Up next will be the Preseason Predictions for the 2070 Islandian Pro Alliance season.

Looking forward to seeing who the contenders will be. Can Rolling Hills continue their dynasty?

The Racers are aging... many of them are in their 30s... in fact, one of them retired at the end of the season... right fielder Jimmy Brandini didn't want to hang on too long... he was 35, an age where the player talents suddenly decline... he wanted to go out on a good year and a happy note... Brandini hit .308 with 10 homers, 52 RBIs, 92 runs and 8 stolen bases... Brandini lost his speed and couldn't cover the outfield as well as in the past... wouldn't be surprised if the Racers lose a couple more this season... shortstop Jameson Mulbert is 38, third baseman Teddy Stonich is 35 and left fielder Jean-Luc Roubique is 34.

Yep, the Rolling Hills' dynasty may soon be over.

It was sad to watch Willie Mays in his last few seasons... he overstayed his welcome... Pujols has done a decent job with the Dodgers... really surprised me... but he really should have retired... I hope Miguel Cabrera retires this year... he got his 500th homer... really, really hope he can get hot and get the last 20-30 hits to reach 3,000.

Cabrera went 4 for 4 yesterday... HOW ABOUT THAT!

I've had some nice dynasties in my own IPA - they usually last around 4-5 seasons, maybe 6, then suddenly, poof! They're gone. Players get old pretty quick.

Yeah, Miggy is definitely not the same guy he used to be, he should definitely retire. Pujols can play another year, maybe two.

I tried the White Skin out in both my leagues... I hadn't checked it for quite a few versions... still much prefer the Black Background... I find it easier on the eyes than the White glare... my graphics look better to me, too... better contrast for logos and jerseys.

Never did like the Brown Background... the OOTP Classic Skin... in my opinion, the colors just don't coordinate well.

Even though I'm using the white skin, the OOTP logo is still on a dark background, as that's how it is on top. That's how OOTP 22 is, at least for me anyway. The logos really pop out for me on the white skin. Whatever works I guess.

I'll be watching my 1949 IPA Pro Cup tonight while the Yankee vs. Mets is on tv. Looking forward to both!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... can't argue with you.:)

Will agree that the logos pops up better on the white... I think I prefer my logos on the Black because I have designed them that way... might be the other way around if I had designed them for the White Background.

Still, the White is real bright to my eyes.

It may also get down to what you are used to... I haven't used the White Background for a decade or so.

My experience in life is you can get used to anything if you have to... all you have to do is just be flexible and try to accept it..

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Thursday, April 3, 2070

"NEXT YEAR" IS "THIS YEAR" IN THE IPA... 64 CLUBS VIE FOR THE CHERISHED 2070 PRO CUP TROPHY
The old sports adage is "Wait Until Next Year"... well, they are many towns across the Islands that are hoping and praying that "next year" is "this year" and all the stars and the planets will come into perfect alignment and "their" team will win it all and reign as the Islandian Pro Alliance champion come November... that is the wishful thinking of all 64 teams in the IPA, but it is probably not founded in fact... in truth, less than 15 of the hopefuls have any chance in reality... it is a difficult process to win a pennant and then win three rounds of play against the best of the best in the Islandian Pro Alliance postseason playoffs... 63 hopefuls will fail.

Will there be a some new blood on the horizon? -- like the Ginza Ninjas in 2059 and 2060? -- like the Hartsdale Hellcats in 2063? -- like the Claxton Diamonds in 2063 and 2064? -- or perhaps like the flash-in-the-pan Forest City Firebirds in 2068? -- or will it be all of the perennial powers like Rolling Hills Racers, Claxton Diamonds or Southport Sun Sox continuing their dominating ways in the new 2070 IPA season?

According to the baseball folks in the know, the IPA Pro Cup champion will come from defending titleholder the Rolling Hills Racers, Red Bluff Red Sox, Southport Sun Sox and Marston Nine... the Racers have snared the Pro Cup 4 times in the last 10 years and almost copped it on 2 other occasions... and the Sun Sox grabbed it twice in the last 5 seasons... the most likely champion will come from those two star-studded teams.

Taking a quick gander at all of the 8 IPA Divisions, here is what all the Islandian baseball experts and analysts are predicting for the coming 2070 Islandian Pro Alliance season.

Attachment 812978
TARS PICKED TO WIN AGAIN IN RU NORTH
Last year's Ruthlandian North winner Taranto (92-62) is a slight favorite over its main challengers from last year, the Far Mountain Redhawks (88-66) and the LaGrange Gators (84-70)... it's going to be a repeat of last year's race when the Tars won it by 3 games over the Gators and 4 games better than the Redhawks... all 3 clubs are capable of winning the RU North.



Attachment 812979
WIDE OPEN RACE IN RU SOUTH WITH 5 TEAMS IN THE CHASE
The Claxton Diamonds have really been glittering in the Ruthlandian South with 7 consecutive division crowns... but it wasn't easy for them... they just barely beat back the Valka Blackhawks last season by one game in a sudden-death playoff game... the Blackhawks were the only real challenger... the task might be more ponderous this season... at the end of last season, Belair Beach was the best ballclub... a poor start spoiled the Sunbirds' season... Claxton (79-75) is just the fourth choice this year, 4 games behind the favored St. John Crusaders... St. John (83-71) is a slight pick over the on-charging and talented Belair Beach Sunbirds (81-73)... Valka Blackhawks (80-74) is still a solid contender... and the Crystal Lake Skippers (78-76) could challenge... Claxton is still a formidable team and could still win the division... it's that close... an 8th successive division flag is not out of the question for the Diamonds.



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MARSTON CREAM OF THE CROP IN RU EAST... CHOICE TO WIN 3RD TIME IN PAST 4 YEARS
The Marston Nine prevailed in the Ruthlandian East race last season, but they were pushed mighty hard by the Wynnamac Sundowners and Eastshore Cotton Kings... the Nine edged the Macs in a one-game playoff and beat back the Cotton Ballers by 4 and a half games... however, the pundits are predicting an easier time this time around... Marston (94-60) may get a little bit of breathing room this year... the Nine are improved over last year and the Sundowners (87-67) and Cotton Kings (84-70) may not be quite as good... several other squads will have good seasons in the RU East... look for the Cold Creek Foxhounds (81-73) and Beechwood Jackrabbits (80-74) to prosper and have winning records.




