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ArquimedezPozo · 01-20-2023, 11:23 PM

Division 1

Moving Up
The Los Angeles Angels - 2037: 2nd Place in the D1 West, 88-66
The headline acquisition for LA was veteran catcher Danny Cadavid, filling a big hole for the club. Cadavid is a five time Silver Slugger winner at catcher and has won three Gold Gloves, including in 2037 for the New Orleans Zephyrs. At 33 he is heading toward the downslope of his career, but the Angels are hoping his veteran leadership and production on both sides of the ball will help lift them past El Paso. LA also added some impressive pitching depth, picking up Dave Daniel in a trade with Toronto and signing FAs Preston Stanton on a short, low-money deal. Both were starters in 2037 but are expected to bolster LA’s bullpen, along with a couple other arms. The rotation help - along with a catcher who has demonstrated excellent ability to manage the game - should bolster what was already one of the stingiest staffs in D1, while allowing LA’s younger hitters (3B Ryan Haymes, RF Jake Baldwin) to establish themselves.

The New York Giants - 2037: 3rd Place in the D1 East, 77-77
The Angels weren’t the only ones adding arms this offseason. The Giants scored the biggest free agent of all when they signed ace Jon Sayre away from Phoenix for a six year, $70.2m contract that will take him through his age 34 season. Sayre put up 5.2 WAR and led D4 in strikeouts in 2037; this will be his first crack at D1, the only division he hasn’t yet pitched in. The Giants, who allowed the fourth most runs in D1 last season, added two more arms to their revamped rotation as well, signing Brian Sawyer (21-11, 3.83 ERA, 89 FIP-, 3.5 WAR with Philly) for three years and $30.3m, and Jim Behan (5-9, 3.89 ERA, 88 FIP-, 3.6 WAR with Brooklyn). The Giants were a hard-luck case in 2037 with the best expected record in the Conference despite their poor run prevention. With a powerful lineup that features C Matt Wood, CF Jose Cruz, and SS Mike Burcham, the Giants could be a major contender in 2038.

Falling Down
The Denver Bears - 2037: 6th Place in the D1 West, 64-90
The fire sale has begun for the Bears, who shot up from D3 over the last two cycles with a powerful offense but whose core is now starting to show their age. The club still managed 811 runs this year, second only to El Paso, but with T.J. Hardcastle’s retirement, 33 year old Clemens Young is the only star bat remaining. More concerning is the Bears pitching staff: over the offseason the club traded away their most effective starter, Roberto Cabrera, as he neared the end of his arbitration years. They also traded away Bobby Hardy, while Jose Fernandez signed with the Gulls, leaving a rotation with Dylan Anderson and a bunch of question marks. The Bears seem to have acknowledged that their window has closed, and will accept a possible relegation as they retool.

The Philadelphia Athletics - 2037: 5th Place in the D1 East, 74-80
The A’s may not be in full firesale mode like the Bears, but it’s not clear they have plans to contend anytime soon. They added a solid bad in LF Jake Haston, and Carlos Ponce provides steady defense and some pop, but both came in on short contracts. Meanwhile, the club dealt 2B Dustin Jennings to Boston for prospects, and let Brian Sawyer go to the rival Giants while great defensive SS Kevin Wassink left to sign with Las Vegas. Rob Cady, who has gotten starts as a super-sub over the last few years, and they’re excited about the potential of some of their younger players such as 3B Josiah Morgan. But behind ace Pedro Luna, the rotation is thin, which may overtax a talented pen. Philly could make a run, but it would take some career years from unlikely places.

Dark Horse Candidate
The Seattle Steelheads - 2037: 5th place in the D1 West, 72-82
There is a lot of buzz around the Steelheads heading into 2038. Though they haven’t had a winning season since their 2034 championship, they avoided relegation and have rebuilt with an impressive crop of young potential stars. C Roger Alvarado has the highest ceiling of the bunch - a once in a generation catching talent, Alvarado has won raves for his approach and instincts behind the plate and at it. Alvarado was Seattle’s first pick, the second overall in 2037, and rocketed through the minors, ripping up AA Tacoma and then AAA Spokane in a short stint. Seattle needs to make sure he’s for real with more time in AAA, but expect him soon. He will join a young core that already features RF Mike Hood (.290/.384/.462 in 2037) and Colin Izak, who will open the year in the bullpen but who has ace potential despite some concerns about his makeup. With Hector Razo and Jeff Baltimore anchoring the rotation, and an exciting lineup full of potential, Seattle could find themselves in the thick of things - if not this year, than possibly in 2039 and for years to come.

MVP Prediction: Hard to bet against Carson Prince again, but this could also finally be the year for El Paso’s great LF Joe Rison, the best leadoff man in the game. Aaron Felton, who will be playing his first season outside Toronto, could make waves as Tijuana’s DH as well. And not to pile on, but Giants C Matt Wood has, unaccountably, never won the award…

Pitcher of the Year Prediction: Brooklyn’s Jason Blanche is hitting 97 on the gun again after an injury-plagued 2037, and he’s long been one of D1’s best. A resurgent campaign could give him his third trophy. Pedro Luna is also a threat to threepeat for Philadelphia.

