[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, April 4, 2055

IPA SEASON PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS
The long-awaited and much-anticipated 2055 Opening Day of IPA baseball is finally here!.. For both fans and teams, hope always springs eternal... The proverbial "next year" is finally here!.. For better or worse, we'll find out what all the offseason management moves, manipulations and changes in personnel will bring... So, break out the peanuts and crackerjacks, sit back, sip on a tall cool one and get ready for some baseball... The Islandian Pro Alliance will play ball all across the Islands tomorrow afternoon with 32 games on tap... Two-time Pro Cup champion Midway will be seeking to three-peat... The Wolves swept the Wynnamac Sundowners in four games to capture their second Islandian title in a row.

The Islandian Times has conducted its annual preseason poll and the broadcasters and writers have voiced their choices for the new season... they predict it will come down to the defending Pro Cup holder Midway and the Middlefield Roosters with the Wolves hauling in its third title in a row.

The other Pro Cup challengers are expected to be Turon Typhoons, Denton City Redbirds and the Oxford Red Caps from the Tycobbian Union, along with the reigning Pro Cup titleholder Midway... the prognosticators are predicting the Ruthlandian Union division winners will be the Middlefield Roosters, Wynnamac Sundowners, Taranto Tars and Waleska Westerners.

The Islandian Times 2055 PRESEASON POLL

Ruthlandian North Division (Last Year's Finish)
1. Taranto Tars (1st)
2. Ranford Bulls (2nd)
3. Ancona Red Elephants (7th)
4. Far Mountain Redhawks (4th)
5. Valmara Vipers (5th)
6. Glasco Athletics (3rd)
7. LaGrange Sports (6th)
8. Kilkenny Cats (8th)
*Taranto has won the pennant the last three seasons.

Ruthlandian South Division (Last Year's Finish)
1. Waleska Westerners (5th)
2. Grand City Cybercats (4th)
3. Valka Blackhawks (1st)
4. Crystal Lake Skippers (7th)
5. Claxton Diamonds (3rd)
6. St. John Crusaders (2nd)
7. Belair Beach Sunbirds (6th)
8. San Dimas Rancheros (8th)

Ruthlandian East Division (Last Year's Finish)
1. Wynnamac Sundowners (1st)
2. Sugar Valley Rattlers (5th)
3. Elnora All-Stars (4th)
4. Belle Plaine Musketeers (6th)
5. Marston Nine (2nd)
6. Eastshore Cotton Kings (3rd)
7. Cold Creek Catamounts (8th)
8. Beechwood Blues (7th)
*Wynnamac has won the pennant the last three seasons

Ruthlandian West Division (Last Year's Finish)
1. Middlefield Roosters (1st)
2. Sligo Rovers (2nd)
3. Forest City Firebirds (6th)
4. Volusia Vigilantes (5th)
5. Stoner Stars (4th)
6. Rocky Rapids Snappers (3rd)
7. Colfax Blasters (7th)
8. Fort Benton Defenders (8th)
*Middlefield has won the pennant the last six seasons

Tycobbian North Division (Last Year's Finish)
1. Oxford Red Caps (3rd)
2. White River Rascals (1st)
3. Hartsdale Hellcats (5th)
4. North Hills Hawks (4th)
5. Luxora Zorros (2nd)
6. Blue Lake Blue Sox (8th)
7. Fairfax Frogs (7th)
8. Mahaska Haymakers (6th)

Tycobbian South Division (Last Year's Finish)
1. Turon Typhoons (1st)
2. Southport Sun Sox (3rd)
3. Arroyo Grande Suns (4th)
4. Colchester Elites (8th)
5. Cape Coral Hurricanes (5th)
6. Summerland Sunsets (2nd)
7. San Alejo Monteneros (6th)
8. Ginza Ninjas (7th)
*Turon has won the pennant the last three seasons

Tycobbian East Division (Last Year's Finish)
1. Midway Wolves (1st)
2. East Point Panthers (2nd)
3. High Mesa Mustangs (6th)
4. South Fork Stallions (3rd)
5. Red Bluff Red Sox (4th)
6. Ozarka Naturals (8th)
7. Tuckanarra Blue Jays (7th)
8. Hillsboro Blazers (5th)
*Midway has won the pennant the last two seasons

Tycobbian West Division (Last Year's Finish)
1. Denton City Redbirds (2nd)
2. Arlon Champions (1st)
3. Bay St. Clair Buccaneers (4th)
4. Rolling Hills Reds (6th)
5. Kenwood Wildcats (3rd)
6. La Claire Lynx (7th)
7. Bayview Vikings (8th)
8. Chicopee Braves (5th)