2015 CFOD PREVIEW "Your Mileage May Vary!" Predicted MK Conf Wildcard - Cincinnati Rock Predicted RY Conf Wildcard - Rocklin Thunder Predicted #1 League Wildcard - Angry Candy Predicted #2 League Wildcard - San Diego Termites Predicted World Series - Syndicate over Pitbulls ************ Mantle ************ 1st - Mechan Syndicate (Last Year: 93-69, #1 league wildcard) Excellent drafting has made the Syndicate the team to beat in 2015. Buster Posey remains the best catcher in baseball, and Troy Tulowitzki was able to put up (for him at least) a reasonably healthy season. Mookie Betts is an emerging star, and youngsters Delino Deshields Jr and George Springer will contribute to the lineup. Zach Greinke, David Price and Dallas Keuschel are all aces, and Garrett Richards will feed on the #4 starters across the league. Brad Ziegler and Huston Street lead a relatively thin bullpen, but the Syndicate are going to be so far ahead by the 7th inning that probably won't matter. 2nd - Angry Candy (Last Year: 96-66, Mantle Division Pennant, 2014 CFOD Champions) Last year's champs, the Candy are poised to defend their crown despite injuries to young stars Marcus Stroman and Anthony Rendon. There may not be any all-star hitters in the lineup, but Brandon Crawford at short, Adam Lind at first and Andre Ethier in the outfield should help them score some runs. Kevin Kiermaier has some pop as well as some speed. Where the Angry Candy will get their wins is in the pitching. Hector Santiago, Carlos Carrasco and Jordan Zimmerman are a power trio in the rotation, and Hector Rondon leads a decent bullpen. 3rd - Springfield 'Topes (Last Year: 69-93, 5th place in division) Star Yasiel Puig may be injured this year, but the batting lineup will feature a deep and talented lineup. Dustin Pedroia, Matt Duffy, Brock Holt and Eduardo Escobar give the 'Topes a talented infield who can hit, and Mitch Moreland is good for 20 dingers. Veteran John Lackey mans the ace position, and Marco Estrada and Mark Buehrle will keep Springfield competitive. Alex Wilson and Will Harris lead a bullpen that gives the 'Topes plenty of options for the 8th & 9th innings. 4th - San Francisco Organization (Last Year: 78-84, 4th place in division) 4 years removed from their CFOD championship season, Adrian Gonzalez and Yadier Molina are the lone holdovers in the batting lineup, with Gonzalez good for another 30 home runs. Brandon Phillips is good for batting average and steals, and acquisition Justin Upton is a power source for the middle. Scott Kazmir, Corey Kluber and JA Happ are a solid 1-2-3 in the rotation, and Santiago Casilla leads a capable bullpen. 5th - Arlington Arthropods (Last Year: 53-109, 6th place in division) After the dumpster fire of an offense in 2014, Arlington has stocked several weapons to improve on that in 2015. Besides the always great Mike Trout is a healthy Prince Fielder and Matt Kemp. Yunel Escobar provides a nice on base average at an infield position. And they have power rookie Miguel Sano to look forward to in future years. Pitching is a little iffy this year. On the pitching front, Danny Salazar lines up as the default ace. Alex Wood and Anthony DeSclafani will soak up some innings, but will have problems matching up against the better pitchers of the league. The bullpen is a definite weak point. 6th - Fightin' Oglethorpes of Georgia (Last Year: 86-76, 3rd place in division) Just 2 years removed from a 7 game World Series appearance, the time in the stratosphere will take its toll on the Fightin' Oglethorpes this year. Lorenzo Cain has stepped up his game as an elite outfielder, and Ender Inciarte provides some nice speed and average. But the rest of the hitters get replacement level pretty fast. There's no workhorse amongst the starters while they wait for Aaron Nola to mature. One *really* bright spot is the bullpen, which is likely the best in the majors. Craig Kimbrel, Zach Britton and Andrew Miller lead the talented bunch. ************ Koufax ************ 1st - Pig's Eye Pirates (Last Year: 98-64, Koufax Division Pennant) Eternal youth paid off last year for the Pirates, who posted the best regular season record in the majors. Anthony Rizzo hits for power, has some speed and gets on base. Jose Altuve will attempt to repeat as MVP, and Christian Yelich keeps getting better every year. Odubel Herrera and Gregory Polanco help make Pig's Eye one of the fastest teams in the league. Jacob deGrom anchors the staff, and Jaime Garcia and Jake Odorizzi lead a bevy of young and talented hurlers. Trevor Rosenthal and Wade Davis head up a bullpen that should protect any lead. 2nd - Cincinnati Rock (Last Year: 96-66, MK Conference Wildcard) The good times are back in Cincinnati, winning 96 games last year. If anything they may win more in 2015. Kole Calhoun and Starling Marte are the stars in the lineup, and a surprising Logan Forsythe and Martin Prado feature in the infield. The real stars of the team is the rotation, where Felix Hernandez may be the worst starter amongst the bunch. Gerrit Cole, Matt Harvey, Carlos Martinez and Johnny Cueto and Hernandez form the best starting 5 in the majors. Luke Gregerson leads a relatively thin bullpen, but who needs relievers when you've got this rotation? 