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

Eugene Church · 06-06-2014, 08:05 PM

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 6, 2046

HELLCATS IN 7 IN PRO CUP FINALS
Here are your choices in the IPA Pro Cup Finals: second-ranked Hartsdale and sixth-rated Valmara, the last two challengers for the 2046 Islandian baseball title. Which team will be crowned IPA champion? Most of the baseball media are leaning toward the Hellcats. The general consensus is they will win in seven games over the Vipers.

Hartdale has never won a Pro Cup. They have made the playoffs seven times in the club's history. Four times they have bailed out in first-round games. However in 2006 they pushed IPA champion Turon to the limit in the opening round, losing out three games to two. The Hellcats were also knocked out in the first round when Turon won the Pro Cup again in 2009. And they lost a seven-game series to IPA winner South Fork in the 2043 Tycobbian LCS.

Valmara has made 15 trips to the postseason and claimed two Pro Cups, topping Mahaska in 2026 and North Hills in 2043. The Vipers have come close several times: lost to Turon in the 2003 Finals, defeated by Tuckanarra in the 2023 Finals, were beaten four games to three by Blue Lake in the IPA Finals in 2030 and lost again 4-2 in the Finals the next year to Rolling Hills in 2031.

Hartsdale boasts a .274 team batting average, ranking fourth in the league. They led the IPA in scoring 806 runs and they have quality pitching with a 3.34 team ERA (6th). Valmara can also swing a bat with a .277 BA (2nd) and scored 740 runs, ranking fourth in the league. Hartsdale also has a decided edge in home-run power and superior defense. The Hellcats hammered 187 homers (6th) and posted a super .978 FA, while the Vipers had only 113 roundtrippers (22nd) and were just average with the gloves (.973 FA).

On the mound the two clubs are fairly even, though Hartsdale had four 20-game winners in its starting rotation, but Valmara has a big edge in the bullpen. The Viper pen charted a great 2.08 ERA (2nd) to 3.85 (18th) for the Hellcats. With 98 wins in the regular season the Hellcats will have the home field advantage in the best-of-seven series. Valmara won 95 games.

Both clubs will go with three starters in the series' rotation. Hartsdale will have Gil Younger (28-9/2.54) in the number one slot. He had a fantastic year and came in second to Jamie Taylor of Rocky Rapids, who chalked up a record-breaking 30 victories. In the playoffs in his five starts Younger is 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA. Kippy Wilhelm (20-16/3.63) is the number-two man. Wilhelm is 3-0 in the postseason in four starts with a 2.65 ERA. Third in the Hellcats' rotation is Perry Givens (20-9/3.43). In his four playoff starts Givens is 0-1 with a 2.90 ERA. David Payne (20-9/3.18), a starter in the regular season, will be on duty as a long reliever in the Pro Cup Finals, along with Jimmy Howard (3-7/3.98). The closer will be Alfonso Cervera (4-2/3.14), who led the IPA this season with 24 saves.

Valmara's top ace is Primo Sirak (24-8/1.96). The sensational left-hander is 4-1 in five starts in the postseason this year with an outstanding 1.49 ERA. Following him in game two will be another southpaw, Teddy Twardzik (24-12/2.69). He was the Pro Cup MVP in 2043 when the Vipers prevailed over the North Hills Hawks for the Islands' championship. In the playoffs this season Twardzik has been steady with a 3-1 mark in four starts with a 3.06 ERA. The third starter, Zak Reeder (18-16/4.25), has been inconsistent this year. He also has had a very tough time in the playoffs with a 1-3 record and a very poor 5.46 ERA. The other regular-season starter Harold Hutson (11-9/3.75) may gets some consideration during the Pro Cup Finals. Valmara is well-fixed in the bullpen with Paul Holloway (10-2/1.74/16 saves) and Gordon White (1-0/1.63/3 saves).

The Hellcats have a heck of a batting order with Darrell Nesbitt (.297/14/67/103), Emilian Burgess (.316/18/79/106), Greg Melton (.276/28/82/109), John Ford (.268/30/100/82), Robinson Alomar (.259/30/88/67) and Frank Penn (.341/6.71/58). There are no easy outs in the Hartsdale line-up. Hartsdale has done far better against righties than portsiders this season. Having to face southpaws at least three times in the series could be a huge factor... and even more so should the series go a full seven games... the Hellcats would have to face Sirak and Twardzik as many as five times.

The Vipers are led at the plate by the RU batting champ Ken Jensen (.351/7/65/93), 2B Jorge Aparicio (.334/7/60/89), Don Ritchie (.289/4/82/95) and Cain Greene (.253/22/81/68). Valmara doesn't measure up offensively with Hartsdale on paper, but they might just do it on the diamond. The proof is in the pudding as the Vipers have demonstrated by winning the RU North Division and then disposing of the favored Rocky Rapids Snappers in the Ruthlandian Championship Series. Keep in mind Valmara beat the Snappers, who swept the defending IPA Pro Cup champ Sugar Valley.

The key factor in the Pro Cup Finals will be whether or not Valmara's number three starter can get the job done. If Zak Reeder or Harold Hutson comes through for them with at least one win, they can give Hartsdale a run for its money. Hudson would give the Vipers three lefties in the rotation, should he get the call.

PRO CUP FORECAST: Hellcats' bats are just too much for the Vipers... don't think Valmara can match them on the scoreboard... Hartsdale gets its first-ever Pro Cup... winning it with the long ball in seven games.

