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All you Need to Know about HABLA

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From The Editor:  I'm alwaylooking for a few potential owners.  At this time we haveThree on our Wating List.  If you have any likely prospectsPLEASE have them email me at jdupree@optonline.net

HABLA HALLOF FAME

League Roundup:  What Will Happen in 2012

He's Back, It's FEARLESS Time

Quick Fact:

Quick Opinion:
 

New York, Florida, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Montreal,
For the first time the in league history the NL East may have a new champion. The Mets are not nearly the team they were and the Marlins have a better staff. The Expos are likely to fall from the picture, but the Owl is wise and may find a way. The Braves and Phillies need to have a .500 year just for the sake of signs that they are going in the right direction.

  Cracks in the Armor Showing at Shea?
Who's New: 1b Willie McCovey, 3b Dick Allen
Key Player: Jim Bunning.
Synopsis: The Mets took a licking last year when they opted to trade Pat Burrell, Earl Averill and then lost P Don Drysdale to retirement. Further changes were dealing away C Mickey Cochrane and 1b Buck O'Neill. The big news is that Willie "Stretch" McCovey will be at 1b. Both Averill and Burrell retiring softened the blows of trading them away considerably. The team is still strong and are odds on favorites to win the NL East, but the pitching is not nearly what it was a few years ago. Jim Bunning has been very good for the past few years, but the Mets are hoping he'll be great this year and combine with ace Bob Gibson for a vicious 1-2 punch in the rotation. The hitting should be fine, but for the first time in memory, it's the club's pitching that is the X factor.
Rookie Report:  Roger Dorn and Chris Truby will likely carry Dick Allen's bag and golf clubs for the year, but should play enough to qualify this year. Don Gullet will get some appearances and may even find himself as a scratch starting pitcher. Roy Lee Jackson needs to qualify this year to avoid Prop Five Rules.
Over 88 Under 98
Fearless Forecast: Fearless wrote this forecast.

You Better buy a Scorecard!   1b Leon Durham
Whos New:  C Gary Alexander, 1B Leon Durham, 1B Ron Blomberg, 2B Carlos Guillen, 2B Davy Johnson, SS Roy Smalley, 3B Butch Hobson, LF Glenn Adams, RF Victor Long, RF Pedro Cerrano, P Bobby Matthews, and P A.J. Burnett.  
Key Players:  P Bobby Matthews, RF Pedro Cerrano, 1B Leon Durham and 3B Butch Hobson.  Matthews is expected to anchor a staff that will need these 3 rookie power hitters to produce.  
Synopsis:  The Powerhouse of the past few seasons will become a distant memory to the Expos fans.  Now they need a scorecard to recognize the team.  The team has a core of solid vets on the field in Corey Patterson, Rico Petrocelli, Thurman Munson, Pete Reiser, and Carlos Guillen.  The  Rookies 1B Leon Durham, 3B Butch Hobson and RF Pedro Cerrano hold the key to the Future of this franchise. AL Cy Young winner Bobby Mathews and newcomer A.J. Burnett give the Expos a solid 1-2 punch they have been lacking.  Pitchers Ryan Bradley, Dom Ellenbecker and Chris Seelbach give the Expos a solid rotation. Closer Kirby Higbie and MR Jamie Easterly have performed well in the Bull Pen.  Pitchers Joey Nuxhall, Dan Larsen, Greg Minton and Jeff Austin will get another chance to show they belong. The Expos will be a team in transition and the way the Expos will go will be decided by the play on the field.  It should be an interesting year and who knows, we might have to print a new scorecard before the end of the season.  
Rookies:  1B Leon Durham, 3B Butch Hobson and RF Pedro Cerrano will be starters for the season.  1B Blomberg will be a defensive replacement and pitch hitter.  The Rookie Pitchers Mingori, Koegel and Millar could se action.   Forecast:  The Expos lack the necessary firepower to compete this year. It's asking to much of the rookies to lead the way.  The pitching could keep this team in contention.  The Expos expect to win between 62-71 games.
Fearless Forecast: The Expos don't have the juice to contend this year, but they should win more like 80 games rather than 70 being the high end. Over 72 Under 82

Fish Fans excited in South Florida
Key Players: Mario Soto, Joe Jackson

The Florida Marlins have alot to be excited about this upcoming season. GM Scott Williams's Patience paid off this past season, due to shrewd moves and gamers on the Marlins roster. There was talk of maybe the Marlins were overachivers, maybe they were too young with no heart, but thankfully for fans they bounced back with a run at the wild card in the NL East. There is no doubt Joe Jackson is the heart and soul of this team with Clemente and Soto not too far behind. With Willie Mccovey accepting a huge contract to play with the rival NY Mets all aboard have to pick up the slack to keep the drive going. This is another in a never ending cycle for the Marlins to see if they can jump to the next level and stay in the playoffs more than 4 games. Only time will tell.

Key Rookies:Scott Hatteberg C, and Orlando Cabrera SS


Fearless Forecast: Despite losing McCovey the Marlins pitching will make them tough contenders this year, but they may have to win the division outright to make the playoffs. Over 87 Under 97

Who's new: P Kris Benson, RF Larry Doby, P Jin Ho Cho,
P Chad Higgins, P Ken Cloude, and CF Chad Mottala

Key Player: 1B Jimmie Foxx

Synopsis: The fans in Philly may have something to cheer for this season. New GM Casey Heaton has tried
over the off-season to put together a team that can win games. The Phillies hitting was already in good
shape and with the free agent signing of RF Larry Doby the line-up as only improved. The suspect pitching
staff of the Philies has been renevated for this season. Only two pitchers from last years starting
rotation will keep their spots. P's Jim Palmer and Jim Rooker won their jobs back however, newcomers Kris
Benson, Jin Ho Cho, and Chad Higgins will fill the remaining starter spots.

Rookie Report: CF Bobby McDowell may be the only true rookie to make the jump to the active roster this
season, he may see some time in centerfield. Also SS Maury Wills and 2B Ryne Sandberg who saw limited time
last season will be playing every day for the Phillies.

Over and under: Over 80  Under 90

Fearless Forecast: The Phillies have the tools to be a legitimate threat, however all the pieces really will need to be solidly in place. A .500 season is a better goal than a playoff run. Over 75 Under 85

Braves New World? OF Ralph Kiner
Who's new:
Key Players:
Synopsis:
Over Under 70-80
Fearless Forecast: The Braves have some good young players and should settle close to .500. Over 76 Under 86

Cardinals, Reds, Astros, Cubs, Pirates
A strong division, but the Cardinals are still thre team to beat. The other three contenders are going to be fighting it out all year and barring injuries this could be a very tight race all yeas between the Cardinals, Reds, Astros and Cubs. The Pirates ship is floundering badly.

