[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 20, 2050

IPA POSTSEASON PLAYOFFS SLATED FOR WEDNESDAY
The eight best teams in Islandia are getting set to battle for the IPA Pro Cup playoffs beginning this Wednesday afternoon. The Valmara Vipers of the Ruthlandian Union are back again to defend their title against seven other division winners. In first round acton the Vipers will be at home at War Memorial Stadium playing host to the underdog St. John Crusaders in a best-of-seven series. In the other Ruthlandian clash it will be two other highly-regarded clubs opposing one another. The Sugar Valley Rattlers will entertain the Middlefield Roosters at Farmers Memorial Park. In the Tycobbian Union the Southport Sun Sox will travel to White River Stadium to play the hometown Rascals and the East Point Panthers will be in Bay St. Clair at Shoreline Park.

The pollsters are predicting a replay of last year when Valmara topped White River in six games. Sugar Valley is expected to give the Vipers a tussle for the Ruthlandian championship and Bay St. Clair is the Rascals' biggest hurdle for the Tycobbian crown.

IPA Postseason Poll by The Islandian Times

1. VALMARA VIPERS (100-54): the Vipers are good all-around... hitting, power, pitching and defense... relief pitching is their only weakness... they are seeking a record-tying fourth Pro Cup... the Vipers won it previously in '49, '44 and '26... they have won the RU North six times in the last eight seasons... Valmara still won the division despite losing their number three starter Teddy Twardzik for the whole season... both he and number four starter Mark Polaski (14-9/3.82) will miss the playoffs... Twardzik was 22-14 in '49 and 28-7 in '48... in the postseason Twardzik is 12-4 with a 2.38 ERA in 19 starts... he will be greatly missed.
Top Pitchers: All-Star Darus Grajek (25-9/1.98), Primo Sirak (19-10/2.63), Darek Polaski (18-8/2.42)
Top Batters: All-Star C Karol Koska (.286/34/132/79), SS Ken Jensen (.320/13/67/100), CF Don Ritchie (.312/9/77/118), 2B Jorge Aparicio (.318/4/54/84), RF Boyd Holmes (.332/20/84/73).

2. White River Rascals (102-52): led the IPA in victories this year... easily won their third pennant in a row, winning this year by an unprecedented 31 games... the Rascals are a complete ball club with terrific pitching, good scoring, firepower and defense... this could be their year to haul in their first Pro Cup.
Top Pitchers: All-Star Butch Slattery (26-8/2.41), All-Star Nicky Palmer (24-8/2.92), Keil Trickett (21-8/3.08) and Clem Warren (19-16/2.70) are one of the best starting foursome in the IPA... and closer Todd Cole (9-8/2.45/16 saves) is solid in the bullpen.
Top Batters: the big guns are star LF Billy Joe Hickman (.257/39/112/96), RF Ryne Hyland (.275/32/87/93), 3B Kenny Yarbrough (.294/22/75/92), 1B Ruben Reaves (.281/16/60/87), SS Kunta Burton (.321/7/62/83) and 2B Ryan Byrd (.263/22/90/81).

3. Sugar Valley Rattlers (99-55): For the third straight season and sixth time in eight years the Rattlers are the champion of the Ruthlandian East Division... won their only Pro Cup in '45 and have many of those players still on the club... Sugar Valley led the IPA with a superb 2.79 team ERA... White River with a 2.96 ERA and Valmara at 2.97 ranked second and third overall in the IPA... manager Bobby Gamble says this year's squad may be better than the Pro Cuppers in '45.
Top Pitchers: Christopher Dunsberry (24-6/2.57/2 saves), Joe Snow (23-10/2.40), Cullen Winslow (20-9/3.04) and Antonio Cedeno (19-14/2.38) are a fearsome foursome... the bullpen is not as strong, though Domenico Renterias (6-6/4.17/25 saves) was second in the IPA in saves... the bullpen will be boosted in the postseason with the addition of one of the starters to the relief corps... spot starter Davey Brennan (7-7/3.20/3 saves) will also be used in long relief.
Top Batters: Sugar Valley has nine players with 10 or more homers, led by young 23-year-old RF Duncan McEllicott (.297/38/99/86) and veteran star CF Carl Ramsey (.272/32/95/90) with 38 and 32 longballs respectively... the Rattlers don't hit for much average, batting only .252 (28th) during the season, but they made up for it with 180 home runs (2nd).

