SACRAMENTO RAZORBACKS/EASTON: Huge movement with this team in the off-season. New additions include: Todd Phillips "SPOTLIGHT" former J-Cat, Terry Barrow- former J-Cat, Chris Oliver "MEAT" former Cartel, Rob Stogner --former Sac Probation, Nate Jennings-New SAC Sheriff Deputy, Larry Fluty—Lodi PD. Possible appearance during the year from HoF member Mike Jones and possible more signings before the season begins! They have been practicing all off-season and they are more focused this year than in any previous year. Here is their possible tournament schedule: DEA Kickoff, Easton Bring Your Real Skilz, Fresno Lincoln, Virginia Beach or Bacon Ball NY, Manteca, Lake Tahoe South Shore, Star Six Incline Village, Tahoe and the World Series. The Sac Backs team goals are to compete for the crown at every tourney they play in and have a great time doing it. They host the Star 6 Tourney which is a tourney on the rise on the West Coast and their goal for that tourney is to raise money for SSD fallen officers (Sadly they have lost 4 deputies in the last 3 years) 2008 OUTLOOK: Their new signings, dedication and commitment to play in more points tourneys should earn them a big jump in the rankings. Strong leadership, talented players and dedication will be their recipe for success. May not make the top 10 but if the team’s movers and shakers get this team on track, it is very possible. PROJECTED FINISH: 11

TEAM TEXAS/TOWBOY’S WRECKER: At last years World Series, Texas finished as the second highest West team. Their World Series performance proved what they already knew and that was they are an elite team. They are arguably one of the ten best teams in the nation. The only thing that keeps them from being ranked in the Top 5 in the West is the fact they are in Texas and they may not be playing in many of the Boombah Points Chase tourneys. When PoliceSoftball.com asked coach Kevin Schoch what tourneys they planned to go to, Schoch responded that Texas plans on playing in Bacon Ball – Vegas, Texas Police Games, Dayton, and in August you will see them at the Vegas Games or Sterling Heights. Lastly, Team Texas plans on capping their season at the World Series Palm Springs. If Texas has the ability to make those tournaments, they have a legit shot to win the West points title. That kind of activity in recent years has not happened for this team and only time will tell if they can pull it off in 2008. For 2008 sponsors, Team Texas has aligned with Towboy’s Wrecker s and they are very excited to bring this sponsor on. In addition to Towboy’s Wrecker, Team Texas is in talks with Garrett Metal Detector’s and they have inked Vic's Paint Body as a sponsor. On the personnel side, Team Texas has lost starting pitcher Tony “Bam Bam” Metcalf who will be taking the year off. On the plus side, they have added young phenom Ryan Meyer out of Houston PD and they have a full commitment from Dave Feathers, Chad Martinka and Alph Coleman which will be huge for this team. Once again the team will be led by coach Kevin Schoch who believes this team will be stronger on both sides of the field than they were in 2007. Kevin is a very dedicated coach and he pays for the teams uniforms. 2008 OUTLOOK: They will have a shot to win any tournament they enter and will once again proudly represent the West by advancing deep in the World Series. If this team can make some points chase tourneys, expect them to vie for number 1. Until we see them become regulars on the circuit, they will have problems earning enough points to get near the top. PROJECTED FINISH: 12

DIRECT IMPACT: One major pick up for them will be Paul “Chewbacca” Garcia who formerly coached the Desert Dirtbagz and played with the SD Old Dawgz last season. Paul is a big hitting outfielder and will bring some additional pop the line up. Direct Impact also signed former Hard-Cor free agent Pat Patterson to man a corner infield spot. Direct Impact spent most of the 07 season winning B-flight championships, but by the end of the year they were taking on the heavyweights. Eliminating the defending champion Cal-Quake from the World Series infused this team with confidence and they plan to keep that momentum rolling into the 08 season. They have been playing in a lot of civilian tournaments in the off-season and will be primed for the 08 season kickoff. 2008 OUTLOOK: This is our sleeper team of the season. SLEEPER ALERT! Although we projected them to finish outside the Top 10, we will not be surprised if they propel themselves into the law enforcement elite and place much higher. PROJECTED FINISH: 13

