Lead Up to the Winter Meetings

In 2013 the Michigan Miracles went all in while trying to go back to back in the eMLB.   Obviously we fell short.  It happens.  In doing so we did sell off quite a bit in order to give it a go and 2014 looks to be a semi rebuilding year.  The Miracles have a solid OF going into 2014 with Carlos Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton and Michael Cuddyer in the fold.  SP will be headed by Matt Latos but beyond that the Miracles will be looking to the trade market and will have to make some quality picks in the draft in order to get back to the top of not only the Texas Division (strongest in eMLB by far) but the eMLB as a whole.  On the trade market from the outset will be solid OF's Dyan Viciedo for the White Sox along with Nick Markakis of the Orioles.  The Miracles will be drafting in the back half of the rounds and may look to trade down or completely out of the first round depending on what additional picks could be acquired.  If the pick is kept,  middle infield would have to be given strong consideration.. more to come

Week Two Recap

Taking a look at the season schedule GM Chris Renner knew that one of the toughest stretches of the Miracles schedule was at the very beginning of the season.  The first six weeks looked very difficult with the Miracles facing Gaylord, Flying Squirrels, Hackensack and South Texas.  That is a big hill to climb early in the season, Renner was quoted back in March.  Now the two easier weeks have turned into very tough matches as well.  Atlantic and Charlotte are off to outstanding starts to the season and the Miracles find themselves with an even tougher row to hoe.  Currently ranked #5 in eMLB the Atlantic Surge come to town in what should be a very entertaining match.  Best of luck to both teams.

Pitchfork of the week goes to Matt Joyce.  An .077 average and 0's across the board forced manager Renner to put Joyce on the bench.  He will be replaced by another slow starter in David Murphy.  As the Texas weather heats up so will Murphy.  Todd Frazier had as poor a week in week 2 as he had a good one in week one.  Frazier will be give a bit more rope and will find himself in the Miracle OF starting in week four as Chase Headley looks to come off the DL and man 3B once again.

Halo of the week goes to Paul Maholm who posted 2 wins, 14 strikeouts an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.61.  The Atlanta Braves starter has had a spectacular beginning to 2013 and while he isn't the biggest name out there the Miracles always seem to find their fair share of quality pitchers and 2013 looks to be no different.

After Week Two

Miracles     10-14     4.5 GB

Next Up...Atlantic Surge who are off to an excellent start to the 2013 season.  This will be a difficult task for the Miracles but GM/Manager Chris Renner likes the matchup and predicts that after three weeks the Miracles will find themselves back at the .500 mark.  Note to GM Sankey...that mean we will have the same number of wins as losses. 

Prediction  Miracles 8-4

Week One Recap

After Cabrera "Stood there like a house by the side of the road and watched that one go by" it seemed like forever before the start of the new season.  Defending my championship will be a battle all year long and week one was a tough one for the Miracle faithful.  With high hopes going in, the offense performed well and the pitching laid a huge egg, especially our "ace" RA Dickey.  We expected a regression for Dickey in 2013 but didn't expect a regression to 2009.  It's only one week but it was enough to give him a week off.  The week off was because I felt we had better match ups elsewhere.  I'm sure he will be right back in the mix in week 3. 

Pitchfork of the week goes to Dickey.  He had a bad start and followed it up with a horrible one.  Boston had plated 5 runs before he even recorded an out.  Enough said.  Honorable mention here goes to Neil Walker.  3 walks and an average of .100 will have to improve in order to stay in the Miracle lineup.  Walker is a manager favorite so he will be given a pretty long leash...stay tuned.

Halo of the week goes to Todd Frazier.  Excellent week with 3 HR's, 9 RBI, 5 Runs, 2 Walks and he chipped in the only Miracle SB of the week.  He will continue to be in the lineup throughout the season even after Headly comes off the DL.  He is also 1B/OF eligible so he is a very valuable chip.  Honorable mention goes to Goldschmidt, CarGo and Cuddyer along with Pettitte, Griffin, and Detwiler who all had excellent outings.

After Week One

Miracles   4-8   5.5 GB

Next up...Flying Squirrels who also had a rough week one and lost Freeman to injury.  Freeman killed the Miracles in 2012 so no tears being shed here.  Should be a good match up of two strong preseason teams.   Go Miracles

Miracle Power Rankings 1/2

These final two teams are without a doubt, in this journalist's opinion, not only the cream of the crop in 2013 eMLB but they are far and away the best two teams.  It will be a joy to see them battle it out three times this year and also to see how the Javelina fare against them as well.  It will be those match ups that determine if Jamie's squad slides into that 5 or 6 spot in the playoffs.  Good Luck in the West.

#2---Flying Squirrels of Springfield

Strengths--Avg/HR/RBI/R/ERA/K/Wins
Weaknesses--SB/Saves

Adam has put together an extremely talented group for 2013.  His only weaknesses this preseason are SB and Saves and those are the two categories that are very easily adjustable throughout the season.  Well done Adam.  Five 20+ HR guys and a pair of 30+ HR guys anchor a solid offense.  My only question is can several players like Moose, Pence, Willingham, Konerko,  Jeter continue to either improve or keep father time from catching up with them.  Will Trout get better or will there be a regression?  This spring he looks like he should be playing TE for the Chargers not roaming the OF in Mickey's backyard.  If I was a switch hitter (like Berg) I would have my eye on Trout.  On the pitching side bounce backs from Haren and Halladay are a must.  Wainwright and King Felix anchor a solid staff and Minor is an up and comer for sure.  Saves are a bit sketchy with only Grilli and he is pretty long in the tooth.  Can he hold up all season?  A bounce back from Soria would be nice and I do have to say....Bell and Valverde....WTF.   I'd rather see Sankey and Femmel in your bullpen instead of these two stiffs.  MRP is hardly an area to be too concerned about.  There were just too many ifs and I hopes for this team to take down the eventual West Champion and my pre season favorite for the 2013 eMLB title who is.....drum roll please

#1---North Texas Rangers

Strengths--Avg/R/SB/Holds/WHIP/Wins
Weaknesses--NONE

By far the most well balanced team in the league this year.  Perhaps this was the year that Adrian decided that although it was fun to root for a team with mostly Rangers it didn't turn out too well in the standings.  He did go out on a limb and take Profar, who I'm sure he will probably give a three year contract to but for the most part he avoided Rangers, probably since there were not a lot to get too excited about this year.  On offense he doesn't have the elite power like he once did but 6 guys who will hit 20+ HR's isn't a bad start.  Lot's of speed and that's with Cabrera on the bench.  Bench is a little thin currently with three rookies sitting there.  Won't contract them all so adjustments can be made.  On the pitching side six 10+ wins anchored by Jared Weaver.  Solid start.  Excellent holds guys and saves could be a bit thin but again, those can be found along the way.  Not many teams have seven starters with 150+ K potential along with three guys who will drive in 100+ runs.  This is the team that I will be shipping the Championship Trophy to at the end of the year.  Great team Adrian and good luck.

Miracle Power Rankings 3/4

I'm down to my final two posts.  The two teams slotted in here were tied for third so again the tiebreak went to the team that will win it's division.

#4---Julian Javelina

Strengths--ERA/WHIP
Weaknesses--K's

Although Jamie's team does not turn in many really high rankings he has outstanding balance throughout his team, especially on offense.  Five guys will go yard 20+ times and Bautista will probably reach the seats 40 times as well.  Pena will probably chip in 20 but will have a difficult time getting off the pine as long as he finds it hard to get up to a 200 average.  There is very little not to like about this offense other than perhaps the bench is a little thin.  The only other downside it the division he plays in.  Other than Arizona this division is stacked.  On the pitching side six starters will get 10+ wins anchored by the great, opps, the GREAT Justin Verlander.  His value simply cannot be overstated.  CJ Wilson is the only other starter with high K potential but the others are ok at around 6 per 9.  The relievers are good although the saves may be dicey with League, Pestano (at least for awhile) and Mo, provided he retains his old form and there really isn't any reason not to believe he can.  Jamie may have to get some saves later in the year.  This could be the second year in a row that one division places 3 teams in the Championship Playoffs.  It will be tough but it could happen.  That sixth team will certainly not come from the East or Great Lakes division contrary to what some may think.

