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dishnet34 · 02-29-2016, 09:11 AM

ABO DIVISIONAL BREAKDOWN
Part 2 - Atlantic Conference, Central Division

Projected Standings

Chicagoland Skyliners

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Stadium: Daly Park
Main Jersey:

Analysis: This team is projected to score the 3rd-most runs in the Atlantic Conference, and there's good reason to think they can accomplish that, and more. Their three best hitters are a modern day Bash Brothers: their first round (16th overall) pick, 26-year old 3B Juan Ramirez (5*/5*), second round pick, 33-year old LF Carlos Gonzalez (5*/5*), and eighth round pick, 36-year old CF Alfred Lampe (4.5*/4.5*). All three guys can hit the ball, drive the ball out of the park, and even field their position well. In fact, Ramirez is considered the best defensive 3B in the league. With that emphasis on offense, however, the rotation leaves a little bit to be desired. Their entire rotation is made up of mid-rotation starters, led by 41-year old fogie Leonard French (3.5*/3.5*). All their available starters are over the age of 30, and there's not a lot of help coming in the pipeline. In fact, their farm system is ranked 22nd in the league, with only division-mates Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo having worse systems. Finally, their excellent bullpen is only rivaled by Orlando's bullpen, led by setup man Albert Abeele (5*/5*) and closer Cal Harding (5*/5*), the first relief pitcher overall to go off the board in the inaugural draft. Can their excellent hitting and bullpen overcome their starting pitching enough to make it to the playoffs?
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Grand Rapids Whitecaps

Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Stadium: Frederick Meijer Gardens
Main Jersey:

Analysis: OSA projects this team to have a .500 record, and honestly, that's about right, considering the talent this team has. This team is very middle-of-the-road in many aspects, but 29-year old Jamaican RF Dylan Capel (4*/4.5*) is the bright spot on this roster, being selected with their 1st round pick (3rd overall). He is being compared to Alex Gordon of MLB's Kansas City Royals in terms of his skills. He'll rarely make an error on balls in RF that he can get to, as he only has an 11 in range, but 20's in both Arm and Error. As for their pitchers, you'll love this staff if you're a RH hitter: all but 4 pitchers in their projected Opening Day roster are left-handed. One of those righties, 33-year old ace Warren Redelius (4.5*/4.5*), could be a pretty good pitcher for them. Their bullpen, however, is ranked 16th for RPs and 24th for their closer, 29-year old Fernando Rodriguez (3.5*/3.5*), who has the death knell of many OOTP pitchers: more movement than stuff, especially when it's only slightly above average for both. With not a lot coming up through the pipeline, it'll hard to get a gauge on how GR can perform this season on the field, and the paper makes it even tougher.
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Indianapolis Hoosiers

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Stadium: Franco Park
Main Jersey:

Analysis: The Hoosiers are gonna be gambling a lot on the basepaths this year, being projected to steal the most bases in the Atlantic Conference. Speed is the name of this team's game, and with that philosophy, at least one thing needs to be neglected. And that one thing is power. Only 3 projected regulars have a power rating above a 10, and their "slugger", 32-year old 2B Jamy Waasdorp (2*/2*), has a power rating of just 13. However, this team can be tough on opposing pitchers, and has the potential to strike out the fewest of all the teams in the conference, if not the league, and can knock it in the gaps, which can help with the spacious parks in the Atlantic Conference. Their best player at making pitchers go bonkers is their first round selection (15th overall), 3B Felipe Medrano (4*/4*). Their rotation is led by one of the best young pitchers in the league, 21-year old southpaw Tim Kearney (4.5*/4.5*). He can dial it up to 96-98mph, and has four plus pitches to go along with that. Their projected bullpen is, suffice it to say, not good. Their closer, Chris Turner (4.5*/4.5*) is rated 19th in the league, but the guys behind him are not who you'd want in a bullpen. They could figure it out and make a run at the wild card, but they may be on the outside looking in at the end of the season.
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Kalamazoo Brewers

Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Stadium: Pfizer Field
Main Jersey:

Analysis: Surprisingly, OSA projects the best team in the league to not come from the extremely deep Pacific Conference, but this team. With this team's makeup, however, it's easy to see why. It starts at the top, with their 3B, 37-year old - *prepares typing fingers* - Baddharajya Surujnarine (5*/5*), who will probably easily get over a .400 OBP and a .300 AVG, albeit with little power. He has speed as well, and is projected to steal 40 bases. 2B Martin Kerswell (4*/4*) and C Diego Castillo (4*/4*) can knock the ball out of the very intimate Pfizer Field. Looking to keep the balls from flying out from the opposition is a solid pitching staff, led by 26-year old starter Diego Castillo (5*/5*), rated as the best SP in the ABO, and projected to win 17 games, and is anchored in the 9th by 39-year old Jorge Santana (5*/5*). The bullpen is solid as well, but not as elite as the Chicagolands and Orlandos of the world are concerned. However, setup man Charlie Brown (4.5*/4.5*) is rated #10 in the league among RPs (not including closers). If there's one weakness to point to, it is the outfield, with left-center-right being ranked 12th-22nd-17th by OSA, respectively. However, manager Errol Stone's team can definitely make a run to the top of the tables in their inaugural season.
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Nashville Music

Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Stadium: Bridgestone Park
Main Jersey:

Analysis: This team is one of the most talented last-place projections in the ABO. Heck, this division is pretty deep, and any team could make a surprising run, including the Music. Their star player can't even legally drink yet, that being 20-year old C Mike Arnold (4*/5*). He is being seriously compared as a combination between Buster Posey with the bat and Yadier Molina behind the plate. The Music's first round draft pick (13th overall) is surprisingly one of the leaders of this club, and is easily the best defensive C in the ABO* (and one of the best hitting C's, too.) 32-year old CF Michael de Lange (5*/5*) can hit, field, and run, and is the second-best CF in the ABO, according to OSA. Their rotation doesn't slouch too much, with 24-year old righty Don Larnin (4.5*/4.5*) leading the charge. Having some of the best stuff of any SP, control might be a problem for him, so Arnold has his work cut out for him. As for the bullpen, they will probably have their moments, but shouldn't be god-awful either, with their RPs ranked 11th, and their CL ranked 16th. Helping them out is a farm system ranked 3rd in the league, with RP Bill Brown (4*/5*) and C Royce Moody (.5*/3*) being 2 of their top 5 prospects. This team has the talent to make a run at a wild card spot, but in this division? It'll be a dogfight.
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Sandusky Beagles

Location: Sandusky, Ohio
Stadium: Peanuts Park at Cedar Point

Main Jersey:

Analysis: This team is OK. Let me elaborate on that: This team is just OK. Only two players really stand out from the crowd, that being 1B and first round pick (12th overall) Brencis Dahin (5*/5*). He has prodigious power at 26 years old, and can hit for average a little bit, too. The other player is 34-year old RF Chris Hebert (4.5*/4.5*), who can hit but not do a whole lot else. Their ace, 25-year old Abram Mahtiev, has good control, good stuff, and a plus curveball. Overall, though, their projected position players are all ranked in the middle of the road. As for their farm system, 18-year old reliever prospect Ellis Kenelm (.5*/4*) is a name to watch. Average teams can and do make it to the Championship, but will this average team do the same?
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Hope you enjoyed this edition of the ABO Division Breakdowns! Who do you think will win the division?

Next write-up: Pacific Conference, Central Division!

