2025 Preseason Preview Power Rankings
BSPN Championship Baseball Association Predictions
Ratings done by BSPN contributor Sam Collins, write up done by BSPN contributor James Austin. Ratings were based on five aspects – Starting Rotation, Bullpen, Hitting, Speed, and Defense.
Premier League Projections
Average score: 67.731
1. Dallas Devils – 71.07
There’s plenty of points to start with this team, but let’s start off with the rotation. They’ve got one of the best rotations in the game, with perennial award winner Keith Bush and Chris House following close behind. Their bullpen is solid, with stopper Jeremy Harbaugh also bringing in awards left and right. And that lineup – oh, that lineup – is by far the best we’ve seen in the short history of the CBA, and might go down as one of the best all time. You’ve got Andy Mobley, Trevor Hamberlin, Danny Crews, Jim Forrestall, Franklin Trevino, and Adam Borne on one team. The one weakness is their bullpen depth – but, as we’ve seen before, that can easily be fixed at the deadline for money. They can pitch, they can score, the should win this season.
Strengths: Rotation, Lineup
Weaknesses: Bullpen Depth
Why watch this team: They’ve got the complete package – Hitting, Defense, and Pitching. They should be fun to watch.
2. Detroit Motors – 70.18
I’m not sure you can talk about this team without thinking of Angelo Underhill. He’s got a shot to be a 40/40 player, as he’s got great instincts on the base paths and has the best raw power in the league – but the question is whether he’s able to translate from the ABL to the CBA. Bill Ryan will continue to terrorize pitchers, while Chris Cochran provides that firm defense out in center. On the rotation side of things, you have to mention Scott Golden. The kid has the best shot at becoming the face of the CBA once Borne retires, since everybody likes the homegrown, gone through the system kid. Paul Kman and Hector Tovar fill up slots 2 and 3, but nobody knows who 4 and 5 will be. The bullpen should be good, and with the addition of Chris Cote, it gives Detroit that firm stopper they’ve needed for a bit.
Strengths: Pitching
Weaknesses: League average defense
Why watch this team: There’s no real weaknesses on this team, so they should provide the full package this season.
3. Cincinnati Royals – 69.50
The Adam Jackson controversy, with him signing with DC then immediately having his contract voided by the Commissioner’s Office, played out in full in Free Agency with Cincinnati reeling him in on a huge 6 year, $67 million dollar contract. Pair him with Brad Limbach and Adrian Owens and you’ve got the best rotation in the league. The bullpen, however, is less of a certain thing – outside of Sae-wan Lee, there’s no true backstop in that bullpen, and you may even see top prospect Tim Engle called up earlier than most would say he should. On the other side of the ball, they won’t get you with their speed, they won’t get you with their hitting, but their defense is solid. They’ll win a ton of games 3-2, 2-1, but don’t expect many blowouts in their favor.
Strengths: Starting Rotation, Defense
Weaknesses: Bullpen, Hitting, Speed
Why watch this team: If you want to see dominating performances, watch them. Any day could be a no hitter or 15+ strikeout game.
4. Florida Giants – 65.43
Xavier Frade still headlines a great rotation for the Giants, while Craig Meister and William Stannard continue to provide great depth to a good rotation. Newcomer Danny Burgos looks to make an impact coming out of a #4 slot in the rotation, while many other teams would have him higher up. The bullpen remains as solid as ever, as four guys – Arturo Altamirano, Neil Kack, Adelkria Apio, and Brian Bigham – continue to provide one of the top pens in the league. If you want to talk hitters, there’s nobody better to make an example of than Mario Cernas. The dude could challenge Adam Borne straight away for the top hitter in the league, and Florida is only paying him $2.875 million this season (the back half of the contract is a story for another day). Pair him with Nelson Santana and Jayden Morrisette and you’ve got one of the top outfields in the league, and with Nick Pankow and Ramon Rangel heading up the middle infield, the only questions are at third and first.
Strengths: Bullpen, Lineup
Weaknesses: Speed, Fielding
Why watch this team: See if Mario Cernas is up to the challenge to fully maximize his skills, and see if there’s a race between him and Borne for the top hitter in the league.