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CAN FIREBIRDS RISE AGAIN FROM THE ASHES IN THE RU WEST?
The Forest City Firebirds soared out of nowhere two years ago and surprised everybody in the Islands by winning the 2068 Pro Cup... they were the darlings of the IPA... it is hard to believe that they actually knocked off the renowned Rolling Hills Racers in an amazing 7-game upset... the Firebirds went from 8th place to the IPA championship in just one short year... sadly they languished most of last season and did not repeat in the Ruthlandian West Division... they were nowhere near the team they were in the fantastic title year... last season the Sligo Rovers snatched the RU West flag in a single-game playoff from the Middlefield Roosters... Forest City came in a close third, losing out by just 2 and a half games... the Firebirds did not have a good year, but still they almost repeated as division champion with a good second half... the baseball pundits are predicting that the Forest City Firebirds (91-63) will be back and flying high again... but they will be severely challenged by the Middlefield Roosters (91-63), who are raring to go again and win it all this season... the Roosters had a lot to crow about last season... they are anxious to make up for the disappointing conclusion to last year... the outlook for 2070 is for a two-team race... the pesky and scrappy Sligo Rovers (74-80), the best team for most of the past two decades, may be in decline... 6th place is a long way for them to fall... the worst the Rovers have finished in the last 17 years is 3rd place and that only happened one time in 2068... all the other seasons they won 6 pennants and wound up second the other 10 years... that is a truly fine record, no matter what division you are in... none of the rest of the RU West teams are expected to contest for the pennant, not even spunky Sligo.

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ZORROS PICK OF THE PACK IN THE TU NORTH
The outlook for the Tycobbian North Division is topsy-turvy... the main pennant contenders in the last decade have been downgraded to second-class status by the baseball gurus... rampant roster changes abounded this season in the IPA... the Oxford Red Caps with 9 TU North division flags and a Pro Cup Trophy in the last 18 years and nothing worse than three 3rd place finishes are forecast for 6th place (73-81) with a losing record... Hartsdale with 3 pennants and a Pro Cup in the last 8 seasons comes in no better than 5th place (76-78) and below the .500 mark... last year's TU North champ Blue Lake (63-91) is predicted to tumble all the way to last place... certainly not a good way to build on last year's success... the pollsters are picking the run-of-mill clubs to do well this year... the Luxora Zorros (93-61) are favored by a goodly amount to nab their first division crown since 2058 ... the Z's were 7th last year... the Mahaska Haymakers (84-70) are picked to perk up and climb up in the standings, perhaps as high as the second spot... the Farmers last made hay in 2052 when they came close to winning the pennant, missing out by one single, solitary game... you have to go back over 40 years since Mahaska last made the playoffs, way back there in 2028... the North Hills Hawks, mediocity personified for over 3 decades, might finish as high as 3rd and just a bit over the .500 mark (79-75)... middle-of-the-road White River (77-77) most likely will wind up in the middle of the road.




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SUN SOX SET TO SHINE BRIGHTLY AGAIN IN THE TU SOUTH
Sunshine always seems to be in radiant abundance in Southport... the last time the Sun Sox had a bad season was in 2041, when they went 67-87 and came in 7th... since that dastardly day Southport has captured 14 TU South pennants and 4 Pro Cup trophies... they are rarely out of contention in the pennant race... the baseball prognosticators have made them a solid favorite in 2070... only the Turon Typhoons (91-63) are expected to rival Southport (98-56) this season... all of the other six clubs in the TU South will be far behind in the rear view mirror... the Sun Sox are expected to prevail for the 5th time in 6 years in the Tycobbian South Division... Southport is also highly-touted to win their 5th Pro Cup... only Red Bluff (102-52) and Rolling Hills (96-58) are rated that high by the Boys of Summer pollsters, pundits and prognosticators.




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RED SOX READY TO ROCK AND ROLL AND RELOAD IN THE TU EAST
It is unbelievable how the Red Bluff Red Sox collapsed last year and blew an 8-game lead in the last month of the season and lost the Tycobbian East title to the South Fork Stallions... that the bad news... that was last season... 2070 is a new year and as always hope springs eternal, especially on the sport pages... like Bing Crosby, Maxine, Patti and Laverne, you've got to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative (an old ditty from the 1940s for you young 'uns)... here's some good news... apparently all is forgotten... the baseball pollsters have forgiven the Red Sox for their sudden dismal decline and September disaster... they have made Red Bluff the overwhelming choice to whip everything in sight in the TU East this season in a runaway reminiscent of the Rolling Hills Racers in the TU West... that forecast seems to be out of line and off the mark... on paper, the Red Sox do not look that much improved over last season... it is really hard to see such a drastic change in one season... however, High Mesa, South Fork, Tuckanarra, Midway and Hillsboro dropped a lot of aging veterans, cleaned house and added a lot of rambuncious rookies this year... around the IPA many clubs made a lot of personnel changes... if Red Bluff can play like they did in the first half of the season last year for the whole season, they could return to form and dominate the TU East... the Red Sox were 12 and a half games up at the All-Star break last season... sho 'nuff could happen... but not likely.



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"OLD" RACERS JUST KEEP ON ROLLIN' ALONG IN TU WEST
Just like Old Man River the Rolling Hills Racers just keep right on rollin' along... they are once again the odds-on favorite to win the Tycobbian West Division and probably the top pick to take another Pro Cup trophy... the Racers will be gunning for their 11th straight TU West title, their second straight Pro Cup and their 5th IPA crown in the last 10 years and 8th Pro Cup overall... but one must note a word of caution in the preseason predictions... Rolling Hills is rolling along in years, too... Jimmy Brandini, their rock-solid and reliable right fielder, has retired at age 35 and three other Pro Cup stalwarts, shortstop Jameson Mulbert is 38, third baseman Teddy Stonich is 35 and left fielder Jean-Luc Roubique is 34... time eventually takes its toll... will it be this year for the Racers?... the baseball pollsters and pundits say no... Rolling Hills (96-58) still has it and they will again be the top dog in the TU West by a good margin... their only competition will come primarily from the La Claire Lynx (88-66) with the Bayview Vikings (84-70) also in the mix... the Racers still have the best-hitting team in the Islandian Pro Alliance... and their pitching - it used to be their postseason problem - is now much-improved... Rolling Hills is still a very potent ballclub and might stay that way a year or so more... however, keep an eye on those three aging superstars... if they still hit with authority, the Racers will be fine this year... if not, Rolling Hills may have a some serious competition for the TU West title for the first time in a decade.
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"You look forward to it like a birthday party when you're a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen."

