1/31/2013-Matt McDermott, Independent League Expert-Author and Editor has released his picks:

• No. 1 Alpine Cowboys-Ryan Stevens will win, last year I made wrong prediction.
• No. 2 Las Vegas Train Robbers-Casey Dill will finish 2nd he was born to finish second in life.
• No. 3 Raton Osos-I think Keith Essary will make it this year. Keith has been around and is back and hungry.
• No. 4 White Sands-Ready for bounce back year.
• No. 5 Santa Fe-will draw well again, hopefully narrowly miss. Looking to be an opposite side of losing one run games this year.
• No. 6 Roswell-Fans won't come back until the end of the season based on 2012 season. 2014 will be their year.
• No. 7 Trinidad-Fans on Colorado side turn into Raton Fans when Oso fever sweeps Colorado. Essary becomes a fan favorite in Trinidad.
• No. 8 Taos-Travel schedule will put them in the bottom. Only four travel teams in independent baseball history ever made the playoffs.