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Wednesday, September 28, 2065

Yesterday in the IPA

The Islandian Times
Thursday, October 15, 2009

2009 Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Finals - Game 7

Comeback Kids Win, Turon Tops FM 5-4 In Game 7
The Comeback Kids did it!... They have won the 2009 IPA Pro Cup!... The Turon Typhoons came back and took four games in a row from the Far Mountain Redhawks... This is the third Pro Cup for Whitey Richburn and his never-say-die crew... They also won in 2003 and 2006... The Typhoons took the crown with a heart-pounding 5-4 win over a very tough team... In a stout-hearted performance 36-year-old Anthony Nardone (4-1 2.20) went the route, scattered eight hits, walked only one and put a stop to a ninth-inning rally.

Turon scored first with a run in the opening frame against Robby Kelly... CF Mac McCurnan's (.256) sacrifice fly scored 2B Alan Hansen (.243) from third... C Fats Dalton's (.271) double and SS Spook Estes' (.214) single increased the lead to 2-0 in the second... Redhawk CF Shotgun Boggs (.296) cut it to 2-1 with a solo homer in the third... Estes' base hit drove in another run in the top of the fourth, giving the Typhoons a 3-1 edge... in the top of the fifth 3B John Cottrell's (.358) roundtripper and LF Jimmy Tremayne's (.235) sac fly increased Turon's lead to 5-1... RF Hank Burleigh got Far Mountain back within three with an RBI single in the last of the fifth... the score remained 5-2 until the bottom of the ninth when the Redhawks came close to tying the score with two last-ditch runs... 3B Gabie Barksdale (.500) doubled in one run and then scored on an error, cutting it to 5-4 with the tying run on second... Nardone reached down and got Burleigh on a grounder to short to bring the title home to Turon.

The Typhoons outhit Far Mountain 10-6, led by Estes with three hits and two RBIs... Cottrell and RF Andy Porter (.283) also chipped in with a pair of hits each... Barksdale and Burleigh topped the Redhawks with two hits apiece... Kelly (4-2 2.85) departed after five innings with the loss... He was tagged for five runs and six hits in a poor outing... Kelly also walked five batters.

Holding the Pro Cup above his head, Turon Manager Whitey Richburn described his feelings to reporters after the game, "This is the goal. This is the pinnacle of success. This is why we play the game."

The Typhoons have now won three IPA championships, two more than any other teams. During the season the new champs compiled a 91-63 record in the Tycobbian Union South and finished in first place in the standings.

Attachment 718041
Wednesday, September 28, 2065

Yesterday in the IPA

The Islandian Times
Saturday, October 17, 2009

Turon's Lemaire Named Pro Cup MVP
The Turon Typhoons had many heroes this year on the way to their third IPA Pro Cup crown. Picking a Pro Cup Most Valuable Player was not an easy task. There was no clear-cut winner. Jacques Lemaire, a left-handed pitcher, prevailed in a close vote over third baseman John Cottrell. Lemaire stood out on the mound and chalked up a 4-0 record with a 2.87 ERA, while Cottrell batted .358 with one homer, 11 RBIs and 11 runs scored.

The 31-year-old Lemaire received 37 votes in the BNN poll to 33 for Cottrell. Others receiving votes in the balloting were pitcher Anthony Nardone with 15, center fielder Mac McCurnan 12, first baseman Johnny Carducci 10 and right fielder Andy Porter 8.

Nardone carded a 4-1 mark with a 2.20 ERA. McCurnan drove in 15 runs, scored 9, homered once and batted .256. Carducci belted 4 roundtrippers, has 13 RBIs and scored 12 runs, while Porter hit .283 with 3 home runs, 8 RBIs and 13 runs scored.

Previous Pro Cup MVPs were Volusia 2B Francisco Abreu (2001), High Mesa SS Rolf Kellgren (2002), Turon SP James Longstreet (2003), Red Bluff SP Mila Mohoski (2004), Middlefield RF Bailey Norcross (2005), Turon SP Freddi Spiegel (2006), Oxford SP Bomber Belinsky (2007) and Wynnamac SP Skeets Hobart (2008).