SIN CITY COMBO (FORMERLY NEVADA POLICE COMBO): The Nevada Police Combo has changed their name this coming year and they will show some new faces. Coach Paul Howard is looking forward to the upcoming season and will be starting the season off at the DEA kick off tourney. The new "Sin City Combo" previously Nevada Police Combo will have the same core as previous years but have added some youngsters to give them some more speed in the outfield and some new gloves in the infield. Sin City is still looking for a consistent player to play on the bump and will have trouble matching some of the power teams but they will battle and can never be taken lightly. They have a new sponsor in "American Shooters Supply and Gun Club" which will help this team stay in the mix. Let’s not overlook their accomplishments of 07. It was essentially their inaugural year and they burst onto the scene like a comet. Look for them to continue to improve as they become more active on the circuit and continue to gel as a team. 2008 OUTLOOK: Expect to see this team play a lot more in point’s tournaments and expect them to be regulars in the A-flight. PROJECTED FINISH: 14

STATE RAZED (FORMERLY CV KINGS): The Central Valley Kings came on the police softball scene several years ago when they won a small market tournament held by the LAPD Blue. No one had heard about this team much before that but since that time they have been very active. Over the last few years, the CV Kings have played in all the major tournaments on the West coast and they are a team that is primed for good things.
Last year the Kings played in 4 major tourneys. The Kings started off strong last season with a 7th place finish and they finished strong by playing some solid games at the World Series. Overall on the season the Kings finished 11th in the west final rankings and many believe this team will have a strong chance to break the top 10 if things fall in place. The Kings have also announced a name change. For 2008, the CV Kings will draw on their custodial influence and go by the name, “State Razed”. The new State Razed team has also picked up a few players they have been gunning for and these players, coupled with their current players, will make up the new team. Most notably State Razed will be bringing back former Coach Joe Mestres after his brief stint with the NorCal Cartel. Mike Feleppa will lead this new team as their new manager and it will be fun to see what this team will bring. 2008 OUTLOOK: The talk on the West Coast has State Razed and Direct Impact gunning for each other to see which one will step up and create a stir. Watching these teams go at it will be a treat for softball fans but in the end, we think Direct Impact has the edge. PROJECTED FINISH: 15.

DIRTY BERDOO: Formerly known as the San Bernardino Hitmen. The Dirty Dirty is quite possibly the most entertaining team in the nation. No team plays with as much emotion or energy. They also take pride in having animated dugout “discussions” which can fire this team up and get them on a hitting roll. They had a strong 07 season but couldn’t complete the journey in the end due to a hiccup at the World Series. They earned a lot of respect points by returning to fields after their elimination to buy a few rounds and party with the other teams. But make no mistake; these guys are flat out ball players. They have a simple game plan. Hit the ball hard, play hard and score runs. You have to earn your outs against the Dirty Dirty because they absolutely smash the ball. One of their strengths is they do not get intimidated. Put this team up against NYPD, Quake or Jax and they will not blink. Don't expect anything fancy when you face the Dirty Dirty, just expect and ole fashion slugfest. 2008 OUTLOOK: We have not heard of any major pickups, but if they can get their regular crew out there they won’t need any. If they get a full commitment from their regulars they will be in the Top 10. Rumor has it that this team may be running a little light for 2008 so that may impact them at times. PROJECTED FINISH: 16

SACRAMENTO POLICE SOFTBALL TEAM (SPS): The Sac Police team has been real busy this off season. They made 6 strong pick ups including Sac. Probation’s 1-3 hitters. New additions include: Jeff Chandler "Bing" (Sac. Probation), Jim Sanders (Sac Probation), Tyson Butler (Sac Probation), Alex "A-Rod" Saavedra (DVI Gladiators), Mike "Nevbone" Neves (DVI Gladiators), and Justin Johnson (Sac. PD, new to Police Softball). In years past the SPS has stayed close to home to play, and their opponents knew just how good they were, but outside the NorCal circuit they received little press. This year will be different as are planning on going to DEA Kick Off (Chino Hills), Baconball Vegas (Las Vegas), Bring Ur Skilz (West Covina), Choir Boys 1st annual (Lincoln), Concord Police Softball (Manteca), El Dorado Cartel (S. Lake Tahoe), Star 6 (N. Lake Tahoe), Desert Classic (Palm Springs)and the PS.Com World Series (Palm Springs). They are intent on cracking the Top 15 and earning their first trip to the World Series. 2008 OUTLOOK: The SPS team plans on being busy on the NorCal circuit and plan on contending with the other NorCal powers to see who will be top dog. With the pick ups they have made and the dedication of their players you can expect to see them stamping their mark on the circuit. They are our pick to click as the most improved team of the year. PROJECTED FINISH: 17

