[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Ruthlandian North Mid-Season Recap
Strong pitching has propelled the Valmara Vipers to the top spot in the RU North... three vets Billy Ray (11-5), Clem Carmouche (8-7), Pavel Volkov (9-4) and a rookie Teddy Lem (8-5) give manager Jet Kazmarek a solid starting foursome... Ancona manager Manny Mickens is strong on the hill, too... two remarkable rookies Razzy Angelis (10-4) and Kyros Halkias (7-1) combined with All-Star Vince Arndt (11-7), are leading the way... the Red Elephants have outstanding hitting, too... with All-Star SS Vic Zaro (.379 BA/0 HR/22 RBI/39 R), All-Star LF Kenny Willard (.303 BA/9 HR/48 RBI) and All-Star 1B Alekos Kotas (.267 BA/14 HR/56 RBI)... third place Ranford is only 5 games back... skipper Rick Fargnoli has two stoppers in Scotty Simmons (10-5) and Jimmy Travis (9-6), plus two young and talented hitters in All-Star 1B Elton Graff (.355 BA/9 HR/44 RBI) and 2B Sonny Statum (.322 BA/1 HR/21 RBI/45 R/20 SB), but can't compete with Valmara and Ancona... last year's division winner Far Mountain has fallen to the wayside with lousy hitting (.232 BA) and lackluster pitching.

RU North Prediction:
Ancona will prevail with Valmara second and Ranford a distant third.

Ruthlandian South Mid-Season Recap
The Cinderella club in the entire IPA is the St. John Crusaders... under new manager Clayton Luck, a former Crusader outfielder, the team has flourished, rising up from seventh place to the division lead... Luck has super pitching and leads the league with a 2.52 team ERA... All-Star Don Baillie (11-1), rookie Glenn Pierce (8-4) and vet Oklahoma Crane (5-3) have been standouts, along with closer Nelson Hawthorne (3-0), who has 14 saves... two rookies 1B Roger Lanier (.294 BA/9 HR/39 RBI) and LF Chi-Chi Harris (.317 BA/5 HR/26 RBI) are St. John's best bats... runner-up Waleska is a high-scoring machine, led by All-Star CF Roy Hobbs (.351 BA/11 HR/35 RBI/58 R), All-Star LF Loco Dillinger (.304 Ba/18 HR/62 RBI/54 R) and 1B Glenn Childress (.306 BA/7 HR/40 RBI/45 R)... the Westerners top the RU in scoring and batting average (.267 BA)... top pitchers are All-Star starter Chet McNeil (14-5), rookie Cliff Dyer (10-4) and All-Star closer Jarred Laclair (2-0) with 16 saves... the San Dimas Rancheros are in third place, trailing by 7 games... former journeyman catcher Wesley Pate took over this season and the team has thrived with four fine starters: All-Star Shannon White (12-5), Rod Bailey (10-4), rookie Jay Barajas (6-6) and Keir Wells (7-8)... leading the offense are All-Star 3B Hector Cuellar (.290 BA/7 HR/42 RBI/34 R) and standout CF Ray Ford (.313 BA/13 HR/39 RBI/44 R)... last year's RU South champ Crystal Lake is fourth, 10 games out, and not likely to challenge this season... Baby George's pitching corps is down a little and hitting is off, too... the Crushers have won 2 Pro Cups and 4 flags in the last 6 seasons... Duncan Welch (10-8) is still the ace of the mound staff... two rookies have made an impact at the plate: C Tommy Trent (.316 BA/2 HR/32 RBI) and George's 20-year-old son Josh... young George plays 1B and is hitting .302 with 6 homers and 33 RBIs... Marty Pedroza's Belair Beach Sunbirds are in the fifth spot in the standings, 11 games off the pace... top pitchers are All-Star Denny Whitaker (13-4) and Dan Marconi (11-6)... Pedroza's son Jaime (5-12) can't get a break this year, but has a strong 2.85 ERA, best on the club... superstar All-Star 1B Kees Draeger (.340 BA/18 HR/59 RBI) carries the team offensively.

