Attachment 751018
Thursday, March 31, 2067
67TH IPA SEASON STARTS TOMORROW -- SUN SOX, RACERS, DIAMONDS FAVORED TO TAKE PRO CUP
The Islandian Pro Alliance will take you out to the ballpark tomorrow afternoon at 32 luscious green mansions throughout the Islands... it's the 67th year of the professional baseball with a plethora of questions to be answered... will Southport three-peat?... will Rolling Hills roll to its 8th straight Tycobbian West division title?... can Claxton stretch its pennant-winning streak to five in the Ruthlandian South race?... can eternal also-rans Kilkenny, Belair Beach, Belle Plaine, Colchester, Chicopee and Fairfax escape their cellar-dwelling domains?... will one of the 32 clubs that has never won a Pro Cup rise up and do the seemingly almost impossible?
Ruthlandian Union Preseason Preview
NO BIG SURPRISES IN RU IN '67
As we do at the beginning of each new baseball season when hope springs eternal, let's see what the baseball soothsayers and gurus are predicting... let's begin in the Ruthlandian North where a fairly close 4-team race is forecast... in the last four years LaGrange has won two pennants ('63, '65) and ran very good races the other two seasons ('64, '66)... the sportsscribes and broadcasters are picking the Gators take the crown this year, but they will have to beat off the Ancona Jumbos (5 GB), Far Mountain Redhawks (6 GB) and Ranford Bulls (8 GB)... last year's champion Valmara is slated to wind up a disappointing 7th this year (15 GB)... EC is not too sure about this... the Vipers are still a pretty fair team.
LaGrange's strength is in its offense, led by Chogie Alfieri (.293 BA/22 HR/93 RBI), Pokie Ruckle (.286 BA/25 HR/97 RBI) and Cleve Juban (.286 BA/22 HR/92 RBI)... and some solid pitching by Dave Loxley (14-7/2.53 ERA), Noel Nicolet (10-10/3.89 ERA), Lucien Petit (8-8/3.72 ERA) and Alphonse Richelieu (6-2/3.08 ERA).
Valmara is still a potent club with some good power, but lacks pitching... top bats are Timmy Benford (.269 BA/34 HR/90 RBI), Semyon Tomczak (.245 BA/25 HR/90 RBI), Leevi Lindmaa (.290 BA/29 HR/83 RBI), Alek Stolarski (.294 BA/7 HR/62 RBI) and Jud Gilbride (.293 BA/13 HR/56 RBI)... Mick Singer (14-8/2.74 ERA) and Andre Zajac (11-6/2.93 ERA) are the top pitchers... the Vipers are hoping rookie Mikki Twardzik will give the mound corps a boost.
The Ancona Jumbos ran a good race last year, winding up in third place (7 GB)... not a lot of offense, but they have four fairly good starters led by Yanni Bubas (10-6/3.09 ERA), Rob Hepburn (12-9/4.12 ERA), Alardo Glezos (6-7/3.07 ERA) and rookie Timon Katsaros... the offense will have to perk up a lot to make a run for the pennant.
Far Mountain came in seventh last season (19 GB)... it's hard to see them make up that much ground with pretty much the same team... the Redhawks only have average offense and pitching... Luke Hazlett (.335 BA/16 HR/90 RBI), Mack McKendry (.280 BA/22 HR/83 RBI), Curt Miley (.288 BA/15 HR/51 RBI) and Oskar Neumann (.278 BA/18 HR/63 RBI) provide decent scoring power... the most capable pitchers are just run-of-the-mill: Clarence Threadgill (11-10/3.99 ERA), Jeffrey Chandler (9-5/3.18 ERA), Dylan O'Connor (7-3/2.88 ERA) and Bobby Bosworth (6-4/4.14 ERA)... rookie Ernie Siegler will have to come through for Far Mountain to finish high in the standings.
The Ranford Bulls wound up fifth last year (10 GB)... the Bulls feature some rock-solid contact hitters in their batting order, paced by Jedd Blodgett (.248 BA/28 HR/70 RBI) and Derron Duke (.322 BA/10 HR/49 RBI), plus several others with good potential... but they have trouble scoring runs... pitching is borderline average... ace Eric Connor (13-8/2.83 ERA) is a topnotch starter... and Marv Douglas (8-7/2.86 ERA/35 saves/62 games) is a very reliable closer... but they need help for the Bulls to challenge for the pennant... LaGrange and Valmara seem to be the best ball clubs in the Ruthlandian North this year... they have the superior offenses.
