BSPN CBA 2023 Predictions
BSPN Championship Baseball Association Predictions
I ranked all 30 teams on a formula based on their pitching (starters and relievers), hitting, speed, and defense, all of which were also determined by individual player ratings of starters and top bench players. Anyways we will start it off with the Premier League
Premier League Projections
Average score: 65.31
1. Detroit Motors – 68.93
The Detroit Motors had an exciting offseason, involving themselves in a trade that netted them the #1 overall pick, Scott Golden. They packaged three first round picks, two of which were top 15, and a young but promising pitching prospect to get the best player in the draft, and very soon might be the best pitcher in the CBA. Detroit is absolutely stacked, and looks to take the Premier League championship in its inaugural season. We ranked Detroit as the #1 starting rotation, and the 2nd best Batters in the CBA. Detroit’s starting rotation is absolutely stacked, and will lead them to a top 3 spot in the PL by itself, but they also have plenty of hitting, and many of their stars are on the younger side. Detroit will also be early favorites to win the President’s Cup.
2. Dallas Devils – 67.50
Coming in at #2 is the #1 ranked lineup in the Dallas Devils. With a rotation that features two superstars, one of which won the Inaugural Pitcher of the Year award, the Devils will be a top team in the Premier League barring injury to their superstars. Dallas also ranked as the 2nd best Defense in the CBA. It will be interesting to see if Danny Crews will be used as a CF and SP in the PL. He has shown the ability to play both positions in DEV-A ball last season, but only hit .237, while pitching for 8 wins and 7 losses with a 2.53 ERA. Dallas could also use another good reliever on the roster, as currently Jeremy Harbaugh is an elite reliever, but nobody else in the bullpen is PL caliber.
3. Florida Giants – 67.02
Florida made a blockbuster move in the offseason by trading for Xavier Frade of Indianapolis. This move gives them a Big 3 rotation that puts them right at the top of the PL rotations. The last two members of the rotation however, seem to be occupied by pitchers who only have 2 pitches, a move that Florida did last year as well with some success, but we wonder if it will continue to work this season against PL lineups. Florida’s hitting remains young and talented, but will take a big hit if any of their top 4 hitters goes down for extensive time, with a relatively weak bench. The lineup could be an issue, but their deep pitching staff will keep them far from relegation worries.
4. Chicago Gale – 65.43
The Reigning champions of the CBA are projected to place 4th this season following a great campaign last season. The only major change to their lineup is Switching Josh Saso back to the Atlanta Swarm for Ernie Reeder, who returns after spending the 2nd half of 2022 with the Swarm. Some scouts say that Reeder has looked worse than last year, but it will be hard to top his 2nd half with Atlanta, where he slashed .376/.460/.716 with 23 HR and 102 RBI in just 79 games. Chicago is taking a slight risk in going with a young catcher this year, sending Antonio Galvan off on a two year loan in exchange for a prospect infielder, but Victor Fuentes hit .300 in a month of play last season, and he should be a replacement.
5. Arizona Thunderbirds – 65.36
The Arizona Thunderbirds traded their way into the 7th pick of the 2022 Draft and got a franchise cornerstone in Mark Hawkins, who will center the outfield for years to come, pairing elite defense with elite speed, and the potential to be an elite batter as well, but he will be a solid batter regardless and will instantly compete to be the best CF in the entire CBA. The Birds also received P Tony Juarez, who can be used as an elite reliever, or a solid pitcher. Many teams have been using relievers as starters, and although Tony Juarez had a terrible 4-21 record last year, he played for the DC Eagles and the San Diego Skylarks, so he did not have many opportunities to win, as both teams were openly tanking for most of the year.
6. Midwest Plainsmen – 65.29
The Midwest Plainsmen are in for a tough season, ranking in at the worst rotation in the PL. They do however have the best bullpen in the CBA, with guys like Shawn Martin and Ethan Caldwell, although it seems they will be using a few members of the bullpen in a starting role, which has had varying levels of success in the inaugural season of the CBA among different teams. The outcome of Midwest’s season depends on young players, such as 23rd pick SS Troy Weber, who will have to get adjusted to top level play after playing in the NCAA just a year ago. 1B Matt Laferty also has room to grow, and he is someone who can really change this lineup, with potential to hit .340+ along with 35+ HR as he continues to mature in his second pro season. Jamie Malchow is another guy who has to perform in order for this team to stay out of a relegation fight. Malchow hit for .381 last year and it will be tough to reach it again, but the 28 year old hit for .440 in Spring Training and looks to put in another MVP caliber season after gaining the 3rd most MVP votes in 2022.
