
Wednesday, April 3, 2069
64 TEAMS OPEN 69TH IPA SEASON
This Friday afternoon it will be splendor in the glorious green grass all across the Islands... once again the baseball diamonds will be sparkling on opening day in the Islandian Pro Alliance... the IPA begins its 69th season.
The Forest City Firebirds will be seeking its second straight Pro Cup trophy along with 63 other hungry ballclubs... last year LaGrange, Claxton, Wynnamac and Forest City captured division crowns in the Ruthlandian Union, while Oxford, Southport, Red Bluff and Rolling Hills prevailed in the Tycobbian Union.
Quickly taking a trip around the IPA, here's what the baseball pollsters and pundits are predicting this season... Far Mountain will win a close race over the Valmara Vipers and the LaGrange Gators in the Ruthlandian North... Claxton is a solid favorite to take its 7th consecutive RU South title... their biggest rivals will be Grand City and Waleska... it will be a wide-open race in the Ruthlandian East this season... 7 teams have a shot at the pennant with the Marston Nine the slight favorite, followed closely by Eastshore and Beechwood... there bad news for Pro Cup champion Forest City in the RU West... the Firebirds are picked fourth in a six-team struggle... the Middlefield Roosters may rule the roost this year with Rocky Rapids and Fort Benton right on their tails.
Over in the Tycobbian Union the Oxford Red Caps are favored to repeat as the TU North winner, however, they will have Fairfax and White River breathing down their necks... Hartsdale, North Hills and Blue Lake might get into the mix, too... the Southport Sun Sox will glisten again with their fourth RU South flag in the last five seasons... but they will be tested by the runner-up Turon Typhoons... San Alejo and Ginza will be distant third and fourth place finishers... the top team again will be the Red Bluff Red Sox in the TU East... it's forecast to just be a two-team affair... only Tuckanarra is given a chance to dethrone the Red Sox... for the 10th year in succession, the powerful Rolling Hills Racers will be the supreme team in the Tycobbian West... Bayview, Denton City and La Claire will be left in their dust again this season... and it will not be close.
And who will win the coveted 2069 Pro Cup trophy?... Rolling Hills is again the odds-on favorite with Southport, Red Bluff and Claxton rated the teams with the best chance to knock the Racers off.