CFOD 1997 PREVIEW "YMMV (Your mileage may vary)" MANTLE DIVISION PREVIEW - A predicted fall of a champion, a rise of a previous one, one team continuing to be the doormat, and a jumble of the rest. 1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st MECHAN SYNDICATE - 1996: 86-76, 3rd in Mantle division (predicted 4th) Franchise Players: Barry Bonds - acquired from Squids along with Mickey Morandini and Mike Timlin for Gary Sheffield, Brady Anderson, Delino Deshields and Mike Fetters, 1992 Rafael Palmeiro - acquired from Whaleheads along with Bobby Ayala for Gregg Jeffries and Sammy Sosa, 1994 Roberto Alomar - acquried from Haymakers (Wet Sox) for Rickey Henderson, 1992 Tony Gwynn - acquired from Boston Brewins along with Felix Jose for Devon White, Greg Swindell and Terry Leach, 1992 Jason Thompson - 13th round pick, 1996 1995 was the banner year of the Syndicate. After clinching a wild card spot, the Syndicate rampaged through the playoffs, eventually beating the San Francisco Piazzas' in 5 games to become the first non-pennant winning team (or MK conference team, or any team not named the Coneheads) to win the CFOD championship. In '96 they were tied for first in the Mantle division in mid-season, but faded along the stretch to a non-playoff 3rd place finish. What made the '96 Syndicate different from the '95 Syndicate? The lack of a dominant ace. Pete Schourek was a stud in '95, winning 18 games with a 3.08 ERA in 200+ innings. There was no Schourek on the team in '96. So what about '97? Enter Justin Thompson, the 13th round surprise. Justin has the tools to win 20 games with a good ERA & workhorse innings. Combine that with the usual assortment of killer Syndicate relievers and you've got one of the better staffs in the league. The pitching is good, and the hitting is even better. Barry's back for another shot at an MVP. Gwynn's defying father time by putting in yet another spectacular season. Second sacker Alomar is an above average second baseman when he's not hocking loogies at people. Rafael Palmeiro is also good for 40 homers. Reggie Sanders has taken his comparisons to Eric Davis a little too seriously, as this is his second consecutive injury plagued season after an MVP '95. But overall, the hitting is solid. 1997 OUTLOOK: They've got the pitching, and they've got the hitting. And more importantly, they've gained momentum when others have lost it. 2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd SPRINGFIELD 'TOPES - 1996: 83-79, 4th in Mantle division (predicted 2nd) Franchise Players: Tino Martinez - acquired from Zippys for Reggie Jefferson and a 1st round pick, 1993 Bernie Williams - 2nd round pick, 1992 Bob Higginson - 7th round pick, 1995 Andy Pettitte - 1st round pick, 1995 Kevin Brown - acquired from Squids with a 3rd round pick for Steve Avery and and 8th round pick, 1993 OK, so we were a bit hasty picking the 'Topes for 2nd in 1996. Still, they had their best year ever in '96. So what makes the 'Topes in 1997 different? Kevin Brown has come down a notch from '96, but Andy Pettitte has raised his game tremendously. Francisco Cordova, Dustin Hermanson and Pedro Astacio round up a pitching staff that is one of the deepest in the league. Doug Jones and Mark Wohlers should be excellent at closing games. On the hitter's side, the 1-2-3 punch of Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez, and Bobby Higginson are still here, and can match any other trio in the league. After Mickey Moriandini, the rest of the hitting corps is fairly average, although some platooning may help here. 1997 OUTLOOK: With their big three hitters and deep pitching staff, don't be surprised if the 'Topes manage to pull out a playoff spot. 3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd TORONTO TOWERS - 1996: 71-91, 5th in Mantle division (predicted 5th) Franchise Players: Tim Salmon - 1st round pick, 1993 Kenny Lofton - 1st round pick, 1992 Rick Reed - 1st round pick, 1997 Ivan Rodriguez - acquired from Barracudas along with Bip Roberts, Jose Mesa and Jeff Montgomery for Jason Kendall, Kent Bottenfield and Michael Tucker, 1996 Brady Anderson - acquired from Squids along with a 1998 5th round pick for Charles Johnson, 1997 The Towers have always been an interesting bunch. At the beginning of each year they seem as if they could do some damage. But usually something goes wrong, and then the housecleaning begins, which means more players and draft picks for the next year. '97 is no different. The Tower seem to have a knack for making their first round picks count. All of their first round picks from 92 are either still with the team or else were traded for someone worthwhile. Kenny Lofton has been the best leadoff hitter in the CFOD for years, although he is partially hampered this year by injuries. Tim Salmon quietly puts up 30 homer/100 RBI seasons in the outfield. Recent acquisition Brady Anderson completes a stellar outfield. Catcher Ivan Rodriguez should be an all-star. Russ Davis was a sleeper pick, and will provide a lot of punch from the third base spot. Shawon Dunston, Edgardo Alfonzo, Julio Franco and a bunch of others add plenty of punch to the lineup. On the pitching side, new acquisition Rick Reed is a legit ace starter, and could win 20 games. However, most of the starters are pretty darn mediocre. They have a couple of relievers who can make things happen, but they are not especially deep in this area. Perhaps they can trade some of their excess hitting for pitching during the season. 