5. Chicago Gale – 68.04
Their Luis Guerra/Alberto Fernandez pair in the bullpen should carry them over in close games, but their starting pitching needs work. Outside of Paul Piatt, that rotation is shaky – though Bert Giron and Jason Vargas have the arm slots to get out left handed heavy lineups. Their lineup is where we begin to have problems – there isn’t much in terms of production outside of new 1B Victor Castillo – but their defense and speed should be enough to win them some games.
Strengths: Late Game Bullpen, Speed, Defense
Weaknesses: Offensive Production
Why watch this team: See the richest reliever in the league, Alberto Fernandez, and see if defense really does win championships.
6. Denver Wolves – 67.25
Shouts erupted from the streets of Denver when the news was announced – Jose Guzman was coming to Denver. Blinky should lead one of the best rotations in the game, while challenging Keith Bush for his own award. Throw in the Twasians (Yoshiji Okuno and Jae-shin Kim) and Jon Quiroga and you’ve got a potent 1-4. Their bullpen is solid, with Francisco Pico and Oscar Martinez manning the back of the pen with depth in the middle innings. However, their lineup, defense and speed don’t quite match up to the level of their starters, which leads to their spot this low in the standings. Mike Becklin and Kevin Rayos still look to lead the Wolves, while Greg Pacheco is a mainstay in that lineup.
Strengths: Pitching
Weaknesses: Everybody Else
Why watch this team: JOSE. GUZMAN. And, well, at least the rest of that rotation.
7. Sacramento Golden Bears – 66.75
Sacramento heads into the season with a boost of confidence after winning the Silver League the last season, and their starting rotation was a big part of that. Chase Lewis continues to put up big numbers, while Jason Corbin and Tim Perry also back him up. Leo Lopez was a name mentioned in a few awards, but most think he is another example of a one year wonder. Nigel Berry carried a low depth bullpen for Sacramento last season, logging almost 150 innings from a stopper role. In the lineup, you’ve got Jose Rodriguez who will continue to put up great stats, as he’s never finished far from the top in the MVP voting and it doesn’t look like it’ll stop now. We can’t forget about Victor Delgado, and new acquisition Bertrando Toro from Portland, who will make an immediate impact in this Golden Bears’ lineup. They also run a lot, logging a SL best 174 stolen bases last season.
Strengths: Rotation, Speed
Weaknesses: Defense, Lineup Depth
Why Watch This Team: Jose Rodriguez had a down year with 44 stolen bases last season. Look for him to pick up the total this one.
8. Portland Axemen – 63.86
The curious case of Portland. They’ve traded away many of the players that got them to the PL, however they also got some great pieces in return. In a suddenly deep rotation, Jose Lopez headlines an above league average rotation, with starter Ricky Colon from Salt Lake City backing him up. Their bullpen needs another arm heading in to the season, as they don’t have much outside of Vince Buckley and Steve Naegele. They look to pad their team with a mix of defense and offense, but you can’t look past two pieces in that lineup – Miguel Gutierrez and Soong-yong Kim. Kim is the glove, Gutierrez is the boom, and those two make a 1-2 punch in the outfield better than most other teams.
Strengths: Starting Rotation
Weaknesses: Bullpen, Speed, Lineup Depth
Why Watch This Team: See whether the team that’s made the most moves made the right moves, coming this spring.
9. Midwest Plainsmen – 66.46
Midwest doesn’t have many flashy players.
Midwest has never finished below 4th in the PL.
You’d assume that a team finishing this high every season at least has some talent, right?
Look no farther than the bullpen. The best pen in the CBA, Jason Peterson, Sean Ohm, Ethan Caldwell, and Shawn Martin lead the Midwest pen to victory after victory, even if their starters are not PL ready. Their lineup, outside of Jamie Malchow and Matt Laferty, offers no help to their cause, but they don’t need to hit well. They look to win games by a run, while maintaining a low ERA as a team with their great defense, starting with Shortstop Troy Weber. Can they overcome their lack of starting pitching?
Strengths: Bullpen, Defense
Weaknesses: Starting Rotation, Lineup Depth
Why Watch This Team: Late inning heroics. The bullpen will keep things close for the offense to score 1-2 key runs at the end of the game.
