2022 CFOD SEASON PREVIEW "Your Mileage May Vary!" Predicted Playoff Teams: Mantle Division - Arlington Arthropods Koufax Division - Cincinnati Rock Ruth Division - Dallas SuperSquad Young Division - Seattle Moshers MK Conference Wildcard - Pig's Eye Pirates RY Conference Wildcard - Slam Diego Termites #1 League Wildcard - Park City Climbers #2 League Wildcard - Olympia Rainiers WORLD SERIES PREDICTION - SuperSquad over Arthropods ***************************************************************************************** Mantle Division - 1. Arlington Arthropods (Last Year: 116-46, Mantle Division Winner, Predicted: 1st) HITTERS: A healthy Mike Trout *AND* Shohei Ohtani in the lineup? Yes please! Alex Bregman, Randy Arozarena and Byron Buxton add to the potent offense. Even 42 year old Albert Pujols gets back into the action. PITCHERS: Ohtani anchors the starting rotation as well, and Luis Castillo, Kevin Gausman and Luis Garcia round out a strong rotation. Daniel Bard and David Bednar lead a strong bullpen. OVERALL: Really good hitting and really good pitching make Arlington contenders to go deep into the playoffs. 2. Mechan Syndicate (Last Year: 91-71, 4th in Division, Predicted: 2nd) HITTERS: Mookie Betts will vie for an all-star slot this year, and Giancarlo Stanton is good for 30+ home runs (when he can actually get a hit!). Ryan Mountcastle and Taylor Ward will contribute to the offense as well. Too bad Jazz Chisholm will battle injuries this year. PITCHERS: Tyler Anderson, Carlos Rodon and Corbin Burnes form one of the best starting trios in the majors. Brock Burke is their best pure reliever, as the Syndicate will be largely relying on a lot of mediocre starter/reliever types to fill out the bullpen and the back part of the rotation. OVERALL: The Syndicate have a lot of decent players - but will their bullpen be able to hold on to those late inning leads? 3. Angry Candy (Last Year: 72-90, 5th in Division, Predicted: 5th) HITTERS: Not a lot of power on the team, as most will struggle to hit even 20 home runs (and 20+ homer power Max Muncy will struggle to hit period!) Jeff McNeil should contend for a batting title, and Brandon Nimmo and Josh Bell are decent hitters. PITCHERS: Tony Gonsolin should be an ace, and Jordan Montgomery will eat up a lot of innings, but the rest of the rotation gets thin after that. Ryan Pressly and Giovanny Gallegos lead a capable bullpen. OVERALL: A dearth of big bats and lack of starting pitching may hinder the Angry Candy's quest for a division title, but if they go down, they'll go down swinging. 4. San Francisco Organization (Last Year: 95-67, 3rd in Division, Predicted: 4th) HITTERS: Salvador Perez, Andrew McCutchen and Cody Bellinger are looking to recapture past glory, but it will be difficult. Patrick Wisdom does 2 out of the 3 true outcomes this year (walks being optional). But overall the lineup will not exactly intimidate the opposing pitchers. PITCHERS: Things always look up a bit when Shane Bieber is your ace. Michael Wacha and Alex Cobb should be decent in the rotation but the rest of the starters will struggle. Andrew Chafin leads the bullpen, which has a few quality arms but isn't necessarily among the deepest in the league. OVERALL: The hitters are a bit long in the tooth and the pitching could use some more depth, but the 2020 CFOD Championship flag still flies. 5. Port Huron Hubris (Last Year: 100-62, 2nd in Division, Predicted: 3rd) HITTERS: Anthony Rizzo and Marcus Semien should hit plenty of home runs, and Semien and Thairo Estrada could be top 10 in steals. But hitting starts to get a bit thin after that. PITCHERS: Ross Stripling and Logan Gilbert will be quality starters in the rotation, but the back half will struggle. Nabil Crismatt and Dylan Floro lead a solid but relatively plain bullpen. OVERALL: Depending on how the players gel this season, Port Huron could find themselves finishing higher. Or, if they don't, finish right here. 6. Fightin' Oglethorpes of Georgia (Last Year: 55-107, 6th in Division, Predicted: 6th) HITTERS: Pete Alonso is a big bat in the middle of the lineup, hitting home runs with ease. Bryan Reynolds could hit 30 home runs in the outfield. Wander Franco and Tim Anderson will have injury plagued seasons and likely not hit up to their potential. PITCHERS: It's ... bad. OVERALL: Pete Alonso will be a highlight for the Fightin' Oglethorpes, but the terrible pitching will likely have them angling for another 95-loss club appearance. ***************************************************************************************** Koufax Division - 1. Cincinnati Rock (Last Year: 104-58, Koufax Division Winner, Predicted: 1st) HITTERS: Kyle Tucker is a rotisserie wunderkind, hitting for power and stealing bases. Rafael Devers and Freddie Freeman are all-star contenders at the corners, and Starling Marte can swipe a base with some pop in the bat. Andrew Benintendi adds batting average and an eye for walks. PITCHERS: Gerrit Cole, Drew Rasmussen and Tarik Skubal lead a fairly solid and consistent starting rotation. Rafael Montero is the star reliever, but the Rock may seek to acquire a bullpen arm or two for the stretch run. OVERALL: Some good hitting and a strong starting rotation make Cincinnati the favorites to clinch the Koufax division this year. 2. Pig's Eye Pirates (Last Year: 63-99, 5th in Division, Predicted: 6th) HITTERS: Nathaniel Lowe and Eugenio Suarez man the infield corners and each could hit 30 home runs. Nico Hoener should swipe 20+ bases, and Adley Rutschman is a promising young catcher. That's about it for the hitters, who should finish middle of the pack in runs scored. PITCHERS: Martin Perez, Joe Ryan and Reid Detmers lead the starting rotation. Jorge Lopez and Jhoan Duran lead a very talented and deep bullpen. The Pirates should have one of the better pitching staffs in the league this year. OVERALL: The hitting is so-so, but the pitching should make the Pirates contenders for the playoffs this year. 3. Trisolaris Droplets (Last Year: 46-116, 6th in Division, Predicted: 2nd) HITTERS: Rhys Hoskins and Matt Chapman look to power the Droplets offense this year, each aiming for 30 home runs. Georgia Springer and Ian Happ are quality outfields who can contribute. The rest looks to be made up of platoon players and part-timers. PITCHERS: Spencer Strider has blasted onto the scene as a potential perennial all-star pitcher, and Aaron Nola, Brady Singer and Pablo Lopez give Trisolaris a pretty good rotation. Raisel Iglesias leads the bullpen which should be "OK". OVERALL: The fruits of the rebuilding efforts are starting to bloom, so expect the Droplets to hover around mid-range this year. 4. Lakeview Zeros (Last Year: 67-95, 4th in Division, Predicted: 5th) HITTERS: Lots of marquee names in the lineup this year. Trea Turner is among the best hitting shortstops in the league, and #1 overall pick Julio Rodriguez could star in all-star games for years to come. Brandon Drury is another 30 home run threat. PITCHERS: Max Scherzer, Brandon Woodruff, Jesus Luzardo and Zack Greinke could be a formidable playoff rotation, but to get through the regular season they'll have to put out quite a few terrible starters to eat up innings. Bullpen is a bit thin. OVERALL: Some good hitters and a few capable starters, the Zeros' fortunes will depend on how much the bottom half of their pitching corps holds them back this year. 5. Chandler Killers (Last Year: 88-74, 2nd in Division, Predicted: 4th) HITTERS: Chandler will look to Daulton Varsho to drive in runs this year with his 30 home run power. Amed Rosario and Ke'Bryan Hayes are stolen base threats (when they can get on base), and Luis Arraez can hit and nab walks at the top of the order. PITCHERS: Blake Snell is a good starter, and Robbie Ray can eat up a lot of innings, but Zach Plesac, Corey Kluber and Jordan Lyles have seen better days. What the starters lack the bullpen makes up for, with Emmanuel Clase, Devin Williams and Scott Barlow leading a white hot bullpen. OVERALL: A fantastic bullpen, but Chandler will go only as far as their hitters and starting rotation will take them. 6. Somerville Sluggers (Last Year: 69-93, 3rd in Division, Predicted: 3rd) HITTERS: Manny Machado is looking for an all-star berth this year, hitting for average and power. Carlos Correa, Joc Pederson and Teoscar Hernandez are all 20+ home run threats. After that the hitting gets a little thin. PITCHERS: Cristian Javier, Dean Kremer and Michael Kopech will make the Sluggers competitive in their starts, but the other half of the starters will struggle to win any games. Jason Schreiber and Sam Hentges