Imperial League
Seaboard
1. West Virginia
2. Hartford
3. Arlington
4. Manchester
A blow out race, barring every member of the Alleghenies spending weeks on the DL - early Vegas odds for that sit at 4-1 (improved health care in WV has raised the odds)... Hartford had their soul (and offense) bleed out, but they still have a bit more talent than Arlington... The Maulers will be better... right?
Dixie
1. Kentucky
2a. San Antonio
2b. New Orleans
2c. Florida
5. Charleston
Kentucky has become a solid force in the IL and they seem the cream of the crop here... San Antonio, New Orleans and Florida could finish in a tie for all I know - each is flawed, and I'm not buying the money Florida threw around is enough to make a difference - and I don't think Luppe can do it all by himself... Speaking of tossing some lettuce around, San Antonio probably made the biggest additions in all the right places, save one - on the mound. If they can parlay some of their capital into some quality arms, this race could change quickly... Don't sleep on the Trendies - they may have the most balanced team in the division not named after a race horse... Charleston's bad luck is having to be in the division with the other four teams - playing in either other division would give them an outside shot at a wild card, but they don't, so they won't
Trans Atlantic
1. Havanna
2. San Juan
4. Amsterdam
3. Scottish
5. London
Havana's choke-hold continues, but it is a tenuous one... Both San Juan and a vastly improved Amsterdam team have made some shrewd moves and as goes Havana's pitching (Has Vasquez shown some cracks? Will Romano pitch into his 50's?), so go the Leones... Scotties & Undies will battle it out for the cellar, likely as far from 3rd as 3rd may finish from first...
IL Awards Winners
Royal Raker Winner: Luis Cedeno (SA) - Assuming the Calzones stay in the race and he doesn't get bored with losing...
Golden Arm Winner: JT (AMS) - he thanks the Borealis for the early rehab work in the 2030 SL playoffs - and looks forward to a personal rematch with the Alleghenies...
Wunderkind Winner: 'Jim VII' (NO) - He no longer needs to fear the Rule 5 draft...
Sovereign League
Great Lakes
1. Crystal Lake
2. Fargo
3. Madison
4. Duluth
5. Kalamazoo
Crystal Lake and Fargo will put up a season long battle this time, and the Green and Gold dipterans come out on top... Madison seems the stronger club of the three, even though Duluth has the 'bigger names' - I wouldn't be surprised if this finishes the opposite... K-zoo is moving in the right direction, but they've still have a bit of a mountain to climb...
Desert Hills
1. Aurora
2. Palm Springs
3. Reno
4. Bakersfield
5. Yuma
It is the 25th Anniversary of the PEBA, and in the previous 24 seasons, Aurora has not won the division for more than 2-years at a time (twice) - that trend will miraculously continue; though the Codgers won't make it easy... Don't be super shocked if Reno up and grabs this division - they are much like San Antonio - give them some pitching and they are a serious threat... Bakersfield just hasn't done enough to show that limping into the playoffs with the Borealis at their side last year isn't more than they have this year... Yuma...
Rising Sun
1. Shin Seiki
2. Toyama
3. Neo-Tokyo
4. Okinawa
The Evil Evas are the Evil Evas for a reason - they are difficult to kill, but it does feel like they are slipping back to the pack - much as Aurora finally did. They may also still be the cream of the SL, so take that with a grain of salt... the Win-D's have improved and are very close to making this a two-team race to the end - might that be this year? Neo-Tokyo still has too much talent to not be taken seriously, and last year may have been a fluke - a three team race is not out of the question - nor is an Akira upset... Okinawa seems to have fallen backwards over the past couple of years - the Bothwell trade kinda killed their hearts...
SL Awards Winners
Royal Raker Winner: Steve Boyer (REN) - Might he break his own record?
Golden Arm Winner: 'Nitro' (CL) - If he can stay healthy...
Wunderkind Winner: John Pulsifer (TOY) - Toyama felt enough about this guy to trade Gonzalez - and he will repay their faith...
Postseason
IL Wild Card Winner
San Juan over New Orleans in 4 games
SL Wild Card Winner
Toyama over Palm Springs in 5 games
IL Division Series Winners
West Virginia over New Orleans in 5 games
Havana over Kentucky in 7 games
SL Division Series Winners
Crystal Lake over Toyama in 6 games
Aurora over Shin Seiki in 7 games
League Championship Series Winners
IL: West Virginia over Havana in 7 games
SL: Aurora over Crystal in 7 games - of course they did...
PEC Winner
Aurora over West Virginia in 4 games
Because... and
Because...
