2016 CFOD SEASON PREVIEW "Your Mileage May Vary" Predicted Pennants: San Francisco Organization, Pig's Eye Pirates, Paxtang Pitbulls, Rocklin Thunder MK Conference Wildcard: Arlington Arthropods RY Conference Wildcard: California Coneheads League Wildcards: Mechan Syndicate, Tualatin Pioneers World Series Prediction: Pirates over Coneheads ******************************************************* Mantle Division ******************************************************* 1st - San Francisco Organization (Last Season: 88-74, 4th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: The Organization's middle infield of Neil Walker and Asdrubel Cabrera gives them 25+ home run power and .280 batting averages. Justin Upton and Mike Napoli gives the lineup 30+ home run power but with low batting averages. Yadier Molina hits .300 from the catcher position with a rocket for an arm. Adrian Gonzalez and Paulo Orlando also add to the lineup. No one here is going to make an all-star team, but the offense should score enough runs for the pitching. PITCHERS: Pitching is where the Organization shines. Corey Kluber and JA Happ are dual aces. Junior Guerra, Colin McHugh and Scott Kazmir round out the above-average rotation. The bullpen is a little weak, with Santiago Casilla being the main name in the bullpen. Young hurler Raisel Iglesias will do well in the bullpen or as a spot starter, and they hope he can eventually start full time. OVERALL: Make no mistake, this is a pitching-oriented team. And the Organization will have their work cut out for them. They will need to fend off the Syndicate and Arthropods to capture the Mantle division. 2nd - Arlington Arthropods (Last Season: 63-99, 5th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: The Arthropods have had a below average offense for 3 straight years, but this might be the year they turn it around. Mike Trout is still arguably the best player in baseball, hitting for average, power, speed, and plays good defense. Matt Kemp should have a nice rebound season in the outfield, as will Elvis Andrus, hitting for average and swiping a few bases. Kendrys Morales and Adam Duvall may not hit for high averages but they've got plenty of power. Alex Bregman and Miguel Sano will combine for 30 home runs as the Arthropods decide who gets the hot corner in the future. And Gary Sanchez has a bright future as catcher. PITCHERS: Tanner Roark should have an excellent season as the team's ace. Rich Hill, Anthony DeScafani and Danny Salazar are fully capable of filling out the next two spots in the rotation. Arlington hopes Adam Wainwright or Michael Pineda will perform better than expected as they do bring down the back of the rotation a bit. The bullpen is also a little thin, with Pedro Baez the leading candidate for closer. Still, those are deficiencies that could be corrected via mid- season trades. OVERALL: The Arthropods should ride a strong offense to a winning record and are players in the Mantle division race. 3rd - Mechan Syndicate (Last Season: 109-53, Mantle Division Winner) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: There's some serious star power in this lineup. Mookie Betts has evolved into one of the best hitters in the game, covering speed, power, average, and defense. Buster Posey is still arguably the best catcher in baseball. Infielder Jonathan Villar can hit for average, get on base and will compete for the stolen bases title. Jonathan Schoop and Marcus Semien will have mediocre batting averages but will flirt with 30 home runs each. Adam Eaton and Brandon Belt know how to take a base and will only help this above average offense. PITCHERS: If there's an Achilles' heel for why the Syndicate are not ranked #1, it would be pitching. Drew Pomeranz might flirt with 20 wins with the run support, and David Price is frustratingly "just OK" this year. Zach Greinke took a huge step back this year, and the rest of the rotation is batting practice fodder. Zach Briton and Luke Gregerson lead a solid bullpen. OVERALL: They may be ranked 3rd, but if the back half of the rotation clicks the Syndicate could easily clinch the division. 4th - Springfield 'Topes (Last Season: 90-72, T-2nd in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Dustin Pedroia returns to anchor the offense, hitting for average, getting on base and smacking quite a few doubles while playing the middle infield. The rest of the offense is looking a little mediocre. Some players like Yasiel Puig are regressing, while others like Ichiro Suzuki are simply long in the tooth. Springfield may be one of the lower scoring teams this year. PITCHERS: The 'Topes have traditionally had good pitching, and this year is no different. Veterans John Lackey and Marco Estrada should do well and pitch a lot of innings. Ross Stripling and Chris Devenski can combine to be an effective 3rd starter, but the options drop off pretty quickly after that. Will Harris could be an effective closer, but Springfield could use a few more arms to keep the late innings scoreless, particularly if they decide to keep Devenski in the rotation. OVERALL: The 'Topes will struggle to score runs, and their pitching won't be enough to overcome that. 