The first team available is the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies won their division title in 1968 and lost to my own St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS.

In 1969, after 88 games the Phillies are 44-44, tied for the NLE division lead. The league is extremely well balanced with the best record being 50-35 and the worst record being 39-49. Three divisions are very competitive with no team being more than 7 games behind the division leader, with the ALE as an exception as the Baltimore Orioles (53-35) lead by 10 games.

The Phillies had 2 players retire after the 1969 season (1B Dick Stuart and P Camilo Pscual). The amount of salary available for draft picks will be $6,918,986 plus the salaries of any players cut. There are 74 games still left in the 1969 season and it is difficult to predict where the Phillies will draft as at this time only 3 teams have records more than 3 games worse than the Phillies and only 2 teams have records more than 3 games better than the Phillies, so they could draft anywhere from 4th to 14th !

Following are the batting statistics for the Phillies 11 returning hitters for the 1970 season:

FIRST	LAST			Last		Annual										Total
NAME	NAME			Year	Years	Salary	Bats	PA	HR	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	SPD	FLDG	Salary
Johnny	Edwards	C		1974	5	$2,659,056	L	484	8	0.241	0.312	0.355	0.667	43	A-/A/A+	$13,295,280
Frank	Fernandez	C		1971	2	$763,723	R	67	3	0.204	0.348	0.389	0.737	43	A_/B/A+	$1,527,446
Carl	Taylor	C		1973	4	$557,449	R	63	1	0.264	0.371	0.358	0.729	58	C/C-/D	$2,229,796
Ernie	Banks	1B		1971	2	$5,394,938	R	666	33	0.273	0.330	0.500	0.830	59	A-/A-	$10,789,876
Joe	Morgan	2B		1984	15	$5,646,302	L	694	17	0.271	0.391	0.431	0.822	82	B+/C-	$84,694,530
Brooks	Robinson	3B		1976	7	$4,101,425	R	663	15	0.269	0.324	0.402	0.726	56	A/A	$28,709,975
Roberto	Clemente	OF		1972	3	$5,449,258	R	680	16	0.318	0.359	0.475	0.834	66	C/C+	$16,347,774
Tony	Gonzalez	OF		1971	2	$3,979,180	L	581	10	0.286	0.351	0.413	0.764	77	B+/C+	$7,958,360
Jim	Hickman	OF		1974	5	$2,329,411	R	391	14	0.251	0.333	0.427	0.760	63	C+/D+	$11,647,055
Ed	Kirkpatrick	OF		1977	8	$1,762,640	L	326	7	0.241	0.330	0.372	0.702	60	A/D+	$14,101,120
Jim	Wynn	OF		1977	8	$5,090,906	R	676	25	0.250	0.365	0.437	0.802	82	B/B	$40,727,248

And following are the pitching statistics for the Phillies 12 returning pitchers for the 1970 season:

FIRST	LAST			Last		Annual											Total
NAME	NAME			Year	Years	Salary	Throws	IP	G	GS	W	L	SV	ERA	WHIP	OAV	Salary
Danny	Frisella	P		1976	7	$1,356,995	R	61	34	2	4	4	6	3.29	1.33	0.234	$9,498,965
Tom	Hall	P		1976	7	$2,546,133	L	94	38	7	6	4	4	3.26	1.20	0.211	$17,822,931
Bob	Locker	P		1975	6	$2,091,177	R	79	51	0	5	3	8	2.64	1.17	0.236	$12,547,062
Mickey	Lolich	P		1979	10	$5,479,241	L	229	36	31	14	12	1	3.43	1.23	0.246	$54,792,410
Marcelino	Lopez	P		1971	2	$1,654,510	L	78	19	10	4	5	0	3.49	1.36	0.239	$3,309,020
Denny	McLain	P		1972	3	$5,124,216	R	207	30	29	14	10	0	3.36	1.15	0.232	$15,372,648
Ron	Perranoski	P		1971	2	$2,377,778	L	102	63	0	7	6	16	2.66	1.32	0.248	$4,755,556
Gaylord	Perry	P		1983	14	$5,680,911	R	218	31	28	13	11	0	3.10	1.18	0.246	$79,532,754
Jim	Roland	P		1972	3	$743,750	L	35	16	2	2	1	1	3.09	1.29	0.213	$2,231,250
Vicente	Romo	P		1974	5	$1,701,041	R	78	40	4	4	4	6	3.36	1.31	0.239	$8,505,205
Eddie	Watt	P		1974	5	$2,001,554	R	74	45	1	4	4	9	2.82	1.17	0.221	$10,007,770
Dick	Woodson	P		1974	5	$1,150,710	R	57	13	7	3	3	0	3.52	1.32	0.237	$5,753,550

Clearly the Phillies primary needs are for a catcher, 1B or SS (Ernie Banks has been playing SS), and a 4th starting pitcher. Some players probably should be cut to free up additional salary room for the primary needs.

