Season 36 AL East Preview

Boston Red Sox 

Season 35:  95-67, won Division, won World Series

GM: Spistol

Outlook:  Why mess with a winning combination?  The Sox had some older free agents this year, and elected to bring back many of them to try to recreate the Season 35 magic.

What can you say about Peter Magnusson?  The Season 31 #11 overall pick has 2 MVP's and a ROY in his first 2 seasons, and now a WS ring.  He's the straw that stirs the Red Sox, but he's not alone.

Season 30 #5 overall Ronnie Burns is a near carbon copy of Magnusson.  The 2 are interchangeable at 2B and CF, and both look to be perpetual 40-HR boppers for years to come.

1B Matt Lawrence (.284/30/95) and DH Curtis Smith (.271/38/112) are the secondary run producers behind the dynamic duo.  

Boston's pitching was a surprising 9th in the AL last year with a 4.28 ERA (a bit better in the playoffs at 4.02).  Their approach is more to trade punches rather than try to shut you down.  At least until the late innings, when Damaso Martinez (3.56 ERA in 98 IP)and Dan Lambert (27 saves, 2.37 ERA) come in to protect leads.

They do help their pitching out wit solid defense - .985 team fielding percentage and 90/36 on good/bad plays.

Cleveland Indians

Season 35: 60 102

GM: jgnjr

Outlook: The Tribe looks to be entering a rebuild...or maybe more accurately a decided youth movement...as it jettisoned a number of aging free agents and traded for younger vets in the off-season.

Cleveland traded an older prospect for O.T. Grieve, got a pair of nice DH candidates in Rudy House and Kendry Fernandez.  They also concentrated their FA signings on older, low-budget players (frequently the best values out there, by the way).

House becomes Cleveland's best hitter (assuming he gets promoted, of course)...maybe 1A with LF Phillip Rose (does it surprise you that he had a .290/36/120 line last year?).

The Indians' staff posted a 4.54 ERA last year, 14th in the leauge.  Only Scot Bradford on the rotation bettered 4.00, and it will be pretty similar this year. Season 32 IFA John Chiba may help a bit, but the staff needs an across-the-board overhaul to be seriously competitive.

Rebuild or a youth movement alongside an attempt to squeak out a shot at a wild card?  How about a 1-year massive housecleaning and come back strong next year?  I'm a big fan of bold moves.

Baltimore Orioles
Season 35:  77-85  

GM:  NormanW5

Outlook: The Birds have landed in that 77-win never-never land for 2 seasons...competitive but not threatening a wild card.  

There's some good talent on the ML roster, and it's predominantly young talent.  Season 30's #3 overall, 2B Keith Townsend, struggled last year but still hit for power with 28 HR and 108 RBI.  Season 33's #3, Chip Caminiti, looks like another promising power-hitting infielder (but is woefully overmatched at SS, as his .930 fielding % last year attests).  Flip Harris finally put it together in his 4th season and won 15 games with 3.20 ERA.  And there are a few other youngsters capable of contributing to a playoff run.

But not this year.  Too many Josmil Cordero's on the roster (his hot 3-appearance start notwithstanding...all too soon, his line will look like Season 35's).  

Seems like Baltimore is closing in on something good - let's hope they grab it soon.

New York Yankees
Season 35:  72-90
GM:  fsubwj

Outlook:  The Yanks have been rebuilding since the mikeymel era, patiently drafting and signing IFA's.  A few of those choices have now made their way to the majors...let's take a look:

Vin Gumbs (Season 32 #1 overall) famously made the jump to the Bigs after just 100 minor-league innings.  Last year, he made the All-Star team and entered the CY conversation with a 19-8, 2.52 ERA campaign.

Yovani Romo ($26MM Sea 34 IFA) has also been fast-tracked to the Majors (sense a pattern here?)...just 129 minor-league AB's.  Set to be the SS for the next dozen years.

Brace Wooster (Season 33 #10 overall) got 68 MiL innings and then right to the Majors.  Struggled in Season 34 and improved big-time last year.

And there are others like OF's Frank Bong and Geraldo De La Rosa, and C Frank James.  Perhaps the best of all of them, Bryant Mulder, is at AA.

The youngsters sparked a 13-win improvement last year.  They'll undoubtedly improve again - the only question is whether it will be enough to contend. 86 wins has gotten an AL Wild Card each of the last 2 seasons.

Division Outlook:  Boston looks like the favorite again, with an onrushing Yankees team about to ignite an intense rivalry.