7. Great Lakes Monsters – 64.29
The Great Lake Monsters are a team that is likely going to battle relegation this season, and will definitely battle relegation if star 3B Josh Verburg goes out long term. This lineup is very short, and once the season gets going and injuries start rolling in, this team won’t have much of an answer, and will be starting scrubs by the end of the season if multiple starters go down long term. Their pitching on the other hand is solid, coming in with the 6th best rotation in the PL, but a deep bullpen. Neil Hinz and Danny Antonio will line the top of the rotation, but Antonio is getting older, as is Hinz, and all 5 starters will be 30 or older by the end of June. Staying injury free is key for Great Lakes to stay out of a relegation battle.
8. Portland Axemen – 63.86
Just a week before the season starts and Portland has already lost 2 rotation starters for the entirety of the season, and another one out for most of the season, but he will be 38 by the time he gets back, and may not even be a decent pitcher after his torn labrum. Portland’s bullpen is solid, but Closer Vince Buckley has major control issues, the closer job may be thrown around to several different pitchers by the end of the year. The Axemen have one of the better lineups in the PL, but this is a team who dealt with major injury issues last year as well, Timothee Brandi seemingly got injured every week and him staying injury free will be key to Portland staying in the Premier League. Portland made a massive FA Signing in RF Miguel Gutierrez, who will be making nearly $4m more than the entire team is budgeted to spend on the year, and this contract very well may handicap them, only time will tell. Gutierrez looks to produce however, and hit for .370 in Spring Training, and should provide a very good bat to the lineup. Despite all the injuries to starting pitcher, they had lots of suitable starters and should still be able to have a solid 5 man rotation, with Shaun Glasser headlining the pitching staff.
9. New York Roar – 63.36
The New York Roar have a solid pitching staff, with Steven Mrazek, Nate Bailey, and Corey Yoder at the top of the rotation, but is very weak after those three, and will be starting RES level pitchers after if more than one or two starters goes down. Jared DeMartino and Nate Reese hold down the bullpen, DeMartino being one of the best relief pitchers in the CBA. The bullpen is also not very deep however, and especially if DeMartino goes down, there will be serious problems for the Roar to overcome if they lose Mrazek and DeMartino, as they will surely be thrust into relegation. The Roar’s lineup heavily relies on star power, and just like the pitching staff, will need to stay injury free to not get relegated. #1 overall inaugural draft pick Brent Savage and his Super Friends, Shaun Sherman, Logan Connell, and Eric Bohnert are the best hitters on the team, but after them there is a steep drop off in talent, and these guys are going to have to stay on the field and perform at their best every night.
10. Philadelphia Liberty – 62.07
The Philadelphia Liberty ranked as the 2nd worst rotation in the PL, with only 4 suitable starters currently on the roster as we approach opening day. They do have two potential starters in the Reserve league, but beyond those, they will be in big trouble once injuries come around. Robert Buxton, Adam Kirby, and David Emeigh are all above average solid starters, but just like a lot of other teams they will run into injury problems and when those injuries come in this team will be reduced to a Reserve level pitching staff
Premier League Awards
Rookie Of The Year: 
SP Scott Golden, Detroit – Once in a decade prospect who will come into the league as an immediately elite SP and will win multiple Pitcher awards in his career.
Other options: CF Mark Hawkins
Pitcher Of The Year:
SP Keith Bush, Dallas – The Pitcher of the Year winner of 2022 will repeat this year.
Other options: Neil Hinz – Great Lakes, Xavier Frade – Florida, Scott Golden – Detroit
MVP:
1B Adam Borne, Dallas – the 5x Indy League MVP nearly won it last season, and is poised to have another great season in 2023 after hitting 49 HR and 144 RBI in 2022.
