The Islandian Times
Tuesday, September 21, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Rattlers Rattle Rovers, McConnell Blanks 'Em
The Sugar Valley Rattlers knocked off Sligo 4-0 behind the strong shutout pitching of Benny McConnell in game one of the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series, played in Sligo at Silver Mountain Park... 26-game winner McConnell halted the Rovers on 5 hits, fanned 5 and walked 2, going all the way to beat Les Patterson, the IPA ERA leader... the Rattlers rattled Patterson 90-1) for 12 hits and 4 runs in 8 innings... he struck out 8, but walked 5 in a lackluster outing... SS Jack Sanderson and 2B Glenn Christian paced Sugar Valley with 3 hits each... 1B Ralph Cole doubled in 2 runs... 3B Eddie Newman tripled in one and CF Randall Hawson singled in the other one for the winners.

Ancona Slips By Cybercats 4-3 In Opener
At home at Jay Loman Park, the Ancona Red Elephants fought back from 2-0 and and 3-2 deficits to slip past Grand City 4-3 in the opening game of the RU Elite 8 Series... Ancona won it in the last of the eight on a passed ball by C Woodrow Mason... two singles by LF Kenny Willard and 1B Aleksos Kotas put runners on second and third... Willard scored the winning run from third on the miscue... Clete Dukas (1-0) gritted out 8 innings for the win, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits... in the ninth Lynwood Marshall retired the side in order for the save... Jimbo Stearns (0-1) went the distance, giving up 3 earned runs on 10 hits... he totaled 4 Ks and walked one... 3B Jug Slavin gave Grand City the lead in the third on a two-run clout... only to be matched by Kotas in the bottom of the frame... LF Lee Barrett gave the Cybercats the lead again in the seventh with an RBI single... 3B Dave Hoover's triple and Dukas' sac fly knotted it up again in the last of the seventh... Kotas paced the Red Elephants with 3-4 and 2 RBIs and Willard went 2-3 and scored twice... Slavin led Grand City with a pair of hits and 2 runs batted in.

Tycobbian Union

Rascals Nip Suns 3-2 In 10 Innings
The underdog White River Rascals stole a 3-2 game from the highly-favored Arroyo Grande Suns at Capet Stadium in the first game of the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series... the Rascals only got 2 hits in the game... In the decisive tenth 2B Vinny Ulrich worked a walk off Sun closer and loser Jason Patrick (0-1) to lead off the frame... pinchrunner Doug Patterson was sacrificed to second and then stole third and rode home with winning run when SS Andy Pearson booted a groundball... White River starter Ron Hendrix (1-0) hurled a fine game, holding the hard-hitting Suns to 2 runs on 6 hits in 9 innings with 7 strikeouts and 3 walks... Arnie Montel saved the win for Hendrix with a scoreless tenth... Arroyo Grande's starter Sixto Zamora was also outstanding, yielding only 2 hits and 2 runs, while working 9 innings... Zamora struck out 10 and issued 3 walks.

1B Amos Dunston's homer gave the Rascals a 2-0 edge in the second inning and it held up until the Suns finally scored on a Zamora sacrifice fly in the seventh frame, cutting the lead to one run... Arroyo Grande evened it up in the last of the eight 2-2 on a double by Pearson and a triple by CF Johnny Whittier... Pearson led the losers with 3 hits in 5 appearances, 2 of them doubles.

Bucs Stun Nats On Fraser's Grand Slam
Uh Oh! The arch-nemesis Bay St. Clair Buccaneers are at it again, giving the Pro Cup favorites a hard time... in game one of the TU Elite 8, the Bucs stunned the Ozarka Naturals on the road at Ellie Ewing Stadium 6-1... Bobby Joe Belvin's strong pitching and C Teddy Fraser's 4-run blast in the top of the eighth sent the Nats down to defeat... Belvin went all the way and held powerful Ozarka to just one run on 7 hits... Belvin walked only one and fanned 4... the Bucs tagged losing pitcher Benny Osterman (0-1) for 6 runs and 10 hits in his 7+ innings... Bay St. Clair only held a precarious 2-1 lead going into the fateful inning... Fraser's grand slam gave Belvin plenty of breathing room.

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Around the Town in the IPA

SLIGO ROVERS

Owner: Myron Dalrymple, CEO of the Silver Mountain Ski Resort

GM/Manager: Eddie Keys

Sligo is located in the slopes of the Silver Mountains in northern Ruthlandia. Because of its remote location, the area was largely uninhabited until 1872 when silver was discovered in the hills surrounding the town. The name of the town comes from Theodore Sligo, one of the men who originally discovered the silver. Sligo laid out the roads and a tent city popped up shortly after the discovery. By the turn of the century, the mines had produced more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the nation. Many fine examples of Victorian architecture that were built during the era are well-preserved today.

When the mines stopped producing in the late 1940s, the town lost almost half of its population and fell upon hard times. It survived mainly on its timber industry until the 1970s when environmental concerns caused the town to form a commission that would seek alternative industries that could sustain the economy. The commission findings led to a rebirth of the once-beautiful city. Through various tax breaks, the town was able to attract several builders to construct ski resorts just outside of town. The town also refurbished many of the historic buildings that had fallen into disrepair and decided to place its economic emphasis on tourism.

With a population of only 38,000, Sligo is the smallest town to own a team in the Islandian Pro Alliance and has at various times struggled to meet ends meet despite having very loyal fans. The 1973 commission made it clear in its report that the town should figure out a way to provide long term stability to the local nine as it would be a devastating blow to civic pride if the Rovers were to leave town. As a result, the ballpark was part of the downtown refurbishment and the team signed a long-term lease that makes it difficult for the Rovers to leave. In the 80s, the team was sold to Myron Dalrymple, owner of the highly successful Silver Mountain Ski Resort. Dalrymple is respected among long-time Sligo residents for settling in town and helping to revive its economy.

The Rovers play at Silver Mountain Park which seats 5,678 spectators and was originally built in 1912. The ballpark’s mid-seventies facelift did a good job of preserving its historic nature and the town funded yet another update in 1998 when four sky suites were added along with expanding the clubhouses. SM Park sports a brick façade and is tucked among historic Main Street’s shopping district. There is no parking here, but the sight of fans walking to the ballpark on a balmy summer afternoon fits in well with the town’s quaint ambiance. The team plays to that ambiance by having a barber shop quartet stationed outside the main ticket booth to greet approaching fans.

Speaking of music, you won’t find loud rock and roll music blaring from a state of the art sound system here. Like Hillsboro, Kenwood, Ozarka and Marston, the team employs an organist who serenades fans with classic tunes and is quite adept at finding songs that have something to do with the batter’s last name. Food here is among the most affordable in all of the IPA, and while you will find classic ballpark fare like peanuts, hot dogs, and crackerjacks, the most popular item on the menu may well be the roasted corn on the cob that is slathered with mayonnaise.

Despite its nod to the traditional, the team has added one of those big fuzzy mascots in recent years. “Rover”, a giant red dog, roams the stands entertaining children and adults alike. When fans catch a foul ball, the public address announcer will announce to “give that fan a contract,” and Rover will indeed present the fan with a “contract” and a "doggy bag" filled with club gifts. Another Silver Mountain park tradition traces its roots back to the team’s current manager Eddie Keys. During his playing days for the Rovers, fans would jingle their keys whenever he came to bat. The tradition continues to this day whenever a rally is in order.

Silver Mountain Park (1912)

Capacity: 5,678

Dimensions:
Left Field Line - 328
Left Field - 350
Left Center - 382
Center Field - 387
Right Center - 382
Right Field - 366
Right Field Line - 342

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 22, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Rattlers Whip Rovers Again, Up 2-0 In Series
Sugar Valley starter Nick Moore shut out Sligo for 7 innings and the Rattlers put up a 3-0 lead, enabling them to whip the Rovers 5-2 in game two of the RU Elite 8 Series and go up two games to none in the best-of-seven series... Moore (1-0) stopped Sligo on 6 hits for the win... three relievers finished the Rovers off, but did give up single runs in the eighth and ninth... both teams picked up 7 hits apiece... CF Randall Hawson opened up the scoring for Sugar Valley with a 2-run shot in the fourth frame and RF Terry Goudeau made it 3-0 with a solo homer in the sixth... 1B Ralph Cole drove in the final Rattler runs in the ninth with a 2-run single... Sligo got its first run scored on a wild pitch in the eighth and SS Vic Carlin's ninth-inning home run... Ralph Odakota (0-1) suffered the loss, going the distance and permitting 5 runs and 7 hits.

Cybercats Bomb Ancona 7-4, Series Even
Grand City CF Lee Barrett was a one-man wrecking crew with 2 homers and 4 RBIs in the Cybercaps 7-4 thrashing of Ancona in the second game of the RU Elite 8 Series... the two clubs are now tied at one game each... the Cybercats had to come back from a 4-1 deficit after the first three innings... starter Clint Brewer (1-0) notched the victory by working 5 innings... he was tagged for 4 runs on 6 hits... Paul McBride and Ralph Teague both hurled two scoreless frames to protect the win... Teague got the save... Ancona starter Bud Garner was the losing pitcher... he was hit hard for 6 runs and 8 hits in his 7 innings... Grand City got 11 hits and were led by Barrett and RF Nick Baldini with 2 hits each... Baldini also went deep in the fourth... the Red Elephants were paced by 1B Alekos Kotas and CF Terry Thorsen... they each slammed a solo home run.

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Around the Town In the IPA

WHITE RIVER RASCALS

Owner: Tycalco,
President and CEO: Hugh Howard
GM/Manager: Mick Cronyn

The city of White River, with 66,000 inhabitants, is situated in northwestern Tycobbia in the Appian Mountain foothills on the banks of the White River. Most of the time the river flows serenely, but there are occasional whitewater rapids. The river ends at Bayview on the western coast where it empties into the Kelnyck Ocean.

Prior to the mining business, this area was just wilderness. White River owes its existence and development to Tycalco. It is totally a company town. Its economy is dominated by the Tycobbian Aluminum Company, which was established in 1890. Bauxite, alumina and chemicals, found in abundance in the nearby Appian Mountains, are processed into a wide range of aluminum products and shipped to Bayview by water and Fairfax on Blue Lake to the south by rail for distribution. Tycalco’s towering corporate skyscraper can be seen from White River Park across the river in downtown White River. Architecture in the area is modernistic. However, the White River Rascals play at one of the lovely vintage and nostalgic ballparks in Tycobbia. It was built in 1924.

White River Park is a lovely old-time ball park circa 1924 with a scenic and wonderful view of its river namesake just beyond the centerfield fence. The 18-foot high aluminum wire fences down the left and right field lines make it a little more difficult for hitters to hit the ball into the stands, which are only 310 feet away. Tycalco originated company amateur leagues to provide the community and its employees and their families with recreational activities. When the Islandian Pro Alliance was established, the company purchased a franchise. The White River Rascals play in the Tycobbian Union North Division.

A trip to White River Park is something really special. Not only is it a baseball park, it is also a state-of-the-art amusement park. Before and after games amusement rides can be enjoyed by young and old, complete with good food, fun rides, fireworks and music concerts of all genres, all subsidized and underwritten in part by Tycalco,

The Rascals are administered and managed by former pitcher Mick Cronyn. He was 196-201 with a 3.76 ERA in his 15 seasons with White River.

White River Park (1924)

Capacity: 5,685

Dimensions:
Left Field Line - 310
Left Field - 340
Left Center - 370
Center Field - 410
Right Center - 370
Right Field - 340
Right Field Line - 310

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 22, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Tycobbian Union

O'Reilly Shackles Rascals 3-0, Suns Knot Series
On a warm and rainy day in Arroyo Grande, Earl O'Reilly and two relievers blanked White River 3-0 on 3 hits to knot the TU Elite 8 at a game each... O'Reilly went 7 innings, whiffed 8 batters, walked 3 and gave up the 3 hits... Jason Patrick and Steve Sampson each worked a perfect inning to close it out... Sampson got the save... the loss went to Joe Hudson (0-1), who surrendered 3 runs and 5 hits in 6+ frames... LF Eduardo Villanueva plated the first Sun run with a single in the bottom of the third... Arroyo Grande added to it with 2 runs in the sixth on RF Buddy Bechtel's solo homer and SS Andy Pearson's bunt single and 1B Sherm Miles triple.

Ozarka Outslugs BSC 10-7, Evens Series
The Ozarka Naturals unleashed a 15-hit barrage and outslugged Bay St. Clair 10-7 in game two of the TU Elite 8... the Nats busted up a 7-7 tie with 3 runs in the last of the eighth on RF Ken Mayberry's RBI single and CF Ryoma Nakayama's 2-run hit... Mayberry led Ozarka with 4 hits, while Nakayama, 3B Andre Dumas and C Frank Kiffin drove in 3 runs apiece... Nakayama, Dumas and Kiffin each homered... CF Bill Howell went 3-5 and scored twice to top the Bucs... LF Florent Schoonmaker drove in a pair of runs... Nats reliever Wayne Gates (1-0) got the win with the defeat going to Buccaneer reliever Steve Richt (0-1)... Gates, Al Chylak and Dennis Purcell were the only effective pitchers for Ozarka... they blanked Bay St. Clair the last two innings.

The Islandian Times
Thursday, September 23, 2021

Around the Town in the IPA

GRAND CITY CYBERCATS

Owner: Gates Billington, Synergy Technologies
GM/Manager: Wynn Joslin

Grand City is a town of 128,000 and the largest population-wise in the Islands. It has a very special and very short history. It was the brainchild of multi-millionaire Gates Billington, computer and financial genius. It was his vision to build the "perfectly planned" town. Originally Grand City was called Emerald and was just a small fishing village on the southern coast of Ruthlandia near the Valerian Ocean. It was settled by the Scotch-Irish and English in the early 1800's, who came to get away from religious intolerance in the British Isles.

It remained a sleepy little fishing village until 1990, when Billington bought up all of the real estate and decided to make his dream city come true. He and his entrepreneurial cohorts pooled their money, ideas and plans and made it come to fruition in 5 short years. Grand City went up overnight and soon became the most populous town/city in the Islands and one of the most prosperous.

Billington created a financial and high tech industrial complex. These ambitious business and civic leaders have boosted Grand City into a sophisticated, fastlane cultural metropolis. It is a town of skyscrapers, beautiful boulevards, condos, high rise apartments, all arranged in perfect symmetry. Autos are not permitted in Grand City. Residents must use it highly-advanced public transportation system, walk or ride bicycles. Only service vehicles are permitted on the streets of the city. And in keeping with the town's high tech, modernistic motif, the Grand City Cybercats of the Islandian Pro Alliance play in a brand new state-of-the-art stadium, Syntergy Park.

Billington is a big-time baseball fan and is the owner of the club. He has more money than he knows what to do with. No expense was spared at this ballpark. Everything is computerized. When you get your order at the concession stands, all the hot food items are hot, all the cold items are cold and you get them served quickly without standing in line very long.

The highly-paid technocrats are really pampered with the best of everything. You don't miss any of the ball game at Syntergy Park. Since the Grand City Cybercats have just come into being in 2002, they have no amateur and industrial league history, so they have no established traditions.

To insure success on the diamond, Billington hired one of the best baseball minds in the Islands, Tory Joseph. He is the general manager of the Cybercats. Joseph was a solid hitter and fair catcher in his playing days, who became one of the best industrial league managers. Joseph recently stepped down in favor of Wynn Joslin, a journeyman shortstop in his playing days with Grand City. Joslin batted .263 in a 5-year career.

Syntergy Park (2001)

Capacity: 15,000

Dimensions:
LF Line 340
LF 360
LCF 375
CF 400
RCF 375
RF 360
RF Line 340

The Islandian Times
Thursday, September 23, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Rovers Rap Rattlers 7-5 In 12 Innings
After being held to 2 runs in the first two games of the Ruthlandian Elite 8, the Sligo finally snapped out of its slumber with a hard-earned 7-5 scary ten-inning victory over Sugar Valley in game 3... it was a must-win game for the Rovers, another loss would have been a death sentence... Sligo cut the Rattlers series lead to two games to one in the best-of-seven series... LF Biff Blauer doubled in the winning runs... Sligo was shut out 1-0 the first five innings by Harry Diefendorf, then they erupted for 5 runs in the next three innings to take a 5-1 lead into the last of the eighth... however Sugar Valley pounced back with 4 runs to tie it up and send the game into extra innings... Sligo had 12 hits and were sparked by 1B Johnny Lee Harder (.500) with 4 hits and 2 RBIs, including a home run... Blauer (.143) and RF Clell Renshaw (.167) also drove in a pair of runs each and CF Chris Michel (.385) had 2 hits and scored twice... the third Rover pitcher Vance Coleman (1-0) notched the win with two scoreless innings... the Rattlers outhit the Rovers... they got 13 and were led by RF Randall Hawson (.538) with 4 hits and 2 RBIs... Hawson got his 2nd homer of the series, a 2-run shot in the eighth... Fernando Vargas (0-1) didn't get anybody out in the 12th and suffered the loss.

Maragos Blanks 'Cats, Ancona Takes Lead
In game three of the RU Elite 8 Series at Syntergy Park in Grand City, Nikon Maragos (1-0) used his magic on the mound to spin a 3-0 shutout, stopping Grand City on just 5 hits to gain a 2-1 lead in the RU Elite 8... Brent Sturgis (0-1) lost it, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits, while going the route... C Adonis Drakos (.250) singled in the first run of the game in the fifth frame to give the Red Elephants an early lead... they got two more in the top of the ninth when 3B Todd Nasso (.250) tripled in a run and scored on PH Terry Thorsen's (.286) sac fly.