1997 OUTLOOK: About the same as '96, only a little better. They have plenty of hitting firepower (way too many to play, actually), but their pitching is a little suspect. If the pitching staff were to gel, the Towers might make the playoffs for the first time ever. On the other hand, the Towers have plenty of people to trade away for more draft picks if they fall out of favor, which means the Towers are likely to have hopes for '98 as well. 4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th RESERVOIR DOGS - 1996: 93-69, 2nd in Mantle division (predicted 3rd) Lost to Sluggers in 5 games in 1st round of playoffs Franchise Players: Manny Ramirez - acquired from Coneheads along with Jesse Orosco for Scott Rolen, 1997 Chipper Jones - acquired via '95 1st round pick along with Rex Hudler for John Jaha, 1994 Mike Lansing - acquired from Syndicate along with a 7th round pick for Shawn Green and Bill Mueller, 1997 Hideo Nomo - acquired from Mangos for 1st round pick acquired from Climbers (which was for John Valentin) Shane Reynolds - 1st round pick, 1994 When will we show the Dogs some respect? Last year they were picked to finish 3rd, and actually finished 2nd in the division. So what is their reward this year? A 4th place finish. It isn't as if the Dogs are lacking in players. Last year's first round pick of Scott Rolen was a dandy one, and was shipped off for superstar Manny Ramirez so Chipper Jones wouldn't have any competition for playing time. Recent acquisition Mike Lansing should have a heck of a year at second. Hideo Nomo and Shane Reynolds each slipped a bit this year. While they won't remind anyone of Glavine & Smoltz this year, they'll be solid starters. The relievers are not half bad either. The main problem is that the 3rd-5th starting positions approach Mango-land in effectiveness. But we've been wrong before, and we could be wrong again. There's quite a bit of star firepower on hitting, and Nomo & Reynolds could do better than expected. No matter what happens in '97, '98 could be a return to the year of the Dog. Todd Helton could be insanely great at 1B, and Robin Ventura and Marty Cordova could return to their past excellent form. 1997 OUTLOOK: Not as Rosy as their '95 season, but the Dogs' unbroken streak of winning seasons should continue. 5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th CHARLOTTESVILLE SQUIDS - 1996: 97-65, 1st in Mantle division (predicted 1st) Defeated Lightning in 7 games in round 1 Defeated Sluggers in 7 games in MK conf. final Defeated Brouhaha in 7 games in CFOD WS to win their 1st ever CFOD championship Franchise Players: Juan Gonzales - acquired from Brewins for Jack McDowell and Delino Deshields, 1993 Charles Johnson - acquired from Towers for Brady Anderson and a 5th round 1998 pick, 1997 Gary Sheffield - acquired from Regulators for John Jaha, Orlando Merced and the Tower's 5th round pick, 1995 Charles Nagy - acquired from Barracudas for Mike Hampton and Bob Patterson, 1996 Ray Durham - 1st round pick, 1997 After 2 years of rebuilding, the Squids had their ultimate season in 1996. They narrowly fought off their division rivals to capture the pennant, and fought three tough 7 game series on their way to their first ever CFOD championship. So what now for Charlottesville, other than cleaning up the mess from the post-championship riot? Unfortunately for Charlottesville, many of the players on the '96 championship squad have peaked in performance or injury status. Phenomenal 1B John Jaha is injured for most of the season. Ace starters John Smiley and Juan Guzman are ineffective or gone. Kevin Seitzer's gone. Grudz isn't what he used to be. The above average pitching staff of '96 is now in shambles. You get the idea. The main question for Charlottesville now is, is it time to rebuild again or just reload? Newly acquired 2B Ray Durham is 25 years old with several seasons worth of experience. Next year may be the deciding factor if Durham is the next Joe Morgan or the next Jeff Treadway. Juan "Igor" Gonzales is just 27 years old, and should be able to maintain his level of league dominance for many years. Sheffield did his super-Tony Phillips impression in '97, but there's nothing stopping him from returning to his dominant form from '96. Recent acquisition Charles Johnson is only 25 years old, with a killer arm and some pop in his bat. A healthy Jaha would be good for 30+ homers. 1997 OUTLOOK: Squid fans may have to just fondly remember the '96 season during the '97 one. Depending on what direction is taken, the Squids could be back either in '98 or not until the 21st century. 6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th SAN FRANCISCO SHRINERS - 1996: 70-92, 6th in Mantle division (predicted 6th) Franchise Players: Randy Johnson - 5th round pick, 1991 Jim Thome - acquired from Coneheads along with a 6th round pick for Shawn Estes, 1997 Jose Cruz Jr - 1st round pick, 1997 Butch Huskey - 3rd round pick, 1996 Eric Young - 3rd round pick, 1993 For Shriner fans, the season to remember was 1995. They won a franchise high 83 games behind one of the best pitching staffs ever assembled. Unfortunately, weak hitting and player dropoff has been a chronic problem for the Shriners, most recently emphasized by the departure of former star rookie Marty Cordova from the team. Randy Johnson still has his powerful stuff, and could have a season like his dominant '95. But he's the only one left from the killer '95 staff. They have a couple of good relievers, but the net result is that they're middle of the pack in pitching. On the other hand, the Shriners no longer have to depend on the pitching staff throwing shutouts. San Fran made huge strides in the offense department, bringing in mega-super-star 1B Jim Thome from the Coneheads. Unfortunately, this means that their 2nd best player Will Clark will ride the pine. If Thome plays third in '98, it will be almost as if they gained another franchise player. Cruz, Jr. was the top available rookie slugger in the draft, and he wound up with the Shriners. The resulting heart of the order in Thome, Cruz Jr. and Huskey are all still fairly young, and have a tremendous upside. 