[Eugene Church]

6TH TU NORTH FLAG IN 10 YEARS FORECAST FOR OXFORD
The Oxford Red Caps are the dominant team in the Tycobbian North Division... the Oxonians have captured five pennants in the last nine seasons... three of the last four... and are picked to win a third straight time this year... the Red Caps are heads and shoulders above its division rivals and should win the TU North fairly easily... Oxford scores more runs than anyone in its division and ranks right up there with the best in the Islandian Pro Alliance... the Red Caps can also hang with the teams with good pitching, too... the rest of the clubs will be evenly-matched and tightly-bunched... Fairfax, Hartsdale, North Hills, White River, Mahaska and Luxora will all be contesting for second place.

1. OXFORD RED CAPS... a Pro Cup trophy is not out of the question for the powerful Red Caps... explosive offense and solid pitching can take you a long way in the IPA.
2. Fairfax Frogs (7 GB)... can score runs... but pitching is subpar.
3. Hartsdale Hellcats (8 GB)... just average hitting and pitching.
4. North Hills Hawks (9 GB)... very similar to Hellcats... just an average ballclub.
5. White River Rascals (9 GB)... ditto Hartsdale and North Hills... middle-of-the-road team.
6. Mahaska Haymakers (11 GB)... below .500 club... fairly good offense, lacks HR power, but has bad pitching.
7. Luxora Zorros (13 GB)... just like the Haymakers... can score, has decent HR power, but lacks pitching.
8. Blue Lake Schooners (16 GB)... poor offense... poor pitching.

SOUTHPORT, TURON, TOP TEAMS IN TU SOUTH
The Karate Kids two-year reign in the Tycobbian South Division just might be over... a two-team battle is forecast between the Southport Sun Sox and the Turon Typhoons... for nine consecutive seasons the Typhoons have been first or second in the pennant race, winning it five times in nine years... the Sun Sox have not been that successful, but did win the TU South in 2055 and 2058... this year the prognoticators are leaning toward Southport by a skosh... four teams will fight it out for the third spot in the standings: Ginza, Summerland, Cape Coral and San Alejo... forget Arroyo Grande and horrible Colchester... neither has any chance of even the first division, much less the pennant.

1. SOUTHPORT SUN SOX... good pitching, good scoring, fair power.
2. Turon Typhoons (3 GB)... right up there with the Sun Sox, except for the pitching... that's the difference.
3. Ginza Ninjas (13 GB)... the Karate Kids are coming down from cloud nine... two wonderful years when they almost won back-to-back Pro Cups... just a tad above .500 team... just fair offense and average pitching.
4. Summerland Sunsets (15 GB)... ran a real good race last year, coming in a close third with a fine pitching staff, but they can't score runs for them... just a breakeven team this year.
5. Cape Coral Hurricanes (17 GB)... can hit the heck out of the ball, but so can the opposition... and they do it better than the 'Canes... about a .500 team.
6. San Alejo Montaneros (18 GB)... not a lot of offense... with average pitching... looks like a losing record.
7. Arroyo Grande Suns (22 GB)... lot of homers in a small ballpark... so-so pitching... probably winds up 10 games under the .500 mark.
8. Colchester Elites (37 GB)... what a bad franchise... only three... count 'em... 1... 2... 3... three seasons as a .500 team... three times in the last 24 seasons... Elites could lose 100 or more games this year.

MIDDIES MAY BE BACK IN THE TU EAST
Last year the South Fork Stallions surprisingly sneaked in and snatch the Tycobbian East title and they would like nothing better than to do it again... and they may... but they will have to beat back an old resurging powerhouse, the Midway Wolves... and also another team of good reputation and fame, the rejuvenated Red Bluff Red Sox... plus the up-and-coming Tucknanarra Tiger Cats, who lost a close race last year to South Fork by just four games.

This year the pollsters are picking the Wolves... they dipped to fifth place last year, finishing under .500... but now Midway has reloaded and ready to regain the throne in the Tycobbian East Division... South Fork will be up there, too, defending their title... followed by Red Bluff and Tuckanarra.

1. MIDWAY WOLVES... top offense in the TU East... maybe top three in the TU, equal to Pro Cup champ Rolling Hills and rock solid Oxford... fairly good pitching... Middies won 5 pennants and 2 Pro Cups in 9 seasons.
2. South Fork Stallions (6 GB)... still a good team with good offense and good pitching... will be in the run for the roses.
3. Red Bluff Red Sox (9 GB)... very similar club to South Fork... and may have a little more HR power.
4. Tuckanarra Tiger Cats (13 GB)... Tucks have better scoring than Stallions and Red Sox... and their pitching is just as good... ran a great race last year and can smell the roses this year... look for the Cats to make it a four-team tussle.
5. Ozarka Naturals (20 GB)... not in the class of the top four... breakeven ballclub... fair offense, no HR power, with average pitching.
6. High Mesa Cowboys (22 GB)... hits a lot of homers, but has terrible, terrible pitching... 'nuff said, said the man of few words.
7. Hillsboro Blazers (23 GB)... can score, hit homers, but can't pitch.
8. East Point Panthers (29 GB)... strong club '50 to '56 with two pennants... no worse than second place... bad ever since... no where to go but up... can't hit... can't pitch.

RACERS BEST IN THE TU WEST AGAIN
The Rolling Hills Racers were really on a roll last year and won the IPA Pro Cup for the fourth time in history... and they are picked to win the Tycobbian West again... and don't be surprised if they go all the way and repeat as IPA champion... but the Racers will have to earn it in the TU East... Kenwood is right up there with them and Denton City is not far behind... it will be a three-team tango for the pennant.

1. ROLLING HILLS RACERS... one of the best... maybe THE BEST offense in the whole wide IPA... with good enough pitching to win the Pro Cup... good shot at their record-setting 5th Pro Cup.
2. Kenwood Wildcats (1 GB)... the poll pickers think the Wildcats now have the pitching to go with its solid offense... and they are pert near as good as Rolling Hills... now that is something.
3. Denton City Redbirds (6 GB)... Redbirds are still a good ballclub... don't score like Racers and Wildcats, but they can go deep better... and their pitching is better... Denton City has 4 pennants in the last 8 years... don't count them out.
4. Bayview Vikings (14 GB)... just a fair-to-middling team... hits a lot of homers, but has little pitching... will struggle to get to the .500 mark.
5. La Claire Lynx (16 GB)... so-so team... average offense... and average pitching... could wind up near the .500 mark.
6. Arlon Champions (19 GB)... below average club... average scoring, homers... with pitiful pitching.
7. Bay St. Clair Buccaneers (24 GB)... similar to Lynx and Champs... subpar team.
8. Chicopee Braves (32 GB)... bad team two years in a row... headed for cellar for third straight season... close to a 100 losses... no power... horrible pitching... no hope.

2060 Tycobbian Union Final Standings