Attachment 751480
Friday, July 1, 2067
RACES GALORE AND MORE IN THE IPA AT MIDSEASON
Good gracious, this is a great season so far in the Islandian Pro Alliance... at midseason there are races galore and more... all 8 divisions still are up for grabs... even powerhouses and prohibitive favorites Southport, Rolling Hills and Claxton are being challenged... the Sun Sox are trailing San Alejo in the Tycobbian South by a couple of games... the Racers only have a 6-game edge in the Tycobbian West... and the Diamonds are just a skosh better than Grand City in the Ruthlandian South.
Ruthlandian Union
And away we go around the IPA... halfway through the season it's a super duper race in the Ruthlandian North... Glasco (44-35) is up by one and a half games on preseason favorite LaGrange (43-37) and Far Mountain (43-37) with fourth place Valmara (41-39) and Ranford (41-39) clinging on their heels, too, just 3 and a half games back... the RU North will come down to the Foxhounds and the Gators... they both have solid bats and solid pitching... the Bulls could get into the race, too... they have some quality pitchers... the Redhawks and Vipers just don't have it on the hill.
It's also super close in the Ruthlandian South where Pro Cup aspirant Claxton (47-33) is just a half game up on the Grand City Cybercats (46-33)... 2 and a half games in front of third place Valka (44-35) and only 3 games ahead of fourth place Waleska (44-36)... get ready for a photo finish... the Diamonds look like they will have a tough fight on their hands... the Cybercats are one good all-around ball club... the Blackhawks and Westerners are darn good, too... should be a heck of a finish... might be too close to call... it is hard to go against Claxton... strong starters and an excellent bullpen should make the Diamonds a winner in the RU South again this season for the fifth consecutive year... but it will not be easy.
The number one preseason pick Wynnamac is on top of the Ruthlandian East, but by a very slim margin of one and a half games over the surprising Beechwood Jackrabbits (48-31), who haven't had a winning season in 21 years... last year's champ Marston (46-34) is in the third spot, just 4 games off the pace... nobody else is in the ballpark as far as the pennant is concerned... the other 5 clubs will be playing for fourth place... all three clubs are playing well... they have been consistently good the entire season... it will come down to Wynnamac's offense and Marston's pitching... Beechwood doesn't have the pitching to win the pennant... give the edge to the Macs... the Sundowners may just be a tad better at the plate and on the hill than the Nine.
It's been a good first half for the Fort Benton Generals (47-33)... they are resting on top of the Ruthlandian West standings with a 4-game margin over 3 teams: defending champion Sligo (43-37), Stoner (43-37) and Rocky Rapids (43-37)... the Silver Sox are perennial losers and the Snappers rarely contend and haven't been to the postseason since 2046... expected contenders Volusia (39-41) and Colfax (38-42) had disappointing first halves, but could get back into the hunt... they trail by 8 and 9 games respectively.
The Sligo Rovers will prevail over the Fort Benton Generals... but it will be close... the Rovers might have an advantage... they have a lot of experience in close pennant races and postseason play... the Stoner Silver Sox and Rocky Rapids Snappers will be in the chase, too... lack of pitching will hurt Stoner, while it will be a lack of offense that will hamper the Snappers.
Tycobbian Union
Nobody ever seems to have much respect for the Hartsdale Hellcats (49-31)... they were forecast to wind up a poor fifth this year, but look at them... the Hellcats are sitting pretty high atop the Tycobbian North standings with a 2-game edge on the preseason pick, the Oxford Red Caps (47-33)... two other clubs are within striking distance, the third place White River Rascals (42-37) and the fourth place North Hills Hawks (41-38)... the Rascals are 6 and a half game out, while the Hawks are 7 and a half games behind... looks like a two-team tango between the Hellcats and Red Caps... both possess better offenses than the competitors.
Surprisingly good hitting and solid pitching has carried the San Alejo Montaneros (46-33) to the top of the pack this season... at midyear the Monties have a one and a half-game lead over super power Southport (45-35), the reigning Pro Cup champ for the last two seasons... and the scrappy Ginza Ninjas (44-36) are just 2 and a half games back in the pennant race... none of the other clubs in the TU South look like pennant contenders... it will be tough for San Alejo and Ginza to beat the Sun Sox... they just might be headed for a third straight Pro Cup trophy... that would be a remarkable achievement, accomplished just one time in the annals of the Islandian Pro Alliance... the Far Mountain Redhawks, vintage 2011, 2012 and 2013... they are the only team to ever do that... however, San Alejo may be just a little bit better offensively than the Sun Sox and they just might be better on the mound, too... Ginza is quite strong in the pitching department, but might not have the offense to whip the other two clubs... the Monties look like the winner on paper, but in the final analyses, Southport has been through the wars the last few years and has won all the battles... the Sun Sox will continue to shine in the Tycobbian South.
There are a couple of things that are raising eyebrows in the Tycobbian East... number one, perennial also-ran Hillsboro is leading the league... and number two, the Blazers are 5 and a half games in front... no one expected this... the preseason prognosticators just thought that Hillsboro would compete for the pennant... not necessarily win it... this would be the Blazers first pennant since 2051... Hillsboro has made the playoffs only one time in its 66 years of IPA play... but having said all of that... the Blazers still have a lot of games to play... for sure, second place Ozarka (44-36), third place and last year's champ Red Bluff (43-37), third place Tuckanarra (43-37) and fourth place and this year's preseason favorite High Mesa (40-40) will have something to say in this matter... a lot of folks are all pulling for Hillsboro... the Blazers are the sentimental choice, but Red Bluff will probably win it... the pennant will come down to the hunks on the hill... give the nod to the Red Sox by a slim margin.
And yes, there is some semblance of a pennant race in the Tycobbian West... yes, the mighty Rolling Hills Racers (50-30) are again the best in the West and as usual, they have a good solid lead heading into the last half of the year... the La Claire Lynx (44-36) are hovering just 6 games off the pace, but they are not playing well... the June Swoon set in... they appear to be the only club in the race... third place Denton City (41-38), fourth place Arlon (41-39) and fifth place Kenwood (40-40) are all near the .500 mark and heading nowhere... soon the TU West will be heading into the home stretch... a time when the Rolling Hills Racers will turn it on and romp to another pennant... their 8th straight... the Racers would also like to finish off the year with a record-setting 6th Pro Cup trophy.