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jamus23 · 12-22-2007, 03:08 PM

2083 Season Preview: NL Northeast Division

Buffalo Bills:
2082 Record: 87-75
Record over the last five seasons: 378-432
Payroll: 52,453,087
Payroll Rank: 16th
Minor League Rank: 7th

The Bills are coming off of just their second winning season in the last twelve years. Buffalo had been consistently competitive in the late '50s and, after a slight downturn, the late '60s as well. But after winning 92 games and reaching the postseason in 2070, it got very dreary in Buffalo. The Bills lost 92 or more games in every season from 2071 to 2076, including three consecutive 100 loss seasons in '72, '73, and '74. 84 wins in 2077 stopped the bleeding momentarily, but the next three seasons were ugly. Buffalo bounced back to .500 in 2081, and last year earned a playoff berth with 87 wins. Now the Bills hope to make the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time in franchise history.

Buffalo's lineup has a nice foundation, starting with catcher Danial Knudsen(35). Knudsen has hit 327 career homeruns, including 36 last season. First baseman Carter Vanderhoof was allowed to test free agency, but he wound up returning to the Bills. The 28 year old
Vanderhoof had an .889 OPS last season with 28 homeruns. Right fielder John Kling(26) made many a pitcher nervous last year, belting 40 doubles and 36 homeruns while putting up an OPS of .966. But the guy to really watch may be 27 year old left fielder Terrell Carillo. This guy can really do it all, as he ripped 36 doubles, 9 triples, and 15 homeruns, drew 84 walks, and stole 23 bases, all while also winning a Gold Glove Award. Interestingly, the Bills' coaches feel that he could still improve his homerun totals without losing much from his overall game.

The Bills also have some quality pitchers. Christopher Cooper(33) has a solid 4.34 career ERA and has notched 200 strikeouts in five of the last seven seasons. Left-hander Paul Hilson is a nice, young complement to the right-handed Cooper. The 24 year old won 17 games last year with a 3.67 ERA. Veteran closer Asdrubal Rodrigues(36) has 223 saves and a 2.99 ERA in 776 career appearances. He saved 35 games last year with only
3 blown saves. 29 year old Glenn Johnson has posted two straight seasons with an ERA under 4.00, pitching a total of 151 games in the process.

There a few areas of concern for the Bills this season. Third baseman Thomas Herbert(30) was very solid last season, batting .303 with 11 homeruns in only 271 at bats. However, he is generally considered to be an average, at best, player, and his .721 career OPS in 788 at bats seems to agree with that opinion. If he performs closer to his career norms, the Bills may be in the hunt for a new third baseman.

Center field is another potential trouble spot. Alfonso Lugo(26) is a good fielder, but his bat is very weak. He has just a .705 career OPS and a pathetic .309 OBP. Last year, he had one of the worst OBP by any regular in baseball- an embarassing .286. His glove should keep him a starter only for so long. If he keeps hitting poorly, look for the Bills to acquire an alternative....which brings up another Buffalo weakness. Carillo and Kling are excellent starters, while Lugo is not. After that, the Bills have almost no outfield depth whatsoever. An injury to either Carillo or Kling could be devastating, as there is no one in-house to replace them adequately.

Another area that could make or break the Bills are a pair of young starting pitchers. Bartolo Furtado is 22 years old and absolutely dripping with talent. He struggled last year, posting an ERA of 5.32 in 15 starts, but he has the ability to be a top ace in this league. Twenty-five year old Bryan Tatro doesn't have quite as much talent, but it's pretty close. Tatro has made 40 major league starts and has a 5.77 ERA. If either or both can begin to harness their immense ability, the Bills have the potential for one of the best rotations in the National League.

Predicted finish: 2nd

Harrisburg Capitals:
2082 Record: 74-88
Record over the last five seasons: 371-439
Payroll: 48,488,843
Payroll Rank: 18th
Minor League Rank: 9th

The Harrisburg Capitals may have the most miserable history of any of the original 16 franchises of this league. They have reached the postseason once, way back in 2016. They have had one winning season in the last 17 years, and just two in the last 27 years. In the last 44 years, they have had three winning seasons. One can make the argument that they have been at a disadvantage, playing in a Pittsburgh dominated Northeast, but that doesn't excuse the lack of competitiveness. Hartford and Rochester played with the same disadvantage for the same length of time, and have always been able to stay competitive in most years. Even Buffalo, who joined the division in 2038, has had frequent success. Heck, even New Jersey, who entered in 2064 and has had very little overall success, has managed multiple winning seasons more recently than Harrisburg has.

The Capitals do have a few quality players. There are a lot of good catchers in the league right now, especially in the NL, so Errol McCullough doesn't get noticed much. That doesn't mean that he shouldn't, however. The 33 year old put up a .940 OPS last season, and smacked 46 doubles and 26 homeruns, while drawing 86 walks. Shortstop Coy Drews(26) has hit between 26 and 30 homeruns in each of the last four seaons, and has a career OPS of .856. He also drew 102 walks last year. Right fielder Bill Orsini, 28 years old, is a classic "three true outcomes" player. He batted just .236 last year, but belted 36 homeruns, drew 106 walks, and whiffed 98 times.

Edward Lovejoy is an excellent closer. The 36 year old reliever has 162 saves and a 3.42 ERA in 776 career games; he had 29 saves and a 2.13 ERA in 62 games last year. Ben Albacete(33) was a capable reliever from 2077 to 2081, posting ERA's between 2.61 and 3.78 in those years, but last year he struggled to the tune of a 6.03 ERA. If he can't bounce back, it could get very interesting as the Capitals try to protect their few leads, as the rest of the bullpen is pretty much a mess.

