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Eugene Church · 12-08-2009, 06:31 PM

The Islandian Times

Monday, September 17, 2007

Ruthlandian Union West

Stoner and Colfax Buy Way to the Top in RU West

Free agents made a big inpact on the Ruthlandian West race this season as the Stoner Stars and Colfax Blasters opened up their pocket books and took charge. Stoner edged out the Blasters by one game to garner the division crown. Rocky Rapids finished in the third spot in the standings, 6 games off the pace, while Volusia ended up a disappointing fourth after losing three stars to other clubs. The Vigilantes ended up 12 games back in the chase.

Best BA - Middlefield and Colfax .269
Most HR - Middlefield 190
Most Runs - Middlefield 751
Best ERA - Stoner 3.35
Best Defense - Middlefield .983

Worst BA - Fort Benton .241
Fewest HR - Rocky Rapids 107
Fewest Runs - Fort Benton 620
Worst ERA - Middlefield 4.72
Worst Defense - Fort Benton .969

1st - Stoner Star (86-68)
Willie Dickens, Manager

The Stoner Stars made a gigantic leap from last place to first place in just one year. The Stars won a very close race with the Colfax Blasters of Clem Rogers. Stoner ran up a lead early in the chase. lost it in August and managed to surpass Colfax with a good September. The Stars were 9-6 for the month while the Blasters were 5-10 and fell out of first in the last few weeks.

Both clubs were bolstered this year by free agents. The Stars took the flag by one game. They added three newcomers: All-Star SP Ted Chambers (19-12 3.06) and SP Aydan Havilland (16-13 3.69) from Kenwood. An outstanding hitter and shortstop Karol Zodoka (.302/29 HR/102 RBI/88 R) was acquired from East Point. Add in holdovers All-Star C Benny Stern (.314/32 HR/111 RBI/88 R) and RF Dutch Rheinecker (.280/23 HR/66 RBI) and Dickens had a contender. The Stars are a well-balanced team with good hitting, good power, average defense and ranked fifth in the RU with a 3.35 ERA.

2nd - Colfax Blasters
Clem Rogers, Manager

Colfax signed 2B Niles Stanton (.302/39 HR/97 RBI/83 R) and CF Ryan Raines (.264/23 HR/89 RBI/88 R). Stanton formerly played for Colchester and Raines for Volusia. Coupled with All-Star C Tino Leonetti (.306/7 HR/56 HR) and LF Paul Coniglio (.273/22 HR/73 RBI/89 R), they gave Rogers both improved defense and solid offense. However, it was the pitching staff that set the Blasters apart. All-Star Ilya Szabo (23-9 2.14) and All-Star Jasper LaForge (2015 3.13) anchored the starting rotation with help from long reliever Daric Jacoby (6-0 2.25) and closer Dallas Somerville (6-8 4.00). Somerville had 31 saves and Jacoby made 41 relief appearances.

3rd - Rocky Rapids Snappers (80-74)
Ryan Noland, Manager

Rocky Rapids was another also-ran that leaped from sixth place to third place. Ryan Nolan added Charley Boyer (19-7 1.70) from Ancona and Boyer blossomed under Nolan's tutelage and led the IPA with the lowest ERA. Ernie Watkins (16-12 3.50) gave the Snappers two frontline hurlers. In his batting order Noland has All-Star Scott Camden (.280/26 HR/93 RBI/99 R) as his main threat, but he also has six steady hitters that are platooned at several positions.

4th - Volusia Vigilantes (74-80)
Alonso Feliz, Manager

Volusia lost the heart and soul of its team through free agency. 23-game winner Carl Schmitz, along with two .300 hitters and good glove men, CF Ryan Raines and 2B Scooter Perez. As a team the Vigilantes hit only .245 (31st) with RF Briscoe Crowder (.289/17 HR/60) the only decent threat. Skipper Alfonso Feliz still has a good pitching corps with strong 3.27 ERA (7th), lead by Todd Wolfe (19-15 3.03), Kirk Beckmann (15-15 2.89) and Hernando Espaderos (11-20 3.86).

