AL EAST
New York Knights
LAST SEASON RECORD 64-98 25/25 Roster: PAYROLL 59.1/60M
Needs: SS, 3B, Pitching
Stars: 1B Fergie Ryan, DH Juan Cervantes
Slugs: LF Iago Silva
Minor Hope: 2B Homer Eldred (AAA), SS David Gardner (AAA), DH Tim Ross (AAA), SP William Gibson (AA)
Summary: I'm not sure I see the direction of the Knights, They have a strong player, Tim Ross who hits over .300 with 30 dingers last season, this season they send him down to the minors to work on his game. Not sure what they expect out of him. Pitching leaves a lot to be desired, they lack a true ace and their best are merely ordinary.
Projection: 71-91 they show improvement, but they have too much AAA talent getting to many ML abs this season. .
Durham Bulls
LAST SEASON RECORD 56-106 25/25Roster: PAYROLL 73.1/76M
Needs: Pitching, C, 3B
Stars: SS A.J. Rollins
Slugs: SP Keith Junge, RP J.R. Pisciotta
Minor Hope: SS Bonk White (AA), SS Woodie Gross (AA), LF (AA)
Summary: SP Jimmie Eusiebo is coming off the worst season in his career. He is a much better pitcher than he showed last season. His supporting cast is more of the issue. The Bulls have the worst pitching staff in the AL and potentially the league. They do have a number of hitters coming up the pipeline, but no pitching help for the foreseeable future.
Projection: 58-104- Bulls need Crash Davis and Nuke LaLoosh to join the team, for the comedy at least.
Chicago Wolves
LAST SEASON RECORD 100-62 26/25 Roster: PAYROLL 100/101M
Needs: RP, OF
Stars: 3B Clarence Morgan, 1B Cristobal Jacquez, 1B Lorenzo Cornejo, 2B Bill Thome, 2B Calvin Lui, Cl Orlando Martinez, SP Doug Evans, SP Tony Ortiz, SP Harry Ortiz
Slugs: C Pedro Lee, cf
Jonathan Minor, P Bono Wolf, P Jorge Cabeza
Minor Hope: SS
Wesley Pavlik(AAA), LF Kevin Takada(AAA), CF Hootie Waner, SP Todd Olerud(AAA), SP Sandy Evers(AA), P Skeeter Shields(HiA), RP David James(AA)
Summary: They have the best Al Pitching staff. Young able and most importantly elite. They will be hard to get hits off of early and should be able to control games. Pitching does have its holes, but I think they will be difficult to see and expose regularly. The Offense is bunched up in positions and should be able to have a solid enough core to trade away elite talent and get great future value. Chicago is going to be the team to beat in the AL for the long run.
Projection: 101-61- they will be a playoff team. Baltimore might be their only challenge for the next 2 years ..
Baltimore Bandits
LAST SEASON RECORD 95-67 25/25 Roster:, PAYROLL 109.6/127M
Needs: RP
Stars: CF Heath Peterman, 1B Pedro Osuna, 2B Jose Park, LF William Stewart, 3B Max Mills, SP Ryan Perry, Sp Alex Wang, 3B Albert Frazier
Slugs:
Minor Hope: RP Fernando Valdez
Summary: One of the most balanced ML teams. They are old and creaky and outside of the ML don't have much talent. The Bandits are built to win this year with not they have to pray for next. They are loaded with All-star on both the hitting and pitching fronts.
Projection: 100-62- They could be a truck rolling over the competition if they staff healthy..
AL WEST
Anaheim strasfigor
LAST SEASON RECORD 77-85 Roster: 25/25 , PAYROLL 83.7/85M
Needs: Defensive C, SS
Stars: 3B Everett Rodgers, LF Clay Cambridge, CF Midre Jordan, SP Walt Inge
Slugs: P Burt Swan, 1B Jaime Bonds
Minor Hope:
2B Max Conway( R), SS Jason Paronto(R )CF Yorvit Gonzales(AAA), SP Wallace Lunsford, P Edge Ferrara
Summary: With 4 guys that play DH type catchers on the ML roster, it will be hard to get them all abs. Expect someone to move to 1B and hope his offense covers the lack of Defense. They are much better than the record indicated come off early season abandonment. They recovered some, but are better than a .500 team. They need to sort out the defense if they want to get in the playoffs.
Projection: 83-79- too many questions right now, to be counted on
Kansas City McCoys
LAST SEASON RECORDS 75-87 Rosters:, PAYROLL 98.6/105M
Needs: SS, CF
Stars: RF David Seanez, RP Jose Jose
Slugs: P Louis Howell, 1B Justin Lewis
Minor Hope: LF Gregg Washington(AA) , SP Felipe Melendez, Cl Cristian Hernandez (HiA)
Summary: This is an old team, who is coming off a bad season and has been down for a few seasons. You would hope that they would be able to restock the farm, but so far talent has been rough. Seanez is still a fine hitter, but every year there is less around him. Adding Mark Cox to the Pitching staff will be a fine addition. I'm not sure the pitching will be enough to carry the hitting over .500
Projection: 79-83. The mustached one might surprise everyone
Tucson Mail Order Cowboys
LAST SEASON RECORD 100-62 Roster: 26/25 , PAYROLL 133.6/135M
Needs: Late rotation pitching
Stars: 1B Juan Estrada, 1B Roger Iannone, 2B Mendy Barfield, 3B Vic Castilla, CF Jose Frias, SP Phil Chapman, Sp Ray Wright, RP Jose Lopez, RP Stan Mason
Slugs: SP Tony Rigby, Sp Jeremy Linden
Minor Hope: DH Louie Ryu(LoA), SP Fred Breslow (LoA), SP Glen Daley(R ), Rp Joel Daly(AAA)
Summary: Should be one of the odds on favorites in the Al. They have the most potent offense in the league, they will be never the top in all offensive categories. Last season the pitching was a bit of a letdown, you have to expect them to perform closer to S16 numbers.
Projection: 102-60. They are going to score a lot of runs!
Salt Lake City Prospectors
LAST SEASON RECORD 101-61 Roster: 25/25 , PAYROLL 84.5/93M
Needs: Pitching
Stars: 1B Edgar Tarraga, 1B Scott Clarke, 2B David Tejada, 3B Carlos Santiago, LF Mike Crummack, CF Anthony Allen, SP Marty Hooper
Slugs:
Minor Hope: CF Ignacio Cruz(HiA), SP Arthur Gwynn(HiA)
Summary: SP Hector Tarasco isn't going to have another career year. The offensive and defense will hold its own. The pitching staff will take its lumps. I would feel more comfortable if they have 1 better starter in the rotation. Without that I think the playoffs will be tough.
Projection: .93-69- they will be back in the playoffs.
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