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Eugene Church · 08-20-2014, 11:11 PM

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, June 30, 2048

VIPERS, REDHAWKS TIED FOR FIRST IN RU NORTH
At the halfway point in the Ruthlandian North it's a four-team race with Valmara (45-32) and Far Mountain (45-32) tied for the top spot... close behind are preseason favorite Ranford (41-36), just four games out and Kilkenny (40-37) only five games off the pace. Far Mountain is the defending champ... La Grange (35-42) was one of the top picks, but so far the Sports are running 10 games behind in the race in sixth place.
RU NORTH FORECAST: Valmara may be just a little bit better on the hill and with the bat than Far Mountain... the Vipers will win a close one... other clubs don't have the pitching to stay in the race.

CLAXTON CLICKING ON ALL CYLINDERS IN RU SOUTH
Waleska was the strong pick in the preseason poll to take the Ruthlandian South Division, but it hasn't panned out that way... number two Claxton (47-30) has jumped to the forefront and taken a solid six-game lead at the mid-season mark... the Westerners (34-43) are wallowing in sixth place, trailing by 13 games... hot-hitting Crystal Lake (41-36) with a .294 team BA is tied for second with last year's pennant winner Belair Beach (41-36)... the Valka Blackhawks (40-37) round out the first division, seven games back in the race.
RU SOUTH FORECAST: Only the Belair Beach Sunbirds seem to have the pitching and hitting to compete with the Claxton Diamonds... Crystal Lake can't continue to hit for such a high average and has terrible starting pitching... the Diamonds have quality starters, a good bullpen and excellent defense (.979 FA)... and just enough offense to get them by... the Sunbirds have been playing better lately and could make it tougher in the second half for Claxton... the Blackhawks hit with power and have good pitching, but will be third at best.

SV RATTLERS FIRST-HALF LEADER IN RU EAST
The powerful Sugar Valley Rattlers (48-29) were heavy favorites to capture the Ruthlandian East division crown this year by a wide margin... so far the number two choice in the preseason poll, the high-scoring Belle Plaine Musketeers (45-32) are hanging close by and trail by only three games at mid-year... the Wynnamac Sundowners (42-35) are in the third spot in the standings, six games out... in fourth place and 10 games back are the Eastshore Elegants (39-38)... last year's pennant winner Marston (35-42) has struggled this year and is 13 games behind Sugar Valley in sixth place.
RU EAST FORECAST: Sugar Valley is far superior on the hill to runner-up Belle Plaine... and the Rattlers can put runs on the scoreboard, not like the Muskies, but good enough to hold their own... still the Musketeers are averaging over 6 runs a game, far and away the best in the IPA... the Rattlers will prevail in the two-team tussle, but they may not run away with the pennant as the preseason polls professed... Wynnamac has impressive pitching, especially its starters, but their bats can't compete with the Rattlers and the Musketeers... Eastshore is just a break-even ball club with good pitching, but no offense.

FAVORED LUMBERJACKS ON TOP OF RU WEST
The preseason pollsters picked the Forest City Lumberjacks to be the best the Ruthlandian West this season and thus far their choice is holding... at the All-Star break Forest City (46-31) has a slight three-game edge over the runner-up Rocky Rapids Snappers (43-34) and are four games better than the third-place Sligo Rovers (42-35)... fourth place Colfax (39-38) is seven games out of first place... last season's division winner Middlefield (37-40) has struggled out of the gate and is nine behind the Lumberjacks... the experts were forecasting a tight two-game race between Forest City and Middlefield, but that has not transpired so far.
RUTHLANDIAN WEST FORECAST: The clubs in the RU West depend on pitching for the most part... the Lumberjacks have been absolutely stupendous with a 2.50 team ERA... the Snappers have been impressive, too, with a 2.94 ERA... third-place Sligo is very good with a 3.09 ERA... none of the teams in the division hit very well... Forest City should win out in what will be a two-team battle with Rocky Rapids... Colfax and Middlefield just don't have enough pitching to move up much in the standings... nor the hitting.