#3--Gaylord Dingers

Strengths--BB/HR/RBI/R/Saves
Weaknesses--SB/Holds

Being in the Great Lakes Division will certainly be of benefit (again) to Mike (the gay lord) Wagner.  Always wondered where that team name came from, now we know.  Like several other teams the offense is loaded for bear. Six 20+ HR guys and a couple more will chip in 30+ IMO.  Ortiz is an early question mark for this team.  The big man may be hobbled for quite some time and that would hurt the Dingers.  In this division it won't hurt as much though.  Other than Upton there is very little speed on the roster that will play much.  almost certainly will be punting this category each week.  On the pitching side he may be in the same boat with holds.  Very few with solid holds among their track record but holds are pretty fickle from year to year so you never know.  Three solid 10+ winners and very good K potential along with some other solid starters.  If Buckholz and Garza can return to form this staff goes from good to very good.  The only downside is having two Cub starters.  Will diminish their value for sure.  They would look better if we had QS, but I digress.  That's a topic for next winter...again.  The division will be wrapped up soon after the All Star break and once again Mike will cruise into the playoffs.

Miracle Power Rankings 5/6

Now we get down to the heart of the matter...potential Championship Playoff teams.  Spots 3-8 are all damn close which tells me that this season is shaping up to be one for the ages.  Checking in at

#6---Dallas Redbirds

Strengths--SB/WHIP
Weaknesses--HR/RBI

One of the most maligned managers in eMLB history is about to field one of his stronger teams in recent history.  The question is and always has been, will this be the year that Steve puts on his big boy pants and makes that trade or two at the deadline to get his team over the top or will it be business as usual?  Already losing Tex appears to hurt but I think that Jones will have numbers just about equal to Tex's.  So I don't think it hurts all that much.  Just shortens his bench a bit.  Certainly nobody knows why he drafted so much speed throughout the draft since you can only win a  category once per week but it is what it is.  He will have a difficult time trading speed for power which is where he is deficient.  Really only two guys with 20+ HR potential now that Tex is laid up for awhile.  He will probably be a third once he returns.  As usual the Redbirds strength is in his pitching.  A solid relief corp is flanked by Cain, Bumgarner, and Hellickson who should all win 10 or more but he has another half dozen that could close in on 10 wins as well.  It helps that he is in the East where the competition is not as hazardous as in a couple of the other divisions.  Overall with the exception of power he has a well balanced team. 

#5--Michigan Miracles

Strengths--ERA/Saves/WHIP
Weaknesses--NONE

The Miracles are #5 in the rankings but I know we are #1 in your hearts.  I went with a slightly different approach last year in my draft and it turned into my first championship.  This year I tried to follow roughly the same script and was overall very happy with the outcome.  I always try to field a well balanced team and this one will be no exception.  Early moves were done in order to move up and draft Carlos Gonzalez since OF was by far my weakest area pre draft.  I have six starters on offense who should hit 20+ HR and the rest should go 10 or more.  Very good but no huge guns.  On the pitching side I'm very happy with my closers and MRP's.  Very good up and down the list.  RA Dickey leads my starters and I should have six with 10 or more wins.  Most all should have very good ERA's and WHIPs. and three of them should have 175+ K's.  Now all we have to do is get the games started.  If everything works as planned I will be in a trading mood at the deadline in order to shoot for back to back titles.

Miracle Power Rankings 7/8

Now we move to the upper half of the teams which at this point seem destined for excellent seasons. I actually had a tie for 6th place so to break the tie I gave a tiebreak vote to the team that would be winning their division, at least IMHO.  Slotted in at

#8--Hackensack Bulls

Strengths-- Avg/K's/Wins
Weaknesses--BB

Across the board the Bulls look very solid.  If they can dodge the injury bug that plagued them last year it just might be their year.  Curtis Granderson has already become their first casualty and Ben has to be wondering if his team is simply snake bitten.  With Grandy out for a stretch they can't afford to lose many more offensive players.  The big question is can Carl Crawford actually play?  Castro has had early hammy issues and someone explain to me why any pitcher would even give Stanton a decent pitch to hit this year.  All that being said they field 4 guys with 25+ HR power and Stanton probably pushes the mid 40's.  Solid speed with Altuve/Castro/Ichiro and a good bench.  The only big question for me on offense is Youk.  He is a shadow of his former self but the Bulls sure need him.  Over on the pitching side what else can you say except WOW!!  Decent MRP, nothing spectacular, good closers with Motte/Johnson bringing in around 70 saves between them.  With the Bulls it's all about the starters.  6 guys will win 10 plus game and Strasburg, Darvish, and Lincecum will probably exceed 200 K's each.  The biggest problem for this team is it resides in the Texas Division.  Always a tall order.  IF everything goes right this team could easily walk away with the Division Title.  Gotta stay off the DL though.  That's the key for each team in this division.

#7--South Texas Heat

Strengths--BB/HR/RBI/Saves
Weaknesses--Avg/Wins

In typical Berg fashion he has put together a team with a low batting average, lots of power, lots of walks and address the pitching later.  It seems like every year he does the same thing and every year he comes up short.  Could this be the year?  Sure, why not.  Big time power everywhere you look.  7 guys sure to go yard 20+ times and another 5 could go 15 or more.  Gardner and Kipnis take care of steals with JHay chipping in a few.  Very little not to like about this offense, that's for sure.  On the pitching side, if Madson comes around and closes his save totals will be elite.  I think Madson will probably get as many holds this year as saves as they ease him back into that roll.  That's not a bad thing on this team.  Robertson and Crow are solid MRP and others can be picked up as the need arises throughout the year.  The key is the starters, specifically Sale and Moore.  I think Moore will have a nice bounce back season getting 12 or so wins with lots of K's.  Sale I'm simply not sold on this year.  If he stays off the DL he will be the ace of this staff.  For Steve's title hopes, that must happen.  the rest of his starters are fairly pedestrian.  If Burnett can repeat 2012 that would be a big boost.  Lots of K's from him as well.  Like with the Bulls if all the pieces fall his way the Heat will take the division.

Miracle Power Rankings 9/10

This segment will finish off the teams I believe will end up in the bottom half of the league.  Last years projections were pretty darn good, if I say so myself so here we go...

#10---San Antonio Fire Ants

Strengths--BB/HR/RBI/R/Holds
Weaknesses--SB/ERA/K's/WHIP/W

While everyone kept applauding Keith's draft, which at the time I thought was pretty good myself, when I take a closer look my only thought is...does Keith know there are 12 categories.  Many weeks he will destroy his opponent in his strength categories but if his hitters take a week off his stats may look a little like Berg (fugly).  If chicks dig the long ball (another reference to Berg) then the Fire Ants are the team for them.  Five guys with 20+ homers and somewhere between 2 and 4 of them will probably go yard 30+ times.  This of course is not the problem with this team.  The problem is, can Sankey address his weak categories during the season enough to climb up the ladder in the Texas Division.  You can be assured that the teams above him will be doing exactly that.  But let's see...Braun, Napoli, Hamilton, Panda, Zobrist.  Wow, imagine if Alvarez could hit Pandas weight and if Melky can come back?  This offense will be off the charts good.  Now...turn the page to the pitching.  While it's true that you can draft good pitching late and can scour the WW during the season, neither of these is Keith's strength.  He has three hopeful 10+ game winners in Miley, Parker and dare I say Porcello??  His ERA and WHIP across the board is bad.  I really like his closer Wilhelmsen but what is the use of having only one.  His other MRP's could vulture a few saves but the strength here is Holds.  I would trade the closer and punt the category if I were him or hang on and maybe and injury occurs and one of his other guys becomes a closer.  That happens quite a bit throughout the year.  He does have some innings eaters but that is the only upside to the staff.  For this team to turn the corner of 2012 he will have to sweep offense most weeks and hope for the best from his pitching.

