The U.S. Baseball Alliance

[GForce22]

Thanks TF. High praise from you!

GH

[NYJuggalo45]

Long Island with Homer Simpson patrolling RF...I want a season ticket down the RF line just so I can yell DOH! after all his errors. Great job dude

[GForce22]

touched up the Indianapolis/Long Island preview post to make it so the three all talk about each team. Sisco gives the overview, Marshall focuses on pitching and defense, and Whalen focuses on the bats.

GH

[NYJuggalo45]

you gonna post full rosters/lineups prior to opening day? and are you "running" a team or just simming?

[GForce22]

...

Austin Sisco: We're back here on USBA Radio. This is Austin Sisco with Mickey Marshall and Big John Whalen as we analyze each team as we prepare for the USBA to kick off this weekend. We just finished previewing the Eastern League's North Division, where the Louisville Thoroughbreds seem to be the favorites. Now we move on, and the first team from the South we'll look at is the Birmingham Yellowhammers. The 'Hammers started things off with pitcher Gregg Henglein, who should be an ace but was not thought of as THE best pitcher available. If his arm holds up, he could make Birmingham look very intelligent. The offense has balance, with lots of extra base, if not homer, potential.

Marshall: The Yellowhammers shocked some by going with Henglein over Ozzie Schwartz and Billy Chapel, though Henglein gives them more youth than the other two. He is an ace, though, and a very solid pick. With right field at Computer Associates Field expected to be more hitter friendly, Yellhowhammers GM Lee May put three lefties in the rotation, including Eugene Clymer, whose deceptive delivery eats up left handers. Righty John Paulin takes the remaining spot, a 23 year old with good potential but questionable readiness at this point. Lefty Roogie Rigsby could replace him if he falters. Closer James Esquivel is solid.

Whalen: I love this lineup, despite it not being basher heavy. A lot rides on shortstop Dennis Cantalupo, there more for his defense than his bat, he's a slap hitter with some patience who can run. The patience needs to be there for him, but if he is, the bats behind him will get him home. Corner infielders Roger Dorn and Sal DeFazio both provide pop, though they are complete opposites attitude-wise. Dorn's reputation as a selfish player is well documented, as is DeFazio's great team approach. Some wonder how these guys will work together, because nice guy rep aside, DeFazio, a workout freak, isn't above putting Dorn on his ass if he gets out of line. Outfielders Spencer Hamilton and Anthony DeStefano hits gaps with regularity and second baseman Tony Miceli is an on-base machine. This team may strike out a lot, but that's overrated. They will score their share, and both DeFazio and Destefano will make their presence felt as unheralded guys who makes waves. Destefano though, has a little bit of Dorn in him personality-wise. Could be a fun clubhouse.


Sisco: Up next, a team nobody has really talked about much, the Charlotte Smoke. GM Mike Lavalliere looks to "Spank" the competition...

Whalen: Can't believe you went there...

Sisco: ...I know. Lavalliere was apparently impressed with the bats from the Bases Loaded league, because he rounded up three of them in the search for a spark on offense. His pitching staff is strikeout heavy but has control issues, and includes the youngest player in the league, 16 year old Alex Rosaschi, who by all accounts is going to be thrown to the wolves. Is this just a "Smoke" and mirrors thing, or can this kid really pitch.

Whalen: You need a new writer, chief.

Marshall: Rosaschi can pitch, but asking him to get it going at the start is a risky proposition. Late in the draft, round 31, they drafted left hander Taylor Little, who I think will serve as an insurance policy on Rosaschi if he doesn't prove ready yet. Is there a publicity aspect to this? Sure. But this isn't like putting Eddie Gaedel out there. He throws hard and will likely be a top 5 pitcher in this league down the line. It's just a matter of when. My guess is not yet. This staff should lead the league in Ks, with Wayne "Galaxy" Mills, Sammy Bodeen and Hog Ellis. If Rosaschi improves quickly, this staff could be lights out, and may even if he falters.

