2013 INSIDE THE FLY BY NIGHT:

Welcome to the new age FBN! One division...no place to hide if you don’t deserve to make the playoffs. I like it...not everyone does. We’ll see how it plays out. I think it will create a great playoff race, but only time will tell.

As suggested by a few guys, I’m going to start at the 24th rated team and work my way up in five installments. First up: your bottom dwellers...teams 21 to 24. It’s the race for next year’s prize draft picks.

21-24
Coming in at 21 is Baton Rouge, who had a top five pick last season, so it’s a slow road back to respectability. Yu Darvish helps keep them out of the basement, and they have a few good young players like Rizzo. It’ll be a few years before the Bullets are relevant again.

At 22, the Florida Sun, fresh off of a purge that sent guys like Lohse and Rollins packing. This is not a bad offensive team, but the pitching is horrendous. They’ll need guys like Hughes, Romero and Porcello to develop or it’ll be the same story next season.

After something of a fire sale, new kid on the block, Vic comes in at 23 with his Cracker Jacks. Vic appears to have done a nice job in the draft collecting prospects, so we’ll see if he can turn the team around quickly.

Drum roll…..and projected to have the first pick in the 2014 FBN draft...the York Town Admirals. No offense and no pitching...a recipe for disaster; Merk needs to get some young pitching to complement building blocks Hosmer and Desmond. I’d definitely keep the #1 pick next year...will probably net a stud like Profar...or a #1 type starting pitcher. The Admirals need to stock up on some prospects to see if they can start going in the right direction over the next few years.

Next Up...the not so bubbly group of 20 to 16.

Teams 21-24 ....click here to see projected team details for teams 21-24

16-20
Today’s release of projected teams 16-20 ends the list of teams I say have little to no shot at making the playoffs. So in my mind, 36% of the league is on the outside looking in before the season even begins. I think this is pretty representative of most years. The only difference is that you don’t have four of the teams in one division as is often the case.

Anyhow, coming in at number 20 is Arsenal, which had the worst record in the league last season. So baby steps here. Same story as most of the non-contenders is the lack of quality pitching. Unlike the true bottom dwellers, the Gunners do have a couple of arms in the pen and some reasonable starting innings...but not enough. You have to like the future though, with Stanton and Harper in the OF.

Illinois is also creeping out of the slime to stand on two feet...coming in at an improved position of 19. Posey and Braun in the middle of the order sounds nice, but reality is they are only really scary if you trot a lefty out to face them. I think the Dogs may be headed in the right direction, but will struggle again this season.

At number 18 is the 70’s Redsox...errrr, I mean the Jarheads. Good hitting...Trout, Encarnacion...et all, but practically no pitching. I’m just figuring they can slug their way past some of the lesser teams. Plus Bill is a really good manager, so it wouldn’t shock me if this team over achieved.

My friendly Hogs, on their every other year rebuild, come in at an unusually non-super sucky #17. Unlike some of the previous rebuilding Hog debacles, this squad actually as a few guys who had decent seasons...Molina, Gordon, Kemp. However, not much of a pen or back end of the rotation, so the Hogs will be lucky to win 75 games.

The bubble of the bubble teams is Lake Wobegon at #16. Pretty decent offensive team...Hamilton, Ruiz, Willingham..., but the rotation has some ugly warts and the pen is pretty yucky. The Whippets probably have more downward mobility this year than up...but I like their offense. They should club their way to some ugly wins. That’s it for the bottom 9 teams. Everyone above this line is in my “got a shot” club.

Teams 16-20 ....click here to see projected team details for teams 16-20

11-15
Now in my mind we get into the interesting mix of teams that are sitting right outside of the playoffs...the bubble teams...11 through 15.

Coming in at 15 is Maine, improved from last year but still with work to do to be a serious contender. Papelbon, Thayer, Parker and Garza provide some useful innings in the pen. Plus comeback years by guys like LaRoche, Everesth Cabrera and Colvin makes this a marginal offense. More likely to fall than rise this year, but not a bottom dweller.

Urpaign comes in at 14. Nothing too exciting, but Bailey and Chen add some serviceable innings to the rotation. Draft pick Fien is lights out so make sure you’re not trailing at 8. Craig is one of those highly underrated players. Improved team since last season.