Other options: SP Keith Bush – Dallas, 2B Jamie Malchow – Midwest, 3B Josh Verburg – Great Lakes
GM Of The Year:
Joey Brumme, Detroit – Detroit is stacked and has no chance to be relegated this season. They could lose their top 3 pitchers and top 3 batters for the season and still be a top 4 PL team
Other options: Kyle Mefford – Dallas, Casey Iapp – Arizona
Silver League Projections
Average Score: 63.81
1. Atlanta Swarm – 68.71
The Atlanta Swarm added star SP David McDaniel to their rotation, and along with SP Mike “Win” Quinn coming back from a torn labrum which he suffered 2 games into the 2022 season will be a massive boost for this team, who got within 5 games of the Premier League without their star pitcher, adding a 2nd star pitcher to this rotation, while not losing any core member of the lineup should prove to be enough to handily take the Silver League in 2023 and qualify for automatic promotion. The new addition as well as Quinn’s return have Atlanta ranked as tied for the 2nd best rotation in the entire CBA. In addition to the deep rotation, Atlanta has a very solid lineup, with Shen Qi and Josh Saso headlining the batters, and a big question for Atlanta fans will be if Alex Castillo can continue to perform like he did in 2022, hitting for .295 in 101 games along with top tier elite defense at SS.
2. Denver Wolves – 67.29
The Denver Wolves are another Silver League team with an PL quality tier rotation, with guys like Yoshiji “Lawdog” Okuno and Jae-Shin Kim leading the rotation, and a deep pitching staff that will be able to continue playing at a high level when injury occurs. Their lineup is anchored by star 2B Mike Becklin and 3B Kevin Rayos, both who will compete for the SL MVP vote this season. They have a solid bench and it is deep enough that injuries to a star won’t affect them too much. The Wolves will likely battle at the top of the SL for the majority of the season and will very likely be a top 3 team with a chance for promotion and a spot in the next President’s Cup, although they will be watching from home next week as the Inaugural President’s Cup occurs.
3. Cincinnati Royals – 66.79
The Royals acquisition of Heri “Pop” Ortega, to go along with Brad Limbach, Kyle Randolph, and Adam Freeman on the rotation gives Cincinnati one of the best rotations in the CBA. Their rotation should be enough to keep them near the top of the Silver League, but their lineup is a point of real concern. The only star hitter on the lineup is RF Andy “King” Baca, who hit for .275 last year, along with 52 home runs and 136 RBIs. This is a young team however, with only one player above the age of 30, and their batting will likely steadily improve over the season as guys like 1B Matt Anderson and 2B/SS Paul Folk finish developing.
4. Sacramento Golden Bears – 64.43
The Golden Bears were unlucky last year, losing their star RF Victor Delgado before Spring Training ended in 2022, and they ended up missing the Premier League because of it. They have a solid pitching staff, but are hit with depth issues, especially on the starter side. If two starters get injured they will be starting RES or worse level talent. Their bullpen also suffers from not having a clear cut closer, with no relievers that would be considered better than above average. The Golden Bears lineup is strong and deep, but the pitching staying healthy will be the main thing that determines whether they fight for promotion or fight against relegation. 2B Jose “Buzzy” Rodriguez will be an MVP candidate in the Silver League.
5. Oklahoma Mammoths – 63.43
The Mammoths should be good enough to not get relegated from the Silver league, but their team is one of the oldest in the CBA, especially on the pitching side. Only 3 members of the entire pitching staff are under 30 years old, and only 1 is younger than 29 years old. Like many teams, Oklahoma has pitching bench problems, and will be in serious trouble if multiple starters go down. Their lineup is star-studded, but quickly becomes a barren at the end of the bench, and the stars will have to carry the other half of the lineup every night, and might not be able to do that on a consistent basis. 2B Andy Mobley will be an early MVP Favorite, coming off a 2022 season where he hit .383.
6. Austin Outlaws – 63.14
The Outlaws have a below average starting rotation, but one of the better bullpens in the Silver League. SP Byron Juhl and Justin Jones are going to have to put in a lot of innings this year for this team to stay out of relegation battles, as the lower half of the rotation looks to get blown up on most nights. SP Jose Lopez will likely be called up early in the season, and looks to be a needed addition to a weak rotation. He struggled a little in Reserve ball last season, but is still young and has the potential to strike out lots of hitters in the CBA. The Outlaws lineup is headlined by early 2022 MVP favorite Chris “Cracker” Greenwell, who garnered a few MVP votes last season after an extremely hot start to the season, and he looks to improve on his 2022 campaign as he just turned 24 in Spring Training. Austin will be in trouble if Greenwell goes down, he is one of the few above average hitters on the team as well as the heart and soul of the team, and these guys are gonna have to put in hard work to stay out of the relegation zone this year if he goes down.
