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Eugene Church · 10-18-2011, 08:44 PM

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, June 22, 2027

2027 Ruthlandian West Mid-Season Standings and Team Stats

Rovers, Roosters, Blasters, Stars Vie For RU West
Big change in the Ruthlandian West pennant race this year... last year Middlefield blitzed everybody and won in a cakewalk by 11 games over Stoner and 17 better than Sligo... Much closer race this season with five teams in the hunt... The Sligo Rovers are the top dog with a game lead over defending champ Middlefield, 2 over Colfax and 5 in front of Stoner... Even fifth place Fort Benton is within hailing distance, 7 games off the pace.

Manager Eddie Keys' Sligo Rovers have the best team ERA in the RU with a 2.95 ERA (1st)... All-Star Lee Patterson (11-5 2.61), Lou Page (7-5 2.89), Earl Perkins (6-4 2.85) and rookie Christien Trudeau (6-2 2.90) are all under 3.00 in ERA... offense is the main shortcoming with a .242 BA (22nd) and 29th in scoring... most reliable bats are 1B Johnny Sackett (.302/3/27/40), CF Daryl Collins (.284/11/48/31) and RF Teddy Brunet (.316/11/34/30).

The second-place Middlefield Roosters have won the last 4 division titles and are a big threat to win it again... skipper Bailey Norcross used to just let the hitters win it for him, now the pitchers are more than doing their part... the Roosters have put up a 3.20 team ERA (4th) and the sluggers are still going deep regularly with 83 homers (2nd)... that's a good formula for success... starters Glenn Tackett (10-3 2.82) and Danny Denver (11-5 3.62) lead the mound staff... Waylon Hillman has 16 saves and a fine 2.28 ERA, but is only 1-6 this year... recently-promoted starter Judson Davis (3-2 1.93) could be a vital cog this year if he can pitch as well as a starter as he has as a reliever... the Roosters don't hit much for average, but do well enough... most productive batters are 1B Paul Smiley (.254/16/41/38), LF Floyd McClellan (.267/15/38/34), 3B Stu Butterworth (.279/10/33/28) and RF Vic Ivarsson (.299/9/23/30).

The Colfax Blasters have a new manager, Ilya Szabo, who replaces Clem Rogers this season... Szabo is an IPA Hall-of-Famer, ranking 7th all-time with a 327-210 record... He starred for the Blasters for 19 years... Colfax is not particularly impressive, but they are in third place and right up there with the big boys, Sligo and Middlefield... This is the first time in 11 years the Blasters have been in the hunt... give the credit to starters Smoky Rogers (9-3 3.01), Cliff James (10-5 3.79) and James Elliott (10-7 3.34)... Szabo has to scrounge for runs with the likes of CF Hal Granders (.286/7/33/48) and 1B Doug Kirkwood (.276/5/45/37).

The fourth-place Stoner Stars with Benny Stern at the helm are getting by with average overall pitching and pretty good batting... the Stars are 5 games over .500 and just 5 games out of first place... Raul Hidalgo (9-7 2.35) and rookie Darrell Geoffrey (4-6 2.42) are very good starters... in the batter's box 1B Fletch Fowler (.257/11/58/37) and 3B Jeff Henderson (.294/8/42/36) are the main threats and RBI guys... catcher P. J. Blake (.333/1/25/29) and CF Al Rispone (.307/5/38/49) hit for average, but don't have much punch.

Robbie Brooks is in charge of the Fort Benton Defenders, long a division doormat... they edged into the first division for the first time in years last season, sneaking in fourth... good things were expected this season, but so far haven't materialized... Brooks only has so-so pitching and lousy scoring... rookie Frankie Quinn (6-7 2.70) and Augie Marquis (7-7 3.49) are quality arms and good starters and closer Kurt Cobb (3-3) handles the bullpen duties well with 10 saves and a 2.45 ERA... 1B Brad Jenkins (.322/4/38/23), 2B/SS Jerome Cox (.346/3/18/22) and LF Stan Saunders (.285/7/31/36) are the best contact hitters, while CF Vince Boylan provides the power with 13 homers and 42 RBIs, but is hitting only .246.

The other three teams in the RU West will be trying to stay out of the cellar... The Volusia Vigilantes and Forest City Lumberjacks are tied for sixth and trail by 11 games... hapless Rocky Rapids is in the basement and 14 games back... Volusia has good rookies in pitcher Cisco Almeira (8-9 3.17) and 1B Joao Rosales (.290/8/41/32), but little else... Forest City is 3rd in home runs with 77, led by CF Fred Weldon (.291/14/39/42) and 1B Barry McKnight (.287/15/46/37)... remarkable rookie Doug Cox (9-4 2.55) and new closer Greg Kelley (2-1 1.69) are the only quality pitchers on the Lumberjacks staff... poor Rocky Rapids may be headed for the worst season in its history... rookie Matt Loudermilk (7-9 3.20) tops the pitching corps and 3B Paul Shelton (.275/9/28/37) is the Snappers best bat.

RU West Forecast:
The Middlefield Roosters have good pitching and good power and will win the RU West... but the Sligo Rovers may give them a tussle with its fine pitching staff... it may not be a runaway the way it has been in three of the last four seasons for the Roosters... the Stoner Stars and Colfax Blasters should battle it out for the third spot... we give the edge to the Blasters pitching... the Stars with the good bats will be fourth... Forest City's offense should move it up to fifth place past Fort Benton... Volusia will probably wind up seventh... and Rocky Rapids will have the cellar all to themselves again this year.