10. Arizona Thunderbirds – 62.21
Let’s be honest – Arizona is in a rebuild phase right now, only they waited until just the right time last year to sell all their pieces. No more Adrian Owens means that pitching is devoid in Arizona – they’ll easily give up the most runs per game in the PL. Arizona is saved by a young trio of players in the field – Center Fielder Mark Hawkins, First Baseman Carlos Rodriguez, and most importantly Left Fielder Abel Kennedy. Their lineup should allow them to stay competitive, but the pitching will lose them games.
Strengths: Middle of the Lineup
Weaknesses: Pitching
Why Watch This Team: The middle of that lineup – Carlos Negrete, Abel Kennedy, and Carlos Rodriguez – should provide enough entertainment to make this team watchable.
Premier League Awards
Rookie Of The Year:
SP Alex Fallardo, Sacramento – Even though he signed a massive contract in Free Agency this season, he’s only 24 – and poised to go big time.
Other options: Corey Youngblood, Florida Giants
Pitcher Of The Year:
SP Keith Bush, Dallas – It’s very hard to go against a 3 time pitcher of the year. That being said, expect a challenge from Guzman, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Guzman passes him.
Other options: Jose Guzman, Denver Wolves; Adam Jackson, Cincinnati Royals; Scott Golden, Detroit Motors
MVP:
1B Adam Borne, Dallas – It’s also tough to go against the guy who’s won MVP the past two seasons.
Other options: Mario Cernas, Florida Giants; Jamie Malchow, Midwest Plainsmen; Abel Kennedy, Arizona Thunderbirds
GM Of The Year:
Kyle Mefford, Dallas – He’s put together a winning team over the past few seasons, and this year it should pay off. Maybe.
Other options: Bob Guse, Florida; Joey Brumme, Detroit; Jordan Barhorst, Cincinnati
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Silver League Projections:
Average Score: 64.689
1. Miami Warriors – 68.50
Miami’s rotation alone should be able to propel them to a promotion, with Seth Paddock, Harry Galbraith, and Robert Buxton with Andy Heavener having a bounce back season. Their bullpen, with Henry Gonzalez from the right side and Justin Wright from the left should provide a good late inning duo, but the rest of the pen is lacking depth. Meanwhile, Alejandro Pena hopes to bounce back from a dismal season, in which his BABIP went from .413 to .272. They have just enough of the hitting, speed, and defense that they need to win out – and oh by the way, signing Carlos Juarez doesn’t hurt.
Strengths: Rotation, Defense
Weaknesses: Bullpen Depth, Speed
Why Watch This Team: The young starting rotation. Paddock and Galbraith will make a great 1-2 punch for years to come, and hey – you get to see them while they’re still young. Oh, and Carlos Juarez.
2. Atlanta Swarm – 68.39
The Swarm consistently have one of the best pitching rosters in the CBA, with Mike Quinn leading the charge. Follow him up with David McDaniel, and you’ve got a formidable 1-2 punch in the rotation. The bullpen is consistently good, with Jesus Gaytan hoping he can follow up a season in which he put up a 0.88 ERA through 88 innings. The remainder of the bullpen is shaky, however, and if Gaytan gets hurt the Swarm could be relying on their starters much more than they probably want. Offensively, Shen Qi and new acquisition Melvin Gonzalez should provide a boost to a lineup in which finished 7th in runs scored last season. If the starters improve by the tiniest bit and the offense comes back to life, there’s a good shot they win out this season.
Strengths: Rotation, Defense, Speed
Weaknesses: Bullpen, Lineup
Why Watch This Team: The pitching should be tops in the league. Great duels every day.
3. DC Eagles – 66.82
DC should score the most runs in the SL this season, and they play in a pitcher’s park – their lineup is just that good. Heck, run down the list – Ernie Horton, Jon Wagner, Justin Jordan, Jose Sanchez, Francisco Ramirez, Ricky Cardenas, Orlando Burgueno – all players expected to hit .300 or better. They also steal plenty of bases, after stealing 228 last season in the BL. They don’t hit home runs – only 94 all of last season – but averaged a .292 average as a team in the BL. On the pitching side of the ball, their rotation has a good 1-2 punch in Aaron Hannah and Neil Hinz, but the question becomes whether or not the remaining three guys can pick it up. The guys who will be filling those spots, for now, are Matt Eldred, Jeff Dunham, Omar Luna, and Juan Salas – all guys who, outside of Salas, were featured in the top 80 prospects. Their bullpen has a big three in Mac Woolfrey, Dennis Jones, and now Billy Kearns is rising to a top level reliever. The issue is how they’ll fill out the remaining depth in the pen – Mark Ferris is an almost guaranteed piece, but there are questions outside of that.
