2022 Season Preview - Part 1
Lineup rankings and final record predictions come from the preseason predictions for total runs scored, while rotation and closer rankings are from the positional rankings report.
OTAHEL CITY
Otahel, FH
2021: 113-77 (3rd in Second League)
Seasons in EL: 2
Best finish: 19th (2020)
Payroll: $64.8 million (19th)
Otahel's first foray into EL ball did not go as planned. Now, with pretty much a whole new team, could it go differently this time? Otahel is a small city by EL standards, but it is the second-largest city in the state of Fyhot, and picking up fans throughout the north and northwest parts of the country.
Lineup (17th):
CF Toyeseshi Shocheye - 3B Maso Ere - LF Kiposo Posheni
1B Hekopa Ketunri - C Kiowu Salama - SS Sashe Pipasu
RF Hamafme Misha - 2B Hekewi Faseltsa
Otahel has a problem that IRL teams don't get that often - they are desperate for good hitters, and are stuck with two good catchers that can't both play every day. In this case, 19-year-old Haha Sachan is stuck on the bench. Salama is capable of playing the outfield, but they don't play him there for some reason.
Of these guys, only Ketunri and Misha were with the 2020 squad, so we'll have to judge this group on their own performances.
Rotation (11th):
Pika Sopota - Raretihe Lolif - Elpim Merefife - Lasha Chuotsa - Marte Fitiure
Solid, not overwhelming in any way.
Closer: Turoa Roshirmi (13th)
Overall, I expect Otahel to struggle a bit. The money just isn't there to add on to their weaker lineup.
2022 prediction: 74-116 (18th)
WESTLINE BC
Ransu, RA
2021: 122-68 (2nd in Second League)
Seasons in EL: 25
Best finish: 1st (1999)
Payroll: $92.2 million (10th)
Westline BC, named for the train line and later subway line that traces along the Gulf of Ransu coast, was started as a company team of railway workers before going professional. Westline's most historically successful period is the late 90s and 2000s, including a 14-year period where the team never finished below 7th. Times got harder after that, and they were relegated from the EL for the first time in 2014. After a couple of close calls with relegation to the NPL, Westline's superior history took over and they've built back up to this promotion.
Lineup (8th):
RF Nina Mukuapi - 1B Pumacha Potsonisa - LF Wyshuo Aliso
2B Teyumpu Rei - C Epencho Posheni - SS Atel Chirao
3B Kypo Futatse - CF Lafom Tsuefo
A surprisingly great lineup for a newly promoted team. Aside from Posheni, all were with Westline in the 2L last year, but all except for Futatse and Tsuefo are at least average EL starters.
Rotation (7th):
Tula Mitonone - Uriyoko Tselsiko - Pwea Popa - Hoi Rerawe - Mache Rolei
Mitonone is a huge talent, an 18-year-old that Westline were able to bring in in the 2019 offseason. Rolei isn't elite, but does have two rings from his time with Mighty Oaks in the early 2010s, while the middle three pitchers are all talented but less proven.
Closer: Maho Narupu (7th)
Overall, I expect Westline to skip over the re-establishment phase and be a pretty solid Elite League team right away. They don't have a ton of weaknesses.
2022 prediction: 100-90 (7th)
MITHAZNI BC
Hefem, EM
2021: 125-65 (1st in Second League)
Seasons in EL: 2
Best finish: 20th (2020)
Payroll: $59.1 million (20th)
Mithazni will hope to provide a foil for Keleri within the city of Hefem. Their promotion for the 2020 season was the first time in a decade that Keleri had had a local rival in the league! Hefem is home to a large portion of Lokasi's entertainment industry, and Mithazni is a pretty well-off area where a lot of the nation's rich and famous make their homes. It is said (but not officially) that Mithazni BC's choice of gold as its primary color is in reference to award statuettes.