-Joe DiMaggio, on Opening Day

Nice quote.

I always liked the quote from the great Chicago Cubs' Ernie Banks: "Let's play two".

I just finished the Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn... fine book about those dastardly Dodgers of the 1950s, the arch-nemeses of my beloved Cardinals and Stan the Man Musial.

What makes the book special is it covers the Dodgers in their prime baseball years and then 10 years later after retirement... Kahn goes to each retired player and catches up on their present life... it's a special story.

I just started Red Smith on Baseball, stories written by the great New York Herald Tribune and New York Times sportswriter Red Smith.

Even the book foreword is great... this is gonna be a good 'un, too.

I'll have to read some baseball books. I have Ball Four by Jim Bouton sitting on my bookshelf.

Some might say EC has a boring life.

I fix a good breakfast every morning... it's the most important meal of the day and important to one's health.

Read the Morning Advocate newspaper cover to cover... the newspaper is so much better than TV news... you get a somewhat balanced view of the news... occasionally getting both sides of a story... you also get the details of an issue or story, if the writer is a halfway decent journalist and is concerned with the real truth... it will be a very sad day when we lose our local newspapers.

We need journalists... not personalities and commentators... just give me the facts... and let me make my conclusions... TV slants it too much today... it's all about ratings and personalities... and the 30-minute TV newscasts on NBC, ABC and CBS just simple can't cover the news in that short time span.

I prefer the BBC 30-minute newscasts... they seem to cover both sides of stories at least some of the time... the BBC is the best of the lot by far.

I pray for all the people in my life by name... including CD, jg2977, Dark Horse and the OOTP folks.

I then read the Bible every day a little bit for 10-15 minutes... actually I study the Bible every day to get closer to God... I use a Bible commentary that enlightens me on what I am reading... I want to know what purpose God has for EC for the rest of my life... my purpose is life is to please God in all I do... I study the Bible so I can know God's ways.

Also read 10-15 minutes of the baseball book each day.

Walk a half mile in 30 minutes or so... try to get in 30 minutes of exercise every day... it will give you a better quality of life in the long run.

Then I bath.

EC has a music library with all the songs I ever wanted... currently exactly 7523 songs in pristine and perfect condition... sitting in a nice lounge chair, I sit back, close my eyes and listen to my custom-made CDs for an hour or so in my music room, which is equipped with 250 watts of pure power and pleasure per speaker with a big subwoofer... I meditate on the greatest songs of my life... EC is getting high in High Fi Heaven... ah, it's such a special hour... EC relives the good and sometimes even sad parts of my life... music takes me back to the various times of my life and brings back the memories and the people.

Then it's dinnertime... sorry, folks, this is the name of the noon meal in the South... we call it dinner... no problem if you call it lunch... to each his own.... just remember if EC invites you to dinner, come at noon... if I invite you for supper, come at 6 or so.

and then... and then, I play my wonderful Markus Heinsohn creation, OOTPB... getting totally immersed and lost in playing and covering my Islandian Pro Alliance and the South Island Leagues.

Then it's time for supper... you may call this time dinner if that is your culture... it's suppertime down South... I eat lightly in the evening.

Then close the day with the MLB network.

Say good night to my precious gift from God, my lovely little wife... then I thank God for another nice day... and drop off to sleep in 10 minutes or so.

EC's life is good today... yep, my life is good today.

I'm so glad all of you guys are a part of it.

You make my life special.

Actually I don't think my life is boring to me.

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Tuesday, July 1, 2070

IPA FAVORITES STRUGGLING AT MIDSEASON
The pennant races in the the Islandian Pro Alliance are wide open and up for grabs at midseason... far more than usual... the perennial powers-that-be are being pestered by a bunch of spunky challengers halfway through the season... only one of the preseason favorites is on top of the standings... that is the reigning Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills Racers... and even the powerhouse Racers are being tested... the general consensus is that many teams made a lot of roster changes this year and that has caused the upheaval.

2070 Ruthlandian Union First-Half Recap and Review

In the Ruthlandian Union preseason picks Taranto, St. John, Marston and Forest City are slow out of the gate, but only one is in dire danger of being completely out of the running... over in the Tycobbian Union several favored teams have already fallen to the wayside and most likely will have to wait until next year or maybe even longer... there just might be a lot of fresh new faces in the IPA postseason this year.

It's a logjam in the Ruthlandian North with 5 teams contesting at midyear... rejuvenated Valmara (45-32) is just one game up on the LaGrange Gators (44-33)... regular also-ran Ranford (42-34) is only 2 and a half games out... last year's winner and this season's preseason pick Taranto (41-37) is holding close, 4 and a half games off the pace... and the Ancona Jumbos (40-37) are on the rise, trailing by just 5 games... one of the prime pennant contenders is already in the RU North basement... the Far Mountain Redhawks (31-46) have totally flopped this season and are pretty much out of it, already 14 games behind in the standings.

The Valka Blackhawks (50-28) look like the class of the Ruthlandian South... after losing out to Claxton last year by just a single game, they have bolted to a solid 8 and a half-game edge... running in second place are the Belair Beach Sunbirds (41-38)... Claxton (39-38), the RU South winner for the last 7 years in succession, may be seeing a changing of the guard... the Diamonds are struggling in third place, 10 and a half games back... the preseason favorite St. John (38-39) is even worse off, already 11 and a half games behind in the fourth spot.