1997 OUTLOOK: The Shriners are not out of the woods yet, but Thome & Co. should give the Shriners their best offense performance yet. If any other Mantle team falters, the Shriners could move up from the basement. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * KOUFAX DIVISION PREVIEW - One team should slingshot to the top thanks to a hot rookie, while other teams continue to mend, and everyone else fighting in the middle. 1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st OREGON WET SOX - 1996: 70-92, 6th place in Koufax division (predicted 4th) Franchise players: Jeff Bagwell - 6th round pick, 1991 Larry Walker - 5th round pick, 1991 Nomar Garciaparra - 2nd round pick, 1996 Mike Mussina - acquired from Kings for Ken Hill, 1995 Andy Benes - acquired from Whiffers (Whaleheads) along with Glenallen Hill for Rickey Henderson and Lee Smith, 1993 People in Oregon are *still* talking about the magical year of '94, when Jeff Bagwell kicked butt and took names, winning Oregon's 1 and only pennant. They hope to add 1997 to that short list. The Wet Sox were mediocre in '95, and just plain bad in '96. They were near the bottom of the league in offense, and the pitching was mediocre. But this year the Wet Sox have put it all together. The question Oregon fans have is: Which one is going to win MVP? In-his-prime Jeff Bagwell, making a 2nd run at the record books? Larry Walker trying to break the homer record? Or Nomar Garciaparra, the '96 2nd round pick who could make people forget about that other young shortstop star Alex Rodriguez? You gotta like the pitching, too. Andy Benes and Mike Mussina can match any other top 2 starters in the league, the other starters will keep them in the game. Roberto Hernandez and Rich Loiselle can shut down the other side. The only downfall is that Mark Lemke/Rey Sanchez/Joe Girardi probably won't add up to any of the big three's numbers. But that's OK, because they can pull their weight defensively. It's been a 2 year incubation period, but the Wet Sox are ready to reclaim their crown. 1997 OUTLOOK: It's 1994 all over again (although Wet Sox fans hope for a world series appearance this time!) 2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd HILLSBOROUGH REGULATORS: 1996 - 78-84, 3rd in Koufax division (predicted 2nd) Franchise Players: Roger Clemens - 1st round pick, 1991 Denny Neagle - 17th round pick, 1993 Kirk Rueter - 4th round pick, 1996 Jeff Kent & - acquired from Squids along with a 6th round pick for Jason Giambi - John Jaha, 1996 The Regulators have always been able to put out a quality product most years. They won the division in 91 and in 92, and was the first MK conference team to appear in the world series in 1991. The story for the Regulators in 1997 is pitching. Rocket Roger Clemens regains his earlier dominant form and should duel with Pedro Martinez for the Cy Young award. The Regs have the advantage of having two extra ace starters in the rotation in Denny Neagle and Kirk Rueter. Randy Myers should be able to save plenty of games. On offense, the Regs have a lot of solid if unspectacular players. Outfielder Jason Giambi slugs .495 with only 20 homers. Jeff Kent & Paul Sorrento are good for 30 taters each. Jeff Frye, Walt Weiss, Paul Molitor, Willie McGee, Scott Hatteburg and others add an awful lot of depth .. and not that crappy Ozzie Guillen depth, either. These guys can hit. 1997 OUTLOOK: The Regulators have a killer pitching staff and enough offense to win games. If any of the Wet Sox superstars falter, Hillsborough could slip in to win the pennant. 3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd SOMERVILLE SLUGGERS - 1996: 91-71, 1st in Koufax division (predicted 1st) Defeated Dogs in 5 games in round 1 Lost to Squids in 7 games in MK conf. finals Franchise Players: Chuck Knoblauch - 4th round pick, 1991 Curt Schilling - acquired from Coneheads for Scott Cooper and a 3rd round pick, 1993 Pat Hentgen - 3rd round pick, 1995 Geronimo Berroa - acquired from Brewins along with Chris Haney and a 7th round pick for Woody Williams, Neifi Perez and Scott Erickson, 1996 Mark Grace - 10th round pick, 1991 1996 saw the Sluggers win their 3rd pennant, but they failed to return to the world series thanks to the Squids. Now all the Sluggers can do is regroup and make another run in '97. In some ways, the Sluggers have gotten better. In others, they've gotten worse. First, the bad news. Usual franchise shortstop Barry Larkin is injured for half the year, and the person who will fill in Larkin's AB is Tony Womack, who is no Pokey Reese, but he's no Larkin either. Now that that's out of the way, let's get to the good news. Last year the Sluggers were not living up to their name. Only after they acquired Geronimo Berroa did the lineup have punch. Now they've added 3B Willie Greene and outfielder Henry Rodriguez, who are good for 25+ taters. Catcher Mike Lieberthal is good for another 20. The steals are still here, too. Deion Sanders, Chuck Knoblauch and Tony Womack are good for 30-60 (with the emphasis on 60). Larkin may be injured, but Chuck Knoblauch still lives up to his all-CFOD image. On pitching, things are pretty good too. Ace Curt Schilling is set to have his best season yet. Bobby Jones and Pat Hentgen are a formidable 2-3 punch. Tim Wakefield is pretty good for a 4th starter, too. Relief is OK but is a little thin at the top. 1997 OUTLOOK: Being slated anything lower than 1st is a let down, but the Sluggers are still players in the Koufax division. 