XII. 1901 PRE-SEASON
KOANA ISLANDS
SUPER LIGAN
KEY LOSSES IN FREE AGENCY
Embleton Gunners: LF John Lane - Spent five years with the Gunners organisation for a .302/.362/.512 slash line.
Sandford Stad Bulldogs: CL Jean Jenssen - The 35-year old spent three seasons with the Doggies (2.61/1.06/273-59), improving his career slashline to 2.89/1.05/606-141.
Uckford Ducks: CL Ove Thern - Only played one year with the Ducks but set a new personal records for saves in a season with 30.
Ängelar Armada: LF Ferdinand Riemer - Joined the Armada for the 1896 season where he won Rookie of the Year. Finished his five years at The Shippers with a slashline of .330/.399/.587 and leads the team in Games Played (644) and Hits (836).
KEY SIGNINGS IN FREE AGENCY
Jonestan Broncos: LF John Lane - After 5 years with Embleton (.302/.362/.512), the 28-year old picked up the Best Batter Award for his position last year when the led the league in RBIs. He signed an 8-year deal with Jonestan.
Humoor Hawks: CF Alfons Boden - Played with Conneaut since the league began in 1895 (.343/.392/.530), before being traded to the Titans midway through last season (.304/.343/.461). His bat is declining slightly, but the 6-year deal will keep him employed until he turns 37. CL Jean Jenssen - A two-year deal brings the aging stud to Humoor where his velocity still tops out at 98mph.
Ny Aucklanda Warlocks: SP Tommy Falkstrom - 35-year old Falkstrom spent the last 6 years with the Bulldogs (3.32/1.08/721-113) but will now call Ny Aucklanda home for four years. CL Ove Thern - A bit of a journeyman looking for a pay day, Thern spent last year with Uckford making 58 appearances for a career-high 30 saves. His pitching career slash line is 2.55/0.84/669-126.
Sandford Stad Bulldogs: 2B Tore Thern - Spent last year with Küstestadt Boxers (.381/.430/.480) in the GBM before returning to the Super Ligan on a 5-year deal. Previously spent four-years with the Titans (.332/.388/.419).
AMATEUR DRAFT
Thomassmåstad Eagles: The Eagles chose 22-year old SP Erik Hanssen first overall. A certain starter in the future although most likely as a reliever due to his low stamina, Hanssen has a fantastic fastball that tops 98mph, and his Curveball can be devastating.
Vizhune Vipers: Watch out for CF Cosmo Hahn who the Vipers snapped up 5th overall. The Günsovölk-native could make an immediate impact for Vizhune with his strong speed, defensive ratings and his plus contact ability.
SPRING TRAINING NEWS
Embleton Gunners LF Stephen Paul won't take part in the 1901 season following a severe concussion after running into the wall in Center Field. In his third year, the 25-year old power-hitter currently has a career slashline of .251/.308/.524.
Humoor Hawks: 26-year old SP Henri Iversen was ruled out for the season in the team's first Spring Training game against Embleton with a torn elbow ligament. The 26-year old made a career high of 30 starts last season (3.50/1.17/203-43) - his third year of professional baseball (3.42/1.17/327-69).
PRE-SEASON PREDICTIONS
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT
Guld Kust Tigers: Owner Hans Lavrsen petitioned for the expansion of Division Ett to 16 teams alongside Hydevattnen owner Fredrik Edbom after missing out on becoming one of the initial 14 teams.
Portlethen Mariners: After some skepticism, Mariners owner Theo Henriksen convinced the teams of Bryankeld, Hamnområde, Jarnekdal, Lerastalle, Nyhaven, Oberoendestad, Rovaniemi and Ruysdael to vote for the introduction of four more teams as a way to cut down on long-distance travel. Division Ett boss Alexander Persson formally ratified the changes and Randia Stars, Portlethen Mariners, Hydevattnen Tridents and the Guld Kust Tigers were hastily added to the competition.
KEY SIGNINGS IN FREE AGENCY
Erana Kuller Wolves: SS Alvin Bellman - With excellent patience when batting (.254/.336/.392), the strong defensive Shortstop spent four a half years at Conneaut following a trade from the Bulldogs in the inaugural Super Ligan season.
Innerstad Pigeons: CF Eddie Martensson - The first Super Ligan player to sign a contract with a Division Ett team. Spent three and a half years with Jonestan following a trade from Ängelar in 1897 (.252/.297/.357). The speedy 26-year old signed a five-year deal.