Whalen: I love this team. Put the Bases Loaded duo of Ray Debro and Fred Fendy there with Jimmy Dugan and the Spanish Rob Deer, Rafael Torres, and you have a long ball fest. This team may only hit .250, but it will be a FUN .250 and, if shortstop Pete Rooney and second baseman Scott Rubin make it happen at the top of the order, the fans in Charlotte could be in for a fun ride. I don't know if night games will keep this Rosaschi keep up past his bedtime, but I think evenings at the ballpark in Charlotte will be a lot of fun.

Sisco: Say "fun" one more time for us, John.

Whalen: I'll say something...

Sisco: We'll be back before Big John loses our license for us, with previews for Tim McCarver's Memphis Suns and the home for Roy Hobbs, the Orlando Tourists.

...

[GForce22]

I'll have a Web site going by Monday hopefully so guys can see the full rosters there. I may post them too.

I was going to run Long Island with myself on it, but since I ended up in Birmingham I think I'll actually manage those games. I was thinking of doing a trade to get myself onto Long Island, but that feels like rigging the league. I would probably just manage the games I pitch, regardless.

GH

[GForce22]

Sisco: Austin Sisco back on USBA Radio. I'm joined by Mickey Marshall and Big John Whalen as we prepare to discuss the Memphis Suns. General Manager Tim McCarver gained notoriety more as a broadcaster than as a player. His honesty, critical and otherwise, earned praise and ridicule alike, many people feeling McCarver acted as though he knew it all. Now we will see what he knows, as he heads the Suns franchise from the ground up. The former catcher got a steal in George Knox in round 8, the field general he was looking for, but is asking young Mike Dunne to anchor a pitching staff that is the teams biggest question mark.

Marshall: Absolutely, Austin. Dunne, who is only 24, is going to be asked to head a staff that is essentially filled with #3 and #4 starters. Les Henter will be the #2 and he really slots in as a #3 in a lot of people's eyes. Patrick Hart and Ralph Tasgal are decent pitchers, but won't put fear into anybody. This is a staff that will strike out very few hitters and thus need to rely on a defense that has a couple of standouts but is, on the whole, adequate. CF Alan Cohen and 2B Elias Segarra are standouts, and SS Phil Salina has good hands despite limited range, but I don't think it's enough to salvage this staff.

Whalen: I'm stunned, because the odd part is, McCarver didn't do a good job drafting on offense or defense. Cohen is an excellent player, Knox was a steal, and Pedro Cerrano will give some power. Segarra will rack up some doubles, but Adam Grecco at 3B? He's a backup at best. Ventimiglia at first? A little pop, but doesn't bring much to the table. This is a mediocre squad, I think, and it will require Cohen, Knox and Cerrano to carry a load for a whole season to make them any more than that.

Sisco: Which brings us to the team so many are wondering about, the Orlando Tourists. We know about Roy Hobbs. But with the highest payroll in the league, largely going to Hobbs, is the supporting cast enough. GM Davey Johnson went with lefty Jim Namco from the Bases Loaded league as his ace, but didn't pick another pitcher until round 6, when he then went three straight. Do you guys think he picked wisely?

Marshall: Namco is solid, with a devastating splitter. Tommy McKeever isn't really a #2 though, actually Namco is more of a #2. Their pitchers are better, but they suffer somewhat the same thing as the Memphis staff. Guys are a slot above where they should be. I actually kind of like Luis Urrutia, who posesses a devastating changeup, but the rest of the staff to me is uninspiring. Not bad, just not in the upper level, and not what you would expect for a high payroll team. Catcher John Kinsella is a defensive stud who will have his work cut out for him to raise the game for the staff.

Whalen: He better, because Kinsella is a black hole offensively. You almost get the feeling that once Johnson got Hobbs he didn't know how he was going to put this team together. He spent his center field pick on a guy with some power in John Seward, who can't get on base enough to be a leadoff guy when other leadoff guys were up for grabs for several rounds, including Willie Mays Hayes who lasted until the 7th. He has a second baseman in Will Norkus, and a third baseman in Willie Barnes, who can only hit righties, and their backups stink. The money they shelled out to Hobbs tied them up a bit, despite the ultimate high payroll. They essentially went mediocre on everyone. And Hobbs, as good as he is, can't carry the team singlehandedly, especially with questionable pitching. Manager Jack Billingham has his work cut out for him.

Sisco: Predictions?

