Thank you. It's really helpful to see the runs scored and runs against. They always show the points scored and goals scored for the NFL and NHL, so why not for baseball as well? It can sometimes give a good gauge and how good a team might be compared with their record.

I forgot to post the All-Star teams... go back to post #8045 on this same page to view them.

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Tuesday, October 1, 2069

7 IPA PENNANT RACES DECIDED IN LAST DAYS
The 2069 Islandian Pro Alliance saved the best for the last this season... all the division crowns were undecided going into the final week of the season... and seven of them went into the home stretch very much in doubt... Rolling Hills was the only pennant winner that settled things early... and the Racers only cinched the Tycobbian West a week before the season ended... all the others were determined in the last few days ... two divisions, the Ruthlandian East and the Ruthlandian West, were decided in sudden-death playoff games.

There was a lot of joy and jubilation around the IPA, but there was also a lot of pain and disappointment, too... only 8 of the teams ended the season on a high note - the ones that won the pennant and secured a spot in the IPA Pro Cup playoffs.

The victors were the Taranto Tars, Claxton Diamonds, Marston Nine and Sligo Rovers in the Ruthlandian Union... over in the Tycobbian Union the division champions were the Blue Lake Blue Caps, Southport Sun Sox, South Fork Stallions and the Rolling Hills Racers.

This was an especially great season for the Blue Lake Blue Caps, who copped the Tycobbian North Division and finally made the Pro Cup playoffs for the first time in 40 years... the Blue Caps were not expected to be a contender this year... they were picked sixth in the preseason poll.

Ruthlandian Union Season Roundup and Review

TARS TURN IT ON LATE AND TAKE RU NORTH
Taranto (87-67) was rated only the fourth best-team in the Ruthlandian North at the beginning of the season... the Tars turn it on the final two months of the year (35-16) and captured the division crown, beating out the LaGrange Gators by 3 games... Taranto was a blistering 19-6 in September... this will be their first postseason appearance since 2056... Taranto has won one Pro Cup, but that was years ago in 2015... the Tars have been a second-rate team for the last decade... good pitching, solid defense and home-run power were the keys to their success this year... this is the 9th time Taranto has made the IPA playoffs.

Runner-up LaGrange (86-68) played well, going 33-19 in August and September... they were 15-12 the final month, but that just wasn't good enough to top Taranto... third place Far Mountain (85-69) topped the RU North most of the season... they had a 7-game lead heading into August, but the Redhawks fell to 26-27 the rest of the way and wound up 4 games off the pace... the Valmara Vipers (82-72) ran a fairly good race and came in fourth in the standings, 7 games behind.

CLAXTON WINS 7TH STRAIGHT RU SOUTH DIVISION FLAG
The Claxton Diamonds (90-64) won the Ruthlandian South for the 7th straight season, but they really had to sweat this one out... the Valka Blackhawks (89-65) pestered them the whole year and almost won it... the Blackhawks were slated to come in fourth in the preseason poll... Claxton's standout pitching won it for them again... this will be the Diamonds' 21st postseason appearance... they won their only Pro Cup trophy in 2064, upsetting mighty Rolling Hills... Claxton always does well in the playoffs... they have made the RU Finals the last three years, but lost each time.

The Belair Beach Sunbirds (82-72) ran a good first half, along with Grand City (74-80)... the Sunbirds wound up in the third spot, 7 games out... 22-30 in July and August killed their season.

MARSTON WINS AGAIN IN RU EAST... TOPS MACS IN SUDDEN DEATH... 3RD TITLE IN 4 YEARS
The Marston Nine (88-67) were rated the best team in the Ruthlandian East in the preseason poll and they won it the hard way - in a sudden-death playoff game with Wynnamac (87-68)... they beat the Macs 6-4 to win the division flag... this is the 3rd time in 4 seasons the Nine have won the RU South... in the past, it's been the offense that prevailed, but this year they had solid pitching... Marston struggled down the stretch with a 12-14 September record... the Sundowners went 16-10 and caught them, only to lose in the playoff game... the Eastshore Cotton Kings (83-71) did well this year, winding up just 4 and a half-game back in the race... the Cotton Kings were in first place in June, but could not maintain it... this will be Marston's 11th playoff appearance... the Nine has never won a Pro Cup.

