2005 CDBL SEASON PREVIEW "Your Mileage May Vary!" Predicted Playoff Teams: Mantle Division - Angry Candy Koufax Division - Pig's Eye Pirates Ruth Division - Paxtang Pitbulls Young Division - Seattle Moshers MK Conference Wildcard - Cincinnati Rock RY Conference Wildcard - San Diego Termites #1 League Wildcard - San Francisco Piazza's #2 League Wildcard - California Coneheads WORLD SERIES PREDICTION - Pirates over Moshers ******************************************************************* Mantle Division - 1. Angry Candy (Last Year: 90-72, 2nd in division) HITTERS: Hector Rondon, Mitch Haniger and David Peralta form a high hitting, high walking, high slugging trio that should generate plenty of runs. Andrew Benintendi and rookie phenom Max Muncy add to one of the league's better offenses. PITCHERS: Carlos Carrasco has been a longtime ace and should win plenty of games. German Marquez and Renaldo Lopez are capable innings eaters. A few options in the bullpen at closer, led by Collin McHugh, but a few more bullpen arms may be needed. OVERALL: Lots of good hitting and a decent enough pitching staff to go deep in the playoffs. 2. Mechan Syndicate (Last Year: 80-82, 4th in division) HITTERS: Mookie Betts continues to step up his game, hitting for average, power and speed. Mallex Smith and Jonathan Villar are also speed demons, making the Syndicate one of the fastest teams in the league. Mike Moustakas and Randal Grichuk bring the power. PITCHERS: Zach Greinke is a capable staff ace, and David Price and Alex Wood can go toe-to-toe with any other starter. No big names in the bullpen, the Syndicate will have to trade for a closer or hope one emerges. OVERALL: The Syndicate will be highly competitive this year, and a division title is not out of the question. 3. Fightin' Oglethorpes of Georgia (Last Year: 71-91, 5th in division) HITTERS: The offense will be powered by heavy slugging 1B Jesus Aguilar. Lorenzo Cain will be an elite table-setter, getting on base and stealing a few. Youngster Ozzie Albies continues to improve his hitting. PITCHERS: Aaron Nola has emerged as a young ace. The rest of the rotation is iffy. Fortunately the Fightin' Oglethorpes sport a deep bullpen this year, one of the better ones in the league. OVERALL: The Fightin' Oglethorpes can put up a fight, but could put up an even bigger one with an additional bat and starter. 4. Arlington Arthropods (Last Year: 87-75, 3rd in division) HITTERS: Mike Trout remains the league's best hitter, and young star Alex Bregman, bounce-back veteran Matt Kemp and AJ Pollock help make the Arthropods one of the leagues more potent offenses. Oh, and they have the pinch hitting services of Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani. PITCHERS: Rich Hill is the de-facto ace, but will struggle to stay healthy. The rest of the rotation gets really bad really fast. If only Ohtani could have remained healthy on the mound! Some bullpen options are available, led by Jose Leclerc, but Arlington may have one of the highest team ERAs in the league this year. OVERALL: Great hitting, but bad pitching will make finishing in the top half of the division a challenge this year. 5. Springfield 'Topes (Last Year: 70-92, 6th in division) HITTERS: Eugenio Suarez has emerged as the 'Topes best hitter, and star crossed outfield Yasiel Puig should have a decent year. 28-year-old Joey Wendle replaces longtime franchise hitter Dustin Pedroia in the infield. Three-true-outcomes slugger Joey Gallo will hit plenty of home runs -- when he can connect with the ball. PITCHERS: Ross Stripling injury issues prevents him from being the full time ace. The rest of the rotation will struggle to keep the score down. Kirby Yates is a strong closer, but the rest of the bullpen could use some work. OVERALL: A few decent bats, but the 'Topes need a few more quality bodies to move higher in the division. 