#9---Toledo Mud Hens

Strengths--Avg/SB/ERA/K's
Weaknesses--BB's/HR/RBI/R

2013 ushers in the Mud Hen era in eMLB.  Welcome again to the league Brent.  The first year or two  always has a sharp learning curve but you are picking it up pretty quick.  Brent inherited a pretty good team especially on the pitching side with Lee, Gio and Kershaw.  No worries there.  Moved up to draft Posey, which at the time I think was a bit of a jab at yours truly, but it worked out best for both teams.  He got the NL MVP and I got the player I coveted as well.  Things always have a way of working out.  The downside to this team is passing over quality veterans in favor of unproven rookies.  There are simply too many of them.  If we could keep players forever, that would be one thing but what will he do with Hamilton, Myers, Gyorko, Olt, Rutledge, Castillo, Rondon, Bauer?  He can't contract them all, or can he???  He still has the players to makes some moves but after the rocky introduction he received, will he?  The possibility is there to perhaps challenge the Redbirds in the East but many of the rookies would have to get out of the minors and start to rake early and often.  As it stands now the power is non existent beyond Pujol/Posey.  The PP boys.  Lots of SB's and a very good big 3 starting  pitchers but after that, ugh....Decent Holds guys and only one closer.  Rondon may or may not take that step into the Tiger closer role, but it may not happen right away.  Brent is going to figure out that you can't have so many players on your roster that are not helping at all.  He has no margin of error on offense since there is really no bench to speak of.  I do like Homer Bailey to continue his late season surge from last year and perhaps join the ranks of top quality pitchers and Smyly could surprise as well.  Some moves will have to be made, it's just a matter of when that happens.  Wait too long and he could drop further in the rankings by the end of the season.  Time will tell.

Miracle Power Rankings 11/12

Today I'll identify my last lottery team and the second team to join Oviedo in the Consolation Playoffs.

#12---Charlotte Orios

Strengths--Walks
Weaknesses--ERA/Holds/K's/WHIP

Anytime you have Miguel Cabrera on your team your offense is going to be pretty good.  Chris has assembled an excellent offensive team.  Cabrera and Davis could both hit 30+ HR with Cespedes and Harper chipping in with 25+ as well.  Good speed with Maybin, Harper and Eaton should all get 20+ SB's.  Some decent power and speed are on the bench as well.  The problem with this team I believe is on the pitching staff.  While four or five starters could garner 10+ wins the ERA and WHIP will leave something to be desired.  Question marks all over here with Dempster/Johnson/Lester and newcomer Ryu.  A lot has to break his way for this team to escape another trip to the lottery.  I don't believe it will happen.  Although Charlotte/Oviedo/Arizona are all very close in my rankings I give the edge to the Knights in missing the lottery on shear determination alone.

#11---Mid-Michigan Tigers

Strengths--Wins
Weaknesses--Avg/Holds

Top to bottom this team is a good size jump above the three teams below it.  It's the first team I have previewed that has balance across the board.  He should field 6 guys with 20+ homer potential with Bruce going over 30.  Good start.  Butler and Bruce should go over 100 RBI's as well.  The downer on this team, IMO, is Hanley Ramirez.  I don't see a big rebound for him.  I'm not a fan.  Decent speed with DeAza and HanRam swiping 20 bags but the interesting player may become Darin Mastroianni.  Well over 30 SB's is possible here.  Five starters project to win 10 or more games and Chapman, Scherzer and Sanchez could all fan 180 or more.  Buehrle and Hudson round out a solid starting staff.  The weakness will be the bullpen with Perez already injured and Francisco is no ones favorite and may not get the saves in NY.  A second place finish in the Great Lakes Division is probable but many things, like retooling the bullpen, would have to break his way in order to catch the Dingers. 

Miracle Power Rankings 13/14

The next three teams in my rankings are all very close to each other.  One of the teams listed today is obviously in the bottom 4 but I don't see them in the lottery.  Checking in at

#14---Arizona Desert Swarm

Strengths--Saves
Weaknesses--HR/RBI/Runs/Holds/WHIP

Price Wright and Kimbrel were certainly solid additions to the Swarm lineup and will be great contracts heading forward.  I like Cueto and thing Romero has a nice bounce back season ahead of him.  Beltran is real good when playing but I think Rios may have shot his wad (don't get excited Berg, just a figure of speech) last season so I see regression there.  I really like the Carter pick.  Josh happened to be in the right place at the right time to snag him after the trade...and Simmons could be a star in the making.  I really like this team moving forward just not this season.  Swarm contracts will be very interesting to see who gets what.  Only three guys with 20+ HR power although Longoria could exceed 30 and Carter could as well, huge power there but will the Swarm put him out there with his 240 average?  Longo will probably reach the 100 RBI plateau but will be the only one.  On the pitching side I see 3 10+ winners along with 1 great closer and two good ones.  Fujikawa should close in Chicago and we will see about Broxton.  Weave his way through this year and 2014 looks really good especially if Josh ends up in the lottery again which is where I foresee him.

#13---Oviedo Knights

Strengths--SB/Holds
Weaknesses--K's/Saves/Wins

I can just see Mike getting wound up like a clock reading this but it is what it is.  Being as active as he is will allow the Knights to not be in the lottery...but this team is not nearly as good as he thinks it is, at least right now.  Last year he got a major bump from the fact that his division was so bad.  Out of his division he got his ass handed to him most weeks.  But that was last year.  This year--I've never been a fan of E5 but his numbers last year were off the chart and I still see solid numbers for him this year.  30+ HR and 100 RBI should be in the cards for him.  Reynolds and Gomez will drag his average down as will Maxwell and Machado when/if they are in the lineup.  Lots of speed with 4 guy getting 20+ SB's.  Crisp probably grabs 40 or so on his own.  5 guys getting 20 or more HR's along with some solid power on the bench.  McCutchen is the star here and the offense is middle of the road in most categories.  On the pitching side is where I believe the Knights fall short.  Perkins gets 20+ saves and is underrated as a closer.  Anderson and Hamels get him 10+ wins but that's it.  Hamels probably fans 200 or so but none of the others even approach 150.  Ogando could nab 10 wins or so and will be in the starting lineup most of the time.  MRP is a strength of this team.  I really like Henderson and Burton.  We will see how long Marmol is on this team if he doesn't close somewhere.  Please Detroit, do not trade for this guy.

Miracle Power Rankings 15/16

In the first installment of my power rankings I examine two of the teams that I believe currently will be in the Lottery next season.

#16---Atlantic Surge

Strengths--Holds
Weaknesses--Avg/BB/HR/RBI/R/ERA/Saves/WHIP/Wins

This team without a doubt is at the bottom but has no place to go but up.  It just won't be this year.  First round picks of Jackson and Middlebrooks I was not a fan of but will get contracted for sure.  Second round picks of Harvey and Hunter were also question marks for me.  At least this early on.  This team will be OK in Holds simply because they don't have any solid Saves guys.  Cishek is the only option to close but it's on a bad Miami team and who knows how that will play out.  The best news is Atlantic will still have their 5 year contract open for 2014 and they can fill it with a real impact player, assuming they don't trade the pick away.  Votto, Longoria, Strasburg or Pujols could really help this team in the future.  I see potentially only three 20+ HR guys and nobody near 100 ribeyes and only possibly 3 guys who may steal 10+ bags.  Dyson may be nice trade bait for someone looking for cheap steals late in the year but even he won't crack this lineup most weeks.  On the pitching side you have Greinke winning more than 10 games and a future star in Harvey and the rest is pretty forgettable.  Long year for sure in the North East US of A.

