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

Eugene Church · 09-27-2013, 12:06 AM

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, June 1, 2039

FROGS LEAP PAST HAWKS AND HAYMAKERS IN MAY
The Tycobbian North Division is filled with talented teams... it's the home of the defending Pro Cup champion North Hills Hawks... and also the hottest team in the IPA - the sizzling Fairfax Frogs, who leaped pass Mahaska and North Hills to take over first place by three games... the Frogs rolled to a tremendous 21-8 mark in May... the Haymakers and Hawks are no slouches as they chalked up impressive 17-12 and 19-10 marks respectively... fourth-place Luxora is only five games off the pace after going 18-11 last month... fifth-place Hartsdale and sixth-place White River also have posted winning records this season... the Hellcats trail by 8 games and and the Rascals are 9 games behind.

1. Fairfax - the Frogs are a formidable bunch with super pitching and super bats... defensively they are only average... three starters are below the 3.00 ERA mark... Lee Rose (10-3/2.77), Harold Dorman (8-5/2.59) and Steven McLeod (8-3/2.97) are having outstanding seasons... so is reliever Bruno Stratton (2-1/1.27/7 saves)... though the Frogs don't go deep often, they still can score runs... topping the batting order is vet star 2B John Velasco (.317/10/50/34), who is one of the top RBI guys in the IPA... add in C Joe King (.362/3/34/26), CF Sam Price (.360/4/26/29) and star LF Eric Kusek (.281/3/34/26) and you have quite an offense... whoever survives and wins the TU North will undoubtedly pose a big threat to win the Pro Cup.

2. Mahaska - came out of April with a one-game lead... then had a fine May and now finds themselves three games out of first place... strong pitching, coupled with very good defense and home-run power are paying dividends so far this season... heading up the fine rotation are Mackie McGinnity (8-0/1.94), Warren Heath (8-3/2.75) and Darrell Geoffrey (8-3/3.67)... though Mark Pennington is only 5-7, he has a solid 3.16 ERA... the bullpen is doing its job well with Freddy Pfeffer (0-2/2.43/2 saves) doing the long relief and Luke Cargill (0-3/2.74/8 saves) handling the closings... the best bats are star 2B Mikk Kukk (.329/11/29/31) and old reliable 37-year-old LF Anton Hymel (.300/11/27/34)... the Haymakers sure could use a few more good sticks.

2. North Hills - the Hawks are seeking a sixth successive pennant, but look to have a lot of competition this go-around... they have great pitching, great defense, but just adequate scoring... Jeff Owens leads the way with an 11-3 record and a 1.84 ERA... Tony Mack is 7-1 and 1.76... the other two starters are quality as well, David Michael (5-5/3/67) and Frankie Lambert (3-3/3.18)... Kyle Oliver (3-2/2.51/3 saves) is the bullpen leader... the offensive leaders are superstud LF Adam Thurgood (.320/19/50/33)... he is in a three-way tie for the IPA HR lead with Ginza's Sogo Takagi and Sugar Valley's Tyler White... each of them have 19... other .300 hitters are super rookie CF Jimmy Jay Ferguson (.356/5/19/27), SS Norris Henry (.317/4/17/21) and RF Gerry Rice (.308/2/15/17)... it's tough to repeat as IPA champion, but the Hawks could pull it off... they have won three of the last five years, all in alternate seasons, never twice in a row... that rarely happens... Tuckanarra did it in 2023 and 2024 and Far Mountain won it three straight years from 2011 to 2013.

4. Luxora - the Zorros are off to a good start with two solid months of play, but they still trail by 5 games... it's just hard to stay up with the likes of Fairfax, Mahaska and North Hills this year... the Z's feature better-than-average pitching and hitting, but are weak on defense... the starting rotation has three impressive pitchers in Roy Watson (9-2/2.80), Kent Halloran (8-3/2.57) and rookie Joao Damaso (3-1/2.79)... closer Fernando Sanches (1-0/0.31/10 saves) has been astounding this season in 19 appearances... the main bats are 3B Todd Dubbins (.303/7/26/30), SS Joel Poche (.284/10/28/32), LF Milt Powers (.281/6/35/25), CF Carl Denton (.377/5/23/16) and RF Derreck Jackson (.285/6/29/27).