The Islandian Times
Thursday, September 23, 2021

Around the Town in the IPA

Bay St. Clair Buccaneers

Owner: Louis "Sugar Lips" Charles
GM/Manager: Guy Rondre (pronounced "Gee Ron-dray")

Bay St. Clair is a major port, tourist destination and petroleum and railroad center, located in southwestern Tycobbia on its namesake, Bay St. Clair, a great natural harbor. It is a town of 117,000 resting on the Appian River, which empties into the Kelnyck Ocean. The town was established in the 1850s by a group of American abolitionists from the North and the South, who saw the coming Civil War. They wanted to set up a country free from slavery and religious intolerance.

Offshore oil rigs in the Southern Sea provide a great boost to the local economy and a thriving petroleum business. Noxxe Oil Corporation is one of the nation's biggest and its home office is in Bay St. Clair.

Breathtakingly beautiful white beaches and luxurious hotels dot the coastline. Bay St. Clair has a multicultural heritage with French and Creole backgrounds. It is known for great music, exquisite cuisine and good times. Bon Temps ("Good Times" in French) is a lenten carnival, famous for parades, costumed balls and frivolity. Jazz funerals are a noted part of the town's culture.

Another important annual event and tourist lure is the Bay St. Clair Jazz and Music Heritage Foundation's "Razzmajazz". This is ten days of jazz, blues, gospel and rock greats.

Bay St. Clair is also home of the Buccaneers baseball team of the Islandian Pro Alliance. The Bucs are in the Tycobbian Union's West Division. They are owned by jazz immortal, Louis "Sugar Lips" Charles. This Creole singer and trumpeteer loves his baseball just about as much as his music. He was one of the league creators along with Jock Ewing of Waleska, rock star Conway Birdie of Cape Coral, Rob Jackson of Forest City and IPA Commissioner John Banson.

The club plays at Shoreline Stadium, which looks out on the beautiful white beaches and blue-watered bay. A brass band, often led by "Sugar Lips", entertains the fans at all Buccaneers' games. At the seventh-inning stretch, the band plays "When the Bucs Go Marching In". And when the opposing teams have to go to the bullpen for a relief pitcher, the band welcomes him with a funeral dirge, a sad and mournful song. When the game is decided in favor of the Bucs, they begin playing a lively Dixieland victory tune and parade around the stadium.

Concessions are great with wonderful Creole soul food, gumbo (seafood/okra soup), red beans and rice, jambalaya (seafood casserole), hot beignets (pronounced "ben-yays"), hot out-of-the-grease doughnuts, covered in powdered sugar, cafe au lait (chicory coffee with hot milk), pecan pralines (candy), snowballs, topped with sweet condensed milk, and the traditional hamburgers and hot dogs.

Bay St. Clair's GM and Manager is hometown boy, Guy Rondre, a fine southpaw in his industrial league days. He was known for a great fastball and was nickname "Lightning".

Shoreline Stadium (1940)

Capacity: 11,900

Dimensions:
LF Line 332
LF 360
LCF 388
CF 400
RCF 381
RF 350
RF Line 325

The Islandian Times
Thursday, September 23, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Tycobbian Union

Bucs Zaps Ozarka 6-4, Up 2-1 In Series
The Bay St. Clair Buccaneers continue to be a postseason thorn-in-the-side to the mighty Ozarka Naturals... the Bucs beat them 6-4 with the aid of 3 homers and a gutsy hill performance by winning pitcher Marty Elenbaas to go up in the TU Elite 8 two games to one... Bay St. Clair cracked 11 hits and got solo homers from LF Florent Schoonmaker (.364), RF Don Smithers (.250) and 1B Jerry Todd (.400)... Elenbaas (1-0) worked 8 innings and threw over 150 pitches for the win... Elenbaas gave up 4 runs on 6 hits in his 8 innings, while Eddie Roberts (0-1) took the loss for the Nats... Roberts was gone after 6 innings after being raked for 5 runs and 9 hits... Benson O'Brian closed out the victory with a 1-2-3 ninth for the save... in a seesaw affair the Ozarka took a 2-0 lead in the first frame... the Buccaneers shaved it to one run in their opening at-bat, then went up 3-1 in the last of the fourth... the Nats tied it at 3-all in the fifth, only to have Ozarka snatch back the lead 4-3 in the bottom of the inning and added to it with another score in the sixth, making it 5-3... the Nats pick up a run in the seventh, but the Bucs got an insurance run to finish off the scoring in the bottom of the inning... leading the way to the win were Bucs LF Schoonmaker with 3 hits and 2 RBIs, Todd with 2 hits and 2 RBIs and CF Bill Howell (.538) with 2 hits and 2 runs scored... Tony Genassi (.500) paced Ozarka with 2 doubles, 3B Andre Dumas (.077) batted across 2 runs and RF Ken Mayberry (.545) scored twice.

Rascals Sock It To Suns 10-3 in Game 3

The lightly-regarded White River Rascals went berserk and roared by the Ancona Red Elephants 10-3 to cop game three of the TU Elite 8 and a 2-1 series lead... White River socked 18 hits with SS Kenny Young (.250), 1B Marty Blake (.417), RF Hal Littleton (.273) and LF Amos Dunston (.364) collecting 3 hits apiece... C Tom Hewlett (.125) batted in 3 runs for the Rascals, Dunston had 2 runs batted in and Young scored 3 times... manager Mick Cronyn also got a solid outing out of Del Brewer (1-0), who held the Suns to just one earned run and 6 hits in a complete game... in a ragged start losing pitchers Ernie Matthews (0-1) was raked over the coals for 6 runs and 10 hits in just 3+ innings.

The Islandian Times
Friday, September 24, 2021

Around the Town in the IPA

Ancona Red Elephants

Owner: Golden Hill Insurance Company
President of the Board: Dimitrios Vakros
GM: Nick Yakis
Manager: Manny Mickens

Ancona, a town of 68,000 is situated on the west coast of Valdar Island, on the banks of Valdar Bay in the nation of Ruthlandia. In terms of topography, it is an area of mostly flat land with rocky soil, coupled with occasional stony bluffs and hills. It is a chilly, rainy and foggy climate, especially in the winter. Founded by Greek settlers in the late 1870s, who set up the town as a supply port for whaling and cargo ships. They named the town Ancona, because the harbor was shaped like an elbow. "Ancona" is similar in meaning to the Greek word "ankon" for elbow. Ancona still has a thriving Greek community and they make up about a fourth of the town's residents.

When whaling began to decline around 1910, the town sought other revenue streams. The Ancona Whaling Cooperative expanded into maritime insurance and started the Golden Hill Insurance Company. By the late 1940s it had become the largest insurance company in Ruthlandia. The company motto stated, "Golden Hill For Life".

The company also owns a IPA baseball franchise, the Ancona Red Elephants, who have an interesting history of their own. Originally founded by Jay Loman, an American emigre stock trader during the Roaring '20s. He was an alumnus of the University of Alabama and was a big fan of the Red Elephants athletic teams. So he named his company team the Red Elephants. Loman spent a fortune on his expensive hobby, building a new ballpark and going to the mainland to sign up the best players he could get, illegally paying his "amateurs" exorbitant salaries. Valdar Island was bypassed by many early immigrants because of its inhospitable topography. No one wanted to live there. Big salaries were the only way he could get the best players to come and play in the Valdar Island league. The Ancona Red Elephants were a very dominant team for a decade and were huge fan favorites in the local industrial league. They won the coveted Silver Whale Cup nine years in a row, which is given annually to the Valdar Island League Champion. Like many speculators, Loman lost everything in the Black Monday crash of 1929, including the Red Elephants, who were sold at auction and purchased by the Golden Hill Insurance Company.

Jay Loman Park still stands today and is considered a timeless classic, with its high-arching bleachers in left and right field offering excellent sightlines. Out beyond center field, the immense gold building that houses Golden Hill can be seen, along with some of the old historical buildings of the town, many of which date back to Ancona's whaling days.

The chief food attraction at the stadium is the Catch of the Day Special, a succulent fish and chips meal whose seafood component is never the same thing for two home games in a row. A hot cup of delicious seafood chowder goes good on a chilly Anconan afternoon at Jay Loman Park. Traditional ballpark fare is also available. You will also be entertained by Eddie and Ellie Elephant, the team's mascots. They lead the fans in dances, songs and cheers at each game. You will hear "The Elephant Trumpet" regularly at Elephant games and especially whenever Ancona hits a home run or wins a game.

Ree Ree Ree!
Elephants on parade!
Elephants on parade!

You think you can beat the best
But you're just like the rest
When pachyderm power strikes!
When pachyderm power strikes!

So goodbye ball! (if a homer)
So goodbye (opponent name)! (if a win)
Three cheers for the Elephants!
Three cheers for the Elephants!

Ree! Ree! Ree!

After the game, fans often go to The Mudbath, the unofficial Red Elephants sports bar to talk about the game, knock off a cold brew or two and listen to live music from a local band.

Speaking of local bands, there's a thriving music scene in Ancona and none is more popular than the world-famous Manatees, a best-selling musical group who sings sea chanties and other traditional songs that hearken back to the city's initial whaling days. They, along with the rest of the local groups, are often found playing in the town's equally popular taverns, especially on cold winter nights.

The Ancona Red Elephants GM is Nick Yakis. He has been a player and manager for over 30 years in the Valdar Island League. And keeping everything in the family, Yakis hired his son-in-law, Manny Mickens, as manager. Mickens was a 16-year old phenom in his playing days in the company league. He was a centerfielder who could do it all on the diamond. After retiring as a player, Mickens was quite successful running the baseball program at Ancona University.

Jay Loman Park (1922)

Capacity: 8,899

LF Line 332
LF Line 352
LCF 375
CF 415
RCF 375
RF 352
RF Line 332

The Islandian Times
Friday, September 24, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Abromowitz Blitzes Rattlers, Sligo Evens Series
It's all even at two games apiece in the RU Elite 8 between Sligo and Sugar Valley... the Rovers rode Luka Abromowitz's 3-hit pitching to a 2-0 victory over the Rattlers at Farmers Memorial Park in Sugar Valley... Abromowitz fanned 6 batters and issued 3 walks... it was a scoreless duel until Sligo broke the ice with single runs in the final two frames... 3B Manny Alou (.235) homered in the eighth and CF Chris Michel's (.353) sacrfice fly accounted for the other one in the ninth... Benny McConnell (1-1 0.50) went the distance in defeat, allowing only 2 runs on 10 hits with 6 Ks and a walk.

Stearns Stops Ancona, Cybercats Tie Series
Grand City's 38-year-old lefty Jimbo Stearns won the most important game of his career with a 4-2 triumph over Ancona at home at Syntergy Park to tie up the RU Elite 8 Series at two games each... a 16-year veteran, Stearns fired a 3-hitter, struck out 6 and walked 2 and beat Ancona's ace Clete Dukas... the Cybercats got to Dukas (1-1 3.57) for 12 hits, but stranded 12 baserunners... Dukas walked 5 and fanned 5 in the loss... Cybercat CF Lee Barrett (.375) led the way with 3 hits and 2 RBIs... Barrett homered in the second frame, where Grand City went up 4-1... it was Barrett's third homer in the series... the Red Elephants only runs came on solo homers by 3B Todd Nasso (.267) in the second and 1B Alekos Kotas (.333) in the seventh.

The Islandian Times
Friday, September 24, 2021

Around the Town in the IPA

Arroyo Grande Suns

Owner: Capet Manor Vineyards, Abelard Capet, President and CEO

GM: Jean-Luc Marchand
Manager: Cyclone Cobb

Arroyo Grande is a coastal town of 72,000 located on Arvonian Island, which is south of the main island that composes Tycobbia and Ruthlandia. Arvonian Island is politically part of Tycobbia.

When the first Portuguese sailors and settlers arrived to the region, they discovered a native people already there, who called themselves the Islans (Iz-lons) and spoke their own language, Islandean (Iz-lon-dee-an). The name of the town is from the Portuguese language and translates into English as "Magnificient Spring".

As you might expect from the name, there is a stunning hot spring located in the town, with several tributaries appearing on the outskirts that provide the fountain for the many bath houses that are a major component of the town's tourism industry. Indeed, as the famous Tycobbian author Nicholas Appleby wrote upon visiting the main spring, "I stepped into those steaming, blissful waters and knew then that heaven exists not in the remote sky, but in the town of Arroyo Grande."

Another critical component to the economy is Capet Manor, a massive fruit farm and vineyard operation on the outskirts of town. Makers of the famed Capet Manor wines and juices, the estate has been owned by the Capet family since the early 1900s. They claim to be able to trace their lineage all the way back to the Capet dynasty of French kings. Abelard Capet is the current owner of both the Manor and the Arroyo Grande Suns.

It is almost a requirement that residents be multi-lingual. English, Islandean, French and Portugese are heard on the busy streets of Arroyo Grande. Arroyo Grande University, a private four-year college of 4,500 students, further affirms this, with their specialities in languages, literature, history, drama, and dance.

This lovely coastal town has more to offer than just academia, hot springs and something to drink. The white sand beaches are a delight to sunbathe on with the wonderful Southern Sea just a few steps away for swimming and boating. In the town itself, theatres and moviehouses abound, offering plays, ballets and movies ranging from the latest blockbuster hits to one of the fine independent films from Arroyo Grande's small, but high quality cadre of independent filmmakers.

And of course there are the Arroyo Grande Suns. The team plays in Capet Park, a grass field stadium that has one of the most beautiful backdrops in all of the Islands. In the distance are the sky-blue waters of the Southern Sea. Multitudes of gorgeous palm trees line the pretty boulevards and streets of the town.

An upper deck level that sits out in center field directly beneath the scoreboard is nicknamed the Sunspot and it's home to the most diehard Suns fans, who paint their faces orange and yellow, the team's colors, roaring and beating on their drums in celebration whenever there's a home team home run or rally.

The food at the stadium is a mixture of traditional ballpark fare and food unique to Arroyo Grande, such as native Islan dishes that include the popular rissora, a curry rice that washes down well with your favorite Capet Manor drink.

The Arroyo Grande Suns are skippered by Cyclone Cobb, who was quite a speedster in his 15 seasons in the IPA... Cobb stole 689 bases and batted a respectable .278, while playing for San Dimas, Bay St. Clair, Arroyo Grande and Glasco. The general manager Jean-Luc Marchand was jouneyman catcher in the Arvonian industrial leagues, who became an outstanding manager after his playing days. Marchand also ran the Arroyo Grande University sports program as the athletic director and baseball coach.

Capet Stadium

Capacity: 9,849

Dimensions:

LF Line 340
LF 355
LCF 375
CF 400
RCF 375
RF 355
RF Line 340

The Islandian Times
Friday, September 24, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Tycobbian Union

Rascals Shock Suns, Up 3-1 In Series
The Arroyo Grande Suns are rated one of the favorites to win the Pro Cup this season, while the White River Rascals are supposed to just roll and and play dead for them - but it ain't happening... Arroyo Grande is seeded number two in the Pro Cup playoffs and White River is the eighth seed... in game five at White River Stadium, the Rascals polished the Suns off 4-2 to take a huge three games to one lead in the best-of-seven TU Elite 8 Series... one more win and the unheralded Rascals will advance to the TU Final 4 and Arroyo Grande will go home for the winter in a big surprise... Ron Hendrix, the first game winner, did it again, hurling another fine game... Hendrix (2-0 2.12) worked 8 innings, permitted only 2 runs and 7 hits with 4 walks and 7 strikeouts... Arnie Montel saved it for Hendrix with a runless ninth... it was Montel's second save in the postseason... Trailing 2-1 in the last of the eighth, White River smacked Sixto Zamora for 3 runs to win it... PH Clive Farnham tied the score with a single and RF Hal Littleton won it with a two-run triple... C Gary Troxell (.333) had given the Suns a 2-0 lead in the opening frame with a homer... but Zamora couldn't stave off the Rascals... Zamora (0-1 2.65) surrendered 4 runs on 9 hits, struck out 4 and walked 2 in a complete-game outing.

Nats Power Past Bucs 6-3 in Game 4
3 homers, 15 hits and fine pitching gave Ozarka a 6-3 triumph over Bay St. Clair in game four of the Tycobbian Elite 8 Series... both clubs now have won 2 games each... on the road at Shoreline Park, the powerful Naturals got a strong complete-game performance from 37-year-old Yuka Nawajuk (1-0 2.00), who yielded only 3 runs on 9 hits, struck out 7 and allowed only 2 bases on balls... Bobby Joe Belvin (1-1 3.38) didn't have his good stuff today... Belvin was tagged for 5 runs and 11 hits... he fanned 6 and walked one in his 7 innings... 3B Andre Dumas (.222) clubbed 2 out of the park, scored twice, had 3 hits and 3 runs batted in to led the winners... it was his 3rd roundtripper and 8th RBI in the series...CF Ryoma Nakayama (.417) also homered, had 2 hits and scored twice... Ozarka jumped off to a 3-1 lead after 3 innings and built it up to 6-1 in the top of the eighth... the top Buccaneer bat was C Teddy Fraser (.308) with 2 hits and 2 RBIs, including a solo homer.

The Islandian Times
Saturday, September 25, 2021

Around the Town in the IPA

OZARKA NATURALS

Owner: J. R. Ewing
GM/Manager: Joe Mac Carney

Ozarka, a Silver Mountains resort town of 73,000, is located in south central Tycobbia and near the Caledonia River, which flows southward through Hillsboro, then westward and comes to an end at Turon on the southwest coast. Nestled among scenic forests and outdoor hot springs, Ozarka is host to tourists who come for snow skiing during the winter and boating, swimming, fishing, camping, hiking and hunting the rest of the year. Big time developers have made this a mecca for the rich and famous with luxury hotels and nightclubs that attend to every possible need: hot spring spas and bathhouses, superstar entertainers, magnificent golf courses, gourmet food, art galleries and gift shops. Ozarka is a retirement center, too.

