The South Oakland Ducks of the North Side look to rebound in 2021, after a disappointing season last year. The team finished under .500 for the first time in six years in 2021. After a solid win over South Hills in the first round, we lost to a stacked BIG OIL team in the semifinals.

The big offseason news is that the Oilers merged with the Rebels and are now playing in AAA. Taking their spot in AA are the Senators and the expansion Piranhas. Returning after a year off are D2 and Bauerstown.

Bauerstown is probably the preseason favorite along with 2020 finalist Bandidos and the 2019 champion Devils. I’ll put the Piranhas right behind this group for now, but they’re supposed to be good. They’re a bunch of high school kids from a good baseball school who will likely be disappointed by our fields.

Cranberry is a no longer a sleeper pick after putting together two consecutive solid regular seasons. They also added the third woman in league history who will pitch and play outfield for them. She is a former olympian and likely the best athlete in the league. I’m curious how she’ll fare. D2 has the pitching depth to make a run, and the Eagles are due to rebound in Ethan’s second season as manager. It should be a competitive division.

South Oakland added a couple players who should contribute right away. Dimas is also returning after a year off to play second and clap. We lost Ducks legend James Fago to a new job in Chicago, and our long-time shortstop moved up to the Bulldogs after leaving South Oakland halfway through last season for personal reasons.

Every year I wonder if half our team will just get old all at once, but if it hasn’t happened yet. I think we have the pitching to compete. We need to avoid getting swept by Cranberry again this season. I am now 40. My career will span three decades, and grateful for another season at the Duck Pond.

Quack.