[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 21, 2043

RATTLERS RALLY IN SEPT, RU EAST CHAMP
The Ruthlandian East Division was pretty much a five-team affair for most of the season... champ Sugar Valley raced away with the pennant with a strong 14-5 September to nip the Cold Creek Catamounts by a game, Elnora All-Stars by three and Wynnamac Sundowners and Eastshore Elegants by four games... the Sundowners were the defending division titleholder... the Catamounts and All-Stars went into the last month three games ahead of the Rattlers. Wynnamac and Elnora both notched 10-9 marks in September... according to the baseball experts the Rattlers could be a big factor in the Pro Cup playoffs this year.

1. Sugar Valley: the Rattlers returned to the top of the division with their 11th pennant in 43 years of IPA play... the last one came in 2038 when the team rang up 104 victories... this was the ninth straight season to finish in the first division as they moved up from third place in 2042 (7 GB)... a very good offense combined with solid pitching brought home the division title... the Rattlers have one of the best starting fours in the IPA with Jeremy Blanchard (20-11/3.15), Christopher Dunsberry (20-12/3.15), Davey Brennan (19-13/3.19) and Joe Snow (16-5/2.88)... the only holdback is a poor relief corps... Blanchard is 38 and has composed a 292-244 record in 17 seasons with a 3.36 ERA... gifted superstar and All-Star LF Bobby Gamble (.336/40/127/127) had a monster season leading the IPA with 127 runs and tied for second in RBIs with 127... he was sixth with a .336 BA... All-Star CF Carl Ramsey (.281/29/108/114) had a strong season, too... other contributors were RF Jeff Harvey (.301/22/106/85), 2B Richie Fry (.331/7/52/101) and SS Roger Hobbs (.285/20/56/104)... Sugar Valley also got 25 homers and 72 RBIs from C Delmer Campbell (.215), 23 homers and 76 runs from 1B James Milton (.275) and 16 HRs and 84 RBIs from 3B Kent Rasmus (.277)... seven of the regulars got double-digit homers.

2. Cold Creek: the Catamounts were fourth last year (7 GB) and almost won the pennant, but petered out in the last days of the season and lost by one game... from 2036 to 2041 they won five flags, but no Pro Cups... during that period Cold Creek had outstanding pitching... the pitching is still very good, but the offense is just average... ace J. J. Gillespie (20-11/2.48) is still around and won 20 games for the ninth time in his illustrious career... at age 38 Gillespie is 267-140 with a super-low 2.35 ERA, which is second best all-time in the IPA... only reliever Johnny Duncan is better with a 2.31 lifetime ERA... Duncan played for five teams from 2023 to 2037 with an overall record of 87-66 and 207 saves... Rob Hutchins (21-9/2.99) and Joey Baker (17-15/3.40/4 saves) were solid, too... the Catamounts had very little offensively... only RF Guy St. Laurent (.311/27/97/82) put up good numbers and he missed a third of the season with injury.

3. Elnora: the All-Stars can put runs on the scoreboard... they just need better pitching... this season they improved from fifth place (10 GB) to third place (3 GB)... it's been eight years since Elnora won the RU East (2035)... they won their only Pro Cup in 2033... overall they have made the postseason nine times... top mound performers were Dan Pitts (18-10/3.96), Stan Kivas (14-14/3.48) and rookie starter Slim Harding (11-6/3.54)... in the bullpen it was Jamie Pananga (5-4/2.60/16 saves)... offensively All-Star C Cannon Johnson (.320/28/125/98), All-Star RF Preston Davies (.293/30/105/92) and CF Clive Kenyon (.327/15/62/118) were standouts... Cannon came in tied for fifth in the IPA with 125 RBIs... Kenyon finished fourth with 118 runs.

4. Wynnamac: the Sundowners had a good shot to repeat in the RU East, but came up four games short in fourth place, tied with Eastshore... the club has chalked up six division titles... they won the pennant last year... in 2008 Wynnamac was the IPA champion... last year's MVP and Golden Bat winner RF Nioka Inkamara had another fine season... he made the All-Star team, hit .328 with 44 HRs, 122 RBIs and 105 runs... in the IPA Inkamara was 8th in homers and tied for 7th in RBIs... he got some help from CF Darrell Donnelly (.296/11/74/90), 3B Duane Hudson (.303/4/58/78) and 1B Jack Pope (.263/10/83/81)... All-Star Shirai Nakamura (20-14/3.35) and Geoff Hobart (17-14/3.99) were the top pitchers... in the bullpen Johnny Mitchell (8-2/1.90/15 saves) had a marvelous year.

