Got bored so I thought I'd make a little talk this Sunday morning. I will only concentrate on the top 15 teams, adding any extra notables during playoff races.
Sim 1
The Best Juan - :Cin: - Record: 8-5 --- Even at an 8-5 start, you have to give this beast of a team the number one spot after two straight championships. Their rotation is shut down, they have speed and contact on the ends and power in the middle, a tough out anywhere you are in this line up. Maybe their pen could be better, but that's a dilemma everyone in FCM has. I know I know, it's boring to watch Andy win all the time, but they'll be in the championship series giving a fight to a third straight ring whether you are entertained or not.
#2 - :Was: - Record: 9-4 --- They are my favorites to overtake the Reds as the power house of the NL. That rotation puts fear even into the most prolific FCM hitters out there, and when it's all said and done I think this group of starters might be top 3 of any squad this half of the century. The scariest part is they have the raw power to provide huge clumps of runs for that shut down pitching, one of the best closing pitchers in the file and face the frighten'd Phils 14 more times this year. These Nats are here to bug us! I think it's safe to say that this year is finally Peter's year.
#3 -
- Record: 9-4 --- Award for most complete pitching staff this year goes to beantown. Having arguably the best pen in the file should give your ranking a boost, but you would be in the dark trying to find any holes in this team. Starting rotation is dominant, the line up still has all the weapons that have made Boston the rival powerhouse to Detroit for years, and they don't seem to be slowing down at all. Expect to see them late into October barring any spontaneous GM moves.
#4 - :DET: - Record: 6-6 --- Yes they've had a rough start (.500 is no place a team like the Tigers want to be), and their rotation has been bumped down the second best in FCM this year after years on top, but that starting rotation is still set to get anyone to October. Also take into account Lou Cook was out to start the season and the fact that the meat of their order (Lockhart, Anthony and MacCarter) is under-performing, you can make a solid bet they will have some bounce backs the next 2 to 3 sims. One question we will be asking all season as this team plays out, is this the end for the Detroit dynasty?
#5 -
- Record: 9-4 --- The line up is strong, the pen is one of the more productive in the file and the rotation is solid. The only question is where the Mets will stand with Atlanta, Florida and Washington extracting wins from their record. Can the back end of the rotation hold up? In my opinion it will come down to how well the top of his order can perform and give RBI opportunities to the middle. Gmoney teams are always something to watch, but this year they might be in the wrong division.
#6 -
- Record: 7-5 --- This team is hard to pin down. Besides their pen, they are loaded. The line up will be putting the ball in play almost every at bat this year, so don't expect your stud ace to power strike 3's past these guys....it's not gunna happen, make sure your defense is on point! However, they finished rather disappointingly last season, and while I expect different from them this year, you can never have a sure thing in the NL West. The GMs in that division always find a way to surprise the league, DON'T be surprised if DLee and those Giants or RHen and those D'Backs give the Dodgers headaches. I still see SXR coming out on top in this division, though.
#7 -
Record: 7-6 --- They're a group I've been watching for some time. They have all the aspects of a winning team: Strong rotation, pretty good bullpen considering the epidemic we have going on now, and a top/bottom order with the ability to put runners on base for what might be the deadliest 3-4-5 punch in the league. When you have guys like Tice and Jackson, hitting will not be your problem. The only question is will all that talent be able to match up enough with Cincy and fight for the division, or will it just be able to fend off the Wild Card wolves in order to reach October? We shall see if these Cubs have finally grown into full thoroughbred Grizzlies.
#8 -
Record: 9-4 --- DLee always has a way of pulling good teams together. The Giants have some solid starting pitching and a capable bullpen to go along with a line up that understands how to do its job. No one special guy on this team besides maybe Caldwell, but this team is the best FCM definition of "team". They won the NL West last year and they've come back a bit more mature for this year's campaign. Look for them to be a contender even if they don't look flashy.
#9 -
Record: 12-1 --- It's with a heavy heart that I rank the Braves this low despite their incredible start. I just don't think they are capable of continuing even close to the winning path that they are on, and as I've stated before, the NL BEAST is the wrong division to be in this side of the decade. Atlanta made some nice additions this off-season, but my two biggest concerns are: 1) Will the back end of their rotation prevent enough runs to contend? 2) Will the 4-5-6 of their line up bring enough runs home to contend? Everyone's bullpen is crap these days, so no points off for them not really having a standout guy in that department. If Atlanta can continue to go on spurts like they did Sim 1, Washington and New York are going to have their work cut out for them. However, if Atlanta can't continue to win like this, they need to avoid any slumps or losing streaks that could cause the Nationals or Mets to pull away. We haven't even spoken about Florida's stance in all this.
