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Eugene Church · 10-16-2008, 04:29 PM

The Islandian Times

Tuesday, July 24, 2001

Around the IPA
Ruthlandian Union - South Division

The Sugar Valley Rattlers haven't been making a lot of noise in the RU South race. They are 8 games out of first at the All-Star break. Manager Gibson Bobkins' club is only 10-14 this month and is in need of both pitching and hitting. The Rattlers are fourth with a 4.20 ERA and fourth with a .272 batting average. Neither is good enough to complete with the likes of Marston and Forest City. Team fielding could be improved, too. Sugar Valley is fifth with a .976 fielding percentage.

Bobkins does have several pluses. All-Star righthander Ron Benson (15-7 2.56) is the top winner in the IPA and closer Gregg Neal (8-5 2.11) has been sensational with 12 saves in 35 appearances. That's about it for pitching. Sugar Valley has starter Harvey Hines (9-7 3.66), but he has been inconsistent so far this season and gives up too many hits. Reliever Jay Washington (1-2 3.60) has been so-so so far. Look for the Rattlers to sprout four new pitchers soon.

The hitting load is carried by four fine players: All-Star third baseman Jorge Vargas (.336/23 HR/77 RBI/73 R), second baseman Rudi Oliver (.338/9 HR/44 RBI/47 R/7 SB), center fielder Freddie Vaux (.332/6 HR/49 RBI/53 R/15 SB) and shortstop Flipper Bird (.296/19 D/1 T/10 HR/38 RBI/64 R/10 SB). The latter three are good with the glove, too.

Other contributors to the Rattler offense are Left fielder Cy Bartz (.273/10 HR/49 RBI), who leads the IPA with 32 doubles and right fielder Karl Dietz (.247) with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs.

Bobkins has a lot of holes to fill on his roster to get competitive. Four quality pitchers, an outfielder, catcher and first baseman will not be found anytime soon. It has been rumored that Sugar Valley might part with Rudi Oliver in a two-for-one deal.

It looks like a long season for the Rattlers. Last place Belair Beach is on the rise and may have a better ballclub than Bobkins. A fifth or sixth place finish is possible for Sugar Valley.

The Waleska Westerners have had a mediocre year and are in fourth place in the RU South, 9.5 games behind with no prospects of turning it around. Their July record is poor, only 11-14, but they have three All-Stars on the team. They also have the wherewithal to win -- owned by the wealthy Jock Ewing family. And the Westerners have the legendary McGraw Johnson at the helm. He is not used to being second, much less in fourth place. Heads will roll and butts will be kicked until McGraw gets in his accustomed position as the top dog in baseball. He won more titles than anyone in the amateur and company leagues. The Ewings are not used to losing, either, and will do what it takes to win.

It will be a tough job. Waleska has a long way to go. They are fifth in hitting with a .265 batting average and also fifth in pitching with a very poor 4.40 ERA. Johnson does have some talent on the hill with All-Star Smokey Joe Carter (12-9 3.43), Jack Wagner (5-2 3.39) and the hot-and-cold Gary Hill (9-6 4.32), who is tough one day and then shelled a few days later. Same thing for the 4th starter Rusty Kraft (7-10 4.19). But the rest of the staff is fair to lousy, leaning more toward the lousy. After reliever Buddy Kennedy (2-5 3.66) and closer Andrei Marsiske (4-4 3.71), there isn't much on the mound. All of them have ERAs 5.00 and higher.

Waleska has a few gems in its batting order. All-Star right fielder Big Hoss Burkhalter (.310/27 HR/91 RBI/56 R) is one of the supreme power hitters in the IPA and All-Star third baseman Yoshihide Nishida (.290/28 D/10 T/15 HR/63 RBI/69 R/19 SB) is one of the best all-around-players in the league. Johnson has said he might do a 3-for-one deal for either of them, if it would improve the team.

Other quality players in Johnson's line-up are center fielder Rick Vaughn (.312/9 HR/35 RBI/44 R/5 SB), second baseman Wiz Taylor (.301/5 HR/67 R), first baseman Freddie Shelton (.289/14 HR/51 RBI), left fielder Charley Williamson (.289/10 HR/51 RBI) and shortstop Jinx Giarussa (.313/3 HR/19 RBI/27 R) in 33 games.

The Westerner bench is not much to speak of, with no immediate help there.

For Waleska to do an about-face, they need consistency from starters Hill and Kraft, at least two more quality pitchers, and a hitting catcher. A blockbuster deal featuring their All-Star players might be a partial solution.

