Season 2 Draft Recap - NL North

Chico Johnson - Cobbfather Post Gazette

Donaldo Flores Cincinnati Flying Pigs Age: 18 B/T: R/R Born: Lubbock, TX Position(s): SS/IF/OF/DH View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Cincinnati Flying Pigs
Overview: The Pigs drafted defensive whiz SS Donaldo Flores with the #22 pick in the draft. Flores can also hit a little bit as well, but will never make an all star team with his bat, but a row of Gold Gloves in his trophy case isn't out of the question. Supplemental pick 2b Heinie Olmos should become a fan favorite of the beer elite in the Queen City, and should be an everyday player in the infield as well, as he should be able to hit for a decent average. Cincinnati also picked up an intriguing CF in Zach Ross, who can really hit right handed pitching well, and 2 more very good defensive shortstops in Clyde Singleton and Macbeth Presley, who both have ML potential. Not a bad draft considering the talent available.
Grade: B+

James Simmons Minnesota Blue Oxen Age: 18 B/T: S/R Born: Rome, NY Position(s): P (SP2) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Minnesota Blue Oxen
Overview: With the 19th pick, the Blue Oxen took SP James Simmons, a control pitcher with excellent pitches and good skills vs. right handed hitting. He should eventually make the bigs as a 3-4 starter in the rotation, he's got potential to be pretty decent. Supplemental round pick Leo Abbey is pretty similar except that his skill is vs. left handed hitting and his pitches aren't quite as good. The Blue Oxen also drafted two more solid pitching prospects with their their second supplemental and second round picks in Yorrick Nathan and Bob Johnston, who both could find a role in a ML bullpen. 3rd round pick SS Jumbo Oliva has a very good glove that could get him to the bigs, and 5th round pick 1B Al Crosby has a decent bat. Not a great draft, but one that yielded solid prospects top to bottom.
Grade: B+

Brendan Fowler Syracuse Sycophants Age: 18 B/T: L/L Born: Mt Blanchard, OH Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Syracuse Sycophants
Overview: With the 5th overall pick, the Sycophants took SP Brendan Fowler, who was one of the best pitchers in the draft this season. Fowler boasts near perfect control, 4 good pitches, good splits, and some seriously high heat. He doesn't have the stamina or durability to make a true #1, but he will be a very good pitcher in any capacity once he makes it to the show. Supplemental pick RF Alan Reed is will hit for a high average with his batting eye and splits, and 2nd round pick SP Ichiro Kim should be a solid starter as well if he can get over his slight control issues. Pitchers Jacob Blauser and Dan Whiten both could make it to the pen in the ML, and 1b pick Chuck Donovan has incredible power and a very nice batting eye, and could make it as a 1B or DH. The Sycophants should be happy with their draft, it yielded a fair amount of talent in what was thought to be a weak draft.
Grade: A-

Sherm Gates Rochester Rolling Rocks Age: 18 B/T: S/R Born: Pinson, AL Position(s): P (SP3) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

Rochester Rolling Rocks
Overview: The Rolling Rocks went for pitching with the 8th overall pick this season, and took Sherm Gates, an SP with above average skills across the board. Gates isn't elite in any category, but he is good enough to make it as a 3-5 starter in the bigs if he fully develops. In a draft that was very weak in pitching, he wasn't a bad pick. 2nd round pick Dude Dillion actually projects to be a better prospect than Gates, with better control and splits, and roughly the same pitch quality, making him a very nice value pick for his position. 3rd round pick RP Elston Yacko has great control, above average splits, and an awesome name, but his hampered by his pitch quality. 4th round pick SP George Shaw doesn't have the movement to make it past AA, and 5th round pick SS Eric Barry was taken for his awesome glove, which is good because he can't hit his weight. This was an ok draft for the Rolling Rocks, it could have been a little better, but the Dillon pick was a score in a draft lacking good pitching prospects.
Grade: B

Season 2 Preview - Postseason

Swami Naktap - Special to Cobbfather Post Gazette

Swami Naktap has looked deep into the future, summoning the Ar within his spirit, and has foreseen great things in the postseason. Sharing what he has seen brings the swami great joy, so here now is what Naktap has seen.

National League
--Swami Naktap has seen the Texas Fried Pickles and the Honolulu Haoles earning the bye round. In the first wildcard series, Naktap has determined that the Fighting Cornish Hens of Sacramento will meet the Cyclones of Tampa Bay, and that after a great collision of wind, rain, and feathers, the miniature fighting fowl of Sacramento will prevail due to the strength of their pitching staff and the power of Moises Terrero. In the other wildcard matchup, Naktap has seen the Flying Pigs of Cincinnati take on the Goats of Memphis in a barnyard brawl. The winner will not only get control of the slop trough, but the chance to move on and play the Haoles, and that winner will be the defending champion Goats.

In the next round Naktap has seen the #1 seeded Fried Pickles giving the Cornish Hens indigestion, and easily dispatching them in 4 games. In the other series the matchup is a bit tougher and swami says that the Haoles will be pushed by the Goats to the brink, but will ultimately prevail and put Memphis out of the playoffs in 5 games. In the Division Final, Naktap has seen the Texas Fried Pickles superior offense ultimately being the deciding factor in their matchup vs. the Haoles, and should propel them to their first World Series in Cobbfather world in what promises to be an entertaining 6 game series.


