[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, June 20, 2034

Volusia V's In Driver's Seat In RU West
The surprising Volusia Vigilantes (44-29) have taken charge in the Ruthlandian West by putting some daylight between them and the rest of the division... the V's now have a seven-game cushion over runner-up Fort Benton (37-36) at the All-Star game... The Vigilantes and the Defenders are the only winning teams in the RU West... Volusia has risen from last place last year to the top spot this year with basically the same team... the V's were forecast to wind up in seventh place in the preseason poll... Stoner (36-37) is third and 8 games behind... Middlefield (33-40) and Forest City (33-40) are a distant 11 games off the pace and tied for fourth place in the standings... Rocky Rapids (32-41) is sixth and trailing by 12 games... Colfax (31-42) is seventh and 13 back... and Sligo (29-44) is pulling up the rear in the basement and 15 games out... Colfax was predicted to run away with the pennant in THE ISLANDIAN TIMES preseason poll... Sligo is the defending division champion.

The Volusia V's have worked wonders this season with almost the same roster of players except for two solid rookies, All-Star 3B Antonio Diaz and C Tubby Tarkanian... the rest have blossomed into career years all at the same time.
First Place (-)
Team BA: .283 (3rd), 358 runs (5th), 77 HRs (4th), 3.68 Team ERA (15th)
Top Hitters: 1B Ernie Pryor (.330), RF Sonny Oliver (.310/10/48/34), 3B Antonio Diaz (.310/11/44/42), CF Ernesto Andujar (.293/13/41/42), 2B Carl Kendall (.354/6/33/23), LF Stan Kovachuk (.351/2/14/33), C Tubby Tarkanian (.275/10/34/32)
Top Pitchers: All-Star Tommy Smith (13-4/1.98), All-Star Marv Webb (11-5/3.12), Jacy Chandler (9-3/3.57)

The Fort Benton Defenders missed out on the playoffs last season by just one single playoff game loss to champ Colfax... the Defenders have never been in the postseason... this year they were expected to end up a distant second to the Colfax Blasters... Fort Benton had a poor April, but has surged in May and June... still they are seven games behind Volusia... they lost ace and 19-game winner Edd Farmer for the first four months of the season with a shoulder injury... if he returns soon, Farmer could get them back in the race.
Second Place (7 GB)
Team BA: .263 (17th), 335 runs (16th), 52 HRs (29th-tied), 4.16 Team ERA (27th)
Top Batters: rookie All-Star 3B Edmund Daisak (.299/12/52/36), LF Darrell Daly (.304/6/33/31), rookie CF Cloyd McCloskey (.360/2/18/27).
Top Pitchers: Chris Calsworth (9-6/3.52), Augie Marquis (9-10/3.47)

The Stoner Stars were a close third last year and forecast to be fourth this season... they are currently in third and 8 games behind in the pennant chase... doesn't appear the Stars will contend this year.
Third Place (8 GB)
Team BA: .260 (25th), 324 runs (19th), 57 HRs (23rd-tied), 3.97 Team ERA (23rd)
Top Batters: LF Felix Jobin (.335/11/40/39), 1B Fletch Fowler (.318/6/34/28), CF Don Cain (.318/3/26/35), RF George Shepherd (.292/6/28/34), 3B Dorak Aranda (.260/9/34/28)
Top Pitchers: Frank Robichaux (8-6/3.79), Lou Neuman (6-5/4.03)

The Middlefield Roosters were fifth in 2033 and picked to wind up in fourth this season... this will be the eighth year in a row the Roosters have stayed home in the postseason.
Fourth Place - Tied (11 GB)
Team BA: .266 (15th), 346 runs (9th-tied), 91 HRs (1st), 4.04 Team ERA (25th)
Top Hitters: All-Star 2B Paul Coker (.285/18/50/35), All-Star SS Kenny Johnston (.327/3/33/48), rookie 3B Colt Chadwick (.309/5/38/38)
Top Pitchers: Peder Ree (5-5/3.44), Tyrus Cobb (5-6/3.64)

The Forest City Lumberjacks finished sixth last year and were rated the fourth-best team in the RU West this season... it's been over 20 years since the 'Jacks graced the Pro Cup playoffs... and the string will continue this year.
Fourth Place - Tied (11 GB)
Team BA: .249 (27th), 313 runs (23rd), 55 HRs (26th), 3.79 Team ERA (20th)
Top Batters: rookie C Bob Brisdon (.310/13/39/29), 2B Jerry Rembert (.302/8/27/34), LF Chuck Kramer (.268/7/28/29)
Top Pitchers: Rich Barstow (9-8/3.45), Jeff Watford (7-8/3.25), Judson Davis (6-7/3.49)

The Rocky Rapids Snappers haven't made the playoffs since 2019... not much expected of the Snappers this season... they were picked for the cellar... last year they came in seventh.
Sixth Place (12 GB)
Team BA: .261 (23rd), 296 runs (29th), 63 HRs (16th-tied), 3.77 Team ERA (19th)
Top Batters: 3B Kelvin Cassidy (.327/11/30/30), All-Star C Allie Blackwell (.291/4/23/32)
Top Pitchers: rookie Ed Ayers (8-5/2.98), rookie Hank Bowman (6-5/3.33), John Young (5-3/1.97/5 saves)

Not a good year so far for the Colfax Blasters... they were close last year, tied for third place with Stoner... in the preseason forecast the Blasters were slated to win the RU West this year... at mid-season Colfax is nowhere to be found in the flag chase.
Seventh Place (13 GB)
Team BA: .249 (29th), 291 runs (31st), 69 HRs (13th), 3.45 Team ERA (8th)
Best Bats: C Mitch Fullerton (.282/7/24/31), 3B Lou Wilhoit (.265/10/31/18), rookie SS Kristian McEly (.259/10/35/24)
Best Pitchers: Rudy Rosario (7-6/1.49)

The Sligo Rovers are an enigma... won the division crown in 2031, fell to last in 2032, won it again last year... and now, back to the basement.
Eighth Place (15 GB)
Team BA: .262 (20th), 295 runs (30th), 74 HR (7th), 4.29 Team ERA (28th)
Top Hitters: 3B Paul Newton (.278/17/48/35), 2B Neil Mitchell (.263/9/26/42), LF Vasco Aguilar (.257/12/28/29), rookie All-Star C Kyell Rindahl (.266/11/31/23)
Top Pitchers: Mark Smith (9-8/2.90)