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Wednesday, October 22, 2064

RACERS DOWN, BUT NOT OUT IN PRO CUP SERIES
The Pro Cup favorite, the Rolling Hills Racers, still have some run left in them in the Pro Cup Series... the Racers are down, but not quite out of it... they staved off elimination by the Claxton Diamonds with a dramatic 2-1 victory in 10 innings in the fourth game of the series, however, they are still down three games to one... one more victory for the Diamonds and they are the 2064 IPA champion... one more loss for the Racers and their season is over.

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Thursday, October 23, 2064

RACERS STILL TRAIL 3-2 IN PRO CUP SERIES, WON'T GO QUIETLY
A few days ago the words "formidable, astronomical, mammoth" were the only ones to come to mind in describing the chances of the Rolling Hills Racers winning four straight games after losing the first three games in the Islandian Pro Alliance title series... well, two victories later, the Racers still have an overwhelming task to win their 6th Pro Cup and keep the Claxton Diamonds from obtaining their first Pro Cup trophy... however, Rolling Hills is still desparately clinging to the hope they can do the almost impossible -- to come back from a 3-0 deficit and win the Holy Grail of Islandian baseball.

Game five of the best-of-seven Pro Cup Finals showed it is hard to keep a good team down... Rolling Hills got fine pitching and solid hitting to whip the Claxton Diamonds 6-3 on the Racers' home field to narrow the gap to three games to two... now the Diamonds are down to two games, both at home, to capture one more vital victory to finish off the Racers... history strongly favors Claxton.

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Friday, October 24, 2064

SINK OR SWIM - GAME 7 FOR PRO CUP TROPHY
Game 7 of the IPA Pro Cup Series -- it's for all the marbles -- it's do or die -- there is no tomorrow -- it will be over, when it's over... the winner of the Rolling Hills-Claxton clash tomorrow will be the Pro Cup champion... both clubs have earned their spots in tomorrow's finale... the Diamonds remarkably won the first three of the best-of-seven series... and lo and behold, the Racers came roaring back miraculously and captured three in a row... game 7 really is a "must win" game for both teams... to force the final game Rolling Hills had to outlast Claxton in a 13-inning marathon 5-4.

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Claxton Diamonds Triumph Over Rolling Hills Racers In 2064 Islandian Pro Cup Series in 7 games

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2064 IPA Pro Cup Series Game Scores

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2064 IPA Pro Cup Series Player Statistics

Claxton Diamonds Batting and Pitching

The IPA always has great playoffs. And each Pro Cup Series seems to top the last one. From down 3-0 to a game seven? Throw in the extra innings game six!

So... Russell Krohn for MVP? Or Terry Stonich in a losing effort. He dominated the most dominant playoff pitching staff i've ever seen.

This was a very exciting postseason... three of the four first-round series went seven games... and rallies from 3-1 and 3-0 deficits in the Finals are always interesting to follow.

I pick my Pro Cup MVP based the entire playoffs, all three rounds, not just the Finals.

Yep, it will probably be one of those two... the AI picked Stonich, a losing player... that has not happened very often... may 1, 2 or 3 times in 64 years.

Stonich had a chance to tie the score in the ninth inning of the seventh game.... and lo and behold... the mighty Casey struck out... the last out of the game... the last out of the postseason... but I will not hold that against him.

However, control freak EC always picks my award winners.

Stonich will be one of the prime contenders.

Krohn is a Shohei Otani... a fine pitcher and a fine batter... he is the first two-way player to excel in the playoffs.

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Saturday, October 25, 2064

NO PRO CUP, BUT STONICH GETS PRO CUP MVP
It's not the trophy Teddy Stonich wanted, but it's still a lofty honor to be named the best player in the IPA playoffs... despite playing for the losing team, the 34-year-old superstar third baseman for the Rolling Hills Racers was still voted the 2064 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player... no doubt, Stonich would gladly swap his MVP trophy for the "real" trophy he wanted -- the Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup trophy - given to the best baseball team in Islandia each year... and for sure, Stonich would even be happier, if he had been the recipient of both trophies.

