these arms are fodder for the Osaka bullpen, where they’ll be chewed up and sent right back out there.

Will three pitchers and the biggest offense in SLB be enough to win this division? And will Osaka finally have some postseason success? The Ronin have won a Wildcard berth 3 times and a division title twice but have no rings to show for it. Will they finally get the right mix in their lineup? Look for the Ronin to take early 7-0 leads and Rambis biting his nails as his pitchers fritter away leads. Osaka was 29-32 in one-run games last season and very well could be worse in that category this year.

Offense:

Is there a player in this lineup who can’t hit the long ball? Yes, two. Manager Kurt Rambis seems to think that having two guys that can run like the wind at the top and bottom of his batting order will be a key to winning. But neither guy (rookie Jerry Kimm and SS Rafael Furcal) can hit. Perhaps Rambis can’t fully commit to a slugging offense. This team hit 303 home runs last season and might have to up that total to win the Far East, and I think we’ll see Jack Schalk and John Thomas in the lineup before too long. Go big, really big, or stay home.

Pitching:

Signing Roy Halladay is nice. Losing innings eaters Jason Jennings and Dennis Tankersley is going to hurt …. a lot. Sure, John Webb is underrated. But 6 teams have rejected Carl Sadler and he’s the Ronin’s 5^th starter. Ryan Anderson is getting a role in the ‘pen, meaning a couple of bad outings and we could see Hey favorite Rick Ankiel back in SLB. Seay (career 5.07), Ray Werth (5.76), Tim Spooneybarger (5.73), Calvin Trest (4.39) fill spots in the ‘pen leading to left-handed closer Dwight Schrute (6.00) who might walk as many batters as he strikes out.

Man on the Spot:

23 year-old closer Dwight Schrute threw 12 lousy innings last season. He’s going to be handed some tight games and if he doesn’t shut other teams down in the 9^th, Osaka goes nowhere.

2015 Recap:

Osaka got off to a rough, injury filled, start last year. But everyone knew it was just a matter of time until they got healthy and started winning. They missed out on the playoffs by just one game, but had Dave Peppers not missed 16 games with an injury (not to mention Chest Rockwell only playing half a season), you know the Ronin would have been there at the end.

Off Season Analysis:

They added “Doc” Halladay and some guy named Calvin Trest, but the real coup of the off season was that they managed to keep Soriano, Sheets and Peppers in the fold, all for just over $26 million a year. Hell, they’re just paying Peppers $10.5 million a season. No fair, you say? Well, you shouldn’t. Osaka just took advantage of the other owners napping, apparently. Whether or not the Ronin planned on matching the offers Peppers was sure to get, all the other owners had to do was bid him up.

Season Preview:

Bright. The Far East might be staking a claim to the two best teams in the league in 2016, with Chiang-Mai and now, Osaka. Adding Halladay is huge, as he teams with Santana and Sheets to form the best 1-2-3 in the division. If they all stay healthy, look for the Ronin to fight the Kwaan all the way to the end of the season.

Offense:

Peppers, Rockwell, Soriano, Brown, Montana, Ryu..aww F it. This offense would hit no matter where it was, but in Osaka? They’ll score a million runs and make you like it. You aren’t getting through nine innings without giving up a home run to one of these cats.

Pitching:

The addition of Halladay gives them a great top of the rotation, and Webb isn’t too bad, himself. Sadler’s going to get killed, what with all the offense in this division, though. Dwight Schrute is making the jump to the bigs. Is he ready to close? You can’t be sure, but he did post a 0.51 ERA in the rookie league last year. Seriously. Nothing too hot in the bullpen, but the leads they’re going to see will be so big, will it even matter?

Man on the Spot:

Jerry Kimm is coming all the way up from rookie ball, and all he has to do is be the catalyst for the best offense in the league. He’s fast as hell, and he hit .338 in the rookie league (with 14 triples in just 133 at-bats), but scouts have never been sold on his ability to hit at the big league level.

2015 Recap:

The Tai Fong won just 66 games last season but at one point sat comfortably in 3rd place. Then the Ronin got healthy and lept over Taipei on their way to putting a scare into the Far East. 66 wins is about what was expected from this squad in their 3^rd season that featured ace right-hander Felix Hernandez decline (an ERA of 4.99) for the third season in a row. Former 1^st round pick Ron Mexico was horrible, going 6-10, 5.79. Offensively, they were the slowest team in the league, with only 13 triples and the most GIDP’s (148).

