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Eugene Church · 04-06-2011, 01:03 AM

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

2022 Ruthlandian East Mid-Season Recap

Sundowners Stun RU East, Huge Lead At Mid-Year
There's a good chance the season is over for most of the teams in the Ruthlandian East. In a stunning turnaround, the Wynnamac Sundowners have gone from seventh place last season to the top of the heap this year. At the All-Star break Matt Donnelly's charges have opened up a huge 9-game bulge over second-place Beechwood and Sugar Valley with fourth-place Cold Creek 14 games off the pace. It was expected that defending champ Sugar Valley, Eastshore and Beechwood would again contest for the pennant this year.

The Wynnamac Sundowners (47-22) have it all this season - great pitching and strong hitting... Donnelly has five .300 hitters in his potent batting order: All-Star 2B Liam Cadbury (.347 BA/16 HR), RF Bob Carr (.333 BA/9 HR), CF Ian Holmes (.316 BA/0 HR), All-Star 1B Pete Simmons (.311/14 HR) and LF Joey Eaton (.304 BA/10 HR)... on the hill the standouts are All-Star Lon Marshall (13-2 2.19), Jerry Meeks (10-5 3.05) and Jimmy Nichols (.9-3 3.41), plus Jim Norton (4-2) in the bullpen with 12 saves and a 1.42 ERA... Wynnamac hasn't made the playoffs since 2013... the Sundowners should be a strong challenger to win it all this season like they did in the Pro Cup season of 2008.

Defending division titlist, the Sugar Valley Rattlers (39-32), has seen its pitching and hitting slip some, but Gibby Bobkins still has the sluggers and leads the league with 101 homers... but he has lost 19-game winner Nick Moore for half the year... Moore is 9-6 with a 4.29 ERA and might return in the last month of the season... Benny McConnell (9-5 3.57) is the Rattlers only consistent starter... closer Fernando Vargas (0-3) has 13 saves with a 2.08 ERA... at the plate CF Randall Hawson (.280 BA/24 HR) is tied for the IPA home run lead, and along with All-Star 1B Dean Woods (.297 BA/21 HR), RF Terry Goudeau (.252 BA/15 HR) and SS Jack Sanderson (.272 BA/13 HR) lead the Rattler attack.

The Beechwood Bobcats (39-32) have three quality starters in rookie Frank Mullins (9-3 2.72), vets Billy Ray (8-5 3.63) and Ken DeGraw (7-8 3.15)... closer Jeff Lyons (4-3) does a solid job for manager Bret George with 12 saves and a 2.76 ERA... the Bobcats also have superstar CF and All-Star Vic Valenti (.319 BA/21 HR), who has to carry the offense... rookie Jojo Davis (.286 BA/3 HR) shows some promise and added a little bit to the offense.

The Cold Creek Catamounts (33-36) have made a modest resurgence... they have been a second-division club since 2012 and near the bottom for the last 3 seasons... skipper Trip Holmes has them in the fourth spot in the standings, but still they haven't reached the break-even mark and trail by 14 games... the Catamounts have fine pitching (3.48 ERA), but horrible hitting (.230 BA-32nd) and no power (32 HR-32nd)... Holmes' bullpen is one of the league's best (2.52 ERA-6th), sparked by All-Star closer Shannon Robinson (4-1), who has posted 15 saves at mid-season with an outstanding 0.75 ERA... starters Jon Howard (9-7 3.33), Kenny Mays (7-9 3.77) and rookie Mike Butler (5-8 3.44) all suffer from a lack of runs... rookie RF Carl Glick (.304 BA/7 HR) is Cold Creek's only productive bat.

The mighty Eastshore Elegants (32-37) are apparently no more - they are tied for fifth place, 15 games behind Wynnamac... Killer Brewster's boys are not the team they have been with 4 RU East flags, 2 second places and 2 Pro Cups since 2016... the formerly-dominant Elegants are just a less-than-ordinary team now with only fairly good pitching (3.69 ERA/13th) and atrocious hitting (.240 BA- 31st)... Melvin Key (9-6 3.42) and Bobby Matthews (9-3 3.43) are still capable starters, but Danny Siegfried (2-9 4.21) has dropped off the map this year at age 41... Siegfried was 20-13 last year with a fine 2.94 ERA... the relief corps is still quality with a 2.64 ERA (7th), headed up by closer Milt Campbell (3-3 2.57) with 15 saves... former All-Stars Gerry Garner (.263 BA/10 HR) and Stan Cuccinello (.248 BA/11 HR) have slumped badly this season... the future is not bright for Eastshore.

