MVP Dark Horse: Randall Bryant (CLE)
Cy Young Favorites: Lonny Sanchez (MIL), Ramon Yamamoto (PIT), Harold Paquette (LA)
Cy Young Dark Horse: Pepe Sosa (SD)
RoY Favorite: Pepe Sosa (SD)
RoY Dark Horse: Otis Beimel (RIC), Jeremi Henry (SD), Darwin Crawford (SD)
Projected Division Winners
NL North: Milwaukee Titans
Season 15: 98-64
Season 16 (proj): 97-65
Acquisitions: RP Wendall Yeats (free agent signing), RP Victor Beltran (free agent signing), SP Sherry Bottenfield (free agent signing)
Departures: RP Evan Bryant (free agent to PIT), RP Joaquin Padilla (free agent to SCO)
The Titans had very little offseason movement, other than some players shuttling in and out of the back end of the bullpen. The Titans have had one of the deepest, most balance teams in the NL in recent seasons, so there is little reason to think this season will be any different. The roster is stacked top-to-bottom. The starting rotation is deep and talented. There isn't a weakness in the lineup or in the field. The Titans are poised to win their 6th consecutive division title. Fans this season are more concerned with the impending ownership change for their beloved Titans. Will this be the franchise's last season in Milwaukee? If it is, fans and players alike are hoping to go out on top.
NL East: Pittsburgh Polar Bears
Season 16 (proj): 107-55
Acquisitions: RP Evan Bryant (free agent signing), IF Cesar Moya (free agent signing)
Departures: none
Since the Pittsburgh franchise had their ownership change following Season 12, not alot has changed. The team picked up yet another WS Title in Season 13 and continued to rack up regular season success. Last season, the team finished with a dominant, league best record of 117-45. After enjoying their first round bye, the Bears welcomed the opportunity to avenge their Season 14 NLDS sweep at the hands of the Gray Stockings. Once again, fans were left with a bitter taste in their mouth at the hands of their division rivals from Chicago after a very close 5-game defeat. The Polar Bears were quiet, confident that the defeat of their team laden with future HoFers was just a fluke, and that Season 16 would bring the success the franchise is accustomed to. And they're right, the Bears will be a force in the NL for season 16. But the clock is ticking on this current foundation. There has been a noticeable hole at 1B since the departure of Pedro Pascual a few seasons ago. Their 'Big 3' starting pitchers: Ramon Yamamoto, Benji Armas and Jimmie Brownson are on the back side of their careers at ages 32, 32 and 35. While the team isn't too old with their position players, Pittsburgh has always been blessed with stellar starting pitching and it will be interesting to see what management does in a season or two as these legends continue to wind down their careers. That is down the road though. In Season 16, the Bears should win the division again (although Chicago and Cleveland do seem to be slowly closing the gap in the toughest division in the NL) and compete for yet another WS Title.
NL South: Richmond Rebellion
Season 15: 88-74
Season 16 (proj): 90-72
Acquisitions: none
Departures: SS Ernest Strickland (free agent to MAD), 3B Hipolitio Mercedes (free agent to MEM)
If the Sharks and maybe the Polar Bears on are on the decline in the NL, then the Rebellion are one of a trio of young NL teams on the rise with Vancouver and San Diego. The Rebellion were the first of these young teams to arrive, and have now won the last three division titles in the NL's weakest division. This season, they hope to win the division again and, hopefully, advance to the NLCS and beyond for the first time in the team's recent history. The team didn't sign any players before the start of Season 16, confident they could continue to ride the strength of the teams farm system and player development program. Strickland will be missed at SS. Veteran Anthony Brooks will assume the starter's innings at that spot. He has lost a bit of his range with age, but will still provide a capable glove and veteran's approach at the plate. The big question for the Revolution this season will be which of the young farm hands to give a shot at the big time. They have a number of young players who are on the verge of starting their big league career including: Brian Sasaki, Sandy Carver and Rico Duran. The player who will definitely get a chance to be a big time contributer this season is Irish born prospect Otis Beimel. He may already be the best pitcher on the ML roster, and he will get his callup after the customary 20 games in the minors. The area of the team that needs the most improvement in Richmond is the pitching, so Beimel may be the single most important player to the Rebellion making a deep postseason run in Season 16. In the field, the Rebellion have a number of very good players. They have a solid young core of Harold Lampkin, Justin Kingland and Alexi Andino. The straw that really stirs the drink in Richmond though is the reigning NL RoY and MVP: Ted Westmoreland. Westmoreland is the league's most powerful hitter, but he isn't just a bomber. Westmoreland has a good eye and makes excellent contact. He has the potential to be the NL's best hitter for another decade. The Rebellion probably lack the starting pitching to make a deep playoff run, but the future is bright in Virginia. The team has a number of young arms and plenty of financial flexibility to make a move, if needed, to take the Rebellion to the next level.
