AL east continued

Boston - 1,1,2,2 (kcg67) - new owner jdrake27 3,2 (77-85) - The Brontoraptors have gone the high payroll route (103M) sacrificing the International free agent market and to a lesser degree high school scouting. At the ML level the position players are average across the board with the exception of a critical need at Catcher. None of these players are past their prime and can serve as a solid nucleus to improve on. Besides Catching the short stop position is most in need of attention. Starting Pitching is solid and the addition of an excellent pitch calling/defensive catcher, who can also hit, would be highly valuable. The relief corp is suspect and late inning 1-2 run loses are likely to be numerous. The ML pitching coaches are appropriate for the pitchers skills. In this observers opinion a quality catcher and a closer/RP are what this team needs to get over .500. Help at SS defensively is available in AAA or AA for next year but catcher and closer are a black whole through out the minors. There is one future star in the minors - Clay Lane. A trade seems the only near term solution. Prediction: No trade and Boston battles the other 2 teams for last - Acquire a quality catcher and closer/RP and >.500 with an outside shot at a wild card (depending on the strenght of the other divisions). At present 3rdT (no 2nd place team) 74-88.

Dover White Cliffs: 2,3 - new owner carnivore 3,1,1,1 - Carnivore has build the white cliffs into the power of the AL east. Despite their success the salary base is still low (76M) and training high (20M). The ML offense is playoff caliber with the exception of the OF (look for trade action at these positions). The pitching is suspect. Whether new acquisition long ball prone (which is what led to him not being resigned in Baltimore) Ryan Allen will be an improvement is debatable(Dover plays in a + HR park) . If the SP can get to the 7th with the lead the relief corp will probably hold on to it. This is not good news for the other teams in the division. There are some position players in the minors that could marginally upgrade the outfield this year or next but after that things are very light. The same can be said for the pitching - clearly the best chance of winning for Dover is the next 3 years. They have enough to easily win the division but I do not believe they have either the hitting or pitching to get through the playoffs to the World Series. Prediction 1st place at 98 -64 but disappointment in the playoffs.