Strengths: Lineup, Speed
Weaknesses: Rotation Depth, Bullpen Depth, Defense
Why Watch This Team: Hit, score runs, repeat.
4. Oklahoma Mammoths – 64.68
Oklahoma made the stunning trade of Andy Mobley last season for Germao Paulus and a loan of Alvaro Mejia. Now that Mejia is gone, Oklahoma will be forced to rely off of their rotation, with the aforementioned Germao, Matt Daniels, and newcomer Valentin Estrada. Their bullpen, outside of Esteban Sanchez, lacks depth, and their lineup needs a few more hitters to become a good team. Julio Rodriguez’s and Brad Sayers’ contributions will be key if Oklahoma looks to be promoted this season.
Strengths: Rotation
Weaknesses: Everybody but the pitchers
Why Watch This Team: An under the radar signing, see if Valentin Estrada lives up to the huge contract offered to him by the Mammoth’s front office.
5. New York Roar – 64.39
New York still has the middle of the lineup that could make a PL team – with Brent Savage, Eric Bohnert, and Mike Homan, they make a great trio. Joe Hoban should man Center for the Roar, but this is a team that focuses on power and walks, but not much else. As for pitching, let’s forget the rotation altogether at the moment and focus on one player – Jared DeMartino. You can’t discount the back of the bullpen for the Roar, as he’s put in an ERA under 3 for the past two seasons and has some of the best stuff in the game. In the rotation, they’re headlined by Steven Mrazek, and although he hasn’t put in good seasons while in the PL, he looks to change that now in an easier league.
Strengths: Good middle of the lineup
Weaknesses: Overall Depth
Why Watch This Team: Brent Savage – there’s a reason he was picked first overall. He’s also got a nice supporting cast around him in the middle of the lineup.
6. LA Chilis – 64.11
LA has got a great lineup which will score a ton of runs this season. You have to start with 3B/1B Steve Nelson, who won the BL MVP last season. Throw in Abe Caputo and Jordan Olguin and you’ve got one of the best lineups in the SL. Kevin Simmons will man center and chase down plenty of balls. Wyatt Karr, Jesus Heredia, and Brandon Grimm also play a part in the strong LA lineup. They pulled the biggest trade of the offseason by netting Kyle Randolph from Cincinnati, and along with Danny Antonio and Juan Cruz, they look to put together a great rotation. However, what will hurt them is the bullpen, as there’s no true closer or late inning reliever in that team. However, relievers are cheap, and they should be able to trade some more pieces for a reliever to solidify that bullpen.
Strengths: Lineup, Rotation
Weaknesses: Bullpen, Speed, Defense
Why Watch This Team: If you’ve never watched a game played at LA, you’re missing out. Against a team like DC, games regularly ended with 15+ runs scored.
7. Mexico City Chupacabras – 64.04
Mexico City has a great lineup, with Andy Popour, Kevin Shaheen, Josh Johnson, Kyle Kemerly, Pat Stackhouse, and Vic Gonzalez leading the way. Don’t forget that they have Kyle Wright – the 6th overall selection in the Inaugural Draft – who appears to be ready to take a full time roll in the SL. They’ve got good speed, and we think that top prospect Mike Frantz, acquired with star starter Ben Perez in the DC-Mexico City deal, will start at some point this season. On the other side, Ben Perez headlines a rotation after being out for two seasons with Tommy John surgery, and he will be backed up by David Munson and Jarred Haight. On the bullpen side of things, Mexico City has Tony Carreon and nobody else. Like many other teams, they need bullpen depth, and they can easily acquire it later in the season.
Strengths: Middle of the Lineup
Weaknesses: Pitching
Why Watch This Team: See if Ben Perez still has got it – and whether he was worth the hefty price they paid to get him.
