There's Baseball in Brooklyn

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Dynasty Report Introduction:

Welcome to my first Dynasty Report! I’ve been playing OOTP since ’09 and have been a (sometimes) active member in the forums for a few years now. For the most part, I’ve used OOTP to simulate historical leagues or replays. I’d usually choose a decade, select a team, and then just simulate through the seasons only stopping to play “big” games and postseason series (which means I rarely ever had the chance to play).

OOTP ’12 was my first upgrade and it was shortly after this that I started my first fictional league, (more on that in a minute). More importantly, I began reading through some fictional dynasty reports on the forums and even more importantly, I began to sift through all of the wonderful content that our community of moderators was gracious enough to share with the rest of us…especially those of us with limited Photoshop capabilities. It was here, buried in some of these threads, that I found the inspiration for the National Baseball Organization. So before I go any further, I want to say “thank you” to all of the people who have helped to make this game a unique and personal experience for all of its’ players. Not only the fine people who create the jerseys, caps, and logos, but also, everyone who shares their ideas and imagines their own fictional leagues, teams, and baseball worlds. Thanks, guys. You’ve all contributed to making the best baseball game ever created even better.

The National Baseball Organization:

Originally, this league was intended to allow me to test out some of the game functions in a fictional universe. I was going to sim through a bunch of seasons in order to test out things like expansion, relocation, adjusting league modifiers/financials, short schedules, etc. With this in mind, I decided it would be best to create a small universe with a short season so that I could advance quicker while also keeping track of how the league was progressing.

I found it incredibly easy to modify the league each offseason, the only holdup so far has been the league financials. I modify team finances pretty much every off season because I never changed the option to allow the game to update finances each season. Now, I’m afraid of ruining my league’s finances so I find it easier to update each team myself. I’m thinking about eliminating the Reserve Clause at some point, so I’ll have to address this issue eventually.

As I said, this was meant to be a test league but as I progressed through the seasons, I became attached to the fictional universe that I had created. Additionally, the content in the mods forums added even more depth and personalization to my league. What began as an 8 team test gradually progressed into a 24 team league with almost 50 years of exciting history.

My report will begin in 1989 as I attempt to hoist the Brooklyn Atlantics out of the basement and back to the top of the Federal League. This is my first time writing a dynasty report and I’m not really sure how I plan to execute it. I’ll probably mess around with a few different formats until I find something that works for me, so please, bear with me in the beginning.

NBO (National Baseball Organization)
Schedule Length: 100 games (no interleague play)
Playoff Format:
League Championship Series (best of 3)
National Series (best of 7)
No Free Agency
No Minor Leagues (I don’t have a lot of free time to play the game, so it’s easier for me to just use the reserve roster)

Federal League

North
Boston Blue Sox
Brooklyn Atlantics
Miami Whales
New York Knights
Philadelphia Patriots
Pittsburgh Keystones

South
Atlanta Indians
Baltimore Bombers
Charlotte Colonels
Houston Buffaloes
New Orleans Pelicans
Washington Generals

Continental League

Central
Chicago Yardies
Cincinnati Originals
Detroit Robins
Milwaukee Hops
Minneapolis Lakers
St. Louis Westerns

West
Dallas Oilers
Denver Alpines
Oakland Oaks
Portland Pioneers
Seattle Warriors
Vancouver Mounties

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Federal League North

Boston Blue Sox (Hartford Whalers ’49-’55)
1988: 59-41 .590 1st in FL North, lost LCS to Baltimore
Team History:
FL North Division Champs: 4 (’84, ’85, ’87, ’88)
FL Pennants: 2 (’74, ’83)
Top Players: 2B Tony Jeffries, 3B Bruce Thomas, RF Joe Critall, CF Wayne Pugh, SP Edward Hart
Predicted Finish: 1st
The Blue Sox have won the division championship 4 out of the last 5 years but have failed to advance further than the LCS in all of those seasons. With an injury-prone lineup and an aging pitching staff, could this be the last chance for this team to bring Boston its first championship?