Will 2014 Finally Be the Year of The Redbirds? WHO'S NEW: SS Rafael Furcal, 1B Steve Garvey, CF Rick Manning, 2B Jose Macias, 2B Abraham Nunez, RHP Lee Tunnell, RHP Lindy McDaniel
THE OFFSEASON: Although St. Louis won its 3rd consecutive NL Central title last season, the Cardinals once again stumbled in the postseason, failing to advance past the 1st round of the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive year.  Ownership wasted little time in making their disappointment felt.  They sent a very clear message to the Cardinal players by shipping team captain 2B Jackie Robinson to Detroit in early January of this year.  Two other offseason moves further added to the shake-up in St. Louis.  SS Rafael Furcal was obtained from the Reds in early November of 2013, and 1B Steve Garvey was only recently obtained from the Astros as the 2014 season was slated to begin.  On the free agent market, St. Louis managed to lure veteran CF Rick Manning away from Philadelphia, but lost starting pitcher Lefty Grove to a very determined and deep-pocketed Minnesota team.  The Cardinals elected not to match offers against RHP Ken Cloude, nor 1Bs Wally Pipp and Tom Grieve.  Of the three, Cloude's production will likely be missed the most.       
SYNOPSIS: Even considering the loss of Robinson and Grove, St. Louis is still a much improved club over last year's playoff team.  The additions of Furcal and Garvey make for a truly formidable St. Louis lineup.  With fellow .300 hitters like Joe Dimaggio, Carl Yastrezemski, and Mike Schmidt, Furcal and Garvey should help the Cardinals offense improve significantly upon last year's .268 team BA.  With Garvey's acquisition allowing LF Carl Yastrezemski to return to his natural position in the outfield, coupled with Furcal's greater range at SS, you can also expect to see an even better defensive ballclub than in years past.      Veteran outfielders Brad Wilkerson, Juan Beniquez, and Rick Manning will all likely vie for playing time alongside fixtures Dimaggio and Yastrezemski.  Ben Davis and Bruce Pearson will once again share the catching duties, with each providing an exceptional mix of solid defense and offensive production.  Defensive wizard Luis Aparicio will capably fill the role of utility infielder, providing further depth for the Cardinals.  St. Louis has talented two-way players at every position, with the only possible exception being that of 2B--a position rookie Jose Macias is expected to fill capably.  These Cardinals are a deep and talented group of players to be sure.         Many experts feel that the Cardinals might be the team to beat this season.  Although they acknowledge the team's offensive improvements, and the always excellent team defense, they more often point to the St. Louis pitching staff as being the biggest factor behind the high expectations.  The Cardinals 3.35 ERA was the best in Habla by nearly a 1/3 of a run last season. Barring any severe injuries to its starting pitchers, the Cardinals should come close to equalling or even exceeding last season's success.  Walter Johnson, Robin Roberts, Jerry Koosman, Mike Scott, and Rick Adams will comprise the team's starting pitching rotation.  As the Cardinals #5 starter last season, Adams posted a 3.94 ERA--the worst mark for any of this year's five starters.  The Cards bullpen is expected to be even better this year with the arrival of rookie relievers Lee Tunnell and Lindy McDaniel.  Even if the two former #1 picks struggle, the St. Louis bullpen already has guys like Steve Baker, Bill Lashcish, Chad Zerbie, and John Hiller in place.    
KEY PLAYER:  Rookie Relievers Tunnell and McDaniel.  You could make the argument that for the Cardinals to be successful this year, their fate doesn't depend on any single player's performance.  But if St. Louis must have a break-out type year from one or two players, those rookies would be good candidates.       
ROOKIE REPORT:  The Cardinals are expected to qualify 4 rookies this season--2Bs Macias and Nunez, and RHPs Tunnell and McDaniel.  St. Louis can survive if Macias and Nunez falter, but the team is relying far more heavily upon its two rookie relievers.  Whereas the Cardinals have plenty of options at 2B, the team has far less bullpen and starting pitching depth.  If Tunnell or  McDaniel struggle from the pen this season, St. Louis would almost certainly have to acquire a capable replacement from outside the organization.  
OVER/UNDER:  Over 94, Under 104.  St. Louis' run as NL Central Champions should continue in 2014, but Cincinnatti and  Chicago remain legitimate threats to the Cardinals reign.  Although Houston won't contend this year, the Astros should win their fair share of games within the division.  The key to this team's success is for the Redbird pitchers to stay healthy.  Multiple injuries to the St. Louis pitching staff, particularly to its starting rotation, would be disasastrous.  Unlike in years past, the Cardinals simply don't have the surplus of talented pitchers they once had.  If St. Louis can avoid having its pitchers on the DL for long stretches of time this season, the Cardinals should win the NL Central once again.  Whether or not they can improve upon their recent postseason failures remains to be seen.     
Fearless Forecast:

WHO'S GONNA CARRY THE WEIGHT?

Who's New:
1b Hal Chase, 1b Wally Pipp, SS Kelly Dransfeldt, LF Al Bumbry, SS Harry Lockhead, P Len Barker, P Ed Dunkle, P Kid Howard, P Mike Wegener

Synopsis: This could be a rough season for the Cubs as they have no distinct power hitter for the first time in years.
Due to lack of money they were basically stuck to signing players to fill spots in the roster.  With no
major signings the Cubs must depend on players from last season.  With the retirement of Pep Merced, there
is a huge gap in LF and in the homerun department. This gap may be filled by youngster 1b Erubiel Durazo
who had an amazing rookie year which was overshadowed by a huge crop of talented players in the NL.  Durazo
hit .332, with 39HR and 109 RBI's, he was second in all those departments only retired Pep Merced faired
better.  Along with Durazo, 3b Adrian Beltre must show his veteran leadership and remain steady at the plate
again like last year.  Beltre struggled early in hte season while playing injured, he never recovered his
batting average but was able to slug out 30 HR and 100 RBI's.  The same goes for C Brook Fordyce, although he
faired well in his first year replacing C Mike Sweeney, he is still expected to show more power at
the plate and break 30 HR's.  Fordyce only 23 HR's last year, but also played injured as the Cubs were
battling for playoff contention.  Other players like Ty Cobb, Gary Maddux and Robbie Thompson are hopefully
going to maintain their steady performances at the plate and on the base pads.  Ty Cobb has been
consistent in the base stealing area by leading the team every year with at least 30+ a season, with this past year swiping his 500th base.  He is usually the lead off hitter but there is word that the lineup may be shuffled to accomadate the departure of Pep Merced.
Taking Merceds' spot is a younger and faster Dan Gladden. Gladden was obtained in last years FA draft
and was used as a pinch hitter this past year and impressed management and may get his shot at the
starting lineup this season.  In 55 plate appearances he hit .327, with 1HR and 8RBI's also stealing 6 bases
along the way.  If that type of performance continues into this season he soon could be asking for big
money.  As for pitching not much has changed, the Cubs still have a surplus of quality starting pitching and
there will be a battle for starting roles.  Theconsistency of Vukovich and Alexander almost
guarantees them spots.  However veteran Frank Quinn and Ted Lilly have been less then consistent and one
may be out soon.  As well Fergie Jenkins who has phenominal talent has yet to shine in Chicago and
could be on his last legs this season.  The staff has not changed much but the performance of Jim Adkins
last year, has raised eyebrows and many fans are looking forward to seeing him pitch again.  The club
has alot of pitching talent and hopefully that will shine this season.  However if the team really
struggles look for GM Mark Doerr to shake up thesystem and get rid of the bad apples. 
Key Player:
1b Erubiel Durazo - must have a performance like least year, no fluke season P Jim Adkins - strongest pitcher last year and is
hoping to do the same this year
Rookie Report - Look for 3b Hebert Perry to play a few games at the age of 26 he is average but may shine as
well.  As well Pascal Perez will be qualified this season but has not developed as well as hoped. 
Over/Under:
Over 70 under 85 - will not be a big year for Cubs. But a few slight changes may bring some excitment.  Or
the true desire of the club could shine through the losses of the past few years
Fearless Forecast:

