Congratulations to the Make Believes!!!

Toronto Make Believes are this years World Series champions after defeating the Crew from San Juan. The four game sweep after dropping game one was mighty impressive for the owner of a three year old franchise. The previous year, San Juan had won the trophy and was looking to become the third franchise to win back to back. With this win the NL has closed the gap, but still trail the AL 7-6 in number of WS victories.

Owner Interview- Namshub

Syracuse Saltine Warriors owner Namshub will sit down to be the 2^nd in our series of interviews.

What area of the country do you live in?

I live in the northeastern part of the U.S. in upstate New York just outside of Syracuse. It’s where I grew up and after leaving to go to school I came back to settle down. Although the weather can get pretty rough most of my family still lives in the area which makes it nice.

What do you do to support your family and pay for your HBD addiction?

I’m an attorney for a small firm specializing in domestic relations (divorce and family court) and real estate law. After 13 years I hope some day to find a different field however with a family and the economy struggling who knows if that will be possible.

What ML team do you follow?

The NY Mets for about 30 years now. Growing up in Central New York prior to the cable onslaught you could either watch Mets games on WOR, Yankees games on WPIX, Red Sox games on WSBK or an occasional Cubs game on WGN. With those choices, Chicago seemed too far away so they were out. My brother was a BoSox fan so eliminated them. Everyone else in the neighborhood liked the Yankees, so naturally I chose the Mets. In the early 80’s I became a diehard fan and have never stopped. Being about 6 hours from NYC and I try to catch a series every year.

Do you have a favorite ML player?

It would have to be Keith Hernandez. In my opinion he was the the heart and soul of the 80's Mets teams. He was a great defensive 1B who you always wanted up to bat with the game on the line. Now he's become a commentator with FSNY and does the Mets games so I've gotten to continue to follow his career even post-playing days. He's very funny and comes across like someone you could have a good conversation with.

Do you prefer AL or NL style baseball?

With my love for the Mets I prefer the NL style however I think the DH should be adopted throughout ML baseball. It no longer makes sense to allow a pitcher hit in my opinion even though it does add some additional strategy. However I do think not using a DH hamstrings the NL come playoff time as that big bat hasn't been a priority throughout the season.

How did you find out about HBD?

I stumbled onto this site a few years back and started playing sim league baseball (with minimal success) but I was hooked. The What If concept was amazing; I loved the idea of players from different eras playing on the same field. We've all had conversations with our buddies and now I could play them out. The strategy involved was very compelling. From there, I started playing HD at its inception (as basketball is my first love). When HBD was introduced in the HD forums I joined what is now the Summer of '49. Originally, it was created by a group of HD owners. It has evolved since and it’s been great so far.

How long did it take you to feel confident in your ability to build a team?

The league first started around the beginning of HBD itself so I think all of us went through some growing pains learning how to play. I went to the forums and talked with other owners to try and get helpful tips. At that time it was difficult because the game engine would change quite frequently and there were some glitches that owners took advantage of for their own betterment. As far as current team building, it took me about 6 seasons to feel I could compete with the other owners in the league on a consistent basis. The game is tough though and you have to try to win now as well as remember to build for the future. It is a difficult thing to do when you have other owners who know what they are doing. I'm always learning new things and have recently really had to learn how to manage my budget due to an increasing payroll. I haven't been in rebuilding mode yet but I'm sure that will come too.

Do the draft and IFA’s play a big part in your planning?

Early on I put a lot of emphasis on IFA's because it seemed I had more control over who I signed than through the draft (before controlled draft settings). Lately, I have cut back on IFA signings as costs have got a little out of control and I needed more money for payroll. It’s been tough finding talent in the draft because of my recent success I have had low draft picks. I really have to be creative with my draft board to try and get someone that can contribute at the ML level. In my opinion, in order to maintain success you have to balance FA signings, IFA signings, drafting and trading to have a consistent dynasty.

Who is your favorite HBD player?

I have to name 3 players since I've grown attached to them equally. The first two were gifted to me when the league was created (original members of the franchise) Luke Gordon (RP), my 39-year old closer who is approaching 500 saves and is on the all-time list across all worlds. He has been clutch and saved many big games for my franchise. I almost didn't re-sign him this season which would've been a huge mistake. Mariano Alvarez, my clean-up hitter since Day 1, has been incredibly clutch and consisten. For his salary throughout the years I would put him up against any other player in the league (past or present). My third player is Alex Guzman (acquired in a trade) who put this team over the top as a true #1 starter and allowed me to be competitive come playoff time. The good thing about only having one franchise is you definitely "get to know" your players a bit more and have that fantasy connection to them.

Are there any trades that you’ve made that really stand out?

The Guzman trade referenced earlier is the most memorable. At the time I pulled the trigger there was a real lack of great starting pitching in the league (probably still is) and I had to give up a majority of the minor league talent I had stockpiled. It was make or break at the time as I thought I had enough talent to make a run. Luckily, it worked out for me. Just made another big one with Toronto giving up my CF Willie Espinosa for RF Mule Floyd who I am hoping will turn into an offensive beast and replace Alvarez in RF some day. He's off to a slow start but it’s too early to tell.

