2044 FINISH: 67-99, 4TH(-29)In each of their first three seasons in the UMEBA the Athens Fighting Centaurs win total has gone down starting at 85 in 2042 to 75 in 2043 and finally 67 in 2044. Similarly their batting average has dropped each season as well while their team ERA has held around six each season. The Fighting Centaurs went offense in the first round of the draft taking the best hitter in catcher Rokimasa Yano. Yano should start the 2045 season as the big league catcher after hitting .356 in 327 rookie ball plate appearances. Athens' two second round picks Felipe Mendez and Aenes Pittakis will likely join free agent acquisition Mateus Rabisca in the rotation. Rabisca is coming off of two consecutive five WAR seasons with Bucharest and he cost the Centaurs $23 million, or 46% of the UMEBA cap.
Yancy Cravat hit a league leading 54 homers and drove in a league best 137 run but he also struck out a league high 202 times and only managed a 1.9 WAR for his efforts. He'll be joined by DH Quint Copper(27 homers, 87 RBI) and OF Jack Moniker(.341, 75 RS, 44 SB) in an effort to increase that dismal team batting average.
I expect Athens to increase their win total but still finish at the bottom of the Bancroft in 2045. I'm giving them 73 wins.