NL West: Vancouver Tragedy Twins
Season 15: 106-56
Season 16 (proj): 103-59
Acquisitions: none
Departures: none
Despite the potent tandem at the top of their rotation, Season 15 marked the end of the Shark's rule on the NL West. The up-and-coming Tragedy Twins were right there to take the division, although San Diego is right on their heels. They did it in fine style too, with their best record since the move to the Pacific Northwest and the 2nd best record in the NL. They advanced to the NLCS before bowing out to the veteran laden, and reigning NL Champion Chicago Gray Stockings. With everything going so well in the Twins' long, and short-term plans, it came as no surprise that they stood pat during the offseason. No trades. No free agents. The front office felt the only thing the squad really needed was a veteran, ace of the staff. With no true aces available on the free agent market, they just continued to develop from within. Like the Rebellion, the biggest decisions in Vancouver will be which players they think can make a contribution as rookies in Season 16. Domingo Martinez, Willie Rodriguez, Aurelio Santayana and Bill Zimmerman in particular are on the brink. Rodriguez is the player that really pops out at you. He's already capable of giving solid ML ABs, its just a question of where to put him in the field. The team boasts a solid young starting pitching trio of Benny Bonilla, Howie Mack and Dicky Barkley. While their lineup doesn't have what you would typically refer to as a star hitter, it does have a number of young players who will provide a great foundation for many seasons to come: Richard Granderson, Raul Martin, and JJ Haley (and his sweet 'stache). The Twins have already made a deep, successful run into the postseason with Season 15's trip to the NLCS. Their next step is to the WS.
Wild Card: Cleveland Lake Shores
Season 15: 88-74
Season 16 (proj): 93-69
Acquisitions: 3B Rolondo Alomar (free agent signing)
Departures: RP Wendell Yeats (free agent to MIL)
Following the lead of the other NL playoff teams, the Lake Shores will go to battle in Season 16 with much the same squad that they had in Season 15. Their core players will be the same, with, more than likely, much the same results. The offense will be potent with a brutal middle of the lineup that will feature Randall Bryant, Matt Wolf, Oswaldo Canseco and Glen 'Super Mario' Dawkins. The starting rotation is solid, if a bit pedestrian. Nothing spectacular about the pitching really jumps out at you, but its a bunch of guys who know their role and get the job done. The Lake Shores probably don't have enough to wrestle the division from Pittsburgh, but they are only two seasons removed from a run to the NLCS. The lineup will be solid and if everything falls into line with the pitchers, the Lakes Shores just might be capable of marching deep into the postseason once again.
Wild Card: Chicago Gray Stockings
Season 15: 91-71
Season 16 (proj): 92-70
Acquisitions: 3B Angel Osuna (free agent signing), SP Ralph O'Neil (traded from MEM), RP Del Tarasco (traded from JAX), 3B Osvaldo Almanza
Departures: 3B Boots Knotts (free agent to SCO), LF Phil Brinson (traded to NO), SP Pedro Lecuona (traded to CIN)
The back-to-back NL Champions were much more active than many of their NL counterparts. They added the veteran O'Neil to bolster the rotation. Former LA Shark Angel Osuna was signed to fill in for the departed Knotts. Season 16 will be the end of an era in Chicago though. It will be the first time in 9 seasons that the starting rotation won't be anchored by future HoFer Julio Telemaco. Despite a solid season in the rotation last year, the coaches and management decided it was time for the aging legend to move to the bullpen. He is now expected to be a long reliever and spot starter as needed. Despite the minor roster shuffling, the foundation of the Gray Sox team remains essentially the same. The starting pitching is deep with Wayne Spence and Carter Maybin anchoring the top of the rotation. Maybin had an injury plagued Season 15 and early in Season 16 as well. In order for the Gray Stockings to successfully defend their pennant, they will need Maybin to stay healthy. Spence proved in his postseason run last year, that he is capable of carrying a team. But he was clearly spent by the time the World Series rolled around. Maybin would be able to provide the second stud that the Sox need. The team possesses Gold Glove defense up the middle with Jose Carrarra and Butch Ramirez and a solid lineup. Chicago wasn't the favorite to get out of the NL in either of their last two Pennant winning seasons. But they showed that if you get hot at the right time, you can make plenty of noise in the playoffs. This season, they hope to catch lightning in a bottle once again.
