Ronny Longs the Baseball Swami
American League
Overview: The New York Pride of the Yankees have owned the American League for the past two seasons, but their precious World Series Trophy is no longer residing in New York, having been taken by Cincinnati. You can be sure that the Pride will once again be contenders for the pennant, but they will have stiff competition as the AL is deep with quality teams, including the always tough Houston Space Cowboys, Little Rock N' Rollas, Atlanta Expos, and Tucson Tornados. Not far behind them are a slew of up and coming teams that could force a change in the playoff picture at the end of the season. But for Ronny's money, the AL pennant will probably go to one of the aforementioned squads. Also it has to be mentioned that during Ronny's perusal for predictions, it became immediately apparent that the American League is currently much deeper in talent than the National League.
Projected Cy Young: Chris Pendleton - Atlanta Expos
Projected MVP: Rafael Benitez - Durham Radicals
Projected Fireman of the Year: Thumper Carpenter - Detroit Dirt Dogs
Projected Rookie of the Year: Jumbo Almanzar - Little Rock N' Rollas
Top Five Rotations in the American League
1. Atlanta Expos
2. Houston Space Cowboys
3. Boston Massacre
4. New York Pride of the Yankees
5. Little Rock N' Rollas
Top Five Lineups in the American League
1. Tucson Tornados
2. New York Pride of the Yankees
3. Little Rock N' Rollas
4. Durham Radicals
5. Houston Space Cowboys
Top Five Bullpens in the American League
1. Little Rock N' Rollas
2. New York Pride of the Yankees
3. Houston Space Cowboys
4. Detroit Dirt Dogs
5. San Francisco Hammer'd Leprechauns
Top Five Benches in the American League
1. Little Rock N' Rollas
2. Boston Massacre
3. San Francisco Hammer'd Leprechauns
4. Tucson Tornados
5. Houston Space Cowboys
Top Three Offseason Free Agent Signings
1. Rusty Warden - Boston Massacre
2. Carl Watkins - Tucson Tornados
3. Rey Pong - Burlington Huskies
Four Teams on the Rise:
1. Durham Radicals
2. Boston Massacre
3. Kansas City Tweakers
4. Detroit Dirt Dogs
Two Teams on the Decline
1. Austin Rock Stars
2. Vancouver Canucks
Five prospects who could make a difference if called up this season
1. Willy Seay - Boston Massacre
2. Dennis Gulan - Kansas City Tweakers
3. Fernando Cairo - Kansas City Tweakers
4. Marc Ogawa - Tacoma Termites
5. Miguel Lee - Tucson Tornados
Projected finishes, by division:
AL North
New York Pride of the Yankees - 98-64
Tacoma Termites - 84-78
Detroit Dirt Dogs - 84-78
Scranton Meal Ticket - 52-110
AL East
Atlanta Expos - 95-67
Boston Massacre - 88-74
Burlington Huskies - 85-77
Durham Radicals - 80-82
AL South
Little Rock N' Rollas -100-62
Houston Space Cowboys - 98-64
Austin Rock Stars - 74-88
Charlotte Bandits - 51-111
AL West
San Francisco Hammer'd Leprechauns - 90-72
Tucson Tornados - 88-74
Kansas City Tweakers - 81-81
Vancouver Canucks - 71-91