The mediocre Belle Plaine Musketeers (32-37) are tied with Eastshore in fifth place... manager Dave Torregrossa has two All-Star performers in SS Slick Hammill (.293/7 HR) and C Derek Roman (.322/6 HR)... plus a fine, young CF in Noel Norbert (.341/8 HR)... Rick Lafleur (6-7 3.09) and Lucien Record (7-7 3.97) are the best starters... bullpen specialist is Fabian Moreau (1-0), one of the top closer in the league with a 1.69 ERA and 11 saves.

Johnny Walters and his Marston Nine (30-39) had a good season last year with a third-place finish, but they have dropped way back in the pack this year to seventh place, 17 games behind... Anson Thomas tops the rotation with an 8-8 mark with a 3.27 ERA... All-Star CF Russ Woodward (.328 BA/16 HR) is really the only threat in the lineup... Woodward made the All-Star team for the fourth time this season.

The Elnora All-Stars (29-40) could be headed for its worst season in history... Sam Malone's club is in last place, 18 games out... Elnora doesn't have much of anything except good power with 75 homers, good for third place in the league... topping the list are RF Travis Glass (.320 BA/18 HR), 1B Michael Griffin (.284 BA/14 HR) and C Leon Carter (.310 BA/8 HR)... Malone lost his ace Hal Wilkinson to injury last September and he will likely miss all of this year... Wilkerson was 22-13 last season with a strong 2.97 ERA... Elnora sorely misses him.

RU East Outlook: Wynnamac looks too strong to falter in the second half... the Sundowners are the class of the RU East and one of the top clubs in the IPA... they should be a strong contender to take the Pro Cup... Sugar Valley and Beechwood will battle it out for the runner-up spot with the nod going to the Bobcats because of its superior mound staff.

