AL Discussion!

Opey Higgins
DOUBLEDAY DAILY


At the start of every season everyone wants to know who the top team is.. Well in the American League it would be pretty close between 3 teams. I feel this season with the FA signings along with the previous seasons performances that Jacksonville, St. Louis and Salt Lake City will be the top 3 teams in the AL. San Francisco will take the AL West but I feel still not the "Power" team that they will eventually become. My predictions for the AL are ....


AL North:
Salt Lake City- 93-69
Seattle- 84-78
Kansas City- 76-86
Montreal- 67-95


AL East:
Jacksonville- 101-61
Philly- 95-67
New York- 81-81
Baltimore- 61-101


AL South:
St. Louis- 90-72
Texas- 73-89
El Paso- 72-90
Huntington- 64-98


AL West:
San Fran- 84-78
Salem- 66-96
Colorado- 67-95
Las Vegas- 60- 102

#1 Draft Picks

Opey Higgins
DOUBLEDAY DAILY


Going into the 7th season we've been witness to some of the greatest players to be drafted into the world. I'll start off by discussing the #1 draft picks from each season. I would like everyone to post a comment on who you think has been the best pick at #1.


Season 1: Corky Grant (SS) Drafted by New York. Grant was drafted at the top of a very nice class of players. He was chosen over guys like Nolan Cain(Pittsburgh), Les Cloud(Louisville) and Abraham Inge (Cleveland). Grant has played in a little over 2 full ML seasons and has a career BA of .284 with 44 HR's and 54 SB's. He hasn't performed as good as everyone would expect from a #1 pick.


Season 2: Rafael Seanez (RF) Drafted by the Texas Franchise in what was another pretty good draft which included Albert O'Brien (New York), Ted Banks (Austin), Sam Einerton(Salem) and Edgar Sosa(Seattle). Seanez in his first official ML season hit very well at .321 with 22 HR. His second season he dropped pretty far down and struggled hitting .243 with 15 HR. Hopefully for his and Baltimore's sake he pulls it together and has a great season.


Season 3: Jimmie Paul (SP Drafted by New York, Paul has one ML season under his belt so far and hasn't done that bad at all. 14-10 in season 6 for a rookie wasn't a big issue. He will only get better this season. Pretty good control with great pitches Paul should be a 15-17 game winner for the next 5 seasons or so..


Season 4: Quilvio Javier (2B) Drafted by Pittsburgh in probably the most stacked draft class yet. Javier is expected to be a big time player! He can hit the ball well with great contact and excellent ability to hit both Left and Right hand pitching. Javier is easily a 30HR ,.300+BA ,100+ RBI guy...


Season 5: Harold Burrell (1B) Drafted by Monterrey, Burrell is the next Single Season HR champ! This guy has the best bat I've seen come out of a draft in this world. The scouts say Max POWER along with B+ Contact/eye and splits. Albert Wall's record may not be safe for long.


Season 6: Norm Corino (SP) Drafted by El Paso, Corino is the top SP to be drafted in this world. Corino's control, pitches and splits are second to none! In 4 seasons Corino will be ready to make an impact at the ML Level... When he does expect it to be Cy Young worthy!

Free Agency News!

Opey Higgins
DOUBLEDAY DAILY


Free Agency this season wasn't completely full of studs but there are a few signings that I feel were huge for certain teams.


1.D'Angelo Telemaco (SP): Jacksonville signed Telemaco to a 5yr 87.5 mil deal. Adding Telemaco to an already pretty tough rotation will pretty much guarantee the playoffs for Jacksonville.


2.Rafael Mercado (SP): Philadelphia Stars signed the former Season 2 NL Cy Young Award winner.. Mercado is a 5 time All Star. Bernie Alvarez has some competition for the SP#1 job in Philly.


3. Orlando Camacho (RP): At age 37 Camacho is still valuable to one team.. Salt Lake City... They signed Camacho to a 2yr deal worth 7.3 mil. Bullpen help whether he's 37 or younger, Camacho will be a big signing for the Trappers.

Team News: Buyers/Sellers

Opey Higgins
DOUBLEDAY DAILY





Chicago- Buyer: Top of the Rotation SP. Also a backup defensive SS. Willing to part with P Shooter Johnson and P Tony Black in exchange for the SS. Nobody else on the ML roster will be available.

Colorado- Not buying/selling: After years of bad trades, Colorado has decided to build from within.


Detroit- Not buying/selling: Detroit has no plans to be big spenders,will continue to focus on building through the draft, and only accept deals that bring it more young talent. The ML squad this season welcomes 4 significant additions: Terrence Hurst and Wendell Sullivan ,both former 1st round picks, finally make their debut at the top while Carlos Castillo and Ralph Washington ,both acquired via trade last season, also join the big league squad. Down on the farm, guys like Denny Chong , Michael Hernandez , and Eddie Brush will continue the slow climb and reflect well on Detroit's future.