ROVERS STAVE OFF 6 CHALLENGERS IN HOT-AND-HEAVY RU WEST... STOP ROOSTERS IN SINGLE-GAME PLAYOFF
The Sligo Rovers (82-73) have been one of the top dogs in the Ruthlandian West for two decades... 6 pennants, 10 second-place finishes and one 3rd place in the last 17 seasons... the Rovers always do it with a fine pitching staff and very little hitting... they really were tested this season in the closely-bunched RU West... it was a 7-team dogfight the entire season that finally ended with Sligo and Middlefield (81-74) tied for the top spot... the Rovers got strong pitching in the sudden-death playoff game and posted a 5-2 victory over the Roosters... this will be Sligo's 15th playoff appearance... the Rovers will be hunting for Pro Cup trophy number two... they won it in 2021.

Middlefield used home runs and solid pitching to finish in second place... 9-18 in June cost them the pennant... Sligo consistently played near .500 ball the entire 6 months of the season.

The reigning Pro Cup champion Forest City (79-75) tried hard to repeat, but came up short in the torrid RU West race by just 2 and one-half games... the Firebirds still had the fine pitching, but they were missing the good offense that enabled them to defeat powerful Rolling Hills in last year's Pro Cup Series.

Just to show you how hotly-contested the Ruthlandian West was this season... in September with the pennant on the line, Sligo went 14-11, Middlefield 14-12 and Forest City 14-11... they were the prime contenders... fourth place Fort Benton (77-77) was 12-13, ending up 4 and a half-game back... fifth place Rocky Rapids (76-78) was only 11-15 and lost out by 5 and a half games... and Volusia (75-79) wound up sixth and trailed by 6 and a one-half games... the Vigilantes flopped miserably in September with the pennant in the balance... they dipped to 8-17 for the month.

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Tycobbian Union Year-End Review and Recollections

RACERS WIN 10TH PENNANT IN A ROW... BLUE CAPS MAKE PLAYOFFS FIRST TIME IN 4 DECADES... RED SOX TOTALLY COLLAPSE... STALLIONS SURPRISE... AND SUN SOX WIN 4TH TITLE IN 5 YEARS
The big story in Tycobbian Union circles was the total collapse of the Red Bluff Red Sox in the TU East... they couldn't lose the pennant, but somehow they managed to do the almost impossible... the Red Sox blew an 8-game lead in just one month and South Fork came out of nowhere and won it... at midseason Red Bluff led by 12 and a half games.

BLUE LAKE EDGES HARTSDALE AND OXFORD IN TU NORTH
After years and years of mediocity Blue Lake (86-68) played steady baseball the whole season and jumped past struggling Hartsdale (9-18) in August and held the Hellcats and defending division champion Oxford off in September for their first pennant since 2030, the season they also won their only Pro Cup... this will just be the Blue Caps fourth postseason playoff appearance... Blue Lake just barely beat the Hellcats (85-69)... the Blue Caps staggered home with an 11-14 mark in September... Hartsdale went 14-12 and almost caught them in the stretch drive... the Hellcats lost the pennant by just one single game... preseason favorite and last year's division champion Oxford played poorly in April and May, caught fire in June, July and August, then dropped to 12-13 when it mattered most in September... the Red Caps finished 4 games behind Blue Lake.

SUN SOX SHINE AGAIN IN TU SOUTH, BUT HOLD OFF FAST-CLOSING TURON IN THE HOME STRETCH
Southport (95-59) took charge of the Tycobbian South in June and built up a substantial 9-game lead by August... they cruised most of the season, bothered only by third place Colchester occasionally, who led the division at the end of April (18-7)... the Sun Sox have won the TU South four times in the past five seasons... overall this will be Southport's 17th postseason appearance... the Sun Sox are going for their 5th Pro Cup trophy... Southport won it in 2044, 2047, 2065 and 2066.

The Turon Typhoons (92-62) labored early in the TU South... in July they trailed Southport by 14 games and they were malingering in fourth place... but the Typhoons came on like gangbusters in the second half of the season, posting a splendid 55-22 record and almost caught the Sun Sox... after a so-so August, Southport rose to the occasion with a 15-10 mark in September to beat back the Turon challenge... the Typhoons were 16-9 in the last month of the season.

Traditional TU South doormat Colchester (83-71) registered its second straight winning season... the Elites rode high in April and topped the division standings (18-7)... they hung close to Southport until August, only 5 games behind, and then folded, winding up in third place and 12 games off the pace.