6. San Francisco Organization (Last Year: 93-69, Mantle Division Winner) HITTERS: Justin Upton is still here, but only decent vs right handers. Edwin Encarcaion was acquired over the off-season, but is on the downward slope of his career. All-in-all most of the hitters saw their peaks 3-4 years ago. PITCHERS: 2017 Cy winner Corey Kluber was traded in the offseason, signaling a rebuild. Mike Clevinger takes over as ace and is more than ready. Raisel Iglesias can close with the best of them but save opportunities will be limited. OVERALL: The Organization will be angling for a top pick in the 2019 draft. ******************************************************************* Koufax Division - 1. Pig's Eye Pirates (Last Year: 82-80, 5th in division) HITTERS: Jose Altuve continues to be the leagues' best 2B, and Christian Yelich has elevated his game, joining the Mookie Betts/Mike Trout level of hitting, home runs and stolen bases. Anthony Rizzo can still knock them out of the park, and Andrelton Simmons provides elite defense at shortstop while still hitting for average. PITCHERS: Jacob deGrom is one of the league's best hurlers, and Anibal Sanchez, Kyle Freeland and Madison Bumgarner will be one of the best rotations come playoff time. Adam Ottavino and Blake Parker are the closer candidates, but a few more bullpen arms may be needed for the rare times the game is tied after 8 innings. OVERALL: Some serious star power on offense and a strong rotation make the Pirates title favorites. 2. Cincinnati Rock (Last Year: 86-76, T-3rd in division) HITTERS: Acquiring Giancarlo Stanton for a 5th rounder a few years back continues to pay dividends, as Stanton once again anchors the lineup with his power bat. Rookie Miguel Andujar adds to the home run parade. Starling Marte should also have a good year, and the Rock hope that the part time players can come together to form a decent offense. PITCHERS: Gerrit Cole is a legit ace, and Carlos Martinez, Masahiro Tanaka and Jose Urena round out a competitive bullpen. Ryan Pressly is their best reliever, and the team may be in the market for a few more relievers during the season. OVERALL: Some nice hitters and a nice ace, the season will have to be played out to see how well the Rock do this year. 3. Walcott Walruses (Last Year: 93-69, Koufax Division Winner, 2018 CFOD Champion) HITTERS: When Walcott had a logjam at shortstop, they chose well, trading away Corey Seager for #1 pick Cody Bellinger. The other shortstop, Trevor Story, has grown to be their best hitter. George Springer, Jose Martinez and Daniel Palka will help make Walcott one of the better hitting lineups this year. PITCHERS: The rotation is really thin this year, with Stephen Strasburg and Robbie Ray battling injuries. The team once again features a fierce and deep bullpen, headed by the likes of Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen. OVERALL: They won it all in 2017, and their hitting and bullpen make it a distinct possibility that they could defend their title in 2018. 4. Minneapolis Malice (Last Year: 92-70, 2nd in division) HITTERS: JD Martinez is poised to have a monster year in the middle of the order, competing for MVP honors. Aaron Hicks should have a nice year in the outfield, but Joey Votto's curious lack of power may cause scoring challenges for the team this year. PITCHERS: Blake Snell will put it all together, and will compete for the Cy award this year. Jon Lester is an ace as well, and Junior Guerra and Carlos Rodon fill out the end of the rotation. Sean Doolittle leads a capable bullpen. OVERALL: A few good hitters and some decent pitching, but the lack of consistent bat power might harm their division title aspirations. 5. Somerville Sluggers (Last Year: 73-89, 6th in division) HITTERS: Manny Machado remains the man. Whit Merrifield should elevate his game as a table-setter and compete for a stolen base title. Shin Soo Choo will have a nice rebound season, but young star Carlos Correa will be taking a step back. That and a lack of slugging could stall the run scoring. PITCHERS: Patrick Corbin has made the leap to ace, and Jaime Barrea is a young hurler to watch. Nathan Eovaldi and Jose Quintana round out the rotation. Jose Alvarado and Steven Wright can throw fire, but the bullpen gets thin after that. OVERALL: This will be a highly competitive division, and Somerville could see their division placing go higher (or lower). 