7. Indianapolis Hawks – 62.50
The Hawks traded away Marquee starter Xavier Frade in a blockbuster that made the team younger, and gained a valuable young SP prospect. Heading into 2023 this move will likely steer them towards relegation, as they just don’t have a clear cut #1 starter anymore. The Hawks bullpen remains strong, and will likely see lots of innings in 2023 as the Hawks look to fight against relegation most of the season. Their lineup is devoid of star players, although they have a good starting lineup with a good bench, there is nobody that really has that star power. Their core lineup pieces are getting older and less effective, namely Tony Escobedo, who scouts say is in for a down season. We will have to see how this lineup bats against Silver League pitching, and that will likely be what keeps them out of the relegation zone, as their pitching lacks more than their batting.
8. Mexico City Chupacabras – 61.43
Mexico City actually has a solid rotation, but like most teams in the CBA they have serious depth issues in their rotation, and if someone goes out they are immediately starting a RES level starter. The Chupacabras have a good bullpen and shouldn’t run into too many problems closing out games, but their starters will have to do their fair share of the work in order to get wins consistently. Mexico City’s lineup features budding star Josh Johnson, who hit for just .239 last season, but has steadily improved over the offseason and looks to have a breakout season. Another player to keep your eyes on is SS Andy Popour, who hit for .469 in Spring training, after hitting .271 this year. This pair of youngins will be core for their lineup for years to come, but their success comes based on who they surround these guys with. FA signing CF Bill Paddock signed for $2.5m a season for 6 years, but went through Spring Training without recording a single hit. Eyes are on OF prospect Orlando Burgueno as he develops in DEV-A to start the season off. Scouts say that Burgueno’s potential is off the walls, ranking as the #1 prospect in the entire SL and projects to be an Adam Borne/Josh Saso type threat at the plate, with good defense in RF.
9. Carolina Aces – 61.07
Carolina has one of the worst rotations in the entire CBA, with Leonel Vallejo being the only respectable SP on the roster. This is a team who will be battling relegation all season long, and although they have a good bullpen, they won’t see the game much at least not with a lead. The Aces lineup is good, but 4 of the top 5 hitters on this team are 35 or older, and their window is closing fast. Fans of the Aces are hoping LF Mike Weatherston was not a fluke last season, as the 20 year old looks to improve on the .342/.368/.533 slash he put in last year as a 19 year old. Weatherston hit .433 in Spring Training 2023 so signs are looking good. Carolina really needs to upgrade their rotation if they want to not get relegated. With old age comes bad defense, and Carolina is shaping up to be the worst defensive team by a mile in the 2023 season. Its gonna be an uphill battle for them to stay in the Silver League.
10. Salt Lake City Snappers – 59.36
The Snappers have sort of a makeshift “Big 3” Rotation, with Ricky Colon leading the way, but those are the only 3 suitable starters on the team. The rotation took a hit when Salt Lake City traded SP Ryan Jeffrey to Los Angeles in order to move up 2 spots in the inaugural draft. With the 10th selection they chose SP Carlos Rodriguez, who projects to have a slightly higher ceiling than Jeffrey. The Snappers have one of the best bullpens in the CBA, but will not find themselves with the lead often, with the tied for the worst lineup in the CBA with bottom feeding Bronze league teams. Jeremy Costanzo isn’t going to hit .335/.433/.710 with 55 HR and 140 RBI again, and outside of Costanzo, there are just 2 good batters left. SS Austin Owens, who lit up the minors last season, looks to be an early Rookie of the Year favorite, with elite speed, defense and hitting, and CF Ralph Radney looks to have another great season after a 2022 campaign that netted him at least 1 MVP vote. Salt Lake City surprised me last year with their batting, and they will have to do it again in order to not get relegated this season.
Silver League Awards
Rookie Of The Year: 
SS Austin Owens – Salt Lake City – Austin Owens can do it all, and at only 19 he looks to shock the CBA just like Mike Weatherston last year.