You might as well book it, the Claxton Diamonds are still far-and-away the best team in the Ruthlandian South... the Diamonds are a colossal favorite to take the division for a fifth year in a row... no one will come within double digits of the Diamonds... the St. John Crusaders (10 GB), Waleska Westerners (16 GB), Grand City Cybercats (17 GB) and perhaps Valka (22 GB) will battle for the runner-up spot... 'nuff said about who the flag winner will be... Claxton's pitching corps is pure dynamite with super starters Mark Meisner (21-2) and Russell Krohn (21-3) and bullpen stud Alvie London (5-7/59 saves)... rumor is the Diamonds are even better this season on the mound... keep an eye on rookie hurler Durrelle Cantrelle... Claxton also excells at the plate with the likes of Fred Hahn (.339 BA/21 HR/90 RBI), Kevin Walton (.288 BA/22 HR/96 RBI), Scoops Dunn (.277 BA/25 HR/95 RBI) and Paddy Garson (.293 BA/6 HR/59 RBI)... you might say the Diamonds have it all... don't be surprised come September Claxton will be playing Southport or Rolling Hills for the whole shebang -- the coveted IPA Pro Cup trophy.
The St. John Crusaders have a lackluster offense and so-so pitching... they hit well for average, but don't have much power... the Saints were fourth last season (25 GB)... Freddie Woodruff (.280 BA/10 HR/86 RBI), Francis Bagnell (.298 BA/15 HR/86 RBI) and Barney Mowbray (.324 BA/14 HR/70 RBI) are the best threats in the lineup... on the hill Tom Smithson (12-6/3.11 ERA) is the best starter and a good one...the rest of the staff Kelly Jarman (11-10/4.07 ERA), Kyell Sondergaard (11-8/3.94 ERA) and Cristopher Crabb (10-10/3.76 ERA) are just fair-to-middling... Bill Ferrell looked good in the spring and will join in the rotation... after a couple of years of mediocrity Ferrell could be headed for a breakout year.
Waleska has some talented batters that can put some runs on the scoreboard, but they lack longball power... top bats are Percy Bodie (.334 BA/25 HR/105 RBI), Cal Jarvis (.347 BA/14 HR/78 RBI), Rusty Buxton (.323 BA/6 HR/50 RBI) and Bitsy Boccabella (.282 BA/12 HR/59 RBI)... the mound staff is second rate with Jake Stearnes (13-11/3.86 ERA), Kieran Roy (12-11/3.70 ERA), Rick Howzer (10-14/4.02 ERA) and Tommy Birchfield (9-3/2.58 ERA)... the Westerners are hoping to get help from two rookies Tommy Prado and Mark Welby, who performed well in Spring Training... and they are hoping Lanny Terris will get back the form of his rookie year, two years ago when he was 15-5 with a 2.13 ERA.
Grand City was third last year (19 GB)... the Cybercats are on the verge of becoming a fine ball club... they can score runs aplenty with Boots Luckham (.269 BA/24 HR/101 RBI), Zippy Balencia (.315 BA/15 HR/66 RBI), Paul Gaddison (.309 BA/29 HR/98 RBI), Terrye Ayres (.303 BA/19 HR/68 RBI) and Lucky Brigman (.294 BA/15 HR/83 RBI)... and they have a solid pitching corps... Grand City would be the power in the RU South, if not for the presence of dominant Claxton... if Fred Barrow (19-8/2.79 ERA), Glen Smitherman (13-10/3.75 ERA), Jozef Chojnaki (10-5/3.21 ERA), Leonard Hamilton (10-12/4.03 ERA) and Joey Louis (8-4/3.25 ERA) have good years... if Garrett Guthrie (3-3/2.96 ERA), Elton Poindexter (3-3/3.33 ERA), Matty Morales (2-2/5.97 ERA) and rookie Jim Hackett can pitch like they did in the spring, the Cybercats will be a force in the Ruthlandian South.
