Teams Most Likely To Step Up In 2037

[RonCo]

It's been an interesting year for some of the teams down-the-table in the BBA. Lots of rebuilding and adjustments going on. Now's time to make some predictions. I've removed a few teams who appear to be either on the edge of a tear-down (Brooklyn, anyone?), or who I thought were just having a weird year (Calgary?), but here's a list of teams have been working recently to get better. Pick as many as you want, but which teams will take steps up in 2037?

[Fat Nige]

I can't see me doing anything unless everybody on the roster suddenly decides to play. Could be a lot of deadwood out the door in the off season, got to réalise I've got too many of these $500k players who are just going absolutely nowhere clogging up the bottom of the 40-man. Over the next few years I shall try to rationalise my minors, although nearly all levels had a good year in 2036 I can't see many there that would any impact on the BBA

[Ted]

This is tough. So many of these teams have pieces, and could a couple of players away from a big move up. All in all, I suppose that's a good place for the league to be. We've been stagnant at the top for a bit.

[Rubaboo]

Went Nashville and Edmonton.

Brett has proven he can make moves and improve his team quickly, it should be interesting to see what this offseason brings for the Goats.

Edmonton is already on the cusp, just needs a good GM to do some tweaking. Robillard fits that description.

[Ted]

I kind of wanted to pick Nashville too, but I've been a dick to Brett for so long it felt like a shame to stop now.

[bigmike13]

I went with everyone because i agree with Ted that all the options can make a jump with the right moves

[RonCo]

This is tough. So many of these teams have pieces, and could a couple of players away from a big move up. All in all, I suppose that's a good place for the league to be. We've been stagnant at the top for a bit.

Yes, I agree that a lot of teams have pieces now. I decided to post this poll after spending some time looking at all the teams in the league. Kyle's example from two seasons ago proves that the base structure of this league allows teams to make big changes pretty quickly, too--which is why I say that relative to most OOTP online leagues, this league has one of the better competitive environments around.

Though we've been "stagnant" at the top, it's really very hard to stay there. Examples: We've got three of our final four teams coming from non-division winners...and neither ATC or LBC were even in the post season last year. Omaha has come from almost nothing to be a major player in the (ahem) best division in baseball in a couple seasons. Vegas got shut out of the playoffs last year. Just in the Frick we've got Valencia making some interesting moves in the middle of this season. Hawaii should have been better. Des Moines is in a position to step up (as they always seem to be). Vancouver, Boise, and Edmonton are all three under new guidance, so they're wildcards right now. Madison took a huge hit this year, but Chris has proven to be able to get competitive quickly.

There's a matter of a team's position and situation at any one time, of course (Brett in Nashville had to figure out how too get out of his stadium fee collar on the job), and GM skill, and of course, luck (Poor VAL and SA have been killed by bad development and injuries ... does anyone just want to replace the term "inured" with "Wicked?").

So I got to wondering who the league thought were the teams most likely to move, because while I'm sure there are some with greater probabilites, it literally it could be anyone.

[RonCo]

I admit I'm most interested in what Chris (EDM), Al (BOI), and Taylor (VAN) are going to do.

[Ted]

I should have been more clear. I don't think we've been stagnant at the top because this league is hard to compete in, or that it's rigged in some way to make it too easy to stay there. For all the reasons you've just pointed out (plus I would argue expansion as well as a reveloving door at the helm of two or three franchises), a handful of clubs have had prolonged rebuilding cycles. I think it's actually a testament to how easy it is turn turn a club around here that when a team is non competitive for more than a few years, we all wonder what the heck is going on?

[usnspecialist]

As Ron mentioned, that stadium fee is a killer for Nashville. 5+ million each year for a move he didn't make (and Ben didn't have the money to make) is brutal.

[7teen]

At this point I’m not sure what I’m doing in Madison. I thought I had built a team that would at least be competitive and at least .500. Granted I think the Raider injury derailed that early on. I tinkered with some things late that clearly didn’t work.