Speaking of messes, Harrisburg's biggest weakness is the rotation. Thirty-two year old Samuel Orellana is decent- he posted a 4.11 ERA last year- but has a tendency to throw meatballs, evidenced by his 48 homeruns allowed last year. Of course, he has nothing on 36 year old Josue Gorman. Gorman is one of the hardest throwers in all of baseball, but at this point in his career, he's pretty much slinging the ball wherever he feels like it. That tends to be either out of the strikezone entirely(128 walks last year) or right down the middle(53 homeruns allowed last year). Gorman has a tendency to wear out his welcome wherever he is, so don't be surprised if the Capitals try an unload his hefty contract, which pays him almost $7.7 million per year. Don't be surprised, either, when nobody is interested- the contract doesn't expire until 2085.

The rotation isn't the only weakness. First baseman Jerry Benson(27) is a useful player, but probably not a starting caliber first baseman. He has only a .774 career OPS. Second base could be issue as well. Del Shigemori is one of the greatest homerun hitters ever, with 616 to his name, but at 38 years of age, his bat simply isn't what it was. He remains an excellent fielder, but that likely won't be enough to keep him in the lineup. The Capitals also have Antonio Ornelas, who has a respectable .796 OPS in 340 career at bats. However, the 29 year old switch-hitter is a terrible fielder and an injury risk.

Predicted finish: 6th

Hartford Whalers:
2082 Record: 85-77
Record over the last five seasons: 389-421
Payroll: 75,522,928
Payroll Rank: 7th
Minor League Rank: 14th

Hartford posted winning records every year from 2070 to 2079, and hadn't lost 90 games in a season since 2063. Thus, back to back 93 loss seasons in 2080 and 2081 were shocking to a fanbase that had come to expect a winning team. Even after returning to their winning ways last year, there were a lot of disgruntled fans complaining about the lack of aggressive moves to bolster the team. Of course, losing their final 5 games and missing the playoffs by 2 games probably had a lot to do with the complaining. Well, the fans can't complain about a lack of action this year. Hartford was one of the most active teams in free agency, signing some very significant talent.

The biggest acquisition, of course, was shortstop Ralph Jennings. The 28 year old has an .896 career OPS and 209 homeruns. He had a .989 OPS last year and 41 roundtrippers. He'll join with the left-handed first baseman, John Rachal, to form a very formidable middle of the order. [b]Rachal[b], 30 years old, has a .961 career OPS and 270 homeruns. He has crushed 40 or more homeruns in three of the last four seasons. Second baseman, and all time RBI leader, Ricky Vega may still have a little bit left in the tank at 41 years of age. Last year, he hit .299 with 18 homeruns. Those numbers might be a bit optimistic for this season, but .270 and 15, plus his still excellent defense might be within reach. Left fielder John Gans(33) is a hit machine, with a .344 career AVG and five 200 hit seasons in the last seven years. He's also swiped 329 career bases.

Hartford's rotation is a collection of solid, but flawed pitchers. Unlike many teams, all five of the Whalers' starting pitchers definitely belong in the major leagues; however, none are good enough to be called an ace, nor are any good enough to even be an All-Star on a regular basis. Edward Chambliss(28) was picked up in a trade this offseason from Kansas City. His career ERA of 5.07 is somewhat inflated by a disastrous rookie campaign that saw him post an ERA of 8.95 in a little over 100 innings. In truth, he hasn't had an ERA above 5.00 since then, and his career ERA without that season is a much more respectable 4.71. Chambliss' main weakness is walks; he's walked over 100 batters every year except his rookie season, in which he walked 84 batters. Veteran Edward Headrick has a career ERA of 6.74, but the 34 year old has managed to post ERA's under 5.00 in each of the last two seasons. Headrick is a workhorse- he completed 19 games in 2081- but he tends to walk a lot of batters(5 seasons over 100) and give up a lot of homeruns(58 last year). Bill Leatherman was also picked up in a trade this offseason, as the Whalers acquired him from Portland. Leatherman(27) has a 5.94 ERA in 438 career innings pitched, but he was an acceptable 4.89 last year. Like the first two pitchers mentioned, Leatherman also suffers from control problems. He has walked over 100 batters in each of his two full seasons in the big leagues. Matthew Anderson(31) is yet another walk-prone pitcher, having walked 100 batters in every year of his career except an injury-plagued 2080 that limited him to only 12 starts. Anderson has a 5.29 career ERA. Youngster Raul Mattos is the only member of the Whalers' rotation that knows how to hit the strikezone consistently. The 24 year old walked just 34 batters in 218 innings last year en route to compiling 15 wins and a 4.67 ERA as a rookie.

As it is, Hartford's rotation has enough ability to keep the Whalers competitive and allow the offense to win games. At the same time, however, there are enough flaws to keep Hartford as a middle of the pack team as they hope to outslug opponents game in and game out. The lack of a true ace may be enough to keep the Whalers out of the playoffs.

One way to counter a potentially shaky rotation, as the San Jose Sharks have found out in recent seasons, is to have a dominant bullpen. Hartford may have the makings of such a bullpen. Closer Mitchell Larson(33) was added in the offseason as a free agent. He had 29 saves and a 3.38 ERA last year. Hartford also has the emerging Reginald Waters. Waters, 28, made 85 appearances last year and had a 2.56 ERA. If the Whalers can come up with a third effective reliever, it might mitigate the shakiness of the rotation.

