OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

Eugene Church · 11-04-2011, 04:06 PM

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 23, 2027

Pro Cup Quest Begins Tomorrow
They have endured and survived a 154-game regular season and in the case of Southport had to extend to 155 games to make the IPA Pro Cup playoffs. Now the Elite 8 are raring to go in quest of the ultimate in Islandian baseball - the cherished Pro Cup, which is given annually to the best team in the Islands. The winning team will have to make it through three tension-filled rounds to be declared the winner.

The 2027 IPA Elite 8 Series begins tomorrow afternoon at 4 locations. There are only two clubs returning from last year, the defending Pro Cup champ Valmara Vipers from the Ruthlandian Union and the Rolling Hills Reds from Tycobbian. Valmara will open up at home at War Memorial Stadium against the Crystal Lake Crushers in one of the Ruthlandian Union's best-of-seven series. It'll be powerful Beechwood hosting the Sligo Rovers at City Park Stadium in the other series. In Tycobbia, Rolling Hills will entertain the Midway Wolves and Southport will travel to White River Stadium to tangle with the Rascals. Among the eight teams only Crystal Lake, Valmara and Sligo have Pro Cup crowns. The Crushers garnered two of them, in 2020 and 2022, while Sligo got theirs in 2021.

Only three teams have ever won repeat titles in Pro Cup competition. Far Mountain has done it twice, winning in back-to-back-to-back years from 2011 to 2013. The Eastshore Elegants accomplished it in 2016 and 2017 and Tuckanarra did it in 2023 and 2024. This year the Valmara Vipers will try to become the fourth team to do it. The Vipers will be one of the favorites to win it all, but it will get intense competition from the Beechwood Bobcats in the RU Elite 8. Rolling Hills has been tabbed the Tycobbian favorite. Beechwood topped the RU with a 98-56 record, edging out Valmara, who went 97-57. Rolling Hills rolled over everybody in the TU to the tune of 104-50, the best record since Colfax won 107 games in 2010.

Who will win the Pro Cup this season? Most pronosticators are picking Rolling Hills because of its great pitching (2.70 ERA). Only Beechwood can compare to the Reds mound staff with its 2.96 team ERA. On the surface it appears to be the year of the Reds and the Bobcats, who are forecast to meet in the Pro Cup Finals. Both clubs wield pretty good bats and can play good defense. Valmara doesn't look great on paper, but won a lot of games. Don't count them out. The rest of the teams don't seem to be in the league of the top three picks, although it seems some unheralded club often steps it up in the postseason and surprises the pundits. Valmara was given no chance to win last year, but they did. Ditto Mahaska, who was the runner-up to the Vipers last season. Rolling Hills and Beechwood were upset in the Final 4s last year.

Tale of the Teams:
Best BA:
1. Rolling Hills .270 (2nd in TU)
2. Crystal Lake .266 (3rd in RU)
3. Valmara .253 (14th in RU)
3. Beechwood .253 (15th in RU)

Most Home Runs:
1. Midway 149 (tied for 4th in TU)
2. White River 129 (tied for 14th in TU)
3. Beechwood 124 (12th in RU)
4. Southport 118 (tied for 18th in TU)

Most Runs:
1. Midway 725 (tied for 3rd in TU)
2. Rolling Hills 711 (tied for 4th in RU)
2. Crystal Lake 711 (tied for 4th in RU)
4. Valmara 704 (tied for 6th in RU)
4. Beechwood 704 (tied for 6th in RU)

Best Overall ERA:
1. Rolling Hills 2.70 (1st in TU)
2. Beechwood 2.96 (1st in RU)
3. Sligo 3.03 (2nd in RU)
4. White River 3.11 (6th in TU)

Best Starter ERA:
1. Rolling Hills 2.87 (1st in TU)
2. Beechwood 2.98 (1st in RU)
3. Sligo 3.07 (2nd in RU)
4. White River 3.24 (8th in TU)

Best Bullpen ERA:
1. Rolling Hills 1.70 (1st in TU)
2. Southport 2.35 (3rd in TU)
3. White River 2.54 (5th in TU)
4. Valmara 2.73 (4th in RU)

Worst BA:
1. Southport .242 (tied for 18th in TU)
2. Sligo .245 (25th in RU)
3. White River .247 (16th in TU)
4. Midway .252 (14th in TU)

Fewest Home Runs:
1. Rolling Hills 89 (tied for 28th in RU)
2. Crystal Lake 93 (25th in RU)
3. Valmara 116 (18th in RU)
4. Southport 118 (tied for 18th in TU)

Fewest Runs:
1. Southport 598 (23rd in TU)
2. Sligo 638 (26th in RU)
3. White River 654 (15th in TU)
4. Valmara 704 (tied for 6th in RU)
4. Beechwood 704 (tied for 6th in RU)

Worst Overall ERA:
1. Crystal Lake 3.89 (27th in RU)
2. Midway 3.69 (24th in TU)
3. Valmara 3.37 (7th in RU)
4. Southport 3.17 (7th in TU)

Worst Starter ERA:
1. Crystal Lake 3.78 (21st in RU)
2. Midway 3.59 (18th in TU)
3. Valmara 3.53 (8th in RU)
4. Southport 3.41 (13th in TU)

Worst Bullpen ERA:
1. Crystal Lake 4.32 (30th in RU)
2. Midway 4.13 (31st in TU)
3. Beechwood 2.86 (6th in RU)
4. Sligo 2.80 (5th in RU)

The Islandian Times Pro Cup Poll:
1. Rolling Hills Reds
2. Beechwood Bobcats
3. Valmara Vipers
4. Crystal Lake Crushers
5. White River Rascals
6. Sligo Rovers
7. Southport Sun Sox
8. Midway Wolves

