SSL Preview: National League West
by Jonathan Adelman (Shrikes)
The NL West has four teams who can win ballgames, all fighting for one spot at the
top. Each group has their own pitfalls to overcome, and each has strength enough to make
things interesting. There's even a doormat to this division, although it won't help the
other teams until the unbalanced schedule comes along in a year.
Team: Alcatraz Breakers
Owner: Chip Nataro
Overview: A solid team, through and through. The pitching is highlighted by several
youngsters, and the offensive attack is a good balance of veteran producers, supporting
cast members, and young stars. The Breakers could be anywhere in this division in a few
years, but for the inaugural season they look competitive if not overwhelming.
Batting: Darin Erstad can do just about everything. Add him to a lineup with no weak
links (and stars like Roberto Alomar in front, and Magglio Ordonez behind him), and you
have a very solid batting order. Brad Ausmus may be the lone weak link, but his defensive
and receiving skills are help in such high esteem that he more than earns his keep.
Pitching: Javier Vazquez and Brad Penny are the big hurlers here, although a 3-4-5 of
A.J. Burnett, Andy Benes, and Omar Daal makes for some decent pitching through and through.
The pen has some pretty good parts to it, although no one guy will step up and scare the
daylights out of an opposing batter. It's the starters that will make this group go,
however, and the young talent heading to the mound this year should be ready to perform.
Intangibles: Several burners, a few really nice defenders, and a solid mix of youngsters
and vets make this team look even better in the field than on paper. Several players are
already in their prime, but enough key cogs will remain in a few years for the Breakers to
feel confident that no slide is looming in the near future. Lots of interesting kids are
stuck in the farm system as of now.
Outlook: They can hit, and pitch, and run, and field. There's no Babe Ruth in Alcatraz,
though, so a lot of things will need to break right for the Breakers to make the second
season. Nevertheless, expect good baseball at the Rock this year.
Team: Champaign Bubbles
Owner: Michael Wingo
Overview: The Bubbles were a last-minute addition to the SSL, and the front office went
into the inaugural draft with very little prep. time...but Champaign has emerged with a
very solid lineup and a powerful pitching staff. Perhaps the only thing that can keep
this team from a great season is wild, wacky stadium it plays in.
Batting: Brian Giles and Jorge Posada are the big boppers here, and playing at the
Popping Cork could give them the opportunity to excel as never before. Other decent hitters
who will look better than they are include Jeff Cirillo, Jay Buhner, and Fred McGriff;
Ricky Gutierrez may surprise. Lots of players in their late 20's and early to mid 30's, so
the pressure could be on for a winning season this year.
Pitching: The starters, for the most part, are ground ball pitchers who can work late
into games while remaining effective - and that's great news for the Bubbles. The bullpen
is very good but not that deep, especially if one or two guys are pressed into the rotation
for part of the season. These guys may not put up great pitching numbers, but there are
few staffs in the league better equipped to survive the rigors of the Popping Cork.
Intangibles: The bench looks to be quite good. Age is a factor; there aren't a lot of
top-notch defenders or speedsters here, although the Bubbles plan of attack may just be to
slug their opponents to death.
Outlook: Very, very good, although the results of playing in a home stadium that
chews up and spits out pitchers like chewing gum in a pack of baseball cards could be
somewhat of a handicap. All in all, the Bubbles have the makeup to succeed; luck, and the
ability to perform in their house of horrors are equally vital parts of the potential
playoff recipe.
Team: Death Valley Devil Dogs
Owner: Al Gwizdala
Overview: Perhaps no team has a better 1-2 punch than does Death Valley - the Killer B's
(Barry Bonds, Jeff Bagwell) are capable of single-handedly going for the jugular. The bad
news for other playoff hopefuls - there's talent above and beyond these two.
Batting: Brady Anderson, Shawn Green, Eric Chavez, Omar Vizquel, Brook Fordyce - on
their own, they make for a decent lineup. Throw in the Killer B's, and you've got perhaps
the most potent offense in all of baseball - period. Even playing in a pitcher's park may
not keep this squad from coming close to 900 runs.
Pitching: So-so. Mariano Rivera makes for a wonderful closer, and frontmen Scott
Elarton and Cal Eldred should win many games, but things get a bit shaky with Ismael Valdes,
Ryan Rupe, and the banged up Shane Reynolds rounding things out. The bullpen is good,
although there's no one lefty able to come in and shut down the opposition 1-2-3. Still,
all this staff needs to do is keep their collective ERA under 5, and let the offense do the
rest.
Intangibles: Todd Zeile is the best bench player in baseball, although the rest
aren't distinctive. Overall, this is a veteran club with a few young stars; the team
defense is pretty good, and there's enough speed so that, if rightly placed, it will do
some damage.
Outlook: The Devil Dogs have the bats, that's for sure. Their pitching could hold up,
in which case a post-season berth is a distinct possibility. There's enough talent in the
division to keep them from breathing too easily, however.
Team: Ogden Dunes Ox
Owner: Jason Lindquist
Overview: The Ox look sort of like a mirror image of the Devil Dogs; everything is in
reverse, as the pitching is incredibly nasty and the offense is subpar. The net result
looks pretty similar, though; this team will be scrapping for a playoff spot.
Batting: Edgar Martinez would probably prefer to play DH, but the Ox need his bat in the
lineup. Ray Durham and Rusty Greer are another pair that can get on base and manufacture
runs, but the rest of this group is anemic at best. Some platoons could make things look a
bit more workable.
Pitching: Ah, so this is where all of the frontline starters went. Tom Glavine, Chan
Ho Park, Woody Williams, and Shawn Estes form a great 1-2-3-4 punch, and the bullpen has
a pretty neat dynamic duo in Danny Graves and Jeff Nelson. There's even a bit of depth
here, although nothing of similar quality. Whether these guys rack up the wins their stuff
indicates remains to be seen.
Intangibles: The bench isn't great, although there are enough potential platoons to
keep things interesting. The starters are, for the most part, veterans; team speed and
defense are accordingly average to below-average.
Outlook: Pure pitching could take this team a long way. Then again, another bat or
two would help, too. Playoffs are certainly a possibile outcome, and if the Ox make it,
they could go deep with the type of team they've assembled for themselves.
Team: Portland Shrikes
Owner: Jonathan Adelman
Overview: At last, the doormats. The offense is AAA quality, which makes for a lot of
losses, despite a possibly average pitching staff. Better days lie ahead, simply because
it can't get much worse.
Batting: J.D. Drew and Miguel Tejada are the lone respectable members of the lineup;
minor league retreads round things out, and the net result could be fewer than 600 runs
scored for the season.
Pitching: Kevin Millwood, Rick Ankiel, and Kelvim Escobar make for a pretty nice combo.
The pen isn't that great, although the rehabbing Matt Morris is expected to close while
regaining arm strength. Poor depth pushes the pitching as a whole back to the bottom,
however.
Intangibles: Youth, youth, and more youth. The youngest team in the SSL will learn
the meaning of the words "growing pains" this year.
Outlook: They'll stink, plain and simple. The long-term future of this ballclub depends
upon their ability to find more bats to replace the scrubs currently occupying lineup spots.
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