Teams to Watch
San Diego Wiley Coyotes
Season 15: 79-83
Season 16(proj): 90-72
Acquisitions: SP Jeremi Wainhouse (free agent signing), RP Wiki Vasquez (free agent signing)
Departures: RP Bernie Kerr (free agent to JAX)
Fans of San Diego have been patient with a team that has seemed to be in rebuilding since the SPL began. The franchise has only made the playoffs twice, and only once had a season with 90 or more wins. Since the move to San Diego, the team has been horrible. Last season was the first time the team had more than 65 wins. But the wait is finally over. While racking up a number of high draft picks and making aggressive signings in the International market, the Coyotes have built the best young team in the NL. This season will mark the Year of the Rookie in San Diego. Darwin Crawford, Jeremi Henry and Pepe Sosa will all make their ML debuts this year after piling up stats in the minors. If the hype is to believed about Sosa, he may already be the best starter in the NL and the most highly sought after IFA since Shin-Soo Nakamura in Season 1. Sosa should be one of the top pitchers in the SPL for a long time. The starting rotation after Sosa is a bit suspect however. Veteran starter Wainhouse was brought in for his experience and to eat some innings. In the field, the Coyotes could use an upgrade at 1B as Wally Krause isn't a long term solution at that spot. Without a natural CF, Yusmiero Martin will be asked to make the move from the IF to man CF. He should be extra motivated to excel this season as he will be looking to ink a long term deal after Season 16. The San Diego Wiley Coyotes may be a bit raw this season, but should be entrenched with the Tragedy Twins in a heated rivalry to win the NL West for the foreseeable future.
Helena Bighorns
Season 15: 86-76
Season 16 (proj): 84-78
Acquisitions: 1B Rabbit Rizzuto (free agent signing), 1B Humberto Javier (traded from MEM)
Departures: RP Vince Moore (free agent to NO)
The Bighorns have quietly assembled a very solid squad in the backwaters of Montana. After only missing a Wild Card berth by a few games last season, this year they hope to take a small step forward and get into the playoffs. They hope the solid left-handed bat of Javier will give them some punch they lacked at 1B last season. Javier does have some power, but is more of a doubles hitter. He is a tough out and will be a solid player for Helena. The big difference maker this season will (hopefully) be rookie 3B Juan De La Rosa. The Dominican player certainly showed his chops with the glove down on the farm, the question is will he be able to provide enough pop with the stick to take up a corner position. Coaches think he will, but only time will tell. SP Damaso Machado is probably the best player that you've never heard of. He earned his first All Star nod last season, and has turned into the type of player that Helena hopes to build the rotation around. If Machado can have another All Star season and De La Rosa comes up big as well, the Bighorns have a good chance at making some noise in the Wild Card race.
Jackson Runnin' Rebels
Season 15: 81-81
Season 16 (proj): 84-78
Acquisitions: none
Departures: LF Ramon Wanatabe (free agent to STL), RP Joaquin Trinidad (free agent to NO)
Similar to the Bighorns, the Runnin' Rebs have been quietly assembling a solid ball club. And they're in the right division if they want to get into the playoffs as well. The NL South has been the weakest of the divisions in the NL for a few seasons, requiring the fewest wins to capture the division for many seasons now. Although Richmond seems to have ascended to the top, with a couple of breaks, Jackson might be able to make the Rebellion sweat a bit. Shelby McGraw had a breakout season last year, and will need to repeat his production again for the Rebs to contend. The same could be said for young Matty Romano who will be asked to become a full-time starter for the first time in his ML career. Rookie Pedro Canseco will be asked to fill the shoes of the departed Wanatabe, and he should be a more prolific hitter than the departed veteran was. This team could still use some upgrades on the roster, specifically in CF and the pitching staff. If things go just right in Jackson, we may see the Rebs in the Wild Card race, or maybe even in the running for the NL South.