New York- Not buying/selling: SP Dreifort is NOT available at all. New York owner wants to make that very clear.


San Fransisco- Buying and selling: Selling SP Darron Becker and 3B Theo McCurry. Buying a #1 or 2 SP.


Atlanta- Buying: Top of rotation SP, LR-SP5 type guys. Defensive backup SS too. Will trade prospects, can take on (some) contracts.


Montreal- Selling ML Buying Prospects: Looking for all positions/pitchers in the 22-25 age range. Selling Cy Young SP Mark Post, CF/2B F. Guererro, 3B Jocko Sexson, DH/3B H. Castillo and more. Anyone on the the ML roster over 26 is available.


Las Vegas- Not Buying/Selling: Going to continue to build through the draft and sign IFA's. Will sign some FA's to rebuild offense.



As more updates come in I'll keep you posted.

New Blood!

Opey Higgins
DOUBLEDAY DAILY



The start to season 7 happens here! A flurry of owners came in to take advantage of some very good franchises. Well, almost all of them did. Owner Yoker70 took the Commish Challenge and moved the former San Diego team to Vancouver in what he feels is the first among many changes to turn that team into something great!


Playboy33 arrived in Sacramento and immediately purchased the team and moved them to Salem. Playboy another original Ballpark Frank owner has came to Doubleday and picked up probably the team with the most potential! LF Quinn Street was quoted as saying "If he can even be half the owner that we lost we're in good shape!".


Charlie leaves and we get a 2nd year owner in return!etillma has taken over the former Toledo franchise. He has some big time offer from Atlanta so he chose to move there. He was also offered a Hanes underwear commercial. Charlie Sheen and himself are probably going to be featured stalking Michael Jordan... Anyway.. I wish him luck!


scottso14 purchased the Texas franchise and has no desire to move the team. From what we were told he's supposedly part of some super green been conspiracy.. don't ask...



7of9 is the man of the hour though.. He has taken over the 5 time World Series Champs. He has a lot of hype to live up to as he chooses what direction he wants to take the team. Remaining in Louisville because his ex-wife and 12 kids told him if he leaves she'll take what money he has left after buying the team.



We also have 2 brand new owners, Cwoods and Badaxe. Cwoods took over the former Oakland franchise and moved them to Iowa City. Badaxe took over the former Tampa Bay franchise and took them to Toledo replacing the team that just moved. I know realistically it would take a very long time.. so let's pretend it's been 6-8 months :).

The end of an Era!

Opey Higgins
DOUBLEDAY DAILY


Louisville, KY

It's a sad day in the Doubleday world.. Today we were given word that the Louisville Colonels owner Rbedwell was retiring from the world. During his time as owner of the Louisville franchise, Rbedwell acquired 4 Division titles, 5 World Series titles and tons of respect! He was known for calling things the way he seen them regardless of who was right or wrong. It's a huge loss and I am deeply saddened to have had to make this report.


Along with the loss of Rbedwell, we lost another long time owner. Rootgargle announced he would not be returning for season 7 for personal reasons. Rootgargle is another owner that made a huge impact on the world with his ability to help update the blog. He also been runner up in the World Series on 2 separate occasions. Moving the Dukes out of Albuquerque to Sacramento this past season was the last major move he made. He left the team with youth and a promising future.

Here I come to save the day!!

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY



Toledo, OH




Toledo closer Jerami Evans broke the single season record in Saves with 51! Previously held by Teddy Collier, Evans managed to beat the record by 2 making it pretty much out of reach for others in the future. I feel this record will stand for a long time.

Call the Police! Stolen Base RECORD!!!

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY


San Diego, CA



2B Fonzie Puffer shattered the single season stolen base record! He surpassed the previous record of 128 held by now retired Javier Pineiro. A ceremony will be held later today in San Diego in honor of the record breaking moment!

Playoffs!!!!

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY

	VS.

San Fransisco (79-83) vs. New York (95-67): San Fransisco the obvious under dog here with a pretty tough offense led by C George Forrest won a weak division. Last season they surprised everyone by defeating the Jacksonville Suns (Boston Beaneaters) moving on to the DCS. New York on the other hand has great pitching combined with several offensive studs. New York pulled off 2nd place in a tough AL East so I give the nod to New York. 3-1.

	VS.

Philadelphia (97-65) vs. Jacksonville (93-69): Jacksonville's much improved pitching didn't win them the Division. With a 4-6 record vs. Philly this season it's pretty safe to say this series could go down to the last game. I predict Jacksonville wins 3-2.

