[Eugene Church]

2033 Tycobbian East Final Recap

EP Panthers Win TU East In Late-Season Spree
It was a four-team race in the Tycobbian East for most of the season and the East Point Panthers finally settled it with a hot streak over the last two months of the campaign. The Panthers trailed Midway by 5 games going into August, but overcame the Wolves by going 30-15 the rest of the way. Hillsboro was in the runner-up spot and trailed by four games. Midway wound up third, five games off the pace and Tuckanarra was six games back in fourth place. This was the Panthers second flag in the last three years and third in history.

1. East Point Panthers (88-66/ --): managed by Karol Zodoka
Team Stats: .246 BA (30th), 692 runs (14th tied), 194 HR (2nd), 3.09 ERA (2nd), .971 FA
Best Batters: 1B Jaxon Shatner (.279/33/116/106), 2B Tetsu Tanaka (.259/28/72/104), rookie C Chris Cardinale (.266/23/85/58) and CF Sean Flynn (.257/23/60/68)
Best Pitchers: Dixie Brooks (23-7/1.72), Frank Blair (16-10/2.99) and Jack Bolden (19-13/3.25)
Comments: super starters led the IPA with a 2.81 ERA... overall the Panthers boasted a 3.09 team ERA (2nd)... ranked fifth in THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Pro Cup poll, but could be a serious factor because of standout starters and home run power

2. Hillsboro Blazers (84-70/4 GB): managed by Andy Jefferson
Team Stats: .237 BA (31st), 636 runs (26th), 155 HR (10th), 3.06 ERA (1st), .979 FA
Best Batters: 1B Philip Stafford (.282/25/102/81), RF Bill Kelly (.278/15/60/83), SS Dandy Meredith (.277/7/56/78) and LF Teddy Szymanski (.289/20/59/38)
Best Pitchers: Duke Mahoney (20-10/2.37), Russell McIntosh (19-10/2.97) and Gregg Hughes (14-16/2.19)
Comments: Hitting doesn't match strong starting rotation... except in home-run power... excellent defense, best in the IPA... much-improved since finishing in the cellar three years ago

3. Midway Wolves (83-71/5 GB): managed by Cochise Chandler
Team Stats: .276 BA (5th), 699 runs (12th), 159 HR (9th), 3.30 ERA (7th), .973 FA
Best Batters: 1B Jake Welch (.290/32/96/65), LF Justin McCall (.325/16/58/49), 3B Rusty Graves (.273/10/62/60), SS Albert Wherry (.282/17/57/52) and CF Marty Hollenbeck (.311/6/35/39)
Best Pitchers: Ko Yoma (19-10/2.80), Cary Snead (19-13/2.67) and Taima Nodin (14-10/3.45)
Comments: led at the halfway mark and deep into the summer, but the Wolves folded in the stretch, blowing a 5-game lead in August and September with a 20-30 record... ace Bobby Dorignac had an off-year with a 16-17 record and a 3.81 ERA... Dorignac's lifetime ERA is 2.76... on paper Midway is the best team in the TU East... fine all-around club... lost the pennant in a playoff in 2032.

4. Tuckanarra Blue Jays (82-72/6 GB): managed by Carlton "Lefty" Stevens
Team Stats: .279 BA (3rd), 706 (10th), 124 HR (23 tied), 3.55 ERA (12th), .967 FA
Best Batters: CF Dusty Rogan (.305/21/80/79), RF Pancho Villa (.299/22/71/65), SS Eddie Darby (.292/12/49/69), C Paul Jackson (.289/6/62/70) and 1B Nicky Weill (.329/9/44/46)
Best Pitchers: Joel Sheppard (22-12/3.30), Glynn Starr (18-13/3.17) and Philip Marston (17-14/3.24)
Comments: won pennant in 2032... was in the running for the top spot in the TU East with East Point and Hillsboro going into August, but couldn't keep pace in the final stages... not very good defensively... 35-year-old Quinn Starr (12-18/4.36) had the worst year in his career and may be showing his age... longtime bat leader Lynn Starr (.299 BA/294 HR/1058 RBI/1066 R) was dropped from the roster in late April.

5. South Fork Stallions (71-83/17 GB): managed by Deroche "Lips" Leon
Team Stats: .252 BA (27th), 625 runs (28th), 133 HR (17th tied), 4.18 ERA (29th), .974 FA
Best Batters: CF Corbett Brooks (.287/19/73/74), rookie RF Keenan O'Dwyer (.282/18/65/53) and rookie SS Elton Jacoby (.269/17/53/78)
Best Pitchers: Ozz Gatsby (13-9/3.40) and Al Thompson (6-4/1.93/23 saves)
Comments: Stallions have had only modest success since taking the Pro Cup in 2025... worst season in last 10 years... tied for fifth with Ozarka

5. Ozarka Naturals (71-83/17 GB): managed by Frank Kiffin
Team Stats: .263 BA (15th), 679 runs (18th), 104 HR (30th), 3.89 ERA (23rd), .973 FA
Best Batters: SS James Couch (.287/17/86/93), 2B Sid Elmore (.274/14/72/75), 1B George Jenkins (.275/11/54/52) and CF Marv Franklin (.263/10/55/78)
Best Pitchers: Brady Bell (15-12/3.52) and Marty Murchison (13-8/4.06)
Comments: no standout talents except for 37-year-old 9-time All-Star SS James Couch, a career .309 hitter with 211 homers, 2832 hits, 1411 runs and 1188 RBIs,,, just a second-division club

7. Red Bluff Red Sox (69-85/19 GB): managed by Jim Schubert
Team Stats: .259 BA (18th), 727 runs (4th), 197 HR (1st), 3.69 ERA (18th), .964 FA
Best Batters: RF Ike Sweetwater (.307/33/107/89), 1B Garris Aiken (.277/29/83/86), 3B Pat Ellis (.291/21/71/79), 2B Gene Bates (.296/30/82/68) and SS Leander Burks (.211/35/87/78)
Best Pitchers: rookie Banzuki Hasegawa (21-10/2.30)
Comments: potent attack with good firepower, but lacks pitching to move up in standings... tied with High Mesa for last place... was seventh last year... last postseason appearance was in 2009... won Pro Cup in 2004.

7. High Mesa Cowboys (69-85/19 GB): managed by Rolf Kellgren
Team Stats: .249 BA (29th), 644 runs (25th), 167 HR (7th), 3.94 ERA (26th), .977 FA
Best Batters: SS Tony O'Neill (.268/12/47/58), C Cliff Brown (.236/22/65/64), RF Matt Marsh (.264/19/52/53), LF Randy Williams (.242/29/64/50) and LF Brad Holland (.281/2/28/63)
Best Pitchers: Doug Hansack (19-13/2.68), Roger Hart (15-10/3.39) and George Ford (13-8/3.22)
Comments: Cowboys have three good starters, who do quite well in spite of playing in one of the smallest ballparks in the IPA... staff gave up 233 roundtrippers (32nd)... no playoff appearance since 2003... only Pro Cup trophy came in 2002... have spent the last two years in the basement... on a string of seven straight seasons in the second division... last winning season was in 2026