6. Lakeview Zeros (Last Year: 86-76, T-3rd in division) HITTERS: Freddie Freeman is one of the best first basemen in the league, Matt Carpenter can hit for power and get the walk, and Trea Turner is one of the best young shortstops in the league. Corey Dickerson adds to the offense, which does drop off fairly quickly after these 4 hitters. PITCHERS: Max Scherzer and Miles Mikolas may be the best 1-2 pitching combination in the league, but the rotation drops off considerably after that. Alex Colome and Zack Britton lead a solid bullpen. OVERALL: Someone has to be picked last, and chances are it won't actually be Lakeview this year. They are not your typical "bound to be last" team. ******************************************************************* Ruth Division - 1. Paxtang Pitbulls (Last Year: 69-93, 3rd in division) HITTERS: Jose Ramirez will factor into the MVP conversations this year, hitting for power and speed. Xander Bogaerts, Matt Chapman and CJ Cron help form one of the best hitting infields in the majors. Longtime veteran Andrew McCutchen leads the outfield. PITCHERS: The starting rotation is somewhat ho-hum, but at least Kevin Gausman, Chris Archer, Jake Junis and Trevor Richards will keep the team competitive during their 5 innings starts. Expect the Pitbulls to turn on the afterburners in the 6th, as Edwin Diaz and Brad Hand lead a formidable bullpen. OVERALL: The killer infield and killer bullpen make Paxtang the pre-season favorites to take the division title. 2. San Diego Termites (Last Year: 59-103, 5th in division) HITTERS: A #1 pick nabbed superstar in the making Ronald Acuna Jr. Jean Segura should score plenty of runs as a table-setter, and journeyman Nick Markakis provides a quality bat in the lineup. Yulieski Gurriel and Rougned Odor will help the Termites score some runs. PITCHERS: Michael Fiers, JA Happ and Dan Straily won't likely make any all-star games, but are decent options for the rotation. Jared Hughes and Jesse Chavez give San Diego some options at closer. Front to back quality in the pitching will be better than average. OVERALL: A bright new star in Ronald Acuna Jr gives the Termites some hope for the future, and their decent pitching will give them hope for the present. 3. California Coneheads (Last Year: 108-54, Ruth Division Winner) HITTERS: Paul Goldschimdt has been a consistently elite first baseman for many years, and 2018 will be no exception. Scooter Gennett and Justin Turner provide some pop in the infield, and Michael Brantley should have a nice bounce-back season. Kyle Schwarber brings his power hitting to the outfield. PITCHERS: Cole Hamels, Trevor Williams, Charlie Morton and James Paxton help form an above average rotation, even if none of them will compete for most innings pitched. Carl Edwards leads a no-name bullpen who should be quietly effective. OVERALL: The team did finish with the league's best record in 2017, and if the platoon hitting holds up they could just as easily repeat as division champion. 4. Miami Mangos (Last Year: 61-101, 4th in division) HITTERS: Francisco Lindor has the right to claim the best shortstop in the league title, hitting for power and swiping quite a few bases. JT Realmuto could be the all-star representative at catcher. Ben Zobrist can still hit at age 37, and Eddie Rosario and rookie Gleyber Torres can hit. PITCHERS: Mike Foltynewicz has emerged as a legit staff ace, and a rebuilt Zack Wheeler, Wade LeBlanc and veteran Jake Arrieta give Miami one of the better rotations in the division. Rich Rodriguez and Will Smith are elite closers, but the bullpen gets thin after that. OVERALL: If the hitters outperform the Mangos could make the playoffs - the last time they did that they won the CFOD title in 2016. 5. Topeka MooseDogs (Last Year: 92-70, 2nd in division) HITTERS: Veteran Robinson Cano may be their best hitter, but will be benched for half the year on drug violations. Stephen Piscotty is a decent hitter, but most of the hitters will suffer from "not enough batting average"/"not enough slugging" to provide below average run scoring. PITCHERS: The great Clayton Kershaw is still great, but injuries are becoming a greater concern. Sean Manaea and Chase Anderson are decent (if part-time) starters. The bullpen will be mighty impressive, full of quality relievers led by Josh Hader. OVERALL: The key to Topeka's season will be whether they can score enough runs in the early innings and keep the score low enough for their stellar bullpen to take over. If they can do that, they will rise in the standings. 