Tuesday, November 5, 2069
BUSBY EDGES MEISNER FOR RU MVP... SUTTON NIPS ROBERTS FOR TU MVP HONOR
The Islandian Pro Alliance most prestigious individual honor is the League's Most Valuable Player Awards... Golden Bats, Golden Arms and Golden Gloves are important, but it's the MVP trophies that have a special place during the awards season... these awards go to the players deemed most influencial to a team's success during the season... not only do the MVP's have a fine season, they are an important ingredient in the team's success... the IPA Most Valuable Players are indeed the IPA Players of the Year.
The 2069 Ruthlandian Union Most Valuable Player Award goes to Galen Busby of the Marston Nine... the 26-year-old Busby was one of the main factors in the RU East pennant race... he paced Marston to their third division crown in four seasons... Busby had an astounding year winning 22 games and losing only 4 times... he tied for the lead in the IPA in victories... Busby, a right-hander, hurled 277 innings, fanned 222 batters, posted 4 shutouts, made an IPA-leading 34 quality starts and led the Ruthlandian Union with an excellent 2.24 ERA... Busby finished a close second to Mark Meisner, this year's Golden Arm recipient... lifetime Busby has chalked up an 80-40 mark in his 6 years with Marston... his career ERA stands at 2.79... this is the first time Busby has been named the RU Most Valuable Player.
Second place in the MVP poll went to another hurler, this year's Golden Arm, Mark Meisner... the 33-year-old lefty continued his great career with a 19-9 record and a 2.45 ERA... Meisner led the IPA with 7 shutouts and 34 quality starts... he tied for the lead in the most starts with 41... for the 7th straight season Meisner has been very instrumental in Claxton capturing the RU South Division crown... in his 13 seasons with the Diamonds he is an overall 148-60 with a career 2.30 ERA... Meisner was a reliever his first 6 years... he also has 145 saves to his credit.
2069 was a fine year for pitchers in the Ruthlandian Union... third place in the Most Valuable Player balloting was another pitcher... it was Busby's teammate and favorite closer, Sammy Lasorda... just in his second season with the Marston Nine, Lasorda made 86 appearances with 25 saves, 12-12 record and a fine 2.82 ERA... the 26-year-old left-hander was a crucial part of the Marston division title this year.
It was a batsman that reigned supreme in the Tycobbian Union Most Valuable Player voting in 2069... for the second time in his stellar career center fielder Hugo Sutton of the Rolling Hills Racers was acclaimed the TU player of the year... he also nabbed the award in 2063... Sutton, age 29, had a spectacular season... he played in all 154 games, hitting .330 with 211 hits, 40 doubles, 21 triples, 25 homers, 104 RBIs, 124 runs and 12 stolen bases... Sutton also sparked the Racers to their 10th consecutive pennant in the Tycobbian West Division... in his 8 seasons Sutton sports a lofty .325 lifetime batting average with 207 roundtrippers, 874 RBIs, 898 runs and 152 stolen bases... this year's MVP also won the Golden Bat in 2063 and 2065... Sutton is also a 6-time All-Star.
High Mesa's marvelous first baseman Roy Roberts had a superlative season with 69 home runs, the second-best total in IPA history... only Roberts has ever done better with 73 in 2066... he also nabbed the 2069 Tycobbian Union Golden Bat Award... despite this super season the 30-year-old superstar still finished a very close second to MVP Sutton... in 154 games Roberts batted .302, topped the IPA with 164 RBIs and 134 runs.. the Mustangs ran a good race in the TU East, winding up fourth in the standings, trailing division champion South Fork by just 6 games.
There was one pitcher worthy of the MVP honor in the Tycobbian Union... that was 33-year-old veteran right-hander Rance Hasbrough of the Denton City Redbirds... he shined brightly with a 20-5 mark and a strong 2.70 ERA, starting 40 games, working 290 innings and fanning 230 batters in 32 quality starts... Hasbrough's worth exploits helped Denton City have a fine season, going 89-65 and finishing second to the mighty Rolling Hills Racers in the TU West race... in his 15 seasons with the Redbirds Hasbrough has compiled a sparkling 207-165 record with a 3.40 ERA.
2069 Ruthlandian Union Most Valuable Player Award