RASCALS RAISING THE DEVIL IN TU NORTH
The Luxora Zorros (39-38) were supposed to be the class of the Tycobbian North this year and win handily, but they have been losing too many close games and find themselves in fifth place lagging nine games behind the red-hot White River Rascals (48-29)... the Rascals have taken charge at the mid-point of the season and are five games up on the second-place Mahaska Haymakers (43-34), six ahead of defending champ Hartsdale (42-35) and Fairfax (42-35), who are tied for third place... Mahaska and Fairfax have played better than expected... both were forecast for the lower levels of the division... the Frogs are hitting a sizzling .290 as a team, but don't have much power.
TYCOBBIAN NORTH FORECAST: White River has three capable starters, better-than-average offense and strong defense, but has a pretty bad bullpen... Hartsdale and Luxora have what it takes to make a run at the Rascals, but Mahaska and Fairfax just don't possess the pitching... the Hellcats need improved pitching in the second half to be a serious contender, while the Zorros must just stop losing games they should win... White River should win, but the Zs could make it close.

SUN SOX STILL SHINING IN TU SOUTH
It's a tough task to pick the winner of the Tycobbian South... it's just about the best division in the IPA with five, sometimes six good ball clubs, but the class of the division is the powerful defending Pro Cup titlist, the Southport Sun Sox... halfway through the year the preseason-favored Sun Sox (50-27) have a nice five-game margin over the Ginza Ninjas (45-32) and six over the Turon Typhoons (44-33) and San Alejo Montaneros (44-33).
TYCOBBIAN SOUTH FORECAST: The Sun Sox are doing it a little different this season... they are depending on their bats instead of their mound staff... Southport is hitting a solid .274 as a team and leads the Tycobbian Union in scoring with 405 runs... defensively they are superb with a .980 FA... it may be asking too much of Ginza, San Alejo and Turon to match those stats... all of them are a little better than Southport on the hill, but not at the plate... Southport will take its sixth TU South flag in the last seven seasons and go on and try to repeat as the Pro Cup champion.

HIGH MESA TOWERS OVER TU EAST
The preseason thinking around the Islands was that the Red Bluff Red Sox would rack up their fifth Tycobbian East Division crown in a row this year... however midway through the schedule it hasn't worked out that way... the High Mesa Cowboys have played steady and consistently good baseball and have built up a comfortable five-game lead over the second place Tuckanarra Blue Jays and are seven games in front of the Red Sox... the Midway Wolves are fourth, trailing by nine games... the Hillsboro Blazers were forecasted to put up the best opposition to Red Bluff, but they have floundered badly, 13 games off the pace in sixth place.
TYCOBBIAN EAST FORECAST: Nobody is dominant in the division this year... High Mesa seems to have the right blend of everything to get the job done... Red Bluff doesn't have the pitching or hitting it has had in recent years... the Tucks don't quite measure up to the Cowboys, either... the Blue Jays will end up second to High Mesa with Red Bluff winding up third... the Cowpokes should be able to hold them both off in the second half of the season and ride off into the sunset with its first pennant in 35 years.

ROLLING HILLS REALLY ROLLS IN THE TU WEST
The baseball gurus really got it right in the Tycobbian West predictions for the season... They said the Rolling Hills Reds would romp and run away with the pennant... and the experts have been right on the money... at mid-year the Reds have run up a monstrous 11-game bulge over runner-up Denton City, 12 games better than last year's division winner Kenwood in third place and 15 games in front of fourth place Bayview... Kenwood has captured the division championship six times in the previous seven seasons.
TYCOBBIAN WEST FORECAST: Rolling Hills is outbatting and outpitching just about everybody in the Tycobbian Union with a .275 team BA (5th) and 2.85 team ERA (1st)... nobody is going to catch the Reds this year... the Wildcats appear to be the best bet to wind up second... it's pitching is superior to Denton City's... Bayview will end up fourth... the Vikings can go deep, but have no pitching whatsoever.