Rookie of the Year Prediction: Seattle’s phenom catcher Roger Alvarado is almost too perfect as a player - smart, hard-working, talented at all aspects of the game, if he gets a call-up early in the season expect him to take over.

Division 2

Moving Up
The Boston Bees - 2037: tied for 2nd in D2 East, 84-70
After a few transitional seasons, the former D1 power appears ready to compete again. The club was in the thick of the race in 2037, with home run champ Russ Mesaros leading the way, and now Boston has given SS Ramon Santiago a talented double play pattern in Dustin Jennings after a trade with Philly seen widely as a steal for the Bees. They’ve added more depth to their rotation with Dave Wyatt and Joey Chadburn, who came over in a trade with Cleveland. Boston did lose three productive relievers from a bullpen that already had some question marks, so if the Bees stay in it this season as they did last, look for some deals mid-year to add some back end arms.

The Vancouver Mounties: 2nd in D2 West, 84-70
No team in D2 was as active in the trade market as Vancouver, dealing from a productive farm system to acquire what they hope are the missing pieces to put them over Ft. Worth in 2038. New 1B John Witherspoon provides a steady veteran left-handed bat, while the Mounties have stabilized the back of their rotation with Matt Riddle and Lee Poirier. Vancouver’s top two starters are back, and the bullpen continues to be a strength, but the Mounties lost a lot of winnable games last year due to poor starts from their #4 and #5 guys, so the club is hoping offseason moves will provide large benefits. They’re also excited by what they see as leaps forward by young CF Sonny Scoggins, and another season by reigning D2 MVP Colin Hannigan at second. Keep your eye on 3B Leo Rodriguez, too - he’s been a valuable hitter for four years, but a case can be made that he hasn’t yet hit his ceiling, and if he does, watch out.

Falling Down
The Montreal Expos: 4th in D2 East, 75-79
There’s been a lot of head scratching over Montreal’s offseason moves. The third-best run prevention team in D2 traded away much of its starting rotation for questionable returns, including a bewildering trade of promising young starter Dylan Powers for light-hitting defensive 2B Raul Gonzalez, for which fans have rightly lit up social media to protest. Their lineup has gotten neither younger nor better, with the majority of their starters over the age of 32 and on the decline. The best hope for Montreal now is a return to form from former ace Bubba Fread, who inexplicably collapsed in 2037, going 9-15 with a 5.28 ERA. A .345 BABIP and 2.72 SIERA suggest those numbers were inflated, and early returns fro Spring Training are good, but until he shows he is the old Bubba Fread again, it will be hard to take Montreal seriously as a contender for anything but last place.

The Sacramento Solons: 6th in D2 West, 61-93
Like the D1 Bears, the Solons had a rude welcome to their new Division, going from first place in the D3 West to 93 losses and dead last in 2037. They didn’t do themselves many favors, either, with essentially no additions of consequence. Ace Josh Argo looks like he will be the team’s only bright spot for a second straight season; one more like 2037 and the Solons will be a lock to fall back to D3 after Cycle 11.

Dark Horse Candidate
The San Diego Padres: 4th in D2 West, 72-82
Nothing San Diego did this offseason caused more discussion than the controversial trade of starter Tommy Boles to Atlanta for LF Frank Hernandez. On the one hand, San Diego had the second fewest runs allowed of any D2 team and needed offense; on the other, Boles was their ace and while Hernandez has been a valuable hitter, he’s also 36, coming off arguably his worst season, and moving into a higher division than he’s ever played in before. But San Diego is counting on Josh Beck to step into that ace role, and has hopes for DH Ian Farmer, LF Jason Turnquist, 1B Willie Fernandez, and the rest of a young lineup. 24 year old Aaron Meadows will likely step into the rotation at some point this year too, as could top pitching prospect Lesley Buker. If the younger players click, San Diego could be a factor in a relatively weak D2 West.

MVP Prediction: New Orleans 1B Robert Zermeno was second in line to Colin Hannigan’s incredible year last year. Zermeno, who led D2 in slugging and hit .312 with a .365 OBP, is just 25 in 2038 and while last year was a breakout season, this one could catapult him into superstardom. Another young star is Houston’s LF Pedro Salazar, who has extraordinary power potential and an outstanding batting eye.

Pitcher of the Year Prediction: Josh Argo may be the only thing standing between the Solons and relegation this year, and it’s a good bet he’s up to the challenge, after missing out on three straight awards last season. Everyone’s raving about young Expos starter Joe Fuller, too, after his great rookie campaign. But when the dust clears, don’t be surprised if Australian Rhett Frew becomes the first from his country with the award: he was spectacular for KC last season, and is still getting accustomed to North American ball.