CAL SYNDICATE: This team peaked when they were known as the USBP Heat in 2004 and had base hitting specialist Tim Poncy, slugger Mike Riches and speedy RC Martinez in the line-up. They were consistently in the A-Flight and had no problem battling the heavyweights. They have since undergone many name changes and countless personnel changes, but just when you thought you could count them out they came back strong toward the end of the 07 season. The merger with Cal-Posse has proven to be successful and they appear to rebuilding their way back to Top 10 prominence. The loss of All-Star Saul Enriquez to the El Paso Heat will be a setback but you can expect them to find a talented replacement from the San Diego area. 2008 OUTLOOK: If they play in enough points tournaments they will be in the mix for a Top 10 spot. If they are inconsistent and don’t play enough their rank will drop significantly. PROJECTED FINISH: 18

LAPD LAWMEN: They came out of the gates slow in 07, but turned on the afterburners and excelled in the Nevada Police & Fire Games and the World Series. Their showing in these two hotly contested events is indicative of how good they could be if they become more consistent. This team is one of the rare teams that has improved in the rankings for 3 years in a row. If that continues, this team could find themselves in the top 10 but with many new teams showing improvement, another year of ranking progression will be hard to do. 2008 OUTLOOK: We didn’t hear of any major signings and a couple players who were with them in the World Series have moved on to different teams. Unless something changes, 08 could be a repeat of 07 where the team starts the season looking for pieces to the puzzle but then finds the right formula as the season progresses. One of this team’s strength is they love playing and you will rarely find a socal police tournament without them in it. This kind of playing time can only help this team moves on. PROJECTED FINISH: 19

SANTA CRUZ COMBO: The Combo is more focused than ever and has been taking B/P during the off-season. They added two San Jose PD players. They played with them in Star 6 last year, and helped them beat some good teams. They also added a big powerful left handed hitter out of Sunnyvale. They have two kids in the academy right now, who will be with them by Desert Classic. They are Guiseppie Chairamonte, who played at Fresno State and with the Giants and Bobby Cleveland, who played S/S for Univ. of Tennessee and in the Marlins organization. They are intent on being active in point’s tournaments and their schedule includes: Chino Hills Kickoff, Vegas B-Ball, West Covina Bring Ur Skilz, Chp Choir Boys, Palm Springs (May), Concord, Star 6
Palm Springs (Sept), World Series (hoping to do well enough, if not Small market)
2008 OUTLOOK: This team has a great combination of strong leadership and talented players to crack the Top 15. Their goal of earning a berth to the World Series by cracking the Top 15 is well within their capabilities and they have wisely selected the appropriate tournaments to get it done. PROJECTED FINISH: 20

STANISLAUS: They were hot and cold in 07, but were hot when it mattered most and that was during the Small Market World Series. They went 5-1 to win the event and earn a berth in the 08 event. Since they are guaranteed a spot this year they don’t need to focus on the points, but this team is full of pride so don’t expect them to let off the throttle. They scored some big upsets over some of the top teams in the nation last year and we don’t expect anything to change in 08. 2008 OUTLOOK: They should be even stronger then last year and cracking the Top 15 is not beyond the realm of possibilities. They hope to fair better than the previous Small Market champs did in the World Series last year, but that event showcases the Beasts from the East and Best from the West so their work will be cut out for them. PROJECTED FINISH: 21