If you want to be in an extremely competitive league with an opportunity to show your drafting and managerial; skills, this is an excellent league for you.

The second tem available is the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates current record is 38-54 and they will likely be a lottery team for the first round of the draft (the 4 teams with the worst record are in a weighted lottery for the first round only) and will likely be drafting first in subsequent rounds. The Pirates had 2 players retire after 1969 and have $7,411,892 available for draft picks plus the salaries of any players cut.

THE PIRATES HAVE BEEN TAKEN VIA SITE MAIL

Following are the batting statistics for the Pirates 11 returning hitters for the 1970 season:

FIRST	LAST			Last		Annual										Total	Other
NAME	NAME			Year	Years	Salary	Bats	PA	HR	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	SPD	FLDG	Salary	Positions
John	Bateman	C		1972	3	$1,613,773	R	341	8	0.230	0.271	0.356	0.627	43	C+/A/B+	$4,841,319
Ron	Brand	C		1971	2	$726,275	R	107	0	0.240	0.305	0.260	0.565	54	B/A/A-	$1,452,550	SS
Bob	Didier	C		1971	2	$355,538	S	69	0	0.226	0.284	0.258	0.542	43	A-/B+/C	$711,076
Manny	Sanguillen	C		1979	10	$4,144,533	R	547	7	0.297	0.327	0.402	0.729	47	B/A-/A+	$41,445,330	1B, OF
Danny	Cater	1B		1974	5	$2,566,610	R	481	7	0.277	0.317	0.380	0.697	58	B+/D	$12,833,050	3B, OF
Ron	Fairly	1B		1978	9	$3,315,073	L	560	14	0.266	0.361	0.407	0.768	58	B-/D-	$29,835,657	OF
George	Scott	1B		1979	10	$3,882,552	R	660	22	0.268	0.333	0.437	0.770	57	C+/C	$38,825,520	3B
Ron	Hunt	2B		1974	5	$4,182,398	R	675	4	0.274	0.309	0.348	0.657	66	B/C	$20,911,990	3B
Jim Ray	Hart	3B		1973	4	$3,107,815	R	431	18	0.280	0.346	0.474	0.820	60	C/D+	$12,431,260	OF
Syd	O'Brien	3B		1972	3	$491,560	R	93	3	0.230	0.272	0.356	0.628	64	C/C_	$1,474,680	2B,SS
Ron	Santo	3B		1974	5	$5,416,449	R	679	25	0.277	0.363	0.466	0.829	57	B/B+	$27,082,245	2B
Matty	Alou	OF		1974	5	$3,924,552	L	608	3	0.307	0.345	0.382	0.727	80	B/C-	$19,622,760	1B
Willie	Davis	OF		1976	7	$4,298,539	L	655	12	0.279	0.311	0.410	0.721	91	B-A-	$30,089,773
Mickey	Stanley	OF		1978	9	$3,045,691	R	534	11	0.247	0.299	0.376	0.675	74	A/B	$27,411,219	SS

And following are the pitching statistics for the Pirates 9 returning pitchers for the 1970 season:

FIRST	LAST			Last		Annual											Total	Rookie
NAME	NAME			Year	Years	Salary	Throws	IP	G	GS	W	L	SV	ERA	WHIP	OAV	Salary	Year
Stan	Bahnsen	P		1981	12	$3,528,612	R	169	37	22	10	10	1	3.57	1.33	0.255	$42,343,344	1968
Jack	Billingham	P		1980	11	$3,759,865	R	185	38	25	12	9	1	3.72	1.34	0.265	$41,358,515	1968
Nelson	Briles	P		1978	9	$3,233,352	R	152	32	20	9	8	2	3.45	1.27	0.263	$29,100,168	1965
Rollie	Fingers	P		1985	16	$3,066,153	R	109	60	2	7	8	22	1.89	1.15	0.234	$49,058,448	1969
Dave	Giusti	P		1977	8	$2,425,790	R	108	41	8	6	6	9	3.59	1.30	0.254	$19,406,320	1962
Wayne	Granger	P		1976	7	$1,590,425	R	78	55	0	4	4	14	3.14	1.29	0.257	$11,132,975	1968
Lindy	McDaniel	P		1975	6	$2,463,984	R	107	49	4	7	6	9	3.37	1.26	0.256	$14,783,904	1956
Phil	Niekro	P		1987	18	$5,684,116	R	239	32	32	14	12	1	3.33	1.26	0.247	$102,314,088	1965
Bob	Veale	P		1973	4	$4,288,837	L	173	33	23	11	9	2	3.08	1.32	0.236	$17,155,348	1962

A third team just became available, the Oakland Athletics. The Athletics won their division title in 1968 and so far in 1969 have a record of 49-48, 2nd in the division only 1 game behind the Chicago White Sox. There are 12 teams with records between 50-47 and 45-52 so it is difficult to predict where the A's will draft.