5th - Middlefield Roosters (69-85)
Smitty Michaels, Manager

Middlefield also took quite a tumble, too. The Roosters fell from RU West champs down to 5th primarily because of the loss of superstar 2B Charlie Gamble and Dave Webb, a consistent and very good starter. Manager Smitty Michaels lost the two stars and also saw his poor pitching staff get even worse. Middlefield compiled an atrocious 4.72 ERA, absolutely last in the Ruthlandian Union. Jamie Hicks (20-16 3.66) was the Roosters only quality pitcher. However Michaels’ crew can still hit the ball quite well (.269 BA) with the likes of 2B Sammy Ragsdale (.297/36 HR/110 RBI/110 R), rookie 1B J. D. Earnshaw (.288/29 HR/90 RBI), C Mike Kanjorski (.313/17 HR/68 RBI/80 R) and RF Cecil Clark (.278/22 HR/80 RBI). The Roosters ripped 190 homers (3rd) and led the RU with 751 runs.

6th - Forest City Lumberjacks (68-86)
Rob Jackson, Manager

It been quite some time since Forest City has had any success, a first-place finish in 2002. For the past five seasons they have been stuck in the second division. Manager Rob Jackson has only two quality arms in Al Thibaut (17-17 3.40) and Knucks Nomellini (15-18 3.53) and three good bats in 1B Andy Doiron (.296/18 HR/92 RBI), LF Joe Judlin (.310/19 HR/57 RBI/79 R) and C Otis Ott (.259/19 HR/79 RBI). Forest City just doesn’t have the talent to compete in the IPA.

7th - Sligo Rovers (64-90)
Eddie Keys, Manager

The Sligo Rovers skippered by Eddie Keys have decent power with 155 homers (9th), but don’t hit much for average with a .256 BA (24th). On the mound the team compiled a 4.05 ERA (20th). Keys’ best performers are pitcher Billy Brewster (14-14 3.92), RF Fred Collins (.305/32 HR/89 RBI/93 R) and CF James Yardley (.285/29 HR/94 RBI/77 R). The Rovers have had only successful season in the IPA. They finished third in 2004.

8th - Fort Benton Defenders
Robbie Brooks, Manager

Life is tough in Fort Benton. For the fourth time in six years the Defenders finished dead last in the RU West. The other two seasons they were 7th and 8th. Fort Benton doesn’t hit well, pitch well or field well. Brooks only has two fairly good pitchers in Frankie Jardine (16-19 2.99) and Hec Skurgan (12-18 4.06) and only two decent position players in C Todd Somerset (.283/14 HR/67 RBI) and CF Norbert Tarver (.292/13 HR/56 RBI/82 R).