4. Eastshore: the Elegants tied with Wynnamac for the fourth spot in the standings, just four games out of the top spot... they haven't made the playoffs for the last nine seasons... in all, Eastshore has been to the postseason seven times with two Pro Cups to show for it in back-to-back years in 2016 and 2017... the Elegants are just an average ballclub... Malcolm Tansbury (19-11/3.23) and Tommy Brown (17-10/3.69) led the starting rotation... in the bullpen Jody Friday (11-6/1.51/22 saves) was splendid... he tied for fourth in the IPA with 22 saves, topped only by Terry Baird of La Claire and Timmy Hickens of Ginza with 27... and Wes Christopher of Fairfax, who posted 23 saves... at the plate the club leaders were super All-Star SS Johnny Petrak (.324/23/100/88), who made the All-Star team for the eighth time in his great career... 37-year-old Petrak is a lifetime .316 hitter in 10 seasons... other top bats were RF Troy McFarland (.281/37/111/104) and CF Bevan Shuler (.272/30/80/119)... Shuler was third in the IPA with 119 runs scored, while McFarland was ninth in the RU with 111 RBIs.

6. Beechwood: the Bobcats slumped from second in 2042, 4 GB back, to sixth and 11 games off the pace... it's been almost two decades since they made the postseason... the last of three pennants was way back in 2027... Beechwood has yet to bring in a Pro Cup trophy... Jimmy Herman (18-12/3.05) was the only standout on the mound, while C Paul Jackson (.337/20/95/78) and SS Mel Smith (.290/15/69/80) were the only reliable threats at the plate.

7. Belle Plaine: for the ninth time in ten years the Musketeers were wallowed deep in the second division of the RU East, winding up this year in seventh place and 22 games behind champ Sugar Valley... the Muskies have won only one pennant in the club's history in 2008 and lost in the first round of the playoffs... Belle Plaine is just a bad ball club... Tyrone Marte (11-11/4.80) is the best starter... however Kurt Tandberg (8-6/2.49/15 saves) is a solid reliever... All-Star RF Boo Boudreaux (.336/34/107/95) is an outstanding ballplayer... he really is the only good bat in the lineup.

8 Marston: the Nine have made the first division only one time in the last 15 seasons and that was fourth place in 2038... they have made the postseason six times with no Pro Cups... Marston was seventh last year (22 GB), but slipped to last this year (25 GB)... they hit and score pretty well, but have no pitching except for starter Thomas Stuart (14-9/3.16)... the Nine have seven fairly decent bats, but not a lot of power... All-Star SS Stan Mila (.332/18/77/68) led with a .332 BA... 1B John Cosotto (.295/24/97/69) had the most homers with 24 and RBIs with 97... 2B Gary Armitage (.281/78/87) was the leader with 87 runs and 22 stolen bases... and CF Charley Gilmore chipped in with a .310 BA, 8 HR, 64 RBI, 75 runs... 3B Philip DeWey added a .299 BA, 21 HR, 52 RBI and 70 runs... and LF Marco Ameche hit .283 with 18 HR, 74 RBI and 62 runs.

V'S VICTORIOUS IN RU WEST
The Volusia Vigilantes had a battle on their hands in the Ruthlandian West until the All-Star break... the Sligo Rovers and the Middlefield Roosters pushed them hard in the first half, but neither could keep pace with the V's in the second half... Volusia won the pennant by seven games over the Roosters... third place went to the Rocky Rapids Snappers, who finished 13 games behind... while Sligo slipped to fourth place, winding up 16 games back in the race... last year's division champ Colfax was never a factor after a good showing in April... the Blasters came in a very disappointing seventh and trailed Volusia by 23 games.

1. Volusia: the Vigilantes were runner-up to Colfax last year, losing out by just one game... prior to this season the V's last won the division in '34 and '35... this will be their eighth playoff appearance... Volusia has won one Pro Cup... that came in the very first year of the IPA in 2001... the Vigilantes came close to another title in 2006 when they lost in the Finals to powerful Turon... they should be a contender this year with a good mix of pitching, hitting and defense... the starters are as good as anyone in the IPA with Drew Selby (20-12/2.58), Skeeter Millham (20-15/3.18), Raul Navarro (20-15/3.32) and Leandos Dizon (13-6/2.95/10 saves)... not a lot in the bullpen since Dizon became a starter... at the plate the V's could use some help, but they do have good power from All-Star 1B Kris Wilson (.358/26/93/84), SS Duane Blayney (.273/33/94/94), RF Lonny Womack (.265/27/83/83) and CF Cazzie Carvalho (.266/25/72/96).

2. Middlefield: the Roosters hung with the Vigilantes until mid-season then slowly slipped back in a second-half slump... they jumped from sixth to second this year... 20 GB in 2042 and just seven this season... Middlefield copped the pennant in 2041... they have made the postseason 10 times in their history with one Pro Cup in 2005... the Roosters feature good pitching and home runs... on the hill the standouts were Larry Wheelhouse (20-16/2.83), James Long (20-13/2.98) and Royce Richardson (18-13/4.17)... Ray Owens (4-5/2.13/20) stood out in the bullpen... he tied for eighth in the IPA with 20 saves... All-Star CF Norm Antonioni (.283/43/90/83), RF Alejandro Dominguez (.265/31/95/92), SS Jimmy Beach (.302/26/83/76), LF Yank Quinlan (.251/25/75/58), 3B Ike Gary (.271/23/75/88) and 1B Cliff Patterson (.289/22/73/60) all had over 20 homers... Antonioni was ranked 10th in the IPA with 43 roundtrippers.

