Team Report

Team Batting:

Jeter

Cano

Frazier

Belt

Ramirez

Ortiz

Team Report

Team Batting:

Hardy

A. Hill

Johnson

Teixeira

Freese

LaRoche

Team Report

Team Batting:

Segura

Weeks

Seager

Mayberry

Machado

Team Report

Team Batting:

Barmes

Ackley

Arenado

Rizzo

Rendon

Butler

Team Report

Team Batting:

Castro

Beckham

Alvarez

Morales

Donaldson

Dunn

Team Report

Team Batting:

Owings

Dozier

Wallace

Davis

Bogaerts

Pena

Team Report

Team Batting:

Cozart

Bonifacio

Chavez

Reynolds

Asche

Top prospect Robert Stephenson, Only a handful of pitching prospects possess two potential plus-plus pitches, and he is a member of that select group. His four-seam fastball has touched 100 mph, but his power curveball may be even more devastating. His control and command took a significant step forward in 2013, and he might not require much more time in the Minors despite being just 20 years old.

Braden Shipley- Former SS turned SP, D-Backs 2^nd ranked SP behind Bradley so kid can’t all too bad. Projected # 2 or 3 SP.

Daniel Corcino had ugly 2013 as SP at AAA 5.86 era, Fall league though lights out as RP, with 12k / 1bb in 10ip, future RP.

Michael Gettys- possible top 10 for 2014 draft, amazing speed and phenomenal arm are main assets plus plays the game ferociously. Great bat speed, power developing, looks to be a more top of the order utilizing his speed.

Braxton Davidson- another HS who could be top 10 in draft- put on a power show at the Tournament of Stars in June, tying one record with two homers in a game (including one estimated at more than 500 feet) and setting another with three total at the event. Future middle of order basher.

Matt Olson 1b/3b In first season at A ball, 23 hrs but BA .223, only 19 yrs old so room to improve, ranked top 5 1b prospects by MLB.com.

Devon Travis 2b, each of first 2 seasons has BA over .350, total minor .351/.418/.518 & .936 OPS, Kid can rake. Top 5 2b prospect.

DJ Davis OF, has blazing speed , with bat that’s developing power, future CF leadoff hitter, 19 yrs old.

Jason Motte RP, returning from elbow surgery, could be setup man or “stick a fork in him”

Votto ,Choo, Moss and Cozart will lead the offense. While rotation is anchored by Homer Bailey, the #2 & 3 spots are solid with Jimenez & Lincecum.  The bullpen is excellent, closer Craig Kimbrel is “lights out”. Setup men JJ Hoover, Breslow and Allen are very solid. Rest of pen is filled out with McFarland, Street, Ondrusek, Hernandez.

Overall lack of production from  corner OF, 3b, 2b. A lot of strikeout batters Reynolds, Stubbs.  #4 & 5 SP, Hellickson , Arroyo, Bauer and Halladay on his farewell tour.  Hellickson and Bauer both young so improved seasons possible.

Having Votto, Moss and Choo will provide bulk of offense especially. Top of rotation is good, bullpen can keep us in close games and hopefully close ones were ahead in. Outlook on season 75-86 wins, playoffs a stretch, but if we did get into playoffs with 3 solid SP, bullpen in short series, could be interesting, unless we faced a bunch of LHP.

Team Report

Team Batting:

Escobar

Solano

Middlebrooks

Goldschmidt

.

Pujols

Team Report

Team Batting:

Rollins

Punto

Polanco

Barton

Valbuena

Guzman

Team Report

Team Batting:

Reyes

Walker

Wright

Gonzalez

Tejeda

Medica

Other than the recently-graduated Wacha, I don’t really have any sure-fire stars looming in the minors but I think all my holdovers from last year are getting closer.  Thankfully, this isn’t a pressing need to be competitive.  Bell is looking good.  Toussaint looks like he could have a special arm by the time he is old enough for the bigs.  Hofman should be ready in a couple of years.

Our hitting should be tough, even without a true DH.  We had nagging injuries to so many hitters (Stanton, Bautista, Wright, etc) that we’ll have to manage usage in the regular season but should be ok in the playoffs.  I have never had to put this many platoons together with this team.

We went into the offseason without enough quality SPs.  I hated to give up on Rizzo, but felt like Lohse plugged a hole and makes us a more dangerous team in the playoffs.  Nathan should be great as closer.  Our names in the bullpen are better than their stats.  But I think they should be ok and won’t be a glaring problem in the regular season.

Team Report

Team Batting:

Cabrera

Murphy

Ramirez

Trumbo

Valencia

Frandsen

The farm has some top talents in Kris Bryant, Lucas Giolitto, Raul Mondesi, and Marcus Stroman and is hoping for breakouts from college catchers Max Pentecost and Kyle Schwarber to push them up 2014 draft lists.  At the major league level, the team is hoping to see a full year from Jurickson Profar to show why he was at the top of prospects lists a year ago and from Neftali Feliz to regain his status as one of the top relief pitchers in the game (or at least to pitch more than 5 innings). 

Team Report

Team Batting:

Sogard

Callaspo

Moustakas

Alonso

Forsythe

C. Davis

The Glads deftly restocked the farm system during the draft, boldly dealing for a potential, rotation-anchoring-horse, in Jonathan Gray. Colorado also dealt for SS Hak-Ju Lee, and drafted 3 athletic OF prospects, Cesar Puello, Domingo Santana, and Cuban- Rusney  Castillo

Lineup depth. Besides Puig and "Crush" Davis, who is a monster, the rest of the lineup is filled with role players, rather than stars, but GM/Manager should be able to make it work, and add reinforcements if they are still in the hunt mid-summer. 