'Topes fans may need to look towards 2017 for a bounce-back. 5th - Fightin' Oglethorpes of Georgia (Last Season: 62-100, 6th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: The Oglethorpes feature quite a few veterans who will struggle through injury plagued seasons. Hunter Pence and Lorenzo Cain are valuable hitters when they are in the lineup. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy remains their best hitter, good for a .300 average and 25 home runs. Ender Inciarte provides good outfield defense, batting average and can swipe a base or two. The rest of the hitting lineup isn't much to write home about, and the team will find it difficult to score runs. PITCHERS: Young draftee Michael Fulmer instantly becomes their ace, who they hope will be their ace for years to come. The rest of the rotation are innings eaters who will likely give up too many runs to notch wins. Andrew Miller one of the league's best relievers, but the Oglethorpes don't have enough bullpen depth to overcome the hitting and starting pitching woes. OVERALL: The Fightin' Oglethorpes will likely see 2016 as another rebuilding year. 6th - Angry Candy (Last Season: 90-72, T-2nd in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: The Angry Candy feature some pretty good infielders. Brandon Crawford is known for his defense but has quite a bit of power. Anthony Rendon bounces back for a nice season after an injury plagued 2015. Devon Travis can hit for average and has some pop in his bat when he's able to play. Kevin Kiermaier is an underrated defender, with hopes of his bat developing. The rest of the lineup is going to be pretty unproductive. The Candy will struggle to score runs. PITCHERS: Carlos Carrasco and Marcus Stroman are strong starters, and Zach Davies could morph into a solid future starter, but the rest of the pitching is going to be atrocious. No bullpen to speak of, so expect to see a lot of high scoring 9th innings from the other teams. OVERALL: The Candy have a nice core of players but 2016 is clearly going to be a rebuilding year. ******************************************************* Koufax Division ******************************************************* 1st - Pig's Eye Pirates (Last Season: 112-50, Koufax Division Winner) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Jose Altuve gets better every year, hitting for power, average and can swipe a base or two. Anthony Rizzo and Evan Longoria pack some power in the infield, and Andrelton Simmons anchors the defense at short. Christian Yelich has evolved into a "everything but home runs" superstar hitter, and Jackie Bradley Jr has a lot of thump in his bat. Odubel Herrera can get on base, swipe a few and has enough power to be dangerous. A very fearsome lineup. PITCHERS: Aaron Sanchez and Jacob deGrom will duel for the ace position. Jerad Eickhoff and Jake Odorizzi help round out one of the better rotations in the league. Brad Ziegler is the marquee name in the bullpen, but he'll have plenty of help from Nate Jones, Addison Reed and Zach Duke. All in all one of the best pitching staffs in the league. OVERALL: They're young, they're talented, and they're the odds on pick to repeat as division champs. 2nd - Cincinnati Rock (Last Season: 91-71, T-2nd in Division, 2015 CFOD Champion) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: The Rock acquired superstar Giancarlo Stanton in the off-season, who provides a lot of power for the 2/3'rds of a season he'll be able to play him. Jake Lamb and Brad Miller have some power in their bat at the cost of low batting average. Carlos Santana can hit homers and can get a walk. Starling Marte may be their strongest hitter, hitting for average, doubles and is one of the speediest base runners in the league. The Rock will depend on their superstars to score some runs. PITCHERS: Matt Harvey and Gerritt Cole have injury shortened seasons, but the Rock still have plenty of arms to make it work. Johnny Cueto is a formidable ace, and Carlos Martinez could be an ace on many teams. The rest of the rotation is piecemeal, with Miguel Gonzalez, Cole and others filling it out. No big names in the bullpen, so Cincinnati hopes it can make names like Ryan Dull or Brad Hand a featured presence in the 9th inning. OVERALL: The Rock returned to the promised land in 2015, winning the CFOD title. With the likes of Stanton, Marte and Cueto they should have enough in the gas tank to defend their title in the post-season. 