February, 2015

2015 Season Preview

I was in the process of putting my final editorial touches on this preview when I received the word of Ed McGowan's illness. Suddenly, the fate of the 2015 BDBL season doesn't seem important anymore. Ed was just making draft picks (and damn good draft picks!) a few days ago. It doesn't seem possible that he could have become so ill so quickly.

Needless to say for anyone who had the honor of meeting Ed in person, or even virtually, he was a big-hearted man who never seemed to have anything negative to say about anyone. Even when he struggled in his personal life, he remained positive. He was very proud of his four boys, and of course, he loved his Angels. He was a fierce competitor, but always a good sport.

After recovering from the immediate shock and state of denial over this news, I questioned whether we should continue with this season, or at least delay the start of Opening Day, in order to give us all time to digest what has happened and allow us to grieve. As always, whenever tragedy strikes, your thoughts naturally turn inward, and I asked myself what I want the league to do when I suffer a similar fate.

Consider this to be my "living will to the BDBL", if you will. When my time comes, and assuming that this league is still active, if any of you allow the BDBL to die along with me, I will haunt you for the remainder of your lives. Honor me by continuing the season, and playing many, many more seasons in the years to follow. Name the trophy after me. (The irony of having a trophy named after a guy who never won it would cause every future winner to value their accomplishment that much more.) Whatever you do, don't stop playing.

I realize that this is just a fantasy baseball league. It's a fun little hobby that we all like to treat a little too seriously at times. But it's also an incredibly effective distraction from the monotony, frustration, stress and tragedy of real life. I think that we can all relate to some personal event that has taken place since joining this league when the BDBL became a welcome distraction, allowing us to escape for an hour or two. Granted, this hobby often causes more stress than it relieves, but even then, it is stress that is focused on something that we know is unimportant.

Over time, this league has become more than just a fantasy baseball league. We've become a family of sorts; a sad and dysfunctional family, but a family nevertheless. We have shared many life events together, both good and bad: weddings, child births, divorce, deaths of family members, new careers, etc.. Baseball is our common bond, but we also have connected on a personal level.

I say we honor Ed by playing out this season. Having met him several times, I know that is what he would have wanted. I can almost picture him shaking his head in that humble way, as if any other option would be unthinkable. I am taking it upon myself to rename the Butler Division to the McGowan Division. I will also send an arrangement to Ed's service on behalf of the BDBL, using the extra money collected through your league donations. If I can think of another way to honor his memory, I will do so.

I know it's corny, but my favorite movie quote of all time is from Rocky Balboa: "Life ain't about how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward."

And with that, we move forward.

Jump to:
McGowan | Benes | Griffin | Higuera | Person | Hrbek

Kansas Law Dogs

Owner: Chris Luhning
2014 Record: 81-79 (3rd place)
Projected Rotation: Zack Greinke, Dallas Keuchel, Yordano Ventura, Jason Hammel, Josh Beckett
Bullpen: Wade Davis, Greg Holland, Jonathan Papelbon, Jared Hughes, David Carpenter, Bryan Shaw
Projected Lineup: Lorenzo Cain (CF), Howie Kendrick (2B), Nelson Cruz (RF), Edwin Encarnacion (1B), Christian Yelich (LF), Conor Gillaspie (3B), Yasmani Grandal/Salvador Perez (C), Danny Espinoza (SS)

Strengths: Two-ninety-eight. That is the OPS that right-handed batters posted against Wade Davis last year. That's not batting average or on-base percentage, or even slugging; that's on-base PLUS slugging. And Davis is only one of THREE dominant relievers on the Kansas staff that posted a CERA under 2.00 in MLB last year. Basically, Law Dogs opponents need to score more runs in six innings than Kansas scores in nine.

Offensively, Cruz (977/823 splits) and Encarnacion (870/909) are a couple of beasts in the heart of the lineup. Cain (827), Espinoza (859), Kendrick (834) and Yelich (819) give the team four more 800+ OPS bats against lefties. Defensively, Cain, Espinosa, Kendrick, Yelich and backup first baseman Eric Hosmer all have above-average range in the field.

Weaknesses: In any other year, I would be raving about the Kansas starting rotation, but in this Era of the Pitcher, it seems like Greinke (202 IP, 3.03 CERA), Keuchel (200, 3.02) and Ventura (183, 3.44) are merely "solid". With this offense and bullpen, however, "solid" may be enough.

Outlook: I picked the Law Dogs to win this division a year ago, and they finished in third place. The team that finished in second place (Great Lakes) reminds me a lot of this team, in that they also had a "mediocre-looking" rotation and a strong bullpen. The difference is that this Kansas team has more firepower on offense. With their powerful lineup, excellent defense and knockout bullpen, there is a lot to like about the 2015 Law Dogs.

Prediction: 1st place. The competition in this division is far weaker than what it was a year ago. Kansas should face little difficulty in winning this division. With a few improvements through trade, they could fare well in the playoffs.

Wyoming Ridgebacks

Owners: Tom DiStefano and Gene Patterson
2014 Record: 102-58 (1st place, BDBL champions)
Projected Rotation: Alex Cobb, Anibal Sanchez, Miguel Gonzalez, Colby Lewis, Josh Tomlin
Bullpen: Antonio Bastardo, Buddy Carlyle, Dominic Leone, Tyoshi Wada
Projected Lineup: Hanley Ramirez (SS), Mike Trout (CF), Gioncarlo Stanton (RF), Joey Votto/Ike Davis (1B), Brandon Guyer/Matt Joyce (LF), Chris Iannetta/Jarrod Saltalamacchia (C), Justin Turner/Sean Rodriguez (2B), Aaron Hill (3B)

Strengths: Mike Trout and Giancarlo Stanton, in their prime. It's difficult to imagine a more talented pair of young players playing for the same franchise at any point in league history. Both are legitimate MVP candidates this year, and yet they cost this team just $6.2 million in salary, combined. Ramirez (869/801) should do an excellent job setting the table for those two, and Votto (969 OPS vs. LH) and Davis (765 vs. RH) should provide decent protection.

Weaknesses: I have no idea what strategy the Superfriends had for building their pitching staff this year. Colby Lewis, a 28th round pick, leads the team in innings pitched, with just 170. Cobb, the team's de facto ace, pitched just 166 innings in MLB '14. The team's presumptive closer, Kevin Quackenbush, was traded during the draft. It's almost as if DiStefano and Patterson have forgotten that pitching is half the game.

The offense is equally light once you get past the Big Three. Votto (272 PA's) is limited in usage, and the bottom of the lineup is unlikely to strike fear into any opposing pitcher. Is Aaron Hill (680/645 splits) really the everyday third baseman for the defending champions? There doesn't appear to be any better option.

Outlook: Whether the Ridgebacks are trying to compete in 2015, or whether they have already thrown in the towel, it seems like a half-hearted effort either way. My guess is that the Superfriends plan to see how the early part of the season unfolds, and then adjust accordingly. It would be a shame to see a team waste the prime years of two of baseball's greatest young talents to rebuild, just a year after winning the trophy. This team, as presently constituted, sure doesn't look like a contender on paper.

Prediction: 2nd place. We have seen Tom DiStefano make some ballsy trades in past years, dealing Felix Hernandez, Tim Lincecum and others during their prime. Would it be surprising to see him deal Trout or Stanton mid-season and get a boatload of young talent in return? It wouldn't shock me.

