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Eugene Church · 06-04-2010, 11:31 PM

The Islandian Times

Friday, June 15, 2012

2012 Ruthlandian West Mid-Season Recap

Colfax Controls RU West, Leads Sligo By 6
The toughest team in the toughest division is well on its way to a fifth consecutive title. The Colfax Blasters are again dominating the Ruthlandian West with a 6-game lead over second place Sligo. Six of the teams are playing .500 or better baseball. Middlefield is third, 7 games off the pace, Rocky Rapids is 10 games behind in fourth place and Fort Benton and Volusia are tied for fifth and trail by 11 games.

Clem Rogers has all the elements needed for another shot at the Pro Cup: solid hitting and solid pitching. Colfax is hitting .268 (5th) with 69 homers (8th) and is tied for fifth in scoring with 354 runs. CF Ryan Raines (.323/18 HR), LF Paul Coniglio (.301/10 HR) and RF Karl Heidelberg (.379/8 HR) are giving the pitchers good run support. Rogers' top hurlers are Bryan Vidmar (8-0 2.51), Jasper LaForge (10-4 3.19), Ilya Szabo (10-6 3.18) and Jimmy Joe Cartner (9-8 3.74). Closer Dallas Somerville (4-3 4.33) has a higher than usual ERA, but has collected 20 saves.

The Sligo Rovers are having a fine season, but still are quite far away from first place. Looking at it on paper, one wonders why Eddie Keys' Rovers are not on top in the RU West. They are second in pitching with a great 3.15 ERA, second with a .276 batting average and tied for fifth with 354 runs. Sligo also has belted 65 homers (13th). The mound staff is led by Vinnie Rastelli (12-6 2.69), Colin McGrath (10-7 2.44) and Dix Edenborough (8-6 3.74). At the plate the Rovers are sparked by six .300 hitters: RF Clell Renshaw (.317/9 HR), CF Chris Michel (.300/7 HR), LF Fred Collins (.321/9 HR), 2B Hollis Waldrup (.308/10 HR), 1B Joe Helmke (.306/6 HR) and 3B Eddy Lamar (.302/6 HR). Should Colfax falter a bit, Sligo is good enough to make it a pennant race this year in the RU West.

In Middlefield the third place Roosters are ripping the ball well, but so is the opposition. Skipper Smitty Michaels has some strong bats in 2B Jim Rose (.335/7 HR), LF Moose Scoggins (.352/10 HR) and 1B Ricky Tinker (.290/6 HR). As a team the Roosters are batting .275 (4th), have scored 356 runs (4th) and slugged 66 roundtrippers (10th). On the hill it is another story. The bullpen is especially bad with a lofty 4.86 ERA (28th). Overall the team ERA stands at a mediocre 4.09 (23rd) with Johnny Bond (9-6 2.90) and James Newberry (9-6 4.02) Michaels' top twirlers. Defensively, Middlefield is the best in the league with a superb .980 fielding average. The Roosters will not step up in class until they improve their pitching.

The Rocky Rapids Snappers are fourth in the RU West and are just a so-so ballclub. Ryan Noland's boys don't excel at much, but do have a good reliever corps with a fine 3.02 ERA (5th). Thus far, closer Earl Pitts (2-1 1.57) has totaled 14 saves and Sammy Norman (3-0 1.35) has done a splendid job in long relief. As a team the Snappers have compiled a 3.83 ERA (15th), paced by starters Herbie Drahm (10-6 2.97) and Don Chaney (9-7 3.49). Noland's main weekness is his offense. The Snappers do not hit with power. They have only 44 home runs (26th - tied) on the year, while batting .262 (17th). Standouts in the batter's box are two solid pros LF Scott Camden (.285/12 HR) and C Hank Bethel (.317/10 HR). Rocky Rapids is good with the gloves with an impressive .977 FA.

Tied for fifth place are the Fort Benton Defenders and the Volusia Vigilantes. They are 11 games in back of leading Colfax. This is the first season in its 12-year history that Volusia finds itself in the second division. As always, Alfonso Feliz has a quality pitching staff, headed by Gerry Hersh (9-5 2.73) and Todd Wolfe (10-5 2.70), two of the best starters in the IPA. The V's are third in the league with a strong 3.21 team ERA (3rd). Feliz has a very strong bullpen, too, with a 2.53 ERA (3rd). His top relievers are Hank Massey (2-2 2.43), Manny Seguin (2-0 1.73) and Warren Pittman (0-0 2.63). Volusia just can't compete at the plate with 49 homers (22nd - tied) and just 288 runs scored (26th). Volusia most productive batters are the veteran 2B Tucker Hill (.338/1 HR) and rookie 1B Rafael Garza (.338/3 HR).