Last year was not a good year for the Valka Blackhawks... they finished sixth (37 GB)... pitching was terrible... the Blackhawks added 8 newcomers to the roster in hopes of a turnaround... they decided to sink or swim in the new season... hurlers Dorsey Burnette (9-7/3.59 ERA) and Carlos Santa Ana (9-10/3.58 ERA) are the best of the returnees... three 22-year-olds Endrik Saar, Johnny Jacobson and Priit Laur have been added to the starting rotation... Teddy Winger (.310 BA/15 HR/97 RBI) and Fred McGowen (.293 BA/22 HR/92 RBI) are the main threats in the lineup and they may have gotten some help this year with five new additions... rookie left fielder Jim Kennedy really stood out in Spring Training... so did third baseman Rolli Allikas and second basemen Dolph Vornhof and Kellen Dandridge... it will interesting to see how the wholesale roster changes will affect the Valka season.
The Marston Nine captured the title in the Ruthlandian East last season in a hot race with Sugar Valley (1 GB) and Wynnamac (2 GB)... it looks like more of the same this year except the prognosticators are going with the Macs this year, but not by much... the Nine (3 GB) could easily repeat... the Rattlers are rated the third-best squad (9 GB)... Cold Creek will be a distant fourth (10 GB).
Wynnamac has a slew of good hitters like the RU top hitter Snooky Bartels (.370 BA/22 HR/87 RBI), Manny Sendejas (.291 BA/39 HR/122 RBI), Nathan Tuttleton (.296 BA/32 HR/104 RBI) and Warren Joshua (.278 BA/18 HR/82 RBI)... pitching is spotty, led by Pepe Vidal (13-3/3.42 ERA), Dan Loewenthal (13-11/3.91 ERA) and Dick Vanner (8-4/3.52 ERA).
Marston has some top guns, too, with Gino Mastroianni (.342 BA/0 HR/54 RBI), Wayne Prentiss (.321 BA/14 HR/74 RBI), George Chizek (.318 BA/18 HR/100 RBI), Harvey Beauchamp (.313 BA/6 HR/68 RBI), Dave Lofdahl (.279 BA/17 HR/61 RBI) and John Bobo (.281 BA/9 HR/65 RBI)... the staff is just average with D. D. Klem (19-7/3.00 ERA), Harry Vodenlich (12-9/3.80 ERA), Tonico Ribiero (13-14/3.48 ERA) and Galen Busby (9-7, 2.47 ERA/22 saves/57 G).
Sugar Valley can go deep and has pretty strong pitching... best hurlers are Claudio Quezada (16-7/2.75 ERA), Buddy Blanchard (13-7/2.62 ERA), Matthew Minden (10-8/2.73 ERA) and Conor Blades (8-8/2.90)... the best run producers are Bobby Mingo (.274 BA/27 HR/82 RBI), Robby Gamble (.259 BA/25 HR/74 RBI), Ned Woodward (.272 BA/21 HR/65 RBI) and Daric Kenaston (.273 BA/20 HR/81 RBI)... top batters for average are Jason Braziel (.306 BA/7 HR/58 RBI) and Jamie Fellows (.306 BA/1 HR/38 RBI).
The best in the West this year looks familiar... the defending champion Sligo Rovers have won the Ruthlandian West four times in the last eight years ('59, '60, '64, '66) and they wound up second in the other four seasons... so nothing's new... but wait just a minute, pilgrim... there are 3, 4, 5 clubs waiting in the wings to dethrone the Rovers... the RU West will be the tightest race overall in the IPA... top to bottom, first to last place, this will be the closest division... Sligo will have its hands full with the Volusia Vigilantes... the V's will be their toughest rival, never far back in the Rovers' rear view mirror... followed by the third place Fort Benton Defenders, fourth place Stoner Stars, fifth place Middlefield Roosters and even the sixth place Colfax Black Sox... all of the clubs will be within 10 games of the lead... only lowly Forest City and Rocky Rapids will be out of the running.
Sligo's top performers are on the hill, sparked by Tiger Snodgrass 915-8/3.02 ERA), Sam Carmon (12-13/3.13 ERA) and Floyd Burton (10-6/2.34 ERA)... bullpenners Antone Simon (14-9/2.51 ERA/14 saves/48 G) and Butch Baird (5-3/2.49 ERA/2 saves/58 G) also pitched well... RU Rookie of the Year Eddy Arnett (.300 BA/31 HR/88 RBI) and Cliff Hawthorne (.223 BA/24 HR/91 RBI) were the most productive hitters... Norman French (.303 BA/21 HR/60 RBI) had a solid season, too.