Great Lakes Sphinx

Owner: Scott Romonosky
2014 Record: 99-61 (2nd place, EL wild card)
Projected Rotation: Nathan Eovaldi, Ryan Vogelsong, Scott Feldman, Tim Lincecum, Bud Norris
Bullpen: Jeurys Familia, Yoervis Medina, James Russell, Hector Santiago
Projected Lineup: Dustin Pedroia (2B), Starling Marte (LF), Carlos Santana (C), Ryan Braun (RF), Albert Pujols (1B), Jhonny Peralta (SS), Manny Machado (3B), Josh Reddick/George Springer (CF)

Strengths: There are no glaring holes in the starting lineup, from one to eight. Braun (823 OPS vs. LH), Santana (864) and Peralta (879) sting lefties, and Machado (802 OPS vs. RH), Marte (814), Pujols (807), Reddick (849) and Springer (811) manhandle righties. If the worst hitter in your lineup is a platoon of Springer (774 vs. LH) and Reddick (849 vs. RH), that's very impressive. In this age of depressed offense, that strength is a huge advantage.

Weaknesses: I said it last year, and I was wrong. But I'm going to say it again: this starting rotation just doesn't look like the rotation of a contending team. Not only is there no traditional ace, but there is no traditional #2 starter, either. You could argue that -- at best -- it is a rotation of #4 starters. I also don't see a traditional, dominant closer in the bullpen, and the group as a whole seems unimpressive. Based on MLB stats, the Sphinx rank near the bottom in ERA, CERA and opponents OPS.

Outlook: I honestly don't know how the Sphinx won the wild card last year. I have looked at MLB numbers, balllpark factors, competition, defense...I can find no rational explanation for that team's success. This year's Sphinx is vastly improved offensively, but I still don't understand how a team with a pitching staff filled with so many mediocre (at best) arms can possibly contend. It's possible that Scott Romonosky has discovered a hidden loophole in the DMB software. Barring that possibility, I don't see how this team can compete in 2015.

Prediction: 3rd place.

Big River Beavers

Owner: Kyle Robinson
2014 Record: 74-86 (4th place)
Projected Rotation: Yu Darvish, Doug Fister, James Shields, Alfredo Simon, Yusmeiro Petit, Jarred Cosart, Marco Estrada
Bullpen: David Robertson, Fernando Rodney, Rafael Soriano, Joe Kelly
Projected Lineup: Brett Gardner (CF), Desmond Jennings/David Murphy (LF), Danny Santana (RF), Evan Gattis (C), Adam Lind/Logan Morrison (1B), Pedro Alvarez (3B), DJ LeMahieu (2B), Alexei Ramirez (SS)

Strengths: The Beavers have more starting pitchers than any team could ever possibly employ. That could come in handy at the trading table later in the season -- especially given the lower VORP numbers for pitchers these days.

Weaknesses: Darvish is a quality #1 starter, but he is limited to 158 innings in the BDBL this season. Once you get past him, the rest of the rotation is uninspiring. Quantity does not trump quality in this case. The bullpen is decent enough, but closer Robertson yielded an ugly 766 OPS against righties last year. The team could move Petit (512 vs. RH) into that role, but he allowed a 774 OPS vs. lefties.

Offensively, there is no legitimate middle-of-the-order thumper in this lineup, other than possibly Gattis (970/773), who is limited to 440 PA's. Jennings (833 vs. LH) and Morrison (846 vs. LH) are the only other two hitters on the roster with an 800+ OPS against either lefties or righties.

Outlook: Since winning the BDBL championship in 2006, this franchise has been in a death spiral. They have now finished in last place three years in a row, and this season does not look promising, either. Given that, the Beavers should be fully committed to rebuilding, and use every available avenue and opportunity to stockpile as much young talent as they can. Given that, the signings of James Shields and Doug Fister this winter were counterproductive toward that goal. Aging, expensive, inning-eaters are the opposite of what this franchise needs. And because they were both signed as "Type H" free agents, neither aging vet can be traded this season. They will be used for no other reason than filling a rotation spot on a team that loses more games than it wins.

Prediction: 4th place. The Beavers have a lot of young talent with huge upside (Carlos Correa, Austin Meadows, Jesse Winker, etc.), but that talent is at least three years away from making an impact in the BDBL. 2015 will be another placeholder season for this frachise.

Southern Cal Slyme

Owner: Bob Sylvester, Sr.
2014 Record: 106-54 (1st place)
Projected Rotation: Felix Hernandez, Adam Wainwright, Tanner Roark, Lance Lynn
Bullpen: Tony Watson, Joaquim Soria, Dan Otero, Kevin Jepsen, Brad Boxberger, Scott Atchison
Projected Lineup: Robinson Cano (2B), Andrew McCutchen (CF), Jose Abreu (1B), Wilin Rosario/Mike McKenry (C), Joaquin Arias/Kyle Seager (3B), Norichika Aoki/Nick Markakis (RF), Ichiro Suzuki/Andre Ethier (LF), Jean Segura (SS)

Strengths: There isn't a better one-two punch in the BDBL than Hernandez (1.81 CERA, 519/584 splits) and Wainwright (2.20, 625/542). Not only are they both dominant, but they are workhorses. Combined, they can pitch more than 500 innings this season. Both are likely to be at the top of the EL Cy Young ballot this season. The bullpen is jam-packed with quality arms, with no fewer than six relievers owning a CERA under 2.60.

Offensively, the Slyme can field a lineup with five batters with an 800+ OPS against lefties, and five with an 800+ OPS against righties. Defensively, Seager, Segura, and Cano all possess above-average range.

Weaknesses: Segura (511/643) isn't much of an offensive weapon. He can be spelled by Arias (720 vs. LH) on rare occasion. There isn't much offense at the shortstop position anywhere in baseball, so this isn't much of a weakness.

Outlook: The Slyme have now won 100 or more games two years in a row, and there appears to be a very good chance that they will make it three in a row this year. Only three other teams have ever achieved that feat: the 2012-2014 Ridgebacks, the 2009-2011 Undertakers and the 2001-2003 Zoots. That, in itself, would be impressive. Winning two BDBL championships in three seasons would be equally impressive.

Prediction: 1st place. The Slyme are clearly the best team in the Eck League, once again. Adding Wainwright, Cano and Abreu in trade this winter has already made Sylvester the odds-on favorite for EL GM of the Year. Barring another upset, Southern Cal will represent the Eck League in the BDBL World Series.

St. Louis Apostles

Owner: Bobby Sylvester, Jr.
2014 Record: 68-92 (3rd place)
Projected Rotation: Josh Collmenter, Jake Odorizzi, Trevor Bauer, Michael Wacha, Kevin Gausman
Bullpen: Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, Tony Sipp, Andrew Miller, Neil Ramirez, Hector Rondon, Trevor Rosenthal, Pedro Strop, Kevin Quackenbush
Projected Lineup: Anthony Rendon (3B), Devin Mesoraco (C), Yasiel Puig (CF), J.D. Martinez (LF), Chris Carter (1B), Ben Revere/Oswaldo Arcia (RF), Starlin Castro (SS), Darwin Barney (2B)

Strengths: Much has been made of the Apostles bullpen, fueled by the younger Sylvester's brash claim that he will carry nine relievers on his roster and limit his starters to four innings per game (a claim he later withdrew.) BDBL history is sprinkled with teams that were incredibly successful because of their bullpens. (The 2014 Sphinx are just the latest example.) If Sylvester actually wanted to test this strategy, he certainly has the bullpen to do it.