Pirates: Prospect P Jim Abbott
Who's New:  3b Wendall Beasley, P Chris Knapp
Key Player:
Synopis:
Rookie Report:
Over Under  
Fearless Forecast:

Reds Pushing Towards .500 OF Jay Gibbons
Young Players Reach for The Skies
---------------------------------

Who's New: Tommy Bond

Synopsis:  For the first time since The Rebuilding, the Reds are not expected
to introduce any young players into the team. K.L. is looking to have his
current team gel at the core while he continues to tinker with the outer
structure of the team.

The Reds have jumped a staggering 18 games over last year's mark and have improved a total of 28 games in two years. Another large improvement is unlikely now that the team is working against the other elite, experienced teams.
However, the Reds are young and last year's success has just made them hungry for more.

Despite getting a bit 'older' with some moves and trades, the Reds are still one of the youngest teams in the league and are argubly the youngest contender in the NL if not all of HABLA. K.L. takes confidence in that fact and he hopes the young players will want to show that they can handle the pressure.
Tommy Bond, the lone new player expected to fill a major role, will be looked upon to give the Reds a strong rotation from 1 to 5. The projected staff is expected to be Hough, Tannana, Lee, Bond, and Wiggen or Kravec.
The bullpen will lean on Cicotte again and will likely expected Amonte to make progress this year. Also, Hamiliton and the loser of the 5th slot will be in the bullpen as well.

Offensively, Furcal's shoes will be filled by Dave Concepcion who seems ready to prove he can fill the bill. The lineup will feature the same type of talent in contact and speed, and will feature the bats of Jenkins and Gibbons in the center of the lineup to provide the power. Utility-man McEwing will be looked on to give days off and Hendrick will patrol CF with his gold glove ability,
and could be an underrated bat for the team.
The Reds look to return to the thick of contention and with the Mets weaker and the Expos rebuilding, they hope the path to the playoffs will be a bit easier this year. If indeed the abundance of power takes the league into a
new era, it would seem the Reds are ready and willing to play in such a new age of the league.
However, it will still be a challenge and improvements will be hard to come by as for the first time in years, the Reds will run against the big boys of the league.
Let the games begin...

Key Players: Frank Tannana and Henry Wiggen - If both of these pitchers can be what the team hopes for them, they will solidify the pitching staff completely. Dave Concepcion - He'll have to do the job Furcal did at or near the top of the lineup. He has the skill, but he has to continue showing it on the field.

Rookies: In a rare year, the Reds have no expected rookies to fill a role. Pitchers like Dick Farrel and Bob Friend may see time this year, but are not expected to fill a significant role for the team.

Over 88, Under 94

Fearless Forecast: .

Astros set sights for lunar orbit

Who's new:  LF Adam Dunn, LF Daryl Ward, C Lance Parrish, 2B Napoleon Lajoie, P Scot McGregor, P Kazuhiro Sasaki, P John Montefusco

Synopsis:  Recent trades from late last season and a few during spring training have helped shape up the 2014 Astros for a run at the NL Central title.   At the end of a disappointing 2013, the Astros shipped 2 1st round picks and reeled in LF Adam Dunn from MIN.  P Jay Witasick and a 2nd round pick were dealt to KC for starting P John Montefusco.  Over the offseason,
the Astros picked up veteran 2B Napoleon Lajoie from MON for a several prospects, and also dealt 1B Steve Garvey to division rival STL for their 1st round pick, 12 bucks cash, and promising young P Cleb Labine.  The major pickup, however, was obtaining closer P Kazuhiro Sasaki from BAL for the team's 1st round pick, P Rich Ankiel, and 5 million.  He will make the rotation of 2013 Cy Young winner Dave Righetti, P John Montefusco, P JRRichard, P Odalis Perez, and P Dave Stieb even better.  P Doug Bair, P Skip Lockwood, P Turk Wendell, and P Danny Darwin will help set the table for P Sasaki and give the Astros their first bonafide closer in years.  Others contributing over the season will be lefty P Pedro Borbon, lefty P Scott McGregor, and veteran P Ben Karr, along with possible call ups P Al Holland and P Tommy John.  The regular everyday lineup will include 3B Tommy Herr,
2B Napoleon Lajoie, LF Stan Musial, RF Adam Dunn, 1B May/1B Wertz, C Joe Torre/C Lance Parrish, CF Willie "Mays" Hayes, and SS Dennis Hocking. Overall, the 2014 Astros will look to rebound from a miserable 2013 and regain the playoff form that has eluded the team for the last 4-5 seasons.

Key Player:  LF Adam Dunn will get his shot to play everyday and will be the Astros' main offensive power threat.

Rookies:  Low 1B Lee May will be called up to platoon with 1st year player 1B Vic Wertz.  AAA 2B Chuck Shrivner will see limited time and more than likely be a mid season call up.  Low P Tommy John will be the first to be called up to help out the rotation, and low P Al Holland will bolster the pen.  P Cleb Labine will stay in low for 1 more season to work on his
pitches.

Fearless Forecaster :

Giants, Dodgers, Rockies, Padres
.
Can the Giants fool Father Time again?
Over/Under: 84/94

Who's New: Youngsters Scott Sheldon and Benji Molina will be asked to hold down the everyday SS and C jobs, respectively, while veteran Wally Berger will platoon with Gorman Thomas in left field. Key Player: The combination of Hirtz and Jones will be counted on to carry a Giants offense that once again suffered a blow this offseason with the retirement of Ricky Ledee and the loss of Lance Parrish in free agency.
The defending World Champions have appeared to be ageless as key retirements have not loosened the Giants chokehold on the NL West title. The offense should be solid this season, but nowhere near where it was a few seasons ago - after Andruw Jones and Kim Hirtz, Tony Oliva is the next biggest offensive threat. Third base is now manned by Ken Reitz, of the amazing .677 career OPS. If he falters expect Eric Solderhom to take over, although the Giants will be keeping an eye on the trade market for a third baseman. That seems to be the only big offensive question mark, as the team expects solid seasons from Scott Sheldon, Benji Molina, and the left field platoon of Gorman Thomas and Wally Berger. While the departures of Ledee and Parrish have dealt a huge blow to the Giants offense, the infamous rotation of Christy Matthewson, Bob Feller and J.M. Gold remains intact. The Big Three are backed up by Don Sutton, who had an excellent 2013 campaign (2.81 ERA), and the talented but unpredictable Sam McDowell. The bullpen is no longer as shaky as it once was either, as setup man Bill Cambell and star closer Braden Looper form a solid combination supported by Nate Cornejo and Bob Shawkey. The other two slots will likely shuffle throughout the year, as Bob Lacey and others will compete to stay on the big club - something that could be a sore spot.