11-04-2011, 04:06 PM	#2808
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,913	*The Islandian Times* Wednesday, September 23, 2027 Pro Cup Quest Begins Tomorrow They have endured and survived a 154-game regular season and in the case of Southport had to extend to 155 games to make the IPA Pro Cup playoffs. Now the Elite 8 are raring to go in quest of the ultimate in Islandian baseball - the cherished Pro Cup, which is given annually to the best team in the Islands. The winning team will have to make it through three tension-filled rounds to be declared the winner. The 2027 IPA Elite 8 Series begins tomorrow afternoon at 4 locations. There are only two clubs returning from last year, the defending Pro Cup champ Valmara Vipers from the Ruthlandian Union and the Rolling Hills Reds from Tycobbian. Valmara will open up at home at War Memorial Stadium against the Crystal Lake Crushers in one of the Ruthlandian Union's best-of-seven series. It'll be powerful Beechwood hosting the Sligo Rovers at City Park Stadium in the other series. In Tycobbia, Rolling Hills will entertain the Midway Wolves and Southport will travel to White River Stadium to tangle with the Rascals. Among the eight teams only Crystal Lake, Valmara and Sligo have Pro Cup crowns. The Crushers garnered two of them, in 2020 and 2022, while Sligo got theirs in 2021. Only three teams have ever won repeat titles in Pro Cup competition. Far Mountain has done it twice, winning in back-to-back-to-back years from 2011 to 2013. The Eastshore Elegants accomplished it in 2016 and 2017 and Tuckanarra did it in 2023 and 2024. This year the Valmara Vipers will try to become the fourth team to do it. The Vipers will be one of the favorites to win it all, but it will get intense competition from the Beechwood Bobcats in the RU Elite 8. Rolling Hills has been tabbed the Tycobbian favorite. Beechwood topped the RU with a 98-56 record, edging out Valmara, who went 97-57. Rolling Hills rolled over everybody in the TU to the tune of 104-50, the best record since Colfax won 107 games in 2010. Who will win the Pro Cup this season? Most pronosticators are picking Rolling Hills because of its great pitching (2.70 ERA). Only Beechwood can compare to the Reds mound staff with its 2.96 team ERA. On the surface it appears to be the year of the Reds and the Bobcats, who are forecast to meet in the Pro Cup Finals. Both clubs wield pretty good bats and can play good defense. Valmara doesn't look great on paper, but won a lot of games. Don't count them out. The rest of the teams don't seem to be in the league of the top three picks, although it seems some unheralded club often steps it up in the postseason and surprises the pundits. Valmara was given no chance to win last year, but they did. Ditto Mahaska, who was the runner-up to the Vipers last season. Rolling Hills and Beechwood were upset in the Final 4s last year. Tale of the Teams: Best BA: 1. Rolling Hills .270 (2nd in TU) 2. Crystal Lake .266 (3rd in RU) 3. Valmara .253 (14th in RU) 3. Beechwood .253 (15th in RU) Most Home Runs: 1. Midway 149 (tied for 4th in TU) 2. White River 129 (tied for 14th in TU) 3. Beechwood 124 (12th in RU) 4. Southport 118 (tied for 18th in TU) Most Runs: 1. Midway 725 (tied for 3rd in TU) 2. Rolling Hills 711 (tied for 4th in RU) 2. Crystal Lake 711 (tied for 4th in RU) 4. Valmara 704 (tied for 6th in RU) 4. Beechwood 704 (tied for 6th in RU) Best Overall ERA: 1. Rolling Hills 2.70 (1st in TU) 2. Beechwood 2.96 (1st in RU) 3. Sligo 3.03 (2nd in RU) 4. White River 3.11 (6th in TU) Best Starter ERA: 1. Rolling Hills 2.87 (1st in TU) 2. Beechwood 2.98 (1st in RU) 3. Sligo 3.07 (2nd in RU) 4. White River 3.24 (8th in TU) Best Bullpen ERA: 1. Rolling Hills 1.70 (1st in TU) 2. Southport 2.35 (3rd in TU) 3. White River 2.54 (5th in TU) 4. Valmara 2.73 (4th in RU) Worst BA: 1. Southport .242 (tied for 18th in TU) 2. Sligo .245 (25th in RU) 3. White River .247 (16th in TU) 4. Midway .252 (14th in TU) Fewest Home Runs: 1. Rolling Hills 89 (tied for 28th in RU) 2. Crystal Lake 93 (25th in RU) 3. Valmara 116 (18th in RU) 4. Southport 118 (tied for 18th in TU) Fewest Runs: 1. Southport 598 (23rd in TU) 2. Sligo 638 (26th in RU) 3. White River 654 (15th in TU) 4. Valmara 704 (tied for 6th in RU) 4. Beechwood 704 (tied for 6th in RU) Worst Overall ERA: 1. Crystal Lake 3.89 (27th in RU) 2. Midway 3.69 (24th in TU) 3. Valmara 3.37 (7th in RU) 4. Southport 3.17 (7th in TU) Worst Starter ERA: 1. Crystal Lake 3.78 (21st in RU) 2. Midway 3.59 (18th in TU) 3. Valmara 3.53 (8th in RU) 4. Southport 3.41 (13th in TU) Worst Bullpen ERA: 1. Crystal Lake 4.32 (30th in RU) 2. Midway 4.13 (31st in TU) 3. Beechwood 2.86 (6th in RU) 4. Sligo 2.80 (5th in RU) The Islandian Times Pro Cup Poll: 1. Rolling Hills Reds 2. Beechwood Bobcats 3. Valmara Vipers 4. Crystal Lake Crushers 5. White River Rascals 6. Sligo Rovers 7. Southport Sun Sox 8. Midway Wolves Last edited by Eugene Church; 10-16-2023 at 11:03 AM.