04-06-2011, 01:03 AM	#2445
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36,079	*The Islandian Times* Tuesday, June 21, 2022 2022 Ruthlandian East Mid-Season Recap Sundowners Stun RU East, Huge Lead At Mid-Year There's a good chance the season is over for most of the teams in the Ruthlandian East. In a stunning turnaround, the Wynnamac Sundowners have gone from seventh place last season to the top of the heap this year. At the All-Star break Matt Donnelly's charges have opened up a huge 9-game bulge over second-place Beechwood and Sugar Valley with fourth-place Cold Creek 14 games off the pace. It was expected that defending champ Sugar Valley, Eastshore and Beechwood would again contest for the pennant this year. The Wynnamac Sundowners (47-22) have it all this season - great pitching and strong hitting... Donnelly has five .300 hitters in his potent batting order: All-Star 2B Liam Cadbury (.347 BA/16 HR), RF Bob Carr (.333 BA/9 HR), CF Ian Holmes (.316 BA/0 HR), All-Star 1B Pete Simmons (.311/14 HR) and LF Joey Eaton (.304 BA/10 HR)... on the hill the standouts are All-Star Lon Marshall (13-2 2.19), Jerry Meeks (10-5 3.05) and Jimmy Nichols (.9-3 3.41), plus Jim Norton (4-2) in the bullpen with 12 saves and a 1.42 ERA... Wynnamac hasn't made the playoffs since 2013... the Sundowners should be a strong challenger to win it all this season like they did in the Pro Cup season of 2008. Defending division titlist, the Sugar Valley Rattlers (39-32), has seen its pitching and hitting slip some, but Gibby Bobkins still has the sluggers and leads the league with 101 homers... but he has lost 19-game winner Nick Moore for half the year... Moore is 9-6 with a 4.29 ERA and might return in the last month of the season... Benny McConnell (9-5 3.57) is the Rattlers only consistent starter... closer Fernando Vargas (0-3) has 13 saves with a 2.08 ERA... at the plate CF Randall Hawson (.280 BA/24 HR) is tied for the IPA home run lead, and along with All-Star 1B Dean Woods (.297 BA/21 HR), RF Terry Goudeau (.252 BA/15 HR) and SS Jack Sanderson (.272 BA/13 HR) lead the Rattler attack. The Beechwood Bobcats (39-32) have three quality starters in rookie Frank Mullins (9-3 2.72), vets Billy Ray (8-5 3.63) and Ken DeGraw (7-8 3.15)... closer Jeff Lyons (4-3) does a solid job for manager Bret George with 12 saves and a 2.76 ERA... the Bobcats also have superstar CF and All-Star Vic Valenti (.319 BA/21 HR), who has to carry the offense... rookie Jojo Davis (.286 BA/3 HR) shows some promise and added a little bit to the offense. The Cold Creek Catamounts (33-36) have made a modest resurgence... they have been a second-division club since 2012 and near the bottom for the last 3 seasons... skipper Trip Holmes has them in the fourth spot in the standings, but still they haven't reached the break-even mark and trail by 14 games... the Catamounts have fine pitching (3.48 ERA), but horrible hitting (.230 BA-32nd) and no power (32 HR-32nd)... Holmes' bullpen is one of the league's best (2.52 ERA-6th), sparked by All-Star closer Shannon Robinson (4-1), who has posted 15 saves at mid-season with an outstanding 0.75 ERA... starters Jon Howard (9-7 3.33), Kenny Mays (7-9 3.77) and rookie Mike Butler (5-8 3.44) all suffer from a lack of runs... rookie RF Carl Glick (.304 BA/7 HR) is Cold Creek's only productive bat. The mighty Eastshore Elegants (32-37) are apparently no more - they are tied for fifth place, 15 games behind Wynnamac... Killer Brewster's boys are not the team they have been with 4 RU East flags, 2 second places and 2 Pro Cups since 2016... the formerly-dominant Elegants are just a less-than-ordinary team now with only fairly good pitching (3.69 ERA/13th) and atrocious hitting (.240 BA- 31st)... Melvin Key (9-6 3.42) and Bobby Matthews (9-3 3.43) are still capable starters, but Danny Siegfried (2-9 4.21) has dropped off the map this year at age 41... Siegfried was 20-13 last year with a fine 2.94 ERA... the relief corps is still quality with a 2.64 ERA (7th), headed up by closer Milt Campbell (3-3 2.57) with 15 saves... former All-Stars Gerry Garner (.263 BA/10 HR) and Stan Cuccinello (.248 BA/11 HR) have slumped badly this season... the future is not bright for Eastshore. The mediocre Belle Plaine Musketeers (32-37) are tied with Eastshore in fifth place... manager Dave Torregrossa has two All-Star performers in SS Slick Hammill (.293/7 HR) and C Derek Roman (.322/6 HR)... plus a fine, young CF in Noel Norbert (.341/8 HR)... Rick Lafleur (6-7 3.09) and Lucien Record (7-7 3.97) are the best starters... bullpen specialist is Fabian Moreau (1-0), one of the top closer in the league with a 1.69 ERA and 11 saves. Johnny Walters and his Marston Nine (30-39) had a good season last year with a third-place finish, but they have dropped way back in the pack this year to seventh place, 17 games behind... Anson Thomas tops the rotation with an 8-8 mark with a 3.27 ERA... All-Star CF Russ Woodward (.328 BA/16 HR) is really the only threat in the lineup... Woodward made the All-Star team for the fourth time this season. The Elnora All-Stars (29-40) could be headed for its worst season in history... Sam Malone's club is in last place, 18 games out... Elnora doesn't have much of anything except good power with 75 homers, good for third place in the league... topping the list are RF Travis Glass (.320 BA/18 HR), 1B Michael Griffin (.284 BA/14 HR) and C Leon Carter (.310 BA/8 HR)... Malone lost his ace Hal Wilkinson to injury last September and he will likely miss all of this year... Wilkerson was 22-13 last season with a strong 2.97 ERA... Elnora sorely misses him. RU East Outlook: Wynnamac looks too strong to falter in the second half... the Sundowners are the class of the RU East and one of the top clubs in the IPA... they should be a strong contender to take the Pro Cup... Sugar Valley and Beechwood will battle it out for the runner-up spot with the nod going to the Bobcats because of its superior mound staff. Last edited by Eugene Church; 04-06-2011 at 01:12 AM.