Tuesday, July 18, 2073
PRESEASON PICKS DOING WELL AT THE IPA HALFWAY POINT
At the All-Star break only 3 of the preseason favorites are on top of their divisions, but almost all of the highly-touted teams are still alive and well in the Islandian Pro Alliance and very much in the hunt for the pennant... midway through the season Valmara, White River and defending IPA champion Turon are on the top of the heap... Rolling Hills is the only pennant pick to falter so far in the season... the Racers are 15 games behind in the Tycobbian West Division... the most surprising team in the IPA this season is the St. John Crusaders in the Ruthlandian Union... the unsung Crusaders are leading the RU South... another underrated club making waves is the Kenwood Wildcats... so far this year they are the best in the TU West.
Around the IPA at the All-Star Game
The Valmara Vipers (54-35) are ahead in the Ruthlandian North, but not by much... Far Mountain (53-36) and Taranto (52-37) are nipping at their heels, only 2 games off the pace, along with the LaGrange Gators (47-42), just 7 games out in the race... the Vipers were the preseason choice to take their 4th flag in a row.
Forecast to finish 5th in the Ruthlandian South the St. John Crusaders (50-39) have had a surprisingly strong first half and have a 2-game edge over Crystal Lake (48-41) and 3 games over perennial contenders Valka (47-42) and Claxton (47-42)... last year's division winner Valka was favored again to take the pennant this year... Belair Beach (44-45) and Waleska (42-47) still have a chance to get into the tussle, too.
The Sugar Valley Rattlers (53-36) and the Eastshore Cotton Kings (52-37) have shaken things up a bit in the Ruthlandian East... at midseason they are ahead of preseason favorite Wynnamac (49-40) and long-time challenger Marston (47-42), but the Macs and the Nine are still close by and dangerous... the Sundowners have won the RU East for the last 3 seasons and are favored to win it again this year... at the All-Star break the Rattlers have a 1-game lead over the Cotton Kings... they are 4 in front of Wynnamac and 6 ahead of Marston.
Last year's Pro Cup finalist, Stoner, was the choice to win again this year in a close race... however, Volusia (52-32), the 4th pick, has jumped into the Ruthlandian West lead at midyear... the Vigilantes are 4 games up on preseason choice Stoner (48-41) and 7 games better than Colfax (45-44), Sligo (45-44) and Middlefield (45-44)... the Forest City Firebirds (40-49) were forecast to be a title contender, but so far they have floundered in 7th place in the standings, 12 games behind.
The White River Rascals (62-27) were picked to be the top dog in the Tycobbian North again this season and they certainly are with a 12-game bulge at midyear... the Rascals have been torrid this year... Mahaska (50-39), Hartsdale (48-41) and Oxford (46-43) are playing good baseball this year, but still are far behind... chances are quite good that White River will prevail in the TU West for the 3rd time in the last 4 seasons... the Rascals are looking like Pro Cup champions.
Pro Cup champion Turon (53-36) is on pace to take their 4th straight division title in the Tycobbian South... their are playing steady baseball and have forged a 4-game lead ove San Alejo (49-40) and are 5 games better than Summerland (48-41)... running a distant 4th are the Southport Sun Sox (44-45) and the Arroyo Grande Suns (44-45)... Southport was looked on as Turon's biggest rival, but so far, the Sun Sox have floundered... the Suns are not expected to challenge the Typhoons... the preseason forecasters have not written Southport off as yet... they have the talent to get back into the pennant hunt.
Over in the Tycobbian East, the always solid Red Bluff Red Sox (57-32) have soared to the top of the division standings, despite being chosen to end up in the 5th fifth spot this season... the Red Sox have surprised the preseason pundits with a 3-game edge over runner-up Tuckanarra (54-35) and a 5-game margin over preseason favorite South Fork... Red Bluff won the division flag last season and has taken 4 of the last 8 pennants... none of the remaining 5 clubs are expected to make a race of it.
No one considered the Kenwood Wildcats (59-30) to be in serious contention in the Tycobbian West this year... they were the 4th choice to capture the pennant behind last year's winner Rolling Hills, Bayview and Chicopee... but lo and behold... yep, can you believe it, Kenwood is 4 games ahead of the second-place Vikings (55-34), 11 in front of the third-place Braves (48-41), 12 better than fourth-place Denton City Redbirds (47-42) and a whopping 15 games ahead of the preseason-favored and perennial powerhouse, the Rolling Hills Racers (44-45).
2073 Ruthlandian Union Midseason Standings
2073 Tycobbian Union Midseason Standings
