West Division Preview

This division is pretty much a total makeover from previous seasons and includes one new owner, Joshua, of the Arizona Desert Swarm. First I'd like to say good luck to all the new owners this year. Each came in with varying approaches to setting up their new squads based on existing players that they may or may not have wanted. To Joshua I say good luck since I don't see his Desert Squad team faring too well in this division, this year.

Within each division I broke it down based on hitting/pitching/bench. This division breaks down like this, IMHO.

Offense...

1. Julian-Zimmermann, McCutchen, Choo lead a very balanced squad. I like this offense a lot.
2. Springfield-Rollins, Morneau, Uggla. Very nice group. Health of course is an issue but with these predictions I will assume all will be ok.
3. North Texas-This will be a team I watch closely all season. While others strive for balance, Adrian has approached this from the point of view of having some great players, Teixeira, Wright, Hamilton and filling in the rest with lower end or end of career players. I look forward to seeing how this plays out.
4. Arizona-Longoria, Pence, Kemp. Pretty solid. But when compared to the other teams here it just doesn't hold up, not when it looks like Matt Joyce could be a full time OF.

Pitching...

1. Springfield-Sabathia, Liriano, Marmol lead a good if unspectacular staff. They do edge out North Texas for best in the division.
2. North Texas-Hernandez, Hanson, Feliz is another solid core. If Feliz becomes a starter (I hope not) his RP staff will take a huge hit. As it stands now his only reserve is Brandon Webb. I'd look to add a couple of pitchers with his two open roster spots.
3. Julian-Weaver and Gallardo head up this stafff. With no closer currently his starters and relievers will have to put on their big boy pants and really perform. It appears as though they are in a good division to do that.
4. Arizona-Is there a pattern forming here? I actually like the starters quite a bit, Cain, Carpenter, Buchholz. It's the RP corp that falls a little flat to me. Nunez, Gregg are good but after that big ???

Bench...

This is where many changes will occur all year long...but right now...

1. Springfield-Solid OF and SP depth here.
2. North Texas-Backups for all offense positions. No pitching depth.
3. Julian-Belt will be good, just not this year. Another team with a roster spot open. May want another RP here.
4. Arizona-Way too many MI here. I know he has his reasons, I just don't see it.

Preseason Division All-Star Team. Extras in a position occurred if they were too close to seperate. Five OF will be listed along with five SP and five RP.

C-Buster Posey
1B-Mark Teixeira
2B-Dan Uggla
3B-Evan Longoria, David Wright
SS-Jimmy Rollins
OF-Hunter Pence, Matt Kemp, Shin-Soo Choo, Andrew McCutchen, Josh Hamilton
SP-Matt Cain, CC Sabathia, Francisco Liriano, Jered Weaver, Tommy Hanson, Felix Hernandez
RP-Leo Nunez, Kevin Gregg, Carlos Marmol, Hong Chih Kuo, Neftali Feliz

Preseason All-Stars by team

North Texas-8
Arizona-6
Springfield-5
Julian-3

Predicted order of finish...

1-Springfield
2-North Texas
3-Julian
4-Arizona

Next up...

GREAT LAKES DIVISION