New Owner Intro - z0601

z0601 joined us lat year and did a great job with the Season 35 Mets.  Here's his belated intro to Major Leagues:

Who am I?

I am a 38 year old Multi Media Manager living in Asheville, NC. I have a 4 year old son who loves baseball and a 1 year old daughter. I have always been a sports fan with Football and Hockey being my favorites. Started playing WIS back in 2006 playing SimLeague basketball before moving to HD and HBD. I enjoy playing fantasy sports, mostly football of course; and consider myself a bourbon connoisseur with over 100 bottles in my collection.

Cubs or Indians? Why?

To be honest, Baseball is my least favorite of all sports but I really enjoy playing HBD. Since my son loves baseball so much, it is starting to grow on me. I was pulling for the Cubs for no other reason than we love Chicago and we are big Blackhawks fans.

Best and Worst HBD moment?

Lots to choose from here. I would say my best was my very first season playing HBD. Took over a team that was good but couldn't get over the top. Lost in Game 7 of the WS and it was all down hill from there. Worst moment was having to leave world NCAA because I couldn't meet the win requirements. 

Stratagem that didn't work?

When I first started HBD, I wanted to pick a park that was a good fit for the players I had. So if I only had average hitters, a hitters park would "boost" their numbers and help our offense. Failed to realize or think that it would also help the other teams that had much better players than I did and we stunk and I almost quit HBD because of this.

Season 36 NL South Preview

Houston Astros

Season 35:  98-64, won Division, advanced to NLCS, lost WS in 7 to Boston

GM:  steelforge

Offseason:  lost RF Dennis Smith (.282/18/74) and 3B Walker Cather (.260/19/57) in FA - significant but manageable.

Trades:  the big one was SP Alex Martin (9-10. 4.53 ERA in 143 IP) and SS Francisco Lopez (.237/7/32) to Seattle for slugging IF Jason Bravo (.252/44/95) and OF Gerald Crane (.280/33/101)...A+ for the Astros and Martin will be much better in Seattle. Also moved C Jake Treanor (.215/6/12) to St. Louis for closer Troy Griffith (4-4, 3.63 in 72 IP); 1B/OF Vin Almonte (.221/12/31) and rubber-armed RP Mitch Mirabelli (11-4, 2.50 ERA in 176 IP) to Montreal for yet another power bat in Danny Barr (.267/23/55); and a couple of minor-leaguers to Toronto for CF Bruce Smith (.240/15/60).

To top off the overhaul they signed FA 2B Bill Matthews (.273/2/30),  SP Jim Colin (11-9, 3.44 in 211 IP),  and RP's Jamie Aldridge (3-5, 4.40 in 61 IP) and Len Connelly (3-5, 3.23 in 47 IP).

Outlook:  Houston was below the league average in both runs (632 - 8th) and homers (169 - 9th)...the additions of Bravo, Barr and Crane should remedy that.  The league leading (3.06 ERA) pitching staff will only be better with the addition of Colin, Aldridge, Griffin and Connelly.  It looks like they're going with a 4-man rotation, but they'll have plenty of innings available: they have no less than 5 relievers with 30_ stamina.

This is going to be a very tough team to score on and their great pitching will get better run support.

Atlanta Braves

Season 35: 95-67, Wild Card, lost in 1st Round to Colorado

GM: majnun

Offseason:   Lost FA's SP Paxton Buhner(17-12, 3.54 in 224 IP) and RP Ray Ferrell (18 saves, 3.04 in 56 IP).  Signed OF Yuniesky Nunez (.227/5/23) and SP Deleanor Morehead (9-11, 4.80 in 168 IP).

Trades:  Moved SP John Hubbard (11-10, 4.59 in 153 IP) to Seattle for a pair of minor-leaguers; sent power-hitting IF Richard Mohr (.224/31/64) to KC for OF Vin Alexander (.248/7/46); and gave up on trying to fit DH's into an NL Lineup (Rudy House and Kendry Fernandez to Cleveland).

Outlook:  The Braves' offseason moves had a distinct "addition by subtraction" feel: Mohr has been a great player for them but he's at the stage where his power, range and arm strength are about to nose dive.  Likewise the dump of the 2 DH's - with scoring as low as it is in this world it's hard to risk having DH's boot away runs on an NL roster.  