10-16-2008, 04:29 PM	#496
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,899	The Islandian Times Tuesday, July 24, 2001 Around the IPA Ruthlandian Union - South Division The Sugar Valley Rattlers haven't been making a lot of noise in the RU South race. They are 8 games out of first at the All-Star break. Manager Gibson Bobkins' club is only 10-14 this month and is in need of both pitching and hitting. The Rattlers are fourth with a 4.20 ERA and fourth with a .272 batting average. Neither is good enough to complete with the likes of Marston and Forest City. Team fielding could be improved, too. Sugar Valley is fifth with a .976 fielding percentage. Bobkins does have several pluses. All-Star righthander Ron Benson (15-7 2.56) is the top winner in the IPA and closer Gregg Neal (8-5 2.11) has been sensational with 12 saves in 35 appearances. That's about it for pitching. Sugar Valley has starter Harvey Hines (9-7 3.66), but he has been inconsistent so far this season and gives up too many hits. Reliever Jay Washington (1-2 3.60) has been so-so so far. Look for the Rattlers to sprout four new pitchers soon. The hitting load is carried by four fine players: All-Star third baseman Jorge Vargas (.336/23 HR/77 RBI/73 R), second baseman Rudi Oliver (.338/9 HR/44 RBI/47 R/7 SB), center fielder Freddie Vaux (.332/6 HR/49 RBI/53 R/15 SB) and shortstop Flipper Bird (.296/19 D/1 T/10 HR/38 RBI/64 R/10 SB). The latter three are good with the glove, too. Other contributors to the Rattler offense are Left fielder Cy Bartz (.273/10 HR/49 RBI), who leads the IPA with 32 doubles and right fielder Karl Dietz (.247) with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs. Bobkins has a lot of holes to fill on his roster to get competitive. Four quality pitchers, an outfielder, catcher and first baseman will not be found anytime soon. It has been rumored that Sugar Valley might part with Rudi Oliver in a two-for-one deal. It looks like a long season for the Rattlers. Last place Belair Beach is on the rise and may have a better ballclub than Bobkins. A fifth or sixth place finish is possible for Sugar Valley. The Waleska Westerners have had a mediocre year and are in fourth place in the RU South, 9.5 games behind with no prospects of turning it around. Their July record is poor, only 11-14, but they have three All-Stars on the team. They also have the wherewithal to win -- owned by the wealthy Jock Ewing family. And the Westerners have the legendary McGraw Johnson at the helm. He is not used to being second, much less in fourth place. Heads will roll and butts will be kicked until McGraw gets in his accustomed position as the top dog in baseball. He won more titles than anyone in the amateur and company leagues. The Ewings are not used to losing, either, and will do what it takes to win. It will be a tough job. Waleska has a long way to go. They are fifth in hitting with a .265 batting average and also fifth in pitching with a very poor 4.40 ERA. Johnson does have some talent on the hill with All-Star Smokey Joe Carter (12-9 3.43), Jack Wagner (5-2 3.39) and the hot-and-cold Gary Hill (9-6 4.32), who is tough one day and then shelled a few days later. Same thing for the 4th starter Rusty Kraft (7-10 4.19). But the rest of the staff is fair to lousy, leaning more toward the lousy. After reliever Buddy Kennedy (2-5 3.66) and closer Andrei Marsiske (4-4 3.71), there isn't much on the mound. All of them have ERAs 5.00 and higher. Waleska has a few gems in its batting order. All-Star right fielder Big Hoss Burkhalter (.310/27 HR/91 RBI/56 R) is one of the supreme power hitters in the IPA and All-Star third baseman Yoshihide Nishida (.290/28 D/10 T/15 HR/63 RBI/69 R/19 SB) is one of the best all-around-players in the league. Johnson has said he might do a 3-for-one deal for either of them, if it would improve the team. Other quality players in Johnson's line-up are center fielder Rick Vaughn (.312/9 HR/35 RBI/44 R/5 SB), second baseman Wiz Taylor (.301/5 HR/67 R), first baseman Freddie Shelton (.289/14 HR/51 RBI), left fielder Charley Williamson (.289/10 HR/51 RBI) and shortstop Jinx Giarussa (.313/3 HR/19 RBI/27 R) in 33 games. The Westerner bench is not much to speak of, with no immediate help there. For Waleska to do an about-face, they need consistency from starters Hill and Kraft, at least two more quality pitchers, and a hitting catcher. A blockbuster deal featuring their All-Star players might be a partial solution. Last edited by Eugene Church; 10-16-2008 at 04:32 PM.