[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, July 1, 2053

IPA REPEATS LAST YEAR
The good teams from 2052 are still riding high this year in 2053... not a lot has changed... the reigning Pro Cup champion Middlefield is apparently headed for another banner season... just like last year, the Roosters have won more games than any other team in the IPA... they are on top of the Ruthlandian West at midseason... other division leaders are the same ones that won last year: Taranto in the RU North, Waleska in the RU South and Wynnamac in the RU East... however, the Tycobbian Union is somewhat in flux... there are three new division leaders... Blue Lake is a mild surprise in the TU North... Midway has moved ahead of last year's TU East winner East Point... and Denton City has a slight lead in the TU West ... Turon is the only team that won the division flag last year that has maintained its lofty perch... the Typhoons have a solid lead in the TU South.

In the Ruthlandian North race the Taranto Tars (52-25) started off slowly in April (11-12), but have taken off and soared to the top spot in the last two months with a remarkable 41-13 mark and built up an 8-game bulge over the runner-up Ranford Bulls (44-33)... this despite the loss of three starting pitchers, including rookie phenom Phil Castle (23-3/1.83), Valerio Rossi (20-11/2.52) and Enzo Ferrara (17-15/3.58)... Castle (5-3/2.99) and Ferrera (3-2/3.30) are lost for the entire season, while Rossi (9-5/2.96) could return in August... Mario Martinelli (7-0/2.73), Jaron Montague (8-1/2.85) and Freddy De Angelis (7-4/2.82) have filled in admirably... manager Augie Marshall has the pitching and the bats this year again... his prime bats are CF Renzo Caruso (.260 BA/21 HR/45 RBI), LF Kuma Toyota (.315 BA/15 HR/32 RBI/30 R) and All-Star 3B Gaetano Palombo (.322 BA/14 HR/45 RBI/48 R)... the Tars have made the postseason only 5 times, but did cop the 2015 IPA title, whipping the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers in 5 games, led by current manager Augie Marshall... Marshall was installed in the IPA Hall-of-Fame in 2049... he was a standout slugger with 504 homers in his career.

Manager Kyle Hunt had his Ranford Bulls (44-33) rippin' and snortin' the first two months of the season (34-17)... the Bulls were in first place, but tumbled badly in June (10-16)... Hunt doesn't appear to have the pitching, nor the hitting to stay with the Tars... he only has one strong starter... that's his 35-year-old veteran superstar and All-Star Ralph Hawk (11-4/2.32)... and one excellent closer in Martin Futch (7-5/2.36 ERA/11 saves/37 G)... Ranford has a decent offense with 3B Don Connell (.245 BA/13 HR/46 RBI/43 R), 1B Virgil Belisle (.297/10/35/41), LF Zach Isom (.314/8/39/45), RF Rory O'Herlihy (.311/7/33/35) and CF Joey Hawkins (.305/6/32/38)... the Bulls have been to the Pro Cup playoffs on 7 occasions and came home with one IPA crown... that was in 2040 when they subdued the Summerland Sunsets in 7 games, sparked by the then 22-year-old Ralph Hawk.

The rest of the division don't appear to be any threat... trailing in the distance are third place Kilkenny (41-36) and fourth place Valmara (39-38), 11 and 13 games off the pace of Taranto.

For the third straight season the Waleska Westerners (48-29) are atop of the Ruthlandian South Division... it's a two-club tussle with the Grand City Cybercats (44-33) hanging close, just 4 games back... manager and Hall-of-Fame outfielder Roy Hobbs has a fairly good staff with Vince Gibson (13-4/2.64), Kenny Foster (11-5/3.01), Trey Earnest (7-7/3.85) and John McElveen (7-6/3.44)... but seriously lacks productive power (31st) and run-scoring ability (27th)... SS Jingo Jernigan (.292 BA/4 HR/32 RBI/43 R/16 SB) and LF Zip McHan (.327/4/26/29) are the only productive hitters... Waleska has won the Pro Cup 3 times ('28, '37, '39), along with 9 pennants... Hobbs helped the Westerners win in an upset over Tuckanarra in the '28 Pro Cup Series... they beat the Blue Jays in a 7-game set... Hobbs was voted the Pro Cup MVP that year.

Grand City (44-33) is skippered by Thomas Hall... it's been over two decades since the Cybercats' last division crown... they have never won a Pro Cup and have made the playoffs only 3 times in the club history... they are excited about the team this year... the mound staff is borderline old, but capable... Joel Eaton (11-6/2.76), Jimmy Engels (9-4/3.46) and Rusty Stephens (8-7/3.18) are solid, but need better hitting support, especially in home runs (30th)... Kent Douglas (6-4/1.52/9 saves/32 G) is a fine closer... the only two threats at the plate are All-Star CF Rocky Valverdi (.354 BA/10 HR/29 RBI/48 R/15 SB) and RF Harland Blankenship (.292/1/41/38)... the Cats stuggled in April (11-12), but have played steady and winning baseball since at 33-21... just might stay in the race until the end.

