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Eugene Church · 09-15-2021, 12:24 AM

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Tuesday, July 1, 2070

IPA FAVORITES STRUGGLING AT MIDSEASON
The pennant races in the the Islandian Pro Alliance are wide open and up for grabs at midseason... far more than usual... the perennial powers-that-be are being pestered by a bunch of spunky challengers halfway through the season... only one of the preseason favorites is on top of the standings... that is the reigning Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills Racers... and even the powerhouse Racers are being tested... the general consensus is that many teams made a lot of roster changes this year and that has caused the upheaval.

2070 Ruthlandian Union First-Half Recap and Review

In the Ruthlandian Union preseason picks Taranto, St. John, Marston and Forest City are slow out of the gate, but only one is in dire danger of being completely out of the running... over in the Tycobbian Union several favored teams have already fallen to the wayside and most likely will have to wait until next year or maybe even longer... there just might be a lot of fresh new faces in the IPA postseason this year.

It's a logjam in the Ruthlandian North with 5 teams contesting at midyear... rejuvenated Valmara (45-32) is just one game up on the LaGrange Gators (44-33)... regular also-ran Ranford (42-34) is only 2 and a half games out... last year's winner and this season's preseason pick Taranto (41-37) is holding close, 4 and a half games off the pace... and the Ancona Jumbos (40-37) are on the rise, trailing by just 5 games... one of the prime pennant contenders is already in the RU North basement... the Far Mountain Redhawks (31-46) have totally flopped this season and are pretty much out of it, already 14 games behind in the standings.

The Valka Blackhawks (50-28) look like the class of the Ruthlandian South... after losing out to Claxton last year by just a single game, they have bolted to a solid 8 and a half-game edge... running in second place are the Belair Beach Sunbirds (41-38)... Claxton (39-38), the RU South winner for the last 7 years in succession, may be seeing a changing of the guard... the Diamonds are struggling in third place, 10 and a half games back... the preseason favorite St. John (38-39) is even worse off, already 11 and a half games behind in the fourth spot.

The Ruthlandian East was supposed to be a two-way tango between favored Marston and second choice Wynnamac (53-24)... so far the Macs have the edge... the Sundowners are playing better than ever even without the recently-retired Hall of Famer Manny Sendejas... 36-year-old superstar Snooky Bartels also retired recently after losing his outfield spot to a more youthful and spry rookie... Bartels still had the bat, but couldn't run and play defense anymore... the Marston Nine (48-28) won the RU East in 3 of the last 4 seasons and are the choice of the preseason pollsters this year... they are no slouches and are playing very well so far, but still are 4 and a half games in back of the red-hot Macs... Eastshore (41-36) and Elnora (40-36) are both quite a distance back in third and fourth place... they are both behind in the race by double digits.

The Volusia Vigilantes (46-30), a lackluster squad in recent seasons, have suddenly jelled and shot to the top of the Ruthlandian West, due to its fine starting rotation and bullpen... the Stoner Silver Sox (43-34) have snapped out of a 7-year losing streak with a solid first half of play... a bunch of rookies have done the job so far at the plate and on the hill... the Silver Sox are just 3 and a half games out in the race... preseason choice Forest City (41-36) is staying close in third place, trailing by 5 and a half games... last year's RU West champion, the Sligo Rovers (38-39) with 6 pennants in the last 11 years, are hanging in, but are 8 and a half games out and fourth in the standings... it's been 18 seasons since the Rovers were below the .500 mark at this point in the season.

2070 Tycobbian Union First Half Recap and Review

It has not been a good first half for the Southport Sun Sox and the Luxora Zorros, two of the favored teams in the Tycobbian Union preseason poll... both clubs have faltered badly in the first three months of the season and have little chance at the postseason... Southport is 15 games behind in the TU South and Luxora is 16 games out in the TU North... but two of the more highly-ranked teams are doing well... Rolling Hills is on top of the TU West and favorite Red Bluff is running a close second in the TU East race.

The surprise in the Tycobbian North is the White River Rascals (51-26)... they have rushed out to a spectacular and unexpected 9-game cushion over the Oxford Red Caps (42-35) and the Hartsdale Hellcats (42-35)... the Rascals were just as middle-of-pack choice in the preseason poll... White River won the TU North crown just three seasons ago in '67, but for the past two years they were just a breakeven ballclub... this year the pitching has been superb and that can do wonders for a team... both the Red Caps and Hellcats have veteran teams that are playing well, but they will have a lot of ground to make up in the second half... the North Hills Hawks (40-37) are in the fourth spot in the division standings, 11 GB... they have a tough row to hoe, too.

