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

Eugene Church · 07-16-2013, 04:49 PM

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 30, 2037

FOUR SURVIVORS BATTLE FOR LEAGUE CROWNS
Two of the IPA Final 4 survivors breezed into the second round, while the other two had the fights of their lives... it will be Cold Creek hosting Waleska in the Ruthlandian Union title series and San Alejo entertaining La Claire for the Tycobbian Union crown... the winners will then tangle for the much-coveted IPA Pro Cup, which is presented to the team that wins the Islands' baseball championship.

Waleska waltzed past the LaGrange Sports in five games, while Cold Creek just eked out a 4-3 series win over the tough Fort Benton Defenders... the La Claire Lynx stunned the baseball world with a sweep of the top-ranked Tuckanarra Blue Jays... San Alejo dropped the first two games to defending Pro Cup champion North Hills, but rebounded with four wins in the next five games, culminating the tense series with a miracle win in game seven that took 13 innings.

Oddsmakers have made San Alejo the Pro Cup favorite because it beat North Hills... the Cold Creek Catamounts are given the second-best chance to take the Cup because of its fine pitching staff... however, if Waleska and La Claire continue to play like they played in the first round, you could throw the odds right out the window... it could be a wide-open affair.

La Claire has the best offense with a .273 BA (6th), 171 HRs (12th-tied) and 793 runs (3rd)... Cold Creek has the best pitching staff by far with a brilliant 2.77 ERA (1st)... the Catamounts are also easily the best defensive team with a .979 FA... however, it may be the Pro Cup will go to the best all-around club... a team that hits, pitches and fields well... many times the IPA crown goes to the team that has the most depth on its mound staff... three reliable starters are a big, big advantage in the postseason.

TYCOBBIAN UNION SERIES: SAN ALEJO-LA CLAIRE

In San Alejo, manager Alberto Herrera has two solid hurlers in Tommy Smith (20-12/2.86) and Lupe Olmedo (18-9/2.70) and a bunch of fine bats in C Filipe Zamora (.310/31 HR), RF Charlie Wilberforce (.31/16 HR), SS Sancho Cruz (.225/23 HR), CF Dusty Rogan (.278/17 HR) and 3B Bubby Blackwell (.273/6 HR)... but his defense is suspect with a poor .970 FA... The Montaneros sported a .260 mark (16th) in the regular season with good scoring (753 runs-9th) and pretty fair power with 163 HRs (15th)... on the hill they ranked first in the Tycobbian Union with a fine 3.25 ERA... San Alejo was 94-60 for the year... winding up second in the TU to Tuckanarra's 99-55 mark.

The La Claire Lynx are well-balanced at the plate and on the hill... skipper Zeppy Deshotel's club has capable hitters in SS Jarrod O'Neal (.263/26 HR), 1B Kris Wilson (.302/20 HR), CF Jason Baker (.296/9 HR) and RF Billy Holland (.292/19 HR)... one very fine starter in Pat Kovacs (16-13/3.28) and a good bullpen headed by Terry Baird (11-11/2.17/25 saves), but the Lynx lack consistency in starters Tony Rossi (19-10/3.62) and Bruce Kinson (13-9/4.02)... they come up short defensively, too, with a .971 FA... the Lynx finished with an 89-65 record, sixth-best in the league.

FORECAST: SAN ALEJO IN SIX GAMES... the Montaneros have two strong starters, the Lynx only one.

RUTHLANDIAN UNION SERIES: COLD CREEK-WALESKA

Cold Creek manager Scoop Lemieux has four starters with under 3.00 ERAs to choose from, headed up by J. J. Gillespie (25-9/2.22), who tied for the most wins in the IPA and ranked number one in ERA... Joey Baker (20-11/2.50), Jules Capet (19-7/2.68) and George Bailey (11-4/2.66) were all quite capable, too... the Catamounts handle the gloves well... they were second in the IPA with a .979 FA, topped only by Chicopee with .981... Lemieux's crux is an anemic offense... the 'Cats hit only .258 (27th) with 108 HRs (32nd)... His only decent bats are 3B Pat Ellis (.319/20 HR), SS Jeremy Hall (.304/3 HR) and 2B Simon Pembroke (.284/7 HR)... yet Cold Creek led the IPA with 101 victories.

The Waleska Westerners are not highly-rated by the baseball pros, but skipper Roy Hobbs' club did ring up 93 wins, which was second to Cold Creek... he has one standout starter in Terry Richards (22-11/2.77) and two other quality arms in Craig Nash (20-10/3.58) and left-hander Tony Haskell (19-12/3.77)... reliever Niles Neilsen (8-6/3.05) has been effective in the bullpen... overall the Westerners' mound corps put up a good 3.61 ERA (7th)... Hobbs' batting lineup features a lot of reliable hitters top-to-bottom... his best regulars are CF Jon Lassiter (.311/13 HR), 2B Joey Harris (.283/14 HR), 1B Shayn Lambert (.280/14 HR) and 3B Monty McMurtry (.285/10 HR)... his best hitters are parttimers C Rodney Hanson (.351/8 HR) in 108 games and LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.330/10 HR) in 71 games... Waleska batted .268 (10th), were average in scoring runs with 743 (15th), but didn't have much power... they hit only 121 out of the park (28th).

FORECAST: COLD CREEK IN SIX GAMES... Catamounts' superior pitching gives them the edge.

