[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 23, 2036

COLCHESTER PLAYOFF BOUND, FIRST FLAG IN 30 YEARS
A three decades' long drought has just ended for the newly-crowned champ of the Tycobbian South, the Colchester Elites... they rampaged through the division for 96 victories and led the way from start to finish... the Elites were on top by 9 games at mid-season and wound up beating second-place Summerland by 6 games, third-place Turon by 12 and fourth-place Cape Coral by 18.

Defending division winner San Alejo, the top team in the TU South in three of the past four seasons, never really got in the running this year and staggered to a fifth-place finish, 22 games behind... the Montaneros were tied with the Ginza Ninjas... Arroyo Grande came in seventh and trailed by 29 games... in the TU South basement were the Southport Sun Sox, who wound up 31 games off the pace... the preseason poll had Turon favored in a battle with San Alejo and Summerland.

1st - Colchester: improved from third place and 18 GB in 2035... the Elites have been first-division mainstays in 12 of the last 13 seasons... the last pennant came in 2007... Colchester had only made the playoffs three times prior to this year... they feature rock-solid scoring with 829 runs (3rd) with 197 HRs (6th) and a .261 team BA (9th), along with adequate pitching (3.91 ERA/17th) and average defense with a .972 FA... the Elites don't have the pitching to go deep into the Pro Cup playoffs.
Top Performers: Dan Scott (22-11/4.10), Roy Watson (19-8/4.15), Eduardo Rivera (12-08/3.35), Tony Dazzi (16-8/3.60), Dave Lacoste (15-13/3.79), All-Star RF Blake Barrister (.311/49/129/111), All-Star 1B Billy Christianson (.301/17/93/109), SS Joey Rogers (.273/3/54/99)

2nd - Summerland: 6 GB... struggled in early season with a 25-26 record, but got better... were fourth in 2035 23 games back... won the pennant in 2033... in the postseason only twice in its history with no Pro Cups... the Sunsets have a top-notch mound corps with a 3.39 ERA (4th)... average bats with a .254 BA (18th), 687 runs (19th) and 142 roundtrippers (23rd-tied)... have very good defense with a .976 FA.
Top Performers: Johnny Young (21-12/2.88), Freddi Rossi (19-10/2.79), Yancy Garrett (21-14/3.32), Ronald Shaddock (8-4/1.92/18 saves), 1B Chuck Moyer (.289/31/90/74), 2B Todd Cummins (.275/32/91/63), CF Antonio Vasquez (.299/7/66/97), RF Eamon O'Toole (.287/19/88/85).

3rd - Turon: 12 GB in race... picked to win in The Islandian Times preseason poll, but faltered with a 23-28 mark in the early going, but played very well in the second half, surging to 61-42... Typhoons were runner-up last year, 18 games back of San Alejo... Turon has a storied history with 4 Pro Cups in 13 playoff appearances, but not recently... the last pennant came in 2019 and the last Pro Cup in 2018... mound work is pretty good with a 3.73 ERA (13th)... fair offensively with a .253 BA (22nd), 690 runs (18th) and 159 HRs (16th-tied)... Typhoons play good defense with a .975 FA
Top Performers: All-Star Clyde Engstrom (20-10/2.75), Ralph Fulton (7-4/1.17/12 saves), All-Star SS C. C. Kingsford (.323/29/109/91), RF Guido Gervasio (.275/27/96/77), 1B Steve Burns (.286/10/43/87)

4th - Cape Coral: 18 games behind champ Colchester... a club on the rise... moved up from fifth a year ago... was a cellar-dweller from 2032 to 2034... Hurricanes have made the playoffs 7 times, but have never won a Pro Cup... last postseason was in 2030... 'Canes have a potent offense with a .288 team BA (1st), 809 runs (5th) and 180 HRs (9th)... just average on the hill with a 3.96 ERA (19th)... defense is bad with a .968 FA
Top Performers: Izaak De Bruyn (18-15/3.89), Mario Morales (14-10/4.04), All-Star 1B Stan Ferguson (.321/43/145/105), LF Paul Law (.347/25/101/113), RF William Snyder (.315/24/109/80), 3B Buddy Brando (.293/18/60/80)

5th-tied - San Alejo: 22 GB... 6-17 record in April killed season... was one of the favorites... Montaneros have been in the postseason 5 times with one Pro Cup in 2032... won division flags in 2032, 2034 and 2035... pretty good on the mound with a 3.56 ERA (6th)... not-so-hot at the plate with a .261 BA (11th), only 669 runs (24th) and 142 HRs (23rd-tied)... lacks defense, too... with a poor .969 FA... drop in hitting and pitching were the reasons for the disappointing year.
Top Performers: Johnny Brown (19-14/2.62), Tommy Smith (19-14/3.41), CF Dusty Rogan (.289/25/80/87), C Filipe Zamora (.277/23/81/65)

5th- tied - Ginza: 22 GB... moved up from last place last year... never won a Pro Cup... has 7 postseason appearances... 2031 was most recent pennant... the Ninjas have a fairly good attack with 735 runs (8th), a .256 BA (15th) and 159 HRs (16th-tied)... mound staff is mediocre with a 4.11 ERA (25th)... defense struggles with a .969 FA
Top Performers: Hollis Pace (16-13/3.52), 1B Steve Daniels (.292/19/94/73), CF Sogo Takagi (.306/15/73/91), SS Johnny O'Rorke (.274/21/84/69)

7th - Arroyo Grande: 29 GB... was seventh last year, 32 games out... Suns have never won a Pro Cup... have chalked up 4 pennants... pitching is pretty good with a 3.64 ERA (9th)... but offense is weak with a pathetic .238 BA (32nd) and only 659 runs (27th), but team possesses some power with 173 HRs (11th)... defense is sub-par, too, with a .968 FA
Top Performers: Mateus Castro (17-12/2.91), LF Rene Jesclard (.267/28/86/70)

8th - Southport: 31 GB... fell from sixth and 30 GB in 2035... not much success in its history with only three playoff appearances and no Pro Cups... last postseason play was pennant-winning years of 2027 and 2028... Sun Sox are decent on the mound with a 3.92 ERA (18th)... but a flop in the batter's box with a .249 BA (28th), 671 runs (22nd-tied) and 141 HRs (25th)... Southport is just average on defense with a .972 FA
Top Performers: Ronnie Galus (19-12/2.87), RF Cody Daugherty (.281/21/69/45), rookie SS Craig Glennon (.257/31/89/83)