#10 -
Record: 7-6 --- They have what it takes to contend, including the best top-of-the-line up hitters in the league. Being in a division without a clear winner helps alot. With their pitching being better than recent years, the only two questions will be can the back of their line up produce when called upon, and will their bullpen under-perform as it did last year?
#11 -
Record: 9-4 --- The Yanks are coming! The Yanks are coming! With a pretty solid line up from top to bottom, an underrated starting rotation and a surprisingly strong bullpen, Boston will have something to monitor in it's rear view mirror. There are some questions as to what the back end of the rotation has in store, and if that line up will actually be able to produce top notch numbers. Nevertheless, if not careful, the Sox might just watch the Yanks speed right up along side them deep into the season.
#12 -
Record: 5-7 --- Pitching. Pitching. Pitching. The line up is good/decent, and they aren't the same team they were two or three seasons ago.....but the pitching.
#13 -
Record: 6-7 --- This team is another head scratch. I was sure Mike would find a new home for Marin this off-season. Instead he dealt his first to acquire Tim Winegardner and bolster his rotation. The Royals have one of the better bullpens in the file, so its safe to say Mike's only problems will be on the offensive side of the ball. Can they hit well enough? What happens if Marin gets hurt? Will their rotation hold up enough to contend somehow? Plenty of questions, but Mike's always been a contender.
#14 -
Record: 8-5 --- I think I'm set for my first winning year in 7 seasons. After that only god knows. I don't think my squad will do much this year with New York and Boston around, but the people of the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg metropolitan area finally have a reason to pay $13 for tickets to the Trop!
#15 - :Hou: Record: 8-5 --- Another young buck team ready to spread it wings, I think they are a lock to win the division with all the talent they have going for them. No one else is really ready to take a firm position atop the AL West, and the only question is will Fred stop going on insane winning streaks and make it easy for Tornado to make his first playoff appearance as an FCM GM?
Sim 1
The Best Juan - :Cin: - Record: 8-5 --- Even at an 8-5 start, you have to give this beast of a team the number one spot after two straight championships. Their rotation is shut down, they have speed and contact on the ends and power in the middle, a tough out anywhere you are in this line up. Maybe their pen could be better, but that's a dilemma everyone in FCM has. I know I know, it's boring to watch Andy win all the time, but they'll be in the championship series giving a fight to a third straight ring whether you are entertained or not.
#2 - :Was: - Record: 9-4 --- They are my favorites to overtake the Reds as the power house of the NL. That rotation puts fear even into the most prolific FCM hitters out there, and when it's all said and done I think this group of starters might be top 3 of any squad this half of the century. The scariest part is they have the raw power to provide huge clumps of runs for that shut down pitching, one of the best closing pitchers in the file and face the frighten'd Phils 14 more times this year. These Nats are here to bug us! I think it's safe to say that this year is finally Peter's year.
#3 -
- Record: 9-4 --- Award for most complete pitching staff this year goes to beantown. Having arguably the best pen in the file should give your ranking a boost, but you would be in the dark trying to find any holes in this team. Starting rotation is dominant, the line up still has all the weapons that have made Boston the rival powerhouse to Detroit for years, and they don't seem to be slowing down at all. Expect to see them late into October barring any spontaneous GM moves.#4 - :DET: - Record: 6-6 --- Yes they've had a rough start (.500 is no place a team like the Tigers want to be), and their rotation has been bumped down the second best in FCM this year after years on top, but that starting rotation is still set to get anyone to October. Also take into account Lou Cook was out to start the season and the fact that the meat of their order (Lockhart, Anthony and MacCarter) is under-performing, you can make a solid bet they will have some bounce backs the next 2 to 3 sims. One question we will be asking all season as this team plays out, is this the end for the Detroit dynasty?
