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The Islandian Times
Friday, June 15, 2012
2012 Ruthlandian East Mid-Season Recap
5-Team Race In RU East, Wynnamac In First
Midway through the season it's still anybody's race to win in the Ruthlandian East. Matt Donnelly's Wynnamac Sundowners are atop the standings with a slight 2-game lead over second place Beechwood, 3 games over third place Belle Plaine and Cold Creek and 4 ahead of fifth place Marston. The most shocking thing about this season is the sudden collapse of the Sugar Valley Rattlers, who have plunged all the way to the bottom of the division and is 17 games behind. Sugar Valley won the division crown the past two years.
Donnelly has the best all-around club in the division. The Sundowners do well at bat and on the hill. Wynnamac has compiled a respectable .263 batting average (14th) with excellent run production. They have scored 348 runs (7th) and gone deep 66 times (10th). Pitching-wise the Sundowners have registered a fine 3.48 ERA and possess three good starters in Skeets Hobart (6-1 2.01), Jerry Meeks (8-7 2.00) and Gene Fair (7-4 3.83). At the plate vets 1B Nate Cockcroft (.335/12 HR) and LF Big Hoss Burkhalter (.279/9 HR) are the leaders with help from RF Joey Eaton (.311/9 HR). Most baseball analysts have put the favorite tag on Wynnamac, citing the Sundowners team balance. However, some are concerned with their defensive shortcomings. Wynnamac is next-to-last in the division with a poor .968 fielding percentage.
The runner-up Beechwood Bobcats are guided by Bret George, who has been stuck in that position the last two seasons. George would like to move up this year and has a good shot at the RU East flag. Beechwood may be even better well-rounded than Wynnamac as they are solid defensively with a .977 fielding average. The Bobcat line-up needs to improve at the plate to challenge the Sundowners. They are hitting only .253 (21st) and are 17th with 320 runs. Homer-wise Beechwood has hit 57 (18th). George's pitching staff is chocked full of solid veterans, topped by Dek Jumonville (8-8 2.49) and closer Carl Costas (1-0 2.20), who has 18 saves at mid-year.
Belle Plaine and Cold Creek are deadlocked in third place and trail Wynnamac by 3 games. The Musketeers are staying close to the top with a group of quality pitchers, paced by Jorge Bonilla (9-6 3.24), Brad Anderson (7-6 2.75), Matt Van Rensberg (3-3 3.39) and Tony Pariseau (6-9 3.37). Closer Denny Reynaud (3-2 1.38) has been fantastic with 12 saves. Together they have put up a 3.73 team ERA (12th). Manager Boo Ladrieux's major need is in his offense, which is almost non-existent. The Muskies are batting only .246 (29th) and are dead last in scoring with only 227 runs (32nd) and just 24 home runs (32nd). Ladrieux has the top defense in the league with a .980 fielding percentage.
Manager T. Kelly Holmes and the Cold Creek Catamounts are in contention because of 5 fine players. LF Nickie Troxell (.317/15 HR) and CF Trip Holmes (.283/14 HR) sparked the attack, what little they have. And on the mound Tommy Weeks (8-5 3.23), Peyton Saunders (6-5 3.44) and Russ Thurber (6-5 3.77) have stood out. The 'Cats are hitting only .246 (30th), but do score runs and hit homers. Cold Creek has scored 327 runs (14th) and slammed 60 roundtrippers (16th). The team ERA stands at 4.10 (25th), mainly because of a faulty bullpen.
The Marston Nine and skipper Johnny Walters depend on good pitching to survive. Walters' ballclub is fifth in the standings and only 4 games off the pace. Marston is getting by because of a super relief corps, which has a tremendous 1.92 ERA (1st). Overall the Nine has chalked up a 3.75 ERA (13th) with Walters' starters compiling a 4.16 ERA (25th). Leading the bullpen are John Updike (2-3 2.05), Little Jake Liwanu (0-2 1.74), Eddie Singleton (3-0 1.32) and Hunk Sweitzer (2-0 2.35). Luke Jalpajarri (5-5 3.66) is Marston best starter. The Nine has only two batters of note: 3B Jimmy Holman (.312/11 HR) and 1B Pat Farris (.362/4 HR). Team-wise Marston is batting .266 (10th), but is 25th in scoring with only 303 runs and 28th in homers with just 41 for the year. Defense is the best thing Walters has. The Nine is fielding a strong .979 on the season.
Zoggy White's sixth-place Elnora All-Stars are still well withing striking distance of first place in the RU East, only 6 games out. They are just the reverse of Marston with strong starters and weak relievers. His starters have posted a 3.64 ERA (8th), while the bullpen is a dismal 4.83 (27th). Overall the staff has a 3.87 ERA (17th). Leading the starting rotation are Taylor Gibbs (9-4 2.80), Robby Meredith (4-2 2.95) and Matty Wilkerson (6-7 2.96). In the batter's box Elnora has a talented trio: RF Lloyd Voss (.335/11 HR), CF Denny Sawyer (.306/7 HR) and 2B Dmitri Vrotsos (.304/6 HR). As a team the All-Stars are hitting at a .261 clip (19th) with only 285 runs (27th - tiedl) and just 39 homers (29th-tied).
The Eastshore Elegants are 9 games behind at the All-Star break and are headed for another bleak season in the second-division. It's been 9 years since Killer Brewster's club made the playoffs. The Elegants hit and score, but have little pitching. You don't win much with a gaudy 4.69 team ERA (30th). They are batting a strong .271 (5th), have scored 334 times (10th), but have little power with only 49 home runs (22nd). Brewster's best performers are pitcher Mark Sakelaris (9-3 3.40), C Fran MacIntyre (.329/9 HR), CF Cris Willis (.379/4 HR) and LF Stan Cuccinello (.276/10 HR).
The fans and manager Gibson Bobkins in Sugar Valley are in shock. Their beloved Rattlers have plunged to the cellar because of a total and sudden collapse of its pitching staff. Bobkins' staff has floundered with a monstrous 5.32 ERA (32nd). But the Rattlers still are capable of lighting up the scoreboard with a .265 batting average (12th), 335 runs scored (9th) and 70 homers (6th). Leading the attack are C Hal Stevenson (.283/18 HR), LF Kent Swain (.311/8 HR) and RF Emile Djoravich (.290/9 HR).
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