Completed 8 more teams... 17 more to go until the start of the 2067 Islandian Pro Alliance season.

56 of the 64 rosters have been updated for the 2067 season.

8 more to go!

Almost finished.

All 64 team rosters have been updated... IPA season 2067 is coming soon to a ball park near you.

Attachment 751018
Thursday, March 31, 2067

67TH IPA SEASON STARTS TOMORROW -- SUN SOX, RACERS, DIAMONDS FAVORED TO TAKE PRO CUP
The Islandian Pro Alliance will take you out to the ballpark tomorrow afternoon at 32 luscious green mansions throughout the Islands... it's the 67th year of the professional baseball with a plethora of questions to be answered... will Southport three-peat?... will Rolling Hills roll to its 8th straight Tycobbian West division title?... can Claxton stretch its pennant-winning streak to five in the Ruthlandian South race?... can eternal also-rans Kilkenny, Belair Beach, Belle Plaine, Colchester, Chicopee and Fairfax escape their cellar-dwelling domains?... will one of the 32 clubs that has never won a Pro Cup rise up and do the seemingly almost impossible?

Ruthlandian Union Preseason Preview

NO BIG SURPRISES IN RU IN '67
As we do at the beginning of each new baseball season when hope springs eternal, let's see what the baseball soothsayers and gurus are predicting... let's begin in the Ruthlandian North where a fairly close 4-team race is forecast... in the last four years LaGrange has won two pennants ('63, '65) and ran very good races the other two seasons ('64, '66)... the sportsscribes and broadcasters are picking the Gators take the crown this year, but they will have to beat off the Ancona Jumbos (5 GB), Far Mountain Redhawks (6 GB) and Ranford Bulls (8 GB)... last year's champion Valmara is slated to wind up a disappointing 7th this year (15 GB)... EC is not too sure about this... the Vipers are still a pretty fair team.

LaGrange's strength is in its offense, led by Chogie Alfieri (.293 BA/22 HR/93 RBI), Pokie Ruckle (.286 BA/25 HR/97 RBI) and Cleve Juban (.286 BA/22 HR/92 RBI)... and some solid pitching by Dave Loxley (14-7/2.53 ERA), Noel Nicolet (10-10/3.89 ERA), Lucien Petit (8-8/3.72 ERA) and Alphonse Richelieu (6-2/3.08 ERA).

Valmara is still a potent club with some good power, but lacks pitching... top bats are Timmy Benford (.269 BA/34 HR/90 RBI), Semyon Tomczak (.245 BA/25 HR/90 RBI), Leevi Lindmaa (.290 BA/29 HR/83 RBI), Alek Stolarski (.294 BA/7 HR/62 RBI) and Jud Gilbride (.293 BA/13 HR/56 RBI)... Mick Singer (14-8/2.74 ERA) and Andre Zajac (11-6/2.93 ERA) are the top pitchers... the Vipers are hoping rookie Mikki Twardzik will give the mound corps a boost.

The Ancona Jumbos ran a good race last year, winding up in third place (7 GB)... not a lot of offense, but they have four fairly good starters led by Yanni Bubas (10-6/3.09 ERA), Rob Hepburn (12-9/4.12 ERA), Alardo Glezos (6-7/3.07 ERA) and rookie Timon Katsaros... the offense will have to perk up a lot to make a run for the pennant.

Far Mountain came in seventh last season (19 GB)... it's hard to see them make up that much ground with pretty much the same team... the Redhawks only have average offense and pitching... Luke Hazlett (.335 BA/16 HR/90 RBI), Mack McKendry (.280 BA/22 HR/83 RBI), Curt Miley (.288 BA/15 HR/51 RBI) and Oskar Neumann (.278 BA/18 HR/63 RBI) provide decent scoring power... the most capable pitchers are just run-of-the-mill: Clarence Threadgill (11-10/3.99 ERA), Jeffrey Chandler (9-5/3.18 ERA), Dylan O'Connor (7-3/2.88 ERA) and Bobby Bosworth (6-4/4.14 ERA)... rookie Ernie Siegler will have to come through for Far Mountain to finish high in the standings.

The Ranford Bulls wound up fifth last year (10 GB)... the Bulls feature some rock-solid contact hitters in their batting order, paced by Jedd Blodgett (.248 BA/28 HR/70 RBI) and Derron Duke (.322 BA/10 HR/49 RBI), plus several others with good potential... but they have trouble scoring runs... pitching is borderline average... ace Eric Connor (13-8/2.83 ERA) is a topnotch starter... and Marv Douglas (8-7/2.86 ERA/35 saves/62 games) is a very reliable closer... but they need help for the Bulls to challenge for the pennant... LaGrange and Valmara seem to be the best ball clubs in the Ruthlandian North this year... they have the superior offenses.

You might as well book it, the Claxton Diamonds are still far-and-away the best team in the Ruthlandian South... the Diamonds are a colossal favorite to take the division for a fifth year in a row... no one will come within double digits of the Diamonds... the St. John Crusaders (10 GB), Waleska Westerners (16 GB), Grand City Cybercats (17 GB) and perhaps Valka (22 GB) will battle for the runner-up spot... 'nuff said about who the flag winner will be... Claxton's pitching corps is pure dynamite with super starters Mark Meisner (21-2) and Russell Krohn (21-3) and bullpen stud Alvie London (5-7/59 saves)... rumor is the Diamonds are even better this season on the mound... keep an eye on rookie hurler Durrelle Cantrelle... Claxton also excells at the plate with the likes of Fred Hahn (.339 BA/21 HR/90 RBI), Kevin Walton (.288 BA/22 HR/96 RBI), Scoops Dunn (.277 BA/25 HR/95 RBI) and Paddy Garson (.293 BA/6 HR/59 RBI)... you might say the Diamonds have it all... don't be surprised come September Claxton will be playing Southport or Rolling Hills for the whole shebang -- the coveted IPA Pro Cup trophy.

