Owl’s Power Rankings-May

A new season so let’s see what it looks like out of
the gate.

1. Red Sox- they have outscored their opponents by 75
already.

2. Expos- Been awhile since the team has been in this
rarified air but they do have the best record in NL
and this is with a slow start from P Saito

3. Twins - Duke Snider off to a great start.

4. Marlins – NL East Champ will be a strong contender

5. Rockies- Pitching staff returns to the level of two
seasons ago.

6. Yankees- Scott has them playing well.

7. Texas - This team will be moving up.

8. Pirates- They should be in the NL Central race

9. White Sox- Doing well but will need direction.

10. Cardinals- .219 BA has to improve.

11. Astros- Hanging around as usual.

12. Dodgers- Still capable of winning with their
Veterans.

13. Athletics- Team should contend

14. Mariners- P Beckett off to a terrible start.

15. Brewers- Hitting needs to pick up

16. Phillies – slow start will likely be forgotten in
September for the defending champs.

17. Giants- Rookie P Papelbon has saved half the
Giants 16 wins

18. Tigers- Team can’t afford injuries to the pitching
staff.

19. Reds – Pitching doing great but team isn’t doing
well in the clutch.

20. Blue Jays- Team playing much better this season
but can they turn the corner to respectability.

21. Indians- Indians playing a long stretch of games
and it shows with the poor hitting.

22. Mets- Bullpen collapses hold this team back.

23. Angels- Pitching is AWOL but finding ways to win

24. Braves- Team is not as bad as their record but
it’s not the 1st time that has been said.

25. Padres - Mike is wheeling and dealing. He did it
with the Red Sox and look where they are.

26. Cubs – No explanation for this slow start other
then “that’s baseball.”

27. Royals – Team is rebuilding. Not a fast process

28. Orioles- Slow start in all aspects. Can it be
changed?


Top Divisions
1. AL East 81-76 .516
NL East 81-76 .516
3. NL West 63-63 .500
AL West 63-63 .500
5. AL Central 77-82 .484
NL Central 77-82 .484

The Owl

2030 Season Preview

Steve and I return with out annual preview of the league right before opening day. Here is an outlook on how we see things going this year. These picks are sure to go wrong, but hey, we gave it a shot. I (Nick TX) did the NL and Steve (PGH) did the AL. Here we go.

National League

NL East

This is a tough division...one where almost every team is either trying to win or very close.

Marlins 102-60 With by far the most productive offseason, they should establish themselves as the clear favorite in this division and do well in the playoffs.

Phillies 92-60 The defending WS champions are getting older, and lost Mel Ott, but they remain a deeply talented team, and will make the playoffs again and defend their crown as a wild card.

Mets 83-79 After a huge draft and adding David Ortiz, in addition to a maturing and improving young staff, the Mets will come one step closer this season. Watch out in a year or two.

Expos 81-81 After losing a few players, they added perhaps the best closer in the league from the draft. They will stay about the same, but are probably on the rise.

Braves 64-98 Despite some pretty good talent, they will continue to struggle in a tough division.


NL Central

In this division, standing pat is a big step down.

Pirates 98-64 With probably the 2nd best offseason (adding 3B Cepeda and 1B Palmiero among others) in the league, the Pirates should get the monkey off their back and take the division. This team has quickly made itself scary.

Reds 90-72 They lost Gehrig, but added P Perez and 1B Lee to an already good team. Should create problems for other teams in the league and could make a puch for a Wild Card.

Cardinals 82-80 Has a lot of young talent and a great GM who won't let them finish last 2 seasons in a row.

Cubs 80-82 Another team that has young talent and is on the way up...but still a few years away.

Astros 74-88 After becoming perhaps the hottenst team in recent history at the end of last season, the Astros will cool off in a division where everyone else is getting better.

NL West

This division has the most defined roles of any. Will be interesting to see if injuries or trades could shake this up.

Giants 95-67 They are building a winner in San Fran, and the gap between them and the aging Dodgers gets bigger every year.

Dodgers 88-74 The window is closing, but it is not closed yet. This veteran team could play spoiler.