6. Olympia Rainiers (Last Year: 40-122, 6th in division) HITTERS: The offense will take a step backwards due to the injury to shortstop Corey Seager. Pedro Baez continues to improve and will be a strong bat in the middle. Rookie Juan Soto should be a mainstay for years to come. The rest of the hitting is somewhat forgettable. PITCHERS: Kyle Gibson and Tyler Skaggs head the top of the rotation, but they will be hard pressed to compete with some of the other rotations in the league. No real bullpen to speak of. OVERALL: Time for year 3 of the rebuild! ******************************************************************* Ruth Division - 1. Seattle Moshers (Last Year: 95-67, 2nd in division) HITTERS: The Moshers have embraced the long ball this year. Nolan Arenado, Nelson Cruz and Khris Davis could all hit 40 home runs this year, and Salvador Perez and Didi Gregorius are good for 30. Chris Taylor and Jurickson Profar help plug any holes in the lineup. The only concern is how bad the defense will be with so many DH-types playing the field. PITCHERS: Trevor Bauer is an elite ace this year, and Luis Severino, Dallas Keuchel and Sean Newcomb give Seattle an above average rotation this year. The bullpen is stellar, possibly the best in the league, led by Blake Treinen. OVERALL: If their defense doesn't let them down the Moshers could go far this year. 2. San Francisco Piazza's (Last Year: 77-85, 4th in division) HITTERS: Young Rhys Hoskins should have a stellar year at the plate, and infield Travis Shaw is good for 30 home runs. Nick Castellanos is due for a career year and Jose Abreu provides stability at first base. PITCHERS: The Piazza's acquired 2017 Cy winner Corey Kluber, and paired with Justin Verlander gives them 2 elite work horses in the rotation. CC Sabathia, Trevor Cahill, Clay Buccholz and Edwin Jackson help give San Francisco one of the strongest rotations in the league. The bullpen is spectacular, led by Craig Kimbrel, Kelvin Herrera and Seung Hwan Oh. OVERALL: Fantastic pitching, if their offense comes through for them they could easily be division winners. 3. Rocklin Thunder (Last Year: 99-63, Young Division Winner) HITTERS: Are there any other fearsome-but-not-at-their-full-potential-duos quite like Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge? If both were healthy and focused they could homer their way to a division title. In the meantime, Maikel Franco and Jed Lowrie contribute to a lineup that should be OK but could be so much more. PITCHERS: Chris Sale, Walker Buehler, Noah Syndergaard and Jack Flaherty could be the best playoff-eligible rotation in the league, but none of them can last 200 innings in the regular season. The Thunder have lots of options in the bullpen, including Serathony Dominguez and David Hernandez. OVERALL: If their offense can come together and help the team make the playoffs, their rotation may be good enough to cause some playoff upsets. 4. Park City Climbers (Last Year: 91-71, 3rd in division) HITTERS: Charlie Blackmon is one of the better outfields in the game, hitting for average and power. Park City hopes rookie Adalberto Mondesi continues to anchor the infield for years -- and for Kris Bryant to kick his game up a notch. The rest of the lineup will be a little light on power. PITCHERS: Jameson Taillon and Jhoylys Chacin gives the Climbers 2 aces in the rotation. Lance McCullers, Tyson Ross and Mike Leake round out the solid rotation. Jeurys Familia and Matt Strahm lead a strong bullpen. OVERALL: Pitching is decent, and they have a few decent hitters, but they'll need a few decent hitters more to rise to the top half of the division. 5. Brookfield Brouhaha (Last Year: 74-88, 6th in division) HITTERS: Michael Conforto has 30 home run power, and Wilson Ramos hits pretty good for a catcher. The rest of the lineup will struggle to score runs. PITCHERS: Brad Keller and Kyle Hendricks give the Brouhaha 2 strong options in the rotation, and the rest of the starters would be competitive for a higher scoring team. Hoshihisa Hirano leads the capable bullpen. OVERALL: If the Brouhaha can conjure up some hitters they could finish higher in the division. 6. Tualatin Pioneers (Last Year: 76-86, 5th in division) HITTERS: Tommy Pham should have a strong year in the outfield, and Hunter Renfroe is a stone's throw away from 30 home runs, but the rest of the offense features players whose better years have been behind them. PITCHERS: Kenta Maeda is a decent pitcher when healthy, and Julio Teheran is poised to have a good year. The rest of the rotation is mediocre to scary. Felipe Vazquez could be an elite closer, and Pedro Strop and Dellin Betances lead a decent bullpen. OVERALL: A weak hitting lineup and a depleted rotation will have Tualatin in the hunt for the #1 overall pick this year.