are strong relievers, as is Brad Hand, but it gets pretty plain after that. OVERALL: The hitters will shine this year, but the lack of pitching will hinder any sort of playoff appearance for the Sluggers. ***************************************************************************************** Ruth Division - 1. Dallas SuperSquad (Last Year: 77-85, 5th in Division, Predicted: 4th) HITTERS: Jose Ramirez continues to be one of the elite 3B in the league, and 2B Jose Altuve may join him on the all-star squad, each good for 30 home runs and 20 steals. Josh Naylor, Wilson Contreras and Trey Mancini also have some pop in their bat. Xander Bogaerts's on- base average should translate to a lot of runs in this high-powered offense. PITCHERS: Dylan Cease, Max Fried and Zac Gallen could be the ace of any other team in the league. The bullpen doesn't feature any famous names, but they should get the job done. All-in-all Dallas should have one of the best pitching staffs in the league. OVERALL: Great hitting and great pitching will make the SuperSquad the team to beat this season. 2. Slam Diego Termites (Last Year: 46-116, 6th in Division, Predicted: 6th) HITTERS: Ronald Acuna is typically relied on to carry the offense, but will likely battle injuries all season. Adolis Garcia could threaten with a 30/30 season, and Kolten Wong and Whit Merrifield also sport some speed. Anthony Santander and Willy Adames could each hit 30 home runs. PITCHERS: Veteran Justin Verlander joins the team as they ace, and Justin Steele, Miles Mikolas and Chris Bassitt are strong starters. Cionel Perez and Matt Moore lead one of the better bullpens in the league. OVERALL: Great pitching, the question is will their hitting be enough to clinch the Ruth division title? 3. Olympia Rainiers (Last Year: 98-64, 2nd in Division, 2021 CFOD Champions, Predicted: 3rd) HITTERS: Yordan Alvarez should have a monster year at the plate, hitting close to 40 home runs. CJ Cron, Corey Seager and Juan Soto also have 30 home run potential. Hitting gets a bit thin after that, but with 4 stars in the lineup they should still score some runs. PITCHERS: Julio Urias, Nestor Cortes, Carlos Quintana and Joe Musgrove may form the best starting rotation in the league. Clay Holmes leads a solid bullpen. OVERALL: The Rainiers won it all last year, and the returning roster is good enough for them to defend their crown in the playoffs. 4. Topeka MooseDogs (Last Year: 96-66, 3rd Division, Predicted: 5th) HITTERS: Austin Riley will come into his own as a young elite 3B, cracking 40 home runs. Ty France and Seth Brown have some decent pop, but the rest of the lineup will have to depend on platooning to score runs. PITCHERS: Clayton Kershaw continues his ace ways in 2022, and Triston McKenzie, Drew Smyly and Marcus Stroman are strong additions to the rotation. Edwin Diaz leads a very deep bullpen, and overall pitching will be a strength for the MooseDogs this year. OVERALL: Pitching is great, the question to be answered is: Can they score enough runs to make a run at the playoffs? 5. Miami Mangos (Last Year: 102-60, Ruth Division Winner, Predicted: 2nd) HITTERS: Paul Goldschmidt can still hit for power and average in his mid 30's, and Bo Bichette and JT Realmuto are among the best hitters at their position. Eduardo Escobar and Harold Ramirez will contribute to an offense who can keep competitive with runs. PITCHERS: Jeffrey Springs and Zack Wheeler are highlights in the rotation, and Paul Sewald leads a good bullpen. OVERALL: 5th place isn't what it used to be. The Mangos have enough talent to contend in this competitive division. They could certainly finish a lot higher. 6. California Coneheads (Last Year: 93-69, 4th in Division, Predicted: 1st) HITTERS: Kyle Schwarber and Matt Olson are longball threats, but will have trouble making contact. William Contreras has some pop in his bat, and rookie Bobby Witt Jr can hit some home runs and swipe quite a few bases. But batting average will be a problem for this team. PITCHERS: Patrick Sandoval is a highlight in the rotation, but it gets really ugly, really fast after that. Adam Cimber and AJ Minter will have some stamina in the bullpen, but it's going to be hard to protect a lead if you don't have one to begin with. OVERALL: Being unable to hit the ball on offense and