Rockies 69-93 An overhaul was needed, but it won't pay immediate dividends.

Padres 60-102 One of the top teams in baseball as far as talented prospects go. It takes several years at the bottom before a team is ready to make it to the top, though. The new GM understands this.

NL Sleepers:

Cardinals: when they hit on all cylanders, as they have been known to do, they can surprise you.

Mets: Sometimes teams come together faster than you think. That could be the Mets.



American League

AL East

Will this be the year that this division regains respectability? With just 2 contenders and 3 teams rebuilding, probably not.

Division Champs: New York Yankees, 90-72

New GM Scott Dinnis has been very active since moving to the Bronx. The Cepeda trade has been highly criticized, but it brought in the 4 skilled veterans(Hernandez, Larkin, Bonderman and Shouse) that may be the difference in this race. The lineup will be stellar as always, but will the pitching be improved enough to win the race?

Runner-up: Boston Red Sox, 88-74

After 2 straight divisional championships, GM Mike George left for San Diego. Most of the team returns, and they know how to win. So, if they do lose the division, it won’t be without a fight. They still easily boast the best pitching staff in the division, but will they be able to score enough runs to win it again?

Third: Detroit Tigers, 73-89

Picking up Matthew Lecroy and closer Randy Myers will help this club compete. However, there just aren’t any stars here. There are quite a few nice players, but just not enough horses to hang with the Yanks and Sox.

Fourth: Baltimore Orioles, 69-93

This team is still a couple of seasons away, but they have some future stars in guys like Chuck Klein and Clue Haywood. Keep an eye on David Wells. The former #2 overall pick could have a huge breakout season.

Fifth: Toronto Blue Jays, 65-97

The good news is that this team has by far its best rotation in years. Ohka, Belcher and Tewksbury will help this team win some games. The bad news is the bullpen and lineup are still very pedestrian. Crawling out of the cellar would be a good goal for this season.

AL Central

4 different clubs won championships from this division in the decade, will the next be as kind?

Division Champs: Minnesota Twins, 93-69

17 game winner Andy Van Hekken left for Florida, ho hum, super prospect Mike Hampton was waiting in the wings. This club still may boast the deepest pitching staff in all of HABLA. However, if Snider and Dawson do not stay healthy, which has been a big if lately, they have trouble scoring runs. If that happens, they may be on the outside looking in, in October.

Runner-up: Chicago White Sox, 87-75

Without any real weak spots in the lineup, with 4 solid starters and a good bullpen, this might be their year. However, Konikowski may miss the entire season recovering from a torn hammy. Oh yea, long time GM Dinnis is gone, too. That being said, it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see this team in the playoffs.

Third: Cleveland Indians, 84-78

The Tribe now boasts 2 legit aces in Witt and Dravecky. The losses of Palmeiro and Olerud could make what was a strong lineup very mediocre, though. If things fall into place, however, this team is still capable of making a run at the division.

Fourth: Milwaukee Brewers, 71-91

It may be time for this club to begin rebuilding. With no star youngsters, but a bunch of solid vets, this team could greatly improve their prospect pool.

Fifth: Kansas City Royals, 60-102

The rebuilding process is in full force in KC. Jered Weaver should be a stud and will be a serious candidate for AL ROY.

AL West

Habla’s toughest division last season should be very strong again.

Division Champs: Texas Rangers, 104-58

For the first time since 2022 this club was left out of the playoffs. Well, they didn’t like that too much, so, they added Gehrig to what may have already been the best lineup in the league. Could Speaker score 200 runs as a result? Probably not, but the Rangers lineup will be fearsome.

Runner-up: Seattle Mariners, 100-62, Wild-Card

What’s the best way to combat a great lineup? Great pitching is, of course. They added ace Josh Beckett and stud reliever Joe Borowski to an already very tough pitching staff. Expect a dogfight for the divisional race. Fortunately, for the loser, the wild-card should be waiting.

Third: Oakland Athletics, 90-72

They finally got to the top of the mountain last season, only to see their competitors go out and get even better. This club still has a lot of star power, however, they are probably in the wrong division to make a serious run.