08-20-2014, 11:11 PM	#4337
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,912	THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Tuesday, June 30, 2048 VIPERS, REDHAWKS TIED FOR FIRST IN RU NORTH At the halfway point in the Ruthlandian North it's a four-team race with Valmara (45-32) and Far Mountain (45-32) tied for the top spot... close behind are preseason favorite Ranford (41-36), just four games out and Kilkenny (40-37) only five games off the pace. Far Mountain is the defending champ... La Grange (35-42) was one of the top picks, but so far the Sports are running 10 games behind in the race in sixth place. RU NORTH FORECAST: Valmara may be just a little bit better on the hill and with the bat than Far Mountain... the Vipers will win a close one... other clubs don't have the pitching to stay in the race. CLAXTON CLICKING ON ALL CYLINDERS IN RU SOUTH Waleska was the strong pick in the preseason poll to take the Ruthlandian South Division, but it hasn't panned out that way... number two Claxton (47-30) has jumped to the forefront and taken a solid six-game lead at the mid-season mark... the Westerners (34-43) are wallowing in sixth place, trailing by 13 games... hot-hitting Crystal Lake (41-36) with a .294 team BA is tied for second with last year's pennant winner Belair Beach (41-36)... the Valka Blackhawks (40-37) round out the first division, seven games back in the race. RU SOUTH FORECAST: Only the Belair Beach Sunbirds seem to have the pitching and hitting to compete with the Claxton Diamonds... Crystal Lake can't continue to hit for such a high average and has terrible starting pitching... the Diamonds have quality starters, a good bullpen and excellent defense (.979 FA)... and just enough offense to get them by... the Sunbirds have been playing better lately and could make it tougher in the second half for Claxton... the Blackhawks hit with power and have good pitching, but will be third at best. SV RATTLERS FIRST-HALF LEADER IN RU EAST The powerful Sugar Valley Rattlers (48-29) were heavy favorites to capture the Ruthlandian East division crown this year by a wide margin... so far the number two choice in the preseason poll, the high-scoring Belle Plaine Musketeers (45-32) are hanging close by and trail by only three games at mid-year... the Wynnamac Sundowners (42-35) are in the third spot in the standings, six games out... in fourth place and 10 games back are the Eastshore Elegants (39-38)... last year's pennant winner Marston (35-42) has struggled this year and is 13 games behind Sugar Valley in sixth place. RU EAST FORECAST: Sugar Valley is far superior on the hill to runner-up Belle Plaine... and the Rattlers can put runs on the scoreboard, not like the Muskies, but good enough to hold their own... still the Musketeers are averaging over 6 runs a game, far and away the best in the IPA... the Rattlers will prevail in the two-team tussle, but they may not run away with the pennant as the preseason polls professed... Wynnamac has impressive pitching, especially its starters, but their bats can't compete with the Rattlers and the Musketeers... Eastshore is just a break-even ball club with good pitching, but no offense. FAVORED LUMBERJACKS ON TOP OF RU WEST The preseason pollsters picked the Forest City Lumberjacks to be the best the Ruthlandian West this season and thus far their choice is holding... at the All-Star break Forest City (46-31) has a slight three-game edge over the runner-up Rocky Rapids Snappers (43-34) and are four games better than the third-place Sligo Rovers (42-35)... fourth place Colfax (39-38) is seven games out of first place... last season's division winner Middlefield (37-40) has struggled out of the gate and is nine behind the Lumberjacks... the experts were forecasting a tight two-game race between Forest City and Middlefield, but that has not transpired so far. RUTHLANDIAN WEST FORECAST: The clubs in the RU West depend on pitching for the most part... the Lumberjacks have been absolutely stupendous with a 2.50 team ERA... the Snappers have been impressive, too, with a 2.94 ERA... third-place Sligo is very good with a 3.09 ERA... none of the teams in the division hit very well... Forest City should win out in what will be a two-team battle with Rocky Rapids... Colfax and Middlefield just don't have enough pitching to move up much in the standings... nor the hitting. RASCALS