[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, September 21, 2054

MIDWAY HEADED FOR 2ND STRAIGHT PRO CUP
Last year in the Pro Cup playoffs the powerful Midway Wolves devoured everybody in sight and won their first-ever IPA crown and it's their intent to do it again... the Wolves (107-47) raced to another Tycobbian East Division title, piling up an IPA record-tying 107 victories in the process... Midway shot to a 12-game lead at the All-Star break and left everybody in their dust... the Wolves didn't let up there, by season's end they increased their winning margin to a gigantic 19 games over second place East Point (88-66), 22 ahead of third place South Fork (85-69) and 27 better than fourth place Red Bluff (80-74)... it was a monstrous year for Midway... they tied Colfax for the most victories in a season... the Blasters also won 107 games in 2010.

1. MIDWAY WOLVES (107-47)... manager Bobby Dorignac guided the Wolves to 100 wins in 2053 and then did even better this season... part of the reason was an offseason trade for superstud Norishige Ito... Midway gave Arroyo Grande three fine players for the superstar... he lifted the Wolves to another level... prior to last year Pro Cup crown, Midway has a poor postseason history in the IPA... this will only be the fifth time they qualified for the playoffs... last year was the only time the team captured a Pro Cup trophy... the Wolves lost in first-round play in '14 and '27, but they reached the Pro Cup Finals in 2022, but were beaten by the IPA champion Crystal Lake Crushers in six games.

Dorignac has a marvelous club this year... his mound staff posted a terrific 2.69 ERA (2nd), topped only by Summerland with a brilliant 2.63 ERA... at the plate the Wolves hit .270 (11th), scored 797 runs (5th) and slugged 177 roundtrippers (4th)... no wonder they won 107 games... anchoring the starting rotation was Arnie McGill (25-7/2.20), Will Deberry (21-11/3.49), Yank Atchley (17-10/2.97), All-Star Charlie Chase (16-9/2.41) and Dookie Higgins (11-4/2.58)... Atchley was voted the Pro Cup MVP last year... he went 5-0 with a 2.41 ERA in his 5 starts.

Midway is also outstanding offensively with the likes of superstar and All-Star LF Norishige Ito (.317/39 HR/124 RBI/110 R/14 SB), 3B Jamey Southwick (.286/31 HR/90 RBI/67 R), All-Star RF Daryl Vale (.326/21 HR/91 RBI/87 R/23 SB), 1B Todd Merritt (.287/22 HR/89 RBI/74 R/8 SB), SS Kax Clark (.288/12 HR/74 RBI/98 R/13 SB) and 2B Tom Goodnight (.302/11 HR/52 RBI/81 R)... plus C Ralph Worley (.258/7 HR/59 RBI/46 R/8 SB) is also an All-Star and a standout defender... however, Midway did receive a setback when ace Charlie Chase went out with an injury in August... he will probably miss the postseason this year... Chase was 2-1 in the playoffs last year with an impressive 2.02 ERA... he fired two shutouts.

Outlook: Midway is a genuine goliath and should be favored to win the Pro Cup trophy again, but it will have to beat off some formidable foes like Turon and White River in the Tycobbian Union and Middlefield, Wynnamac and perhaps last year's finalist, Taranto, in the Ruthlandian Union... with good teams galore, it should be a great Pro Cup playoff season for the fans.

2. East Point Panthers (88-64) (19 GB)... Frank Blair is the skipper of the Panthers... he was a quality starter for the club for 19 years, winding up with a career 265-248 mark (3.47 ERA)... he was five-time All-Star... East Point has had much success with him at the helm... two division titles ('50, '52) and three second-place finishes in the last five seasons... on seven occasions the Panthers have made the postseason... but have never won a Pro Cup... they did reach the Finals in '52, but were defeated by the Middlefield Roosters in six games.