Atlanta returns one of the NL's top offenses - it's a long ball-belting lineup (263 HR's, tops in NL) led by 1B Nick Hogan (.298/45/106), C Brad Leach (.265/40/105) and still-electrifying RF Freddie Lanning (.269/30/111, 38 SB).  Glenn Hewson comes in from CF to replace Mohr - even though he's not a power guy he OPS'd .759 to Mohr's .763 and will be a defensive upgrade.  Addition by subtraction.

The staff was 3rd in the league with a 3.33 ERA last year and features perhaps the league's best big-innings middle reliever in Wayne Counsel.  He threw 165 innings and posted 4 wins, 18 saves  and a 2.02 while setting a new career best with a 0.93 WHIP. The big question is whether they can replace Buhner and Hubbard - imho, Buhner had over-achieved and Hubbard was disappointing.  So I'm on board with the subtraction plan.  Season 30 IFA Donaldo Uribe looks risky but gets a crack at one of the open starter spots.  Morehead probably gets the first shot at the other and he will test the pitches vs. splits debate.

The Braves made some gutsy moves, especially in the face of Houston's big remake...we'll see if subtraction wins. 

St. Louis Cardinals

Season 35:  78-84

GM:  jclarkbaker

Offseason:  Lost FA OF Yuuta Abe (.243/11/53).  Released C Chris Richardson (.211/8/28), OF Tori Rose (.245/0/13), and RP Bronson Mouton (1-1, 4.56 ERA in 47 IP).

Signed this year's top (or at least most expensive) free agent, Julio Nunez.

Outlook:  The Cards were 4th in ERA last year and 15th in runs, so the signing of Nunez was a big deal. He'll be a big boost to their 14th-ranked OBP (.299), and his power stroke is likely to recover to the 25-35 HR range.

Regardless of Nunez' output, this team will live or die on its pitching.  Season 30 #14 Esteban Mateo has established himself as a legit ace with 29 wins in his first 2 seasons, and vets like Dick Pederson (13-6, 3.66) are still going strong.

Here's more from GM jclarkbaker:

"Last year our pitching was great, our offense stunk. So I signed Julio Nunez (RF) and traded for Jake Treanor (C) .  Will be bringing up Maicer Cedeno (2B) , Larry Clark (RF) , Ross Cook (P) , and Alen Johnson (P). I’m thinking our pitching stays the same or even improves, and we score more runs. Simple, right?

Florida Marlins

Season 35:  66-96

GM: cyben5150

Outlook:  For this one we got an extensive preview from the owner, so take it away, cyben:

"My starting line up for my first six ST games is my initial take on the regular-season starting line up minus platoons. I will probably have some form of three man platoon at CF/2B between Priddy, Bazardo, and Felipe Padilla (SS) and at least one platoon for 1B/COF.

'For pitchers, Sammy Olivo, Gil Oberg, and Harry Kramer are my current candidates to round out my rotation. Those three plus the four implied promotions of positional players and possible call up of Butch Evans puts me at 28; will figure out the cuts when my hand is forced. 

'This offseason was about attempting to get better while getting younger. Pitching wise, I sent 80% of my rotation packing (not how I would like expiring contracts and arb years to align, but that's life). In essence I am banking on the production of Amaro (36 years old), Olmeda (36), Reed (31), and Cashman (30), being roughly equaled by Kramer (22), Oberg (21), Olivo (21), and FA pick-up Urbina (33) or some other as yet undetermined permutation. 

'The three young guys will struggle some I'm sure but offer much better long term potential and it isn't inconceivable that they outperform them this season. 

'On the offensive side of the ball, my relevant losses were Clark, Abreu, and Pederson. I will admit, I was somewhat banking on someone sleeping in player protection for Rule V and getting a solid ML bat that way, but we did a good job as a league this year. In hindsight, I think letting Abreu go may have been a mistake, but with three guys vying for time at 2B/CF already someone was going to be the odd man out; should have held him another year and reassessed next season. 

'In hindsight, I also underestimated Clark; I had been viewing his performance in the broader context of my HBD experience rather than within this world's specific offensive trends. Regardless, I've got about six guys vying for time at 1B and COF spots with Mullen the only guy I'm sold on so far (possible platoon for at least one of the other spots). 

'There is some potential here though; the starting line up has five guys with eye ratings over 80 and the lowest of the starting eight is 63; we should be able to work counts, wear down pitchers, and draw walks. There are two guys with 90+ power and two more with 80+ power. If I can get better than 100 HR combined from these guys and draw walks at a decent clip I should be able to score some runs, though our strikeouts and batting average will be pretty bad. 

