Thursday, April 3, 2070
"NEXT YEAR" IS "THIS YEAR" IN THE IPA... 64 CLUBS VIE FOR THE CHERISHED 2070 PRO CUP TROPHY
The old sports adage is "Wait Until Next Year"... well, they are many towns across the Islands that are hoping and praying that "next year" is "this year" and all the stars and the planets will come into perfect alignment and "their" team will win it all and reign as the Islandian Pro Alliance champion come November... that is the wishful thinking of all 64 teams in the IPA, but it is probably not founded in fact... in truth, less than 15 of the hopefuls have any chance in reality... it is a difficult process to win a pennant and then win three rounds of play against the best of the best in the Islandian Pro Alliance postseason playoffs... 63 hopefuls will fail.
Will there be a some new blood on the horizon? -- like the Ginza Ninjas in 2059 and 2060? -- like the Hartsdale Hellcats in 2063? -- like the Claxton Diamonds in 2063 and 2064? -- or perhaps like the flash-in-the-pan Forest City Firebirds in 2068? -- or will it be all of the perennial powers like Rolling Hills Racers, Claxton Diamonds or Southport Sun Sox continuing their dominating ways in the new 2070 IPA season?
According to the baseball folks in the know, the IPA Pro Cup champion will come from defending titleholder the Rolling Hills Racers, Red Bluff Red Sox, Southport Sun Sox and Marston Nine... the Racers have snared the Pro Cup 4 times in the last 10 years and almost copped it on 2 other occasions... and the Sun Sox grabbed it twice in the last 5 seasons... the most likely champion will come from those two star-studded teams.
Taking a quick gander at all of the 8 IPA Divisions, here is what all the Islandian baseball experts and analysts are predicting for the coming 2070 Islandian Pro Alliance season.
TARS PICKED TO WIN AGAIN IN RU NORTH
Last year's Ruthlandian North winner Taranto (92-62) is a slight favorite over its main challengers from last year, the Far Mountain Redhawks (88-66) and the LaGrange Gators (84-70)... it's going to be a repeat of last year's race when the Tars won it by 3 games over the Gators and 4 games better than the Redhawks... all 3 clubs are capable of winning the RU North.
WIDE OPEN RACE IN RU SOUTH WITH 5 TEAMS IN THE CHASE
The Claxton Diamonds have really been glittering in the Ruthlandian South with 7 consecutive division crowns... but it wasn't easy for them... they just barely beat back the Valka Blackhawks last season by one game in a sudden-death playoff game... the Blackhawks were the only real challenger... the task might be more ponderous this season... at the end of last season, Belair Beach was the best ballclub... a poor start spoiled the Sunbirds' season... Claxton (79-75) is just the fourth choice this year, 4 games behind the favored St. John Crusaders... St. John (83-71) is a slight pick over the on-charging and talented Belair Beach Sunbirds (81-73)... Valka Blackhawks (80-74) is still a solid contender... and the Crystal Lake Skippers (78-76) could challenge... Claxton is still a formidable team and could still win the division... it's that close... an 8th successive division flag is not out of the question for the Diamonds.
MARSTON CREAM OF THE CROP IN RU EAST... CHOICE TO WIN 3RD TIME IN PAST 4 YEARS
The Marston Nine prevailed in the Ruthlandian East race last season, but they were pushed mighty hard by the Wynnamac Sundowners and Eastshore Cotton Kings... the Nine edged the Macs in a one-game playoff and beat back the Cotton Ballers by 4 and a half games... however, the pundits are predicting an easier time this time around... Marston (94-60) may get a little bit of breathing room this year... the Nine are improved over last year and the Sundowners (87-67) and Cotton Kings (84-70) may not be quite as good... several other squads will have good seasons in the RU East... look for the Cold Creek Foxhounds (81-73) and Beechwood Jackrabbits (80-74) to prosper and have winning records.
CAN FIREBIRDS RISE AGAIN FROM THE ASHES IN THE RU WEST?
The Forest City Firebirds soared out of nowhere two years ago and surprised everybody in the Islands by winning the 2068 Pro Cup... they were the darlings of the IPA... it is hard to believe that they actually knocked off the renowned Rolling Hills Racers in an amazing 7-game upset... the Firebirds went from 8th place to the IPA championship in just one short year... sadly they languished most of last season and did not repeat in the Ruthlandian West Division... they were nowhere near the team they were in the fantastic title year... last season the Sligo Rovers snatched the RU West flag in a single-game playoff from the Middlefield Roosters... Forest City came in a close third, losing out by just 2 and a half games... the Firebirds did not have a good year, but still they almost repeated as division champion with a good second half... the baseball pundits are predicting that the Forest City Firebirds (91-63) will be back and flying high again... but they will be severely challenged by the Middlefield Roosters (91-63), who are raring to go again and win it all this season... the Roosters had a lot to crow about last season... they are anxious to make up for the disappointing conclusion to last year... the outlook for 2070 is for a two-team race... the pesky and scrappy Sligo Rovers (74-80), the best team for most of the past two decades, may be in decline... 6th place is a long way for them to fall... the worst the Rovers have finished in the last 17 years is 3rd place and that only happened one time in 2068... all the other seasons they won 6 pennants and wound up second the other 10 years... that is a truly fine record, no matter what division you are in... none of the rest of the RU West teams are expected to contest for the pennant, not even spunky Sligo.