Offensively, the Apostles look like a team that could easily score 750 runs. Mesoraco (925/883 splits) was arguably the best hitting catcher in baseball in MLB '14. Rendon (825/824) was arguably the best hitting second baseman in baseball. And Martinez  (1003/880) finished in the top ten in wOBA. Add to that Yasiel Puig (736/901), and you have four of the best hitters in the game. Chris Carter (869/772) would be the best hitter on some teams, and the platoon of Revere (763 vs. LH) and Arcia (848) is a real asset at the back end of the lineup.

Weaknesses: The starting rotation lacks an ace. Despite Sylvester's often-professed man-love, Collmenter (179 IP, 3.02 CERA, 741/608 splits) is no ace. Odorizzi (168, 3.68, 663/726) is a nice mid-rotation arm, and the others on this staff didn't pitch enough innings to qualify for the "ace" label.

Outlook: The perpetual rebuilding machine in St. Louis seems to have slowed somewhat with the off-season acquisitions of "now" talent like Puig, Arcia and Castro at the sacrifice of future talent like Miguel Sano, Kyle Schwarber, J.P. Crawford and Brendan Rodgers. But I can't help but think of how much better this team would look if Sylvester hadn't traded Johnny Cueto and Jose Abreu for future considerations. As it stands, the Apostles look like a very strong, 85+ win team on paper.

Prediction: 2nd place, and the EL wild card. The Apostles Dynasty has begun.

Niagara Locks

Owner: Mike Ranney
2014 Record: 84-76 (2nd place)
Projected Rotation: David Price, Chris Tillman, Shelby Miller, Jorge de la Rosa, Wily Peralta
Bullpen: Jose Fernandez, Cesar Ramos, Chad Qualls, Al Albuquerque
Projected Lineup: Carlos Gomez (RF), Adrian Beltre/Juan Uribe (3B), Victor Martinez (C), Melky Cabrera (RF), Jon Singleton/Adrian Beltre (1B), Juan Lagares (CF), Jonathan Schoop/Xander Bogaerts (2B), Brandon Crawford (SS)

Strengths: Price is every bit the dominant workhorse he has been for most of recent history. He is backed by a solid cast of starters. Martinez had a monster year (1123/923 splits in 641 PA's) at the plate, and should be in contention for the EL Babe Ruth award. It is expected that Fernandez will be this team's closer, despite the lack of a reliever rating. He held right-handers to a sub-400 OPS in MLB '14.

Weaknesses: There are several question marks in the starting lineup. The strange decision to go "Type H" on Uribe forces a logjam at third with Adrian Beltre. To clear that logjam, Ranney announced that Beltre (who is unrated at first base) will split time at that position with Singleton. He also announced that Bogaerts will see some time at second base, although he is rated at only third base and shortstop. Carlos Gomez, who is rated only in center field, is tabbed to be the everyday right fielder. So that is three positions manned by players who are unrated at those positions.

Outlook: With a starting pitcher serving as closer and three players playing out of position, the Locks are certainly an interesting experiment. Are they a contender? It seems unlikely, given the competition in this division. If Niagara competed in the Benes or Hrbek Division, they would likely be the favorites to win the division. In the Person Division, however, they look more like the type of team that will play somewhere around .500 ball for the first couple of chapters before selling off whatever they can, in anticipation of 2016. If that happens, Price (a free agent after 2016) looks like a prime target.

Prediction: 3rd place. This is an exciting young team with a bright future, but that future hasn't arrived just yet.

South Carolina Sea Cats

Owner: Tony DeCastro
2014 Record: 61-99 (4th place)
Projected Rotation: Ian Kennedy, Bartolo Colon, Jon Niese, Brett Oberholtzer, Jordan Lyles
Bullpen: Ryan Webb, Tommy Hunter, Shawn Kelley, Alexander Torres
Projected Lineup: Carl Crawford (LF), Denard Span (CF), Casey McGehee (3B), Mike Napoli (1B), Mark Trumbo (RF), Dioner Navarro (C), Eduardo Escobar (2B), Ruben Tejada (SS)

Strengths: Hmm. Well. I got nothing.

Weaknesses: Both the pitching staff and starting lineup are filled with warm bodies: players who have enough usage to allow this team to get through the season, but have little-to-no present or future value.

Outlook: This team is certainly destined for a last place finish in 2015, which would be their sixth last-place finish in the past nine seasons. In the past fourteen seasons, the 'Cats have finished above .500 exactly once. But let's not focus on the negative. Instead, let's try to find something positive.

The Sea Cats have a decent amount of young talent on their roster, but it will likely be at least three more years before that talent makes an impact in the BDBL. Taijuan Walker, Julio Urias, Blake Swihart, and Gregory Polanco should be contributing in MLB by the 2016 season, which means South Carolina is looking at 2017 as the target date for contention. That gives DeCastro two years to plan accordingly.

On the plus side, South Carolina has very little in committed salary. Only Dominic Brown, Cameron Maybin, Span, Trumbo, Scott Baker, Gavin Floyd, Lyles, Mejia and Torres are signed beyond this season, and only Brown and Floyd are committed to 2017. The Sea Cats will have a ton of money to spend over the next two years. If they spend it wisely, or use their cash advantage to "buy" prospects from other teams, they can have a nice contending team in place by 2017.

On the downside, there isn't much trade bait on this roster worth mentioning. From that standpoint, DeCastro's hands are tied. The best leverage he has is using his last-place standing to make smart picks in the free agent market this year, and avoid trading his top farm pick to Bobby Sylvester next winter.

Prediction: 4th place.

Chicago Black Sox

Owner: John Gill
2014 Record: 89-71 (1st place)
Projected Rotation: Jordan Zimmerman, Madison Bumgarner, Jeff Samardzija, Gio Gonzalez, Jesse Chavez, Kyle Kendrick
Bullpen: Jonathan Broxton, Tom Wilhelmsen, Roman Mendez, Glenn Perkins, Darin Downs, Juan Gutierrez, Blaine Hardy
Projected Lineup: Jacoby Ellsbury (CF), Ian Kinsler (2B), Chris Johnson/Pablo Sandoval (3B), Bryce Harper (RF), David Ortiz (1B), Dexter Fowler/Kole Calhoun (LF), Tyler Flowers (C), Andrelton Simmons (SS)

Strengths: Zimmerman, Bumgarner, Samardzija, Gonzalez. Wow. Granted, this is the Era of the Pitcher, and it seems that every team in the league has a strong starting rotation. That front four, however, is still impressive. Offensively, Harper and Ortiz form a powerful combination in the middle of the order, and the platoons at third base and left field are solid.

Weaknesses: I'm not all that impressed with the lineup in general, and I believe the Black Sox will have a difficult time scoring 700 runs. Last year, the only team that scored fewer than 700 and made the playoffs were the Mississippi Meatballs. The Black Sox don't have the luxury of competing in a division that is quite as weak as the Benes (although it's close.)

