Maniacs Latest to Dropout
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season and we'll look at the potential playoff matchups to come. First, this year's draft was the year of the dark horse, according to the not-so-politically correct Chinese ACBA calendar. Picks were going all over the place, from trades in both this year and the fallout from those in the past. It was a mess to figure out, but in the end there were definite winners, losers and surprises. Winners: With 8 picks in the first 4 four rounds, Green Bay did nothing but help their case for a repeat opportunity in 2013. And with the recent acquisition of last year's Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera, the Title Company may pull away from their division early. Austin and Flint both collected some nice pieces to fill out their rosters with early picks. The American East is a battleground and it looks to only get stronger in the coming years as several teams have many up and coming high ends prospects. Losers: The Hustlers took a chance on Prince Fielder last year and it just wasn't enough to get them back to the World Series. Unfortunately, it cost them 2 very high picks and they waited until the 30th pick before they added anyone. Senhollow also had a poor showing in the draft, but with a stacked team, their draft grade is inconsequential to them or to anyone else. Surprises: At this point, I don't think it would come as a shocker to anyone to say the first round of the draft was the big surprise. It shook out in a way that was not expected. Chase Headley and the "I've never played a single day in the Majors" rookie Oscar Taveras set the tone of the offline draft when both were selected in the top five. It threw many owners off guard as it left a couple of gems just sitting out there for others to snatch up. Gems that were not supposed to be there. And the only explanation? Somebody knows something that we don't. Take Headley for example. He's good, no doubt. But #2 good? Maybe 2013 is his year and if so, this draft is will definitely go down as one to remember when Headley jumps to the level of a top five pick. Taveras on the other hand, now that's just crazy! Look back through any draft in ACBA history and you will find it's only the absolute crazy owners that take prospects that high. Remember 2011? Senhollow? Harper and Trout--both taken in the first round? Yeah, right. Look how that went. I believe this Taveras pick will come back to haunt Austin as the previous examples haunt Senhollow to this day and many years to come. Now, let's get to some preseason rankings. Here it is, the final order with only two teams missing the playoffs. And don't take it personnally if you're predicted to be one of those two teams. Love hurts and so does crying (too long over these predictions). National League: Green Bay Portsmouth Warren Florida Jacksonville Washington American League: Senhollow Austin Flint Cooperstown Merrimack Michigan As for the September Classic preview, we've nailed down what we think will be the seeding with the preseason rankings, which will give us the matchups in the first round. National East Division Series: Green Bay defeats Florida Portsmouth defeats Warren National Championship Series: Green Bay defeats Portsmouth American East Division Series: Cooperstown defeats Senhollow Austin defeats Flint American Championship Series: Austin defeats Cooperstown World Series Green Bay defeats Austin TAC TEAM ASSEMBLEDThe 2013 Trade Approval Committee team has been selected and is in place.
The primary members are American East representative Tim Aspin and National East representative Michael Anderson, along with the commissioner. The alternate members are American East representative Jason Roy and National East representative Mitch Smith. With the newly added AAA affiliate rosters, the trade rules were adjusted to allow all trades to go through uninhibited. This allows for a quicker movement of players from their major league roster to their minor league roster, through the trade function. Trades will still be reviewed however and the Continued on Column 3--> |
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TAC team will be called upon if necessary to vote on whether a trade should be overturned. The likelihood of a trade needing TAC team voting, let alone it being overturned are pretty slim. Most trades in the league are pretty well matched and typically, a trade viewed as unfair or with potential sabotage involved happens about once every 3 or 4 years. But the safeguard is in place. The commissioner is hoping to rotate the members of the TAC team each year, adding 2 different alternate members while promoting previous alternates to the primaries each season. This allows owners to be involved, but also not to give any one owner permanent duties. It also helps in keeping decision making fresh by having different perspectives from alternating members. The responsibilities are few and far between and mostly consists of quick decision making and quick response time, along with having fair and reasonable judgement. We would love to have all owners participate, but it is of course on a voluntary basis. Mud Hens Swoop In
Brent Ford may be one of the new guys in town but he certainly knows when to take advantage of an opening when he sees one.
Immediately upon the news of the Maniacs becoming an inactive team, the expansion owner filed a request with the ACBA to claim Michigan as the team name, chopping the "Mid" prefix from their title. "It's a small change," Ford said after getting word from the Commissioner's Office that their request was approved. "But we'll take the small things as they come. It looks a lot nicer, a lot cleaner. Flows a little better off the tongue," the Mud Hens owner joked. Mud Hens? More like Mud Vultures. Owners beware: This guy WILL rummage through your trash! League Scrambles To Find 12th Owner
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