Opening Day Probables 1997

[mad0die]

The offseason is over at last. Spring training has come and gone and it is now time to play ball. The 1997 Montgomery Brewster Baseball Association season begins today. Some teams have changed, but the game is still the same. Another great baseball season is here and you can check out these teams on this year's Opening Day schedule: [/scotto'ed]

Madison, Phoenix, Des Moines and New Orleans don't play on Opening Day.

Johnson League
Louisville Sluggers @ Greenville Moonshiners
John Doherty [12-17-18 4.57 ERA] v. Jay Lee [19-17-17 1.75 ERA]
Louisville's big FA acquisition heads the rotation this season and Sluggers fans are hoping they get the 1995 version of Doherty. Lee is simply the top starter in the Johnson and probably the MBBA.

Baltimore Monarchs @ Washington Bobwhites
Larry Lasalle [15-16-19 3.89 ERA] v. Ken Howell [15-17-20 3.27 ERA]
The craft veteran against the upcomer. Both pitchers have similar styles making this an even more compelling matchup. I think Lasalle is gonna improve on last season's numbers

Chicago Black Sox @ Omaha Barnstormers
Chet 'Rocket' Steadman [20-16-15 3.07 ERA] v. Russell Vanness [15-15-17 3.23 ERA]
Vanness is a very nice young starter, but he draws a tough matchup against the ace of the back-to-back MBBA Champs in Steadman. Isn't he dating Oprah too?.

Hawaii Tropics @ Vancouver Mounties
Todd Swader [10-12-13 4.22 ERA] v. Shane 'Chewbacca' Wookey [13-17-18 3.50]
If Swader is truly Hawaii's best starter it's gonna be an ugly season in the Tropics. Wookey is yet another great looking young MBBA starter that deserves better than losing 33 games over the past 2 seasons.

California Crusaders @ Valencia Stars
Dominick Noble [13-13-11 3.05 ERA] v. Joshua Francis Kellogg [12-18-20 2.38 ERA]
Kellogg is a fantastic SP that appears destined to remain in Lee's shadow. California is in bad shape running out a guy on Opening Day that was a reliever for most of last season and won't duplicate that ERA.

Frick League
Atlantic City Gamblers @ Montreal Blazers
Jim 'Gimmick' Brochtrup [17-14-20 2.61 ERA] v. Ben Rivera [14-14-18 3.82 ERA]
Gimmick really burst on the scene last year in his sophomore season emerging as a top Frick starter. Rivera has had a solid career, but is really more of a #2.

Hackensack Bulls @ Buffalo Bison
John Ross Riles, Jr. [17-14-18 2.14 ERA] v. Amen 'Constantine' Mitrani [18-16-15 3.44 ERA]
JRR Jr. has been the best starter in the Frick for the past two seasons, but that reign may be coming to a close as he advances in age. He faces another young up and comer in Mitrani.

Austin Riverbats @ Birmingham Bandits
Lance Dickson [17-13-16 3.52 ERA] v. Alex Khodorkhovsky [15-13-19 4.52 ERA]
The Russian replaces 37 yo Hayden Finch at the top of the Bandits rotation and will face the newly promoted #1 for the Riverbats in young strikeout artist Dickson.

Seattle Storm @ Calgary Marauders
Dick Spivey [17-14-11 3.12 ERA] v. Allen Izatt [20-18-17 2.06 ERA]
Spivey benefited great having the #1 BABIP last season and you can't count on that to repeat. Holy crap is Izatt impressive and only 24! This is the guy that is gonna take over for JRR atop the Frick.

Las Vegas Hustlers @ Long Beach Surfers
Michael Shellenbarger [14-17-17 2.76 ERA] v. Hi Brown [14-12-16 4.02 ERA]
While a nice arm, I've got to think that Madorin takes over as the Hustlers ace at some point this season. Former Bandits ace is not looking so good these days, hoping LB has a better guy I'm not seeing or it could be a long season for them.

[ronzonie7]

GO JAY LEE

[lynchy34]

No opening day game? Lame. Love this feature, though.

[scottsdale_joe]

Hawaii Tropics @ Vancouver Mounties
Todd Swader [10-12-13 4.22 ERA] v. Shane 'Chewbacca' Wookey [13-17-18 3.50]
If Swader is truly Hawaii's best starter it's gonna be an ugly season in the Tropics. Wookey is yet another great looking young MBBA starter that deserves better than losing 33 games over the past 2 seasons.

Wookey, whose nickname is "Thief", didn't lose any games last season. He missed the whole year with a torn flexor tendon. He did lose 33 over 1994 and 1995. We'll see if he can improve in 1997 even though Vancouver will still most likely suck.

[mad0die]

Losing 33 games over last 3 seasons then. :) I think my nickname is better.

[lchronister]

GO JAY LEE

[scottsdale_joe]

Losing 33 games over last 3 seasons then. I think my nickname is better.

I think your nickname is better too.
Here in Vancouver we call him "Sawbuck".