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Eugene Church · 06-02-2011, 10:44 PM

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, June 19, 2024

2024 Ruthlandian North Mid-Season Recap

5-Team Chase In RU North, Kilkenny Leads At Break
Will this be the year Kilkenny snaps its 23-year losing skein? The Cats have never made the IPA playoffs. But they are riding high right now, tied for first place with the defending RU North titleholder Valmara... it's an up year for Taranto, too... the Tars are in third place, just one game back... followed by fourth-place Ancona and fifth-place Far Mountain... the Red Elephants trail by 4 and the Redhawks by 7... nobody else seems to have much of a chance.

Kilkenny (46-27) relies on powerful pitching with a 3.02 team ERA (2nd)... manager Kevin McPhail had only average hitting (.253 BA/18th-tied), but scores well (9th)... Dave Whitaker (13-3 2.04) has shouldered much of the load, but has gotten great help from the standout bullpen, which has a 2.36 ERA (4th)... closer Cuzz Grandberry (2-3 1.84) heads up the relief corps with 15 saves... light-hitting prevails with vet 3B Johnny Madigan (.322 BA/2 HR/25 RBI/43 R) and 2B Lyle Walker (.306 BA/4 HR/35 RBI/27 R) topping the bats... the Cats are great on defense with a super .980 FA, second in the RU.

Last year's division winner and Pro Cup finalist Valmara (46-27) is even better this year... the Vipers can hit for a change... manager Jet Kazmarek's club leads the RU with a .280 BA and tops the league in scoring... not the case last year when the V's were woefully weak swinging the bats... Valmara still has solid pitching (3.33 ERA/11th) with two talented starters in Billy Ray (7-7 2.77) and Clem Carmouche (10-2 2.43)... closer Chris Phillips (3-4 1.54) has chalked up 11 saves... leading the line-up are CF Teddy Szymanski (.337 BA/16 HR/53 RBI/55 R), LF Sonny Oliver (.312 BA/12 HR/59 RBI/38 R) and RF Gerry Kazmarek (.286 BA/1 HR/23 RBI/53 R)... Valmara is not in the same class as Kilkenny, but the Vipers do field well with a .975 FA (5th-tied)

Tommaso Lazzorda has his Taranto Tars (45-28) smack dab in the pennant chase this year just a game behind in third place... up from sixth last year... better hitting and better pitching will do it every time... The Tars offense has returned to respectability and the mound staff has gone from bad to so-so... Taranto is hitting .270 (3rd) with 73 homers (3rd) and is second to Valmara in runs scored... 2B Greg Murphy (.354 BA/12 HR/42 RBI/63 R) is having a great year and is leading the RU in runs... 3B Aron Aiello (.311 BA/4 HR/29 RBI/31 R) and 1B Denny Zaffino (.269 BA/13 HR/43 RBI/28 R) also provide offense... on the hill 20-year-old Alfredo Barsotti (9-3 3.07) and Johnny Sakelaris (10-5 2.71) have been tremendous... closer Pat Pappas (6-2 2.38) has stood out, too.

The fourth-place Ancona Red Elephants (42-31) are only 4 games off the pace and are still a good ball club, but not like they were a few years ago when they won four pennants in five years... Manny Mickens' team has not been the same since great ace Clete Dukas (143-84 2.91) retired two seasons ago... the Red Elephants are still solid at the plate with a .261 BA (4th) and 54 home runs (10th-tied)... Ancona is number three in scoring... LF Kenny Willard (.307 BA/7 HR/57 RBI/50 R) is still going strong at age 32 with lots of help from 1B Alekos Kotas (.286 BA/14 HR/53 RBI/46 R), 3B Todd Nasso (.288 BA/9 HR/44 RBI/47 R) and SS Yanni Kouris (.303 BA/3 HR/25 RBI/24 R)... Ancona's team ERA is 3.68 (22nd)... free agent pickup from Ginza, Joji Azuma (10-4 3.49), has been a pleasant surprise at age 40... Spiros Zodiates (7-8 3.13) has been solid, too... closer Kenny Nikas (1-2 1.46) has saved 12 games... Ancona is excellent with the mitts with a .978 FA (4th).

The Far Mountain Redhawks (39-34) are well within striking distance of first place, just 7 games out... with the four fine starters that Alex Groveland has, the Redhawks are not out of the running... his mound corps has posted a strong 3.09 team ERA (3rd) and is led by 22-year-old Jeff Cooper (8-8 2.58) and veteran Woody Crawford (8-8 3.16), along with two outstanding 20-year-olds, Jakob Wagner (10-5 3.21) and Karl Franz (9-6 3.16)... Groveland may have the best starting four in the IPA... closer Hans Becker (2-2 2.22) is doing well with 15 saves... Far Mountain is only average with the bats with a .251 BA (17th)... LF Ryan Mizell tops the team with 50 RBIs and 8 HRs, while batting .277... the Redhawks handle gloves well, too, with a .975 FA (5th-tied).