One big weakness for Hartford on offense is likely to be center fielder Donald Thurlow. The 35 year old has been the starter for the Whalers since 2075, but in the last five seasons, he has managed only one season with an OPS greater than .700.

Predicted finish: 3rd

New Jersey Devils:
2082 Record: 58-104
Record over the last five years: 358-452
Payroll: 36,130,143
Payroll Rank: 21st
Minor League Rank: 5th

After doing very little in the first eleven years of their existence, the Devils had a reached a level of occasional respectability, posting four winning seasons from 2075 to 2080, though never winning more than 84 games in a season. But things have gone south in a hurry, and last year, they finished with the worst record in the majors. Much of that had to do with an extensive rebuilding process that gutted the team of virtually all of its veteran players and gave plenty of playing time to players with little to no experience.

As the start of the 2083 season draws near, the Devils feel as though they have some potential long-term answers in place at several positions. Catcher Norman Adrover(27) batted .323 with an .834 OPS and 14 homeruns in his first shot at regular playing time. In any other year, first baseman Amaury Lucia would have been a shoe-in for Rookie of the Year. The 25 year old batted .320 last year with a .996 OPS, while hammering 35 doubles and 37 homeruns, and winning the Gold Glove award. Alas, the emergence of Pittsburgh's Andreas Fajardo kept Lucia from the ROTY. Boyce Wimbush may not be a true long-term answer at second base, but the 32 year old batted .315 with 13 homeruns in 292 at bats last season. At the very least, he gives the Devils a stop-gap for a year or so. New Jersey ventured into free agency and picked up the slick-fielding Brian Hall to play shortstop. The 28 year old isn't all glove, however, as he managed an .811 OPS last season for Portland. Third base belongs to 28 year old Alfredo Escalera(28), who hit .302 last year and stole 56 bases. In right field, Zankuro Maresuke(30) put up an .873 OPS with 13 homeruns in 222 at bats.

On the mound, 30 year old Kenneth Chancey posted a 3.74 ERA. He gives the Devils the kind of number one starter that many teams that are better than New Jersey would love to have. 32 year old Armando Diaz pounds the strike-zone better than almost any pitcher in the league. However, his overall performances have been inconsistent, and he has missed a lot of time in recent seasons because of injury. The left-hander has made a total of just 42 starts in the last two seasons combined. He did have a solid, 4.70 ERA last season. New Jersey also made a quiet little pickup that might turn out very well for them. The Devils acquired 33 year old Kevin Phipps from Miami this offseason. Phipps had gotten lost in the shuffle in the crowded Miami rotation the last couple of seasons despite having pitched very solidly for the Dolphins. In 123 career games(111 starts) he has a 4.28 ERA. He had ERA's under 4.00 in both 2079 and 2080, and authored a no-hitter against Green Bay in 2079.

As far as weaknesses, the Devils primarily lack big-time talent. They have a number of good players, but nobody who is capable of carrying a team. As well, they have several players who could be good, but who could also just as easily stink up the joint. This is especially true in the bullpen, where pitchers like Pete West and Abel Mota have talent but have produced very little thus far.

Predicted finish: 5th

Pittsburgh Pirates:
2082 Record: 100-62
Record over the last five seasons: 508-302
Payroll: 49,940,000
Payroll Rank: 17th
Minor League Rank: 15th

The Pirates are a shining example of how to run a baseball team. Even in a time of transition, when long-time stars have aged, declined, and retired, the team has remained dominant. Still, many wonder how long they can keep it up. Buffalo looks good, Hartford looks good, and Rochester is always a threat. At some point, some of those teams are going to overtake Pittsburgh. It happened in 2077, when the Pirates missed the postseason despite 92 wins. It came close to happening the following year, when the Pirates managed only 86 wins- their lowest total in more than a decade- but squeaked into the playoffs as a second place team. It looked like they were on the verge of toppling permanently. It didn't happen. The Pirates ripped off four consecutive 100 win seasons and captured World Series titles in 2080 and 2081. But this team is a lot older. The youngest regular position player is 27 year old 1B/OF James Sequeira. Only two others are under the age of 30. The youngest reliever is 30 years old. Only one starting pitcher is under the age of 30: 27 year old Andreas Fajardo. So again, the question is, how long can they keep it up?

Catcher Aaron Quijada(35) has a .421 career OBP, a .919 OPS, and 206 homeruns. 29 year old third baseman Javier Rael has an .858 OPS and has belted 37 and 38 homeruns the last two seasons. Jerry Harmer, Jr. is an on base and doubles machine in left field. He has a .431 career OBP and has ripped 66 and 67 doubles the last two seasons. Augustine Oatman is still a terrific defensive center fielder, even at the age of 36. He has four Gold Gloves to his name, including each of the last two seasons. He also has an .831 career OPS and 243 homeruns.

