[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, April 5, 2049

BLAZERS TOP CHOICE IN TU EAST
If the baseball pollsters get it right this year, the Hillsboro Blazers will end a 48-year postseason famine. Hillsboro is the top choice to win the Tycobbian East this season. Should it happen, it will be the first time in the Blazers' history that they make the playoffs. They are the only team in the IPA that has never played in the postseason. A five-team race is predicted between Hillsboro, Tuckanarra, last year's champ High Mesa, South Fork and Midway... and Red Bluff shouldn't be counted out, either.

1. HILLSBORO: the Blazers finished sixth last season with a 77-77 record (22 GB)... the closest Hillsboro has ever come to winning a pennant was 2020 and 2043 when they came within two games of the the division title... the Blazers have outstanding pitching, but atrocious hitting... Steve Cooper (23-15/3.03) and Valdon Riley (16-12/3.44) were the best starters, though Jamie Lee Bradley (10-23/2.81) had the best ERA... Robby Lee Stillwell (13-10/3.49) is another quality arm on the staff... Clay Spencer (5-8/2.93/13 saves) is the best reliever... rookie Scott Cole looks like another good addition to the pitching corps... the Blazers hit very poorly for average, but do possess some punch in the lineup with LF Jurrien Bellini (.250/41 HR/96 RBI/92 runs), CF Rick Willis (.256/30 HR/79 RBI/108 runs) and 1B Ernie Moxley (.220/31 HR/92 RBI/69 runs).

2. TUCKANARRA: the Blue Jays have not appeared in the postseason since 2038, but they do have a pretty fair shot this season... they were fourth last year (80-74), 19 games back of High Mesa... the Bluebirds have pretty good pitching and fair hitting... Dickie Pittman (21-13/3.46) and Ozzie Leslie (17-16/2.70) are a good starting duo... if rookie southpaw Alfie Rutledge comes through, the Tucks could be a serious challenger... only one batter poses much of a threat and he's a good one... 1B Rodger Parsons hit .351 last year, third best in the IPA after Torek Abamczyk of Valmara and Whit Miley of Claxton... Abramczyk batted .361 and Miley .357... Parsons led the club with 20 homers, 77 RBIs and 85 runs... not much in the lineup except for Parsons.

3. HIGH MESA: after going almost five decades without a playoff appearance, the Cowboys finally won the TU East crown last year in a runaway with a 99-55... they beat runner-ups Red Bluff and Midway by 18 games... the team returns intact and should still be a serious contender... the starting four are all back: Lloyd Armstrong (22-1/2.99), Lucius Quarles (17-11/2.55), Tee Bo Templet (20-11/4.02) and Steve Tolan (18-10/4.09)... and the bullpen is in solid hands with William Morris (10-4/2.88/16 saves) and Dickie Sternfeld (8-6/2.62/5 saves)... four rookies could help out this season: CF Morgan McGaha, 3B Dan McQueen, LF Danny Babcock and 1B Benny Brighton... returning club leaders are 1B Johnny Tallis (.260/43 HR/108 RBI/77 runs), 2B Clifford Coleman (.268/26 HR/93 RBI/82 runs) and RF Wayne Kilpatrick (.278/20 HR/77 RBI/67 runs).

4. SOUTH FORK: the Stallions were fifth in 2048 with a 78-76 mark (21 GB), but his year they may be in the thick of things... they won the pennant three years in a row from 2041 to 2043, capturing their second Pro Cup in 2042... the starters are only fair and the bullpen is weak... Jay Murphy (20-12/3.46) is the ace with some help from Big Murph McAlister (8-7/2.49/3 saves), who moves back into a starting role after bullpen duty for most of last year... Kip Cleaver (14-9/3.11/2 saves) is a solid number three... heading up the batting order are CF Jack Boswell (.284/36 HR/103 RBI/120 runs) and SS Pete Arnold (.330/22 HR/65 RBI/128 runs)... C Rudy Maroney chipped in 18 HRs and 84 RBIs, but batted just .245... the Stallions really need a few more productive bats to get serious in the pennant chase.

4. MIDWAY: the Wolves had a good rebound season last year coming in tied with Red Bluff with an 81-73 record (18 GB)... it's been over 20 years since they made the playoffs... Midway has a fair mound staff and solid hitters... the top guns are LF Justin Morrison (.345/24 HR/94 RBI/89 runs), RF Alfie Kincade (.294/23 HR/86 RBI/78 runs), CF Hector Pena (.285/21 HR/70 RBIs 106 runs), C Martin Rogers (.287/21 HR/73 RBI/60 runs) and 2B Kax Clark (.280/5 HR/68 RBI/80 runs)... two rookies have looked good at first base in the Spring: Ted McDuffy and Sting Ketteridge... the top staffers are Craig Armstrong (23-11/3.60) and Charlie Chase (15-21/3.74)... other starters are Jeff Chandler (16-18/4.44) and Glenn Davis (14-20/4.41), who both benefited greatly from the fine offense... Midway has a strong closer in Rocket Rhodes (7-3/1.56/17 saves).

6. Red Bluff: the Red Sox won the division crown in four of the last five seasons, winding up a distant second last year with an 81-73 (18 GB) and tied with the Midway Wolves... the Red Sox feature a highly-touted attack that specializes in homers... they led the IPA last year with 242... but they also have fairly good starting pitching... though they are an aging ballclub, Red Bluff is still too good to finish sixth this year... they will be up with the leaders at season's end... the Red Bluff boomers are 1B Josh Stevens (.266/43 HR/87 RBI/78 runs), RF David Kelso (.302/41 HR/104 RBI/79 runs), 2B Fran Blanchard (.290/34 HR/80 RBI/101 runs), SS Leemon O'Donovan (.285/31 HR/80 RBI/90 runs), CF Ike Sweetwater (.268/26 HR/60 RBI/73 runs) and Jesse Shaw (.279/23 HR/74 RBI/57 runs)... the mound staff is good enough, led by superstar starter Jud Cox (20-14/2.51), Mickey Rosen (18-10/3.73), George Reynolds (14-14/3.75) and Sonny Wheat (16-15/3.67)... the bullpen is fairly good, but closer Carson Jamara (6-12/3.86/17 saves) runs hot-and-cold.

7. OZARKA: the Naturals wound up seventh... it was another bad year... 69-85 (30 GB)... the Nats haven't made the playoffs in a decade... it was the third straight season they finished near the bottom... Ozarka has two good starters in Jerald Kidman (18-12/3.06) and Carl Hemus (16-19/3.04)... in the bullpen Rob Land (5-6/3.07/14 saves), Jim Greene (3-4/2.31/7 saves) and Gene White (4-3/2.83/7 saves) are pretty good... what the Naturals need is offense... C Paul Beasley (.323/20 HR/80 RBI/70 runs) and 3B Artie Clayton (.221/37 HR/93 RBI/71 runs) provide most of the runs... not much talent at the plate after them.

8. EAST POINT: the Panthers won the division in 2039, but have been really bad ever since, usually finishing seventh or eighth... last year was a dismal 57-97 (42 GB)... the fans don't have much to cheer for in East Point... Ralph Wallace (13-17/3.76) is their best hurler, but is just a so-so starter... C Kenny Bailey (.287/26 HR/88 RBI) and 1B Jack Gorham (.304/26 HR/75 RBI) are the only batting threats... times will continue to be hard for the Panthers.

2049 Tycobbian South Preseason Predictions and Projected Statistics