[luckymann]

LAST YEAR: 51-89 31 GB, last / .285 / 3.99
BNN PREDICTION: 69-85 19 GB, 7th / .255 / 3.08
FARM SYSTEM: 3rd
BEST PROSPECT: P Len Barker (10th)
PAYROLL: 13th, $22,796
HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: OF Homer Smoot, $2,660
CASH BALANCE: $86,901
GAINS: C Jayhawk Owens (trade); 2B Brent Butler (trade)
LOSSES: SS Mark Grudzialanek (trade); CL Jim Otten (trade)

Even with the number of scheduled games rising from 140 to 154 for the 1904 campaign, the fact that the Americans are predicted to win a bunch more times this season than they did in 1903 but still finish 19 games back tells you all you need to know about what a disastrous year they are coming off. And 1904 doesn’t look likely to be all that much more enjoyable for Americans faithful.

They still possess an extremely potent offence, with all the pieces from last season still in place. OF Homer Smoot delivered on his promising rookie year with a great 1903 campaign, and I see no reason he shouldn’t do so again this time around. Eric Young remains a solid contributor at 2B, as does outfielder Bunk Congalton. Oscar Charleston didn’t quite have the year the Americans would have been looking for from him, but at just 20 still projects to become one of the league’s superstars. 3B Joe Randa also looks set to become an impact player of note. They have serviceable players at every position and a decent enough bench. They should score plenty of runs; in fact, they are predicted to be the second-best team in the AL in this category.

The problem is that this may not be enough to cover their hinky pitching squad, which is predicted to surrender the most runs of any in the division, some 49 more than they are predicted to score. The rotation remains intact from 1903, led by Pat Zachry who didn’t make his return from the torn labrum that saw him miss most of 1902 until mid-season, and while he still managed to provide more than 2 WAR he is hardly a world-beater. Jose Quintana was much better than his league-leading 23 losses would have you believe, but still not all that good. Eric Show’s .375 BABIP says he may have been unlucky as well, but we all know you make your own luck in this game. Doc Scanlan took over Quintana’s mantle as the Wild Man of Boston and seems unlikely to sort that out at 28 years of age. Top prospect Len Barker is still a fair way away from action in the bigs, so for now the Americans are stuck with the devils they know. And if they perform as they did last year, then so will the team.

PLAYER TO WATCH: OF Oscar Charleston