AL East Preview

Burlington Burros Inteligentes -- (Formally the Iowa City Black Lightning (84-78))

Last years AL Champs are back in action in a new City! The team, whose run to the World Series was miraculous, returns the same front office in hopes of returning to the WS this season.

The team is very well rounded and has a very solid team all around. The team has a stud Ace in Scot Meluskey. Meluskey lead the team to the #6 seed in the playoffs with his 4.12 ERA and 15-9 record. The team is leaning on him if they are to make noise again this season. The team also returns its #2-4 pitchers. Wascar Bonilla is on the downside of his career, but is still a solid back of the rotation pitcher. Bonilla threw in 31 games last season posting a 3.31 ERA but a lack of run support left him with a 12-11 record. Both Hector Charles and Al Rios return. Rios is the teams youngest pitcher and has the highest ceiling on their ML team. A late signee from the DO this past year Rios was key in the teams run to not only the playoffs but also the WS. The team also returns Rip Luebbers, their closer. Although rumor has it that they are looking to add a closer and move luebbers into the set-up role.

The teams line-up starts with LF Harry Posada. Posada is the leagues highest paid players. Rumor has it that the Burros are looking to unload his contract. While no publication has been made official a source close to the team stated "We'd take just about anything to move him." The team also returns C Chuck Messmer who they feel is one of the top C's in the league. Messmer hit .291 last year with 34 HRs. The teams leadoff hitter Melvin Xaio looks to dominate yet again this year. He missed 32 games due to injury last season yet still managed to steal 91 bases while only getting caught 5 times. The team has mentioned they wouldn't be surprised to see the speedster get triple digit steals this year.

The teams farm system is solid, but they gave up a few prospects late to add SS Diego Johnson for the push to make the playoffs. Buddy Perez, the top player recieved in last years infamous "Cornelious Trade" Is ML ready but didn't play too well last season which resulted in him ending up in AAA to end the season. The teams top pitcher in AA is Cody White who could be up as early as this year depending on how things shake out. At their High A Level, Jose Carrasco of the DO is a very solid prospect and while still a few years away from the ML he could be trade bait.


Richmond River Rats -- (86-76)

The Defending AL East Champs are back! They sport a talented team with solid depth. But some of their players are starting to age. The team has solid pitching depth but only one outright stud in their rotation. And their Bullpen is solid.

The River Rats #1 Starter is 28 year old Ace Antonio Richardson. Richardson lead the team to the division title with a 4.22 ERA and a 10-8 record. Matty Bush is the teams #2. Even on the downside of his career Bush is still a quality pitcher. Last season Bush had a sub 4.00 ERA and won 13 games. Bailey Ramirez is the teams #3 and hopes to take over the #2 from Bush this year. Ramirez is a 21 year old pitcher and is the best young gun that Richmond has. The teams Bullpen is very solid with Bono James in the 8th and Alex Blume in the 9th.

The River Rats are solid across the board In their line-up, but are older then some of the other teams in their division. Woody Olsen, Abraham Holden, Carl Witt and Les Valentin are their 4 key position players and are all over the age of 32. Richmond has the most experience of the teams in this division due to age. But age might also be the factor that keeps them from the top.

While their ML team might be a bit old, their Farm System does have talent that should be ready when they are needed. J.D. Ainsworth is a power hitting LF with a great eye and at only 22 he has lots of years to grow into an ML stud. Brian Pellow who is currently playing ball at AA is another power hitting prospect that Richmond has available to them. Pellow is a decent C, but might end up playing DH in the Big Leagues. Josias Castro who is also at AA is a great fielder and is one of the franchies top prospects. At High A ball Nerio Tate is a solid 1b prospect and at age 19, Oswaldo Camacho is a solid relief prospect, granted he is years away from the Majors. At Low A, Willie Sosa and Dewey Lombardi are their two best starting pitching prospects. While Sadie Alexander is a potential ML Closer. At Rookie League Carl Knowles and Keith Bagwell top the charts.