06-06-2014, 08:05 PM	#4236
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,699 Blog Entries: 1	THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Saturday, October 6, 2046 HELLCATS IN 7 IN PRO CUP FINALS Here are your choices in the IPA Pro Cup Finals: second-ranked Hartsdale and sixth-rated Valmara, the last two challengers for the 2046 Islandian baseball title. Which team will be crowned IPA champion? Most of the baseball media are leaning toward the Hellcats. The general consensus is they will win in seven games over the Vipers. Hartdale has never won a Pro Cup. They have made the playoffs seven times in the club's history. Four times they have bailed out in first-round games. However in 2006 they pushed IPA champion Turon to the limit in the opening round, losing out three games to two. The Hellcats were also knocked out in the first round when Turon won the Pro Cup again in 2009. And they lost a seven-game series to IPA winner South Fork in the 2043 Tycobbian LCS. Valmara has made 15 trips to the postseason and claimed two Pro Cups, topping Mahaska in 2026 and North Hills in 2043. The Vipers have come close several times: lost to Turon in the 2003 Finals, defeated by Tuckanarra in the 2023 Finals, were beaten four games to three by Blue Lake in the IPA Finals in 2030 and lost again 4-2 in the Finals the next year to Rolling Hills in 2031. Hartsdale boasts a .274 team batting average, ranking fourth in the league. They led the IPA in scoring 806 runs and they have quality pitching with a 3.34 team ERA (6th). Valmara can also swing a bat with a .277 BA (2nd) and scored 740 runs, ranking fourth in the league. Hartsdale also has a decided edge in home-run power and superior defense. The Hellcats hammered 187 homers (6th) and posted a super .978 FA, while the Vipers had only 113 roundtrippers (22nd) and were just average with the gloves (.973 FA). On the mound the two clubs are fairly even, though Hartsdale had four 20-game winners in its starting rotation, but Valmara has a big edge in the bullpen. The Viper pen charted a great 2.08 ERA (2nd) to 3.85 (18th) for the Hellcats. With 98 wins in the regular season the Hellcats will have the home field advantage in the best-of-seven series. Valmara won 95 games. Both clubs will go with three starters in the series' rotation. Hartsdale will have Gil Younger (28-9/2.54) in the number one slot. He had a fantastic year and came in second to Jamie Taylor of Rocky Rapids, who chalked up a record-breaking 30 victories. In the playoffs in his five starts Younger is 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA. Kippy Wilhelm (20-16/3.63) is the number-two man. Wilhelm is 3-0 in the postseason in four starts with a 2.65 ERA. Third in the Hellcats' rotation is Perry Givens (20-9/3.43). In his four playoff starts Givens is 0-1 with a 2.90 ERA. David Payne (20-9/3.18), a starter in the regular season, will be on duty as a long reliever in the Pro Cup Finals, along with Jimmy Howard (3-7/3.98). The closer will be Alfonso Cervera (4-2/3.14), who led the IPA this season with 24 saves. Valmara's top ace is Primo Sirak (24-8/1.96). The sensational left-hander is 4-1 in five starts in the postseason this year with an outstanding 1.49 ERA. Following him in game two will be another southpaw, Teddy Twardzik (24-12/2.69). He was the Pro Cup MVP in 2043 when the Vipers prevailed over the North Hills Hawks for the Islands' championship. In the playoffs this season Twardzik has been steady with a 3-1 mark in four starts with a 3.06 ERA. The third starter, Zak Reeder (18-16/4.25), has been inconsistent this year. He also has had a very tough time in the playoffs with a 1-3 record and a very poor 5.46 ERA. The other regular-season starter Harold Hutson (11-9/3.75) may gets some consideration during the Pro Cup Finals. Valmara is well-fixed in the bullpen with Paul Holloway (10-2/1.74/16 saves) and Gordon White (1-0/1.63/3 saves). The Hellcats have a heck of a batting order with Darrell Nesbitt (.297/14/67/103), Emilian Burgess (.316/18/79/106), Greg Melton (.276/28/82/109), John Ford (.268/30/100/82), Robinson Alomar (.259/30/88/67) and Frank Penn (.341/6.71/58). There are no easy outs in the Hartsdale line-up. Hartsdale has done far better against righties than portsiders this season. Having to face southpaws at least three times in the series could be a huge factor... and even more so should the series go a full seven games... the Hellcats would have to face Sirak and Twardzik as many as five times. The Vipers are led at the plate by the RU batting champ Ken Jensen (.351/7/65/93), 2B Jorge Aparicio (.334/7/60/89), Don Ritchie (.289/4/82/95) and Cain Greene (.253/22/81/68). Valmara doesn't measure up offensively with Hartsdale on paper, but they might just do it on the diamond. The proof is in the pudding as the Vipers have demonstrated by winning the RU North Division and then disposing of the favored Rocky Rapids Snappers in the Ruthlandian Championship Series. Keep in mind Valmara beat the Snappers, who swept the defending IPA Pro Cup champ Sugar Valley. The key factor in the Pro Cup Finals will be whether or not Valmara's number three starter can get the job done. If Zak Reeder or Harold Hutson comes through for them with at least one win, they can give Hartsdale a run for its money. Hudson would give the Vipers three lefties in the rotation, should he get the call. PRO CUP FORECAST: Hellcats' bats are just too much for the Vipers... don't think Valmara can match them on the scoreboard... Hartsdale gets its first-ever Pro Cup... winning it with the long ball in seven games. Last edited by Eugene Church; 06-07-2014 at 05:59 PM.