The powers that be put you in charge for one day and you can make any change to HBD, what would it be?

I'm happy with the game. I think it’s the best product out there for the money. I also think people have a tendency to whine a little too much about what is wrong with the game and the complainers are often the most vocal ones on the forums. That is a turn-off and keeps me off the forums for the most part. I guess its kind off the same in life though; to much bitching and not enough people having fun.

That concludes the interview with Namshub another of the original owners still remaining in Summer of ’49 now in it’s 13^th season. Thanks for taking the time Namshub.

Owner Interview- Bulls7210

This is the first in a series of interviews with the owners in our world. It seemed only logical to start with the guys that have been here since the beginning and I thought it would be fun to put the head of the world’s blog in the lead off position.

So Bulls7210 what part of the country do you live in?

I live in Central California in the Fresno area.

When not running your team what do you do to pay for your HBD addiction?

With a degree in business I have worked as a manager in retail, food service and the construction fields. Unfortunately, the economy in California has been hit hard by this recent downturn and I’m looking for a position that will utilize my skills while presenting a challenge to enable me to continue to grow as a manager.

Back to the fun stuff. You have owned teams in both the AL & NL, which style of play do you prefer?

Well, having chosen the St. Louis Cardinals franchise here in “Summer of ’49” I’m a big fan of the real Cardinals. I’ve been following them since ’85 and truly believe that the call in the World Series, at 1^st base that year cost them the title. Both leagues have some things that make them unique, however if pressed, I feel that the NL style includes more strategy. Pitching is critical in the NL, requiring both a strong rotation that can go deep in games and a rock solid pen to allow for the double switches that are necessary. Without the DH, NL teams are built more to rely on their pitching staffs making it less likely that large deficits will be overcome.

If pressed to name your favorite ML player living or deceased who would you chose?

I probably have a few favorites, but having to choose just one I always liked to watch John Tudor. As you might remember he was a starting pitcher for the Cardinals during the 80's. He never had great stats and will never make the HOF, but he always seemed to find a way to win games. He was just a crafty lefty and who can forget his performance in 1985?

So what made you decide to become a owner of a HBD team?

As soon as I heard that WIS was starting a new game, I knew that I would be getting into it. I was pretty excited about the chance to own a team and try to develop players. I was just lucky to have found a bunch of great guys to play against.

How long did it take you to feel comfortable running your team?

Probably, two (seasons) however, the early updates made that confidence disappear almost immediately. Adjusting to the changes Admin makes, changes the importance of certain factors and adapting to those updates has been a challenge for me. At first there was no Rule 5 draft, you didn’t fall victim to mass retirements of your MiL players and players continued to improve in their later years. This was the so-called ‘Roid Years’ that created super human players that put up huge numbers consistently into the latter stages of their careers as opposed to the sometimes rapid deterioration of a players skills that you see now. $20 mil in the training budget and there were no worries about your older players failing to perform.

How importance is the amateur draft & IFA’s to your organization?

The draft is very important to building a successful franchise but, this is another area that has changed over time. In the first few seasons draft prep was a simple process. Limitations to how your draft board could be changed make it possible to find ML talent in the later rounds (4th-8th). That doesn’t happen anymore since they allow owners to move players around more on their draft boards. Those 4th-8th round picks are now moved up and taken in the late 1st or early 2nd round. It is now more important than ever to spend some time on the draft prep so that you can maximize your draft position. The international market has not been kind to me I always seem to be out bid on the really good players. This makes it very difficult for me to move $15M or more into scouting IFA's and then add $20M or more to the prospect budget to sign them . I think I can use that $35+M elsewhere.

Do you have a favorite HBD player?

I think it would have to be Jacque Lee a catcher for me since year 1. He was and has been the most consistent offensive player in my organizations history. I was fortunate to have him on the team when the league was created. It is too bad that he was 26 when season one began, it would have been interesting to see the numbers he could have put up had he been playing at the ML level, as I suspect he would have, had he started at a younger age.

Is there a trade that you have made that sticks out in your mind as something that dramatically helped your team?

I don't really have a memorable trade to talk about. I have had some good trades and also some bad ones I rather forget. I can’t really think of a trade that changed the course of history for my team. I would say that some of the trades I didn't make were some of my best moves I’ve made.

If you were put in charge of HBD and could change one thing about the game what would it be?

I don't like the idea that we have to move money around in $2M increments. I can live with a penalty for having to move money from one budget area to another but let us do so for any dollar amount. If I want to move $1.5M from coaching to player’s salaries, let me and dock me S750K. Don't let my money go to waste all year long because I don't have a full $2M.

Thus concludes the interview with Bulls7210, although there was a lot of sweating and fidgeting it appears he has survived the experience. Thanks for taking the time Bulls and good luck the rest of the season.