3rd place is the lowest estimate .. a pennant the highest. 4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th CINCINNATI ROCK - 1996: 88-74, 2nd in Koufax division (predicted 3rd) Franchise Players: Ellis Burks - acquired from the Squids along with a 10th round pick for an 8th round pick, 1994 Vinny Castilla - acquired from Coneheads along with Johnny Damon for Manny Ramirez, 1996 Sandy Alomar - 1st round pick, 1993 Wally Joyner - acquired from Lightning for Lance Johnson, 1997 Darren Oliver - 3rd round pick, 1996 The Rock put up quite a fight in 1996 but fell up short with weeks to go in the season. Unfortunately it's 1997 now, and the Rock may not be able to keep up with the other improving teams. It's certainly not the hitting that's the problem. Sandy Alomar Jr. has his best season ever as a catcher. Vinny Castilla and Ellis Burks should be good for 30 homers each, and Wally Joyner puts up some nice AVG/OBA/SLG numbers. The main problem is in the pitching. Darren Oliver is the Rock's best starter, but he would be hard pressed to make it as the 5th starter on most playoff teams. From Oliver, it goes from bad to worse. Jeff Nelson and Rickey Bottalico are decent relievers, but you can't save games you are behind in. 1997 OUTLOOK: Barring a major miracle from the pitching staff, the Rock can only hope for a middle of the pack finish in the Koufax division. 5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th ZIPPYS - 1996: 75-87, 4th in Koufax division (predicted 5th) Franchise Players: Derek Jeter - 1st round (1st overall) pick, 1996 Jamie Moyer - 2nd round pick, 1996 John Olerud - 3rd round pick, 1996 Dave Nilsson - acquired from Moshers along with Jon Franco for a 7th round pick, 1995 Chris Holt - 1st round pick, 1997 Rebuilding year #2. The Zippys are still climbing their way out of the hole dug by 1995's massive drop. Last year they snagged neo-star shortstop Derek Jeter. Jeter can certainly get on base, but he needs about 15 more homers before he enters the Garciaparra-Rodriguez region of young star SS. The Zippys boast a ton of players with killer split stats, featuring righty- killers John Olerud and Dave Nilsson. Just about everyone on the hitting staff is good vs one side or the other, so the Zippys could put together the league's most surprising offense. There's no Kevin Mitchell in the bunch, but the Zippys hope to be able to piece one together out of parts. On pitching, rookie Chris Holt has been called upon to lead an iffy pitching staff backed up by an excellent relieving staff. The '97 Zippys are one ace starter away from an overall above average pitching staff. Paul Quantrill could make a run at the league fireman award. 1997 OUTLOOK: 5th place is the lower estimate on how the Zippys finish. If the pitching beats expectations and the platoon situations work, the Zippys could finish in the upper half of the division. With the new drafting scheme, they could play themselves into a place to nab one of the expected star players that will be available in the draft. 6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th BOSTON BREWINS - 1996: 73-89, 5th in Koufax division (predicted 6th) Franchise Players: Brad Radke - 2nd round pick, 1995 Chili Davis - acquired from Fish for Jon Nunnally and Chad Ogea, 1997 Scott Erickson - acquired from Sluggers along with Woody Williams and Neifi Perez for Geronimo Berroa, Chris Haney and a 7th round pick, 1996 Jeffrey Hammonds - 1st round pick, 1997 Jose Canseco - acquired from Whaleheads in a 3-way trade where the Brewins dealt Bobby Witt to the Fish, 1996 The Brewins have finished last, last, first, last, 4th, and 5th in their franchise history. Other than their pennant-tying season in '93, the Brewin franchise just hasn't had a whole lot of luck. There was a management shakeup midway through 1996 which signaled a roster cleaning. Unfortunately several of the trades blew up in the Brewin's faces with the trading of Jason Schmidt and Wally Joyner for players who ended up not being protected for '97. The results of 1997 look to be similar to that of 1996, which doesn't bode well for Brewin ticket sales. Boston does boast several formidable pitchers. Brad Radke has the skills to be an "ace", and Scott Erickson is a very good #2 pitcher. Mark Gardner is sufficient as a 3rd starter, while Trevor Hoffman and Mike Jackson form a killer pair of relievers. The problems lie on offense. Chili Davis is a star, but most of the other players are of limit effectiveness or injured. Jeffrey Hammonds finally broke out, but at age 26 this may be as good as he gets. Jose Canseco has certainly seen better years. Brian Hunter can steal bases by the bushel, but his .335 OBA is a little low for a leadoff hitter. Jeff King is their 2nd best player, but he is blocked by Chili Davis at first base. 1997 OUTLOOK: It looks to be another year of waiting for the Brewins. Things could be different in '98 if Jeff King finds a new position, Roger Cedeno breaks out as an outfielder and Jose Canseco returns to former glory. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * RUTH DIVISION PREVIEW - More of the same in '97 as in '96, with a few tweaks. 