Everybody else in the RU South seem to be in the same mediocre boat, playing for third place at best... at midyear the St. John Crusaders (37-40) were in the third spot, but trailing by 11 games... and the Claxton Diamonds (35-42) were fourth and 13 games behind in the pennant chase.

There's a pretty good race in the Ruthlandian East with last year's champ still on top of the standings... Wynnamac (43-34) has a 3-game edge on second place Elnora (40-37), 5 games better than third place Marston (38-39) and 7 games up on fourth place Cold Creek (36-41) and Belle Plaine (36-41).

Wynnamac manager Jerry Meeks is getting by on his pitching corps... his reliable staff probably makes them the pennant favorite... Meeks has some good ones in Simon Northcutt (11-5/3.31), Garan Parula (7-4/2.84/5 saves/20 G), James Duncan (9-6/2.59) and Sammy Hayes (8-10/3.09)... but he has a shaky bullpen (4.93 ERA) and just an average offense (21st in scoring runs)... the Sundowners' best bats belong to 1B Enos Benham (.343 BA/9 HR/36 RBI/37 R), All-Star C Jethro Bibbs (.308/3/28/40), LF Marv Washburn (.306/6/21/32/8 SB) and CF Dickie Key (.293/7/40/36/6 SB)... 8 times Wynnamac has appeared in the postseason playoffs and they have one Pro Cup trophy to show off... but that was way back in 2008 when the Sundowners defeated the Denton City Redbirds in 6 games, paced by sluggers Big Hoss Burkhalter and Nate Cockcroft and hurlers Skeets Hobart and Lefty Paddison.

The Elnora All-Stars (40-37) possess a hard-hitting attack, but skipper Stan Kivas is severely lacking any kind of pitching (4.49 ERA-27th)... his club is batting .279 (1st) and is ranked 3rd in scoring and 7th in home runs... heading up the torrid batting order are two All-Star performers: RF Donald Ray Mooney (.353 BA/12 HR/56 RBI/42 R) and 1B Gus Abreu (.312/11/49/61)... aided by LF Robb Norwood (.301/9/35/32) and CF Pedro Abreu (.305/7/33/43/6 SB)... the best of the lot on the pitching staff are Wade Mendenhall (8-7/3.93) and Billy Ehrenreich (9-9/4.49)... they are not likely to lead a club to a division title in the IPA... Kivas really need a lot of help on the hill to get back to the playoffs... Elnora hasn't participated since 2035... they have appeared 9 times in the postseason playoffs and captured their one and only Pro Cup in '33, topping the East Point Panthers in 7 games... Kivas was even a 23-year-old rookie hurler on that team, saving three games in relief... he went on to post a 237-203 record in 16 years with the club... other stars were pitchers Jeremy Sellers and Freddy Pfeffer, along with CF Travis Glass, MVP RF Pettis Pentleton and 2B Akihiro Samurakami.

The third place Marston Nine (38-39) under manager Russ Woodward have little hitting this year and are rated 28th in scoring runs, but better-than-average on the mound with a 3.41 team ERA (10th)... the Nine last captured the RU East flag in '47... 7 times they have made the playoffs, but have never won a Pro Cup... and have sadly never come close... not likely to win the division this year either... All-Star C Boomer Merritt (.278 BA/15 HR/52 RBI/42 R) and SS John Rodgers (.269/13/40/32) are the only decent hitters... Snooky Knaup (9-9/2.67) is the only reliable starter with Robert Tringle (4-4/0.88/6 saves/29 G) the best in the bullpen.

Can't see the Elnora All-Stars contending for the division crown this season... ditto for the fourth place Cold Creek Catamounts (36-41) and Belle Plaine Musketeers (36-41)... all of them can put plenty of runs on the scoreboard, but can't hold down the opposition on the hill.

Hall of Fame hurler J. J. Gillespie (294-170/2.46 ERA) is at the helm of the Cold Creek Catamounts... and it was in his playing tenure that the club won 5 division titles in 6 years... they have been to the postseason playoffs 8 times, but never won the Pro Cup, but they came oh so close in '41 when they lost in 7 games to the great North Hills dynasty... Gillespie won 22 games that year at age 35... he also won 19, 20 and 21 in the following three years... Cold Creek's top players are All-Star 3B Joe Cochrane (.319 BA/10 HR/46 RBI/50 R), RF Mel Parnell (.266/19/61/46) and LF Jimmy Lange (.281/12/40/53)... the pitching is so bad, there's nobody worth mentioning.

Former Belle Plaine star shortstop Slick Hammill is in charge of the Musketeers... only one single, solitary time have the Muskies graced the playoffs... that was in ancient times... back in 2009... zilch since, unfortunately... probably will be a few more years or so... could be decades, too... anyway, Hammill has one of the best players in the IPA in All-Star outfielder Lenny Buisson (.335 BA/25 HR/64 RBI/50 R/6 SB)... he pretty much carries the club, but does get some help from a few others like SS Kendell Hanks (.308/8/34/43) and LF Nappy Kiggins (.282/7/36/32)... Belle Plaine is hitting a hot .279 (2nd), 8th in scoring and 5th in roundtrippers with 87 so far... but the pitching is lousy with a 4.46 ERA (26th)... no contender anytime soon.