4. Bay St. Clair Buccaneers (99-55): the Bucs will be seeking their first Pro Cup... they made the Finals in '15, but were defeated by the Taranto Tars in five games... the Buccaneers have a high-scoring machine that averaged almost 6 runs a game... they should be a potent force in the postseason playoffs... number three starter Jerry MacIntyre will be the key... if he does well, the Bucs could win the Pro Cup.
Top Pitchers: Scotty Hedwall (22-10/2.85) and Dion Hawkins (20-7/2.96) are two very capable starters, but they will need help from Jerry MacIntyre (16-9/4.58) to be a factor in the Pro Cup playoffs... the Buccaneer bullpen is awesome with Ian Abercrombie (10-5/1.70/13 saves) and Cadillac Bogart (8-8/2.41/11 saves)... definitely no problem there... they are ranked second in the Tycobbian Union with a very strong 2.10 ERA.
Top Batters: the Bucs topped the IPA with 903 runs and ranked fourth with a .281 BA... the only clubs better were Ranford (.287), St. John (.285) and Valmara (.283)... the Buccaneer batting order is chocked full of solid hitters: LF Stan Kovalenko (.307/13/80/119), 1B Clive Caviness (.315/28/107/86), RF Butch Thornhill (.282/21/98/99), C Hersh Cranmore (.305/20/90/82) and All-Star 2B Dwayne Mungle (.288/7/76/106)... Kovalenko ranked third with 119 runs, topped only by Norishigi Ito of Arroyo Grande and Ryan Reagan of Kilkenny, who led the IPA with 120 each.

5. Southport Sun Sox (98-56): the Sun Sox would like nothing better than to add to their collection of IPA crowns... they won Pro Cups in 2044 and 2047, whipping Wynnamac and Middlefield... the Sun Sox were third in the Tycobbian Union with 98 wins and possess strong pitching and solid bats.... Southport has a wealth of players with Pro Cup experience and should do well in the playoffs, but must first get by powerful White River in the opening round...
the Sun Sox's pitching went south last year and they fell from a lofty 101-53 in 2048 to 83-71 in 2049... but it came back this year, aided by a trade... they picked up lackluster jouneyman Tom Chambers from Chicopee and he won 22 games... in the previous 8 years with the Braves he was only 60-74.
Top Pitchers: star Johnny Swanson (17-11/2.58), All-Star Tommy Hoover (19-13/3/12), Tom Chambers (22-11/3.33) and Brandon Delmore (17-10/3.90) are the starters... two excellent relievers lead the bullpen: Troy Hill (14-5/1.85/21 saves) and Hal Combs (7-5/1.95/8 saves)... Hill was third in the IPA with 21 saves... only rookie Martin Futch of Ranwood with 26 and Domenico Renterias of Sugar Valley with 25 were ahead of Hill.
Top Batters: C Vasillis Vlachos (.293/27/93/78), LF Tony Patrano (.308/26/109/74), RF Chris Jones (.304/4/55/90), 2B Owen Wallace (.288/4/60/94) and platooners 1B Eddy Douglas (.294/15/47/40) and 1B Zee Graham (.333/23/64/56).

