JLB 2021 SEASON PREVIEWS: Topton Tornadoes

Do you remember the logo reveal of the Topton Tornadoes?

It was pretty epic, right? 

Now, how long ago was that?

Take a moment. Think.

Now, when I tell you that Tommy has yet to compete in a full JLB season, does that make this last year seem even longer?

"The logo reveal does seem forever ago," he said. "Long enough that teams have started to copy the name style choice."

I don't know what he's talking about.

It is hard to believe. Tommy took over in the middle of 2019 and made a great run in 2020, and now in 2021, he'll get his full season in.

More importantly, he'll finally face his former boss. (I'm kinda still his boss in a way. Fix your ESPN scorebug, Tommy!)

I love having power.

Tommy does, too. And he'd like to get that back with Pete Alonso, who struggled mightily in 2020. Hard to believe for how good Tommy was in 2020, winning the American League during the regular season, he did it on a sub-par performance from Alonso.

Instead, it was Fernando Tatis really making his statement that he is among the best, if not the best player in baseball. Two years ago, when Tommy took over this team, Tatis wouldn't have even cracked the top five on players desired in trades.

"Tatis was always really fun to watch, but you had to think that Vlad and Alonso would've been the spotlight," Tommy said. "You forgot about Alonso, didn't you? Looking forward to seeing those two in the HR derby championship again."

And we're looking forward to seeing Topton make a run for the division title again. With a (maybe) healthy Aaron Judge, a bounce-back season by Alonso, mixed in with .300 seasons from Nick Madrigal and DJ LeMahieu, this is not a lineup anyone wants to face.

But is it a lineup that can continue to win over a 21-week season vs. the 6-week season Tommy had to fight through last year?

How does he keep this franchise turnaround going in the right direction?

"We keep this going by playing to my strengths during the week," he said. "I may not be the absolute best at any one category but I'm close enough that I could beat anyone on any week as an average. Unless it's you, Jimmy. I have better pitching."

Yeah, Choo said the same thing. See his preview for what I think about that.

At least I didn't stoop to the level of drafting Spencer Turnbull.

"If I didn't draft Turnbull, Cheesesteaks would've picked him up as a FA."

Man, this Tommy kid may not have a full season under his belt, but he certainly knows the JLB. That's a veteran answer right there.