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

Eugene Church · 07-08-2017, 05:40 PM

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, June 21, 2054

WMACS SNATCH 3RD STRAIGHT RU SOUTH TITLE
It was a season-long battle, but the Wynnamac Sundowners (94-60) withstood the challenge of six other clubs to garner their third straight Ruthlandian East Division flag... in a well-balanced division they nudged out the Marston Nine (92-62) by two games, Eastshore Cotton Kings (87-67) by seven games and Sugar Valley Rattlers (84-70) and Belle Plaine Musketeers (84-70) by 10 games... all of the contenders had fine seasons.

1. WYNNAMAC SUNDOWNERS (94-60)... Wynnamac skipper Jerry Meeks, an IPA Hall of Fame hurler, led them to the RU East crown with fine pitching and strong bats... the Sundowners ranked second with a .283 BA, second in scoring with 821 runs, ninth in homers with 138 and fourth in pitching with a 3.32 ERA... Meeks starred for Wynnamac for 21 years (2008-2028) and completed his career with a 313-214 mark and an excellent 2.93 ERA... he was inducted to the IPA Hall of Fame in 2029... checking out the Wynnamac track record down throught the years, the Sundowners have made the playoffs 10 times with one Pro Cup trophy... they topped the Denton City Redbirds in six games in 2008... years later in 2044 Wynnamac went seven games before losing to a very fine Southport Sun Sox club.

Meeks had a very good season, never having a bad month... his top batters were RF Charley Bristol (.321/25 HR/88 RBI/96 R), 1B Enos Benham (.346/15 HR/68 RBI/74 R), C Jethro Bibbs (.314/10 HR/67 RBI/61 R), 3B Dale Fisher (.303/6 HR/66 RBI/54 R/10 SB), CF Dickie Keys (.342/14 HR/49 RBI/53 R/8 SB), 2B Whiz Ivie (.299/7 HR/67 RBI/87 R/31 SB) and CF Wally Bonds (.302/12 HR/51 RBI/51 R/4 SB)... on the hill James Duncan (21-7/3.22) won the most games, but he had plenty of support from Simon Northcott (18-9/3.47) and Sammy Hayes (17-12/2.74)... even rookie Dion Delgiorno (11-10/3.16) pitched well... two other spot starter/relievers George Medworth (11-7/3.75/11 saves/39 G) and Garan Parula (11-12/3.87/5 saves/48 G) had some quality starts.

Outlook: The Wynnamac team has a bright future... they have been good for the last five seasons and should be good for the rest of the decade... Meeks has a relatively young squad... solid pitching and an abundance of better-than-average bats... but the Sundowners have to get past mighty Middlefield to get to the Pro Cup... that's not easy... they have been eliminated in the first round the last two seasons... it will probably happen again... the Roosters are better than ever and one of the favorites to capture the IPA overall title.

2. Marston Nine (92-62) (2 GB)... the Nine went from 75-79 last year to 92 victories this year and almost whipping Wynnamac for the division flag, but manager Russ Woodward came up two games short... Woodward was a fantastic IPA Hall of Fame outfielder for 21 seasons, all with the Nine from 2013 to 2033... lifetime he batted .315 with 621 homers and 2052 RBIs... Woodward was a 9-time All-Star and 6-time Golden Glove... Marston has won seven pennants in its history, the last one came in 2047... the Nine has never won the Pro Cup... never coming close... Woodward has a very youthful squad that has good hitting with a .281 BA (4th) and 774 runs (6th), but he's a little bit short on power with only 113 roundtrippers (20th)... on the mound Marston is better-than-average with a 3.60 ERA (9th)... the bullpen is outstanding with a 2.88 ERA (4th)... top contributors at the plate are All-Star C Boomer Merritt (.307/29 HR/108 RBI/87 R), All-Star LF Joe Duplantis (.311/24 HR/84 RBI/82 R/10 SB), 2B Damien D'Amboise (.309/7 HR/79 RBI/109 R/20 SB), RF Haden Worthy (.300/6 HR/51 RBI/77 R/18 SB) and 1B Jarrod Crutchfield (.287/12 HR/63 RBI/63 R)... top hurlers are young and talented rookies... Lance McElveen (15-7/3.05), Mark Henley (16-11/3.10) and Rory Fingers (16-8/3.74) are the main starters... Marston has one of the best closers in the IPA with Robert Tringle (5-4/1.09/20 saves/61 G).