It is also home to the Ozarka Naturals. J. R. Ewing’s father, Jock Ewing, got tired of the incessant sibling quarrels over the operation of the family-owned Waleska Westerners in the Ruthlandian Amateur Association, so he bought the battling brothers and club vice-presidents, J. R. and Bobby, their own teams in the IPA. Bobby owns the South Fork Stallions and J. R. has Ozarka, where he is a prime real estate developer. Bobby named his brand new stadium after his dad. Not to be outdone, J. R. named his brand new stadium after his mom, Miss Ellie. So the sibling rivalry continues on and off the field. Ellie Ewing Stadium is one of the few parks in baseball that still has a live organ player at each game, which adds a nice nostalgic touch, especially during the seventh inning stretch. Marston, Kenwood and Hillsboro are the other teams that feature a live organist. And at the concessions stands is a succulent gourmet buffet fit for the rich and famous. You will also find all of the traditional baseball fare at a Naturals game.

J. R. Ewing spares no expense when it comes to impressing people and paying his ballplayers. He likes to get his way. He even got the all-time winningest manager in company league history to come out of retirement and take over his team. Joe Mac Carney is now the GM and Manager of the Naturals. And he is very well paid, too.

Ellie Ewing Stadium (2001)

Capacity: 11,750

Dimensions:
LF Line 350
LF 370
LCF 390
CF 375
RCF 390
RF 370
RF Line 350

The Islandian Times
Saturday, September 25, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Rovers Tame Rattlers 7-5, Up By Game
The Sligo Rovers were outhit, but not outscored... they tamed the Sugar Valley Rattlers 7-5 in game five of the RU Elite 8 to take a 3-2 edge in games... the Rattlers lashed out 12 hits to 9 for Sligo, but the Rovers got them when it counted... they leaped out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning and then fought off the Rattlers for the victory... light-hitting 2B Akihiro Kato (.167) had the game of a lifetime with 6 RBIs... Kato clubbed a grand slam in the second frame, had a sac fly in the sixth and an RBI single in the eighth... Sligo built up a 6-1 margin after 6 innings and managed to hold off Sugar Valley, but the Rattlers made it close with 3 in the seventh and one in the ninth... 2B Glenn Christian (.304) paced Sugar Valley with a double and a home rum, while 1B Ralph Cole rapped 3 hits and batted in a run... Les Patterson (1-1 3.38) was the winning pitcher with help from closer Lenny Ciaccio... Patterson allowed 9 hits and 4 runs, but only 2 were earned... Patterson struck out 7 and gave up 2 bases on balls... Ciaccio got a shaky save and was peppered for 3 hits and a run in the ninth... Rattler starter Nick Moore (1-1 3.12) exited early and took the loss... Moore was ripped for 5 runs in the second.

Cybercats Trim Ancona 3-2, Lead Series
Grand City won the battle of the home runs at Syntergy Park to trim favored Ancona 3-2 in game five, giving the Cybercats a one-game lead over the Red Elephants in the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series... all the scoring came early with CF Lee Barrett (.368) and 3B Jug Slavin (.316) going deep in the opening frame to put Grand City up 2-0... 2B Jim Mellencamp (.190) made it 3-0 in the second with an RBI single... Ancona got all of its runs in the third on LF Kenny Willard's (.222) roundtripper... Barrett now has 4 home runs in the series, while it was Slavin's second... Clint Brewer (2-0 4.15) registered the victory as he allowed only 2 runs and 6 hits in 6 strong innings with 3 walks and 6 Ks... Bud Garner went all the way in the loss, permitting 9 hits and 3 runs... Ralph Teague closed it out with a scoreless ninth for his second save of the playoffs... the Cyberbats has 9 hits to 7 for the Red Elephants.

Tycobbian Union

Rascals Upset Suns, Advance To TU Final 4
8th-seeded White River apparently didn't pay much attention to the Arroyo Grande Suns press clippings... the underdog Rascals got tremendous pitching and eliminated the 4th-seeded Suns in five games, holding them to 3 runs or less in each game... Joe Hudson and two relievers did away with Arroyo Grande today at White River Stadium... Hudson sparkled with 7 good innings, where he stopped the Suns on 2 runs and 8 hits with 3 strikeouts and no walks... Scott Little retired all 3 batters in the eighth and Arnie Montel got his third save of the series with a perfect ninth... Earl O'Reilly (1-1 2.08) suffered the defeat, giving up 3 runs on 6 hits in 6 innings... the Rascals got all three runs on homers by CF Jake Doerr (.250) in the first, 1B Marty Blake (.350) in the third and 2B Vinny Uhrich (.294) in the fourth... C Gary Troxell (.316) blasted one for the Suns in the 4th... Arroyo Grande got it final score in the seventh, when LF Eduardo Villanueva (.300) hit into a double play and scored 2B Phil Alston (.188) from third... both clubs managed 8 hits each... upstart White River will now advance to Tycobbian Union championship in the Final 4, playing the Ozarka-Bay St. Clair winner.

Nats Rout Bucs 7-1 On Rousseau 2 HRs
Going into game 5 at Shoreline Park in Bay St. Clair, the Ozarka Naturals and the hometown Buccaneers were deadlocked with two wins each... this time around Ozarka used its firepower to prevail 7-1 in a romp and go ahead three games to two in the TU Elite 8... the Nats gifted 1B Benny Rousseau (.300) slammed two 3-run homers to spark the win and pitcher Benny Osterman (1-1 3.86) tossed a fine game, too... Osterman stopped the Bucs on 6 hits and 1 run with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks... the Naturals racked up 11 hits off three pitchers with the defeat going to starter Don Yaden (0-1 12.19).

The Islandian Times
Sunday, September 26, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Sligo Stuns Rattlers, Wins Series
In a stunning comeback, Sligo rallied to defeat Sugar Valley 7-6 in game six of the RU Elite 8 Series and knocked the Rattlers out of the Pro Cup playoffs... back-to-back eighth-inning homers by CF Chris Michel (.333) and RF Clell Renshaw (.280) put the Rovers over the top and into the Ruthlandian Union Final 4 against the victor between the Grand City Cybercats and the Ancona Red Elephants.

Sugar Valley started off like a ball of fire in game six, running up a 6-0 lead after 6 innings behind Harry Diefendorf, who had a no-hitter up to that point, but the Rattlers soon flamed out and the Rovers put 5 big ones on the scoreboard in the last of the seventh, highlighted by C Sherman Albert's 3-run blast and 3B Matty Alou 2-run shot... two more solo clouts in the decisive eighth eliminated Sugar Valley from the playoffs... 3 Rover relievers shut down the Rattlers on no runs and 1 hit over the last 4 and two-thirds innings with the win going to Lenny Ciaccio (1-0 2.25) and the save to Joey Kasat... the Rattlers had the advantage in hits 9 to 8 and were led by 2B Glenn Christian (.346) with 2 hits and 3 RBIs... 1B Ralph Cole (.364) chipped in a home run for the losers... Diefendorf (0-1 7.24) caught the loss, yielding 7 runs in 7 innings, but striking out 8 and walking one.

Ancona Powers By Cybercats 6-2, Series Tied
Ancona walloped four out of the park in the first two innings to power past Grand City and tie up the RU Elite 8 Series at three games apiece... in game six the Red Elephants dumped the Cybercats 6-2... CF Ken Rutledge (.273) smashed a 3-run homer, 1B Alekos Kotas (.435) drilled 2 solo shots and 3B Todd Nasso (.227) belted another one-run blast... Kotas has slammed 5 roundtrippers in the series... Grand City only hit one homer... that was by SS Jimmy Swain (.667)... in all Ancona collected 11 hits today... Nikon Maragos (2-0 1.00) came up with a big effort, stopping the Cybercats on six hits with 3 Ks and a walk... Maragos also won game three with a shutout.... Brent Sturgis (0-2 6.55) was the losing pitcher, surrendering 6 hits and all 4 runs in two innings... game seven is set for tomorrow afternoon at Jay Loman Park in Ancona.

Tycobbian Union

Bucs Nip Nats 3-2 In 11, Force Game 7
It don't get any better than this... two talented teams going toe-to-toe for 11 magnificent innings in a Pro Cup playoff game... but sadly only one of them could win... Bay St. Clair prevailed 3-2 over Ozarka in game six and evened the best-of-seven series at three games each. Starters Marty Elenbaas for the Buccaneers and Howard Hutch for the Nats both worked 10 innings... Hutch fanned 12 and gave up 6 hits, while the winner Elenbaas (2-0 2.00) allowed just 5 hits, struck out 3 and walked 3... Benton O'Brian came on in relief in the 12th and sealed the victory for Elenbaas by retiring 3 straight batters... Bay St. Clair got the winning run off of losing pitcher Josh Carpenter (0-1 4.50), who took a hard-luck loss on an unearned run... PH Thomas Knowles walked to lead off the 12th and was replaced with a pinchrunner Ben North, who moved up on a sacrifice... a ground-out put North on third, where he easily came home on a passed ball by catcher T. C. Baranski.

The clubs will battle again in game 7 tomorrow afternoon at Ellie Ewing Stadium in Ozarka... the winner will move on to the TU Final 4 against White River, who surprisingly upset the favored Arroyo Grande Suns in 5 games.

The Islandian Times
Monday, September 27, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

GC Cybercats Crush Ancona 12-3, In RU Final
The Grand City Cybercats played a marvelous game and crushed the favored Ancona Red Elephants 12-3 with a 14-hit barrage and a solid outing by Jimbo Stearns on the mound to take the RU Elite 8 Series in seven games... in the crucial finale, Stearns humbled Ancona on 8 hits and 3 runs, only one of them earned... Stearns had plenty of run support, led by CF Lee Barrett (.393) with 4-for-5, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored and 3B Jug Slavin (.276) with a pair of hits, 4 runs batted in and 2 runs... Grand City quickly put the Red Elephants away with a 5-run fourth... that made it 8-2... the Cybercats cinched it with 4 more scores in the seventh... Ancona ace Clete Dukas took it on the chin and was ripped for 8 runs in 3+ innings, 4 of them unearned... Grand City now takes on mighty Sligo Rovers in the Ruthlandian Final 4 beginning on Wednesday... the Rovers won 100 games in the regular season and are the favorite to win the league crown and possibly even the IPA Pro Cup... Sligo is seeded second in the Pro Cup playoffs, while the Cybercats were rated seventh in the rankings.

Tycobbian Union

Roberts Hurls Nats Into TU Final 4
Not much of a contest in the Tycobbian Elite 8, either... 32-year-old Eddie Roberts made sure of that with a brilliant 7-0 shutout... Roberts shackled Bay St. Clair on 3 hits, fanned 7 and walked none in a splendid performance... Roberts is usually at his best in the postseason and has posted an impressive 18-6 record lifetime in Pro Cup action... 1B Benny Rousseau (.276) and 2B Teddy Tate (.286) topped the offense with homers... both Rousseau and Tate had 2 hits, 2 RBIs and scored twice... it was Rousseau's 3rd homer in the series... LF Jose Ordonez (.238) also batted in 2 runs for the winners... Bobby Joe Belvin (1-2 3.91) was the loser... he tossed 7 innings and was touched for 4 runs and 8 hits with 5 strikeouts and a walk... Top-seeded Ozarka will contend with heavy underdog White River in the Tycobbian Final 4... the Rascals were ranked the least likely to win the Pro Cup... they were seeded 8th in the ratings... The Final 4 will start Wednesday.

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, September 28, 2021

RU And TU Final 4 Start Tomorrow
The IPA Pro Cup playoffs are now down to four teams with Sligo and Grand City tangling for the Ruthlandian crown and Ozarka and White River meeting to decide the Tycobbian title. Both Final 4 Series get underway tomorrow afternoon in Sligo and Ozarka. The winners will meet for the Islands championship. The Sligo Rovers and the Ozarka Naturals are heavily favored to take its respective league. Ozarka was seeded first when the Pro Cup playoffs began with Sligo ranked number two. Neither Grand City, nor White River were expected to get past the Elite 8 round. The Cybercats were the seventh seed and the Rascals were rated the eighth seed. Last year's IPA Pro Cup champion Crystal Lake did not make the playoffs this year as they wound up third in the division. Grand City won the pennant in that division this season.

The Ozarka Naturals (106-48) had the best record in the IPA this season, while Sligo (100-54) had the second-best mark. Grand City (90-64) and White River (81-73) won the fewest number of games among the division winners. The Nats and Rovers appear to be big favorites in the Final 4 Series, but that is not the way it always plays out. Crystal Lake was only ranked sixth last season in the playoffs, but they surprised everyone and took the Pro Cup trophy anyway, topping Ozarka in the finals.

Best Team Record: Ozarka (106-78)
Best Team BA: Ozarka (.285)
Most HR: White River (163)
Most Runs: Ozarka (815)
Best Team ERA: Sligo (2.90)
Best Starters ERA: Sligo (2.86)
Best Bullpen ERA: Sligo (3.33)
Best Team Defense: Grand City and Ozarka (.976 FA)

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 29, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Final 4 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Cybercats Rock Rovers 10-6 In Opener
The heavily-favored Sligo Rovers erupted for 4 runs in the fourth inning at Silver Mountain Park and looked well on the way to a victory in game one of the Ruthlandian Union Final 4 Series, but it didn't end that way, Grand City exploded for 9 runs in the top of the fifth and went on to whip the Rovers 10-6... the Cybercats piled up 14 hits and were paced by pitcher Jimbo Stearns (.273) with 2 hits and 3 RBIs, RF Nick Baldini (.367) with 2 hits and 2 RBIs and 1B Steve Reese (.118) with 2 RBIs... SS Jimmy Swain (.522) also had 2 hits and scored twice, 3B Jug Slavin (.313) collected 2 hits, scored 2 runs and drove in one and LF Gene Bridges (.310) smacked 3 hits and scored a run... Stearns (3-1 3.00) chalked up the victory, but he was hit hard... Stearns worked 7 frames, allowed 7 hits and 6 runs... relievers Paul McBride and Ralph Teague finished up for him and blanked Sligo over the last two innings... This was Teague's 3rd save in the playoffs... Les Patterson (1-2 3.05) suffered the loss and was knocked out in the fourth after yielding 8 runs, but only one was earned... the Rovers showed some offense with 4 homers, 2 by C Sherman Albert (.250) and one each by 1B Johnny Lee Harder (.345) and SS Vic Carlin (.407)... Carlin led the Rovers with 3 hits.

Tycobbian Union

Rascals Rip Nats 7-3 In Game 1
It was the day of the underdogs in the Pro Cup playoffs... playing out-of-town White River got the best of mighty Ozarka 7-3 at Ellie Ewing Stadium and got one leg up in the best-of-seven Tycobbian Union Final 4... the Rascals ripped 10 hits and a pair of roundtrippers and were sparked by 1B Marty Blake (.360) with a homer, a double and 3 RBIs and by SS Kenny Young (.250) with a homer, a single, 2 runs and an RBI... 3B Ken Mathers (.333) also chipped in with 2 runs batted in... Ron Hendrix (3-0 2.42) continued on a great postseason roll with his 3rd win... Hendrix held powerful Ozarka to 3 runs on 9 hits, fanned 4 and walked 3... Nats super ace Benny Osterman (1-2 5.11) was pounded hard for 7 runs and 10 hits before calling it a day in the ninth... Osterman managed to keep it close until the Rascals expanded the lead from 5-3 to 7-3 in the top of the ninth... Nats SS James Couch (.375) laced 3 hits in defeat and RF Ken Mayberry (.375) and CF Ryoma Nakayama (.346) added 2 hits apiece.

The Islandian Times
Thursday, September 30, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Final 4 Series

Ruthlandian Union

GC Grabs Game 2, Edges Sligo 7-6 in 11
Same song, verse two... for the second day in a row, Sligo jumped off to a 4-0 lead after 3 innings, but then Grand City busted loose with a 5-run fourth en route to a 7-6 eleven-inning triumph over the Rovers... the extra-inning win gave the surprising Cybercats a 2-0 lead in the RU Final 4... CF Lee Barrett (.333) was again the hero for Grand City when he boomed a double to drive in the winning run... Barrett has 12 RBIs in postseason play... earlier in the game Barrett hit his 5th playoff homer in the fourth inning... RF Nick Baldini (.371) and C Woodrow Mason (.324) also had solo homers... Sligo 3B Manny Alou (.273) led his team with a home run and 3 RBIs... it was Alou's 3rd playoff blast... LF Biff Blauer (.200) also hit one out, had 3 hits, drove in 2 and scored 2... Ralph Teague (1-0 0.00) got credit for the win, although he failed to protect a 6-5 lead in the ninth... Teague worked 2 inning and gave up one unearned run... Paul McBride got his first playoff save this year with a scoreless eleventh... Rover closer Lenny Ciaccio (1-1 3.00) caught the loss... he came on in the 10th inning.

Tycobbian Union

WR Topples Ozarka Again 8-6
Not much is going according to form in this year's Final 4s... White River was not expected to pose much of a threat to Pro Cup favorite Ozarka in the TU Final 4, however the aroused Rascals have bolted to a 2-0 lead in the first two games of the series... White River's pitcher Joe Hudson (.333) had a day he will never forget... Hudson had 3 hits and 5 RBIs, including a bases-clearing game-winning double in the sixth that snapped a 5-5 tie... Hudson also picked up the win, going a rocky 8 and two-thirds innings, allowing 6 runs on 12 hits... Arnie Montel claimed his 4th save of the postseason when he came in to get the final out of the game after Hudson struggled in the ninth... 1B Marty Blake (.367) of the Rascals had 2 hits and drove in 2 runs with a double... top bats for the Nats were 3B Andre Dumas (.225), who got his 4th homer in the postseason and drove in runs 11 and 12... RF Ken Mayberry (.405) rapped 3 hits, scored twice and drove in a run... 1B Benny Rousseau (.270) batted in a pair of runs with 2 hits... Ozarka had the edge in hits with 12... White River cracked 11... reliever Wayne Gates (1-1 3.38) suffered the loss... he was victimized by the sixth-inning uprising... Gates permitted 3 runs and 4 hits in 4 innings with 4 Ks.