Volusia finished second last year (6 GB)... the V's possess a fine core of hitters, paced by Mauricio Tejada (.320 BA/8 HR/81 RBI), Valentino Robles (.319 BA/28 HR/103 RBI), Johnny Lee Washington (.313 BA/19 HR/101 RBI) and Ellie Hudgins (.304 BA/11 HR/56 RBI)... ace Lonny Rinehart (22-5/2.75 ERA) and Justin Shank (13-4/3.01 ERA) are the prime starters with help from Joe Morse (8-8/3.55 ERA).
Fort Benton can bang with the best of them with the likes of Nate Bryson (.355 BA/2 HR/69 RBI), Marlon Hazard (.329 BA/17 HR/62 RBI), Dolph Gordon (.301 BA/7 HR/62 RBI) and Kaz Ambroziak (.300/10 HR/69 RBI), but they lack longball power... the Generals' pitching is just so-so... Yoshiro Makhara (14-12/3.59 ERA) was the biggest winner with some help from Sammy Wilshire (13-11/3.42 ERA) and Joe Ramey (10-7/4.23 ERA)... and Billy Ellis (13-4/2.61 ERA/10 saves/42 G) was outstanding in the bullpen.
Stoner has several elite players, headed up by Al Dodge (.335 BA/11 HR/76 RBI), Jean St. Julien (.331 BA/28 HR/98 RBI) and Hector Francisco (.265 BA/16 HR/80 RBI)... right fielder Dwight Paulson is highly-regarded and a rookie to watch... Silver Sox pitching is marginal... Rick Reichhart (10-9/3.48 ERA), Jim Roland (10-12/4.00) and Clyde Sowers (9-10/4.21 ERA) are the main starters... and Ivan Kleczko (13-13/3.79 ERA/13 saves/57 G) is a fair closer.
Middlefield is led at the plate by power hitters Herb De Beers (.298 BA/32 HR/100 RBI) and Lew Aston (.230 BA/27 HR/62 RBI)... the top contact hitter is Buddy Butler (.308 BA/18 HR/63 RBI)... on the hill last year for the Roosters the top twirlers were Marty Yocum (14-10/3.24 ERA), Deke Bonner (13-10/4.31 ERA) and Gerry Swanson (10-6/3.01 ERA).
Colfax has won the TU West twice in recent seasons, '63 and '65... the Black Sox reached the IPA Pro Cup Finals both year, but lost to Hartdale and Southport... Colfax may be on the decline... pitching has gone down the last few seasons... the offense is still solid with Lanny Waldrep (.335 BA/38 HR/115 RBI), the RU MVP and Golden Bat winner last season... Bralen Josephson (.321 BA/26 HR/114 RBI) and Monty McDermott (.276 BA/22 HR/87 RBI) are good sticks, too... heading up a mediocre staff is Blaine Barkins (11-8/3.59 ERA) and Vicente Garcia (12-6/3.57 ERA)... Terrence Dupont (8-6/2.97 ERA) was the most effective hurler.
Tycobbian Union Preseason Preview
BLAZERS AND NINJAS MAY BE ON THE RISE IN TU
There are no stunners in the preseason outlook for the Tycobbian Union... Southport and Rolling Hills are odds-on favorites to win pennants... it looks like Oxford is back on top again... and High Mesa could make a serious run for the division crown... but there is some intrigue... the Hillsboro Blazers and the Ginza Ninjas could cause some chaos and upset someone's applecart... at least, that is the rumor among some baseball experts.
