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Eugene Church · 02-12-2013, 10:19 PM

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, June 19, 2035

5-Team Logjam In RU West, V's Lead At Halfway Mark
The Ruthlandian West was wide-open at the beginning of the 2035 season and it's still anybody's race halfway through the year... last year's division winner Volusia has a very slight one-game lead over Colfax... Sligo and Forest City are tied for third, just 2 games off the pace... at the top of the second division is fifth place Fort Benton, trailing by only 3 games... in sixth and 6 games back are the Rocky Rapids Snappers... Middlefield is seventh and 12 behind... and the Stoner Stars are 15 out in last place.

Contrary to predictions - scribes picked them last in the preseason poll - the Volusia Vigilantes are still a team to contend with in the RU West... the V's have an explosive attack, led by All-Star 3B Antonio Diaz (.320/17/43/58), All-Star rookie LF Felipe Henriques (.336/5/41/43), rookie sensation 1B Jojo DeLucca (.294/13/52/47), CF Ernesto Andujar (.300/9/42/39) and C Tubby Tarkanian (.266/10/39/32)... however, Volusia is horrific on the hill... only Fabio Medeiros (8-3/3.95) has done well so far.

The Colfax Blasters are also doing better than expected... they were ranked seventh in The Islandian Times preseason poll, but find themselves in the runner-up spot at mid-season... the Blasters were seventh in 2034... Ron Paige (11-7/3.64) and Randell Perkins (8-5/3.63) are the most dependable starters... Colfax has a solid bullpen with Jack Scanlon (1-2/1.11/9 saves) and Bobby Porter (4-5/2/64/4 saves) leading the way... the most productive bats belong to 3B Caleb McAvoy (.324/17/48/52) and RF Dom DeJohnette (.370/7/23/24).

Forest City was forecast to be in the race this year... the Lumberjacks were the second choice to Fort Benton in the preseason rankings... Walter Gibbons (10-5/4.13) and Jeff Watford (9-8/3.77) are the staff leaders with Frank Dennis (3-2/2.72/4 saves) heading a strong bullpen... the limited offensive sparks are coming from C Bob Brisdon (.312/16/50/37) and LF Chuck Kramer (.267/12/36/35).

The Sligo Rovers are coming off a lousy year... they finished in the RU West basement in 2034... in a good turnaround the Rovers are tied for third this season... improved pitching gets the credit... All-Star Tom Pierson (10-7/2.70) and Loris Plooster (8-5/2.70) are the top winners... All-Star Vasco Aguilar (.313/15/53/37) and 2B Neil Mitchell (.274/6/26/44) have put up the best numbers so far.

The Fort Benton Defenders are the preseason favorite in the RU South, but the going has been tough in the first half, but they have shown signs in June that they may indeed challenge for the flag by year's end... 23-game winner Augie Marquis (11-5/2.10) is again the team's ace, helped out by Chris Calsworth (8-8/3.79)... what the Defenders need is a solid number three starter and improved run scoring to contend... the most reliable bats are LF Darrell Daly (.309/6/36/26), rookie RF Rod Myerson (.316/6/33/30) and rookie SS Mitch Hamilton (.298/1/26/39).

The Rocky Rapids Snappers are just ordinary on the mound and at the plate... Paulie Pieroni (7-8/3.28) and Johnny Griffin (5-7/3.65) lead the staff and John Young (1-1/0.98/4 saves) is a solid reliever... the best run producers are All-Star SS Kelvin Cassidy (.358/6/41/31), 2B Dwight Dickey (.313/1/21/33) and CF Billy Gray (.305/6/25/29)... Dickey is a free agent from San Alejo and Gray came from Southport.

After last year's second-place finish, the Middlefield Roosters were poised to be in the thick of the pennant battle this year... however, it been the exact opposite, the Roosters have faltered badly... their pitching has been absolutely lousy with a 5.87 ERA... Middlefield still possesses a good offense, paced by All-Star C Brad Alexander (.280/22/53/37), All-Star SS Kenny Johnston (.320/4/36/51), 1B Cliff Patterson (.321/18/31/31) and RF Yank Quinlan (.338/12/33/28).

The Stoner Stars have been a huge disappointment, too... they were selected third in the preseason poll, but now find themselves deep in the cellar at mid-year... only youthful Jorge Metaxis (4-4/2.53/3 saves) has done well on the mound... not much at the plate, either... the best of the lot are CF Don Cain (.306/3/21/35), 1B Fletch Fowler (.319/6/20/18) and 3B T. C. Steele (.292/6/30/21).

Ruthlandian West Forecast:
None of the team in the division are very strong... Volusia won it last year with its impressive hitting and will probably do it again... the preseason choice Fort Benton with its fairly good pitching could give the Vigilantes a run for their money, but no one else looks like they are good enough to challenge... Forest City, Colfax, Rocky Rapids and Sligo will be in the running for third place... Middlefield and Stoner can write off the year right now.