Miami Whales (Newark Bells ’44-’48, Newark Stars ’49-’53, Newark Eagles ’54-’88)
1988: 56-44 .560 2nd in FL North
Team History:
FL Pennants: 4 (’65, ’67, ’76, ’82)*
NBO Champs: 3 (’65, ’76, ’82) *
*as Newark Eagels
Top Players: SP Jerry Harlan Jr., 2B Tony Sims, SP Roy Lewis, RF Lorenzo Neal
Predicted Finish: close 2nd
The conclusion of the 1988 season marked the end of an era in Newark, New Jersey and the beginning of a new one in Miami, Florida. The Whales are the southern-most located team in the NBO, but they’ll still compete in the FL North. They have the best pitching staff in the division, so don’t be surprised if there’s a celebration in South Florida this October.

Pittsburgh Keystones (Steelworkers ’49-’55, Millers ’56-’60)
1988: 49-51 .490 4th in FL North
Team History: No playoff appearances
Top Players: LF Steve Gray, SP Kyle Patterson, 3B Louis Baily, RF Vilfred Kjeldsen
Predicted Finish: 3rd
The Keystones have a decent pitching staff; their issue has been health and offense. Kjeldsen is one of the best hitters in the game, and the Keystone faithful hope that he can put together a healthy season. If the Keystones start hot out of the gates, as they have the past three years, now might be the time to trade for an impact bat and a veteran arm.

New York Knights
1988: 53-48 .520 3rd in FL North
Team History:
FL Pennants: 1 (1970)
Top Players: SP Christian Vaughn, C Ian Reese, SP Dane Young, SP Dani Ramirez, SS Andrew Knight
Predicted Finish: 4th
Surprised? Most baseball people are predicting that the Knights will be much better this season, some have gone as far as to predict a division championship. Christian Vaughn is a great pitcher, he won the FL Pitcher of the Year Award last season, but the rest of the staff is getting old. Ian Reese might be one of the most underrated players in the game but he has no supporting cast. With that said though, if the Knights can swing a deal for a middle-of-the-order type bat…and if their aging pitching staff has another year in their collective arms…and if someone else besides Reese can stay in the lineup for most of the season…this team maybe…might…could possibly…

Brooklyn Atlantics (Shipbuilders ’44-’57)
1988: 42-58 .420 6th in FL North
Team History:
FL Pennants: 9 (’46, ’47, ’48, ’49, ’50, ’51, ’52, ’54, ’69)
NBO Champs: 5 (’47, ’49, ’50, ’51, ’54)
Top Players: SP Clinton Webster, SP Mike Graham, 2B Duncan Miller, 3B Joe Hartman
Predicted Finish: 5th
Casey Walker’s name is missing from the listed players above only because of his injury shortened season in what assumed to be a breakout year for the young outfielder. The Atlantics have been dismally bad for a long time now--their fans have endured three consecutive last-place finishes—but there was a brief moment near the end of last season where they finally showed signs of improvement. Can the Atlantics build on this? It hinges on their youngsters and their ability to develop. If all goes according to plan in Brooklyn, this pitching staff could become one of the most formidable in the league, just probably not this year.

Philadelphia Patriots (B&B’s ’44-’53, Bees ’54-’57)
1988: 44-56 .440 5th in FL North
Team History:
FL North: 1 (’86)
FL Pennants: 4 (’45, ’64, ’66, ’68)
NBO Champs: 2 (’66, ’68)
Top Players: RF Emmet Burris, SP Timothy Morgan, C Ed Workman
Predicted Finish: 6th
This team is in disarray. Only three years removed from a division championship, general management decided to shift gears and trade away some core players over the past two offseasons. With question marks all over the lineup, the Patriots must decide what they’re going to do with Morgan and Burris. Though these two players could yield big returns, removing them from the roster guarantees a miserable summer in Philadelphia.

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Federal League South

Baltimore Bombers (Stevedores ’49-’53)
1988: 64-36 .640 1st in FL South, Won LCS over Boston, Lost NBO Series to St. Louis
Team History:
FL South Champs: 2 (’84, ’88)
FL Pennants: 19 (’53, ’55-’62, ’71-’75, ’78, ’80-’81, ’84, ’88)
NBO Champs: 5 (’53, ’60-’61, ’74, ’78)
Top Players: 2B Don Humphrey, SP Alejandro Munoz, RF Antonio Vega, RP Jeff Holmes, SP Elton Cooper
Predicted Finish: 1st
The Federal League Southern Division is tough, there’s no doubt about that. There are four different teams who could win this division, but the Bombers stand the best chance because of their balanced attack. This is the most well-rounded pitching staff in the league. The offense consistently does enough to produce runs. The defense is rock solid. It’s hard to bet against this team, but this division is a powerhouse so nothing is a lock.