	VS.

Omaha (88-74) vs. Louisville (93-69): Very evenly matched teams here.. I give the veteran experience of Louisville coach Rbedwell the edge in this tough series. Omaha's pitching will be strong but I feel Louisville's offense is just that damn good. Louisville 3-2.

	VS.

Ottawa (90-72) vs. Richmond (92-70): Richmond's poor offense will be tough to beat the offense led by Jermaine Pierre! I predict Ottawa wins 3-1 all close games.

Season 6 Done! Random stuff !

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY



1.) Seattle has it's best record in Franchise History. 81-81 tops former high record of 73-89.

2.) San Francisco reports that George Forrest had his 4th straight .300+ season. Forrest is among the best hitters in DD history with a career average of .313.

3.) San Diego's offense was last in league in Strikeouts and last in the league in Walks!

4.) Philadelphia's Bernie Alvarez has 24 CG's in 71 starts for Philly. Approx. every 3rd start is a CG.

5.) Kansas City's Magglio Alvarado was a rule 5 pick last season. Became All Star in season 6 playing CF for KC.

6.) Huntington's worst finish ever!

7.) Cleveland posted the best record in Franchise History this season!

8.) Despite 2 seasons with Albert Wall and Spike Logan, Chicago has yet to make the playoffs in the last 2 seasons.

Break out performances!

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY



Every player has a season where they produce exceptionally more then they have in the past. Whether their team is winning or losing I'd like to point out a few break out season performances.



Gary Mateo (1B,HUN): 31 HR, 111 RBI and .313 BA. Mateo's previous highs are 23 HR, 101 RBI and .288 BA.

Mark Post (Sp,MON): 22-1, 2.25 era and 179 k's. Post's previous highs are 21-4, 2.71 era and 201 k's.

Junior Cerveza (Sp, STL): 21-2, 2.13 era and 178 k's. Cerveza's previous highs are 16 wins, 2.87 era and 215 k's.


Robinson Dreifort (Sp, NY): 20-8, 2.79 era and 181 k's. Dreifort's previous highs are 17 wins, 3.66 era and 200 k's.


Fonzie Puffer (2b,SD): 132 SB's and 5 3b's. Puffer's previous highs are 110 SB's and 5 3b's.


Jeremi Evans (Closer, TOL): 46 saves, 1.59 era. Evans previous highs are 46 saves and 2.16 era.

After 120 games!

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY


AMERICAN LEAGUE


We've had a quiet season here on the blog and this update is basically to talk about random thing's happening in the world. A few surprises in the American league would be 1.) New York holding down 2nd place in the AL East. We all knew it would happen eventually but the Jacksonville team has it's strongest team since being in that division. New York has one true MVP on their team and it's SP ROBINSON DREIFORT! Dreifort going 15-7 with a 2.90 era is keeping them towards the top of the division and will be a huge help if they are to catch Philly.


Las Vegas is in 2nd place in the AL West however not going to make a playoff spot they've managed to get a good draft this season and are attempting to bring in young talent for the future.

Disappointments: Salt Lake City, SLC has a very solid team and has been the main team pushing to take Montreal out in the AL North. This season they haven't been playing to the potential that they are capable of. That offense is pretty solid with great players like Kid Sadler, Bob Scutaro and Carlos Gandarillas. Hopefully they will figure out what's happening soon and fix it.


NATIONAL LEAGUE


4 great division battles going on currently. Ottawa with only a 3 game lead of Chicago in the North, Toledo up by 3 over the very very tough Pittsburgh, Austin up 6 over Louisville and Omaha over Honolulu by 5. The Surprise team in the NL is certainly Pittburgh. Pitt has now moved up to be considered one of the hardest teams to play in the world. Nolan Cain has been a disappointment since being brought up to the ML level but luckily for Pitt they have solid pitching and an amazing Closer in Matthews. Christopher Matthews appears to be a big name in other areas too.. As the races come down to the wire I will be discussing possible scenarios and make my predictions of who is in and who is out.

Early Season Surprises (Good and Bad)

Omaha Spikes
The Spikes have stormed out to a 18-5 start. In addition to holding the best record in the Majors, they are also leading in home runs with 44. This comes a season after finishing dead last in homers with only 119. The early power surge probably will not last, but with their pitching depth it will not matter. Joseph Park has been particularly nasty with a .96 ERA in 4 starts.

Seattle Pilots
Things are finally looking up in Seattle. The Pilots have spent years developing prospects and it's paying off. They are currently tied for 1st place in the extremely competitive AL East with Montreal and Kansas City. The team has gotten it done with a mix of solid pitching and hot hitting from Carlos Arrojo, who has a .337 avg to go along with a slugging percentage of .675.