3. Rocky Rapids: the Snappers have made the RU West first division for five years in a row... they came in third this season, trailing Volusia by 13 games... a poor 33-45 first half greatly hampered them... in the second half the Snappers were 46-30... they had too much ground to make up to catch the V's, who led them by 13 at the All-Star Game... Rocky Rapids has made the playoffs just four times, but does have a Pro Cup to show for it... they won it in 2019... the Snappers got by with good pitching, led by Buster Noland (19-7/3.36) and Jamie Taylor (19-13/2.82)... Randy Peters (14-16/3.32) was also a quality arm, but suffered at times from a lack of runs... four guys carried the club offensively: SS Marty Featherstone (.281/29/106/93), CF Buddy Hamilton (.281/24/107/68), RF Jose Ramos (.291/20/82/116) and 3B Duncan Musselwhite (.317/9/49/94).

4. Sligo: the Rovers were fourth last year (17 GB) and fourth this year (16 GB)... they ran a real tight race with Volusia until the halfway mark, but then fell out the race with a dismal second-half performance (31-45)... the Rovers trailed the V's by just one game at the All-Star Game... Sligo has a good starting foursome in All-Star Scotty Price (18-16/3.64), Buzz Bumgartner (15-10/3.05), Tom Pierson (15-10/3.73) and Randall Steele (16-19/3.59)... and they got pretty fair work from All-Star Davey Hunter (4-9/2.54/19 saves) and Patrick Tasser (0-1/2.66/8 saves)... Price and Hunter both went into tailspins after the All-Star hiatus... Sligo had very little in the batting order... 3B Denny Simmons (.323/15/77/82), C Don Tucker (.309/7/55/82) and LF Rudy Putnam (.307/16/70/61) all batted .300, but didn't hit with much power.

5. Fort Benton: the Defenders improved from eighth place (28 GB) to fifth in the standings (21 GB)... only once in its history has Fort Benton won the pennant... that's was in 2037... but they have been competitive in recent years, finishing in the RU West first division 14 times in the last 18 seasons... vets Augie Marquis (18-16/3.55), age 37, and All-Star Jordy Raeburn (17-10/2.81) were the only dependable starters... Marquis is 340-261 in 19 years with the club... He has an impressive 3.18 career ERA and is a likely future Hall-of-Famer... the main bats were RF Cayman Crittenden (.313/19/82/100), 3B Mitch Hamilton (.301/12/84/93), C Hunter Glenholmes (.288/8/62/86) and LF Randy Williams (.280/14/91/68).

6. Forest City: for the sixth successive season the Lumberjacks floundered in the second division... the were fifth last year (19 G B) and sixth this year (22 GB)... they have made the playoffs only four times in the team's history with no Pro Cup titles... 2013 was the last time the 'Jacks won the pennant... Rusty Howard (18-16/2.79) led the mound staff with 18 wins... Rich Barstow (16-19/3.30) also was effective, but didn't have a lot of run support... Forest City didn't hit for a lot of power... the only .300 hitters were RF Otto Glintmeyer (.312/17/82/71) and 1B Pistol Pete Picard (.311/23/79/75)... CF Carlo Velucci (.294/14/75/78) and C Bob Brisdon (.280/15/68/58) also had fairly good seasons.

7. Colfax: the Blasters won the RU West and made the Pro Cup Finals last year, but tumbled badly this year to seventh place (23 GB)... the pitchers let them down... Colfax has gone to the postseason 13 times in its history and won one Pro Cup (2010)... vets Nilos Andris (9-14/5.74), Bobby Porter (11-21/4.56) and Ryan Peterson (12-15/3.64), all mainstays in 2042, suffered declines... 20-game winner for the last two years, Ron Paige (5-6/4.85), was hurt in late May and missed the rest of the year... closer Jack Scanlon (6-5/2.36/14 saves) was the only quality pitcher this season... the Blaster bats still did well with All-Star LF Chet Penn (.325/28/116/94), RF Kevin Williams (.333/15/70/78), All-Star 3B Kristian McEly (.289/31/101/82) and All-Star 2B Gerry Sives (.310/3/51/103)... C Darrell Dillon (.302/23/60/70) also put up some decent stats.

8. Stoner: the Stars have had only one good season in the last decade, coming in third (3 GB) in 2040... Stoner had made the playoffs only three times in its existence, 2029 was the last time... for the last three years they have ended up near the bottom of the division... they were seventh in 2042 (23 GB) and were eighth this year (28 GB)... on the hill Brian Cole (13-13/3.75) and Sammy Slater (10-8/3.87/3 saves) were the best the Stars had to offer... only three regulars contributed much to the offense: 1B Richie Strickland (.306/23/99/89), 2B Don Cain (.306/24/88/80) and CF Emmett Tread (.281/7/47/81).

2043 Ruthlandian East and West Division Final Standings, Team Batting, Pitching and Fielding Statistics