THE BBL BUZZ
November, 1998 Newsletter
This will be my feeble attempt to handicap the league for this season. I hope I
don't offend anyone with my predictions. This is all in fun. It's impossible to
accurately predict how draft leagues will finish, so here it goes ...
NORTHEAST DIVISION
Definitely the toughest division in the BBL, the Northeast could provide the league champion this year.
With the departure of our beloved Braves franchise, the Yankees
and the defending-champ Mets are the pre-season favorites. Rumours around
the Bronx say that Tod "The Ghost" Grimm "is no Joe Torre." Boston bolstered its
bullpen in the draft, adding lefty Andy Pettite, bullpen ace, Paul Quantrill. League
newcomer, Myron DeVoto of the Expos blew the wheels off the draft, acquiring a new right infield with
Chuck Knoblauch and Jeff Bagwell. Jake Smith is still plugging away with the Phillies,
bless his heart. Since he took over as the commish, he's stuck in this league, and even worse,
he's stuck with the Phils.
SOUTHERN DIVISION
Don't expect a repeat performance from the Marlins this year. Their bullpen looks to be shaky and
they upgraded for age in the draft. The Oriole's pitching staff looks strong, but don't be fooled by
the all-star lineup that may not produce in the high-octane offense of the BBL. The Padres and Rangers
should lead the division this year with solid pitching from the Pads and neck-snapping ding-dongs from the Rangers.
The Dodgers could be the real sleeper, as I don't see where they'll fall in this division.
CENTRAL DIVISION
The Indians should run the table in the BBL-C this season. An Indians team with pitching could be lethal.
(I just want to put the pressure on Rocco.) The Mariners, who were squeezed out of the old West Division last
season, may not be able to duplicate last year. They had a poor position in the draft and look to be retooling for the
future. John Mettler's Pirates could turn the corner with the right amount of leadership. The addition of
Chipper Jones and Andy Benes could be the keys to the postseason for the Bucs. The Rockies are going to still
try to bomb their opponents into submission with football scores, and the Reds added much-needed pitching in
the offseason with John Smoltz, Jeff Fassero and Rick Reed.
Anyway, this was all in fun. Good luck and let's look forward to a great season!
Take me home.
Any questions on this site, contact Larry Korb