ORANGE COUNTY HITMEN: The Hitmen kind of faded last year with some player losses and injuries but Hitmen Coach Joe Ferrante says the team has added 4 new players all under age 35 who come from a baseball background. Hitmen veteran Ron Schatlze will be moving to the mound which will give the Hitmen a very mobile and athletic pitcher. Longtime Hitmen Donn Mire, and Gary Hamchuck have decided to retire. The Hitmen are also allied with the LASD Smoken’ Guns so they can tap them for manpower if necessary. The Hitmen should be more active in the coming year but it may take them time to gel with the new faces and will take the baseball players some time to convert over to softball. 2008 OUTLOOK: This team will be hard pressed to crack the top 10 in the West Points Chase but this is a team that has fun and will step up and play the David role to some team’s Goliath. Their ultimate ranking will depend on how quickly their new players with baseball backgrounds adapt to the game of softball. Expect this team to be better in the end than they are at the beginning of the season. PROJECTED FINISH: 22.

OUTLAWS (FORMERLY INGLEWOOD OUTLAWS): The Outlaws will be rolling out in 2008 as known only as the Outlaws. Jimmy Sola from Torrance PD will be the manager and he will be helped out by Ethan Siddall (Inglewood PD) and big Gus Rubio (Hawthorne PD). You might know Jimmy from playing SS for the Cal-Quake on occasion including the 2007 World Series. Jimmy is a great glove and heady player. Gus Rubio played 3B for the SoCal Alliance in the 05 World Series and brings a great stick and confidence to the field every game. The Outlaws will be busy this year and plan on playing in 8 to 10 tournaments. Look for the Outlaws to have some old faces coupled with some new ones this year. This squad's roots can be traced back several years to the powerful South Bay Heat team that re-defined cop softball in California back in the day. They, along with the DEA Combo were among the original combo teams that were built to compete against the large agencies. In recent times the Outlaws have been known as giant killers, but they are now determined to dance with the heavyweights on a regular basis once again. Outlaw players recently participated in the Guns and Hoses Tournament of Champions and opened some eyes by slaying the US Navy Mil-Spec team. That showing was just further confirmation that the Outlaws can bang with the heavyweights. Look for the Outlaws to make a run at the Top 15 but it won’t come easy. 2008 OUTLOOK: This team is a team on the rise and will feed off of some positive energy. They will have nothing to lose this year and will be dangerous every tourney. Finding the right match of players with so many new faces can be difficult but it looks like the leaders of this team have done it right. PROJECTED FINISH: 23

ATL/ABOVE THE LAW: This team burst onto the scene at Manteca and never looked back. They are not very involved in PS.COM so we don’t know much about them and have not seen their roster. They are rumored to be from the San Francisco Bay area. Whatever the case they did what most teams take years to accomplish and that is they were regulars in the A-Flight. They really snuck up on some teams and finished the year ranked ahead of some very talented West teams. 2008 OUTLOOK: We don’t know if they made any additions or if they even intend on participating in the points chase. If they do they have the talent to bang with the big boys. We have this team ranked low but if they participate in the circuit, they can be a top 10 contender. PROJECTED FINISH: 25

FOLSOM/SACRAMENTO J-CATS: We had high hopes for this team in 07. They lost a few heart breakers in the 06 World Series. They pushed 05 WS Champs the Ohio Lawmen to 8 innings and also took the 07 WS Champs the SoCal Alliance to the bottom of the 7th. It had to be disappointing being so close to securing a couple major upsets and we figured they would roll some teams in 07. The plans did not pan out. They teased us by showing us flashes of their ability (example: they ended the SoCal Alliance 4 tournament undefeated streak). But they never did close the deal and put it all together over the course of a tournament. As a result, several key players jumped ship in the off-season seeking greener pastures: 2008 OUTLOOK: We thought they were done, but that will not be the case. They have already inked for the West Covina tournament and intend on being just as active as ever. They might be rebuilding, the NorCal is rich in talent so they should have no problem finding qualified players. PROJECTED FINISH: 24