The Ruthlandian East was supposed to be a two-way tango between favored Marston and second choice Wynnamac (53-24)... so far the Macs have the edge... the Sundowners are playing better than ever even without the recently-retired Hall of Famer Manny Sendejas... 36-year-old superstar Snooky Bartels also retired recently after losing his outfield spot to a more youthful and spry rookie... Bartels still had the bat, but couldn't run and play defense anymore... the Marston Nine (48-28) won the RU East in 3 of the last 4 seasons and are the choice of the preseason pollsters this year... they are no slouches and are playing very well so far, but still are 4 and a half games in back of the red-hot Macs... Eastshore (41-36) and Elnora (40-36) are both quite a distance back in third and fourth place... they are both behind in the race by double digits.

The Volusia Vigilantes (46-30), a lackluster squad in recent seasons, have suddenly jelled and shot to the top of the Ruthlandian West, due to its fine starting rotation and bullpen... the Stoner Silver Sox (43-34) have snapped out of a 7-year losing streak with a solid first half of play... a bunch of rookies have done the job so far at the plate and on the hill... the Silver Sox are just 3 and a half games out in the race... preseason choice Forest City (41-36) is staying close in third place, trailing by 5 and a half games... last year's RU West champion, the Sligo Rovers (38-39) with 6 pennants in the last 11 years, are hanging in, but are 8 and a half games out and fourth in the standings... it's been 18 seasons since the Rovers were below the .500 mark at this point in the season.

2070 Tycobbian Union First Half Recap and Review

It has not been a good first half for the Southport Sun Sox and the Luxora Zorros, two of the favored teams in the Tycobbian Union preseason poll... both clubs have faltered badly in the first three months of the season and have little chance at the postseason... Southport is 15 games behind in the TU South and Luxora is 16 games out in the TU North... but two of the more highly-ranked teams are doing well... Rolling Hills is on top of the TU West and favorite Red Bluff is running a close second in the TU East race.

The surprise in the Tycobbian North is the White River Rascals (51-26)... they have rushed out to a spectacular and unexpected 9-game cushion over the Oxford Red Caps (42-35) and the Hartsdale Hellcats (42-35)... the Rascals were just as middle-of-pack choice in the preseason poll... White River won the TU North crown just three seasons ago in '67, but for the past two years they were just a breakeven ballclub... this year the pitching has been superb and that can do wonders for a team... both the Red Caps and Hellcats have veteran teams that are playing well, but they will have a lot of ground to make up in the second half... the North Hills Hawks (40-37) are in the fourth spot in the division standings, 11 GB... they have a tough row to hoe, too.

There are only two challengers in the Tycobbian South so far this season... the Turon Typhoons (53-23) were a second choice to favored Southport (39-39), but the Sun Sox have sunk into oblivion, a distant 15 games off the pace... only the lightly-regarded Summerland Sunsets (50-27) are offering any competition to Turon, but they are clinging closely, just 3 and a half games behind in the pennant chase... both the Typhoons and the Sunsets are having stellar seasons... Turon has the best record in the Tycobbian Union at midseason... Summerland is not far behind... both have quality pitching and good offense... both team are well-balanced and well-rounded... Turon is the more experienced club and is given the best chance to win the pennant by the pronosticators... when Summerland get good offense, they almost always do well... the Sunsets almost always have solid pitching... it should be a down-to-the-wire race this year in the TU South.

Red Bluff was the hands-down pennant pick this season in the Tycobbian East preseason poll... the Red Sox won the pennant last season in a tough 6-team fight and they were the overwhelming choice to handily dominate this season... however, it is shaping up as another multi-team dogfight in the Tycobbian East, just like last season... 5 teams are in the hunt... Tuckanarra (44-34) was overlooked by the pollsters, but they have surged to the top spot at midseason with a one and a half-game margin over the runner-up High Mesa Mustangs (42-35)... Red Bluff (41-35) is in the third spot, but only 2 games back.. fourth place belongs to South Fork (41-36), just 2 and a half games out... and the Hillsboro Blazers (40-37) are tight in the mix in fifth place, trailing by just 3 and a half games... even sixth place Midway (35-42) is within striking distance if they turn it around in the second half... top to bottom the TU East is the tightest race in the IPA... only 11 games separate the first place Tucks and the last place East Point Panthers (33-45) and the Ozarka Naturals (33-45).

While last year Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills (52-35) is off to another good start and is the big favorite to capture its 11th straight Tycobbian West flag and a good possibility to win their second Pro Cup in a row, neither of them is a lead-pipe cinch... the Racers won the TU West by 8 games last season and were expected to win it by the same margin this year, but the race is tighter than the preseason predictions... last year's distant challengers have narrowed the margin this season to just 4 and a half games halfway through the season... La Claire (47-29) and Denton City (48-30) are within hailing distance of first place... Rolling Hills is scoring like they always do and the pitching is adequate, but nothing to write home about... the Racers usually put it into high gear with a second-half surge and roar away with the TU West title down-the-stretch... the Lynx and Redbirds probably don't have the stuff needed to dethrone the Racers this year... the Rolling Hills aging vets are still putting up the numbers and still playing well.

2070 Ruthlandian Union Midseason Standings and Leaderboards

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2070 Tycobbian Union Midseason Standings and Leaderboards

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Reading your midseason report, I noticed that I have a little error in my league. It's supposed to be the TUCKANARRA Tiger Cats, but I have mine spelled TUCKARANNA. I must have been a little bit dyslexic when I created my league. I'll change it for my next season.

"I love doubleheaders. That way I get to keep my uniform on longer."

Tommy Lasorda is my kind of guy.

"No one goes there nowadays, it’s too crowded." - Yogi Berra

That's my favorite.

Yogi is one of my favorite all-time players.

He is also one of the all-time best with his quotes.

I'm sure over the years of recapping the IPA, I have way overused "It ain't over till it's over".

Guess what?... one of my prized possession is an autograph baseball from Yogi Berra... my niece lived in his neighborhood in Montclair, New Jersey and a friend of hers was best friends with Yogi's best friend.

Yogi's best friend got him to sign the ball for my niece and she gave me the ball... if Derek Jeter's autograph is worth $300... Yogi's must be worth at least $1000.

I'm looking at the baseball right at this moment... it is on the shelf of my computer desk along with another prized possession... a beautiful photograph of the scoreboard at Fenway Park in Boston with the following words written on the scoreboard:
"A VERY SPECIAL RED SOX WELCOME TO EUGENE CHURCH".