East Point is a pretty good ballclub that has the misfortune to play in the same division as the Midway Wolves... Blair's bunch hits well with a .273 BA (7th), scores very well with 853 runs (2nd) and has excellent HR-power with 188 roundtrippers (2nd)... and the Panthers are better-than-average on the hill with a 3.67 ERA (12th)... they have a good starting foursome in Ralph Wallace (18-12/3.35), Benny Allen (17-13/3.61), Chip Dowler (18-10/3.66) and Lee Price (13-12/3.83)... a quality bullpen as well with Kerry Woodburn (5-6/2.38/12 saves/52 G) and Pudgy Putman (8-4/3.75/8 saves/35 G)... top bats are RF Jakie Spears (.353/2 HR/64 RBI/92 R/12 SB), CF Pokie Ash (.310/15 HR/64 RBI/110 R/25 SB), 3B Justin McRae (.306/17 HR/93 RBI/106 R/25 SB), C Kenny Bailey (.282/35 HR/109 RBI/83 R), 1B Alvaro Cavacos (.273/28 HR/87 RBI/71 R/16 SB), RF Doug Dennhardt (.296/28 HR/70 RBI/51 R/8 SB) and LF Skip Donley (.267/23 HR/81 RBI/61 R/21 SB).

Outlook: East Point will be near the top of the Tycobbian East for a few years to come... their only problem is the reigning champ of the IPA, the mighty Midway Wolves, who are in a league of their own right now with very few clubs capable of challenging them... the Panthers should finish no worst than second or third in the battle for the division flag.

3. South Fork Stallions (85-69) (22 GB)... another fine club that suffers from being in the same division as Midway... manager Eldon Jacoby has lifted the Stallions out of the depths of the second division in the TU East the last two seasons... his Hosses have finished third the last two years... going 83-71 in '53 (17 GB) and 85-69 this season (22 GB)... Jacoby has solid pitching with a fine 3.25 ERA (5th)... at the plate South Fork is solid with a .267 BA (14th) and 708 runs (14th), but a little short on firepower with only 118 homers (26th-tied)... the Stallions have two standout starters in All-Star Brett McCracken (24-11/2.42) and Emmett Coogan (24-9/3.15)... the other two hurlers in the rotation, Bud Bowens (10-13/3.75) and Rick Sampson (9-12/3.49) are just fair-to-middling... Jacoby has a good bullpen with a 2.85 ERA (9th), headed up by spot starter/closer John Clay Whitehurst (7-12/3.88/10 saves/42 G)... South Fork has no super threats in its batting order... the best the Stallions have to offer are All-Star C Rudy Maroney (.289/28 HR/89 RBI/86 R/3 SB) and All-Star 3B Pete Arnold (.308/9 HR/74 RBI/78 R/17 SB)... LF Brad Lancaster (.300/10 HR/68 RBI/73 R/13 SB) and CF Gus Russum (.289/9 HR/40 RBI/51 R/26 SB) also supply some offense.

Outlook: South Fork is a solid third place team, but not in the class of Tycobbian East powers, Midway and East Point... however, they are a young and up-and-coming squad with a good future... historically the Stallions have appeared in the postseason playoffs only six times, but they have captured two Pro Cups, winning in 2025 and 2042... South Fork whipped Middlefield in a thrilling seven-game affair and had to come back from a 3-2 deficit... it was much easier the second time when they swept Colfax in four games.

4. Red Bluff Red Sox (80-74) (27 GB)... this year manager Ike Sweetwater has just an average ballclub in Red Bluff... it's been 12 years since the Red Sox had a losing season... only three times in that period did they fail to make the TU East first division... Red Bluff won four straight pennants in those years from '44 to '47... three times they came in fifth in the standings...ended up fifth in '53 at 78-76 (22 GB)... improved slightly this year... the Red Sox took their only Pro Cup long ago in 2004, topping Sugar Valley in five games... three times they have reached the TU Finals and lost to the eventual IPA champion: Southport whipped them in six games in '44... Hartsdale edged them in seven games in '46... and Southport did it again in '47 in six games again.