Rookie of the Year Prediction: Ft. Worth’s Jesse Moeller stunned everyone outside the Ft. Worth organization when he came up in September and proceeded to hit six homers in 18 games with a .348 OBP. He’s got a lot of talent, but is only 21; if he can stick on the big club, though, he’s a contender. Houston’s impressive SS/RP Kevin Revello could be in the conversation too, but he has to recover from a separated shoulder suffered in Spring Training first.

Division 3

Moving Up
The Miami Amigos: 1st Place in D3 East, 101-53
The NABF’s best regular season team did not rest on its laurels in the offseason: they want that D3 championship that has so long eluded them, and they want a promotion at long last. With multiple Pitcher of the Year winner Paul Herrin, the Amigos already boast a scary rotation, but they added to it by essentially stealing young starter Dylan Powers from Montreal; Powers put up 4.2 WAR and a 12.7 K/9 in D2 last year, and should see improvement with a drop down to D3 as Miami’s #3 behind Herrin and Brett Calderon. The Amigos also took a chance on one of the league’s least friendly players, closer Pedro Llopiz, who was outstanding for Austin last season but who can wear out welcome in a clubhouse quickly. He joins what promises to be a lockdown pen. While Miami probably needed bats more than arms, this is a team capable of winning a lot of low-scoring ballgames, and they’re expected to rise to the top of the D3 East once again. We’ll see if this gets them even further than that.

The San Francisco Seals: 1st Place in D3 West, 89-65
The Seals won 89 games last season, but played well above their heads, eight games better than their expected W/L. They aimed to correct their pitching woes in the offseason, and by adding SP Ryan Roland from Austin they may have done exactly that, giving them a bona fide ace that they lacked last season and shifting their staff around to improve the pen. That includes also signing RP Marcos Castro away from Miami. The Seals still have holes - most notably at catcher where they lost defensive catcher Milt Weber to free agency. But the team that won last year’s D3 title certainly shouldn’t be counted out for this year’s, especially as they’ve addressed their biggest deficiency.

Falling Down
The Austin Pioneers: 6th Place in D3 West, 56-98
The Pioneers seem destined to be a great D4 team only: they’ve won four D4 West titles and carry a .500 average winning percentage in D4, but have averaged only 64 wins a year during their D3 stints. This looks like it will be another three-and-out for Austin, who were flat out awful in 2037 and have lost ace Ryan Roland and closer Pedro Llopiz (though players might tell you the latter is not much of a loss). They also lost a major crowd draw in Mike MacArtney, who will likely become only the second player in NABF history to collect 3,000 hits this season; New Orleans will host that event now, not Austin. The team does have some strong young pitchers, such as Chris Parker, who was much better than his 4.46 ERA and 9-16 record might suggest, but it’s hard to see this team going places in 2038.

The St. Paul Saints: 2nd Place in D3 West, 81-73
The Saints had a real chance to capitalize on 2037 - by run differential, they were the best team in the Conference, and finished second to San Francisco and behind only Salt Lake in runs scored. Had they added some arms - and there were some available - St. Paul could be the odds on favorite for the Conference. But as it stands, they are a better bet to finish in the middle of the pack. They made only minor moves, though trading for closer Pat Pipkin should help in the pen. But what they needed was a top starter or two, and they watched rival San Francisco add Ryan Roland while Salt Lake added Jose Fernandez and Matt Thompson. St. Paul should still score runs, but they’ll be giving up more than their fair share as well.

Dark Horse Candidate
The Salt Lake Gulls: 3rd Place in D3 West, 79-75
The Gulls were an offensive powerhouse in 2037, led by an outrageously good Paul Geisler, who hit .350/.392/.595 with 34 homers in a breakout age 26 season. Though there are concerns of regression as nothing in his minor league record suggested that kind of year, some in the organization believe the transformation is real. Ralph Keough, Nate Madden, and Chris Griebe will also provide offense, while new acquisitions Jose Fernandez and Matt Thompson will be slotted into the rotation, likely in the top two spots. While neither is an ace, they’re certainly better than what Salt Lake had last year, and if Geisler is for real, young hitters keep improving, and the rotation can be even league average, the Gulls could be a force to reckon with.

MVP Prediction: Sam Stanton. The Atlanta LF/DH had one of the best offensive seasons in recent memory last year, and keeps getting better. In this his age 27 season, we could see him bloom into an all-time great.

Pitcher of the Year Prediction: How, at this point, do you not predict Paul Herrin? He’s won three straight, and that includes a year where he also won MVP. He’s 28, in the prime of his career, and another win would tie him with all time greats like Antonio Venegas, David Miramontes, and Bubba Fread, one behind Oliver Chase. But watch out for Memphis’s Ian Weaver, who has been in Herrin’s shadow but is special in his own right - if Herrin falters, or he takes another step forward, Weaver could be it.

