VOLUME:XLV ... April 1, 2019
LATEST NEWS
Here we are about to begin our 45th season. We've seen 260 or so trades this winter and our suitcase hero is Marcel Ozuna who was sent packing 10 times. Marwin Gonzalez was right behind him going to the airport 9 times. Other things changed too. The schedule is completely different from previous years. We have a new manager in Jason Skovran. We have Kentucky moving to the Harwell division. Homestead moved to the Caray division and Port St Lucie begins in the Allen division. We have a new rule allowing relievers (green shade on rosters) to keep their APBA grade beyond 6 outs. We have a guy Ohtani (Ott) who can DH and pitch even in the same game. You'll need to note in your recaps when he batted as a pitcher and/or hitter. Our constitution shows you the MLB rule book about the DH and loss of it in Section XII- MLB Rule 5.11. Remember you need to get your instructions out by the 5th and the recaps to me by the 25th of each month. I've covered what I wanted to say and so let's hear from Ernie to officially kick off this season and turn things over to Dickie V and Chris Russo.
"Hello again everyone! It's hard to believe that I've been doing this for over twenty years and I look forward to it every year as much as I did picking the Dukies to win the NCAA title in 2019 bay-bee! I've got Christopher Russo with me again to give another point of view so let's get to it."
"In the Harwell division first. In ALBUQUERQUE, the Maestro Michael Fisher still has
his bunch of World B Free players. The Pac Man Zack Greinke, Patrick Corbin from the Syracuse NY area, the PTPer's Craig Kimbrel & Paulie Goldschmidt. The Blue Chip Nolan Arenado, AT&Ter Krush Davis and Alex Bregman who can dipsy-doo-dunk-a-roo with the best of them. T.O! Bay-bee! He's not done. There's the Three S man, Mr Michael Trout. He's super! He's Sensational!. He's Scintillating!. In CINCINNATI, Chris Uhlhorn says I never give them any love. This year he's got the All-Potential Jeremy Hellickson, All-Volkswagen Wilson Ramos, The surf & turf Eric Hosmer and gettin' some Q.T. is Eugenio Suarez and he's got the high riser Lorenzo Cain. You talk about getting W's, in KENTUCKY Randy Prichard's Aaron Nola is a Rolls Roycer bay-bee! There's All-Rambo man James Paxton, the All-Innovative backcourt of Jose Altuve, Joey Wendle and with a capital D, Andrelton Simmons. The Human Space Ship Joey Gallo. Up in OTTAWA, the great country of Canada's gives us Mark Featherstone who's got the truly remarkable Clayton Kershaw, J.T. Realmuto, I love 'em bay-bee! Mr Canada himself the surf and turfer Joey Votto. You talk about dishin' the rock, there's none better than Francisco Lindor. The Dow Joneser Yasiel Puig and the diaper dandee Shohei Ohtani! He's gonna be a star bay-bee!. WESTERN NY's boss Joe Reagan has got a zone defense that my buddy Jimmy Boeheim would love. Jacob deGrom is with a capital A an ace. Chris Sale, David Price and Justin Verlander! That's awesome bay-bee!. He's got the All-Indy Trea Turner. The Rolls Roycer Anthony Rizzo is here! Kiki Hernandez, plays point, plays big, plays area code J, he's the captain of my All-Wacko team..... What do think about this group Christopher?"
Mad-Dog clears his throat and says, "Dickie listen. Last year we got some things said about us. "Never had a pwime" for me and that you, Dickie, were past your pwime. All that because we thought that a team couldn't hit. I'm not mentionin' names but let's be honest here! Listen. What I'm looking at is MLB rule 1.05 "The objective of each team is to win by scoring more runs than the opponent". It's wight there! SCORE WUNS. Not keep wuns from scoring! Score more wuns and jeez I know we all love our teams but no more. OK. I got that off my chest so on to this year. Ottawa no chance with that pitching even with the Othani kid, they're last. Cinci may better this year but still not that good so 4th. Kentucky has pwoblems hitting. Top of lineup good, not good bottom so third place but a meeyon miles ahead of Cinci & Ottawa. I think WNY is pwetty much what we saw last year. Some hitting, not a lot with some really great pitching. I'll just say, let's be honest here, they'll beat Kentucky but got no chance to win this. Way, way back of the 900 lb gorilla, Albuqueen, Albuquick, Howsemen. Every year they score all kinds of wuns. Not so gweat pitching this year but these guys are in a class by themselves. What's your take on that Dickie?". Vitale says, "Bottom line is I like it except I think Kentucky might be better than 3rd."