AL Season 13 Preview

Season 13 Preview: American League


North

Detroit Domination (86-76)
A team anchored by a pitcher like David Polanco & a hitter like Jon Price should compete for a playoff spot on a yearly basis. Detroit has enough pieces in place around these two stars that they will again battle for the divisional crown. However although the Domination was in the top third of the league in all three major categories they need to upgrade some positions if they hope to hoist a championship flag.

Prediction: 88-74

Trenton Revolutionaries (Last yr 86-76)
Tying for the division title but losing the tie-breaker left a bad taste so Trenton enters the season with a chip on their shoulders. Deciding a fresh start was necessary the team left Chicago to see if their future would be brighter on the East Coast. Louie Neruda struggled after being acquired but it is hoped that he will settle down to form a strong one two punch with Matt Gordon at the front end of the rotation. Roy Pall will again anchor the bullpen that converted 39 of their 55 save chances. The offense was led by Einar Candelaria, Miguel Diaz & Trenidad Park as they each hit over .295. Moving to a new park can take some time to adjust to so a small step back may be ahead.

Prediction: 83-79

Dover ‘Necks (83-79)
Vince Morgan, Ryan Nelson & Gregory Wilkins give the ‘Necks 3 solid starters at the top of their rotation. When runs are needed Robinson Washington, Russell Piper & Shaggy Brown are as good as any middle of the order guys in Uecker. This team could contend for a championship if they added more to the strong nucleus already in place. Blown saves and players able to get on base in front of the big thumpers would go a long way to helping this team become more of a threat to take control of the division and go deep in the playoffs.

Prediction: 81-81

Toledo Mudhens (80-82)
The Mudhens had the 6th best team batting Avg, yet finished in the bottom half of the league in runs scored. That was the problem the team had last season. Harold Cox & Ugueth Romero got on base then Cy Keats & Darren Beltre drove them in. Rafael Castro was added to the mix to see if he can’t help carry some of the load. Jonathan Campbell was the leader of the staff, but that not be for long if Jacque Brown continues to develop. Bip Steib, Butch Pulsipher & Steve Klassen shared the save opportunities however each had an ERA over 4 which doesn’t make a manager confident when calling for help from the pen. More parts will need to be added for them to win the division however if the other teams struggle Toledo may be able to take advantage.

Prediction: 77-85

East

Pawtucket Privateers (90-72)
Sub 3.00 ERA’s from Kordell Forbes (17 wins) & Eli Frias (46 saves) paced a strong pitching contingent. Erick Mullin, Raul Guerrero & Jolbert Telemaco all hit over .290, smacked more than 30 HR & drove in over 100 runs. With stars that these there wouldn’t seem to be any room for improvement, however the Privateers were below .500 in 1 run games and had 19 blown saves. Both of these stats are unusual for an elite team and need to be addressed if this team hopes to get further in the playoffs.

Prediction: 91-71

Cincinnati Lebowskis (77-85)
Starter Sal Harris & Closer Adrian Jordan led the pitching staff while sluggers Don Wilkins, Malcolm Adams & Alex Martin lead the offensive barrage. The team is hoping that moving from Hartford will help the pitchers rebound from a disastrous Season 12 where they languished near the bottom. The defense was slightly below average putting even more strain on the struggling hurlers and leaving a potent offense that led the league in hitting looking for help from management. With everyone still waiting for that help to arrive the Lebowskis will again fight to reach the .500 mark .

Prediction: 75-87

Boston Chokers (77-85)
Last years team struggled on the mound with the 2nd worst ERA in Uecker while the offense was the 2nd best. This year’s team should be much the same as the pitching staff remains a big concern and the team continues to allow some of its young bats to develop at the ML level. Until the arms catch up to the bats the most Boston can hope for is a shot at .500 while entertaining fans with their offensive show.

Prediction: 72-90

Columbus Hammers (59-103)
When discussing the Hammers all talk begins with 3rd yr player Nick Regan. At 24 he has put up impressive numbers and last years 52 HR & 120 RBI show just how talented he is. Matty Campos was the only other player to put up good numbers and with much of the roster filled with youngsters up from the farm it looks like another rebuilding year in Columbus. The pitching staff struggled last year and it looks like another year of patience will be needed until the right players are found to raise this team to a contender status.

Prediction: 63-99

South

San Juan Wrecking Crew (99-63)
The Crew are solid from top to bottom. The pitching staff is led by Cliff Gunderson (15 wins), Walker Jennings (16 wins) & Jeremy Weston (32 saves). A very dynamic offense is not in short supply of power with Corky Bowman & Geraldo Lee as two of their rising stars. San Juan has several young players that haven’t hit their peak yet so it is very possible this team has yet to see how well it can play.

Prediction: 99-63

Charleston of Bricks (98-64)
Late season pickup Marvin Jefferies adds another strong arm to a deep pitching staff and will help carry some of the load shouldered by Thomas Strange and Walter Krause. The fireworks will be provided by Brendan Springer, Jason Wise, Raul Andujar & Rich Gagne. Full seasons from Jefferies and Andujar should help Charleston in their battle for the division title with San Juan.

