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Eugene Church · 01-05-2010, 10:18 PM

The Islandian Times

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Colfax Captures RU West by 9 Games, Wins 100

1st – Colfax Blasters (100-54)

Colfax has been getting better and better the last few years in the RU West under Clem Rogers... 2008 was a magical year when it all came together... The Blasters led the IPA with 100 victories by blending excellent pitching with more than adequate hitting to capture its first pennant... Rogers has an outstanding starting foursome in Jasper LaForge (23-8 2.84), Ilya Szabo (23-7 2.64), Vito Incardona (16-7 3.45) and Jimmy Joe Cartner (12-10 3.03)... toss in a steady closer like Dallas Somerville (5-6 3.66) with 35 saves and you can compete with anybody... Colfax has some good bats, too... LF Paul Coniglio (.273/28 HR/109 RBI/98 R/18 SB), CF Ryan Raines (.281/26 HR/93 RBI/89 R/21 SB), 3B Mike Janocko (.303/25 HR/85 RBI/ and C Tino Leonetti (.327/9 HR/65 RBI).

2nd – Forest City Lumberjacks (91-63)

Forest City had the misfortune to play in the same division with Colfax... otherwise the Lumberjacks won enough games to win any other division and make the Pro Cup playoffs... Top to bottom, the RU West could be the best in the IPA... six teams played better than .500 baseball... Rob Jackson has a fine ball club and could be the second best in the Ruthlandian Union, but they will stay home this season... 91 victories were not enough... Forest City also has a fine starting rotation that features Brian Charles (14-3 2.72), Knucks Nomellini (21-11 3.33) and Al Thibaut (19-12 3.00)... the Lumberjacks can really jack the ball, too... they were third in homers overall (186), trailing only Taranto (223) and Claxton (197)... Leading the way was CF Nickie Troxell (.333/46 HR/122 RBI/100 R), who had a career year... other sluggers included LF Joe Judlin (.323/23 HR/98 RBI/106 R), 1B Andy Doiron (.306/22 HR/85 RBI/88 R) and RF Sam Maples (.286/23 HR/65 RBI/92 R).

3rd – Volusia Vigilantes (88-66)

The Volusia Vigilantes probably wish they were in some other division, too... Alfonso Feliz's V's are good enough to win any of the other three divisions, they just can't compete with Colfax and Forest City... Volusia won 88 games, yet wound up 12 games behind... Feliz has always had good pitching... Hernando Espaderos (20-9 2.94), Todd Wolfe (16-17), Asa Klem (13-9 3.23) and Kirk Beckmann (16-16 3.68) are a fine starting quartet, who would do even better with more run support... closer Hank Massey (6-5 2.29) has also been very effective in the bullpen with 30 saves... Volusia can't compete with the Blasters and Lumberjacks with 111 home runs and a .261 batting average... Feliz's top bats are not in the same league as Colfax and Forest City... The Vigilantes best batters are RF Briscoe Crowder (.297/17 HR/71 RBI/70 R), Reynaldo Quezada (.268/18 HR/72 RBI/72 R) and CF Domingo DeLeon (.279/14 HR/51 RBI/82 R/46 SB).

4th – Rocky Rapids Snappers(86-68)

Ryan Noland in Rocky Rapids has a sound team with good pitching and hitting, but still finished 14 games out of the lead... the Snappers were led by Charley Boyer, who had a magnificent year and paced the IPA with 26 wins, a 2.10 ERA and 5 shutouts... Ernie Watkins (17-10 3.99) also did his part, too... batting-wise LF Scott Camden (.300/32 HR/121 RBI/115 R/14 SB) is one of the top hitters in the IPA... Camden had a career year... C Hank Bethel (.303/24 HR/90 RBI/98 R) is excellent year-in and year-out... SS Cooter Bermudez (.289/5 HR/58 RBI/92 R/13 SB) is valuable with his bat and his glove... and CF Carl Johnson (.265/16 HR/85 RBI) adds some punch and a good glove.

5th – Stoner Stars (83-71)

The RU West must be a tough division... last year's champion and Pro Cup finalist, the Stoner Stars could do no better than fifth place, 17 games off the pace... yet they were 83-71... in 2007 they were 86-68 and won the flag... this was not the same club as last year... manager Willie Dickens lost three fine starters and three position regulars to free agency... but he regrouped and had a good season led by some quality pitchers... Mark Mumford (14-5 2.83), Dave Pierre (17-8 3.17) and Norm Canfield (17-15 3.27) carried the club very well... lack of hitting and run support played a part in the Stars slipping into the second division... 2B Karol Zodoka was injured and played only half a season, yet put up some very strong numbers: .327 BA, 14 HR, 69 RBI and 53 runs scored in 80 games... the best of the rest were anemic compared to Zodoka... C Benny Stern (.274/20 HR/82 RBI), SS Johnny Nowitzki (.317/0 Hr/57 RBI/86 R/12 SB) and CF Karl Perret (.281/4 HR/50 RBI/86 R).