Last year's Ruthlandian Manager of the Year and IPA Pro Cup champion Ricky Tinker had a splendid season with his Middlefield Roosters (106-48) and they are half way to claiming their fifth Ruthlandian West Division banner... they are still in first place with a sparkling 53-24 mark, 5 games up on runner-up Volusia (48-29) and 6 games better than third place Sligo (47-30)... the Roosters have made the postseason 16 times in the team's history... they first captured the Pro Cup in 2005, getting past the Denton City Redbirds in 5 games, led by some sensational hitters, who walloped 34 homers in the playoffs... in the regular campaign Charlie Gamble led them with 51 homers and 120 RBIs, Ty DeWitt had 39 with 113 ribbies, Bailey Norcross added 32 with 111 RBIs... Cecil Clark went deep 28 times and Allie Ludlow socked 26 out of the park... all total they hammered 221 for the year... last year the current edition of the team won their 2nd Pro Cup trophy and they have a fairly good shot at repeating again this year... Tinker has a powerhouse club with 4 All-Stars, sparked by All-Star LF Rufus Blackburn (.283 BA/33 HR/73 RBI/67 R), All-Star SS Stan Radzikowski (.337/20/56/55), CF Johnny Wyatt (.337/20/60/47) and RF Trip Agarn (.317/14/44/46)... Middlefield has a marvelous mound corps, too, with All-Star James Long (14-4/2.38), All-Star Hollis Dale (11-4/2.46), Carroll Collier (10-6/2.46) and Larry Wheelhouse (9-2/3.74)... the Rooster bullpen could be better... so far, they have been mediocre.

The runner-up Volusia Vigilantes (48-29) are managed by player-manager and catcher Tubby Tarkanian... the V's have made the playoffs 9 times in their past, but not a lot lately... '43 was the last pennant... their only Pro Cup trophy came in the inaugural IPA season in 2001 when Volusia topped the Ginza Ninjas in a 4-game sweep, paced by Scooter Perez, Alejandro Salazar, Jesus Arroyo and Alex Luna at the plate and Raul Sandoval and Tony Bertanzos on the hill... this year Volusia has impressive mound work with an outstanding 2.98 ERA (2nd) and super-duper relief (1st-1.23 ERA)... but the V's have trouble scoring (26th)... Tarkanian's staff is young and talented, Casimiro Ramires (12-5/2.68) is the oldest at 30... All-Star Mateus Branco (12-3/1.98) is 25... Rique Batista (10-7/2.65) is 23... Freddy Lapaz (6-5/3.47) is 24... in the bullpen is standout closer Dan Hunt (0-2/1.27/15 saves/22 G), just 26 years old... the future is bright for Volusia... the V's offense is pathetic, ranking last with 31 homers... CF J. D. Landy (.276 BA/6 HR/42 RBI/46 R/16 SB) is the best they have... SS Xandos Passos (.284/2/32/28) and 2B Pablo Mendoza (.330/1/25/21) help out a little bit, but not much... it will tough for Volusia to compete with juggernaut Middlefield, but they have the pitching to contend for second place.

Third place Sligo (47-39) is skippered by ex-Rover star twirler and Hall-of-Famer Les Patterson (306-230), who toiled mainly from 2017 to 2030 and compiled a great career 2.79 ERA... during his era he led them to 4 division crowns and one Pro Cup title in 2021... the Rovers routed the White River White Sox in 5 games... Patterson was 23-8 in the season with a brilliant 2.03 ERA... in the postseason he was 4-2 with 2.09 ERA in 6 starts... Sligo has made 9 appearances in the postseason playoffs... the last pennant came in 2040... the current club has impressive pitching (7th-3.17 ERA) and average hitting (16th/.268 BA) with little power (25th/46 HR)... All-Star Mickey Walsh (13-4/2.34) and 21-year-old rookie Bruce Belden (11-3/2.51) have been standouts on the hill... 20-year-old closer Tiger Snodgrass (4-6/2.51/10 saves/25 G) has been very good, too... #3 and #4 starters Ayden Evans (8-8/4.34) and Mitch Taylor (6-6/4.16) have had some quality starts, too... Patterson's only reliable bats have been 3B Paddy Durham (.297 BA/10 HR/53 RBI/44 R/6 SB), CF Merle Bliss (.307/6/38/48/15 SB) and 2B Tommy Alberts (.292/3/34/34/7 SB).

Fourth place Forest City (42-35), along with two clubs tied for the fifth spot, Rocky Rapids (41-36) and Colfax (41-36), could challenge for second place in the second half... they all three could get back into that race with Volusia (48-29) and Sligo (47-30)... they have pretty fair ball clubs, too.