5. Hartsdale - after three years near the bottom of the division, the Hellcats improved their pitching and they might have a shot at a winning season and a spot in the first division... they were a poor 13-16 last month, but are still four games above the .500 marker... three vets head up a good, quality staff... Freddie Whitaker (9-3/3/25), Wayne Dawson (8-4/2.82) and Hank Cooke (6-3/3.51)... in the bullpen 19-year-old rookie Alfonso Cervera (0-2/2.63/10 saves) has been excellent... rookie Kenny Greenhill (0-1/1.56/2 saves) has looked good as well... it's the offense that is holding Hartsdale back... the have no dominating bats in the line-up... SS Paul Wynn (.276/10/30/33) is the top producer... SS Robinson Alomar (.287/8/24/21) and 3B Greg Melton (.247/7/33/23) occasionally chip in a homer and drive in a run... the Hellcats don't have the bats to play with the big boys in the TU North.

6. White River - the Rascals had a decent 15-14 month in May... they depend on the long-ball and an excellent bullpen... 36-year-old Paul Sardini (5-4/2.89) is the only effective starter... Les Dennis (3-5/3.49/10 saves) and Mickey Cronyn (1-0/0.00/2 saves) have been the best in the bullpen... CF Buford Cross (.323/9/29/36) is the only real thread in the batting order... SS Warren McKenzie (.261/13/43/32) and C Stevie Dee Daniels (.230/13/32/22) are the RBI men, but don't hit for much average.

7. Blue Lake - after opening up with a fine 15-10 record in April, the Blue Sox slipped to 11-18, falling 9 games behind Fairfax... average pitching and average hitting is all they have with no power to speak of... two solid veterans Sal Mays (8-5/3.09) and Frankie Quinn (7-6/3/41) are the staff leaders... not much after them... 2B Egon Ojamaa (.280/9/38/32) and C Jan Kobak (.282/6/32/21) are the best sticks as far as driving in runs... LF Jack Ryan (.310/4/21/20) is the club leader as far as batting average... Blue Lake is way over-matched in the division.

8. Oxford - just an all-around poor team... had another lousy month in May with a 10-19 mark... the Red Caps occasionally hit a homer, they are good with the gloves and the bullpen is good... but they have little else... relievers Rusty Garland (3-3/1.96/4 saves) and Allison Coxe (0-0/1.66) are the mainstays in the bullpen... the top starter is Max D'Albini (5-4/4.88)... all the other starters are 5.00 and higher... LF Donny Braun (.313/11/37/32) and 2B Alonzo Norris (.321/10/25/32) are solid sticks with some power... CF Dalton Ward leads the club with 16 roundtrippers and 34 runs and is tied with Braun with 37 RBIs, but he is batting a very poor .229 for average.

