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

Eugene Church · 05-11-2012, 01:36 AM

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 10, 2031

Pro Cup Preview, Vipers-Reds Toss-up
We are two days away from the IPA Pro Cup Finals between the champions of the Ruthlandian and Tycobbian Unions. The top 8 teams in the Islands have been pared down to just two - the Pro Cup favorite Valmara Vipers and the 5th-seed, the Rolling Hills Reds.

For the first time in several years there are no longshots involved. Both Valmara and Rolling Hills are very talented teams and very evenly matched. The Vipers are better on the mound, while the Reds may have the better offense. Baseball experts are split fairly evenly on the two squads. The oddsmakers have made it a "pick 'em" series with no clear favorite.

Both clubs had to survive tough series in both rounds. Valmara whipped two fine teams to get to the Finals. The Vipers defeated San Dimas in six games and were forced to go seven games against the Elnora All-Stars. The Reds took four of five from East Point in a very intense series where no game was decided by more than 2 runs. It was tough sledding against the Ginza Ninjas, too. Rolling Hills prevailed in a seven-game series. Valmara is 8-5 overall in the postseason, 4-3 at home at War Memorial Stadium and 4-2 on the road, while Rolling Hills is 8-4 in the playoffs with a 3-3 mark at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds and 5-1 out of town.

Valmara is expected to make another serious run for the Pro Cup crown... this is their fourth trip to the Finals... they won it in 2026 and were finalists last year and in 2023... the defending Pro Cup champion Blue Lake Blue Sox failed to make the playoff this season... for the sixth year in succession Jet Kazmarek's club is the RU North winner... Valmara (99-55) coupled great pitching and solid hitting to lead all comers in the IPA with 99 victories... the Vipers batted .275 as a team, ranked fourth in scoring and paced the IPA with a superior 2.85 team ERA... top performers were Garry Gromek (21-17/2.76), Teddy Lem (17-9/2.74), Carroll Cain (17-13/3.22), Ivan Guzek (10-3/2.06/22 saves), LF Benny Hooper (.325/25/115/92), CF Reno DiBenedetto (.285/16/100/101), RF Gerry Kazmarek (.313/10/64/105), C Floyd Randolph (.295/20/97/64) and 1B Jerry Rembert (.264/25/72/77)... Valmara is just average on defense with a .972 FA.

Valmara suffered a big setback when their best hitter Reno DiBenedetto hurt his back in game three of the Elnora series and will likely miss the Pro Cup Finals... DiBenedetto was batting .429 in the postseason with 3 homers, 6 RBIs and 7 runs scored... however, the Vipers really got a lift when Richie Raeburn returned after 7 weeks on the DL... Raeburn gives Valmara another top-notch starter, if he is fully recovered from his oblique strain... Raeburn was 10-4 in the regular season and posted a terrific 2.01 ERA, which led the entire IPA.

The Vipers are batting .256 as a team in the playoffs with 8 homers and 62 runs in 13 games... on the hill they have compiled a 3.44 ERA... in 5 starts Teddy Lem was 3-0 with a 3.86 ERA, Garry Gronek was 2-3 in 5 starts with a 2.75 ERA and Carroll Cain chalked up a 2-1 mark with a 3.00 ERA... in the bullpen Ivan Guzek had a 1-1 record with 1 save and a 3.24 ERA and Chris Phillips was 0-0 with 2 saves and a 4.50 ERA... Kazmarek's best hitters have been SS Teddy Ruzek (.366/1/11/7), LF Benny Hooper (.259/1/11/7), C Floyd Randolph (.286/1/6/6) and 3B Amos Gallagher (.278/0/6/8)... RF Gerry Kazmarek (.135/0/5/7) and 1B Jerry Rembert (.212/1/1/5) have struggled so far in the postseason.

This will be the second time Rolling Hills has qualified for the Pro Cup Finals... The Reds won it in 2029... For the 7th time in 13 years Rolling Hills has taken the Tycobbian West division crown and they did it by a comfortable 7 games over runner-up Bay St. Clair.