Outlook: As always, it seems, Chicago appears to be in a state of limbo, caught between "going for it" and "throwing in the towel." The off-season decision to trade Corey Dickerson, Yasil Puig, and Starlin Castro is a telling indicator as to which direction Gill is leaning. His four major free agent signings, however, indicate the opposite. The safest assumption, then, is that Gill plans to ride out the first chapter or two in "go for it" mode and see how it all unfolds. Given the traditional slow start of this franchise, historically, I wouldn't be surprised to see a White Flag Sale in Chicago at around the first week of March.

Prediction: 1st place. Or 4th place. Really, it's nothing but a guess at this point. The Black Sox are the best of a very weak group of teams in this division. Gill almost seemed like a reluctant champion last year, as I think he has more fun rebuilding. I see the same reluctant success coming to Chicago this season, whether Gill likes it or not.

Charlotte Mustangs

Owner: Tony Chamra
2014 Record: 61-99 (4th place)
Projected Rotation: Julio Teheran, Cole Hamels, Wade Miley, Mike Minor
Bullpen: Joaquin Benoit, Mike Fiers, Jake McGee, Jeremy Affeldt, Jordan Walden, Kyle Kendricks, Zach Putnam, Cory Rasmus, Tommy Kahnle, Seth Maness, Jake Diekman, Addison Reed, Marc Rzepcynski
Projected Lineup: Seth Smith (LF), Alex Rios/Leonys Martin (RF), Corey Dickerson (CF), David Wright/Ryan Zimmerman (3B), Matt Adams/John Mayberry (1B), Josh Rutledge/Brett Lawrie (2B), Kurt Suzuki (C), Erick Aybar (SS)

Strengths: Why -- why, I ask -- does any team need this many relievers? Benoit (1.20 CERA), Fiers (1.68) and McGee (1.55) are more than enough for most teams. Add three more decent arms to the back end of the bullpen, and you have yourself a very good relief staff. I've listed thirteen relievers above -- and I didn't even list them all! Maybe Chamra is collecting them? Maybe he plans to carry a 17-man pitching staff? Who knows.

Aside from all of those bullpen arms, the Mustangs feature a couple of pretty decent arms in their starting rotation as well. Teheran (221 IP, 2.71 CERA, 687/587 splits) and Hamels (205, 2.88, 636/641) form a kick-ass combo.

Weaknesses: The back end of the rotation is yawn-inducing. Miley (201, 4.31, 727/752) and Minor (145, 4.93, 887/774) are the only other pitchers aside from the front two with more than 100 MLB innings on their 2014 r�sum�. The 'Stangs can cobble together a fourth starter from the likes of Kyle Hendricks (80, 2.61, 584/633), Fiers (72 IP), and Brandon Maurer (70, 3.70, 631/759). That trio would be better than Miley or Minor.

Offensively, Charlotte is just a tick below average across the board. Adams (854 OPS vs. RH), Dickerson (985) and Smith (815) pummel righties, and Suzuki (810 vs. LH), Wright (921), Rutledge (840), Rios (898) and Mayberry (913) punish lefties, but there are holes throughout the lineup against both types of pitchers. The average BDBL team scored 670 runs last season. If I were a betting man, I'd place the 2015 Mustangs at 650.

Outlook: After losing 99 games in the debut season of his second go-around in the BDBL, Chamra spent most of the winter scrambling to turn the 2015 Mustangs into an instant contender. He managed to make a few deals, but his biggest trade was dealing Justin Upton for future value. He submitted 22 bids in the auction and came up empty. He then spent most of his money in the draft on players with present value, like Benoit and Mayberry.

If my prediction is accurate, and Charlotte scores only 650 runs this season, that would likely put them out of contention unless they can hold their opponents to around 585. That was nearly the same number of runs scored and allowed by the Meatballs last season. The Hrbek Division is the weakest in the Eck League, and no team appears to have a commanding advantage at this point. There may be an opportunity for the 'Stangs to squeeze into the playoff picture, but Chamra will likely need to add a few bats (and at least one starting pitcher) to make that happen.

Prediction: 2nd place. I envision the Mustangs and Black Sox each spending time in first place this season. With a key trade or two, Charlotte could easily sneak into the playoffs.

Akron R�che

Owner: D.J. Shepard
2014 Record: 68-92 (3rd place)
Projected Rotation: Ervin Santana, Drew Smyly, Marcus Stroman, R.A. Dickey, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Duffy
Bullpen: Darren O'Day, Brett Cecil, Justin De Fratus, Javy Guerra, Jesse Hahn
Projected Lineup: Jon Jay (CF), Jayson Werth (RF), Steve Pearce/Justin Morneau (1B), Steve Pearce/Stephen Vogt (LF), Juan Francisco/David Freese (3B), Ryan Hanigan/Stephen Vogt (C), Enrique Hernandez/Jordy Mercer (SS), Tommy LaStella (2B)

Strengths: Among all pitchers with 100+ innings pitched in MLB '14, Carrasco ranked fourth in lowest OPS allowed (543). In a short series, the man is a lethal weapon. Smyly (153 IP, 486/763 splits), Stroman (131, 651/614) and Duffy (149, 386/670) were also very effective in limited innings.

The Akron lineup is a hodgepodge of mismatched pieces and spare parts, but it works to some extent. Pearce (1109 OPS vs. LH) and Morneau (927 vs. RH) form a dynamite duo at first base, and Francisco (810 vs. RH) and Freese (876 vs. LH) make a nice platoon at third.

Weaknesses: The Ryche are missing a few pieces and spare parts, resulting in a lineup that is sprinkled with weak spots. Vogt amassed only 287 PA's in MLB '14, which means Hanigan (602/654) and Anthony Recker (282/703) will see the bulk of time behind the plate. Vogt's low usage also means the platoon in left field will necessarily include either Eric Campbell (683 vs. LH) or Randal Grichuk (689). LaStella (603 vs. RH) is weak against righties, but doesn't seem to have a platoon partner who can hit much better. And with only 134 PA's under his belt, Hernandez will have only spot starts against right-handers, giving Mercer (658) more time at the position.

Outlook: Akron looks like a middle-of-the-road team to me at this point. With a few upgrades on offense, they could probably make some noise in the division race. We already know from history, however, that Shepard generally avoids the trade table like it's a Liberian healthcare worker. With no further improvement, this Ryche squad is capable of finishing near .500, but will likely finish five-to-ten games below that mark.

Prediction: 3rd place.

Cleveland Rocks

Owner: Mike Stein
2014 Record: 75-85 (2nd place)
Projected Rotation: Corey Kluber, Jake Arrieta, Jacob deGrom, Hiroki Kuroda, Tim Hudson
Bullpen: Zach Britton, Mark Melancon, Drew Storen, Cody Allen, Francisco Rodriguez
Projected Lineup: Jose Reyes (SS), Joe Mauer (1B), Miguel Montero (C), Lonnie Chisenhall (3B), Brandon Phillips/Emilio Bonifacio (2B), Avisail Garcia/? (LF), Jake Marisnick/Jordan Schafer (CF), Collin Cowgill/Rymer Liriano (RF)

Strengths: Earlier, I wrote that Southern Cal possessed the best one-two punch in the BDBL at the top of their rotation. If Arrieta had thrown a few more innings last year, I would have given the nod to Cleveland. Arrieta came out of NOWHERE last year to have what is arguably the best season (pitch-for-pitch) of anyone in baseball not named Kershaw. Of all pitchers in MLB with 100+ innings in 2014, he ranked #3 in lowest OPS allowed behind the aforementioned asswipe and Salem castoff Garrett Richards.

AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber also emerged from NOWHERE to have one of the most surprising seasons in modern baseball history. He not only pitched brilliantly (2.57 CERA, 686/554 splits), but he was also a workhorse with more than 259 innings of BDBL usage available to him this season. deGrom...wait for  it...also emerged from NOWHERE to post a 2.57 CERA and 639/594 splits in 140+ innings. The fact that Stein foresaw each and every one of these shocking performances tells me that he must have access to a flying DeLorean equipped with a flux capacitor.

Weaknesses: There is no way to sugarcoat this: the Rocks have the worst offense in the Eck League. Period. I had a difficult time simply creating that lineup card above, as there just aren't any viable options at some positions. I couldn't identify a single "heart-of-the-order" hitter, so I threw Montero (563/735) into the #3 slot. Christian Bethancourt (889 OPS vs. LH) can start a few games against southpaws, but he only managed 22 PA's in MLB '14.

The outfield is an absolute wasteland. Bonifacio (959 vs. LH) is the best hitter of the bunch, but I have him in a platoon with Brandon Phillips (594 vs. LH) at second base. Jorge Soler (701/964) would be a terrific middle-of-the-order option in the outfield, but he tallied only 97 PA's last year. That leaves four other players rated in the outfield -- each with a sub-600 split against lefties or righties.

Outlook: I honestly don't know what Stein was thinking when he constructed this team over the winter. Knowing that he had a killer pitching staff and no offense, he traded two of the only decent bats he had (Evan Longoria and Brock Holt) for another starting pitcher. With $13 million to spend on free agents, he added Mauer and Montero for $6.5 million, combined. He then added Phillips in the draft. Sorry, but that's not enough offense for any team to consider themselves a contender.

Why not trade one of those aces for a big bat? Especially considering that none of the aces on this roster are likely to repeat in MLB '15, it would seem like a good decision to move at least one of them. Instead, we're left with a team that could potentially allow as few as 550 runs this season...and would be lucky to score as many.

Prediction: 4th place. After suffering from regression at the MLB level, Arrieta, Kluber and deGrom become prime trade bait.

 

GRIFFIN DIVISION

Los Altos Undertakers

Owner: Jeff Paulson
2014 Record: 82-78 (3rd place)
Projected Rotation: Chris Sale, Chris Archer, Collin McHugh, Gerrit Cole, Zach Wheeler, Kyle Gibson
Bullpen: Sean Doolittle, Ken Giles, Michael Pineda, Steve Cishek, Ryan Cook, Aaron Sanchez
Projected Lineup: Jason Heywood/Scott Van Slyke (RF), Jonathan Lucroy (C), Anthony Rizzo (1B), Jose Bautista (CF), Nolan Arenado (3B), Matt Holliday (LF), Jeff Baker/Scooter Gennett (2B), Jimmy Rollins/Adam Rosales (SS)

Strengths: Hold on; let me do some stretching. Okay, here goes. Let's start with the fact that if you sort all BDBL teams by OPS, offensively, the Undertakers rank #1. Just for fun, let's sort all BDBL teams by lowest OPS allowed. Hey! Look who's #1! You guessed it.

(Sorry, I need a minute to allow my head to stop shaking back and forth.)

In a year where offense is anemic across the entire sport, Los Altos can field a lineup against lefties where three batters sport an OPS over 1000, two more are over 900, and the rest are over 800. Against righties, "only" five batters have an 800+ OPS, and two more are over 750. Among all catchers in MLB with at least 250 PA's last year, Rene Rivera ranked 13th in OPS. Yeah...he's the Los Altos backup catcher.

I ask you, as a league, how did we let this happen? How?

You want to talk about pitching now? Sure, why not? We'll start with Sale, who can arguably hold the title of "Best Pitcher in Baseball." He held opposing lefties to an OPS of 393 last year, while righties slaughtered him to the tune of 608. Archer (195 IP, 3.36 CERA, 624/686 splits) would be the ace for most teams. If he had thrown a few more innings, Cole (138, 3.37, 729/659) would qualify for that label as well. So would McHugh (155, 2.34, 609/556). Wheeler (185, 3.68, 745/615) is a virtual chump compared to the others on the staff. That leaves Gibson (179, 3.54, 705/650) as the de facto "#5 starter." Yeah, right.

Then, there's the bullpen. Just feast your eyes on these numbers by Sanchez: 33 IP, 0.96 CERA, 469/306 splits. But he doesn't even own the most ridiculous splits in the bullpen. That honor belongs to Doolittle, who held lefties to -- I shit you not -- a 276 OPS. Two-seventy-F'ing-six. Good luck with that, Ozzie League.

It just gets more depressing from there. Giles (1.15 CERA, 436/461) would be the closer for almost any other team in the league, but here, he's a mopup man. And the team doesn't even have a spot for Pineda (76 IP, 1.51 CERA, 533/518), who I'm guessing will be used in the long-man/spot-starter role. Unbelievable.

The entire starting lineup for the OL all-stars this summer will likely be Undertakers. Bautista, Lucroy and Rizzo will all be in the running for the MVP and Babe Ruth awards. And Sale, McHugh, Archer and Doolittle will likely be at the top of the Cy Young ballot.

Weaknesses: The backup to the backup catcher, A.J. Ellis, had splits of only 711/535 last season.

Outlook: Pack it up, Ozzie League. Barring another epic upset in the BDBL post-season, this one is over. The division race is over before the season begins, and the 2015 Ozzie League season is simply a matter of playing out the string to see if anyone can possibly upset this team in the playoffs.

As if that isn't depressing enough, this is just the beginning. Bautista, Arenado, Heyward, Lucroy, Rizzo, Archer, Gibson, Sale, McHugh, Wheeler and Cole will all be back next season. Anyone want to trade leagues?

Prediction: 1st place, 115+ wins, and the BDBL championship. Any other outcome would be an historic disappointment.

Flagstaff Outlaws

Owner: Greg Newgard
2014 Record: 100-60 (1st place, OL champions)
Projected Rotation: Tyson Ross, Alex Wood, Jake Peavy, John Lackey, Mark Buehrle
Bullpen: Koji Uehara, Michael Dunn, Brad Brach, Neftali Feliz, Craig Stammen, Dale Thayer
Projected Lineup: Dee Gordon (2B), Adam Jones (CF), Josh Donaldson (3B), Paul Goldschmidt (1B), Brandon Moss (RF), Carlos Ruiz (C), Rajai Davis/Gerardo Parra (LF), Elvis Andrus (SS)

Strengths: Davis (939 OPS vs. LH), Donaldson (1007), Goldschmidt (1115), Jones (1003), and Ruiz (832) all murder lefties -- which comes in handy in a league dominated by southpaws. The infield features two above-average gloves at the corners, and average range up the middle.

Weaknesses: Right-handed pitchers will eat this team alive. Goldschmidt (894 OPS vs. RH) is the only batter on the roster with an 800+ OPS against righties. Moss (768) is the only other hitter above 750. In this Era of Pitching, the Outlaws staff looks rather mediocre. The rotation doesn't have a true ace, and the bullpen is stuffed with mediocre arms.

