Southern accent

Somehow, I skipped right over the Midwest group. I meant to do these alphabetically. Well, I promised the South next so we’ll do that now, then go back.

Along with the Central, the South figures to be the most competitive of our groups. Good rivalries too with the SEC states well represented.

Size really doesn’t matter down here. Florida or Georgia might be the biggest but I think there is less difference top to bottom here than anywhere else. A pretty good team is going to stay home, and it might be tough to get a wild-card spot as well because there isn’t a weak team to beat up on.

1. Alabama. It’s a great time to be a Crimson Tide fan again, and the Yellowhammers should keep the good feeling going down there. I just can’t bet against Mays, Aaron and Paige.

2. Georgia. Extremely dangerous offense, with Cobb, Robinson, Gibson and whomever plays first. But I don’t know, even with Dick Redding, if the pitching is enough.

3. Florida. Really good outfield with Raines-Dawson-Sheffield, and Pop Lloyd is as good as it gets at shortstop. Pitching might be shaky behind Carlton.

4. Kentucky. Tough call between the neighbors but I think the Commonwealth is a little better at key spots (especially shortstop). On the bubble for the tournament.

5. Tennessee. I could see the Vols moving higher if the pitching holds up, because they will score some runs with Helton, Stearnes and Co.

6. Mississippi. Cool Papa Bell sets the table for Dave Parker, George Scott and others, but Roy Oswalt is about the only reliable arm around, unless Brett Favre retires again and joins this team.

Next: We’re down to the Midwest and the Southwest groups, plus we’ll look at our first exhibition results.

Orange blossoms

No state has come so far so fast as Florida has.

Fifty years ago, the Sunshine State had just a handful of baseball players. With the population boom and year-round baseball, it’s solidly in the top 15 and still moving up rapidly, although that growth looks like it’s slowing down.

Because of the relatively short history, there aren’t too many all-time greats from Florida but the total is moving up. The first is the great shortstop Pop Lloyd, who was compared to Honus Wagner many years ago. The greatest pitcher, easily, is Steve Carlton and his devastating slider.

The likely Suns’ outfield of Tim Raines, Andre Dawson and Gary Sheffield all have a good chance to get in eventually. But a guy who will probably go right in when he becomes eligible is Chipper Jones.

Larry Wayne Jones has played for the same team, for the same manager even, for his entire 16-year career. He is behind only Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray among switch-hitters in home runs and most of the power categories. (Obviously Pete Rose is ahead in hits.)

Jones is talking about maybe hanging it up after next season, but I doubt he will. The Braves are contenders again, with a great young rotation, and even if Bobby Cox leaves after 2010 as he says he will.

Chipper will be playing for another future Hall of Fame manager on this Florida team.

Florida has a lot of great managerial candidates. Buck O’Neil could get the job. Six men have won pennants or division titles, four have won the World Series, including second baseman Davey Johnson. Al Lopez, who didn’t win the Series, has the best record (.584), but I’ve decided to use him as a catcher. Lou Piniella is on the squad as well.

So the guy is another of the Tampa group, Tony La Russa. Thirty years after replacing our Arkansas skipper, Don Kessinger, at the helm of the White Sox, La Russa is still at it, taking another team to the postseason. Speaking of which …

I know I picked the Dodgers before the season started, and they did have the best record in the NL for the first time since 1983, but I don’t see how they’re going to beat the Cardinals, who will be able to start Carpenter and Wainwright three or perhaps four times.

I think the Cards and Phillies will prevail in the NLDS (NLDSes?) and that the Yankees will beat the Red Sox, making Fox happy. Then the Yankees will beat the Cards in the World Series.

La Russa has lost World Series before, and he’s won a couple. That happens when you win more games than anyone not named Mack or McGraw (and they were running the whole operation). No one managing now is likely to catch La Russa. This team will, like all of his teams, compete to the end.

FLORIDA SUNS

UT Jay Bell
RH Jack Billingham
LH Steve Carlton
RH Doug Corbett
OF Andre Dawson
SS David Eckstein
RH Alex Fernandez
1B Steve Garvey
OF Luis Gonzalez
RH Dwight Gooden
RH Tom Gordon
LH Mike Hampton
RH Jay Howell
CA Charles Johnson
2B Davey Johnson
3B Howard Johnson
3B Chipper Jones
SS Pop Lloyd
CA Al Lopez
1B Fred McGriff
OF Hal McRae
OF Lou Piniella
1B Boog Powell
OF Tim Raines
OF Gary Sheffield
CA Mike Stanley
RH Bobby Thigpen
RH Tim Wakefield

Next: Texas.