1900 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SEASON PREVIEW
LEAGUE PREVIEW
Code:
1899 STANDINGS
American League Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec
Baltimore Orioles 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Boston Red Sox 0 0 .000 - 0-0
New York (A) Yankees 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Toronto Blue Jays 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Team To Watch: Baltimore Orioles
- The Orioles look like the class of the AL East with a true ace SP in 29 yo Adan Oviero and one of the league's best closers, the flame throwing Wyatt Hory. Baltimore's biggest strength is their lineup which is led by C Gary Greene, one of the leagues best power hitters and the 5 tool LF Floyd Speller who is still among the league's best OF's even at the age of 34.
Pitcher To Watch: SP Santos Lopez (TB)
- The dimunitive 5'8, 180 lbs Lopez doesn't look like an intiminating force, but the 30 yo is the best pitcher in the AL East. Topping out at 92mph, he has 4 dominiant pitches and some of the best stuff in baseball (18/20). The one knock on Lopez might be his control (8/20), but with great movement and stuff, he should be one of the league leaders in K's and ERA while anchoring the Devil Rays staff.
Hitter To Watch: C Gary Greene (Balt)
- Greene is simply a monster, the best kind of power hitter, one who can also draw walks and drive the pitches in the strike zone. At only 27 yo, he should be one of the league leaders in HR for many years with his HR power (17/20). He will also be one of the best in OPB with his contact (12/20), eye (15/20) and avoiding strikeouts (13/20). He is also adequate enough behind the dish (12/20) to not be a hinder while playing the field.
Newcomer To Watch: n/a
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1899 STANDINGS
American League Central Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec
Chicago (A) White Sox 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Cleveland Indians 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Detroit Tigers 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Kansas City Royals 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Minnesota Twins 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Team To Watch: Chicago White Sox
- The real life MLB defending champs look like they have what it takes to be the first World Series champs in my league. With a dominant 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation in American Burton Wyckoff and Lesothanian (?) Mamo Kirop, they are anchored by 2 veteran 34 yo aces. Their lineup should also provide many runs with HR hitters up and down the order, they literally have 7 batters in their lineup of topping the 25 HR plateau.
Pitcher To Watch: SP Bob Alleman (Det)
- At 31 yo, and 6'2, 205 lbs, the RH Alleman doesn't have a weakness. With only 3 pitches, you wouldn't think he would be as dominant as he is, but with his stuff (15/20), movement (16/20) & control (14/20), there is no part of his game that hitters can focus on and attack. Unfortunately, Alleman is the only above avg pitcher on Detroit's staff, so he will be forced to carry a heavy burden.
Hitter To Watch: RF Joe McMurrich (Det)
- McMurrich is what every GM dreams about when acquiring a player. This 5 tool player can do it all, hit for avg (14/20), power (17/20), eye (14/20), field (15/20) and run (16/20). And at 25 yo, he is only going to get better with a 92/100 potential rating. McMurrich looks like he will be an All-Star and MVP contender for 10+ yrs.
Newcomer To Watch: n/a
Code:
American League Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec
Los Angeles (A) Angels 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Oakland Athletics 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Seattle Mariners 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Texas Rangers 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Team To Watch: Oakland Athletics
- Oakland is a team built around a GREAT crop of superstars. SP Ezequiel Ceno, CL Bernard Lovell, C Maureo Zaferson, 1b Fidele Milguadys, 2b Yo Tsukahara, CF Rodrigo Herrera & RF Dan Bracey all are capable of being on the AL All-Star team, and with a team with a talent base like that, they are the favorites to win the AL West.
Pitcher To Watch: CL Lorenzo Garlez (Sea)
- How do you spell gas? G-A-R-L-E-Z. Topping out at 101mph, and with unbelievable stuff (19/20), Lorenzo is simply a dominant closer that will help the Mariners win many, many close games and should be a contender for Fireman of the Year for quite a few years at 31 yo.
Hitter To Watch: SS Xalbador Alviar (Ana)
- Alviar is one of MLB's best shortstops as both an ideal leadoff man and gold glove candidate. Xalbador should be on base alot with solid contact (14/20) and OPB (13/20) and when he does get on, catchers better be ready as he is always a threat to steal (14/20 & 19/20). His best attribute however, might be his glove, with a field rating of 17/20 at both SS & 2b.