Marshall: Tough one. I'm going to go with Birmingham in a tight race with Charlotte. If the schedule makers are smart, they'll put these two in a series the last week of the year.

Whalen: With similar quality pitching staffs, give me the bangers. The Birmingham lineup is good, but the Charlotte lineup could be great. The Smoke win out in a close one.

Sisco: Agreed it's a tough one. I like the variety in the Birmingham lineup and their pitching a bit better. We all agree it will be a close one though.

Up next, we move out West.

...

[NYJuggalo45]

hey cute kid

[GForce22]

heheeh...thanks. Long overdue to put my boy up here!

GH

[GForce22]

Sisco: We're back and ready to look at the Western League now, starting in the North Division and GM Bob Gibson's Omaha Steers. Gibson was as you would expect, straight forward and intimidating when speaking with our Mickey Marshall from the draft. Omaha had the last pick of the first round and thus the first in the second round. Gibson went with pitching, as expected, taking former Hardball League star James Euler, who throws in the low 90s and comes in to righties from the left side. That he'll come inside was a draw for Gibson one would imaging. The subsequent pick was slugging third baseman Mike Centro, a possible home run champion but surprise somewhat given his poor defense.

Marshall: As tough as Euler is, and he is certainly the ace, the pitcher most like Gibson is 25 year old righty Brandon Padron, who dials it up to 96 and is a strikeout specialist who will knock guys off the plate and down if needed. Gibson went with groundball specialists with the first three picks in Euler, Padron and Oswaldo Balan. Given the short right field line of 281 ft at ConAgra Field, that could have been the onus for taking lefty Euler as the first choice, as well as Balan later on. But the bullpen holds only one lefty, control pitcher Elwood Tribble who has a rep for giving up the long ball. The ground ball staff will battle the short right field for supremacy, but those patrolling center field 430 feet away will be hoping for the ground balls to win. The middle infield is solid with Paco Izquierdo and Alvaro Abril, but the corners of Centro and first baseman Marcelo Vasquez are weak, as are the corner outfielders. Gibson didn't give his pitchers much help, other than field general Crash Davis behind the plate.

Whalen: 281 down the line? That's a kickball field. The center fielder you mentioned is Eddie Croix, taken in the third round, who is a nice OBP and gap guy but really doesn't have the range to cover center field at ConAgra. If he costs those pitchers too many times, Gibson will get manic. Manager Wade Boggs though will love his bat, but I don't see anyone winning a tug of war with Gibson, not even Boggs. One wonders how Croix will hit if he finds himself worrying about his defense, and if Gibson worries about it as well. And how did Davis fall to the 6th round. 31 with bad knees? Who cares? 25 plus homers and great defense behind the plate, and a bull in Joe Williams to give pop relieving him. I like Abril's patience and speed, and think young Timothy Brown will develop nicely, but he's just 21 and being thrown into the fire here. The wild card is the Hammer, Max DuBois. If he can avoid striking out 200 times, with his swing from the left and that short fence in right, DuBois could knock 35-40 shots. Of course, if the Queen had balls...

Sisco: FCC on line two for you, John. One of the good guys, Dale Murphy, heads the Portland Hikers with manager Mickey Lolich. I gotta tell you off the bat, I love the job Murphy did with this team. He took some risks with young pitching, but went with 6 pitchers in the first 8 picks, all live arms with loads of potential. And he got a veteran presence behind the plate in Jake Taylor. Put in outfielders Bobby Rayburn and Kevin Bailey, and there could be some balance there, though the lineup as a whole could be below average.

Marshall: I like Murphy's aggressiveness here, but he's opened himself up to a lot of question marks. If he really wanted to go with a young staff rooted in potential, you would think he would have gone with a veteran to anchor it, rather than Willie Lep who, despite his success in the Bases Loaded League, is only 25. Ozzie Schwartz was available. And hitting 100 MPH is great, but Rick Vaughn is the fourth round, slotted as the #2 pitcher, is just begging for a problem. Mitch Williams as a starter, essentially, though the upside is great. He'll fight LaLoosh for the league lead in walks, but may lead in strikeouts as well. Youngsters Tommy Lacy, Lloyd Cook and "The Deer Hunter" Brooks Edmundson, have great potential but may not be there yet. The backup plan is Gary Stava, another Bases Loaded vet with decent stuff but absolutely no endurance. If the kids come on quickly, this staff could be interesting, but I think the staff will be in need of adjustments.