1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st CALIFORNIA CONEHEADS - 1996: 114-48, 1st in Ruth division (predicted 1st) Lost to Thunder in 7 games in 1st round Franchise Players: Frank Thomas - 1st round pick, 1991 Craig Biggio - acquired from Lightning along with Kevin Bass for Chili Davis and Lou Whitaker, 1994 Mike Piazza - selected with 1st round pick acquired from Bombers (Piazzas') for Scott Cooper, Andujar Cedeno, Xavier Hernandez and a 1st round pick, 1993 Alex Fernandez - acquired from Tropics (Mangos) for Mark Langston, 1994 Tom Glavine - acquired from Thunder for Roger Pavlik, Lenny Dykstra and Randy Velarde, 1995 The problem with the Coneheads is that they are no longer competing against the rest of the league, but rather with past Conehead seasons. It's a given that they will win their division (even when the 2nd place team sets the 2nd single best season record mark ala '96 Whaleheads). But for the past two years, they've been frustrated in the playoffs by underdogs: The Piazzas' in 1995 and the Thunder in '96. The dominant teams of old will continue in the near future, thanks to an infusion of the best talent that '97 has to offer. Jim Thome no longer plays third base? Alex Fernandez's elbow twitching? No problem. In comes young third sacking slugger Scott Rolen, and Thome brings in young pitching ace Shawn Estes. Catcher Mike Piazza, first baseman Frank Thomas and 2B guy Craig Biggio continue to be at the top of their position, and Paul O'Neill and Darin Erstad could start for the majority of teams in the league. The 1-2-3 punch of Glavine, Smoltz and Fernandez returns, with Estes becoming a 4th ace starter. All in all, it looks as if the Coneheads have continued their amazing streak of improving their team each year. 1997 OUTLOOK: The Coneheads broke their own win record in '96, and could do the same in 1997. But with salaries rising, this may be their last year in the 110 win bracket. After 2 years of 1st round playoff upsets after 4 straight years of championship titles, they're ready to go back to the old ways. As always, the Coneheads are the pre-season favorites to win the championship. 2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd BOSTON WHALEHEADS - 1996: 110-52, 2nd place in Ruth division (predicted 2nd) Lost to Brouhaha in 1st round in 7 games Franchise Players: Ken Griffey Jr - 1st round pick, 1991 Alex Rodriguez - 2nd round pick, 1995 Todd Hundley - acquired from Towers for Julio Franco and a 3rd round pick, 1994 Darryl Kile - acquired from Brouhaha for Matt Mieske and Jose Valentin, 1995 Jeff Fassero - acquired from Dogs for Rickey Henderson, 1995 Thank you very much, Lee Stevens. You too, Dale Sveum. The only people who could stop the Whaleheads last year were these two pinch-hitting scrubs. Unfortunately, they made their mark with 2 & 1 outs from a Whalehead victory respectively in the 1st round of the playoffs. Still, it shouldn't detract from what was otherwise a dominant Whalehead season. By far, it was the best the Whaleheads had ever done. Led by a punishing hitting lineup and a surprising pitching lineup, the Whaleheads had the second record ever produced by a team. Now it's 1997, and the Whaleheads are gearing up for another run. They lost a little (emphasis on little) momentum for '97 staying in the thick of things, but the core is still here. The franchise, Ken Griffey Jr., is still here and should have his best year yet. Carlos Delgado, Todd Hundley and Alex Rodriguez are all supreme sluggers, and Jose Offerman and Lance Johnson are capable table setters. If anything, the pitching has gotten better. Jeff Fassero slipped a bit from his ace status in '96, but Fassero no longer needs to be #1. That honor belongs to Darryl Kile, who has taken his game up to a Cy candidate level. Starter Tom Gordon was acquired in the off-season, which gives the Whaleheads a good 1-2-3 punch from the starting pitching area. The primary downfall of the pitching staff is in the relievers. Beyond Darren Dreifort, the relief corps is iffy. 1997 OUTLOOK: They probably won't be as dominant as they were in '96, but the Whaleheads still field a strong team. Expect 90+ wins and another shot in the playoffs. 3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd SAN DIEGO TERMITES - 1996: 80-82, 4th in Ruth division (predicted 3rd) Franchise Players: Andres Galarraga - acquired from Dogs along with a 6th round pick for Mark Whiten and Jeff Fassero, 1993 Moises Alou - acquired from Climbers for Eric Davis, 1996 Ismael Valdes - 1st round pick, 1995 Chan Ho Park - 2nd round pick, 1996 Joey Cora - 4th round pick, 1993 The top year for the Termites was their 86-win 1995 season, when they were only a tiebreaker away from making the playoffs. Last year the Termites had the unlucky break of being in a division where the top 3 finishers averaged 107 wins. The Termites had an even unluckier break losing 3 of their top 4 outfielders from '96. Klesko was traded, Jordan became injured, and Henry Rodriguez was lost to free agency. Moises Alou still remains, and he is expected to shoulder much of the offensive load. Retread Chad Curtis and former Brouhaha clutch pinch hitter Lee Stevens man the other outfield spots. Andres Galrraga has been a Termite mainstay for years, and will continue to be so in 1997. 2B Joey Cora and C Darrin Fletcher add punch to usually punchless positions. While the Termites took a hit in the outfield, they made major strides in the pitching department. Joining Ismael Valdes as a potential ace is Chan Ho Park. San Diego's 1-2 punch is as good as anyone in the league. David Wells and Joey Hamilton are better than average 3rd & 4th starters. Jose Mesa can shut the opposing teams down with the best of them. Other than the Coneheads, the Termites have the best pitching staff in the division. 