The Islandian Times
Friday, October 1, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Final 4 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Sligo Wins Must Game 8-7 Over GC
The heavily-favored Sligo Rovers needed a win on the road in the worst way and got it 8-7 over the Grand City Cybercats at Syntergy Park... it was a "must" win... another loss and the Rovers would have fallen behind 3-0 in the Ruthlandian Union Final 4... the pitchers haven't shown up in the series so far, but the bats are boomin'... Sligo ripped 10 hits with 7 of them being for extra bases to run up an 8-5 lead after 7 innings, led by LF Biff Blauer (.231) with 2 hits and 4 RBIs, including a 2-run homer... RF Clell Renshaw (.289) also hit a 2-run clout and scored 3 times... the Cybercats socked 13 hits and were paced by C Woodrow Mason (.342) with 2 hits and 3 RBIs, including a 2-run shot... 19-year-old rookie LF Gene Bridges (.308) collected 3 hits for the losers... Grand City almost sent the game into extra innings... they had the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth, but closer Lenny Ciaccio struck out the last batter to end the game... reliever Joey Kasat (1-0 0.00) got the win with a scoreless 2-inning stint in the fifth and sixth... Cybercat starter Brent Sturgis (0-3 8.59) was battered again and took the loss... Sligo slammed him for 6 runs in 3+ innings... Sturgis left trailing 6-2.

Tycobbian Union

Roberts Gets Nats Back In Series, Beats WR 4-2
Game three was also a very crucial game in the Tycobbian Final 4... favored Ozarka snapped a 2-game losing streak and finally won one, beating White River 4-2 behind a fine performance by Eddie Roberts (2-1 2.63) at White River Stadium... the 32-year-old right-hander stiffed the Rascals on 2 runs and went the distance, permitting 9 hits, walking 3 and fanning 2... LF Matt Harvey (.214) unloaded a 2-run salvo in the fourth inning and put the Naturals up 3-2 and that was good enough for Roberts... Del Brewer (1-1 2.50) worked a nice game, surrendering 9 hits and 4 runs... Brewer pitched a complete game, too... LF Amos Dunston (.226) and SS Kenny Young (.265) accounted for both Rascal runs with solo homers.

The Islandian Times
Saturday, October 2, 2021

2021 IPA Final 4 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Sligo Evens Series, Odakota Stops Cybercats 4-1
After allowing 24 runs in the first three games of the RU Final 4, Sligo finally got a good outing... Ralph Odakota tamed Grand City 4-1 and evened the series at two games each... Odakota (1-1 4.84) went the distance, allowed 7 hits, struck out 6 and walked 3... Randy Andrews also went the route in defeat... Andrews (0-1 2.25) did a creditable job... he gave up 4 runs on 8 hits, 3 of them earned... the Rovers took the lead in the third frame on a 2-run single by 3B Manny Alou (.293)... they made it 4-0 in the top of the seventh, scoring on a passed ball and a sac fly by PH Augie Gehringer... Grand City got its only run in the bottom of the seventh when SS Jimmy Swain (.484) homered.

Tycobbian Union

Ozarka Zaps WR 6-3, Ties Series At 2-2
The Ozarka Naturals cooled off the red-hot White River Rascals for the second day in a row and tied the TU Final 4 at two games apiece... They got a quality start from Yuka Nawajuk (2-0 2.65), who crafted a 6-3 triumph, checking the Rascals on 7 hits and 3 runs over his 8 innings... Nawajuk, a 37-year-old righty, fanned 5 and walked 3... closer Josh Carpenter (3.00) notched the save, his first of this postseason... the Nats bats put it on Rascal starter Ron Hendrix (3-1 3.48) and sent him down to his first playoff loss this year... they tagged him hard for 6 runs and 8 hits in 5 innings... Hendrix left behind 6-2 when he went to the showers... Ozarka slapped 11 hits and were paced by four players with two hits apiece: RF Ken Mayberry (.391), 3B Andre Dumas (.265), LF Jose Ordonez (.250) and C Frank Kiffin (.345)... CF Ryoma Nakayama (.324) led them with 2 RBIs... the Naturals busted up a 2-1 game in the fourth with 4 runs... 1B Marty Blake (.368), RF Hal Littleton (.310) and C Tom Hewlett each drove in a run for the Rascals... Blake had the game's only homer, his 3rd of the postseason.

The Islandian Times
Sunday, October 3, 2021

2021 IPA Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

Sligo Squeezes By GC 4-3, Takes Lead
The Sligo Rovers, one of the favorites to win the Pro Cup this season, are finally playing the role as they took a third game in a row from the upstart Grand City Cybercats to take the led in the RU Final 4 three games to two... the Rovers squeezed out a 4-3 decision on the strong pitching of Les Patterson (2-2 3.07), who stopped the Cybercats on 6 hits and 3 runs... Lenny Ciaccio (2.70) came on in the last of the ninth and got the final out of the game after Grand City had cut the lead from 4-1 with a pair of runs... it was his 3rd playoff save... in defeat Jimbo Stearns (3-2 3.21) gave up 4 runs and 8 hits and went the distance.

Sligo scored first in the opening inning on CF Chris Michel's (.292) triple and RF Clell Renshaw's (.295) single... C Woodrow Mason (.348) yanked his 3rd homer to tie it up in the second... the Rovers regained the lead in the sixth, when Renshaw doubled, moved to third on a ground-out and scored on LF Biff Blauer's (.234) sacrifice fly... it stayed 2-1 until the ninth, when the Rovers got some crucial breathing room on C Sherman Albert's (.308) 2-run smash, his 4th roundtripper in the postseason... Patterson weakened in the bottom of the ninth and was slammed for a pair of runs on a triple by LF Gene Bridges (.319) and a single by SS Chuck Hackberry (.500)... Albert led the winners with 3 hits, while Mason drilled 2 for Grand City.

Tycobbian Union

Ozarka Rallies, Whips Rascals 5-3 In 10
Mighty Ozarka rallied from a 3-0 seventh-inning deficit to whip a determined bunch of White River Rascals 5-3 in 10 innings in game five of the TU Final 4 Series... it was the Nats third consecutive triumph and they are now a game up... 2B Teddy Tate (.263) put the Nats in front 4-3 with a tenth-inning homer off loser Joe Hudson... CF Ryoma Nakayama (.333) added an insurance run with an RBI single... Hudson went all the way, surrendering 5 runs and 7 hits in 10 innings... Benny Osterman (2-2 4.54) carded the win by going 9 innings and permitting 3 runs and 5 hits... closer Josh Carpenter (2.25) pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.

White River bolted to a 3-0 lead in the second, highlighted by 3B Ken Mathers' (.320) 2-run clout... Hudson made it stand up until the seventh when he allowed Ozarka's first run on an RBI double by SS James Couch (.370)... Nakayama tied it 3-3 with a 2-run shot in the eighth, forcing extra innings... Nakayama led the Naturals with 3 RBIs.

The Islandian Times
Monday, October 4, 2021

2021 IPA Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

GC 'Cats Force 7th Game, Top Rovers 6-1
The Grand City Cybercats are going to make the Sligo Rovers earn the Ruthlandian title by forcing a seventh-game finale... Grand City's standout southpaw Clint Brewer fashioned a fine 6-1 victory in game six to deadlock the series at three games apiece... Brewer (3-0 2.70) fired a 4-hitter, holding Sligo to a single run, striking out 5 and issuing a couple of walks... Sam Tate (0-1 5.85) took the loss, working 8 innings and permitting 4 runs and 7 hits... Brewer (.375) even drove in 3 runs with a pair of hits to lead the Cybercat bats... RF Nick Baldini (.314) also chipped in with 2 RBIs... Grand City had a 10-4 advantage in hits... the Cybercats built up a 4-0 lead after 6 and a half innings and never were challenged.

Tycobbian Union

Rascals Alive, Beat Nats 7-5 In Game 6
The White River Rascals are not going down with a fight in the Tycobbian Final 4 with powerful Ozarka... the underdog Rascals could have quit when they were losing 4-1 after 6 innings in game six, but they didn't... they boomed out for 2 runs in the seventh and 4 more in the eighth to win going away 7-5... 2B Vinny Ulrich (.243) had the big blow with a 3-run double to make it 6-4 in favor of the Rascals... reliever Scott Little (1-0 0.00) notched the win with help from closer Arnie Montel, who saved his 5th game in the playoffs... Little blanked the Nats in the 7th and Montel allowed and unearned run in his 2 innings... LF Amos Dunston (.214) and RF Hal Littleton (.297) rapped solo homers for White River... CF Tony Genassi (.333) and LF Matt Harvey (.211) led Ozarka with solo shots... Howard Hutch (0-1 7.23) hurled a whale of game until the late innings... Hutch was crushed for 7 runs in 7+ innings... he fanned 11 and walked 4.

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, October 5, 2021

2021 IPA Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

Sligo Swings Past GC In Game 7, Pro Cup Bound
Second-seeded Sligo is going to the IPA Pro Cup for the first time in its history... the Rovers smoked seventh seed Grand City for 13 hits and a 9-6 victory in game seven of the Ruthlandian Final 4 Series... 3B Matty Alou (.300) led the way with a 3-run homer in the first frame... pitcher Luka Abromowitz (.250) did some damage, too, with 3 RBIs... Sligo leaped out to an 8-2 lead after 3 innings... Grand City made it close with a 3-run rally in the ninth and even had the tying runs on base, but Rover closer Lenny Ciaccio (2.45) retired the last two batters to seal the win... Abromowitz (2-0 4.64) got credit for the victory, but was not effective... he was tagged for 6 runs and 9 hits in 8 and one-third innings... it was Ciaccio's 4th postseason save... 2B Jim Mellencamp (.211) sparked Grand City with 3 hits and 3 runs scored... Sligo will play the Tycobbian champion in the Pro Cup, either Ozarka or White River... Should it be Ozarka, this will be the first time in IPA history that two 100-game winners will meet for the Island championship... the Nats were 106-48 this season, while the Rovers were 100-54.

Tycobbian Union

Rascals Upset Nats, Go To Pro Cup
The eighth-seeded White River Rascals came out of nowhere and shocked the top-seeded Ozarka Naturals 9-1 in game seven of the TU Final 4 Series and will now go for another upset in the Pro Cup Finals against the Sligo Rovers... Ron Hendrix (4-1 2.92) hurled a standout game, stopping the Nats on just 5 hits and one run, while his teammates unloaded 4 homers to eliminated heavily-favored Ozarka four games to three... 19-year-old rookie CF Jake Doerr (.213) blasted a 3-run homer and 1B Marty Blake (.320), LF Amos Dunston (.217) and PH P. J. Blake (.143) all had solo salvos... Eddie Roberts (2-2 2.67) was the losing pitcher... the Rascals got to him for six runs in 3 innings, but only one was earned... White River will now try to work its magic on the Sligo Rovers in the IPA Pro Cup championship, beginning Thursday in Sligo.

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Pro Cup Starts Tomorrow, Sligo Favored Over White River
Will it be a one-sided series in the Pro Cup this year? It will be one of the top seeds against one of the lowest seeds in this year's Pro Cup Finals. The second-seeded Sligo Rovers (100-54) will represent the Ruthlandian Union and eighth-seeded White River Rascals (81-73) are the Tycobbian Union representative. The lowest seed to ever win the Island championship was the seventh-seeded Kenwood Wildcats in 2014. Last year it was a sixth seed that took the crown, the Crystal Lake Crushers. Sligo is a big favorite this year and is forecast to take the Pro Cup in six games. Sligo had the easier task of the two. The Rovers disposed of fifth seed Sugar Valley and seven seed Grand City, while the Rascals whipped Arroyo Grande and Ozarka, who were ranked number three and number one by the baseball experts prior to the playoffs. Many analysts are rethinking their positions. If White River could beat the Suns and the Naturals, they surely have a chance against anyone in the IPA. Underdogs have been doing quite well in the IPA in recent years.

Sligo skipper Eddie Keys has superb pitching and strong bats and will be tough to beat. Keys' rotation features four 20-game winners including the IPA ERA leader Les Patterson (23-8 2.03), plus Sam Tate (21-9 2.77), Ralph Odakota (20-10 2.98) and Luka Abromowitz (21-7 3.35). In the Rover bullpen, Keys has lefty Lenny Ciaccio (9-7), who posted 26 saves and a fine 2.97 ERA. Sligo is not strong in middle relief, but so far it has not been a problem as the starters all go deep into the game. Sligo starters had a sensational 2.93 ERA and ranked first in the league. White River's starting rotation combined for a lofty 4.22 ERA, 23rd in the league. The Rascals Ron Hendrix (16-15 3.09), Del Brewer (15-14 4.77) and 42-year-old Joe Hudson (17-17 4.49) don't appear to be in the same league as the Rover counterparts. In the bullpen manager Mick Cronyn has a strong closer in Arnie Montel (3-6) with 28 saves and an impressive 2.25 ERA.

Sligo and White River are pretty even at the plate. The Rovers batted .265 (6th) with 148 homers (8th) and 798 runs (2nd), while the Rascals put up a .264 mark with 163 roundtrippers (6th) and scored 782 runs (7th-tied). Sligo has homered 18 times in 13 games in the playoffs, White River has gone deep 16 times in 12 games.

Keys' best bats are 1B Johnny Lee Harder (.298/26 HR/103 RBI/100 R), 3B Manny Alou (.279/23 HR/97 RBI/80 R), LF Biff Blauer (.301/19 HR/94 RBI/94 R), RF Clell Renshaw (.301/13 HR/74 RBI/96 R), CF Chris Michel (.289/14 HR/67 RBI/98 R) and SS Vic Carlin (.243/20 HR/103 RBI/71 R).

Cronyn has some excellent hitters, too, but not quite as many. 1B Marty Blake (.329/40 HR/115 RBI/112 R) heads up the Rascals batting order with help from C Tom Hewlett (.295/18/93 RBI/69 R), RF Hal Littleton (.342/12 HR/68 RBI/74 R) and SS Kenny Young (.278/10 HR/70 RBI/80 R).

Both clubs are only average with the gloves with .970 fielding percentages. Sligo was rated tied for 20th in the Ruthlandian Union and White River was tied for 24th in the Tycobbian Union.

The Islandian Times
Thursday, October 7, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven games)

Patterson Blanks Rascals, Sligo Wins Opener 2-0
Sligo got an outstanding mound performance from its ace Les Patterson in the opening game of the 2021 IPA Pro Cup at Silver Mountain Park... Patterson (3-2 2.35) shut out White River 2-0 on a 4-hitter... Patterson walked none and fanned 6 in a flawless outing... unsung number 8 hitter, 2B Akihiro Kato (.208), was the hero with a 2-run homer in the second inning... it was his second of the postseason and Kato now has 10 RBIs, third best on the club... losing pitcher 42-year-old Joe Hudson (2-3 3.60) tossed a terrific game, too, limiting the Rovers to just 5 hits with 4 Ks and 2 bases on balls... his only mistake was the gopher ball to Kato.

The Islandian Times
Friday, October 8, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven games)

Tate Tames Rascals, Rovers Win Game 2, Too
For the second straight day, the Sligo Rovers got a standout mound job and went up 2-0 in the best-of-seven IPA Pro Cup Series... southpaw Sam Tate tamed White River 3-2 in game two... Tate (1-1 4.82) yielded only 2 runs and 4 hits in 8 sterling innings, striking out 4 and walking one... closer Lenny Ciaccio (2.16) notched his fifth playoff save by striking out 2 of the 3 hitters he faced in the ninth... shoddy defense cost the Rascals the game... they committed 4 errors... Del Brewer (1-2 2.81) deserved a better fate... he allowed only one earned run and 5 hits in defeat... Sligo went up 3-0 after four innings... 1B Johnny Lee Harder (.254), RF Clell Renshaw (.263) and CF Chris Michel (.246) drove in the runs... White River picked up 2 in the seventh on PH Derek Durel's (.364) double... game three will be played in White River at White River Stadium.

The Islandian Times
Saturday, October 9, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven games)

Rovers Romp 7-2, Close To Crown
Sligo's dominant pitching won the day for the third game in a row in the IPA Pro Cup Finals... Luka Abromowitz fashioned his way to a 7-2 decision over White River on the road, giving the Rovers an almost-insurmountable lead in the championship series... one more victory and the Pro Cup goes to Sligo for the first time in its history... Abromowitz (3-0 3.56) went the distance and held the Rascals to just one earned run and 5 hits, while the Rovers were ripping Ron Hendrix (4-2 3.72) for 6 runs in 6 innings... trailing 1-0 in the sixth, Sligo scored all their runs to send Hendrix to the showers... C Sherman Albert (.278) cracked a bases-loaded homer in the decisive inning... it was his 5th of the playoffs... Sligo will try to wrap up the Pro Cup title tomorrow afternoon at White River Stadium.

The Islandian Times
Sunday, October 10, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Finals
(best-of-seven series)

Rascals Hang On To Hopes, Win Game 4
The White River Rascals are down to their last loss of the year - one more and they'll go home for a long and lonely winter... they managed to just barely hang on to their feeble hopes of a Pro Cup trophy with a tense 4-3 triumph over the Sligo Rovers at White River Stadium in game four... the Rovers had won the first three games and only need one more victory to take the Pro Cup... winning pitcher Joe Hudson weathered a 3-run first, then anchored down and shut the Rovers out the rest of the game... the 42-year-old Hudson (3-3 3.49) gave up 7 hits, fanned 5 and walked 6... the Rascals got the winning score in the ninth when C Tom Hewlett (.163) singled to lead off the inning... Doug Patterson pinch ran for him and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a ground-out, then scored on PH P. J. Blake's (.300) base hit.

Sligo drew first blood in the first on 1B Johnny Lee Harder's (.243) 2-run double and an RBI ground-out by SS Vic Carlin (.267).. White River came right back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning on a single by 1B Marty Blake (.297)... Blake came across with the second run when RF Hal Littleton (.259) hit into a double play... 3B Ken Mathers (.310) tied it up at 3-all with a solo home run in the second... Ralph Odakota started for the Rovers and worked 8 solid innings, allowed 3 runs and 8 hits... the loss went to closer Lenny Ciaccio (1-2 3.00), who pitched the ninth.