The ace of the rotation is Andreas Fajardo, who captured both the Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award last season. In 39 career games, Fajardo is 24-4 with a 2.16 ERA and 4 shutouts. He's also 6-0 with a 3.04 ERA in 7 career postseason starts. Pittsburgh wasn't really looking to add anybody in free agency, but when 30 year old Scott Council inexplicably drew little interest from teams, the Pirates swooped in and signed him. Council enjoyed a breakout year last year with Tucson, going 21-8 with a 3.29 ERA and 188 strikeouts. These two pitchers give Pittsburgh a dominating 1-2 punch that will likely keep them in the postseason discussion for a while longer. Douglas Malone(32) provides a solid third starter with his 4.35 career ERA. Geronimo Otero, once one of the greatest pitchers in the game, will be considered the fourth starter as his career winds down. The 39 year old right-hander has 217 career wins, a 3.08 ERA, and a 1.10 WHIP. Last year, his 14 losses and 4.60 ERA were the worst of his career. The only question now for him is whether his career is deemed worthy of the Hall of Fame. Many people remember his two year stretch from 2073 to 2074, in which he was a brilliant 42-9 with a 1.67 ERA and a 437/22 K/BB ratio. They'll also remember his postseason numbers: 18-9, 2.67 ERA.

The anchor of the bullpen is 34 year old Joe O'Donoghue. O'Donoghue has a 2.59 ERA in 670 career appearances. In the last two seasons, he has gone 24-10, with 28 saves, a 2.34 ERA, and 219 strikeouts in 238 2/3 innings pitched. The rest of the bullpen is also strong, but all but one reliever is age 33 or older, with one, left-hander Bradley Hinerman, probably in his last season at age 38.

The main weakness for the Pirates is the 1B/RF situation. With Richard Billips having left as a free agent, Pittsburgh plans to move James Sequeira, who platooned at first base last season, into right field. The expected starting first baseman, then, will be long-time supersub Jose Arruza. The 36 year old Arruza has a career .832 OPS, but last season was the worst season of his career, as he mustered just a .734 OPS. Also, in two of the last three seasons, Arruza has failed to slug over .400. The team could also decide to keep Sequeira at first, and attempt some right field three ring circus of reserve outfielders Tony Francois, Matias Santos, and Ralph Triado. However, Francois has just a .711 OPS in 317 career at bats, Santos has a .715 OPS in 69 at bats, and Triado has a .989 OPS in 33 at bats. Not a lot of experience among that group, and not a lot of production. One other possibility that has been hinted at by unnamed sources within the organization would be to move Rael across the diamond to play first, and install minor league third baseman Michael Robinson as the starting third baseman. Robinson is a better fielder at third than Rael, and the 25 year old put up an .805 OPS with 60 extra base hits at AAA last year. One thing is for sure: the Pirates will be looking to get Robinson into the lineup somewhere before this season is complete.

Predicted finish: 1st

Rochester Rhinos:
2082 Record: 77-85
Record over the last five years: 444-366
Payroll: 82,708,142
Payroll Rank: 3rd
Minor League Rank: 18th

Last seasons' 77-85 record came as a stunning shock to a team that hadn't had a losing record since 2068. Also coming to an end was the Rhinos' consecutive playoff streak, which had stood at five years. Now Rochester is faced with trying to recover in a division that looks very competitive all of a sudden.

The Rhinos have one of the more dangerous lineups in baseball. Behind the plate is 29 year old Paul Bibbs. Bibbs had an .895 OPS last season and ripped 32 homeruns. First base belongs to veteran Rick Ahn. The 35 year old has a .901 career OPS and 306 homeruns. Injuries limited him to just 104 games last year, however. Sergio Salo is a patient hitter with some pop at second base. The 26 year old has a .391 career OBP and is good for about 18-25 homeruns per year. Third baseman Leo Guerriero is one of the best all around players in the game, and he's only 28 years old. He has a .961 career OPS and has slugged over .600 in three of the last four seasons. He's also an excellent fielder. The Rhinos made one big acquisition this offseason, and that was 26 year old slugging right fielder Gustavo Manrique. The 26 year old Manrique has crushed 37 and 36 homeruns the past two seasons.

At the top of the rotation is, of course, Segundo Narbaiza. Narbaiza comes into this season with 306 career wins, a 2.41 ERA, 3368 strikeouts, and a 0.93 WHIP. He also comes in at the age of 38, and following a season in which injuries limited him to a career low 20 starts. Narbaiza has spent his entire career in Rochester, bringing Rhinos' fans that long-awaited glory: a World Series title in 2078. Now, though, it could be the end of the line. He's still one of the best pitchers in the league, but another injury-riddled season would probably change that. And for Rochester, injuries to Narbaiza would be devastating, because after him, there just isn't much to like about the Rhinos' rotation. 32 year old George Lasseter has always had decent talent, but his 5.66 career ERA points to how much he's underachieved over the years. He should not be considered a reliable number two pitcher. Dennis Philson is even worse, with a 5.75 career ERA. Hector Rao and Evan Caserez have only 33 starts between them, and the results have not been pretty at all. To be blunt, if Narbaiza goes down like he did last season, then Rochester this year will be much like Rochester last year. Without Narbaiza, the Rhinos have very little chance of contending. With him... well that changes the equation somewhat. Pittsburgh has an okay offense and superb pitching. Hartford has a decent offense, but a mediocre, if reasonably deep, rotation. Buffalo has both a solid offense and a solid rotation. Rochester has the potential for an excellent offense. The question is, will the offense be good enough to allow the one man show rotation to overcome the more balanced teams in the division?

Like Hartford, Rochester will be hoping that a solid bullpen can offset some of the deficiencies of the rotation. Closer Nathaniel Owen(36) has made 617 career appearances, notching 146 saves, and while posting a 3.97 ERA. Last year, he had a 2.99 ERA. Lenard Luna is an emerging talent at age 25. He made 80 appearances last season, and picked up 10 wins, while posting a 3.89 ERA in 111 innings pitched.