Outlook: After eleven seasons of struggling for that elusive reward, Greg Newgard finally won a division title, and carried that momentum all the way to the BDBL World Series. By the looks of the Undertakers' talented and young roster, it may be a few more years before Flagstaff reaches that pinnacle again. Should Flagstaff fall out of contention, they have several players that would attract attention on the trading market.

Prediction: 2nd place. It was fun while it lasted, wasn't it, Greg?

Kansas City Boulevards

Owner: Scot Zook
2014 Record: 59-101 (4th place)
Projected Rotation: Hyun-Jin Ryu, Jered Weaver, Drew Hutchison, Mike Leake, Charlie Morton, John Danks
Bullpen: Craig Kimbrel, Josh Fields, Charlie Furbush, Justin Grimm, Jerry Blevins, Bryan Morris, Shawn Tolleson
Projected Lineup: Marcell Ozuna (CF), Neil Walker (2B), Matt Kemp (LF), Adrian Gonzalez/Darin Ruf (1B), Derek Norris/Alex Avila (C), Aramis Ramirez (3B), Charlie Blackmon/Arismendy Alcantara (RF), Chris Owings (SS)

Strengths: The starting lineup features four batters with an 800+ OPS against righties: Kemp (879), Walker (831), Blackmon (801) and Gonzalez (901). Against lefties, Ramirez (1024), Ruf (916), Owings (829), Norris (863) and Kemp (781) take care of business. This offense should score enough runs to rank somewhere in the middle of the pack, at least. On the pitching side, Kimbrel (62 IP, 1.41 CERA, 425/436) is a stud against both lefties and righties.

Weaknesses: The starting rotation is rather weak compared to the other teams in the league. Ryu (3.00 CERA, 665/656) is the team's best pitcher, but is limited to 167 innings (or about four starts per chapter.) Weaver (213, 3.46, 723/620) is no longer the dominant young pitcher he once was. The rest of the staff is filled with mediocre inning-eaters.

Offensively, there are a couple of holes in the lineup. Ramirez (687 OPS vs. RH) is in need of a platoon partner, but there doesn't seem to be one. The same applies to Owings (672 vs. RH).

Outlook: The good news is that the Boulevards will probably not lose 100 games again this year. They are more likely to be a middle-of-the-road type of team, and may even find themselves in second place at the end of the season, depending on how Flagstaff's season unfolds. Being in a division with the Undertakers is a built-in disadvantage, and this year is certainly no exception. To compete in this division, you need to have a long-term plan. I don't see enough young talent on this roster to build for 2016, but perhaps a few of those trading chits like Kimbrel, Kemp and Gonzalez could pry away some 2017 talent. Use all the cash saved from those trades to "buy" some prospects and make some "buy-low" free agent signings, and this team could compete rather quickly.

Prediction: 3rd place.

Bear Country Jamboree

Owner: Matt Clemm
2014 Record: 93-67 (2nd place)
Projected Rotation: Hisashi Iwakuma, Roberto Hernandez, Chase Anderson, Sam Deduno, Ricky Nolasco
Bullpen: Tyler Clippard, A.J. Ramos, Jean Machi, Blake Treinen, Aaron Loup
Projected Lineup: Brian Dozier (2B), Marlon Byrd (RF), Miguel Cabrera (3B), Torii Hunter (RF), Michael Morse (1B), Wilson Ramos/A.J. Pierzynski (C), Willie Bloomquist (SS), Endy Chavez (LF)

Strengths: The bullpen is very strong, with Clippard (1.98 CERA, 642/423 splits), Ramos (2.19, 522/555) and Machi (1.93, 686/551) all sporting sub-2.20 CERA's. As always, Cabrera (900/893 splits) is a huge asset in the lineup. Dozier (804/743) could be an all-star at second base. On the whole, the top half of the lineup looks solid.

Weaknesses: The bottom half of the lineup includes a couple of gaping holes at shortstop and left field. Bloomquist (.278/.297/.346 overall) was named by Clemm as the team's starting shortstop when he was selected in the 29th round of the draft. Even if he were kidding about that, the other options at short aren't much better. I couldn't find anyone else to squeeze into left field, so I awarded that lineup spot to Chavez, who posted a horrifying 232 OPS against lefties, and has only 258 PA's under his belt.

The larger issue with the Jamboree is their pitching staff, which ranks dead-last in the BDBL in MLB OPS allowed. Iwakuma (179 IP, 2.77 CERA, 702/573 splits) is a quality starting pitcher, but the others in rotation would have a tough time earning a spot on the active rosters of most other teams in the league.

Outlook: Last year was supposed to finally be the year for the Jamboree. Unfortunately for them (but fortunately for Salem), they came up just a bit short. It has now been six years since the Jamboree's last playoffs appearance, and it does not look as though this year's team will break that streak. Given that, the main buzz surrounding this team in 2015 will be the inevitable trade of Miguel Cabrera. Clemm took a gamble by not trading him during the winter, when the VORP cap isn't an issue. The upside to waiting is gaining the 20/20 hindsight that will come later in this season as the MLB and minor league seasons unfold. However, since Cabrera will consume most of Bear Country's annual trading cap, Clemm had better make sure he gets ample value in return.

Prediction: 4th place. Where will Cabrera land? That is the million-dollar question. One quick glance at all of the contending teams shows only one team with a glaring need for a first baseman. The question is: does Ryan have enough to trade in return?

Salem Cowtippers

Owner: Mike Glander
2014 Record: 100-60 (2nd place, OL wild card)
Projected Rotation: Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Scott Kazmir, Francisco Liriano, Matt Shoemaker
Bullpen: Huston Street, Zach Duke, Kelvin Herrera, Joba Chamberlain, Justin Wilson, Jake Petricka
Projected Lineup: Josh Harrison (3B), Buster Posey (C), Freddie Freeman (1B), Hunter Pence (LF), Alex Gordon (CF), Luis Valbuena (2B), Chris Coghlan (RF), Ian Desmond (SS)

Strengths: Scherzer (220 IP, 3.04 CERA, 685/629 splits) and Strasburg (215, 3.02, 653/687) form a nice combo at the top of the rotation. They are backed by a solid group of starters in Kazmir (190, 3.00, 673/641), Liriano (162, 3.28, 740/622) and Shoemaker (136, 2.84, 702/610). The bullpen is well-stocked with quality arms. And the lineup features all-star bats at catcher, first base and third base. Unlike recent years, the 2015 Cowtippers lineup is well-balanced. Salem can send seven batters with an OPS of 750+ to the plate against both lefties and righties.

Weaknesses: Although both Scherzer and Strasburg are quality workhorses, neither is as dominant as the aces for the other Ozzie League contending teams: Kershaw for New Milford, Cueto for Granite State, and Sale for Los Altos. In a series where number-one starters are matched, Salem is at a disadvantage. The lack of platoons can also be a disadvantage, depending on the starter, although Salem has some flexibility on their bench to deal with that.

Outlook: As I mentioned in last year's Preview, the Cowtippers haven't won a division since George W. Bush was president. After four years of fighting a team within the division that won more than 75% of their home games, that obstacle has finally been removed, and we're all playing on a level playing field. This is Salem's best shot of winning that elusive division title since Bush's presidency. Judging by the looks of the Cowtippers' roster in 2016, this may be their last shot for a while.

Prediction: 1st place. The road to the trophy goes through Los Altos this year. It would take an absolute miracle to get past them, but anything is possible in the Tournament of Randomness.