RED SOX BLOW 8-GAME EDGE IN SEPTEMBER AND LOSE PENNANT TO HARD-CHARGING STALLIONS
If you live in Red Bluff and you are a Red Sox fan, you have to be deep down in the mullygrubs and totally depressed... the Red Sox did the unthinkable and the unforgivable - losing a pennant race that you couldn't possibly lose... 8 games ahead with 25 games to go... how did that happen?... well, South Fork went 17-8 the final month of the season, while Red Bluff could only manage 8 pathetic wins and 17 dismal defeats... that gave the Stallions the pennant by a single, solitary game... the Stallions also raced by the Hillsboro Blazers, too... the Blazers had a shot at the pennant, but could only muster 13 wins and 12 losses in the critical last month of the season... South Fork will be appearing in the postseason playoffs for the 9th time... the Stallions have won the Pro Cup trophy twice in the club's history (2025 and 2042)... South Fork last won the TU South in 2060 and 2063.

10 CONSECUTIVE TU WEST TITLES FOR ROLLING HILLS RACERS
The Rolling Hills Racers are showing some age, but they are still rocking along in the Tycobbian West and they are not yet in rocking chairs or riding off into the sunset... most of the lineup is in the mid 30s, but the Racers are still swinging the bats with great authority and even getting some good solid pitching for a change... Rolling Hills captured its 10th division flag in a row... 21 times they have graced the IPA playoffs... 6 times the Racers have won it all... and they are probably favored to win their 7th Pro Cup this year... but this was not an easy year... the Racers won by 8 games over second place Denton City, but that is a little misleading... it was a much closer race than that... the Redbirds actually led the TU West until July... thereafter they were only 39-38 and the Racers rolled past them with a 50-27 mark in the final three months of the year.

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Very similar to the 2011 real-life Boston Red Sox

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Wednesday, October 2, 2069

ROLLING HILLS, SOUTHPORT AND CLAXTON ARE THE CREME DE LA CREME OF THE IPA IN THIS YEAR'S PRO CUP PLAYOFFS
The cream of the crop and the creme de la creme -- that's the best ways to describe the top choices to win the 2069 Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup this year... perennial powers Rolling Hills, Southport and Claxton are given the best chance of capturing this year's Pro Cup trophy... will there be a surprise champion this year like last year's winner, the Forest City Firebirds?... can Taranto, South Fork or Blue Lake pull off the unexpected?

Probably not... the top three Pro Cup contenders are the Rolling Hills Racers, Southport Sun Sox and Claxton Diamonds... all three clubs have superior offenses compared to the other five challengers... plus they also have better pitching, too.

Only three teams are returning from last year's postseason playoffs... defending Pro Cup champion Forest City did not make the cut this year, but Rolling Hills, Southport and Claxton are back again... they are getting the most support in the Pro Cup polls... the baseball prognosticators and pundits are not giving anyone else a chance to knock off the powerhouses... they are at another talent level than the newcomers.

Opening Day in the 2069 IPA Pro Cup playoffs is Thursday... four games are featured... in Ruthlandian Union first-round action Claxton will host the Taranto Tars at Avalon Stadium and Marston will be at home at Legends Field welcoming the Sligo Rovers... in Tycobbian Union play it will be Rolling Hills entertaining the South Fork Stallions at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds and Blue Lake going on the road to take on the Southport Sun Sox at Pleasure Beach Park... all postseason series are best-four-out-of-seven games... throughout the playoffs the team with the best-regular season record gets the homefield advantage.

Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Poll:

1. Rolling Hills Racers (97-57): the Racers are head-and-shoulders ahead of the other clubs offensively... plus this year they have added some solid pitching... that makes them doubly hard to beat... the Racers just might add its 7th Pro Cup to its trophy collection... they were overall IPA champions in 2029, 2031, 2048, 2060, 2062 and 2067.

2. Southport Sun Sox (95-59): as usual, the Sun Sox are right up there with the Racers... the winner in the Tycobbian Union will probably take the Pro Cup trophy... Southport's pitching can handle the Rolling Hills' attack and put runs on the scoreboard, too... it's always a toss-up when the two powers play... this could be the year the Sun Sox win their 5th Pro Cup... they won it in 2044, 2047, 2065 and 2066.

3. Claxton Diamonds (90-64): the Diamonds are sneaky good... they possess fine pitching and can handle the bats fairly well, too... the offense sets them apart from the rest of the Ruthlandian Union... looks like Claxton will get another shot in the Pro Cup Finals... the Diamonds garnered their only Pro Cup in 2064 when they whipped mighty Rolling Hills in a stirring 7-game series.

4. Taranto Tars (89-65): the Tars whipped some pretty good clubs this year... Taranto was rated fourth in the division in the preseason... they came out of left field to outlast favored Far Mountain, Valmara and LaGrange in the RU North... good pitching, good defense and homers are Taranto's keys to success... the Tars have won the Pro Cup just one time in their history... that was long ago in 2015... Taranto has not grace the Pro Cup playoffs since 2056.

