Parity is the buzzword being tossed around by the BNN pundits where the Windward League is concerned with no less than 5 clubs vying for 2 playoff spots. First, in the Windward East, you have the Andalusia Giants and their outlandishly great pitching staff looking primed to run things in their division as they’ll pair an offense expected to produce the 3rd most runs in the east with said staff… followed, closely, by the Uniontown Blue Sox – hailing from the town that acts as Faussland’s gateway into the inner harbor – who will have a lot to say about who gets by them for the top slot, that is if anyone can. Meanwhile, in the Windward West, it looks like a 3-horse race with Dumfries, Blythe, and Marianna all expected to be in the mix this season – though, truth be told, I can’t see a scenario where Marianna finishes higher than 5th – Swarthmore & Westmorland both look better on paper to me.
Andalusia Giants
The Giants, whose magical (think rabbits being pulled from top hats, bending spoons, lusty ladies being sawed in half) staff should all but carry them to the playoffs, also boast an offense that can crack – with a knack for getting on base and for wrecking the basepaths once there. They should rule their division – that is, after all, what the prediction says… but, it’s important to note that their closest competition, the Uniontown Blue Sox, is no slouch either and should anything, and I do mean anything, happen to their starting rotation, we may see Andalusia sink like a stone.
Uniontown Blue Sox
The offense is legit, a near carbon copy of Andalusia’s – though Uniontown isn’t as crafty on the bases, a bit less aggressive strategically, and maybe not as adept at getting on in the first place – and the staff is a top two unit in the WL East (with the #1 slot likely belonging to the Giants). Their path to a division title may, more than luck, require a catastrophic injury to one of Andalusia’s top players – the reality for Uniontown, as I see it, is that they’re better than everyone else but not quite good enough to get over on the Giants… at least on paper, in practice, well, who knows – if a couple of guys improved significantly enough during Spring Training, maybe the Blue Sox will secure a low-key surprising playoff bid this year.
Dumfries Miners
With a little bit of pop in their lineup, the two best hitters in the Windward League under contract, and a crackerjack staff that should finish in the top 5 of the sub-league, Dumfries is the sensible favorite to come out of the West. They check all the boxes, they’re well managed, have a front office willing to wheel & deal, and to throw a little bit of cash around, and have a rabid fanbase who makes playing in their park a particularly miserable experience. The problem they may have, however, is that those two hitters –
3B Tyler Mitts (28yo, 5*’s) and
2B Nathan Jones (32yo, 5*’s) are both
unhappy – which is strange given that both are natural leaders. Of course, if they both are truly unhappy, then they may just lead this club astray, finishing the inaugural campaign a muddled mess that failed to reach its potential.
Blythe Beacons
I don’t know about these guys… they can pitch and likely have the best staff in the WL West, but they’re offensively challenged, and, while they can & will steal bases, that’s not enough if you don’t get on-base at a good clip, and especially if you don’t have guys who can really drive the ball to bring runs in. So, yeah, they’ll keep a lot of clubs off the board, sure, but they’re not the type of club that can run it up on you, so, even in facing their formidable staff, teams, the good ones anyways, will likely still be in games when they shouldn’t be, making these Beacons susceptible to misfortune, to the occasional bad bounce. Basically, they can’t reach the potential the BNN Pundits are banking on in these predictions without winning the close ones, and in baseball, it being a fickle mistress and all that, nothing is guaranteed.
Marianna Palms
The Palms hit the ball better than Blythe, they should get on base at a higher rate, and they’re capable of hitting doubles to bring runners across… and, while they have a tip top pitching staff, it operates at a tick or two below that of the Beacons. So, will an above average offense coupled with a top flight staff be enough to carry Marianna to the playoffs or will a team like Blythe, one who, on paper, is not much different from them, get it done… or, and this is the likeliest scenario, will Dumfries keep them both at arm’s length, teasing these clubs like a playground bully does the runt at the jungle gym? I’d say the smart money is on Dumfries but then it’s not really that smart to bet on sports at all so… your guess is as good as mine.