Houston Buffaloes
1988: 60-40 .600 2nd in FL South
Team History:
FL South Division Champs: 3 (’85-87)
FL Pennants: 4 (’77, ’85-’87)
NBO Champs: 3 (’85-’87)
Top Players: SP Danny Baker, LF Chandler Heard, SP Julian McLaughlin, 2B Lewis Pierce, SS Felix Martinez
Predicted Finish: 2nd
It’s very, very, VERY difficult to bet against this team. Danny Baker is the best pitcher on Earth. Chandler Heard, Lewis Pierce, and Felix Martinez are three of the most consistent players in baseball, but will this be enough in Houston? It wasn’t last season. For the first time in three years, the Federal League South was up for grabs and the Buffaloes fumbled. They could easily back bounce this season and dominate the division. But this team has aged rapidly. Injuries have decimated this lineup as well as the rotation. As good as Baker is, he can’t win 65 games on his own. If Houston is going to take the division back, they’ll need an extra arm or two.

Atlanta Indians
1988: 41-59 .410 5th in FL South
Team History:
No playoff appearances
Top Players: RF Chris Murray, LF Ernest Macon, SP Eugene Knight, CF Alex Warner
Predicted Finish: 3rd
While a 3rd place finish may seem optimistic for a club that finished almost 20 games below .500 a year ago, consider this: the Indians may already have the most potent outfield in the league, one that will only get better as time goes on. Couple this with a pitching staff that’s shown steady improvement over the last two years and it’s not so difficult to see how this team could be the biggest sleeper in baseball.

New Orleans Pelicans (Richmond Chesterfields ’44-’51, Richmond Rebels ’52-’87)
1988: 51-49 .510 3rd in FL South
Team History:
FL Pennants: 2 (’44, ’63)*
NBO Champs: 1 (’44)*
*as Richmond
Top Players: SP John Campbell, SP Rob McGinnis, SP James Tucker, SS Scott Stewart
Predicted Finish: 4th
Take everything that I just said about the Indians’ trio of young outfielders and apply it to the Pelicans’ three starting pitchers. These guys are young, good and getting better as time goes on. John Campbell had control issues as a youngster, but he’s seemed to figure that out and trust his stuff, which is lights-out even on an “off” night. If the Pels can find a couple of steady bats, they could very well disrupt this division.

Washington Generals
1988: 51-49 .510 4th in FL South
Team History:
No playoff appearances
Top Players: LF Ned Keller, C Homer Dukes, 3B James Bowen
Predicted Finish: 5th
For years now, we’ve seen the Generals start strong only to fade away by the middle of the season. They can do this on the strength of their offense, and one would think that off-season moves would include acquiring starting pitching. Once again, the Generals sat still during the winter and they’ll pay the price this season. The three names listed above provide plenty of pop and all three of them will contribute on a contender this season, just not in the nation’s capital.

Charlotte Colonels (Louisville Sluggers ’44-’83)
1988: 31-69 .310 6th in FL South
Team History:
CL Pennants: 4(’50, ’53, ’62, ’64)*
NBO Champs: 2 (’62, ’64)*
*as Louisville
Top Players: SP Roberto Cuesta, SP Ray Harris, C Ray Knight
Predicted Finish: 6th
Three consecutive last place finishes is not what ownership had in mind after relocating a failing franchise from Louisville to Charlotte five years ago. In fact, the Colonels’ best record in Charlotte came in their first season, when they went 46-54, good enough for 5th place in the division. It’s seemingly gotten worse for the Colonels, despite having two quality arms at the top of the rotation. Unfortunately, it’s time to rebuild again.

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Here's a look at how the game predicts the Federal League will play out this season. I thought I'd add some screenshots just to liven things up a little bit. I'm still getting the hang of how I plan to do this report so bear with me.