Ike Sweetwater was a fine outfielder for Red Bluff from 2032 to 2050... a 5-time All-Star and also a Golden Glove winner... he hit .285 with 521 HRs and 1500 RBIs... his current club is woeful at the plate with a pitiful .235 BA... they are mediocre in scoring with 675 runs (20th), but do go deep with 182 home runs (3rd)... the Red Sox are average on the mound with a 3.98 ERA (18th)... two starters Felix Delatte (22-12/3.43) and Julius Eccleston (23-11/3.49) were 20-game winners... the bullpen was handled well by Calvin Carruth (3-6/2.94/23 saves/48 G)... All-Star LF Toni Kolkov (283/36 HR/79 RBI/76 R/8 SB), 2B Dazzy Bevis (.266/27 HR/72 RBI/101 R/20 SB) and 1B A. J. Tremaine (.229/27 HR/63 RBI/56 R/9 SB) were the top run producers.

Outlook: Red Bluff will struggle to stay in the first division... the Red Sox are just a run-of-the-mill ballclub and nothing more.

5. Hillsboro Blazers (78-76) (29 GB)... manager Andy Jefferson led the club to its only playoff appearance in 2051... Hillsboro did well in the playoffs that year losing out to IPA champion Arlon in seven games in the first round... but they gave Arlon its toughest series in the postseason that year... the next year they fell to fourth place at 86-68... then the Blazers slipped back into mediocity under .500 and came in seventh (68-86) in 2053... and rebounded a bit to fifth this year... Hillsboro has very little offense except for home runs... they batted a paltry .235 (31st), scored only 639 runs (27th), but hit 156 out of the park (10th)... Jefferson has a better-than-average pitching staff with a 3.84 ERA (11th)... his bullpen ranks 10th with a 2.89 ERA... mound standouts are Steve Cooper (21-15/3.34) and Hank Greenberry (20-15/2.99)... young rookie Ian Barrie (10-7/3.44) did well in his first season... #4 starter Clay Spencer (15-18/4.07) may be showing signs of age at 33... top bullpenners are Ron Pryor (3-5/2.43/17 saves/39 G) and Jersey Joe Springsteen (1-2/2.69/10 saves/48 G)... Hillsboro's doesn't have any real threat in the lineup, but they do hit a few homers... none of them hit for much of an average... RF Eli Nickelson (.214/28 HR/74 RBI/75 R/18 SB), CF Vern Hodge (.259/24 HR/64 RBI/81 R/9 SB) and C Harry Edwards (.229/20 HR/71 RBI/71 R/4 Sb) were the best of the lot.

Outlook: except for twirlers Cooper, Greenberry and Barrie, Hillsboro doesn't have a lot of talent... may linger in the depths of the Tycobbian East for awhile or so.

6. High Mesa Mustangs (77-77) (30 GB)... IPA legend Jack Elliott runs baseball operations at High Mesa... the team prospered from '45 to '52, winning one pennant in '48 and had only one losing season ('46)... they were contenders in '49, '50 and '51... the Mustangs have been mired in sixth place in the TU East the last two seasons... High Mesa has been to the playoffs only three times in its history, but has won a Pro Cup... the then-High Mesa Cowboys swept the Elnora All-Stars in three games for the IPA crown in 2002, the second year of the league... Elliott was enshrined into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2032... he had a fantastic career... 13-time All-Star, 12-time Golden Bat Award winner, 5-time Golden Glover, 2013 Rookie of the Year and 4-time Tycobbian MVP in '13, '21, '22 and '23... Elliott hit .332 lifetime (5th) with 848 homers (2nd), 2120 RBIs (4th) and 2192 runs (3rd)... sadly, he never played in the postseason.

Like their slugging manager the present High Mesa Mustangs go deep very well with a Tycobbian-leading 200 homers (1st)... they score well with 786 runs (6th), but are only average with a .258 team BA (19th)... on the mound they are not very good with a 4.31 ERA (24th)... top bats for High Mesa are SS Tommy Yost (.284/15 HR/64 RBI/87 R), LF Dix McIntosh (.253/25 HR/83 RBI/58 R)... rookie phenom 1B Ward Catlin (.292/26 HR/64RBI/43 R) did extremely well and had some great numbers despite missing five weeks with injury... he hit 26 homers in 79 games... Elliott is expecting good things from Catlin in the future... same thing from young CF Tracy McGriff (.324/17 HR/57 RBI/50 R/4 SB)... the Mustang mound corps is in trouble... only Tuffy Hammel (15-16/2.98) is a strong starter... young David Newell (14-7/3.94) shows promise... at 37 Dickie Sternfeld (13-12/4.01) still is a quality starter... Elliott has no one past these three.