Outlook: the best is yet to come... the Marston youngsters made it tough on Wynnamac this season... things could really be on the rise for the Nine as they mature and gain experience.

3. Eastshore Cotton Kings (87-67) (7 GB)... after seven successive seasons in the second division of the RU East, manager Scotty Lagrange got the club going with a third place finish... the Cotton Kings came in eighth in three of the previous four years... Lagrange has dynamite pitching with a 3.17 ERA (2nd), headed up by 35-year-old veteran Malcolm Tansbury (17-10/2.75) and three youngsters, Dain Moore (19-11/2.96), Jim DeWeese (9-5/2.81/4 saves/35 G) and Sam Carmon (15-11/3.12)... in the standout bullpen is 33-year-old Trent Niven (3-8/1.87/30 saves/64 G)... he led the IPA with 30 saves... Eastshore's problem is its lack of offense... Lagrange needs a lot of help there... the Cotton Kings batted only .256 (22nd) with 662 runs (20th) and 123 HR (14th-tied)... Lagrange doesn't have much talent in his batting order... his best bats are just average in the IPA... LF Johnny Joe Sullinger (.291/3 HR/46 RBI/68 R/44 SB), 3B Ryne Moncriffe (.264/20 HR/59 RBI/65 R/10 SB) and CF D'Marcus McIlwain (.258/18 HR/62 RBI/62 R/27 SB) are the best of the litter.

Outlook: it's been two decades since Eastshore hoisted a pennant... the Cotton Kings have made the postseason only seven times in history... but they do have two Pro Cup trophies, won in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017... Eastshore swept the Ozarka Naturals in four games the first year and then repeated the next year by knocking off the powerful Turon Typhoons in seven games... to compete with elite teams in the IPA, the Cotton Kings need to ramp up its attack with additional firepower.

4. Elnora All-Stars (86-68) (8 GB)... it was a good year for manager Stan Kivas... he was a quality starter for the club for 16 seasons from 2033 to 2048, winding up with a 237-203 record and a 3.45 ERA... last year the All-Stars finished second in the RU East with a 78-76 mark, 11 games back of division winner Wynamac... Kivas had a better performance from his mound corps this season, but despite the improved record, they wound up in fourth place, 8 GB... the club ERA went down from a lousy 4.62 to a lackluster 4.04... but his offense was kind of perky with a .282 BA (3rd) with 820 runs (3rd) and 154 HR (6th)... three players made the RU All-Star team: 1B Gus Abreu (.341/17 HR/80 RBI/110 R), 2B Mickey Wilbur (.317/21 HR/88 RBI/80 R/5 SB) and C Jarrick Gayden (.308/11 HR/68 RBI/55 R)... other good sticks include LF Donald Ray Mooney (.295/16 HR/69 RBI/65 R/5 SB) and RF Robb Norwood (.331/10 HR/58 RBI/48 R)... Kivas' best hurlers are Wade Mendenhall (20-9/3.64), Billy Ehrenreich (19-12/3.47) and Slim Harding (19-14/4.05)... in the bullpen Leland Schofield (5-4/2.81/16 saves/37 G) has been a quality closer.

Outlook: Elnora can hit the ball and score runs, but they need better pitching to move up in the Ruthlandian East standings... not likely to catch the three clubs above them in the division.