Other options: RF Juan Salazar – Austin, RP Esteban “Rogue” Sanchez – Oklahoma
Pitcher Of The Year:
Mike “Win” Quinn, Atlanta – Coming off a torn labrum that took him out of the entire 2022 season, Mike Quinn is out to prove hes the best
Other options: Ricky Colon – Salt Lake City, David McDaniel – Atlanta, Brad Limbach – Cincinnati
MVP:
1B Chris “Cracker” Greenwell, Austin – Superstar 24 year old will have another incredible season
Other options: LF Shen Qi – Atlanta, CF Ralph Radney – Salt Lake City, 2B Andy Mobley – Oklahoma
GM Of The Year:
Keeks Marone, Atlanta – After facing tragedy early into the 2022 season with the loss of superstar SP Mike “Win” Quinn, Atlanta looks to bounce back and trading for David McDaniel puts them over the top.
Other options: Jordan Barhorst- Cincinnati, C.C. McCandless – Denver
Bronze League Projections:
Average score – 61.67
1. Iowa Predators – 64.50
The Iowa Predators look to be one of the teams promoted from the Bronze League at the end of the year, and their elite defense will take them there. Every spot on the field is filled with not only a capable defender, but a gold glove option, and most of the lineup can hit as well. The Predators don’t feature any superstar hitters, but they feature a lineup full of willing and able batters, with more waiting on the bench if the starters don’t perform, and the elite defense this team plays will boost their average starting rotation greatly. CF Andrew McKee looks to be the best defensive CF in the CBA, received in a trade from Atlanta along with new DH Jorge Maldonado in exchange for David McDaniel. The Iowa Predators will have their eyes set on promotion from day 1 and they don’t rely on star power so injuries won’t effect them as much.
2. Brooklyn Bulldogs – 63.43
Brooklyn’s rotation is just alright, but in Bronze League play it will be enough to do the job. Brooklyn features the best lineup in the Bronze league, with talent such as Vic Gonzalez and Sal Baez headlining the lineup. Their hitters are young and developing, but still good enough to push Brooklyn towards promotion this season, and when they hit their stride they might be the clear cut #1 team in the league, but as for now their pitching staff doesnt guarantee wins, their lineup has to show up every day. DH David Pratt was acquired on a 1 year loan from Atlanta for free in order to get valuable starting time without room for him on Atlantas lineup, and if he can get into form this year he will be a big + for this lineup, with potential to hit .320+ and 25+ HR and helping them achieve promotion.
3. Boston Rogers – 63.00
With Jeremy England and Justin Marchi leading the rotation, Boston has the best rotation in the Bronze League. Boston also has a solid bullpen, but every member of the bullpen is aging, everyone being 30+. The Rogers picked Ricardo “Ignitor” Garcia with the 8th pick of the 2022 draft, and the Boston High School player moves just down the street to join the Boston Youth Academy, and will hope to join the Big Leagues as soon as possible, he will be a very good OF or DH for them once he develops. One glaring problem for Boston is their defense, which ranks 2nd worst in the entire CBA. They are also the 2nd slowest team in the CBA and their hitting isnt nearly good enough to make up for both of those categories. Luckily their pitching is, but its not good enough to guarantee them a promotion spot as their hitters will have some work to do.
4. Houston Moondogs – 61.79
BL MVP Favorite Jim Forristall leads a Moondogs lineup that ranks as tied as the best in the BL with Brooklyn. 9th overall 2022 draft pick Jesse “Nutball” Robison looks to be the day 1 starter for the Moondogs, and coming off a .388 avg in college will have high expectations as the Moondogs franchise 3B as he fights for the Rookie of the Year in the very competitive Bronze League filled with top prospects. Chris “Irony” House and Francisco “Pistol” Renteria lead the top of the rotation, but many wonder how the egos on that team will work out. Renteria spent the entire year of 2022 in the CBA and did not develop well, although he has potential to be a very good strikeout starter, he is the 3rd best starter in the Houston organization and is thrust into the Big leagues to stunt his growth. Luckily he will be facing exclusively Bronze league batting this year, but one has to wonder if the damage was done last year, where Renteria had a 5-18 record and walked nearly as many as he struck out. Houston is noticeably void of talent in the minors and are in for some serious long term problems at SP, as Chris House gets older by the day.