Unlucky 13 is the 89ers. Rob always seems to do better than I project, but I don’t see how this team can make too much noise based on down years from Halladay and Josh Johnson. Still, Cain and Lohse are good and the team has some HR pop...so they could surprise.

Number 12 is Burlington. Nice starting pitching with Shields, Latos and Vogelsong, but the pen is crumby. Offensively not bad, but too many bango hitters. Should be right about .500.

The ultimate bubble team is Wall Street. Was going to put them in the top ten, but Joe is down on the team so the bad karma will drag them down. Still, great pen, solid starting pitching and offense. A little more positive thinking and this team could be closer to 5 than 10.

So this ends your non-playoff teams. I’d say any of these last five could scrape in at 10 or higher and make the playoffs...but on paper there are 10 better teams. I know I am a nit-wit but I’m giving the Klubbers one last chance...If they let me down this year...I will never project them to make the playoffs again! I’ve probably said that before...but I’m a sucker, what can I say.

Teams 11-15 ....click here to see projected team details for teams 11-15

6-10
Ok, getting to the big boys now. Teams projected to come in at 10 to 6, if they just manage their teams well.

Number 10 is NE. Bruce should be pleased since he complained last season that I always predict him to come in last. Offensively, this team is not all that great, but they have a solid defense, some good starting pitching and Chapman and Johnson at the end of their rotation. I’d say 9th or 10th is the best this squad can hope for, but could also fall down as far as 14 or 15.

Seriously Roland... make the freaking playoffs already. Originally I had this team penciled in higher, but dropped them to 9th based on the Klee factor. Good offensive team though lacking a big bat in the middle of the lineup vs RHP. Rotation is very solid outside and the pen is good. No way this isn’t a top 10 team. We’ll see...I’m a little skeptical.

At # 8 is the perennial contender, Connecticut. Don’t like all the lefties in the rotation, but the pen is excellent and the lineup vs solid. Of course Rugiano will be “the Difference” so you guys that offered a 4th for him can sit home while the Blue Devils play in October.

Hey, when Jared Weaver isn’t your best starting pitcher, you know you’re pretty good. California comes in at #7. Good all-around team, with stellar defense and solid pitching. I can’t really say this team is better than CT or KK...but someone has to be 7, 8 and 9.

The Chiefs have turned into a perennial power, and this year is no different. The back of the rotation isn’t what it was last year, but Dickey and Peavy make a nice 1-2. The offense will score a ton with all the BP HR guys in that crazy park. Maybe I should stop trading all my guys to Bud so he’s not in 6th while I’m in 17th place...hummm.

Teams 6-10 ....click here to see projected team details for teams 6-10

1-5
Dadadadadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....I’m sure you have all been waiting breathlessly for the 2013 top 5!

At #5, the Hazardville Powderkegs. Nice balanced club. Good offense, although a bit light on the BP HRs. Good D, though the 3e27 at SS could hurt a little. Solid pitching. Really a mosh pit of teams in the mix here, but I’d be surprised if this team doesn’t at least make the top 10.

New in the mix this year is Hotlanta at 4. Hit the mother load with non carded players Medlen and Miley. Crazy good bullpen led by Kimbrel and Jansen. Good offense and defense. Nice team.

Last year’s champs Salem still relevant at #3. Not the juggernaut they were last year. The offense is down. However, still great starting pitching and a loaded pen.

Norwich climbing the later to #2...great job rebuilding this team through the draft by Don. Great starting pitching and very good offense. Pen is not the best, but everything else is so good...

Number 1 and still obnoxious...Milford and its pompous owner and GM extraordinaire... just loaded with talent and depth. This team is going to dominate for the next five years. So much depth guys like Upton, Santana and Lawrie will sit on the bench most of the time. No guarantee to win it all...but you can write their ticket to the playoffs right now.

Well, that’s it. Hope you enjoyed my review.

Let’s hope the season goes well. For what it’s worth, in my humble opinion the realignment should be fun. I am hopeful that when we can vote on it again the league gets split into two divisions with a balanced schedule. I think that would satisfy those in favor of competitive balance and keep the purists who like a more MLB like divisional structure.

Anyhow, enough of my soapbox. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! In a couple of weeks I’m sure I’ll be asking “when’s the draft!”. LOL.

Teams 1-5 ....click here to see projected team details for teams 1-5