Join the 50th season of this solid world. alogman1 is a very solid commish who keeps things running smoothly with no drama. This season the only available teams will be in the NL, they're slackers, all the AL owners returned. The three available teams are all in need of some reshaping and building so they are perfect for those of you that enjoy tinkering with a new team to change it into your vision. Here's a brief review of the teams:
NL North
Former Syracuse Franchise (62-100, 4th pl)
After 4 somewhat successful seasons this team is looking for a new owner. This team had a solid 9 yr run with (8) 1st place finishes, 3 WS appearances and 1 WS trophy. Last season however was a surprisingly dismal finish. Offense was a huge problem as a .238 batting avg and a meager 629 runs scored indicated. Javier Hechavarria (88 Runs, 42 HR, 114 RBI, .252) was really the lone bright spot amongst the position players.
The pitching staff wasn't as bleak, however none of the starters posted an ERA under 4 and (5) of the players with more than 5 starts also had 10 losses. The problem here is that the staff needs some true leaders. A true #1 & #2 would push the others further down the list where they would be more suited. A shutdown closer would also allow the bullpen to be reorganized to allow everyone to find a role more in line with their capabilities.
Repositioning players and upgrading the talent level will be required. With little to speak of in the minors, the new owner will either need to be patient and build through the draft or get aggressive in the free agent market. Fortunately, there are no bad contracts and there should be enough room in the budget to maneuver in whichever direction that is chosen. This team would be a nice challenge for a vet or a good team for a newbie to cut his/her teeth on.
NL East
Former Cincinnati Franchise (66-96, 4th pl)
After 17 seasons and 3 fourth place finishes in the last 6 seasons, this franchise will need new leadership. A .251 avg and 608 runs scored the team struggled offensively even with (2) players putting up 30 HRs, Gonzalez Arroyo & Jordany Carrasco. It wasn't horrible but everyone simply put up very average seasons with the exception of the aforementioned power hitters.
This team would also benefit from the acquisition of a couple of front-end starters. This would allow the team to return to a 5-man rotation taking some of the strain off the arms. The relieve corp did a fairly solid job with Gerry Argyropoulos putting up the better numbers (15/17, 3.49) in the closer role.
There are some pieces in the minors that will aid this team either this season or next. This would be a good team for someone will the knowledge to make a quick turnaround possible. Therefore, it would be better for a vet owner, although a newbie if patient and willing to learn before making any big moves could also handle the challenge.
Former London Franchise (67-95, 3rd pl)
It's been 8 seasons since the last division title. While last season was not successful, it was a much better than the previous season as the 22 win increase would indicate. So, things are headed in the right direction if the new owner can build on the improvements. A .248 team batting avg shows some changes will need to be made to the position players. Andres Franco (88, 9, 40, .280) was the leader and with some more potent bats behind him, he could be a strong catalyst to get the offense rolling.
Rio Perez, Ronnie Lowry, Enrique Morales were penciled in to start far too many games. Perez may be ok in at the end of the rotation, however upgrades to the rotation will be required if this team wants to continue to aspire to enter the playoff hunt. The bullpen was anchored by Enny Maduro (21/26, .293) who put up solid numbers as did most of his bullpen mates.
There is some help in the farm system, but the FA market will need to be used to augment them in any attempt to move the needle on this team and make the playoffs a reality. This team could be a good project for either a vet or newbie owner. A vet could put in a plan and move to make some necessary changes to finish the rebuild. A newbie would be able to learn the game as he/she built slowly through the draft or free agency but will need patience.
Contact alogman1 with your choice of team to help us celebrate the memorable 50th season.