Prediction: 97-65

Montgomery Daddies (90-72)
A somewhat suspect rotation is backed up by a very solid bullpen that received a major lift when Pat Yamamoto was added. 16 game winners Lonnie Glynn & Russ Wall will now only be needed to pitch 5 or 6 innings before turning things over to the pen. Offensively sluggers Diego Moya, Lariel Neruda, Benny Baerga & Courtney Rogers will be smacking opponents pitching staffs into submission. With a solid offense and opponents only getting 6 innings to some damage with their bats this team is poised to make a serious run at the division title.

Prediction: 95-67

Iowa City Screwballs (77-85)
Injuries have helped derail Iowa City. JJ Gibbs & Ron Perry headline a somewhat suspect pitching staff. A full recovery by closer Darwin Green from the shoulder problems of the last 2 seasons would go a long way to helping fix some of the problems on the mound. The pitching staff wasn’t the only area affected by the injury bug as Brett Munoz’ big bat was missed at the end of last season and the team hopes to stay close to the division leaders until his return. Expectations for Matt Moseley, Robert Tomberlin will be high with Elson Service not yet producing as management had hoped. With several holes still needing to be filled this team is a year or two away from making a serious push.

Prediction: 73-89

West

Honolulu Dashboard Hula Dolls (107-55)
The Dolls won more games than any other team around last season. This was accomplished by pushing 200 more runs across the plate than their opponents. Ace Russ Jerchower and closer Ronnie Field will have to help hold things together until Eddie Baker is able to come off the DL. Once again the offense will be led by all-world star Jeff Jennings. Jennings was again able to reach the 70 homer mark and drove in 187 runs. This year he will break the 700 mark in homers and at 31 yrs old he has a good shot at the 1000 HR barrier. Honolulu will go as far as their pitching will carry them so don’t be surprised if they can’t reach last years lofty win total but do run away with the division title.

Prediction: 97-65

Salem Lumberjacks (76-86)
The pitching was respectable last season but allowed 100 runs more than the offense could produce. That will need to be changed. A pitching staff with an ace the caliber of 17 game winner Rafael Morales should be able to put up better numbers but will need to reduce the number of blown saves to do so. Deivi Tapies, Sean Pulsipher & Louis McCartin put up good numbers last season and will need to do it again for this team to have a chance to improve. The team owner is hoping that moving to Salem will be a successful change but more will need to be done to enable them to catch Honolulu.

Prediction: 71-91

Kansas City Masterpieces (74-88)
A warning needs to be sent out to the league about this team. They are loaded with big time bats and will be relentless in their offensive assault. Unfortunately their pitching and defense up the middle is suspect and offenses should be licking their chops to get an opportunity to get to the plate. Ralph Dixon & Philip Ransom are rising stars and with Gordon Hines still only 27 runs should continue to roll in. As for the pitching staff no one was able to put up more than 11 wins and the bullpen blew 13 save opportunity to further hurt the struggling hurlers.

Prediction: 70-92

Boise Mashers (57-105)
Herman Atkins, Lariel Martin, Javier Rosado, Ryan Ruffin will provide the offensive attack for Boise. The pitching staff is lead by Miguel Nunez who converted 25 of his 33 save opportunities and Matty Alomar’s 8 wins out of the pen lead the team. The Mashers were near the bottom of the league in most offensive, defensive and pitching categories. Upgrades throughout the roster will be necessary for them to escape the basement.

Prediction: 62-100

NL Season 13 Preview

Season 13 Preview: National League

North

Ottawa Rocks (92-70)
With 326 stolen bases last season games turned into track meets on a regular basis. A rock solid pitching staff led by starters Elmer O’Toole, Brad Adams & closer Grover Daley. Larry Brown, Lance Blume & Rich Buhner collected 260 of last season’s SB. Yet even with a high octane offense and quality production from their pitching staff they only took the division by 1 game most likely caused by a losing record in 1 run games. Without fixing a bullpen that blew 26 saves last season it will be tough for the Rocks to again hold off Scranton.

Prediction: 87-70

Toronto Make Believers (87-75)
Can this be the year? It’s been 8 yrs since Toronto’s last playoff appearance and they have never finished 1st. Getting a wildcard berth isn’t easy in the NL so winning the division may be their only hope. 4 players hit at least 30 homers and 3 players drove in at least 100 runs so there is some offensive firepower. Jeromy Thompson is the real deal and if his sophomore season is as good as last year he should be an allstar soon. Mid-season pick up Fausto Rivera will be around all year and take some of the heat off of Thompson. The bullpen only converted 33 of their 47 save opportunities and cost the team a shot at the division title. The pitching staff could still use a little tweaking to help out an offense that was strengthened by the late season acquisition of Dan Franco.