It should be a good race in the Tycobbian North this year... as many as 5 teams could be in the chase... the Hartsdale Hellcats have won 3 of the last 4 years and even snared an unexpected Pro Cup trophy in '63... the Oxford Red Caps could be back... they came in third last year and second the year before, but still ran close races... the Oxfordians have regularly claimed the TU North title, winning 6 times in 10 years... the Red Caps went all the way in '61 and hauled in its second Pro Cup... 5 of the Pro Cup ringleaders are still with the club and would like nothing better than to hoist a third Pro Cup flag over Winchester Park... star pitchers Pat McFarlane (120-74/2.77 ERA), Rico Alessi (120-59/2.91 ERA) and Maury Statler (212-132/3.34 ERA) are still in the starting rotation and thriving in their 30s... and superstars Buddy Blackford (.291 BA/501 HR) and Showboat Lynn (.293 BA/359 HR) still anchor the batting order in the number three and number four spots... the baseball pros in the know have made Oxford the favorite to take the TU North flag... followed closely by the White River Rascals (3 GB) and the North Hills Hawks (4 GB)... the Mahaska Haymakers (8 GB) should be in the pennant mix, too... not sure why, but the preseason pickers have last year's champ Hartsdale way down in 5th place (12 GB)... a solid nucleus of the '63 IPA champs are still around... Walt Ivy (.293 BA/155 HR), Cooter Eldridge (.286 BA/170 HR) and Maury Donatello (.305 BA/44 HR) are still in the lineup... and Phil Baylor (94-69/3.70 ERA) and Tommy Johnson (102-73/3.61 ERA) head up the pitching corps... I have a hunch the Hellcats will be raising some in the TU North again in the year 2067.
In the Tycobbian South Division it might not be a cakewalk for the reigning Pro Cup titlist Southport, who will be seeking its third consecutive Pro Cup trophy and record-setting sixth overall... everybody's back for the Sun Sox and they are raring to win it all again... Roman Littrell (19-3/2.04 ERA), Eddy Salem (12-8/2.44 ERA), Timmy Aaron (12-7/2.57 ERA) and Billy Ray Echols (7-5/3.11 ERA) anchor the standout mound staff... and the solid offense is led by Junior Evans (.286 BA/26 HR/84 RBI), Lynn Tobin (.289 BA/23 HR/97 RBI) and Curtis Cliff (.301 BA/22 HR/70 RBI).
According to the preseason prognosticators, the San Alejo Montaneros, last year's runner-up (3 GB), will challenge again... the Monties feature some quality bats in Dominque Juban (.331 BA/30 HR/100 RBI), Nicky Yorke (.292 BA/30 HR/89 RBI), Roman Redondo (.261 BA/29 HR/86 RBI) and Al Lester (.281 BA/19 HR/54 RBI)... on the hill they are paced by Jimmy Doak (1607/2.23 ERA), Paulo Passos (11-9/3.31 ERA), Elmer Cane (11-11/2.56 ERA) and Adrian Acosta (8-10/3.12 ERA)... San Alejo got some very impressive pitching last season... if it continues, the Montaneros are a contender... if not, they will be back in the pack... they just don't have the offense to overcome so-so pitching.
Could this be the year of the Ninja?... the so-called baseball gurus think Ginza could be a close third (3 GB) to Southport... that really says a lot... might be too good to be true... the Ninjas were seventh last year, 27 games behind the Sun Sox... that's a lot to make up so soon... however, the pitching might be much improved... Kurt Brophy (11-11/2.97 ERA), Dakota Elkins (10-12/4.28 ERA), Kyle Stafford (7-5/3.88 ERA) and Alejandro Ortega (10-16/4.01 ERA) are all decent starters... good things are expected from rookie hurler Yuri Yoza... the Ginza bats are just mediocre at best... John Michael Shelby (.269 BA/21 HR/80 RBI) stood out in his rookie season last year... he is the only reliable bat in the lineup... it is really hard to see the Ninjas challenging Southport this year.
Actually Turon and Cape Coral look to be the best of the rest, mainly because they can score runs... Summerland is alway fairly good with its reliable mound staff... both the Hurricanes (8 GB) and Sunsets (8 GB) stayed in the race last year and finished tied for the third spot in the standings... the Typhoons broke even last year and wound up in sixth place (12 GB)... Turon could be on the rise.
Defending champion Red Bluff will be in the running for a repeat pennant, however, the media pros are favoring the High Mesa Mustangs this year... High Mesa had a poor start last year, but really closed well and came in third (8 GB)... Tycobbian MVP Roy Roberts (73 HR/174 RBI), Kagetoki Miyazaki (50 HR/150 RBI) and TU Rookie of the Year Nolan Penny (26 HR/77 RBI) form a formidable lineup... coupled with adequate pitching make the Mustangs a credible choice... but the Red Sox will have a big say in the race with three fine starters Dontrelle Gilbreath (14-7/1.88 ERA), Ben Laughlin (15-8/2.76 ERA) and Gino Angeletti (11-6/3.26 ERA)... good pitching and good home-run power have served Red Bluff well in recent years.
