Central Division
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Albany Polecats - This club could be the best well rounded club in the AL. They have a bit of everything. If it’s brought all together in one season they could be VERY successful.

  • Pitching: The Polecats have a decent staff, consistiing of a good rotation and closer.
  • Hitting: Speed is their main weapon. They do have some pop in guys like Foster and Rod. Defense: A decent core of fielders.
  • Weaknesses: No real power threat in lineup.
  • Strengths: The teams ability to turn a single into a double thanks to their baserunning abilities is their biggest asset.
  • Intangibles: A “No guts, No glory” attitude is what makes this team a winner.
  • Prediction: 92 wins, and first in the Central. With some timely hitting, pitching, and baserunning. The Polecats could be a Cinderella ball club.

Chilly Cats - the first female owner club in the MLIB. Ironically, where Jackie Robinson started his major league career for the Brooklyn Dodgers minor league affiliate, Montreal.

  • Pitching: The Cats have some respectable starters, and a very good closer.
  • Hitting: Nomar Garciaparra and Edgar Martinez will carry the offense.
  • Defense: Adequate, although the outfield isn’t the greatest.
  • Weaknesses: Depth in the rotation, and defense in the outfield. Strengths: The duo of Garciaparra and Martinez.
  • Intangibles: Garciaparra’s work ethic might rub off and aid in improving the team.
  • Prediction: 67 wins, 4th in the Central. Getting some good numbers out of the supporting cast could lead to a 3rd place finish for the Cats.

Temple City Rattlers - This club can pack a nasty bite, however it also has been know to lack the killer instinct (as shown in the preseason).

  • Pitching: An adequate rotation for the Rattlers, and a decent closer.
  • Hitting: Wade Boggs leads the way, and a bench of role players follow (i.e. Wally Backman, Rick Ferrell, Cecil Cooper).
  • Defense: One of the weakest in the AL.
  • Weaknesses: The Rattler defense is error prone. And in the depth department, they are only a wading pool.
  • Strengths: Boggs and a plethora of contact hitters.
  • Intangibles: The team has a roster full of role players.
  • Prediction: 76 wins for 2nd place in the Central division. If they can crate some runs they could win more than 80 games.

Cros-Lex Pioneers - The club comes into the first season led by Roger Clemens, a primer ace on any staff.

  • Pitching: Clemens, Rollie Fingers and a cast of closers round out the Pioneers pitching staff.
  • Hitting: Charlie “King Kong” Keller and Cecil Cooper lead an unimposing bunch to the plate.
  • Defense: This isn’t the teams strong suits.
  • Weaknesses: Defense and a sparatic offense.
  • Strengths: Clemens is one of the best pitchers in the league.
  • Intangibles: The competitive edge found in Keller, and Clemens is a definite asset.
  • Prediction: 73 wins for third in the Central. If Clemens and Fingers can carry the emense work load. And the Pioneer hitters can create a wack of runs, they could be a strong second in the Central.

Green Bay Grizzlies: One of the last teams to join the league, and their talent shows why.

  • Pitching: Uh......
  • Hitting: Good power and some speed.
  • Defense: The Grizzlies defense can hold it’s own with the majority of the league.
  • Weaknesses: Inconsistent with the bat, and the pitching staff is non-existent.
  • Strengths: The power found in Earl Williams, the newly acquired Tony Perez, and Orlando Cepeda.
  • Intangibles: Chuck Knoblauch’s attitude. The question is will he show up with a good one, or a bad one.
  • Prediction: 38 wins, last in the Central. This team was hurt by the former management which sold it’s talent for a bunch of platoon players. On the positive side, they’ll get a great draft pick.

Houston Hornets - Another late addition to the American League, and like their division counterparts, the Grizzlies, this could be a long season.

  • Pitching: Weak at best.
  • Hitting: Rusty Staub and Ron Hunt will take the brunt of the responsibility for run production.
  • Defense: The Hornet fielders are unfortunately below league average.
  • Weaknesses: Pitching is extremely weak, and The offense lacks a true leader.
  • Strengths: Bob Bailey is a clutch player, who plays on guts and instinct.
  • Intangibles: The play of Bailey.
  • Predictions: 47 wins for 5th in the division.