Kansas City Monarchs
Power and defense has been the story in KC so far this season. The Monarchs rank in the top five of the American League in doubles, triples, home runs, and fielding percentage. Their hard hitting and defense has made up for a slow start by the pitching staff. It'll be interesting to see how long KC keeps prized pitching prospect Carlos Santos at AAA.

Huntington Heroes
Things are not looking good in Huntington. The team is off to a 6-17 start and there are rumblings about rebuilding. Earlier this week, team owner P. Chez announced Center Fielder Kelvin Christiansen and Closer Christopher Champion were on the trade block. The ugly start by the Heroes can be attributed to their bullpen, who has squandered the stellar efforts of Virgil Hogan (.36 ERA in 4 starts) and Clayton Henderson (.87 ERA in 4 starts).

Baltimore Lords
After two straight 90 win seasons, the Lords have staggered out of the gate with a record of 6-17. The problem is clearly their pitching, which ranks second to last in the Majors with a team ERA of 6.18. If Baltimore is going to turn it around, they'll need the staff to get it together before they fall too far behind.

Race to 1000 hits!

Opey Higgins
DOUBLEDAY DAILY



Barry Broadhurst - 997 hits


Philip Maxwell - 974 hits


Otto Judd - 967 hits


Mitch Palmer - 940 hits


Paul McNamara - 938 hits




Broadhurst looks to become the first player in Doubleday to reach 1000 hits putting him instantly as one of the top guys to enter the Doubleday Hall of Fame come season 10. At 31 years old he may just be around when the day comes. I'd imagine he could potentially reach 1500 hits before he retires. Philip Maxwell just 27 years old could post 2000 hits by the time he turns 32 realistically he'll be our Career hit leader by the end of the next 5 seasons. Please leave a comment with your teams career hit leader and how many hits they've managed to get at this point.

Calvin Petkovsek gets shipped across the country!

Hardball Dynasty's

Calvin Petkovsek

Calvin Petkovsek was traded today to the Seattle Pilots today! Petkovsek is one of the few ML SS's that can hit and field. The deal sent Richmond 23yr old SS Ricardo Guardado, 25yr old 3B Perry Gumbert and 26yr old SP Nipsey Gipson. Seattle gets a good quality addition to the Big league squad while Richmond gets rid of the contract of Petkovsek and gains youth. Big trade and it's only 11 games in!

NL WEST: Season 6 Preview

Last Season: 76-86 (2nd)
Season 6 Prediction: 85-77
Losses: Daniel Wilkinson RP
Additions: Walt Sanders RP, Livan Gil 2B, Johnny Cambridge 3B

Omaha is a team of extremes. Their pitching staff finished last season ranked 1st in the National League in WHIP and 2nd in ERA. All five starters are back and each is under the age of 27. As crazy as it sounds, the staff should be even better this season with the free agent acquisition of Walt Sanders and a healthy Izzy Green in the bullpen. The other extreme is of course their sputtering offense. As a team, Omaha hit 119 home runs in Season 5, the lowest total in the majors. To put that into perspective, Albert Wall of the Chicago Whales hit 74 last season. The addition of Livan Gil to the lineup should help, but this remains a team who will have to win with pitching.






Last Season: 82-80 (1st)
Season 6 Prediction: 78-84
Losses: Howard McFeely SS
Additions: Jaime Helton 1B, Quinton Palmer 3B

The success of Honolulu this year depends on how quickly the young team can find their groove. Most of their roster lacks ML experience and it could result in a step back in the standings. They will have six rookies in the lineup, two in the bullpen, and one starter. To call this a young team is an understatement. The good news for Honolulu fans is that the rookies are quite talented. Jaime Helton 1B and Quinton Palmer 3B could very well finish first and second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. With some time to develop, this team will be a headache to face down the stretch.






Last Season: 69-93 (3rd)
Season 6 Prediction: 74-88
Losses: Andre Trammell C, Carl Gaillard RP, Tony Bocachica SP
Additions: Johnny Durbin CF, Socks Lansing SS, Bob Lankford SP

Oakland could be the dark horse in this division. They're coming off a disappointing year and have retooled at some key positions. Just prior to the season, Oakland pulled off a pair of deals with the Richmond Diamonds to acquire Johnny Durbin CF and Socks Lansing SS. It cost the Oaks some talented prospects, but there is no denying that Durbin and Lansing give them proven ML caliber players in two key positions. The Oaks also promoted starting pitcher Bob Lankford to the big league club. Since being selected sixth in the Season 2 draft, Lankford has plowed his way through the minors and appears ready to be a major contributor for many seasons to come. Going along with the theme of this division, Oakland is a team on the rise.