It was posted during the 7th-inning stretch... the photographer took a picture of the scoreboard and gave it to me... he had told my wife to make sure I was looking at the scoreboard during the 7th-inning stretch.

This was one of my biggest thrills of my life... I had met the Red Sox photographer in Birmingham at the Rickwood Classic Game... he was there to photograph the festivities of the annual fundraiser for the Rickwood Museum... he arranged for me to attend a Red Sox game... and got them to post the welcoming on the scoreboard for me.

He also got me a Boston Red Sox cap.

EC is one lucky guy.

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Wednesday, July 15, 2070

RU ALL-STARS TAME TU ALL-STARS IN 70TH IPA ALL-STAR CLASSIC
The Ruthlandian Union All-Stars have not fared very well in the annual game, but they prevailed this year with a 5-1 victory in Rolling Hills at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds.

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Monday, September 1, 2070

JUST 4 IPA DIVISIONS IN DOUBT GOING INTO SEPTEMBER
Not a lot of nailbiting races in the Islandian Pro Alliance this season... it's the final month of the season and defending IPA Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills is once again having its way in the Tycobbian West Division by a massive margin (11 and a half games)... Turon is a good bet to prevail in the Tycobbian South (7 and a half games)... same thing for the Valmara Vipers in the Ruthlandian North (7 games)... ditto for the Volusia Vigilantes (6 games), the best in the Ruthlandian West Division.

But all is not yet definitely decided... Red Bluff only has a game and a half edge over Tuckanarra in the Tycobbian East... Wynnamac is still in some jeopardy in the Ruthlandian East... Marston is just 3 and a half games back... Valka still hasn't shaken off the sniping Belair Beach Sunbirds, who are trailing by 4 and a half games... and White River is in front of the Hartsdale Hellcats by a scant 5 games.

After what happened last September in the final month of the season, when Red Bluff blew an impossible 8-game lead to South Fork in the TU East, anything is possible... Valmara, Volusia and Turon should be somewhat wary... the LaGrange Gators, Stoner Silver Sox and the Summerland Sunsets are still alive and kicking with a slim shot at the pennant and the playoffs.

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How do you get to that particular standings screen? I know that you showed me once before but I don't remember.

Never mind, I found it

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Monday, September 29, 2070

6 DIVISION CHAMPS ROMP TO IPA TITLES... BELAIR BEACH AND RED BLUFF SWEAT TO THE END
The 70th season of the Islandian Pro Alliance did not play out according to predictions... only two of the division favorites did what the pundits prognosticated... as forecast, reigning Pro Cup titlist Rolling Hills and Red Bluff both captured their pennant races... dark horses like Valmara, Belair Beach, Volusia and White River were pleasant surprises... and well-thought of contenders Wynnamac and Turon came through with slight upsets in their divisions... there will be a few new names in the Pro Cup playoffs this season... Belair Beach will be appearing for the first time in 23 years... the Sunbirds last made the postseason in 2047... after missing the playoffs for a decade, Turon and Volusia are returning... there are still a lot of old familiar names that will once again be contesting for the overall Islandian Pro Alliance crown.

Valmara (97-57) was not highly-thought of in the Ruthlandian North, but the Vipers after a slow start in April, took charge in August and won going away by 13 games, leaving second place LaGrange (84-70) and Ranford (84-70) in their dust... an infusion of productive rookies made the difference... defending champ and this year's favorite Taranto (81-73) was in the race until late summer, then faltered down to the fourth spot... Far Mountain (69-85) was expected to challenge, but flopped badly this year, winding up in sixth place, 28 GB... Valmara will be making its record-setting 27th appearance in the IPA playoffs... Rolling Hills and Turon are tied for the runner-up spot... the Racers and Typhoons are in the postseason playoffs for the 22nd time in their histories.

The Ruthlandian South pennant chase was a spine-chilling thriller between the Belair Beach Sunbirds (91-63) and the Valka Blackhawks (90-64), two pennant-hungry aspirants... it was torrid finish with the battle going down to the final day of the season with the Sunbirds flying just a wee bit higher than the high-flying Blackhawks... the RU South was forecast to be a wide-open race between favored St. John (79-75), perpetual winner and defending champion Claxton (76-78), Crystal Lake (78-76) and Belair Beach and Valka... the Blackhawks opened up a good lead at the end of June and held it until the middle of September when the Sunbirds passed them in a late-season surge... all of the other challengers except Belair Beach had fallen to wayside by the first of July... it was a tough loss for Valka... the Blackhawks have only won 5 pennants, the last one came in 2054... going into September Valka led Belair Beach by 4 and a half games... Claxton lost the division flag for the first time in 8 seasons.

From the git-go the Wynnamac Sundowners (99-55) showed their stuff and took command... only Marston (87-67) pressured them at all during the campaign... the Nine were a slight favorite to take the Ruthlandian East crown this year like they had in three of the past five seasons... the Macs built up a comfortable lead by June... then Marston put some pressure on them halfway through the season, trailing by 3 games... they remained fairly close until August... but the Nine floundered badly in September and fell completely out of the race... the Sundowners won handily down the stretch with nobody in sight... Wynnamac posted the best record in the Ruthlandian Union and the second best overall... only Rolling Hills with 101 victories outperformed them... the third place Eastshore Cotton Kings (85-69) and fourth place Elnora Clippers (83-71) had good seasons, but fell out of the hunt at midseason... it was only a two-team race in the Ruthlandian East this year.

The best this season in the Ruthlandian West Division was the Volusia Vigilantes (94-60), who led start-to-finish... the V's were were overlooked by the pollsters... they were picked a distant fourth in the pennant chase... Volusia won it with superior pitching, the best in the IPA... they topped everyone with a splendid 2.82 ERA... a good influx of rookies gave them a big boost to the season... the Vigilantes pulled away from the pack by August and handily captured the RU West flag by 9 games over the Rocky Rapids Snappers (85-69)... unheralded Stoner (84-70) wound up in third place... preseason pick Forest City (80-74) came in fourth... defending champion and perennial power Sligo (75-79) slipped badly this year to sixth place, 19 GB... it was the Rovers' first-losing season since 2052... they had won 6 pennants during that time and finished in second place 10 times... third place was Sligo's worst finish and that only happened one time in the 19 years.