The St. John Crusaders have a lackluster offense and so-so pitching... they hit well for average, but don't have much power... the Saints were fourth last season (25 GB)... Freddie Woodruff (.280 BA/10 HR/86 RBI), Francis Bagnell (.298 BA/15 HR/86 RBI) and Barney Mowbray (.324 BA/14 HR/70 RBI) are the best threats in the lineup... on the hill Tom Smithson (12-6/3.11 ERA) is the best starter and a good one...the rest of the staff Kelly Jarman (11-10/4.07 ERA), Kyell Sondergaard (11-8/3.94 ERA) and Cristopher Crabb (10-10/3.76 ERA) are just fair-to-middling... Bill Ferrell looked good in the spring and will join in the rotation... after a couple of years of mediocrity Ferrell could be headed for a breakout year.

Waleska has some talented batters that can put some runs on the scoreboard, but they lack longball power... top bats are Percy Bodie (.334 BA/25 HR/105 RBI), Cal Jarvis (.347 BA/14 HR/78 RBI), Rusty Buxton (.323 BA/6 HR/50 RBI) and Bitsy Boccabella (.282 BA/12 HR/59 RBI)... the mound staff is second rate with Jake Stearnes (13-11/3.86 ERA), Kieran Roy (12-11/3.70 ERA), Rick Howzer (10-14/4.02 ERA) and Tommy Birchfield (9-3/2.58 ERA)... the Westerners are hoping to get help from two rookies Tommy Prado and Mark Welby, who performed well in Spring Training... and they are hoping Lanny Terris will get back the form of his rookie year, two years ago when he was 15-5 with a 2.13 ERA.

Grand City was third last year (19 GB)... the Cybercats are on the verge of becoming a fine ball club... they can score runs aplenty with Boots Luckham (.269 BA/24 HR/101 RBI), Zippy Balencia (.315 BA/15 HR/66 RBI), Paul Gaddison (.309 BA/29 HR/98 RBI), Terrye Ayres (.303 BA/19 HR/68 RBI) and Lucky Brigman (.294 BA/15 HR/83 RBI)... and they have a solid pitching corps... Grand City would be the power in the RU South, if not for the presence of dominant Claxton... if Fred Barrow (19-8/2.79 ERA), Glen Smitherman (13-10/3.75 ERA), Jozef Chojnaki (10-5/3.21 ERA), Leonard Hamilton (10-12/4.03 ERA) and Joey Louis (8-4/3.25 ERA) have good years... if Garrett Guthrie (3-3/2.96 ERA), Elton Poindexter (3-3/3.33 ERA), Matty Morales (2-2/5.97 ERA) and rookie Jim Hackett can pitch like they did in the spring, the Cybercats will be a force in the Ruthlandian South.

Last year was not a good year for the Valka Blackhawks... they finished sixth (37 GB)... pitching was terrible... the Blackhawks added 8 newcomers to the roster in hopes of a turnaround... they decided to sink or swim in the new season... hurlers Dorsey Burnette (9-7/3.59 ERA) and Carlos Santa Ana (9-10/3.58 ERA) are the best of the returnees... three 22-year-olds Endrik Saar, Johnny Jacobson and Priit Laur have been added to the starting rotation... Teddy Winger (.310 BA/15 HR/97 RBI) and Fred McGowen (.293 BA/22 HR/92 RBI) are the main threats in the lineup and they may have gotten some help this year with five new additions... rookie left fielder Jim Kennedy really stood out in Spring Training... so did third baseman Rolli Allikas and second basemen Dolph Vornhof and Kellen Dandridge... it will interesting to see how the wholesale roster changes will affect the Valka season.

The Marston Nine captured the title in the Ruthlandian East last season in a hot race with Sugar Valley (1 GB) and Wynnamac (2 GB)... it looks like more of the same this year except the prognosticators are going with the Macs this year, but not by much... the Nine (3 GB) could easily repeat... the Rattlers are rated the third-best squad (9 GB)... Cold Creek will be a distant fourth (10 GB).

Wynnamac has a slew of good hitters like the RU top hitter Snooky Bartels (.370 BA/22 HR/87 RBI), Manny Sendejas (.291 BA/39 HR/122 RBI), Nathan Tuttleton (.296 BA/32 HR/104 RBI) and Warren Joshua (.278 BA/18 HR/82 RBI)... pitching is spotty, led by Pepe Vidal (13-3/3.42 ERA), Dan Loewenthal (13-11/3.91 ERA) and Dick Vanner (8-4/3.52 ERA).

Marston has some top guns, too, with Gino Mastroianni (.342 BA/0 HR/54 RBI), Wayne Prentiss (.321 BA/14 HR/74 RBI), George Chizek (.318 BA/18 HR/100 RBI), Harvey Beauchamp (.313 BA/6 HR/68 RBI), Dave Lofdahl (.279 BA/17 HR/61 RBI) and John Bobo (.281 BA/9 HR/65 RBI)... the staff is just average with D. D. Klem (19-7/3.00 ERA), Harry Vodenlich (12-9/3.80 ERA), Tonico Ribiero (13-14/3.48 ERA) and Galen Busby (9-7, 2.47 ERA/22 saves/57 G).

Sugar Valley can go deep and has pretty strong pitching... best hurlers are Claudio Quezada (16-7/2.75 ERA), Buddy Blanchard (13-7/2.62 ERA), Matthew Minden (10-8/2.73 ERA) and Conor Blades (8-8/2.90)... the best run producers are Bobby Mingo (.274 BA/27 HR/82 RBI), Robby Gamble (.259 BA/25 HR/74 RBI), Ned Woodward (.272 BA/21 HR/65 RBI) and Daric Kenaston (.273 BA/20 HR/81 RBI)... top batters for average are Jason Braziel (.306 BA/7 HR/58 RBI) and Jamie Fellows (.306 BA/1 HR/38 RBI).

The best in the West this year looks familiar... the defending champion Sligo Rovers have won the Ruthlandian West four times in the last eight years ('59, '60, '64, '66) and they wound up second in the other four seasons... so nothing's new... but wait just a minute, pilgrim... there are 3, 4, 5 clubs waiting in the wings to dethrone the Rovers... the RU West will be the tightest race overall in the IPA... top to bottom, first to last place, this will be the closest division... Sligo will have its hands full with the Volusia Vigilantes... the V's will be their toughest rival, never far back in the Rovers' rear view mirror... followed by the third place Fort Benton Defenders, fourth place Stoner Stars, fifth place Middlefield Roosters and even the sixth place Colfax Black Sox... all of the clubs will be within 10 games of the lead... only lowly Forest City and Rocky Rapids will be out of the running.

Sligo's top performers are on the hill, sparked by Tiger Snodgrass 915-8/3.02 ERA), Sam Carmon (12-13/3.13 ERA) and Floyd Burton (10-6/2.34 ERA)... bullpenners Antone Simon (14-9/2.51 ERA/14 saves/48 G) and Butch Baird (5-3/2.49 ERA/2 saves/58 G) also pitched well... RU Rookie of the Year Eddy Arnett (.300 BA/31 HR/88 RBI) and Cliff Hawthorne (.223 BA/24 HR/91 RBI) were the most productive hitters... Norman French (.303 BA/21 HR/60 RBI) had a solid season, too.

Volusia finished second last year (6 GB)... the V's possess a fine core of hitters, paced by Mauricio Tejada (.320 BA/8 HR/81 RBI), Valentino Robles (.319 BA/28 HR/103 RBI), Johnny Lee Washington (.313 BA/19 HR/101 RBI) and Ellie Hudgins (.304 BA/11 HR/56 RBI)... ace Lonny Rinehart (22-5/2.75 ERA) and Justin Shank (13-4/3.01 ERA) are the prime starters with help from Joe Morse (8-8/3.55 ERA).

Fort Benton can bang with the best of them with the likes of Nate Bryson (.355 BA/2 HR/69 RBI), Marlon Hazard (.329 BA/17 HR/62 RBI), Dolph Gordon (.301 BA/7 HR/62 RBI) and Kaz Ambroziak (.300/10 HR/69 RBI), but they lack longball power... the Generals' pitching is just so-so... Yoshiro Makhara (14-12/3.59 ERA) was the biggest winner with some help from Sammy Wilshire (13-11/3.42 ERA) and Joe Ramey (10-7/4.23 ERA)... and Billy Ellis (13-4/2.61 ERA/10 saves/42 G) was outstanding in the bullpen.

Stoner has several elite players, headed up by Al Dodge (.335 BA/11 HR/76 RBI), Jean St. Julien (.331 BA/28 HR/98 RBI) and Hector Francisco (.265 BA/16 HR/80 RBI)... right fielder Dwight Paulson is highly-regarded and a rookie to watch... Silver Sox pitching is marginal... Rick Reichhart (10-9/3.48 ERA), Jim Roland (10-12/4.00) and Clyde Sowers (9-10/4.21 ERA) are the main starters... and Ivan Kleczko (13-13/3.79 ERA/13 saves/57 G) is a fair closer.

Middlefield is led at the plate by power hitters Herb De Beers (.298 BA/32 HR/100 RBI) and Lew Aston (.230 BA/27 HR/62 RBI)... the top contact hitter is Buddy Butler (.308 BA/18 HR/63 RBI)... on the hill last year for the Roosters the top twirlers were Marty Yocum (14-10/3.24 ERA), Deke Bonner (13-10/4.31 ERA) and Gerry Swanson (10-6/3.01 ERA).

Colfax has won the TU West twice in recent seasons, '63 and '65... the Black Sox reached the IPA Pro Cup Finals both year, but lost to Hartdale and Southport... Colfax may be on the decline... pitching has gone down the last few seasons... the offense is still solid with Lanny Waldrep (.335 BA/38 HR/115 RBI), the RU MVP and Golden Bat winner last season... Bralen Josephson (.321 BA/26 HR/114 RBI) and Monty McDermott (.276 BA/22 HR/87 RBI) are good sticks, too... heading up a mediocre staff is Blaine Barkins (11-8/3.59 ERA) and Vicente Garcia (12-6/3.57 ERA)... Terrence Dupont (8-6/2.97 ERA) was the most effective hurler.

Tycobbian Union Preseason Preview

BLAZERS AND NINJAS MAY BE ON THE RISE IN TU
There are no stunners in the preseason outlook for the Tycobbian Union... Southport and Rolling Hills are odds-on favorites to win pennants... it looks like Oxford is back on top again... and High Mesa could make a serious run for the division crown... but there is some intrigue... the Hillsboro Blazers and the Ginza Ninjas could cause some chaos and upset someone's applecart... at least, that is the rumor among some baseball experts.

It should be a good race in the Tycobbian North this year... as many as 5 teams could be in the chase... the Hartsdale Hellcats have won 3 of the last 4 years and even snared an unexpected Pro Cup trophy in '63... the Oxford Red Caps could be back... they came in third last year and second the year before, but still ran close races... the Oxfordians have regularly claimed the TU North title, winning 6 times in 10 years... the Red Caps went all the way in '61 and hauled in its second Pro Cup... 5 of the Pro Cup ringleaders are still with the club and would like nothing better than to hoist a third Pro Cup flag over Winchester Park... star pitchers Pat McFarlane (120-74/2.77 ERA), Rico Alessi (120-59/2.91 ERA) and Maury Statler (212-132/3.34 ERA) are still in the starting rotation and thriving in their 30s... and superstars Buddy Blackford (.291 BA/501 HR) and Showboat Lynn (.293 BA/359 HR) still anchor the batting order in the number three and number four spots... the baseball pros in the know have made Oxford the favorite to take the TU North flag... followed closely by the White River Rascals (3 GB) and the North Hills Hawks (4 GB)... the Mahaska Haymakers (8 GB) should be in the pennant mix, too... not sure why, but the preseason pickers have last year's champ Hartsdale way down in 5th place (12 GB)... a solid nucleus of the '63 IPA champs are still around... Walt Ivy (.293 BA/155 HR), Cooter Eldridge (.286 BA/170 HR) and Maury Donatello (.305 BA/44 HR) are still in the lineup... and Phil Baylor (94-69/3.70 ERA) and Tommy Johnson (102-73/3.61 ERA) head up the pitching corps... I have a hunch the Hellcats will be raising some in the TU North again in the year 2067.

In the Tycobbian South Division it might not be a cakewalk for the reigning Pro Cup titlist Southport, who will be seeking its third consecutive Pro Cup trophy and record-setting sixth overall... everybody's back for the Sun Sox and they are raring to win it all again... Roman Littrell (19-3/2.04 ERA), Eddy Salem (12-8/2.44 ERA), Timmy Aaron (12-7/2.57 ERA) and Billy Ray Echols (7-5/3.11 ERA) anchor the standout mound staff... and the solid offense is led by Junior Evans (.286 BA/26 HR/84 RBI), Lynn Tobin (.289 BA/23 HR/97 RBI) and Curtis Cliff (.301 BA/22 HR/70 RBI).

According to the preseason prognosticators, the San Alejo Montaneros, last year's runner-up (3 GB), will challenge again... the Monties feature some quality bats in Dominque Juban (.331 BA/30 HR/100 RBI), Nicky Yorke (.292 BA/30 HR/89 RBI), Roman Redondo (.261 BA/29 HR/86 RBI) and Al Lester (.281 BA/19 HR/54 RBI)... on the hill they are paced by Jimmy Doak (1607/2.23 ERA), Paulo Passos (11-9/3.31 ERA), Elmer Cane (11-11/2.56 ERA) and Adrian Acosta (8-10/3.12 ERA)... San Alejo got some very impressive pitching last season... if it continues, the Montaneros are a contender... if not, they will be back in the pack... they just don't have the offense to overcome so-so pitching.

Could this be the year of the Ninja?... the so-called baseball gurus think Ginza could be a close third (3 GB) to Southport... that really says a lot... might be too good to be true... the Ninjas were seventh last year, 27 games behind the Sun Sox... that's a lot to make up so soon... however, the pitching might be much improved... Kurt Brophy (11-11/2.97 ERA), Dakota Elkins (10-12/4.28 ERA), Kyle Stafford (7-5/3.88 ERA) and Alejandro Ortega (10-16/4.01 ERA) are all decent starters... good things are expected from rookie hurler Yuri Yoza... the Ginza bats are just mediocre at best... John Michael Shelby (.269 BA/21 HR/80 RBI) stood out in his rookie season last year... he is the only reliable bat in the lineup... it is really hard to see the Ninjas challenging Southport this year.

Actually Turon and Cape Coral look to be the best of the rest, mainly because they can score runs... Summerland is alway fairly good with its reliable mound staff... both the Hurricanes (8 GB) and Sunsets (8 GB) stayed in the race last year and finished tied for the third spot in the standings... the Typhoons broke even last year and wound up in sixth place (12 GB)... Turon could be on the rise.

Defending champion Red Bluff will be in the running for a repeat pennant, however, the media pros are favoring the High Mesa Mustangs this year... High Mesa had a poor start last year, but really closed well and came in third (8 GB)... Tycobbian MVP Roy Roberts (73 HR/174 RBI), Kagetoki Miyazaki (50 HR/150 RBI) and TU Rookie of the Year Nolan Penny (26 HR/77 RBI) form a formidable lineup... coupled with adequate pitching make the Mustangs a credible choice... but the Red Sox will have a big say in the race with three fine starters Dontrelle Gilbreath (14-7/1.88 ERA), Ben Laughlin (15-8/2.76 ERA) and Gino Angeletti (11-6/3.26 ERA)... good pitching and good home-run power have served Red Bluff well in recent years.

That same formula might be just what the doctor ordered for the up-and-coming Hillsboro Blazers... it's been 8 years since Hillsboro had a winning season ('58)... and guess what?... the baseball know-it-alls are picking the Blazers to finish a very close third (4 GB) to High Mesa... could happen... could it be that CD's fine new Blazer uniforms greatly influenced the voting?... could be... and the Blazers can go deep... they are stacked with a bunch of bangers like B. B. Wilder (.273 BA/25 HR/93 RBI), Jeff McDaid (.300 BA/25 HR/82 RBI), Rube Nealy (.281 BA/21 HR/71 RBI) and Jack Hanford (.274 BA/19 HR/53 RBI) and they will look great in their sartorial splendor, new unis custom designed by legendary graphics guru Clovidequano Dovatha... some decent pitching would greatly improve Hillsboro's pennant chances, too... can CD pitch, too?

But don't forget the South Fork Stallions... they still have strong pitching by Herm McClanahan (16-7/2.93 ERA), Rex Waller (16-9/2.92 ERA), Larry Boyer (10-4/2.99 ERA) and Jim Barber (6-6/2.96 ERA) and a few good bats like superstuds Bob Purkey (.312 BA/35 HR/96 RBI) and Pat Johnstone (.319 BA/43 HR/107 RBI)... they lost the pennant by a scant single game last year and that same ball club is back... South Fork is the fourth choice in the pennant race (6 GB)... it should really be a down-to-the-wire photo finish in the Tycobbian East this season.

I guess we saved the best for last... the Rolling Hills Racers have been the best team in the IPA for the last seven years -- that is, in the regular season -- where they falter is in the postseason -- they were usually the choice to win the Pro Cup all of those years and twice, in '60 and '62, they did... well, the Racers are off-and-running and should racked up their 8th straight Tycobbian West crown... and they will do it in runaway fashion -- again by double digits... last year Rolling Hills set an IPA record with a remarkable 111 victories... what's the Racers' problem?... postseason pitching, mainly in the bullpen... the starters are fine, led by Clay Callaghan (17-4/3.15 ERA), Charley Clutterbuck (18-8/3.57 ERA), Donny Joe Nelson (12-0/2.03 ERA), Karko Nommik (15-4/3.25 ERA), Jody Wales (13-2/3.57 ERA) and Vance Dillaway (9-6/3.61 ERA)... this season Rolling Hills has improved its starting rotation with rookie Mark Van Kleef... and yes, the Racers still possess an awesome group of rock-solid sockers: Hugo Sutton (.333 BA/22 HR/108 RBI), Teddy Stonich (.307 BA/26 HR/107 RBI), Jean-Luc Roubique (.342 BA/34 HR/125 RBI), Jimmy Brandini (.324 BA/22 HR/121 RBI) -- and if that's not enough add in Luca Palazzi (.331 BA/20 HR/97 RBI), Lee Fountain (.305 BA/19 HR/86 RBI), Jameson Mulbert (.290 BA/4 HR/64 RBI) and Clayton Claiborne (.297 BA/8 HR/66 RBI)... 'nuff said... Rolling Hills will roll to their 8th straight division title... and they just might win their record-setting 6th IPA Pro Cup trophy... if... if... if they can get past the current Pro Cup titleholder, the Southport Sun Sox, who are looking for a 3rd consecutive Pro Cup and a record-setting 6th Pro Cup, too... yessiree, bobaree... 2067 is going to be a darn good season in the IPA.

Well, I guess I should mention some of the other teams in the Tycobbian West... there are 7 more besides the Racers... the Kenwood Wildcats will wind up a distant second (12 GB)... last year the Wildcats came in third (22 GB)... the La Claire Lynx will probably finish third (16 GB) and the Denton City Redbirds should end up in the fourth spot in the standings (24 GB)... the Redbirds were in the runner-up spot last year (19 GB)... the Lynx wound up way down in seventh place (52 GB).

*

Looking forward to seeing what happens in 2067. Great preview EC. I root for dynasties, so I hope that Southport and Rolling Hills have great success this season.

Attachment 751480
Friday, July 1, 2067

RACES GALORE AND MORE IN THE IPA AT MIDSEASON
Good gracious, this is a great season so far in the Islandian Pro Alliance... at midseason there are races galore and more... all 8 divisions still are up for grabs... even powerhouses and prohibitive favorites Southport, Rolling Hills and Claxton are being challenged... the Sun Sox are trailing San Alejo in the Tycobbian South by a couple of games... the Racers only have a 6-game edge in the Tycobbian West... and the Diamonds are just a skosh better than Grand City in the Ruthlandian South.

Ruthlandian Union

And away we go around the IPA... halfway through the season it's a super duper race in the Ruthlandian North... Glasco (44-35) is up by one and a half games on preseason favorite LaGrange (43-37) and Far Mountain (43-37) with fourth place Valmara (41-39) and Ranford (41-39) clinging on their heels, too, just 3 and a half games back... the RU North will come down to the Foxhounds and the Gators... they both have solid bats and solid pitching... the Bulls could get into the race, too... they have some quality pitchers... the Redhawks and Vipers just don't have it on the hill.

It's also super close in the Ruthlandian South where Pro Cup aspirant Claxton (47-33) is just a half game up on the Grand City Cybercats (46-33)... 2 and a half games in front of third place Valka (44-35) and only 3 games ahead of fourth place Waleska (44-36)... get ready for a photo finish... the Diamonds look like they will have a tough fight on their hands... the Cybercats are one good all-around ball club... the Blackhawks and Westerners are darn good, too... should be a heck of a finish... might be too close to call... it is hard to go against Claxton... strong starters and an excellent bullpen should make the Diamonds a winner in the RU South again this season for the fifth consecutive year... but it will not be easy.

The number one preseason pick Wynnamac is on top of the Ruthlandian East, but by a very slim margin of one and a half games over the surprising Beechwood Jackrabbits (48-31), who haven't had a winning season in 21 years... last year's champ Marston (46-34) is in the third spot, just 4 games off the pace... nobody else is in the ballpark as far as the pennant is concerned... the other 5 clubs will be playing for fourth place... all three clubs are playing well... they have been consistently good the entire season... it will come down to Wynnamac's offense and Marston's pitching... Beechwood doesn't have the pitching to win the pennant... give the edge to the Macs... the Sundowners may just be a tad better at the plate and on the hill than the Nine.

It's been a good first half for the Fort Benton Generals (47-33)... they are resting on top of the Ruthlandian West standings with a 4-game margin over 3 teams: defending champion Sligo (43-37), Stoner (43-37) and Rocky Rapids (43-37)... the Silver Sox are perennial losers and the Snappers rarely contend and haven't been to the postseason since 2046... expected contenders Volusia (39-41) and Colfax (38-42) had disappointing first halves, but could get back into the hunt... they trail by 8 and 9 games respectively.

The Sligo Rovers will prevail over the Fort Benton Generals... but it will be close... the Rovers might have an advantage... they have a lot of experience in close pennant races and postseason play... the Stoner Silver Sox and Rocky Rapids Snappers will be in the chase, too... lack of pitching will hurt Stoner, while it will be a lack of offense that will hamper the Snappers.

Tycobbian Union

Nobody ever seems to have much respect for the Hartsdale Hellcats (49-31)... they were forecast to wind up a poor fifth this year, but look at them... the Hellcats are sitting pretty high atop the Tycobbian North standings with a 2-game edge on the preseason pick, the Oxford Red Caps (47-33)... two other clubs are within striking distance, the third place White River Rascals (42-37) and the fourth place North Hills Hawks (41-38)... the Rascals are 6 and a half game out, while the Hawks are 7 and a half games behind... looks like a two-team tango between the Hellcats and Red Caps... both possess better offenses than the competitors.

Surprisingly good hitting and solid pitching has carried the San Alejo Montaneros (46-33) to the top of the pack this season... at midyear the Monties have a one and a half-game lead over super power Southport (45-35), the reigning Pro Cup champ for the last two seasons... and the scrappy Ginza Ninjas (44-36) are just 2 and a half games back in the pennant race... none of the other clubs in the TU South look like pennant contenders... it will be tough for San Alejo and Ginza to beat the Sun Sox... they just might be headed for a third straight Pro Cup trophy... that would be a remarkable achievement, accomplished just one time in the annals of the Islandian Pro Alliance... the Far Mountain Redhawks, vintage 2011, 2012 and 2013... they are the only team to ever do that... however, San Alejo may be just a little bit better offensively than the Sun Sox and they just might be better on the mound, too... Ginza is quite strong in the pitching department, but might not have the offense to whip the other two clubs... the Monties look like the winner on paper, but in the final analyses, Southport has been through the wars the last few years and has won all the battles... the Sun Sox will continue to shine in the Tycobbian South.

There are a couple of things that are raising eyebrows in the Tycobbian East... number one, perennial also-ran Hillsboro is leading the league... and number two, the Blazers are 5 and a half games in front... no one expected this... the preseason prognosticators just thought that Hillsboro would compete for the pennant... not necessarily win it... this would be the Blazers first pennant since 2051... Hillsboro has made the playoffs only one time in its 66 years of IPA play... but having said all of that... the Blazers still have a lot of games to play... for sure, second place Ozarka (44-36), third place and last year's champ Red Bluff (43-37), third place Tuckanarra (43-37) and fourth place and this year's preseason favorite High Mesa (40-40) will have something to say in this matter... a lot of folks are all pulling for Hillsboro... the Blazers are the sentimental choice, but Red Bluff will probably win it... the pennant will come down to the hunks on the hill... give the nod to the Red Sox by a slim margin.

And yes, there is some semblance of a pennant race in the Tycobbian West... yes, the mighty Rolling Hills Racers (50-30) are again the best in the West and as usual, they have a good solid lead heading into the last half of the year... the La Claire Lynx (44-36) are hovering just 6 games off the pace, but they are not playing well... the June Swoon set in... they appear to be the only club in the race... third place Denton City (41-38), fourth place Arlon (41-39) and fifth place Kenwood (40-40) are all near the .500 mark and heading nowhere... soon the TU West will be heading into the home stretch... a time when the Rolling Hills Racers will turn it on and romp to another pennant... their 8th straight... the Racers would also like to finish off the year with a record-setting 6th Pro Cup trophy.

Let's go Hillsboro for the pennant.

Yep, the Blazers are sitting pretty atop the Tycobbian East standings... they can score runs aplenty... pitching will be the key to winning the pennant... Hillsboro has three solid starters in Scotty McElroy (13-4/2.43 ERA), Ramsey Crowe (11-4/3.12 ERA) and Rex Nettles (8-5/3.38 ERA)... they need help from Eli Pausina (1-1/2.45 ERA) and Weldon McNew (5-5/5.16 ERA) in the second half of the season.

Attachment 752007
Sunday, July 10, 2067

IPA MIDSUMMER DREAM TEAMS MEET IN SOUTHPORT THIS TUESDAY AFTERNOON IN THE 2067 ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE ALL-STAR GAME
The best of the best will be on display this coming Tuesday afternoon at Pleasure Beach Park in Southport, the home of the current IPA Pro Cup champion Sun Sox... 46 standout performers will show their hitting, pitching and fielding prowess on the baseball diamond in the Islandian Pro Alliance All-Star Classic... this will be the 67th game played... so far the Tycobbian All-Stars have dominated the Ruthlandian All-Stars in the annual event 44-22... however, the RU Stars have captured the last two games.

The Ruthlandian Union All-Stars will be led by two 6-time honorees, Jean St. Julien (Stoner) and Donald Ray Mooney (Elnora), 5-time All-Star Fred Hahn (Claxton) and 4-time participant Manny Sendejas (Wynnamac).

The Tycobbian Union All-Stars will feature 7-time selection Teddy Stonich (Rolling Hills), 6-time choice Buddy Blackford (Oxford) and six players with 4 All-Star appearances: Dontrelle Gilbreath (Red Bluff), Ozzy Crenshaw (Denton City), John Michael Lansdell (Kenwood), Roy Roberts (High Mesa), Showboat Lynn (Oxford) and Hugo Sutton (Rolling Hills)... no rookies made the premier squads this year... the elder statesman this year is the Ruthlandian All-Star closer Coy Gosselin (Glasco), who made it for the first time in his 15-year career at age 37... the youngest All-Stars this year are two 22-year-old hurlers Dennis Selvy (Ozarka) and Shelly Winger (Arroyo Grande)... both will be on the hill for the Tycobbian Stars.

Last year's Pro Cup managers will be in charge of the All-Stars... Southport's Lorne Evans will be at the helm of the Tycobbian Stars and Don Ritchie of Valmara will steer the Ruthlandian Stars.

Starting pitchers will be Scotty McElroy (12-4/2.71 ERA) of the Hillsboro Blazers for the TU Stars and D. D. Klem (13-3/2.34 ERA) of the Marston Nine for the RU Stars.

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Wednesday, July 13, 2067

TU STARS STUN RU STARS ON MACEDO'S GRAND SLAM
It ain't over till it's over - just ask the Tycobbian All-Stars... in an incredible comeback the TU Stars stunned the Ruthlandian All-Stars 8-7 in the 67th edition of the Islandian Pro Alliance All-Star Classic at Pleasure Beach Park in Southport... trailing 7-2 going into the ninth and getting ready to call it a day, the TU Stars suddenly erupted for six runs and rallied past the RU Stars 8-7... in an unforgettable finish Gabriel Macedo bashed a grand slam homer for the game winner... for his iconic achievement Macedo was voted the IPA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player trophy... the Ruthlandian All-Stars had won the past two games... however, the Tycobbian All-Stars have a decided advantage with an overall 45-22 mark in the midsummer classic.

Everything was going Ruthlandia's way until Macedo's fatal blast... the RU All-Stars rang up 16 hits, but it wasn't good enough... six players got two hits each: Ned Woodward (Sugar Valley), Percy Bodie (Waleska), Valentino Robles (Volusia), Fred Hahn (Claxton), Pokie Runkle (LaGrange) and Jean St. Julien (Stoner)... Hahn and Manny Sendejas (Wynnamac) hit homers for the RU Stars.

Gabriel Macedo (Kenwood) and Teddy Stonich (Rolling Hills) were the only TU Stars with two hits... Tycobbia collected 12 all total... Elmer Cane (San Alejo) was the winning pitcher... he worked a scoreless eighth frame... Shelly Winger (Arroyo Grande) got the save when he put down the RU Stars in the last of the ninth... Coy Gosselin (Glasco) came on in the top of the ninth and took the loss, victimized by Macedo's blast.

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Attachment 752400
Thursday, September 1, 2067

3 DIVISIONS STILL UP IN THE AIR IN THE IPA WITH ONE MONTH TO GO
Can Glasco hold off LaGrange in the RU North?... will it be Marston, Wynnamac or unheralded Beechwood in the RU East?... Can Oxford stave off challengers Hartsdale and White River in the TU North?... it's only one more month of play in the IPA and we'll know the answers at the end of September... there are also a couple of races still in question and a couple that may have been already decided... Claxton has a double-digit bulge on second place Grand City in the RU South race... and the Sligo Rovers have a solid edge over Fort Benton... over in the Tycobbian Union Rolling Hills looks like a sure winner in the TU West... short of a big collapse San Alejo and Hillsboro both have good leads in the TU South and TU East races.

Ruthlandian Union Recaps, Rumors and Recollections

Resurging LaGrange (75-58) is hot on the trail chasing the Glasco Foxhounds (76-56) for the Ruthlandian North Division crown... the Gators had a great August, going 21-6... the Hounds were 15-12... Far Mountain (71-63) still has a slight chance, too... Glasco has great pitching and will more probably prevail down the stretch.

In the Ruthlandian South Claxton (82-50) is coasting to its 5th consecutive pennant with a hefty 11-game edge over the Grand City Cybercats (71-61)... the Diamonds are just marking time until the playoffs begin... they are poised to take their 3rd Pro Cup trophy... Claxton is the favorite to win the RU title and play the TU titleholder for the Pro Cup... the Diamonds could be headed for another postseason showdown with Rolling Hills, favored in the Tycobbian Union.

Both Wynnamac (76-57) and Beechwood (72-60) floundered when it meant the most... neither did well in August... the Macs were a pathetic 10-17, while the Jackrabbits were 13-14... the Marston Nine (77-55) went 16-11 and surged past them... Marston won it last year and looks like a winner this year, too.

In the Ruthlandian West the Sligo Rovers (79-54) soared to terrific 20-8 last month and built up a comfortable 8 and a half-game lead on runner-up Fort Benton (70-62)... the Generals were an abysmal 8-18 in August... 'nuff said... this race is probably over.

Tycobbian Union Trials, Tribulations and Tantalizing Tales

There is still a great race in the Tycobbian North between preseason pick Oxford (77-55), last year's champion Hartsdale (76-57) and rising star White River (74-58)... can the Red Caps' superstars Buddy Blackford and Showboat Lynn pull it off again?... will the well-rounded Hellcats win out? or will it be new and improved White River Rascals, who are coming on strong in the late stages of the season?... the Rascals were 16-11 last month, the Red Caps 14-13 and the Hellcats 13-15... this is a tough call... it would be wise to go with Hartsdale with its solid offense... but on paper, White River may out do both Oxford and Hartsdale.

Defending Pro Cup champion Southport (73-60) and San Alejo (78-53) have been seesawing back-and-forth this season in the Tycobbian South... so it will come down to these two clubs... but the best team in the division right now is the red-hot and sizzling Arroyo Grande Suns (71-62)... they were a sensational 22-5 in August, while San Alejo was just 12-14 and Southport 15-13... the Montaneros are the superior team... the Sun Sox are not going to three-peat this season and capture its third straight Pro Cup trophy... the Monties have them beat on the mound and at the plate.

The Cinderella team in the Islandian Pro Alliance this year is the Hillsboro Blazers (77-55)... they are not just a flash-in-the-pan... they are for real... heading into September the Blazers are 6 games ahead of second place Tuckanarra (71-61), 7 better than last year's champ Red Bluff (71-63) and Ozarka (71-63) and 7 and a half games in front of preseason favorite High Mesa (70-63)... only the Red Sox played well last month (18-10), but they have too much ground to make up... the Blazers were a poor 11-16, but they may be able to hold on with solid pitchers Scotty McElroy (16-8/2.86 ERA) and Ramsey Crowe (15-7/3.07)... the Tucks were just 13-14... the Nats 13-14... and the Mustangs 14-14... nobody wants to win the pennant in the TU East... come on Blazers... win the darn thang.

Nothing is more certain than death and taxes... and the Rolling Hills Racers (86-47) in the Tycobbian West Division... for the 8th straight season the Racers are dominating everybody with their blistering bats and so-so pitching... it works in the regular season, but can cause them trouble in the playoffs... Rolling Hills carries a 9-game margin into September and short of a monumental collapse should take the division pennant once again... and if all falls in place, the Racers just might be in the market for its 6th Pro Cup trophy... time will tell... it's doubtful that runner-up LaClaire (77-56) can overtake them this year... Rolling Hills posted a 17-10 mark in August, while the Lynx were 15-13.

Go Marston go! :eatpop:

The Nine played very well down the stretch and won it... now they will head to the Pro Cup playoffs... I think they are a better team this year and just might go further than the first round... they will have to beat Claxton to get to the Pro Cup Finals... that's a tall order.

Claxton and Far Mountain have better scoring and better bullpens... but Marston can compete with them.

Marston hits very well for average (.285 BA)... but doesn't have a lot of power (95 HR)... that will hurt them in the playoffs... they do have 4 fine starters, but are weak in the bullpen... defense is their shortcoming (.973 FA)... league average is .978 FA.

Marston's pitching may be as good as Sligo's... and the Nine hit much better than the Rovers... Marston could be favored in the first round... and just might give Claxton some trouble in the RU title series.

I don't think Marston can whip Claxton or Far Mountain.

Attachment 752820
Tuesday, September 27, 2067

SURPRISE! SURPRISE! REDHAWKS AND RASCALS WIN PENNANTS!
There were two stunning turnarounds in the Islandian Pro Alliance... unsung Far Mountain and White River were surprise pennant winners... trailing by 5 and a half games going into September, the Redhawks roared past Glasco and LaGrange in the final month of the season to unexpectedly snatch the Ruthlandian North flag... and the Rascals routed Oxford and Hartsdale in the Tycobbian North... the major powers Rolling Hills, Claxton and Sligo easily survived and handily won their divisions... Marston, Hillsboro and San Alejo also staved off all of their challengers in relatively close races.

Ruthlandian Union Ramblings, Rumors and Recaps

Wow!
What a photo finish!
In the final month of the season the Far Mountain Redhawks (88-67) made up 5 and a half games to force a single-game playoff with the LaGrange Gators (87-68) for the Ruthlandian North title... the Redhawks whipped the Gators 5-2 in the playoff title game... the Glasco Foxhounds (85-69) wound up in third place, losing out by just 2 and one-half games... Far Mountain was a torrid 17-4 the last month, while LaGrange was 12-10 and Glasco faltered badly, going 9-13... this will be the Redhawks first trip to the postseason playoffs since 2062... they have won 3 Pro Cups in the team's history, won back-to-back-to-back in 2011, 2012 and 2013... Far Mountain has participated in 16 previous playoffs.

The class of the Ruthlandian South was the Claxton Diamonds (97-57), who easily chalked up their fifth consecutive division crown by 13 games over runner-up Grand City (84-70)... nobody was close to the Diamonds... they were picked to win big this season and they did... by 13 games... Claxton will be trying to win their second Pro Cup... they won it in 2064 when they upset powerful Rolling Hills... this will be the Diamonds' 19th postseason appearance.

In the Ruthlandian East the Marston Nine (90-64) repeated as division champion, but they had a tough time beating out the Beechwood Jackrabbits (86-68) and Wynnamac Sundowners (84-70)... Marston ran third most of the season, 3-4 games off the pace... the Nine made its move in August and moved up to the top spot with a 16-11 mark, while the Jackrabbits slipped to 13-14 and Wynnamac flopped to 10-17... Marston defeated the Jacks by 4 games and the Macs by 6 games... the Nine was 13-9 down the stretch... the Jackrabbits 14-8... and the Sundowners were only 8-13... this will be Marston 10th trip to the playoffs... the Nine has never yet won a Pro Cup.

The Sligo Rovers (91-63) won the Ruthlandian West by a good margin, defeating the Fort Benton Generals (83-71) by 8 games, Volusia (81-73) by 10 and Middlefield (78-76) by 13... they took over the division in August with a 20-8 mark and never sweated much thereafter... all of their rivals slumped badly that month... the Generals were only 8-18... the Volusia Vigilantes 11-16... and the Middlefield Roosters posted a 13-15 record... this was the 5th time the Rovers have prevailed in the RU West race in the last 9 seasons... they were runner-up in the other four years... this will be Sligo's 14th shot at the Pro Cup... they have won it only one time... that was long ago in 2021.

Tycobbian Union Trials, Tribulation and Testimonies

The White River Rascals started the season poorly in April, perked up a little bit in May, June, July and August, then they got very serious in September (17-5) and surged past the preseason pick Oxford Red Caps (8-14) by 6 games and last year's champ Hartsdale (8-13) by 7 games... this will be the 12th time the Rascals will make the postseason playoffs... so far, White River has never won a Pro Cup, but they have made the Finals on 4 occasions in 2021, 2049, 2050 and 2055.

Defending Pro Cup titleholder Southport (85-69) was aspiring to win its 3rd straight Pro Cup trophy this season, but the San Alejo Montaneros (88-66) put a stop to the Sun Sox's historic run... the Monties started off slowly and were in 7th place in May, but by August they had taken command by 8 games over Southport and Ginza... since then they have played subpar baseball (22-27), but it was good enough to withstand runner-up Southport by 3 games, fast-finishing Arroyo Grande by 5 games and Ginza by 7 games... the Sun Sox were 27-22 the last two months... the Suns were an amazing 34-14... and the Ninjas 22-26... San Alejo will be appearing in the playoffs for the 10th time... their last pennant came in 2064... the Montaneros won their only Pro Cup trophy in 2032.

The darling of the IPA baseball world this year is the Hillsboro Blazers, who finished a poor 7th last year... they went 39-14 the first two months of the season and were playing lights out, building a 10-game lead over all their rivals... but Hillsboro stumbled back to earth in June (10-16) and it became a 5-team race... the Blazers lead dipped to just 5 games... then in July Hillsboro went on another torrid tear (17-9) and got some solid breathing room heading into the last two months with 7-game margins... again they slumped to 11-16 in August... fortunately for the Blazers, no one took advantage of this... they had a 7-game edge on second place Tuckanarra heading into September... Hillsboro was only 11-11 in the final month of play... again, fate favored the Blazers (88-66) and they won the Tycobbian East by 5 games over preseason favorite High Mesa (83-71)... were 6 games up on last year's champion Red Bluff (82-72) and Tuckanarra (82-72)... and 7 games better than Ozarka (81-73)... the Mustangs had a good September, going 13-8... the Red Sox were 11-9... the Blue Jays 11-11... and the Naturals were 11-11... this will be only be Hillsboro's second appearance in the playoffs... the Blazers have only graced the postseason one time in the team's IPA history... Hillsboro will try to conclude a true Cinderella season by winning its first Pro Cup ever... won't happen, you say... the Blazers have to play powerful Rolling Hills in the first round... well, dreams sometimes come true in the Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup playoffs... underdogs sometimes have their day... remember the Ginza Ninjas in '59... the Hartsdale Hellcats in '63... and the Claxton Diamonds in '64.

In the Tycobbian West Rolling Hills (100-54) was the overwhelming choice to win their 8th successive division crown... for the third consecutive season the Racers rolled up 100 wins... this is the 5th time they have done this in the last 8 years... mighty Rolling Hills will be seeking a record-setting 6th Pro Cup... they whipped second place La Claire (87-67) by a whopping 13 games... Kenwood by 15 games... fourth place Arlon finished 24 games out... the Racers led the Lynx by a game in May and June... by 5 in July... by 6 in August... and by 9 heading into September... this will be Rolling Hills' 19th postseason appearance.

2067 Ruthlandian Union Final Batting Leaderboard
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2067 Ruthlandian Union Final Pitching Leaderboard
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2067 Tycobbian Union Final Batting Leaderboard
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2067 Tycobbian Union Final Pitching Leaderboard
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