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Just for some perspective as to how parity is working for this league. Since 1897, the year that we went to the two-league format, only one team - the St. Louis Perfectos of 1897-98 have won back to back titles.
Since 1910, 13 different teams have claimed titles including the past 11 champions. So it's really a pretty fair system that's probably got a lot to do with the overall decline in talent over the past 75 years (I went to default creation modifiers about 65 or so years ago, maybe more) and things are far more open now.
Philadelphia ended their 95-year championship drought in 1922, claiming the title that year over the Chicago Red Caps.
That leaves Cleveland with the longest drought now, that franchise's last title came in 1829 as the Evansville Triplets. Next in line? The Bantam Originals, whose last title came in 1833.
Are we any closer this year? We're about to find out.
1924 BANTAM ORIGINALS TEAM PREVIEW
Well, so fed with the pitching staff's performance last year was Originals GM D.C. Daly that he ditched the entire staff. All of them were shipped out this past off-season in exchange for a mix of free agents and trade refugees that he's hoping will work better with the potent offense he's put together.
The notable addition is 19-game winner Adrian Davenport who came over as a free agent from St. Louis. The others are guys who underachieved in other places last season but the hope is that with a better offense and defense behind them can really put something together. These include Dan White, a 27-year old righthander who came over in a trade from Victoria (10-13, 3.19 ERA, 210 K, 60 BB in 33 starts) who is three years removed from a 17-win season. He's a strikeout artist though, lacks the control issues that befell this club last year. Another standout hope is 29-year old Queens native Eddie Garrett who went 14-11 last year in St. Petersburg, the team where he spent his entire career until now. He signed a 7-year deal worth over $32 million this off-season, so O's fans should get used to his face around here.
Philippe Maillet is back in the bullpen as the one pitcher last year who delivered. He went 4-6 with 37 saves in his first year in Bantam, striking out 95 in 67 innings.
Offensively, the team is more balanced and should be potent -- perhaps more so -- than year's team, if that's possible. Julian Ayala and his league leading 44 home runs are back, as is 2B Ben Day who chipped in 105 RBI last year. New additions to the offense include 1B Scott Taylor who came over in a trade with Miami and outfielders John Trahan (.243/26 HR/87 RBI with Eau Claire) and Paramjit Thukral (.290 with St. Louis last year)
After sliding into the finish last year to make the playoffs, the bar is set higher this year. Nothing short of a playoff berth will save D.C. Daly's job this year and fans are getting restless as the team seems to creep closer towards the promised land, but always seems to fall short. After all, 1833 isn't just the last time this team won a title, it's the last time it appeared in a Daylight Series Final period.
So Year 91 of the drought is about to begin now.
PREDICTION: 91-71, 1st place, PL EAST
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