First, a hearty goodbye to these three teams, who were just relegated from the Elite League in 2020:
MITHAZNI BC
Hefem, EM
2020: 66-124 (20th in EL)
Best finish: 20th
2020 was Mithazni's first ever season in the EL, and it unfortunately showed. They never were able to put together a threatening offense by EL standards, averaging just 3.3 runs per game (last in the league). Only three position players contributed even a single WAR, and given their relegation to the Second League, two of them have since moved on. Their run prevention was acceptable - not
great, but good enough to survive relegation with a comparable offense. In 2021, Mithazni has coaxed in LF Lope Shosotsoke, who should be one of the 2L's top hitters.
2021 prediction: 108-82, 5th place (Second League)
OTAHEL CITY
Otahel, FH
2020: 67-123 (19th in EL)
Best finish: 19th
Otahel City's 2020 season was the first time a club from the state of Fyhot had competed in the EL. (There are still four states that never have: Efiro, Lon Sifn, Perlota, and Rutepijo.) They had the opposite problem from Mithazni in 2020, only even more extreme: a league-average offense, but they allowed the most runs in the EL by a wide margin, over 120 more than any other team. Relegation always seems to gut a team, though, and their top 5 hitters from a year ago have moved on. A big contract handed out to catcher Haha Sachan, just 18 years old, might be the ticket to help recoup that offense and rebuild a foundation.
2021 prediction: 112-78, 3rd place (Second League)
WIKYATS ATHLETIC
Tenshemaho, ZA
2020: 79-111 (18th in EL)
Best finish: 6th (2019)
Wikyats were the lone representatives in the 2020 EL from Lokasi's second-largest city, Tenshemaho. Now, there are none, even though seven teams from the city have played in the EL at some point! For Wikyats, the fine margins hurt them, only finishing in the relegation zone thanks to having a worse run differential than the team in 17th. The OOTP preseason predictions like Wikyats to get relegated again this season, and while I don't think I'm that harsh on them they do have a worse outlook than the other two relegatees. Top hitter Nenats Shosotsoke (no relation to the Mithazni player, it's a common name here) will miss the first two months of the 2021 season, still recovering from a torn PCL in his knee.
2021 prediction: 68-122, 20th place (Second League)