Saturday, May 1, 2060
CHAOS PREVAILS IN IPA
At the end of the first month of play in the Islandian Pro Alliance, things are not running according to Hoyle... whoever he was... in plain English, things are not playing out according to the preseason polls... the races in the Ruthlandian Union are particularly disturbing to those who put their full faith and trust into the preseason forecasts... what has happened to the vaunted Valmara Vipers in the RU North?... the saintly and faithful St. John Crusaders in the RU South and the strong and steady Sligo Rovers in the RU West?... the whole Ruthlandian Union has lost its bearings and slipped into almost total chaos... thank goodness, the Tycobbian Union is running pretty true to form.
Valmara (9-16) and Sligo (9-16) had awful Aprils... St. John (12-13) got out of the starting gate a little bit on the slow side, too... but the pollsters say, not to worry... it's just a small sample... give the Vipers, Rovers and Crusaders time and they will be up where they belong... near the top of their divisions.
Well, we'll just have to wait and see... as things stand now, Far Mountain (17-8) lived up to expectations and is on top of the Ruthlandian North Division... the Redhawks are redhot and flying high with Curt Miley (.411), Luke Hazlett (.344) and Ox Gless (.319) and a host of other solid bats sparking the offense and Jeffrey Chandler (4-1/3.62), Monte Westbrooks (3-1/2.70) and Bob Speed (3-2/3.52) hurling on all cylinders... Far Mountain was supposed to be the arch nemesis of Valmara, along with Glasco and LaGrange... you know the Redhawks are more than happy with an 8-game lead over the Vipers after just one month of play... the second place Glasco Foxhounds (16-9) are enjoying the same sort of edge, which will come in handy in the September stretch drive... wins in April also help the bottom line... the Ancona Red Elephants (14-11) had a good month as well and are in the third spot in the standings... Valmara didn't hit well and was absolutely atrocious on the mound with a 5.53 team ERA.
A fair-to-middling team, the Grand City Cybercats (16-9) are in the driver's seat in the Ruthlandian South heading into the merry month of May... super duper slingers are carrying the day for the Cybercats... Fred Barrow (4-0/1.91), Glen Smitherman (4-1/2.72), Gil Lloyd (4-1/3.65) and closer Steve Shirley (0-1/1.62 ERA/8 saves/11 games) have them off to a great start... Grand City is followed closely by the Waleska (14-11) and Valka (14-11)... favorite St. John (12-13) is struggling a tad in fifth place, but the Crusaders are well within striking distance of the leaders... the Westerners are strong on hill with an excellent 2.97 ERA (4th), anchored by Rory Beecroft (3-0/1.62), Curly Duckworth (2-0/2.45), Bret Shockley (1-1/2.45) and Rick Howzer (2-1/3.08) and closer Kenny Foster (4-1/3.00 ERA/2 saves/12 games)... the Valka Blackhawks were forecast for a down year, but have added to the chaotic season by doing a lot better than expected... pitching is also the name of the game for the Blackhawks with the best team ERA in the Ruthlandian Union at 2.58, spearheaded by Stosh Matusczak (3-2/0.53), Aavo Keskkula (2-2/1.85), Vidrik Valdma (2-1/3.53), Kert Poska (1-0/1.00), Clark Harrington (3-1/1.89) and Stan Terlecki (1-1/3.03)... surprisingly Crystal Lake, the division champ for the past two seasons, is dead last with a very poor 10-15 mark... the Skippers have terrible pitching in the early part of the season, but it's looking like it could be all season long.
All is well in the Ruthlandian East Division where teams are playing up to par... both highly-touted contenders Wynnamac and Marston are off and running with 17-8 records in the first month of action... the Macs are playing absolutely great on the hill and at the plate... Kylee Callender (4-0/1.59), Dick Vanner (3-1/1.54), George Medworth (1-0/1.13) and Tike Collazo (1-0/1.69) are excellent starters... and Snooky Bartels (.372/7 HR/25 RBI) and Manny Sendejas (.305/9 HR/22 RBI) are off to sizzling starts with the bats... the Marston Nine are playing lights out, too, sparked by Vince Boscarino (4-1/2.60), Lance McElveen (3-0/2.80), Philip Terry (3-1/2.08), D. D. Klem (2-0/3.12), Stan Pirosko (2-2/2.76) and closer Robert Tringle (1-1/1.88 ERA/5 saves/15 games)... the Nine's top guns are Soseki Ishida (.343/3 HR/14 RBI), Damien D'Amboise (.344/2 HR/17 RBI), Stan Janowitz (.329/0 HR/12 RBI), Whitlow Barksdale (.321/1 HR/13 RBI and Tom Tuckett (.290/1 HR/20 RBI)... third place Cold Creek (15-10) is nipping at the co-leaders' heels, just two games off the pace... Adam Quincy (.289/4 HR/20 RBI) and Tex Green (.270/2 HR/15 RBI) are the most productive bats... leading the hurlers are Charley Cayley (3-2/3.71), Rich Joyner (2-2/3.32), Junior Gillespie (2-2/3.65) and closer Zeke Dial (0-1/1.98 ERA/4 saves/9 games)... lending some more credence to out-of-whack polls is the Beechwood Jackrabbits, who have leaped out of the cellar with 14-11 record into fourth place in the RU East standings... time will tell if the Jacks can keep playing as well in May.
It's the Sligo bullpen that is killing them... along with their woeful batting and a slow start by most of their starters... prime starters Mickey Walsh (1-3/3.29) and Jacky Harshman (2-1/3.82) have much elevated ERAs this season... and scoring runs is almost non-existent... Volusia (18-7), forecast to finish high in the standings, is playing quite well both on the hill and at the plate... top twirlers are Ivan Meza (4-0/2.02), Lonny Rinehart (4-/2.39), Dan Hunt (3-0/2.27) and Reynaldo Medrano (1-0/1.20)... Ellie Hudgins (.412/3 HR/23 RBI) and Clement Belliveau (.275/6 HR/21 RBI) head up a potent attack... Rocky Rapids (15-10) and Stoner (15-10) had good months... the Snappers have firepower with 30 homers for April, paced by Jamey Murton (.313/9 HR/20 RBI)... the mound corps is led by Bernardo Banuelos (4-0/0.88), Big Jim Wakely (3-0/2.17), Lance Obermueller (2-1/2.55) and Clay Callaghan (2-4/3.46)... the Silver Fox are a solid ballclub, paced by starters Alberto Temozos (4-1/3.44), Jake Warrick (3-2/2.16), Paulie Patino (3-1/3.48), Vitorio Barriento (1-1/2.16) and Brad Squires (1-0/3.20)... and rock solid hitters like Jean St. Julien (.329/4 HR/20 RBI), Hector Francisco (.303/2 HR/16 RBI), Steve Brunson (.301/2 HR/14 RBI), Claude Brick (.375/2 HR/11 RBI) and Tyler Stoddard (.289/6 HR/12 RBI).
Let's see if the old adage that cream rises to the top will come true in the coming months for the very disappointing Valmara Vipers, Sligo Rovers and Crystal Lake Skippers in the Ruthlandian Union.