If the Giants are going to again repeat as NL West champions, it will be behind the strength of their starting pitching. The offense isn't good enough to carry a team anymore, but it will be solid enough to get the job done. The Giants will have a hard time if they suffer key injuries to their big starting pitchers, as behind the starting five the team is very thin organizationally. They also can't afford a long term injury to either Hirtz or Jones, as they will be counted on to get the big hits. The Giants probably have enough to win the West again, but don't expect the team to mortgage the future as the team has put more of an emphasis on prospects and is saving their money with the amateur draft in mind moreso than free agency.

Fearless Forecast: T

Punchless Padres Ravaged by Retirement and Free Agency P Mordecai Brown

Who’s Gone: Liou, Pozo, Vorwold

Who's New:  Crawford, Hunter, Leflore, Brown C, Morales, Wallis,  Johnson, Pastore, Perry, Colburn, Burris

Key Player:  Jim “Catfish” Hunter.  Picked up in a deal following FA, he looks to be the “goto” guy in the Padres weak pitching rotation.

Synopsis:  A number of key retirements left San Diego lacking in power entering the upcoming season.  The addition of Crawford and LeFlore will stabilize the Padre outfield.  Even so, San Diego still have a extremely weak middle infield and are not going far with Lazzeri and Koenig playing there.  They will have a starting rotation of Hunter, Brown, Grant, Pastore, and either Flanagan or Burris

Rookies: Should the Padres pitching staff falter, Erskine, Slaton, or Younghams might get a chance at “The Bigs”
Over 71 Under 81

Fearless Forecast:

Will The Rockies Overtake the Giants?

Will this be the best season for GM Johnson since his playoff run with Toronto??

This season will tell the tale.

New Comers: Miles Yoshina, Buck O'Neill, Monte Irvin (sort of), Johnny Evers.

The Rockies are in a interesting situation, this is probably the best team the Cat has put together. But the league has improved tremendously at the same time. Half the teams in the league won 90 or more games. The Rockies toyed with 500 once again. If all the Key players stay healthy and produce things should be very interesting, if not well you know that story.

KEY PLAYERS

1B Miles Yoshina-Veteran will give it one last Hurrah at Coors. If he stays healthy he can hit over 60 homers this season. Yoshina's power is awesome, and he has a great batting eye as well. He still runs well for his age, and he is a solid defender.

1B Buck O'Neil-Buck was purchased from the Mets as Insurance in case Miles goes down and he will be the future 1B for the Rockies. He technically replaces Dolph Camilli and will probably stay with the Rockies for a long time. The Rockies were looking ahead with this move, replacing the power they may lose in a few seasons. Buck's hitting ability matches that of Yoshina. He is an adequate defender and is slow around the basepaths. But at Coors, he should have a field day.

OF Monte Irvin-Monte was brought back because he is a proven player. He will have a chance to play every day. But if his power drop is too much, then one of the young guys will spell him. Monte can still turn on a fastball and he kills right handed pitching. He is still a good defender and his arm is adequate for left field.

C Yogi Berra-Yogi has been great. He is a solid defender and a great hitter. He will not hit too many homers, and he plays better when he can get some rest. If the outfield was not so crowded he would spend more time out there.

3b Bob Horner-Bob was brought in to spell Camilli at first, but this season he will be the starting 3rd basemen. Bob will strike out a lot, but when he makes contact, he should hit the ball hard and far. Lefties give him more trouble than righties, so his being righthanded is good. He is solid at third and has a great arm.

2B Johnny Evers-Johnny comes back for his second run in Coors. He will take his shot at the leadoff spot. He has great range at second and his defense will be important. He makes consistent contact and is good for about 10 homers.

OF Mike Greenwell-Mike is here because of his bat. His defense is so-so but he can flat out hit. He also runs well. He played very well last season, and he will not be a free agent for 5 more seasons.

CF Ceasar Geronimo-CG is starting in center for another season, he has been there for years. He has been one of the best defensive outfielders in the league for years. But he has lost a step in recent years, and his offense has dropped. Fortunately for him, there is no one in the Rockies system to challenge him (especially since Perez was traded) with the exception of Gerald Williams, who has struggle himself in limited playing time.

P Bert Blyleven-He came at great cost so he better come through. Being a flyball pitcher did not cause him much problems last season. He has pretty good stuff. We expect 15+ wins from him. His fastball can reach 94 MPH, and his sinker is good when he is on, and his slider is tough. He stays around the plate so he wont create extra trouble for himself. And that is good because is delivery is slow. And he can go the distance he can pitch all day long.

P Larry Dierker-He enjoyed a homecoming last season. He should do very well also. His sinker is great!! He should enduce many grounders, that the improved infield should keep from going through. His fastball and curve are serviceable. He also will eat up innings. He and Bert provide a good 1-2 punch.

Other Key Performers

P Guillermo Mota-A true workhorse who gets the best out of his stuff. He still throws hard and keeps the ball over the plate, working the corners with the skill of an artist. He won't have the pressure of being a #1 starter, but he has a #1 heart. And the opposition respects him.

P Mac Suzuki-Mac was almost gone two seasons ago. But he came through last season. He setup for Pat Strange for most of the season but then took over at closer. He was one of the best relievers in the league last season. It may get him some recognition this season. If the Rocks win more, he will be part of the reason. Mac throws in the mid to high 90s, and will occasionally drop in a curve and a change. His fastball is awesome. He does have control issues though.

P Mike Paxton-Mike will be an important player this season. He may start are work out of the pen. His stuff is good, so is his control, so he may be more important than the Rockies think. If he does well, this will be good for the team.

P Eddie Harris-Hopefully he will rebound sucessfully from his rehab assignment. He went down in the middle of last season at a key time. Eddie has good breaking stuff, great control, he should do well as a 4th or 5th starter. They hope that he can improve on his fastball though, because he does not throw hard. He does do a good job keeping the ball down, the improve infield should work out well for him.

P Eppy "Nuke" LaLooche-They may be expecting too much from the young guy but he may be ready. He had an up and down year as the long man in the pen. He throws very hard, but very straight. He can reach the high 90s on his very good fastball. If his curve can get better, it will be a great compliment to his fastball. His control has come a long way since he was drafted.

SS Ceasar Izturus-If he is called up, he will not be expected to hit a lot, if he does it will be a bonus. The off-season acquisitions should make up for any lack of offense on his part. His defense is great, he has good speed, great range and a cannon for an arm. That is why they got him.

