2016 Preview: Augusta Misses The Cut

Mike Moustakas was cut by Augusta's new ownership, only to be taken by them #1 overall in the draft just 1 week later.

2016 Preview: Augusta Misses The Cut
By Skip Clifton, San Diego Chronicle

The date is Saturday, January 9th 2016. The place is an Uno's Pizzeria & Grill just 1 block from Fenway Park in Boston. The time is 4:15PM. Most of the EHCC owners have gathered by the bar and are about to sit down for the annual Winter Meeting. The absentees include Rakeville, Las Vegas, Dublin, and Tokyo who all were unable to travel at that time. However, one owner was missing without notice or legitimate reason.

The date is Monday, July 13th 2015. As the MLB Home Run Derby is about to begin, most of the EHCC has gathered online for the Minor League Draft. There was some banter in the chat boxes, and some interesting selections near the top of the draft. As the 8th pick arrives, the owner of that pick is nowhere to be found.

Derek Price owned the Athol Drunken Cats from 2002-2003 before selling the franchise to a group from Winston-Salem, but gave it another run in 2012 when his expansion team the Augusta Albatross was accepted into the EHCC. However, a string of failed seasons (the team never made the playoffs in 4 years) and lack of dedication to the league (Not making Minor League draft picks in 2015, not showing up to the 2016 Winter Meeting) forced the league's hand and was contracted.

What does this have to do with 2016? Well, new owner Johnny Irwin has wasted no time in his attempt to turn a failed franchise around. In less than 2 months, he moved the team to San Fernando Valley, CA, cleaned out the front office, made the minor league choices that Price failed to do last July, and kept just 15 players before the Major League Draft. All a testament to the owner's commitment to turning the team around. But is instant success a possibility?

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EASTERN DIVISION
6. Bridgewater Weasels - After the Weasels dissolved their roster during the 2012 offseason, they finished last in the Eastern Conference 3 years in a row. Then in 2015, while the Western Conference was a clusterfuck of mediocrity, the East was dominated by Las Vegas and Weymouth. 4th-6th was relatively even, and Bridgewater finally made some progress and finished 4th. What they lack in starting pitching, they make up for in Outfielder depth (Pence, Gardner, Pederson, Pillar, Cain). The difference between 6th and 4th will be just as close as last season, and unfortunately Bridgewater will find themselves on the wrong end of this year's clusterfuck.

5. San Fernando Valley Jets - The Albatross last season was going nowhere. They had a stagnant, mediocre roster that the General Manager refused to improve. Even when the team was eliminated from the postseason, they continued their finished their season by being nowhere to be found. However, the new ownership has made a promise that things will be different. With 9 picks in the first 5 rounds of the Major League Draft, the Jets cleaned up the offense by grabbing guys like Moustakas and Tomas, and stole some late-round starters in Anderson and Latos. If the youth can give them some production (Wisler, DeShields, Tomas) they will stay out of the basement of the Eastern Conference.

4. San Juan Guerites - San Juan traded away picks to bolster their offense last year, but with the new EHCC lineup rules they still used their first few picks to supplement their batting order. Marte, Realmuto, and Davis will instantly become starters. The pitching is there, the offense has 1 or 2 studs, and overall the team is better than what it was in November. However, Rakeville also got better this offseason, and Las Vegas and Weymouth aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Sorry, Guerites.

3. Rakeville Rockets - Even though they made a first round exit, the 2014 magical run to the playoffs was a confidence boost for the Rockets. But then they followed it up with 12th place finish last season. Injuries were the main reason for the horrendous season, but a lack of pitching depth didn't help either. A top-3 offense will help Rakeville win most games, but can the arms come alive when playing Las Vegas, Weymouth, or Quebec City? Having 3 guys in the bullpen NOT closing games (Castro, Vizcaino, Storen) and one that barely will be (Hoover) doesn't help. In a top-heavy Eastern Conference, they'll be good enough to finish 3rd or 4th.

2. Las Vegas Doggs - Weymouth had just 1 division loss last year, a 7-3 beatdown by Vegas in Week 20. When the two teams met again in the EHCC Championship, I expected a repeat performance... they have power (Votto, Upton), speed (Gordon, Hamilton), top closers (Melancon, Jansen), and a small-yet-powerful starting rotation (Arrieta, Lester, Wainwright). The Doggs have embraced the new lineup rules by putting 5 hitters on their bench (vs. 3 pitchers). It's a bold strategy that nobody else has really adopted yet.

1. Weymouth Shaddupu - Ho hum, look at Clifton picking the defending champs again... so predictable. But come'on, the only ones not picking Shaddupu to finish 1st in the East are people just trying to be different and Vegas GM Howe Dogg's parents. Their 4th OF could be #1 on other teams. They have 3 of the best closers in the league. They have a dominant Max Scherzer, a (healthy?) Jose Fernandez, and a read-to-break-out Taijuan Walker. If this were a rotisserie league, we'd be printing their name on the plaque already.