RU South Prediction:
Waleska's experience will win out in the end over the young, exciting St. John Crusaders... San Dimas will end up third, followed by Belair Beach and Crystal Lake.

Ruthlandian East Mid-Season Recap
It's been four long, down years for Killer Brewster and his once-powerful Eastshore Elegants... but they may be back this year... the Elegants are running neck-and-neck with the reigning division champ Wynnamac Sundowners and are tied for first place at the All-Star break... Wynnamac manager Matt Donnelly has strong pitching and good power at the plate... top pitchers are All-star Lon Marshall (13-6) and Jerry Meeks (10-2)... closer Jim Horton has 18 saves... the Sundowner batting order boasts some rock-solid bats with LF Lil Hoss Burkhalter (.264 BA/18 HR/43 RBI), CF Nathan Cockroft (.289 BA/9 HR/35 RBI), plus All-Star rookie RF Tommy Lambright (.296 BA/12 HR/37 RBI)... Eastshore is sparked by pitchers Melvin Key (8-8), Al Froelich (6-6), Randy Boone (11-6) and Lenny Hynoski (11-3)... bullpen ace Milt Campbell (3-2) has saved 17 games... Brewster's offense is not like the golden days and it will eventually be his downfall... a .248 team batting average (15th) will just not do it... third place Beechwood is 7 games behind the two leaders and the Bobcats are trying to wind up in the first division for the 12th consecutive year, but they will have a lot of competition... Bret George has three very capable starters in vets Frank Mullins (8-8) and Ken DeGraw (6-9), along with budding star Maury Patterson (11-4), but his bats are hopeless with a .229 BA, the worst in the IPA... only superstar All-Star CF Vic Valenti (.305 BA/11 HR/38 RBI) and 3B Skipper Smith (.294 BA/9 HR/45 RBI) provide any semblence of offense... Beechwood's pitching may hold off Belle Plaine, Marston, Elnora, Cold Creek and Sugar Valley.

RU East Prediction:
Matt Donnelly has a veteran crew in Wynnamac that should bring home the first place trophy for a second year in a row... Eastshore just doesn't have the offense to beat them out... the Elegants will wind up in second place and it might not be close... Beechwood's pitching will keep it in third place... the other five clubs will battle it out for fourth place with the Elnora All-Stars taking it with its fine pitching.

Ruthlandian West Mid-Season Recap
Middlefield manager Bailey Norcross has a crackerjack starting rotation, a super closer, good middle relief and lots of firepower... that's why his Roosters are whipping everybody in sight and have run up the best record in the IPA at mid-year... the Roosters have roared to a huge 12-game lead in the RU West and are easily headed for a fourth successive pennant... this is by far the best mound corps in Middlefield history... this team has compiled a 2.87 team ERA (8th), yet pitches in a home run paradise... that's how good it is... All-Star Glenn Tackett (11-3), young 21-year-old Tyrus Cobb (10-0), together with very capable vets Frank Dean (9-7) and Danny Denver (9-4) have been amazing... toss in All-Star closer Waylon Hillman (0-2) with 20 saves and some quality middle relief and you got a superior ball club... it doesn't hurt that the Rooster bats are tied for first in the league with 70 homers... leading the way are standout 1B Allan Stewart (.290 BA/7 HR), CF Tom Daniels (.270 BA/10 HR) and LF Floyd McClellan (.281 BA/9 HR)... Stewart missed most of last season with a concussion from being beaned... Stewart returned to action in May of this year, but so far has not returned to form... Stewart averaged over 40 home runs and 115 RBIs a season prior to the injury... the Stoner Stars and Sligo Rovers will vie for second place with the nod going to the Stars, who have two solid starters and a better overall staff... third should go to the Rovers, who have three quality starters... the Forest City Lumberjacks with good hitting should end up fourth and in the first division, followed by the Rocky Rapids Snappers and the Volusia Vigilantes... Colfax and Fort Benton will battle to keep out of the cellar.

Ruthlandian West Prediction:
I'll go out on a limb and pick Middlefield... Stoner should be second, Sligo third and Forest City fourth... in the second division will be Rocky Rapids, Volusia, Colfax and Fort Benton.