Prediction: 86-76

Scranton Salt Dogs (Last yr 91-71)
Pitching and defense allowed the Dogs to overcome scoring fewer runs than they allowed. Horacio Martinez had a big year with 18 wins and a 3.05 ERA, but that was overshadowed by the work Vladimir Sierra out of the bullpen who recorded 50 saves in 53 opportunities. The shortfall in runs could in no way be blamed on Angel Carrara (57 HR, 151 RBI) or Eddie Jodie (42 HR, 119 RBI). In a curious move Scranton is hoping Rodrigo Unamuno will bounce back after losing 23 games and putting up an ERA over 7 last season for Philly. With the top three clubs bunched so close together last season it is hard to pick a clear winner so any misstep by any of them will drop them to 3rd in the divison.

Prediction: 85-77

Portland Showers (75-87)
Tom Torres slugged 48 HRs last season with Tyrone Kennedy, Luis Limon & Bubbles Jerchower each adding at least 30 bombs a piece. More consistent hitting is what the showers need to help boost them out of last place in this very competitive division. On the mound Jerry Walker posted 17 wins but no other Portland pitcher reached the 10 win mark. Billy Ratliff is a more than capable closer that suffered last year from a lack of save opportunities with only 33 chances. Changes on offense and defense will need to be made if the Showers hope to pass any of the teams that finished ahead of them last year.

Prediction: 71-91

East

Syracuse Saltine Warriors (102-60)
Scoring 200 runs more than you allow makes winning 100 games look simple. Syracuse used strong pitching, defense and timely hitting to surpass the 100 victory plateau for the 2nd time in team history. Unfortunately the 42’s have owned this division the past 3 seasons. The Warriors had 4 starters pick up 10 wins or more, led by Alex Guzman’s 19. The big question for the pitching staff is will 39 yr old Luke Gordon be able to continue converting saves (40/45) at the same pace for another season. On offense 5 players finished with more than 20 HR and 80 RBI. It’s unknown how the 42’s will adjust to their new home so this may be Syracuse’s chance to again finish 1st in the division.

Prediction: 98-64

Burlington 42’s (106-56)
Can the 42’s repeat their 106 win season of last year and hold off a very talented Syracuse team again? Those are 2 of the questions to be answered as is how this team will adjust to its new home. Starters Jose Johnson (18 wins) & Sammy Henriquez (17 wins) return as do bullpen stalwarts Mendy Griffin (19 wins) & Wilfredo Lugo (33 saves). Offensively this team is loaded with sluggers like Tony Castillo & Bert Hughes. Last year’s team posted the #1 defense & pitching staff while the offense was not far behind at #4. The biggest question is can they repeat these awesome numbers in a new location?

Prediction: 95-67

New York Highlanders (78-84)
Workhorse pitchers Rich Romero & Winston Surhoff lead a deep pitching staff that also includes the Brown’s, starter Bruce & closer Haywood. Last season most of the offensive fire power was provided by Sal Simmons & Olmeda Aguilera. With only a brief stint with the ML squad last season Benji Valdez is being counted on to help them out. Big improvement to both the offense and defense will be necessary if this team wants to compete with the 42’s & Saltine Warriors.
Prediction: 77-85

Philadelphia Flying Fish (59-103)
After a disastrous season the Fish will try to rise from the dead. Pitchers Matty Castillo & Joaquin Oliveras were rushed through the minors with the big league club struggling and not surprisingly they had their problems. Timo Coleridge is a legitimate star and could use Joaquin Bocachica to bounce back to form after last years knee problem. The roster is in a state of constant flux as management tries to bring in fresh talent. More needs to be done and older players need to be moved to make way if this team is going to escape the cellar anytime soon.

Prediction: 63-99


South

New Orleans Pelicans (78-84)
The Pelicans were able to hold on to win a division title no one wanted. With only 2 players over 30 it is hoped this team will be able to grow together into a winner. Pitchers Vasco Urbina & Stephen Cunningham have established themselves at the ML level. Young guns like Don Lee & Pedro Rijo should be able to lead the offense for many years to come. Last year’s team struggled offensively holding the team back and causing them to finish under .500, with another years experience under their belt that should start to change.

Prediction: 81-81

Louisville Sluggers (74-88)
This is seemingly a tale of two teams with a very mature pitching staff hoping to stave off the affects of lots of mileage as their young stars push across runs as they develop their skills at the big league level. Vasco Hernandez has been added to the potent bats of fellow outfielders Alex Abreu & Morgan Burnett. Management came in and moved some valued vets with an eye to the future. Several prospects will be expected to contribute in the near future as some stop gaps have been added to keep the team competitive in a weak division. Questions to be answered are have the changes that were made hurt a strong pitching staff and aided a weak offense.

Prediction: 79-83

Nashville Music (74-88)
An interesting of young and old, experienced and youngsters learning on the big stage has Nashville looking for better days ahead. Richard Scoroposki was acquired in a trade to lead the staff and mentor young stud Brian Fordyce who should develop into a top #1 or 2 starter. Javy Carrasquel & Vic Gonzales could you some more support to lessen the load on these very talented players. If not for the fact they play in the South this team would be again looking to the future with a month to play however in this division anything is possible. The Music are definitely headed in the right direction but to seriously bid for a championship more upgrades will need to be added.