Last Season: 65-97 (4th)
Season 6 Prediction: 63-99
Losses: Billy Leonard LF, Pat Dunston RP
Additions: Fonzie Puffer 2B, Rico Mateo RF

San Diego enters the season at a crossroads. Like Buffalo Bill in "Silence of the Lambs", the team is becoming something. We're just not sure what yet. They aren't strong in any area, so I believe new owner Ewchippe when he says it will be a 3-4 year rebuilding project to turn things around. In the minors, Carlos Andujar and Dave Fischbach are well on their way to being future stars for the Aces. With some solid moves over the next couple seasons and the emergence of these prospects, maybe the turnaround will happen sooner rather than later.

AL WEST: Season 6 Preview

Last Season: 85-77 (1st)
Season 6 Prediction: 92-70
FA Losses: Tom Barkley RP, Buddy Shelley SP, Luis Pascual 3B
FA Additions: Ralph Bunning SP, Alex Martin SS, Willis Wasdin RP

After two years of thrifty spending, the Seals finally opened their wallet this off-season to acquire the talented (yet fragile) Ralph Bunning. The addition of Bunning finally gives the Seals a top of the line starting pitcher, if he can stay healthy. That's a major if, as Bunning didn't even get through his first start without tweaking his shoulder and landing on the 15 Day DL. The team overachieved last season, so lets see how they do with bigger expectations.






Last Season: 80-82 (2nd)
Prediction: 89-73
FA Losses: Pete Reid SP, Pascual Astacio RF
FA Additions: Cory Glynn SP, Craig Priest SP, Benny Truman SP, Howard McFeely SS

Coming off a World Series appearance, the Dukes (now known as the Solons, which I'm told is a Greek word for something and not a fish), threw their fans a curve ball by trading away most of their best players in exchange for prospects. Despite the purge, they still managed to be in contention for the Division Title until the final weeks of the season. This year they should improve upon their 80-82 record thanks to some nice free agent pickups. While everyone else was busy offering huge contracts to a select few stud pitchers, the Solons signed three solid pitchers who should help them regain their old form.






Last Season: 75-87 (3rd)
Prediction: 73-89
FA Losses: George Weaver SP
FA Additions: Pete Reid SP, Rex Scott CF, Oswaldo Andujar RP

Colorado rebounded from a down year by improving their record by 19 wins last season. Their lineup should be powerful as usual and the addition of Pete Reid gives them a proven starter at the top of the rotation. The roster will be better this season, but they will face tougher competition from San Francisco and Sacramento in the AL West.






Last Season: 52-110 (4th)
Prediction: 59-103
FA Losses: Nothing of note
FA Additions: Shooter Johnson RP

Following another dismal year in Anaheim, new owner Jack Badoou decided a change of venue was in order and moved the team to Las Vegas. As someone who has been to both places, I can tell you this was a great idea. Anaheim is best known for their Disney attractions, while Vegas sports the best strip clubs on the planet. As far as the team goes, they are young and need time to develop. This season will be more about gaining experience than winning games.

NL SOUTH: Season 6 Preview

Last Season Record-97-65 (1st)
Division Champ- Yes
NL Champ- No
Season 6 Prediction- 94-68 (1st)
With what appears to be an upgraded Austin franchise this season, they continue on with youth for the most part. Offense: RF Midre Guerrero and CF Ted Banks look to lead the Austin Swing this season to another Division title. SP Felipe Maradona searching for his first Cy Young award, coming off a 16 win season his career high, he is going to be much more reliable this season and could see 20 wins!







Last Season Record- 91-71(2nd)
Division Champ- NO
NL Champ- YES
Season 6 Prediction-88-74 (3rd)
Our World Series Champions! What else can be said about Louisville that hasn't already been said? They looked to be an under dog last season coming into the playoffs only to dominate! The entire team has came back to try again in season 6, Owner Rbedwell has proven that this team will be in the Doubleday History books as the greatest franchise ever. Come season 10, I highly doubt another team will reach the level of success!







Last Season Record-89-73(3rd)
Division Champ-NO
NL Champ- NO
Season 6 Prediction- 85-77(3rd)
Spending tons of money in free agency last season , Richmond released several players including LF Randall Daly but they signed 1B Seth West that was recently released from Salt Lake City. West's power and ability to get on base should help bolster the Richmond offense while SP Rafael Mercado and Tom Lofton will be the anchors in the pitching staff to keep them in the top 10 teams this season.







Last Season Record-63-99 (4th)
Division Champ- NO
NL Champ- NO
Season 6 prediction- 66-93 (4th)
Monterrey has been very conservative when it comes to signing old talent.. They've been racking up International Free Agents for going on 3 seasons now. Showing little improvement each season could this be the season they break out? They have promoted several young stars to the Majors still leaving a ton of great players waiting to come up. Player to watch this season is SP Karim Bennett, We hear he's been working on his control during the offseason.. Potential 15-20 game winner!

