Thursday, April 5, 2063
TU EAST BEST RACE IN IPA
The forecast is for a wide-open race for the Tycobbian East Division title this year... five or six clubs could be in the hunt... the easiest way and most scientific method to come up with a projected winner is to put a list of teams on the wall and throw a dart at it... otherwise, we just have to depend on the sportswriters, sportscasters or the pretty guys and pretty ladies with the stylish suits and beautiful coiffures to let us know the outcome.
The pollsters in The Islandian Times preseason poll picked a three-way tie for the TU East Division title between South Fork, Tuckanarra and Ozarka... right on their heels will be the Red Bluff Red Sox and last year's champion High Mesa... even Midway has an outside chance to win the pennant... it appears that only the hopeless Hillsboro Blazers and pathetic East Point Panthers will be out of the running.
We'll begin with the first co-champion, the
South Fork Stallions, because they finished a close second to High Mesa last year, losing out by just 3 games... the Stallions won the division flag in '60, but slipped to third in '61, beaten out by champ Midway and runner-up Tuckanarra... but they have been strong contenders the last three seasons... South Fork will seeking its third Pro Cup... they won it in 2025 and 2042... the club features outstanding starters led by Herm McClanahan (14-7/2.57), Emmett Coogan (12-6/2.48), Rex Waller (16-2/2.21) and Tris Desselle (8-5/2.15)... last year the Stallions posted a 3.01 ERA... the bullpen is not on par with the starting rotation... but Benito Banuelos (11-7/2.94 ERA/18 saves/68 games) is a fine closer... South Fork is no slouch at the plate... the Stallions are the best-hitting club in the division... they have a good bunch of batters like Bob Purkey (.327/22 HR), Rudy Maroney (.302/18 HR), Rudy Gatlin (.285/7 HR), Lyle Tatton (.260/18 HR) and Royce Cain (.260/13 HR)... it will take a good team to beat out well-rounded South Fork.
The next co-leader in the TU East is the
Tuckanarra Tiger Cats... they wound up third last year, just 5 games behind High Mesa... they were second in '61, 5 games back of champ Midway... and second in '60, just 4 games back of winner South Fork... it's about time for another pennant... the Tucks have been one of the most successful franchises in IPA history... the Tiger Cats have gone to the postseason 18 times and won 3 Pro Cups ('23, '24, '35)... they last appeared in 2049... checking out the roster this year, Tuckanarra does not appear to be as good as the previous three seasons... they don't look like they can beat South Fork... they don't have the pitching, nor the scoring... but one thing the Tiger Cats do have is star pitcher Ian Timms (13-7/2.71), twice the Tycobbian Golden Arm winner in '57 and '58... and still in his prime and a topnotch starter... the rest of the rotation is pretty fair with Mick Dooley (12-10/3.38), Ward Harlin (15-10/3.79) and Justin Shank (10-7/3.84)... the bullpen is only fair with closer Danny Turbow (12-11/4.05 ERA/19 saves/71 games)... the Tucks don't have a lot of big bats in the lineup... Boomer Carlton (.293/30 HR) is a legitimate threat... but he's about it... other fairly productive hitters are Odell Overstreet (.298/17 HR), Duncan McLemore (.253/15 HR) and Duke Cummins (.254/12 HR)... if I had a vote in The Islandian Times preseason poll, I would place the Tucks fourth or fifth.
The third co-leader is a bit of a surprise... the
Ozarka Naturals have had only two winning seasons in the last decade ('56 and '62)... the last time they won a pennant was way back in 2040... they finished fifth last year, just barely over the .500 mark and trailed TU East winner High Mesa by 14 games... the Nats have had solid pitching the last two years, right up with South Fork, but they have mediocre hitting... that's why I have trouble seeing them beating the Stallions... the starting five are quality pitchers, led by Jordy Alberstadt (15-9/3.34), Willis Reece (11-15/3.16), Tommy May (12-14/3.62), Ronnie Belzer (9-6/2.77) and Jim Pippin (12-12/4.02)... there is quality at the closer, too, with Ezra Hancock (12-7/2.62 ERA/9 saves/43 games), but the bullpen is not deep... Ozarka is excited about rookie first baseman Ari Alpert, who batted .362 with 2 homers in the Spring and won a spot in the lineup... he could really liven up the batting order... he's a very good contact with fine power... Alpert will be a big help to Chris Kile (.270/1 HR/41 RBI/86 R), Luke Conlan (.288/12 HR/70 RBI/53 R), Kev MacKinley (.257/15 HR/76 RBI/83 R), Chuck Dodkin (.267/10 HR/67 RBI/49 R) and Claude Norbury (.265/14 HR/54 RBI/45 R)... but one good hitter and a bunch of so-so swingers won't win a pennant... the Nat could wind up second... but more likely third or fourth in the TU East standings.
The
Red Bluff Red Sox won it all in 2057... the Tycobbian East flag and the IPA Pro Cup trophy, too... they did well in '58 and '59 ending up in second place both seasons, but then the Sox stopped hitting the ball and they went into a mild decline, finishing fifth and sixth the last two seasons... the Red Sox dipped below .500 last year... but the preseason prognosticators have them pegged a very close fourth this season... close enough that Red Bluff could easily win the pennant along with 4 or 5 other clubs... it really looks like a tight race in the TU East... Red Sox starters are mighty impressive with Wilson Sharpe (15-11/2.57), Ricky Lambert (14-5/2.53), Dontrelle Gilbreath (11-9/2.99) and Ben Laughlin (6-8/3.26)... however, the bullpen is subpar, led by closer Ian Goldsmith (3-13/4.33 ERA/10 saves/47 games) and Delroy Loggins (7-9/2.82 ERA/6 saves/39 games)... last season the team ERA was an excellent 3.40... might be better this year... the Red Bluff problem is a woefully lacking offense... they can't hit a lick and neither can the rookies they signed this year... no way the Red Sox can win the Tycobbian East with the likes of Paul Gaddison (.251/21 HR/79 RBI/74 R) and Odis Keener (.269/13 HR/67 RBI/53 R)... they are the best hitters and run producers... the rest of the lineup is just a little above the Mendoza line... sad, 'cause this year's mound staff could win it with an average offense.
