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

Eugene Church · 07-10-2014, 09:04 PM

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 16, 2047

DIVISION CHAMPS GET READY FOR PLAYOFFS
Goal number one has been met - 8 teams in the IPA have won their division championship - now they have their hearts and souls set on goal number two -the IPA Pro Cup, symbolic for the best baseball team in the Islands. 8 teams will begin their quest Wednesday afternoon with the openers of the IPA Pro Cup Division Championship Series. The Ruthlandian Union matchups include Belair Beach at Far Mountain and Middlefield traveling to Marston. In the Tycobbian Union defending Pro Cup crownbearer Hartsdale will be on the road in Southport trying to repeat as champion and Red Bluff will entertain Kenwood. According to the oddsmakers, it's a crap shoot as usual - the team that gets hot for the next month will be the IPA champion. Any one of the division champs could reign supreme this year.

The Far Mountain Redhawks (101-53) easily took the Ruthlandian North division title, beating LaGrange by 15 games. It's the Redhawks first pennant since 2039. They won three consecutive Pro Cups from 2011 to 2013.

Belair Beach has been in a severe drought since 2016, the last time they made the Pro Cup playoffs. The Sunbirds are still looking for their first Pro Cup. For the last nine seasons they wound up last in the RU South six times and seventh on three occasions. It was a wonderful turnaround season for the Sunbirds (84-70), who outlasted favored Waleska (81-73), reigning champ Claxton (81-73) and Crystal Lake (81-73) in a September showdown and won by three games. Claxton won the pennants the previous two years.and was the number two pick this season.

The Marston Nine (96-58) were the champion of the Ruthlandian East, whipping last year's winner Sugar Valley (89-65) by seven games. Marston's last trip to the postseason was in 2028. The club has never won the IPA crown. For the past two decades they have been entrenched in the second division most of the time. The Nine shot up from seventh place to first place this season. They were rated the third best team in preseason polls. Sugar Valley was the favorite with Wynnamac number two. The Sundowners (78-76) came in a distant third, 18 games off the pace.

The Middlefield Roosters (95-59) were the best in the Ruthlandian West this season, capturing the flag in fairly easy fashion. They were ranked the best team in the division and lived up to it. The Roosters won by 11 games over runner-ups Volusia (84-70) and Rocky Rapids (84-70), the defending division champ. Middlefield was second in the standings last year. This was their second pennant in three seasons. The Roosters' only Pro Cup title came long ago in 2005.

Last year's IPA Pro Cup winner Hartsdale (87-67) earned another shot at the elusive Pro Cup trophy, but it didn't come easy. The unheralded White River Rascals (84-70) harassed the Hellcats all season long before they finally succumbed by three games in the last few days of the season. Hartsdale was the preseason favorite to repeat as division champ, while White River was ranked a lowly seventh and not expected to have much of a season. This was the Hellcats' third TU North title in the last six years.

As forecast in the preseason picks, the Southport Sun Sox (92-62) were a heavy favorite to shine in the Tycobbian South race, but it was a little tougher than predicted. The second place and number two choice San Alejo Montaneros (90-64) kept the pressure on all during the season and were finally beaten out by two games. Turon (87-67) and Cape Coral (85-69) also ran good races. The Sun Sox have dominated the TU South recently, winning the division five times in the last six years. Southport won its only Pro Cup three years ago in 2044. Last year's champion Summerland (76-78) was never a factor in the race and finished well down in the standings in sixth place. The Sunsets were selected fourth in the preseason poll.

In the Tycobbian East the powers-to-be were Tuckanarra and Red Bluff, rated one-two in the preseason. In the end the baseball experts were pretty much on target. They got the two best teams right, but missed on the order. The Red Sox (95-59) got the best of the favored Blue Jays (92-62) by three games in a close race. This was Red Bluff's fourth straight year to win the division. In the team's history the Red Sox have only won one Pro Cup, which came in 2004.

The pennant race went down to the last few games in the Tycobbian West with defending champ Kenwood (85-69) skimming by Rolling Hills (84-70) by a single game. If the Reds had won game 154, a playoff would have been needed to decide the title. The Wildcats were the critic's choice in the preseason with the Reds ranked third. Kenwood has chalked up six flags in the last seven seasons, but you have to go back to 2014 for their only Pro Cup trophy.