The Islandian Times
Monday, October 11, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven series)

Sligo Slams WR 12-1, Wins Pro Cup
The 2021 champions of the IPA are the second-seeded Sligo Rovers of the Ruthlandian Union... they easily whipped eighth-seeded White River four games to one in the IPA Pro Cup Finals... In game five everything went right for Sligo and everything went wrong for the White River Rascals... the Rovers unleashed 14 hits, got a great 5-hit job from pitcher Les Patterson and the Rascals committed 5 errors to boot... Sligo slammed out a 12-1 victory to capture the Islandia title for the first time in its history... on the mound Patterson (4-2 2.09) hurled a complete game, fanned 6 and walked 2... at the plate RF Clell Renshaw (.294) had a 3-run homer and SS Vic Carlin (.270) hammered a two-run clout... LF Biff Blauer (.257) and CF Chris Michel (.253) added 2 RBIs each... Del Brewer (1-3 3.99) was the losing pitcher... he was zapped for 9 runs and 12 hits in 6+ innings.

Ruthlandia has dominated the Pro Cup Series by winning five of the last six years... Overall Ruthlandia leads Tycobbia 12 to 8 in the IPA championship series.

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Sligo Duo Named Pro Cup Co-MVP
Two Sligo players have been named the Pro Cup Most Valuable Players. In the annual Islandian Times poll, the co-MVPs were pitcher Les Patterson and right fielder Clell Renshaw. They sparked the Rovers to the Pro Cup title. Patterson is the ace of the Sligo pitching corps. He was 4-2 in the postseason with a super 2.09 ERA. Patterson won two games in the Pro Cup Finals beating White River 2-0 and 12-1. Renshaw topped the Rovers in the playoffs with a .294 batting average. Renshaw hit 4 homers, scored 17 times and drove in 11 runs. Renshaw walked 15 times in postseason action.

During the regular season 30-year-old Patterson won 20 games for the fifth season in a row. He was 23-8 this year and paced the IPA with a splendid 2.03 ERA. Renshaw, age 29, batted .301 with 13 homers, 96 runs, 74 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Patterson has played 5 years in the league, while Renshaw is a 12-year veteran.

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Year's Best Gloves Selected by Ruthlandian Union
"Ball hawk" is a good name for the members of the defensive elite, the players who make leather shine. The fielders who crashed the wall, leaped in the air, and dived in the hole better than any others during 2021 have been tabbed as the Ruthlandian Union's Golden Glove Award winners. San Dimas RF Norm Owens has won the award 7 times, Marston CF Russ Woodward 3 times and Ancona LF Kenny Willard 2 times. All the rest were first-time winners.

Pitcher: Tommy Zenon (Forest City Lumberjacks) .980 FA/19-13 3.60
Catcher: Tweet Tillman (Wynnamac Sundowners) .992 FA/43.6% RTO/8 PB/.255 BA/10 HR
First Baseman: Johnny Lee Harder (Sligo Rovers) .994 FA/.299 BA/26 HR
Second Baseman: Gerry Garner (Eastshore Elegants) .980 FA/.329 BA/36 HR
Third Baseman: Todd Nasso (Ancona Red Elephants) .985 FA/.341 BA/34 HR
Shortstop: Warren Fisher (Elnora All-Stars) .984 FA/.260 BA/1 HR
Left Fielder: Kenny Willard (Ancona Red Elephants) .995 FA/.290 BA/22 HR
Center Fielder: Russ Woodward (Marston Nine) .998 FA/.325 BA/37 HR
Right Fielder: Norm Owens (San Dimas Rancheros) .993 FA/.247 BA/12 HR

TU Best Gloves of 2021 Chosen
In baseball circles, a player who has good range, a good arm, and good hands is a great catch. Clubs strive to be strong in the field, especially "up the middle." Solid defenders can make a difference in the outcome of tight games and tight pennant races. Jim Shubert of Red Bluff has won 5 Golden Gloves in his career. Chucky Gilton of Arlon has 4, Jack Elliott of High Mesa 3, Danny Redd of Tuckanarra 3 and Bud Walker of Bay St. Clair and Midway's Chitto Chandler have been selected twice. The Golden Glove Awards for 2021 in the Tycobbian Union go to these standout defenders:

Pitcher: Julian Gilchrist (Ginza Ninjas) .990 FA/18-12 3.98
Catcher: Jim Schubert (Red Bluff Red Sox) .993 FA/30.2% RTO/2 PB/.288 BA/11 HR
First Baseman: Jack Elliott (High Mesa Cowboys) .994 FA/.380 BA/67 HR
Second Baseman: Bud Walker (Bay St. Clair Buccaneers) .995 FA/293 BA/6 HR
Third Baseman: Mike Mackowiak (Denton City Redbirds) .975 FA/.275 BA/30 HR
Shortstop: Andy Pearson (Arroyo Grande Suns) .974 FA/346 BA/27 HR
Left Fielder: Chitto Chandler (Midway Wolves) .992 FA/.281 BA/17 HR
Center Fielder: Chucky Gilton (Arlon Champions) .993 FA/.311 BA/26 HR
Right Fielder: Danny Redd (Tuckanarra Blue Jays) .982 FA/.328 BA/21 HR

Great stuff as always!

Thank you for your nice comment and support.

Much appreciated.

The Islandian Times
Thursday, October 14, 2021

Brewer Earns RU Rookie Honor
Clint Brewer's age didn't show very often in his first year. Most of the time he performed like an old pro on the hill for the Grand City Cybercats and today he walked away with the 2021 Ruthlandian Union Rookie of the Year Award. Brewer led the Cybercats to the RU South pennant. The 25-year-old standout registered a 21-9 record this season in 35 starts. Over 289 innings he gave up 223 hits, struck out 179 and issued 102 walks as he held the opposition to a .216 batting average and fashioned a 2.68 ERA. Brewer hurled 16 complete games and 3 shutouts.

The number two vote-getter was Dan Marconi of the Belair Beach Sunbirds. The 20-year-old lefty compiled a very impressive 22-13 mark with a 3.29 ERA for the sixth-place Sunbirds. Third in The Islandian Times poll was Taranto's fine first baseman Denny Zaffino, who hit .330 with 20 homers, 83 RBIs and scored 76 runs. The Tars ended up third in the RU North pennant chase.

Kazlauskas Collects TU Rookie of the Year Award
It was a great debut season for Kris Kazlauskas as he dumbfounded Tycobbian Union batters to capture the Rookie of the Year Award for 2021. He racked up a 22-10 record to rank as the league's standout rookie. The Red Bluff hurler tossed 291 innings this season with 211 strikeouts and 114 walks as he compiled a 3.53 ERA. Teams got to him for 254 base hits as he held them to a .238 batting average. Kazlauskas sparked the Red Sox to a second-place finish in the TU East.

Another pitcher came in second in the voting. Midway's Joe Wolf Warner posted an 18-10 record with a 3.48 ERA. The Wolves finished third to Ozarka in the TU East this season. Right fielder Nicky Carpenter of the Kenwood Wildcats wound up third in the poll with .276 batting average, 18 roundtrippers, 76 runs batted in and 77 runs. Kenwood came in third in the TU West.

The Islandian Times
Friday, October 15, 2021

RU's Best Hitter for 2021 Named
It's been a year of triumph for veteran Roy Hobbs of the Waleska Westerners as he hit his way to the 2021 Ruthlandian Union Golden Bat Award. Hobbs has now won three Golden Bats. The 28-year-old veteran claimed his second batting crown with a .347 average and .385 on-base percentage. Hobbs collected 214 hits, 40 doubles, 8 triples, 40 home runs and 41 walks. He also scored 109 times and drove in 114 runs. Hobbs previously captured this award in 2014 and 2017. He has led the RU in hits six times and has had at least 200 hits in each of his nine years in the league.

Ancona's talented third sacker Todd Nasso was Hobbs' primary competition. He was second in the voting. The 24-year-old Nasso had a brilliant season with a .341 batting average, 34 homers, 112 RBIs and 119 runs. In addition, he was recently named to the Golden Glove team for the first time with a superb .985 fielding percentage. Nasso played in 130 games and paced the Red Elephants to the RU North crown.

29-year-old Eastshore second baseman Gerry Garner came in third in The Islandian Times poll. He batted .329 with 36 home runs, 117 RBIs and scored 115 runs. He also picked up his first Gold Glove this year. The Elegants wound up second to Sugar Valley this season in the RU East.

Jack Elliott Picked TU's Best Hitter
What a super year for Jack Elliott. He was honored with the 2021 Golden Bat Award in the Tycobbian Union - the ninth time he has won it. It had already been a very special season for High Mesa's Jack Elliott. The Cowboys gifted first baseman set a new IPA home run mark, breaking his own record, the Golden Bat slugger also copped his sixth batting title and led the IPA in hits and RBIs. And you know he will be in the running for the Tycobbian Most Valuable Player honor. In addition, Elliott was named to the TU Golden Glove team for the third time. All season long Jack Elliott gave opposing pitchers fits by hitting .380 as he collected 224 hits, 33 doubles, 6 triples, 65 home runs and 156 RBIs. And you know he will be in the running for the Tycobbian Most Valuable Player honor.

Ozarka's outstanding third baseman Andre Dumas finished runner-up to Elliott. He hit .310 with 45 roundtrippers, 140 RBIs and scored 126 times. Dumas has led the Naturals to a record-setting seven consecutive TU East flags.

The third-highest vote-getter was James Mack, Red Bluff's hard-hitting second baseman, who posted a .343 batting average, clouted 33 out of the park, drove in 134 runs and scored 110 runs, while playing in 148 games. The Red Sox came in second to Ozarka in the TU East.

The Islandian Times
Saturday, October 16, 2021

Golden Arm Award Goes to Patterson
The Golden Arm Award for 2021 has been presented and the Ruthlandian Union winner is Les Patterson of Sligo. Patterson topped the IRA in ERA, excelling with an impressive 23-8 record in 39 starts. In 323 innings he yielded 264 hits and 49 walks, while striking out 212 and compiling a fine 2.03 ERA. Patterson was one of the primary reasons the Sligo Rovers won the RU West. He completed 20 games and posted 4 shutouts.

The Sugar Valley Rattlers were a surprise division winner this year and pitcher Benny McConnell had a big hand in it with a 26-11 record and 2.43 ERA. He was runner-up in the Golden Arm Award. The 24-year-old right-hander had 18 complete games and 5 shutouts. Winding up third in The Islandian Times poll was Middlefield's Frank Dean, who blossomed this year with a standout 24-9 mark and a 2.37 ERA, helping the Roosters to a second-place spot in the RU West. Dean had 5 shutouts and 20 complete games. What is really amazing is Dean has to pitch in a home-run haven, yet had an ERA way under 3.00, when the average is well over 4.00.

Osterman Selected TU's Top Pitcher
The Ozarka Naturals have a superstar or maybe even a budding Hall-of-Famer in the making. It's Benny Osterman, this year's Tycobbian Union Golden Arm Award selection. This splendid hurler wowed fans, peers and sportswriters with a fabulous performance and picked up his second Golden Arm honor. Osterman, a 25-year-old right-hander, compiled a 25-9 record in 40 starts, tallied 330 strikeouts in 320 innings and recorded a 2.33 ERA, 6 shutouts and 17 complete games. Other clubs managed only a .200 batting average against him.

Coming in number two in The Islandian Times balloting was Southport's 22-year-old phenom, Al Laclair, who wowed everybody in the league for a second straight season. He was the Rookie of the Year last year and even better this year with a sensational 26-10 and 2.37 ERA. The Sun Sox wound up second in the TU South standings. Arroyo Grande's ace Sixto Zamora was the third choice of the voters. At age 39 he sparked the Suns to a second pennant in a row in the TU South with a fine 24-14 record and a strong 2.74 ERA.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 17, 2021

Ancona's Nasso Named RU MVP
He came in second in the Golden Bat competition, but Ancona's Todd Nasso got something better - the Red Elephant third baseman has been selected the Ruthlandian Union Most Valuable Player for 2021 in a poll conducted by THE ISLANDIAN TIMES . Nasso, just 24 years old and in his third year, batted .341 with 36 doubles, 5 triples and 34 homers to lead Ancona to its second successive RU North championship. The league's newest MVP drove in 112 runs, stole 23 bases and scored 119 runs and also nabbed his first Gold Glove with a terrific .985 fielding average.

The MVP runner-up was Sugar Valley's super right-hander Benny McConnell, who was instrumental in the Rattlers RU East title with a sensational 26-11 mark and a 2.43 ERA. McConnell was also runner-up to Sligo's Les Patterson in the Golden Arm category. McConnell and Southport's Al Laclair were tied for the most wins in the IPA this season.

Third in the MVP voting was Eastshore's outstanding Golden Glove second sacker Gerry Garner, who also swung a sweet bat with a .329 average, 41 doubles, 6 triples and 36 roundtrippers. Garner, a six-year veteran, had 117 runs batted in and scored 115 times. The Elegants finished second in the RU East to Sugar Valley.

Triple Crown Winner Elliott TU MVP
Two-time Triple Crown winner Jack Elliott, the stupendous High Mesa superstar first baseman, has grabbed up just about all the 2021 awards in the Tycobbian Union. First, he was honored with his third Golden Glove, then named the best batter and received his ninth Golden Bat and now Elliott has been acclaimed the TU Most Valuable Player for the third time in his illustrious career. Elliott won in 2013 and 2017. This season he topped the league with a .380 batting average, the sixth time he has done that, broke his own home-run mark with 65, led the IPA with 156 RBIs and wound up second in the IPA with 132 runs scored. The slugging Cowboy broke his old record of 61 homers established in the 2013 season.

Number two in THE ISLANDIAN TIMES poll was Southport's 22-year-old hurler Al Laclair, who was tied for the most victories in the IPA this season. Laclair was 26-10 with a very impressive 2.37 ERA. Laclair almost single-handedly sparked the Sun Sox to a second-place finish in the TU South. He made 39 starts, tossed 17 complete games and fired 3 shutouts.

Arroyo Grande's grand shortstop Andy Pearson wound up third in the vote. The 29-year-old nine-year star batted at a .346 clip with 27 home runs, 110 RBIs and 109 runs scored and got his first Golden Glove. Pearson's all-around play was a big cog in the Suns second straight TU South flag.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 18, 2021

Top Managers Named In RU And TU
Two rookie skippers were honored as the IPA Managers Of The Year by THE ISLANDIAN TIMES annual poll. Skinny Kisecawchuk of the St. John Crusaders and Mick Cronyn of the White River Rascals are this year's recipients. Kisecawchuk piloted St. John from last place to second place in the Ruthlandian South, improving the club from 59-95 in 2020 to 82-72 this season. Cronyn guided White River to the Tycobbian North division title in his first year at the helm. The Rascals raised their record from last year's 68-86 to 81-73 in 2021, going from fifth to first this season.

Sugar Valley's Gibson Bobkins was second in the Ruthlandian poll as he led the Rattlers to the top spot in the RU South. Last year they were fourth in the standings. Record-wise they went from 79-75 to 93-61. Number three was Bailey Norcross, Middlefield's rookie skipper. The Roosters rose from the cellar to the second spot in RU West with an 86-68 mark. Last year they were a poor 63-91. Eddie Keys of the Pro Cup champion Sligo Rovers was the fourth choice after raising his team from fourth to the top spot in the RU West. Sligo went from an 83-71 record to a sizzling 100-54. Last year's best manager Baby George was the fifth-best vote-getter. George improved his club from 85-69 to 90-64 and climbed from second to first this year in the RU South.

Joe Mac Carney of the Ozarka Naturals won 106 games, but still wound up second to Cronyn in the Tycobbian balloting. Carney has won the TU East for seven years in a row. Downtrodden San Alejo was rejuvenated by its rookie manager Alberto Herrera, who sparked them from last place to fourth place this year. The Montaneros improved from 67-87 to 87-67 in the TU South. Herrera ended up third in THE ISLANDIAN TIMES poll. The fourth spot went Bay St. Clair's Guy Rondre, who lifted his Buccaneers up two places in the TU West, from third to first. The Bucs were 75-79 last year and 92-62 in 2021. Rounding out the voting and selected fifth was Cyclone Cobb of the Arroyo Grande Suns, who captured a second straight pennant in the TU South. In his second season Cobb was 95-59. Last year he was 97-57 and was named the TU Manager of the Year.

I'll get busy creating the new free agents and work on the team rosters.

Season 2022 begins soon!

Thanks to all of you who visit this dynasty on a regular basis.

Much appreciate it.

I would also appreciate any suggestions on how to improve it.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

2022 IPA Mid-Season Standings

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

2022 Ruthlandian Union North Mid-Season Recap

Tars On Top In RU North, Bulls and Vipers Close
It's been a tough year for the defending Ruthlandian North champs, the Ancona Red Elephants. Woes at the plate and on the hill have hampered Manny Mickens' club that has won the last two division titles. At the halfway point Taranto has taken over this year with its high-powered offense and leads by 3 games over the Ranford Bulls, 5 ahead of Valmara and 7 in front of fourth-place Ancona. Glasco is tied for fourth with the Red Elephants, both under the .500 mark. No one else in the division seems to be capable of contending in the pennant chase.

Taranto's (40-29) Tommaso Lazzorda still has a power-packed lineup with Augie Marshall (.305 BA/8 HR), Denny Zaffino (.326 BA/6 HR), Aron Ariello (.289 BA/8 HR), Arnie Kennedy (.269 BA/8 HR) and Phil Buckner (.306 BA/2 HR)... Jay Cervini has been the big man on the hill with a 10-3 record and a 3.34 ERA... closer Vance Waters (2-2) has stood out with 16 saves and a 2.79 ERA. Overall pitching is up in the IPA this season with fewer homers. The Tars have to get better pitching in the second half to win the flag... Otherwise Ranford and a slumbering Ancona may overtake them.