Prediction: 78-84

Oklahoma City Rams (73-89)
The Rams pitching and defense struggled last season and with their offense hovering around the league average this team had to fight for every victory. Andrew Rehfield is the pitching star while Gerald Franklin & Emmanuel Bennett spearhead the offense. Major changes are needed to shore up the pitching staff, defense & offense to allow the Rams to turn into a yearly playoff participant.

Prediction: 70-92

West

Anaheim Bombers (85-77)
Nicknamed the Bombers there are some big bats to help this team live up to their name. Hades Tyner will be counted on to continue to produce big numbers even at the ripe old age of 34. Bryan Brown and Phil Murphy will need to again help power this team if they are going to make the playoffs. On the hill the rotation is stacked with the quality arms of Dante Edmonds, Ernie Alexander, Miguel Sosa & Mule Black. The pitching & defense will keep Anaheim in games. The success of this team will depend on the offense’s ability to produce more runs than last season.
Prediction: 87-75

Arizona Tuques (71-91)
With a need to add more offense the Tuques went out and signed the biggest bat on the FA market, DaRond Neal. If he can bounce back from last season’s injury it will take some of the pressure off Bill Rollins & Al Baerga while possibly adding to the already impressive amounts of runs scored by the electrifying Marv Wilkins. Defensive shortcomings last yr put a strain on both the pitching staff and offense and unless that is fixed Arizona will need to wait a while longer to knock Anaheim off their throne.

Prediction: 70-92

St. Louis Cardinals (68-94)
It’s been 4 long years since the Cards finished with 90 wins, since then only once did they come close to reaching .500. The offense was a major disappointment last season as they scored the 2nd fewest runs. While the team’s ERA was respectable the bullpen blew 27 saves wasting good efforts by the starters. Starter Todd Maxwell & closer Andy Belitz lead the pitching staff and had decent seasons. Ricardo Lopez spent a full season in the majors and proved that decision to be a good one by hitting 38 bombs and driving in 102 with a .446 OBP. This will prove to be another tough season for the St. Louis faithful, things will get better as the talent in the minors starts to continues to move onto the ML roster.

Prediction: 67-95

Salt Lake City Polygamists (63-99)
The Polygamists were able to avoid losing 100 games last season. Their offense struggled to score runs however their pitchers had no trouble allowing runs and finished the season with 200 fewer runs scored than allowed. Adding JP Rodriguez should help the beleaguered staff however more changes are necessary to allow this team to compete. Ronnie Kirkland & Alan Vickers will need the rookies brought up this year to start producing immediately to narrow the gap between runs allowed and runs scored.

Prediction: 65-97

Power Rankings- As Of 8-25-09 PM Games

Here are the updated Power Rankings. One team of note, Charleston of Bricks was the hottest team since the last poll, going 23-9. The coldest team?? Or should it be, the coldest TEAMS.... Boise, St. Louis and Louisville all won just 10 games out of 32. Ouch!

Here are the new Division rankings followed by the Power Poll. Enjoy.

Division	Points
AL SOUTH	76.288
NL EAST	38.847
NL NORTH	37.330
AL NORTH	20.113
AL WEST	-35.02
AL EAST	-37.33
NL SOUTH	-40.64
NL WEST	-55.57

Team	Ranking Points
Washington D.C. 42's	160.55
Syracuse Warriors	146.74
Honolulu Hula Dolls	145.02
San Juan Wrecking Crew	140.99
Charleston Of Bricks	110.86
Ottawa Rocks	103.73
Montgomery Daddies	99.98
Pawtucket Privateers	93.46
Toronto Make Believes	78.09
Scranton Salt Dogs	76.93
Anaheim Bombers	67.77
Detroit Domination	66.91
Chicago White Sox	64.56
Hartford Lebowskis	50.17
Dover 'Necks	43.59
Toledo mudhens	40.14
New Orleans Pelicans	30.23
Iowa City Screwballs	21.54
New York Highlanders	15.65
Louisville Derbies	12.88
Las Vegas Desert Devils	9.24
Oklahoma City Rams	7.84
Portland Showers	6.26
Kansas City Masterpieces	-1.48
Boston Chokers	-2.97
Nashville Thunder	-3.77
St. Louis Cardinals	-13.99
Salem Synethesians	-23.76
Arizona Tuques	-39.66
Philadelphia Flying Fish	-81.40
Columbus Hammers	-96.94
Boise Mashers	-129.64

Power Rankings- As Of 8-14-09 PM Games

Here are the Power Rankings for the past week. Scale is the same as the previous week.

Here are the division rankings:

Division	Points
AL SOUTH	34.591
NL EAST	26.944
NL NORTH	25.724
AL NORTH	16.726
AL WEST	-14.51
NL SOUTH	-24.94
AL EAST	-39.74
NL WEST	-47.78

Enjoy!