Whalen: I'm on the fence with this offense. I don't like Joe Luparello at short, or Chad Bray in right field, but that heart of first baseman Whitey Marcus, left fielder Kevin Bailey and Bobby Rayburn could do ok. The problem? Like the pitching staff, this is a young group. Taylor and Luparello are the only guys older than 24 in the expected starting lineup. This could mean a nice lineup in a couple of years, but this team was built for the future, a tact I really don't understand.

Sisco: We'll be back in a moment with the Sacramento Stingers and Wichita Brigade.

...

[goroyals]

Hey GForce, I know many have asked, but do you think you could post the league file?

[GForce22]

goroyals,

I will once I finish touch ups. Probably sometime early next week.

GH

[Goodsox]

GForce,

This is absolutely fantastic!!! I will be following this thread closely and I look forward to the league file. You are a great asset to this OOTP community!

[GForce22]

Thanks Goodsox. Appreciate the kind words.

GH

[GForce22]

Sisco: Back again folks as we wind our way down the last six teams of the USBA before the season kicks off. We'll wrap up our look at the Western League North division with the Sacramento Stingers and the Wichita Brigade. Manager Steve Sax will have a team he can run wild with, between second baseman Joey Colombo and the steal, no pun intended, of Willie Mays Hayes in the seventh round. These two combining for 100 steals really isn't out of the question. Those two will be the main cogs in the offense with first round pick, slugging catcher Jack Parkman. The rest of the lineup has some question marks, but the pitching staff is full of solid guys not a lot of people talked about, but all who are very capable of strong seasons.

Marshall: One lefty, reliever Wayne Gardner, and a closer by committee approach are the weaknesses here. The strength? A rotation full of quality, if not spectacular pitching. Ace Peaches Cluff was ranked 19th in our preseason view and, in reality, he's probably more of a #2 than a #1. But Robert Barker and Knuckles Crappel are ALSO #2 pitchers talent-wise, and #4 starter Peter Forsman is really a #3. Young Rudy Bonilla will be the #5 starter to start the season. Live arm but serious control issues it seems, but GM Bob Forsch and Sax are apparently willing to give him the first crack at the 5-hole. I wouldn't be shocked to see a trade for a lefty to slot into the rotation, or minor leaguer Doug Hecker could see a call if Bonilla falters. The bullpen should be a strength, with a focus on control. Michael Prieto will get first crack at the closer job, but this looks like a committee situation.

Whalen: Those never work. But I digress. Offensively, there really isn't much other than the two speed demons and Parkman, who hits lefties much better than righties. Guy must hate BP on this team. Anyway, How in the world do you grab a third baseman and a right fielder with little power. Some think Al Bundy will hit 20 in right, but I don't see it. And third baseman Dusty Goemon from the Baseball Stars association is really a #2 hitter. Lawrence Hereford isn't terrible at first base, but given the other sluggers at the position, he looks weaker than he really is. Hayes and Colombo will run all day, and that pressures defenses. But at some point, somebody will have to drive these guys in. When I hear rumors of hitting Colombo #3 or #5, it really makes you wonder what else is there. This guy is a speedy doubles guy, not a power guy. It'll be fun to watch him and Hayes run amok, but I don't have anything for this offense as a whole whatsoever.

Sisco: The Boss comes to Wichita, and I don't mean Springsteen. John "Boss" Freida, is the anchor for the Brigade, and looks to launch more bombs than the nearby military bases...

Whalen: OH FOR THE LOVE OF ...

Sisco: ...but does he have enough help to overcome what many feel is a poor pitching staff. The 6'6", 240 pound Frieda took over the clubhouse from Day 1 as his nickname suggests. He's a guy who will encourage and support when needed, but is willing to lay the lumber to guys who need it. You can pencil Freida in for .330, 35 homers. But beyond center fielder Jose Mateo and bull of a catcher Joe Louis Brown, this offense lacks any real potency.

Whalen: They need some Viagra. I smell an endorsement!