The Athletics have been taken

The Athletics had only 1 player retire after 1969 so will have only $1,213,645 available for draft picks before any cuts.

Following are the batting statistics for the Athletics 14 returning hitters for the 1970 season:

FIRST	LAST			Last		Annual										Total	Other
NAME	NAME			Year	Years	Salary	Bats	PA	HR	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	SPD	FLDG	Salary	Positions
Ed	Herrmann	C		1978	9	$1,609,093	L	268	7	0.242	0.313	0.363	0.676	41	B/B+/A	$14,481,837
George	Mitterwald	C		1977	8	$1,618,189	R	256	7	0.237	0.295	0.371	0.666	44	B/A-/A+	$12,945,512	1B
Don	Pavletich	C		1970	1	$913,376	R	119	4	0.255	0.328	0.443	0.771	45	C+/A-/D+	$913,376	1B
Orlando	Cepeda	1B		1974	5	$5,010,885	R	673	29	0.298	0.351	0.498	0.849	62	C+/C+	$25,054,425	OF
Al	Oliver	1B		1985	16	$5,218,792	L	670	15	0.303	0.345	0.450	0.795	66	B/B	$83,500,672	1B
Wes	Parker	1B		1972	3	$2,718,623	S	490	6	0.268	0.351	0.373	0.724	59	A/C+	$8,155,869	OF
Tony	Perez	1B		1986	17	$4,133,019	R	635	22	0.280	0.342	0.466	0.808	54	B/D	$70,261,323	3B
Tito	Fuentes	2B		1977	8	$3,822,210	B	657	5	0.269	0.308	0.349	0.657	68	B-/B+	$30,577,680	3B, SS
Billy	Grabarkewitz	2B		1974	5	$733,036	R	116	2	0.237	0.353	0.361	0.714	75	C/D	$3,665,180	3B,SS
Bud	Harrelson	SS		1980	11	$2,508,989	S	535	1	0.237	0.329	0.289	0.618	74	C+/B+	$27,598,879	2B
Ollie	Brown	OF		1977	8	$2,015,377	R	356	9	0.266	0.323	0.327	0.650	64	B/D+	$16,123,016
Willie	Crawford	OF		1977	8	$2,212,978	L	356	8	0.270	0.350	0.412	0.762	70	C+/D+	$17,703,824
Joe	Rudi	OF		1982	13	$3,781,546	R	639	19	0.265	0.313	0.428	0.741	65	A/C-	$49,160,098	1B
Willie	Stargell	OF		1982	13	$4,725,136	L	620	33	0.281	0.359	0.531	0.890	60	D+/D-	$61,426,768	1B

And following are the pitching statistics for the Athletics 10 returning pitchers for the 1970 season:

FIRST	LAST			Last		Annual											Total	Rookie
NAME	NAME			Year	Years	Salary	Throws	IP	G	GS	W	L	SV	ERA	WHIP	OAV	Salary	Year
Bobby	Bolin	P		1973	4	$2,866,286	R	122	37	13	7	6	4	3.41	1.24	0.231	$11,465,144	1961
Jim	Bouton	P		1970	1	$2,474,630	R	113	27	13	6	6	1	3.59	1.27	0.242	$2,474,630	1962
George	Brunet	P		1970	1	$3,070,641	L	135	26	21	7	8	0	3.49	1.27	0.237	$3,070,641	1960
Dean	Chance	P		1971	2	$5,715,099	R	213	39	29	13	11	2	2.88	1.20	0.232	$11,430,198	1962
Mike	Cuellar	P		1976	7	$5,546,183	L	217	34	29	14	10	1	3.11	1.19	0.242	$38,823,281	1964
John	Gelnar	P		1970	1	$520,373	R	28	12	1	1	2	1	3.62	1.24	0.260	$520,373	1969
Bob	Gibson	P		1975	6	$6,636,512	R	232	31	29	15	10	0	2.92	1.19	0.228	$39,819,072	1959
Jim	Kaat	P		1983	14	$4,147,937	L	185	36	25	12	10	1	3.42	1.26	0.264	$58,071,118	1960
Dave	Leonhard	P		1971	2	$461,447	R	26	8	2	1	1	0	3.14	1.28	0.237	$922,894	1968
Nolan	Ryan	P		1993	24	$6,325,998	R	210	31	30	13	11	0	3.17	1.25	0.204	$151,823,952	1968

I'll take Oakland if they're still available.