2027 Preview - London Bishops

[Macgufo]

Overview

London franchise start very quuet in EBA history, missing the post-season in first 11 years, but exploded in 2014 winning first the division and then the european title. After this tremendous year Bishops go in seclusion for successive 12 seasons touching the bottom in 2016 with a 55-107 record. In this long drought era where is only a winning season (2022 87-85) and two post-season presence both with a 80-82 record.
This long span is in preparation for 2026, where, after an other mediocre regular season (80-82) Bishops, reach for the second time the European Title surprising everyone in defeating Gladiators in 8 games (Rome boasted best record with 95-67).

So far London has showed to be a quiet franchise able of rare, great exploits.


Offseason Summary

Now London lacks of a dynamic G.M. (human vacant) so post season moves haven’t been much aggressive.
Basically the management have confirmed the winning team,
only two average RP have become FA: RP J. Suarez and RP Y. Sasaki.No great loss at all.
So far no new arrives from other organizations but a bunch of young prospect was promoted from the farm, no a brilliiant group at exception of very promising guy: a 21 old 1B J. Alvarado


Players:

Cathers: C
Hunter not play much in 2016, but is better that his partner at home plate Rios. The 3 times champion struggle at bat .250/7/35 but has good defensive skill and would be in the starter lineup more often this season . In any way it’s clear that Bishops have some issue in this slot.

Infielders: B

1B: A
Dale Jones is the Newcomer award winner and Glove award at 1B winner last season. He’s young ,with decent offensive numbers .292/28/75 and a pillar of the team.
But he has to look over his shoulder as from AAA arrived J. Alvarado, a 21 old prospect with real good margin of improvement also if a little coarse in defense.
London a happy future at 1B.

2B: A-
Dave Rodriguez make good job here. Twice Glove Award winner and twice All-Star is a assurance. No explosive power but good offensive contribution with .280/15/79. Furthermore he is provided of astonish quickness, a real lighting (64 sb in two season). Bishops have to hope him stay healthy as his sub J. Mohan 274/2/8 is a platoon old guy.

SS: B-
Cisco Ortiz a 25 olds with a All-Stars cap, good defender tool (+4.1 ZR in 2025) and fair offense contribution .263/18/72.
M. Pinon a young guy come from Leed AA, no many expectation on him.

3B: D+
Great issues for Bishops at 3B: Jason Thorne a good prospect, is out for the season (torn labrum). His back-up P. McKinney is a old MBBA glory that win 4 Glove Award in his prime, now an average player with serious health issues.Last year when asked respond with a .310 Avg, but lack of power at all. A great question mark on him.


DH: C+
vs RHP London deploy G. Lanfranco .239/18/66, but the guys walks a lot, 113 BB last season for a .366 OBP.
vs LHP appears Dale Jones


Outfielders: C

LF: C-
F. Pérez can’t hit well .333/6/12 , with no potential and low quality defensive tools.
As back-up, for all outfielders spots, we findD. van Halen a typical bench player with no power.

CF: B-
F. Rodriguez stay in the center of outfield. Another average offensive player .266/12/54 , that 25 years old seam reach his peak. Scouts trust in his skills, we guess that he is over-rated.

RF: C
Another tought luck for Bishops: D. Colon twice Glove Award winner in two years career, at the plate .262/9/63 last year, has broken bone elbow in training spring so is out for season.
So at RF play M.Vera skilled with poor offensive ability .233/9/42 but good defensive tools.



Pitching:

The franchise Achille’s heel. For 2027 Bishops are rated last in SP and second to last in closer spot. Bit better about MR.
2016 stats show London in middle position about R/G-R, WHIP, last in BB and in K,a good 3.94 ERA (2nd), first raking in OAVG and BABIP, but no new blood flood in pitching stuff during post-season.

Starter: D
Best 2016 London starter Lloyd Bastiaanse 6/6/7 and a record of 10-5-3.81 in 2026 turned elbow ligament, in september, he will be out for 5 months.

Pierre Simonse 6/6/10 is at rotation top. Twice EBA All-Star started his career with Bishop; in 4 years as starter grab only a winning season (9-8), then arrived at MBBA where failed to impose. In 2026 come back at London to win the EBA tittle with a 12-13 record and 3.45 ERA - WHIP 1.07 - WAR 3.3. No a bad guy for EBA standard. His main weapon is a decent fastball (7)

But with Lloyd Bastiaanse out, Bishops rotation lacks of deep.These the other guys:

Adolfo Cangiani 5/5/6, 22 age old from AAA Budapest - no start in EBA - good slider.

Nicola Caliari 6/6/3, 21 age from AAA too, nicknamed Hypnotist probably because has to be charmed to put ball in strike-zone. Great curveball (9), but no very useful with a so bad control.

Paul McKeen 4/8/7, his awful stuff cost him worst 2026 record win 17 losses. Some one can say that he can only improve … no, in 2024 McKeen lost 18 times.

Ordino Lablraccio 5/7/7,22 age from AAA . Some hopes here. With a little above average fastball and slider, Ordino has a potential lethal changeup, if he ‘ll improved he ‘ll have some MBBA chances. In future, no now.


Bullpen: C-

Edgardo Burin 7/6/6 [/b] with 2.9 WAR and no so bad pitches repertoire. He give a lot of hits, but if supported by a good defense he makes outs thanks at ground-ball tendency.

Remainder of pen guys are average players as J. Santos, [url=ttp://montybrewster.net/MBBA/OOTPFiles/lgreports/news/html/players/player_30557.html]B. Gabriel[/url], M. Belisle : nothing hot about them.
The closer is Tommaso Jovine 6/6/7, a Bishop veteran with all 8 season in London and a personal pick in 2025 season when clinched the ALL Star Game and the Reliever Award . Good stats in last years. By far he's the best pen guy.



The Farm

London is ranking 4th in farm system with two infielders and two pitchers who draws scouts attention.

Top prospect is 1B 21s old Jimmy Strambi that play in AA, a lot of talent guy with great power potential. One canditate at MABBA if will keep the promises.

The other infielder is D. Giguère provided with excellent defensive tools and great quickness. Good prospectives on offensive side,

The young pitchers are a gamble as are too rare now:
A Cruz may be a decent starter at EBA level, no great movement, but good stuff and deadly fastball and curveball .
More potential in T. Suzuki The 19s old Japanese has makeup a tools to emerge as a dominant starter in future. The guy has a good personality a show a decent work ethic so Bishops can be optimistic about him.



2027 Prediction

Bishops are projected to clinch the post-season with a 88-74 record, with 14 gb from the Paris Patriots and 13 games ahead of 3rd place.

[Ted]

Nice work. It's fun to read about the EBA.

[Macgufo]

Nice work. It's fun to read about the EBA.

Thank Ted,
i'm always worried about my english,
but seem that is almost understandable

[udlb58]

Nice work. It's fun to read about the EBA.

Thank Ted,
i'm always worried about my english,
but seem that is almost understandable

There's no way I could type in any other language, so I admire your determination to contribute and deepen your connection to the league

[Lane]

Nice preview! Don't worry about your English you're definitely understandable.


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[RonCo]

Love that the hypnotist has to be charmed to put the ball over the plate. Heh.