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WESTERN DIVISION
6. Tokyo Omyoujis - The Omyoujis finished 2nd in the West every year from 2008-2012... then, they finished in 5th or 6th the next 3 years. Is it coincidence that Tokyo decided not to keep SP Edinson Volquez after the 2012 season? Is it also coincidence that they drafted him in the first round of this year's draft? Is it also coincidence that I knew all of that off the top of my head? Yes. Yes. And no, I looked it up. Corey Kluber's not walking through that door, but finishing 6th in a tough Western Division is nothing to be ashamed of.

5. Tijuana Hispanics - After Carlos Gomez was trade from Tijuana to San Juan at the 2015 trade deadline, the team went 0-6 (12-46). The Hispanics' plan of rebuilding the pitching staff made sense, except that the EHCC had already announced a settings change of adding a 4th OF and an IF spot. They did fill their needs in the draft (Brett Lawrie, Shin-soo Choo, Justin Bour), but in a stacked Western Division it just won't be enough this year.

4. Santo Domingo All-Star Factory - 2 years into their 5-year Championship grace period, they're going in the right direction. The pitching staff is poised for a dominant showing in 1-2 years, with guys like Bundy, Eickhoff and Maeda ready to help out Harvey and Darvish. Find a couple hitters to join Anthony Rizzo and they'll be back at the top of the division in no time. Until then, they have to deal with the Piglets, Cristos, and Snake Chasers.

3. Quebec City Piglets - 8 division titles in 12 years can't be wrong, but only 1 since 2011. The West used to be a 1-team race, but last year showed that any team can win it in the Wild Wild. The Piglets have everything they need to get back to the championship game: A young and dominant offense (McCutchen, Springer, Bogaerts), power pitching (Zimmerman, Kluber, Wacha), and an owner willing to stick with his guys even during slumps (only 2 trades in 2015). The downside? There are 3 other teams right around them that are just as good.

2. Dublin Snake Chasers - Remember in 2012 when Dublin finished in 11th in the league, and dead last in the West? They were the joke of the EHCC with an underachieving pitching staff, 0 relievers, and an offense made up of Little Leaguers. Since then: 2 division titles and 2 Semi-Finals appearances in 3 years, an underrated yet speedy offense, and *GASP* 2 closers! Dublin still goes as far as their starters can take them, but if they're healthy the team will be in championship contention for a while.

1. Rio de Janiero Cristos - After the 2015 draft, Rio made just ONE trade during the year... Joe Kelly for Brian Shaw. Rather than giving up assets to get players from other teams, they chose to use the Waiver Wire for all their needs (75 moves in 2015... 13 more than the next club). Despite roster upheaval, they were a tough 5-4 defeat to Las Vegas away from making just their 2nd EHCC title game (losing in 2012 to Rakeville). What the offense lacks in speed it makes up for in power. David Price and Zack Grinke headline a starting rotation of 4 guys projected to have at least 175 Ks this year. It'll be another close division race this year, but if everything goes as planned Rio will be just the 4th team in 5 years to win the West.

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Whether it's something in the water, or just a Sports Illustrated-like curse, I am 0-6 with division winners and 0-3 on EHCC Champs...

In 2013, I picked Tijuana in the West (fresh off their 2012 division title) and Weymouth in the East (lost a 4-4 tie to Rio in the Semi-Finals), and Weymouth to win it all. Instead it was Dublin, Las Vegas, and Rakeville, respectively.

2014 I came SO close by picking Rakeville to win the East (they and Las Vegas both went 9-4-2, but Vegas won the tiebreaker), while Rio de Janiero finished a distant 2nd to Quebec City. And of course, my choice of Dublin to win it all was laughable as they finished 8th in the league.

Last year was more of the same. After Dublin's lack of playoff appearance, I went with Rio once again only to see the Snake Chasers claim their 2nd Western Title in 3 years. Weymouth dominated the division from start to finish (12-1-2), but where was my choice in the East? San Juan finished a distant 3rd. My EHCC champions pick of Rio looked really good until a tight 5-4 loss to Las Vegas in the Semis.

So where do we go from here... Will the curse continue, or will Weymouth and/or Rio de Janiero end my slump? Can the expansion team surprise everyone and ride Victor Martinez to a title? Did anybody read this far to find out who WON'T be winning the 2016 EHCC Championship? I'll see you all in October.

Quebec City over Weymouth, 6-3.


Skip Clifton is a columnist for the San Diego Chronicle. His hatred of Shin-soo Choo is beyond comprehension.