NL North Preview

Tacoma Toxic Toads -- (Formally Chicago Big Bats (70-92))

The toads are looking to improve on last years team. To do so they will need to find a few more players.

The teams rotation is so-so. It is made up of all middle of the rotation starters who are aging. Nick Barrett is the youngest at 29 and is the teams best starter. The hard throwing 5 pitch pitcher is hoping to improve upon last season. Brian Ray is an innings eater and even though he is on the downside of his career he could be a solid 3rd starter this season. The team returns key setupman Dizzy Caruso who at age 25 is looking to take over the closers role.

There's not much better news in their line-up. The team has a few aging players and a bit of talent. Oscar Canizaro and Endy Suzuki are both hard hitting catchers and are the teams bright spot. Problem is you can only start one catcher and neither is suited to playing 1b, Sunzuki is the better choice if that were the case. Rumor has it that the team is in trade talks with teams in the AL trying to get him a DL job in return for some other position players. Kerry Wainhouse is back in LF and should be solid again also.

At AAA the team has some of the help its ML team needs. Larry Politte is a solid innings eater and could be the teams Ace of the future. Expect an early call up for him. Kris Jackson is another hard hitting catcher and with so many ahead of him moving him isn't out of the question. Todd Bagley and Merv McCormick are two OF prospects who should get an invite to ST ball. Carter Robinson is currently pitching at AA and has the potential to be a backend of the rotation pitcher in the ML. Same goes for Bernard Hausmann. Deivi Beltre is a speedster CF at High A and given a few years to improve will also be starting in the ML. At Low A the team has potential middle of the rotation starter Ricardo Blasco. At only 19 he still has quite a while before he is ML ready. Another hard hitting C you ask? Aurelio Romero is just that at the teams Rookie League.


Syracuse SkyRockets -- (Formally Tacoma Taxmen (76-86))

Last years 2nd place team has moved from Tacoma to 'Cuse. Can the move get them over the top and into first place? We're about to find out!

Galahad Dale is the teams Ace. The 28 year old 5 pitch fireballer returns to the team with a hefty salary of $343,000. He'll earn every penny of that this year. Last year he won 15 games and will once again be the teams best pitcher. His #2 is Brandon Lazzeri who is just as good. The is hoping he can keep up his 2.99 ERA from a year ago. In the Bullpen the team returns key setup man Max Oliva who they are hoping can become their closer this season.

The team however lacks any dominate bats. Pedro Calles is the teams RF and should continue his success. And 1b Richard Butler is an improving bat who shoud be batting in the middle of their lineup this year. Harry Furcal is a solid Catcher but nothing spectacular. This team needs to find an extra bat in the offseason to have a chance at this division.

Mitchell Henry is one of the top catching prospects in the nation. He is a very good pitch caller and has a bat to go with his head. Danny Colbrunn is an inning eating SP. He doesn't have the stuff to be a ML starter. But he could be a spot starter. Alex Cairo is a solid pitching prospect. He doesn't really have the stamina to be a top notch starter so the club is looking into finding him Jim Burkett is a power hitting, speedy CF prospect. He will be a solid OF in the Majors some day. The same thing can be said about Leon Lowell. In the teams Rookie League they have a hidden gem in Oscar Flanagan who is years away from the majors but will be starting there someday. The same can also be said about RF Chris McCormick and P Harry Lawton.