American League

Swami Naktap has foreseen the Florida Shark Waves and the New York Pride of the Yankees earning the byes for the first round. In the wildcard series, Naktap sees the Huntington Heat playing the Fargo Rat Bastids in the first matchup. Swami says that the Bastids cannot handle the Heat, and Huntington doesn't have to sweat much in a 3 game sweep. In the other wildcard matchup, Naktap sees the St. Louis Wiffle Ball Kings taking a swing at the Monterrey Ducks. Unfortunately for the Wiffle Ball Kings, their bats are made of plastic, and these are not Peking Ducks sitting on a plate waiting to be devoured. Swami says that Monterrey wins this series in 4 games.

In the next round Swami sees the #1 seeded Shark Waves using their deadly combination of teeth, tidal surge, hitting, and pitching to quench the Heat. Swami says that the Shark Waves are possibly the best team in the league, and it will be hard for Huntington to match up. In the other series, Swami Naktap sees the Monterrey Ducks facing what might be the best offense in the universe in New York, but swami says that the Pride's pitching will show their youth and not handle the pressure of the series, and Monterrey will move on in 6 games. In the Division Final, Swami says that Florida will break through to the World Series with a hard fought victory over the Monterrey Ducks in 7 games, in what should be an exciting series.

World Series

Swami Naktap couldn't ask for a better series than the Texas Fried Pickles vs. the Florida Shark Waves. Swami doesn't see a clear advantage for either team, their hitting and pitching are evenly matched. Swami says that the series will come down to which team has a player who makes a critical error, a Bill Buckner if you will. Swami Naktap ate extra hot peppers to meditate in peace for this important prediction, and the result of his hours of deep thought is the Fried Pickles of Texas winning the World Series in a 6 game series over the Florida Shark Waves, setting off a huge binge eating frenzy in Dallas/Fort Worth, a

Season 2 Preview - AL West

Swami Naktap - Special to the Cobbfather Post Gazette

AL West

St. Louis Wiffle Ball Kings (99-63, 1st place)
--Swami Naktap knows that St. Louis are not only the kings of wiffle ball, but also the AL West. Naktap doesn't see any other team in the division that is as complete as St. Louis, which means that even if the Wiffle Ball Kings show up to home plate with giant plastic bats, they should still outperform their division rivals. Swami sees this well balanced team taking the division, but not quite reaching 100 wins.
Prediction: 97-65 - 1st place

San Diego Spicolis (65-97, 3rd place)
--Swami Naktap sees the best pitching staff in the division playing in a pitchers park, and can say nothing but, "DUDE!" Unfortunately Naktap sees the lineup and can only say, "dude." But together the combination of dudes should equal a winning record in sunny San Diego. Swami says that with the addition of a few more hitters of quality, the Spicolis will be a team that Sean Penn would be proud of.
Prediction: 81-81 - 2nd place

Colorado Beer Bashers (73-89, 2nd place)
--Swami Naktap took one look at the power residing in Beer Bashers lineup and nearly spit out his hot peppers. If the pitching can hold opponents to less than 6 runs a game, the Beer Bashers should win more than they lose. But swami thinks that because they play in Colorado, that might not be possible. But it will be close, and when Naktap attends a game, he will be sure to bring his mitt to catch one of the many homers that are sure to be hit in Colorado.
Prediction: 80-82 - 3rd place

Tucson Tonsil Ticklers (54-108, 4th place)
--Swami Naktap learned many things whilst learning to become a baseball guru. One of them was to never pick a team from Tucson to have a winning record. Like a black mark hovering over a man walking under a ladder crossed by a black cat, Tucson is a cursed city. But still people try, and lv4sublime is the latest owner to try and break the runes that bind Tucson to underachievement. Unless Tucson can start Felipe Lacouna at catcher every day, Naktap sees a very high ERA in Tucson.
Prediction:

Season 2 Preview - NL West

Swami Naktap - Special to Cobbfather Post Gazette

NL West

Honolulu Haoles (101-61, 2nd place)
--Swami Naktap sees a team that will be living the aloha spirit in Hawaii, greeting opponents with what might be the leagues best pitching staff. Swami says that the Haoles are huge fans of Don Ho, and will just hang loose and just have fun all the way to a division title. But swami says that the race will be very close, as the rest of the NL West is very close in talent to Honolulu. Swami sees one weak spot on the Haoles that could cost them, and it is an everyday lineup that isn't quite as solid as Sacramanto or Vancouver's lineups.
Prediction: 98-64 - 1st place.

Sacramento Fighting Cornish Hens (101-61, 1st place)
--Swami Naktap would have picked the Fighting Cornish Hens to finish 1st this season, but the huge injury to elite setup man Mitchell McElroy helps put the Hens bullpen in the freezer section next to the larger edible fowl. Still, swami says that the acquistion of Moises Terrero changes the complexion of Sacramento, and gives the hens some cock fighting spurs that the lineup lacked last season.
Prediction: 97-65 - 2nd place

Vancouver Lumberjacks (88-74, 3rd place)
--Swami says these aren't the kind of lumberjacks you hear about in Monty Python skits, instead these are the kind that mow down opposing bats like chainsaws through twigs thanks to the arms of Tony Saunders, Odalis Diaz, Hiram Dong, and Calvin Pong. Swami says that if the lineup can match the pitching staffs production then 95 wins is a real possibility. These lumberjacks are definately ok.
Prediction: 95-67 - 3rd place

Las Vegas Hardways (73-89, 4th place)
--Swami Naktap says that Las Vegas definitely had it the hard way last season with three quality division opponents. Swami says that they won't have it any easier this season, but should still ante up in what might be the toughest division in the league. Swami sees the lineup equalling the outputs of the rest of the NL West, but sees the pitching staff having trouble keeping chips on the table.
Prediction: 78-84 - 4th place