The Glasco Athletics (35-38) are in the sixth spot in the RU North standings, trailing by 11 games... but skipper Charles Darby has some talented players in his son, 2B Eddie Darby (.316 BA/7 HR/34 RBI/44 R), 1B Garris Aiken (.318 BA/19 HR/64 RBI/49 R), who lead the RU in RBIs, and pitcher Davy McAdams (11-5 2.54).

The LaGrange Sports (33-40) are 13 games back in seventh place... manager Otto Kronvath has solid pitching with a 3.23 team ERA (7th), but his club is hitting only .233 BA (31st)... starters Gabe Thomas (5-6 2.80), Niles Wooten (5-10 2.86) and Mike York (8-9 2.90) have really pitched well, but have little to show for it in wins.

Over in Ranford, Rick Fargnoli has the arms, but not the bats... the Ranford Bulls (32-41) are dead last, 14 games behind first-place Valmara and Kilkenny... the team ERA is very good at 3.17 (5th), but they are batting only .245 (23rd) and a tied for 24th in scoring... Fargnoli's starters are quite capable, but need some run support... Angelo Coppolo (3-1 2.11), Scotty Simmons (3-10 2.65) and Archie Young (5-4 2.07) have certainly held down the opposition, but have come up short in wins... LF Tyee Maska (.289 BA/11 HR/45 RBI/44 R) has been Ranford's only batting threat.

Ruthlandian North Forecast:
Valmara looks to be too strong and should take its second straight pennant and go deep into the Pro Cup playoffs again... they may even have a shot at going all the way because of the improved hitting and offense... the Vipers should slowly pull away from the pack in the second half... Ancona and Taranto will battle for the runner-up spots because of the offense... Kilkenny and Far Mountain will contest for fifth place... the Cats and the Redhawks just do not hit... Glasco, LaGrange and Ranford will contend for sixth.