Newcomer To Watch: n/a
Code:
National League Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec
Atlanta Braves 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Florida Marlins 0 0 .000 - 0-0
New York (N) Mets 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Philadelphia Phillies 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Washington Nationals 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Team To Watch: Washington Nationals
- Can the heart of a team's lineup be enough to win a division? The Nats will surely find out this year with a deadly 3-4-5 in their order. Batting 3rd is 1b Seishiro Sakanoue, a batting champ contender, 4th is the HR hitter C Joe Alvarez and 5th is SS Jose Villaros, a .300-30-30 threat. Their weakness could be the starting staff, which is lacking a true ace, but is made up of 5 solid MLB starting pitchers.
Pitcher To Watch: SP Cade McPhedron (Fla)
- Even in a fictional MLB Universe, the Marlins are a cheap franchise with an openind day payroll of only 39 million, by far the lowest in baseball. McPhedron makes 11 of that 39 million, how's that for pressure? He is no where near as dominant as some of the other Pitchers to keep an eye on around the league, but when you earn approx 1/3 of your team's total payroll, you must produce.
Hitter To Watch: C Joe Alvarez (Wash)
- Alvarez might very well be the strongest hitter in the MLB. With a power rating of 19/20 and gap power of 20/20, this catcher can flat out crush a baseball. His eye is suspect, he probably won't hit over .275, his defense is suspect and runs with a piano on his back, but all of those will be moot points when he crushes a 475 foot blast and jogs around the bases. 40? 50? 60? 70? Hr potential? Only time will tell.
Newcomer To Watch: n/a
Code:
National League Central Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec
Chicago (N) Cubs 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Cincinnati Reds 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Houston Astros 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Milwaukee Brewers 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Pittsburgh Pirates 0 0 .000 - 0-0
St. Louis Cardinals 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Team To Watch: Chicago Cubs
- In a division inwhich 5 of the 6 teams have payrolls over 110mil, there is alot of talent, but on paper the Cubbies look like the best of the bunch. The reason is a lineup much like their crosstown rivals, the White Sox, filled with HR hitters who could thrive in the Windy City. This is an old team though, as their 3 best players (RF Isdel Cano, SS Jason MacChierich & SP Jim Ivie) are all over 32 yo, with Cano being 39.
Pitcher To Watch: SP Hidemichi Mori (Hou)
- The 26 yo Japanese import Mori is the posterchild for a control pitcher (18/20). He throws hard enough at 93 mph, but with 4 pitches that he can throw at any time with great control and movement (15/20), he will not throw many mistake pitches and should be able to avoid the big inning as he throws plenty of strikes and doesn't hurt himself.
Hitter To Watch: 2b George Boutte (Pitt)
- 2b is the only position in baseball where there is no debate who the best in the game is. Boutte can do it all at the plate, hit for avg (16/20), power (17/20) and earn a walk (13/20). The Pirates' cleanup hitter should also get his fair share of stolen bases with above avg speed (14/20). His main downfall is in the field. He is a liability at 2b (6/20), but surprisingly is much better at 3b (12/20) and as he gets older (27 yo), a move to the hot corner might be in the cards.
Newcomer To Watch: n/a
Code:
National League Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec
Arizona Diamondbacks 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Colorado Rockies 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Los Angeles (N) Dodgers 0 0 .000 - 0-0
San Diego Padres 0 0 .000 - 0-0
San Francisco Giants 0 0 .000 - 0-0
Team To Watch: Colorado Rockies
- With the NL's best OF combo (Larry Gilmore, Rodney Haight, Steve Middleton) and one of the league's best SP's (Kanko Ono), the Rockies have what it takes to win the NL West pennant. Ono is a true ace, and backed up by a solid bullpen and 4 other avg starters. And the 3 OF's lead a offensive team that should bash alot of homers in the thin air of Colorado and hit for one of the league's best team batting averages.
Pitcher To Watch: SP Bob Rock (SD)
- Is a 38 yo pitcher worthy of a 16 mil/year contract, the richest in all of baseball? If anyone qualifies, it would be Rock, whose name is a great description of him. Still throwing hard at 95mph, Rock has great control (16/20) mixed in with good stuff (12/20) and movement (13/20) and a rubber arm (19/20 endurance). If his age doesn't catch up to him quickly, Rock will anchor a very solid rotation in SD.
