Hobbit Division Preview: A Badger in Bywater, and Last Year's Board Again
mesn-preseason-desk · 2026-10-22
The biggest arrival in the Hobbit Division is eighteen years old. Bywater signed Wilibald "The Badger" *Brockhouse as a free agent this winter, and OOTP already rates the young pitcher an 80, tied for the best mark on the Bounders' staff. He arrives in the same offseason that Ferdinand *Puttifoot retired at 42 after hitting .309 with 24 home runs, so the Bounders have traded their oldest bat for their youngest arm. MESN and OOTP agree on the top two, Bywater and then Carrock, and split only on the bottom, where MESN slides Bucklebury past Lake Town. Last spring the monkey's board had Bywater first, and they went 74-88 to finish third. It had Carrock second, and Carrock won the division at 90-72. This spring's final order is identical, line for line.
Bywater Bounders (MESN #1, OOTP #1)
*Puttifoot's retirement takes 3.9 WAR out of the infield. First baseman Esmeralda Bramble followed him out the door, signing with the Moria Miners after 636 plate appearances of .273 ball. The rotation also lost 182.3 innings when Lanlla Iseogrin was traded to the Misty Mountain Hops. The replacements are a mixed lot:
- Hugo Fleam comes from the Chiba City Neuromancers at $12.6 million after a 2.3-WAR season in center. - Odessa Zooty arrives from the Rivendell Royals at $10 million on a .246 line. - Reliever Miranda Mosseater brings a 1.95 ERA over from the Hops.
Closer Kusalin Breeden, also an 80, anchors the bullpen, and Dinh-Ty the Render (72) sets him up. *Brockhouse slots fourth in a rotation that includes Gonus Guttrisson, the club's $20 million man, who rates a 53. The Badger's nickname, per clubhouse legend, comes from the hole he digs in front of the rubber, which the Bywater grounds crew has stopped filling. OOTP projects 87-75, the only winning record in the division.
Carrock Bears (MESN #2, OOTP #2)
Carrock has won the division two years running, going 86-76 and then 90-72, and it responded by changing managers: Eeamir Elvalas replaces Tigia Eladriendel. The bullpen took the real damage. Haruki Shaban (2.86 ERA in 72.3 innings) signed with the Chiba City Neuromancers. Tom O'Haugherne (2.66 in 61) signed with Bucklebury, which is to say across the division. Starter Kasumi Jardim left as a free agent and took 126.3 innings with him.
The headline addition is right fielder Thubis Eiaron, acquired from the Forgotten Realms Kobolds after a .290, 30-homer, 5.3-WAR season. He is now 34, and OOTP rates him a 50 regardless. The core holds: closer Suzg Holzer (80), first baseman Sam *Oakenstaff (79), and Sudeep "Rattlesnake" Blunt, a 69 earning $40 million. OOTP sees a ten-win drop to 80-82. The Bumps Chart, which rates Elvalas the best skipper in the division, spent twenty-two minutes on a single ridge above his left ear before marking him freshly palpated, in red.
Bucklebury Fairies (MESN #3, OOTP #4)
Bucklebury has finished last three years running, and the fix starts on the mound:
- Tomiji "Iguana" Eyelover, promoted at 23, arrives rated 80 and lands in the middle of the rotation. - Itiireae Toryvhallen comes from the Lond Daer Warriors after 162.3 innings of 3.66 ball and 4.1 WAR. The price was catcher Belstram Arwima and a prospect. - O'Haugherne joins from Carrock.
Those moves cover the loss of Allyson Bunce, who took 175.7 innings and a 3.79 ERA to the Isengard Raiders. The Fairies also traded catcher Blurduk the Badger to the Earthsea Dragons and reliever Filibert Brockhouse to the WeMadeIt Crashlanders. So they lost a Badger and a Brockhouse in the same winter Bywater signed a Brockhouse called The Badger.
Center fielder Throblag the Insane (76, with 86 power) leads the lineup. The two largest contracts, Dejaalia Ragalla at $27.4 million and Alok Elassidil at $20.4 million, rate 51 and 49. Zare O'Quinsalen opens on the 60-day injured list. OOTP has them fourth at 77-85. The monkey had the Fairies third last spring and watched them finish fourth. Handed the logo board this March, it pawed their crest first, held it there for the length of a banana, and did not look at the other three.
Lake Town Archers (MESN #4, OOTP #3)
Lake Town finished second last year at 77-85 and then cut $30.5 million in payroll. The departures:
- Third baseman Meneaduc Liszt (587 plate appearances, 15 home runs) signed with the Dunharrow Devils. - Kazimierz Atanesian took 128.3 innings to the Chiba City Neuromancers. - Zygmunt Clardy signed with the Numenor Kings. - Li-cong Mickens retired after a 6.59 ERA, which helps.
The one real signing is Nabi Ulmalhamah Leones, a free agent from the Grey Havens Stars, at $14.9 million after 185.7 innings of 3.73 ball. He has spent his career on losing clubs and has never visibly minded. He joins a staff that posted a 4.57 ERA, worst in the division. Closer Shyrrik MacMorran (67) and corner bats Gagmub Drowslobberer (62) and Briffo Wisebattler (61) return. Outfielder Brian Rougecheeks starts on the injured list, and twenty-one promotions fill out the roster. OOTP has the Archers third at 80-82. The monkey had them fourth last spring, watched them finish second, and has them fourth again, having apparently been told nothing in between.
Closing verdicts
Team to beat: Bywater, the only club OOTP projects over .500, now carrying two 80-rated arms on one staff.
Sleeper: Bucklebury, with Eyelover, Toryvhallen and Throblag on the division's lowest payroll ($91.3 million).
Over/under: Carrock at 80 wins. Take the over. The bullpen losses are real, but two straight titles, an intact Holzer and *Oakenstaff, and Eiaron's 30 homers do not usually add up to a losing season.