Elite Teams

Washington D.C. 42's	130.46
San Juan Wrecking Crew	116.03
Syracuse Saltine Warriors	111.69
Honolulu Hula Dolls	105.86
Great Teams Montgomery Daddies	86.77
Above Average Ottawa Rocks	77.22
Scranton Salt Dogs	68.26
Middle Teams Anaheim Bombers	52.65
Toronto Make Believes	47.94
Dover 'Necks	47.74
Hartford Lebowskis	46.57
Detroit Domination	45.34
Pawtucket Privateers	44.57
Toledo mudhens	40.34
Below Average Chicago White Sox	38.35
Iowa City Screwballs	34.06
New Orleans Pelicans	26.12
Oklahoma City Rams	23.40
Louisville Derbies	22.38
Fighting Chance St. Louis Cardinals	15.17
New York Highlanders	13.46
Kansas City Masterpieces	10.17
Las Vegas Desert Devils	4.86
Portland Showers	3.76
Charleston Of Bricks	1.48
Boston Chokers	0.27
Somethings Gone Wrong Nashville Thunder	-14.59
Hopeless Salem Synethesians	-35.35
Don't Ask Arizona Tuques	-52.84
Philadelphia Flying Fish	-72.21
Boise Mashers	-87.96
Columbus Hammers	-90.30

Power Rankings- Part II

Here are the new power rankings. I modified the system some more in hopes of getting a true picture of each team's strengths. I've also factored in the division rankings as well. Let me know if you agree with the latest power rankings. Points break down like this:

100 and up____________Elite
80-99.9_____________Great
60-79.99____________Above
40-59.99____________Middle
20-39.99____________Below
.01-19.99____________Fighting
-19.99-0____________Gone Wrong
-39.99--20___________Hopeless
-40 and less____________Don't Even Ask




Team____________________Ranking Points
Washington D.C. 42's_____________97.13
Syracuse Saltine Warriors_________93.47
Honolulu Dashboard Hula Dolls______76.22
San Juan Wrecking Crew__________73.68
Montgomery Daddies____________72.12
Ottawa Rocks_________________60.57
Iowa City Screwballs____________58.18
Scranton Salt Dogs_____________55.08
Charleston Of Bricks____________50.37
Anaheim Bombers_____________47.49
Hartford Lebowskis____________39.01
Dover 'Necks_________________36.75
Toledo mudhens______________36.49
Chicago White Sox_____________34.84
New York Highlanders__________34.19
Toronto Make Believes__________28.37
New Orleans Pelicans___________26.04
Oklahoma City Rams___________19.99
Las Vegas Desert Devils_________19.51
Pawtucket Privateers___________18.81
Kansas City Masterpieces________15.50
Detroit Domination_____________14.77
Louisville Derbies_______________8.15
Boston Chokers________________4.79
Portland Showers_______________2.61
St. Louis Cardinals______________-8.90
Nashville Thunder_____________-19.25
Salem Synethesians____________-21.41
Arizona Tuques_______________-51.32
Boise Mashers________________-57.85
Columbus Hammers____________-69.63
Philadelphia Flying Fish__________-74.61

Power Rankings

Here are the new power rankings taken from the stats pages. After adjusting points based upon how far above and below a team was compared to the world average, I totaled the points and grouped the teams in to different categories. It is a little complicated and will probably go through many changes before I feel comfortable with the ranking system.

For now, it is what it is....

The Elite Teams:

147.778- Washington DC

145.521- Syracuse

The Great Teams:

129.726- San Juan

113.549- Ottawa

111.519- Iowa City

93.424- Honolulu

The Above Teams:

80.011- Hartford

64.585- Charleston

44.988- Montgomery

The Middle Teams:

38.483- Chicago

36.189- Anaheim

23.903- New Orleans

19.909- Dover

17.579- Scranton

12.832- Toronto

12.815- New York

11.005- Kansas City

4.386- Boston

2.361- Portland

2.335- Las Vegas

-10.745- Toledo

The Below Teams:

-17.970- Detroit

-18.283- Pawtucket

-44.118- Oklahoma City

-46.542- St. Louis

The Teams Still Fighting:

-62.921- Arizona

-76.536- Salem

-100.956- Louisville

The What's Gone Wrong Teams:

-119.797- Nashville

-172.842- Boise

-200.617- Columbus

-210.357- Philadelphia

Some Interesting Things with 100 games to go...

These are some of the interesting things that have gone on in the season so far. There have been six different players with at least 7 RBI's in a game and one player hitting for the cycle. Weird how there hasn't been any great pitching performances like there was last year with one player throwing two no-no's. Well the season is still early, kinda.


Player performances:

Runs Batted In:

• Rafael Castro (Salem)- 9 RBI's vs. Oklahoma City
• Bert Hughes (Washington DC)- 7 RBI's vs. Syracuse
• Olmedo Aguilera (New York)- 7 RBI's vs. Philadelphia
• Louie Farr (Oklahoma City)- 7RBI's vs. Salem
• Virgil Olmedo (Charleston)- 7 RBI's vs. Louisville
• Tom Torres (Portland)- 7 RBI's vs. Detroit

Noteable Batting:

• Ryan Miller (Toronto)- Hits for Cycle vs. St. Louis
• Juan Ordonez (Kansas City)- 6 Hits in a Game vs. Columbus

Welcome to Philly, Wake

Wake is the new owner of the Philadelphia Flying Fish. Wake took over for an owner that seems to have gone AWOL. Which is strange, because matt is in the reserves and may have been called in to service.