Hitter To Watch: LF Larry Gilmore (Col)
- The NL West might become known as the senior circuit, as the hitter to watch is also old in baseball terms. But the 36 yo Rockie LF can flat out swing and could flirt with the magical number of .400. Unbelievable contact (19/20) and gap power (17/20), he is a prototypical #3 hitter and whose numbers can only be helped playing in the air up there known as Colorado.
Newcomer To Watch: n/a
TEAM PREVIEW
NEW YORK METS
Pitching
Starters: Our starting staff lacks a true star ace, but we do have 6 starters on our roster that should give us quality starts. 23 yo Mike Ohler & 33 yo Arturo Peral are our 2 best, and both have the ability to win 15+ games. Ohler is a control pitcher who hits spots and knows haw to throw strikes. Peral, in stark contrast, is a hard thrower with great stuff who will strikeout a ton of hitters, but walk alot at the same time. The rest of the staff, again, is nothing special, but I don't expect any of the 5 in our rotation and our 6th spot start/long reliver to hurt us that badly.
Bullpen: We have a dominant closer in 23 yo Chi-ju Lo out of Taiwan. He has unbelievable movement and control and 3 pitches with quality stuff, and at 23 he will be a great closer for many years. Getting the ball from the starters to him will be a problem. The rest of the pen is made up mostly of average at best journeymen, with the best of the bunch being RH JJ O'Cullinen. Another problem is the RH dominance, as our only lefty in the pen is nothing more than an 18yo mopup MR.
Code:
Pitching Staff
STARTERS BULLPEN
1. RH M. Ohler CL - C. Lo (RH)
2. RH A. Peral SU - J. O'Cullinen (RH)
3. RH S. Wilson MR - J. Cavuoto (RH)
4. RH I. Bunes MR - O. Alamares (RH)
5. LH L. Detejeda MR - C. Soreano (LH)
LR/Spot Starter - B. Willets (RH)
Hitting
Catchers: 29 yo Ricardo Salsedo is not only the team leader, but a solid catcher and one of our best hitters. He has some power, he can hit for a decent avg, he can work a walk, and he is above avg behind the plate. 22 yo backup Simon Crouch is an above avg backup, and we won't miss much at the plate when he's in, but defensively his is a big dropoff from Salsedo.
Infield: The IF can best be described as 2 very good players and 2 very avg ones. 3b Chris McClorey is our best hitter who we will rely heavily on to drive in runs. 2b Carlos Escuses is a good player for a second basemen, and an ideal move the runner over/hit for avg #2 hitter. Our 1b and SS however are very ordinary as are all our IF backups, although Tom Darcy should fill the role of utility player who can play 3 different IF positions well.
Outfield: Other than the all around hitting of McClorey and power of Salcedo, our 3 best hitters reside in the OF. Despite being 34 yo, LF Billy Koch is a great leadoff who should easily top .300 and steal 30-40 bases. RF Pat Phillips is our best contact hitter and sloted for the #3 hole ahead of McClorey/Salcedo. He should hit .320 and will draw a good amount of walks, which will hopefully result in alot of runs scored. Finally, in CF, Ted Burgess is an ok hitter with a good eye, but his biggest attributes are his legs and glove. A gold glove caliber CF and a 40 sb caliber runner, he brings alot to the table. Finally, our 4th OF, 23yo Lawrence is a future starter. He will serve as our #1 pinch hitter and play in interleague games w/ the DH. He is a power hitter who will will provide some nice pop off the bench.
Code:
LINEUP BENCH
1. CF T. Burgess (R) C S. Crouch (R)
2. 2b C. Escuses (R) 1b N. Mori (R)
3. RF P. Phillips (L) IF T. Darcy (R)
4. 3b C. McClorey (R) 3b/2b H. Vilchis (S)
5. C R. Salsedo (R) OF L. Conlon (L)
6. CF T. Burgess (R) CF/LF B. Chrisman (L)
7. 1b R. MacCulloh (S)
8. SS S. Bryant (R)
Prospects
Pitchers: SP N. Hoyas (17yo/RH), CL M. Magauran (17yo/RH), SP D. McQuilty (18yo/RH)
Hitters: CF M. Newbry (17yo/R), LF F. Mulert (22/R), CF Y. Beech (19yo/R)
Team Info
Payroll/Budget: $97,817,600/$126,000,000
Cash: $23,000,000
Team Market: Slightly Above Avg
Fan Loyalty/Interest: Slightly Above Avg/62 of 100
Available Money: $27,182,400