Matty Christianson's Reds (91-63) led the IPA with a .290 team batting average and 785 runs... they were also one of the best defensive teams with a .978 FA... however the Reds were just average in pitching with a 3.57 ERA... Christianson has an abundance of fine bats led by his son 1B Billy Christianson (.336/16/75/133), who easily topped the IPA in runs with 133... RF Scotty Yiska (.306/27/105/89) and CF Terry Wade (.319/6/71/64) also batted .300... C Tony Brinkerhoff drove in 113 runs with 13 roundtrippers and a .262 BA... 2B Derek Kristensen (.297/5/49/76), 3B Jeff Booker (.289/1/64/63) and SS Tony Ptacek (.272/6/37/33) were productive bats, too... part-time regulars 3B Buffy Kowalczyk (.330/6/46/31), LF Lonnie Chadwick (.323/10/42/52), RF Bobby McConnell (.352/2/20/24) and Billy Jones (.301/1/15/19) hit over .300 as well.

On the mound Errol Gaudet (21-8/2.75) and Tom Pierson (21-7/2.54) had super seasons... the other two starters Kenny Leonard (10-6/3.79) and Buck Myers (15-12/3.80) had quality seasons, too... closer Maury Cantrell (8-2/2.43/16 saves) was effective in the bullpen... with its high-octane attack and two solid starters the Reds will put up quite a fight.

In the postseason the Reds have prospered at the plate with a .271 BA, 9 homers and 61 runs in 2 games running up an 8-4 record... top hitters are 1B Billy Christianson (.396/0/2/8), CF Terry Wade (.333/1/8/8), C Tony Brinkerhoff (.289/2/10/8), RF Scotty Yiska (.261/3/14/13) and LF Lonnie Chadwick (.297/2/8/4).

On the mound the hurlers have put up a decent 3.64 ERA... Errol Gaudet (3-1/1.73) has been outstanding in the playoffs, but Tom Pierson (0-1/5.40) and Buck Myers (2-1/5.85) have had trouble... they will both have to do better against Valmara for the Reds to have a chance at the Pro Cup... closer Maury Cantrell has 3 saves with a 1-1 mark and a 3.38 ERA in 7 relief appearances.

Pro Cup Forecast:
If good pitching beats good hitting, then Valmara will triumph in 7 games over Rolling Hills.