Fourth: Anaheim Angels, 60-102

GM KL definitely has this team moving in the right direction. They have more good prospects than anyone in the league, but most are still a couple seasons away from helping this team get back to respectability. In other news, star pitcher Chief Bender will be receiving his high school diploma in 2 months. Yea folks, he’s still just 18.

AL Sleeper:

White Sox: If Langston returns to Cy Young form, this team has enough pieces to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Change is in the Air

With the new ammendment passing, it certainly changes some things around the league. Jeremy (STL) wrote an article just before it was approved about a trade he made and how the new ammendments may effect the league and player value. Her it is.

St. Louis, MO.

St. Louis and San Francisco reached an agreement yesterday, just prior to the start of the 2030 season, which sends 3B Greg Nettles back to St. Louis in exchange for 3B Tommy Gravino and $8 cash. Although phenom Clete Boyer was expected to be the everyday starting 3B for the Cardinals this year, the sudden and unexpected deal for Nettles likely changes that scenario.

At the press conference today St. Louis manager Mike Schmidt appeared quite pleased with his team's recent trade. Schmidt has made no bones about the fact that he feels that Cardinals GM Jeremy Worst was rushing the talented Boyer into a starting role this season which he wasn't ready for. "The kid is only twenty-one, and he's just not ready to be a 500 to 600 at bats kind of hitter. His defense is outstanding; he could probably win a gold glove at his position right now, but both his plate discipline and ability to handle the nastier breaking stuff needs to improve. Clete simply needs more time to develop those skills."

"As for getting Netty, well that just gives us the luxury of being able to put Clete into positions where he can be successful. This way he won't be expected to carry such a big load for our team; at the same time he can still be an important contributor for our club." Such talk indicates that the 30 year-old Nettles--facing free agency at season's end--should see significant playing time this year, even if it comes at the expense of the rookie Boyer.

The move also strongly indicated that GM Jeremy Worst was heavily betting upon the league's passing of the new collective bargaining agreement. If at least two-thirds of Habla ownership fails to approve the measure, Worst could find himself in the unenviable position of having just traded for a rental player; a guy he might not be able to re-sign come this offseason. However if the new labor contract is approved, St. Louis would be virtually guaranteed of being able to ink Nettles to a new 4-year deal.

A calculated risk assuredly, but perhaps not the bold move some would have us believe. An increasing number of those close to the labor talks are convinced that the new deal will pass with a clear majority. If that becomes the case, teams might find themselves scrambling to collect as much talent, while its still available, as they possibly can. With enough foresight, experts say, there's no reason not to expect a team of being able to lock-up four, five, or possibly even more of their own superstar free agents to long-term deals within the same year--an impossibilty under the old system. Opponents of the new plan argue that with such players never even reaching the open free agent market, player movement (or as some call it, superstar movement) will slow down to a fraction of what it once was.

Proponents of the new plan call such a scenario patently absurd, claiming that although a team might be able to theoretically sign four Babe Ruth-type players within the same free agent year, there is no way they can continue to do so for any sustained period of time. They argue that teams indulging in this practice would quickly see their farm systems become "shell teams" manned by players with no realistic chance of ever playing at the major league level. And of course teams making such multiple re-signings a yearly occurence would eventually be forced--probably sooner rather than later-- into trading some of their own superstars to raise the necessary cash.

Some proponents go even further by claiming that player movement would increase under the new plan. As owners become increasingly attuned to the new financial realities of the game, they would be less inclined to part with their limited supply of cash, thus making it extremely difficult for teams to build large warchests in preparation for big free agent signing years. Even the naysayers of the proposed plan admit that such a scenario is possible, albeit an unlikely one.