Taipei added stud right-hander Roy Oswalt and he’ll obviously be their number 1 pitcher. They also inexplicably matched the offer to SP Zach Greinke for 1.5M a year - that 5.57 ERA must come with a lot of veteran leadership. Ted Striker, who pitched admirably for 3 seasons with Taipei, went back across the pond to Bedford. The Tai Fong have a salary cap of 60M and weren’t very active at the auction after signing Oswalt.

Oswalt will be the pitcher Goforth thought he was getting when he drafted Felix Hernandez. For this team to make it out of the basement, Hernandez must step up. He’s on the last year of his 7.25M contract and at age 29, could get a huge payday if he finally realizes his potential. 38 year-old 3B Aramis Ramirez and 35 year-old RF Nick Swisher are going to be babysitting these young bats - or is it that they’ll be carried by the likes of Tom Maple, Dan Posedel, and Antonio Mule? They’re still a couple pieces away from being a threat.

Offense:

The Tai Fong offense is mostly homegrown and returns intact, counting on better performances from their young players instead of applying free agent band-aids. Perfectly mediocre Aramis Ramirez has no youngster pushing him, which could be bad news for the Tai Fong. They’ll need more power than they showed last season (second to last in HR) and will have to be a little more aggressive on the base paths - but only Maple shows an eagerness to run. Station to station baseball works for some teams but you have to knock it out of the yard to be successful.

Pitching:

Roy Oswalt left a contender to come here? Perhaps he’ll take the pressure off Hernandez and Mexico and give them 3 strong starters, with a steady Andrew Brown in the 4^th spot,. The 5^th starter and bullpen are going to have noone with a career ERA under 4.50. Tim Redding, who is 37 and has his best (I use that term loosely) years behind him, gets another shot in SLB. He went 4-7, 6.03 last year. Former 2^nd round pick Josh Palm had an ERA over 9 last season, and he’ll join Redding in Long Relief. It’ll be interesting to see the Osaka and Chiang-Mai offenses hit against this team. Look for Manager Billy Heywood attempting to invoke the 10-run mercy rule in those contests.

Man on the Spot:

Felix Hernandez. Come on already, start dominating. Then watch the offers roll in next auction time.

2015 Recap:

In a word – Ugly. Nearing the midway point of the season it looked like Taipei might make a run at .500. How did it end? Naturally they finished tied for the worst record in the league. The Tai-Fong were hit with what might have been the worlds first case of contagious heel bruises, as it seemed at any time there were two or three players out in the field limping around. The offense was better than average, but the pitching was probably the worst in the league. Brad Penny started out well, then faltered down the stretch and retired, while the now departed Ted Striker and his pal Ron Mexico completely fell apart. Felix Hernandez, with his amazing stuff and lack of results continued to confuse everyone except opposing hitters.

Off Season Analysis:

They kissed 2/5ths of the rotation bye, with Striker hitting the road and Penny hitting the retirement home. They replaced them with Zach Greinke, acquired near the end of last season off the waiver wire, and free-agent Roy Oswalt. Greinke was sometimes adequate last year and Oswalt gives Taipei its first ever true ace. The Tai-Fong have reportedly traded their first and second round draft picks to San Juan for fireballer Jon Papelbon, who could theoretically team up with Kevin Whelan (1.89 ERA in 47.2 innings) as one of the better one-two’s in the league.

Season Preview:

Taipei is in a rough spot. The offense is good, the pitching might be alright, but no matter what happens, they are not going to catch up with Osaka or Chiang-Mai. If they play well in the division, they might sneak up and stay around .500, especially if the pitching staff pitches how it should (I’m looking at you, King Felix). Expect 70-80 wins and another offseason of grumbling.

Offense:

Mule moves in to the three-hole after an offseason of bulking up. Really, the top four hitters, if they stay on the field instead of the trainer’s room, should be really good, while the bottom half of the lineup should be average, at the very least. Gene Alten has moved himself into the second tier of hitting catchers, quietly becoming one of the better hitting backstops in the league.

Pitching:

Oswalt will be good. At least he better be, after Taipei dropped $39 million on him in the offseason. Mexico and Hernandez fit into the coulda-woulda-shoulda group of pitchers that tantalize you with their scouting reports, and then never seem to match that with production. The bullpen is one with no middle ground. You’re either good, like Papelbon and Whelan were last season (and to a lesser extent, Liriano), or you’re terrrrrrrrrible (like everyone else).

Man on the Spot:

Taipei Head Coach Billy Heywood must feel like an abusive parent, poking Hernandez in the head repeatedly, screaming “WHY CAN’T YOU JUST BE GOOD?”. Taipei has invested a lot of time and money in the “King” and it’s about time he started paying them back with production.