OF Hal McRae-If Irvin cannot put out, Hal will have to. If he plays it will also be because of his bat. He should be a good hitter. His arm is below average and Hal runs well.

OF Bernie Carbo- A poor defensive player. Bernie is a good hitter, he enjoys facing right handed pitching, lefties eat him up. He makes consistent contact and has good power. He is better in right field, but his weak arm is a liability in Coors, he may have to be moved for that reason. He is a great clutch hitter.

Players on the Bubble

SS Wilkerson, 2B Boone, P Paul Mirabella, P Gary Lucas

This report can also be seen at http://catspitz.net/rockies.htm

Fearless Forecast: http://catspitz.net/rockies.htm

Will youth be served? Rookie OF Dave "The Cobra" Parker
TITLE: Will the Young lead them???

Kevin Young (1B) looks to spark LA over .500. (Can go as a caption to the picture)

WHO's NEW: P Ryan Mills, 2B Eddie Collins, SS Ezra Sutton, P Donnie Moore, P Bruce Dal Canton

KEY LOSSES: None

SYNOPSIS: In 2013 the Dodgers improved marginally (only 3 games!) from 2012, and failed to live up to the hype of preseason predictions. Their meager climb once again falls squarely on the shoulders of an overmatched pitching staff. Free-agent signees Livan Hernandez and Cliff Oberbeck, who were looked on to provide the veteran leadership that the LA pitching
staff sorely lacked, were instead busts in 2013. Livan posted a 5-11 record with a 5.22 ERA last year while Oberbeck was 5-5 with a 4.88 ERA and subsequently retired. In hopes of bolstering the pitching staff, the Dodgers looked once again to free-agency. Despite penny-pinching by the front office, the Dodgers were happy that they were able to acquire the services of Ryan Mills (formerly of the Chicago White Sox) who had a 15-8 record and a 2.93 ERA in 2013 along with pitchers Donnie Moore and Bruce Dal Canton. Ryan will join Livan among the starting rotation along with Bruce Berenyi and Dock Ellis. The 5th starting spot is currently up for grabs with Freddy Garcia, Doug Corbett, Jim Clancy and Roy Halladay as the early favorites. With the way that LA's pitching has been going over the last few years, don't be surprised to see nearly every pitcher on LA's roster being given a
chance at nearly every pitching position. Luckily, the Dodgers return a menacing middle of the lineup featuring 2013 NL Rookie of the Year OF Dave Parker (.306, 48, 134), OF Jack Clark (.320, 32, 84) and SS Doug DeCinces (.291, 33, 97) and look to add to it
with the callup of rookie 1B Kevin Young. Young destroyed pitchers in the Pacific Coast League last year, hitting .346 with 54 homeruns and 175 RBI. He will hopefully follow in the footsteps of former PCL standouts, Jack Clark and Dave Parker, who both went on to win NL Rookie of the Year Awards in 2012 and 2013 respectively. 2B Frankie Frisch had a great sophomore campaign, hitting .292 and leading the team with 29 stolen bases, and could see extensive time in the leadoff position..especially since the team is not completely sold on OF Juan Pierre leading off games. Pierre had a shaky rookie season, hitting .257 and stealing only 12 bases. Pierre should be able to bounce back, but he will have two rookies breathing down his neck for a spot in the majors as Dodgers' scouts are very high on outfielders Raul Ibanez and Roy Hobbs. The Dodgers will likely platoon both at catcher (AJ Hinch and Doug Mirabelli) and at third-base (Lou Whittaker and possibly Tommy Davis).Overall, the Dodgers feel comfortable with theireveryday players for 2014.

KEY PLAYERS: Two pitchers that were acquired via free agency over the last two years, Livan Hernandez and Ryan Mills, will be looked on to be the leaders on LA's pitching staff this season. With the Dodgers being confident with their offense and fairly set in
the field, these two 38 year old pitchers will be looked on to lead this maturing LA Dodgers staff.

ROOKIE REPORT: Going into Spring Training 1B KevinYoung has already been given the starting nod (over
incumbent and potential free-agent Fred Merkle). Outfielders Raul Ibanez and Roy Hobbs will be given a
look after Spring training to see if they will be able to unseat Juan Pierre as the 3rd outfielder (alongside Parker and Clark). The blossoming of 2B Frisch as a leadoff man combined with Pierre's subpar 2013 season
has management thinking of adding a little more pop to the lineup. Both Ibanez and Hobbs had great seasons in the PCL in 2013, hitting .307, 41 HR, 121 RBI and .316, 16 HR, 104 RBI respectively. If the Dodgers do
decide to go with power over Pierre's speed, Ibanez has a slight edge over Hobbs after his recent promotion to AAA, if Ibanez should falter, don't be surprised to see Hobbs manning the outfield at season's end..the kid looks like a Natural. All 3
rookie pitchers (Freddy Garcia, Armando Almanza, Scott Sauerbeck) currently on the Active/AAA roster will be
looked on to produce this year. Freddy, after his first season was cut short by injury, has a shot at
the #5 Starter spot but might be broken in in long relief, and both Almanza and Sauerbeck will help out
in the setup and closer roles. The Dodgers are also very high on the strong-armed Carlos Garcia and their
2012 #1 pick Johnny Sain. There is a possibility that one or both of them will see some time in the majors
before the season is done.

OVER/UNDER: 75/85 - The Dodgers (yet again) look to finish the season over .500 after posting 6
consecutive losing seasons. An improvement of 15 or more games over 2013 will be looked on as a successful
season.
Fearless Forecast:

Fearless Forecaster says...
NL East Mets Wins it.
NL Central St. Louis Title is in the Cards
NL West Giantsby Default.
NL Wild Card Marlins
Dark Horse Special Dodgers
Team Most Likely to Cause a Nervous Breakdown: Cubs
Best Young Pitcher
Best Rookie Fielder LA's Dave Parker
Cy Young
MVP
Most Improved Team Dodgers
Team that will Fall Hard Cubs

Quick opinion: Best value for a late pick? Minnesota's Kerry Lacy was chosen in the last round in the 1998 draft, only five were chosen after him. 105-74 4.09 in 1500 + IP

Boston, New York, Toronto, Baltimore, Detroit

Falling from the Nest? SS Edgar Renteria

The Toronto Blue Jays have been busy this off season trying to go from one of the oldest teams to one of the youngest all in the name of rebuilding.  MVP and Triple Crown winner Chane Winther and Cy Young winner Bobby Matthews have been traded away for a much needed swim in the Fountian of Youth.  The Jays welcome newcomers SS Gil McDougald, 3b Tim Wallach, 2b Phil Garner, P Gary Gentry, OF Pete Reiser, OF Lyman Bostock, C Joe Torre to the club and starting roster.  The only returning offensive starter from last season is Rupert Jones, so a pretty large learning curve is expected with not only a new roster but a very young one at that.  "I'm excited to watch this team grow and develop into a contender, I have a lot of confidence in the off season acquisitions we made" said Jays GM Greg Armstrong.  "We had no choice but to rebuild so we went out and addressed each position that we needed and traded accordingly, I am very pleased with our outlook.".