Stanley Calbright, a business professor at Rutgers University and the author of a new book entitled The Changing $$$ of Habla, says that "the new system will better allow financially stable teams to hold onto their own talent pool of players, at least over the short to mid-term, say 3 to 5 years on average. Less and less will teams be forced into trading an impending free agent because they fear they won't be able to re-sign him. Under the proposed system they'll be able to keep that player because of the fixed costs associatied with free agency--the financial uncertainties of the open free agent market will no longer apply. They can plan ahead for a big multiple re-signing year by making needed trades or roster moves in advance, even up to several seasons in advance if a team is especially disciplined enough. Oh sure, teams will sti ll deal an impending free agent on occasion, but more due to poor planning or simple mismanagement rather than because of the practical limitations imposed under the old system. With the fixed costs of free agents a key feature of the new labor agreement, teams can better plan for future years simply because they'll have the advantage of roughly knowing what its going to cost to retain those player's services."

Regarding the recent Nettles trade, Calbright sees it as a good move on St. Louis' part. "Since the Giants--for weeks--had made known their eagerness to deal Nettles, without requiring picks or prospects in return, it made good sense for a team like the Cardinals to go out and get him before another club made a move."

"Once the season begins and teams start facing the realities of the new labor agreement, I expect you'll see a flurry of similar deals throughout the year and well into the next as teams begin to jockey and maneuver for their respective free agent futures. To employ an unfortunate cliche, its a complete paradigm shift; especially how teams in Habla are going to be built and maintained. The more quickly a team adapts to these changes, the better their chances of enjoying any form of sustained success."

Speaking directly about those changes, Calbright emphasizes that the goal for teams still remains the same; to put a winning team on the field. "Only one aspect of that process has changed, and that's free agency. Its still about acquiring talent, having pitchers who can throw strikes, fielders who can successfully catch and throw the ball, and hitters who can put the ball in play. However what's changed is that you're less likely to find available on the free agent market the kinds of players who can do those things exceptionally well. As before good players can still be obtained through trades, but that activity will now become the only real pipeline for player movement. The days of the big free agent signing are over. I envision the new market as being a place where a team can still find solid position help, or the occasional stellar reliever perh aps, but the chances of a significantly talented player--in the prime of his career--being available are simply unrealistic."

"Many would maintain that free agency has never been a statistically significant vehicle for superstar movement--at least not the kind of movement envisioned by its original creators. Although the demands and limitations under the old free agent system--most specifically the rules regarding the franchise player tag (which remain unchanged) and the limit of 1 pre-sign per team--were certainly major factors behind the trading of gifted players in the past, such players were rarely ever exposed to the actual market itself. In most instances such players were traded to a team who could afford to protect them, thus entirely bypassing the uncertainties of the open market. In that regard both the old and the new systems are very much alike."


AP Press Release

Proposed Amendments and Changes

Below is the proposal in its entirety so you can refer to it. This is where you can discuss issues about it. Do not do it on email. Conversely, do not vote via the blog, but by email. Feel free to discuss whatever part you wish.

Item One Amateur Draft: Change the number of rounds to four and change of cost.

Cost of Draft Picks

Round One $10

Round Two $6

Round Three $4

Round Four $2

Teams may bid on any player in the pool with 0 years experience during the amateur draft


Rationale: The fifth round is hardly ever used and this will streamline the process. The quality of players available typically drop greatly after the middle or end of the first round, so a wholesale lowering of prices seemed a good idea. This will save the team that participates in all four rounds $6.

Item Two Free Agents

Free Agent Bidding is one round

You may no longer match players

Teams may sign an unlimited number of players to extensions

The cost to extend a contract will be determined by a formula

Each playerÂ’s value will be made available to the league

Free Agents cost $3 to sign during the regular season

Rationale: Matching has caused many problems over the years. Teams feel they will get a guy and they bid heavy, teams try to bend rules - as has happened a few times - to retain players. The concept of matching lets owner think they still own a property, which they don't. However, if you really like a player you can match him. The most expensive players - star starting pitchers come in at about $18 to $20 - the best hitters about $15 to $17. Reserve type players are coming in at about $10 to $12. Teams will be able to sign a star or two, but doing more will be difficult due to the generally high price. This gives teams no surprises in bidding. You win the bid, you get the player.


Item Three Inactive players

Inactive players may be signed for the month of April only.

They cost $1 but must sit out the season, unless a $2 fee is paid.