6. Middlefield Roosters (91-63): The Roosters have their work cut out for them... to have any chance at winning their second Pro Cup, they have to get past two powerful clubs, Valmara and Sugar Valley... Middlefield won its only Pro Cup trophy in 2005 and has made the playoffs 14 times... twice the Roosters made the Finals, but lost... to South Fork in 2025 and Southport in 2047, both in seven games... the Roosters hit well with power and have good veteran pitching, but a weak bullpen... they went deep 208 times, third best in the IPA behind Red Bluff's 238 homers and Bayview's 231... roster is still filled with many of the '47 finalists... pitching has always been their downfall in the postseason.
Top Pitchers: All-Star James Long (25-8/1.78) led the IPA in ERA and ranked second in victories... other starters are Carroll Collier (20-15/3.36) and Hollis Dale (16-14/3.78)... Ricky Farris (10-9/3.35/14 saves) is an adequate closer... Collier and Dale are the keys to the Roosters' postseason success.
Top Batters: last year's RU MVP, Rookie of the Year and All-Star CF Johnny Wyatt (.325/57/133/114) was even better this year, leading the IPA with 57 homers and ranking second with 133 RBIs... Grand City's Benny Hull was tops with 135 RBIs... Middlefield doesn't have an easy out in the batting order with RF Timothy Hayworth (.331/17/64/101), LF Russell Martin (.260/28/83/87), 1B Cliff Patterson (.280/18/60/65), 2B Ike Gary (.282/17/72/75), C Johnny McDonald (.293/9/67/68), SS Jimmy Beach (.266/14/71/51) and 3B Cramer Landis (.263/11/61/76).

7. St. John Crusaders (90-64): the Crusaders won their first pennant since 2042... they went from 8th (26 GB) to 5th (16 GB) to 5th (10 GB) to the division crown in four seasons... St. John is still seeking its first Pro Cup trophy... however, they almost won it in 2036, but lost out in six games to the legendary North Hills Hawks... right off the bat the Crusaders will have to get by the defending Pro Cup champion Valmara Vipers to entertain any hopes of winning the IPA crown... the bats can go up against the Vipers, but St. John's pitching is suspect.
Top Pitchers: All-Star Frank Long (26-11/3.00) and Teddy de Grom (19-13/3.10) are the best starters... Long tied Will McKinney (26-12/1.93) of San Alejo and Butch Slattery (26-8/2.41) of White River for the most wins in the IPA this year... Jimmy Chambers (10-7/3.38/11 saves), Zeke Yoder (15-8/3.94) and Liam Spears (15-13/3.77) were also quality starters.
Top Batters: All-Star 1B Al Pace (.321/26/119/76), LF Sherrill Westerfield (.343/6/48/91), RF Cris Hershey (.321/11/88/86), SS Bubba Ralston (.296/12/59/105) and 2B Herbie Gruen (.265/17/92/73) led a solid core of hitters.

8. East Point Panthers (91-63): for the first time since 2039 the Panthers are finally back in the playoffs... they have never won a Pro Cup and are not likely to win this year... they just don't have the pitching... however hitting is another story... the Panther bats came alive with 208 home runs, third-best in the IPA behind Red Bluff (238 HRs) and Bayview (231 HRs)... they were second in scoring with 849 runs, ranking third behind leader Bay St. Clair (903 runs) and Claxton (861 runs)... coupled with fair good pitching and a fine bullpen, East Point did a great turnaround.
Top Pitchers: Milt Easterling (22-7/3.58) and Joey Hilton (20-12/4.09) were the main starters... in the bullpen rookie closer Pudgy Putnam (11-8/2.38/14 saves) led a solid group of four relievers, who recorded a sparkling 2.45 ERA, fifth best in the Tycobbian Union.
Top Batters: the Panther batting order featured three players with 38 or more homers and 100 RBIs, sparked by C Kenny Bailey (.309/40/111/80), rookie RF Doug Dennhardt (.275/39/105/81) and rookie 1B Alvaro Cavacos (.262/38/110/78)... rookie SS Justin McRae (.306/14/75/110) was a good one, too.