5. San Diego Skylarks – 61.00
Despite being last place for the majority of last season, the Skylarks ended up with the 3rd pick in the 2022 draft, and went with SP Harry Galbraith from FSU. The Skylarks also upgraded SP Mark Warstler into SP Adam Duhamel and now have a solid rotation. The starters are going to have to work overtime to get wins though, as the relievers on this team are simply not CBA quality. Their lineup is solid and looks to hit good enough to be one of the better Bronze League lineups. The lineup doesnt feature star power, but it has lots of average and above average players and a deep bench, but they will have to show up every night to get wins as the relievers will not hold starters leads often.
6. Bay Area Pandas – 60.93
The Bay Area ended up with the #1 overall pick and instead of taking Scott Golden or Seth Paddock, they made the move to trade for 3 first round picks and a 2nd round pick instead. Those picks were the 6th and 14th and then Detroits 1st and 2nd next year, which will likely be one of the last picks in the draft. At #6 the Pandas took Jacob Sarnes, a starter whose fastballs can go 100+. The 14th pick was Andy “Professor” Rodriguez, who will turn 18 in a few days, but projects to be an elite contact hitter with great defense and speed. If Sarnes pans out this is a great trade for the Pandas and they still have another 1st to pick. This is not a team who will likely get promoted this season, but theres a chance.
7. LA Chilis – 60.71
The Chilis traded for Ryan Jeffrey of Salt Lake City, and now have one of the better rotations in the Bronze League. They also added former Bay Area Panda, Dustin Easterling. The Chili’s bullpen is weak, but Elias Flores should get the job done most of the time. LA’s lineup is headlined by Brendan Grimm, Wyatt Karr, and Edgar Sanchez, and they are one of the best lineups in the BL. LA made a savvy draft day pick swap trade with Miami, swapping their #2 and #15 for #4, #10, a very good prospect pitcher in Matt Anderson, and an elite bullpen prospect in Dave Conklin. Another good trade made later they swapped the 10th pick and the 60th pick for the 12th pick and #1 starter Ryan Jeffrey. Another Great trade for LA, however BSPN thinks they made a questionable pick on RF Abe Caputo at #4, when two extremely good CF prospects went off the board at 6 and 7. The 12th pick was a good pick and Shane Blanchard has a lot of upside as a starter or a reliever if that changeup never comes.
8. DC Eagles – 60.64
The DC Eagles have a very good rotation, including the best pitcher in the BL, Ben Perez. However, their other 2 “Big 3” starters battled control issues heavily in the 2022 season, and there aren’t really any other suitable starters on the team as their star prospects develop in the minors. If Aaron Hannah and William Wille can overcome their control issues, then DC can fight for promotion this season, but, for now they are ranked where their current ability is not where they might be at the end of the season. Their bullpen remains pretty solid but they traded top closer prospect Dave Conklin away, although they still have Billy Kearns, but he is slightly farther away. Their lineup is devoid of talent outside of “Moondog” Wagner and Jose Sanchez, who they sent a king’s ransom to San Diego for. He is an extremely good player who will compete for MVP, but DC has many offensive holes in their lineup.
9. Wichita Weasels – 60.50
The Weasels come into the 2023 season ranked as the one of the worst pitching staffs in the CBA, and tied for the worst lineup in the CBA. While they do have 4 above average BL starters, they are the only 4 starters that can pitch CBA ball, and with only a 4 man rotation they will be worked heavily and injuries will likely follow. The Weasels lineup is headlined by CF Cameron Brasted and LF Aaron Agee, but outside of these two, the team will not be hitting very well, and also has one of the worst defenses in the CBA. This team is a near lock to be at the bottom of the BL. If their 4 man rotation can stay injury free, and the bottom 2/3 of the lineup can bring a solid effort every night, they have a chance to be near the top, but with only 4 suitable starters, and nobody there to replace one if any go out, its going to be an uphill battle.
10. Miami Warriors – 60.21
The Miami Warriors have a rotation that boasts #2 overall pick Seth Paddock, but outside of him and Andy Heavener, the rotation will be RES or worse level for much of the year unless their prospects develop fast. Star OF Milk Steak Gallegos is still on loan in Atlanta for another year, and Miami looks to use this year to get another high draft pick to add to the rotation or lineup. Miami’s lineup wont have any star power until Gallegos gets back on offense, so the Warriors are going to be in for a long year, but they do have a great defense and a speedy lineup, which will help mask their bat problems. Miami is a promising team, and if their young players develop fast enough this year, they could end near the top of the BL. As for now, Seth Paddock will seemingly start the year in Reserve ball.