Sisco: Maybe if I ignore him...Whereas the Sacramento squad was viewed as a bunch of #2's, the Wichita staff is really a bunch of #3's. He's a nice control pitcher, but I really don't get Rob Cortes with the second round pick, especially when Ozzie Schwartz was still on the board.

Marshall: All you need to know is that this team drafted SEVEN starters for the 25 man roster. They have no idea what they have. Cortes is just a startling pick to me. I could be wrong, but I just don't see him as a staff ace. Dale Zwilling will strike guys out, is a good arm from the left side, but has a penchant for giving up the long ball. Armando Pena keeps the ball down but is very hittable. Terrance Lopez is not only hittable, but a fly ball pitcher. Bad combination usually. Closer Osvaldo Perez is ok, but nothing outstanding. This is, at best, a mediocre pitching staff.

Whalen: A lot of teams in the league have lineups like this...three good bats and a bunch of question marks. Freida is a stud, there's no doubt about that. Center Fielder Jose Mateo brings some power, but may struggle to hit .250 and will strike out 100 times. he has a great arm, but he's really not fast enough to play center, another thing about this team. There's NO SPEED...NONE. Right Fielder Joe Hardy can run a little, but that's it. Lack of speed makes generating runs difficult. If Mateo can connect enough for, say, 25 shots, and Freida and catcher Joe Louis Brown stay healthy, you could at least have a team living and dying by the 3-run homer. I have no problem with that, in theory, but you need at least something from the other guys, and some pitching on days when the power isn't there. I don't see that other help here. The second base kid, Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez, has a lot of potential. But remember, potential means you haven't done anything yet.

Sisco: Prediction time?

Marshall: Wow...this is a really strange division. I just don't see any team jumping out at me. I like the speed and pitching, so I'll go with Sacramento. But it's not a lock of a pick by any means.

Whalen: Agreed that this division is just kind of there...nothing great, not terrible, just adequate. I'm actually going to go with Omaha, if for no other reason than I think Bob Gibson will get the missing parts if needed. And I'm a big Crash Davis fan. A lot, like I said, depends on DuBois.

Sisco: I love the young arms in Portland, so I'll go with the Hikers. The Marcus, Rayburn, Bailey, Taylor foursome should give enough offense, and I see Taylor really helping the kids on the mound.

Whalen: I'm just Wichita, nobody loves me...

Sisco: Which means they'll win the whole thing, probably. One division left, the Western League South. We'll get to that in a moment.

[GForce22]

Sisco: We take a look at the Western League South Division, starting with Ernie Banks' Dallas Riders. Banks has huge support and lots of people pulling for him. Commissioner George Brett said it was a coup that Banks would agree to run a team in the USBA. Banks has said he likely won't be GM for more than a couple of seasons, but has said he plans on winning a championship before calling it a day. With the second highest payroll in the league, Banks had money to spend. His first selection was, fittingly, a shortstop, Tim Gansrow, one of the most complete players in the league. Good offense, defense, speed, a total package. Pitcher Ryan Dunne was taken in the second round to serve as the ace of a staff that should be solid, and a lineup that has a bit of everything.

Marshall: The lower rated of the Dunne brothers, Ryan can still pitch. Maybe not an ace, but he should provide quality innings through the season. He's backed by Tommy Maile who does nothing great but everything well. He throws strikes, limits baserunners, moves the ball around. He gives up lots of fly balls, but isn't seen as giving up a ton of homers as he really keeps hitters guessing. Billy Rogers, the 5'6" hurler and maximum effort hurler Benny Luter will back them up in the rotation, both with talent but question marks about durability. Luter puts everything into his pitches with a violent arm motion and is essentially a 6 inning pitcher, and Rogers' size is a concern. Their closer, Luis Robinson, is not flashy but gets the job done. He doesn't strike out as many as a typical closer, but is blessed with impeccable control. Banks also waited until the mid teens rounds and then put a bullpen together that has loads of talent. Lots of teams neglected their bullpens in this draft, and I think Banks has put together quite a solid one.