Predicted finish: 4th

12-22-2007, 03:08 PM	#246 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 897 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4x in 4 posts	2083 Season Preview: NL Northeast Division Buffalo Bills: 2082 Record: 87-75 Record over the last five seasons: 378-432 Payroll: 52,453,087 Payroll Rank: 16th Minor League Rank: 7th The Bills are coming off of just their second winning season in the last twelve years. Buffalo had been consistently competitive in the late '50s and, after a slight downturn, the late '60s as well. But after winning 92 games and reaching the postseason in 2070, it got very dreary in Buffalo. The Bills lost 92 or more games in every season from 2071 to 2076, including three consecutive 100 loss seasons in '72, '73, and '74. 84 wins in 2077 stopped the bleeding momentarily, but the next three seasons were ugly. Buffalo bounced back to .500 in 2081, and last year earned a playoff berth with 87 wins. Now the Bills hope to make the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time in franchise history. Buffalo's lineup has a nice foundation, starting with catcher Danial Knudsen(35). Knudsen has hit 327 career homeruns, including 36 last season. First baseman Carter Vanderhoof was allowed to test free agency, but he wound up returning to the Bills. The 28 year old Vanderhoof had an .889 OPS last season with 28 homeruns. Right fielder John Kling(26) made many a pitcher nervous last year, belting 40 doubles and 36 homeruns while putting up an OPS of .966. But the guy to really watch may be 27 year old left fielder Terrell Carillo. This guy can really do it all, as he ripped 36 doubles, 9 triples, and 15 homeruns, drew 84 walks, and stole 23 bases, all while also winning a Gold Glove Award. Interestingly, the Bills' coaches feel that he could still improve his homerun totals without losing much from his overall game. The Bills also have some quality pitchers. Christopher Cooper(33) has a solid 4.34 career ERA and has notched 200 strikeouts in five of the last seven seasons. Left-hander Paul Hilson is a nice, young complement to the right-handed Cooper. The 24 year old won 17 games last year with a 3.67 ERA. Veteran closer Asdrubal Rodrigues(36) has 223 saves and a 2.99 ERA in 776 career appearances. He saved 35 games last year with only 3 blown saves. 29 year old Glenn Johnson has posted two straight seasons with an ERA under 4.00, pitching a total of 151 games in the process. There a few areas of concern for the Bills this season. Third baseman Thomas Herbert(30) was very solid last season, batting .303 with 11 homeruns in only 271 at bats. However, he is generally considered to be an average, at best, player, and his .721 career OPS in 788 at bats seems to agree with that opinion. If he performs closer to his career norms, the Bills may be in the hunt for a new third baseman. Center field is another potential trouble spot. Alfonso Lugo(26) is a good fielder, but his bat is very weak. He has just a .705 career OPS and a pathetic .309 OBP. Last year, he had one of the worst OBP by any regular in baseball- an embarassing .286. His glove should keep him a starter only for so long. If he keeps hitting poorly, look for the Bills to acquire an alternative....which brings up another Buffalo weakness. Carillo and Kling are excellent starters, while Lugo is not. After that, the Bills have almost no outfield depth whatsoever. An injury to either Carillo or Kling could be devastating, as there is no one in-house to replace them adequately. Another area that could make or break the Bills are a pair of young starting pitchers. Bartolo Furtado is 22 years old and absolutely dripping with talent. He struggled last year, posting an ERA of 5.32 in 15 starts, but he has the ability to be a top ace in this league. Twenty-five year old Bryan Tatro doesn't have quite as much talent, but it's pretty close. Tatro has made 40 major league starts and has a 5.77 ERA. If either or both can begin to harness their immense ability, the Bills have the potential for one of the best rotations in the National League. Predicted finish: 2nd Harrisburg Capitals: 2082 Record: 74-88 Record over the last five seasons: 371-439 Payroll: 48,488,843 Payroll Rank: 18th Minor League Rank: 9th The Harrisburg Capitals may have the most miserable history of any of the original 16 franchises of this league. They have reached the postseason once, way back in 2016. They have had one winning season in the last 17 years, and just two in the last 27 years. In the last 44 years, they have had three winning seasons. One can make the argument that they have been at a disadvantage, playing in a Pittsburgh dominated Northeast, but that doesn't excuse the lack of competitiveness. Hartford and Rochester played with the same disadvantage for the same length of time, and have always been able to stay competitive in most years. Even Buffalo, who joined the division in 2038, has had frequent success. Heck, even New Jersey, who entered in 2064 and has had very little overall success, has managed multiple winning seasons more recently than Harrisburg has. The Capitals do have a few quality players. There are a lot of good catchers in the league right now, especially in the NL, so Errol McCullough doesn't get noticed much. That doesn't mean that he shouldn't, however. The 33 year old put up a .940 OPS last season, and smacked 46 doubles and 26 homeruns, while drawing 86 walks. Shortstop Coy Drews(26) has hit between 26 and 30 homeruns in each of the last four seaons, and has a career OPS of .856. He also drew 102 walks last year. Right fielder Bill Orsini, 28 years old, is a classic "three true outcomes" player. He batted just .236 last year, but belted 36 homeruns, drew 106 walks, and whiffed 98 times. Edward Lovejoy is an excellent closer. The 36 year old reliever has 162 saves and a 3.42 ERA in 776 career games; he had 29 saves and a 2.13 ERA in 62 games last year. Ben Albacete(33) was a capable reliever from 2077 to 2081, posting ERA's between 