1990 CDBL PREVIEW "Your mileage may vary!" ************************************************************************** Aaron division preview: Never in the CDBL have the top 4 teams in the league been in the same division. It's going to be a brawl in the Aaron division this year. Since only a maximum of 3 teams in any division (pennant winner, conference wildcard, league wildcard) will make the playoffs, one of these teams will be left behind. ************************************************************************** 1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST Montreal Mashers Last year's prediction: 1st in division Actual result: Aaron division pennant, defeated Friars 4-3 in round 1 of playoffs, lost 0-4 to Trout in AP conference finals Team #1 of the 4 team battle royale, the Mashers relocated from Milwaukee to Montreal and added extra firepower in the off-season. OF Rickey Henderson could have his best season yet, being the teams' best source of power and speed. Alan Trammel, Kal Daniels and Ellis Burks provide potent pop in the middle. Last year's fireman of the year, Dennis Eckersley, was acquired in the off-season to lead one of the league's best bullpens (along with Rob Dibble and Gene Nelson). Frank Viola is a Cy contender this year, and Bobby Witt and Matt Young fill out a formidable rotation. OUTLOOK: It's a tough division, but the Mashers still have the talent to go all the way. 2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND Elk Grove Trout Last year's prediction: 2nd in division Actual results: 3rd in division, defeated Riots 4-1 in round 1 of playoffs, defeated Mashers 4-0 in AP conference finals, defeated Albuquerque Maul 4-1 in CDBL world series, WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS Team #2 of the 4 team battle royale, this lefty-heavy team went all the want in the playoffs last year, winning the CDBL championship. Salary restrictions caused them to lose Wade Boggs in the off-season, but his bat will be replaced by rookie phenom David Justice. Will Clark, Tony Gwynn and Julio Franco add bats to a lineup that emphasizes clean hits and solid base running over the 3-run homer. Their starting rotation of Chuck Finley, Dennis Martinez, Eric Hanson and Sid Fernandez is one of the best in the league. Mark Williamson leads a competent bullpen. OUTLOOK: A killer starting rotation and some decent hitters. But they may need to trade for a big bat in the middle to overtake the Mashers. 3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD Arkham Investigators Last year's prediction: 5th in division Actual results: 5th in division Team #3 in the battle royale. It's been a very long couple of years for Arkham fans, but this is the year they turn things around. Featuring the league's deepest roster, Arkham is at least 2 players deep at every position. Ken Griffey Jr will have his breakout year in 90, and Lenny Dykstra is one of the top table setters in the league. If anything, their hitting depth will hurt their all-star chances, as multiple players fight for playing time. The rotation of Jose Rijo, rookie Kevin Appier, Charlie Liebrandt and Mike Harkey will give Elk Grove a run for their money. Jeff Brantley and Steve Farr lead a very deep bullpen. OUTLOOK: Arkham may not get many representatives on the all-star team, but the whole is much, much greater than the sum of their parts. No matter what Arkham's place is in the standings, they will be a formidable threat to whomever they face in the playoffs. 4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH Point Lomas Friars Last year's prediction: 3rd in division Actual results: 2nd in division, lost 3-4 to Mashers in round 1 of playoffs Team #4 in the 4 team battle royale. Teams like Arkham may go for the depth approach, but Point Lomas' strategy is star power. Ryne Sandberg and off-season acquisition Eddie Murray are potential all-CDBL sluggers, and Bip Roberts will be able to score a lot of runs with these two behind him. Tim Raines and Ivan Calderon will provide additional speed in the outfield. John Tudor is an ace pitcher (when he is healthy), and Neal Heaton, Bud Black and Dave Johnson are capable starters (although not as strong as the rotations of the top 3 teams). Several candidates for closer make the bullpen a non-issue. OVERALL: It's a tough division, and with just 2 potential wild cards up for grabs, Point Lomas is going to have to fight for every win in order to make the playoffs. Still, Point Lomas could win up with the 4th best record in the entire league. 5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH White Rock Mighty Pugs Last year's prediction: 4th in division Actual results: 4th in division What a division to be in! White Rock (formerly the Fort Worth Cats) could have their best record in years, but competition in this division is going to be unusually tough this year. The Mighty Pugs are one of the league's speediest teams, with Brett Butler, Eric Yelding, Gary Pettis and Harold Reynolds all capable of stealing 30+ bases. 