AL SOUTH: Season 6 Preview!

Last Season Record-97-65 (1st)
Division Champ- Yes
AL Champ- No
Season 6 Prediction- 93-69 (1st)
With the huge signing of SP Junior Cerveza, St.Louis looks to be in about the same spot they were last season. Good pitching and decent offense, In the AL South they are probably a lock for the Division title with El Paso and Huntington still trying to get their teams working like a well oiled machine.. That could be a while ..







Last Season Record- 79-83 (3rd)
Division Champ- NO
AL Champ- NO
Season 6 Prediction-70-92 (3rd)
Texas is in the middle of a transition, They have a new owner that came in last season with a different approach to where the team needs to go. They let a few guys go but signed some key Free Agents, 2b Damian Wang, P Buddy Shelley and CF Roosevelt Sellers! However I don't see them being a strong threat this season. 3rd place in the South potentially 2nd if luck goes their way.







Last Season Record-80-82(2nd)
Division Champ-NO
AL Champ- NO
Season 6 Prediction- 71-93(2nd)
Huntington could potentially be 2nd place this season, With the lack of pitching they are looking to probably drop even more in season 6. Huntington fielded several offers to acquire a SP but none of them were agreed upon..







Last Season Record-51-111(4th)
Division Champ- NO
AL Champ- NO
Season 6 prediction- 62-100 (4th)
El Paso is still in rebuild mode, Slowly they are putting together a team that can contend. We here at the Doubleday Daily magazine support El Paso and hope they get the breaks they deserve.

NL EAST: Preview

Last Season Record-104-58(1st)
Division Champ- Yes
NL Champ- No
Season 6 Prediction- 99-63 (1st)
Toledo is looking to have another strong season, Adding P Babe York only helps a pretty good Pitching staff. They again will have a very tough time taking the division since Pitt and Tampa Bay are really improved and constantly getting better as they promote their young talent.







Last Season Record- 94-68(2nd)
Division Champ- NO
NL Champ- NO
Season 6 Prediction-80-82 (4th)
After the move to Boston, Owner Camden decided it best to allow those Free Agents to be signed giving him approx. 11 picks in the top 100 in this season's amateur draft! Still holding onto team MVP Dan Hudler Boston is going to be a tough team to beat still..







Last Season Record-82-80(3rd)
Division Champ-NO
NL Champ- NO
Season 6 Prediction- 81-81(3rd)
Tampa Bay led by SS Robert Robinson has come far over the past few seasons. Although their record won't be stellar this season they will be a fierce competitor when they match up their pitching to the opposing offense. P Troy Harris appears to be the guy with the most potential this season. I predict him to be the team's best Pitcher. Tampa Bay may be a surprise this season so I could be very very wrong.







Last Season Record-77-85(4th)
Division Champ- NO
NL Champ- NO
Season 6 prediction- 85-77 (2nd)
Pittsburgh is going to be a sound 2nd place team this season, They have one of the most explosive young offenses in the world. Nolan Cain, Izzy Harris and Mariano Polanco lead the Offense into season 6 with big hopes and dreams. My "Most Improved team" for season 6 right here!

AL EAST: Season 6 Preview

Last Season Record-105-57 (1st)
Division Champ- Yes
AL Champ- No
Season 6 Prediction- 95-67 (2nd)
Philly ran away with the AL East last season but I feel that they are not going to dominate like they did last season. They signed David Gonzalez during the offseason in hopes of beefing up the offense some more. Philly will have a long road ahead of them this season.







Last Season Record- 97-65(2nd)
Division Champ- NO
AL Champ- NO
Season 6 Prediction-98-64 (1st)
Jacksonville traded LF Pablo Mota and 3B Jocko Sexson to Montreal and acquired LR George Oliver and bring back RF Erv Hines. They also signed RF Winston Ripken, P Sal Jone and RF Edgar Villa as well. Jacksonville appears VERY strong this season.







Last Season Record-92-70(3rd)
Division Champ-NO
AL Champ- NO
Season 6 Prediction- 77-85(4th)
Baltimore lost a key offensive star in Winston Ripken to Free Agency.. They also lost P Kelly Carr. Baltimore is free of some major cap space but find themselves on the bottom of a very strong division. 3 teams improving and them kinda sitting idle.. We will have to keep an eye for them..







Last Season Record- 79-83(4th)
Division Champ- NO
AL Champ- NO
Season 6 prediction- 85-77
New York is an up and coming team in Season 6.. I promise you nothing less then about a 15-20 game improvement from last season. They could potentially take a wild card spot but this young team is going to be a very hard team to knock off..