07-10-2014, 09:04 PM	#4269
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,816	THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Monday, September 16, 2047 DIVISION CHAMPS GET READY FOR PLAYOFFS Goal number one has been met - 8 teams in the IPA have won their division championship - now they have their hearts and souls set on goal number two -the IPA Pro Cup, symbolic for the best baseball team in the Islands. 8 teams will begin their quest Wednesday afternoon with the openers of the IPA Pro Cup Division Championship Series. The Ruthlandian Union matchups include Belair Beach at Far Mountain and Middlefield traveling to Marston. In the Tycobbian Union defending Pro Cup crownbearer Hartsdale will be on the road in Southport trying to repeat as champion and Red Bluff will entertain Kenwood. According to the oddsmakers, it's a crap shoot as usual - the team that gets hot for the next month will be the IPA champion. Any one of the division champs could reign supreme this year. The Far Mountain Redhawks (101-53) easily took the Ruthlandian North division title, beating LaGrange by 15 games. It's the Redhawks first pennant since 2039. They won three consecutive Pro Cups from 2011 to 2013. Belair Beach has been in a severe drought since 2016, the last time they made the Pro Cup playoffs. The Sunbirds are still looking for their first Pro Cup. For the last nine seasons they wound up last in the RU South six times and seventh on three occasions. It was a wonderful turnaround season for the Sunbirds (84-70), who outlasted favored Waleska (81-73), reigning champ Claxton (81-73) and Crystal Lake (81-73) in a September showdown and won by three games. Claxton won the pennants the previous two years.and was the number two pick this season. The Marston Nine (96-58) were the champion of the Ruthlandian East, whipping last year's winner Sugar Valley (89-65) by seven games. Marston's last trip to the postseason was in 2028. The club has never won the IPA crown. For the past two decades they have been entrenched in the second division most of the time. The Nine shot up from seventh place to first place this season. They were rated the third best team in preseason polls. Sugar Valley was the favorite with Wynnamac number two. The Sundowners (78-76) came in a distant third, 18 games off the pace. The Middlefield Roosters (95-59) were the best in the Ruthlandian West this season, capturing the flag in fairly easy fashion. They were ranked the best team in the division and lived up to it. The Roosters won by 11 games over runner-ups Volusia (84-70) and Rocky Rapids (84-70), the defending division champ. Middlefield was second in the standings last year. This was their second pennant in three seasons. The Roosters' only Pro Cup title came long ago in 2005. Last year's IPA Pro Cup winner Hartsdale (87-67) earned another shot at the elusive Pro Cup trophy, but it didn't come easy. The unheralded White River Rascals (84-70) harassed the Hellcats all season long before they finally succumbed by three games in the last few days of the season. Hartsdale was the preseason favorite to repeat as division champ, while White River was ranked a lowly seventh and not expected to have much of a season. This was the Hellcats' third TU North title in the last six years. As forecast in the preseason picks, the Southport Sun Sox (92-62) were a heavy favorite to shine in the Tycobbian South race, but it was a little tougher than predicted. The second place and number two choice San Alejo Montaneros (90-64) kept the pressure on all during the season and were finally beaten out by two games. Turon (87-67) and Cape Coral (85-69) also ran good races. The Sun Sox have dominated the TU South recently, winning the division five times in the last six years. Southport won its only Pro Cup three years ago in 2044. Last year's champion Summerland (76-78) was never a factor in the race and finished well down in the standings in sixth place. The Sunsets were selected fourth in the preseason poll. In the Tycobbian East the powers-to-be were Tuckanarra and Red Bluff, rated one-two in the preseason. In the end the baseball experts were pretty much on target. They got the two best teams right, but missed on the order. The Red Sox (95-59) got the best of the favored Blue Jays (92-62) by three games in a close race. This was Red Bluff's fourth straight year to win the division. In the team's history the Red Sox have only won one Pro Cup, which came in 2004. The pennant race went down to the last few games in the Tycobbian West with defending champ Kenwood (85-69) skimming by Rolling Hills (84-70) by a single game. If the Reds had won game 154, a playoff would have been needed to decide the title. The Wildcats were the critic's choice in the preseason with the Reds ranked third. Kenwood has chalked up six flags in the last seven seasons, but you have to go back to 2014 for their only Pro Cup trophy. Last edited by Eugene Church; 07-10-2014 at 09:13 PM.