| RANK |
TEAM |
COMMENTS |
| 1 |
AMITY |
Team
won 128 games with Frank Thomas on DL the majority
of 2007, his loss to retirement won't phase this
well oiled machine. |
| 2 |
BELFAST |
Defending
Champions. No significant offseason losses from
team that set BL record for wins in a season. |
| 3 |
NEW
YORK |
Competition
for Lockwood Division will be fierce, but the Nukes
have some aging, bitter SOB's on their roster and
their rivals will have to pry the division from
their cold, dead hands. |
| 4 |
RIO |
Loss
of Addie Joss before playoffs showed just how much
Rio relies on their ace, but as long as he's healthy
the Capys mean business. |
| 5 |
COZUMEL |
Best
record in history by a team to not make the playoffs,
you know they're motivated. |
| 6 |
LA |
Late
season surge in 2007 catapulted Riots into contention.
They're hoping the addition of CF Scott Schaefer
provides the spark to push them ahead of the competition. |
| 7 |
HAVANA |
Loss
of slugger Tim Salmon to retirement doesn't help
aging team, but they should still be able to hang
with Rio. |
| 8 |
LONG
BEACH |
A
genuinely frightening lineup that will only get
better. Pitching staff is improved. Time will tell
if they're ready to take on the big boys. |
| 9 |
HONG
KONG |
A
team on the rise. Some great young hitting talent,
will need to deepen their pitching staff if they
hope to catch the Bombers. |
| 10 |
SICILY |
See
above. Interesting note: Godfathers are one of three
teams to never have a losing season in franchise
history (Rio and Amity are the others). |
| 11 |
ARGENTINA |
Rarified
Andes air was a boon for the Archers offense last
season (3rd most runs scored in IL), and a bane
for their pitchers (3rd highest ERA). |
| 12 |
CHERNOBYL |
Led
Polanski Division for the first couple of months
last year, but dropped off dramatically in second
half. Koji Nihonji is the most underrated player
in the league. |
| 13 |
BOMBAY |
After
years of mediocrity Elephants finally have a supporting
cast to compliment Marcelino Reams and Jim Palmer. |
| 14 |
ST.
PETERSBERG |
If
only Nolan Ryan could find the plate on a consistent
basis. |
| 15 |
HONOLULU |
Youth
movement has yet to pay the dividends that King
Kamehameha was hoping for. |
| 16 |
TAIPEI |
Official
team of the AARP. They're sold old they've got
heiroglyphics on their drivers licenses.
|
| 17 |
JAMAICA |
Not
a bad lineup. Kris Kotsopalous making Rasta fans
forget about Babe Ruth. Pitching leaves something
to be desired. |
| 18 |
CAPE
TOWN |
They
traded promising RF prospect Donovan Barnett to
Long Beach in the offseason, but have positioned
themselves nicely for rebuilding with a boatload
of draft picks. |
| 19 |
JOHANNESBURG |
Public
outcry by wildlife preservation groups pressured
the team to change their politically incorrect monicker.
Team officials ready to put recent history on the
field behind them too. |
| 20 |
SYDNEY |
Roos
will probably have to get worse before they get
better. |
| 21 |
MOTOWN |
New
manager Triple H has his work cut out for him. |
| 22 |
EDMONTON |
From
top to bottom the franchise is hoping for a fresh
new start in Alberta. |
| 23 |
TOKYO |
Japan
is elated to see the Weaver League return after
a seven year absence. They'll have to wait a little
longer before they see a winner. |
| 24 |
BERLIN |
Nowhere
to go but up... Right? Fans are patient, when the
season ends Oktoberfest makes them quickly forget
their misery. |