07-16-2013, 04:49 PM	#3606
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36,112	THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Wednesday, September 30, 2037 FOUR SURVIVORS BATTLE FOR LEAGUE CROWNS Two of the IPA Final 4 survivors breezed into the second round, while the other two had the fights of their lives... it will be Cold Creek hosting Waleska in the Ruthlandian Union title series and San Alejo entertaining La Claire for the Tycobbian Union crown... the winners will then tangle for the much-coveted IPA Pro Cup, which is presented to the team that wins the Islands' baseball championship. Waleska waltzed past the LaGrange Sports in five games, while Cold Creek just eked out a 4-3 series win over the tough Fort Benton Defenders... the La Claire Lynx stunned the baseball world with a sweep of the top-ranked Tuckanarra Blue Jays... San Alejo dropped the first two games to defending Pro Cup champion North Hills, but rebounded with four wins in the next five games, culminating the tense series with a miracle win in game seven that took 13 innings. Oddsmakers have made San Alejo the Pro Cup favorite because it beat North Hills... the Cold Creek Catamounts are given the second-best chance to take the Cup because of its fine pitching staff... however, if Waleska and La Claire continue to play like they played in the first round, you could throw the odds right out the window... it could be a wide-open affair. La Claire has the best offense with a .273 BA (6th), 171 HRs (12th-tied) and 793 runs (3rd)... Cold Creek has the best pitching staff by far with a brilliant 2.77 ERA (1st)... the Catamounts are also easily the best defensive team with a .979 FA... however, it may be the Pro Cup will go to the best all-around club... a team that hits, pitches and fields well... many times the IPA crown goes to the team that has the most depth on its mound staff... three reliable starters are a big, big advantage in the postseason. TYCOBBIAN UNION SERIES: SAN ALEJO-LA CLAIRE In San Alejo, manager Alberto Herrera has two solid hurlers in Tommy Smith (20-12/2.86) and Lupe Olmedo (18-9/2.70) and a bunch of fine bats in C Filipe Zamora (.310/31 HR), RF Charlie Wilberforce (.31/16 HR), SS Sancho Cruz (.225/23 HR), CF Dusty Rogan (.278/17 HR) and 3B Bubby Blackwell (.273/6 HR)... but his defense is suspect with a poor .970 FA... The Montaneros sported a .260 mark (16th) in the regular season with good scoring (753 runs-9th) and pretty fair power with 163 HRs (15th)... on the hill they ranked first in the Tycobbian Union with a fine 3.25 ERA... San Alejo was 94-60 for the year... winding up second in the TU to Tuckanarra's 99-55 mark. The La Claire Lynx are well-balanced at the plate and on the hill... skipper Zeppy Deshotel's club has capable hitters in SS Jarrod O'Neal (.263/26 HR), 1B Kris Wilson (.302/20 HR), CF Jason Baker (.296/9 HR) and RF Billy Holland (.292/19 HR)... one very fine starter in Pat Kovacs (16-13/3.28) and a good bullpen headed by Terry Baird (11-11/2.17/25 saves), but the Lynx lack consistency in starters Tony Rossi (19-10/3.62) and Bruce Kinson (13-9/4.02)... they come up short defensively, too, with a .971 FA... the Lynx finished with an 89-65 record, sixth-best in the league. FORECAST: SAN ALEJO IN SIX GAMES... the Montaneros have two strong starters, the Lynx only one. RUTHLANDIAN UNION SERIES: COLD CREEK-WALESKA Cold Creek manager Scoop Lemieux has four starters with under 3.00 ERAs to choose from, headed up by J. J. Gillespie (25-9/2.22), who tied for the most wins in the IPA and ranked number one in ERA... Joey Baker (20-11/2.50), Jules Capet (19-7/2.68) and George Bailey (11-4/2.66) were all quite capable, too... the Catamounts handle the gloves well... they were second in the IPA with a .979 FA, topped only by Chicopee with .981... Lemieux's crux is an anemic offense... the 'Cats hit only .258 (27th) with 108 HRs (32nd)... His only decent bats are 3B Pat Ellis (.319/20 HR), SS Jeremy Hall (.304/3 HR) and 2B Simon Pembroke (.284/7 HR)... yet Cold Creek led the IPA with 101 victories. The Waleska Westerners are not highly-rated by the baseball pros, but skipper Roy Hobbs' club did ring up 93 wins, which was second to Cold Creek... he has one standout starter in Terry Richards (22-11/2.77) and two other quality arms in Craig Nash (20-10/3.58) and left-hander Tony Haskell (19-12/3.77)... reliever Niles Neilsen (8-6/3.05) has been effective in the bullpen... overall the Westerners' mound corps put up a good 3.61 ERA (7th)... Hobbs' batting lineup features a lot of reliable hitters top-to-bottom... his best regulars are CF Jon Lassiter (.311/13 HR), 2B Joey Harris (.283/14 HR), 1B Shayn Lambert (.280/14 HR) and 3B Monty McMurtry (.285/10 HR)... his best hitters are parttimers C Rodney Hanson (.351/8 HR) in 108 games and LF Frenchy Leboeuf (.330/10 HR) in 71 games... Waleska batted .268 (10th), were average in scoring runs with 743 (15th), but didn't have much power... they hit only 121 out of the park (28th). FORECAST: COLD CREEK IN SIX GAMES... Catamounts' superior pitching gives them the edge. Last edited by Eugene Church; 07-16-2013 at 04:55 PM.