Right up there with the rise of Valmara and Volusia were the White River Rascals (96-58), who shot up out of nowhere and easily snatched the Tycobbian North from habitual past winners Hartsdale (84-70) and Oxford (80-74)... by midseason the race was over... only the Hellcats offered any kind of resistance, rarely coming within 8 games of first place in the final three months... the Rascals were far-and-away the best team, winning the TU North by 12 games... White River did it with strong pitching... they paced the Tycobbian Union with an impressive 2.87 ERA, second-best to Volusia's 2.82 ERA, which was tops overall in the entire IPA... the Luxora Zorros were favored in the preseason poll to take the TU North... the Z's languished in sixth place most of the season... never challenged whatsoever... second choice Mahaska (76-78) never did much either, winding up in the fifth spot in the standings.

Proverbial power Southport (88-66) was the chosen team in the preseason poll to again come home the winner in the Tycobbian South race... the Sun Sox had won it four times in the previous six seasons and had even captured two cherished Pro Cups... according to the baseball gurus Southport was only going to get token competition from the Turon Typhoons (99-55)... no other TU South teams were in the proverbial ballpark so to speak... it was only a close race for the first month of the season with even the last-place teams only 6 games off the pace of first-place Turon... by June only second place Summerland was within 10 games of the Typhoons... the Sunsets clung closely in July and August, just 3-4 games behind, however, they wilted in the final two months and lost the TU North by 7 games... favored Southport slumbered under .500 until midyear, but the Sun Sox finally did get it into gear and wound up the year 22 games better than the .500 mark, but it was too little, too late to catch Turon and Summerland... at season's end Southport came in third, 11 games off the pace.

In the preseason fortune-telling, Red Bluff (93-61) was supposed to rout all comers in the Tycobbian East Division and win it by a double-digit margin... after all was said-and-done, the Red Sox did rampage past all comers and win it by double digits, except for the valiant Tuckanarra Tiger Cats (91-63), who stuck it out the entire season, only to fall 2 games short in a torrid race... it was a 5-team tangle for the first four months of the season between Red Bluff, Tuckanarra, South Fork, High Mesa and Hillsboro... only 4 games separated them heading into August... the Stallions, Mustangs and Blazers couldn't stand the heat of the pennant race and dropped out of the running during the month... but, lo and behold, the Tucks hung in all the way fighting the Red Sox tooth-and-nail down to the last two days of the regular season... Red Bluff blew the pennant a year ago in a total collapse, but not this year... the Red Sox beat out a tough band of Tiger Cats to cop the TU East crown... both Red Bluff and Tuckanarra won with solid pitching... the Red Sox defense may have made the difference... they were the best defenders in the Tycobbian Union.

And now for the Tycobbian West Division... what can you say about the Rolling Hills Racers (101-53) that hasn't been said or written over the last dozen seasons?... this is the amazing 11th straight year the aging Racers have won the TU West... and they just may haul in their second Pro Cup in a row this season, win an unprecedented 8th IPA Pro Cup trophy in the team's history and the 5th in the last decade... Rolling Hills has had an amazing decade of dominance... except for a couple of days in April, the Racers have rolled through the entire season in the top spot in the TU West standings... Denton City (89-65) stayed right with them for a month or so, but slowly drifted behind in the race... La Claire (90-64) joined the fray at midseason... the Redbirds and Lynx were just 3 and a half games out on July 1st... the rest of the teams were double-digits back... by August 1st Rolling Hills is rolling on all cylinders and has upped their lead to 6 and a half games over La Claire and by 9 and a half games over Denton City... the TU West is pretty much decided... by September the Racers enjoy an 11-game and 14-game bulge over the Lynx and Redbirds... the season is over... Rolling Hills has won again by a wide margin, finishing 11 ahead of La Claire and 12 games better than Denton City... how have the fantastic Racers done this? --- with their high-octane arsenal --- they just outscore the opposition... that is what they have done this year and all of the previous years... Rolling Hills put 902 runs on the scoreboard... Elnora was second best in the IPA with 882, followed by Kenwood with 839 and Belle Plaine with 831 runs... the Racers are not bad on the mound either with a 3.59 ERA, 9th best in the Tycobbian Union... Tuckanarra stayed in the race with its fine pitching staff (3.07 ERA)... and Denton City depended on its bats and 821 runs scored to challenge Rolling Hills... the sands of time are flowing faster than ever in the Racers' hourglass... 7 players are into their 30s, far past their primes, but the old guys are still rolling along and still winning games, pennants and Pro Cups in record numbers.

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Rooting for Rolling Hills to bring home another Pro Cup trophy! Please don't let the Red Sox win.

In the Tycobbian Union I suspect Turon will be Rolling Hills' main nemesis... the Typhoons are well-balanced with solid hitting and solid pitching... fine defense, too... Turon also beat out Southport, long a team tough on Rolling Hills... Red Bluff has the pitching and strong defense, but no offense... White River combines fine pitching with home-run power and good defense... that's a good playoff formula for success... Rolling Hills can score, has quality pitching that doesn't give up home runs, but has shaky defense.

It looks like a wide-open affair in the Ruthlandian Union... all four clubs look pretty even... Volusia has the best pitching... Wynnamac and Valmara have the best offense... Belair Beach may be the weakest of the four... however, the Sunbirds played in a division with the Claxton Diamonds, a team that has fared well in the playoffs in the last decade... none of the teams play defense very well... Volusia doesn't give up a lot of home runs... that's a big plus.

Sounds like it will be an incredibly exciting postseason!

Yep, it looks like a lot of teams have a chance with Rolling Hills obviously having the best chance... I think time is catching up with the Racers... it's been a great run for over a decade, but many of the stars have now lost some of their glitter... they can hold still hold their own but in years past, they dominated at bat... Rolling Hills only had one regular bat over the .300 mark... they used to all hit .300.