Fort Benton is very similar to Volusia with little power, but some pretty fair pitching. Robbie Brooks' Defenders have an impressive bullpen with a 3.05 ERA (6th) and an overall 3.96 team ERA (21st). The top relievers are closer David Osborn (6-2 1.82) with 11 saves and long man Tom Waltenbury (2-1 2.68). Fort Benson's best starters are Curt LaFrance (5-1 2.13) and Ivan Gloeckner (7-5 3.64). Offensively the Defenders are hitting a poor .253 (22nd) with only 44 home runs (26th - tied) and only 313 runs (22nd - tied). But Brooks does have some solid hitters in SS Pete Duvalier (.306/5 HR), LF Ryan Smith (.316/6 HR) and RF Forest Cummings (.290/6 HR). Fort Benton has a strong defense with a .977 FA. The Defenders have never made the postseason in its history, but they are shooting for a first-division finish this year. Brooks' ballclub has finished over .500 the last two seasons, the only time they have succeeded in doing that.

The Stoner Stars would be in great shape if they could do everything as well as they hit home runs. The Stars lead the RU with 88 homers (1st), but they are batting only .248 (26th). Topping the batting order are 2B Karol Zodoka (.296/14 HR), RF Lamar Proctor (.307/12 HR) and C Benny Stern (.288/11 HR). On the hill, manager Willie Dickens' team is pathetic with a terrible 5.13 ERA (31st). His only dependable starter is Don Patterson (5-4 2.93). His bullpen ace Sammy Jacobs (2-2 2.16) has notched 10 saves.

It has not been a good season for Robbie Jackson's Forest City Lumberjacks, who have fallen to the cellar, 18 games out of first place. They are batting only .245 (32nd), have scored just 259 runs (31st) and collected only 48 homers (25th). Jackson has one of the worst offenses in the IPA. 1B Andy Doiron (.311/9 HR) is his only quality bat. In the pitching department the team is carrying a miserable 4.39 ERA (28th) with only one dependable pitcher in Al Thibaut (6-11 2.92), who has stood out despite a losing record.

