Two 100 game winners in the AL North last year, with a third that was just four games behind that mark. Montreal and Milwaukee will probably repeat those performances again this year, they are both stacked. Montreal has maybe the best pitching staff in all of BPF, and while Milwaukee doesn't have a bunch of slackers on the mound, it's their offense that will carry them. Minnesota did it last year with smoke and mirrors, I have no clue how they won 96 games, and I just can't see them doing that again, unless they can spend their whole season playing the AL East (I'll get to you 'tards in a minute). I think their secret is having a bunch of average to slightly above average players, but nobody who really sucks. And then there's Fargo; maybe the highest paid sub .500 team in all of BPF. Predictions: Montreal and Milwaukee fight for the top spot and each crack 100 wins again, Minnesota comes back down to earth and plays .500 ball all year, and Fargo approaches 100 losses again to round out the division.
If you can play .500 ball, then you can win the AL East. Hey alogman, you're playing with a bunch of morons/tankers, you don't need to spend $100M to win your division. I kid because I love. Or do I? Chicago will win this division again, they have some really good pieces in all parts of the field, and should do a lot better than last year. Then.....fuck, I dunno. Philly moved to Cleveland, and Columbus moved to Syracuse, and both are spending a fair amount of money. Maybe they can both stay out of the 100 loss category? Louisville has an outside chance at staying out of that category as well, but I think they'll finish at the bottom, with Cleveland and Syracuse banging around for the 2nd and 3rd place spots, but neither will be in the hunt for the wild card when you've got so many good teams in other divisions.
Down in the South, joe has very quietly built a solid franchise in Houston. Does anyone remember them winning the WS in S16? Me neither. But they've been at 95+ wins each of the last five seasons, and will probably make it six this year. Defense is a minor concern, but when you've got pitching like they have, maybe nobody has to catch the ball. Did you know the homo's have been above .500 each of the last two seasons? I know, crazy, right? sergei has been throwing money at the problem, and it seems to be working. Lots of defense, lots of hitting, and some not-so-shitty pitching, they're looking at yet another season about .500 and in the playoff hunt. Florida has some studs and should be better than they are. Did we ever establish why ghutton left in the first place? Did I ask this last season too? He tanked for three seasons, went to the WS in S15, then was gone after S17 and 96 wins. Weird. Anyway, good defense and great hitting, with some above average pitching, Florida should be in the hunt for a wild card spot too. I think everyone is in the hunt for the WC. Well, not Richmond. They suck. One or two stud pitchers, one or two stud hitters, but then a big drop-off. The world needs ditch diggers, Danny. Prediction: Houston, then a dog fight between KC and Florida, then about 20 games until you find Richmond.
Wait. SLC has 5 guys who are 80 or more for their overall, and his payroll is only $28M? I call shenanigans. I need to get back into the IFA market. After 95 wins last year, they should be looking at 100 wins this year. Maybe. Unless Scottsdale wins 120. Maybe the best set of gloves in all of baseball, and they aren't pussies either, they've got some stud hitters and a great pitching staff too. The swings in team quality in the AL are pretty staggering. Either you're gonna win 100 games, or lose 100 games, but there aren't many in the middle. Because then you've got Vancouver, who has great defense and hitting, and the pitching staff is really solid, I'm just not sure how many innings cam will get out of them. Gonna need lots of innings from the bullpen. And then there's a team in Honolulu, but.....unless you can win 100 games in the AL, nobody cares about you. Prediction: Scottsdale, then SLC, then 'Couver, then Honolulu.
So we'll see Montreal and Scottsdale get the bye's in the first round, with Houston and Chicago winning the other two divisions, and then Milwaukee and SLC/Vancouver being the Wild Cards.
Go Nats
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