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Continental League Central

Detroit Robins
1988: 62-39 .614 2nd in CL Central
Team History:
CL Pennants: 1 (’83)
NBO Champs: 1 (’83)
Top Players: 1B Michael Davis, C Mike Kline, SP Will Clark, SP Nathan Grimes, RF Arthur Copeland, SS Landon Cobb, CF Shaun Clay
Predicted Finish: 1st
At the beginning of the decade, this team had all the makings of a dynasty. However, since winning the NBO Championship in 1983, the Robins have failed to return to the postseason. It’s been a tough luck couple of years in Detroit. The team consistently wins just enough games finish one or two games behind. They still have the best combination of offense, defense, and pitching in the league and they are certainly hungry to prove that they are as good as advertised.

Minneapolis Lakers (Toronto Maple Leafs ’84-’88)
1988: 50-50 .500 4th in CL Central
Team History:
No playoff appearances
Top Players: CF Evan Garrett, 3B Rod McQueen, SP Dave Kemp, RF Emilio Chavez, SP Wilfred Thomas
Predicted Finish: 2nd
The Lakers’ first season in Minneapolis has all the makings of an instant classic. With the Continental League’s reigning Hitter of the Year, (Garrett) anchoring their lineup, on-base machine Rod McQueen pacing it, and new addition Wilfred Thomas (twice having won CL Pitcher of the Year hardware) rounding out the pitching staff, the Lakers may join the long list of “Teams Who’ve Spoiled the Party in Detroit”.

Milwaukee Hops (Columbus Flyboys ’49-’70)
1988: 55-45 .550 3rd in CL Central
Team History:
CL Central Champs: 1 (’87)
CL Pennants: 1 (’59)*
NBO Champs: 1 (’59)*
*as Columbus
Top Players: SP Ronald Oglethorpe, C Brian Franck, 2B Pat LeClair, SP Joe O’Cooney, 3B Jorge Serna
Predicted Finish: 3rd
Two years removed from the brink of Continental League Pennant, the core of this team is a little bit older and just as hungry. When Oglethorpe is on, he’s impossible to hit, just ask the 413 hitters that he struck out two years ago. If the core of this lineup can rally the troops again, and if the rest of the pitching staff can continue to keep the damage to a minimum, the Hops could very easily top this division again. One more bat in the middle of the order also wouldn’t hurt.

St. Louis Westerns
1988: 63-38 .624 1st in CL Central, won CLCS over Vancouver, won NBO Series over Baltimore
Team History:
CL Central Champs: 3 (’85, ’86, ’88)
CL Pennants: 13 (’44, ’47, ’49, ’71, ’72, ’73, ’74, ’75, ’76, ’77, ’79, ’85, ’88)
NBO Champs: 7 (’71, ’72, ’73, ’75, ’77, ’79, ’88)
Top Players: SP Larry Ortiz, SP Sonny Haines, SS Wilson Torres, C Marvin Adams
Predicted Finish: 4th
It takes guts to pick the defending champs to finish this low in the division, but it’s my pick and I’m sticking with it. The Westerns found the fountain of youth for the final month of last season and rode the wave through a dominating postseason run, capturing their record setting 7th championship. Age will catch up with this team eventually, and this year will be the year. The core of this club is on the wrong side of 30, some are over 35. Larry Ortiz will set the record by winning his 312th game at some point this season, but the Westerns will have trouble keeping up with the younger clubs listed ahead of them in this report. Fear not though, St. Louis baseball fans, by next season the roster will re-tool from within and who knows, maybe the next great Westerns Dynasty is on the horizon.

Chicago Yardies
1988: 49-51 .490 5th in CL Central
Team History:
CL Pennants: 7 (’56, ’57, ’58, ’60, ’63, ’70, ’78)
NBO Champs: 5 (’56, ’57, ’58, ’63, ’70)
Top Players: LF Blaine Hampton, 3B Peter Steele, RP Juan Negron
Predicted Finish: 5th
Two of the team’s best players are over 35 years old. Its’ other two stars are under 25. The Yardies seem to have been rebuilding this club for a decade, but they continue to hold onto their older stars and wait for the young guys to step up. The problem is most of the young guys haven’t panned out. It’s time, once again, to move the veteran hitters for young arms, and to insert some young players into the everyday lineup.