1B George Brett is the big bat in the middle, hitting for average and doubles. OF Joe Carter will slump a bit this year, which hurts the overall homer-deficient lineup. Aces Dave Stewart and Ramon Martinez can compete with any starting pitcher in the league, but after that the starters drop off considerably. Scott Ruskin, Bryan Harvey, Paul Assenmacher and Jim Gott form a capable bullpen. OVERALL: Some great players, but the lack of power and back-end starting pitching will hurt the Pug's pennant chances this year. *************************************************************************** Paige division preview: The conference isn't as strong as the Aaron division, and it may be a real fight for the division title, as the division winner may be the only ones making the playoffs *************************************************************************** 1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST Springfield Isotopes Last year's prediction: 3rd in division Actual results: 2nd in division Springfield has got their franchise player: Barry Bonds. They now need to surround him with capable players to be competitive year in and year out. This year's edition will be pretty good. 1B Mark Grace will get on base and score runs, Vince Coleman will get on base and steal bases, and Lance Parrish has cleanup-hitting home run power. The starting pitching isn't as strong as .. well, any of the teams in the Aaron division, but it doesn't have to be for the regular season. Joe Magrane is a capable ace, and Ted Higuera is a decent #2. Doug Jones should have a fine year as closer. Oh yeah, and look for an all-CDBL performance from Bonds. OUTLOOK: Some nice hitters and a OK pitching lineup make the Isotopes the favorite in this division. But their eyes will be nervously glancing over at the Aaron division slugfest to see which team they get to face in the playoffs. 2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND Hurdle Mills Hurdlers Last year's prediction: 2nd in division Actual results: 3rd in division Take the description of the Isotopes, and subtract Barry Bonds. That's the overall description of the Hurdlers. Lonnie Smith is Hurdle Mills best hitter, who will hit for average, get on base, and hit a few triples. Stan Javier, Delino DeSheilds, and Alvin Davis share in the on-base mantra, but their home run hitting skills will not remind anyone of Ryne Sandberg. Greg Hibbard isn't a name brand ace, but should pitch like one this year. The rest of the starters are nothing to write home about, but their bullpen will more than make up for it. If the Hurdlers can get through the 5th inning with a lead, their bullpen will be able to handle the rest. OUTLOOK: Excellent bullpen, and a good role-player batting order, but they may need to trade for a big bat during the season to compete with the Isotopes. 3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD Dewey Beach Lush Last year's prediction: 6th in division Actual results: 6th in division Last year's worst overall team, this year they've got enough talent to surge upwards. Frank Thomas and Rafael Palmeiro will be one of the league's best 1B platoons, and Paul Molitor will be one of the better 2B playing. Gary Sheffield is emerging as a quality hitter at 3B. The outfield is filled with either productive vets (Candy Maldonado), or a slew of young but unrefined talent (Felix Jose, Sammy Sosa, Larry Walker). Oil Can Boyd and Terry Mulholland are great starters, but the rest of the rotation is average. Some decent bullpen relievers (Tim Crews, Lee Guetterman), but isn't as deep as the bullpen of Hurdle Mills. OUTLOOK: You can see the potential of this team just waiting to break out. The question is, will it be this year, or next? 4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH Long Beach Experience Last year's prediction: 4th in division Actual results: 5th in division The Experience features one of the best heart-of-the-order lineups in the league: Andre Dawson, Kent Hrbek and Tim Wallach. All 3 are deep threats, and hit for average. In his limited playing time, rookie Alex Cole will get on base and be a speedster on the bases. Other than that, the rest of the hitters are merely "OK". Jack "all american" Armstrong leads a rotation (Tom Browning, Jack McDowell) that are not known for pitching shutouts, but somehow finds a way to win anyways. Tom Henke will contend for fireman of the year honors. OUTLOOK: They've got a lot to work with, but some in-season deals may need to be done for Long Beach to move up the standings this year. 5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH Fargo Flames Last year's prediction: 5th in division Actual results: 4th in division Fargo is the lunch pail and pickup truck team. Their hitters are nothing flashy, but they they still get the job done. Kevin McReynolds, Andres Galarraga and Pete Incaviglia provide some pop to the lineup. 2B Jerry Brown provides the runs. On the pitching side, Bobby Thigpen presents the Flames' best hope for a fireman of the year candidate since the magical performance of Tim Burke in 1987. The starting pitching is the team's weak point, with Pete Harnisch being the default team ace. Jack Morris and Fernando Valenzuela have seen better years. OUTLOOK: A mediocre starting pitching staff will hurt Fargo's chances this year, but it will be interesting to see what Thigpen is able to pull out in the closer spot. 6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH DC Riots Last year's prediction: 1st in division Actual results: Paige division pennant, lost 1-4 to Trout in round 1 The pennant winner for 2 years running, their defeat to the Trout in round 1 signaled the rebuilding alarm. Fireman of the year Dennis Eckersley was dealt to the Mashers in the off-season. Lance Johnson was dealt to the Stars. Fred McGriff and Chris