Whalen: This is a nice lineup with a lot of balance. Hardball Leaguer Derek McCall is a burner, though he doesn't walk as much as one would like to see. Tanner Boyle is an ideal #2 hitter, making great contact and having a little gap power. Gansrow, left fielder Dan Moskowitz, though he can't hit lefties, and first baseman Gene Agua from the old Bases Loaded league make a formidable heart of the order. Not only that, but Gansrow and Moskowitz can run as well, and speed in the middle of the order is a nice quality if you can get it. Catcher Javier Morel, third baseman Keith Goda and right fielder Juan Primo all may hurt you with average, but have at least average power. I think Banks did a very nice job here, though I don't believe in the rotation as much as you guys do.

Sisco: We move now to a very interesting team, the Las Vegas Golden Bats. Nondescript management of Jim Long and manager Shawn Boskie have had lots of people wondering, but they have cautioned against judging them just because of lack of name recognition. The Mirage group has put a lot of money into the ballpark there, a beauty, and the Bats have the 6th highest payroll in the league at just more than $70 million. This is a great battery, if for no other reason than the stories behind it. Pitcher Billy Chapel is trying to restart a career derailed by a freak accident in which his hand was sliced severely by a chainsaw at a family cabin. Catcher Bruce Pearson is coming back from Hodgkins disease. These two would make a great story if they have any measure of success here. Chapel could be the best pitcher in the league, and Pearson is a powerful slammer. This team can run, can hit a bit and could put together a decent pitching staff.

Marshall: I am a big fan of Chapel's, and he could be the best pitcher in the league. But I don't like this rotation at all. A bunch of soft tossers who really need to be perfect to succeed. Allan Plummer is a borderline #2 and he, Butch Kramer and Bill Wedman have ZERO endurance. The bullpen should be solid, led by fireballing closer Tums Taft, but they could end up suffering from overuse with this rotation, if not from lack of quality then from lack of longevity.

Whalen: It's odd to see an outfield with no power, but that's what Vegas has here. Hardballer Guy Jose, centerfielder Joe David West, and right fielder Ranch Wilder all lack power, with only Wilder having a bit against right handers. He may actually platoon with Mike Retmer, who has no power either. But the heart of third baseman Ray Mitchell, first baseman Jack Elliott, and Pearson will provide the power for this lineup. Second Baseman Jamie Weeks and shortstop Joe Toner will lead things off with gap hitting and good speed. I hate the weak outfield because you just don't see that, but I think this offense will be better than a lot of people think. Elliot is a big key. If this guy has really rediscovered his stroke, he becomes an asset.

Sisco: We'll be back with the final two teams, the New Orleans Hurricanes and the Oklahoma City Bombers, as well as our total season predictions for playoffs, champions and awards.

[GForce22]

Sisco: Well gentlemen, here we are with the final two team previews. The New Orleans Hurricanes dugout wil be fun to watch with manager Will "The Thrill" Clark. As fiery a competitor as you'll find, how will Clark deal with adversity as a manager. He contrasts so much with general manager, the always genial Rusty Staub, that it will be interesting to see what happens if things start to get dicey on the Bayou. But they certainly got off to a nice start, with first round pick, the powerhouse Clu Haywood. As surly as they come, HIS interraction with Clark could be an interesting watch. Haywood's personality is such that he probably doesn't care, but he'll be a fan favorite right away with his mammoth blasts. He'll get some help offensively from third baseman Joe Gansrow, who may just be the league's best pure hitter. Add in Sam Malone and Mel Clark in the rotation, and the Hurricanes look like quite the formidable squad.

Marshall: Malone and Clark head the class here, as Malone's curveball was knee-buckling all throughout workouts. Clark's endurance is suspect, but he's sandwiched between two good pitchers in Malone and Whiz Whisenant who both have outstanding endurance. If you tell Will Clark he'll get 2 runs over 5 from Clark each time out he'll take it. Lefty Chet Stedman is solid and Todd Brewer, though hittable, won't help opponents with walks. But that top three, and a lot of people forget about Whisenant, can match any top three in the league. I don't love the bullpen, but honestly, I don't think it will matter.