6th – Sligo Rovers (79-75)

Even sixth-place Sligo had a winning record, but trailed leading Colfax by 21 games... skipper Eddie Keys got impressive pitching from Alec Dimaggio (17-17 3.10), Stony Blackwell (.14-14 3.10) and Colin McGrath (11-13 3.26)... but not much in the way of offense... his best bats were RF Fred Collins (.291/30 HR/96 RBI/93 R/24 R), CF James Yardley (.279/24 HR/81 RBI) and SS Hollis Waldrup (.268/12 HR/62 RBI/96 R/51 SB).

7th – Middlefield Roosters (68-86)

The Middlefield Roosters still hit the ball with authority, but can't get anybody out... that has been manager Smitty Michaels dilemma the last two frustrating years... his club wound up way back in seventh place, 32 games behind... the Roosters hit 185 homers (4th) and batted .273 (11th), but registered a 5.31 ERA (32nd)... the hit parade was led by C Mike Kanjorsky (.347/26 HR/83 RBI/90 R), LF Moose Scoggins (.279/31 RBI/95 RBI/84 R), SS Jim Rose (.305/15 HR/57 RBI/82 R), 2B Sammy Ragsdale (.256/24 HR/72 RBI/92 R) and 1B J. D. Earnshaw (.254/20 HR/85 RBI)... Michaels best hurlers were Denny Yarrow (14-16 5.03) and Jamie Hicks (11-18 4.62).

8th – Fort Benton Defenders (63-91)

For the fifth time in seven years it's been the cellar for the hapless and hopeless Fort Benton Defenders... they are pathetic with the bats, hitting only .242 (32nd) with only 95 homers (31st) and 588 runs (32nd), but much better in the pitching department with a 4.05 ERA (17th)... manager Robbie Brooks' mound corps is surprisingly good with starters Tucker Dawes (16-11 3.36), Tom Waltenbury (14-12 3.27) and Robby Meredith (8-18 3.61)... at the plate 2B Artie Vicknair (.279/17 HR/67 RBI/56 R) and RF Norbert Tarver (.277/11 HR/58 RBI/60 R) are Fort Benton's best.