#15---Olivet Killer Eagles

Strengths--K's
Weaknesses--Avg/BB/RBI/R/SB/ERA/Saves

Olivet sold out last year to try and win it all and came up just a bit short.  Starting with a pretty blank canvas Larry did a decent job of beginning the rebuilding process.  Picking up Lawrie and Young will help beyond 2013 and some potential good contracts like Perez will help the process along.  It seems like his trades had a focus on the future but some of his picks didn't.  I really don't like the Uggla pick but does give power at 2B and everyone seems to lust after that in this league.  Can Reddick repeat?  Rumor has it LaRoche has contacted former manager Renner and begged him to trade for him so he could return to a winning team and Chris Young has not cleared out his locker in South Texas.  He still can't believe where he is going to have to play this year.  The starting pitching is thin at best with Gallardo the only starter who will break 10 wins and he may trot out 6 or 7 of them each week to try and capture wins and K's.  Holds are OK but saves are non existent.  I'm sure that was by design.  5 potential 20+ HR guys and 3 10+ steal guys leaves you with little hope for 2013 but brighter days are ahead for this team.

A LOOK BACK

Before I roll out my preseason predictions for 2013, let's take a look back on my success rate from 2012

Power Rankings

16.  Charlotte...ended up...16...good start

15.  Mid-Michigan...ended up...10...not bad

14.  Flying Squirrels...ended up...3...way off...great job squirrels

13.  San Antonio...ended up...13...ding ding ding

12.  Atlantic...ended up...8...not bad

11.  North Texas...ended up...14...still ok so far, 5 out of 6 pretty good.

10.  Dallas...ended up...11...I'm still chugging along.

9.   Julian...ended up...15...must have been the sell off.

8.   Gaylord...ended up...7...call me Karnac.

7.   Oviedo...ended up...4...nine match ups with division opponents sure helped here.

6.   Olivet...ended up...2...congrats again Larry.

5.   Hackensack...ended up...5...damn I'm good.  No injuries he would have been better.

4.   Arizona...ended up...9...had a tough time in the West last year.

3.   Michigan...ended up...#1 BABY...Hail to the Victors!!!

2.   Rochester...ended up...12...this team fell apart but allowed us to welcome in Brent.

1.   South Texas...ended up...6...never seems to live up to expectations.


With the exception of Squirrels and Arizona and the abortion called Rochester (who nobody picked to implode) I think I did pretty good for an old man.  Don't mess with the man with the AARP card.  Be good to see if this year I do as well.

Division Preview 4

Did I save the best for last?  Do you really have to ask.  Without a doubt the Texas Division, top to bottom, will be the strongest division in 2013 eMLB.  Any of the four teams here would challenge for the division title in all but probably the West division this year.  In reality any of the four teams could win the division and any of the four teams could end up in last place.  But even in last place the worst that will happen is a Consolation Playoff slot.  Last but certainly not least...

1...Michigan Miracles--To be the man you have to beat the man.  The defending champion Miracles deserve this spot, preseason anyway and it isn't a stretch to see them end up here at the end of the season.  Another balanced offense and solid pitching was the Miracle Cure last year and we'll see if it works again in 2013.  Prediction--Championship Playoffs

2...Hackensack Bulls--Injuries killed Ben last year but the Miracles had their share and overcame them.  Things have already started sketchy for the Bulls but I think they will pull it together and slide into the playoffs along with the Miracles.  Prediction--Championship Playoffs

3...South Texas Heat--every year the story begins the same for our beloved commissioner Steve.  I always begins....will this finally be the year?  Some would say that he continues to build the same kind of team that continually falls short each year.  Some would say he is too inflexible when it comes to trading.  At some point we are going to have to say Congratulations.  Is this the year?  Prediction--Consolation Playoffs

4...San Antonio Fire Ants--Can Keith climb the ladder to the top of the division?  It is very possible.  A very good draft and solid returning vets make the present and future much brighter than it has been in recent history in SA.  More that any other division the difference from top to bottom will be injuries and week to week work.  Of all the predictions this division was the most difficult.  Prediction--Consolation Playoffs

Tomorrow begins my Power Rankings beginning with 15/16.  Good luck this year to all and stay tuned.

Division Preview 3

This preview takes a brief glance at the West Division.  I believe while it may not be the most balanced team in the league it does have three of the strongest teams, at least pre-season.  Heading up that list is...

1...North Texas--Adrian has assembled a tremendous team this season and it will be his best chance to win it all in a long time.  Outstanding offense all around and above average pitching.  If he makes whatever moves he needs at the deadline this may be a championship team in 2013.  Prediction--Championship Playoffs

2...Flying Squirrels--The matchup of the week every time he plays North Texas.  The Squirrels are very very good as well.  Adam is in it to win it, for sure this year.  Great offense and great pitching equal a great year in Springfield.  Prediction--Championship Playoffs

3...Julian Javelina--A step below the top two teams is the Javelina.  Jamie is saying to himself, "if only I was in the GLD".  But he isn't and third place is where he will end up.  solid O and pretty good pitching.  A great top three in this division for sure.  Prediction--Consolation Playoffs

4...Arizona--Josh drafted solid early on and it will be interesting to see his contract selections.  This will probably be a long year but as history has shown anything can happen and usually does.  Prediction--Lottery

Division Preview 2

This installment we take a brief look at the Great Lakes Division.  My expectation is this will be in the bag for Mike's Dinger squad by the All-Star break.  Expect trade offers from Chris starting about that time as he looks forward to 2014.  Taking out Gaylord and we have 3 of the 6 lowest ranking teams on my list.  Here we go...

1...Gaylord--the gap between first and second place in this division will be greater than the gap between first and last place in the Texas Division.  That's how balanced the Texas Division and how bad the rest of Gaylords division is.  Prediction--Championship Playoffs

2...Mid-Michigan--Keith has some decent parts here.  Having him in second place  was a bit of a stretch considering how active he is during the season but the other two teams at least this year are just not real good.  I'd like to see the team if Keith was really able to put his heart and soul into it.  Prediction--Consolation Playoffs

3...Charlotte--on the plus side Chris does have Cabrera.  The question becomes how long will he have him?  Lots of decent parts but overall nothing to get too excited about.  Prediction--Lottery

4...Olivet--selling out to try and win last year left the cupboards bare for Larry.  Has done a nice job of starting over but this will be a long seaon in Olivet.  Prediction--Lottery

Division Preview 1

My division previews will be very simple.  Extended previews of each team will follow the division previews.  First up...EAST Division.

1...Dallas Redbirds--this division is Steve's to lose.  If this is the year he makes the moves at the deadline he should walk away with this division.  Prediction--Championship Playoffs

2...Toledo Mud Hens--already the new owner has taken the heat and is still standing...shrugging off initial difficulties will allow him to focus on his team which isn't bad.  A strong returning core and some good draft picks will allow Brent to finish in second place if he learns from the past and makes shrewd pickups during the season.  Prediction--Consolation Playoffs

3...Oviedo Knights--never lacking in confidence Mike believe this will be yet another championship team at the end of the year.  I fail to see it although at my advanced age my vision is going.  What helps him is he is in by far the weakest division and he will constantly be on the lookout for pickups and trade possibilities.  Regardless he will fall short of Dallas.  Prediction--Consolation Playoffs

4...Atlantic Surge--Matt had an uphill battle with his draft and had to be looking toward 2014.  With good contract selection and solid extensions 2014 could look bright considering...  Prediction--Lottery

Early Starting Lineup Preview

After only 10 rounds the Defending Champion Michigan Miracles have their starting lineup pretty well set.  While we still have 7 roster spots open we project those additions to be backups at several positions and some SP's to give someone like Pettitte a day or week off.  This is how it shapes up....