8. Austin Outlaws – 63.39
Austin is in the middle of a rebuild and, to OSA, has the best farm system in the SL. However, that farm system won’t save them from at least the relegation game this season, if not the straight up 10th place automatic relegation. Alex Valdivia headlines a bullpen, but there are no other good pitchers in the Austin Outlaws’ club, so Valdivia might be on the move sooner rather than later. Taking a look at their lineup, their hitting isn’t too good – they still have Angel Cruz, so they have at least one spot filled – but this isn’t a team that’s built to hit. They’re built to run, and hoping that stealing enough bases will lead to a 7th or better finish.
Strengths: Speed, Defense
Weaknesses: Pitching, Hitting
Why Watch This Team: A lot of young players about to get their start here, and see if Angel Cruz is able to pick up right where he left off while many are saying he can’t.
9. Philadelphia Liberty – 61.75
It’s tough to project where Philadelphia will finish this season. There is no consensus among the people’s vote – some have them finishing first, some have them finishing last, a lot have them in the middle – but we do know they have good players. Chris Greenwell should hit hit hit, as he did in his rookie season, and provide a thumper to a lineup that needs hitters. Their defense is great, with Hector Diaz and new signing Alberto Camacho look to form a great defense in the outfield to frustrate hitters. Pitching needs some work – they signed Alex Guzman to a surprisingly affordable contract back in the first FA period, but there’s nobody of note in the rest of their staff. Their season hinges on their defense – if it’s good, there’s a shot they repeat in a 2nd place finish. However, in a drastically different SL, they might run into a wall soon.
Strengths: At least they’ve got three good players in Chris Greenwell, Hector Diaz, and Alex Guzman.
Weaknesses: Well, outside of Chris Greenwell, Hector Diaz, and Alex Guzman, everybody else.
Why Watch This Team: Chris Greenwell hitting and Hector Diaz making play after play in center. Otherwise, there’s not too much.
10. Great Lakes Monsters – 60.82
Well, Great Lakes has had a tough fall from the PL. They traded away plenty of their pieces and are looking to revitalize their farm system. They’ve still got two good pieces in Josh Verburg and Edgar Lugo, but their roster looks pretty bleak outside of them. They might be the big names on the move at the turn of the season.
Strengths: Josh Verburg, Edgar Lugo
Weaknesses: Everybody Else
Why Watch This Team: Josh Verburg, Edgar Lugo. And they might be the first team in CBA history to go from PL to BL in a two season span, so there’s that piece of history to watch for.
Silver League Awards
Rookie Of The Year: 
Francisco Ramirez, DC Eagles – Ramirez’s bat plays at the major league level, and he should terrorize right handed pitchers this season. Also plays a half decent Left Field as well.
Other options: Sean Chase, Austin Outlaws; Bill Bischoff, Miami Warriors; Kevin Simmons, LA Chilis
Pitcher Of The Year:
Mike Quinn, Atlanta – Quinn won the award last season, and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t win it again this season. Just watch his age though – the gears might need a little oil by the time the end of the season comes around.
Other options: Seth Paddock, Miami; Aaron Hannah, DC; David McDaniel, Atlanta.
MVP:
Jose Sanchez, DC Eagles – We all saw what he’s able to do with the bat, hitting .375 for the majority of the season in the BL. We’ve heard rumors that he’s moving to DH this upcoming season, and if so, he’ll definitely take a hit in WAR – but his hitting should be the best in the league.
Other options: Justin Jordan, DC Eagles; Andy Popour, Mexico City Chupacabras; Jon Wagner, DC Eagles; Carlos Juarez, Miami Warriors
GM Of The Year:
Cody Richardson, Miami Warriors – The signing of Carlos Juarez was the icing on the cake for Miami. They sure up their third base spot and, combined with that rotation, jump into the lead for the SL predictions.
Other options: Keeks Marone, Atlanta; Derrick Jefferson, DC
Bronze League Projections:
Average score – 60.749
1. Iowa Predators – 64.86
Iowa had a great pitching/defensive team last season, and ended with a 2.71 ERA as a team last season.
Nobody scored.
They play in a park that features their best aspects – their pitching, fielding, and speed on the basepaths – and have built a roster that that plays to their park. Heri Ortega, big contract and all, looks to headline a rotation that has high standards to keep this season. Their bullpen is the best in the BL, with three Rodriguezs(?) in Carlos (The Righty), Reuben, and Carlos (The Lefty) leading the way. They look to win games with their speed, not by hitting.