The Claxton Diamonds are this year's 2064 IPA Pro Cup champion... they defeated Stonich and Rolling Hills in a thrilling seven-game series.. it was Claxton first Pro Cup trophy... the Racers have won it five times in their history.

This is the third time Stonich has been acclaimed the Pro Cup Series Most Valuable Player...no on has ever done this before... Stonich stood out head-and-shoulders above all comers in the IPA postseason playoffs this season and easily won the MVP honor... in 17 games he went 26 for 67 for a .388 BA with 8 doubles, 3 homers, 11 RBIs and 14 runs scored... no other player came close to his numbers... Stonich clearly stood out as the best player in the playoffs... he received all of the first-place votes in The Islandian Times Pro Cup MVP poll.

Five fine Claxton hurlers, Mark Meister (3-2, 1.51 ERA), Russell Krohn (2-1, 2.34 ERA), closer Alvie London (3-1, 1.42 ERA, 1 save, 9 games), Eric Braun (1-0, 1.17 ERA, 2 saves) and Don Downing (2-1, 2.06 ERA), came the closest to Stonich in MVP media poll, but were far behind in the balloting... Claxton position players also got a little support, too, center fielder Paddy Garson (.342 BA, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R, 5 SB) and left fielder Karl Dornhauer (.315 BA, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R, 3 SB)... also getting a few votes were Rolling Hills closer Brownie Ashmore (2-0, 1.42 ERA, 3 saves, 10 games), shortstop Jameson Mulbert (.338 BA, 0 HR, 8 RBI, 9 R) and first baseman Luca Palazzi (.288 BA, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 12 R, 3 SB).

Might not be any baseball in the real world but at least we got the IPA :D

Yeah, you might say the IPA is "unreal"... not in the sense of "fantastic"... but in the sense that it is "not real"... except to people like old EC, who lives in a world of his own.

Thank for following the IPA, care4ameatball... thank goodness, I have a few people reading my endless ramblings and perennial perusings... I think, at most, I have, at least three followers: Dark Horse, StLee and care4ameatball... and maybe CD, too... man, life is good... life is good today... EC has its all.

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Sunday, October 26, 2064

IPA PROCLAIM TOP PERFORMERS FOR '64 SEASON
For the next week the Islandian Pro Alliance will be presenting accolades and awards to all of the top players for the 2064 season... the Ruthlandian Union and Tycobbian Union will be honoring their best batters, best pitchers, best rookies, best defenders and best managers.

BELLE PLAINE'S MARCUM WINS 2ND STRAIGHT RU GOLDEN BAT
For the second straight season Eliot Marcum, the gifted left fielder of the lowly Belle Plaine Musketeers, has been acclaimed the best batter in the league... Marcum is the 2064 Ruthlandian Union Golden Bat Award winner... in 150 games he batted .328, fourth best in the league... Marcum collected 184 hits with 42 doubles, 6 triples, 32 home runs, 100 RBIs and scored 108 runs... in his seven-season career, the 27-year-old Marcum has hit .307 with 225 homers and 660 RBIs... twice he has been an All-Star in '63 and '64... sadly, it was another slow year for the Musketeers, who came in seventh in the RU East with a 72-82 mark... this was their best year in seven years... Belle Plaine finished 17 games out of first place.

Second in the RU Golden Bat balloting was Valmara's standout first baseman, Timmy Benford... in his 10th season with the Vipers, they won the RU North this year... in 151 games Benford posted a .303 batting average with 177 hits, 35 doubles, 2 triples, 35 homers, 105 RBIs and scored 97 runs... Benford paced the Ruthlandian Union in home runs and runs batted in.

Far Mountain's fine second sacker wound up third the RU Golden Bat competition... the Redhawks did well this year, winding up a close fifth in the RU North... they were just 4 games behind pennant-winning Valmara... Hazlett, age 32, had another standout year with a .304 BA, 184 hits, 29 two-baggers, 4 triples, 20 roundtrippers, 101 RBIs and 94 runs scored... he is a 10-year veteran.