3rd - Walcott Walruses (Last Season: 67-95, 5th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: The Walruses have one of the best young shortstops in the game in Corey Seager, who at 22 already shows superstar material. Ryan Braun continues to hit well, and Daniel Murphy will compete for the batting title. George Springer has some thump in his bat, and Chris Carter is a big source of home runs (and strike outs). The offense would be even better if they could fit Trevor Story into the lineup, who is blocked by the presence of Seager. This lineup should score some runs. PITCHERS: Stephen Strasburg and Kevin Gausmen give the Walruses some options at the top of the rotation, but the end of the rotation will struggle to keep the score down. What will help Walcott is their legion of talented bullpen arms, led by Wade Davis, Aroldis Chapman and Cody Allen. If their starters can make it to the 5th inning, the bullpen should be able to take it from there. OVERALL: Some talented hitters and a deep bullpen should allow Walcott to make a playoff run this year. 4th - Somerville Sluggers (Last Season: 75-87, 4th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Carlos Correa and Manny Machado are two of the best young hitters in the game today. Brian Dozier will hit a lot of home runs from a middle infield position, as will Yasmani Grandal at catcher. Hanley Ramirez is reclaiming some of his past form and will add batting average and home run power at first base. They could use another outfield bat but the present lineup should still score plenty of runs. PITCHERS: Carlos Quintana is Somerville's workhorse ace this season. The rest of the rotation quickly falls off, so keeping the score down will prove difficult. The bullpen doesn't feature any famous names, and depth is a concern. OVERALL: The Sluggers have several things stacked against them, but the star power of Correa and Machado should keep them competitive. 5th - Lakeview Zeros (Last Season: 54-108, 6th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTING: Freddie Freeman is one of the best 1B in the league, who is able to hit for average, draw the walk and smash the home run. For his partial season this year Trea Turner will be a highlight at the top of the order. Matt Carpenter has an eye for walks and doubles from the infield position, and Martin Prado is a .300 hitter. Yasmany Tomas is a free swinger with 30 home run potential and triple digit strikeout totals. Overall the hitting should keep the opposing pitchers honest. PITCHING: Max Scherzer is a bonafide ace who can eat up a lot of innings. Draftee Yu Darvish they hope can pick up his old elite form. Jeremy Hellickson, Felix Hernandez and Josh Tomlin round out a capable rotation. Hector Rondon is the known name in the bullpen, and while there are some talented relievers, the depth is not as great as seen with other teams in the division. OVERALL: Lakeview have some hitters, and have some pitchers. It is a very competitive division this year, so 5th place could be considered a floor and a winning season is not out of the question. 6th - Minneapolis Malice (Last Season: 91-71, T-2nd in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Joey Votto continues to be a franchise hitter at first base, and acquisition JD Martinez will help score some runs. Jason Kipnis continues to be one of the better 2B out there. Still, the Malice could use an extra bat or two to consistently score some runs. PITCHERS: Jon Lester is an ace who can go toe to toe with anyone in the league. After that the rotation falls off pretty quickly, and the Malice may not have the run support for them. Seung Hwan Oh and David Robertson lead a capable if a bit thin bullpen. OVERALL: The Malice made it to the conference finals last year, but this year may prove to be more difficult to make it past game #162. ******************************************************* Ruth Division ******************************************************* 1st - Paxtang Pitbulls (Last Season: 68-94, 6th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Miguel Cabrera continues to perform at an MVP level, hitting for average, getting walks, and smashing home runs. Xander Bogaerts is one of the top young shortstops, a .300 hitter who should score plenty of runs. Stephen Piscotty, Ben Zobrist and Gregory Polanco all have good power to help make this an above-average offense. They might have had the league's top offense if Andruw McCutchen wasn't in store for a merely "OK" season. PITCHERS: Rick Porcello made the jump to a Cy Young candidate, and could lead the league in wins. The rest of the rotation is a bit weak, but Matt Shoemaker and Chris Archer will still win on run support. The bullpen is strong, led by Jeurys Familia. If the Pitbulls lead by the 7th inning, the bullpen will keep things in check. OVERALL: Great seasons from Rick Porcello and Miguel Cabrera, the overall hitting and the strong bullpen makes Paxtang the early season favorite to win the Ruth division. 2nd - California Coneheads (Last Season: 95-67, Ruth Division Winner) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Paul Goldschmidt continues to be an elite talent at first base, hitting .300 with an on base average north of .400, hits for all kinds of power and is even good for 30+ stolen bases. DJ LeMahieu has emerged as an elite tablesetter who should contend for the batting title. Aledmys Diaz is a .300 hitter and .500 slugger, and Justin Turner can hit 30 home runs to give California one of the most talented infields in the game. Danny Valencia and Joc Pederson will also help the Coneheads score plenty of runs. PITCHERS: Veterans Cole Hamels and Bartolo Colon know how to win and should contend for all-star spots. Danny Duffy is a more than capable #3 starter. James Paxton and a few part timers will make easy work of the 4th spot. Kelvin Herrera is a closer on the rise, and the bullpen is deep with quality arms. OVERALL: The Coneheads are poised to contend for the division title again, and their pitching is playoff-ready. 