Will get busy recapping the 2065 season and previewing the Pro Cup playoffs.

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Tuesday, September 29, 2065

IPA PICKS DIDN'T CLICK IN '65 SEASON
Only three of the vaunted eight preseason picks lived up to expectations and aspirations in the Islandian Pro Alliance baseball season in 2065... the baseball gurus are shaking their fists, banging and hanging their heads in shame... only preseason powers LaGrange in the Ruthlandian North and Rolling Hills in the Tycobbian West and Tuckanarra in the Tycobbian East managed to prevail in their divisions... five other preseason favorites lost their early season glow and failed to rise and shine by season's end... Waleska lost the Ruthlandian South to Claxton, last year's Pro Cup champion... Cold Creek was beaten handily by the Wynnamac Sundowners in the Ruthlandian East race... and Colfax surprised the Stoner Stars and everybody else in the Ruthlandian West chase... it went fairly much the same way in the Tycobbian Union... unsung Hartsdale topped highly-regarded Oxford in the Tycobbian North in a tight and tense struggle... and regular contender Southport toppled favored San Alejo in the Tycobbian South hunt.

2065 Ruthlandian Union Final Standings
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2065 Tycobbian Union Final Standings
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Around the Ruthlandian North Division in '65

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1st Place: LaGrange Gators (95-59)
Last Pennant: 2063
Pro Cup: None

The Gators are back in business after a year's relapse... they won the pennant in '63 and played well in the playoffs, but dropped to 4th place last year... LaGrange and Claxton Diamonds will meet in the first round of the playoffs... the winner will be a serious challenger for the IPA overall title this year... both have outstanding pitching and just enough offense to get by... that's the formula for success in the postseason in the IPA in recent years... the Diamonds are the defending Pro Cup champ and have a shot to repeat... LaGrange took charge of the RU North at midyear and tore it up in the second half, winning by double digits, 11 games better than its closest contender.

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2nd Place: Glasco Foxhounds (84-70) (11 GB)
Last Pennant: 2045
Pro Cups: None

An up-and-coming club... 7th in '62... came real close to taking the RU North flag in '63, missing out by just one game to Valmara... this year the Hounds had a steady and consistent season, just couldn't keep pace with LaGrange, a really fine club.
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3rd Place: Ranford Bulls (82-72) (13 GB)
Last Pennant: 2060
Pro Cup: 2040
The Bulls made a major jump from 8th and 7th places in '62 and '63 to 3rd in '64... wasn't ranked high in the preseason polls, forecast to finish 7th... did much better... but Ranford didn't play well in May and June this season... otherwise would have been right up there with LaGrange.

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4th Place: Valmara Vipers (80-74) (15 GB)
Last Pennant: 2064
Pro Cups: 4 (2026, 2043, 2049, 2050)

The Vipers are just a run-of-mill team... no great shakes at the plate or on the hill... played steady .500 baseball this year... Valmara doesn't have the offense they used to have in the last decade... pitching is less than adequate, too.

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5th Place: Far Mountain Redhawks (78-76) (17 GB)
Last Pennant: 2062
Pro Cups: 3 (2011, 2012, 2013)

The Redhawks have a solid core of hitters throughout the batting order... they just don't have the pitching to go with it... Far Mountain won the RU North title in '62 with good pitching, then slip back to the 5th spot in the standings the last three seasons.

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6th Place: Ancona Red Elephants (74-80) (21 GB)
Last Pennant: 2022
Pro Cups: None

The Red Elephants have been a mediocre club for the last five seasons... '58 and '59 were the last winning years... second-rate offense, mound staff and defense.