NL NORTH: Season 6 Preview/Predictions

Last Season Record-90-72 (1st)
Division Champ- Yes
NL Champ- No
Season 6 Prediction- 88-74 (2nd)
Not much to see here! Ottawa has been on top for a couple seasons now but it's getting to where they are not bringing in new talent. They have some great prospects but not yet close enough to play at the ML level. I see them falling down 1 spot.. Maybe get a Wild Card..







Last Season Record- 85-77 (2nd)
Division Champ- NO
NL Champ- NO
Season 6 Prediction-99-63 (1st)
Chicago is probably the most talented team in the NL currently. They have a great offense and pretty good pitching. Albert Wall returns for another season coming off a record breaking year! Chicago looks to claim the NL North for the first time since season 1.







Last Season Record-78-84 (3rd)
Division Champ-NO
NL Champ- NO
Season 6 Prediction- 80-82 (3rd)
Keeping the team moving forward,Cleveland owner Douglaslee has improved the team greatly since buying the team. This season he'll continue to have his big stars from last season to help better the team and potentially win a Wild Card position. They could very well knock Ottawa down to 3rd.







Last Season Record- 63-99 (4th)
Division Champ- NO
NL Champ- NO
Season 6 prediction- 62-100
Detroit will be good in another 2 seasons for sure, but right now I feel they are going to stand in the same place they have been for 3 seasons. Great talent in the minors led by Denny Chong but that be a few seasons away before we see him. 3B Ronn Moore and LF Sarma Rose will again head the Detroit ML team as they face a tough road again.

AL NORTH: Season 6 Preview/Predictions

Last Season Record- 98-64
Division Champ- Yes
AL Champ- Yes
Season 6 Prediction- 95-67 (1st)
Montreal has added some pitching depth with SP Bobby Ray Bellhorn and Max Lopez. Both proven ML starters to go along with the same rotation Montreal used to get them to the World Series last season. Montreal also traded RF Erv Hines in a deal which they landed 3B Jocko Sexson and LF Pablo Mota. Upgraded all around now all they can do is sit back and wait to see if the moves are going to be successful or not..








Last Season Record-90-72 (2nd)
Division Champ- No
AL Champ- No
Season 6 Prediction- 96-68 (2nd)
This season Free Agency was pretty good to SLC, They picked up 1B Carlos Gandarillas and SP Jose Santayana. SLC has been impressive for 2 seasons in a row now but have not managed to get into the playoffs due to strong play from the other divisions. This season I wouldn't count these guys out, I would place them as predicted Division champs but I think Montreal hasn't fell off just yet.






Last Season Record- 66-96 (3rd)
Division Champs- No
AL Champs- No
Season 6 Prediction-79-83 (3rd)
This franchise has made the playoffs once in 5 seasons.. New management has been bringing this team to life slowly for the last 2 seasons by bringing in good young talent. As they wait for their younger stars to mature they are fielding a decent ML squad for the time being. Some of their younger guys are playing now but the real studs are on the way. This season they could prove me wrong with RF Al Gonzales and CF Magglio Alvarado showing signs of improvement in their off-season training. SP Albert Robinson appears to be ready to go as well. KC is my upset team in the North, They could win the division.






Last Season Record- 61-101 (4th)
Division Champ- No
AL Champ- No
Season 6 Prediction- 67-95 (4th)
With no real off-season moves, Seattle is looking to rely on the same type team they have been. Allowing their youth to develop in the minors is what appears to be the plan. Seattle has had 4th placed tied down for many seasons, unless they do some drastic changes to the ML squad they will be there for a little while longer..However I do know owner Kcden has things well figured out. We are rooting for you here at Doubleday Daily!

Free Agent Signings! Biggest Acquisitions So Far!

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY



We've had a couple big signings so far already since the Free Agency period began.





SP Pete Reid was acquired by the Colorado Grizzlies, The Grizzlies needed a huge signing this season and so far they've not disappointed. Reid signed for 2 seasons at a total of 15.4 million which also came with a 890k signing bonus.







2B David Gonzalez was signed to a 4yr $29mil deal. Philly potentially will not be able to re-sign SP Bernie Alvarez but acquiring Gonzalez is yet another big boost to that offense.

Swing, Swing!

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY



Austin, TX



Austin and Kansas City agreed to a deal which sends Eli Hernandez and Brian Christopher to the Show-Me State in exchange for Edgard Mendoza. KC is trying to continue on building the minor league squads as they chase Salt Lake City and Montreal in the AL North.

The sun never sets in Jacksonville!

