Overall
1. Fungoes
2. Rhinos
3. Inmates
4. Nads
This is a tough division to predict. The Inmates are the defending HWD champs and will score some runs, but their OB% will be about 5 points higher than their team BA. And their pitching just doesn't measure up. The Rhinos have the most talent, so this could be their year. It will depend, as it has often with the Rhinos, on whether he can avoid the temptation of adding more young studs and draft for need instead. Either way, they'll be better this year. But the pick goes to the Fungoes. With that park and pitching staff, it will be hard to score runs against them. Trout isn't a one-man show - Hosmer, Carpenter, and Betts will help, and Lindor is the best ss the Fungoes have had since Omar Vizquel. The Nads have had some good drafts the last couple of years, but too many injuries have left him with a long year ahead.
As I read this, I'm amazed at how similar this year's group looks. But that comes at the bottom of the page. I'm pretty sure I nailed the predictions here. The Fungoes, who got super hot about halfway thru the season, won the division, and even earned a 1st round bye. The Rhinos won 90 games to come in 2nd, and the Inmates lacked enough pitching to finish higher than 3rd.
And now here comes 2017, and the HWD hasn't changed much at all...
Starting Pitching
1. Rhinos
2. Fungoes
3. Inmates
4. Nads
Nobody is better than Kershaw, but the Fungoes don't have much beyond the big lefty. And the Rhinos have Aaron Sanchez, Thor, and Archer - one of the strongest 1-2-3 combos in NASOMA. The Inmates and Nads are a toss-up for #3. Chris Tillman of the Nads is the best pitcher on either of these teams, but the Inmates' mediocrity runs deeper.
Bullpen
1. Rhinos
2. Fungoes
3. Nads
4. Inmates
The Rhinos don't have that many relievers, but the ones they have (mostly Jansen and Alex Reyes) are good. Jansen is to the HWD bullpens what Kershaw is to the HWD rotations.
Catcher
1. Inmates
2. Rhinos
3. Fungoes
4. Nads
Wilson Ramos gets the nod here. The Rhinos's Wilson Contreras and Blake Swihart are just a smidge behind Ramos. The interesting thing will be to watch, again, the Rhinos try to milk their combined 314 AB thru an entire season without a third catcher. The Fungoes have the best defensive catcher in the game. He just didn't hit last year.
First Base
1. Rhinos
2. Inmates
3. Nads
4. Fungoes
Joey Votto is head and shoulders above the rest of the group. And that's saying something, because Rizzo and Adrian Hernandez are stout. Even the Fungo platoon of Hosmer and Napoli is quality.
Second Base
1. Rhinos
2. Inmates
3. Nads
4. Fungoes
This is a good position for the HWD. D.J. Lemahieu is the cream of this crop, just ahead of the scrappy Jose Altuve and the powerful Brian Dozier. The Fungoes' dilemma is not having second basemen who can hit - they have that - but they will sacrifice defense no matter which one is in the lineup (until late in games when they can sneak Goins in). Ironically, the Inmates and Rhinos have a combined four players who are 2b-1.
Third Base
1. Rhinos
2. Nads
3. Fungoes
4. Inmates
The Rhinos have been filled with young studs for many years. Kris Bryant is one of those who rose quickly to the top. Jose Ramirez and Matt Carpenter are both very balanced.
Shortstop
1. Fungoes
2. Rhinos
3. Inmates
4. Nads
In an odd coincidence, both the Inmates and Rhinos will find themselves playing 2b-1's at shortstop on a regular basis. The Fungoes' Lindor is the star here, but not by as much as you might think. I'm placing the Baez/Story combo ahead of Segura for #2, but it could just as easily be reversed.
Left Field
1. Rhinos
2. Inmates
3. Fungoes
4. Nads
Whether the Rhino left fielder is Bryant (which it won't be) or Ryan Braun (who it will be), the Rhinos will be #1 in LF. The Inmates counter with Cespedes. The Nads, if they can play Ramirez in LF, would have just as much offense there, but it looks like he'll play third.
Center Field
1. Fungoes
2. Rhinos
3. Inmates
4. Nads
Of course Trout is #1, but there is a huge chasm between #1 and #2 on this list. The Gomez/Buxton duo is slightly better than Adam Jones, but they're all pretty bad.
Right Field
1. Fungoes
2. Inmates
3. Nads
4. Rhinos
Betts easily over CarGo here. The weird thing is how Betts dropped off against LHP last year. I don't know who the Rhinos plan to use in RF. Wil Myers, maybe. Or Matt Kemp and his rf-4. Either way, the Nads' Kole Calhoun is better.
Designated Hitter
1. Fungoes
2. Inmates
3. Rhinos
4. Nads
Daniel Murphy, if he isn't forced to ever wear a fielding glove, is maybe the 2nd best DH in the league after David Ortiz. J.D. Martinez isn't too far behind.
Draft Picks
1. Nads
2. Inmates
3. Rhinos
4. Fungoes
Not a lot of draft picks changed hands in the HWD, but the Fungoes are missing their first - and that is significant. The Fungoes are one of the best card drafters in the league, and he desperately needs starting pitching. The Rhinos are one of the best uncarded drafters in the league, but he needs to go cold turkey this year and take cards.
Overall
1. Rhinos
2. Fungoes
3. Inmates
4. Nads
Out on a limb for this pick. (Honestly, I was planning on copy&pasting last year's prediction and putting it here to see if anyone noticed.) And I could be totally wrong, but the Rhinos won 90 games in 2016, and are better this year. If he uses his picks to build up that bullpen, the Rhinos could/should win the HWD. The Fungoes still have Trout and Kershaw and Lindor and Betts, but they need SP, and the Draft doesn't offer much. The Inmates have put together a slow-pitch softball team again, but he also needs to add pitching, or he'll end up watching the playoffs instead of playing in them.
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