5. South Fork Stallions (84-70)... picked in the preseason poll to finish a distant 3rd to Red Bluff and Tuckanarra, the Stallions overtook several good teams in the TU East with a great September stretch drive... they raced past Red Bluff and Hillsboro... South Fork doesn't have the scoring power or pitching to upend Rolling Hills and Southport... the Stallions have two Pro Cups... 2025 and 2042... they last made the postseason in 2063.

6. Blue Lake Blue Caps (86-68)... forecast to wind up in 6th place this year, Blue Lake came out of the blue in the second half to edge out Hartsdale and Oxford in the TU North... the Blue Caps are not on par with Rolling Hills and Southport at the plate... neither is the pitching quite as good as the Racers and Sun Sox... Blue Lake has only made the postseason playoffs 3 times in its history... the last time they made it was in 2030... that was the season Blue Lake won its only Pro Cup trophy.

7. Marston Nine (88-67): the Nine can't compare to Claxton on the hill, nor with its offense... but it has a chance to make the RU Title Series... it's a first-round toss-up with the Sligo Rovers... Marston has never won the Pro Cup... this is the third time in the last four seasons they have made the playoffs.

8. Sligo Rovers (82-73): the Rovers have a woefully weak offense, but their fine mound staff can carry them in the playoffs... but Sligo has no chance against a team with good bats and good scoring... the Rovers won their only Pro Cup trophy in 2021... however, Sligo has made the playoffs four times in the last six seasons.

Rolling Hills Home Page
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Southport Home Page
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Claxton Home Page
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Taranto Home Page
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South Fork Home Page
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Blue Lake Home Page
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Marston Home Page
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Sligo Home Page
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I'm glad that you decided to switch to playoff matchups placed on seeding. I'll be rooting for Rolling Hills, it's a shame that they got so close last year yet couldn't get it done. Hopefully they add their 7th Pro Cup Trophy to their collection.

Racers still have a potent offense... and the pitching is much better this year... it has always been its downfall in the postseason... Southport can hang with Rolling Hills should they meet in the TU title series... they can score runs and they have better pitchers than the Racers.

Looks like the Racers bullpen has improved. Is Brownie Ashmore new? But the Stallions could be a test...

i'm glad to see Marston back in the fight. But they still need one more bat.

The Tars-Diamonds match should be pretty good in the first round. The Tars have the speed to manufacture runs. The power to turn around a game in an instant. And they are pretty good on defense. If someone on their team gets hot. They could cause trouble...

:eatpop:

No, Ashmore is a 9-year vet... fair-to-middling reliever... sometimes starter... he's really good at times, really bad at times... inconsistent.

Marston is just good enough to win the RU East... they don't have depth in their batting order and mound staff to keep up with the likes of Claxton... Harshman is a good addition to the team... this is his first full season... 30 homers, 113 RBIs and a .292 BA ain't bad.

Claxton's starters are hard-to-beat... they keep them in every series... when Taranto gets home, they will hit a few out of the park... the Palazzo di Sport is a homer haven... could be a good series... the Tars have four solid bangers in the middle of their lineup.

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Friday, October 3, 2069

PRIME POWERS PREVAIL IN IPA OPENERS
The big boys played well in the Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs opening games... Claxton took care of Taranto 5-0... Southport slammed Blue Lake 7-0... and Pro Cup favorite Rolling Hills ripped South Fork 9-6... lesser lights Sligo and Marston played a tense duel with the Rovers edging the Nine 2-1.

2069 Ruthlandian Union First-Round Series: Game 1
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2069 Ruthlandian Union First-Round Series: Game 1
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2069 Tycobbian Union First-Round Series: Game 1
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2069 Tycobbian Union First-Round Series: Game 1
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:eatpop:

Checking in, eagerly awaiting the Game 2 results!

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Saturday, October 5, 2069

SUN SOX SHINING IN TU, UP 2-0... OTHER 3 IPA SERIES ALL EVEN
Southport is shooting on all cylinders in the IPA playoffs with two straight wins over Blue Lake... the Sun Sox sparkled again with a 10-3 shellacking of the the Blue Caps... all of the other best-of-seven series are tied up at one win apiece... Marston evened up with Sligo 6-5 in 11 innings... Taranto clipped Claxton 5-1 and South Fork outhurled Rolling Hills 2-1.