C---Alex Avila
1B--Paul Goldschmidt  3/2014
2B--Neil Walker  3/2015
3B--Chase Headley  2/2013
SS--Ian Desmond  2/2013
OF--Carlos Gonzalez  5/2017
OF--Nick Markakis  2/2014
OF--Michael Cuddyer
OF--David Murphy
UTL-Todd Frazier  3/2015

SP--R.A. Dickey  2/2013
SP--Mat Latos  3/2013
SP--Marcos Estrada
SP--A.J. Griffen  2/2013
SP--Andy Pettitte

RP--Jonathan Papelbon  2/2013
RP--Huston Street
RP--Grant Balfour
RP--Drew Storen  2/21013
RP--Joaquin Benoit

Bench-Jeff Francour  2/2013
Bench-Emilio Bonafacio
Bench-Cory Luebke  2/2013


Signing 5 players will give us 2 extensions and those would currently go to Mat Latos and Jonathan Papelbon which would give us 8 players under contract for 2014.  While the projected contracts are tentitive Miracle managements likes the options they have for this year.  Thanks to some shrewd trading (others call questionable) we were able to acquire early round picks, much earlier than originally anticipated that allowed us to restock with better players than will be available in rounds 18+.  LET'S GO MIRACLES!!!

Miracle Draft Update Round 10

The 10th round in the 2013 eMLB draft allowed the Champion Miracles to fill out their potential starting roster.  They picked up David Murphy of the Rangers to probably platoon in one of the outfield spots and at the end of the round we acquired AJ Griffin and Andy Pettitte to fill out our starting pitching spots.  Although Pettitte can no longer be counted on to pitch 200 innings or get close to 30 starts GM Renner really liked his value here at the end of round 10.  He gives you everything he has every time out and will be a tremendous mentor to our younger starters.  Griffen has terrific stuff and we see good progression coming from him this season.  While none of these players will garner a contract from management all should be valuable additions this season as we try to go "Back to Back"  It has never happened in league history.....is this the season?  The Texas Divisions promises to be "VERY" difficult in 2013 as all the teams are locked and loaded.

Miracle Draft Update Round 9

With the final selection of the round we filled out our MRP by taking Joaquin Benoit of the Tigers.  Another high holds guy we are in the hopes he can reduce the number of HR's he allowed in 2012.  Looking for big things from Benoit.

Miracle Draft Update Round 8

In order to have multiple selections in some rounds something must give.  At some point we traded this pick away.  Two full rounds between picks is a long time to wait but we feel confident we will be able to acquire solid players coming up in rounds 9-10-11.

Miracle Draft Update Round 7

With only a single selection we took our third solid closer in Grant Balfour from the A's.  Like Street he plays in a major pitchers park so close games will usually be the norm and Grant will close many of the them for the Miracles.  We will now look to add only another MRP who should give us quality holds perhaps as early as our next couple of picks.

Miracle Draft Update Round 6

Our only selection of the round found us pretty much filling out our starting offensive players by taking hometown favorite Alex Avila to catch for the Miracles.  Will probably not be contracted he hope Alex has put his nagging injuries behind him and will again close in on the numbers he put up in 2011.  If he is anywhere near those numbers we would likely look to extend him into 2014.

Miracle Draft Update Round 5

Again with two late round picks the Miracles selected players at need positions.  at 5.14 we selected Emilio Bonafacio.  In the past he has terrorized the Miracles with key hits and multiple SB games against us.  We decided to put his skills to work...for us.  Multiple position flexibility is another added plus with him.  The final selection of the round found us taking Houston Street.  Again the everyday closer for the Padres we forsee him getting close to if not more than 30 saves with a sub 2.50 ERA and a sub 1.00 WHIP.  At this point the GM and his staff are very pleased with the way the team is coming together.

Miracle Draft Update Round 4

The 4th round was huge for the Miracles.  Continuing our OF run we selected Michael Cuddyer.  Long time favorite is finally a Miracle.  Our second pick in this round was Neil Walker.  A solid 2B just entering his prime years.  Looking for big things from Walker.  He will get a 2 yr contract.  Towards the end of the round we took a high K/9 pitcher in Marco Estrada.  Our advanced scouting is  very high on this Brewer and he may also be given a 2 yr contract.  With the last pick of the round we brought home another former Miracle in Todd Frazier.  He will be slotted in at utility in all likelihood and we couldn't be more thrilled to have someone with Championship games under his belt.  The Miracles did very well for themselves in the players they selected.

Miracle Draft Update Round 3

With the 10th selection of round 3 the Miracles selected Nick Markakis from Baltimore.  Nick returns to the Miracles after having been acquired at the trade deadline in 2012.  Nick was a valuable member and was a huge part of our Championship run.  We very nearly extended Markakis but not having done so are very happy he is coming home.  Solid numbers across the board make him very valuable and a prototypical Miracle.  Nick won't steal us many bases but he does have good speed and is an excellent baserunner.

Miracle Draft Update Round 2

The Michigan Miracles had no selection in round two of the eMLB draft.  This pick was in part used to acquire selection 1.5

Miracle Draft Update Round 1

By moving up to the 5th pick in the first round the Michigan Miracles were able to select Carlos Gonzalez.  GM Renner stated that after moving up in the round this was the player that they coveted all along.  We would have been happy with any of the three players that could have been available here but CarGo, by far, fit not only the best available option but also filled our greatest need.  OF was our biggest liability going into the draft and now we are better suited to fill out the rest of our roster.

Pending a physical, CarGo will be given a 5 year contract to man the Miracle outfield. 

Renner was also quoted as saying that although we don't have another pick until 3.10 at that point we have 7 of the next 39 picks and by the end of round 5 we should have a pretty good idea of what this 2013 Defending Champion Michigan Miracles team will look like.  More updates as picks are made.

Miracle Shakeup

The end of December loomed large and the Michigan Miracles were in a quandary.  On the one hand they had a solid core heading into 2013 but drafting last meant it would be uphill sledding all the way.  On the other hand a little voice was saying...trade....trade.....trade.  It has been the Miracles forte to trade and trade often whether it was the Winter Meetings or at the trade deadline.  Could I ignore the voices in my head??  Apparently not.  Our solid core contained names like A. Pujols, K. Morales, CJ Wilson.  They are now but distant memories.  Brought into the fold is a solid MRP Drew Storen and Paul Goldschmidt who have both been quoted as saying that playing for the Champion Michigan Miracles has always been a dream of ours.  Their wish has come true.  Goldschmidt will man 1B in place of King Albert.  The numbers may not equal Alberts but they should be very good and we have the advantage of having Paul not only for 2013 but for 2014/2015 as well should we extend him, which is probable.  Storen was an unexpected bonus as it appeared that nobody really wanted him.  Welcome home Drew....welcome home.  The jersey looks great on you.  Along with those additions we now have a top 5 pick in round 1.  Pending physicals either Carlos Gonzalez, Buster Posey or Justin Verlander will be given the illustrious Miracle (5) year contract.  Yes that is correct, if JV somehow falls to 1.5 I will present him with a 5 year contract.  SP's like him don't come around often and it would be fitting to see Verlander back in the Miracle Maize and Blue.  Now all we have to do is wait for the actual draft.  Word has it that in the Green Room Verlander, Posey and CarGo are all hopeful to be joining the Champion Miracles.  Miracle fans are excited by any of the three choices.  Beyond the top 5 pick, the Miracles traded away their 2.16 pick and 3.16 pick that ultimately became that pick 1.5.  Along the way we added a third round pick, a total of four 4th round picks and an extra 5th rounder as well.  Eight picks in the first 80.  Miracles management along with the millions and millions of Miracle fans are very excited to see how this team looks after the first five rounds.  GM Chris Renner has a knack of finding hidden gems in later rounds so excitement is almost as high now as it was when eMLB Series MVP Chase Headley hoisted that beautiful trophy up above his head last fall.  We all still get chills just thinking of that.  Now all that's left is the waiting game.  Good luck to all this year.

