[Nick Soulis]

American League

1. Boston Red Stockings
Record: 42-17 (1st)
Manager: Harry Wright
A bittersweet finish to a great season in Boston as the Red Stockings will look to be the first team to win back to back pennants. Jim Britt and Al Spalding are probably the best pitching combination in the league while the Boston offense is also elite. Jim Foran lead the AL in batting at .339 with Dick Hunt right behind him at .331. George Wright was on track leading in RBI with 58 including 121 total bases. Harry Wright finally has the team he has always wanted to build, and winning everything this season has to be the only goal.

2. Philadelphia Athletics
Record: 26-34 (5th)
Manager: Dick McBride
Another down year for the A's and they made sure that they retooled for their future. The pitching side has been a letdown but the addition of two wonder arms in Tricky Nichols and Henry Luff should immediately make the A's one of the top pitching sides for years to come. George Hall, Dick Higham, and Tom York all will need to produce more runs as the A;s have been one of the more frustrating sides in the game since their magical 1872 40 win season.

3. Washington Nationals
Record: 33-27 (2nd)
Manager: Nick Young
The Nationals have taken on Washington completely and remain a club loaded with talent. Everyone expects Ross Barnes to get back to greatness this season while Deacon White and Dickie Flowers remain household names throughout the league. The club needs to play better defense and 20 year old John Richmond may help. Starter Bobby Matthews still may not have the support he needs on the pitching side and some have accused Nick Young with not adapting to the changing game fast enough.

4. Hartford Dark Blues
Record: 26-34 (5th)
Manager: Bob Fergusen
Levi Meyerle and Andy Leonard will lead the Hartford club into a new season with a number of new faces. Rookie Lon Knight will take the ace role and is suppose to really give this team a lift while George Zettlein is ready for another year. Manager Fergusen will move to third base with a betetr glove and Lou Say will take over in right. It was only two years ago this club had lifted the pennant.

5. Keokuk Westerns
Last Season: 26-34 (4th)
Manager: Shamar Tate
Leaving Brooklyn the new Westerns look for fortunes having never won anything. John Greason has proved to be a good starter with a 2.08 ERA last year while 19 year old John Cassidy will try and give some support to the staff. Jim Keenan is a 17 year old catcher who is the #2 prospect in the league to help solid players like Oscar Bielaski generate some runs. Shamar Tate is another manager who better get things right quickly this season.

6. St. Louis Brown Stockings
Expansion team
Manager: Jamari Arms
The second team in St. Louis and the likely goal for this expansion team is just find away to be better then their cross town rival. The Browns literally stole starting pitcher Hugh O'Neil from Chicago after the Whites had drafted him but offered him more money, he will have a chance to prove his worth. Ed Duffy and Harry Berthwrong lead a lineup that is made up of a number of players getting a second chance. It could be the cutomary long season for new manager Jamari Arms and the Browns.