02-29-2016, 09:11 AM	#5
dishnet34 All Star Starter Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,484	ABO DIVISIONAL BREAKDOWN Part 2 - Atlantic Conference, Central Division Projected Standings Chicagoland Skyliners Location: Chicago, Illinois Stadium: Daly Park Main Jersey: Analysis: This team is projected to score the 3rd-most runs in the Atlantic Conference, and there's good reason to think they can accomplish that, and more. Their three best hitters are a modern day Bash Brothers: their first round (16th overall) pick, 26-year old 3B Juan Ramirez (5/5), second round pick, 33-year old LF Carlos Gonzalez (5/5), and eighth round pick, 36-year old CF Alfred Lampe (4.5/4.5). All three guys can hit the ball, drive the ball out of the park, and even field their position well. In fact, Ramirez is considered the best defensive 3B in the league. With that emphasis on offense, however, the rotation leaves a little bit to be desired. Their entire rotation is made up of mid-rotation starters, led by 41-year old fogie Leonard French (3.5/3.5). All their available starters are over the age of 30, and there's not a lot of help coming in the pipeline. In fact, their farm system is ranked 22nd in the league, with only division-mates Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo having worse systems. Finally, their excellent bullpen is only rivaled by Orlando's bullpen, led by setup man Albert Abeele (5/5) and closer Cal Harding (5/5), the first relief pitcher overall to go off the board in the inaugural draft. Can their excellent hitting and bullpen overcome their starting pitching enough to make it to the playoffs? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Grand Rapids Whitecaps Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan Stadium: Frederick Meijer Gardens Main Jersey: Analysis: OSA projects this team to have a .500 record, and honestly, that's about right, considering the talent this team has. This team is very middle-of-the-road in many aspects, but 29-year old Jamaican RF Dylan Capel (4/4.5) is the bright spot on this roster, being selected with their 1st round pick (3rd overall). He is being compared to Alex Gordon of MLB's Kansas City Royals in terms of his skills. He'll rarely make an error on balls in RF that he can get to, as he only has an 11 in range, but 20's in both Arm and Error. As for their pitchers, you'll love this staff if you're a RH hitter: all but 4 pitchers in their projected Opening Day roster are left-handed. One of those righties, 33-year old ace Warren Redelius (4.5/4.5), could be a pretty good pitcher for them. Their bullpen, however, is ranked 16th for RPs and 24th for their closer, 29-year old Fernando Rodriguez (3.5/3.5), who has the death knell of many OOTP pitchers: more movement than stuff, especially when it's only slightly above average for both. With not a lot coming up through the pipeline, it'll hard to get a gauge on how GR can perform this season on the field, and the paper makes it even tougher. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Indianapolis Hoosiers Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Stadium: Franco Park Main Jersey: Analysis: The Hoosiers are gonna be gambling a lot on the basepaths this year, being projected to steal the most bases in the Atlantic Conference. Speed is the name of this team's game, and with that philosophy, at least one thing needs to be neglected. And that one thing is power. Only 3 projected regulars have a power rating above a 10, and their "slugger", 32-year old 2B Jamy Waasdorp (2/2), has a power rating of just 13. However, this team can be tough on opposing pitchers, and has the potential to strike out the fewest of all the teams in the conference, if not the league, and can knock it in the gaps, which can help with the spacious parks in the Atlantic Conference. Their best player at making pitchers go bonkers is their first round selection (15th overall), 3B Felipe Medrano (4/4). Their rotation is led by one of the best young pitchers in the league, 21-year old southpaw Tim Kearney (4.5/4.5). He can dial it up to 96-98mph, and has four plus pitches to go along with that. Their projected bullpen is, suffice it to say, not good. Their closer, Chris Turner (4.5/4.5) is rated 19th in the league, but the guys behind him are not who you'd want in a bullpen. They could figure it out and make a run at the wild card, but they may be on the outside looking in at the end of the season. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kalamazoo Brewers Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Stadium: Pfizer Field Main Jersey: Analysis: Surprisingly, OSA projects the best team in the league to not come from the extremely deep Pacific Conference, but this team. With this team's makeup, however, it's easy to see why. It starts at the top, with their 3B, 37-year old - prepares typing fingers - Baddharajya Surujnarine (5/5), who will probably easily get over a .400 OBP and a .300 AVG, albeit with little power. He has speed as well, and is projected to steal 40 bases. 2B Martin Kerswell (4/4) and C Diego Castillo (4/4) can knock the ball out of the very intimate Pfizer Field. Looking to keep the balls from flying out from the opposition is a solid pitching staff, led by 26-year old starter Diego Castillo (5/5), rated as the best SP in the ABO, and projected to win 17 games, and is anchored in the 9th by 39-year old Jorge Santana (5/5). The bullpen is solid as well, but not as elite as the Chicagolands and Orlandos of the world are concerned. However, setup man Charlie Brown (4.5/4.5) is rated #10 in the league among RPs (not including closers). If there's one weakness to point to, it is the outfield, with left-center-right being ranked 12th-22nd-17th by OSA, respectively. However, manager Errol Stone's team can definitely make a run to the top of the tables in their inaugural season. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nashville Music Location: Nashville, Tennessee Stadium: Bridgestone Park Main Jersey: Analysis: This team is one of the most talented last-place projections in the ABO. Heck, this division is pretty deep, and any team could make a surprising run, including the Music. Their star player can't even legally drink yet, that being 20-year old C Mike Arnold (4/5). He is being seriously compared as a combination between Buster Posey with the bat and Yadier Molina behind the plate. The Music's first round draft pick (13th overall) is surprisingly one of the leaders of this club, and is easily the best defensive C in the ABO* (and one of the best hitting C's, too.) 32-year old CF Michael de Lange (5/5) can hit, field, and run, and is the second-best CF in the ABO, according to OSA. Their rotation doesn't slouch too much, with 24-year old righty Don Larnin (4.5/4.5) leading the charge. Having some of the best stuff of any SP, control might be a problem for him, so Arnold has his work cut out for him. As for the bullpen, they will probably have their moments, but shouldn't be god-awful either, with their RPs ranked 11th, and their CL ranked 16th. Helping them out is a farm system ranked 3rd in the league, with RP Bill Brown (4/5) and C Royce Moody (.5/3) being 2 of their top 5 prospects. This team has the talent to make a run at a wild card spot, but in this division? It'll be a dogfight. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sandusky Beagles Location: Sandusky, Ohio Stadium: Peanuts Park at Cedar Point Main Jersey: Analysis: This team is OK. Let me elaborate on that: This team is just OK. Only two players really stand out from the crowd, that being 1B and first round pick (12th overall) Brencis Dahin (5/5). He has prodigious power at 26 years old, and can hit for average a little bit, too. The other player is 34-year old RF Chris Hebert (4.5/4.5), who can hit but not do a whole lot else. Their ace, 25-year old Abram Mahtiev, has good control, good stuff, and a plus curveball. Overall, though, their projected position players are all ranked in the middle of the road. As for their farm system, 18-year old reliever prospect Ellis Kenelm (.5/4) is a name to watch. Average teams can and do make it to the Championship, but will this average team do the same? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hope you enjoyed this edition of the ABO Division Breakdowns! Who do you think will win the division? Next write-up: Pacific Conference, Central Division!