1997 OUTLOOK: Despite losing most of their killer outfield, they still have enough warm bodies to put up runs, and the whole effort is helps by a killer pitching staff. Expect a winning record, and an outside shot at the playoffs. 4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th CAROLINA LIGHTNING - 1996: 97-65, 3rd place in Young division (predicted 4th) Lost to Squids in 1st round in 7 games Franchise Players: Sammy Sosa - acquired from Whaleheads along with a 7th round pick for Tom Gordan and Lance Johnson, 1997 Mo Vaughn - acquired from Barracudas for Charles Nagy and a 1st round pick, 1996 Dante Bichette - acquired from Fish for Al Leiter, 1996 Alan Benes - acquired from Mangos along with their 2nd & 5th round picks for Dan Wilson, Jay Buhner and Ramon Martinez Cal Ripken - acquired from Scrubs (Rock) and a 6th round pick for Omar Vizquel and a 2nd round pick, 1991 How 'bout them Lightning? Carolina surprised quite a lot of people in 1996, winning 97 games and earned their first trip to the playoffs. '96 is definitely a high water mark for them. But now it's 1997, and it's time for the Lightning to come back down to earth ... we think. Their patented 1-2 punch of Mo Vaughn and Dante Bichette is back, and they're joined by super slugger Sammy Sosa. New acquisition Wade Boggs may have lost a step or two, but he can still get back on base. Unfortunately, Cal Ripken has looked like he's lost 5 or 6 steps, and is now a .700 OPS hitting shortstop (and barely a SS, at that). The Lightning have a couple of good role players, but they are a far cry from the slugger-at-every-position team of '96. If you slap injured Kevin Tapani and Alan Benes together, you have a fine looking ace starter. The Lightning also boast an above average relief staff. Unfortuanately, the rest of the starters are as pretty as a wet dog in mud. Last year they got away with it with Tom Gordon and Kevin Gross, but "Lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place." If it does, look for Jaime Navarro and Tim Belcher to come calling for a kick in their careers. 1997 OUTLOOK: The Lightning should come down a notch from '96 ... but they were not expected to do anything in '96 either, and look what happened. 5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th OAKVILLE BARRACUDAS - 1996: 46-116, 5th place in Ruth division (predicted 6th) Franchise Players: Rondell White - 2nd round pick, 1994 Jason Kendall - acquired from Towers along with Kent Bottenfield and Michael Tucker for Ivan Rodriguez, Bip Roberts, Jose Mesa and Jeff Montgomery, 1996 Al Martin - acquired from Sluggers along with Joe Randa for Willie Greene, Bobby Jones and a 6th round pick, 1997 Reggie Jefferson - acquried from Wet Sox for Melvin Nieves and a 5th round pick, 1996 Jason Dickson - 1st round pick, 1997 When the 'Cudas realized they weren't going to contend in 1996, they blew the roster apart. The only person who remains from the end of 1995 is Rondell White. With this team, the emphasis is on youth. The average age of the team is around 25. The '97 edition of the Barracudas does manage to feature some punch. The only one with over-the-fence power is Rondell White, but Joe Randa, Reggie Jefferson, Al Martin & Michael Tucker have mid .400 slugging averages. Jason Kendall has taken his game up notch, and must be considered an up and coming catcher. There's no Frank Thomas in the bunch, but they can put up some runs. The big problem with the 'Cudas is a problem many other teams face: bad pitching. But they're young pitchers. The starters range from 21 years of age to 26. For them 1997 will be another year of learning. 1997 OUTLOOK: The 'Cudas have banked their future on youngsters with promise. They'll likely suffer heavy losses due to their pitching, but could make a playoff run in 1998. 6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th MIAMI MANGOS - 1996: 43-119, 6th place in Ruth division (predicted 5th) Set record for most losses in season Franchise players: Matt Morris - 1st round pick, 1st overall, 1997 Jay Buhner - acquired from Lightning along with Dan Wilson and Ramon Martinez for Alan Benes and 2nd & 5th round '97 picks, 1997 Bobby Bonilla - acquired from Moshers for Brewin's previously acquired 5th & 7th round picks, 1997 Steve Finley - acquried from Wet Sox for Garrett Anderson, 1997 Todd Zeile - 7th round pick, 1995 It's been a rough .. forever .. years for the Mango franchise. The Mangos currently have the worst history win-loss winning percentage in the league at 41%. Last year the bottom completely fell out (again). The Mangos out-lost the Barracudas to the worst ever season to ever have the unfortunacity to occur, mainly due to horrendous pitching. They put up with Alan Benes's crummy pitching season, only to see him shipped off to Carolina. Former first overall pick Hideo Nomo wasn't there either, having been traded before the '96 season for a 1st round pick which became... Joe Carter. Neither was Alex Fernandez, who was traded for a Mark Langston who quickly fell off the earth. Yet somehow the Mangos keep pulling in the ace starters. The latest young star hurdler to appear as a Mango is Matt Morris, who should do well. Last year's archaic and anemic batting lineup has been replaced by a lineup which is only mildly archaic but has plenty of thump. A lineup of Jay Buhner, Steve Finley and Todd Zeile should send plenty of balls out of the park. Vet Bobby Bonilla adds further slugging. Unfortunately, there's going to be nobody on base, as the rest of the hitters have OBA's of .300. Other than Morris, the Mango pitching staff is still a fright. 