Cincinnati Originals
1988: 45-55 .450 6th in CL Central
Team History:
CL Central Champs: 1 (’84)
CL Pennants: 12 (’45, ’46, ’48, ’51, ’52 ’54, ’55, ’61, ’65, ’66, ’67, ’68)
NBO Champs: 6 (’45, ’46, ’52, ’55, ’67)
Top Players: RF Maximo Garza, LF Coy Lewis, 1B Adam Hoover
Predicted Finish: 6th
The Originals dealt ace starting pitcher Wilfred Thomas. Coy Lewis and Adam Hoover have been vocal about playing for a contender. They’ll both wear different uniforms before the conclusion of this season. The big question is will Maximo Garza follow? Arguably the most beloved Original since Frank Lindsay, his era in Cincinnati has been more of a whimper than a bang, with the O’s getting swept out of their only postseason appearance during his tenure. It will be a sad day when one of the game’s greatest players suits up in a color other than green, but one that is necessary for the future of this franchise.

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Continental League West

Portland Pioneers
1988: 45-55 .450 4th in CL West
Team History:
No playoff appearances
Top Players: SP John Benson, 2B Jose Salazar, SP Carl Murphy, 3B Jack Whittey, SP Terry Williams, UTL Anthony Moore
Predicted Finish: 1st
This may seem like a bold prediction for a team that has never even had a winning season in their short history, but consider the obvious: John Benson is one of the top 3 pitchers in the league, maybe in all of baseball and he should finally get some run support this season. Which leads me to: Jose Salazar. For this first time, the Pioneers have a middle-of-the-order bat that opposing teams will fear and respect. Which leads to: Aaron Bell. Two years removed from a Rookie of the Year campaign, Bell will finally be able to relax and not worry about carrying the lineup. I’m predicting a big year for this young man. Round this out with veteran hurler, Carl Murphy, (who would be an ace on most other teams), gutsy, southpaw, Terry Williams, and a ferocious set a fireballers in the bullpen, and I don’t see how anyone bets against this team.

Vancouver Mounties
1988: 55-45 .550 1st in CL West, Lost CLCS to St. Louis
Team History:
CL West Champs: 1 (’88)
Top Players: CF Nathan Harris, RF Lou Robinson, SP Cristobal Duran, 3B Rob Owens, RP Barry Williams, RP Roy Hobbs (Yup. Roy Hobbs is in my game and he’s a pretty good pitcher…a natural, even)
Predicted Finish: 2nd
A year removed from shocking the baseball world by winning the Continental West Division, the Mounties sat back during the offseason and I believe this decision will hurt them this season. They still have one of the best young hitters in the league, in Lou Robinson, and Cristobal Duran looked like an ace for most of last season, but this team relies too heavily on their bullpen arms. There were, and still are, starting pitchers available, but the Mounties seem content to trust the players who took them to the top of the division a year ago.

Oakland Oaks (Omaha Plowboys ’59-’71)
1988: 49-51 .490 2nd in CL West
Team History:
CL West Champs: 3 (’85, ’86, ’87)
CL Pennants: 3 (’81, ’86, ’87)
NBO Champs: 1 (’81)
Top Players: SP Archie Wade, CF Matthew Wolfe, 1B Pablo Valdes, RP Greg Nicholson, RF Benton Glover
Predicted Finish: 3rd
After losing two consecutive NBO Championship Series to Houston, age and injuries took hold and for much of last season, the Oaks looked like a team on the downward slope. They were able to acquire veteran CF Matthew Wolfe in an offseason trade with Philadelphia, but I don’t think it will be enough. Last year proved what little depth exists here, and how one injury can derail this extremely fragile club.

Denver Alpines (Kansas City Green Sox ’59-’75, Denver Bears ’76-’87)
1988: 45-55 .450 3rd in CL West
Team History:
CL Pennants: 1 (’69)*
NBO Champs: 1 (’69)*
*as Kansas City
Top Players: SS Victor Collazo, C Terry Austin, SP Phil Tucker, RF Marty Hall, SP Bob Jackson
Predicted Finish: 4th
The Alpines may be the biggest “What If” team in baseball heading into this season. They have improved,( albeit, minutely), in each of the last three seasons, but was that just a sign of a weakening division? Collazo and Austin are prove hitters, but what about Marty Hall? Was last year a breakout season that no one in baseball saw coming or was it just a fluke? Phil Tucker is a solid pitcher, but is he really an ace? And Bob Jackson—where did he come from? What’s going on in Denver? Damned if I know, but I wouldn’t sleep on this team.