05-11-2012, 01:36 AM	#3085
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36,171	*THE ISLANDIAN TIMES* Friday, October 10, 2031 Pro Cup Preview, Vipers-Reds Toss-up We are two days away from the IPA Pro Cup Finals between the champions of the Ruthlandian and Tycobbian Unions. The top 8 teams in the Islands have been pared down to just two - the Pro Cup favorite Valmara Vipers and the 5th-seed, the Rolling Hills Reds. For the first time in several years there are no longshots involved. Both Valmara and Rolling Hills are very talented teams and very evenly matched. The Vipers are better on the mound, while the Reds may have the better offense. Baseball experts are split fairly evenly on the two squads. The oddsmakers have made it a "pick 'em" series with no clear favorite. Both clubs had to survive tough series in both rounds. Valmara whipped two fine teams to get to the Finals. The Vipers defeated San Dimas in six games and were forced to go seven games against the Elnora All-Stars. The Reds took four of five from East Point in a very intense series where no game was decided by more than 2 runs. It was tough sledding against the Ginza Ninjas, too. Rolling Hills prevailed in a seven-game series. Valmara is 8-5 overall in the postseason, 4-3 at home at War Memorial Stadium and 4-2 on the road, while Rolling Hills is 8-4 in the playoffs with a 3-3 mark at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds and 5-1 out of town. Valmara is expected to make another serious run for the Pro Cup crown... this is their fourth trip to the Finals... they won it in 2026 and were finalists last year and in 2023... the defending Pro Cup champion Blue Lake Blue Sox failed to make the playoff this season... for the sixth year in succession Jet Kazmarek's club is the RU North winner... Valmara (99-55) coupled great pitching and solid hitting to lead all comers in the IPA with 99 victories... the Vipers batted .275 as a team, ranked fourth in scoring and paced the IPA with a superior 2.85 team ERA... top performers were Garry Gromek (21-17/2.76), Teddy Lem (17-9/2.74), Carroll Cain (17-13/3.22), Ivan Guzek (10-3/2.06/22 saves), LF Benny Hooper (.325/25/115/92), CF Reno DiBenedetto (.285/16/100/101), RF Gerry Kazmarek (.313/10/64/105), C Floyd Randolph (.295/20/97/64) and 1B Jerry Rembert (.264/25/72/77)... Valmara is just average on defense with a .972 FA. Valmara suffered a big setback when their best hitter Reno DiBenedetto hurt his back in game three of the Elnora series and will likely miss the Pro Cup Finals... DiBenedetto was batting .429 in the postseason with 3 homers, 6 RBIs and 7 runs scored... however, the Vipers really got a lift when Richie Raeburn returned after 7 weeks on the DL... Raeburn gives Valmara another top-notch starter, if he is fully recovered from his oblique strain... Raeburn was 10-4 in the regular season and posted a terrific 2.01 ERA, which led the entire IPA. The Vipers are batting .256 as a team in the playoffs with 8 homers and 62 runs in 13 games... on the hill they have compiled a 3.44 ERA... in 5 starts Teddy Lem was 3-0 with a 3.86 ERA, Garry Gronek was 2-3 in 5 starts with a 2.75 ERA and Carroll Cain chalked up a 2-1 mark with a 3.00 ERA... in the bullpen Ivan Guzek had a 1-1 record with 1 save and a 3.24 ERA and Chris Phillips was 0-0 with 2 saves and a 4.50 ERA... Kazmarek's best hitters have been SS Teddy Ruzek (.366/1/11/7), LF Benny Hooper (.259/1/11/7), C Floyd Randolph (.286/1/6/6) and 3B Amos Gallagher (.278/0/6/8)... RF Gerry Kazmarek (.135/0/5/7) and 1B Jerry Rembert (.212/1/1/5) have struggled so far in the postseason. This will be the second time Rolling Hills has qualified for the Pro Cup Finals... The Reds won it in 2029... For the 7th time in 13 years Rolling Hills has taken the Tycobbian West division crown and they did it by a comfortable 7 games over runner-up Bay St. Clair. Matty Christianson's Reds (91-63) led the IPA with a .290 team batting average and 785 runs... they were also one of the best defensive teams with a .978 FA... however the Reds were just average in pitching with a 3.57 ERA... Christianson has an abundance of fine bats led by his son 1B Billy Christianson (.336/16/75/133), who easily topped the IPA in runs with 133... RF Scotty Yiska (.306/27/105/89) and CF Terry Wade (.319/6/71/64) also batted .300... C Tony Brinkerhoff drove in 113 runs with 13 roundtrippers and a .262 BA... 2B Derek Kristensen (.297/5/49/76), 3B Jeff Booker (.289/1/64/63) and SS Tony Ptacek (.272/6/37/33) were productive bats, too... part-time regulars 3B Buffy Kowalczyk (.330/6/46/31), LF Lonnie Chadwick (.323/10/42/52), RF Bobby McConnell (.352/2/20/24) and Billy Jones (.301/1/15/19) hit over .300 as well. On the mound Errol Gaudet (21-8/2.75) and Tom Pierson (21-7/2.54) had super seasons... the other two starters Kenny Leonard (10-6/3.79) and Buck Myers (15-12/3.80) had quality seasons, too... closer Maury Cantrell (8-2/2.43/16 saves) was effective in the bullpen... with its high-octane attack and two solid starters the Reds will put up quite a fight. In the postseason the Reds have prospered at the plate with a .271 BA, 9 homers and 61 runs in 2 games running up an 8-4 record... top hitters are 1B Billy Christianson (.396/0/2/8), CF Terry Wade (.333/1/8/8), C Tony Brinkerhoff (.289/2/10/8), RF Scotty Yiska (.261/3/14/13) and LF Lonnie Chadwick (.297/2/8/4). On the mound the hurlers have put up a decent 3.64 ERA... Errol Gaudet (3-1/1.73) has been outstanding in the playoffs, but Tom Pierson (0-1/5.40) and Buck Myers (2-1/5.85) have had trouble... they will both have to do better against Valmara for the Reds to have a chance at the Pro Cup... closer Maury Cantrell has 3 saves with a 1-1 mark and a 3.38 ERA in 7 relief appearances. *Pro Cup Forecast:* If good pitching beats good hitting, then Valmara will triumph in 7 games over Rolling Hills. Last edited by Eugene Church; 02-22-2024 at 11:34 PM.