12-08-2009, 06:31 PM	#1384
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,939	The Islandian Times Monday, September 17, 2007 Ruthlandian Union West Stoner and Colfax Buy Way to the Top in RU West Free agents made a big inpact on the Ruthlandian West race this season as the Stoner Stars and Colfax Blasters opened up their pocket books and took charge. Stoner edged out the Blasters by one game to garner the division crown. Rocky Rapids finished in the third spot in the standings, 6 games off the pace, while Volusia ended up a disappointing fourth after losing three stars to other clubs. The Vigilantes ended up 12 games back in the chase. Best BA - Middlefield and Colfax .269 Most HR - Middlefield 190 Most Runs - Middlefield 751 Best ERA - Stoner 3.35 Best Defense - Middlefield .983 Worst BA - Fort Benton .241 Fewest HR - Rocky Rapids 107 Fewest Runs - Fort Benton 620 Worst ERA - Middlefield 4.72 Worst Defense - Fort Benton .969 1st - Stoner Star (86-68) Willie Dickens, Manager The Stoner Stars made a gigantic leap from last place to first place in just one year. The Stars won a very close race with the Colfax Blasters of Clem Rogers. Stoner ran up a lead early in the chase. lost it in August and managed to surpass Colfax with a good September. The Stars were 9-6 for the month while the Blasters were 5-10 and fell out of first in the last few weeks. Both clubs were bolstered this year by free agents. The Stars took the flag by one game. They added three newcomers: All-Star SP Ted Chambers (19-12 3.06) and SP Aydan Havilland (16-13 3.69) from Kenwood. An outstanding hitter and shortstop Karol Zodoka (.302/29 HR/102 RBI/88 R) was acquired from East Point. Add in holdovers All-Star C Benny Stern (.314/32 HR/111 RBI/88 R) and RF Dutch Rheinecker (.280/23 HR/66 RBI) and Dickens had a contender. The Stars are a well-balanced team with good hitting, good power, average defense and ranked fifth in the RU with a 3.35 ERA. 2nd - Colfax Blasters Clem Rogers, Manager Colfax signed 2B Niles Stanton (.302/39 HR/97 RBI/83 R) and CF Ryan Raines (.264/23 HR/89 RBI/88 R). Stanton formerly played for Colchester and Raines for Volusia. Coupled with All-Star C Tino Leonetti (.306/7 HR/56 HR) and LF Paul Coniglio (.273/22 HR/73 RBI/89 R), they gave Rogers both improved defense and solid offense. However, it was the pitching staff that set the Blasters apart. All-Star Ilya Szabo (23-9 2.14) and All-Star Jasper LaForge (2015 3.13) anchored the starting rotation with help from long reliever Daric Jacoby (6-0 2.25) and closer Dallas Somerville (6-8 4.00). Somerville had 31 saves and Jacoby made 41 relief appearances. 3rd - Rocky Rapids Snappers (80-74) Ryan Noland, Manager Rocky Rapids was another also-ran that leaped from sixth place to third place. Ryan Nolan added Charley Boyer (19-7 1.70) from Ancona and Boyer blossomed under Nolan's tutelage and led the IPA with the lowest ERA. Ernie Watkins (16-12 3.50) gave the Snappers two frontline hurlers. In his batting order Noland has All-Star Scott Camden (.280/26 HR/93 RBI/99 R) as his main threat, but he also has six steady hitters that are platooned at several positions. 4th - Volusia Vigilantes (74-80) Alonso Feliz, Manager Volusia lost the heart and soul of its team through free agency. 23-game winner Carl Schmitz, along with two .300 hitters and good glove men, CF Ryan Raines and 2B Scooter Perez. As a team the Vigilantes hit only .245 (31st) with RF Briscoe Crowder (.289/17 HR/60) the only decent threat. Skipper Alfonso Feliz still has a good pitching corps with strong 3.27 ERA (7th), lead by Todd Wolfe (19-15 3.03), Kirk Beckmann (15-15 2.89) and Hernando Espaderos (11-20 3.86). 5th - Middlefield Roosters (69-85) Smitty Michaels, Manager Middlefield also took quite a tumble, too. The Roosters fell from RU West champs down to 5th primarily because of the loss of superstar 2B Charlie Gamble and Dave Webb, a consistent and very good starter. Manager Smitty Michaels lost the two stars and also saw his poor pitching staff get even worse. Middlefield compiled an atrocious 4.72 ERA, absolutely last in the Ruthlandian Union. Jamie Hicks (20-16 3.66) was the Roosters only quality pitcher. However Michaels’ crew can still hit the ball quite well (.269 BA) with the likes of 2B Sammy Ragsdale (.297/36 HR/110 RBI/110 R), rookie 1B J. D. Earnshaw (.288/29 HR/90 RBI), C Mike Kanjorski (.313/17 HR/68 RBI/80 R) and RF Cecil Clark (.278/22 HR/80 RBI). The Roosters ripped 190 homers (3rd) and led the RU with 751 runs. 6th - Forest City Lumberjacks (68-86) Rob Jackson, Manager It been quite some time since Forest City has had any success, a first-place finish in 2002. For the past five seasons they have been stuck in the second division. Manager Rob Jackson has only two quality arms in Al Thibaut (17-17 3.40) and Knucks Nomellini (15-18 3.53) and three good bats in 1B Andy Doiron (.296/18 HR/92 RBI), LF Joe Judlin (.310/19 HR/57 RBI/79 R) and C Otis Ott (.259/19 HR/79 RBI). Forest City just doesn’t have the talent to compete in the IPA. 7th - Sligo Rovers (64-90) Eddie Keys, Manager The Sligo Rovers skippered by Eddie Keys have decent power with 155 homers (9th), but don’t hit much for average with a .256 BA (24th). On the mound the team compiled a 4.05 ERA (20th). Keys’ best performers are pitcher Billy Brewster (14-14 3.92), RF Fred Collins (.305/32 HR/89 RBI/93 R) and CF James Yardley (.285/29 HR/94 RBI/77 R). The Rovers have had only successful season in the IPA. They finished third in 2004. 8th - Fort Benton Defenders Robbie Brooks, Manager Life is tough in Fort Benton. For the fourth time in six years the Defenders finished dead last in the RU West. The other two seasons they were 7th and 8th. Fort Benton doesn’t hit well, pitch well or field well. Brooks only has two fairly good pitchers in Frankie Jardine (16-19 2.99) and Hec Skurgan (12-18 4.06) and only two decent position players in C Todd Somerset (.283/14 HR/67 RBI) and CF Norbert Tarver (.292/13 HR/56 RBI/82 R). Last edited by Eugene Church; 12-10-2009 at 09:03 PM.