At the season's end they may be brought up for $1 rather than $2

Teams may have sent cut players providing they clear waivers to the inactive roster

Teams cut to inactive must always clear waivers – this roster move must be sent to the league

There is a limit to ten players on the inactive roster

Inactive players worked well, but there was a housekeeping issue for Jim, so we are limiting the time frame for just the month of April, which gives you four or five simulations to act on them. Same rules as last year apply. These are in effect $2 free agents you can keep for a rainy day. Be careful with their age and experience as they are subject to Free Agency rules.


Item four Financial Issues

Teams will be given $50 at the start of the season

Teams may carryover $50 (rather than $35)

No team may place a bid upon a player in the amateur or Free Agent portion of the draft unless they have the funds at the time of the bid to pay for that player.

Increasing the carryover to $50 allows teams to bankroll during years when there are no players that appeal to them and to spend on another day. However, it is felt by many that having no cap would make it possible for a team tconceivablyly continually sign their stars. By the way here's a hint, don't give away cash to loaded teams. The last part is an important iron clad rule. If you don't have it, you can't spend it. Enough said.


Item six Supplemental Round

May be used to fill out the roster at the end of the draft and bidding

Each player costs $3 to sign in the supplemental round

Due to the extra work this causes penalties will routinely be assessed

Use of the supplemental round will result in the loss of future draft picks

If one to three players are picked there is no penalty.

If between three to five players are used teams would lose their 4th round draft pick

If six or seven players are used teams would lose their 3rd round draft pick

If eight or nine players are used teams would lose their 2nd round draft pick.

If ten or more players are used you would lose all your draft picks.

Supplemental rounds are needed because you may get outbid for that FA you needed and need to get a body fast. This way you can, at no penalty, pick up to three players, and just pay the cost. However, if you've been asleep at the wheel, the league is not only going to take your money, we're going to take your picks also. There is a reason for this. With the availability of inactive players, trades, four ammy's and open non matchable bidding it is hardly conceiveable that a team would have a roster with lots of holes in it. Those rosters make my life very hard, and also lead to mistakes, like players going bye when I run end of day functions. Remember there is no longer matching in the bidding. Put a few $3 bids around and you'll be fine. Don't bid/draft at all, I feel no pity for you. This league also allows proxy bids and lists. I and the other members have always been understanding.

Item seven Empty Roster Slots

Any team with empty slots which can’t be filled – only applies to Low minors – will be fined at the rate of $15 per player


This is the most severe penalty on the amendment. Maintaining full rosters is the backbone of our league's player management system. Make sure you have players that can go in Low.


Item eight Overspending

Teams will be compelled to settle all accounts by the end of the supplemental draft

Teams with a negative balance will be forced to sell off their upcoming picks to the league

Teams are compelled to sell the picks in the order of the draft for the cost of the pick

The first round pick will always be sold to the league first for $10; second for $6, etc.


People make mistakes, and sometimes, although it should be rarely, teams have to go over. The only time you can do so is when you are rounding out the roster with garbage. If you do so you will be compelled to settle the accounts at the table, just like you would in Vegas. You go over you sell a pick, your #1 pick. You still in the hole, you lose #2. No more negative balances. Remember you may only go in the red ONLY if you are forced to do so, and ONLY in the supplemental round.


Item nine Trading

The trade deadline will follow MLBÂ’s schedule and end on 7/31

Trades may occur in the off-season up to the period of the supplemental draft through spring training.


Please have mercy on Jim, myself and Gary. The off season is a very hectic time. So, after the draft is done, I'd really LOVE to get ST done in a few days and not have to run the arc through the "Easter Egg' and lose players. Make the trades to occur AFTER spring training. Use inactive players and actively bid to get your rosters filled up. This type of trade frenzy is due to poor management, nothing more, nothing less.


Revenue Increases

Increase revenue for TIP, EOS ballots and HOF Ballots from $1 to $3

FA's went up from $1 to $2 then to $3, so we upped the minimum wage.

Item Ten Stadiums

A team may purchase a new stadium from the one the game assigns them. The owner must pay $25 up front and $25 per year for three years for a total cost of $100. The stadium is built on "Opening Day"

This allows you to mold a team in your image.