5. Sugar Valley Rattlers (84-70) (10 GB)... this season they tied for fifth place with the Belle Plaine Musketeers... the Rattlers have one of the IPA all-time greatest players as skipper... Bobby Gamble was named Ruthlandian MVP four times, won five Golden Bat Awards, captured five Golden Bats and won two Golden Gloves... he played from '33 to '49... now a member of the IPA Hall of Fame... Gamble got the team back on track after two down years in '52 and '53... last year they were a very poor seventh with 68-86, 21 GB... improved pitching made the turnaround... 18 times Sugar Valley has appeared in the postseason playoffs... in 2045 the Rattlers captured their only Pro Cup, knocking off the Southport Sun Sox in six games... twice Sugar Valley lost in the Pro Cup Finals... to Red Bluff in '04 and to Tuckanarra in '24... Gamble's club is still mediocre on the hill inspite of much improvement with a 4.04 ERA (22nd)... they had a high 4.42 ERA in 2053... but they can hit the ball deep, pounding out 185 home runs (3rd), while they batted only .254 (27th)... the Rattlers scored 698 runs (14th-tied)... Antonio Cedeno is the only pitcher left from the golden years '43 to '51 when Sugar Valley hauled in seven pennants in nine years... this year Cedeno (22-13/3.46) led the team in wins, aided by Elvis Bonham (17-15/3.28)... in the pen youngster Hector De Andres (5-3/3.12/15 saves/28 G) stood out in the relief corps... LF Carl Ramsey (.261/43 HR/102 RBI/96 R/9 SB) is easily the main man in the Rattler lineup... Ramsey led the IPA with 43 homers... SS Tuck Alstott had 22 roundtrippers and 76 RBI, but hit a paltry .236... RF Tyler Alban (.289/13 HR/76 RBI/75 R/13 SB) and 3B Shiloh Harrs (.267/14 HR/45 RBI/46 R) occasionally did some damage, too.

Outlook: manager Bobby Gamble needs more contact hitters to improve the offense... and he needs a quality starter or two to get Sugar Valley back up near the top of the Ruthlandian East race.

5. Belle Plaine Musketeers (84-70) (10 GB)... the Muskies have shown steady improvement the past two seasons, boosting their record way over .500... the club was 69-85 two years ago and 74-80 last year... skipper Slick Hammill played 17 seasons with Belle Plaine... a talented infielder and seven-time All-Star, he registered a .301 career batting average with 252 homers and 1290 RBIs... Hammill has a capable club with a .276 BA (7th), 782 runs (5th) and 152 homers (7th)... pitching is better-than-average with 3.70 ERA (14th)... the Musketeer mound staff has four pretty fair starters in their rotation with Joe-Joe Bouvier (17-9/2.99), Jaron Montague (17-10.3.67), Al McKeown (13-17/4.25) and Raphael Palmieri (13-14/3.66)... Hammill's relief corps is suspect with a 3.91 ERA (27th)... the big trade with Taranto, a 3-for-1 deal, was a win-win... superstar Lenny Buisson hit 40 homers and batted .296 for the Tars, while pitchers Montague and Palmieri, along with RF Cody Losby slammed 28 HR, drove in 91 runs and hit a lofty .332 for Belle Plaine... Losby made the All-Star team... 1B Chuck Gregory (.324/28 HR/104 RBI/89 R) had a fine year for the Muskies... also contributing some offense were LF Andy Williams (.284/6 HR/43 RBI/79 R/7 SB), 3B Kale Woodard (.301/2 HR/63 RBI/66 R), CF Lyle Cuthbert (.333/17 HR/69 RBI/47 R/7 SB) and C Jerrod Hagood (.302/9 HR/50 RBI/36 R).

Outlook: Belle Plaine is looking up... the Musketeers have made some good moves the last couple of seasons and it could pay off big time fairly soon... Hammill is really looking forward to next year... his starters and young bats have him excited.

7. Beechwood Blues (60-94) (34 GB)... it's been nine years since manager Maury Patterson and his Blues have had a winning season... and sadly, the last RU East title came in 2027, 28 years ago... Beechwood has only three pennants in its history and has not ever won a Pro Cup... twice they were beaten by the then Crystal Lake Crushers in the Ruthlandian title series... the Crushers went on to win the overall IPA crown both times (2020, 2026)... the then Beechwood Bobcats also lost in the RU championship series to Valmara in 2027... they have never won the Ruthlandian Union title... Patterson starred for 16 seasons for Beechwood and compiled a fine 267-190 record with a very good 3.04 ERA... twice he was the Ruthlandian Golden Arm Award winner (2026, 2038)... Patterson played 2025 to 2040... Beechwood was a pretty competitive club during that period.

Plain and simple, Beechwood is just a bad ballclub... Blues season stats: .250 BA (31st), 531 runs (32nd), only 94 HR (28th-tied)... poor on the mound, too, with a 4.37 ERA... Patterson's only decent starter is 38-year-old Lenny Medford (11-18/3.84)... in his bullpen is a very good and young closer Owen Greenacre (7-2/2.03/16 saves/65 G)... the Blues have very little at the plate with the likes of CF Rod McClellan (.277/23 HR/99 RBI/66 R/10 SB), RF Darrel Felton (.299/6 HR/49 RBI/68 R/17 SB) and 3B Eldon Gilbert (.290/5 HR/34 RBI/55 R).