Lineup (20th):
3B Rilokena Kelepe - CF Feme Shashynta - 1B Pokoni Merefife
LF Lope Shosotsoke - C Teao Ralfa - SS Anesa Pasisheto
RF Achi Fuowe - 2B Chukatu Riali
The 2020 Mithazni team was one of the worst offensive teams in EL history, scoring just 628 runs the entire season (3.3/game). This offense is projected to best that by about a hundred runs, but still to be the league's worst scoring outfit. Only Shashynta and Fuowe are returnees from the 2020 squad - getting relegated really shreds your roster.
Rotation (13th):
Kiri Yasei - Iotesi Eiyasho - Micha Mpetu - Towue Tomyare - Miratu Tefashayu
By contrast, all of the Mithazni starters have EL experience, the latter 3 being part of the 2020 squad and Yasei and Eiyasho having come over from Kepmem and Semyof, respectively. They will be solid on this side of the ball.
Starters Sosytse Paweshono and Fine Shokuho will both miss substantial portions of the season, but their expected returns in August and June, respectively, should provide a further boost.
Closer: Cheteko Mpetu (10th)
Overall, Mithazni will probably struggle this year unless they can find some offensive tools. Their pitching staff is good enough that the team won't be embarrassingly bad, probably, but a likely relegation candidate.
2022 prediction: 73-117 (19th)
NOKELTO SCOUTS
Nokelto, CA
2021: 81-109 (17th)
Seasons in EL: 25
Best finish: 7th (1995, 1996, 2000)
Payroll: $81.9 million (16th)
The Scouts were the last team to secure EL survival at the end of the 2021 season, holding off the fallen giants of Semyof to continue at the top level. Nokelto has a strong baseball tradition as a city, punching above its weight with the Scouts as Elite League regulars and with two teams in the Second League.
Lineup (14th):
RF Kik Wie - LF Ofame Lakihelise - SS Otsiku Nyru
CF Lara Tsimelefo - C Taliha Popa - 1B Fukle Tsitysho
3B Fawi Tini - 2B Neshofa Felitsu
All in all, a lineup that leaves you wanting a little more. Tini and Felitsu are not really players you want as EL starters, and while the middle of the lineup is alright the star power isn't really there either. Tsimelefo is the closest to that, but he's 7 years removed now from the great home run chase of 2015, when he came up 2 short of the single-season record of 81.
Rotation (16th):
Karpu Kohopa - Yila Mukako - Epencho Kemo - Tuwafo Kemo - Sae Nafoe
Kohopa was quite good in his rookie year of 2021, but the rest of the guys didn't produce a lot. Looks to be more of the same in 2022.
Closer: Tsykuka Mosaka (20th)
Overall, Nokelto's ceiling is low, but their floor is higher than some of the other teams in the lower echelon. They'll be near the relegation line again but they'll also feel OK about their chances of finishing above it... again.
2022 prediction: 80-110 (17th)
HOKROF BC
Hokrof, TA
2021: 83-107 (16th)
Seasons in EL: 5
Best finish: 9th (2019)
Payroll: $89.9 million (12th)
Since ascending to the EL for the 2018 season, Hokrof have established themselves as "team you're most likely to forget about when naming the EL clubs". But, they're the only representatives west of Shunna on the mainland, so they have a value to that part of the country. Hokrof is analogous to... Milwaukee? Cleveland? Someplace like that within the US (not an exact match).
Lineup (19th):
2B Mashu Chyralo - SS Fekiu Imatsa - 1B Ouler Tuemole
LF Keinu Wapatsite - CF Soso Aoko - C Sisha Rekute
RF Fakaki Sofiulo - 3B Pumacha Layaka
Compared to Nokelto, this lineup has a little more star quality, with Imatsa and Tuemole both well-regarded in their position groups, but also more holes. The bottom of this lineup is gonna struggle to move the line along too much.
Rotation (12th):
Atsi Lapa - Meteshu Tekuwo - Kuye Omnela - Sorihi Nisushi - Ekana Sesho
Lapa was a pretty good get, coming over from National in the offseason to lead the line. Otherwise, full of serviceable back-end starters.
Closer: Chiamo Wirilen (15th)
All in all, a fairly similar team to Mithazni, and they'll probably struggle in a similar way.
2022 prediction: 72-118 (20th)