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7th Place: Kilkenny Cats (66-88) (29 GB)
Last Pennant: 2042
Pro Cups: None

Poor Cats, only made the postseason one time in its pathetic history... two 4th-place finishes in the last 15 seasons ('52 and '63)... the future does not bode well for Kilkenny.

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8th Place: Taranto Tars (57-97) (38 GB)
Last Pennant: 2056
Pro Cups: 1 (2015)

This year the Tars had the worst season in its history with 97 losses... 92 was their previous worst season in '34... Taranto ranks near the bottom in most statistical categories... 'nuff said.

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Around the Ruthlandian South Division in '65

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1st Place: Claxton Diamonds (94-60)
Last Pennant: 2064
Pro Cups: 1 (2064)
The success of the Diamonds is keyed to its fine pitching... excellent starters and a strong bullpen, coupled with better-than-average scoring, fair firepower and standout defense... Claxton will be severely tested in the first round of the postseason when they clash with the powerful LaGrange Gators, the winner of the RU North... both clubs are primed for a run at the 2065 Pro Cup trophy.

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2nd Place: Crystal Lake Skippers (87-67) 97 GB)
Last Pennant: 2059
Pro Cups: 3 (2022, 2028, 2058)

Crystal Lake has been on the rise for several seasons... 7th in '62... 5th in '63... and 3rd last year... the Skippers have a potent attack and can hit with anybody, but they lack pitching, especially starters... they hung in tightly with the Claxton Diamonds as late as July 1st, then struggled through August... Crystal Lake surged in September, but by then it was too late... the future is looking brighter for the Skippers.

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3rd Place: Waleska Westerners (86-68) (8 GB)
Last Pennant: 2056
Pro Cups: 3 (2028, 2037, 2039)

The Westerners were a middle-of-the pack team in '62 and '63 coming in fourth both seasons... in '64 they stepped it up a bit, but still came in fourth... this year it all came together... good offense, good pitching and strong defense combined for a fine season... but the Cowpokes had a swoon in June... otherwise they would have been right up there with Claxton.

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4th Place: St. John Crusaders (77-77) (17 GB)
Last Pennant: 2062
Pro Cups: None

For almost the last decade the Crusaders have been a strong contender in the Ruthlandian South, winning it 4 times in 8 seasons... doing it mainly with solid hitting and pitching... but hard times have set in and they have slipped in the standings... 6th and under .500 in '64... and a lackluster break-even season this year... pitching and hitting is off... and the Crusaders play poor defense... St. John is just an average ballclub.

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5th Place: Grand City Cybercats (74-80) (20 GB)
Last Pennant: 2055
Pro Cups: None

The Cybercats have not been a very successful franchise in the IPA... with one of the worst won-lost percentages... only 4 postseason appearances and no Pro Cup trophies in their history... pretty much a second-rate team for the last decade... winding up 3rd in '62, 6th in '63, 5th in '64 and 5th this year... just one winning season in the last four... Grand City can score runs, hit with power, has pretty good pitching and lousy defense... the Cybercats need a lot of improvement in order to contest for the RU South pennant.

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6th Place: San Dimas Rancheros (69-85) (25 GB)
Last Pennant: 2041
Pro Cups: None

The Rancheros are not a very good IPA franchise... 4 postseason appearances and no Pro Cups... poor winning percentage historically... only one winning season in the last 15 years... don't hit or score well... but has fairly good pitching and very good defense... San Dimas needs to much improve its offense to become a contender in the RU South... looks like it may take a while.

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7th Place: Valka Blackhawks (67-87) (27 GB)
Last Pennant: 2054
Pro Cups: None

The Blackhawks don't have a very good history in the IPA with no Pro Cups and just 5 playoff appearances... Valka has lost a lot more games than they have won... but the Blackhawks have been flying fairly high in recent years... winding up 2nd in '62, 3rd in '63 and again 2nd in '64... but they tanked it this year, near the bottom in 7th place... pitching totally failed them and the offense was almost nil... the outlook is not very optimistic for Valka... lots and lots of rebuilding to do.

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