Granite State Lightning

Owner: Ryan Glander
2014 Record: 55-105 (4th place)
Projected Rotation: Johnny Cueto, Sonny Gray, Edinson Volquez, Tom Milone, Vance Worley, A.J. Burnett
Bullpen: Fernando Abad, Adam Warren, Wesley Wright, Casey Janssen, JA Happ
Projected Lineup: Jose Altuve (2B), Yan Gomes (C), Michael Brantley (CF), Todd Frazier (3B), Justin Upton (LF), Carlos Beltran (RF), Ryan Howard (1B), Marwin Gonzalez (SS)

Strengths: Cueto is an absolute stud. A 2.18 CERA and 561/585 splits -- AND he has enough usage to pitch every series this season. Amazing. Gray (219 IP, 2.99 CERA, 635/619) would be the ace for most teams. Abad posted inexplicably strong numbers (57, 1.64, 527/475) out of nowhere last season.

Offensively, Brantley (676 PA's, 826/923 splits) is an MVP candidate. Frazier (660, 750/807) is among the best third basemen in the game, and Gomes (518, 879/745) is yet another guy who came out of obscurity in MLB '14 to become an all-star caliber talent.

Weaknesses: There is a major drop-off in talent once you get past Gray in the rotation. Volquez, Milone, Worley and Burnett won't strike fear into any opponent, and are very beatable. There is a similar decline in talent in the bullpen after the closer, Abad. The Lightning could get slaughtered in the middle innings.

There are a few holes in the starting lineup as well. Howard (658 OPS vs. RH) desperately needs a platoon partner at first base. Beltran (564 vs. LH) also needs some help. In general, there is very little production on the Granite State bench.

Outlook: The bizarre decision by Bobby Sylvester to trade a Cy Young contender for a draft pick and a handful of prospects is what propelled the Lightning into contention in 2015. The list of teams in BDBL history that have leapt from last place to first is longer than it should be. The greatest improvement from year-to-year in league history was achieved by the 2002 Ridgebacks, who went from 52 wins in 2001 to 113 the following year -- a gain of SIXTY-ONE wins! We have witnessed gains of 50 or more wins six times in league history, and the Lightning could make it seven. With stiff competition in this division, however, I would expect lowered expectations. This race will be a battle from beginning to end.

Prediction: 2nd place, and the OL wild card. If you were to run 1,000 simulations of this season, I would bet that Salem, Granite State and New Milford would win this division at least 300 times each. Obviously, only two of these three teams can make it to the post-season. My money is on Granite State.

New Milford Blazers

Owners: Anthony Peburn
2014 Record: 106-54 (1st place)
Projected Rotation: Clayton Kershaw, Masahiro Tanaka, Jose Quintana, Kyle Lohse, Roenis Elias
Bullpen: J.P. Howell, George Kontos, Matt Thornton, Aaron Barrett, Chris Hatcher
Projected Lineup: Drew Stubbs/David Peralta (CF), Matt Carpenter (3B), Troy Tulowitzki/Jed Lowrie (SS), Adam LaRoche/Ryan Rua (1B), Matt Wieters/Jason Castro (C), Mookie Betts/Daniel Nava (RF), Steve Tolleson/Shin-Soo Choo (LF), Rickie Weeks/Derek Dietrich (2B)

Strengths: Kershaw has now won three OL Cy Young awards in a row. If he doesn't win a fourth, it would be shocking. His numbers (198 IP, 1.53 CERA, 477/531 splits) are more absurd than ever, and arguably the best of his career. Offensively, Peburn went back to his roots and assembled a virtually all-platoon lineup of pinch hitters and role players. I see platoons at every position except third base. Against select teams (read: Salem and Granite State), the Blazers can (and will) employ a lineup that includes seven hitters with a 799+ OPS against lefties, and a lineup with five 798+ OPS hitters against righties.

Weaknesses: The first glaring weakness is the absence of Cartoon Network Park. The Blazers are now forced to play their home games in a ballpark that actually gives right-handers a fighting chance: 97-98-93-90. That 300-point home/road split is now a stained remnant of the past.

This team has some serious usage problems as well. Although Peburn will field his absolute best roster against his division rivals, he still needs to win games against the other ten teams in the Ozzie League (and four in the Eck.) Tanaka has enough usage for roughly 21 starts. Once you remove his eight starts against Salem and Granite State, that leaves only 13 for the rest of the league. Tulowitzki, Wieters and Betts are arguably the three best hitters on the Blazers roster. They combined for just 700 plate appearances in MLB. Tulo leads that group with 375 PA's. That gives him roughly 103 games of usage. Subtract the 32 games against Salem and Granite State, and that leaves only 71 games for the rest of the league. New Milford will have to find a way to pick up the slack when these guys aren't in the lineup.

Outlook: The Blazers are the best third-place team in the BDBL. If Peburn could somehow find a way to bend the rules once again and award his players with double usage, they would likely win this division, hands-down. But with Tanaka, Betts, Tulo and Wieters all limited in usage, I don't see how the Blazers pull this one off.

Prediction: 3rd place. As I wrote above, this division is a toss-up. Given their usage issues, I am betting that the Blazers get off to a hot start, and then fade into the background.

Corona Confederates

Owner: Ed McGowan, R.I.P.
2014 Record: 63-97 (3rd place)
Projected Rotation: Garrett Richards, Matt Garza, Homer Bailey, Andrew Cashner, Brad Hand, Vidal Nuno
Bullpen: Joe Smith, Santiago Casilla, Luke Gregerson, Mike Morin, Will Smith
Projected Lineup: A.J. Pollock (CF), Chris Parmelee/David DeJesus (LF), Russell Martin (C), Adam Dunn/Mark Teixeira (1B), Martin Prado (3B), Michael Saunders/Josh Willingham (RF), Roughned Odor (2B), Zack Cozart (SS)

Strengths: Raise your hand if you thought Garrett Richards would be one of the elite starting pitchers in all of baseball in 2014. My hand is down. Hell, I traded him for a bunch of spare parts and some salary cap relief. Among all pitchers in baseball with 100+ innings last year, Richards ranks behind only the great Clayton Asswipe in terms of lowest OPS allowed. That is simply amazing. Equally amazing is that a team with such a low tie-breaker walked away from the auction with the #1-ranked free agent available (in terms of VORP), Russell Martin.

Weaknesses: The lineup against right-handers is fairly sad. Martin (865 OPS vs. RH) and Dunn (783) are the only two full-time quality bats against righties. Delmon Young (809), Pollock (828), Saunders (831) and DeJesus (756) all have decent numbers, but in limited usage. The lineup against lefties is even more sparse. Prado (979 vs. LH) is the only full-time player who can hit lefties. The bottom of the lineup is weak, regardless of who is pitching. Cozart (702/532), in particular, is a real liability at the plate (but has Ex range in the field.)

Outlook: John Duel told me that in his last conversation with Ed, they discussed the BDBL. Ed said he was optimistic about his team, but felt that his division rivals were so strong, his chances of making the playoffs were slim. I agree with his assessment. If the Confederates played in the Benes or Hrbek Division, I would be touting them as a playoffs contender. Unfortunately for them, they play in the toughest division in the BDBL.

Prediction: 4th place.