Sabo will enjoy great years at the plate, and Roberto Kelly will provide a nice bat in the outfield. But their pitching will be a train wreck this year. OUTLOOK: Some nice hitters, but the pitching will doom DC to a cellar dweller placing this year. *************************************************************************** Gehrig division: 3 teams with vie for the pennant this year, with last year's CDBL GT conference pennant winner, Albuquerque, the favorite. ************************************************************************** 1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST Albuquerque Maul Last year's prediction: 4th in division Actual results: 2nd in division, conference wildcard, defeated Bulldogs 4-0 in round 1, defeated Surfers 4-3 in AP conference finals, lost to Trout 4-1 in CDBL world series The unexpected march to the world series will translate into positive momentum for the Maul in 1990. They acquired Eric Davis in the off-season, who becomes their best hitter. Hubie Brooks, Shawon Dunston, Glenn Davis, and Jesse Barfield are all deep threats. Jody Reed is a capable table setter and catcher Brian Harper is among the best in the league. With Eric Davis and Shawon Dunston the only base threats, the Maul are one of the slower teams in the league. Ace Dave Stieb can match up with any starter in the league, and Eric King is a decent #2 starter in limited playing time. John Smoltz, Chris Bosio and Bob Walk are average innings eaters. Gregg Olson and Mike Henneman provide a strong 1-2 punch in the bullpen. OUTLOOK: No MVP candidates on the team, but a solid hitting lineup and quality pitchers will make Albuquerque the Gehrig division favorite this year. 2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND Concord Minutemen Last year's prediction: 3rd in division Actual results: 3rd in division The usual suspects are back, and the 1990 version of the Minutemen may be their strongest since their 1987 championship season. Kirby Puckett and Jose Canseco both will have strong seasons. Last year's vet experiment (George Bell) was a rousing success, and they hope Dave Parker can find a similar "second wind" this year. Zane Smith and Nolan Ryan are strong starters, and the rest of the rotation should be OK. Randy Myers will do a terrific job in the closer role. OUTLOOK: The Minutemen are rested and reloaded, and could easily win the Gehrig division pennant if the Maul falter. 3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD Topeka Stingers Last year's prediction: 5th in division Actual results: 4th in division The Stingers will make a splash this year, a few breakout performances and off-season acquisitions. Cecil Fielder will have a tremendous year at first, bashing home runs like there's no tomorrow. Ron Gant is a 30/30 threat, and Andy Van Slyke and Ruben Sierra help make up an above average outfield. Wade Boggs was acquired in the off-season, and should score a bushel of runs. Kirk McCaskill and Mark Portugal match up with the #1's & #2's of the division, and the 3rd-5th are decent, if unspectacular. Tim Burke and Todd Burns are quality relievers. OUTLOOK: Some great hitting and OK pitching will make the Stingers competitive, even potential pennant winners. The season will have to play out to see how they do. 4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH Boulder County Trustafarians Last year's prediction: 6th in division Actual results: 6th in division Formerly known as the Homestead Gray's, the Trustafarians hope their name change will signal better things to come. Barry Larkin is starting to come into his own, hitting for average, getting on base and scoring runs at the top of the order. Chris James, John Kruk, and Pedro Guerrero provide solid if unspectacular bats in the lineup. One player to watch is 3B Matt Williams: He's got 30 homer power and will drive in plenty of runs with Kruk and Larkin ahead of him. Ron Robinson is not a name many people would associate with an ace pitcher, Robinson, combined with Tom Gordon and Scott Sanderson, will form a capable starting rotation. Jeff Montgomery is money in the closer position. OUTLOOK: Things are looking up for Boulder County. Expect improvement over past years in 1990. 5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH PV Stallions Last year's prediction: 2nd in division Actual results: 5th in division Get these guys a sandwich! There's a power outage in PV-ville. Their top sluggers are Luis Polonia and Roberto Alomar, who are much better suited to being at the top of the order to score runs. Matt Nokes is their best power threat, and may only barely crack double digits in dingers. Luckily, their pitching staff is very good. Bobby Welch is a Cy candidate (if he can get run support), and Tom Candiotti and Doc Gooden are solid members of the rotation. Longtime Stallion John Franco will remain the closer. OUTLOOK: Some good pitching, but it's going to be really difficult to score runs. Expect lots of 2-1 contests. 