RAISING THE DEVIL IN TU NORTH The Luxora Zorros (39-38) were supposed to be the class of the Tycobbian North this year and win handily, but they have been losing too many close games and find themselves in fifth place lagging nine games behind the red-hot White River Rascals (48-29)... the Rascals have taken charge at the mid-point of the season and are five games up on the second-place Mahaska Haymakers (43-34), six ahead of defending champ Hartsdale (42-35) and Fairfax (42-35), who are tied for third place... Mahaska and Fairfax have played better than expected... both were forecast for the lower levels of the division... the Frogs are hitting a sizzling .290 as a team, but don't have much power. TYCOBBIAN NORTH FORECAST: White River has three capable starters, better-than-average offense and strong defense, but has a pretty bad bullpen... Hartsdale and Luxora have what it takes to make a run at the Rascals, but Mahaska and Fairfax just don't possess the pitching... the Hellcats need improved pitching in the second half to be a serious contender, while the Zorros must just stop losing games they should win... White River should win, but the Zs could make it close. SUN SOX STILL SHINING IN TU SOUTH It's a tough task to pick the winner of the Tycobbian South... it's just about the best division in the IPA with five, sometimes six good ball clubs, but the class of the division is the powerful defending Pro Cup titlist, the Southport Sun Sox... halfway through the year the preseason-favored Sun Sox (50-27) have a nice five-game margin over the Ginza Ninjas (45-32) and six over the Turon Typhoons (44-33) and San Alejo Montaneros (44-33). TYCOBBIAN SOUTH FORECAST: The Sun Sox are doing it a little different this season... they are depending on their bats instead of their mound staff... Southport is hitting a solid .274 as a team and leads the Tycobbian Union in scoring with 405 runs... defensively they are superb with a .980 FA... it may be asking too much of Ginza, San Alejo and Turon to match those stats... all of them are a little better than Southport on the hill, but not at the plate... Southport will take its sixth TU South flag in the last seven seasons and go on and try to repeat as the Pro Cup champion. HIGH MESA TOWERS OVER TU EAST The preseason thinking around the Islands was that the Red Bluff Red Sox would rack up their fifth Tycobbian East Division crown in a row this year... however midway through the schedule it hasn't worked out that way... the High Mesa Cowboys have played steady and consistently good baseball and have built up a comfortable five-game lead over the second place Tuckanarra Blue Jays and are seven games in front of the Red Sox... the Midway Wolves are fourth, trailing by nine games... the Hillsboro Blazers were forecasted to put up the best opposition to Red Bluff, but they have floundered badly, 13 games off the pace in sixth place. TYCOBBIAN EAST FORECAST: Nobody is dominant in the division this year... High Mesa seems to have the right blend of everything to get the job done... Red Bluff doesn't have the pitching or hitting it has had in recent years... the Tucks don't quite measure up to the Cowboys, either... the Blue Jays will end up second to High Mesa with Red Bluff winding up third... the Cowpokes should be able to hold them both off in the second half of the season and ride off into the sunset with its first pennant in 35 years. ROLLING HILLS REALLY ROLLS IN THE TU WEST The baseball gurus really got it right in the Tycobbian West predictions for the season... They said the Rolling Hills Reds would romp and run away with the pennant... and the experts have been right on the money... at mid-year the Reds have run up a monstrous 11-game bulge over runner-up Denton City, 12 games better than last year's division winner Kenwood in third place and 15 games in front of fourth place Bayview... Kenwood has captured the division championship six times in the previous seven seasons. TYCOBBIAN WEST FORECAST: Rolling Hills is outbatting and outpitching just about everybody in the Tycobbian Union with a .275 team BA (5th) and 2.85 team ERA (1st)... nobody is going to catch the Reds this year... the Wildcats appear to be the best bet to wind up second... it's pitching is superior to Denton City's... Bayview will end up fourth... the Vikings can go deep, but have no pitching whatsoever.