01-05-2010, 10:18 PM	#1453
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36,022	The Islandian Times Sunday, September 21, 2008 Colfax Captures RU West by 9 Games, Wins 100 1st – Colfax Blasters (100-54) Colfax has been getting better and better the last few years in the RU West under Clem Rogers... 2008 was a magical year when it all came together... The Blasters led the IPA with 100 victories by blending excellent pitching with more than adequate hitting to capture its first pennant... Rogers has an outstanding starting foursome in Jasper LaForge (23-8 2.84), Ilya Szabo (23-7 2.64), Vito Incardona (16-7 3.45) and Jimmy Joe Cartner (12-10 3.03)... toss in a steady closer like Dallas Somerville (5-6 3.66) with 35 saves and you can compete with anybody... Colfax has some good bats, too... LF Paul Coniglio (.273/28 HR/109 RBI/98 R/18 SB), CF Ryan Raines (.281/26 HR/93 RBI/89 R/21 SB), 3B Mike Janocko (.303/25 HR/85 RBI/ and C Tino Leonetti (.327/9 HR/65 RBI). 2nd – Forest City Lumberjacks (91-63) Forest City had the misfortune to play in the same division with Colfax... otherwise the Lumberjacks won enough games to win any other division and make the Pro Cup playoffs... Top to bottom, the RU West could be the best in the IPA... six teams played better than .500 baseball... Rob Jackson has a fine ball club and could be the second best in the Ruthlandian Union, but they will stay home this season... 91 victories were not enough... Forest City also has a fine starting rotation that features Brian Charles (14-3 2.72), Knucks Nomellini (21-11 3.33) and Al Thibaut (19-12 3.00)... the Lumberjacks can really jack the ball, too... they were third in homers overall (186), trailing only Taranto (223) and Claxton (197)... Leading the way was CF Nickie Troxell (.333/46 HR/122 RBI/100 R), who had a career year... other sluggers included LF Joe Judlin (.323/23 HR/98 RBI/106 R), 1B Andy Doiron (.306/22 HR/85 RBI/88 R) and RF Sam Maples (.286/23 HR/65 RBI/92 R). 3rd – Volusia Vigilantes (88-66) The Volusia Vigilantes probably wish they were in some other division, too... Alfonso Feliz's V's are good enough to win any of the other three divisions, they just can't compete with Colfax and Forest City... Volusia won 88 games, yet wound up 12 games behind... Feliz has always had good pitching... Hernando Espaderos (20-9 2.94), Todd Wolfe (16-17), Asa Klem (13-9 3.23) and Kirk Beckmann (16-16 3.68) are a fine starting quartet, who would do even better with more run support... closer Hank Massey (6-5 2.29) has also been very effective in the bullpen with 30 saves... Volusia can't compete with the Blasters and Lumberjacks with 111 home runs and a .261 batting average... Feliz's top bats are not in the same league as Colfax and Forest City... The Vigilantes best batters are RF Briscoe Crowder (.297/17 HR/71 RBI/70 R), Reynaldo Quezada (.268/18 HR/72 RBI/72 R) and CF Domingo DeLeon (.279/14 HR/51 RBI/82 R/46 SB). 4th – Rocky Rapids Snappers(86-68) Ryan Noland in Rocky Rapids has a sound team with good pitching and hitting, but still finished 14 games out of the lead... the Snappers were led by Charley Boyer, who had a magnificent year and paced the IPA with 26 wins, a 2.10 ERA and 5 shutouts... Ernie Watkins (17-10 3.99) also did his part, too... batting-wise LF Scott Camden (.300/32 HR/121 RBI/115 R/14 SB) is one of the top hitters in the IPA... Camden had a career year... C Hank Bethel (.303/24 HR/90 RBI/98 R) is excellent year-in and year-out... SS Cooter Bermudez (.289/5 HR/58 RBI/92 R/13 SB) is valuable with his bat and his glove... and CF Carl Johnson (.265/16 HR/85 RBI) adds some punch and a good glove. 5th – Stoner Stars (83-71) The RU West must be a tough division... last year's champion and Pro Cup finalist, the Stoner Stars could do no better than fifth place, 17 games off the pace... yet they were 83-71... in 2007 they were 86-68 and won the flag... this was not the same club as last year... manager Willie Dickens lost three fine starters and three position regulars to free agency... but he regrouped and had a good season led by some quality pitchers... Mark Mumford (14-5 2.83), Dave Pierre (17-8 3.17) and Norm Canfield (17-15 3.27) carried the club very well... lack of hitting and run support played a part in the Stars slipping into the second division... 2B Karol Zodoka was injured and played only half a season, yet put up some very strong numbers: .327 BA, 14 HR, 69 RBI and 53 runs scored in 80 games... the best of the rest were anemic compared to Zodoka... C Benny Stern (.274/20 HR/82 RBI), SS Johnny Nowitzki (.317/0 Hr/57 RBI/86 R/12 SB) and CF Karl Perret (.281/4 HR/50 RBI/86 R). 6th – Sligo Rovers (79-75) Even sixth-place Sligo had a winning record, but trailed leading Colfax by 21 games... skipper Eddie Keys got impressive pitching from Alec Dimaggio (17-17 3.10), Stony Blackwell (.14-14 3.10) and Colin McGrath (11-13 3.26)... but not much in the way of offense... his best bats were RF Fred Collins (.291/30 HR/96 RBI/93 R/24 R), CF James Yardley (.279/24 HR/81 RBI) and SS Hollis Waldrup (.268/12 HR/62 RBI/96 R/51 SB). 7th – Middlefield Roosters (68-86) The Middlefield Roosters still hit the ball with authority, but can't get anybody out... that has been manager Smitty Michaels dilemma the last two frustrating years... his club wound up way back in seventh place, 32 games behind... the Roosters hit 185 homers (4th) and batted .273 (11th), but registered a 5.31 ERA (32nd)... the hit parade was led by C Mike Kanjorsky (.347/26 HR/83 RBI/90 R), LF Moose Scoggins (.279/31 RBI/95 RBI/84 R), SS Jim Rose (.305/15 HR/57 RBI/82 R), 2B Sammy Ragsdale (.256/24 HR/72 RBI/92 R) and 1B J. D. Earnshaw (.254/20 HR/85 RBI)... Michaels best hurlers were Denny Yarrow (14-16 5.03) and Jamie Hicks (11-18 4.62). 8th – Fort Benton Defenders (63-91) For the fifth time in seven years it's been the cellar for the hapless and hopeless Fort Benton Defenders... they are pathetic with the bats, hitting only .242 (32nd) with only 95 homers (31st) and 588 runs (32nd), but much better in the pitching department with a 4.05 ERA (17th)... manager Robbie Brooks' mound corps is surprisingly good with starters Tucker Dawes (16-11 3.36), Tom Waltenbury (14-12 3.27) and Robby Meredith (8-18 3.61)... at the plate 2B Artie Vicknair (.279/17 HR/67 RBI/56 R) and RF Norbert Tarver (.277/11 HR/58 RBI/60 R) are Fort Benton's best.