Rookie of the Year Prediction: Watch out for St. Paul’s Jerry Dudek, who appears set to stick in the Saints rotation. The 23 year old had an outstanding spring, and can drop three plus pitches - fastball, sinker, curve - on hitters right now; a changeup is making solid progress too. Cleveland is starting 2B Tony Vargas in Canton, but it won’t be long until he takes over the starting job with the Spiders; he’s an all around strong hitter who could stick defensively at second, though he’s probably an even better defensive OF.

Division 4

Moving Up
The San Antonio Missions, 2nd Place in D4 West, 87-68
San Antonio came within a game of a D4 West title in 2037, and with the Firebirds potentially taking a step back in the offseason, now might be the time for the only team that has never left Division 4 to begin its ascent. While San Antonio lost some solid arms, it replaced them well, signing Eric Kronburger away from Milwaukee and picking up RP Ji-hoon Kim from Detroit. A trade with Sacramento netted Roberto Lopez, whose skillset could make him dominant in D4. All of this adds to San Antonio's promising young lineup - 26 year old CF Steve McNellis hit .306/.357/.448 last season, and the Missions will get a full year from 1B Justin Gulden, who hit .357 with a .405 OBP and surprising power in limited time. If Gulden can develop that power stroke he could be a major piece to a championship puzzle.

The Charlotte Hornets, 5th Place in D4 East, 68-86
Charlotte’s season was surprisingly bad in 2037; the team had seemed to be on an upward path since 2034’s last place season, and was withi three games of breaking even in 2036. But they took a major step back in the first year of Cycle 11, finishing 5th with just 68 wins despite the brilliance of Ernesto Gonzales, who came in second in the MVP race on the back of a .350/.397/.489, 6.1 WAR season. If Gonzales can keep up his impressive run, and the Hornets get the improvement they’re counting on from young performers like SP Jo Meeks and 2B Mike Borrego, that will make offseason acquisitions like 3B Jose Nunez worth it. Anything can happen in D4, and Charlotte has put key pieces in place around their star; the question is whether they can convert.

Falling Down
The Indianapolis Clowns, 1st Place in D4 East, 94-60
Indianapolis had a downright awful offseason, and there are rumblings that it may even be jeopardizing GM Craig Derby’s job after two years in which his club performed well (including a 2036 D4 Championship). They lost critical pieces, including 3B Jose Nunez (to their Conference rival Charlotte Hornets) and longtime power hitter David Durica, though he’s very much on the decline.Still, the Clowns acquired no one who is anticipated to have any real impact, and while the pitching staff remains outstanding with the reigning Pitcher of the Year and MVP Aaron Cottrell, revived ace Nate Mefford, and promising youngster Greg Smith, this is a team that continues to starve for offense. To let contributors walk away with no replacements could mean a significant slide for the Clowns in 2038 - whether it will be enough to knock them from their top spot remains to be seen.

The Phoenix Firebirds, 1st Place in D4 West, 88-67
The Clowns’ Championship Series rival also took a big step back in the offseason, losing ace Jon Sayre to a big D1 contract with the Giants. Maybe there was no way they could prevent that, but then SP John Schaeffer signed with Miami as a reliever when Phoenix was willing to give him a rotation spot, and Steve Heinemann jumped ship to Tampa. The Firebirds lost closer Joe Waybright, too, to San Diego. They’ve added a couple of mid-rotation guys in Roberto Cabrera and Steve Hennessey, and they did regain future Hall of Fame closer Bob Paul, but at 40, as good as he’s been in recent seasons, it’s hard to write his contributions in permanent marker.

Dark Horse Candidate
Albuquerque Dukes, 5th Place in D4 West, 70-84
The Dukes didn’t do a ton this offseason, aside from signing defensive specialist Randy Ahern to their outfield, but they also might not need to: Albuquerque has the best farm system in D4, with a number of prospects who are ready to contribute. Among them are CF Dan Kelley, who may open the season in center for the Dukes, and Mike Smith, a power-hitting first baseman with an impact glove who is already penciled in at first for the season, according to manager Ethan Harris. Albuquerque is building a defensive ballclub behind their promising rotation; Matt Walker, Renato Cantimori, and Casey Sturrock all flashed promise in 2037, and if they take a step forward, the Dukes could be among the best pitching teams in the Division this season.

MVP Prediction: Part of the fun of Division 4 is that awards like these are so hard to predict. Cincinnati’s Tony Ruelas has built an early career with some impressive numbers so far. Veteran Charlotte 1B Jason McCollum could make a dent. But if you have to pick just one, it has to be LF Ernesto Gonzales, arguably the best contact hitter in the game; he barely lost out to Aaron Cottrell last season, and it’s not often a pitcher wins the MVP.

Pitcher of the Year Prediction: Aaron Cottrell is certainly a favorite to repeat, and should be. But let’s not forget Cincinnati’s Willie Rodriguez, who has somehow never won the award; while he hasn’t been quite as good since his astronomical 2035 season, he’s been more than deserving, and he’s still just 29.

Rookie of the Year Prediction: St. Louis’s Andy Merritt will start the season in the pen, and could be an asset there, but if he enters the rotation he’ll be a legitimate ROY candidate with a plus four pitch mix and good control.