Boston Puritans -- (74-88)

The Boston Puritans were the 4th place finishers in the only division in the League that returned all four coaches. The Puritans are the least talented team in the division but that doesn't mean they don't have a chance.

The team doesn't have a true Ace. While Derrick Carroll does have the stuff to be an Ace, he still hasn't filled that role yet. The 25 year old starting pitcher is the teams most talented SP. Gary Christenson is the teams #2 pitcher but is on the downside of his career. At age 33 he is still a very useful pitcher but shouldn't be counted on to be a top line pitcher. Tom Key returns as the teams closer where he was very successful last year pitching in 62 games and converting on 23/30 saves with a 3.38 ERA.

The teams line-up is not that impressive although it does have some very bright spots. Emil Montanez, while being old, is still a very good contact hitter and should help provide some offense this year. Jonathan Huff is a solid SS and should once again be able to hit for a .300+ average. Vernon Lofton is the teams best young offensive player. At age 22 he hit for a .287 average and knocked in 41 runs.

Sarma Stark, playing for the teams AAA team is a stud SS prospect and could eaisly see an early season callup this year. At only Age 20 he has LOTS of time to grow. Pitching at AAA is Catfish Kent, who is not quite ML ready yet but is the teams closest ML ready Pitching Prospect. At AA Bobby Borders is a 1b/DH that has the potential to be an ML player as do pitchers Kent Nathan (who could be starting in the teams ML rotation), Kiki Aguilera and Cesar Santiago. In High A John Chase is a solid DH prospect. Pedro Quixote is a solid SP prospect and Brian Gragg could prolly start at RF for their ML team.


Philadelphia Black Lightning -- (Formally the Scranton Dunder Mifflins (80-82))

Philadelphia is an interesting team. They are very very young across the board, which means they will have lots of money to spend in Free Agency this year. It's up to management to decide who to target.

As mentioned before this team is young. Their Rotation is solid, but young. Chili Stocker and J.R. Kingman are the teams top 2 pitchers, 24 and 23 respectively. Also Fonzie Leonard, the oldest returning starting pitcher is the worse of the 3 at age 25. In the Bullpen the club has Sun Satou returning as their closer and Bo Judd and Pasqual Flores returning to set him up, 25, 23 and 22 respectively.

The team is also very talented in their Line-up, but they do have a few big holes they must fill. The team has a major hole at SS after trading Diego Johnson to the ICBL late last season. The teams top players are a trio of 23 year olds Ed Donovan a 2b who hit .295 with 30 HRs 101 RBI and 62 SB in his rookie season, Jolbert Mieses a C who won last years AL Silver Slugger Award batting .339 with 37 HRs and 116 RBI and Walter Miller a LF who hit 39 HRs last season with a .286 average. The team also starts speedster Gary Bush who they recieved in a trade from ICBL last year at CF. The teams oldest starter is RF Stephen O'Connor who transitioned to the OF last year from 2b and won a Gold Glove.

The teams Farm System is fairly deep. Starting with Starting Pitcher Greg Walker who got called up late last season due to injuries but will start this year in AAA. Also at AAA is SP Arthur Olerud. AA 1b Lyle Wise is a star in the making. At age 19 he is moving fast up the teams Minors. Mark Murata is a slugging 2b who the team has been rumored to be trying to move for a Starting Pitcher. Omar Mendez is a slugging 3b, but the team is already stocked with 3b at the ML level. Also at AA both Alex Belliard and Jimmie Sardinha are good SP prospects. The team also has a young 18 year old SP, Alex Black at Low A. Watch out for him. He may be years away. But when he reaches the Bigs he could be a very impressive pitcher. The team also has a young closing prospect in Peter Palmer of their AA squad. Again he is years away. But has great potential.


Prediction: This division is very even. I could easily see 3 teams going to the playoffs out of this division. I like Philadelphia to take the division as I feel they have enough to give up in terms of prospects to make their team just a bit better then the rest. Although there is a bit of speculation there that they will indeed be able to make a move, something they were unable to do last season. If things stay just the way they are I like Burlington to win the division with Philly coming in a close 2nd. Followed by Richmond and Boston.