02-12-2013, 10:19 PM	#3432
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,940	*THE ISLANDIAN TIMES* Tuesday, June 19, 2035 5-Team Logjam In RU West, V's Lead At Halfway Mark The Ruthlandian West was wide-open at the beginning of the 2035 season and it's still anybody's race halfway through the year... last year's division winner Volusia has a very slight one-game lead over Colfax... Sligo and Forest City are tied for third, just 2 games off the pace... at the top of the second division is fifth place Fort Benton, trailing by only 3 games... in sixth and 6 games back are the Rocky Rapids Snappers... Middlefield is seventh and 12 behind... and the Stoner Stars are 15 out in last place. Contrary to predictions - scribes picked them last in the preseason poll - the Volusia Vigilantes are still a team to contend with in the RU West... the V's have an explosive attack, led by All-Star 3B Antonio Diaz (.320/17/43/58), All-Star rookie LF Felipe Henriques (.336/5/41/43), rookie sensation 1B Jojo DeLucca (.294/13/52/47), CF Ernesto Andujar (.300/9/42/39) and C Tubby Tarkanian (.266/10/39/32)... however, Volusia is horrific on the hill... only Fabio Medeiros (8-3/3.95) has done well so far. The Colfax Blasters are also doing better than expected... they were ranked seventh in The Islandian Times preseason poll, but find themselves in the runner-up spot at mid-season... the Blasters were seventh in 2034... Ron Paige (11-7/3.64) and Randell Perkins (8-5/3.63) are the most dependable starters... Colfax has a solid bullpen with Jack Scanlon (1-2/1.11/9 saves) and Bobby Porter (4-5/2/64/4 saves) leading the way... the most productive bats belong to 3B Caleb McAvoy (.324/17/48/52) and RF Dom DeJohnette (.370/7/23/24). Forest City was forecast to be in the race this year... the Lumberjacks were the second choice to Fort Benton in the preseason rankings... Walter Gibbons (10-5/4.13) and Jeff Watford (9-8/3.77) are the staff leaders with Frank Dennis (3-2/2.72/4 saves) heading a strong bullpen... the limited offensive sparks are coming from C Bob Brisdon (.312/16/50/37) and LF Chuck Kramer (.267/12/36/35). The Sligo Rovers are coming off a lousy year... they finished in the RU West basement in 2034... in a good turnaround the Rovers are tied for third this season... improved pitching gets the credit... All-Star Tom Pierson (10-7/2.70) and Loris Plooster (8-5/2.70) are the top winners... All-Star Vasco Aguilar (.313/15/53/37) and 2B Neil Mitchell (.274/6/26/44) have put up the best numbers so far. The Fort Benton Defenders are the preseason favorite in the RU South, but the going has been tough in the first half, but they have shown signs in June that they may indeed challenge for the flag by year's end... 23-game winner Augie Marquis (11-5/2.10) is again the team's ace, helped out by Chris Calsworth (8-8/3.79)... what the Defenders need is a solid number three starter and improved run scoring to contend... the most reliable bats are LF Darrell Daly (.309/6/36/26), rookie RF Rod Myerson (.316/6/33/30) and rookie SS Mitch Hamilton (.298/1/26/39). The Rocky Rapids Snappers are just ordinary on the mound and at the plate... Paulie Pieroni (7-8/3.28) and Johnny Griffin (5-7/3.65) lead the staff and John Young (1-1/0.98/4 saves) is a solid reliever... the best run producers are All-Star SS Kelvin Cassidy (.358/6/41/31), 2B Dwight Dickey (.313/1/21/33) and CF Billy Gray (.305/6/25/29)... Dickey is a free agent from San Alejo and Gray came from Southport. After last year's second-place finish, the Middlefield Roosters were poised to be in the thick of the pennant battle this year... however, it been the exact opposite, the Roosters have faltered badly... their pitching has been absolutely lousy with a 5.87 ERA... Middlefield still possesses a good offense, paced by All-Star C Brad Alexander (.280/22/53/37), All-Star SS Kenny Johnston (.320/4/36/51), 1B Cliff Patterson (.321/18/31/31) and RF Yank Quinlan (.338/12/33/28). The Stoner Stars have been a huge disappointment, too... they were selected third in the preseason poll, but now find themselves deep in the cellar at mid-year... only youthful Jorge Metaxis (4-4/2.53/3 saves) has done well on the mound... not much at the plate, either... the best of the lot are CF Don Cain (.306/3/21/35), 1B Fletch Fowler (.319/6/20/18) and 3B T. C. Steele (.292/6/30/21). Ruthlandian West Forecast: None of the team in the division are very strong... Volusia won it last year with its impressive hitting and will probably do it again... the preseason choice Fort Benton with its fairly good pitching could give the Vigilantes a run for their money, but no one else looks like they are good enough to challenge... Forest City, Colfax, Rocky Rapids and Sligo will be in the running for third place... Middlefield and Stoner can write off the year right now. Attached Images Last edited by Eugene Church; 02-12-2013 at 10:22 PM.