2069 Ruthlandian Union First-Round Series: Game 2
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2069 Ruthlandian Union First-Round Series: Game 2
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2069 Tycobbian Union First-Round Series: Game 2
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2069 Tycobbiian Union First-Round Series: Game 2
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Looks like the Racers are back in the "win one so we can bring the series back home" mode. But maybe they shouldn't count on winning those last two games...
:eatpop:

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Sunday, October 6, 2069

SOUTHPORT NEARS SWEEP, ROLLING HILLS TRAILS SOUTH FORK, CLAXTON & MARSTON UP BY 2-1
The Southport Sun Sox are socking the Blue Lake Blue Caps to death with 3 consecutive victories... South Folk has the lead over Rolling Hills, Claxton and Marston are up in their series 2-1.

Southport rallied past Blue Lake 7-5 yesterday in Islandian Pro Alliance playoff action... South Fork surprised Rolling Hills again 4-3... Claxton skimmed by Taranto 3-1... and Marston got the best of Sligo 4-2.

2069 Tycobbian Union First-Round: Game 3
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2069 Tycobbian Union First-Round Series: Game 3
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2069 Ruthlandian Union First-Round Series: Game 3
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Stars of the Game

2069 Ruthlandian Union First-Round Series: Game 3
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Monday, October 7, 2069

CLAXTON, SOUTHPORT IN DRIVERS' SEAT 3-1... OTHER TWO SERIES DEADLOCKED 2-2
Two clubs have mighty tough rows to hoe in the Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs... the Claxton Diamonds and the Southport Sun Sox are both in the driver's seat with three games to one leads over the Taranto Tars and the Blue Lake Blue Caps... one more victory and it's on to bigger and better things - the Ruthlandian Union Title Series and the Tycobbian Union Title Series, the prelude to the renown Pro Cup Series... the Diamonds dazzled the Tars once again 8-4, while Blue Lake is clinging to a thread... the Blue Caps staved off postseason elimination yesterday with a 4-1 triumph over Southport.

The other four Pro Cup hopefuls are still going at it toe-to-toe after splitting the first four contests... in game four Sligo routed Marston 9-1 to even things up in the RU first-round series, while mighty Rolling Hills rocked South Fork 9-1 to get back into that Tycobbian series.

2069 Ruthlandian Union First-Round Series: Game 4
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Star of the Game

2069 Ruthlandian Union First-Round Series: Game 4
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Stars of the Game

2069 Tycobbian Union First-Round Series: Game 4
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Stars of the Game

2069 Tycobbian Union First-Round Series: Game 4
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Stars of the Game

That Sligo Rovers logo is one of my favorites. With the shield it looks like a classic European soccer logo.

After seeing the Blue Lake Blue Caps set again I want to change mine from the Schooners. I know that you had posted it somewhere a few months ago, maybe in my thread in the mods forum? I'll look for it.

I usually put any new graphic updates in your thread on the Mods Forum.
Here is the new Away Jersey... it's a new font, not the same as the Home Jersey, but close enough for me... the White Outline/Trim was distorted, spiked and too long on the first one... I also angled Blue Lake to match the Home Jersey angle... I think this version is much better.

Go Nine! Go Racers! :eatpop:

My all-time favorite graphics guru, knuckler, created that Sligo beauty.

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Tuesday, October 8th, 2069

CLAXTON AND SOUTHPORT ADVANCE TO 2ND ROUND, OUST TARS AND BLUE CAPS IN 5 GAMES
Two clubs qualified for the League Championship round... the Claxton Diamonds and the Southport Sun Sox will advance to the second round of postseason play... Claxton whipped the Taranto Tars in the Ruthlandian Union and Southport upended the Blue Lake Blue Caps in the Tycobbian Union.

Claxton eliminated Taranto with a 3-0 victory in game five, taking the series four games to one... Southport had to rally late in the game to dispose of Blue Lake... the Sun Sox smacked the Blue Caps 7-5 to capture the series four games to one.

In other playoff play, South Fork foiled Rolling Hills in the Tycobbian Union by edging the Racers 1-0 in a marvelous game five... the Stallions are now up three games to two and need just one more win to upset the Racers and send them home for the season... Sligo got the upper hand in the RU series with Marston... the Rovers outlasted the Nine in 10 innings 3-2 in a splendidly-played game.

2069 Ruthlandian Union First-Round Series: Game 5
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Stars of the Game

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2069 Tycobbian Union First-Round Series: Game 5
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Stars of the Game
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2069 Ruthlandian Union First-Round Series: Game 5
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Stars of the Game
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2069 Tycobbian Union First-Round Series: Game 5
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Stars of the Game
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Sorry, folks... hate to leave you hanging right at the start of the IPA postseason, but something important has come up that will require me to take a short two-week's hiatus from the league.

Be back in a couple of weeks.