After making several savvy trades teh Jays got what they wanted, they are definitely younger and have a lot of new faces, let's just hope the crystal ball wasn't cracked while looking into the future. 

Fearless Forecast:

Rebuilding year in Baltimore.
Who's New: 2B Marcus Giles, OF Lonnie Smith, OF Amos Otis
Synopsis: With new management in Baltimore the Orioles will be a very different team from years past. In
three blockbuster trades the O's have sent veterans Sandy Koufax, Kazahiro Sasaki, and A.J. Burnett to the
Twins, Astros, and Expos. Other veterans like Denny McClain and Rick Ankiel are being used as trade bait
as well. Look for many of the other aging veterans to be traded during the course of the season. The
Baltimore lineup will be filled with youngsters and fresh faces. Wins may be tough to come by with a lack
of offensive production and limited talent on the mound. 
Key Players: C Jason LaRue will need to produce offensively, veteran OF Harry Hooper will provide
leadership and speed on the base paths, while P Barry Zito will carry the pitching load.
Rookie Report: Look for rookies like OF Reggie Smith, P Jeff Zimmerman and Jason Jennings to make their
presence felt in the Baltimore lineup. Fearless Forecast: Baltimore fans don't get your hopes
up. This looks to be a tough year of baseball for the
Orioles. Over 40 Under 50 

Fearless Forecast:

Who's New:
Synopsis: 
Key Player: 
Rookie Report: 
Over 91 Under 101
Fearless Forecast:

Title - Nicol's Last Stand?
Key Player - 1B Mark Nicol - All of New England was relieved when Boston's top slugger decided to play another season with the Sox rather than retire at age 37. Nicol should once again be the team's top run producer by a wide margin, and another .375/40 HR season shouldn't be out of the question. With Boston's deep roster anybody else should be replaceable...but without Nicol, this offense may not have the punch to get anywhere.
New Players - C Mike Heath will be the third-stringer to start off but may see significant playing time if Josh Gibson gets moved. LFs Charlie Kellar and Kevin McReynolds will fight for playing time as outfield reserves; look
for switch-hitter Kellar to have the upper hand for this season, while the younger McReynolds will be with the team much longer. Ps Dennis Leonard and Claude "Lefty" Williams may each get looks in the starting rotation; Leonard will start off in the fifth spot, while Williams and John Henry Johnson are the top replacements when the inevitable injuries and slumps hit.
Rookies - In addition to McReynolds, look for 3B Enos Cabell and P Mike Torrez to make their much-anticipated debuts this year. As for top prospect Pedro Guerrero, he'll likely stay in the minors unless the lineup is ravaged by injuries.

Boston's team looks very similar to the squad that won last year's AL East, and may have improved due to the addition of Leonard. Once again look for a deep pitching staff and great defense to make up for a lack of stars on the
mound, while Nicol carries the offense with help from the bats of Gibson and Winfield and the speed of Werden and Cordova.
Over/Under - 87/97

Fearless Forecast:

Looking for the Right Mix. P Prospect Nolan Ryan
Title - Detroit's New Look
Key player - Jackie Robinson - He is the first real offensive player on the Tigers roster in a long time. Detroit will need him to be sharp on both sides of the ball.

New Players acquired - 1B Bob Robertson & Robert Fick - 1B has been a weak spot on the Tigers roster for years, Fick was picked up for his defensive talent and offensive power and will get the starting nod. Robertson will back him up. 2B Jackie Robinson - He will obviously get the starting spot as he brings his terrific bat and great defense to strengthen the right side of the infield. C Mickey Cochrane & Steve Yeager - Yeager was picked up in the free agent market, and although his bat leaves something to be desired, his defensive skills are phenomenal. Cochrane was added just before the draft to bring the
leadership he displayed in the last World Series to Motown. CF Brett Butler & Mickey Rivers - Butler was added during the season last year, and Rivers was added to back him up. Butlers strong bat and great
speed will help strengthen the outfield. LF Dusty Baker - a solid player, Baker was added to improve the depth in LF. Pitchers Bryan Rose & Kevin Tolar were brought on board to add some experience to the
otherwise VERY young pitchers in Detroit (without these two, the average age for pitchers is less than 24).

The Tigers have added a lot of new faces this year and are hoping tofind a spark. Management has promised that changes will be made throughout the year as the coaching staff tries to find the right combination of players. They have a long way to go to make any progress at all, as they were 30 wins behind the rest of their division.

Five out of 8 positions will start new players this year (3 in the infield and 2 in the outfield). Combine that with their ever-improving
young pitchers and if nothing else, Detroit will be a fun team towatch.

Over/Under - Another year of improvement is what the front office is
hoping for. 65/75

Fearless Forecast:

Chicago, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Minnesota, Cleveland

Rebounding from sub-par Year Key player - CF Willie Mays - The force that drives the Royals. He needs to stay heathly and produce at the plate. Should have a better year batting 3rd instead of 1st.   New Players acquired - SS Felipe Lopez, OF Jim Wynn, 1B Joe Rudi,C  Ray Schalk
    After their first season under .500 since 2007 the Royals hope to bounce back. Willie Mays like most of the Royals had a subpar year, mostly batting leadoff, due to the Injury of Taveras, limited his production. Roger Maris signed with the Twins so Bo Jackson will move into Right and newly aquired Jim Wynn will roll into the DH spot in the lineup. Felipe Lopez was signed to the highest contract in Kansas City franchise history and big things are expected of him. Lopez will take over the Leadoff role and will be the everyday SS. He will be leaned on to be the spark plug and get on base for the Killer Connection (Mays, Williams, Jackson) behind him. Darryl Evans stepped out of the shawdows in 2013. His average was low but Hit for Power and drove in runs, showing for once that he can get the job done. 1B Richie Hebner and C Mike Calhoun were better last season but the signings of Joe Rudi and Ray Schalk will pressure them to be just that much better. The franchise has been losing patience with Hebner and Calhoun and a move could be made early. 2B Lee Lacy didn't exactly have people saying "Josh who?" But with a .295 average and being at the top of the league in doubles until his injury has secured him the starting job.         The stating staff isn't the same 5 guys as in years past. John Montefusco was traded last season and Mickey Lolich moves from the Closer role and into the Rotation. Tony Carasco still anchors the staff and Mike Cuellar hopes to return to his 2012 Cy Young form. Charlie Root is another year older and needs to win now to continue to be a Royal. The bullpen is lead by 4 guys under 28 as Dave Frost, Jim Wright, Jerry Augustine, Jay Witasick all return. Pitching coach Byran Price has worked a bit harder on this young bullpen, results are needed now. Rookie Sammy Stewart will close out games and will be heavily relied apon for success.         If the Royals don't see success early expect huge changes in the Roster. The fans and the franchise hope they won't have to do that this season. Stop the Sliding or get packing.
Over/Under - 79/89
Fearless Forecast:

Back in Black
The Black n' Blue Division is back and the Bad Boyz are geared for the challenge

Who's New: 1B Paul Williams, RP Bruce Sutter, IF Denis Menke

Synopsis: Make no mistake, the Bad Boyz are back. They set out last year to prove that their 2012 season was no fluke and came away with another divisional title and another exit during the ALCS. Key acquisitions Juan Marichal, Ryan Mills, Wilson Delgado, and Monte Irvin helped bolster the club but were not able to get them to the big game. 25 year old second baseman Jose Vidro had a breakout year and was being mentioned as a possible MVP candidate. Shortstop Ernie Banks also shed his underachiever label with a 40 HR season prompting management to give him a new 4 year contract. The pitching also saw a breakout season by Craig Swan and continued improvement from Ray Sadecki and John Franco. Despite the fine play, Milwaukee made the division very interesting and eventualy beat out the Sox in the ALCS.