3rd - Minneapolis Malice (Last Year: 76-86, 4th place in division) The Malice may sabermetric their way to a top offense this year. Joey Votto has a full season, and Jose Bautista will hit plenty of home runs. Mark Gardner can swipe a base, and Jason Kipnis, Jose Iglesias and youngster Randal Grichuk help make this one of the more feared lineups in the league. Shelby Miller is the ace, and Jon Lester is a capable 2nd starter. Carlos Rodon and CJ Wilson fill out the rotation. David Robertson and Tom Wilhelmsen lead a solid bullpen. Competition in the division should be fierce, but the Malice will be in contention for a wildcard spot. 4th - Somerville Sluggers (Last Year: 60-102, 6th place in division) Somerville bottomed out in 2014, and that turned into #1 overall pick Carlos Correa. Correa and Manny Machado should anchor the infield for years to come. Lots of pop in this lineup, with Mark Teixeira, Brian Dozier and Brian McCann all capable of hitting the long ball. AJ Pollock should thrive at the top of the order and score plenty of runs. Jose Quintana and Edinson Volquez are solid starters, and Clay Buchholz and Patrick Corbin should patch together to make a good #3 starter. Lots of no-name-but- quality relievers like Mark Lowe and Cesar Ramos. 5th - Walcott Walruses (Last Year: 67-95, 5th place in division) The Walruses will trot out some fine hitters this year. Ryan Braun hits for power and speed, Kendrys Morales should have a nice bounce back season and Nick Markakis provides the on base power at the top of the lineup. Other guys like Colby Rasmus, Brandon Belt and Chris Carter would provide a lot of power, but the 1B/OF spots are a bit of a logjam. Michael Wacha is the ace of the staff, and Stephen Strasburg pitches decently when he does pitch. Acquisition Aroldis Chapman heads a capable bullpen. 6th - Lakeview Zeros (Last Year: 93-69, #2 league wildcard) Age, salary and injuries will take their toll as ace Adam Wainwright and Matt Holliday did not return to this playoff team. Matt Carpenter has raised his game, adding 30 home run power to his already excellent on base skills. Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward and Michael Brantley are also bright spots in the lineup, and Didi Gregorius adds excellent defense at shortstop. Where things go south for Lakeview is the pitching. Max Scherzer is an ace and could place top 10 in wins, but the rest of the rotation is a mess. Jeurys Familia and Sergio Romo are quality relievers, but the bullpen gets thin after that. ************ Ruth ************ 1st - Paxtang Pitbulls (Last Year: 93-69, RY Conference Wildcard) The Pitbulls have made the playoffs for the past 3 years, and this year will be no exception. Miguel Cabrera is still performing at an all-pro level, although he will be fighting injuries. Andrew McCutchen is still one of the elite outfielders in the game. Xander Bogaerts is elevating his game, and hits for a high average while playing shortstop. Ben Zobrist and Trevor Plouffe add to this strong lineup. Chris Archer anchors the rotation, which features effective veterans like AJ Burnett, Gio Gonzalez and Jason Hammel. Kevin Siegrist leads a very solid bullpen. 2nd - San Diego Termites (Last Year: 94-68, Ruth Division Pennant, RY Conference Champions) San Diego made it all the way to the world series last year, and their core is back for another run. Josh Donaldson is one of the best 3B in the league, hitting for power. Albert Pujols moves from a bench role to a starter and is good for 40 home runs. Josh Reddick, Jose Reyes and Howie Kendrick lead a scrappy bunch who should be competitive in the run scoring column. Lance Lynn is the ace of the rotation, and Dan Haren and Ian Kennedy can eat some innings. Francisco Rodriguez and Cody Allen lead a strong bullpen. 3rd - Miami Mangos (Last Year: 91-71, 3rd place in division) Having put together a couple of strong seasons, 2015 may be Miami's best chance yet of making the playoffs. Adam Jones and Kyle Seager provide some power in the middle, Gerard Parra and Ian Kinsler solidify the lineup, and Francisco Lindor provides a strong bat at the top of the lineup with formidable defensive skills at shortstop. Jake Arrieta could contend for the Cy Young award, and Wei-Yin Chen, Masahiro Tanaka and Nathan Karns round out the rotation. If only Jose Fernandez were fully recovered from Tommy John surgery! Kevin Jepsen heads up a solid bullpen. 4th - California Coneheads (Last Year: 85-77, 6th place in division) Last place isn't what it used to be, as the Coneheads still had a winning record. Paul Goldschmidt is once again one of the league's elite hitters, and David Peralta hits for average, speed and power. Youngsters Joc Pederson and Kyle Schwarber should be able to break a few car windows with their home run power. Cole Hamels and Yovani Gallardo anchor the rotation, and Bartolo Colon and Danny Duffy can eat some innings in the latter half of the rotation. Like the other teams above them in the division, the bullpen is solid, led by AJ Ramos. 