01-20-2023, 11:23 PM	#29
ArquimedezPozo Minors (Triple A) Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 226	2038 Preview Division 1 Moving Up The Los Angeles Angels - 2037: 2nd Place in the D1 West, 88-66 The headline acquisition for LA was veteran catcher Danny Cadavid, filling a big hole for the club. Cadavid is a five time Silver Slugger winner at catcher and has won three Gold Gloves, including in 2037 for the New Orleans Zephyrs. At 33 he is heading toward the downslope of his career, but the Angels are hoping his veteran leadership and production on both sides of the ball will help lift them past El Paso. LA also added some impressive pitching depth, picking up Dave Daniel in a trade with Toronto and signing FAs Preston Stanton on a short, low-money deal. Both were starters in 2037 but are expected to bolster LA’s bullpen, along with a couple other arms. The rotation help - along with a catcher who has demonstrated excellent ability to manage the game - should bolster what was already one of the stingiest staffs in D1, while allowing LA’s younger hitters (3B Ryan Haymes, RF Jake Baldwin) to establish themselves. The New York Giants - 2037: 3rd Place in the D1 East, 77-77 The Angels weren’t the only ones adding arms this offseason. The Giants scored the biggest free agent of all when they signed ace Jon Sayre away from Phoenix for a six year, $70.2m contract that will take him through his age 34 season. Sayre put up 5.2 WAR and led D4 in strikeouts in 2037; this will be his first crack at D1, the only division he hasn’t yet pitched in. The Giants, who allowed the fourth most runs in D1 last season, added two more arms to their revamped rotation as well, signing Brian Sawyer (21-11, 3.83 ERA, 89 FIP-, 3.5 WAR with Philly) for three years and $30.3m, and Jim Behan (5-9, 3.89 ERA, 88 FIP-, 3.6 WAR with Brooklyn). The Giants were a hard-luck case in 2037 with the best expected record in the Conference despite their poor run prevention. With a powerful lineup that features C Matt Wood, CF Jose Cruz, and SS Mike Burcham, the Giants could be a major contender in 2038. Falling Down The Denver Bears - 2037: 6th Place in the D1 West, 64-90 The fire sale has begun for the Bears, who shot up from D3 over the last two cycles with a powerful offense but whose core is now starting to show their age. The club still managed 811 runs this year, second only to El Paso, but with T.J. Hardcastle’s retirement, 33 year old Clemens Young is the only star bat remaining. More concerning is the Bears pitching staff: over the offseason the club traded away their most effective starter, Roberto Cabrera, as he neared the end of his arbitration years. They also traded away Bobby Hardy, while Jose Fernandez signed with the Gulls, leaving a rotation with Dylan Anderson and a bunch of question marks. The Bears seem to have acknowledged that their window has closed, and will accept a possible relegation as they retool. The Philadelphia Athletics - 2037: 5th Place in the D1 East, 74-80 The A’s may not be in full firesale mode like the Bears, but it’s not clear they have plans to contend anytime soon. They added a solid bad in LF Jake Haston, and Carlos Ponce provides steady defense and some pop, but both came in on short contracts. Meanwhile, the club dealt 2B Dustin Jennings to Boston for prospects, and let Brian Sawyer go to the rival Giants while great defensive SS Kevin Wassink left to sign with Las Vegas. Rob Cady, who has gotten starts as a super-sub over the last few years, and they’re excited about the potential of some of their younger players such as 3B Josiah Morgan. But behind ace Pedro Luna, the rotation is thin, which may overtax a talented pen. Philly could make a run, but it would take some career years from unlikely places. Dark Horse Candidate The Seattle Steelheads - 2037: 5th place in the D1 West, 72-82 There is a lot of buzz around the Steelheads heading into 2038. Though they haven’t had a winning season since their 2034 championship, they avoided relegation and have rebuilt with an impressive crop of young potential stars. C Roger Alvarado has the highest ceiling of the bunch - a once in a generation catching talent, Alvarado has won raves for his approach and instincts behind the plate and at it. Alvarado was Seattle’s first pick, the second overall in 2037, and rocketed through the minors, ripping up AA Tacoma and then AAA Spokane in a short stint. Seattle needs to make sure he’s for real with more time in AAA, but expect him soon. He will join a young core that already features RF Mike Hood (.290/.384/.462 in 2037) and Colin Izak, who will open the year in the bullpen but who has ace potential despite some concerns about his makeup. With Hector Razo and Jeff Baltimore anchoring the rotation, and an exciting lineup full of potential, Seattle could find themselves in the thick of things - if not this year, than possibly in 2039 and for years to come. MVP Prediction: Hard to bet against Carson Prince again, but this could also finally be the year for El Paso’s great LF Joe Rison, the best leadoff man in the game. Aaron Felton, who will be playing his first season outside Toronto, could make waves as Tijuana’s DH as well. And not to pile on, but Giants C Matt Wood has, unaccountably, never won the award… Pitcher of the Year Prediction: Brooklyn’s Jason Blanche is hitting 97 on the gun again after an injury-plagued 2037, and he’s long been one of D1’s best. A