2016 Pre-season Picks
MIDDLE EARTH - As the teams gear up for the 2016 season, some with fresh management and new looks, it's time for MESN to present its annual predictions.
Last season, we did ok on the "obvious" division winners (Bywater, Bree, Lothlorien, Minas Morgul), but were wrong on everything else. Rivendell and Minas Tirith both overcame what we saw as their weaknesses against Old Forest (hitting in the case of the Royals and pitching in the Titans') and made the playoffs. Grey Havens didn't quite have the stuff to keep up with Misty Mountain, and the surprising Ravenhill team swept past the Stars and Isengard for the Wild Card.
So, after once again firing our staff of prognosticating lawn gnomes and armed with modern abaci (abacuses?), here are the wizards' new predictions.
Shire Conference
Once again, we're going with our feeling that good pitching beats good hitting, and Old Forest has the best pitching staff in the Shire, including 3 superstar starters in Chubb, Cheeseslicer and Ala'Niel. Not that it's going to be easy, as both Minas Tirith and Rivendell are in even better shape this year than they were at the start of last year. The Titans have plenty of pop in the batter's box with the best hitting in the Shire, and their frontline starters proved they could pitch. Meanwhile, key trades last season brought all kinds of hitting talent to the Royals, and their pitching staff is among the best. It's going to be a fun race in the Elf Division!
In the Hobbit Division, Bywater once again looks to dominate with brilliant pitching. However, it's not quite the slam dunk that it has been. Minas Ithil has been making moves, and the Wyrms now have a competitive pitching staff. If they manage to get their bats in gear, the Bounders might have to look over their shoulders a lot more than usual. Meanwhile, despite the Archers aging team, they don't appear to want to go on the cart, yet, and with new management moving Wilderland to Erebor, the rebuilding there has begun in earnest.
In the Dwarf Division, it's a battle of the pitching staffs, as Moria and Bucklebury both have the same kind of brilliance as Bree. The Cheese, however, have hitting, while the others, for the most part, do not. A roll of the dice and a flip of the coin, though, would put the Miners ahead of Bree for the first time in history. And, now that they've finally won the League Championship trophy that eluded them for so long, we're not even picking the Cheese to win the Shire Conference!
Elf Division: Old Forest
Hobbit Division: Bywater
Dwarf Division: Bree
Wild Card: Moria
Conference Champs: Old Forest
Mordor Conference
The Orc Division should be a fight between Dunharrow's brilliant pitching and Misty Mountain's more balanced approach. In our calculations, the difference between the Devils and the Hops is razor-thin, with Dunharrow's hurlers just barely making up the difference between their hitting and Misty Mountain's.
In the Goblin Division, Lothlorien should expect to have to fight for their title this year. Not only has Ravenhill maintained a lot of its quality despite losing their GM, but Weathertop and Numenor are right there with them. In fact, this could be the only 4-way race in the league.
For the first time in a long time, Minas Morgul is not the automatic favorite for winning the Troll Division. Early estimates placed Isengard ahead of the Slayers, and even now, we're having a tough time separating the two. The Raiders have the most dominating attack in the entire league. Meanwhile, the Slayers' pitching staff is easily the best anywere. This will be the true test of hitting vs. pitching, and we're going with pitching...but just barely. Meanwhile, a new GM in Dol Guldur should make things interesting in the Wild Card race.
Orc Division: Dunharrow
Goblin Division: Lothlorien
Troll Division: Minas Morgul
Wild Card: Isengard
Conference Champs: Minas Morgul
League Champs: Minas Morgul
Power Rankings
Minas Morgul Slayers
Old Forest Merry Fellows
Isengard Raiders
Bree Cheese
Moria Miners
Bywater Bounders
Rivendell Royals
Minas Tirith Titans
Lothlorien Lumberjacks
Dunharrow Devils
Misty Mountain Hops
Bucklebury Fairies
Weathertop Witch Kings
Dol Guldur Dragons
Ravenhill Darkwings
Minas Ithil Wyrms
Numenor Kings
Lake Town Archers
Dagorlad Disaster
Grey Havens Stars
Mirkwood Marauders
Dead Marshes Uruk-hai
Carrock Bears
Erebor Eagles