'Regardless, "draw walks, hit homers" is a step towards an offensive identity which is more than this team has had over the past few years. Check back at the end of the year though; with a projected 40% or so of my 25 man being made up of rookies either this will be a team that outperforms expectations and has a young core upon which I can build or this may top my earlier response of failed HBD strategies: Youth Gone Wrong."

Division Outlook:

I love Houston's off-season moves and it's hard to see anyone knocking them off.  Atlanta will be an interesting team to watch...they have to be favored to take a wild card but nothing is assured in the tough NL.  The Cardinals will no doubt improve but by how much.  And it's just a matter of time before Florida starts contending.  One of our more fun divisions.

Season 36 NL West Preview

San Diego Padres

Season 35:  71-91
GM:  cwaldenj

Offseason: lost C Bonk Christian, RP Mat Grabowski, and SP Hi Reid in FA. Released RP Branden Wilkerson, RP Marvin Diaz, and C Yuniesky Rios.  Signed FA RP J.J. Bibby, RP Freddy Connor, SP Spike O'Brien, C Harry Ugueto, SP Cesar Carrera, and OF Joe Hughes.  Promoted 1B Odrisamer Ortiz and OF Alberto Mercado.

Outlook:  The Pads were "significantly runs-challenged" last year (#16 in the NL with 492 runs), and their off-season moves aren't going to help a lot. Of the lineup moves they made, I like the Rule V pick of Ortiz (#6 in the Rule V, originally a 3rd-rounder), although maybe some of those all-or-nothing power hitters like Mercado and Harry Moreno will get hot and carry the team for awhile.

Although it's partially a result of their park, the pitching fared better last year with a 3.61 ERA (8th in NL...3.15 at home, 4.11 away).  Roland Hoover (13-10, 2.80 ERA) and Jerome Speaker (13-11, 2.83 ERA) led the way, and may typify the type of pitcher to use in San Diego - cheap and decent-not-great ratings - at least during the rebuilding phase.

By the way, are they rebuilding?  I think so - they've got the payroll under $50MM and are shepherding their eleven (11) 1st-round draft picks from the last 2 drafts toward the majors.  Meanwhile, they're keeping it competitive.

Colorado Rockies
Season 35: 88-74, won Division, lost to Houston in 2nd Round
GM: grapeape

Offseason:   Lost always-a-closer-candidate-but-never-a-closer Adrian Beck, backup SS Neifi Johnson, #4-type SP Wladimir Diaz and C Enrique Osuna to FA.  Grade on losses:  mild damage

Signed 2B Paulo Abreau (.769 OPS) and RP Manny Bong (5-5, 5.75 ERA) in FA.  Promoted RP Roybell (best rookie first name) Robinson (Season 31 10th round).    Grade on additions: fair

Overall Offseason Grade: C+


Outlook:  The  Rockies have a nice little dynasty brewing.  They've won 86+ games 8 straight years, been to the playoffs in 7 of those, and won the West 4 of the last 5.  But since taking the Rays to 7 games in the Season 30 WS, they've won exactly one (1) playoff series.  Can they break through in the brutally competitive NL?

The Rockies are pretty good at almost everything. Their 6th-ranked offense (724 runs) runs on theft (196 SB's led the NL); then 1B Orval Miller and 3B James Bacsik drive home the felons (their 235 RBI was 33% of the team's total...seems like a lot although I really don't know how it compares).

Their usually-reliable pitching had some problems in S35 (10th in NL ERA).  Staff ace Stubby George did his usual excellent thing (15-11, 2.88, but starters Miguel Urbina (70 points over career ERA) and Wandy Mateo (50 points over career ERA) really struggled, and now Mateo is out for a good chunk of this year.  Even with Mateo out, expect a return to the upper half of the NL in Team ERA.

Colorado plays solid but not spectacular defense, posting a .985 fielding percentage and a 61/24 difference on good/bad plays.  2-time GG 1B Miller erases quite a few bad throws with his glove (22+ plays).

San Francisco Giants
Season 35:  75-87
GM:  bigthrowsie

Offseason: Lost LF Julio Nunez, backup OF Yuniesky Nunez and 2B Bill Matthews to FA.  Grade on losses: unmitigated disaster (although not the fault of current management...previous management inexplicably took Nunez to arbitration 3 times, and he predictably flipped SF the finger on his way out the door).