Dickie on the Allen division. "BURNSVILLE, flat out changed everything this year. I salute Mr Jeschke's attempt to be different. He
screwed up with the Scherzer mess and wants to score more runs. There's something special going on there. He's got lot's of diaper dandees. That Flaherty kid, Danny Jansen & Austin Meadows are on my All-Rip Van Winkle team. The truly remarkable Ozzie Albies. All R&R Javier Baez. He's awesome bay-bee! He can shoot perimeter J's with the best. ETIWANDA and Mr Dowrick has been making moves too. He's still got the blue chippers, Bumgarner and Posey. Those guys are flat out awesome! Walker Buehler is gonna be a star. He's
a Michelangelo bay-bee!. Matt Chapman and Daniel Murphy are on the All-Avis team. Tommy Pham is on my All-Delta team. He can fly bay-bee! KNOB NOSTER is bottom line loaded. Mr Kenny Brand has the big man CC Sabathia making hitting N.C. bay-bee!. Charlie Morton is finally gonna get some Strawberry Shortcake. Matt Carpenter is surf & turf bay-bee! You talk about glass eaters starting with, Mr Jose Ramirez. Flat out awesome bay-bee! Justin Turner is a Maestro with a bat and he's got Mookie Betts too. Whoaa! Whoa! Are you serious?! HE's A STAR! A truly remarkable player! MIAMI BEACH's Joe Skovran has been studying his X's and O's and he has the M&Mer Jose Quintana handlin' the rock. On the All-Windex team is Jesus Aguilar. Jean Segura can shake & bake. You talk about diaper dan-dees, Mr Skovran has a special pair. Miguel Andujar is the Isolation Man. T.O. bay-bee! He's got Ronald Acuna Jr! He's gonna be a star. He's a Rolls Roycer bay-bee!. PORT ST LUCIE's Jason Skovran is the RCMBA diaper dandee and he's looking for some W's bay-bee! He's got the All-Volkswagen Kyle Hendricks and diaper dandee Mike Clevinger can handle the rock too. Mike Moustakas is the big board banger on this team and he's got the Pac Man Jackie Bradley Jr at the top of the zone D. Look at all those pitchers in the pen!..... I look at this group finishing with Etiwanda in 5th. Brick city there with that hitting. Miami Beach needs time with the diaper dandees and lots more pitching. Burnsville is on the move but not this year so third for them. Port St Lucie bottom line is 1,000 bullpen guys & doughnut offense so no chance to stay with Knob Noster. The Dukies, I mean Knuckleheads, crush this division. Christopher what do you see?" Russo says, "Let's be honest Dickie. That is GOOD STUFF" Those Knobbers look good and I don't like that many guys in bullpen. Everybody bumpin into each other".
"In the Caray division I see BENNETT RUN boss Ed Morgans has made changes!. Blake Snell, Wade Miley, Sean Doolittle can handle the rock bay-bee!. Max Muncy's been on the All-Airport team but he's finally getting a chance. Mr J.D. Martinez is flat out, bottom line a big board banger. He's awesome bay-bee! Didi Gregorius can hit trifectas, he's a blue chipper now! HAVRE DE GRACE owner Joe Jutzi has the All-Isolation Gerrit Cole, Nate Eovaldi been MIA & All-Potential in the past but he's an M&Mer now, bargain basement AT&Ter Jose Martinez, Trey Mancini isn't a diaper dan-dee anymore because he's a PTPer now! George Springer is on my All-Rambo team. HOMESTEAD has Roberto Fenili or City Milli as some say, in charge and he has All-Frank Lloyd Wright Corey Kluber with the rock. You need to talk about surf and turf Cookie Carrasco with a capital C. Noah Syndergaard is awesome bay-bee! Blake Treinen is getting my Michelangelo award. T.O.! bay-bee! Freddie Freeman is a Gray and a Rolls Roycer bay-bee! The diaper dan-dee got away from Mr Briggs but I salute Juan Soto. He's gonna be a star! I love em! LAUREL HIGHLANDS owner Mark Gaudiano has, are you serious! It's all one and done here bay-bee! New players again. Jon Gray is all-Volkswagen and on the All-Alcatraz team is Joe Musgrove. The diaper dan-dee Adelberto Mondesi is R&R bay-bee! Rhys Hoskins is new here and he's on my All-Windex team. You talk about truly remarkable players, Bryce Harper is that. He's blue chip bay-bee! He's gpt the moves and the hair! The girls love em! SYRACUSE's Johnny Briggs has Mad Max Scherzer putting the others team hitters on Times Square. I salute Mr Scherzer! He's flat out a star. Trevor Bauer has been on the All-Overrated Team but now he's on my Zone D Team. Christian Yelich has made it to the Rolls Roycer team. He's flat out awesome! T.O.! bay-bee. All-Human Spaceship Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton lurk here! Anthony Rendon is with a capital S, surf & turf. Are you serious? He's got PTPer Manny Machado too and the diaper dan-dee Gleybor Torres."