1997 OUTLOOK: Unless Morris gets traded for a bag of wet rocks (or Joe Carter), the Mangos can't have a chance of approaching the depths of '96. But they're still a little too long in the tooth and too short in pitching to do much. There's a few reclaimation projects in Brian Jordan, Ron Gant, Mike Kelly and Yamil Benitez, and if a few of them pan out perhaps the Mangos can have one last bang before the entire cast retires & moves to Florida. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * YOUNG DIVISION PREVIEW - A rise of an old rivalry, while a surprising team in '96 makes further strides. 1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st SEATTLE MOSHERS - 1996: 74-88, 4th place in Young division (pred: Tie-1st) Franchise Players: Greg Maddux - 1st round pick, 1991 Kevin Appier - 2nd round pick, 1991 Albert Belle - 4th round pick, 1991 David Cone - acquired from Lightning for Jay Buhner, 1996 Ray Lankford - 1st round pick, 1993 Seattle fans are still scratching their heads trying to figure out what went wrong in 1996. The Moshers were all geared up for yet another pennant run, but misfired right out of the gate. Maddux was barely a star pitcher, and Kevin Appier was just plain terrible. Halfway through the season the Moshers chucked their pennant hopes and started to rebuild. Long-time players were jettisoned for draft picks & future players. Luckily, a lot of those picks have panned out. Mosher mainstay Albert Belle is still around, but he's no longer the best player on the team. That honor goes to Ray Lankford, who should make a run for all-league honors. Joining them is one of the better infields the Moshers have ever had in JT Snow, Delino Deshields, Damian Easley and Jay Bell. The Moshers cornered the market on over-the-hill-yet- useful players such as Rickey Henderson, Benito Santiago (the return), Chris Hoiles and Joe Carter. On the pitching side, the Moshers still have the 1-2 punch in Maddux & Appier, but they add a third superstar in veteran David Cone. The relief corps headed by Rod Beck & Mike Timlin should be able to preserve leads. The Moshers took advantage of their bevy of draft picks to nab a ton of prospects for the future or the pennant run, led by Maddux-in-waiting Jaret Wright. The Moshers underwent a tremendous facelift during '96, turning away from the lurching 3-run homer offense into a more diversified one. 1997 OUTLOOK: They're baaaaack. Young division opponents, be afraid. 2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd PARK CITY CLIMBERS - 1996: 82-80, 3rd place in Young division (pred: Tie-1st) Franchise players: Pedro Martinez - 1st round pick, 1993 Rusty Greer - 3rd round pick, 1995 Jeff Blauser - 10th round pick, 1996 John Valentin - acquired from Dogs for 1st round pick, 1996 Ken Caminiti - acquired from Piazzas' along with '94 4th round pick for Bip Roberts, a '94 2nd rounder and '93 8th rounder, 1993 The Climbers came within 1 win of clinching the Young division back in '94 before losing it to the Moshers. They made the playoffs, but that was the highlight for the franchise, as they finished in last place in '95 and was a .500 team in '96. Scoring runs isn't a problem, thanks to a high octane offense and Coors field. In fact, they set the record for most runs & RBI in '96. But what was a problem was the pitching: an awful 4.94 ERA. Part of it was due to Coors field, but the other part was just due to mediocre pitching. Let's rewind to '94. The pitcher of note was Greg Maddux. He asserted his dominance early and never let up. In '95, it was Randy Johnson. '96, Tom Glavine. Who will it be in '97? A good bet would be Pedro Martinez. Martinez is so good this year that he should be able to post a top ten ERA despite playing half his games in Coors field. Martinez is so good that he more than makes up for the rest of the staff, which is adequate but nothing special. And of course, the hitting is still there. Rusty Greer is one of the better hitters in the game, and Ken Caminiti & Eric Karros can knock it out of the park. The Climbers took a chance on Jeff Blauser, and it will pay off in '97. Blauser & 2B John Valentin should make for the best hitting middle infield in the league. 1997 OUTLOOK: The Climbers & Moshers should remain neck and neck throughout the season. Look for a return to the form from '94. The Climbers should also find their way into the post-season. 3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd ARIZONA THUNDER - 1996: 94-68, 2nd in Young division (prediction 5th) Defeated Coneheads in 7 games in round 1 Lost to Brouhaha in 6 games in RY conf. finals Franchise Players: Mark McGwire - 1st round pick, 1995 Jimmy Key - signed as free agent, 1995 Jeromy Burnitz - 10th round pick, 1996 Matt Williams - acquired from Lightning for Kevin Tapani, Wade Boggs and a 7th round pick, 1997 Matt Stairs - acquired from Mangos with a 6th round pick for Marquis Grissom, 1997 After a disasterous 1995 off-season, where Tom Glavine was traded away for nothing and the Thunder draft (with one obvious exception) was botched due to management turmoil, the Thunder came back with a vengence in 1996. While they won the pennant back in 1993, the '96 edition of the Thunder struck deeper into the playoffs, knocking off perennial favorite California in 7 games, and pushed division rival Brookfield to six games before falling in the conference finals. So what's new in Arizona (besides a location move)? Plenty. The team underwent a massive facelift during the off-season (for the better). Joining '96 MVP Mark McGwire (who is finally healthy for a full season) are new slugging teammates 3B Matt Williams, OF Matt Stairs and CF Johnny Damon. Prior Thunder members Jeromy Burnitz and Darren Daulton also add to the carnage. Staff ace Jimmy Key (a member of the elite ex-Mango corps) is a threat to win 20. The only problem with the Thunder is that the rest of the pitching staff is iffy, and there's no reliever corps to speak of. Future phenom Brett Tomko may actually be the closer! But getting relievers is what 7th round picks are for, so it's not of utmost concern. 