New York Giants

Owner: Jim Doyle
2014 Record: 56-104 (4th place)
Projected Rotation: Jon Lester, Phil Hughes, Aaron Harang, Jeremy Guthrie, Franklin Morales
Bullpen: Junichi Tazawa, Sergio Romo, Chad Jenkins
Projected Lineup: Ben Zobrist (SS), James Loney (1B), Evan Longoria (3B), Brock Holt/Garrett Jones (RF), Travis Snider/Khris Davis (LF), Travis d'Arnaud (C), Jedd Gyorko (2B), Billy Hamilton (CF)

Strengths: Jim would be the first to tell you that the Giants stole more bases in MLB last year than any other team in the BDBL. I don't know what that means, or why it's relevant, but he'd be the first to tell you. As a team, the Giants swiped 180 bags and were caught 55 times (a 77% success rate that falls just short of the 80% you would need to make stealing beneficial.)

More impressive than their stolen bases is their solid starting rotation, fronted by Lester (220 IP, 2.70 CERA, 697/617 splits) and Hughes (210, 3.05, 619/733). Future Hall of Famer Ben Zobrist fits nicely at shortstop, where his bat (873/703 splits) is above average. Of course, there is no telling where Jim will play him. Zobrist is rated at every position except catcher, first and third base, so I'm guessing it will be one of those three.

Weaknesses: Tazawa (63 IP, 2.97 CERA, 615/702 splits) isn't all that impressive as the team's closer, but there don't appear to be any other worthy candidates for that role. The bullpen is very thin, and the Giants will run into a lot of problems in late innings and close games. Offensively, every spot in the lineup has a weakness against either lefties or righties, with the exception of the two platoons in the outfield.

Outlook: The two weakest teams in the BDBL this year both reside in the Benes Division. That means the Giants only have to compete against one team for the division title. If Jim Doyle is EVER going to make it to the playoffs in his BDBL career, this is the best opportunity he has ever had.

Prediction: 1st place. This team may not reach .500 (extending Doyle's streak to SIXTEEN years), but they should win the division title, simply because they have no competition whatsoever. The fun part will be watching the Giants face the Undertakers in the Division Series. With nothing to lose, Doyle can (and will) throw every weird managing trick he has up his sleeve at the Undertakers, and it will be hilariously entertaining to watch Jeff sweat it out. Bunting with two outs and a runner on second? Pitch-outs with the bases loaded? Stealing home with no outs? Literally anything is possible. I have already set aside the date.

Las Vegas Flamingos

Owner: John Bochicchio
2014 Record: 70-90 (3rd place)
Projected Rotation: Rick Porcello, Henderson Alvarez, Jason Vargas, Dillon Gee, Jeff Locke, Tyler Skaggs
Bullpen: Danny Farquhar, Burke Badenhop, Jared Burton, David Huff
Projected Lineup: Gregor Blanco (LF), Michael Cuddyer (3B), Billy Butler/Mark Reynolds (1B), Adam Eaton (CF), Chase Utley (2B), Curtis Granderson (RF), Wellington Castillo (C), Asdrubal Cabrera (SS)

Strengths: The starting rotation isn't bad. It's not good, but it's not bad. It reminds me a little of last year's Great Lakes Sphinx rotation: a bunch of aging, no-name, inning-eaters who don't look all that impressive on paper, but get the job done. Given the success of the Sphinx, that should scare the crap out of the Flamingoes' opponents.

Weaknesses: This just isn't a very good team. There isn't a single player on this roster who is likely to appear -- or even earn a vote -- for the all-star team or any post-season award. The rotation is filled with back-end starters, the bullpen consists of one mediocre arm after another, and the lineup is just plain awful. The Flamingoes scored only 640 runs last season, and will be hard-pressed to match that modest total this year.

Outlook: Not only is this roster unimpressive, but it's OLD. At age 26, Eaton is the youngster in the lineup. Blanco, Cuddyer, Granderson, Reynolds and Utley are all on the wrong side of 30. The pitching staff is a little younger, but equally yawn-inspiring in terms of upside. With so little competition this season, the Flamingoes should have pressed the gas pedal and shifted into full-on "go-for-it" mode. Instead, they just filled gaps with enough warm bodies to plod through yet another sub-.500 season. I don't get it.

I honestly don't know what I would do if I owned this franchise. There isn't much hope on the farm, and there isn't much present-day talent to trade for decent farm guys. What the team does have is cash, but Johnny Bo tends to spend it on way-past-their-prime vets like Utley (who will "earn" $8.5 million next season) and Cuddyer (who is on the hook for $7.5 million.) Given the abundance of talent expected to be in next year's auction, maybe J.B. can use all that cash to buy himself a spot in the playoffs like Luhning did a couple of years ago. That's not an easy task, though. I'm at a loss.

Prediction: 2nd place, and at least ten games below .500.

Ravenswood Infidels

Owner: Brian Potrafka
2014 Record: 84-76 (2nd place)
Projected Rotation: Brandon McCarthy, Wei-Yin Chen, Dan Haren, Clay Buchholz, David Buchanan
Bullpen: Dellin Betances, Casey Fien, LaTroy Hawkins, Anthony Varvaro
Projected Lineup: Coco Crisp (CF), Brian McCann (C), Chase Headley (3B), Will Myers (RF), Josh Hamilton (LF), Chris Davis (1B), Everth Cabrera/Brad Miller (SS), Alexi Amarista (2B)

Strengths: McCarthy (200 IP, 3.98 CERA, 751/741 splits) is a workhorse who is capable of keeping the Infidels competitive in the games he pitches. McCann (850/633 splits) is one of those rare lefty batters that pummels lefty pitching. Betances (90 IP, 1.24 CERA, 402/485) is one of the most dominant relievers in all of baseball.

Weaknesses: This lineup is bad. Really bad. Among all teams in the BDBL, Ravenswood has the lowest team MLB OPS (659) of any team except Mississippi. Against left-handers, the Infidels can actually field a lineup with five players with an OPS of 800+. The problem is that three of those five had fewer than 290 PA's last year. Against right-handers, the Ravenswood roster doesn't include a single hitter with an 800+ OPS.

Outlook: The Infidels battled right to the end of last season with the Meatballs for first place in the Benes Division, but came up just short in game number 161. They will probably not have to worry about losing by such a thin margin this year. Their franchise record for losses in a single season is 94, and this team could shatter that record.

Prediction: 3rd place.

Mississippi Meatballs

Owner: Nic Weiss
2014 Record: 84-76 (1st place)
Projected Rotation: Yovani Gallardo, Tom Koehler, C.J. Wilson, Tyler Matzek, Matt Cain
Bullpen: Drew Pomeranz, Jason Frasor, Adam Ottavino
Projected Lineup: Omar Infante (2B), Jay Bruce (RF), Lucas Duda (1B), Mike Zunino (C), Jake Lamb (3B), Yunel Escobar (SS), Dustin Ackley (LF), Jackie Bradley (CF)

Strengths: Lucas Duda.

Weaknesses: Everyone else.

Outlook: There are rebuilding years, and then there are times when a team will do something like this and make a mockery of the rebuilding process. I don't think it's good for the league to field a team this weak, especially when it's the defending division champion doing it, but it happens, and it's unavoidable.

Prediction: 4th place. 120+ losses. New BDBL record. Nic then trades the #1 overall farm pick to Bobby. Lather, rinse, repeat.