being unable to prevent hitting the ball on pitching will spell trouble for the Coneheads this year. ***************************************************************************************** Young Division - 1. Seattle Moshers (Last Year: 78-84, 4th in Division, Predicted: 4th) HITTERS: Nolan Arenado, Hunter Renfroe, Christian Walker and Cal Raleigh give Seattle 4 30 home run threats in the lineup. Steven Kwan and Andres Gimenez have speed and an eye for walks and should score plenty of runs. And most of the lineup are expert fielders, giving the pitchers some extra protection. PITCHERS: Luis Severino, Johnny Cueto and Adrian Sampson lead an army of decent part time starters. Where the Moshers really excel is in the bullpen, with Jordan Romano and Camilo Doval leading a legion of fire throwing relievers. OVERALL: Good hitting, excellent fielding and reliable pitching should allow Seattle to go far this year. 2. Park City Climbers (Last Year: 87-75, 2nd in Division, Predicted: 1st) HITTERS: Francisco Lindor and Will Smith will provide some offense, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr can hit the longball. Cedric Mullins has some power and is a speedster on the base paths. Lane Thomas and Jake Cronenworth are also good for a home run or two. PITCHERS: Yu Darvish is in for another good year in his mid 30's, and Kyle Wright and George Kirby would be welcome in any rotation. Alex Diaz leads a bullpen full of good relievers. OVERALL: Some good hitting and good pitching will make the Climbers post-season contenders this year. 3. Tualatin Pioneers (Last Year: 69-93, 5th in Division, Predicted: 6th) HITTERS: Rowdy Tellez is the team RBI man this year, hitting home runs by the bushel. Tommy Edman has 30 stolen base potential. Seemingly everyone in the lineup will be able to hit at least 15 home runs (and almost exactly 15 home runs!). But expect a fairly low team batting and on base average this year, which will sabotage run generation. PITCHERS: Alek Manoah and Shane McClanahan give the Pioneers a dynamic duo who could anchor their rotation for years. The rest of the rotation? ... ehh. Liam Hendriks and Felix Bautista lead one of the better bullpens in the league. OVERALL: Tualatin has some talent this year, which should see them finish in the upper half of the rotation. How high they finish remains to be seen. 4. Brookfield Brouhaha (Last Year: 85-77, 3rd in Division, Predicted: 3rd) HITTERS: Double play combination Gleyber Torres and Jeremy Pena will be asked to provide much of the offense with their mid 20's home run power. Sean Murphy and Austin Hays are typically Brookfield hitters this year, good for a .250 average and 18 home runs. PITCHERS: Framber Valdez, Sonny Gray and Merrill Kelly make for a pretty competitive rotation, and Ryan Helsley and Brooks Raley helm a competitive bullpen. OVERALL: Some pretty good pitching, Brookfield's fortunes will ride on how overachieving the hitting can be. 5. San Francisco Piazza's (Last Year: 49-113, 6th in Division, Predicted: 5th) HITTERS: Power will be hard to come by this year, as no one will likely hit more than 20 home runs. Michael Harris II can hit for .300 and swipe 20 bases, and while Jose Abreu's power numbers will drip, he should still have decent numbers. PITCHERS: Sandy Alcantara is an innings-eating ace, and Cal Quantrill and Taijuan Walker are solid starters. Kenley Jansen, David Robertson and Tanner Rainey give the Piazza's one of the more well known bullpens this year. OVERALL: The Piazza's have some decent players this year, but the power outage in the lineup will make it hard to win. 6. San Mateo Thunder (Last Year: 98-64, Young Division Winner, Predicted: 2nd) HITTERS: Aaron Judge will have one of the stronger seasons this year, hitting for average, power, a *LOT* of home runs and even a stolen base or two. Teammate Bryce Harper will have a good year, too, when he is healthy. Dansby Swanson provides slick fielding at shortstop and some pop in his bat. Alejandro Kirk and Andrew Vaughn will contribute to the lineup. PITCHERS: Logan Webb is a legit ace, but the starting lineup gets really thin after that. The bullpen will be in rough shape this year. OVERALL: Aaron Judge will be a lot of fun to watch, but the lack of pitching will likely doom the Thunder's chances this year.