Post Meetings..Pre Draft..Division Updates

After another very active Winter Meetings many teams made big improvements and some teams prepared for the future.

East..

1.  Oviedo Knights
2.  Toledo Mud Hens
3.  Dallas Redbirds
4.  Atlantic Surge

Surge picked up another 1st rounder in what will allow him to set himself up very well for 2014.  He probably won't contend this year but you never know.  I tried to trade Pujols to Dallas stating that you sometimes need to made bold moves.  I think they really could have challenged in the East had they pulled the trigger but the price was high I won't lie.  Pujols will have a huge year in 2013.  Pujols landed in Toledo in what was really my only other option to move him.  I wouldn't have moved him had I known that Brent thought he could extend him.  Even so it was probably on overpay but it is Pujols.  Now the Redbirds and Surge will be playing catch up to the top two teams in the East.

Great Lakes..

1.  Gaylord Dingers
2.  Mid Michigan Tigers
3.  Charlotte Orios
4.  Olivet Killer Eagles

Gaylord is currently my #5 ranked team and is very glad to live in the GL Division.  The other 5 teams are in my bottom 6.  Charlotte is on a roller coaster ride and at the end of the meetings I don't think he is as strong as he was early on.  big draft ahead for him.  Mid Michigan is......well....Mid Michigan.  Very quiet during the meetings having really only picked up Sanchez.  The 2012 Runner Up Olivet knew that 2013 would be an uphill climb but made quite a few moves that if they pan out could surprise in the GL's.

West..

1.  Flying Squirrels
2.  Julian Javelina
3.  North Texas
4.  Arizona Desert Swarm

Right now this is the best division, although when it is done we know the Texas Division will once again be the class of the league, but I digress....The West has my pre draft #1 team and two other top 8 teams so well done West.  Contrary to the other three teams out west the Swarm are loaded with early draft pick and with a solid draft could easily make this a four team race this year.  This is going to be a very fun division to watch, especially early on and at the trade deadline.

Texas..

1.  Hackensack Bulls
2.  South Texas Heat
3.  Michigan Miracles
4.  San Antonio Fire Ants

We all know that this is every ones favorite division.  Come on, admit it, it's ok.  It pains me to say it but the defending Champion Miracles will have a hard time cracking the top two in this division this year.  Both the Bulls and Heat are in my predraft top 6.  Neither made huge moves in the meetings but neither really had to.  If Hosmer and the freak rebound the Bulls will be tough.  If Tulo becomes Tulo again, watch out for the Heat.  Berg really got nothing from him last year and still made the championship playoffs.  Kudos to Berg.  The one and only compliment he will get from me so I hope he reads this.  The Miracles have a shot, but traded away Morales/Pujols/Wilson.  In the end that was a lot to lose.  But I picked up Goldschmidt and Storen and some extra picks.  I have 8 of the top 80 picks so I should be able to reload quickly and my first round pick will become my new 5 year contract no matter who it is.  With a good draft the Fire Ants could be the surprise team this year.  Adding Braun (probably)  will automatically make him better.

Hope you enjoyed the read, lets get started.

Miracle Two Round Mock...

I strongly encourage any serious owner to give this a try as it opened my eyes about when quite a few of these players might be taken.  Without a selection in round two I was able to select players that I might look for with the various teams.  I played owner for each and every team.  Here we go..

Round 1--

1.1  Charlotte--Miguel Cabrera
1.2  San Antonio--Ryan Braun
1.3  Julian--Justin Verlander
1.4  Gaylord--Carlos Gonzalez
1.5  Michigan--Buster Posey
1.6  Arizona--Curtis Granderson
1.7  Mid Michigan--David Wright
1.8  Dallas--Dustin Pedroia
1.9  Toledo--David Price
1.10  Arizona--Billy Butler
1.11  Hackensack--Yoenis Cespedes
1.12  Flying Squirrels--Ben Zobrist
1.13  North Texas--Felix Hernandez
1.14  Atlantic--Aramis Ramirez
1.15  South Texas--Jared Weaver
1.16  Atlantic--Matt Holliday

All of the names have been bandied about in previous weeks.  The top three picks seem to be pretty solid since there is really no reason to bluff but anything could happen and usually does.  Moving up to #5 for the defending Champs allowed me to take one of the top 5 players who are all 5 year worthy.  Except perhaps Verlander.  Long contracts don't always work out well for SP's....do they Atlantic?  Any of those 5 I would be very happy with although I don't have a 5 year open.  Anyone interested in Pujols???  Our newest owners inherits an outstanding team but I suspect he will be an owner that selects who he is familiar with.  Just exactly how deep his knowledge runs will be found out very quickly.  North Texas, according to me will get the SP he wanted by trading up.  At least it seems like that was the reason he traded up.  These picks make the most sense to me and I'm hoping that at least half of them are correct....but who know, anyway, it was fun putting it together.

Round 2

2.1  Charlotte--Chris Sale
2.2  Julian--Craig Kimbrel
2.3  San Antonio--Johnny Cueto
2.4  Gaylord--BJ Upton
2.5  Charlotte--Michael Bourn
2.6  Arizona--Shin-Soo Choo
2.7  Mid Michigan--Austin Jackson
2.8  Dallas--Carlos Beltran
2.9  Toledo--Jimmy Rollins
2.10  North Texas--Kris Medlen
2.11  Hackensack--Jose Altuve
2.12  Arizona--James Shields
2.13  Oviedo--Jordan Zimmerman
2.14  Flying Squirrels--Mariano Rivera
2.15  South Texas--Will Middlebrooks
2.16  Olivet--Nick Markakis

First time doing a second round mock...very eye opening.  Charlotte must go SP somewhere...unless he only plans of competing in 6 categories this year.  Kimbrel goes early 2nd and Mo goes late 2nd.  It may be awhile before another closer goes...does anyone really think Rodney/Johnson can duplicate 2012's numbers?  Mini OF run early to mid round.  Could mix up the order but they all go in this round I have to believe.  Toledo takes another "Name" player while the Bulls reach a bit (or a lot) for Jose Altuve.  The Mets take Value in Zimmerman much the same way as last year in taking Hamels and Olivet joins the fun in selecting Markakis.  We have sliced off the cream and some would say that the draft will now begin with round 3.    Good luck everyone.

Miracle Trade

In a somewhat surprising move the Michigan Miracles have traded away both of their first round picks.  Moving up in the first round was always in the back of our mind but we were not sure would would be able to secure adequate value in return.  The net results of our two primary trades have allowed us to move up 11 spots in round 1 and 6 spots in round three.  Our 2.16 pick became pick 5.14.  We are very pleased with where we are at this point of the Winter Meetings.  Are we finished?  Probably not as we have several possible trades still in the works.  Time will tell.

Movin' On Up??

One of the young interns we have on board has suggested to us that perhaps it would be in the teams best interest to try and package our two first round picks together and try and move up in the first round.  This is not an idea that the majority of the braintrust had considered but we bring on these interns to help us think outside of the box.  Could this be a possibility.  This is certainly the time of year to consider all options so stay tuned.