resurgent campaign could give him his third trophy. Pedro Luna is also a threat to threepeat for Philadelphia. Rookie of the Year Prediction: Seattle’s phenom catcher Roger Alvarado is almost too perfect as a player - smart, hard-working, talented at all aspects of the game, if he gets a call-up early in the season expect him to take over. Division 2 Moving Up The Boston Bees - 2037: tied for 2nd in D2 East, 84-70 After a few transitional seasons, the former D1 power appears ready to compete again. The club was in the thick of the race in 2037, with home run champ Russ Mesaros leading the way, and now Boston has given SS Ramon Santiago a talented double play pattern in Dustin Jennings after a trade with Philly seen widely as a steal for the Bees. They’ve added more depth to their rotation with Dave Wyatt and Joey Chadburn, who came over in a trade with Cleveland. Boston did lose three productive relievers from a bullpen that already had some question marks, so if the Bees stay in it this season as they did last, look for some deals mid-year to add some back end arms. The Vancouver Mounties: 2nd in D2 West, 84-70 No team in D2 was as active in the trade market as Vancouver, dealing from a productive farm system to acquire what they hope are the missing pieces to put them over Ft. Worth in 2038. New 1B John Witherspoon provides a steady veteran left-handed bat, while the Mounties have stabilized the back of their rotation with Matt Riddle and Lee Poirier. Vancouver’s top two starters are back, and the bullpen continues to be a strength, but the Mounties lost a lot of winnable games last year due to poor starts from their #4 and #5 guys, so the club is hoping offseason moves will provide large benefits. They’re also excited by what they see as leaps forward by young CF Sonny Scoggins, and another season by reigning D2 MVP Colin Hannigan at second. Keep your eye on 3B Leo Rodriguez, too - he’s been a valuable hitter for four years, but a case can be made that he hasn’t yet hit his ceiling, and if he does, watch out. Falling Down The Montreal Expos: 4th in D2 East, 75-79 There’s been a lot of head scratching over Montreal’s offseason moves. The third-best run prevention team in D2 traded away much of its starting rotation for questionable returns, including a bewildering trade of promising young starter Dylan Powers for light-hitting defensive 2B Raul Gonzalez, for which fans have rightly lit up social media to protest. Their lineup has gotten neither younger nor better, with the majority of their starters over the age of 32 and on the decline. The best hope for Montreal now is a return to form from former ace Bubba Fread, who inexplicably collapsed in 2037, going 9-15 with a 5.28 ERA. A .345 BABIP and 2.72 SIERA suggest those numbers were inflated, and early returns fro Spring Training are good, but until he shows he is the old Bubba Fread again, it will be hard to take Montreal seriously as a contender for anything but last place. The Sacramento Solons: 6th in D2 West, 61-93 Like the D1 Bears, the Solons had a rude welcome to their new Division, going from first place in the D3 West to 93 losses and dead last in 2037. They didn’t do themselves many favors, either, with essentially no additions of consequence. Ace Josh Argo looks like he will be the team’s only bright spot for a second straight season; one more like 2037 and the Solons will be a lock to fall back to D3 after Cycle 11. Dark Horse Candidate The San Diego Padres: 4th in D2 West, 72-82 Nothing San Diego did this offseason caused more discussion than the controversial trade of starter Tommy Boles to Atlanta for LF Frank Hernandez. On the one hand, San Diego had the second fewest runs allowed of any D2 team and needed offense; on the other, Boles was their ace and while Hernandez has been a valuable hitter, he’s also 36, coming off arguably his worst season, and moving into a higher division than he’s ever played in before. But San Diego is counting on Josh Beck to step into that ace role, and has hopes for DH Ian Farmer, LF Jason Turnquist, 1B Willie Fernandez, and the rest of a young lineup. 24 year old Aaron Meadows will likely step into the rotation at some point this year too, as could top pitching prospect Lesley Buker. If the younger players click, San Diego could be a factor in a relatively weak D2 West. MVP Prediction: New Orleans 1B Robert Zermeno was second in line to Colin Hannigan’s incredible year last year. Zermeno, who led D2 in slugging and hit .312 with a .365 OBP, is just 25 in 2038 and while last year was a breakout season, this one could catapult him into superstardom. Another young star is Houston’s LF Pedro Salazar, who has extraordinary power potential and an outstanding batting eye. Pitcher of the Year Prediction: Josh Argo may be the only thing standing between the Solons and relegation this year, and it’s a good bet he’s up to the challenge, after missing out on three straight awards last season. Everyone’s raving about young Expos starter Joe Fuller, too, after his great rookie campaign. But when the dust clears, don’t be surprised if Australian Rhett Frew becomes the first from his country with the award: he was spectacular for KC last season, and is still getting accustomed to North American ball. Rookie of the Year Prediction: Ft. Worth’s Jesse Moeller stunned everyone outside the Ft. Worth organization when he came up in September and proceeded to hit six homers in 18 games