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Bay League Preview, 2015 Season

Now for a look at the bottom half of the league...

Silver Beach Whales
Last Season: 35-35, tied for 4th place
Top Hitter: You wouldn't guess it from his relatively anemic numbers (.272/.372/.416), but second baseman Carlin Chadwick is very talented. The 26-year old struggled with the demands of the Bay League season and the associated travel, and didn't hit up to his talent as a result. He should bounce back this season.
Top Pitcher: Hawkeye Odle notched the second most strikeouts of any Bay League pitcher, fanning 228 batters in 257 innings, and went 13-13 with a 2.86 ERA. He's just 27, and if the Whales find any more offense to support him with, he'll get the recognition he deserves.
Top Prospect: 1B Richie Jones is one of those hitters that doesn't overwhelm you with any one skill, but you should be able to stick him in the lineup and know that he won't hurt you with any deficiency in his game either. He was just selected in the player draft a few months ago, so the Whales will keep a close eye on him to see how he fares.
Forecast: The Whales will be better this season. The pitching remains solid (3rd in runs allowed in 2014), and the offense almost has to get better, even though an expected season from Chadwick and a better season from C Bryan Jones still won't put them into the upper echelon of teams.

Tifton Generals
Last Season: 33-37, 6th place
Top Hitter: Renaldo Wright is widely considered one of the toughest outs in the league, and with good reason. He can hit just about anything a pitcher tosses up, and his ability to put the bat on the ball is uncanny. But at the same time, he's not a free swinger either. Wright, 27, hit .355/.451/.465 last season, finishing second in the batting race to Ace Gervin. The concern for the Generals is that he has almost no help.
Top Pitcher: Carlin Bonner went 14-8 with a 3.28 ERA last season, good for ace status on the Generals. Behind him in the rotation is Juggie Hawkins, who led the Bay League in strikeouts with 280 in 249 innings, but he also walked 105 batters as well. With their weak offense, the Generals pitching staff will need to step up if they want to improve.
Top Prospect: This season's first pitcher drafted was Ahmad Reese. He's 21 years old, he's a solid pitcher in all regards, and with a couple years of city league play, he could definitely be a top contributor.
Forecast: Let's be honest. The Generals just aren't very good. Their pitching will keep them in games, but Renaldo Wright can't carry an offense by himself. He's a #2 hitter looking for a big bat to drive him in.

Allison Spelunkers
Last Season: 29-41, tied for last place
Top Hitter: Speaking of #2 hitters looking for a big bat to drive them in, meet Jeff Anderson, who mans the hot corner for Allison. Like Renaldo Wright, he's an extremely tough out. But he has even less home run pop than Wright, so he needs even more help through the rest of the lineup. Unlike Wright, however, Anderson has Alton Strong, who hit for surprisingly little power last season, but has the capability to be a serious home run threat.
Top Pitcher: Without a doubt, it's Kyle Richardson. Just 22 years old, Richardson made a big splash in the Bay League last year, going just 8-13 but striking out over a batter an inning and posting a 3.02 ERA. He throws extremely hard and spots his pitches well, holding batters to a meager .206 average. He's one of the top arms in the league.
Top Prospect: Walter Sebring, the first player selected in the player draft, is a monster lurking down in the Allison city league. It wouldn't be a big surprise to see the 18-year old get some time with the Bay League club this year. He's already got an incredible eye, and as he fills out a little bit, he's expected to hit for big-time power as well.
Forecast: If Alton Strong figures it out, Allison could make a lot of noise in the league this season. Consider that their best players are all 27 years old or younger, and Allison is one of the up-and-coming teams in the league.

Marsein Knights
Last Season: 29-41, tied for last place
Top Hitter: RF Mario DeGray. The 27-year old right fielder is capable of doing everything but stealing bases. He hits for average, he hits for power, he draws walks. He's the whole package. Free-swinging shortstop Robbie Isenhour earns some mention here, but DeGray is clearly more talented.
Top Pitcher: Quentin Stallworth wasn't expected to do much for the Knights, but the right-hander went 11-11, 3.36 for a team that only won 29 games, which says a little bit about his competitive spirit. Is he the equal of a Kyle Richardson or Hawkeye Odle? No, but he's the capable rotation stalwart every team needs. Now if the Knights could just come up with one of those aces in front of him.
Top Prospect: The Knights made left fielder Matt Roy their first pick in the player draft, despite their clear need for pitching. In their defense, they do have a talented up-and-comer named Jay Moore on their city league team, and Roy is very talented, with plus power and good peripheral skills.
Forecast: The Knights just don't have much pitching and the lineup combo of DeGray and Isenhour isn't enough to overcome that. Expect more struggles for the most remote town in the Bay League.

Predicted Standings for the 2015 Season:

1. Lorris Greens
2. Gentry Hills Scouts
3. Elliott Springs Tornadoes
4. Deepvale Ferrymen
5. Allison Spelunkers
6. Silver Beach Whales
7. Marsein Knights
8. Tifton Generals