[Eugene Church]

4-TEAM RACE AMONG VIGILANTES, BLACK SOX, FIREBIRDS AND GENERALS IN RU WEST
The Sligo Rovers easily prevailed by 8 games over Fort Benton in the Ruthlandian West last year, but they didn't get a lot of support this season from the baseball experts in the preseason polls... it was the Volusia Vigilantes (87-67), Colfax Black Sox (85-69), Forest City Firebirds (84-70) and Fort Benton Generals (80-74) getting all the press this year.

A tight race is forecast in the RU West between the V's, Black Sox, Firebirds and Generals... Volusia and Forest City have the best pitching staffs, while Colfax has the best bats... the Vigilantes thrive with three fine starters: Lonny Rinehart, Justin Shank and Johnny Walker... but they could use a few new bats to help Ellie Hudgens, Valentino Robles and Johnny Lee Washington at the plate.

Due to its lousy pitching Colfax slumped badly last year to the 7th spot in the RU West standings... this year the prognosticators think they have been rejuvenated with a bunch of young arms... 6 rookie hurlers made the team in the Spring... keep an eye on Curly Tardiff, Julien Acree and Terence Dupont... the offense is still in good hands with superstud Lanny Waldrep, Bralen Josephson and Monty McDermott... rookie center fielder Seth Nichols may add some needed zest to the attack.

Forest City's mound corps impressed during the exhibition season and was noticably improved... the Firebirds (61-93) came in dead last in the RU West last season, 30 games behind division champion Sligo (91-63)... a new pitching coach Rich Barstow had made all the difference in the world... he has no new rookies, just the returning staff... Barstow has molded an excellent staff with a rotation consisting of Pete Manush, Sassy Worsley, Bruno Baptista, Lloyd Fairchild and Skeets Hooper... even the entire bullpen has made a turnaround under Barstow... look for improvement from Wayne Hooper, Todd Thurman, Fletch Harrington, Buster Gless and Otis Medwick... but the Firebirds need improvement in its offense, too... the offense is just mediocre at best... rookie right fielder Leland Carmack has been a fine addition to the batting order, but he's not enough... it looks like Forest City's success depends entirely on its pitching staff.

The Fort Benton Generals are another club weak at the plate, but strong on the hill... the Generals will live and die with its pitching... they have a solid starting rotation with Mitch Sweitzer, Louis Norman, Bubby Stroderd and Yoshiro Makihara... 23-year-old southpaw Delmer Burks impressed during the Spring and had won a spot in the rotation... Fort Benton wound up second last year, 8 games off the pace... another solid pitcher might make the difference... improved bats would be a big boost, too... Marlon Hazard, Dolph Gordon and Nate Bryson could use some help.

Last season's pennant winner Sligo (91-63) had been a potent force in the RU West for the past 15 seasons, finishing no worse than second place... 5 times they won the division crown... the Rovers have always thrived on the mound and lacked offense... why they were picked to wind up in 6th place (71-83) is a mystery, but that's where they ended up in the preseason polls... they still lack offense, but Eddy Arnett, Albie McGlone and Cliff Hawthorne had been sufficient in recent years... on the hill Sligo is still solid with the likes of Tiger Snodgrass, Floyd Burton, Butch Baird, Jay Jay Earnshaw and Sam Carmon as starters... the bullpen is just average, but adequate... don't count the Rovers out this year... they will be in the hunt again in the RU West.