3 Phenomenal Teams, Ha. That doesn't come close to describing them. Here's a review of these teams you'd be a fool to pass on:
AL SOUTH
Former Houston Franchise (77-85, 3rd pl)
After a 13 season run this franchise is looking for a new owner even after two 1st place finishes in the last 4 seasons. Offense was not a problem last season as a .275 batting average, 286 HRs, and over 900 runs scored show. The attack was led by Max Santos (31, 97, .310) and Yunesky Diaz (45, 124, .300) but they got plenty of help from Berra, Howard, Pride, & Langston.
Pitching on the other hand was not a strength as the team ERA was over 5, the bullpen blew 18 saves, and no one had an ERA under 4. Three pitchers did hit double digit win totals, led by Jeremi Scott (15-7), however one, Kelvim Cassevah, also lost 17 games.
Fortunately, with the wealth of offensive firepower, come could be moved to bring in some pitching. Or the FA market could be used to strengthen the mound staff to put less pressure on the bats. The minors offer some additional help and will allow the new owner some flexibility in building up the roster. This should be a quick rebuild so if you don't have the patience to build through the draft this would be a good selection for your next team.
Former Jackson Franchise (77-85, 4th pl)
After 27 seasons and 2 World Series victories, this team is in need of a new owner to continue the fine tradition of this franchise. Last season the offense was pretty average with a .254 average and 678 runs scored. Bruce Parrish did a lot of damage with 48 HRs, 119 RBIs, and sub par (.245) average. Two other players hit 20+ HRs but none of the regulars put up an average above .274. It would be wise to add another tablesetter or two, and power bat to the lineup.
The hurlers were led by Dan Sogard (12-6, 3.19) & Santos Torres (13-11, 3.57), while the bullpen had Chaz O'Brien (32/36, 2.81) & Victor Cayones (8/11, 2.80) at the back end. The front of the rotation is in good hands; the other three spots could use upgrading with another bullpen arm also on the wishlist.
The fact this team has more than a handful of holes, this team is in rebuild mode and it may take more than a single season to fill those holes. The cupboard isn't overflowing in the minors, yet there are a few pieces that should be able to help the team at the Major League level with a little more seasoning. This team needs a plan, whether it be to find players to fill the holes in the roster or sell off some talent to take this team in another direction organizationally.
NL NORTH
Former Milwaukee Franchise (91-71, 1st pl)
The previous owner only had the team for 2 seasons yet had it over .500 both years and headed in the right direction. Emilio Latos (96 Runs Scored, .304, .365 OBP) & Duane Wilhelmsen (.297, 38, 108) led the offense. The team has some power; however, the bats only posted a .260 average and 709 runs meaning this offense could use some help.
The pitching staff posted a 3.47 ERA so this part of the team was humming last season. Closer David Norton (31/35), 2.18 had a stellar season and 4 of the pitchers with the most starts posted double digit wins. Pedro Abreau (14-9, 2.53) performed like a true number one. Minor tweaks wouldn't hurt but there isn't much to do here.
The farm doesn't offer much in the way of help so any improvements will need to come from outside the organization. While a newbie would be able to compete immediately with this team, it might be better for a vet that could make a couple of moves to make this team a true WS contender.
NL SOUTH
Former Montgomery Franchise (57-105, 4th pl)
Ok, so this team isn't phenomenal, but it could be with the steady hand of the right person. This team struggled under the leadership of a one and done owner but had been under the control of a longtime owner before that. Juan Ibanez (19, 55, .291), Les McEnroe (19, 53, .288), Wallace Roach (40, 92, .284) are pieces to build an offense around yet their playing time was limited last season for reasons that are not apparent. Adding a couple of high OBP players to insert into the lineup in front of the power bats would certainly improve this sluggish offense.
The pitching staff struggled mightily with a 5.49 ERA and too many starts going to pitchers with ERAs even higher. There is some talent here that if put into the right role should perform better. This team may need a second season to get some high-priced contracts off the books to have the flexibility to bring in the right players.
This team does have a few players in AAA & AA that could help the big league squad, or some talent could be moved in a rebuild to remake the team to the new owners liking. After last season's rough performance this team could be handled by either a newbie or a vet owner. A newbie could learn the game while slowly building the talent level. A vet that likes total rebuilds will find some players that can be moved to create a team that plays their brand of ball.
NL WEST
Former Salem Franchise (81-81, 1st pl)
The last owner ran this club for 7 years, 5 of which finished above .500. While last season's division crown didn't come with a stellar record, a playoff appearance is always a good thing. The offense wasn't very powerful last season as both the team batting average and runscored were middle of the pack. Yet, this was not because of the solid contributions from Chuck Heffner (91 RS, 31 HR, 110 RBI, .278) & Larry Osbourne (99 RS, 42, 114, .275). More power and tablesetters are needed to push this team towards the top teams.
Juan Solano (15-6, 3.54) & Jimmie Lira (14-9, 2.97) had over 200 IP, the other starting pitchers weren't as dependable. Scott Pote (35 sv, 3.38) was good in his closer's role but still blew 8 saves. The team ERA of 4.17 wasn't horrible but could be better. The 17 blown saves weren't horrible, but that number needs to come down.
It will be necessary to add pieces to both the offense and the pitching staff to keep this team atop the division, and to allow it to battle deeper into the playoffs. There isn't a lot of players in the minors that look like ML quality talent, so FA's and trades will need to be made to improve this team's talent level. A newbie could jump in and be competitive while cutting his teeth in this game. A vet would have a nucleus of players to build around or assets to trade to acquire younger players to build with.