73 LIBERTY REVIEW: #5 MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND: I KNOW A PLACE WHERE AIN'T NO ONE CRYIN...

 

MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND 
Astrodome 
Conrad Brunner 94-110
Franchise: 99-117
History:
69 East Playoffs 
70 East WC Champs
71 East WC Champs 
72 East Playoffs 
73  Rankings
4th Hitting 
7th Pitching 

LINEUP

Ferguson c 136
Sudakis 1b 132
Sizemore 2b 96
Campaneris ss 81
Cey Ron 3b 104
Bumbry lf 154 
Davis W. cf 114
Maddox rf 120 

BENCH 

Oliver ut 116
Evans Dw of 93 
Von Joshua of 74
Hundley c 68
Chaney inf 40

PITCHING 

Locker 155 
Fitzmorris 144
Bird D 136
Rooker 124 
Morton Ca 117
Watt E 113
Bibby 99
Gullett 97
McGraw 94
Reed 90 

NOTES 

It is not every day I learn something new about music while playing baseball sims but stick around the Liberty league son and learn.  

Muscle Shoals Sound studio is located in Sheffield Alabama and some of the most famous singers in America have recorded hits at that studio.  Here is a list of the top 20 songs:

https://www.al.com/entertainment/2016/12/the_20_best_songs_ever_recorde.html

Hats off to Conrad on fusing music and baseball. 

Mr. Brunner also knows how to fuse together a roster.   Four straight playoff appearances is nothing to ignore.  Granted, the Eastern Division has been the weaker sister in the Liberty league but the numbers indicate that is no longer true. 

MSS seems ready for the task given it is ranked number 5 in our preseason poll. 

There are so many storylines in this roster. 

Joe Ferguson had a career year in 73MLB and it makes me wish I never traded him away. 

Campy Campaneris was the only bright light for the KC Athletics and he managed to stay in the majors until the early 70s A's dynasty arrived in Oakland. 

Al Bumbry (154) has the highest OPS+ rating on the team. It blows my mind to see that stat. 

Brunner looks like he is taking a page out of Ed Pernal's playbook.  Wille Davis used to work for Pernal but Conrad offered Davis more cash to play CF in the Astrodome. Bumbry, Davis and Oliver will spray hits all over the astroturf while Ferguson, Sudakis and Cey should drive in a lot of runs.  It is the type of run making machine it takes to win a championship. 

The pitching staff ranks 7th in the league but the numbers may under estimate this group. The rotation looks like a bunch of KC Royals who were traded away just when they were having career years.  Look for Fitzmorris, Rooker and Bird to make KC fans mourn their loss.  The bullpen will make opposing teams mourn the loss of late inning rallies thanks to Watt, Locker and McGraw.  Morton, Gullett, Bibby and Reed are impressive pieces of the puzzle. 

The numbers predict MSS will finish 2nd in the renovated Eastern Division and a 5th straight trip to the playoffs.  The question is will this be the year Brunner takes MSS to the promised land, a place where no one is crying.