SIERRA CARTEL: This team is formerly known as the El Dorado Hitmen and the NorCal Cartel. They seem to be a team in disarray. Longtime coach Jeff Leikauf didn’t appear much for them last year. Players Dante Digacomo, Doug Calcagno, Brian Anthony, Bill Solma and Jim Lemmon left to the newly formed Aftershock. Veteran pitcher Joe Mestres went back to his original team State Razed (CV Kings). Several teams were licking there chops at the possibility of picking up hard hitting catcher/EH Chris “Meat” Oliver and in the end, Chris signed with The Sacramento Razorbacks. The team vows to continue and with their tradition, we will not be surprised if they hold it together and play most of the circuit in 2008. 2008 OUTLOOK: It has always been a potent offense and an outlaw attitude that gets this team deep in tournaments. Sometimes inconsistency in their line-up has hurt them. This team will need someone to take control and lead them back to being a NorCal force. A top 15 finish will be a stretch but if they just stay active they will be able to rebuild. PROJECTED FINISH: Will vie for Top 25

SPRINGS CHP: This is a small market, office team that isn’t afraid of battling with the heavyweights. They did not crack the Top 25 in 07 but they are intent on playing in more rankings tourneys in 08. They are crafty and athletic so what they lack in size they make up for in heart. They showed up at the 2007 Wally Karp Anderson Bat tournament and played the Alliance in the Championship game. The Alliance eventually won but this team played them tough and the score was tied after three innings. Don’t under estimate this team or you may find yourself asking what just happened. 2008 OUTLOOK: Although they will be more active on the circuit they will be outgunned against the combo teams. Look for them to do most of their damage in the B-flight, but also expect them to occasionally play the David role against the Goliaths. PROJECTED FINISH: Will vie for Top 25

SACRAMENTO PROBATION: They were an unknown but very competitive team in the NorCal region until the 06 World Series where they gained national exposure by winning the Small Market World Series. They had high hopes for 07, but the reality of stepping into the heavyweight arena took its toll and they had a disappointing year. The World Series berth they worked so hard to attain was bittersweet because they went 0-4 in the event. Unfortunately the team could not endure the disappointment and several of their players jumped ship in the off-season. Ultimately Sac Probation endured the loss of five solid players, three of whom have been with the team since they began playing LE tournaments in 2003 under the name of "Ranch Hands". Gone are Jim Sanders, Jeff Chandler and Tyson Becker to Sac Police Softball and Rob Stogner to the Sac Razorbacks. Dale Bryant has also decided to move on and is currently a "free agent". SacPro has added some talent from within the department and for the first time since their inception, have gone outside of their agency to add to their team. Added were Jason Struble, a hard hitting three bagger, IF Armando Arceo, and Wayne Repard from Highway Patrol. A few more additions will be on the way but are too early to announce. SacPro should have 15 players who are motivated to prove they can still hang with the big boys of Police Softball. SacPro is scheduled to play in the EASTON/PS.com Bring Ur Real Skillz in West Covina, "Big Daddy Hank" in Antioch, Elk Grove (which will be the Capital Classic in 2009), the Choir Boys Tournament in Lincoln, the Concord tourney in Manteca, South Shore, the Star 6 (aka North Shore) and if all goes well the Police World Series in October. Lastly, look for a team name change to be announced soon for this team. 2008 OUTLOOK: Rebuilding can be tough for a young team but now that they have expanded to look outside their agency, they should have a few more resources to pull from. PROJECTED FINISH: Will vie for Top 25

B&G/BURBANK-GLENDALE: This is a solid small market team that typically competes in tournaments close to home. Look for them to participate in some of the point’s tournaments including Bring Ur Real Skilz where that format should help level the playing field for teams such as B&G. They have defeated many of teams ranked in the Top 25 in past years so they have the talent; it’s just a matter of them playing in the high profile rankings tournaments for them to get the exposure. PROJECTED FINISH: Will vie for Top 25.

POMONA P-TOWNERS: They only played in a couple of tournaments last year but if they ever got re-dedicated they could challenge RSD Red for the title of best single agency team. Their potential line-up is scary and chocked full of former LAPD Red & SoCal Alliance players including: PoliceSoftball.com Hall of Famer John “Wasabi” Birtcher (Who will also play for Hard-Cor in 2008) Mike Lange who was considered by many to be the top 3B in the West at one time, Jose Larraga, Brian Haggerty, John Edson, Chuck Becker, Bert Sanchez and speedy outfielder Greg Freeman. Their first ranking tournament will be Bring Ur Real Skilz West Covina. 2008 OUTLOOK: Although they could field a rock solid team, don’t count on it. Some of those high profile players have lost interest in playing tournament softball. They will probably play the role of sniper for most of the season. They will play a few tourneys, knock off a few big name teams, go dormant, resurface and begin the pattern again. PROJECTED FINISH: Will vie for Top 25.