Outlook: Beechwood is woeful when it comes to talented ballplayers... not a rosy future for the Blues and skipper Maury Patterson.

8. Cold Creek Catamounts (56-98) (38 GB)... the CC 'Cats are on a four-year skid as an RU East also-ran... it's been 14 seasons since the last division flag (2041)... they have made the playoffs only eight times in their existence and never captured a Pro Cup trophy... Cold Creek almost won one in 2041 when they were defeated by juggernaut North Hills in a seven-game set... the Hawks of that era were one of the all-time best teams... they won 11 pennants in 12 years and four Pro Cups from '34 to '45... current manager J. J. Gillespie was a 22-game winner in '41 and was 4-3 in that postseason with a sparkling 1.90 ERA... in fact, Gillespie is one of the all-time IPA greats with a 294-170 career mark with a truly brilliant 2.46 ERA (7th best in history)... he was voted into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2046.

Sad to say, but Cold Creek has lousy pitching with a horrendous 4.59 ERA (32nd) and only average hitting and scoring... the team BA was .262 (18th), scored just 696 runs (17th) and hit 134 HR (13th)... Jimmy Engels (14-16/4.23) and Rusty Rotherham (10-12/4.03) are just fair starters... nobody special in the relievers... the Catamounts have a few creditable hitters in CF Jimmy Lange (.296/21 HR/80 RBI/90 R/15 SB), seven-time All-Star, Golden Glover and rock solid SS Joe Cochrane (.282/14 HR/68 RBI/82 R), RF Mel Parnell (.291/20 HR/96 RBI/76 R/8 SB) and 1B Bobby Dundee (.289/13 HR/84 RBI/76 R).

Outlook: Cold Creek has to get better on the hill to compete in the RU East Division... could be a few years before they rebuild the mound staff.