Strengths: Pitching, Fielding, Speed
Weaknesses: Hitting
Why Watch This Team: They finished with a 2.71 ERA as a team last season. Can they keep it up?
2. Boston Rogers – 64.46
Boston was promoted… then demoted. They’re back in the BL again and look to bring almost the same team that got themselves promoted two seasons ago. Jeremy England and Justin Marchi look to repeat as one of the BL’s best tandem of starters, while Tony Malone and Leonel Vallejo back up them in a strong 3-4 in a great rotation. Mike Alter should man the bullpen in an otherwise weak middle relief group. As for their lineup, they signed two great players in Jordan Hernandez and Francisco Arrellano over the offseason, and combining him with Kurt Dominy, they look to have a great middle of the lineup in Boston for a repromotion.
Strengths: Starters, Middle of the Lineup
Weaknesses: Bullpen, Defense
Why Watch This Team: They still have a great rotation, one that took the BL by storm a few years back. And, for the most part, it’s the same people.
3. Bay Area Pandas – 63.21
Bay Area has had a long, tough road for a rebuild.
It started in the inaugural draft. They traded away most of their top draft picks for picks in the amateur draft, with which they picked Mike Todoroff and Tyler Shinkle. Needless to say, all that time drafting, signing, scouting has worked.
They’ve got a great middle of the lineup, with Mike Todoroff, Edgar Arreola, Garrett Haskins, and Danny Fernandez. Bobby Stutz has great defense behind the plate, which is great for their young core group of pitchers. Returning Paddock Award winner Tyler Shinkle looks to be the ace of a Pandas staff that also includes top picks John Lawson, Chris Colombo, and Jacob Sarnes. Their bullpen is headed by Chris Allen and Mike Vasquez. This is their season.
Strengths: Middle of the lineup, Pitchers
Weaknesses: Lineup Depth, Fielding
Why Watch This Team: The process is complete.
4. Brooklyn Bulldogs – 62.54
Brooklyn has always been in the top of the BL – they’ve finished 2nd, 4th last season, and look to finally get promoted this season. Their rotation is coming together this season, and sure, it hurts when you’ve lost Tyler Shinkle’s production, but they’ve got Antonio Avila, Gene Bryan, Adam Freeman, and top pick Pat Kenny to cut off the loss. On the lineup side, they’ve got Ki-Heon Chong, Ivan Quijije, Sal Baez, and more in that lineup. The Brooklyn formula to win: Strike ’em out and Hit it out.
Strengths: Rotation, Lineup
Weaknesses: Speed, Fielding
Why Watch This Team: They’ve been among the favorites both seasons in the BL, see if they can finally put it together this season.
5. Indianapolis Hawks – 61.75
Indy’s year isn’t this year. To put it simply, their pitching isn’t anywhere close it needs to be. Their starters need help, but this is the rotation of the future, with Brian Latimer, Scott Bradford, and Phil Maynard all starting this season. Their bullpen got some help in free agency with Danny Rivera and Oscar Moya, and pairing them with Wesley Rollings should help their pitching side of the ball. As for hitting, John Davies and Juan Salazar have been called up, and Curro Najera provides the fielding in an otherwise weak hitting team. This season isn’t theirs; next season is.
Strengths: Speed, Fielding
Weaknesses: Rotation, Hitting
Why Watch This Team: A bunch of big, young hitters will get their start this year. Also, it’s worth watching Dale “Wild Thing” Dockins from the pen.
6. Wichita Weasels – 60.61
Under new management, Wichita looks to get better through a potential rebuild. They’ve hung on to their best players in Cameron Brasted and Chris Abbott, though they might be on the move sooner rather than later. Sergio Avena looks to make an appearance this season in an otherwise uneventful season in Wichita.
Strengths: Speed
Weaknesses: Pitching
Why Watch This Team: Chris Abbott is still alive. He is still throwing. He still pitches well.
7. Salt Lake City Snappers – 60.71
They traded away their top starter in Ricky Colon, and their lineup has nobody to stand out, excluding Ralph Radney. Where to watch this team is their bullpen, and although they don’t have Chris Cote, they still have Alberto Cerna, Josh Duncan, Jesus Mendez, and more. They could outperform, but with their key pieces getting older, look for them to tear down and rebuild this season.