06-02-2011, 10:44 PM	#2555
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,944	*The Islandian Times* Tuesday, June 19, 2024 2024 Ruthlandian North Mid-Season Recap 5-Team Chase In RU North, Kilkenny Leads At Break Will this be the year Kilkenny snaps its 23-year losing skein? The Cats have never made the IPA playoffs. But they are riding high right now, tied for first place with the defending RU North titleholder Valmara... it's an up year for Taranto, too... the Tars are in third place, just one game back... followed by fourth-place Ancona and fifth-place Far Mountain... the Red Elephants trail by 4 and the Redhawks by 7... nobody else seems to have much of a chance. Kilkenny (46-27) relies on powerful pitching with a 3.02 team ERA (2nd)... manager Kevin McPhail had only average hitting (.253 BA/18th-tied), but scores well (9th)... Dave Whitaker (13-3 2.04) has shouldered much of the load, but has gotten great help from the standout bullpen, which has a 2.36 ERA (4th)... closer Cuzz Grandberry (2-3 1.84) heads up the relief corps with 15 saves... light-hitting prevails with vet 3B Johnny Madigan (.322 BA/2 HR/25 RBI/43 R) and 2B Lyle Walker (.306 BA/4 HR/35 RBI/27 R) topping the bats... the Cats are great on defense with a super .980 FA, second in the RU. Last year's division winner and Pro Cup finalist Valmara (46-27) is even better this year... the Vipers can hit for a change... manager Jet Kazmarek's club leads the RU with a .280 BA and tops the league in scoring... not the case last year when the V's were woefully weak swinging the bats... Valmara still has solid pitching (3.33 ERA/11th) with two talented starters in Billy Ray (7-7 2.77) and Clem Carmouche (10-2 2.43)... closer Chris Phillips (3-4 1.54) has chalked up 11 saves... leading the line-up are CF Teddy Szymanski (.337 BA/16 HR/53 RBI/55 R), LF Sonny Oliver (.312 BA/12 HR/59 RBI/38 R) and RF Gerry Kazmarek (.286 BA/1 HR/23 RBI/53 R)... Valmara is not in the same class as Kilkenny, but the Vipers do field well with a .975 FA (5th-tied) Tommaso Lazzorda has his Taranto Tars (45-28) smack dab in the pennant chase this year just a game behind in third place... up from sixth last year... better hitting and better pitching will do it every time... The Tars offense has returned to respectability and the mound staff has gone from bad to so-so... Taranto is hitting .270 (3rd) with 73 homers (3rd) and is second to Valmara in runs scored... 2B Greg Murphy (.354 BA/12 HR/42 RBI/63 R) is having a great year and is leading the RU in runs... 3B Aron Aiello (.311 BA/4 HR/29 RBI/31 R) and 1B Denny Zaffino (.269 BA/13 HR/43 RBI/28 R) also provide offense... on the hill 20-year-old Alfredo Barsotti (9-3 3.07) and Johnny Sakelaris (10-5 2.71) have been tremendous... closer Pat Pappas (6-2 2.38) has stood out, too. The fourth-place Ancona Red Elephants (42-31) are only 4 games off the pace and are still a good ball club, but not like they were a few years ago when they won four pennants in five years... Manny Mickens' team has not been the same since great ace Clete Dukas (143-84 2.91) retired two seasons ago... the Red Elephants are still solid at the plate with a .261 BA (4th) and 54 home runs (10th-tied)... Ancona is number three in scoring... LF Kenny Willard (.307 BA/7 HR/57 RBI/50 R) is still going strong at age 32 with lots of help from 1B Alekos Kotas (.286 BA/14 HR/53 RBI/46 R), 3B Todd Nasso (.288 BA/9 HR/44 RBI/47 R) and SS Yanni Kouris (.303 BA/3 HR/25 RBI/24 R)... Ancona's team ERA is 3.68 (22nd)... free agent pickup from Ginza, Joji Azuma (10-4 3.49), has been a pleasant surprise at age 40... Spiros Zodiates (7-8 3.13) has been solid, too... closer Kenny Nikas (1-2 1.46) has saved 12 games... Ancona is excellent with the mitts with a .978 FA (4th). The Far Mountain Redhawks (39-34) are well within striking distance of first place, just 7 games out... with the four fine starters that Alex Groveland has, the Redhawks are not out of the running... his mound corps has posted a strong 3.09 team ERA (3rd) and is led by 22-year-old Jeff Cooper (8-8 2.58) and veteran Woody Crawford (8-8 3.16), along with two outstanding 20-year-olds, Jakob Wagner (10-5 3.21) and Karl Franz (9-6 3.16)... Groveland may have the best starting four in the IPA... closer Hans Becker (2-2 2.22) is doing well with 15 saves... Far Mountain is only average with the bats with a .251 BA (17th)... LF Ryan Mizell tops the team with 50 RBIs and 8 HRs, while batting .277... the Redhawks handle gloves well, too, with a .975 FA (5th-tied). The Glasco Athletics (35-38) are in the sixth spot in the RU North standings, trailing by 11 games... but skipper Charles Darby has some talented players in his son, 2B Eddie Darby (.316 BA/7 HR/34 RBI/44 R), 1B Garris Aiken (.318 BA/19 HR/64 RBI/49 R), who lead the RU in RBIs, and pitcher Davy McAdams (11-5 2.54). The LaGrange Sports (33-40) are 13 games back in seventh place... manager Otto Kronvath has solid pitching with a 3.23 team ERA (7th), but his club is hitting only .233 BA (31st)... starters Gabe Thomas (5-6 2.80), Niles Wooten (5-10 2.86) and Mike York (8-9 2.90) have really pitched well, but have little to show for it in wins. Over in Ranford, Rick Fargnoli has the arms, but not the bats... the Ranford Bulls (32-41) are dead last, 14 games behind first-place Valmara and Kilkenny... the team ERA is very good at 3.17 (5th), but they are batting only .245 (23rd) and a tied for 24th in scoring... Fargnoli's starters are quite capable, but need some run support... Angelo Coppolo (3-1 2.11), Scotty Simmons (3-10 2.65) and Archie Young (5-4 2.07) have certainly held down the opposition, but have come up short in wins... LF Tyee Maska (.289 BA/11 HR/45 RBI/44 R) has been Ranford's only batting threat. Ruthlandian North Forecast: Valmara looks to be too strong and should take its second straight pennant and go deep into the Pro Cup playoffs again... they may even have a shot at going all the way because of the improved hitting and offense... the Vipers should slowly pull away from the pack in the second half... Ancona and Taranto will battle for the runner-up spots because of the offense... Kilkenny and Far Mountain will contest for fifth place... the Cats and the Redhawks just do not hit... Glasco, LaGrange and Ranford will contend for sixth. Last edited by Eugene Church; 06-02-2011 at 10:46 PM.