3rd - Miami Mangos (Last Season: 81-81, 3rd in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Kyle Seager, Ian Kinsler and Adam Jones form the core of the hitting lineup, and each should be good for 30 home runs. Francisco Lindor is evolving into one of the best shortstops in the league, hitting for average with some speed on the base paths. JT Realmuto is a .300 hitter with doubles power, and Tyler Naquin and Michael Saunders will help the Mangos be above-average in the run scoring department. PITCHERS: Few teams have as good of a 1-2-3 in their rotation as Jake Arrieta, Jose Fernandez and Masahiro Tanaka. Chris Tillman is an above average #4 starter. Miami doesn't have a name brand closer but still feature a strong bullpen with the likes of Kyle Barraclough and Tony Barnette. OVERALL: The Mangos are loaded with talent, and will contend for a wildcard spot -- perhaps even win the division if everything comes together. 4th - Topeka Moosedogs (Last Season: 83-79, 2nd in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Get ready for the long-ball parade. Adrian Beltre, Carlos Conzales, Rougned Odor, Juan Encarnacion and Evan Gattis should all hit 30 home runs (or more). Hernan Perez will steal quite a few bases and Addison Russell will add an excellent defensive presence at shortstop. Jose Bautista and Marcell Ozuna will add to the offense. Expect to see plenty of fireworks, although the offense would be even more effective with a few more walks sprinkled amongst the hitters. PITCHERS: Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball -- when he isn't injured. Ervin Santana will pitch a full and effective year in the rotation, and Jeff Samardzija is a great #3 starter. Matt Moore, Sean Manaea and a few others gives Topeka plenty of options for the back half of the rotation. Jeremy Jeffress leads a strong and capable bullpen. OVERALL: With so many talented teams in the division someone has to be picked 4th, but Topeka will still be a contender for a wildcard spot. 5th - San Diego Termites (Last Season: 80-82, 4th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: The Termites feature the power duo of Albert Pujols and Josh Donaldson, who should drive in plenty of runs. The main beneficiary of that will be acquisition Jean Segura, who should hit for average, steal quite a few bases and even hit a home run or two (or 20). Melky Cabrera and Logan Forsythe will add to the offense, but hitting gets a bit thin after that. PITCHERS: Ian Kennedy, Dan Straily and Jason Hammel are workhorse pitchers, but could be considered outmatched by the aces in the division. The other starters will likely struggle. Joaquin Benoit and Joe Blanton lead a solid and steady bullpen. OVERALL: It's an arms and bats race in the Ruth division, and San Diego might find themselves a bit short in that department this year. 6th - Olympia Rainiers (Last Season: 73-89, 5th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Gone is JD Martinez and most other hitters that could score some runs. The Rainiers did pick up Eric Hosmer on the cheap, but he's not going to have a franchise player type year. Still, the team is loaded with young talent like Brandon Drury, Javier Baez and Dansby Swanson who will give the team hope for the future. Just not for the present. PITCHERS: James Shields, Jared Weaver and Wade Miley would form one of the league's best rotations...in 2012. Now they are just bad innings eaters. The pitching staff is going to be a train wreck from top to bottom. There's hope that Sonny Gray will bounce back to ace form. OVERALL: The team is in full rebuild mode. When you are at the bottom, the only way you can go is up. ******************************************************* Young Division ******************************************************* 1st - Rocklin Thunder (Last Season: 93-69, T-2nd in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: It is Papi Ortiz's last year as a player, and Rocklin hopes to send him out on top. Ortiz will show no signs of slowing down. Carlos Beltran will continue to defy father time as well, making Rocklin's 2 best hitters amongst the oldest in the league. Last year's MVP Bryce Harper will have a down year, if an on base average in the high .300's with 20/20 ability is considered down. Billy Hamilton continues to rack up the steals, but will need to improve his on base average to keep his job. Maikel Franco is a young 3B with some pop, and Josh Harrison provides some veteran presence in the middle infield. PITCHERS: Noah Syndergaard might be the best young pitcher in the game today, and Chris Sale gives Rocklin a mighty 1-2 punch in the rotation. Brandon Finnegan is a solid #3 starter, but the options for the rest of the rotation is a little scary. Kenley Janson will likely contend for Fireman of the Year, but the Thunder could use a few more bullpen arms if they want to solidify their hold on the division. OVERALL: An excellent swan song year from David Ortiz, plus the dynamic duo of Syndergaard and Sale should make Papi's final year one of a pennant winner. 