Strengths: Bullpen
Weaknesses: Starters, Hitters
Why Watch This Team: Their bullpen still remains among the best in the league.
8. Houston Moondogs – 58.46
Houston finished 5th last season, and with Robison, they have the starpower to get better. However, with them trading away their big pieces, they need to have their lineup score enough runs to offset a weak pitching staff. Mike Bridgewater, Jason Mannie, and Sam Miller meet the new generation of draft picks for the Moondogs in Leo Navarro and Jesse Robison. Their pitching staff has nobody of note, so they’ll need to score to win.
Strengths: Hitting, Speed
Weaknesses: Pitching
Why Watch This Team: Jesse Robison would have won the MVP if not for LA and DC. Now that they’re gone, look for Robison to take center stage.
9. San Diego Skylarks – 57.57
San Diego plays in the biggest stadium in the CBA, but you wouldn’t know from looking at this roster. It’s devoid of talent, but they’ve got one shining piece here – Ryan Gomar. Another strong hitter from the loaded 2022 draft, Gomar brings great speed and defense to a team that needs it.
Strengths: Speed, Defense
Weaknesses: Pitching, Hitting
Why Watch This Team: See if anybody else in the BL can hit a home rune here.
10. Carolina Aces – 54.39
Well… every league has a team that’s a known loser. The Browns, the 76ers, and the Aces. It’ll be a while before they’re out of the cellar, but hey, they’ve got Aaron Thompson to look forward to!
Strengths: …
Weaknesses: Everybody
Why Watch This Team: Comedy Night! And although we don’t have any audio from their radio booth, we can imagine this is what some games sounded like.
Bronze League Awards
Rookie Of The Year:
John Davies, Indianapolis Hawks – Davies has got the hitting skills he needs to thrive in the BL, and he’s got a superb arm he can use at third base. He should be a stud.
Other options: Jimmy Hewitt, Salt Lake City Snappers; Juan Salazar, Indianapolis Hawks; Aaron Schneider, Indianapolis Hawks
Pitcher Of The Year:
Tyler Shinkle, Bay Area Pandas – Shinkle won the award last year and only got better as the season went on. I’ll take Shinkle again.
Other options: Chris Abbott, Wichita Weasels; Antonio Avila, Brooklyn Bulldogs; Jeremy England, Boston Rogers
MVP:
Jesse Robison, Houston Moondogs – He is the heart and soul of the Houston franchise. He racked up 4.7 WAR last season, and with Steve Nelson taken out of the BL, it is him and John Davies for the third base crown in the league.
Other options: Andrew McKee, Iowa Predators; Ralph Radney, Salt Lake City Snappers; Edgar Arreola, Bay Area Pandas
GM Of The Year:
Zachary Rentscheler, Iowa Predators – Iowa looks to be promoted after last season, in which they slowed towards the end. They lost in the promotion series and should be looking to once again be in the top of the BL.
Other options: Rich Vardaro – Brooklyn, Andy Mayfield – Boston
The Presidental Cup Predictions
POOL STAGE
POOL A – Team – W-L – Points
Florida Giants (4-2) | 5 – A1
Denver Wolves (4-2) | 5 – A2
Midwest Plainsmen (3-3) | 3 – Eliminated
Iowa Predators (1-5) | 1 – Eliminated
Who Wins: Florida should be able to take a lead on this pool, with the top 3 of Denver mopping up.
Who Could Play Spoiler: Midwest has a good bullpen, and in a tournament, never discount relievers – as they are the ones that make or brake a game.
Why To Watch This Pool: The pitching should be phenomenal. Jose Guzman, Xavier Frade, the Iowa ballpark and the Midwest Bullpen. The most strategic games should be played here.
POOL B – Team – W-L – Points
DC Eagles (4-2) | 5 – B1
Chicago Gale (4-2) | 5 – B2
LA Chilis (2-4) | 2 – Eliminated
Arizona Thunderbirds (2-4) | 2 – Eliminated
Who wins: DC’s lineup should put them past the other teams, while Chicago has the playoff poise to get the job done.