The Ranford Bulls (37-32) have always been near the top the last few years under manager Rick Fargnoli... this season he's getting a little better hitting and might be tougher over the long haul... Scotty Simmons (12-4 2.36) has been huge this season... closer Neil Walton (0-2 1.37) has posted 10 saves thus far... Jimmy Travis (7-7 3.25) and Archie Young (7-6 3.60) have been steady, too... Vic Scalzi (.355 BA/9 HR), Ed Ford (.327 BA/5 HR), Gordon Orr (.305 BA/4 HR) and Lee Henderson (.311 BA/4 HR) are the top bats... Bobby Novikov (.261 BA/16 HR) and Tyee Maska (.234 BA/12 HR) provide the long ball... the Bulls are a well-balanced club.

Pitchers Clem Carmouche (11-5 1.98) and Andros Bajek (9-6 3.95) are the prime reasons the Valmara Vipers (35-34) are in third place... and closer Frank Favazzo (1-3) has chalked up 10 saves with a super low 1.90 ERA... skipper Jet Kazmarek gets by with his pitching... the Vipers are weak with the bats... Radley Singleton (.267 BA/11 HR), Miron Burczyk (.285 BA/6 HR), Tim Tamiroff (.282 BA/7 HR) and Sonny Oliver (.297 BA/8 HR) provide what little offense there is.

Defending division crownbearer Ancona (33-36) hasn't played up to par this year... Manny Mickens' club is off to a weak start with a drop in pitching and offense... Pete Krohn (5-1 3.38), Spiros Zodiates (7-3 3.45) and Clete Dukas (6-6 3.34) head up the rotation with John Sharpe (1-2 0.49) in the bullpen... Todd Nasso (.282 BA/14 HR), Alekos Kotas (.284 BA/12 HR), Kenny Willard (.255 BA), Louie DiMucci (.254 BA/7 HR) and Ken Rutledge (.293 BA/7 HR) are the main run producers, but none of them are close to career averages... Mickens expects them to take off in the second half and bring home the RU North flag for the third year in a row.

Charles Darby in his second season in charge of the Glasco Athletics (33-36) has them playing much better because of the influx of some fine rookies... the A's were seventh in 2021, 30 games under .500... this year they are within 3 games of breaking even (33-36), a marked improvement because of the mound corps... starter and 20-year vet Davy McAdams (10-5 3.65) and a fine bullpen have lowered the team ERA from a lofty 4.90 last year down to a very respectable 3.71 this season... offensively Darby 19-year-old son, rookie 2B Eddie Darby, has been a godsend with a .320 BA, 6 HR, 42 RBIs and 56 runs scored (3rd in the RU)... vet Lee Sullivan chipped in with 54 RBIs, 8 homers and a .261 BA... another rookie 1B Garris Aiken has added 10 home runs and 38 RBIs with a .251 batting average.

The other clubs are not too far back... Kilkenny and LaGrange are tied for 6th, trailing by 8 games... Far Mountain is last and 9 games off the pace... Kevin McPhail has a strong reliever corps in Kilkenny (32-37), led by two rookies, Sherm Innis (5-3 1.85) and Cuzz Grandberry (1-2 1.35)... Grandberry has 15 saves... topping the Cats bats are Hal Hester (.320 BA/5 HR), Lyle Walker (.331 BA/1 HR) and rookie Michael Winter (.267 BA/8 HR)... the LaGrange Sports (32-37) suffer with a sky-high 4.74 team ERA... but Otto Kronvath has a few good bats with Jules Nicolet (.301 BA/9 HR), Rex Belisaire (.302 BA/4 HR) and Bryan Dale (.319 BA/1 HR)... just not much power... rookie Roger Simone is the club leader with 12 roundtrippers, but he is batting only .211... the proud Far Mountain Redhawks (31-38) with 8 division banners and 3 Pro Cups are having hard times... over the past six seasons manager Alex Groveland has seen them slip to the bottom of the barrel... vet starter Woody Crawford (10-6 3.11) is still solid as a rock and has gotten some help from rookie Jeff Cooper (8-7 3.35) this season... Erich Dumont (1-1 1.75) is doing a fine job closing games out... offensively, vet Tony Tanaka is having a career year with a .330 BA, 12 homers, 35 RBIs and 55 runs scored (5th-tied in RU)... Dan Hudson is also swinging a good bat with a .311 mark, 6 homers and 48 runs batted in... 16-year veteran Phil Stewart is hitting .317 with 4 homers... at age 41 long-time superstar SS Don Nichols has passed the baton to third-year man John Deville, who is fielding exceptionally and batting a solid .296 with 5 home runs and 40 RBIs... Nichols is still quite a hitter, batting .400 in a limited role.

RU Outlook: Ranford and Ancona will duke it out for the flag... the Bulls pitching give them the edge over the Red Elephants... Taranto's pitching problems will cause them to fade in the second half... nobody else is is the class of the division's top three teams... Valmara has enough pitching to finish fourth.

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

2022 Ruthlandian South Mid-Season Recap

CL Crushers Back On Top Of RU South
The Crystal Lake Crushers were the IPA Pro Cup champion two years ago, but they slipped to third last season and didn't make the playoffs. But Baby George has them back on the right track again this year. They are on top of the Ruthlandian South and have a 3-game edge over rejuvenated Waleska at the All-Star break. The Crushers and Westerners are the only clubs playing winning baseball in the division. Belair Beach is third and 8 games back, while last year's pennant winner Grand City and San Dimas are deadlocked for the fourth spot in the standings and trail by 9 games.

Crystal Lake's (41-28) pitching is beyond compare with a brilliant 2.64 team ERA, the very best in the IPA... Herman "Baby" George has an excellent starting rotation in former Golden Arm winner Duncan Welch (9-6 2.27), Ralph McCullough (10-5 2.85) and Johnny Sarkelaris (7-5 2.29) and there's no drop-off when he has to go to the pen... closer Roger Bishop (2-3) has registered 17 saves and put up a 2.38 ERA... Crystal Lake's biggest problem is a huge lack of offense, ranking 31st in scoring... 38-year-old 1B Phil Gravelli, an IPA all-time great, still swings a hefty bat with a .348 average, 6 homers and 34 RBIs... but he has very little help... a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer, Gravelli is the all-time IPA leader in games, RBIs, hits and home runs... he is nearing 4000 career hits and 700 homers with a .320 BA and over 2300 RBIs... George is desperate for some offense, a crucial item come playoff time.

It's been six years since McGraw Johnson's Waleska Westerners (38-31) have graced the first division... the Westerners are up from seventh last season... Johnson has good starters, great bullpen and pretty good hitting... award-winning superstud Roy Hobbs (.347 BA/14 HR) is at it again and carries the club with some help from rookie Wilson James (.307 BA/3 HR) and Val Saucier (.308 BA/1 HR)... Sammy Grimaldi (7-5 3.68) and Chet McNeil (7-5 3.50) are Waleska's best arms... mid-reliever Rick Durham (5-2 1.98) and closer Paul Norwood (3-4 2.25) head up the bullpen, that ranks first in the RU with a 1.99 ERA... Waleska probably won't overtake Crystal Lake, but they should stay near the top.

Good pitching has brought the Belair Beach Sunbirds (33-36) back to the first division after an absence of six years, but they are below .500... 10-year vet Denny Whitaker (10-4 2.57) and Dan Marconi (8-8 2.99) anchor the starters... Marty Pedroza needs some offense (.248 BA)... his best bats are Ray Pelligrini (.304 BA/10 HR) and rookie Mitch Mason (.272 BA/13 HR)... Belair Beach will battle it out with 5 other clubs for first-division rights and will end up anywhere from third to seventh.

Last year's RU South flag winner Grand City (32-37) has stumbled badly this year and has fallen back to a tie for fourth with San Dimas... both hitting and pitching has gone sour for the Cybercats manager Wade Joslin... especially the pitching (4.32 ERA)... closer Ralph Teague (1-1) has been superb with 13 saves and an very strong 1.80 ERA, but the rest of the bullpen has been poor... the only adequate starters Randy Andrews (7-8 3.53) and Jimbo Stearns (8-10 4.02)... last year's 21-game winner Clint Brewer has slumped to 5-7 with a terrible 5.72 ERA and 15-game winner Brent Sturgis is just 5-6 with a 4.31 ERA... Sturgis injured his arm in June and may miss the rest of the season... Grand City only has two high quality hitters: Ricky Rich (.324 BA/9 HR) and Jug Slavin (.314 BA/4 HR)... it's going to be a long season for the Cybercats... not the same team as last year.

Improved hitting and pitching has lifted the San Dimas Rancheros (32-37) from last place to fourth this season... skipper Ron Armstrong has Shannon White (12-3 2.96) leading the starting rotation and closer Raul Marroquin (3-1) heading up the relief corps... Marroquin has a splendid 1.21 ERA and 13 saves... Ray Ford (.305 BA/4 HR) and Hank Maddox (.326 BA/4 HR) are the most productive bats... despite the progress, it's unlikely the Rancheros will finish much higher than the middle-of-the-pack.

After taking two division titles in 2018-2019, Stacy Engel and his Claxton Diamonds (30-39) haven't shined much with 3 second-division finishes... this year could be even worse... the Diamonds in sixth place and 11 games off the pace... on the hill, only closer Tony Haverkamp (3-2) is having a good season with a fine 1.95 ERA and 15 saves... The rest of the mound staff are having dismal seasons.. topping out the hitters are league legend Mike Luzzatti (.329 BA/7 HR), who is an 11-time All-Star with almost 3000 hits, 558 homers and a lifetime .314 batting average... Engel, the old Perfessor, has several other top-notch talents in George McKay (.297 BA/14 HR), K. C. Moerdijk (.253 BA/13 HR) and Allen Lemay (.293 BA/5 HR)... Claxton could contend for third or fourth place with a little more pitching.

The seventh-place Valka Blackhawks (29-40) have stayed in the first division for the last six years because of fine pitching... but it's down this season and so are the Blackhawks... they are 12 games behind in the pennant race... manager Andrei Kokk has almost no hitting (.244 BA/48 HR) and suspect pitching (4.07 ERA)... Richie Jost (10-7 2.91) is by far the best Kokk has on the hill... Tomi Viikberg (.315 BA/6 HR) and Don Pontros (.256 BA/12) are decent batters.

2021 was a very good year for the St. John Crusaders (19-50) with a surprising second-place finish... Just as quickly as they rose up to the runner-up position in the RU South, they have tumbled back down into the depths of eighth place once again with the worst record in the IPA, 22 games back... manager Skinny Kisecawchuk was the RU Manager of the Year last year, but his pitchers have done a total about-face with a horrible 5.33 team ERA this season... 21-game winner Teddy Garson is just 5-8 with a 5.50 ERA, 19-game winner Pat Long is only 5-10 with a 4.15 ERA and 16-game winner Andre Haglund is a miserable 2-13 with an astronomical 7.54 ERA... team hitting is also quite sub-par with a .249 BA and ranked near the bottom (24th)... solid and reliable 13-year vet Vinny Sardisco (.306 BA/7 HR) and Marty Coleman (.305 BA/2 HR) lead the club's pathetic offense.

RU South Outlook: It should be Crystal Lake in a breeze with Waleska number two and Belair Beach a distant number three.

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

2022 Ruthlandian East Mid-Season Recap

Sundowners Stun RU East, Huge Lead At Mid-Year
There's a good chance the season is over for most of the teams in the Ruthlandian East. In a stunning turnaround, the Wynnamac Sundowners have gone from seventh place last season to the top of the heap this year. At the All-Star break Matt Donnelly's charges have opened up a huge 9-game bulge over second-place Beechwood and Sugar Valley with fourth-place Cold Creek 14 games off the pace. It was expected that defending champ Sugar Valley, Eastshore and Beechwood would again contest for the pennant this year.

The Wynnamac Sundowners (47-22) have it all this season - great pitching and strong hitting... Donnelly has five .300 hitters in his potent batting order: All-Star 2B Liam Cadbury (.347 BA/16 HR), RF Bob Carr (.333 BA/9 HR), CF Ian Holmes (.316 BA/0 HR), All-Star 1B Pete Simmons (.311/14 HR) and LF Joey Eaton (.304 BA/10 HR)... on the hill the standouts are All-Star Lon Marshall (13-2 2.19), Jerry Meeks (10-5 3.05) and Jimmy Nichols (.9-3 3.41), plus Jim Norton (4-2) in the bullpen with 12 saves and a 1.42 ERA... Wynnamac hasn't made the playoffs since 2013... the Sundowners should be a strong challenger to win it all this season like they did in the Pro Cup season of 2008.

Defending division titlist, the Sugar Valley Rattlers (39-32), has seen its pitching and hitting slip some, but Gibby Bobkins still has the sluggers and leads the league with 101 homers... but he has lost 19-game winner Nick Moore for half the year... Moore is 9-6 with a 4.29 ERA and might return in the last month of the season... Benny McConnell (9-5 3.57) is the Rattlers only consistent starter... closer Fernando Vargas (0-3) has 13 saves with a 2.08 ERA... at the plate CF Randall Hawson (.280 BA/24 HR) is tied for the IPA home run lead, and along with All-Star 1B Dean Woods (.297 BA/21 HR), RF Terry Goudeau (.252 BA/15 HR) and SS Jack Sanderson (.272 BA/13 HR) lead the Rattler attack.

The Beechwood Bobcats (39-32) have three quality starters in rookie Frank Mullins (9-3 2.72), vets Billy Ray (8-5 3.63) and Ken DeGraw (7-8 3.15)... closer Jeff Lyons (4-3) does a solid job for manager Bret George with 12 saves and a 2.76 ERA... the Bobcats also have superstar CF and All-Star Vic Valenti (.319 BA/21 HR), who has to carry the offense... rookie Jojo Davis (.286 BA/3 HR) shows some promise and added a little bit to the offense.

The Cold Creek Catamounts (33-36) have made a modest resurgence... they have been a second-division club since 2012 and near the bottom for the last 3 seasons... skipper Trip Holmes has them in the fourth spot in the standings, but still they haven't reached the break-even mark and trail by 14 games... the Catamounts have fine pitching (3.48 ERA), but horrible hitting (.230 BA-32nd) and no power (32 HR-32nd)... Holmes' bullpen is one of the league's best (2.52 ERA-6th), sparked by All-Star closer Shannon Robinson (4-1), who has posted 15 saves at mid-season with an outstanding 0.75 ERA... starters Jon Howard (9-7 3.33), Kenny Mays (7-9 3.77) and rookie Mike Butler (5-8 3.44) all suffer from a lack of runs... rookie RF Carl Glick (.304 BA/7 HR) is Cold Creek's only productive bat.

The mighty Eastshore Elegants (32-37) are apparently no more - they are tied for fifth place, 15 games behind Wynnamac... Killer Brewster's boys are not the team they have been with 4 RU East flags, 2 second places and 2 Pro Cups since 2016... the formerly-dominant Elegants are just a less-than-ordinary team now with only fairly good pitching (3.69 ERA/13th) and atrocious hitting (.240 BA- 31st)... Melvin Key (9-6 3.42) and Bobby Matthews (9-3 3.43) are still capable starters, but Danny Siegfried (2-9 4.21) has dropped off the map this year at age 41... Siegfried was 20-13 last year with a fine 2.94 ERA... the relief corps is still quality with a 2.64 ERA (7th), headed up by closer Milt Campbell (3-3 2.57) with 15 saves... former All-Stars Gerry Garner (.263 BA/10 HR) and Stan Cuccinello (.248 BA/11 HR) have slumped badly this season... the future is not bright for Eastshore.

The mediocre Belle Plaine Musketeers (32-37) are tied with Eastshore in fifth place... manager Dave Torregrossa has two All-Star performers in SS Slick Hammill (.293/7 HR) and C Derek Roman (.322/6 HR)... plus a fine, young CF in Noel Norbert (.341/8 HR)... Rick Lafleur (6-7 3.09) and Lucien Record (7-7 3.97) are the best starters... bullpen specialist is Fabian Moreau (1-0), one of the top closer in the league with a 1.69 ERA and 11 saves.

Johnny Walters and his Marston Nine (30-39) had a good season last year with a third-place finish, but they have dropped way back in the pack this year to seventh place, 17 games behind... Anson Thomas tops the rotation with an 8-8 mark with a 3.27 ERA... All-Star CF Russ Woodward (.328 BA/16 HR) is really the only threat in the lineup... Woodward made the All-Star team for the fourth time this season.

The Elnora All-Stars (29-40) could be headed for its worst season in history... Sam Malone's club is in last place, 18 games out... Elnora doesn't have much of anything except good power with 75 homers, good for third place in the league... topping the list are RF Travis Glass (.320 BA/18 HR), 1B Michael Griffin (.284 BA/14 HR) and C Leon Carter (.310 BA/8 HR)... Malone lost his ace Hal Wilkinson to injury last September and he will likely miss all of this year... Wilkerson was 22-13 last season with a strong 2.97 ERA... Elnora sorely misses him.

RU East Outlook: Wynnamac looks too strong to falter in the second half... the Sundowners are the class of the RU East and one of the top clubs in the IPA... they should be a strong contender to take the Pro Cup... Sugar Valley and Beechwood will battle it out for the runner-up spot with the nod going to the Bobcats because of its superior mound staff.

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

2022 Ruthlandian West Mid-Season Recap

Battle Rages In RU West, Rovers, V's And Roosters Duel
The defending Pro Cup champion Sligo Rovers ran away with the Ruthlandian West by 14 games last season, but not this year. The Volusia Vigilantes and Middlefield Roosters are taking them to task this year. The Rovers are still the top dog with a 2-game lead over Volusia, 4 ahead of Middlefield and 6 over the fourth-place Forest City Lumberjacks. The Colfax Blasters are fifth and 8 games behind the Rovers. Sligo is even better than last year, but so are the V's, Roosters, Lumberjacks and Blasters. It should make for a season-long battle in perhaps the strongest division in the IPA.

