Jackson Jayhawks -
It's good to be back for an eighth season of Jayhawk baseball and I know the fans of this great club are looking forward to seeing how the off-season acquisitions perform in their new surroundings.
Certainly been a busy time since S28 concluded with the fourth successive year of low-50 wins. Jesus Duran returns for a second term as ML bench coach and he's joined by Magglio Bonilla who takes responsibility for hitting. The top office have been trawling the FA market and making several offers on the waiver wire.
The line up certainly will need a bit of getting used to for the die-hard 'hawk followers. Let's see who has arrived:
Jose Flores (RF) a big hitting free agent (last at Kansas)
Rich Moreno (2B) another big hitter / FA (last at Columbia)
Bart Harp (1B) with potential / FA (last at Dover)
Roy Paton (RF) with good OBP / WW from New Orleans
Sal Clarke (2B) taken as RuleV with huge potential for OBP
...along with Davey Jimenez (SS), Ralph Mathewson (C) and Trevor Gray (CF)
On the mound there are a couple of new guys to watch out for: starter Woody Finley claimed from the ww (Vancouver) and closing Coco Reagan, a very experienced player from the FA market.
It has been said before and it will be said again. This is the start of the upward trend in terms of results. Time to leave the division basement and taste life from the top end. A new era has arrived and the owner wants success....please.
Mexico City Hombres Azul -
The pressure is on GM Sneekes after the Hombres Azul missed the playoffs for a second season running, finishing 82-80, their worst year since S16.
There is opportunity though in that a lot of money came off the books including the $20m paid to OF Vincenzo Strickland; the club also said goodbye to RP Coco Reagan, RF Ronnie Romero and Hombres legend Alan Graham. That money was put to good use recruiting a frontline starter in Angel Estrella, adding power and patience in the outfield with RF Russell Hunter and LF Dave Uggla, and value 2B Hack Brock.
The price of this largesse was disinvestment in scouting, which may prove foolish as Mexico City have three 1st round picks and two supplementary picks.
Kansas City Googly Mooglies -
Monterrey Border Jumpers-