2.61 and 3.78 in those years, but last year he struggled to the tune of a 6.03 ERA. If he can't bounce back, it could get very interesting as the Capitals try to protect their few leads, as the rest of the bullpen is pretty much a mess. Speaking of messes, Harrisburg's biggest weakness is the rotation. Thirty-two year old Samuel Orellana is decent- he posted a 4.11 ERA last year- but has a tendency to throw meatballs, evidenced by his 48 homeruns allowed last year. Of course, he has nothing on 36 year old Josue Gorman. Gorman is one of the hardest throwers in all of baseball, but at this point in his career, he's pretty much slinging the ball wherever he feels like it. That tends to be either out of the strikezone entirely(128 walks last year) or right down the middle(53 homeruns allowed last year). Gorman has a tendency to wear out his welcome wherever he is, so don't be surprised if the Capitals try an unload his hefty contract, which pays him almost $7.7 million per year. Don't be surprised, either, when nobody is interested- the contract doesn't expire until 2085. The rotation isn't the only weakness. First baseman Jerry Benson(27) is a useful player, but probably not a starting caliber first baseman. He has only a .774 career OPS. Second base could be issue as well. Del Shigemori is one of the greatest homerun hitters ever, with 616 to his name, but at 38 years of age, his bat simply isn't what it was. He remains an excellent fielder, but that likely won't be enough to keep him in the lineup. The Capitals also have Antonio Ornelas, who has a respectable .796 OPS in 340 career at bats. However, the 29 year old switch-hitter is a terrible fielder and an injury risk. Predicted finish: 6th Hartford Whalers: 2082 Record: 85-77 Record over the last five seasons: 389-421 Payroll: 75,522,928 Payroll Rank: 7th Minor League Rank: 14th Hartford posted winning records every year from 2070 to 2079, and hadn't lost 90 games in a season since 2063. Thus, back to back 93 loss seasons in 2080 and 2081 were shocking to a fanbase that had come to expect a winning team. Even after returning to their winning ways last year, there were a lot of disgruntled fans complaining about the lack of aggressive moves to bolster the team. Of course, losing their final 5 games and missing the playoffs by 2 games probably had a lot to do with the complaining. Well, the fans can't complain about a lack of action this year. Hartford was one of the most active teams in free agency, signing some very significant talent. The biggest acquisition, of course, was shortstop Ralph Jennings. The 28 year old has an .896 career OPS and 209 homeruns. He had a .989 OPS last year and 41 roundtrippers. He'll join with the left-handed first baseman, John Rachal, to form a very formidable middle of the order. [b]Rachal[b], 30 years old, has a .961 career OPS and 270 homeruns. He has crushed 40 or more homeruns in three of the last four seasons. Second baseman, and all time RBI leader, Ricky Vega may still have a little bit left in the tank at 41 years of age. Last year, he hit .299 with 18 homeruns. Those numbers might be a bit optimistic for this season, but .270 and 15, plus his still excellent defense might be within reach. Left fielder John Gans(33) is a hit machine, with a .344 career AVG and five 200 hit seasons in the last seven years. He's also swiped 329 career bases. Hartford's rotation is a collection of solid, but flawed pitchers. Unlike many teams, all five of the Whalers' starting pitchers definitely belong in the major leagues; however, none are good enough to be called an ace, nor are any good enough to even be an All-Star on a regular basis. Edward Chambliss(28) was picked up in a trade this offseason from Kansas City. His career ERA of 5.07 is somewhat inflated by a disastrous rookie campaign that saw him post an ERA of 8.95 in a little over 100 innings. In truth, he hasn't had an ERA above 5.00 since then, and his career ERA without that season is a much more respectable 4.71. Chambliss' main weakness is walks; he's walked over 100 batters every year except his rookie season, in which he walked 84 batters. Veteran Edward Headrick has a career ERA of 6.74, but the 34 year old has managed to post ERA's under 5.00 in each of the last two seasons. Headrick is a workhorse- he completed 19 games in 2081- but he tends to walk a lot of batters(5 seasons over 100) and give up a lot of homeruns(58 last year). Bill Leatherman was also picked up in a trade this offseason, as the Whalers acquired him from Portland. Leatherman(27) has a 5.94 ERA in 438 career innings pitched, but he was an acceptable 4.89 last year. Like the first two pitchers mentioned, Leatherman also suffers from control problems. He has walked over 100 batters in each of his two full seasons in the big leagues. Matthew Anderson(31) is yet another walk-prone pitcher, having walked 100 batters in every year of his career except an injury-plagued 2080 that limited him to only 12 starts. Anderson has a 5.29 career ERA. Youngster Raul Mattos is the only member of the Whalers' rotation that knows how to hit the strikezone consistently. The 24 year old walked just 34 batters in 218 innings last year en route to compiling 15 wins and a 4.67 ERA as a rookie. As it is, Hartford's rotation has enough ability to keep the Whalers competitive and allow the offense to win games. At the same time, however, there are enough flaws to keep Hartford as a middle of the pack team as they hope to outslug opponents game in and game out. The lack of a true ace may be enough to keep the Whalers out of the playoffs. One way to counter a potentially shaky rotation, as the San Jose Sharks have found out in recent seasons, is to have a dominant bullpen. Hartford may have the makings of such a bullpen. Closer Mitchell Larson(33) was added in the offseason as a free agent. He had 29 saves and a 3.38 ERA last year. Hartford also has the emerging Reginald Waters. Waters, 28, made 85 appearances last year and had a 2.56 ERA. If the