06-04-2010, 11:31 PM	#1727
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,719 Blog Entries: 1	The Islandian Times Friday, June 15, 2012 2012 Ruthlandian West Mid-Season Recap Colfax Controls RU West, Leads Sligo By 6 The toughest team in the toughest division is well on its way to a fifth consecutive title. The Colfax Blasters are again dominating the Ruthlandian West with a 6-game lead over second place Sligo. Six of the teams are playing .500 or better baseball. Middlefield is third, 7 games off the pace, Rocky Rapids is 10 games behind in fourth place and Fort Benton and Volusia are tied for fifth and trail by 11 games. Clem Rogers has all the elements needed for another shot at the Pro Cup: solid hitting and solid pitching. Colfax is hitting .268 (5th) with 69 homers (8th) and is tied for fifth in scoring with 354 runs. CF Ryan Raines (.323/18 HR), LF Paul Coniglio (.301/10 HR) and RF Karl Heidelberg (.379/8 HR) are giving the pitchers good run support. Rogers' top hurlers are Bryan Vidmar (8-0 2.51), Jasper LaForge (10-4 3.19), Ilya Szabo (10-6 3.18) and Jimmy Joe Cartner (9-8 3.74). Closer Dallas Somerville (4-3 4.33) has a higher than usual ERA, but has collected 20 saves. The Sligo Rovers are having a fine season, but still are quite far away from first place. Looking at it on paper, one wonders why Eddie Keys' Rovers are not on top in the RU West. They are second in pitching with a great 3.15 ERA, second with a .276 batting average and tied for fifth with 354 runs. Sligo also has belted 65 homers (13th). The mound staff is led by Vinnie Rastelli (12-6 2.69), Colin McGrath (10-7 2.44) and Dix Edenborough (8-6 3.74). At the plate the Rovers are sparked by six .300 hitters: RF Clell Renshaw (.317/9 HR), CF Chris Michel (.300/7 HR), LF Fred Collins (.321/9 HR), 2B Hollis Waldrup (.308/10 HR), 1B Joe Helmke (.306/6 HR) and 3B Eddy Lamar (.302/6 HR). Should Colfax falter a bit, Sligo is good enough to make it a pennant race this year in the RU West. In Middlefield the third place Roosters are ripping the ball well, but so is the opposition. Skipper Smitty Michaels has some strong bats in 2B Jim Rose (.335/7 HR), LF Moose Scoggins (.352/10 HR) and 1B Ricky Tinker (.290/6 HR). As a team the Roosters are batting .275 (4th), have scored 356 runs (4th) and slugged 66 roundtrippers (10th). On the hill it is another story. The bullpen is especially bad with a lofty 4.86 ERA (28th). Overall the team ERA stands at a mediocre 4.09 (23rd) with Johnny Bond (9-6 2.90) and James Newberry (9-6 4.02) Michaels' top twirlers. Defensively, Middlefield is the best in the league with a superb .980 fielding average. The Roosters will not step up in class until they improve their pitching. The Rocky Rapids Snappers are fourth in the RU West and are just a so-so ballclub. Ryan Noland's boys don't excel at much, but do have a good reliever corps with a fine 3.02 ERA (5th). Thus far, closer Earl Pitts (2-1 1.57) has totaled 14 saves and Sammy Norman (3-0 1.35) has done a splendid job in long relief. As a team the Snappers have compiled a 3.83 ERA (15th), paced by starters Herbie Drahm (10-6 2.97) and Don Chaney (9-7 3.49). Noland's main weekness is his offense. The Snappers do not hit with power. They have only 44 home runs (26th - tied) on the year, while batting .262 (17th). Standouts in the batter's box are two solid pros LF Scott Camden (.285/12 HR) and C Hank Bethel (.317/10 HR). Rocky Rapids is good with the gloves with an impressive .977 FA. Tied for fifth place are the Fort Benton Defenders and the Volusia Vigilantes. They are 11 games in back of leading Colfax. This is the first season in its 12-year history that Volusia finds itself in the second division. As always, Alfonso Feliz has a quality pitching staff, headed by Gerry Hersh (9-5 2.73) and Todd Wolfe (10-5 2.70), two of the best starters in the IPA. The V's are third in the league with a strong 3.21 team ERA (3rd). Feliz has a very strong bullpen, too, with a 2.53 ERA (3rd). His top relievers are Hank Massey (2-2 2.43), Manny Seguin (2-0 1.73) and Warren Pittman (0-0 2.63). Volusia just can't compete at the plate with 49 homers (22nd - tied) and just 288 runs scored (26th). Volusia most productive batters are the veteran 2B Tucker Hill (.338/1 HR) and rookie 1B Rafael Garza (.338/3 HR). Fort Benton is very similar to Volusia with little power, but some pretty fair pitching. Robbie Brooks' Defenders have an impressive bullpen with a 3.05 ERA (6th) and an overall 3.96 team ERA (21st). The top relievers are closer David Osborn (6-2 1.82) with 11 saves and long man Tom Waltenbury (2-1 2.68). Fort Benson's best starters are Curt LaFrance (5-1 2.13) and Ivan Gloeckner (7-5 3.64). Offensively the Defenders are hitting a poor .253 (22nd) with only 44 home runs (26th - tied) and only 313 runs (22nd - tied). But Brooks does have some solid hitters in SS Pete Duvalier (.306/5 HR), LF Ryan Smith (.316/6 HR) and RF Forest Cummings (.290/6 HR). Fort Benton has a strong defense with a .977 FA. The Defenders have never made the postseason in its history, but they are shooting for a first-division finish this year. Brooks' ballclub has finished over .500 the last two seasons, the only time they have succeeded in doing that. The Stoner Stars would be in great shape if they could do everything as well as they hit home runs. The Stars lead the RU with 88 homers (1st), but they are batting only .248 (26th). Topping the batting order are 2B Karol Zodoka (.296/14 HR), RF Lamar Proctor (.307/12 HR) and C Benny Stern (.288/11 HR). On the hill, manager Willie Dickens' team is pathetic with a terrible 5.13 ERA (31st). His only dependable starter is Don Patterson (5-4 2.93). His bullpen ace Sammy Jacobs (2-2 2.16) has notched 10 saves. It has not been a good season for Robbie Jackson's Forest City Lumberjacks, who have fallen to the cellar, 18 games out of first place. They are batting only .245 (32nd), have scored just 259 runs (31st) and collected only 48 homers (25th). Jackson has one of the worst offenses in the IPA. 1B Andy Doiron (.311/9 HR) is his only quality bat. In the pitching department the team is carrying a miserable 4.39 ERA (28th) with only one dependable pitcher in Al Thibaut (6-11 2.92), who has stood out despite a losing record. Last edited by Eugene Church; 06-04-2010 at 11:49 PM.