10-18-2011, 08:44 PM	#2784
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36,124	*The Islandian Times* Tuesday, June 22, 2027 2027 Ruthlandian West Mid-Season Standings and Team Stats Rovers, Roosters, Blasters, Stars Vie For RU West Big change in the Ruthlandian West pennant race this year... last year Middlefield blitzed everybody and won in a cakewalk by 11 games over Stoner and 17 better than Sligo... Much closer race this season with five teams in the hunt... The Sligo Rovers are the top dog with a game lead over defending champ Middlefield, 2 over Colfax and 5 in front of Stoner... Even fifth place Fort Benton is within hailing distance, 7 games off the pace. Manager Eddie Keys' Sligo Rovers have the best team ERA in the RU with a 2.95 ERA (1st)... All-Star Lee Patterson (11-5 2.61), Lou Page (7-5 2.89), Earl Perkins (6-4 2.85) and rookie Christien Trudeau (6-2 2.90) are all under 3.00 in ERA... offense is the main shortcoming with a .242 BA (22nd) and 29th in scoring... most reliable bats are 1B Johnny Sackett (.302/3/27/40), CF Daryl Collins (.284/11/48/31) and RF Teddy Brunet (.316/11/34/30). The second-place Middlefield Roosters have won the last 4 division titles and are a big threat to win it again... skipper Bailey Norcross used to just let the hitters win it for him, now the pitchers are more than doing their part... the Roosters have put up a 3.20 team ERA (4th) and the sluggers are still going deep regularly with 83 homers (2nd)... that's a good formula for success... starters Glenn Tackett (10-3 2.82) and Danny Denver (11-5 3.62) lead the mound staff... Waylon Hillman has 16 saves and a fine 2.28 ERA, but is only 1-6 this year... recently-promoted starter Judson Davis (3-2 1.93) could be a vital cog this year if he can pitch as well as a starter as he has as a reliever... the Roosters don't hit much for average, but do well enough... most productive batters are 1B Paul Smiley (.254/16/41/38), LF Floyd McClellan (.267/15/38/34), 3B Stu Butterworth (.279/10/33/28) and RF Vic Ivarsson (.299/9/23/30). The Colfax Blasters have a new manager, Ilya Szabo, who replaces Clem Rogers this season... Szabo is an IPA Hall-of-Famer, ranking 7th all-time with a 327-210 record... He starred for the Blasters for 19 years... Colfax is not particularly impressive, but they are in third place and right up there with the big boys, Sligo and Middlefield... This is the first time in 11 years the Blasters have been in the hunt... give the credit to starters Smoky Rogers (9-3 3.01), Cliff James (10-5 3.79) and James Elliott (10-7 3.34)... Szabo has to scrounge for runs with the likes of CF Hal Granders (.286/7/33/48) and 1B Doug Kirkwood (.276/5/45/37). The fourth-place Stoner Stars with Benny Stern at the helm are getting by with average overall pitching and pretty good batting... the Stars are 5 games over .500 and just 5 games out of first place... Raul Hidalgo (9-7 2.35) and rookie Darrell Geoffrey (4-6 2.42) are very good starters... in the batter's box 1B Fletch Fowler (.257/11/58/37) and 3B Jeff Henderson (.294/8/42/36) are the main threats and RBI guys... catcher P. J. Blake (.333/1/25/29) and CF Al Rispone (.307/5/38/49) hit for average, but don't have much punch. Robbie Brooks is in charge of the Fort Benton Defenders, long a division doormat... they edged into the first division for the first time in years last season, sneaking in fourth... good things were expected this season, but so far haven't materialized... Brooks only has so-so pitching and lousy scoring... rookie Frankie Quinn (6-7 2.70) and Augie Marquis (7-7 3.49) are quality arms and good starters and closer Kurt Cobb (3-3) handles the bullpen duties well with 10 saves and a 2.45 ERA... 1B Brad Jenkins (.322/4/38/23), 2B/SS Jerome Cox (.346/3/18/22) and LF Stan Saunders (.285/7/31/36) are the best contact hitters, while CF Vince Boylan provides the power with 13 homers and 42 RBIs, but is hitting only .246. The other three teams in the RU West will be trying to stay out of the cellar... The Volusia Vigilantes and Forest City Lumberjacks are tied for sixth and trail by 11 games... hapless Rocky Rapids is in the basement and 14 games back... Volusia has good rookies in pitcher Cisco Almeira (8-9 3.17) and 1B Joao Rosales (.290/8/41/32), but little else... Forest City is 3rd in home runs with 77, led by CF Fred Weldon (.291/14/39/42) and 1B Barry McKnight (.287/15/46/37)... remarkable rookie Doug Cox (9-4 2.55) and new closer Greg Kelley (2-1 1.69) are the only quality pitchers on the Lumberjacks staff... poor Rocky Rapids may be headed for the worst season in its history... rookie Matt Loudermilk (7-9 3.20) tops the pitching corps and 3B Paul Shelton (.275/9/28/37) is the Snappers best bat. RU West Forecast: The Middlefield Roosters have good pitching and good power and will win the RU West... but the Sligo Rovers may give them a tussle with its fine pitching staff... it may not be a runaway the way it has been in three of the last four seasons for the Roosters... the Stoner Stars and Colfax Blasters should battle it out for the third spot... we give the edge to the Blasters pitching... the Stars with the good bats will be fourth... Forest City's offense should move it up to fifth place past Fort Benton... Volusia will probably wind up seventh... and Rocky Rapids will have the cellar all to themselves again this year. Attached Images Last edited by Eugene Church; 10-18-2011 at 08:47 PM.