Mid Meeting Revieiw

According to many from the Miracle Management Team, the Winter Meetings was going to be a time to have some conversations with various owners and proudly show off our Championship Trophy.  Well we did just that but along the way we traded for another pick in the first round along with moving Kendrys Morales East to the Knights while picking up an additional 5th round pick.  The Miracles appreciate the effort from Morales during the Championship run but playing his games in the Kingdome along with no longer being OF eligible limited his flexibility.  The Miracles don't like to have just one person tied into the UTL position and thats where Morales would have been.  Even with the fences being moved in up in Seattle we couldn't be sure of the output we would get.  Hence the move.  The Miracles now for the first time have two first round picks but do not have a second or third round selection.  This will be a new experience for the veteran owner and GM Chris Renner.  He was quoted as saying that the Miracles are close to being serious contenders again but could also be close to simply rebuilding during the off season.  It remains to be seen which direction the Miracles go and it may be sometime during the season before we actually have an answer to that question.

We have had discussions over this past weekend about possibly trading either CJ Wilson, Mat Latos or possibly both.  The Miracles have a knack of securing very solid SP during the middle and late portions of previous drafts so moving these players is a strong possibility.  With both SP's playing for potential playoff teams their value is high and so is the asking price.  Both give solid numbers across the board and would be valuable to the many teams that see themselves as making a run at the 2013 eMLB title.  Along that same line of thought the Miracles have been looking as well for a solid OF before the draft...so if anyone has one available we can certainly open discussions there.

Lots of interesting trades have been made so far and I'm sure the various owners are not done yet.  Good luck to all and if interested in any of my SP's, send an offer my way.  I'm tired of answering the question of "what do you want for them?".  The better question is "what are you offering for me to consider trading them?"  I would certainly enjoy having my remaining contracted players return but lets see how the remaining Winter Meetings time plays out.

Final Pre Meeting Mock

This mock, with the exception of the top two picks is totally different from my first one....here we go...

Charlotte--Miguel Cabrera...who would have thunk it.
Julian--Ryan Braun...yet another no brainer
San Antonio--Buster Hymen...err Posey.  The versatility helps.  I think he lands here
Gaylord--Justin Verlander...could be CarGo but the attraction of the best pitcher in MLB is too great.
Atlantic--Carlos Gonzalez...another can he stay healthy candidate drops to 5.
Arizona--Billy Butler...upside may have been reached but its a good upside.
Mid Michigan--David Wright....slide HanRam to SS
Dallas--Curtis Granderson...big power for a team that needs it
North Texas--David Price...great pitcher for a team that needs one or several.
Toledo--Aramis Ramirez...moving to Toledo to watch the grass grow.
Hackensack--Dustin Pedroia...Bulls couldn't have planned it any better.
Flying Squirrels--Jared Weaver...if we had voted in QS this would have been the King.
Charlotte--Felix Hernandez...if it isn't a starter here we are sending out the men in white coats.
South Texas--Will Middlebrooks...misses out on the big two but may be getting the best one.

I've left off my two picks since they don't matter.  This looks pretty damn good to me.  Let's get this party started.

Texas Division Preview

It goes without saying that the Texas Division is and always will be the class of the league.  We are the Bentley's and the rest are Yugos....crap, most of you probably don't know what the Yugo was.  Simply put, it was substandard, hence the comparison.  Just kidding of course but after the 2012 season which saw the eMLB Champion and BOTH Wild Card Teams come out of this division we will have to be knocked off of our pedestal, we won't willingly step off of it.  2013 however, could be a different story.  Pre draft I still have the Bulls/Heat/Miracles as top 10 teams and I have the Fire Ants slotted in at 11.....time to take a closer look.

San Antonio--this team is set in two OF spots, 3B with Panda, 2B with Espinosa who I like and semi set with Ruiz at C although he will miss time.  Average and unspectacular SP return and a MRP.  Lots of work to do here.  If he wins the coin flip, Braun is a lock, if he doesn't we'll see.  With the luck Sankey had in 2012 I fully expect him to lose the pick.  Unless we make the coin flip in Vegas, then he would probably win it.  He should be definitely be shopping Alvarez and after last season he should be able to get a good draft pick for him.  Big HR/RBI guys are tough to come by these days, especially in trades.  Although a serious run to the Championship playoffs in unlikely in 2013, Sankey should be able to set himself up for a 2014 run.  Aggressive WW work and some shrewd trades at the deadline and 2014 could look bright. 

Hackensack--2012 looked really bright and the Bulls actually made it to the big dance but it wasn't to be.  Impressive considering how little he got from some big horses like Lincecum/Hosmer/Wilson just to name three.  2013 looks good as well but he needs some bounce backs.  1B/UTL is locked down with Hosmer/Howard but if Hosmer starts out slow he could find himself on the bench.  Castro is solid at SS.  Youk is a big ?????  What does he have left?  Motte is a solid closer and potentially 4 number 1 starters in his lineup.  OF needs to be looked at early and often with only Stanton returning.  Great start with him though.  Time will tell how many people he actually has to knock in down in South Beach this season.  I could see Stanton hitting 45 HR and having under 100 ribeyes.  That would suck.  2B will also need to be targeted early on.

South Texas--what team has the most wins in eMLB history?  what team has never been in the lottery?  what team has the second most number of playoff appearances?  the answer to all of them is the South Texas Heat.  Our beloved Commissioner.  The only problem with this picture is he has NEVER won it all.  As always he looks to chance that this season.  The biggest key for the Heat this season is can he get a full season out of Tulo?  If yes, this could be Bergs year.  Getting a full year out of Tulo happens about as often as the Heat wins the championship.  In the last 5 years Tulo has averaged 113 games played and 422 at bats.  Only once in that time has he topped 150 games played.  That is just not enough productions out of your 5 year.  On the plus side every other year seems to be good for Tulo and this is one of those years.  the only spot of true concern for the Heat is 3B and the pitching staff.  Everything else is pretty well set.  Will this be his year?  For his sake I hope so because I will constantly remind him that I am the defending champion.

Michigan--as seems to happen every year in this league the champion comes from a team that not a lot was expected.  The obvious ones fall short.  Who knows why.  I do know this.  A solid core returns to Michigan for another run.  But the odds are a repeat is unlikely based on my draft position.  It will not however be for lack of effort.  The core of Pujols/Desmond/Headley/Dickey/Wilson/Latos and Papelbon gets us off on the right track.  OF is a major concern for us as we only have Francour coming back.  Although he is slated to start in KC I really don't want to depend on him.  2B will also have to be looked at early but probably not in round 1.

While I don't expect three teams from the Texas division to again make the playoffs I will of course take a closer look after the draft.  One more mock draft coming tomorrow.

Western Division Preview

This division, pre meetings, is the most interesting of the four, IMO.  It contains the strongest pre draft team and the one with perhaps the most interesting option available.  I'll begin with the latter...

Julian--He has two stud OF's already with perhaps Braun joining the mix if he wins the toss and CarGo/Posey if he loses it.  AGon in the fold and a stud 3B in Zimmerman.  Hill is solid and apparently VMart has been moved.  Here is the question.  If he wins the toss and takes Braun, someone explain to me why he wouldn't try and move Zimmerman in order to sign Braun to a 5 year.  To me this is a no brainer...so if I'm sitting out there now without a 5 year contract I'd be ringing up the Javelinas and putting a package together.  Pick up a couple of other high picks for Zimmerman and perhaps draft/sign someone like Middlebrooks to a three year.  Of course this isn't my team but that looks like something a savvy owner like Hoyle has already considered.  Time will tell.