I always hate to see players in decline and that is what is happening to Rolling Hills... wouldn't be surprised if 2070 isn't a last hurrah for Mulbert (age 38), Stonich (age 36) and possibly Roubique (age 34)... Mulbert had a remarkable year... he batted .331 with 79 RBIs and 82 runs scored... he still fields well... and he made the All-Star team... Stonich had a poor year for him... he batted only .247, far below his .322 lifetime BA... but he still drove in 85 runs and hit 18 out of the park... also an All-Star Roubique homered 34 times and drove in 127 runs, but his batting average was only .271... that is the third straight season he failed to hit .300... but he can still run for his age and can still play the outfield... Roubique has said as long as he can run, he can play.

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Wednesday, October 1, 2070

CHANGING OF THE GUARD IN THE IPA PLAYOFFS?
Could the times be a-changing in the Islandian Pro Alliance?... a few teams are persistent postseason participants... yes, absolutely the Rolling Hills Racers are back for the 11th straight year... perennials like Wynnamac and Red Bluff are returning after short absences... but a couple of their recurring rivals and nemeses are missing... the tough Claxton Diamonds and the stout-hearted Southport Sun Sox somehow didn't make the cut this year... even the semi-regular and pesky Sligo Rovers and Marston Nine failed to qualify... it looks like a changing of the old guard... there is a new wave of vibrant challengers on the Islands' baseball horizon... Belair Beach is appearing for the first time since 2047... rare partaker White River is here... so are Turon, Valmara and Volusia, who have only made token appearances in the last decade... will the new vanguard knock off the oldtimers?

Once again the odds-on favorite to win the IPA Pro Cup Trophy is mighty Rolling Hills... the Racers are striving to repeat and win their second Pro Cup in a row... the Far Mountain Redhawks hold the record with three Pro Cups in a row... they did it in 2011, 2012 and 2013... only 4 other clubs have ever captured two back-to-back IPA titles, but Eastshore, Tuckanarra, Midway and Southport couldn't do it three consecutive seasons... the Elegants (now Cotton Kings) missed out in 2018, the Blue Jays (now Tiger Cats) failed in 2025, the Wolves came up short in 2055 and the Sun Sox couldn't do it 2067... do the aging Racers have enough left in the gas tank to pull it off and gallop off with their record-setting 8th Pro Cup?... incidentally, Rolling Hills had never won back-to-back Pro Cups.

Best Hitting Overall
1. Rolling Hills
2. Turon
3. Valmara

Best Scoring Runs:
1. Rolling Hills 902 R
2. Turon 820 R
3. Wynnamac 795 R

Best Hitting For Average:
1: Rolling Hills .271 BA
2. Turon .269 BA
3. Belair Beach .262 BA

Best Hitting For Power:
1. Valmara 170 HR
2. White River 160 HR
3. Rolling Hills 145 HR

Best On-Base Percentage:
1. Rolling Hills .346 OBP
2. Turon .342 OPB
3. Wynnamac .328 OBP

Best Pitching Overall
1. Volusia
2. White River
3. Turon

Best Earned Run Average:
1. Volusia 2.82 ERA
2. White River 2.87 ERA
3. Wynnamac 3.25 ERA

Best Home Runs Allowed:
1. Volusia 88 HRA
2. Rolling Hills 90 HRA
3. White River 116 HRA

Best Fielding Average:
1. Red Bluff .969 FA
1. Turon .969 FA
3. Wynnamac .965 FA

2070 Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Prediction Poll

Rolling Hills Home Page (21 postseason appearances, 7 Pro Cups in 2029, 2031, 2048, 2060, 2062, 2067 and 2069)
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1st: Rolling Hills Racers (101-53)
Obviously the Racers know how to win a Pro Cup... they have made a regular habit of winning it... age has taken its toll on Rolling Hills, they are not the young Racers of old or even recently, but they still have the offense to win... veterans Mulbert (38), Stonich (36) and Roubique (35) will have to perform with playoff vigor to win again... retirement is beckoning to all of them... the Racers are the best-hitting team in the postseason by quite a bit... 1 to 8 in the lineup, it's one good hitter after another... there is no letup... victory hinges on getting enough pitching... one strong point is their staff doesn't give up a lot of longballs... Lindell, Malbrough and especially Jordy Wales needs to pitch well... the bullpen has to do well, too... good work will be needed from the middle relievers and longtime closer Brownie Ashmore... Rolling Hills is not a good defensive team (.959 FA)... this could hurt them... good defense and good pitching go together.

Turon Home Page (21 postseason appearances, 4 Pro Cups in 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2018)
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2nd: Turon Typhoons (99-55)
Turon is a rock-solid team with a good combination of batting, pitching and fielding... they will need good efforts from all three starters to overcome the scoring power of Rolling Hills... Mulroy, Malek and Pearl will be prime to their success... so will closer Edward Carlin... he will have to have a good postseason, too.

Valmara Home Page (26 postseason appearances, 4 Pro Cups in 2026, 2043, 2049 and 2050)
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3rd: Valmara Vipers (97-57)
The Vipers could be a player in the postseason this year... they are a good all-around club... no real flaws... solid starters in Zajac, Kaminski and Rummel... good long reliever in Camden and strong closer in Mazur... some reliable sticks with Skarzynski, Santiago and Rynsburger... and some punch and power with Kozak, Viri and Lindmaa.

Wynnamac Home Page (17 postseason appearances, 2 Pro Cups in 2008 and 2055)
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4th: Wynnamac Sundowners (99-55)
The Macs are another team that does almost everything well... they have no real weak spots... good batting order top to bottom... an important element in winning the Pro Cup... Wynnamac has better-than-average scoring, hitting, power, pitching and defense... and they don't give up a lot of homers... the Macs' rotation of Crafton, Royal and Mosley look good for the playoffs... and they have a strong closer in Mick Flanders.

White River Home Page (12 postseason appearances, no Pro Cups)
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5th: White River Rascals (96-58)
The Rascals are resting their hopes on superlative pitching and some good home-run power by Quick, Bowman and McTavish... Meaux, Maddux and Lucas are standout starters... actually all 8 hurlers on the staff are excellent... White River doesn't hit a lot for average... it depends on the longball... scoring is tough... the Rascals' defense is also bad... the worst in the playoffs with a .958 FA.