Oberoendestad Cardinals: 2B Eddie Ronnstrom - The everyday starter for the relocated Viksida Bombers between 1895 and 1897, and then the Warlocks for two years after that, Ronnstrom saw his career hit a brick wall when he was surplus to requirements at Uckford last year, making just 56 plate apperances in 15 games. The 29-year old (.247/.322/.348) joins the Cardinals for four years who liked his defensive ratings and good patience at the plate.
Ruysdael Greens: C Aron Blomqvist - A five-year deal sees former Titans Catcher join Ruysdael. The 33-year old spent three years with Omfattandestad before joining Jonestan in 1898 for a year. Two poor years in the capital upon returning saw him look down to Division Ett as a way to keep a spot in the lineup this off-season. He amassed a slashline of .212/.303/.445 in 762 games.
SPRING TRAINING NEWS
Hamnområde Seagulls: RF Maximilian Niebuhr caught the attention of several Super Ligan teams during Spring Training when he led the division in Home Runs with 10.
Lerastalle Blues: Were dealt a major blow in late March when CL Tycho Soerensen was ruled out for 7 weeks with an elbow inflammation. The 31-year old becomes a free agent at season's end and is hoping to impress for a possible contract from a Super Ligan team.
Nyhamn Royals: Relief Pitcher Julius Binzer tore is UCL at the end of March to bring an end to his season.
Randia Stars: Despite a considerably smaller budget, Randia led the league throughout Spring Training thanks to the power-hitting of RF Benedikt Colding.
PRE-SEASON PREDICTIONS
GÜNSOVÖLK
BASEBALL MEISTERSCHAFT
3B Tore Thern - Received in a trade with Omfattandestad at the beginning of last season, Thern set the GBM alight by bashing a .381/.430/.480 slash line and setting a new hitting streak record of 33 in the process. He finished second in Average, OBP and WAR whilst leading the league in Hits with 215.
Shoof Pirates: CL August Grondgrens - Joined from Jueman on a one-year deal and led the league in saves with 33, posting an impressive line of 0.93/0.76/109-16 in the process.
Ahnüü Otters: LF Sepi Schwartz - Joined from the Anglers for the 1899 season, The 28-year old is elite in all facets of his game, which showed in his slashline of .328/.393/.506 during his time with the Otters.
KEY SIGNINGS IN FREE AGENCY
Ledigstadt Mustangs: LF Sepi Schwartz - Didn't hang around in snapping up this superstar, inking him to a 5-year deal just two weeks after he filed for Free Agency.
Jueman Windmills: LF Ferdinand Riemer - Perhaps the biggest coup during the off-season throughout the Southern Union, Jueman claimed Riemer on an 8-year mammoth deal. Rookie of the Year in 1898 and Hitter of the Year in LF in 1899, Riemer is above average in all parts of his game although a long-term injury to his back last year prevented him from reaching his usual numbers.
Jueman Windmills: CL August Grondgrens - Returns to Jueman after a year at the Pirates where he won his only Championship. Keen to win favour with the fans following his departure, he signed a two-year deal just after Christmas.
AMATEUR DRAFT
Ruigoord Oarsmen: One of two new teams in the Baseball Meisterschaft this year, Ruigoord picked pitcher Felix Jensen first overall. A Koanian native, Jensen is projected to have an outstanding fastball and great stuff. He is expected to be at the front of the rotation in a year or two.
Ahnüü Otters: Picking fifth overall, Ahnüü could have nabbed a steal in the draft when they picked up 22-year old Karsten Shroeder. Whilst the youngster's stamina could prevent him from being a long-term player in the rotation, he has terrific potential that could see him develop into a big bullpen figure.
SPRING TRAINING NEWS
Shoof Monarchs: In a torried couple of days for Shoof's newest team, the Monarchs lost two potential rotation hurlers in the matter of days. 24-year old Stephan Weiner partially tore his UCL on the 17th of March in his first game for the club since signing from Küstestadt. The youngster had yet to make his professional debut. Three days later Andrew Spencer joined him on the sidelines with an elbow injury. Last year Spencer made 5 appearances for the Otters to finish 1.59/0.53/7-1 in 5.2 innings.
Schönheit Anglers: Last years Rookie of the Year Jesse Kaufmann will miss the first couple of months of the 1901 season after fracturing his ankle during a collision at second base.
PRE-SEASON PREDICTIONS