SAN DIEGO OLD DAWGS: 07 was a solid building year for this upstart team. They might be a new team but they are rich in veteran talent. Their play was sporadic as they split their schedule between G&H tournaments, point’s tournaments and others. Their season highlight was a strong B-flight championship at the Desert Classic. They are also the only team to defeat eventual champs Stanislaus in the Small Market World Series. This team has plenty of talent, but they never managed to solidify a line-up. 2008 OUTLOOK: We assume their first priority will be to find a consistent roster. Once they do they will be in the mix. PROJECTED FINISH: Will vie for Top 25.

EL PASO HEAT: This team has actually been around a few years and competed in such venues as the Nevada Police & Fire Games and Arizona Police Games. At the end of the season, West All-Star Saul Enriquez relocated to El Paso and turned the Heat management on to Policesoftball.com. Team management got inspired to compete more frequently and set out on a mission to improve the team. Saul has an extensive civilian softball background and a keen eye for talent so the team has already made some drastic improvements. 2008 OUTLOOK: The Heat’s goal is to claim the title of top dog in the Lone Star State. This should lead to some intense battles with the current big dog Team Texas. PROJECTED FINISH: Unknown until they decide if they will be playing in points tournaments or staying local.

THE ENFORCERS: We don’t have any information about this team. We sent advance scouts to their training facility in the greater Los Angeles area but they came up empty. All we know is they have been following the website and intend to stamp their name on the circuit. 2008 OUTLOOK: They are opening the season at Bring Ur Real Skilz West Covina which will give everyone a look at this team. After that we don’t know what their plans are. PROJECTED FINISH: Unknown

CHP BALLS DEEP: Pulled off a major shocker by dominating the 50+ team CHP annual tournament and taking down the Choir Boys. One of their core players is Jayson Rayburn who runs the Guns & Hoses tournament series. 2008 OUTLOOK: Although this team has the talent to hang with anyone don’t look for them to make a big splash in the rankings as they wont play in enough Boombah Points tourneys to make a serous run. Conversely they will be one of the top teams in the G&H series and will continue to match up well against teams such as LASD Smoken Guns and US Navy Mil-Spec. PROJECTED FINISH: Unrated.

LASD SMOKEN GUNS: Very young and talented team that is loaded with good athletes. They absolutely smashed their opponents in the Guns & Hoses championships but did not play in many points tournaments so they were unranked in 07. 2008 OUTLOOK: They have some veteran leadership in Tim Poncy and Keith Shoemaker but several key players including Tim Poncy, Mike Lamb and Jay Dauphanias are also committed to playing on other teams. Since these players have duel allegiances you can expect a similar game plan for the Guns. You can expect them to defend their G&H title. PROJECTED FINISH: Unrated.

OFFICERS ONLY (WASHINGTON): This talented team is a geographical rankings victims. If they were based in California, Arizona or Nevada they could easily be a Top 10 candidate. For the past few years they have not been able to play in any rankings tournaments outside of the World Series. They have excelled in civilian tournaments, the Pan-Am Games and state games but the Pacific Northwest doesn’t get much national exposure. 2008 OUTLOOK: We assume it will be very similar to past years. We won’t hear much about them but they will represent well in the World Series. Projected finish- Will vie for Top 25 as they should earn enough points in the 08 WS to crack the Top 25 somewhere.

TEAM GUAM: If those East teams complain about travel expenses they need to be thankful they are not Team Guam. Example: Team Guam is scheduled to come to the World Series in 2008. They will jump on a plane in Guam and fly to Tokyo, Japan. From there they will fly to Hawaii and then finally to LAX. The island is 8 hours of plane travel West of Hawaii!!!! We have no idea what their talent level is. They do seem to love the game and appear to have strong athletes so we believe they will be competitive. PROJECTED FINISH: Unrated *since they will only play in one points tournament.