Whalers can come up with a third effective reliever, it might mitigate the shakiness of the rotation. One big weakness for Hartford on offense is likely to be center fielder Donald Thurlow. The 35 year old has been the starter for the Whalers since 2075, but in the last five seasons, he has managed only one season with an OPS greater than .700. Predicted finish: 3rd New Jersey Devils: 2082 Record: 58-104 Record over the last five years: 358-452 Payroll: 36,130,143 Payroll Rank: 21st Minor League Rank: 5th After doing very little in the first eleven years of their existence, the Devils had a reached a level of occasional respectability, posting four winning seasons from 2075 to 2080, though never winning more than 84 games in a season. But things have gone south in a hurry, and last year, they finished with the worst record in the majors. Much of that had to do with an extensive rebuilding process that gutted the team of virtually all of its veteran players and gave plenty of playing time to players with little to no experience. As the start of the 2083 season draws near, the Devils feel as though they have some potential long-term answers in place at several positions. Catcher Norman Adrover(27) batted .323 with an .834 OPS and 14 homeruns in his first shot at regular playing time. In any other year, first baseman Amaury Lucia would have been a shoe-in for Rookie of the Year. The 25 year old batted .320 last year with a .996 OPS, while hammering 35 doubles and 37 homeruns, and winning the Gold Glove award. Alas, the emergence of Pittsburgh's Andreas Fajardo kept Lucia from the ROTY. Boyce Wimbush may not be a true long-term answer at second base, but the 32 year old batted .315 with 13 homeruns in 292 at bats last season. At the very least, he gives the Devils a stop-gap for a year or so. New Jersey ventured into free agency and picked up the slick-fielding Brian Hall to play shortstop. The 28 year old isn't all glove, however, as he managed an .811 OPS last season for Portland. Third base belongs to 28 year old Alfredo Escalera(28), who hit .302 last year and stole 56 bases. In right field, Zankuro Maresuke(30) put up an .873 OPS with 13 homeruns in 222 at bats. On the mound, 30 year old Kenneth Chancey posted a 3.74 ERA. He gives the Devils the kind of number one starter that many teams that are better than New Jersey would love to have. 32 year old Armando Diaz pounds the strike-zone better than almost any pitcher in the league. However, his overall performances have been inconsistent, and he has missed a lot of time in recent seasons because of injury. The left-hander has made a total of just 42 starts in the last two seasons combined. He did have a solid, 4.70 ERA last season. New Jersey also made a quiet little pickup that might turn out very well for them. The Devils acquired 33 year old Kevin Phipps from Miami this offseason. Phipps had gotten lost in the shuffle in the crowded Miami rotation the last couple of seasons despite having pitched very solidly for the Dolphins. In 123 career games(111 starts) he has a 4.28 ERA. He had ERA's under 4.00 in both 2079 and 2080, and authored a no-hitter against Green Bay in 2079. As far as weaknesses, the Devils primarily lack big-time talent. They have a number of good players, but nobody who is capable of carrying a team. As well, they have several players who could be good, but who could also just as easily stink up the joint. This is especially true in the bullpen, where pitchers like Pete West and Abel Mota have talent but have produced very little thus far. Predicted finish: 5th Pittsburgh Pirates: 2082 Record: 100-62 Record over the last five seasons: 508-302 Payroll: 49,940,000 Payroll Rank: 17th Minor League Rank: 15th The Pirates are a shining example of how to run a baseball team. Even in a time of transition, when long-time stars have aged, declined, and retired, the team has remained dominant. Still, many wonder how long they can keep it up. Buffalo looks good, Hartford looks good, and Rochester is always a threat. At some point, some of those teams are going to overtake Pittsburgh. It happened in 2077, when the Pirates missed the postseason despite 92 wins. It came close to happening the following year, when the Pirates managed only 86 wins- their lowest total in more than a decade- but squeaked into the playoffs as a second place team. It looked like they were on the verge of toppling permanently. It didn't happen. The Pirates ripped off four consecutive 100 win seasons and captured World Series titles in 2080 and 2081. But this team is a lot older. The youngest regular position player is 27 year old 1B/OF James Sequeira. Only two others are under the age of 30. The youngest reliever is 30 years old. Only one starting pitcher is under the age of 30: 27 year old Andreas Fajardo. So again, the question is, how long can they keep it up? Catcher Aaron Quijada(35) has a .421 career OBP, a .919 OPS, and 206 homeruns. 29 year old third baseman Javier Rael has an .858 OPS and has belted 37 and 38 homeruns the last two seasons. Jerry Harmer, Jr. is an on base and doubles machine in left field. He has a .431 career OBP and has ripped 66 and 67 doubles the last two seasons. Augustine Oatman is still a terrific defensive center fielder, even at the age of 36. He has four Gold Gloves to his name, including each of the last two seasons. He also has an .831 career OPS and 243 homeruns. The ace of the rotation is Andreas Fajardo, who captured both the Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award last season. In 39 career games, Fajardo is 24-4 with a 2.16 ERA and 4 shutouts. He's also 6-0 with a 3.04 ERA in 7 career postseason starts. Pittsburgh wasn't really looking to add anybody in free agency, but when 30 year old Scott Council inexplicably drew little interest from teams, the Pirates swooped in and signed him. Council enjoyed a breakout year last year with Tucson, going 21-8 with a 3.29 ERA and 188 strikeouts. These two pitchers give Pittsburgh a dominating 1-2 punch