Signed C Enrique Osuna (.232/14/52), OF Mitchell Pederson (.227/26/77), and most of their own free agents.  Grade on additions:  uninspiring, but we'll see

Overall off-season grade: F, but 98% of that belongs to the previous management's bungling of Nunez.

Outlook:  Despite the angst surrounding the Nunez departure, this is still a team that won 75 games last year, and still has talent from the 3 straight 96+ win teams of a few years back.

The present and future of the Giants' offense belongs to LF Douglas Lindor and CF Yamil Pinto, the prime dividends of the Season 33 surrender trade of ace Maicer Comacho to the Nationals.  Paco Sandoval is a solid power-hitting infielder, although he might fit better in a more generous hitter's ballpark.  And 1B Yorvit Gomez (just re-signed) remains an underrated gem with his lifetime .384 OBP.

I like the rotation front 3 of Santos, Tavarez and Palmeiro.  I like the just re-signed Slick Adkinsson and Wolf Sauer much less (especially at those prices), although to be fair, they have both performed very well for Giants fans (3.58 and 3.28 career ERA's respectively).  If all 5 of the starters put together pretty good seasons, this team could enjoy a pitching ranking as high as the top 5 or 6.

The Giants enjoy a pretty solid defense anchored by 3-time GG shortstop Renyel Ozuna.  I don't know if he can still contend for GG's, but he'll keep the infield defense stable for the next couple of years.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Season 35:  76-86
GM: captain10a

Offseason:  In free agency, lost Freddy Conner (5-2, 4.17), 1B Doug Hines (.259/15/48), RP Rodney Stuart (5-3, 5.25), and IF Juan Cordero (.294/11/44).  Grade on losses: nothing of consequence

Signed CF Benny Vincente (.235/0/12, 24 SB) and a couple of their own FA's.  Grade on the 1 addition: B+

Overall off-season grade: A (if what I think they've done is correct) 

Outlook:  The Dodgers appear to have improved their team defense dramatically just by putting the correct players in the correct positions (I say "appear" because it's not certain until they actually do it in the regular season).  Last year, shortstop was mostly a debacle shared by natural 3B Andrew Wathan (.953 fielding %, 13 bad plays) and natural 2B/3B/CF Kosuke Takada (.935 fielding %).  When light-hitting Fernando Thomas manned SS, he managed a .981 fielding % and 6 good plays.  Good move #1: it looks like they've turned over SS to Thomas.  Good move #2:  signing Benny Vincente to play CF.  Last year's CF position wasn't as big a mess as SS, but it could use improving (Takada and Quentin Blair combined for 11 bad plays, and Blair kicked it around to the tune of a .932 fielding %). Vincente will fix all that.  If Vincente hits nothing and they need runs, they can turn to Season 31 IFA Jair Cortez in CF - he's pretty much a clone of Takada defensively and will outhit Vincente by a mile.

Hitting and pitching-wise, I expect the Dodgers to come in about where they did last year - upper 2nd-half for both.  But with a much-improved defense and a few breaks, LA could surprise.

Division Outlook:  I like the Rockies to repeat again, although I it wouldn't surprise me if either the Giants or Dodgers or both made a race of it.  It's probably going to be easier to win this division than claim a wild card.

Intro to new old owner crabman26

1. Who is crabman26 in real life? 
Rich Rice, currently residing in beautiful Hood River, Oregon after moving here from Maryland this past summer. Huge Orioles and Ravens fan, and I guess now a Portland Trailblazer fan since thats the only real sports team we have here (I don't count Soccer). I work as a Facilities Manager at a community health center running renovations/ new construction/ facility upgrades.

2. Cubs or Indians? Why? 
I guess I would pick the Cubs, Cleveland already won a championship recently in b-ball and I am tired of hearing about the lovable losers, so let them win one finally! I honestly dont care though who wins, Id be happy for the Indians as well.


3. Best and worst HBD moments? 
Best - Taking over teams in World American Pastime and Kinsella that at the time never had a season over .500 and building both of them into World Series winners. Worst - HBD has now taken all the fun out of the draft, to the point I basically punt the draft now and that used to be my favorite part of this game. Also, my current team in World NCAA II seems to be in a forever purgatory that I can't fix...very embarrassing so far!

4. HBD strategem you tried that didn't work?
I tried a strategy of getting the high split ratings for hitters while ignoring Contact and BE for a brief period of time. The results were way too unpredictable from season to season with those players and when they were bad, they were bad.