There are only two challengers in the Tycobbian South so far this season... the Turon Typhoons (53-23) were a second choice to favored Southport (39-39), but the Sun Sox have sunk into oblivion, a distant 15 games off the pace... only the lightly-regarded Summerland Sunsets (50-27) are offering any competition to Turon, but they are clinging closely, just 3 and a half games behind in the pennant chase... both the Typhoons and the Sunsets are having stellar seasons... Turon has the best record in the Tycobbian Union at midseason... Summerland is not far behind... both have quality pitching and good offense... both team are well-balanced and well-rounded... Turon is the more experienced club and is given the best chance to win the pennant by the pronosticators... when Summerland get good offense, they almost always do well... the Sunsets almost always have solid pitching... it should be a down-to-the-wire race this year in the TU South.

Red Bluff was the hands-down pennant pick this season in the Tycobbian East preseason poll... the Red Sox won the pennant last season in a tough 6-team fight and they were the overwhelming choice to handily dominate this season... however, it is shaping up as another multi-team dogfight in the Tycobbian East, just like last season... 5 teams are in the hunt... Tuckanarra (44-34) was overlooked by the pollsters, but they have surged to the top spot at midseason with a one and a half-game margin over the runner-up High Mesa Mustangs (42-35)... Red Bluff (41-35) is in the third spot, but only 2 games back.. fourth place belongs to South Fork (41-36), just 2 and a half games out... and the Hillsboro Blazers (40-37) are tight in the mix in fifth place, trailing by just 3 and a half games... even sixth place Midway (35-42) is within striking distance if they turn it around in the second half... top to bottom the TU East is the tightest race in the IPA... only 11 games separate the first place Tucks and the last place East Point Panthers (33-45) and the Ozarka Naturals (33-45).

While last year Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills (52-35) is off to another good start and is the big favorite to capture its 11th straight Tycobbian West flag and a good possibility to win their second Pro Cup in a row, neither of them is a lead-pipe cinch... the Racers won the TU West by 8 games last season and were expected to win it by the same margin this year, but the race is tighter than the preseason predictions... last year's distant challengers have narrowed the margin this season to just 4 and a half games halfway through the season... La Claire (47-29) and Denton City (48-30) are within hailing distance of first place... Rolling Hills is scoring like they always do and the pitching is adequate, but nothing to write home about... the Racers usually put it into high gear with a second-half surge and roar away with the TU West title down-the-stretch... the Lynx and Redbirds probably don't have the stuff needed to dethrone the Racers this year... the Rolling Hills aging vets are still putting up the numbers and still playing well.