A disappointing 2013, after wiining 92 games and playoff series inb 2012, led to a rebuild for 2014. Veteran leaders Pedey, Konerko, and Aybar were shipped out in return for youth, energy, and power! Behind Iwakuma, Ervin Santana, Lackey, at the top of the rotation, and a deep bullpen, the Glads look both to rebuild AND win in 2014. Not an easy task but, we will give it a go!

Team Report

Team Batting:

Zobrist

Uribe

Nelson

Napoli

Ransom

Helton

Team Report

Team Batting:

Simmons

Kendrick

Prado

Gattis

Young

Moreland

Jose Abreu , Delino Deshields Jr , CJ Edwards , Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez , Tommy LaStella , Alex Meyer ,
DJ Peterson, Lucas Simms, Christian Bethancourt, Travis d’Aranaud.  Here is to hoping the two Cuban players, Abreu and Gonzalez come through with a nice 2014 season. They are being looked at in the same way as the “stud” JUCO players who sign to play D1 football. Maybe one of them will come through like Cam Newton. Travis d’Aranaud had a cup of coffee in 2013 and the Confederates hope he stays healthy and battles for the MLB ROY in 2014.  Meyer and Bethancourt appear to be on the cusp of an MLB splashdown. Edwards and Simms are two arms that are making the top 100 cut on respected top prospect lists.  Although they are probably all at least a year away, the Confederates are banking on future performers: LaStella at 2b, DJ Peterson at 3b/1b, and DeShields in the OF.

The Confederates defense appears to be one of the team’s highlights. With the exception of Michael Young the guys should be able to field the routine stuff. I’m not sold on defense winning championships in DMB; so I’m not so sure defense should be classified as a strength.  Got to find something!  Strength for the Confederates is the fact that they carry on their roster the top 2 hit gathers in the history of TBBL. That’s right- Ichiro and Michael Young will be wearing the Stars and Bars this year. Unfortunately, it’s not 2004. On the bright side, a farewell tour will be coming to a National League stadium near you as Young will be hanging it up after the season. He is a lifelong Confederate and held in the same regard as Robert E. Lee down in Stone Mountain of Georgia. I don’t think there is a longer tenured player with the same ball club in the TBBL. He was taken in the 7^th round of the inaugural draft and has sang Dixie ever since. Again, I’m not so sure singing the praises of guys more likely to dominant in shuffle board than on the diamond should be called a strength.  It makes for a good story though. The team does have some road runners in the way of Leonys Martin and Will Venable and Suzuki and still go. A move to Turner Field should help the pitching staff keep the ball in the park, and the bullpen should be improved from last year’s disgrace. Offensively, the team has some guys with decent splits which will hopefully pay dividends at the plate.

The starters will probably not go deep into games, which will tax the bullpen. Only one starter threw 200 innings last year, AJ Griffin, and he led the league in homers surrendered. The offense will not strike fear in any opponent. I can’t imagine too many of the guys being pitched around or intentionally walked.   The team OBP is not a pretty sight.  The bullpen is going to need the extra 10% usage as they will see plenty of action.  The most glaring weakness for the Confederates is the GM. Now let us hear from him.

After a 62 win campaign last season the team hopes to improve on that mark by 10 games this year. Anything over 72 wins this season will be a surprise and should have the Confederates manager in the running for MOY. The team is looking forward to its new confines in Atlanta, Turner Field. A team called the Confederates playing in Wisconsin all these years was far from logical. Hopefully, SMC hit on some prospects in the draft. Finally, the Confederates might take their share of lashings this year, but they will take solace in the opinion that no state can offer more than their homeland: GEORGIA-  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqEM0Vtl6BY  

Team Report

Team Batting:

Abreu

Kipinis

Headley

Votto

Cruz

Satin

Jackie Bradley (cf) and Jake Odorizzi (sp) are ready for regular jobs and will hopefully offer at least average production at their positions.  Garin Cechinni  (3b) and Chi-Chi Gonzalez (sp) are not far away from the majors either and could also be solid contributors at their position.  Luis Heredia (sp), Lance McCullers (sp),  Raimel Tapia (of), Jon Denney (c), and Tim Anderson (ss) all have potential but appear to be years away from contributing at the major league level.

The bullpen.  Koji Uehara had a year for the ages and will be one of the top closers in the league this year.  The rest of the bullpen is solid from both sides with great situational arms as well as very good long relievers. 

2013 marked the first winning season and playoff appearance since I took over the franchise.  This year should be even better, as the team used its farm system to address key needs at c and 1b.  Shelby Miller and Clint Frazier were dealt before the draft for Jason Castro and a 3^rd round draft pick; Javier Baez, Jon Singleton and Nick Swisher were dealt after the draft for Joey Votto and a 9^th round pick in next year’s draft.  Newark is the front-runner in the division, but the Flyers should be able to stay close and make their second consecutive playoff appearance.  Uehara and Kuroda, two mainstays on the pitching staff, are nearing the end, however.  Hopefully some younger arms will emerge from the farm to take their places.

Team Report

Team Batting:

Mercer

Kinsler

Encarnacion

Freeman

Gyorko

.

Team Report

Team Batting:

Escobar

Turner

Carpenter

Pearce

Chisenhall

Overbay

Team Report

Team Batting:

Peralta

Lawrie

Davidson

Craig

Gillaspie

Loney

Team Report

Team Batting:

Iglesias

Altuve

Longoria

Morneua

Escobar

Blanks

Team Report

Team Batting: