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Friday, October 19, 2068

RACERS TAKE COMMAND IN TU TITLE SERIES, CLAXTON HOLDING ON IN RU
It beginning to look a lot like a Rolling Hills-Forest City Pro Cup Finals this year in the Islandian Pro Alliance... defending Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills smacked Southport 8-1 to take a big 3-1 advantage in the Tycobbian Union Finals... Forest City is still looking good in the RU Finals with a 3-1 lead, but they were beaten 2-1 by the Claxton Diamonds in the fourth game of the series.

2068 Tycobbian Union Title Series - Game 4
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Stars of the Game

2068 Ruthlandian Union Title Series - Game 4
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Just a curious question but who’s the best hitting pitcher in the history of the IPA? I’m assuming there’s no DH in either league.

No DH in my IPA.

That's an interesting question... Russell Krohn of the Claxton Diamonds is a two-way player... fine pitcher (96-45/2.71 ERA), but just a fair second baseman (.954 FA)... in 337 games Krohn is batting .293 in his career with 25 doubles, 25 triples, 25 homers, 117 RBIs,128 R, 19 SB.

Harry Vodenlich of the Marston Nine has hit .329 in his career with 19 doubles, 1 triple and 8 homers with 54 RBI and 63 runs... two-way player... 7-8 this year as a pitcher with a 4.25 ERA... he plays left field... just .974 FA... 28-23 in his career with a 3.73 ERA.

Tuffy Hatfield, two-way player for Kilkenny Cats... rookie pitcher and first sacker (.996 FA)... played 79 games at 1B... batted only .251 with 17 homers and 62 RBIs... was 14-12 on the mound with a 2.95 ERA.

Career-wise Jason Irons of the Valka Blackhawks was quite an athlete... hit .288 in his career with 50 doubles, 20 HR, 134 RBIs, 132 runs, 40 SB... .993 FA in left field... 33-20 on the mound with a 3.56 ERA.

Tyrus Cobb of the Middlefield Roosters... 172-165 on the hill with a 3.63 ERA... batted .280 in his career with 46 doubles, 7 triples, 16 homers, 94 RBIs and 121 ribbies... all as a pitcher... no two-way player.

Hubie Croft of the Arlon Champions and Ancona Red Elephants... 199-169 as a pitcher with a 4.09 ERA... hit .312 in his career with 36 doubles, 14 triples, 16 HRs, 91 RBI, 127 runs, 31 SB... was not a two-way player.

Thanks for asking this... it is a nice tidbit to add to my IPA trivia.

Attachment 779532
Saturday, October 20, 2068

AND THEN THEY WERE JUST TWO: MIGHTY RACERS AND UNHERALDED FIREBIRDS 2068 IPA PRO CUP FINALISTS
David versus Goliath on the baseball diamond... that could be the storyline for the 2068 IPA Pro Cup Series... the little noticed and unlikely Forest City Firebirds taking on the proverbial and perennial powerhouse, the Rolling Hills Racers... it will be the super slingers against the super swingers... may the best team win.

The two sensational clubs quickly eliminated two fine teams in the second round of play four games to one... Rolling Hills whipped Southport 5-1 in game five of the best-of-seven Tycobbian Union Title Series and Forest City got the best of Claxton 4-1 in the Ruthlandian Union Title Series.

Rolling Hills is aspiring to repeat as the IPA overall champion and garner its record-setting 7th Pro Cup... Forest City will be seeking its first-ever Pro Cup.

2068 Ruthlandian Union Title Series - Game 5
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2068 Tycobbian Union Title Series - Game 5
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Forest City vs. Rolling Hills - excellent!

#1 pick Rolling Hills against #7 pick Forest City.

It may be a better matchup than I think.

The Firebirds' staff may be as good as, if not better, than Red Bluff's... the Red Sox really did well against the Racers despite losing all four games.

2068 could be like 2065 when Claxton and its fine staff whipped the Racers and their hot-hittin' hitters in the Pro Cup Series.