07-08-2017, 05:40 PM	#5520
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,891	THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Monday, June 21, 2054 WMACS SNATCH 3RD STRAIGHT RU SOUTH TITLE It was a season-long battle, but the Wynnamac Sundowners (94-60) withstood the challenge of six other clubs to garner their third straight Ruthlandian East Division flag... in a well-balanced division they nudged out the Marston Nine (92-62) by two games, Eastshore Cotton Kings (87-67) by seven games and Sugar Valley Rattlers (84-70) and Belle Plaine Musketeers (84-70) by 10 games... all of the contenders had fine seasons. 1. WYNNAMAC SUNDOWNERS (94-60)... Wynnamac skipper Jerry Meeks, an IPA Hall of Fame hurler, led them to the RU East crown with fine pitching and strong bats... the Sundowners ranked second with a .283 BA, second in scoring with 821 runs, ninth in homers with 138 and fourth in pitching with a 3.32 ERA... Meeks starred for Wynnamac for 21 years (2008-2028) and completed his career with a 313-214 mark and an excellent 2.93 ERA... he was inducted to the IPA Hall of Fame in 2029... checking out the Wynnamac track record down throught the years, the Sundowners have made the playoffs 10 times with one Pro Cup trophy... they topped the Denton City Redbirds in six games in 2008... years later in 2044 Wynnamac went seven games before losing to a very fine Southport Sun Sox club. Meeks had a very good season, never having a bad month... his top batters were RF Charley Bristol (.321/25 HR/88 RBI/96 R), 1B Enos Benham (.346/15 HR/68 RBI/74 R), C Jethro Bibbs (.314/10 HR/67 RBI/61 R), 3B Dale Fisher (.303/6 HR/66 RBI/54 R/10 SB), CF Dickie Keys (.342/14 HR/49 RBI/53 R/8 SB), 2B Whiz Ivie (.299/7 HR/67 RBI/87 R/31 SB) and CF Wally Bonds (.302/12 HR/51 RBI/51 R/4 SB)... on the hill James Duncan (21-7/3.22) won the most games, but he had plenty of support from Simon Northcott (18-9/3.47) and Sammy Hayes (17-12/2.74)... even rookie Dion Delgiorno (11-10/3.16) pitched well... two other spot starter/relievers George Medworth (11-7/3.75/11 saves/39 G) and Garan Parula (11-12/3.87/5 saves/48 G) had some quality starts. Outlook: The Wynnamac team has a bright future... they have been good for the last five seasons and should be good for the rest of the decade... Meeks has a relatively young squad... solid pitching and an abundance of better-than-average bats... but the Sundowners have to get past mighty Middlefield to get to the Pro Cup... that's not easy... they have been eliminated in the first round the last two seasons... it will probably happen again... the Roosters are better than ever and one of the favorites to capture the IPA overall title. 2. Marston Nine (92-62) (2 GB)... the Nine went from 75-79 last year to 92 victories this year and almost whipping Wynnamac for the division flag, but manager Russ Woodward came up two games short... Woodward was a fantastic IPA Hall of Fame outfielder for 21 seasons, all with the Nine from 2013 to 2033... lifetime he batted .315 with 621 homers and 2052 RBIs... Woodward was a 9-time All-Star and 6-time Golden Glove... Marston has won seven pennants in its history, the last one came in 2047... the Nine has never won the Pro Cup... never coming close... Woodward has a very youthful squad that has good hitting with a .281 BA (4th) and 774 runs (6th), but he's a little bit short on power with only 113 roundtrippers (20th)... on the mound Marston is better-than-average with a 3.60 ERA (9th)... the bullpen is outstanding with a 2.88 ERA (4th)... top contributors at the plate are All-Star C Boomer Merritt (.307/29 HR/108 RBI/87 R), All-Star LF Joe Duplantis (.311/24 HR/84 RBI/82 R/10 SB), 2B Damien D'Amboise (.309/7 HR/79 RBI/109 R/20 SB), RF Haden Worthy (.300/6 HR/51 RBI/77 R/18 SB) and 1B Jarrod Crutchfield (.287/12 HR/63 RBI/63 R)... top hurlers are young and talented rookies... Lance McElveen (15-7/3.05), Mark Henley (16-11/3.10) and Rory Fingers (16-8/3.74) are the main starters... Marston has one of the best closers in the IPA with Robert Tringle (5-4/1.09/20 saves/61 G). Outlook: the best is yet to come... the Marston youngsters made it tough on Wynnamac this season... things could really be on the rise for the Nine as they mature and gain experience. 