..... I think this bracket has #16 seeds and #1 seeds. Havre de Grace and Laurel Highlands, cream puffs. Homesteads pitching edges out Bennett Run for second and the Blues win it. Christopher what does it look like to you?". Russo says, "Dickie I agree about the, as you call em cream puffs. Neither one has any pitching but they'll get a good dwaft slot. Bennett Run with J.D. Mawtinez is impwessive but not much else goin on around him. Thiwd place and Homestead is second. I feel kinda funny picking Sywacuse but let's be honest. They have better hitting and enough pitching to take it".
Vitale now on the playoffs. "We got Albuquerque, Knob Noster and Syracuse. I got wildcards of Bennett Run, Western NY & Homestead and Albuquerque winning it all. How about you Christopher?. Russo says, "I think Albuqincekey, err ah Albuquickee has some issues with pitching but too many hitters to lose it. Let's get the party started in Ohio!!".
"Well there you have it. I hope you remember this is for fun and I hoping you enjoyed my nonsense. Please enjoy Mr Seitz's wonderful game and I'll see you next year."
YOUR PREDICTIONS/OUTLOOKS
ALB - https://youtu.be/ZRLBbXYWLbs
BEN - “After a series of cataclysmic trades, Bennett Run fans are distrustful of management but the Boilers have brought in a lot of talent in those trades and in the draft. The fans’ frustrations will only be calmed by a postseason run. Playoffs or else.”
CIN - Dickie V never gives me any love. Not sure if I’ll compete for a playoff spot but I think I’ll finish over .500
KNO - The Knuckleheads attempt to return to the postseason could have been hampered by their tumultuous off season. Assistant General Manager Charles "Whammy" Douglas has been suspended for the first 40 games of the season. Douglas was arrested twice this off season once in November for public drunkenness and a second time in January for public urination. Knob Noster, who typically is very active in the trading season, stayed quiet this past winter as Whammy's absence took its toll. A shaky pitching staff could leave them vulnerable but a solid offensive lineup gives them a shot to make the playoffs.
LHI - Flamboyant Laurel Highlands General Manager Maurice J. Minnefield, has improved the culture at Laurel Highlands with the young players that he has acquired in his three off seasons.. In 2018, LH won 66 the most wins since 2006. GM Minnefield feels that the Mustangs will be better on the offensive side of the ball, but starting pitching and the bullpen for the future look bright but will struggle in 2019.. There is optimism in Mustang land, with young players such as Rhys, Hoskins, Adalberto Mondesi Franmil Reyes & Rafael Devers, matched with vets such as Bryce Harper & Starling Marte give the Mustangs, Minnefield & Hurdle hope for 2020 and beyond. 2019 PREDICTION 72 wins, 90 losses, 4th place Caray Division.
MIA - With another good draft and a few good trades the Bears hope to get out of the basement this year with youngster like Acuna and Benintendi leading the way, bad starting pitchers will still place us in the lottery again but the Bears can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
OTT - The Fat Cat fans, still reeling from the crushing WS loss, were disappointed with the GM’s decisions to trade some of the home town fan favourites. The PR to sell the moves as a re-stock not a rebuild has also not gone well. Despite all that there is a glimmer of hope for 2020 and beyond with young sluggers like Realmuto, G Sanchez, Bellinger, Odor, Lindor, Bryant, and Puig. The pitchers - as always - surround Kershaw and recent early round picks Lucchesi and Lauer will count on a lengthy pen as they will be on ad innings restriction to protect those arms. “Hang in there fans” as a bottom half finish will be only a one year thing...
