NL west at the quarter pole

(P)review of the NL west at the Quarter pole



San Francisco Alcatraz Sharks 28-12 Owner dbgmpd - 1,2,3,2,WC,WC - The Blue Crabs just finished a close encounter with the Sharks and did not enjoy the event. A 82M budget, an increased training budget, and many of the position starters under 30 indicates the Sharks are going to be solid for several years. The pitching, esp SP, is older and thin - a major injury will have a major negative impact on the Sharks season. The minors are not strong and using prospects to get a needed piece late inthe season may be difficult. All that being said if the Sharks avoid injury they are contenders. A couple of injuries and they are just pretenders.



Oakland Bees 27-13 hshack -4,3,4,4,4,4 - "something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear" - high salary, low training (6M), low medical - the opposite of what most winners are doing. The Bee's are young and talented in the majors and have several minor leaguers that will fill in over the next few years if the low training and medical budgets take their toll on the present MLers. There is 20M in salaries sitting in the minors with contracts that will free up cash when they expire. What hshack does with the cash will be interesting. It would seem the team will be at risk for injuries with training and medical budget but may have the depth to survive it, unless that injury occurs at SP then it is going to be a struggle. So like the Sharks the qustion is contender or pretender. I'm betting on some injuries leading to pretender.



Cheyenne Cowboys 20-20 jonboynky - 3,1,1,1,1,1 and 2 trips to the WS without the cigar - another high salary team but with 14M in training. "Time has come today" - The Cowboys are in their sweet spot. Several of their stars are at their peak and several still on the rise, but in 3 years the peaks will be passing and their is little in the minors. The low scouting budgets and late draft picks will keep the minors barren. So now is the time. Trailing the Sharks and Bees in the division has to be a worry. There is enough strength in the NL North and East that relying on capturing the last WC is a dangerous stradegy. The Cowboys need to run down one of the leaders. Without much in the minors to promote or trade they have to rely on the starters to stay health. This observer bets that the Cowboys training gets them through to a 94-68 record and that one(or both) of the leaders fades a mid season. Prediction WC and then the pitcing carries them a couple rounds in the playoffs.



Salt Lake City Slingers 17-23 mahnk 2,4,2,3,3,3 - hiding in the basement - waiting - 3-5 MLers in AAA and several more in the lower minors. 77M salary but only 10M in training - are the prospects and young MLers going to reach their potential? The Slingers could compete this year if they choose to. If not this year then next year. Do the pieces fit together, that I'm not sure of? I might bring the prospects up at this point and find out. They have spent the necessary 21 days in the minors not to have the present year count towards arbitration. If the pieces don't fit then change them in the off season. If they do fit together it will make life tougher on the leaders. Prediction: If the Slingers keep the young guns in the minors 72-90, if they bring them up early 81-81 but either way they are a year or two away and need to make some adjustments.