3. Eastshore Cotton Kings (87-67) (7 GB)... after seven successive seasons in the second division of the RU East, manager Scotty Lagrange got the club going with a third place finish... the Cotton Kings came in eighth in three of the previous four years... Lagrange has dynamite pitching with a 3.17 ERA (2nd), headed up by 35-year-old veteran Malcolm Tansbury (17-10/2.75) and three youngsters, Dain Moore (19-11/2.96), Jim DeWeese (9-5/2.81/4 saves/35 G) and Sam Carmon (15-11/3.12)... in the standout bullpen is 33-year-old Trent Niven (3-8/1.87/30 saves/64 G)... he led the IPA with 30 saves... Eastshore's problem is its lack of offense... Lagrange needs a lot of help there... the Cotton Kings batted only .256 (22nd) with 662 runs (20th) and 123 HR (14th-tied)... Lagrange doesn't have much talent in his batting order... his best bats are just average in the IPA... LF Johnny Joe Sullinger (.291/3 HR/46 RBI/68 R/44 SB), 3B Ryne Moncriffe (.264/20 HR/59 RBI/65 R/10 SB) and CF D'Marcus McIlwain (.258/18 HR/62 RBI/62 R/27 SB) are the best of the litter. Outlook: it's been two decades since Eastshore hoisted a pennant... the Cotton Kings have made the postseason only seven times in history... but they do have two Pro Cup trophies, won in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017... Eastshore swept the Ozarka Naturals in four games the first year and then repeated the next year by knocking off the powerful Turon Typhoons in seven games... to compete with elite teams in the IPA, the Cotton Kings need to ramp up its attack with additional firepower. 4. Elnora All-Stars (86-68) (8 GB)... it was a good year for manager Stan Kivas... he was a quality starter for the club for 16 seasons from 2033 to 2048, winding up with a 237-203 record and a 3.45 ERA... last year the All-Stars finished second in the RU East with a 78-76 mark, 11 games back of division winner Wynamac... Kivas had a better performance from his mound corps this season, but despite the improved record, they wound up in fourth place, 8 GB... the club ERA went down from a lousy 4.62 to a lackluster 4.04... but his offense was kind of perky with a .282 BA (3rd) with 820 runs (3rd) and 154 HR (6th)... three players made the RU All-Star team: 1B Gus Abreu (.341/17 HR/80 RBI/110 R), 2B Mickey Wilbur (.317/21 HR/88 RBI/80 R/5 SB) and C Jarrick Gayden (.308/11 HR/68 RBI/55 R)... other good sticks include LF Donald Ray Mooney (.295/16 HR/69 RBI/65 R/5 SB) and RF Robb Norwood (.331/10 HR/58 RBI/48 R)... Kivas' best hurlers are Wade Mendenhall (20-9/3.64), Billy Ehrenreich (19-12/3.47) and Slim Harding (19-14/4.05)... in the bullpen Leland Schofield (5-4/2.81/16 saves/37 G) has been a quality closer. Outlook: Elnora can hit the ball and score runs, but they need better pitching to move up in the Ruthlandian East standings... not likely to catch the three clubs above them in the division. 5. Sugar Valley Rattlers (84-70) (10 GB)... this season they tied for fifth place with the Belle Plaine Musketeers... the Rattlers have one of the IPA all-time greatest players as skipper... Bobby Gamble was named Ruthlandian MVP four times, won five Golden Bat Awards, captured five Golden Bats and won two Golden Gloves... he played from '33 to '49... now a member of the IPA Hall of Fame... Gamble got the team back on track after two down years in '52 and '53... last year they were a very poor seventh with 68-86, 21 GB... improved pitching made the turnaround... 18 times Sugar Valley has appeared in the postseason playoffs... in 2045 the Rattlers captured their only Pro Cup, knocking off the Southport Sun Sox in six games... twice Sugar Valley lost in the Pro Cup Finals... to Red Bluff in '04 and to Tuckanarra in '24... Gamble's club is still mediocre on the hill inspite of much improvement with a 4.04 ERA (22nd)... they had a high 4.42 ERA in 2053... but they can hit the ball deep, pounding out 185 home runs (3rd), while they batted only .254 (27th)... the Rattlers scored 698 runs (14th-tied)... Antonio Cedeno is the only pitcher left from the golden years '43 to '51 when Sugar Valley hauled in seven pennants in nine years... this year Cedeno (22-13/3.46) led the team in wins, aided by Elvis Bonham (17-15/3.28)... in the pen youngster Hector De Andres (5-3/3.12/15 saves/28 G) stood out in the relief corps... LF Carl Ramsey (.261/43 HR/102 RBI/96 R/9 SB) is easily the main man in the Rattler lineup... Ramsey led the IPA with 43 homers... SS Tuck Alstott had 22 roundtrippers and 76 RBI, but hit a paltry .236... RF Tyler Alban (.289/13 HR/76 RBI/75 R/13 SB) and 3B Shiloh Harrs (.267/14 HR/45 RBI/46 R) occasionally did some damage, too. Outlook: manager Bobby Gamble needs more contact hitters to improve the offense... and he needs a quality starter or two to get Sugar Valley back up near the top of the Ruthlandian East race. 5. Belle Plaine Musketeers (84-70) (10 GB)... the Muskies have shown steady improvement the past two seasons, boosting their record way over .500... the club was 69-85 two