The 2014 season will be more of the same. The club only lost 2 starters in the offseason (Mills & Irvin) and is expecting better numbers from catcher Crash Davis and pitcher Dennis Eckersly after another season of experience. The club will also be giving 3B Gary Gaetti an extended look as Russ Braynyanis a potential free agent this season. The going will not be easy in the Black 'n Blue division as Milwaukee remained strong and Minnesota re-armed in the off-season. Then there is Kansas City, a model of inconsistency, but talented enough to make things difficult. With this much competition the reigning AL Central champs can't afford to take any series lightly but they can certainly expect to be in the mix when September rolls around.

Key Player(s): Jeff Burroughs at 29, is running out of time to prove he can live up to any potential he had as a first round pick. Crash Davis and Dennis Eckersly will also be called on in expanded roles.

Rookie Report: SS UL Washington needs to get some at bats to avoid prop 5. However, if the Sox are in a tight race like they expect to be, his qualifying may not happen. Torii Hunter should see some time early on as word out of the Windy City has Cesar Cedenosidelined again with an injury. Highly touted prospects Phil Rizzuto and BrianRoberts will only see time if there are some drastic injuries to the parent club.

Over/Under: 87/97

Fearless Forecast:

Who’s New: Henry Coto, Elmer Smith, Frank Thomas, Patsy Donovan, Art Fromme, Phil Murphy and a slew of others …

Who’s gone: K. Wood, SS Guzman, OF Akkerman, 3b Gardner, P Copps, SS Ozuna

After an amazing run through the playoffs and a heart breaking loss in game 7 of the series, the Crew faced a mass exodus of quality players.  Gone is ace right hander Kerry Wood. Gone is the power hitter Evar Akkerman. Gone are the 2 outstanding SS Guzman and Ozuna.  The big question is can the Crew overcome the departure of stars and make another amazing playoff run?  

The Crew still has one of the best pitching staffs in all baseball with Seaver, Chappel, Chen and Curet in the rotation and not to mention Ken Telkulve and Steve Howe in the pen.  Also, Eddie Mathews returns at 3^rd and will loom large in the heart of the Crew line-up.  Look for GM Wade Allen to once again to make the moves if necessary help this club contend in the black ‘n blue AL Central.

Key Player/s:  The Crew pitching staff … must shine for the Crew to have a shot at post season

Fearless Forecaster:

TRIBE IS LOOKING FOR YOUNG BRAVES TO COME UP BIG

Who’s New---- Mike Lamb, Robin Yount, Terry Forster, and Kevin Kobel

Key Players---- Bobby Bonds, Robin Yount, Al Kaline, Rickey Davis

Synopsis The Cleveland Indians came up a bit short of their goal of 70 wins last season, but there are very optimistic view coming from Cleveland this season going into spring training.First off, the LOVED what they saw from Yount in the minors last season, it would be incredible for him to produce the way he did in the minors last year, point blank it aint gonna happen, but hopefully he will out produce the ss combinations of last season. Davis at first should be improved, along with Bonds and Kaline in the outfield. Willie Davis had a great start to the season although he slowly fell off towards the august/sept push last year he wound up with good numbers. Mike Lamb should also be an improvement over Rodriguez/Trillo at 3B. The main concern for Cleveland as it has been for the past few years is their staff. PROBLEMS

They have an ace in Jones who should be a 3^rd starter for a contending team, enough said. The Dean experiment failed miserably, neither brother worked out, and one is gone look for the other to be dealt soon also. Uribe, Cruz, Espinosa, Rozema, all of which are free agents this season, will be given the time to prove themselves worthy of another 4 year deal. Management realized they have not given the consistency required to make a staff solid, so this year they have promised to set their staff and stay with it, barring injuries, or ultimate disasters from the mound. One high ranking official with the franchise was quoted as saying " they will be given every chance to fail, we want to build this team not into a one year wonder, but a long term solid franchise who is to be contended with year after year. We had thought we assembled a solid staff with the drafting of Uribe Espinosa, and Rozema, it has not worked out to this point, we have faith in them, but now it is their turn to shine, and prove us right by staying with them. If there are no signs of improvement expect deals to be made. "We are not happy with the path taken so far by the personnel in this franchise, we have improved, but very slightly, and there is no excuse for not improving quicker. We need Forster, and Kobel to step up big time the way we think they can to solidify our middle relief, if we can get to the 9^th with a lead I do feel confident in Hal Dues to close the door.But how often can we get into that position is the question."

All this being said, look for the tribe to possibly eclipse the 75 win mark, with all breaks heading their way, realistically, look more towards 68-70 wins.

 
HIGH HOPES UP NORTH

Who new: 1B Chane Winther, OF Roger Maris, OF Cool Papa Bell, P Lefty Grove, P Sandy Koufax, P Steve Bedrosian

Synopsis: The Twins have made several "big" moves and have improved thier starting pitching along with thier mediocre offense.  It obvious the Twins are trying to win and win soon.  Last years triple crown winner, Chane Winther has arrived in Minnesota along with slugger Roger Maris (via free agency) as well as Cool Papa Bell who the twins traded for last year but has
yet to see the field as a Twin.  There is some changes on the mound as pitchers Carl Mays and Bill Brennan retired, and Closer Tommy Bond signed elsewhere.  The Twins made a daring and suspect move signing veteran free
agent Lefty Grove from the cardinals.  They also replaced Bond with new closer Steve Bedrosian who the twins aquired from Texas.  The move that may prove to be the best is the recent aquistion of Sandy Koufax from the
Baltimore Orioles.  With these additions the Twins have made themselves for once a legitimate contender.

Rookie Report:  C Butch Wynager is the only rookie that looks to produce
from the start as he will be given the starting catching duties on opening
day.

