AL North Preview - Season 32

AL North Preview 

Does anyone want to win this division? Only one real contender exists, as three franchises look for their footing. A dynasty has ended, but all should fear the re-build!

Pre-season AL North Awards
MVP - 2B Miguel Ramirez, Kansas City
Cy Young - SP Happy Blue, Philadelphia
Rookie of the Year - CF Edgardo Mercedes, Vancouver
Most Likely to be Traded - 3B Wilkin Guerrero, Kansas City
Highest Trade Value - 2B Miguel Ramirez, Kansas City 

Final Standings Prediction 
1. Philadelphia 90-72
2. Kansas City 70-92
3. Montreal 68-94
4. Vancouver 65-97

Team Reviews/Previews

Philadelphia Erffdoggs 
Season 31 Review Record: 84-78, 1st in the AL North, lost to New Orleans in the ALDS
Rankings
    Runs Scored: 9th
    Runs Allowed: 24th
    Fielding Percentage:13th
 Awards
    AL Rookie of the Year Yamil Ibanez
    All Star Yordano Valdes

Regular season champion for the first time in 10 seasons, wholck overcame below average pitching to win the North. Offense was led by a strong core of position players Ibanez, Stults, Tabaka, and Simon - all under 26 years old. The pitching staff was held together by innings-eaters Cunningham and Bako. Yordano Valdes had a strong year, converting 33 out of 36 saves.

Season 32 Preview

Mode - Contending

Player Transactions
Additions - Free Agency:SS Orlando Gil, RF Glenallen Ward, SP Vern Buckley, SP Happy Blue. Promotion: RP Yonder Samuel, RP Che-Hsuan Woo, LF Jeff Flanagan

Subtractions - Free Agency: SS Josias Ozuna, RP Pascual Bennett, CF Fred Porter, SP Joe                                          Cunningham. Released: 3B Harold Parker, SP Enny James

Ratings Rankings
Overall: 10th
Rotation: 9th
Bullpen: 17th
Starting Lineup: 4th
Bench: 13th
Average Age: 10th
Average Salary: 15th

Prediction - The Erffdoggs are strong contenders to repeat. In fact, anything other than 1st place would be a major surprise. wholck has kept the young core together, but has he done enough to advance out of the ALDS? The bullpen appears to be stronger, and Quixote is an upgrade at the top of the rotation. An addition or two, and this team could make some noise in the playoffs.

 Kansas City Jayhawks
 Season 31 Review Record: 73-89, 2nd in the AL North
 Rankings
 Runs Scored: 15th
 Runs Allowed: 23rd
 Fielding Percentage: 21st
 Awards
 Silver Slugger - DH Hugh Pierre
 Gold Glove - 2B Miguel Ramirez, LF Fernando Bonilla

A down year for the 8X defending AL North Champion. Offense was solid - led by Pierre and Ramirez, but they still scored 100 less runs than they did in Season 30. Season 31 appears to be the first year of dakar's rebuild of the next NL North Dynasty.

Season 32 Preview
Mode - Rebuilding

Player Transactions
Additions - SP (all "All-Name Future HOF'r" Dickie Wingo, SP Tomas Estrada, Father Time SP Jay Denham. Promoted - RF Julio Rivera. Rule V - CF Quentin Hendrick, SS Paolo Infante

Subtractions - Free Agency - SP Walt Hairston, SP Carlos Tavarez

Ratings Rankings
Overall: 23rd
Rotation: 21st
Bullpen: 12th
Starting Lineup: 19th
 Bench: 27th
 Average Age: 17th
Average Salary: 32nd

Prediction - dakar is clearly in re-build mode, but he still has some very talented pieces to win games. It is unlikely that they improve drmatically on their Season 31 record, and a 70 win season and 2nd or 3rd place is a likely result. 70-92, 2nd in the NL North, not bad for the lowest payroll in the league.

Vancouver Voodoo
Season 31 Review
 Record: 61-101, 3rd in the NL North
 Rankings
 Runs Scored: 30th
 Runs Allowed: 29th
 Fielding Percentage: 14th
 Awards None

The big budget Voodoo had a disappointing season in Season 31. The pitching staff was led by the now-departed Prieto, while the offense relied heavily on the also departed Evans. With the disappointment of Season 31 in the past, the budget, and expectations, have been lowered in Vancouver.

Season 32 Preview
Mode - Rebuilding

Player Transactions
Additions - Free Agency - 1B Peter Brumbaugh, SP Carlos Tavarez, CF Storm Mays,

Subtractions - Free Agency - 1B Doyle Evans, CF Jorge De Aza, C Jung-Lee Wang, SP Footsie Anderson,

Ratings Rankings
Overall: 32nd
Rotation: 29th
 Bullpen: 32nd
Starting Lineup: 31st
Bench: 21st
 Average Age: 24th
 Average Salary: 19th

 Prediction - Anything other than 4th place would be a surprise. hatesong is in full re-building mode, but he's added some expensive pieces in Taverez and Mays to remain competitive.

Montreal Shamrocks Season 31 Review
 Record: 49-113, 4th in NL North
 Rankings
 Runs Scored: 26th
 Runs Allowed: 32nd
 Fielding Percentage: 28th
 Awards Silver Slugger - SS Alex Duran

Yours truly takes over after a train wreck of a season in Season 31. Not much good to say about last season, other than it has lowered the expectations for me! Some very good players look to re-bound from an off-year.

Season 32 Preview
Mode - Rebuilding

Player Transactions
Additions - Free Agency - RP Rich Sinclair, RP Pete Allen. Rule V - 1B Victor Ramirez, SP Kevin Richards, RP Pedro Rijo. Promoted - 3B Josh Gates

Subtractions -Free Agency - RP Frank Becker, CF and 1st Ballot "All-Name" HOF'r Harry Johnson. Released - RF Lefty Hubbard

Ratings Rankings
Overall: 22nd
Rotation: 22nd
Bullpen: 28th
Starting Lineup: 9th
 Bench: 12th
Average Age: 17th
 Average Salary: 23rd

 Prediction - In a very weak division, 2nd place is a possibility, but unlikely. The bats are there, but the pitching will need quite an improvement over Season 31 to make any noise. Sub .500 is all but certain, and a 2nd place finish is a worthwhile goal.