STONICH COPS 2ND TU GOLDEN BAT AWARD
This year's Tycobbian Union Golden Bat winner is one of the league's elites... superstud third baseman Teddy Stonich wouldn't have to play another game and he would voted into the IPA Hall of Fame... Stonich had another banner year, leading the Rolling Hills Racers to their fifth consecutive TU West crown... the 30-year-old star played in 153 games, rapped out a .328 BA, which was the third-best average in the league... Stonich socked 194 hits, a league-leading 47 doubles, 4 triples, 29 homers, drove in 121 runs and scored 103 times... he finished fourth in RBIs... this is his second Golden Bat trophy... Stonich also won it in 2060... he has had a terrific career in the IPA with an overall .334 BA, 270 HRs and 1025 RBIs.

Stonich was stiffly challenged by High Mesa's heavy-hitting first baseman Roy Roberts, the Tycobbian Union home-run leader... the 25-year-old Roberts participated in 149 games with a .311 BA, smacked 164 hits with 19 doubles, 2 triples and 59 homers... he also batted in 115 runs and scored 118 times... Roberts also topped the league in scoring runs... he helped the Mustangs to a third-place finish in the TU East... they were 7 games behind the division champion Tuckanarra Tiger Cats with an 82-72 record.

Roberts' teammate at High Mesa, third sacker Kagetoki Miyazaki, came in third in the Tycobbian Union Golden Bat balloting... he topped the TU with 138 runs batted in... Miyazaki batted .270 with 29 doubles, 1 triple, 46 homers and scored 94 runs... the duo batted in the three and four spots in the High Mesa high-powered attack... Miyazaki has played 13 seasons in the IPA and is 31 years old.

I'm sure you have a few silent followers as well, I've always enjoyed reading the dynasty reports on here but I've always found this one the most fascinating. The IPA has quite a history and I enjoy reading about it, I picture the players and teams and managers in my head. If only the Ginza Ninjas could make it back to the Pro Cup Finals one more time I'd die happy :thumbup:

Yeah, I'm a big, big fan of the Karate Kids from Ginza, too.
That was two really good years of the playoffs when they were everybody's darlings, that overcame more talented teams.

I wish they would come back and raise a little heck in the IPA playoffs, too.

I think I was pulling for the Rolling Hills Racers... but looking back, it was good to see a team that depended on pitching win the Pro Cup.

It was good for the Claxton Diamonds to win the Pro Cup... I'm glad EC didn't get his way.
Mark Meisner, Alvie London, Eric Braun, Russell Krohn, Toni Albrecht and Don Downing really pitched well... and Paddy Garson, Karl Dornhauer and Bobby Escalante drove in some crucial runs.

But boy, I do like Teddy Stonich, Hugo Sutton, Luca Palazzi, Jameson Mulbert, Jean-Luc Roubique, Jimmy Brandini, Clay Claiborne, Lou Fountain and crew... they are one heck of a wrecking crew with their prolific bats.

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Monday, October 26, 2064

IPA PROCLAIM TOP PERFORMERS FOR '64 SEASON
For the next week the Islandian Pro Alliance will be presenting accolades and awards to all of the top players for the 2064 season... the Ruthlandian Union and Tycobbian Union will be honoring the top performers at the plate, on the hill, in the field and in the dugout.

CLAXTON'S CLASSY CLOSER COPS RU GOLDEN ARM AWARD
Guess what?
Guess who won the best pitching award in the Ruthlandian Union?
For only the second time ever in 64 years a bullpen ace claimed the prestigious trophy.
This year's 2064 Ruthlandian Union Golden Arm Award went to the standout Claxton closer Alfie London... altogether the 31-year-old right-handed reliever accounted for 42 victories in 91 appearances, leading the Diamonds to the RU South pennant with an 18-7 record, 2.32 ERA and 24 saves... London has been around for 10 years, but has only stood out the last three seasons with a total of 80 saves... lifetime he is only 56-49 with a 3.11 ERA and 90 saves... the only other reliever to win the Golden Arm was Jody Friday of the Eastshore Elegants in 2047... the Tycobbian Union has never had a closer win the best pitcher award.