09-27-2013, 12:06 AM	#3717
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36,205	THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Wednesday, June 1, 2039 FROGS LEAP PAST HAWKS AND HAYMAKERS IN MAY The Tycobbian North Division is filled with talented teams... it's the home of the defending Pro Cup champion North Hills Hawks... and also the hottest team in the IPA - the sizzling Fairfax Frogs, who leaped pass Mahaska and North Hills to take over first place by three games... the Frogs rolled to a tremendous 21-8 mark in May... the Haymakers and Hawks are no slouches as they chalked up impressive 17-12 and 19-10 marks respectively... fourth-place Luxora is only five games off the pace after going 18-11 last month... fifth-place Hartsdale and sixth-place White River also have posted winning records this season... the Hellcats trail by 8 games and and the Rascals are 9 games behind. 1. Fairfax - the Frogs are a formidable bunch with super pitching and super bats... defensively they are only average... three starters are below the 3.00 ERA mark... Lee Rose (10-3/2.77), Harold Dorman (8-5/2.59) and Steven McLeod (8-3/2.97) are having outstanding seasons... so is reliever Bruno Stratton (2-1/1.27/7 saves)... though the Frogs don't go deep often, they still can score runs... topping the batting order is vet star 2B John Velasco (.317/10/50/34), who is one of the top RBI guys in the IPA... add in C Joe King (.362/3/34/26), CF Sam Price (.360/4/26/29) and star LF Eric Kusek (.281/3/34/26) and you have quite an offense... whoever survives and wins the TU North will undoubtedly pose a big threat to win the Pro Cup. 2. Mahaska - came out of April with a one-game lead... then had a fine May and now finds themselves three games out of first place... strong pitching, coupled with very good defense and home-run power are paying dividends so far this season... heading up the fine rotation are Mackie McGinnity (8-0/1.94), Warren Heath (8-3/2.75) and Darrell Geoffrey (8-3/3.67)... though Mark Pennington is only 5-7, he has a solid 3.16 ERA... the bullpen is doing its job well with Freddy Pfeffer (0-2/2.43/2 saves) doing the long relief and Luke Cargill (0-3/2.74/8 saves) handling the closings... the best bats are star 2B Mikk Kukk (.329/11/29/31) and old reliable 37-year-old LF Anton Hymel (.300/11/27/34)... the Haymakers sure could use a few more good sticks. 2. North Hills - the Hawks are seeking a sixth successive pennant, but look to have a lot of competition this go-around... they have great pitching, great defense, but just adequate scoring... Jeff Owens leads the way with an 11-3 record and a 1.84 ERA... Tony Mack is 7-1 and 1.76... the other two starters are quality as well, David Michael (5-5/3/67) and Frankie Lambert (3-3/3.18)... Kyle Oliver (3-2/2.51/3 saves) is the bullpen leader... the offensive leaders are superstud LF Adam Thurgood (.320/19/50/33)... he is in a three-way tie for the IPA HR lead with Ginza's Sogo Takagi and Sugar Valley's Tyler White... each of them have 19... other .300 hitters are super rookie CF Jimmy Jay Ferguson (.356/5/19/27), SS Norris Henry (.317/4/17/21) and RF Gerry Rice (.308/2/15/17)... it's tough to repeat as IPA champion, but the Hawks could pull it off... they have won three of the last five years, all in alternate seasons, never twice in a row... that rarely happens... Tuckanarra did it in 2023 and 2024 and Far Mountain won it three straight years from 2011 to 2013. 4. Luxora - the Zorros are off to a good start with two solid months of play, but they still trail by 5 games... it's just hard to stay up with the likes of Fairfax, Mahaska and North Hills this year... the Z's feature better-than-average pitching and hitting, but are weak on defense... the starting rotation has three impressive pitchers in Roy Watson (9-2/2.80), Kent Halloran (8-3/2.57) and rookie Joao Damaso (3-1/2.79)... closer Fernando Sanches (1-0/0.31/10 saves) has been astounding this season in 19 appearances... the main bats are 3B Todd Dubbins (.303/7/26/30), SS Joel Poche (.284/10/28/32), LF Milt Powers (.281/6/35/25), CF Carl Denton (.377/5/23/16) and RF Derreck Jackson (.285/6/29/27). 5. Hartsdale - after three years near the bottom of the division, the Hellcats improved their pitching and they might have a shot at a winning season and a spot in the first division... they were a poor 13-16 last month, but are still four games above the .500 marker... three vets head up a good, quality staff... Freddie Whitaker (9-3/3/25), Wayne Dawson (8-4/2.82) and Hank Cooke (6-3/3.51)... in the bullpen 19-year-old rookie Alfonso Cervera (0-2/2.63/10 saves) has been excellent... rookie Kenny Greenhill (0-1/1.56/2 saves) has looked good as well... it's the offense that is holding Hartsdale back... the have no dominating bats in the line-up... SS Paul Wynn (.276/10/30/33) is the top producer... SS Robinson Alomar (.287/8/24/21) and 3B Greg Melton (.247/7/33/23) occasionally chip in a homer and drive in a run... the Hellcats don't have the bats to play with the big boys in the TU North. 6. White River - the Rascals had a decent 15-14 month in May... they depend on the long-ball and an excellent bullpen... 36-year-old Paul Sardini (5-4/2.89) is the only effective starter... Les Dennis (3-5/3.49/10 saves) and Mickey Cronyn (1-0/0.00/2 saves) have been the best in the bullpen... CF Buford Cross (.323/9/29/36) is the only real thread in the batting order... SS Warren McKenzie (.261/13/43/32) and C Stevie Dee Daniels (.230/13/32/22) are the RBI men, but don't hit for much average. 7. Blue Lake - after opening up with a fine 15-10 record in April, the Blue Sox slipped to 11-18, falling 9 games behind Fairfax... average pitching and average hitting is all they have with no power to speak of... two solid veterans Sal Mays (8-5/3.09) and Frankie Quinn (7-6/3/41) are the staff leaders... not much after them... 2B Egon Ojamaa (.280/9/38/32) and C Jan Kobak (.282/6/32/21) are the best sticks as far as driving in runs... LF Jack Ryan (.310/4/21/20) is the club leader as far as batting average... Blue Lake is way over-matched in the division. 8. Oxford - just an all-around poor team... had another lousy month in May with a 10-19 mark... the Red Caps occasionally hit a homer, they are good with the gloves and the bullpen is good... but they have little else... relievers Rusty Garland (3-3/1.96/4 saves) and Allison Coxe (0-0/1.66) are the mainstays in the bullpen... the top starter is Max D'Albini (5-4/4.88)... all the other starters are 5.00 and higher... LF Donny Braun (.313/11/37/32) and 2B Alonzo Norris (.321/10/25/32) are solid sticks with some power... CF Dalton Ward leads the club with 16 roundtrippers and 34 runs and is tied with Braun with 37 RBIs, but he is batting a very poor .229 for average.