Bronze League Awards
Rookie Of The Year:
CF Justin Jordan – DC Eagles – Justin “The Hawk” Jordan looks to be one of the best CF in the CBA in his rookie season. Pairing elite speed and defense with potentially one of the best bats in the CBA.
Other options: 3B Jesse Robison – Houston, SP Seth Paddock – Miami, SP Harry Galbraith – San Diego
Pitcher Of The Year:
Chris House – Houston – Coming off an elite season last year, House’s numbers will likely see a boost in 2023
Other options: Justin Marchi – Boston, Ben Perez – DC, Seth Paddock – Miami
MVP:
RF Jim Forristall – Houston – The Fan Favorite looks to have another great season, and will see a great increase in numbers against the poor Bronze League pitching.
Other options: OF Jose Sanchez – DC, 2B Jon Wagner – DC, SS Mike Watson – Boston
GM Of The Year:
Zachary Rentscheler – Iowa – The Predator’s deep bench in both pitching and hitting will allow them to reach promotion whether they take the #1 spot or reach the 2 game promotion series.
Other options: Rich Vardaro – Brooklyn, Andy Mayfield – Boston
The Presidental Cup Predictions
POOL STAGE
POOL A – Team – W-L – Points
Dallas Devils (4-2) | 5 –
Atlanta Swarm (3-3) | 3 –
Chicago Gale (3-3) | 3 –
Oklahoma Mammoths (2-4) | 2 –
I think that Atlanta and Chicago will split all 3 of their series, and that Dallas will sweep Oklahoma, leaving Atlanta and Chicago to tiebreakers, which would go down to run differential or away runs, and I think that Atlanta has a more explosive lineup, so they will take the tiebreaker there.
POOL B – Team – W-L – Points
Detroit Motors (4-2) | 7 –
Florida Giants (4-2) | 7 –
Carolina Aces (1-5) | 1 –
Brooklyn Bulldogs (1-5) | 1 –
I think that Detroit and Florida will both sweep Carolina and Brooklyn, then split their series. This division will be very difficulty for either of the non Premier league teams to advance to the President’s Cup.
POOL C – Team – W-L – Points
Philadelphia Liberty (3-3) | 3 –
Great Lakes Monsters (3-3) | 3 –
Mexico City Chupacabras (3-3) | 3 –
New York Roar (3-3) | 3 –
Pool C is a toss up, any one of these teams can win this group, but I think Philadelphia’s lineup will hit well enough to get them one of the spots, and the next spot can be anyone, Great Lakes pitching may get them into it despite a weaker lineup.
POOL D – Team – W-L – Points
Arizona Thunderbirds (4-2) | 5 –
Cincinnati Royals (3-3) | 3 –
Midwest Plainsmen (3-3) | 3 –
Portland Axemen (2-4) | 2 –
The Thunderbirds should be the best team in group stage, but the 2nd spot will be in tight contention. I think Cincinnati’s rotation gets them to the 2nd spot in pool stage to qualify for the Presidential Cup.
The Presidential Cup
The Presidential Cup is a Single Elimination Knockout tournament
I think Dallas can ride SP Keith Bush to a Presidential Cup win in its inaugural outing. The tournament lasts from June 28 to July 6th, so Bush should be able to start the first matchup and be ready for the finals if Dallas can get past Cincinnati and Florida.
I think Florida will handily take care of Philadelphia behind SP Xavier Frade. Florida is going to be Dalla’s toughest matchup, as they will not be able to use Keith Bush, and Florida’s #2 starter, Craig Meister should be able to give a better performance in round 2 than Germao Paulus of Dallas.
I think the Atlanta Swarm will be able to ride SP Mike “Win” Quinn to a win over the Arizona Thunderbirds, although that game could go either way as Arizona will also be starting a stud SP. I think that Detroit’s lineup will be too much for David McDaniel to handle, although that game could also go either way if Atlanta’s offense explodes. If Atlanta can reach the Finals against Dallas, a matchup between Mike “Win” Quinn and Keith Bush will be a very good game.
Detroit’s strong rotation will get them past Great Lakes, although there is a chance Neil Hinz puts in a stellar performance and shocks Detroit in the first round.