That same formula might be just what the doctor ordered for the up-and-coming Hillsboro Blazers... it's been 8 years since Hillsboro had a winning season ('58)... and guess what?... the baseball know-it-alls are picking the Blazers to finish a very close third (4 GB) to High Mesa... could happen... could it be that CD's fine new Blazer uniforms greatly influenced the voting?... could be... and the Blazers can go deep... they are stacked with a bunch of bangers like B. B. Wilder (.273 BA/25 HR/93 RBI), Jeff McDaid (.300 BA/25 HR/82 RBI), Rube Nealy (.281 BA/21 HR/71 RBI) and Jack Hanford (.274 BA/19 HR/53 RBI) and they will look great in their sartorial splendor, new unis custom designed by legendary graphics guru Clovidequano Dovatha... some decent pitching would greatly improve Hillsboro's pennant chances, too... can CD pitch, too?
But don't forget the South Fork Stallions... they still have strong pitching by Herm McClanahan (16-7/2.93 ERA), Rex Waller (16-9/2.92 ERA), Larry Boyer (10-4/2.99 ERA) and Jim Barber (6-6/2.96 ERA) and a few good bats like superstuds Bob Purkey (.312 BA/35 HR/96 RBI) and Pat Johnstone (.319 BA/43 HR/107 RBI)... they lost the pennant by a scant single game last year and that same ball club is back... South Fork is the fourth choice in the pennant race (6 GB)... it should really be a down-to-the-wire photo finish in the Tycobbian East this season.
I guess we saved the best for last... the Rolling Hills Racers have been the best team in the IPA for the last seven years -- that is, in the regular season -- where they falter is in the postseason -- they were usually the choice to win the Pro Cup all of those years and twice, in '60 and '62, they did... well, the Racers are off-and-running and should racked up their 8th straight Tycobbian West crown... and they will do it in runaway fashion -- again by double digits... last year Rolling Hills set an IPA record with a remarkable 111 victories... what's the Racers' problem?... postseason pitching, mainly in the bullpen... the starters are fine, led by Clay Callaghan (17-4/3.15 ERA), Charley Clutterbuck (18-8/3.57 ERA), Donny Joe Nelson (12-0/2.03 ERA), Karko Nommik (15-4/3.25 ERA), Jody Wales (13-2/3.57 ERA) and Vance Dillaway (9-6/3.61 ERA)... this season Rolling Hills has improved its starting rotation with rookie Mark Van Kleef... and yes, the Racers still possess an awesome group of rock-solid sockers: Hugo Sutton (.333 BA/22 HR/108 RBI), Teddy Stonich (.307 BA/26 HR/107 RBI), Jean-Luc Roubique (.342 BA/34 HR/125 RBI), Jimmy Brandini (.324 BA/22 HR/121 RBI) -- and if that's not enough add in Luca Palazzi (.331 BA/20 HR/97 RBI), Lee Fountain (.305 BA/19 HR/86 RBI), Jameson Mulbert (.290 BA/4 HR/64 RBI) and Clayton Claiborne (.297 BA/8 HR/66 RBI)... 'nuff said... Rolling Hills will roll to their 8th straight division title... and they just might win their record-setting 6th IPA Pro Cup trophy... if... if... if they can get past the current Pro Cup titleholder, the Southport Sun Sox, who are looking for a 3rd consecutive Pro Cup and a record-setting 6th Pro Cup, too... yessiree, bobaree... 2067 is going to be a darn good season in the IPA.
Well, I guess I should mention some of the other teams in the Tycobbian West... there are 7 more besides the Racers... the Kenwood Wildcats will wind up a distant second (12 GB)... last year the Wildcats came in third (22 GB)... the La Claire Lynx will probably finish third (16 GB) and the Denton City Redbirds should end up in the fourth spot in the standings (24 GB)... the Redbirds were in the runner-up spot last year (19 GB)... the Lynx wound up way down in seventh place (52 GB).