Frick League Atlantic Division Preview ----NEW!!!!!

[aaronweiner]

The FL Atlantic Division produced last year's MBBA Champs, the Hackensack Bulls. This year? Hackensack still looks like the best team because of their exceptional pitching staff, but Buffalo and Atlantic City look stronger than last season, while Montreal looks, well, like Montreal. If Buffalo and Atlantic City are good enough head to head with Hackensack, they might have a realistic chance of unseating the three-time FL Atlantic Champs as division winners. This could be another Frick Atlantic, and we all remember how that one went.


Atlantic City Gamblers (83-79, third, FL Atlantic)

Key Additions: Red Leinenkugel

Key Subtractions: None

Team Outlook:

Atlantic City has been suffering for want of an owner for quite some time, but the Gamblers are pretty much ready for prime time, and they should be legitimate contenders for the wild card this season – as long as they have a careful watch.

Any discussion of Atlantic City has to start with MVP Ross White, but it doesn’t end there. The Gamblers actually have quite a few strong offensive weapons, including, of course, The Rock, Flavio Luna and Tony Nalley. In fact, the team’s biggest problem is repetition at second and first base, among other positions. They’d benefit from a trade. Of course, having all that depth isn’t bad, either.

Atlantic City’s pitching isn’t bad, either, though it’s largely top-heavy. Past Jim Bochtrup and Shamus Perfetto, it’s not too bad, but it’s nothing to write home about. Art Messer should improve this year, and Yakov Abrov is unlikely to be as bad.

Team Projection: Atlantic City should also challenge for the wild card. The Frick Atlantic is really stacked this year.


Buffalo Bison (83-79, second place, FL Atlantic)

Key Additions: 3B Kevin Greene, 2B Billy Johanson, OF Jeremy Linquist, Ken Gladden (free agency), Cletus Bullrush, Jr. (promoted)

Key Subtractions: None

Team Outlook:

The days of selling Buffalo short are, it seems, in short supply. Not only does Buffalo have one of the most complete pitching staffs in the league, their offense is due for a potential upgrade due to the development of one mildly talented catcher.

Yes, Jeremy “Superman” Hunter will hopefully not be hunting Superman…but should be one of the finest hitters in the league, and what has to be scary is that he hasn’t maxed out his potential yet. Buffalo’s offense is made up of a lot of on-base guys; we’re shuddering at the idea of a top three of Oscar Vizcaino, Jeremy Linquist and Hunter, followed by the good power bat of Kevin Maas. That's good lineup structure, and there's good support at other positions. The offense has improved dramatically, and we haven’t yet started talking pitching.

Amen Mitrani is still one of the league’s most reliable starters. What’s changed is that Mitrani now has four guys behind him who can pitch, including newly signed Ken Gladden. As far as we can tell, their bullpen has no holes worth mentioning and some outstanding new members, like Cletus Bullrush, Jr. In other words, Buffalo is a shockingly complete team. Therefore, the question becomes: what will Buffalo do this year?

Team Projection: Well, the team has depth nearly everywhere and lots of talent. So, the question becomes: how good are they going to be? Buffalo’s had winning records in each of the last two seasons, and they should repeat that this season. We’re projecting good things in Buffalo’s future, and we’re pretty sure the Bison will contend for the wild card this year.


Hackensack Bulls (107-55, reigning MBBA and FL Atlantic Champions)

Key Additions/Subtractions: None, no movement at all.

Team Outlook:

So, what happens when a 100-win ballclub makes absolutely no changes in the offseason – other, of course, than to push their numbers on close to the cap? That’s right: they become candidates for a repeat title.

What was notable about Hackensack’s 1997 season was not that they made the playoffs (third straight year) or won 100 games (second out of three). Their pitching has always been among the league’s best, and they again led the Frick League in ERA by a all-time low third of a point (but were ahead of #3 by a full point in ERA). What was important is that the Bulls began to hit last year, and hit in bunches, and that, as they say, makes all the difference.

We don’t expect Hackensack to hit like they did last year; not even close. For example: Carl Tawk may never again in his life hit .300, much less .331, but he did it for 580 at bats last year. And we’re pretty sure that Tim Naehring isn’t a .300 hitter either. We don’t think that C Pablo Aroaujo just needs 500 at bats to become an offensive superstar (though we think he should be okay).

In other words, this team is due for a full-team offensive falloff. How is that going to affect their chances of repeating in the FL Atlantic?

Team Projection: Er, not much. Hackensack is the surest playoff team we have going today, and we’d be shocked to see them sitting at home in October. That said: in their division, it could happen. They're probably still the best team in the division, but the gap is closing. Hackensack - who has no prospects and virtually no cap space - might need a trade to make it happen.


Montreal Blazers (45-117, worst record, MBBA)

Key Additions: SS Denny White, LF Ali Mowbray, RP Daniel Gassaway (free agency), LF Edwin Dussault (trade)

Key Subtractions: None

Team outlook:

Montreal is rebuilding, and that’s little surprise to anyone, since they were just plain terrible last year. What may surprise some people is how far they currently are from respectability. Problems exist everywhere on the Blazers, and until they’re ready to really try to compete it’s not going to get better. Montreal isn’t necessarily better or worse than last year, but they’ve got big problems.

Ben Rivera bombed out last year, and it’s not bad luck; he lumped a little bit last year and he’s not the same pitcher as he was in 1995. Randy Tomlin is a decent starting pitcher. And that’s about it. We do like Charlie McCauig and we’re intrigued by the current version of Andre Benjamin, to say nothing of his top 50 prospect status.

The hitting isn’t really much better. The conversation starts and ends with Bolt Vanderhugen, who’s happily not that worried about Montreal’s current woes. We don’t understand what the problem is with Zack Google or Jamie Farrell, but they can both play much better. And then…well, then, nothing.

Team projection: 90+ losses. Montreal can’t even lay claim to a top five farm system. Fortunately, the team is under new management and will undoubtedly be able to gain a little bit of traction because of this fact: until then, they’re just IN traction. What would NHP - who's on this team - do? Run away.


Projected Records for the FL Atlantic:


Hackensack 97-65
Buffalo 92-70
Atlantic City 88-76
Montreal 50-112

[aaronweiner]

[felipe]

Awesome...
Go 'Flo!

[cramsey51]

Great job Aaron! I sure hope we can challenge for the divison, more than the wildcard. The hearbreak of missing the WC the past two seasons is painful.

[aaronweiner]

I think it's going to be a lot closer than last year, though it largely depends on good luck I think.

But I call it like I see it, and that's how I see it.

[recte44]

I like Montreal's future. They have been stockpiling electric young arms for a while now.

[cheekimonk]

I honestly did not even realize we had a cap.

I would have conducted my offseason quite differently if I had. Oh well, adjust and move on...