Eddie Keys has tremendous pitching in Sligo (45-24) with a splendid 2.72 team ERA (2nd)... his starters are superb, but the relievers are severely lacking with a 6.68 ERA (32nd)... All-Star ace Les Patterson (8-3 1.45) has been super and leads the IPA in ERA... All-Star Ralph Odakota (11-5 2.43), Sam Tate (8-5 2.34) and Luka Abromowitz (9-4 3.20) have been very impressive, too... leading the Rover bats are All-Star 3B Manny Alou (.303 BA/11 HR), 1B Johnny Lee Harder (.292 BA/11 HR) and LF Biff Blauer (.314 BA/3 HR)... rookie whiz 2B Garlin Delk (.289 BA/2 HR) has added a great glove and good bat.

The Volusia Vigilates (43-26) are hitting the cover off the ball with the likes of CF Joe DeLucca (.364 BA/9 HR), the RU leading hitter, C Ishmael Gomez (.332 BA/12 HR) and 1B Rafael Garza (.344 BA/1 HR)... SS Vince Wilson (.296 BA/7 HR) and LF Carlos Quintana (.272 BA/11 HR) are no slouches at the plate, either... All-Star Sixto Moreno (11-3 2.46), Rio Lobo (10-3 2.76) and Kent Elam (10-3 4.19) are the main pitchers... The V's are second with a strong .272 BA and third in scoring.

Bailey Norcross is in his second year as skipper of the Middlefield Roosters (41-28)... the Roosters were sixth last year because they lacked hitting... this year Norcross has a solid core of hitters, led by All-Star Allen Stewart (.326 BA/24 HR), who is tied for the IPA home run lead with Sugar Valley's Randall Hawson and Hillsboro's great rookie D'Andrew Gregory... other run producers are CF Tom Daniels (.301 BA/10 HR), RF Chuck Larkin (.280 BA/10 HR), C Rod Buckley (.326 BA/9 HR) and LF Vic Ivarsson (.284 BA/11 HR)... the Middlefield mount staff is solid, too, with Frank Dean (9-6 2.75) and Joe Schneider (7-6 3.26)... the Roosters are a fine all-around ball club with a .272 BA (5th), sixth in scoring and second in power with 96 roundtrippers (2nd)... on the hill, they are fifth with a 3.35 team ERA.

Rob Jackson has his Forest City Lumberjacks (39-30) bats booming again, up 20 points from last year's seventh-place finish... Forest City is 6 games off the pace in fourth place in the RU West... the 'Jacks top the RU with a .278 mark, tied with powerful Ozarka of the Tycobbian Union... but they only have average pitching with a 3.95 team ERA (20th)... the Forest City attack is paced by star 1B Andy Doiron (.311 BA/11 HR), 2B Stan Tipton (.359 BA/8 HR) and Rusty Hood (.335 BA/11 HR)... Jackson's son, rookie 2B Robert Jackson, Jr., has been a pleasant surprise, hitting .283 with 4 homers and doing a good job with the glove... on the hill Stephen Phillips (12-2 3.60) has been truly outstanding in his third year... long-time vet Tommy Zenon (9-3 3.30) is still solid at age 38 and rookie Norm Dawson (8-6 3.37) has given the Lumberjacks some quality starts this season... Forest City is in a tough division, but they are holding their own so far.

Since winning 7 RU West pennants in 9 years during the period 2008-2016, Clem Rogers and his Colfax Blasters (37-32) have been shackled in the second division... however, this year they are playing better than .500, but are still in the fifth spot in the standings with four fine teams ahead of them... Colfax is 8 games back and still in the hunt in theory, but not in reality... the Blasters just do not have the talent to seriously contend this season... 29-year-old Cliff James (10-1 2.86) is the only leftover from the glory years when Rogers had Ilya Szabo and Jimmy Joe Cartner to man the mound... After 19 years in the IPA, Szabo retired this year with a 327-210 record at age 42 and Cartner in 2019 with a 210-153 mark in 12 seasons... Colfax has Matt Pedersen (2-4) in the bullpen with 16 saves and a great 1.78 ERA in 26 games... rookie Glen Smith (.317 BA/11 HR) is the top hitter, along with 1B Doug Kirkwood (.318 BA/10 HR), veterans C Joe Alexander (.288 BA/8 HR) and LF Billy Garrett (.311 BA/9 HR).

The Rocky Rapids Snappers (32-37) continue to decline... after winning four pennants in a row from 2017-2020, Ryan Noland's team slipped to third last year and now to sixth, 13 games out... Junior Noland (8-8 3.64), Don Chaney (6-9 4.24) and Joe Anderson (5-8 4.14) are not the pitchers they were a few seasons ago... but 3B Paul Shelton (.280 BA/17 HR), CF Tiger Noland (.317 BA/4 HR), LF Rob Barton (.300 BA/3 HR) and 1B Don Timmons (.319 BA/7 HR) can still put runs on the scoreboard... the Snappers just don't have the pitching of the good old days... one huge plus this year is rookie phenom Angelo Nardone with 15 homers and a .332 batting average.

After two seasons in fourth place, the Stoner Stars (31-38) have dipped down to seventh place and trail by 14 games... skipper Benny Stern has quality pitching with two fine starters in Kirk Robbins (8-4 3.25) and Billy Chapel (8-7 3.76)... and an excellent closer in Lou Neuman (1-5), who has racked up 14 saves and an extraordinary 0.65 ERA... but the Stars are only average offensively in spite of All-Star LF Mike Jaffe (.353 BA/14 HR) being in the top five hitters... 3B Kendall Smith (.312 BA/0 HR) and CF Kevin Fisher (.304 BA/7 HR) are also productive hitters, but with no punch.

Manager Robbie Brooks guided the Fort Benton Defenders (30-39) to three successive first-division finishes from 2017-2019, but since have plunged to the bottom... the Defenders are eighth this season 15 games behind in the standings... Fort Benton is old... at 42 Tucker Dawes (6-7 4.05) is Brooks' best hurler... his best hitter is 41-year-old 2B Bobby Ritter (.322 BA/4 HR), now in his 22nd year... CF Ryan Smith (.276 BA/12 HR) and RF Joe Darwall (.286 BA/11 HR) supply the longballs.

RU West Outlook: Sligo is a super team and should prevail in the RU West and go deep into the Pro Cup playoffs with a good chance to repeat as IPA champs... Strong Volusia and Middlefield will give chase and stay close to the Rovers, but not win... Forest City is talented, too, and could be in the running for second place, along with Colfax... it should be an exciting second half in the RU West with the title going to Sligo.

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

2022 Tycobbian North Mid-Season Recap

Hawks Fly High In TU North, Top Z's By 2
Both of the top two teams in the Tycobbian North are on the rise. First place North Hills has a 2-game margin at mid-year over the Luxora Zorros, 4 games up on third-place Hartsdale and 6 in front of fourth-place Ozford. The best two clubs from last season have fallen apart and tumbled to the bottom of the division. Last year's pennant winner and Pro Cup runner-up, the White River Rascals, are in the basement and runner-up Blue Lake is in the seventh spot.

North Hills (40-29) was fourth last year, the Hawks have improved on the hill and at the plate this season... manager Masaichi Okawa has three All-Stars leading the way: Lenny Danforth (10-2 2.45), RF Al Bowden (.314 BA/12 HR) and CF Steve Valverde (.309 BA/8 HR)... Ivan Glick (11-5 3.37) and Nicholas Reed (8-5 3.43) gives the Hawks two more quality starters to go along with closer Ben Garland (2-3), who has chalked up 12 saves and a strong 2.10 ERA... 1B Lou Hooper (.324 BA/13 HR) and 3B Rod Haynes (.275 BA/13 HR) give Okawa some good power in the line-up.

Luxora (38-31) is a team on the rise... last season the Zorros wound up seventh... improved work on the mound has made Luxora better... better scoring, too... Cristo Viaconte has two fine starters and a top-notch closer... All-Star Tiago Torres (10-5 1.67) has rebounded from an 8-22 mark with a 2.82 ERA last year with a brilliant season... Mike Boyce (7-4 2.53) also has come back from a 14-21 record last year... bullpen ace Jay Brewer (4-2) has 12 saves and an impressive 1.89 ERA... Lousy hitting really cost the mound corps last season... North Hills is more productive this time around at the plate... they still don't hit for average (.247-24th), but do score fairly well and hit with power... the Hawks are tied for fifth with 78 dingers and are 15th in scoring... sparking the attack are LF Jon Stafford (.255 BA/18 HR), C Jim Thorpe Chandler (.287 BA/14 HR), rookie CF Johnny Clark (.289 BA/13 HR) and 1B Johnny Brenner (.321 BA/10 HR).

Zim Donner is still the man-in-charge of the Hartsdale Hellcats (36-33)... Donner only has average hitting (.253 BA-20th) and pitching (3.77 ERA- 16th), but his offense does manufacture runs (7th)... rookie 3B Mike Houston (.305 BA/13 HR), 1B Johnny Scott (.278 BA/13 HR), All-Star SS Kendry Moulton (.306 BA/8 HR) and rookie Alex Martz (.301 BA/5 HR) are his most productive sticks... three veteran starters give Donner some credible pitchers... Bobo Boisseau (7-6 3.21), Jim Starks (7-8 3.46) and Tony Lane (4-2 3.28) are all steady starters... 24-year-old rookie southpaw closer Chris Marvin (1-2) has been a standout with 8 saves and a microscopic 1.14 ERA.

Mack Spencer has the Oxford Red Caps (34-35) on the move in the TU North with much better pitching (3.60 ERA-12th) and hitting (.269 BA-4th)... up from sixth last year to fourth place this year... Rick Hunt (2-2) has been very sharp in the closing role with 14 saves and a super 1.91 ERA... the starting rotation is only average, but the bullpen is solid (3.26 ERA)... best Oxford bats belongs to rookie Pat Bartz (.305 BA/9 HR), RF Mario Marquis (.279 BA/5 HR), SS Tom Perry (.272 BA/9 HR), LF Ron Berry (.298 BA/11 HR) and Ricky Mullen (.296 BA/9 HR).

The Fairfax Frogs (32-37) are in fifth place with very poor hitting (.236 BA-30th) and mediocre pitching (3.98 ERA/18th)... playing manager Dane Wesner's squad is 8 games off the pace... 32-year-old ace Ken Hill (5-9 2.90) is still as good as anybody in the IPA in his 13th season... Hill just doesn't get any run support... Hill is 225-172 with a standout 2.88 ERA in his career... Joe Hampton 97-4 3.95) and Curt Lansdale (3-6 3.23) are capable starters as well... closer Floyd Burnett (5-3) is having a fine year with 9 saves and a 2.96 ERA... the Frogs only have two productive bats... LF Sean Lawson has been terrific with a .355 BA and 13 homers, while 3B Sandy Coburn has chipped in with a .312 mark and 2 home runs... manager Wesner (.231 BA/7 HR) is nowhere near the great hitter he once was... lifetime Wesner is a .316 batter with 427 roundtrippers... Wesner has never been the same after a shoulder injury in 2014... until then he was the premier hitter in the IPA.

Sixth in the standings and 9 games back are the Mahaska Haymakers (31-38) of Rudy Tanussa... the Haymakers can make hay at bat, but not on the hill... they are sixth in team batting with a .268 mark and 9th in runs scored, but downright lousy with a 4.61 team ERA (31st)... Joey Wallace (10-5 4.84) and Denny Kozlovski (7-4 4.50) have winning records but lofty ERAs... Johnny Picou is 5-6 with a 4.55 ERA... All-Star C Bucky O'Brian (.340/11 HR), rookie 1B Paul Davies (.307 BA/10 HR) and RF Ross Burke (.302 BA/5 HR) are Tanussa's top threats.

The next-to-last Blue Lake Blue Sox (27-42) thrived last year on pitching, but they have floundered this season and given up almost a run per game more... the Blue Sox trail first place North Hills by 13 games... 19-game winner Nick Walker is 4-8 with a 3.95 ERA and 17-game winner Phil Wilkinson is 3-7 with an atrocious 8.09 ERA... Cobb Tyson's crew still has lots of trouble getting on the scoreboard, ranking 20th in scoring runs... 1B Randy Milne (.362 BA/3 HR) tops the team offensively with help from CF Gary Kerkorian (.311 BA/9 HR).

It's hard to believe the White River Rascals (26-43) have gone from the Pro Cup penthouse to the proverbial outhouse in such a short time... the Rascals are dead last and 14 games back... the mound corps has gone to pot with a 4.51 team ERA (27th)... only Ron Hendrix (8-9 2.82) and closer Arnie Montel (0-2) are strong and reliable... White River is last in the TU in runs... star 1B Marty Blake (.304 BA/14 HR) is the only threat in the lineup.

Tycobbian West Outlook: North Hills is the favorite at the All-Star Game break... it has better balance than Luxora... Hartsdale and Oxford will battle for third with the nod going to the Hellcats... none of the also-rans will be in the running.

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

2022 Tycobbian South Mid-Season Recap

Ninjas Lead 4-Team Tussle In TU South
The Ginza Ninjas have never won the Tycobbian South in its 22-year existence, but this season they are thinking seriously about winning it. At mid-season Ginza has a narrow 2-game edge over the tough Arroyo Grande Suns, who have won the pennant the past two seasons. The always-strong Turon Typhoons are also lurking close by, just 5 games back in third place with the Colchester Elites 7 games off the pace in fourth place. In reality, it's only a three-team chase as the Elites simply don't hit well enough to stay up with the big boys.

Last season Ginza (44-25) ran a great race, especially playing without its superstar All-Star C Crash Davis, who missed over 100 games in 2021 with an injury... this year Davis has come back with a vengence and has led the Ninjas to a great first half with a .335 BA, 13 homers and 52 RBIs... but Davis is not doing it alone... He has a lot of help from 1B Johnny O'Rorke (.368 BA/16 HR) and the fine rookie RF Kenji Yamamura (.292 BA/14 HR)... O'Rorke has the top batting average in the IPA this year... Manager Huroko Uchiyama also has sensational pitching with a 2.92 team ERA (2nd)... heading up the rotation is Yutaka Yoshida (10-2 2.18), 14-year vet Joji Azuma (9-6 3.26) and rookie Ron Koehler (8-6 2.91)... Ginza also has a good number-four man in 43-year-old Julian Gilchrist (5-3 3.39), who just moved into the starting rotation in May... the bullpen is top-notch, too, headed up by All-Star closer Kakuzo Harimoto (4-1), who has registered 16 saves and compiled a standout 2.30 ERA... Uchiyama and his Ninjas have a tough task to dethrone Arroyo Grande, but they seem to be capable of knocking them off this year. It should be quite a race.

Manager Cyclone Cobb has the defending TU South champion Arroyo Grande Suns (42-27) near the top, in spite of losing star SS Andy Pearson (.321 BA/7 HR) in May with a knee injury... Pearson hopes to be back in July for the stretch run... the Suns do it with a high-powered offense... they are second with a .275 batting average, first in scoring and number two in homers with 88... Cobb's pitching is better-than-average with a 3.60 team ERA (11th)... top hitters include phenomenal rookie 1B Rusty Vizcarra (.292 BA/22 HR), who has burst on the scene with an IPA-leading 69 RBIs, All-Star LF Eduardo Villanueva (.332 B/11 HR), C Gary Troxell (.302 BA/12 HR) and RF Buddy Bechtel (.298 BA/15 HR)... Arroyo Grande has two stud starters in Sixto Zamora (10-5 2.63) and Ernie Matthews (9-5 2.92), along with talented closer Jason Patrick (3-3), who has saved 12 games and posted an excellent 1.66 ERA... no one is counting the Suns out... even without Pearson, they are a very gifted and strong club.

With 11 pennants and 4 Pro Cups, the Turon Typhoons (39-30) are never very far from the top of the Tycobbian South... this year they are third, but only 5 games out... Whitey Richburn has quite a ball club with strong pitching and hitting... the Typhoons are third in batting with a .272 mark, fifth in homers with 78 and sixth in scoring... on the hill the team ERA is 3.29 (7th)... Richburn's batting order is chocked full of fine hitters, topped by icon All-Star 1B Clyde Kingsford (.360 BA/18 HR), All-Star CF Mac McCurnan (.321 BA/11 HR), RF Dominick DiCaprio (.308 BA/11 HR) and 2B Marv Ferguson (.305 Ba/10 HR)... Turon's top twirlers are the legendary Nicky Engstrom (10-5 2.42), who made the All-Star team for the 9th time this year and has won 20 games in 10 of his 11 seasons... 41-year-old Ted Farentino (8-3 3.13) just keep on rolling along and racking up wins... Farentino went over 300 victories this year... Bobby Byrd (7-7 3.43) is also a quality pitcher... in the bullpen Turon still has Merle Studebaker (2-4), who has racked up 11 saves and put up an exceptional 1.50 ERA... Richburn needs another starter to step it up to the next level for the Typhoons to overtake Ginza and Arroyo Grande... Byrd and Bryan Wilkerson (7-7 4.57) will be crucial to their success.

The fourth-place Colchester Elites (37-32) haven't won the TU South since 2007 and it is not likely to change this season... Uncle Robbie Wilbertson has the pitching to compete, but not the bats... the Elites have a 3.32 team ERA (8th), but are batting only .255 (19th), 27th in scoring and 30th in homers with just 46... Colchester is also the best fielding team in the division with a fine .977 FA, tied for 5th in the league... top pitchers are Brian Britt (9-6 2.82), Jess Carpenter (7-6 2.78) and Tommy Tuckman (3.26)... the leading hitters are LF Douglas Tilford (.314 BA/10 HR) and 1B James McCall (.318 BA/9 HR)... journeyman Tilford has played in Colchester for 22 years with a lifetime .290 BA.