with a .348 OBP. He’s got a lot of talent, but is only 21; if he can stick on the big club, though, he’s a contender. Houston’s impressive SS/RP Kevin Revello could be in the conversation too, but he has to recover from a separated shoulder suffered in Spring Training first. Division 3 Moving Up The Miami Amigos: 1st Place in D3 East, 101-53 The NABF’s best regular season team did not rest on its laurels in the offseason: they want that D3 championship that has so long eluded them, and they want a promotion at long last. With multiple Pitcher of the Year winner Paul Herrin, the Amigos already boast a scary rotation, but they added to it by essentially stealing young starter Dylan Powers from Montreal; Powers put up 4.2 WAR and a 12.7 K/9 in D2 last year, and should see improvement with a drop down to D3 as Miami’s #3 behind Herrin and Brett Calderon. The Amigos also took a chance on one of the league’s least friendly players, closer Pedro Llopiz, who was outstanding for Austin last season but who can wear out welcome in a clubhouse quickly. He joins what promises to be a lockdown pen. While Miami probably needed bats more than arms, this is a team capable of winning a lot of low-scoring ballgames, and they’re expected to rise to the top of the D3 East once again. We’ll see if this gets them even further than that. The San Francisco Seals: 1st Place in D3 West, 89-65 The Seals won 89 games last season, but played well above their heads, eight games better than their expected W/L. They aimed to correct their pitching woes in the offseason, and by adding SP Ryan Roland from Austin they may have done exactly that, giving them a bona fide ace that they lacked last season and shifting their staff around to improve the pen. That includes also signing RP Marcos Castro away from Miami. The Seals still have holes - most notably at catcher where they lost defensive catcher Milt Weber to free agency. But the team that won last year’s D3 title certainly shouldn’t be counted out for this year’s, especially as they’ve addressed their biggest deficiency. Falling Down The Austin Pioneers: 6th Place in D3 West, 56-98 The Pioneers seem destined to be a great D4 team only: they’ve won four D4 West titles and carry a .500 average winning percentage in D4, but have averaged only 64 wins a year during their D3 stints. This looks like it will be another three-and-out for Austin, who were flat out awful in 2037 and have lost ace Ryan Roland and closer Pedro Llopiz (though players might tell you the latter is not much of a loss). They also lost a major crowd draw in Mike MacArtney, who will likely become only the second player in NABF history to collect 3,000 hits this season; New Orleans will host that event now, not Austin. The team does have some strong young pitchers, such as Chris Parker, who was much better than his 4.46 ERA and 9-16 record might suggest, but it’s hard to see this team going places in 2038. The St. Paul Saints: 2nd Place in D3 West, 81-73 The Saints had a real chance to capitalize on 2037 - by run differential, they were the best team in the Conference, and finished second to San Francisco and behind only Salt Lake in runs scored. Had they added some arms - and there were some available - St. Paul could be the odds on favorite for the Conference. But as it stands, they are a better bet to finish in the middle of the pack. They made only minor moves, though trading for closer Pat Pipkin should help in the pen. But what they needed was a top starter or two, and they watched rival San Francisco add Ryan Roland while Salt Lake added Jose Fernandez and Matt Thompson. St. Paul should still score runs, but they’ll be giving up more than their fair share as well. Dark Horse Candidate The Salt Lake Gulls: 3rd Place in D3 West, 79-75 The Gulls were an offensive powerhouse in 2037, led by an outrageously good Paul Geisler, who hit .350/.392/.595 with 34 homers in a breakout age 26 season. Though there are concerns of regression as nothing in his minor league record suggested that kind of year, some in the organization believe the transformation is real. Ralph Keough, Nate Madden, and Chris Griebe will also provide offense, while new acquisitions Jose Fernandez and Matt Thompson will be slotted into the rotation, likely in the top two spots. While neither is an ace, they’re certainly better than what Salt Lake had last year, and if Geisler is for real, young hitters keep improving, and the rotation can be even league average, the Gulls could be a force to reckon with. MVP Prediction: Sam Stanton. The Atlanta LF/DH had one of the best offensive seasons in recent memory last year, and keeps getting better. In this his age 27 season, we could see him bloom into an all-time great. Pitcher of the Year Prediction: How, at this point, do you not predict Paul Herrin? He’s won three straight, and that includes a year where he also won MVP. He’s 28, in the prime of his career, and another win would tie him with all time greats like Antonio Venegas, David Miramontes, and Bubba Fread, one behind Oliver Chase. But watch out for Memphis’s Ian Weaver, who has been in Herrin’s shadow but is special in his own right - if Herrin falters, or he takes another step forward, Weaver could be it. Rookie of the Year Prediction: Watch out for St. Paul’s Jerry Dudek, who appears set to stick in the Saints rotation. The 23 year old had an outstanding spring, and can drop three plus pitches - fastball, sinker, curve - on hitters right now; a changeup is making solid progress too. Cleveland is starting 2B Tony Vargas in Canton, but it won’t be long until he takes over the starting job with the Spiders; he’s an all around strong hitter who could stick defensively at second, though he’s probably an even better defensive OF. Division 4 Moving Up The San Antonio Missions, 2nd Place in D4 West, 87-68 San Antonio came within a game of a D4 West title in 2037, and with the Firebirds potentially taking a step back in the offseason, now might be the time for the only team that has never left Division 4 to begin its ascent. While San Antonio lost some solid arms, it replaced them well, signing Eric Kronburger away from Milwaukee and picking up RP Ji-hoon Kim from Detroit. A trade with Sacramento netted Roberto Lopez, whose skillset could make him dominant in D4. All of this adds to San Antonio's promising young lineup - 26 year old CF Steve McNellis hit .306/.357/.448 last season, and the Missions will get a full year from 1B Justin Gulden, who hit .357 with a .405 OBP and surprising power in limited time. If Gulden can develop that power stroke he could be a major piece to a championship puzzle. The Charlotte Hornets, 5th Place in D4 East, 68-86 Charlotte’s season was surprisingly bad in 2037; the team had seemed to be on an upward path since 2034’s last place season, and was withi three games of breaking even in 2036. But they took a major step back in the first year of Cycle 11, finishing 5th with just 68 wins despite the brilliance of Ernesto Gonzales, who came in second in the MVP race on the back of a .350/.397/.489, 6.1 WAR season. If Gonzales can keep up his impressive run, and the Hornets get the improvement they’re counting on from young performers like SP Jo Meeks and 2B Mike Borrego, that will make offseason acquisitions like 3B Jose Nunez worth it. Anything can happen in D4, and Charlotte has put key pieces in place around their star; the question is whether they can convert. Falling Down The Indianapolis Clowns, 1st Place in D4 East, 94-60 Indianapolis had a downright awful offseason, and there are rumblings that it may even be jeopardizing GM Craig Derby’s job after two years in which his club performed well (including a 2036 D4 Championship). They lost critical pieces, including 3B Jose Nunez (to their Conference rival Charlotte Hornets) and longtime power hitter David Durica, though he’s very much on the decline.Still, the Clowns acquired no one who is anticipated to have any real impact, and while the pitching staff remains outstanding with the reigning Pitcher of the Year and MVP Aaron Cottrell, revived ace Nate Mefford, and promising youngster Greg Smith, this is a team that continues to starve for offense. To let contributors walk away with no replacements could mean a significant slide for the Clowns in 2038 - whether it will be enough to knock them from their top spot remains to be seen. The Phoenix Firebirds, 1st Place in D4 West, 88-67 The Clowns’ Championship Series rival also took a big step back in the offseason, losing ace Jon Sayre to a big D1 contract with the Giants. Maybe there was no way they could prevent that, but then SP John Schaeffer signed with Miami as a reliever when Phoenix was willing to give him a rotation spot, and Steve Heinemann jumped ship to Tampa. The Firebirds lost closer Joe Waybright, too, to San Diego. They’ve added a couple of mid-rotation guys in Roberto Cabrera and Steve Hennessey, and they did regain future Hall of Fame closer Bob Paul, but at 40, as good as he’s been in recent seasons, it’s hard to write his contributions in permanent marker. Dark Horse Candidate Albuquerque Dukes, 5th Place in D4 West, 70-84 The Dukes didn’t do a ton this offseason, aside from signing defensive specialist Randy Ahern to their outfield, but they also might not need to: Albuquerque has the best farm system in D4, with a number of prospects who are ready to contribute. Among them are CF Dan Kelley, who may open the season in center for the Dukes, and Mike Smith, a power-hitting first baseman with an impact glove who is already penciled in at first for the season, according to manager Ethan Harris. Albuquerque is building a defensive ballclub behind their promising rotation; Matt Walker, Renato Cantimori, and Casey Sturrock all flashed promise in 2037, and if they take a step forward, the Dukes could be among the best pitching teams in the Division this season. MVP Prediction: Part of the fun of Division 4 is that awards like these are so hard to predict. Cincinnati’s Tony Ruelas has built an early career with some impressive numbers so far. Veteran Charlotte 1B Jason McCollum could make a dent. But if you have to pick just one, it has to be LF Ernesto Gonzales, arguably the best contact hitter in the game; he barely lost out to Aaron Cottrell last season, and it’s not often a pitcher wins the MVP. Pitcher of the Year Prediction: Aaron Cottrell is certainly a favorite to repeat, and should be. But let’s not forget Cincinnati’s Willie Rodriguez, who has somehow never won the award; while he hasn’t been quite as good since his astronomical 2035 season, he’s been more than deserving, and he’s still just 29. Rookie of the Year Prediction: St. Louis’s Andy Merritt will start the season in the pen, and could be an asset there, but if he enters the rotation he’ll be a legitimate ROY candidate with a plus four pitch mix and good control.