Who Could Play Spoiler: LA can hit, and in that ballpark, pitching is almost void. If LA’s bats are alive, they could easily go 3-0 at home. Call me crazy, but if you’ve seen any of their games against DC in the BL last season, you’d know what I’m talking about.
Why To Watch This Pool: The outfielders. Listing them off, we continually see some of the league’s best in action:
DC: Justin Jordan, Jose Sanchez, Orlando Burgueno, Francisco Ramirez; LA, Abe Caputo; Chicago, Rory Blas; Arizona: Carlos Negrete, Mark Hawkins, Abel Kennedy
This could also be called the clash of the leagues – you’ve got the two teams promoted from the BL facing off against two perennial PL teams. Let’s see if they can match up and get the job done.
POOL C – Team – W-L – Points
Dallas Devils (4-2) | 5 – C1
Detroit Motors (4-2) | 5 – C2
Miami Warriors (2-4) | 2 – Eliminated
Atlanta Swarm (2-4) | 2 – Eliminated
Who wins: Dallas and Detroit – the 1-2 punch the PL this season – have continually shown they are the best teams in the league.
Who Could Play Spoiler: Miami’s staff is excellent, and they might be able to get a few wins in low scoring affairs if their young pitchers are up to the challenge.
Why To Watch This Pool: The Dallas/Detroit series always makes for good baseball. See if the potential promoted teams can match up against the superpowers.
POOL D – Team – W-L – Points
Sacramento Golden Bears (4-2) | 7 – D1
Portland Axemen (4-2) | 5 – D2
Oklahoma Mammoths (3-3) | 4 – Eliminated
Philadelphia Liberty (1-5) | 1 – Eliminated
Who Wins: Sacramento has only improved with their free agent signings this offseason, and Portland is still good enough to knock off two middle tier SL teams.
Who Could Play Spoiler: Oklahoma has the top of the rotation, and in a weak pool, they have a chance to get some upset wins.
Why To Watch This Pool: All four of these teams were in the SL the previous season, so we’ll be able to see them battle it out for one last time… until maybe next year.
The President’s Cup
Quarterfinals
A1 v D2 – Florida Giants vs. Portland Axemen – Xavier Frade shows he still has it against a weakened Portland lineup.
D1 v A2 – Sacramento Golden Bears vs. Denver Wolves – Jose Guzman wins out in one of his first games in the CBA, shutting down the Sacramento offense.
B1 v C2 – DC Eagles vs. Detroit Motors – Detroit gets the nod for this game, but it’s in reality a toss up – and here’s the reasoning:
Starting pitching: Aaron Hannah vs. Scott Golden. DC’s lineup has shown time and time again they can hit tough right handed pitching. Detroit’s lineup has a knack for taking walks.
Bullpen: DC has got three back end of the bullpen pieces they can use. Detroit has three back end of the bullpen pieces.
Lineup: Slight nod to Detroit here, as there’s no Angelo Underhill or Bill Ryan for DC. Instead, DC provides a different approach – one that focuses on Extra base hits. Very closely matched up.
Defense: DC has better infield defense, but Chris Cochran is the dynamite for Detroit. DC doesn’t have a true center fielder, and that hurts them at least once this game.
Speed: DC runs the bases and runs them well, with over 200 stolen bases. Detroit, in comparison, had just 41 over the season.
I could see DC knocking off Scott Golden and the Motors, but until Detroit has lost in a tournament, I’ll stick with them.
C1 v B2 – Dallas Devils vs. Chicago Gale – The Gale have no answer for Keith Bush, as he pitches a gem and Dallas wins in a blowout.
Semifinals
A1 vs. A2 – Florida Giants vs. Denver Wolves – In a very close game, Florida’s power and bullpen puts them over.
C1 vs. C2 – Dallas Devils vs. Detroit Motors – Dallas has Chris House – we still don’t know who Detroit’s #2 starter is.
Finals
C1 vs. A1 – Dallas Devils vs. Florida Giants – In a right handed heavy lineup, the potential matchup would be Toshihiro Yamauchi for Dallas against William Stannard for Florida, and Dallas wins out. Stannard just isn’t up against a heavy hitting Dallas lineup, though Yamauchi won’t hold up for much longer either. Dallas in a high scoring affair.