1997 OUTLOOK: The Thunder were a bit of a surprise in 1996, but people know they're coming in '97. Trouble is, there's nothing opponents can do. They may be slated as being 3rd, but they could definitely go higher. 4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th4th SAN FRANCISCO PIAZZAS' - 1996: 59-103, 6th place in Young division (pred 6th) Franchise Players: Raul Mondesi - 1st round (1st overall) pick, 1994 David Justice - acquired from Climbers with Andy Ashby for Todd Stottlemeyer, Jon Nunnally and a 6th round pick, 1995 Tony Clark - 5th round pick, 1996 Javy Lopez - acquired from Climbers along with a '95 4th round pick, '95 12th round pick and Felix Jose for Bip Roberts, Todd Stottlemeyer and a '95 3rd round pick, 1994 Wil Cordero - acquired from Syndicate along with TJ Mathews and a 10th round pick for a 4th round pick, 1997 The Piazzas' have been a franchise of extremes. They are the only team who have both had the worst record in the league (twice) and to also make an appearance in the CFOD world series. The glory season of the Piazzas' was 1995, when they crushed their division competition to win the pennant, then blew away the Coneheads in 4 games to make an appearance in the CFOD world series. Last year was one that the Piazzas' were used to, IE-heavy losses. In '97 the Piazzas' will boast a fearsome 4-some: David Justice, Tony Clark, Raul Mondesi and Javy Lopez. Justice is finally injury free, Tony Clark has busted out, Raul is remained consistent, and Javy is slowly improving his game. There's a good bet at least one will make the all-star team. The supporting case of Wil Cordero, Otis Nixon and Mark Clayton should be adequate. Put together, young'uns Livan Hernandez and Jose Mercedes make a passable ace starter. Andy Ashby, John Burkett and Chuck Finley are solid starters. The reliever corps are quite good. 1997 OUTLOOK: They're healthy and they've got the horses to make some noise. The last time they had a team this good they made it into the world series... 5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th5th BROOKFIELD BROUHAHA - 1996: 99-63, 1st in Young division (pred: Tie 1st) Defeated Whaleheads in 7 games in 1st round Defeated Thunder in 6 games in RY conf. finals Lost to Squids in CFOD world series in 7 games Franchise Players: Edgar Martinez - Expansion pick, 1993 Jim Edmonds - 1st round pick, 1994 Mike Hampton - acquired from Barracudas for Pat Meares, 1996 Jeff Cirillo - 2nd round pick, 1995 BJ Surhoff - acquired from Blue Wave (Barracudas) for Bobby Witt, 1994 What a year 1996 was for the Brouhaha. The pieces finally fell into place after several years of near misses. The Brouhaha became the second '93 expansion team to make the playoffs, and was the first '93 expansion team to make it to the CFOD world series. On their way they had one of best played playoff series in existance when they faced the Whaleheads. Twice they were an out away from losing a game (the second one was game seven), but a pinch hitter (Lee Stevens & Dale Sveum) came through with the clutch hit. The Brouhaha pushed the Squids to 7 games in the world series, but was ultimately defeated by the hot bat of Juan Gonzalez. So what of the Brouhaha in '97? In a way, this season may be the hangover from the party of '96. Edgar Martinez is as good as ever, as is Jim Edmonds. They also have reasonable hitting out of Jeff Cirillo & BJ Surhoff. On the pitching side, things are a little weak. Mike Hampton, Esteban Loaiza and Orel Hershiser are all in a 3-way tie for the ace position, but none are Pedro Martinez. 1997 OUTLOOK: The Brouhaha don't have the firepower of the '96 edition, but they're not the bad '93 edition either. They are not as heavily favored as in '96, but they've got enough talent to make things interesting. 6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th6th SACRAMENTO FISH - 1996: 71-91, 5th in Young divison (Predicted 4th) Franchise Players: Wilson Alvarez - 1st round pick, 1992 Ryan Klesko - acquired from Termites for 2nd round pick, 1996 Vladimir Guerrero - 1st round pick, 1996 Ben Grieve - 1st round pick, 1997 Paul Konerko - 4th round pick, 1997 Wait a second, how can 2 of the Fish's franchise players be guys who barely have 100 AB worth of major league experience between them? Simple. The Fish are in the middle of a 2-year rebuilding effort. They've stockpiled a rather impressive amount of young talent. Not all will break out, but most have an excellent chance. Last year's 1st rounder Vladimir Guerrero has an injury plagued season, but he has about 10-15 more years to make up for that. Grieve and Konerko are highly touted prospects, and starting in '98 the Fish could have the best 3-4-5 punch in the league. But unfortunately for Fish fans, it's 1997. And that means they got to live through the over the hill veterans that nobody wants (like 80% of the pitching staff), or youngsters who need more time to develop (hello, Todd Walker). Klesko and first baseman David Segui should put up some fireworks on offense, and Wilson Alvarez is a diamond in an otherwise rough pitching staff. 1997 OUTLOOK: Look for heavy losses, but for Fish fans it's a brighter tomorrow.