5th - Topeka MooseDogs (Last Year: 89-73, 4th place in division) Who wants to see some dingers? The '15 MooseDogs feature all sorts of power this year, from the 40 home run power of Edwin Encarnacion and Carlos Gonzalez, the 30 home run power of Evan Gattis, to the 20 home run power of Shin Soo Choo, Adrian Beltre and Rougned Odor. Clayton Kershaw once again is the ace of the staff, and Kyle Gibson is a capable #2 starter, but the rest of the rotation gets a bit iffy after that. Shawn Tolleson leads a competent bullpen, if not perhaps as deep as the other teams in this division. But remember, everyone has had winning records in this division for 2 straight years, so it is all relative. 6th - Pismo Beach Drunken Clams (Last Year: 88-74, 5th place in division) Someone has to be picked last, even in a division as strong as this one. Pismo Beach features the home run power of JD Martinez, a throwback to the power hitters of the late 90's. Joe Panik is a promising young infielder and is joined in the infield by Jung Ho Kang. Tyson Ross anchors the rotation, and Chris Heston, Jorge de la Rosa and Doug Fister should be able to soak up some innings. No marquee names in the bullpen, but like every other bullpen in this division should be able to hold a lead. ************ Young ************ 1st - Park City Climbers (Last Year: 61-101, 5th place in division) After cratering in 2014, the Climbers should bounce back to contention thanks to some improved performances and a deep draft. Kris Bryant should excite the home crowd for years to come, and Yoenis Cespedes is good for 35 home runs. Charlie Blackmon can hit and swipe a base, and Mike Moustakas should have a fine year at the hot corner. Veteran Curtis Granderson gets on base and can smack a home run or two. No real aces on the staff, but Lance McCullers, Chris Young, Mike Leake and Ubaldo Jimenez can still deliver the pennant. Bullpen is great, assuming Jonathan Papelbon can keep his hands to himself in the bullpen. 2nd - Rocklin Thunder (Last Year: 60-102, 6th place in division) No team may have as good of 1-2 punch in the lineup as Bryce Harper and David Ortiz. The two will account for a lot of the offense. Franchise mainstay Carlos Beltran should also have a nice year. The rest of the lineup is either piece meal or not worth mentioning, but those 3 will help make them an above average offense. Chris Sale anchors the rotation, and impact rookie Noah Syndergaard should be effective in teh rotation. Erasmo Ramirez and Yordano Ventura would out the rotation. Kenley Jansen, Ken Giles and Carson Smith lead a formidable bullpen. 3rd - Seattle Moshers (Last Year: 84-78, Young Division Pennant) They won the pennant last year with only 84 wins, but their win total could improve in 2015. Nolan Arenado is emerging as a superstar slugger, and Dee Gordon is one of the best leadoff hitters in the game. Khris Davis, Jay Bruce and Mark Trumbo have some thump in their bat, and Billy Burns, Rajai Davis and Alcides Escobar help make this a speedy team. James Shields will pitch lots of innings but is a few years removed from his ace years, and the rest of the rotation will depend heavily on the defense to keep the score low. The bullpen is pretty amazing (much like everyone else in the league) with Mark Melancon and Darren O'Day leading the way. 4th - Tualatin Pioneers (Last Year: 79-83, 3rd place in division) The Pioneers have some intriguing talent this year. Giancarlo Stanton will have an injury plagued season, but when he plays he's elite. Todd Frazier will provide plenty of power at the hot corner, and Dexter Fowler can get on base and swipe a few. Sonny Gray and Madison Bumgarner can go toe-to-toe with any pitcher in the league, and Julio Teheran is not a bad #3. Tyler Clippard and Dellin Betances lead a strong bullpen. 5th - San Francisco Piazza's (Last Year: 82-80, 2nd place in division) Nelson Cruz, Alex Rodriguez and Jose Abreu form one of the top power hitting trios in the league, and Robinson Cano is still an above average 2B. After that the hitters start getting replacement level pretty quickly. Justin Verlander, Jake Peavy and Hisashi Iwakuma are solid starters when they can make a start, but starting pitching depth gets thin after that. The bullpen is one of the weaker ones in the league now that everyone is stocked with lights-out closers. 6th - Brookfield Brouhaha (Last Year: 73-89, 4th place in division) It's going to be a rebuilding year for Brookfield. Chris Davis should still have an excellent year, and Lucas Duda is serviceable, but the rest of the hitters leave a lot to be desired. Francisco Liriano is a capable starter and RA Dickey eats up a lot of innings, but the rest of the staff will struggle to wins games with the offense. Justin Wilson leads a thin bullpen.