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY



Jacksonville, FL


Jacksonville again in the mix with a trade to Sacramento which sends SP John Nakamura and SP Ivan Figureoa to California's Capital for 2 prospects. Jacksonville continues to build a farm system with this deal. We will bring you more trades as they process..

Bobby Ray Bellhorn leaving St. Louis..

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY



St. Louis, MO


A deal between St. Louis and Montreal for SP Bobby Ray Bellhorn was in the process of being completed but Montreal had went over budget before the deal could be completed. Both owners agreed to re-work the deal once Montreal had cleared the cap space to do so.. It has been confirmed by Montreal Owner Tom Highway that he has re-sent the offer for Bellhorn as originally agreed on and is happy about being able to bring Bellhorn to Montreal.

Hines is traded!

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY


Jacksonville, FL


The Jacksonville Suns and Montreal Shamrocks have agreed to a huge trade!RF Erv Hines along with LR George Oliver and High A Prospect RP Ted Hall are going to Jacksonville in exchange for 3B Jocko Sexson ,LF Pablo Mota and LF Adam Logan . The deal relieves Montreal of about 5.5 mil in payroll and gives them 2 good ML level hitters along with a good Prospect. Jacksonville get some pitching help along with some additional power for their line up.


We will bring you more coverage over the trade action as the off season progresses. Stay Tuned!

Boston Auction!

Opey Higgins
DOUBLEDAY DAILY






Boston, Mass.


Rumors are swirling as to if Boston is planning on trading all his ML vets. We did get told he was wanting to deal but who can afford these amazing players? First we have Dan Hudler. Hudler is a 2 time NL MVP and has had 2 All Star appearances. Oswaldo Navarro would be 2nd on this list, Navarro has been a huge asset to the city of Boston. He played in Boston during season 2 and 3 and brought home the Rookie of the Year award. The last big name I'll mention is Miguel Alou, Alou a 1 time All Star and has posted a 66-38 record over 5 ML seasons. Whoever get's a shot at any of the 3 players is looking to pay up, but it will be well worth it!

Tampa Bay: Brantley Available

Opey Higgins
DOUBLEDAY DAILY


Tampa Bay, FL


Tampa Bay owner Amerith has announced that RF Pat Brantley is available. He said the team is searching for ML Pitching and would prefer a #3 or 4 Starter. Brantley is a career .292 hitter averaging about 25 hr's a season. TC Amerith if you're interested.

Free Agent Gems: Players to watch!

Opey Higgins
DOUBLEDAY DAILY


This is possibly going to be the most star studded Free Agency yet in Doubleday.. Let's start off with the surprise of Free Agency.. We hear that SP Bernie Alvarez isn't sure about staying in Philly. The information we received was that Philly declined the team option. He is probably the biggest surprise but let's get the list of the top 5 possible free agents!




1.) SP Junior Cerveza
2.) SP Cory Glynn
3.) LR/SU Ralph Bunning
4.) RF Winston Ripken
5.) OF Jin-Chi Yosida


So Keep an eye for these studs to hit the market...They could be a big help to any franchise!

Where are they now? One hit wonders....

OPEY HIGGINS
DOUBLEDAY DAILY



In every sport you have guys that have just one great season and disappear never to be seen or heard from again. In some cases they remain on the team but in a very minor role. I have dug deep into Doubleday's 5 season history to find these guys..

Cole Holzemer, He started his career in Houston (Currently Austin) where he was looking to be a top performer for the franchise with his .291 BA, 22HR, 74RBI season. He was just 24yrs old... Since season 1 he has managed to barely hit over .240 and hasn't hit more then 13HR's.. We heard rumors that he has a career waiting for him at Home Depot if this season doesn't get any better in San Diego..

Frank Corcoran played only 2 seasons in Doubleday.. Originally he was on the Trenton Hoffa's (Currently Detroit) where he has his 1 good season. He played in 137 games and hit .313 with an OBP of .382... He retired after the 2nd season with the team saying he wanted to pursue a career in acting. From what we have heard he's starred in such roles as Rock "Hard" Johnson in several adult films..

Bubba Whiteside, once a great addition to the Montreal Shamrocks.. He was traded in season 2 to San Francisco where he had a very big drop from his previous season's success. After only 97 games in SF he was released by San Francisco.. Jackson picked him and he only played 1 game in season 3 only to never play again.. We found him serving hot apple pie at a diner in Crown City, OH. He refused to comment and was not happy to see us..


More news from past stars to come as Season 6 of Doubleday continues!

San Diego- Cleaning House!

Peter Matheson - SP

Rex Scott - CF

Carlos Gandarillas - 1B



Rex Scott, Peter Matheson and Carlos Gandarillas could be had for the right deal. San Diego is looking for prospects! Trade Chat Fox_Mulder if you're interested