Seattle Warriors
1988: 39-61 .370 6th in CL West
Team History:
CL West Champs: 1 (’84)
CL Pennants: 3 (’80, ’82, ’84)
NBO Champs: 2 (’80, ’84)
Top Players: RF Pat Ballard, LF Marlon McLean, C Cliff Parker, SP Troy Miles
Predicted Finish: 5th
What’s going on in Seattle? A year removed from what appeared to be an overhaul in which they dumped most of their veterans for prospects, the Warriors have spent this offseason trading for high-priced, (Ballard) and injury-riddled (McLean) veterans. There appears to be a power struggle going on behind closed doors and it’s left a once promising franchise in turmoil. I’m at a loss here. Maybe the Warriors go on to win the division, maybe they lose 60+ games again…if I were a betting man, I’d take the latter.

Dallas Oilers (Oklahoma City 89ers ’72-’87)
1988: 44-56 .440 5th in CL West
Team History:
No playoff appearances
Top Players: CF Edwin Dronfield, SS Peter Lee, 2B Chad Boyd, 3B Javier Moran
Predicted Finish: a productive 6th
In their annagural year in Dallas, new ownership (wisely) decided to break ground with the core of the 89ers franchise. Dronfield and Company came out to play every day, and for the first month or two, the fans were pleased. It’s time to turn the page now. These aren’t the 89ers anymore and it’s time to build a new franchise from the ground up. Edwin Dronfield was one of the best players this game has ever seen, and he deserves to play for a winner, even if his skills have diminished significantly. The same goes for veterans, Boyd and Lee. Javier Moran is still just 22 years old, so the future’s not so bleak in Dallas.

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As I did with the Federal League, here's a snapshot of how the game engine sees the Continental League shaping up for the 1989 season:

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Brooklyn Eagle - May 30th, 1989
Roger Kent, reporting

On Baseball's Eve

Another season is upon us, Brooklyn baseball fans, and dare I say; the horizon appears to be much brighter in Brooklyn than it has for quite some time. Although the Atlantics are coming off of a third consecutive last place finish in the Federal League North, there is a glimmer of hope in Red Hook entering the 1989 baseball season thanks in part to a stockpile of young arms and a crop of speedy, young outfielders. Thought a division title still appears to be a couple of years away, the Atlantics should enjoy a vast improvement this season. Below is a position by position breakdown of how they stack up:

Catcher: Logan McMahon will handle most of the starting duties behind home plate this season. McMahon is a proven defender, having won hardware as a member of the Portland Pioneers two years ago. His bat is a big question though. Most scouts believed that Logan would hit for power at some point in his career, some even projecting 15-20 home run potential, but so far, he's lacked any consistency at the plate. He did show signs of improvement after joining the Atlantics in a midseason trade last August, but his final numbers were still well below his career high rookie season. Hitting Coach, Arthur Miller, believes that if Logan can cut down on his strikeouts and focus more on driving the ball into the gaps, he could be a valued member of the Atlantics offense. The backup catching role will be handled by veteran Jim Mayes with prospect Gil Thomas starting the season on the reserve team.
Grade D+

First Base: Power hitting lefty Jarrod Numbers will platoon with switch hitting rookie,Terry Hodges, at first base this season. Both players are under the age of 25 and trying to figure out their swings still. Numbers has a keen batting eye and plenty of pop while Hodges is more of a free swinger who shoots the gaps. If one of these youngsters can hit with consistency, they may find themselves in the middle of the Brooklyn lineup.
Grade: C

Second Base: Duncan Miller batted .343 during his 60 games in Brooklyn after being acquired in a midseason trade last year, so it's safe to say that he's a lock at second base. Prospects like Bartolo Cabrera and Rich Arnold still need some time to develop but we'll probably see one, if not both of them, before the season's over.
Grade: A-

Shortstop: One of the biggest question marks on the team this year is: "Who will be the everyday shortstop". Rookie Lawrence Morris has one of the finest gloves in the game, but his bat is not quite major league ready. The same can be said for Irwin Johnston and Wiley Miller, though both are just a tick above average defensively. Thirty-five year old, Jason Crawford will probably handle the starting duties in the season's early comings, but I don't expect that to last long. Manager Forrest Moulton likes his prospects and I expect to see more youth in the lineup by midseason.
Grade: D