PSL - As the new guy coming into the league I was getting a team that had some good/ bad players and some unknowns on it and after thinking it,I figured I try to go for it and contend my first year and after several trades and the draft I feel I have a team of speed, some power, avg,and pitching to hopefully give me a chance to be a wild card team my first year in the rcmba and starting laying my footprints in this league for many years to come.
SYR - Our GM Catfish Hunter made a couple of significant moves acquiring Scherzer, Machado & Yelich that needless to say help fix some big holes and keep pace with Homestead & Bennett Run. Adding them to our returning group have our fans really excited plus we get to sprinkle in some kids like Torres & Leclerc looking to prove they belong. I know we aren’t going to hit 300 homers again but I’m hoping this team can give us a chance to continue our annual berth in the playoffs
WNY - The 2019 WNY North Stars put on their new colors and logo with high hopes to get over the hump and finally bring home an RCMBA Title. The main reason for the optimsm is "The Big Three" atop the rotation-DeGrom, Verlander, and Sale. David Price is a heckuva 4th starter, Jon Lester rounds out starting five. Closer Edwin Diaz and 8th inning guy Ryan Pressly lead a solid bullpen into the season. Pitching-check! The offense begins with a good pair of table setters in newly minted lead off guy Andrew McCutchen and speedster Trea Turner. The majors most underrated hitter, Michael Brantley, hits 3rd, followed by consistent slugger Nellie Cruz and Cubs 1st sacker Anthony Rizzo. Commitees in LF (Conforto/Cespedes/Cave) and at 3b (Kiki and Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre) should put up solid numbers in the 6 and 7 spots, with one of the better 2b in Jed Lowrie in the 8 hole and Sal Perez providing pop and defense behind the plate and batting 9th. The defense is fielding one regardless of platoon starters. It should be a great battle with the Albuquerque All Star lineup, but come playoff time we hope that the APBA gods favor pitching this season.
... IMPORTANT DATES ...
- Aug 1-3: In season trade window
- Oct 1: Playoffs begin
THE SHOW
Adrian Beltre and Bartolo Colon were the last players left who had played in the 20th century... The August 31st waiver trade deadline is gone... All-Star showdown voting is here... Home Run Derby top prize is now $1,000,000... The Disabled List is history. It's now the Injured List and it's back to 15 days...
The 150 logo you'll see this in MLB games is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings and the NABBP (Nat'l Assoc of Base Ball Players) allowing professional players. The professional Cincinnati Red Stockings played their first game May 4, 1869, with a 45–9 win over the Great Westerns of Cincinnati. The team won 57 games and lost zero, counting only matches with Association clubs and including others 67-0.
What's going to happen in the Show this year? I've got the scoop right here. Tell everyone you got it here first
ALE: Too many things went the Red Sox way last year. That won't happen again. (1) NYY - (2) Bsx - (3) Tam - (4) Tor (5) Bal
ALC: The Indians continue to rule this party but Twins give them a fight. (1) Clv - (2) Minn - (3) Csx - (4) KC - (5) Det
ALW: Houston has this one in the bag by end of the first week in April. (1) Hou - (2) Oak - (3) LAA - (4) Sea - (5) Tex
AL WC: Boston easily in this slot and Minnesota sneaks in
NLE: Phillies and Nationals battle it out right to the last game of year. (1) Phi - (2) Was - (3) Atl - (4) NYM - (5) Mia
NLC: This one might go four deep but eventually goes to Milwaukee. (1) Mlw (2) StL - (3) ChC - (4) Cin - (5) Pit
NLW: Dodgers keep their thumb on the scales and nail it down early. (1) LAD - (2) Col - (3) SD - (4) Arz - (5) SF
NL WC: Washington edges out the NLC group along with St Louis
The AL pennant goes to the Yankees.
The NL pennant goes to Washington
The World Series goes to... really? Haven't you learned this routine by now? The Yankees have one at least one title in every decade since 1920. This is their last shot at it this decade and it's a success. "Start spreadin' the news, I'm leavin' today... I want to be a part of it, New York, New York".