Whalen: Crawfish, Gumbo and a whole lot of winning. I'm a big fan of this team, and I think the combination of Gansrow and Haywood will be truly devastating. Right Fielder Juan DeSoto and shortstop Spike Boro need only to be adequate at the top of the order to score 100 runs apiece, THAT's how good the Gansrow/Haywood combo should be. Darryl Wolf and Billy Young in left and center respectively are serviceable, but I also really like second baseman Manny Solomon, a quiet guy known more for his defense but who could give you .280 with some patience and gap power. That little addon in this lineup could go a long way. I guess there's some concern that Haywood is the only real power but, shockingly for me, I really don't think that's a problem.

Sisco: If you had said before this whole thing that the franchise in Oklahoma City would have the third highest payroll, I think a lot of people would have said you were nuts. But there they are, with GM Johnny Bench and manager Joe Carter, spending money and looking to make their presence felt. In fact, only New Orleans didn't break the $70 million threshold in this division. Going with pitching first, Mike Pizzengrillo will anchor the staff with a blazing fastball and nasty slider bringing him near the leaders in Ks I'm sure. Jerry Schlenker in right field was the first hitter taken by the Bombers, and shortstop Mike Robinson followed, and they will be the main cogs in the offense. Both are well rounded players, the only concern about Robinson being that he hits lefties significantly better than righties. Are these three backed up by enough support guys?

Marshall: I'll leave the hitters to John, but my first comment would be that Pizzengrillo, though taken first, won't even be the ace of this staff. Bingo Long, one of the league's real characters, will end up as the ace of this staff in my opinion. One of the few over 30 players in the league, I think there will be a certain deference to his experience. He and Pizzengrillo should be a nice 1-2 punch. Tyrone Debray, big Manny Purria and Raul Rios will round out the rotation, three grunts who will get in there, hopefully give low 4 ERAs and get out. Rumor has it William Ford is set to be the closer, but Pat Errico will take that job eventually. The former Based Loaded league arm comes with 100 MPH and is a strikeout machine. I don't know what they're thinking with Ford, but they won't be thinking it long. but again, another staff with one lefty, and he's in the bullpen. Philly Flash, a lefty down in the minors, will see action early I think.

Whalen: Schlenker, left fielder George Star, and third baseman Gregg York will make up the heart of this order, with Robinson slotting in against lefties. It's a decent core, though Schlenker and York don't have the power you would like from their respective positions. I love the kid, Alberto Rivera at first base. He's only 22 and already has good power and great plate patience. He's unsung, but you'll hear from him as this year evolves. Center fielder Max Princo will be the main leadoff man vs righties, but he doesn't hit lefties well enough to lead off, so Mike Dominguez will lead off vs lefties as half of the second base platoon, with Dallas Carter. Neither is anything special. Virgil Sweet is adequate at catcher, but really there more for his arm than his bat. Overall, an average lineup I think.

Sisco: Division champ?

Marshall: I've got to go with the New Orleans Hurricanes. That Malone, Clark, Whisenant threesome will be tough, and the Haywood/Gansrow 3/4 combination will wreak havoc.

Whalen: I'm with Mickey. I kind of like the Riders, I just think they fall short on both ends.

Sisco: I'm actually going to pick the Riders in a close one with the Hurricanes. I like the balance of the lineup top to bottom, and am a big believer in the value of a bullpen. I won't be shocked if New Orleans wins it, but if we all agreed what fun would that be?

We'll be back with a wrap up and complete predictions for the season.

...

[asaintsfan]

Holy Crap - the Canes are picked to win it????!!!!????

CLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
And we got Mayday Malone??????? What about MAYS HAYS????

Did you put the Wild Thing (Charlie Sheen) into the game and if so, who got him????

Dude, start the season already!!!!!

[Dargone]

Dude, start the season already!!!!!

Yes, please

[GForce22]

Originally posted by asaintsfan
Holy Crap - the Canes are picked to win it????!!!!????

CLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
And we got Mayday Malone??????? What about MAYS HAYS????

Did you put the Wild Thing (Charlie Sheen) into the game and if so, who got him????

Dude, start the season already!!!!!

Hehehe...well, the Canes are at least their division favorites. Willie Mays Hayes went to Sacramento.

Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn went to the Portland Hikers.

The season will start this week. I need to touch up ballpark factors and weather, test league settings a little more, and develop the schedule (I wanted to use stickware but it's schedule is all screwy).

GH