Third Base: No questions here, Joe Hartman will handle the hot corner for Brooklyn. Known as a team leader and skilled defender, Hartman has abandoned his power approach in favor of hitting for solid contact. He sprayed the ball all over the field last season to the tune of a career high .262 average. Now, entering his age-26 season, the Atlantics are expecting even more improvement in his bat control and contact ability. I think, if he continues with the same approach he had last season, Hartman might be able to raise that average a few points higher. He'll probably hit in the 2-hole for Brooklyn because of his ability to put the ball in play consistently.
Grade: C+

Left Field: It's no secret that the Atlantics are deep with young outfielders, but there's also no question about Casey Walker's role as the everyday left fielder. Walker injured his shoulder last season, so his breakout was placed on hold for one more year. I expect him to dazzle this season. Possibly one of the best defenders in LF, Walker hits the ball from gap to gap as well as anyone in the game. His speed makes him a constant threat to swipe a base or stretch a single into a double. He's shown signs of power, but don't expect high home run totals from Casey this season. Manager Forrest Moulton and Hitting Coach Arthur Miller are focused on solid contact and station to station baseball. If all goes well for the 25 year-old, Brooklyn may have a perennial All-Star candidate.
Grade: B+

Center Field: This is where is gets hairy. The Atlantics have three solid candidates for the every day duties in CF, so a platoon is not only likely, but also necessary. Rookie Brandon Watson has plenty of pop in his bat but his natural position is LF, so his defense in center is a question mark. When he starts, expect him to be lifted for a defensive replacement late in the game. Alex Sheffield is 28 this year but he just can't seem to get over the hump separating him from platoon player and everyday starter. Expect to see Alex start against left-handed hurlers and as a late-inning pinch hitter. Bill Clayton is the obvious candidate to shoulder most of the starting duties in center this season. The former 1st round draft pick has blazing speed and an exceptional glove, this much was known two years ago when he was selected 3rd overall. Scouted as a contact hitter, Clayton will most likely leadoff for the Atlantics this season.
Grade: B-

Right Field: Miguel Alvarez will handle most of the starts in RF for Brooklyn, the 22 year-old hit .274 in 48 games last season and his bat should only improve. If Alvarez reaches his full potential, the Atlantics may have a middle-of-the-lineup threat for years to come. Oh yeah, he's also no slouch on the base paths and has one of the strongest arms in the league. Rene Montiel will see the occasional start when in RF, but expect him to be used mostly as a lefty bench bat and pinch runner.
Grade: B

Bench: With only three of the Atlantics position players over the age of 30, (Miller, Mayes, and Crawford), the bench is loaded with youngsters eager to maneuver themselves into an everyday role. Infielders Wiley Miller and Irwin Johnston are sure bets to start on the major league roster, and while both have limited at bats, expect them to see some time. The outfield is deep, with all five players (including all three potential starters) younger than 25, it's difficult to foresee how this will play out.
Grade: C

Starting Pitching: In keeping with the "under 25" theme, Brooklyn has stockpiled young arms and as three of their starting pitchers enter their age-25 season, the possibilities for success seem limitless. Clinton Webster will be the ace-in-name to begin the season. Tosi Mesropian and Mike Graham will round out the staff with lefty Julio Mata getting the call when the matchups are in his favor. This could really go either way but all four of these pitchers have improved every season, so I'm predicting big things from the starting pitching again this year.
Grade: A-

Relief Pitching: The Atlantics have long used their bullpen to groom young arms and expect nothing less this season. Mike Botterill, Davey Lopez, and southpaw, Ken Ellis will handle much of the late-inning pitching duties. Gonzalo Corral may start on the big league club this season, but expect limited innings as his control has been an issue.
Grade: B

Manager: Some may remember Forrest Moulton the 9-time All-Star starting pitcher way back when Columbus still had a professional baseball team. No one in baseball remembers Forrest Moulton the manager, as this will be the first year that the 60 year-old baseball lifer takes the reigns of a professional club. The young players have responded to him well so far, especially the young pitchers. Moulton has his work cut out for him, that's a certainty, but after a productive Spring Training, Atlantics' fans can rest assured that for the first time in over a decade, there will be meaningful baseball in Brooklyn.
Grade: C+