that will likely keep them in the postseason discussion for a while longer. Douglas Malone(32) provides a solid third starter with his 4.35 career ERA. Geronimo Otero, once one of the greatest pitchers in the game, will be considered the fourth starter as his career winds down. The 39 year old right-hander has 217 career wins, a 3.08 ERA, and a 1.10 WHIP. Last year, his 14 losses and 4.60 ERA were the worst of his career. The only question now for him is whether his career is deemed worthy of the Hall of Fame. Many people remember his two year stretch from 2073 to 2074, in which he was a brilliant 42-9 with a 1.67 ERA and a 437/22 K/BB ratio. They'll also remember his postseason numbers: 18-9, 2.67 ERA. The anchor of the bullpen is 34 year old Joe O'Donoghue. O'Donoghue has a 2.59 ERA in 670 career appearances. In the last two seasons, he has gone 24-10, with 28 saves, a 2.34 ERA, and 219 strikeouts in 238 2/3 innings pitched. The rest of the bullpen is also strong, but all but one reliever is age 33 or older, with one, left-hander Bradley Hinerman, probably in his last season at age 38. The main weakness for the Pirates is the 1B/RF situation. With Richard Billips having left as a free agent, Pittsburgh plans to move James Sequeira, who platooned at first base last season, into right field. The expected starting first baseman, then, will be long-time supersub Jose Arruza. The 36 year old Arruza has a career .832 OPS, but last season was the worst season of his career, as he mustered just a .734 OPS. Also, in two of the last three seasons, Arruza has failed to slug over .400. The team could also decide to keep Sequeira at first, and attempt some right field three ring circus of reserve outfielders Tony Francois, Matias Santos, and Ralph Triado. However, Francois has just a .711 OPS in 317 career at bats, Santos has a .715 OPS in 69 at bats, and Triado has a .989 OPS in 33 at bats. Not a lot of experience among that group, and not a lot of production. One other possibility that has been hinted at by unnamed sources within the organization would be to move Rael across the diamond to play first, and install minor league third baseman Michael Robinson as the starting third baseman. Robinson is a better fielder at third than Rael, and the 25 year old put up an .805 OPS with 60 extra base hits at AAA last year. One thing is for sure: the Pirates will be looking to get Robinson into the lineup somewhere before this season is complete. Predicted finish: 1st Rochester Rhinos: 2082 Record: 77-85 Record over the last five years: 444-366 Payroll: 82,708,142 Payroll Rank: 3rd Minor League Rank: 18th Last seasons' 77-85 record came as a stunning shock to a team that hadn't had a losing record since 2068. Also coming to an end was the Rhinos' consecutive playoff streak, which had stood at five years. Now Rochester is faced with trying to recover in a division that looks very competitive all of a sudden. The Rhinos have one of the more dangerous lineups in baseball. Behind the plate is 29 year old Paul Bibbs. Bibbs had an .895 OPS last season and ripped 32 homeruns. First base belongs to veteran Rick Ahn. The 35 year old has a .901 career OPS and 306 homeruns. Injuries limited him to just 104 games last year, however. Sergio Salo is a patient hitter with some pop at second base. The 26 year old has a .391 career OBP and is good for about 18-25 homeruns per year. Third baseman Leo Guerriero is one of the best all around players in the game, and he's only 28 years old. He has a .961 career OPS and has slugged over .600 in three of the last four seasons. He's also an excellent fielder. The Rhinos made one big acquisition this offseason, and that was 26 year old slugging right fielder Gustavo Manrique. The 26 year old Manrique has crushed 37 and 36 homeruns the past two seasons. At the top of the rotation is, of course, Segundo Narbaiza. Narbaiza comes into this season with 306 career wins, a 2.41 ERA, 3368 strikeouts, and a 0.93 WHIP. He also comes in at the age of 38, and following a season in which injuries limited him to a career low 20 starts. Narbaiza has spent his entire career in Rochester, bringing Rhinos' fans that long-awaited glory: a World Series title in 2078. Now, though, it could be the end of the line. He's still one of the best pitchers in the league, but another injury-riddled season would probably change that. And for Rochester, injuries to Narbaiza would be devastating, because after him, there just isn't much to like about the Rhinos' rotation. 32 year old George Lasseter has always had decent talent, but his 5.66 career ERA points to how much he's underachieved over the years. He should not be considered a reliable number two pitcher. Dennis Philson is even worse, with a 5.75 career ERA. Hector Rao and Evan Caserez have only 33 starts between them, and the results have not been pretty at all. To be blunt, if Narbaiza goes down like he did last season, then Rochester this year will be much like Rochester last year. Without Narbaiza, the Rhinos have very little chance of contending. With him... well that changes the equation somewhat. Pittsburgh has an okay offense and superb pitching. Hartford has a decent offense, but a mediocre, if reasonably deep, rotation. Buffalo has both a solid offense and a solid rotation. Rochester has the potential for an excellent offense. The question is, will the offense be good enough to allow the one man show rotation to overcome the more balanced teams in the division? Like Hartford, Rochester will be hoping that a solid bullpen can offset some of the deficiencies of the rotation. Closer Nathaniel Owen(36) has made 617 career appearances, notching 146 saves, and while posting a 3.97 ERA. Last year, he had a 2.99 ERA. Lenard Luna is an emerging talent at age 25. He made 80 appearances last season, and picked up 10 wins, while posting a 3.89 ERA in 111 innings pitched. Predicted finish: 4th __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver Last edited by jamus23; 12-22-2007 at 11:48 PM.