Wake comes in with some success in the past. He has been in another league (OCD) with four division titles and four playoff appearances in eight total years to go along with four second place finishes. He has some work to do in Philly, due to the fact that the pitching staff has been over worked and abused so far in this young season. Good news is, he has enough time to turn things around.

I would like to extend a welcoming handshake to a promising owner, who I hope enjoys his stay with us for many seasons to come.

Congratulations to the Bombers!!!

The Anaheim Bombers are this years World Series champions after defeating the Charleston of Bricks. The four game sweep came at a time when the league was looking for a new king of the hill. The previous two trophies went to the Warriors. With this win the NL has closed the gap, but still trail the AL 6-5 in number of WS victories.

Top Five Franchises......

Here they are, the top five teams over the past 9 seasons. In no particular order..... Ok, in one specific order....

#5- Syracuse Saltine Warriors

Franchise Power Ranking: 67.5
Best Year: 104-58, S1 – Worst Year: 76-86, S4
Post Season Achievements: 6- Playoffs, 4- Division, 2- Wild Card, 1- NLDS, 1- NLCS, 1-WS
Best Player: Mariano Alvarez
Best Pitcher: Bobby Allen

#4- Los Angeles Angelenos (Kansas City)
Franchise Power Ranking: 69.0
Best Year: 115-47, S5 – Worst Year: 74-88, S9
Post Season Achievements: 8-Playoffs, 6-Division, 2- Wild Card, 3- ALDS
Best Player: TBA
Best Pitcher: TBA

#3- St. Louis Cardinals
Franchise Power Ranking: 79.5
Best Year: 110-52, S3 – Worst Year: 55-107, S9
Post Season Achievements: 6- Playoffs, 3-Division, 3-NLDS, 2- NLCS, 1-WS
Best Player: Jacque Lee
Best Pitcher: Del Moreno

#2- Atlanta Bravos (Toledo)
Franchise Power Ranking: 80.5
Best Year: 104-58, S5 – Worst Year: 76-86, S7
Post Season Achievements: 5-Playoffs, 5- Division, 4-NLDS, 3-NLCS
Best Player: TBA
Best Pitcher: TBA

#1- Durham Daddies
Franchise Power Ranking: 191.0
Best Year: 134-28, S4 – Worst Year: 92-70, S1
Post Season Achievements: 9- Playoff, 8- Division 1- Wild Card, 7- ALDS, 7- ALCS, 5- WS
Best Player: Benny Alfonseca
Best Pitcher: Todd Damon

Warriors Win Again.........

The Syracuse Warriors completed the improbable back-2-back championship run that many thought could not happen. After being the best team in the first half of the season, no one would have predicted the team slump that plagued the players in the second half. The rumblings from ownership were a little discerning. Namshub, Syracuse owner, was quoted in the local fishwrap, saying "In the revered history of this league I am currently working an historical collapse of unseen proportions." This was little over a week before his team clinched the #5 seed.

Someone famous, once said, "that is why they play the games"..... Nothing could be closer to the truth this year.

Congratulations Nams!!!!

Rankings: Cont........

Here's the next segment of the team rankings. Teams 10-6. Enjoy.


#10- Arizona Tuques (Vancouver)
Franchise Power Ranking: 47.5
Best Year: 103-59, S5 – Worst Year: 83-79, S4
Post Season Achievements: 6- Playoff, 5- Division, 1- Wild Card
Best Player: Ralph Edwards
Best Pitcher: Kevin Lincoln

#9- Detroit Domination
Franchise Power Ranking: 53.0
Best Year: 97-65, S6 – Worst Year: 65-97, S3
Post Season Achievements: 7- Playoffs, 5- Division, 2- Wild Card, 1- ALDS
Best Player: Russ Scott
Best Pitcher: David Polanco

#8- Richmond Rebels
Franchise Power Ranking: 56.0
Best Year: 100-62, S8 – Worst Year: 38-124, S5
Post Season Achievements: 4-Playoffs, 1-Division, 3- Wild Cards, 1- ALDS, 1-ALCS, 1- WS
Best Player: Will Carson
Best Pitcher: Max Herrera

#7- Dover ‘Necks
Franchise Power Ranking: 58.0
Best Year: 103-59, S5 – Worst Year: 79-83, S9
Post Season Achievements: 7- Playoffs, 4- Division, 3-Wild Card, 2- ALDS
Best Player: Justin Hutton
Best Pitcher: Ryan Nelson

#6- Ottawa Rocks
Franchise Power Ranking: 67.5
Best Year: 103-59, S6 – Worst Year: 75-87, S3
Post Season Achievements: 5-Playoffs, 3-Division, 2- Wild Card, 2- NLDS, 1- NLCS, 1- WS
Best Player: Butch Neill
Best Pitcher: Alan Brownson