Red Bluff Home Page (11 postseason appearances, 2 Pro Cups in 2004 and 2057)
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6th Place: Red Bluff Red Sox (93-61)
The Red Sox depend on their fine pitching (3.28 ERA) and strong defense (.969 FA)... bats are woeful with a .243 BA, worst of all the playoff teams... scoring is second worst (716 runs)... but most of the Red Bluff batting order can go deep... Goldsmith, Angeletti and McDade head up a good starting rotation... backed up by a quality relief corps with Gilbreath, Treadway and Cummings... they put up a 3.21 ERA this season between them.

Volusia Home Page (12 postseason appearances, 1 Pro Cup in 2001)
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7th: Volusia Vigilantes (94-60)
The V's have a 2.82 ERA, tops in the IPA... the staff is anchored by Ojima, Cayton and Waldrep, all with ERAs under 3.00... it's a formidable rotation that doesn't allow a lot of home runs... the bullpen is also strong with an impressive 2.98 ERA... Conlin and Darrow anchor the relief corps... but Volusia hit only .252 for average, is the worst-scoring playoff team and has the fewest number of home runs... the Vigilantes scored only 692 runs and hit only 92 roundtrippers... in addition, the V's play poor defense (.961 FA)... the pitching will have to be out of this world for Volusia to win the Pro Cup Trophy... not likely to happen so say the soothsayers.

Belair Beach Home Page (8 postseason appearances, no Pro Cups)
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8th: Belair Beach Sunbirds (91-63)
It would be a grand story of great delight if the Sunbirds soar to the greatest heights of IPA baseball and win the much-revered Pro Cup after an absence of 24 long, long seasons and capture their first-ever IPA crown... ah, that would be glorious indeed... that would be a great fairytale of great proportion... before we get carried away, let's check out the facts and see if this fable is real or not... we do know Belair Beach upended a harden Pro Cup perennial this year in the Ruthlandian South race... they dethroned the Claxton Diamonds, who had won the division for 8 consecutive seasons... the Sunbirds did it with a bevy of batters that could hit and score runs in abundance... Elbourne, De Jonker and Cochran are the top hitters... pretty much top to bottom in the lineup there is a fairly tough out... they don't depend on a few batters to provide the offense... they all produce... couple this with three quality arms like Hebb, Belzer and Edgworth on the mound staff and a very capable bullpen led by Goudeau and Arrissen and you have a competitive team... just ask the Valka Blackhawks, Claxton Diamonds and the other 5 clubs in the RU South... the Sunbirds are for real... can Belair Beach pull off this remarkable story and win the Pro Cup?... in a word - nope - but sometimes in the real world, dreams and fairytales come true... in the last decade the Karate Kids and the Ginza Ninjas did the highly unlikely in '59 and almost repeated in '60, unheralded Hartsdale won the Pro Cup in '63 and Claxton surprisingly upset heavily-favored Rolling Hills in '64... all things are possible in love and war and in the Islandian Pro Alliance.

2070 Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Playoff Outlook:
Rolling Hills will top White River in a tense TU Title Round and Valmara will topple Belair Beach in a dramatic RU Title Round... the Vipers will put asunder the Racers' dream of back-to-back Pro Cups in a sizzling 7-game series... methinks, Rolling Hills is too old to win another Pro Cup... sadly, their magical and remarkable run is probably over... youth, vigor and vitality are on the side of the Vipers.
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I thought that the Racers were going for their 2nd IPA title in a row - they won last year in 2069, but Forest City upset them in 2068. They are going for 3 titles in 4 years since they won in 2067. Still very impressive if it happens.

Man, oh, man... what a mistake... you are right... I will have to revamp my season summary and go back and correct all references to a three-peat for the entire 2070 season.

Thanks for pointing this out.

It didn't take too long to take out all of the three-peat references.

Let me know if I missed any.

Excellent - with team histories I like the information to be as accurate as possible.

I like to imagine the fan bases as they live through the ups and downs of their team. It's really cool when a team suffers through several playoff hearbreaks and many years of frustration, but then finally reaches the mountaintop with a title, like the 2004 Red Sox or 2016 Cubs. In my IPA the San Alejo Montaneros gave their fans their first championship after 51 seasons, and it happened in the most dramatic way possible, with a walk-off 10th inning home run in the final game.

jg2977, you are a man after my own heart.

We both love our unreal fictional teams and players.

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Thursday, October 2, 2070

PRO CUP FAVORED ROLLING HILLS WILL TRY TO REPEAT AS IPA CHAMP... RACERS SEEK 8TH PRO CUP TROPHY
It would be an understatement to say the Rolling Hills Racers are on a roll... actually they have been steamrolling through the last 11 seasons in the Islandian Pro Alliance... once again the Racers are in the postseason playoffs and their sights are set on winning their 8th Pro Cup trophy... playoff action get going this Friday with four games slated all across Islandia with 7 very capable ball clubs ready, willing and able to upset the Rolling Hills' applecart.

#1-ranked Rolling Hills (101-53) will be at home at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds against the #6 pick Red Bluff Red Sox (93-61) in a best-of-three Tycobbian Division Title Series... the IPA has revamped the playoff system and cut down on the number of games in the postseason... in recent years the IPA playoffs stretched into November... all three rounds will now be best-of-three... in the other Tycobbian clash it will be #2-rated Turon (99-55) at home at Typhoon Stadium against the #5 pick White River Rascals (96-58)... both first-round series will be hotly-contested with Rolling Hills and Turon favored, but only slightly.

In the Ruthlandian Union opening round it will be #3-ranked Valmara (97-57) entertaining #7 Volusia (94-60) at War Memorial Stadium and #8 Belair Beach (91-63) traveling to Granger Field to play the #4-rated Wynnamac Sundowners (99-55)... there are no clear-cut winners in any of the opening-round matchups.

I'm enjoying my IPA as much as real life MLB, maybe even more!

Me, too. :D

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Would have loved to have watched the Valmara and Rolling Hills games live - exciting stuff!

I like Volusia's square logo. I think I have the same logo, just without the square.

Rooting for the Sunbirds to win the big one, but they've got a tall task ahead.

txranger did it... I added the white square so it would look better on the black background.

I'll see what I can do to get you a square logo... will use black or orange so it will look good in your white background.

Thanks, I appreciate that!

That would be nice, wouldn't it, care4ameatball.