We have reached Opening Day of the 1977 season and as is customary the prognosticators have spoken and released the pre-season predictions for this WPK season.
The expectation by the WPK experts is that the Columbus Whalers will continue their stranglehold on the SJL , largely due to dominant pitching. It is interesting that their nearest competitor is thought to be the San Antonio Keys and that the two teams are expected to be a tale of contrasts, with the Keys offense expected to be the most high powered in the league while the team also simultaneously allows the most runs. While Columbus is expected to be just an average team in terms of runs scored, they are expected to be the stingiest allowing runs. While the thought is that the El Paso Dawgs, who surprised by contending in 1976, might fall back a bit they will still remain a winning team and could fight their way into contention again.
Not many surprises in terms of expected top performers in the SJL, although rookie Pittsburgh outfielder Larry Leshane might surprise with the bat (he is a poor fielder and a low runner) and 25-year old Houston third baseman Sean Brunson is a player many expect might have a breakout season.
Among SJL pitchers, it is thought that veteran Nick Baldwin, who spend all of 1976 pitching for the Brewers AAA club in Chester, might have a career year pitching in Houston, in what is admittedly a good pitcher's park.
For several seasons now the Brooklyn Aces have been predicted to win the MGL, and for each of those seasons they have fallen short of that expectation. Will 1977 change their fortunes? The prognosticators aren't budging and once again say the Aces will win. They do also predict the same three teams to compete who have the past three seasons- the Brewers, who they see coming in 2nd, and the L.A. Spinners.
Chris Tobin, who signed as a free agent with Baltimore in the off-season, is expected to have a bounce-back season after a sub-par campaign in his last year with Portland. Denver second-baseman Bobby Erbakan is also expected to have a better season in 1977 than he did in '76. The Brewers rookie first baseman (expected to platoon with Brett Taranto) is predicted to have a big year. (More on this in the next post, as it seems to contradict his place in the top prospects list and the latest scouting trends regarding Lovett.)
Sadahige Kawasaki is expected to be not only the top Brewer pitcher but a strong candidate for MGL Pitcher of the Year. Jaime Schardein, the 41-year old great now pitching in L.A. is expected to continue to be among the best in the game. The big question with Schardein is whether he can stay healthy a full season. Joel Travino, who pitched out of the Brooklyn bullpen last season, is now a member of the rotation and it is thought he will join the Aces two aces- Aaron McNally and Chris Justice- among the best pitchers in the league.