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Tuesday, October 23, 2068

CAN FIREBIRDS COOL OFF RACER BATS IN IPA PRO CUP FINALS?
The big question being pondered all across the Islands: Are Forest City's big arms good enough to shut down the big guns of Rolling Hills?... well, not only do the Firebirds have to slow down the Racers' attack, they also have to put some runs on the scoreboard, too... and this year in the postseason no one has been able to do that against the surprisingly brilliant Rolling Hills' mound corps... the Racers seem to have it all this year and are heavy favorites to capture its unprecedented 5th Pro Cup in the last 9 seasons... can Forest Hill rise to the occasion and win their first Pro Cup?... the upcoming 2068 IPA Pro Cup Series will give up all the answers to everyone's questions... it gets underway tomorrow afternoon at the historic Midtown Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills, the site of game one of a best-of-seven series... games one and two are slated for Rolling Hills, games three through five at Riverside Stadium in Forest City and the final two back at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds.

Regular season comparison shows Forest Hill can compete with Rolling Hills, but when you look at what the Racers have done in the postseason on the mound... it looks like a no-brainer... Rolling Hills is clearly the better team... the Racers should win the 2068 Pro Cup trophy... the question is which Rolling Hills' staff will show up?... that will be the key to the series.

2068 IPA Pro Cup Outlook: upon gazing into my mystical crystal ball and meditating profusely, it all came to me suddenly in crystal-clear fashion: Rolling Hills will defeat Forest City in 7 games... I saw those exact 9 words very plainly in that mystical crystal ball that never deceives... the Racers' all-star lineup is just too hard to shut down... if they just get decent pitching, they should win... it will be close though... Forest City has some really good pitchers, but they lack the offense to whip the Racers.
Please note, I use the very same crystal ball used by Carnac the Magnificent on the Johnny Carson Show.

Forest City Firebirds
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Rolling Hills Racers
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Thursday, October 24, 2068

FIREBIRDS ARE FOR REAL, NAB PRO CUP OPENER FROM FAVORED RACERS
The Forest City Firebirds have gotten by two fine teams in the first round and second rounds of the IPA playoffs... now they have to beat the best of the best, the Rolling Hills Racers, in the Pro Cup Finals.

So far, so good... Forest City shut down Rolling Hills 4-1 in the first game of the best-of-seven series... they have a long way to go, but this was a great start for the unheralded and unruffled Firebirds.

2068 Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Series: Game 1
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Friday, October 26, 2068

GIANT AWAKES IN GAME 2, RACERS SOCKED IT TO THE FIREBIRDS IN THE IPA PRO CUP SERIES
Little David got a huge opening-day win in the Islandian Pro Cup Series when Forest City totally shut down the powerful bats of Rolling Hills, the defending Pro Cup champion... however, in game two Goliath awoke from the slumber and zapped the Firebirds 7-5 to even the best-of-seven series at one game each.

2068 Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Series: Game 2
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Saturday, October 27, 2068

FOREST CITY JUST MIGHT BE HEADED FOR ITS FIRST IPA PRO CUP TROPHY
If the Forest City Firebirds continue to keep the mighty Rolling Hills' hitters off the scoreboard, they just might reach the highest heights in the Islands... the Firebirds are playing some serious baseball and their prize could be the much-cherished Pro Cup... but it's been only three games... it's a best-of-seven series... so let's not count our chickens too soon... there is a whole lot of baseball left to be played.

Yesterday, Forest City was outhit, but not outpitched or outplayed... the Firebirds stopped the Racers 5-2 in game three and moved ahead in the series two games to one.

2068 IPA Pro Cup Series: Game 3
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Racers missed a chance to get a needed road win in game three. Too many walks, too many men LOB. :eatpop:

I think the Racers have their hands full with the Firebirds... Rolling Hills needs a win badly from the ancient arm of 39-year-old Clay Callaghan... he came through for them in the first round... he beat Red Bluff in the fourth game... and he did the same thing to Southport in the Tycobbian Title Series.