London outpolled Rick Howzer of the Waleska Westerners and teammate Mark Meisner of the Claxton Diamonds... Howzer, a 5-year starter, also had quite a year with a 17-6 record and a RU league-leading 1.88 ERA... the 26-year-old hurler helped the Westerners to a fourth-place finish in the RU South... Howzer has been a solid starter for Waleska for five years with an overall 67-45 record and a strong 2.93 ERA.

Meisner, an 8-year veteran, was the big man in the Claxton bullpen most of his career... he has been a starter only the last two seasons... this year the 28-year-old southpaw excelled with a 14-8 mark and a splendid 2.08 ERA, second best in the Ruthlandian Union... Meisner has had an outstanding career with a 47-32 record, 2.22 ERA and 145 saves... he and London were two of the prime reasons the Diamonds had such a great season.

LITTRELL TOP CHOICE FOR TU GOLDEN ARM
It was a career year for Roman Littrell, the 25-year-old pitching star for the Southport Sun Sox... he is the 2064 Tycobbian Union Golden Arm Award winner... Littrell has gotten better and better each year in his 5 seasons in the league... this year was his best with a 19-4 record and a superb 2.12 ERA in 32 starts... the Sun Sox did well in the TU South this season, coming in tied for second place and winding up 7 games behind pennant winner San Alejo... lifetime Littrell is 71-44 with an impressive 2.78 ERA... to win this year's trophy he had to beat out superstar Ian Timms of the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats and Shintaro Matsushina of the Ginza Ninjas.

Ian Timms is a two-time TU Golden Arm winner... he was selected two years in a row in 2057 and 2058... Timms has been with the Tucks for 11 years, posting a standout 175-92 mark and an excellent 2.73 career ERA... this season the Tiger Cats won the TU East, led by Timms' 18-7 record and fine 2.38 ERA.

The 29-year-old Shintaro Matsushina blossomed this year in his third season with Ginza, chalking up a very impressive 16-3 record and a solid 2.98 ERA... despite his fine record, the Ninjas wound up sixth in the TU South standings with a 75-79 mark, 11 games behind division champion San Alejo.

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Tuesday, October 28, 2064

IPA PROCLAIM TOP PERFORMERS FOR '64 SEASON
For the next week the Islandian Pro Alliance will be presenting accolades and awards to all of the top players for the 2064 season... the Ruthlandian Union and Tycobbian Union will be honoring the top performers at the plate, on the hill, in the field and in the dugout.

COLD CREEK'S COOK TOP RUTHLANDIAN ROOKIE
It was a very sparse season in the Islandian Pro Alliance for new blood... not many newcomers made much impact this season... but there were several that stood out among their peers... the 2064 Ruthlandian Union Rookie of the Year trophy went to 28-year-old Bobby Cook, a right-handed hurler for the Cold Creek Raccoons... this year's top newcomer made 31 starts with a 12-11 record and a strong 2.64 ERA in 205 innings of work... the Raccoons came in fourth in the RU East with a 77-77 mark... they were 12 games back of first place Wynnamac.

Ancona's fine young shortstop, 23-year-old Andres Galanis, came in number two in the Ruthlandian newcomer poll... Galanis had good range and good hands, plus a decent bat... he batted .263 in 143 games with 146 hits, including 35 doubles, 6 triples and 2 homers... Galanis drove in 46 runs and scored 62, while stealing 5 bases... however, his Red Elephants were near the bottom of the Ruthlandian North Division, trailing champion Valmara by 16 games... Ancona was seventh in the standings with a 69-85 mark.

The third-best rookie was pitcher Caleb Christy of the Crystal Lake Skippers... the 22-year-old righty made 30 starts in his debut season with 12 wins and 14 losses, but he had a solid 3.09 ERA and worked 233 innings... his Skippers finished third in the RU South with an 82-72 record, 15 games back of pennant-winning Claxton.