There is a 3-way tie for fifth place between San Alejo, Southport and Summerland, all are 10 games out... San Alejo (34-35) broke an 8-year string of last-place finishes last season with a four-place finish and 20 games over .500... the Montaneros are now back to being mediocre... last season's rookie sensation Jaime Miranda has flopped this year with a 6-8 mark and dismal 4.69 ERA... last season he was 19-10 with a 3.96 ERA... skipper Alberto Herrera's only strong starter is All-Star Trini Corona (10-3 2.58)... LF Warren Love (.309 BA/21 HR) and C Paul Bailey (.309 BA/10 HR) are his only dependable bats.

The Southport Sun Sox (34-35) won 90 games and came in second last year, but Charley Oscar's team has been a big disappointment in 2022... the Sun Sox are tied with San Alejo for the fifth spot in the standings, 10 games behind... Oscar's pitching is even better than last year's with a sparkling 3.05 ERA (3rd), but the scoring is way down, ranked 31st... Bob Montgomery (10-5 2.57) and Al Laclair (6-8 2.57) are excellent starters... and Rob Ricks (3-2) is a strong closer with 11 saves and a super-low 0.67 ERA... at the plate only Wayne Rutledge (.318 BA/7 HR) carry much of a batting average... all of the other regulars are .280 or less.

The Summerland Sunsets (34-35), guided by Will Hackett, have three quality starters in Steve Aaron (8-6 3.14), Denny Coulon (8-6 3.62) and Vince van Gogh (5-5 3.54), along with bullpen ace Leon Mullin (2-3) with 15 saves and a 2.93 ERA... Coulon is 42 and in his 22nd season... career-wise he has won 336 games and also lost 312 with a strong 2.92 ERA... but the Sunsets almost have no hitting... RF Brady Gilbert is the best of the lot by far with a .335 BA and 6 home runs... Summerland is last in the league with just 44 roundtrippers.

It's been 5 years since the Cape Coral Hurricanes (33-36) managed to finish in the first division... manager Huggy Miller's lads are batting a pathetic .236 (31st), while on the mound they are fairly good with a 3.67 team ERA (14th)... after winding up seventh the last three seasons, the Hurricanes have now slipped a notch into the cellar, 11 games back... at age 40 long-time ace Cody Burg retired leaving a big void in the rotation... in his 21 seasons Burg won more games and struck out more than anyone in IPA history... Lifetime Burg was 369-264 with a remarkable 2.79 ERA and 5250 strikeouts... but Miller has three youngsters in his pitching corps that are showing good promise: starters Karl Zenger (7-3 1.92), Ruben Kalkman (6-3 3.62) and closer Mike Rinaldi (3-0) with 9 saves and a great 0.73 ERA... rookie RF Bill James is the only bat with a .287 average, 6 homers, 40 runs and 22 RBIs... not much after him.

Tycobbian South Outlook: Probably just a two-team race between the current leader Ginza and defending champ Arroyo Grande with the nod to the Ninjas because of better overall pitching... Turon has the hitting, but falls short with only two quality starters... the Typhoons will come out third with Colchester fourth... the Elites are not at the same level as the top 3.

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

2020 Tycobbian East Mid-Season Recap

Nats In TU East Lead Again
Perennial power Ozarka is again on top of the Tycobbian East. The Naturals have won the last eight division titles and 11 overall, appeared 13 times in the playoffs, but have yet to claim a Pro Cup. It's too close for comfort this year for them with Tuckanarra tugging at their tails, only 2 games back. The High Mesa Cowboys and Midway Wolves are tied for third and trail by just 3 games. Red Bluff is 6 games behind and in the fifth spot. The first-place Nats are not dominating the TU East this year as they have in the past.

As usual Ozarka (40-29) is number one in hitting (.278 BA) and pitching (2.91 ERA)... Joe Mac Carney's talented crew is also third in runs scored... heading his star-studded staff are All-Star Benny Osterman (12-4 2.31), Yuka Nawajuk (8-2 3.09) and Eddie Roberts (7-8 3.24)... fireballer Howard Hutch (6-5 3.80) is a good number four starter... the Nats capable closer Josh Carpenter (1-3) has saved 14 games thus far and has a 2.42 ERA... five .300 hitters bolster the batting order, paced by All-Star 3B Andre Dumas (.322 BA/16 HR), 1B Benny Rousseau (.324 BA/15 HR), CF Ryoma Nakayama (.308 BA/5 HR), SS James Couch (.303 BA/5 HR) and catcher T. C. Baranski (.304 BA/4 HR). RF Ken Mayberry (.299 BA/7 HR) and LF Jose Ordonez (.291 BA/3) are also within striking distance of the .300 mark, too... after failing five times in the finals in the last ten years, Carney and the Nats fans are hoping this will be the year for them to finally take the team's first Pro Cup trophy... odds are fairly good that Ozarka will get another shot at its first IPA crown.

The stars are out and really shining in Tuckanarra... The Tuckanarra Blue Jays (38-31) have had a re-birth because of a set of 23-year-old triplets - the Starr boys, Glynn, Quinn and Lynn... the rookies have taken the town by storm and almost single-handedly lifted the Blue Jays out of the basement and into the runner-up spot... manager Carlton "Lefty" Stevens is delighted and so are the fans... rookies Quinn Starr (8-6 2.78) and Glynn Starr (8-8 2.89) are southpaws and lead the starting rotation, while brother Lynn (.287 BA/13 HR) plays first base and is the team's top hitter... RF Danny Redd (.285 BA/4 HR) and LF Vince Di Lazzaro (.290 BA/9 HR) have chipped in some offense, too... Tuckanarra has the pitching (3.18 ERA/4th) to compete with Ozarka, but not the hitting (.246 BA-26th)... it will be tough for the Blue Jays to stay with the gifted Naturals for the entire season.

Frisky Franks has firepower in High Mesa (37-32)... his Cowboys are tied for third with Midway at mid-year... High Mesa tops the IPA with 102 home runs and is 4th in the TU in scoring, but suffers in the pitching department with a poor 4.43 team ERA (25th)... however starters Yancy Derringer (8-5 3.48) and Ronald Ward (9-6 3.73) are doing quite well, especially since they have to pitch in tiny Queen Ranch Stadium... 13-year vet closer Ed Galliano (3-1) has 10 saves and a very good 2.42 ERA... offensively the Cowpokes are sparked by IPA legend and All-Star Jack Elliott (.330 BA/18 HR), who leads both leagues with 61 runs... Elliott has been an All-Star 10 times, won the Golden Bat 9 times, 6 batting titles, 3 Golden Gloves and 2 MVPs in his illustrious career... the slugging first sacker is a lifetime .357 batter with 510 home runs... Elliott is getting lots of help this year from 2B Kenny Rivers (.336 BA/8 HR), SS Stephen Andrews (.306 BA/8 HR), Stephen's little brother rookie RF Bill Andrews (.257 BA/22 HR) and 3B Bill Riley (.331 BA/11 HR)... another quality starter would put High Mesa right up there with Ozarka... until then Franks will have to be satisfied with second or third place... the Cowboys won the Pro Cup in its first season in the IPA in 2002... they haven't made the playoffs since 2003.

The Midway Wolves (37-32) have quality pitching (3.24 ERA/6th), but are not much at the plate with a .247 BA (22nd)... however, the Wolves can go deep with 73 homers (7th)... skipper Cochise Chandler has his club close, just 3 games off the pace at the All-Star hiatus... four steady starters are at the heart of the Wolves... Bobby Dorignac (9-7 2.62), Motega Wolf (7-5 3.05), Dakota Dyami (10-4 3.81) and Joe Wolf Warner (5-5 3.47) are steady and solid... Chandler's youngest son LF Chitto Chandler (.300 BA/15 HR) is his top bat and he made the All-Star team for the first time this season... Chandler's oldest son C Jim Thorpe Chandler also made the All-Stars, but with Luxora... a third son, Maska, plays SS for his daddy and is hitting .276 with 6 homers this season... 2B Frank Reinhard (.305 BA/9 HR) is also a productive performer... it's doubtful Midway can contend with the Naturals because of faulty hitting... the Wolves may have to settle for third or fourth.

The Red Bluff Red Sox (34-35) soared high to second place last year with a wonderful 95-59 mark, but have come back down-to-earth this year... the Red Sox are in fifth place and trail by 6 games... poor pitching is the downfall... last season's Rookie of the Year Kris Kazlauskas has dropped from 22-10 with a 3.53 ERA to 6-9 and a 4.46 ERA... Grady Daggs, a 15-game winner last year is only 6-8 this season... manager Bucky Frizzell does have a superb closer in Rod Westfall (2-3), who has saved 8 games and posted a 1.35 ERA... however Westfall had 35 saves for the year in 2021... Red Bluff still packs some wallop in its batting order with the brilliant rookie and All-Star RF Corbett Brooks (.311 BA/19 HR), 3B James Mack (.260 BA/17 HR), All-Star 2B Jose Aguilar (.294 BA/8 HR) and C Jim Schubert (.291 BA/6 HR)... improvements from Kazlauskas and Daggs could move the Red Sox higher up in the race.

Skipper Rawhide Marshall's Hillsboro Blazers (31-38) are tied with South Fork for sixth in the TU East standings, 9 games back of first-place Ozarka... Marshall's team is headed nowhere this season, but he has several youngsters who have done wonders for the team... 22-year-old rookie and All-Star RF D'Andrew Gregory has put up extraordinary numbers and is number one in the TU with 24 homers and and 65 RBIs, while hitting at a .280 clip... 22-year-old 1B Larry Guichard (.304 BA/9 HR) now in his third year, has done well in his first full season as a regular... starter Pat Buettner (7-2 4.76) went out in June with an arm injury and will miss about another month... solid vets Yank Yoland (7-6 3.03) and Tom Edgar (2-11 3.22) give the Blazers two quality arms in the rotation.

South Fork (31-38) is managed by Duroche "Lips" Leon... the Stallions aren't headed anywhere this year and are 9 games out of first with average hitting (.255 BA/18th) and bad pitching (4.55 ERA-28th)... 12-year vet and 200-game winner Blackie Terranove (8-7 3.33) is still the ace of the mound staff at age 40... 25-year-old closer Solly King (3-0) hasn't allowed an earned run this year in 18 appearances and has saved 12 games... LF Patric Giles (.300 BA/12 HR), SS Teddy Nixon (.329 BA/8 HR) and vet CF Robby Michael (.316 BA/6 HR) are the bat leaders... 34-year-old Michael is a career .320 hitter in his 16 seasons with over 2500 hits and 260 roundtrippers.

It's been 13 years since the East Point Panthers (23-46) have made the playoffs... not likely this year either... the worst pitching staff (4.90 ERA-32nd) in the Tycobbian Union pretty much insure a last-place finish... the Panthers are 17 games in back of Ozarka... rookie Andy Charles (8-7 4.22) is the only decent starter manager Jesse Goodwin has... the only standout bats he has are 39-year-old 1B Bill McCann (.326 BA/13 HR) and 30-year-old SS Gil Rayfor (.335 BA/7 HR).

Tycobbian East Outlook: Nobody is on par with the Ozarka Naturals, who should pull away in the second half... Tuckanarra, High Mesa and Midway will fight it out for the runner-up slot... strong hitting could give the edge to High Mesa... Red Bluff could sneak into the first division with improved pitching in the second half.

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

202 Tycobbian West Mid-Season Recap

Bucs and Reds Tied In TU West
It's looking like a two-team affair in the Tycobbian West at the halfway mark in the season. Defending champion Bay St. Clair ran away with the division last year, winning by 11 games over Rolling Hills. Not so this season - the Reds are all even with the Buccaneers at the All-Star break. The rest of the teams are playing for third place. Right now Bayview and La Claire are tied for third and trail by 7 games.

The Bay St. Clair Buccaneers (41-28) are the favorites to win for the second successive season... manager Guy Rondre has won the division flag 5 times in the last 8 years... the Bucs hit very well with a .269 team batting average (5nd) and score well (2nd)... on the hill Rondre's rotation is ranked 13th with a 3.64 team ERA... late bloomer 39-year-old Don Yaden (10-2 2.96) is the ace of the staff with vet Marty Elenbaas (8-3 3.49) and rookie Augie Delpit (9-7 3.83) the number two and number three starters... the closer is Marv Thomas (3-3) with 7 saves and an impressive 1.62 ERA... 1B Jerry Todd (.362 BA/12 HR), rookie SS Van Kellner (.295 BA/9 HR), LF Florent Schoonmaker (.310 BA/5 HR), RF Don Smithers (.300 BA/9 HR) and CF Bill Howell (.294 BA/0 HR) lead the Buccaneer bats... Bay St. Clair always plays well in the postseason, despite playing in one of the weaker division in the IPA.

Matty Christianson has a quality ball club in Rolling Hills (41-28)... the Reds don't hit as well as Bay St. Claire, but they can hold their own with them... the Reds pitching corps is a little better than the Bucs... it looks like the pennant race will go down to the wire between the two... Rolling Hills' strong point is two fine starters in All-Star Errol Gaudet (12-3 2.48) and Sal Jordan (10-4 2.62)... the Reds do have a weakness in the relief corps and rank 24th in the league with a 3.87 ERA... by contrast Bay St. Clair is 2.98 (11th)... that could be a critical difference... Christianson's most productive players are RF Manuel Leon (.250 BA/13 HR), rookie SS Tony Ptacek (.294 BA/9 HR), C Dennis Johanson (.339 BA/1 HR), LF Donnie Lewis (.288 BA/3 HR) and 2B Mickey O'Malley (.272 BA/8 HR).

The Bayview Vikings and La Claire Lynx are tied for third... neither are playing .500 ball... both are lackluster teams, pretty much just average in hitting and pitching... Bayview (34-35), with Walter Johanssen still in command, has only one good starter and a good closer... Harald Turi (7-7 3.28) tops the starters and closer Ivar Bergmann (2-2 2.39) tops the relief corps with 15 saves and a strong 2.39 ERA... at the plate LF Hakon Lansvik leads with a .319 BA... CF Davey Krueger (.265 BA) leads with 13 homers and star 1B Stan Haddix (.268 BA), playing his 21st season at age 43, leads with 49 RBIs... Haddix is a lifetime .300 hitter with five different clubs.

There isn't a lot of talent in La Claire (34-35)... skipper Maka Bardinda's best is star 2B Flash Devlin (.291 BA/11 HR), who made the All-Star team for the 8th time this year... Devlin sports a career .330 average... other top players are RF Charlie Chapman (.325 BA/9 HR), SS Walt Cumby (.315 BA/4 HR), Manny Marchand (.286 BA/7 HR) and long-time superstar LF Zeppy Deshotel (.307 BA/1 HR), who is winding down a great career at age 38, but still swings a good bat in his 18th season... Deshotel is batting .313 lifetime with 468 homers and has made the All-Stars 9 times... on the hill Tommy Price (7-4 3.79) is the Lynx only dependable starter... closer Dana Price (0-4) does well with 13 saves and a 2.91 ERA... the Prices are not related.

The Denton City Redbirds and Kenwood Wildcats are both 9 games out in the race and in fifth place... Denton City (32-37) is woefully weak offensively with a .237 BA (29th)... on the mound Ford Whiteman's club is just average with a 3.99 team ERA (20th)... starter Wilcy Lord (6-5 3.05) and closer Rich Hopkins (0-3) are the top hurlers... Hopkins has 12 saves and a super 1.75 ERA... 20-year vet RF Todd Bryant (.304 BA/7 HR) is the best bat at age 39... 3B Mike Mackowiak leads the club with 13 HRs and 44 RBIs, but is batting just .216.

The Kenwood Wildcats (32-37) have Aaron Hankins at the helm... a very similar club to La Claire with a .240 BA (28th) and a 3.99 team ERA (19th)... Jody Gentry (9-6 2.47) and rookie Johnny Shaw (9-8 3.27) are the Wildcats best arms... closer Scott Bohn (1-1) has 11 saves and a very good 2.33 ERA... 40-year-old 1B Pat Farris (.316 BA/6 HR) and 21-year-old RF Nicky Carpenter (.312 BA/12 HR) provide most the Kenwood offense... Farris is in his 20th season and has posted a .315 career batting average... while playing for Marston in the Ruthlandian Union, Farris won the batting crown twice with a .362 BA in 2007 and .357 in 2010.

The Chicopee Braves (31-38) are next-to-last in the TU West and are 10 game behind in the standings... Harry Fleetwood's boys are batting only .257 (17th), but score pretty well and are ranked 14th... the Braves are not doing well on the mound with a poor 4.50 team ERA... Mackie Smith is Fleetwood's most reliable starter with a 9-6 record and a 3.81 ERA... closer Paul Quinn (2-1) has done well since taking over the closer role... he has 6 saves and an excellent 1.85 ERA... 38-year-old journeyman 3B Alan Jalenak, obtained in the off-season from Valmara, leads the club with a .325 BA... Jalenak has 7 roundtrippers and 38 runs batted in and made the All-Star team for the first time his career... 1B Jose Duran tops the team with 41 RBIs and 8 HRs, while batting at a .265 pace.

The Arlon Champions (27-42) won the pennant two seasons back, but they have been abyssmal since with a 7th-place finish last year and they are in the cellar this year, 14 games out of first... Gary Louis has a lousy team this year, one of the worst in the IPA with a .232 BA (32nd) and a 4.61` team ERA (30th)... second-year man Rick Parks (7-8 3.70) is his only effective pitcher... 18-year-vet CF Chucky Gilton (.273 BA/12 HR) is the only decent hitter in the line-up... talent is very sparse in Arlon.

Tycobbian West Outlook: It should be a close two-team battle between Bay St. Clair and Rolling Hills with the Buccaneers winning in the end... except for Arlon, the other five clubs will tangle for third place with Kenwood having the best chance because of its superior starting pitchers... there's not much difference between Bayview, La Claire, Denton City and Chicopee... all of them are weak teams.