6 OPENINGS in OZZIE SMITH WORLD. This is a great world with no drama. I wanted to do it justice by providing a write-up of the available teams from a long-time team owner in the world.
***Analysis of Team Openings***
AL North (2 Openings):
Team 1: Division Winner (93-69) - This team is very-well rounded and primed for a playoff run next season for those that don't want a rebuild. Both offense (.272 avg) and pitching (4.07 era) were ranked 4th in the A.L. Top 2 RBI producers under contract next season with a couple good bats that will need to be re-signed. Pitching staff probably needs an injection of youth, but a couple solid veteran arms returning and quick scan of minors shows some talent.
Team 2: 4th place (66-96) - This team is a rebuild. The bats were middle of the pack last season, but 25-year old Allan Allen shows a lot of promise and will fit nicely in the 3-spot in the lineup for years to come. Pitching is the challenge here and the owner will need to go on a shopping spree in free agency or promote from within. There's a need for a closer here which is usually a quick fix so I'm not sure why this wasn't addressed previously. Having said that, the minor leagues look pretty well-stocked so it may just be a matter of promoting youth and filling in the gaps.
AL East (1 Opening):
Team 1: 3rd place (74-88) - This team had 83 wins in back-to-back season prior to last season. It needs an offensive jolt as they were near the bottom in home runs last season so some power bats will be needed. Having said that, the best player on this team is 24-years old and had an .869 OPS last season so as those ratings increase, so will the numbers. Speedster CF Koyie Painter (60 SBs) is a solid player in his prime that will need to be re-signed. Elian Gonzalez had a down year last year, but was pretty solid previously so he'll be looking to bounce back in the last year of his deal. Minor leagues look mixed, but I definitely see some guys with promise, especially as I get to the lower levels.
AL West (1 Opening):
Team 1: 4th Place (76-86) - this team was previously owned by a long-time, respected owner with a couple WS wins under his belt so I have no doubt this franchise is in solid shape. Pitching was pretty solid last season, but could use a couple guys to get deeper into games as there's only one starter with 80+ stamina. The offense is in need of an injection as they had no one drive in more than 83 runs. Having said that, they stole a league-leading 196 bases last season and were tied for 4th in HRs, but the OBP was near the bottom of the league so getting some guy's with a better eye to drive in runs seems like the quick fix. Minor leagues look to be in good shape and there's some talent for sure.
NL North (1 Opening):
Team 2: 4th Place (70-92) - this is definitely a bit of a rebuild, but SS Chad Ramirez is a stud (84 rating or so) and he's only 28. As a team, the offense was mid-pack so there are pieces to build upon, but the pitching staff was near the bottom in the NL (4.85 era) and needs to be developed. Having said that, there are some pretty good young arms that will only get better as they reach their prime. Ivan Martin and Dallas Robinson are a couple good SPs and there are some decent long relievers as well, but the team is lacking some arms, especially to shut down righties. Another team where the lower minors look better than AAA and AA, but they're in decent shape.
NL South (1 Opening):
Team 1: 3rd Place (64-98) - Look, there's clearly some work to be done, but the division winner only won 85 games so the climb to relevancy isn't as bad as one might think. Both pitching and hitting were in the lower half of the NL as you'd expect, but I'm actually surprised in regard to pitching because there's some talent in place. The closer, Jedd Morandini, is a stud and he's under contract, and I see a couple other decent arms in Raimel Vincente and Quinton Shouse (2.88 era). With an improved offense (.673 OPS), this team could be .500 or better next season. Minors need to be rebuilt, but there are a couple bats in AAA that could make an immediate impact in the bigs.
If you see something you like above, grab a team as we're anxious to get next season started!
11/11/2025 2:37 PM (edited)