Over/Under: over 90 under 100
Fearless Forecast:

Anaheim, Seattle, Oakland, Texas

 
Who's New:  
Synopsis:
Key Players: 
Rookie Report:
Over 85 Under 95
Fearless Forecast: T

A Lineup in Transition P Carl Hubell
Angels Regroup for Title Shot   Who's New: C Matt Nokes, 1B Dolph Camilli & Ben Diggins, LF Jim Eisenrich, Ps Joquin Andujar, Charlie Buffinton, & Whitlow Wyatt   Synopsis: It is hard to call a season that ended with 99 wins and the best record in HABLA a disappointment, but that is exactly what people were saying during the off-season in Disney, after the Angels lost in the ALDS to the Brewers.  The Angels biggest weaknesses last season were infield defense and offensive depth, and both issues have been addressed.  The infield defense will be much better with Camilli @ 1B instead of converted OF Dave Kingman, a healthy David Espinosa @ 2B, a more experience Alan Trammell @ SS, and the dependable George Brett @ 3B.  The additions of Camilli and Nokes give the Angels six legit 30+ HR hitters as then join returning vets Kingman, Brett, RF Mickey Mantle, and DH Sean Burroughs to form a very productive offense for table setters like Espinosa, Eisenrich, and CF Devon White.    The pitching, always a strength of the Angels, was betrayed by a porous defense last season.  With a much improved defense, the pitching staff, largely unchanged from last season, should be improved.  Perennial Cy Young candidates Steve Carlton, Rube Wadell, and Vida Blue will lead the staff and be followed in the rotation by Carl Hubbell and John Candelaria.  Goose Gossage, one of the top closers in the league, was resigned to provide some 9th inning stability, while newcomer Andujar should settle down the middle relieve corp, which at times last season was shaky.   Key Player(s): In 2006 the Angels thought they drafted a great hitter and pitcher in Mickey Mantle and Carl Hubbell.  Mantle has obviously held up his end, but Hubbell has been too inconsistent during his career to be considered with the best pitchers in the league.  At 24, he is still very young, but it is time for him to step up, win 20 games and be in the Cy Young voting.

Rookie Report: SS Rafael Landestoy will need some PT to avoid prop 5 status at the end of this season.  With the Angels not expecting a tough run to the AL West title this season, expect him to get the ABs needed, but not much more.   Over/Under: 93/103

Title - Oakland's Rebuilding

Key player -3B Corey Koskie - He seems to be the only player that has a shot at having a .300 season.

Players to watch:Harmon Killebrew and Juan Samuel.Killebrew will be brought up to the majors if spring training goes well.He should fill in at DH and 1B.Samuel is expected to be promoted as well playing CF in part time duty.

New Players acquired - The direction the A's have taken is through the draft this year to aquire players.1B Harmon Killebrew should provide the offensive building block of the future.3B Don Zimmer and C Joe Garagiola will provide backup for years to come at their respective positions.

Pitching was also a focal point in the draft.Charlie Knepper,Jack Nabors,and Tommie Sheehan were all drafted.We are hoping at least one starter may be in this group,but mainly the major league rosters age will catch up to them soon.getting fresh arms for the future is a key.

Synopsis:The A's don't expect to be in contention this year,but are hoping to see signs of progress from their younger players.Giving time for development at this point is the only option.

Over/Under :The A's are expected to lose a few more than last year,given the losses in FA and retirements.Younger players are hoped to step it up a notch playing in their places.Also,without a stopper this year,losing late in games may become a factor,unless someone steps it up a couple of notches. 50/65

Fearless Forecaster:

Who’s New:

Key Player:

Synopsis:

Rookies:

Over 70 Under 80

Fearless Forecast:

Fearless Forecastser says:
AL East Boston wins in a squeaker
AL Central Brewers Back
AL West Angels by August
Dark Horse Special: Milwaukee Brewers
Most Improved Team: Tigers
Team Most Likely to Cause Headaches for the owner: A's
Team that Will Drop from Sight A's
Cy Young
MVP
Best Rookie Batter
Best Rookie Pitcher

Commissioner's Corner: Making A Winner
A series of essays on making your franchise a winner. Hit linksat top for earlier essays.
Step Four: It may have become Dog Eat Dog.  Using the BidSystem Correctly

The new system will put a higher level ofcompetition and chance for gain or loss for every club.

The key rule in my mind is the need to maintainFULL Rosters.  Without this rule the system will break down.

As a GM the most important thing you can do foryour team is to keep close tabs on your roster and make sure thatyou will not losemany players to free agency.  How do youdo this?

1.  If you have a potential free agentthat is notpart of your short term goals, and is not playing CUTHIM.

Why?  Every body you lose you MUST replace. Every signing costs money.  Most teams will be very cautiousabout tradingfor a potential free agent.  This will reallydevalue players in theirwalk year.  Thier trade value hasbeen drastically reduced.  A teamthat loses 10 or moreplayers to Free Agency has to spend $10 of their moneyjust tohave enough bodies on the team.  This does not takeretirementsinto consideration, and combined with heavy FreeAgent loss the results maybe devastating to your budget. If you have an older stiff who is a potentialfree agent and isnot playing, and your free agent situation is not good,(8 ormore potential FA's) cut the old guy and sign a warm body. Thisyear it costs no money, in the future it will cost $1. The younger thebetter.  Even if he doesn't play very muchhe's filling a slot that mustbe filled.
 

2.  Make sure your Prop Five playersqualify unless you are willing to cut them now.

Why? Losing players to Prop Five rules isthrowing awaymoney.  All a player needs is to get a fewstarts as a pitcher or playone sim a month through a season. If you are in a pennant race thatis tight, you may have to losethat player, but you'd be better off cuttinghim and finding asimilar warm body that is under 27 from the FA pool. Again,the idea is to maintain a FULL Roster so you don't get creamed bywalkouts.  If you are not in a race, play the kid. See what he cando.  Many players do much better (or worse)than they should.  But,if you're not vying for a title youhave the freedom to be a little on theyoung side.  This isNOT throwing games, this is managing your resourceseffectively. Losing a player to Prop Five should NEVER happen.
 

3.  Cut older players that may retire foryounger players.  This is especially true of older benchjockey who don't play often. Unless he is filling a realneed, go with a kid who is 27 and under, let himqualify as arookie, or if under 27 keep him for a while.  I see teamswith Old Farts that don't have game.  Get rid of them.
 

4.  Make sure you pace the timing of yourupcomingrookies.  You may want to bring up five kids in oneseason.  Justremember four years down the road you aregoing to lose them possibly to FreeAgency.  A good strategyis to qualify players BEFORE they are 23. This way you getto have them until they are with eight years experience. Even if the player is not quite ready have him play and get thatyear in whenhe's 21 or 22.  You'll have him for four moreyears.
 

The key to this system not killing your team isto makesure you constantly are restocking your system eihterthis year while it isfree or during the regular season when itonly costs $1 per player. If you are careful you will findthat you have only to fill four or five slotsand have your full$50 to draft, resign players, and make attacks on otherteamssystems.

This system is only as good as the owner. A poor owner will not do well in this system.  They will getkilled worse than before, but good owners can take a poor teamand make them a competitor within two years if they are goodplanners and aggressive bidders.
 
 

Past Essays
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