#5 -
- Record: 9-4 --- The line up is strong, the pen is one of the more productive in the file and the rotation is solid. The only question is where the Mets will stand with Atlanta, Florida and Washington extracting wins from their record. Can the back end of the rotation hold up? In my opinion it will come down to how well the top of his order can perform and give RBI opportunities to the middle. Gmoney teams are always something to watch, but this year they might be in the wrong division.#6 -
- Record: 7-5 --- This team is hard to pin down. Besides their pen, they are loaded. The line up will be putting the ball in play almost every at bat this year, so don't expect your stud ace to power strike 3's past these guys....it's not gunna happen, make sure your defense is on point! However, they finished rather disappointingly last season, and while I expect different from them this year, you can never have a sure thing in the NL West. The GMs in that division always find a way to surprise the league, DON'T be surprised if DLee and those Giants or RHen and those D'Backs give the Dodgers headaches. I still see SXR coming out on top in this division, though.#7 -
Record: 7-6 --- They're a group I've been watching for some time. They have all the aspects of a winning team: Strong rotation, pretty good bullpen considering the epidemic we have going on now, and a top/bottom order with the ability to put runners on base for what might be the deadliest 3-4-5 punch in the league. When you have guys like Tice and Jackson, hitting will not be your problem. The only question is will all that talent be able to match up enough with Cincy and fight for the division, or will it just be able to fend off the Wild Card wolves in order to reach October? We shall see if these Cubs have finally grown into full thoroughbred Grizzlies.#8 -
Record: 9-4 --- DLee always has a way of pulling good teams together. The Giants have some solid starting pitching and a capable bullpen to go along with a line up that understands how to do its job. No one special guy on this team besides maybe Caldwell, but this team is the best FCM definition of "team". They won the NL West last year and they've come back a bit more mature for this year's campaign. Look for them to be a contender even if they don't look flashy.#9 -
Record: 12-1 --- It's with a heavy heart that I rank the Braves this low despite their incredible start. I just don't think they are capable of continuing even close to the winning path that they are on, and as I've stated before, the NL BEAST is the wrong division to be in this side of the decade. Atlanta made some nice additions this off-season, but my two biggest concerns are: 1) Will the back end of their rotation prevent enough runs to contend? 2) Will the 4-5-6 of their line up bring enough runs home to contend? Everyone's bullpen is crap these days, so no points off for them not really having a standout guy in that department. If Atlanta can continue to go on spurts like they did Sim 1, Washington and New York are going to have their work cut out for them. However, if Atlanta can't continue to win like this, they need to avoid any slumps or losing streaks that could cause the Nationals or Mets to pull away. We haven't even spoken about Florida's stance in all this.#10 -
Record: 7-6 --- They have what it takes to contend, including the best top-of-the-line up hitters in the league. Being in a division without a clear winner helps alot. With their pitching being better than recent years, the only two questions will be can the back of their line up produce when called upon, and will their bullpen under-perform as it did last year?#11 -
Record: 9-4 --- The Yanks are coming! The Yanks are coming! With a pretty solid line up from top to bottom, an underrated starting rotation and a surprisingly strong bullpen, Boston will have something to monitor in it's rear view mirror. There are some questions as to what the back end of the rotation has in store, and if that line up will actually be able to produce top notch numbers. Nevertheless, if not careful, the Sox might just watch the Yanks speed right up along side them deep into the season.#12 -
Record: 5-7 --- Pitching. Pitching. Pitching. The line up is good/decent, and they aren't the same team they were two or three seasons ago.....but the pitching.#13 -
Record: 6-7 --- This team is another head scratch. I was sure Mike would find a new home for Marin this off-season. Instead he dealt his first to acquire Tim Winegardner and bolster his rotation. The Royals have one of the better bullpens in the file, so its safe to say Mike's only problems will be on the offensive side of the ball. Can they hit well enough? What happens if Marin gets hurt? Will their rotation hold up enough to contend somehow? Plenty of questions, but Mike's always been a contender.#14 -
Record: 8-5 --- I think I'm set for my first winning year in 7 seasons. After that only god knows. I don't think my squad will do much this year with New York and Boston around, but the people of the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg metropolitan area finally have a reason to pay $13 for tickets to the Trop!#15 - :Hou: Record: 8-5 --- Another young buck team ready to spread it wings, I think they are a lock to win the division with all the talent they have going for them. No one else is really ready to take a firm position atop the AL West, and the only question is will Fred stop going on insane winning streaks and make it easy for Tornado to make his first playoff appearance as an FCM GM?