AL NORTH AND AL SOUTH S18 PREVIEW

AL NORTH

 

Minnesota Wobegon's (AL)

LAST SEASON 70-92 PAYROLL 36.3/57M

Needs: Pitching

Stars: SP Antonio Lankford, 2B Murray Woolf, DH Donnie DuBose, 1B Bo Glanville, RF Jose Ayala

Slugs: SP Benji Alarcone: SP Carson Forest

Minor Hope 1B Buddy Dubler(AAA), 3B Achilles Heffner(AAA), 3B Billy Shea(AAA), LF Tsubasa Kojima(AAA), LF Vince Maxwell(AAA), CF Rajai Fields(LoA), RF Herm Young(AAA), Sp Sterling Daniels(HiA), SP Steven Adcock(AAA), RP Midre Guerrero (HiA)

Summary 2 to 3 seasons from now this will be the franchise in the Al North. Right now they will be playing for .500. Minnesota still lacks any pitching depth that will allow them to compete in this division this season. They should have enough hitting to jump there win total to be close to the mystical .500, but will fall short

Projection: 78-84- they are at least 2 seasons away from being dominant in this division.

 

Burlington Ice Storm (AL) LAST SEASON 20-142 PAYROLL 74.9/84M

Needs: Staring Pitching

Stars: LF Chris Dwyer , 2b Nipsey Diaz. 1b Sergio Cuddyer

Slugs: P Billy Gipson

Minor Hope: 1B
Willie Balfour(HiA), 1B David Johnson(HiA), 3B Earl Boswell(AAA), SS Hunter King(AAA), RP Reagan McQuillan, RP Tex Nelson(AA), RP Kelvin Shaw (HiA)

Summary Better than there record could show. Last season's debacle with salary earned this team the 1^st pick in the draft, but cost them dearly on a number of huge injuries. Those factors put a top contending team near the middle of the pack and trying to rebuild for the future. There still is some star power in the lineup, but the pitching is going to find itself in trouble again this season. Look for a big rebound, but don't expect them to break .500 this year

Projection: 75-87 they might surprise me and push this number

 

Madison Massa's (AL)

LAST SEASON 97-65 PAYROLL 82.7/82M

Needs: Pitching, Defense

Stars: LF Marcus Thompson, 2b Craig Cooper, 1b Bret Sanders,, CL Neil Young

Slugs: 1b Casey Kaline, SP Valerio Andujar

Minor Hope: 2B Joe Owens(HiA) 2B Slash Fletcher (HiA), 3B Shane Garland, LF Alex James (AA) LF Bill Strickland(AAA), RF Lee Liverman (AAA), RF Calvin Turner (AA), P Tom Forrester(HiA), P Jeromy Pride(LoA)

Summary Star power is starting to fade each year. They need to freshen the blood up a bit. The next level of players are there on the farm, but many would be a step down the learning curve and Madison seems to be hoping for the same "one last run" they have been clinging to for 5 seasons.

Projection: 90-72 they are going to have to fight for the wild card

 

 

Helena Heel Turners (AL)

LAST SEASON 92-70 PAYROLL 105.8/108M

Needs: Middle Relief

Stars: C J.P. Santiago, LF Carlos Hernandez, RF Timothy Sutton, DH Garret Hall, P Pedro Seguignol, Rp Orlando Frias, SP Virgil Diaz, RP Joel Byrne

Slugs: DH Ron Fox, 3B Eddie Wilson, RP Michael Okajima, RP Hector Quevedo

Minor Hope: LF Tony Maradona(AAA), RP Bo Rothschild(LoA)

Summary Offensively the best team in the Al North my far. They will get up on opponents in a hurry. The pitching is established and has proven all-star caliber talent. They have grayed though and that will cause Helena to turn to more the middle relief. The relief is a huge concern and might cost the Heel Turners some wins if they don't get another quality arm. Not much to trade away on the farm to get that.

Projection: 94-68- baring injury they should easily dominate this division

 

 

AL SOUTH

Houston Stone Cold Killers (AL)

LAST SEASON 72-90 PAYROLL 72/73M

Needs: Starting Pitching, SS

Stars: DH William Clyburn, 2B Stephen Dreifort, CF J.C. Stokes, RF Neal Robinson, 3B Rob Mulder, LF Louie Rosario, SP Pedro Barcelo

Slugs: RP Daisuke Yoon

Minor Hope: LF
Mike Thomson(AA), CF Lawrence Hutton (AAA), SP Tony Sweeney (AAA), SP Bruce Trammell(HiA), SP Darrin Connelly(HiA)

Summary:
They might have the next great superstar in Robinson, his talent is surrounded with a solid supporting cast. I would not be surprised if they make a run for the playoffs. Pitching will slow them down during the season. The pen features a couple guys who have had little success.

Projection: 80-82 I think there holes still outweigh their talent, but its close

 

Louisville Loud Mouths (AL)

LAST SEASON 90-72 PAYROLL 77/90M

Needs: Pitching,

Stars: SS Kurt Morgan, 3B Roger Post, 2B Sven Kinkade, RF Ivan Spehr, Sp Neifi Lopez

Slugs:

Minor Hope: C
Emilio Batista(AA), DH Jose Berroa(AA), SS Glenn Lemon(AAA) RP Gorkys Rijo

Summary A solid team who will be just that, battling their way to wins. Opponents who are patient should be able to hit around the Loudmouth pitching staff with their wild tendencies. A good patient team will eat them alive. The Louisville offense should be amazing and will be the reason they could sneak into the playoffs

Projection: 91-71 they lack a true weakness

 

Tampa Bay Pelicans (AL)

LAST SEASON 82-80 PAYROLL 55.9/70M

Needs: Starting Pitching

Stars: C Johnny Ritchie, CL Lonny Uribe

Slugs: LF Fergie Wickman, Sp Joel Perry, SP Stephen Smith, P Steve McDonald

Minor Hope: C
Bobby Joe Carroll(HiA), C Jordan Haney(AAA), 2B Pat Sanders(HiA), 2B Ryan Van Hekken(AAA),
LF Joey O'Malley(AAA), RF Jorge Pena(AAA), SP Javier Gonzalez(AAA),SP Malcolm Rupe(AAA), RP Wes Monroe(AAA), RP Tony Matos(AAA),RP Gary Jenkins (AAA), RP Felix Lee(AAA)

Summary Loaded with talent on the farm. This team will be bursting onto the seasons in a few short seasons. At this point it is possible the AAA team might be able to beat the ML team. They have the best Catcher situation I have seen any team in.

Projection: 77-85 there will be a drop off this season next year will be the test.

 

Texas Tornadoes (AL)

LAST SEASON 103-59 PAYROLL 78.4/80M

Needs: CF, Pitching

Stars: 3B Aurelio Espada, DH Todd Scott, 3B Ivan Crespo, LF Vicente Arias, CL Benito Cortez, SP Ronnie Leach, SP Diego Gomez

Slugs: RF Earl Tate, P Ricardo Espinosa

Minor Hope: C Luis Owen(AAA), 2b Enrique Alvarez(HiA), SS Yadier Lopez(HiA), SS Jared Malone(AAA), 2B Howie Grace(AAA) , RF Phillip O'Toole(HiA), SP Barney Russ(AAA), SP Yamil Servet(AA)

Summary Potent offense with good young pitching. Last season they showed their stones by taking the division, but they also showed their weakness by falling in the first round. They still have a few obvious holes in the defense and pitching. A couple key ads from the farm would make this team that much better

Projection: 96-66 they still look like they might be a lock for the division.