Outlook: High Mesa will likely be stuck in the second division for the near future... not likely to contend anytime soon... pitching is much too weak.

7. Tuckanarra Blue Jays (75-79) (32 GB)... the Blue Jays have a fine IPA history with 18 postseason appearances and three Pro Cups (2023, 2024, 2035)... for 28 years they finished in the first division of the Tycobbian East (2023 to 2050)... however, the last division flag came in '49... it has been slowly downhill since... the current skipper is Junior Bristow, who starred for the Blue Jays for 10 seasons and compiled a fine 206-138 mark with a solid 3.20 ERA... seven times he won 20 games and two Golden Arms... won the Tycobbian MVP twice (2035, 2036) and retired early at age 33... his father is former Tucks' skipper Titus Bristow (342-258/2.75 ERA), a Hall-of-Famer since 2027, who also won the Tycobbian MVP and Golden Arm in 2006.

Tuckanarra is now just a mediocre team with a .266 BA (15th), 682 runs (23rd) and only 127 dingers (20th-tied)... with a not-so-hot 4.12 ERA (21st)... veteran star 1B Rodger Parsons (.324/15 HR/68 RBI/82 R/2 SB) is a five-time All-Star and the best threat in the batting order... RF Jay Jay Batchelor (.281/23 HR/72 RBI/57 R/4 SB) and 3B Newt Crutchfield (.302/8 HR/79 RBI/51 R) also help out some offensively... Bristow's best starter is Smokey Joe Ellison (13-12/3.61)... the others in the rotation are so-so, Ozzie Leslie (13-18/4.20) and Terence Gargan (13-17/4.28)... however, there is one very bright spot, 20-year-old rookie Russell Knowles (8-1/2.07), who won all his games after joining the team in August... Tuckanarra also has a fine veteran closer in Paul Landale (5-2/2.55/18 saves/58 G).

Outlook: the Blue Jays were only four games under .500... they have some talent... a few additions would go along way and give them a shot at the first division again... Tuckanarra is a pretty good seventh-place team... may be a few years from real contention in the Tycobbian East.

8. Ozarka Naturals (61-93) (46 GB)... the only bad club in the TU East... manager Duffy Morrison doesn't have a lot of talent to work with... the Nats only bat .250 (26th) with 606 runs (30th) and 115 roundtrippers (26th-tied)... on the hill not much better with a 4.21 ERA (23rd)... it's been 15 years since the club made the playoffs... 2040 was the last pennant... but at one time early in IPA history, Ozarka was a yearly regular in the postseason with a total of 15 appearances... fives times they were Pro Cup finalists, but they never won a Pro Cup trophy... the Naturals lost to Far Mountain in seven games in 2011, Far Mountain again in five games in 2012, to Eastshore in a four-game sweep in 2016, also swept by Rocky Rapids in 2019 and Crystal Lake whipped them in five games in 2020.

Ozarka's top players are pitchers Willis Reece (14-15/3.22) and John Dickinson (12-21/3.98)... Reece is a 20-year-old rookie... and veteran Jim Greene (3-5/3.21/14 saves/51 G) is a pretty good closer... there are no big sticks in the batting order... 2B Foxy Alderson (.314/19 HR/85 RBI/64 R/13 SB) is a solid batter and defender... the only other decent bats in the lineup are RF Scotty Hannon (.263/20 HR/64 RBI/82 R/9 SB) and LF Donny Joe Jacks (.301/5 HR/46 RBI/50 R/5 SB).

Outlook: it's pretty grim for the Ozarka Naturals... just simply a bad team... may be destined for the TU East cellar for years to come.