6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH6TH Ocean Beach Surfers Last year's prediction: 1st in division Actual results: Gehrig pennant winner, lost 4-3 to Maul in GT conf finals Teams ebb and flow, and 1990 will be Ocean Beach's turn to ebb like there's no tomorrow. Their pennant of 1989 has come at a steep cost, as just about everyone has experienced a decline. The hitters are either injured (Danny Tartabull) or anemic, and other than promising youngsters Greg Maddux and Kevin Brown, the pitching staff is a complete disaster. OUTLOOK: It's going to be ugly. The last time it got this ugly for the Surfers was 1985, and that helped them nab the #1 overall pick in the draft. Perhaps the Surfers can nab another young starter to go with the Maddux/Brown/Smiley rotation for the 90's? ************************************************************************** Tiant Division Preview: It's going to be a close contest (again) in the Tiant division. With a lucky bounce, any of these teams could win the pennant. ************************************************************************** 1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST1ST Dark Valley Destinies Last year's prediction: 2nd in division Actual results: Tie for 3rd in division Power. That's the name of the game for the lineup in Dark Valley. Darryl Strawberry, Dave Henderson, Jack Clark and Howard Johnson could all potentially hit 30 home runs. Junior Felix and Jeff King are good for 15. Other than HoJo, no real speed, but you don't need to run after the ball has left the park. Doug Drabek is a Cy contender. The rest of the starting rotation are not 200 inning workhorses, but they'll cobble together a rotation of guys like Norm Charlton, Scott Erickson and Jason Grimsley to post above average numbers. Greg Harris and Rick Honeycutt are early candidates to close on a team that has just one real star pitcher (Drabek) but a lot of above average role players. OUTLOOK: A formidable hitting lineup and a deep and flexible pitching corps makes Dark Valley the Tiant division favorite this year. 2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND2ND Boston Bulldogs Last year's prediction: 1st in division Actual results: Tiant division winner, lost to Maul 4-0 in round 1 Kevin Mitchell was a monster at the plate in 1989, winning the MVP award. The 1990 edition won't be quite as fearsome, but he's still good for 30+ homers and a solid middle of the order presence. The Bulldogs feature a trio of guys who will do well hitting in front of Mitchell: Willie McGee, Edgar Martinez and Mike Greenwell. All 3 are similar hitters. They are not long ball threats, but are great at getting clutch singles, walks and doubles. Chris Nabholz, Randy Tomlin and Bob Tewksbury are no Jack Morris when it comes to workhorse innings, but between them they are good for 1 1/2 ace pitchers. Youngster Randy Johnson, Mike Morgan and Mike Scott round out an above average rotation. Larry Anderson could be one of the best closers in the league this year. OUTLOOK: Some great top of the order hitters and a deep rotation will make Boston serious contenders for the Tiant division pennant. 3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD3RD Front Range Riders Last year's prediction: 4th in division Actual results: 2nd in division Formerly known as the Dallas Donkeys, the Riders have traditionally been known for solid pitching, shaky hitting. Well, nothing is new in 1990. The rotation of Roger Clemens, Danny Darwin, David Wells, Andy Benes and John Burkett is one of the strongest in the conference. Lee Smith will be an ace closer. The Riders should finish near the top of the league in ERA. Mark McGwire is still a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the order, but the Riders will need to coax more out of Tom Brunansky and new arrive Robin Yount if they expect to score a lot of runs. OUTLOOK: Great pitching, a little iffy hitting. Still, all it might take is another big bat down the stretch for the Riders to move up in the standings. 4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH4TH Orange Whoop Last year's prediction: 3rd in division Actual results: 5th in division The Whoop are one of those teams who you know have a lot of potential, but can't seem to get over the hump. Kelly Gruber and Bo Jackson are great at the plate, and get support from Dave Winfield and Greg Jefferies. Big hopes are on John Olerud, Juan Gonzalez and Jay Buhner to provide run support in the future. David Cone, Mike Boddicker and Ed Whitson form one of the better starting pitcher trios in the game. Rick Aguilera is a capable closer. OUTLOOK: The Whoop are a hard team to judge. If their team gels, they could be pennant contenders. If it doesn't, they could hit the cellar. But with Juan Gonzalez, Jay Buhner and Tom Glavine looking to greatly improve in the years to come, this is a team to watch. 5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH5TH Hollywood Stars Last year's prediction: 5th in division Actual results: Tied for 3rd in division Salary restrictions and age are starting to take their toll. The Andy Van Slyke's, Eric Davis's and Danny Jackson's of the '87 and '88 pennant winners are gone. Still, not time for the funeral dirge just yet. Bobby Bonilla is the big bat in the middle, and Dave Magadan is an infielder who does everything but hit home runs. Lots of players who will steal 20 bases and/or hit 15 home runs. Bruce Hurst is still the ace of the staff, and they'll get a decent half-year performance out of draftee Bret Saberhagen. Craig Lefferts and Eric Plunk are above average relievers. OUTLOOK: The Stars don't have quite as much star power as the pennant winners of a few years back, but don't count them out yet. The Tiant division pennant has always been a closely fought contest, and if the ball bounces their way the Stars could surprise.