Hobb's S4 AL Projections: Who will take it ALL!?

AMERICAN LEAGUE PROJECTIONS: AL projected Champ: The New Orleans Bayou Bengals & Wild Cards: Milwaukee, Albuquerque.

AL NORTH: Projected order (1) Seattle Mariners, (2) Milwaukee, (3) Philadelphia, (4) Kansas City.

The AL North has been dominated by this Seattle team from the very beginning, and a new manager should not change that for S4. The_oat inherits a true power house franchise who have won at least 105 games, winning by 12 games or more, in each season. The Seattle Mariners have virtually been built to perfection by former manager Sheirbon and have yet to be challenged. This year, however, may provide just that! Despite wholk's Philadelphia Phillies finishing 12 games behind Seattle in S3, they turned in a 93-69 record, AL's 5th best. M22pank's Milwaukee High Lifes are no slouches either, who won 91 in S2 and wield a highly ranked, high-powered offense led by Jim Killebrew. Trailing should be dakar's Kansas City Jayhawks who have had their struggles but have been building and hope to compete as well.

AL EAST: Projected order (1) Rochester EliteDucks, (2) Washington, (3) Louisville, (4) Columbus.

The AL East powers appear to be keeid12x's Rochester EliteDucks and new manager kybucki's Louisville Sluggers. The tight race between these two teams should continue for S4, but should also involve contentions of tamadrumr's Washington D.C. Lobbyists and Ronazbill's Columbus Buckeyes. This may be the tightest race and closest division this year, should be very interesting near the end. Rochester should triumph, however, having been very consistent over the last 2 years winning at least 90 games. But Tamadrumr appears to have been busy in the off-season providing ace Miguel Park with some support, which former manager failed to do in S3. Washington may, in fact, have the best pitching in the division so in the end should top kybucki's sluggers, despite the Slugger's shared 2nd highest overall team ranking (Seattle & Las Vegas). It will also help that they will be without the extra boosts of a Davey Ramirez, but most of all they simply lack as strong a rotation as Washington. Ronazbill's Columbus Buckeyes should act as "bumper biter," a very close "tailgater" of the 3, even with the super powers of one Sidney Fabregas.

AL SOUTH: Projected order (1) New Orleans Bayou Bengals (2) Nashville (3) Huntington (4) San Juan

Like the AL North, the AL South has also been dominated by one super power, kemosabe11's New Orleans Bayou Bengals who only appear to be getting stronger from one season to the next. The East, perhaps the entire AL, belongs to New Orleans who Finished S3 with Hobb's best record to date (112-50), winning their division by a landslide of 30 games. Kemosabe11's New Orleans Bayou Bengals enter S4 as the highest ranked overall franchise, including AL's highest ranked starting rotation and line-up. They are a true force to be reckoned with and may just be "the team to beat." While they still have yet to win a championship, it goes through New Orleans in S4. Moneyguyz and his Nashville Lumberjacks, who head into S4 with a strong rotation of their own, may be kemosabe11's only threat but will probably fall well short. Followed by thewheaties's Huntington Tyro Mavins and then jpelot's San Juan Mojos, who despite a huge improvement from S2, still finish with .475 winning % in S3.

AL WEST: Projected order (2) Las Vegas Legends (2) Albuquerque (3) San Diego (4) Honolulu

The AL West is easily the weakest division in the AL and allowed for a below average 75-87 Albuquerque Pilots to back into the playoffs in S3, where they performed quite well making it to the AL championship. Threester has plenty of experience, including 11 WIS championships, and one of the best bullpens in both the AL and NL, so Albequerque fans have confidence that the ship will be righted - as for the season record is concerned - and lead to a winning record for S4. But will not top what new manager blackmamba22 is doing with the Las Vegas Legends. Entering with a lot of energy and a surprising but "apparent" understanding of WIS, this new manager has made the most moves of any and has taken a low ranked 65-95 team and put together the 2nd highest overall AL ranked team. (Seattle & Louisville). Unfortunately, as we all come to learn at one point or another, greatness and winning championships has little to do "overall" rankings. But with a strong starting line-up and solid rotation they should still own the West, topping Albuquerque in a close race. Several games back we should see a second tier race between the San Diego Surf Sharks and the Honolulu Poi-Boys who have made some key acquisitions but had only 122 combined wins in S3.