Flying Squirrels--hands down the strongest team heading into the meetings.  Of course this doesn't always translate to success....last year as I recall the Red Sox were the odds on favorites to win it all and that whole ordeal turned into a train wreck.  BTW...who won it all last year??  Rumored additions and returning players make this team look really good on paper.  As always there are questions all over.  Will Halladay come back?  Can Willingham duplicate his huge year?  Does Trout=sophomore slump?  What will Haren do in Washington?  What will Moustakas do??  Although it is a solid group this club may have more questions that it would really like to have.  Glaring holes to me are at SS and the entire pitching staff.  He mentions trading up but if he can't get into the top 4 I question why?

Arizona--this team in the past has been close but seems to not be able to make the trade to get over the top.  Is this owner becoming Doyle 2.0??  This year this team is pretty thin.  Four returning contracts only.  The good news is three of them are studs.  That is just way too many players needed to make a sincere run at anything.  I would consider putting Kemp on the block, take the best offer, which will be substantial, and start rebuilding.  Any stud pitcher would look good here or any other quality position player for that matter.

North Texas--rumors have NT trying to trade down or out of the first round.  I'm surprised Napoli hasn't been offered around yet or maybe he has.  No need for him really, he isn't a Ranger anymore.  Berkman, AJ, and Profar will probably end up in NT sometime during this draft although the Miracles are strongly considering taking Profar at the end of round one tossing a 3 year on him and waiting him out.  If he keeps his pick they could go a number of ways but with strong needs in the pitching department he could go that way or even select the best OF to drop to him.

By far this is the most interesting division right now for me.  I see lots happening in the next week or so.  I'll be shocked if not much happens.  Last up will be the Texas Division where I'm afraid the defending champs will have a tough time.  But I was predicted third best in the division by many last year and looked what happened.

Great Lakes Division Preview

In the second of four installments I take a look at the Great Lakes Division.  This will be a very interesting battle this season with an awful lot of offense residing here, at least before the draft.  The upcoming draft will determine a great deal in this division this year.  We will see how the pitching shakes out after the draft.  First up...

Olivet--There are very few players returning to Olivet for 2013.  Larry went all out in 2012 to win the title and came up just a bit short.  2013 promises to be almost a complete rebuild.  He has already traded out of the first round to acquire more picks which will equate to more bodies to fill out his contracts and his lineup.  That was probably his best option and I will be anxious to see how his draft comes together.

Mid-Michigan--It appears that the top 6 picks in the draft are pretty well set.  Mid Michigan has pick #7.  I'm sure Keith would like to see Verlander drop to him but I don't think that will happen....if he wants him he will have to trade up, and I don't see that happening given the amount of activity that surrounds him each year.  Some solid pieces return along with some not so solid pieces.  McCann, Bruce and Scherzer are dependable but the others are unreliable or just not that good.  What does he do with pick #7?  I have to lean OF here but one of the top SP is not out of the question.  In the end I think in a league built around offense will determine his pick.

Gaylord--I think Mike would really like to draft CarGo with the number 4 pick and who can blame him.  The consensus seems to be David Wright but I think it may go down to what picks 2/3 do.  the offense contains some solid pieces along with some he would prefer not have under contract.  But what can you do??  I think he really needs to go offense here but it is entirely possible that we see JV taken here.  Would not surprise me at all.

Charlotte--May be the most anticlimactic #1 pick in eMLB history.  Choosing Cabrera will round out a very solid offense for 2013.  He could use upgrades in certain areas of course, like in the OF, but the key will be what he does with the second pick that he has in round 1.  He could certainly go OF with his second pick but with no pitchers on the roster at all it would be a long time to wait to start filling that out.

In the end I think this will be another up and down year for the Great Lakes Division.  I don't think there will be a front runner there like last year where it was really decided very early on how that was going to pan out.  It will be the draft and who really works it during the year that decides this division.  But isn't that always the case.  Can't wait to preview this division after the draft.

Next up...the Western Division.

Atlantic Division Preview

This will be the first of four previews of the eMLB teams prior to the Winter Meetings.  This helps to refresh my memory of what each team has and gives me a better idea of what each team might or might not do during the meetings.  More for me but it may make for some interesting reading while you are sitting on the can taking a Berg.  First up...

Atlantic--he should have guys named Hawkeye and Trapper on his team since it is more of a MASH unit than a baseball team.  What should he do?  As much as possible.  What will he do?  Probably not much considering his only valuable trade chip can't be traded.  Grienke has a NT attached to him.  None of his injured players will make valuable contributions this year so really this is a major rebuild.  Keep the #5 pick if you think there is a 5 yr worthy player there or trade that #5 pick and try to acquire extra picks.  You need quality players.  Other than Grienke your best player is named Rizzo.  That's a HUGE drop in talent.  I will project this as a lottery team for 2014.

Oviedo--this manager has a knack of putting together teams that few think are that good and turning them into, by the end of the year, quality playoff teams.  It would appear that he has traded out of the first round.  With that being said he has probably acquired extra picks, as is his forte.  He is set at 1B, UTL, 1 OF slot, C, 1 SP, although it was reported today that Hamels has a sore shoulder, and 1 closer.  The extra picks will come in handy in restocking the cupboards.  Nothing is for sure as to who he might select but OF and SP will have to be looked at closely early in the draft but if one of the top 5 pitchers doesn't drop for him look for Oviedo to put off SP and work on offense early.

Dallas--he has a habit of not being able to pull the trigger on trades when doing so could very well help his team.  I have seen a slow shift in this philosophy recently but he still believes too much in the players on his team and consequently overvalues them.  This year some solid pieces return.  Major areas of concern early should be OF and SP/RP.  I know he really likes his pitching but Garza and Lynn, at least to me, are far from sure things.  With the 8th pick in the first round, which he will probably keep, I could see a top OF being taken.  In his mock he has Butler there.  I don't see it happening.  Too many other needs and knowing him he may select one of the five top SP available this year.

Toledo--welcome to the newest member of eMLB.  He inherits a quality club.  Very lucky considering what some of us took over when we came into the league.  Big needs on the left side of the infield along with OF and RP.  Starters are very solid and could be used as trade pieces but he may sit back and see how the meetings play out in his first season.  He has been very quiet up to this point in the winter.  Lee or Kershaw could bring nice returns if put on the trading block.  I could see a 3B being drafted here or a solid OF.  All the SS available are pretty good but not worthy of a top 10 pick.  You never know.  New owners have a way of surprising.

After the draft of course I will preview each team and give out my rankings.  Next up...Great Lakes.

Rumors Abound

With the Winter Meetings still more than two weeks away rumors are swirling as to a number of players changing uniforms and draft picks flying all over the place.  Once the first domino falls you either have to join in or take the chance that the moves you hoped to make can still be made once the meeting begin.  It seems as though about half the league is joining in and the others???  Not expecting to make many moves during the meeting our beloved Michigan Miracles have a handshake agreement to acquire an extra first round pick and have also shipped a starter off to another team for an additional pick.  Renner was quoted as saying that the only other move involving a player would be if we could trade CJ Wilson and acquire an OF bat.  There has been some interest in Wilson but at press time it is just that, interest, no names have been swapped.  Stay tuned...

Winter Meetings Pending...

Just when you think you are out you get pulled back in....in a surprise move the Michigan Miracles have a tentative agreement to acquire a second pick in the first round in the upcoming eMLB Draft.  Obviously we thought we were pretty well set heading into the meetings but you need to listen when opportunities come up, stated Chris Renner of the Champion Michigan Miracles.  This team has the ingredients to do deep in this years playoffs and the second first round pick will allow us to build the strongest team not only for this year but for the next couple of years as well.

There have been some rumblings as to whether Kendrys Morales would be made available.  Renner has stated the same line many times....everyone is always available, it all depends on the offer and our needs.   Read into that what you want but for what it's worth it appears the Miracles may not be as quiet as first thought.  Time will tell.