[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, May 1, 2039

TU EAST TIGHTEST RACE IN THE IPA
The teams are not playing well, but the Tycobbian East Division is the tightest race in the Islandian Pro Alliance... only 4 games separate number one from number eight in the standings... only division leader Ozarka has a winning record... all the rest are below the .500 mark... Ozarka has a game lead over second-place South Fork and East Point... two games in front of fourth-place Hillsboro and High Mesa... three games up on the current defending champion Tuckanarra in the sixth spot... and four games better than cellar-dwelling Red Bluff and Midway.

1. Ozarka (13-12) - For the last five years the Naturals have pretty much played second fiddle to the Tuckanarra Blue Jays, who have won the division for the last five seasons... thought the Nats are leading the race in the early going, they were ranked sixth in the preseason voting... on paper Ozarka is just your basic, average team, but they have a strong bullpen and are good defensively.
Top Pitchers: Charlie Chan (4-2/3.23), Glen Jenkins (2-3/3.88), Leon Bernard (2-1/3.93) and rookie Gregg Moore (2-2/3.95)... the bullpen has been very effective so far with Teddy O'Shea (2-0/0.00/1 save), rookie Billy Hill (0-0/0.93) and Dirk Halstad (0-0/2.16).
Top Batters: RF Bob Banachak (.322/5/10/14), 1B Kent Harmon (.324/2/12/10), 3B Jimmy Woods (.304/3/14/11), C Jaak Pajukivi (.299/3//7/14)... vets CF Lonnie Gillespie (.255/4/16/13) and SS Duffy Morrison (.247/4/14/13) have gotten off to slow starts... both are 50 points off their career averages.

2. South Fork (12-13/1 GB) - The Stallions have been way back in the pack the last three years, but this season the forecast was for a break-even season and a fifth-place finish with pretty fair pitching and good, long-ball power... South Fork hasn't made the playoffs since winning its only Pro Cup in 2025.
Top Pitchers: good starters in Big Murph McAlister (5-0/1.88), rookie Roger Johnson (1-0/0.39), Jay Murphy (2-3/2.95)... but weak bullpen.
Top Batters: 1B Paul Sexton is the most productive with 7 homers and 19 RBIs, but he is hitting only .250... C Vic Kohler (.304/4/12/8) and 3B Elton Jacoby (.299/3/8/13) have chipped in, too... rookie SS Goldie Goldschmitt (.375/0/7/7) has looked good in back-up roles.

2. East Point (12-13/1 GB) - The Panthers pitching has been horrible in this new season, but don't expect it to stay that way... East Point is rated the second-best club in the division in the preseason poll... Red Bluff is the favorite... 11 times in the last 12 years the Panthers have been a first-division team... they last made the postseason in 2031 and 2033.
Top Pitchers: only Johnny Moore (3-1/2.81) had a good April... Dixie Brooks (2-3/4.50) and Frank Blair (2-4/5.75) had rough starts... Blair missed most of last year with shoulder problems... they will be the key to the Panthers season... the bullpen has been awful.
Top Batters: CF Andros Ciak (.351/5/13/10), SS Dean O'Donnell (.304/3/13/11), 2B Tetsu Tanaka (.267/3/15/18).

4. Hillsboro (11-14/2 GB) - The Blazers are habitual, second-division also-rans that have never make the playoffs, but they have been picked to wind up fourth in the preseason poll this season... pitching has been surprisingly good, both starting and relief... but the defense is really bad... the Blazers hit with a fair amount of power and can score runs.
Top Pitchers: starters Ralph Quick (3-1/2.89), Lucky Luciano (2-1/2.08), Cazzie Reier (2-2/2.78) and Scott Watkins (2-2/3.14) have been quite effective... Scott Watkins (2-2/3.14/2 saves) and rookie Steve Cooper (1-1/2.13) have done well, too.
Top Batters: CF Vance Jahn (.359/6/14/21), SS Cameron Kennedy (.293/3/18/8)... LF Jurrien Bellini has 7 homers, 12 RBIs and 22 runs scored, but is hitting only .206.

4. High Mesa (11-14/2 GB) - The Cowboys had a winning record last year for the first time since 2026... this season the baseball analysts rated them seventh in the preseason poll... the Cowpokes have been terrible this year at the plate, pretty fair on the mound and great with the gloves.
Top Pitchers: Russ Krolle (4-1/2.44), Dean Harris (1-3/2.18)... rookie reliever Kyell Kellgren (1-0/1.37/1 save) has impressed in 9 appearances.
Top Batters: LF Clay Johnston has carried the offensive load with an IPA-leading 11 HRs, while batting .306 with 18 RBIs and scoring 17 runs... rookie RF Sam Hayes (.264) has 5 homers, 10 RBIs and 12 runs... veteran slugger RF Corbett Brooks is only hitting .173, but has 7 HRs and 15 RBIs... SS Clifford Coleman is batting only .235, but has 6 HRs and 18 RBIs.

6. Tuckanarra (10-15/3 GB) - The Blue Jays are the defending TU East titleholder with five flags in a row... they were selected the third-best team in the preseason poll... however, the Tucks didn't have a good month... they have been disappointing on the hill and in the batter's box, but pretty strong defensively.
Top Pitchers: Jeff Buttrum (3-1/3.44), Bobby Reid (2-3/3.89), Junior Bristow (2-4/3.48) and rookie Dickie Pittman (1-2/3.96).
Top Batters: 2B Daniel Redd (.303/4/8/15), LF Spade Weldon (.303/3/9/15), C Paul Jackson (.346/0/3/5)... superstar RF Lorne Evans did poorly in the first month with a .177 batting average, 3 HRs, 9 RBIs and 12 runs... rookie SS Robby Oliphant stood out with a .318 BA, 4 HRs and 9 RBIs.

7. Red Bluff (9-17/4 GB) - The Red Sox were the top choice to snap Tuckanarra's pennant-winning string at five, but they have disappointed thus far... Red Bluff is not very good on the mound and notoriously bad on defense... goes deep fairly well... not very much batting-wise... you have to go way back to 2009 for a pennant-winning season.
Top Pitchers: Jud Cox (3-3/3.06) and Tony DeFazio (1-2/3.38) are the most effective starters, while George Reynolds (0-1/2.49/1 save) has been the most reliable reliever.
Top Batters: star CF Ike Sweetwater is the club leader with a .307 BA, 7 HRs, 20 RBIs and 16 runs... C Allie Blackwell (.284/1/9/10) has been dependable, while 1B Garris Aiken (.250/3/14/7), LF Jesse Shaw (.223/5/11/17), RF David Kelson (.259/5/10/13), 3B Fran Blanchard (.235/5/10/7) need to pick up the pace.

7. Midway (9-16/4 GB) - For the last three seasons the Wolves have suffered with finishes at or near the bottom of the division... it has been 12 years since the made the postseason... the Wolves are really weak offensively and on the hill, but strong on defense... the baseball expects placed them in last place in the preseason guessings.
Top Pitchers: Carey Snead (4-2/2.91) is the ace of the mound corps... in the pen the top dogs are Taima Nodin (0-1/1.88) and rookies Nickie McGowan (1-1/2.89) and Sam Lewis (1-0/0.00/1 save).
Top Batters: CF Yancey Tanner (.319/0/7/13), 1B Shaman Sakima (.292/1/14/10), LF Bennett Caldwell (.253/2/11/10), 3B James Cline (.250/1/10/10).