years ago and 74-80 last year... skipper Slick Hammill played 17 seasons with Belle Plaine... a talented infielder and seven-time All-Star, he registered a .301 career batting average with 252 homers and 1290 RBIs... Hammill has a capable club with a .276 BA (7th), 782 runs (5th) and 152 homers (7th)... pitching is better-than-average with 3.70 ERA (14th)... the Musketeer mound staff has four pretty fair starters in their rotation with Joe-Joe Bouvier (17-9/2.99), Jaron Montague (17-10.3.67), Al McKeown (13-17/4.25) and Raphael Palmieri (13-14/3.66)... Hammill's relief corps is suspect with a 3.91 ERA (27th)... the big trade with Taranto, a 3-for-1 deal, was a win-win... superstar Lenny Buisson hit 40 homers and batted .296 for the Tars, while pitchers Montague and Palmieri, along with RF Cody Losby slammed 28 HR, drove in 91 runs and hit a lofty .332 for Belle Plaine... Losby made the All-Star team... 1B Chuck Gregory (.324/28 HR/104 RBI/89 R) had a fine year for the Muskies... also contributing some offense were LF Andy Williams (.284/6 HR/43 RBI/79 R/7 SB), 3B Kale Woodard (.301/2 HR/63 RBI/66 R), CF Lyle Cuthbert (.333/17 HR/69 RBI/47 R/7 SB) and C Jerrod Hagood (.302/9 HR/50 RBI/36 R). Outlook: Belle Plaine is looking up... the Musketeers have made some good moves the last couple of seasons and it could pay off big time fairly soon... Hammill is really looking forward to next year... his starters and young bats have him excited. 7. Beechwood Blues (60-94) (34 GB)... it's been nine years since manager Maury Patterson and his Blues have had a winning season... and sadly, the last RU East title came in 2027, 28 years ago... Beechwood has only three pennants in its history and has not ever won a Pro Cup... twice they were beaten by the then Crystal Lake Crushers in the Ruthlandian title series... the Crushers went on to win the overall IPA crown both times (2020, 2026)... the then Beechwood Bobcats also lost in the RU championship series to Valmara in 2027... they have never won the Ruthlandian Union title... Patterson starred for 16 seasons for Beechwood and compiled a fine 267-190 record with a very good 3.04 ERA... twice he was the Ruthlandian Golden Arm Award winner (2026, 2038)... Patterson played 2025 to 2040... Beechwood was a pretty competitive club during that period. Plain and simple, Beechwood is just a bad ballclub... Blues season stats: .250 BA (31st), 531 runs (32nd), only 94 HR (28th-tied)... poor on the mound, too, with a 4.37 ERA... Patterson's only decent starter is 38-year-old Lenny Medford (11-18/3.84)... in his bullpen is a very good and young closer Owen Greenacre (7-2/2.03/16 saves/65 G)... the Blues have very little at the plate with the likes of CF Rod McClellan (.277/23 HR/99 RBI/66 R/10 SB), RF Darrel Felton (.299/6 HR/49 RBI/68 R/17 SB) and 3B Eldon Gilbert (.290/5 HR/34 RBI/55 R). Outlook: Beechwood is woeful when it comes to talented ballplayers... not a rosy future for the Blues and skipper Maury Patterson. 8. Cold Creek Catamounts (56-98) (38 GB)... the CC 'Cats are on a four-year skid as an RU East also-ran... it's been 14 seasons since the last division flag (2041)... they have made the playoffs only eight times in their existence and never captured a Pro Cup trophy... Cold Creek almost won one in 2041 when they were defeated by juggernaut North Hills in a seven-game set... the Hawks of that era were one of the all-time best teams... they won 11 pennants in 12 years and four Pro Cups from '34 to '45... current manager J. J. Gillespie was a 22-game winner in '41 and was 4-3 in that postseason with a sparkling 1.90 ERA... in fact, Gillespie is one of the all-time IPA greats with a 294-170 career mark with a truly brilliant 2.46 ERA (7th best in history)... he was voted into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2046. Sad to say, but Cold Creek has lousy pitching with a horrendous 4.59 ERA (32nd) and only average hitting and scoring... the team BA was .262 (18th), scored just 696 runs (17th) and hit 134 HR (13th)... Jimmy Engels (14-16/4.23) and Rusty Rotherham (10-12/4.03) are just fair starters... nobody special in the relievers... the Catamounts have a few creditable hitters in CF Jimmy Lange (.296/21 HR/80 RBI/90 R/15 SB), seven-time All-Star, Golden Glover and rock solid SS Joe Cochrane (.282/14 HR/68 RBI/82 R), RF Mel Parnell (.291/20 HR/96 RBI/76 R/8 SB) and 1B Bobby Dundee (.289/13 HR/84 RBI/76 R). Outlook: Cold Creek has to get better on the hill to compete in the RU East Division... could be a few years before they rebuild the mound staff. Attached Images Last edited by Eugene Church; 07-14-2017 at 06:58 PM.