09-15-2021, 12:24 AM	#8264
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36,047	Tuesday, July 1, 2070 IPA FAVORITES STRUGGLING AT MIDSEASON The pennant races in the the Islandian Pro Alliance are wide open and up for grabs at midseason... far more than usual... the perennial powers-that-be are being pestered by a bunch of spunky challengers halfway through the season... only one of the preseason favorites is on top of the standings... that is the reigning Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills Racers... and even the powerhouse Racers are being tested... the general consensus is that many teams made a lot of roster changes this year and that has caused the upheaval. 2070 Ruthlandian Union First-Half Recap and Review In the Ruthlandian Union preseason picks Taranto, St. John, Marston and Forest City are slow out of the gate, but only one is in dire danger of being completely out of the running... over in the Tycobbian Union several favored teams have already fallen to the wayside and most likely will have to wait until next year or maybe even longer... there just might be a lot of fresh new faces in the IPA postseason this year. It's a logjam in the Ruthlandian North with 5 teams contesting at midyear... rejuvenated Valmara (45-32) is just one game up on the LaGrange Gators (44-33)... regular also-ran Ranford (42-34) is only 2 and a half games out... last year's winner and this season's preseason pick Taranto (41-37) is holding close, 4 and a half games off the pace... and the Ancona Jumbos (40-37) are on the rise, trailing by just 5 games... one of the prime pennant contenders is already in the RU North basement... the Far Mountain Redhawks (31-46) have totally flopped this season and are pretty much out of it, already 14 games behind in the standings. The Valka Blackhawks (50-28) look like the class of the Ruthlandian South... after losing out to Claxton last year by just a single game, they have bolted to a solid 8 and a half-game edge... running in second place are the Belair Beach Sunbirds (41-38)... Claxton (39-38), the RU South winner for the last 7 years in succession, may be seeing a changing of the guard... the Diamonds are struggling in third place, 10 and a half games back... the preseason favorite St. John (38-39) is even worse off, already 11 and a half games behind in the fourth spot. The Ruthlandian East was supposed to be a two-way tango between favored Marston and second choice Wynnamac (53-24)... so far the Macs have the edge... the Sundowners are playing better than ever even without the recently-retired Hall of Famer Manny Sendejas... 36-year-old superstar Snooky Bartels also retired recently after losing his outfield spot to a more youthful and spry rookie... Bartels still had the bat, but couldn't run and play defense anymore... the Marston Nine (48-28) won the RU East in 3 of the last 4 seasons and are the choice of the preseason pollsters this year... they are no slouches and are playing very well so far, but still are 4 and a half games in back of the red-hot Macs... Eastshore (41-36) and Elnora (40-36) are both quite a distance back in third and fourth place... they are both behind in the race by double digits. The Volusia Vigilantes (46-30), a lackluster squad in recent seasons, have suddenly jelled and shot to the top of the Ruthlandian West, due to its fine starting rotation and bullpen... the Stoner Silver Sox (43-34) have snapped out of a 7-year losing streak with a solid first half of play... a bunch of rookies have done the job so far at the plate and on the hill... the Silver Sox are just 3 and a half games out in the race... preseason choice Forest City (41-36) is staying close in third place, trailing by 5 and a half games... last year's RU West champion, the Sligo Rovers (38-39) with 6 pennants in the last 11 years, are hanging in, but are 8 and a half games out and fourth in the standings... it's been 18 seasons since the Rovers were below the .500 mark at this point in the season. 2070 Tycobbian Union First Half Recap and Review It has not been a good first half for the Southport Sun Sox and the Luxora Zorros, two of the favored teams in the Tycobbian Union preseason poll... both clubs have faltered badly in the first three months of the season and have little chance at the postseason... Southport is 15 games behind in the TU South and Luxora is 16 games out in the TU North... but two of the more highly-ranked teams are doing well... Rolling Hills is on top of the TU West and favorite Red Bluff is running a close second in the TU East race. The surprise in the Tycobbian North is the White River Rascals (51-26)... they have rushed out to a spectacular and unexpected 9-game cushion over the Oxford Red Caps (42-35) and the Hartsdale Hellcats (42-35)... the Rascals were just as middle-of-pack choice in the preseason poll... White River won the TU North crown just three seasons ago in '67, but for the past two years they were just a breakeven ballclub... this year the pitching has been superb and that can do wonders for a team... both the Red Caps and Hellcats have veteran teams that are playing well, but they will have a lot of ground to make up in the second half... the North Hills Hawks (40-37) are in the fourth spot in the division standings, 11 GB... they have a tough row to hoe, too. There are only two challengers in the Tycobbian South so far this season... the Turon Typhoons (53-23) were a second choice to favored Southport (39-39), but the Sun Sox have sunk into oblivion, a distant 15 games off the pace... only the lightly-regarded Summerland Sunsets (50-27) are offering any competition to Turon, but they are clinging closely, just 3 and a half games behind in the pennant chase... both the Typhoons and the Sunsets are having stellar seasons... Turon has the best record in the Tycobbian Union at midseason... Summerland is not far behind... both have quality pitching and good offense... both team are well-balanced and well-rounded... Turon is the more experienced club and is given the best chance to win the pennant by the pronosticators... when Summerland get good offense, they almost always do well... the Sunsets almost always have solid pitching... it should be a down-to-the-wire race this year in the TU South. Red Bluff was the hands-down pennant pick this season in the Tycobbian East preseason poll... the Red Sox won the pennant last season in a tough 6-team fight and they were the overwhelming choice to handily dominate this season... however, it is shaping up as another multi-team dogfight in the Tycobbian East, just like last season... 5 teams are in the hunt... Tuckanarra (44-34) was overlooked by the pollsters, but they have surged to the top spot at midseason with a one and a half-game margin over the runner-up High Mesa Mustangs (42-35)... Red Bluff (41-35) is in the third spot, but only 2 games back.. fourth place belongs to South Fork (41-36), just 2 and a half games out... and the Hillsboro Blazers (40-37) are tight in the mix in fifth place, trailing by just 3 and a half games... even sixth place Midway (35-42) is within striking distance if they turn it around in the second half... top to bottom the TU East is the tightest race in the IPA... only 11 games separate the first place Tucks and the last place East Point Panthers (33-45) and the Ozarka Naturals (33-45). While last year Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills (52-35) is off to another good start and is the big favorite to capture its 11th straight Tycobbian West flag and a good possibility to win their second Pro Cup in a row, neither of them is a lead-pipe cinch... the Racers won the TU West by 8 games last season and were expected to win it by the same margin this year, but the race is tighter than the preseason predictions... last year's distant challengers have narrowed the margin this season to just 4 and a half games halfway through the season... La Claire (47-29) and Denton City (48-30) are within hailing distance of first place... Rolling Hills is scoring like they always do and the pitching is adequate, but nothing to write home about... the Racers usually put it into high gear with a second-half surge and roar away with the TU West title down-the-stretch... the Lynx and Redbirds probably don't have the stuff needed to dethrone the Racers this year... the Rolling Hills aging vets are still putting up the numbers and still playing well. Last edited by Eugene Church; 09-21-2021 at 01:10 PM.