2nd - Tualatin Pioneers (Last Season: 67-95, 5th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Giancarlo Stanton departed the team in the off-season via trade, but the Pioneers should still score plenty of runs. Dexter Fowler will be one of the top table-setters in the league with a high on base average and some power in his bat. Victor Martinez defies father time to be a power bat in the middle. Todd Frazier picks up the "3 true outcomes" mantle, although for him it is mostly concentrated in home runs and strike outs. Ian Desmond has 20/20 capability and Starlin Castro is a decent hitter for a middle infielder. PITCHERS: The Pioneers have put together an amazing rotation, likely the best in the league. Madison Bumgarner will compete for the Cy Young award, and Julio Teheran, Steven Matz and #1 overall pick Kenta Maeda round out a formidable rotation. Tyler Thornburg and Dellin Betances are lights out relievers, and the strong rotation means the need for bullpen depth isn't as great for Tualatin as it is for other teams. OVERALL: Tualatin's mighty pitching staff should bring the Pioneers their first post-season appearance since the year 2000. 3rd - Park City Climbers (Last Season: 94-68, Young Division Winner) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Kris Bryant continues to improve into one of the league's best hitters and could contend for MVP honors. Yoenis Cespedes and Charlie Blackmon hit for average and power and could join Bryant on the all-star team. Jedd Gyorko and Curtis Granderson have 30 homer power but at a cost of low batting averages. Troy Tulowitzki and Matt Holliday may not be the stars they once were but should still contribute to this intimidating lineup. PITCHERS: Who is the ace on this team? Lance McCullers, Jameson Taillon, Colby Lewis and Tyler Chatwood are decent pitchers but not full time starters. The more they depend on Mike Leake and Jhoulys Chacin to fill starts the more will be required of their offense. Roberto Osuna and Francisco Rodriguez lead a solid bullpen. OVERALL: Some bright stars on this team, if they had a few more 200+ innings starters the Climbers would be the team to beat in this division. 4th - San Francisco Piazza's (Last Season: 47-115, 6th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Veterans Robinson Cano, Jose Abreu and Nelson Cruz lead a solid offense. Each should hit for average, power and be able to nab a walk or two. Wil Myers is finally starting to deliver on his potential, and Nick Castellanos is a young 3B on the rise. Jacoby Ellsbury will add some stolen base capability. PITCHERS: Veterans Justin Verlander and CC Sabathia show good things come to those who wait, and should be quality starters at the top of the rotation. After #3 starter Hisashi Iwakuma the rotation gets a little thin. The Piazza's feature a lot of name brand star power in the bullpen with AJ Ramos and Craig Kimbrel, but a lot of those stars are likely to provide disappointing performances this year. OVERALL: San Francisco wins the game of name recognition this year, but will their pitching and bullpen hold up to a 162 game schedule? 5th - Brookfield Brouhaha (Last Season: 78-84, 4th in Division) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Chris Davis will once again be faced with the task of driving the entire offense. Expect lots of dingers but not a lot of base hits. Wilson Ramos is good for a .300 batting average from the catcher position, and Brandon Phillips, Yangervis Solarte and Kole Calhoun will help score some runs. Eduardo Nunez and Travis Jankowski can still some bases, but other than Davis and Ramos there's not a lot of power to be found in Brookfield this year. PITCHERS: Kyle Hendricks should be a lights-out starter, and Steven Wright is a solid 2nd starter. The rest of the rotation is a little iffy. Still, Brookfield can count on one of the deepest bullpens in the league. Jim Johnson and Tony Watson are the big names in the bullpen, but with the depth here the starters only need to last 5 innings. OVERALL: The hitting is a little light, the back half of the rotation is too, but the gigantic bullpen should help Brookfield stay competitive. 6th - Seattle Moshers (Last Season: 93-69, T-2nd in Division, RY Representative in World Series) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HITTERS: Seattle is going yard this year. Mark Trumbo, Nolan Arenado and Khris Davis are all 40+ home run hitters, and Didi Gregorius, Jay Bruce, Salvador Perez and Melvin Upton Jr are all threats for 20+ home runs. Rajai Davis, Dee Gordon and Upton are stolen base threats. But other than Arenado none of the rest of the lineup be on base that much, and Seattle may break their own record for fewest walks drawn by a team. PITCHERS: The Moshers might feature one of the worst starting rotations of any team not trying to rebuild for 2017. Trevor Bauer is the ace by default, and Dallas Keuschel and Wei-Yin Chen are here for their bounce back potential, not their current performance. The bullpen is a bright spot, with Mark Melancon, Alex Colome, Sam Dyson and Steve Cishek forming one of the more elite group of relievers in the league. OVERALL: Last season the Moshers made it to the World Series, but a lack of starting pitching and a lack of walks will hamper a repeat performance.