Season Number Nine gets underway today in the United Leagues, as all 16 teams have wrapped up Spring Training, made their tough player personnel decisions and set their 25-man roster.
So let’s check in to see the results of the 'Coconut Leagues', as well as the projections for the up-coming season. First up, the Eastern League:
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With the exception of the Queensland Eagles, the Eastern League teams were pretty competitive in the Coconut Leagues. But the projections suggest that the defending United Cup Champions will take first place in a runaway, with the Embro Suns and Braeland City Monarchs battling it out for the wild card. In other words, no 3-way tie for first place is predicted. What is interesting is that the Downie Chiefs are projected to escape the second division for the first time. That seems like an outlier, but predicting the Barons to dominate is not. They look to have seven players enjoy Top 10 performances this season.
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The Kingston Pelicans are projected to finish in first place with 90 wins, the exact same prediction as last season, when they actually won 104. The Sherburn Tigers are projected to finish at .500, but that isn’t too alarming. Last year, they were predicted to finish with 76 wins – they ended up winning 91 and captured the wild card. But what is interesting is that the Balmoral Giants, who really stumbled last season and who I felt should focus on rebuilding, finished on top in the Coconut Leagues and are projected to have a strong season. We’ll have to see how that transpires. Also worth watching is the Kingston Pelicans, who stumbled badly at the start of Spring Training (starting 1-7) before finishing strong. Maybe it means nothing; maybe it does. We shall have to see.
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One trade was consummated during Spring Training:
September 26:
The Embro Suns traded for 27-year old OF
Tzu-yu Song (61/61) from the Sherburn Tigers. In return, the Tigers got 34-year old RHP
Chris Sappington (41/41).
Knee-jerk reaction: A potential mutually beneficial trade for both teams. The Suns acquire Song in the hope that he will be an upgrade in the outfield for them. Last season, 33-year old IF/OF Yoshifumi Tamura regressed significantly (0.3 WAR from 3.7 the year before). But Tamura will be looked upon as much used utility player and could reclaim his job if he bounces back. He is a 3-time all-star. Song will be embarking on just his second season, after being signed as a minor league free agent by Sherburn in April 1945. But the Tigers felt that there was just no room in the outfield for him (especially since they acquired OF Baden Morrall in a trade back in May.
Sappington had been with the Embro Suns since 1937 and has always been a starter. But in Sherburn he will be their middle reliever. He is simply not the pitcher he once was. Sherburn acquired him as they decided to keep young pitching prospect 23-year old RHP Bartolo Sánchez (40/72) in AAA a little longer, rather than have him pitch sporadically from the bullpen.
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Three teams made subtle changes to their uniforms for this season: The Embro Suns, Pulberry Trolley and Queenlsand Eagles.
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To round out the snapshot of the United Leagues, here are the top players and pitchers and top 20 prospects as updated on Opening Day.