OK, now let's take a look at last year's TU East champion, the
High Mesa Mustangs... this year they are the fifth choice of the pollsters, but yet right up there close to the top picks... the Hosses won it last year with outstanding pitching and home runs... it should more of the same this season... just look at this staff of starters: Weldon Herrington (18-7/2.27), Robby Numbers (19-9/2.29), Sandy Stevenson (9-4/2.56 ERA) and Mickey Madison (13-8/3.44)... solid as rock in the bullpen, too, with Alex Crabtree (17-10/2.57)... Stevenson and Crabtree have traded spots... Stevenson was the closer last year and had 26 saves in 48 games... High Mesa also has a high-powered attack with Kagetoki Miyazaki (.264/44 HR/107 RBI), Roy Roberts (.254/44 HR/105 RBI), Zippy Coburn (.301/15 HR/84 RBI), Phil Cahoon (.261/23 HR/59 RBI) and Carmine Vizzoni (.278/14 HR/74 RBI)... the Mustangs will be right near the top of the standings at season's end... they are a good, solid ballclub... historically High Mesa usually has a winning record, but they have made the postseason playoffs only 5 times and won only one Pro Cup... that was the team's first season in the IPA in 2002... the Mustangs have a club that could win the whole shebang and get their second Pro Cup trophy... they edged out South Fork last season and just might do it all over again in 2063.
The top team in the Tycobbian East for the last decade of play has been the
Midway Wolves... since 2053 they have racked up 6 pennants and 2 Pro Cups ('53, '54)... the last division flag came in '61, but the Wolves slipped to fourth last year (82-72), 10 games behind High Mesa... they had the pitching to win it last year with a 3.39 ERA, but not the offense... Midway batted only .249 for the year... they have been picked to wind up sixth in the standings this year, but may still be able to be in the pennant chase... the Middies still have two solid starters in Tino Montanez (13-7/2.54) and Ezra Wilcox (10-6/2.81)... the big question marks are three rookie starters, Ayasha Kanjorsky, Herm Kane and Stacey Witherspoon... they would have to come through big time for Midway to take the TU East division crown... the bullpen is still in good hands with Phil Bellamy (11-11/3.27 ERA/18 saves/85 games)... the Wolves still have superstars Norishige Ito (.289/33 HR/107 RBI) and Daryl Vale (.251/21 HR/81 R), but both did not put up the numbers of past seasons... Vale especially dropped off... in '61 he batted .314 with 45 homers and 131 RBIs... and none of the rest of the lineup picked up the slack... Ito is still a superstar at age 35... Vale is only 30 and should have several more star-studded seasons... Midway has signed 5 rookies... as they go, that's how the Wolves will probably go... the Middies look like a fair-to-middling team... too many question marks.
A good case could be made that the
Hillsboro Blazers are one of the worst teams in IPA history... only one time have they made the playoffs... that was back in 2051... historically, it took Hillsboro 15 years to have a winning team... that was in 2017... since then they have 28 more losing seasons and only 18 winning years... the Blazers (60-94) came in seventh last year, 32 games behind pennant-winning High Mesa... The Islandian Times made them the seventh choice in this year's preseason poll... Hillsboro is a pitifully bad-hitting team (.234 BA)... and not very good on the hill, either (4.25 ERA)... 6 rookies were signed this season, but none did much in the Spring... the Blazers will not be any better... Hillsboro has very little talent... Horace Almond (12-11/2.76) is a fine starter... Jeffrey Bevan (3-3/2.11 ERA/22 saves/49 games) is a fine closer... Jackie Hansford (.283/27 HR/76 RBI) and Rube Nealy (.296/13 HR/82 RBI) are solid hitters... that's all the talent Hillsboro has... they would be a cellar-dwelling team if East Point wasn't in the TU East Division.
Ah, the
East Point Panthers... they came in "dead last" last year with a pathetic 52-102 record... they are forecast to lose at least 100 games again... maybe I should end here... no, let's look at some brighter days in the Panthers' past... in '50 and '52 they won the Tycobbian East pennant... they were second in '51, '53, '54, '55 and '56... came in fourth in '57... then East Point descended into the dismal and abysmal depths of the TU East, getting worse and worse every season since... and it may not end this year... last season the Panthers hit an abominable .228... a snowman from Tibet come do that, don't you think... pitching was not terrible... it was only lackluster with a 4.03 ERA... 6 rookies have been signed, but none of them did well in Spring Training... however, the Panthers did make a trade with the IPA champion Rolling Hills Racers... they got a whale of a first baseman Mark Carmickle in a trade for two starters Charley Clutterbuck (14-15/3.05) and Mark Yaden (8-14/3.48)... the 23-year-old Carmickle hit 6 homers in the Spring and hit .309 with 20 RBIs... hard to believe, but this year he was going to be a second stringer for the Racers, despite a .300 BA, 18 homers and 83 RBIs... this trade looks like a "win-win" for both teams... Carmickle won't have much help from the likes of George Leach (.240/18 HR/79 RBI), Cal Goldsberry (.260/12 HR/48 RBI) and Richie Timmons (.276/13 HR/40 RBI)... it's going to be an extra-long season in East Point again this year.
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2063 Preseason Prediction ************************************************** ***********************************************
2062 Tycobbian East Final Standings *****************