Thursday, April 5, 2074
NEW BLOODS PREDICTED IN THE TYCOBBIAN PENNANT RACES, TYPHOONS STILL BLOWING STRONG
Just like the Ruthlandian Union, a new crop of pennant winners are forecast for the Tycobbian Union... only Turon is expected to repeat as division champion... Hartsdale, Tuckanarra and Rolling Hills are favored along with the Typhoons to make the playoffs and be contenders for the much-coveted Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Trophy... the 2074 IPA season gets started tomorrow afternoon at 32 diamond venues around the Islands... baseball will dominate the sports landscape for the next 6 months... we'll know the survivors come the end of September.
Tycobbian Union North Division Preseason Preview
The White River Rascals totally anihilated the TU North last season, taking the title by a colossal 23 games, posting an IPA-best 106-48 mark... it is really hard to fathom that the Rascals will fall off that much... the diamond crystal ballers must be looking through some mighty murky waters... White River is not aging and is just the same team as last year's dominating champion... in The Islandian Times Preseason Poll, the baseball analysts are saying that Hartsdale (77-77) will win a close race with the Luxora Zorros (77-77) and White River (106-48)... Mahaska (83-71) and Oxford (77-77) are also lurking in the postseason shadows, too.
There is not a lot of offense in the TU North this year... Hartsdale will have to depend on several rookie pitchers, Dean Crossman, Mitch Hynes and Warren Bayham to blossom big this season for them to compete for the division title... those are 3 big "ifs"... Jay Jay Earnshaw (12-13/4.53 ERA) is the best of the returning hurlers... the Hellcats have two high-powered bats in Tom Colson (.314 BA/32 HR/140 RBI/23 SB) and Cooter Ethridge (.308 BA/26 HR/112 RBI/27 SB), but not a lot besides... really hard to see Hartsdale winning the pennant on paper.
Luxora looks to have a better shot at winning the division than Hartsdale... the Zorros can put runs on the scoreboard with the likes of Don Massengale (.343 BA/5 HR/50 RBI/54 SB), Miguel Serrano (.340 BA/12 HR/76 RBI/47 SB), Rico Jaramillo (.299 BA/8 HR/77 RBI), Doug Cherry (.289 BA/14 HR/73 RBI/28 SB) and Whit Pipken (.270 BA/25 HR/88 RBI)... rookie CF Marvin Breeland is high-touted and won a spot in the lineup in the spring... Tomas Yanez (16-7/3.56 ERA) is the top returning starter... he's hoping for help from James Garrision, Goncalo Rocha and Franco Sevilla... the Z's mound corps is about equal to Hartsdale's.
White River still had the best pitching by far in the TU North led by starters Shorty Meaux (19-7/2.81 ERA), Jamey Ellison (16-6/2.79 ERA), Henry Youngman (13-4/2.86 ERA) and Jackie Campanella (9-6/3.52 ERA)... the bullpen is solid, too, with Edward Carlin (15-6/2.18 ERA/18 saves/77 games), Carl Camden (13-0/2.82 ERA) and Ken Lucas (14-8/4.20 ERA)... plus the lineup can handle the bats pretty well as well, sparked by Lynn Elkins (.334 BA/24 HR/104 RBI/22 SB), Kerry Quick (.281 BA/33 HR/115 RBI/61 SB), Finley McTavish (.280/19 HR/80 RBI), Paul Douglas (.285 BA/17 HR/97 RBI) and Dan Bayless (.318 BA/14 RBI/84 RBI/31 SB)... sorry to disagree with the SABR guys, but the Rascals are still the club to win in the TU North... yep, that is my opinion and I'm sticking to it.
The Mahaska Haymakers may have the best offense in the division with the likes of Ramon Garza (.333 BA/15 HR/122 RBI/35 SB), Lee Nolan (.290 BA/20 HR/98 RBI/25 SB), Lucius Connell (.311 BA/6 HR/67 RBI/14 SB), Maury Fallon (.304 BA/7 HR/56 RBI/25 SB) and Alonso Montes (.298 BA/1 HR/55 RBI/51 SB)... rookie shortstop Dwight Houser could be a comer with his glove and his bat... on the hill the Haymakers are hoping for good seasons from two rookies, Leo Durosa and Bobby Perry... Delmer Burks (16-6/3.16 ERA) and Rollie Taft (14-13/4.23 ERA) are two quality arms returning this season... if the newcomers produced it could be an improved year for Mahaska.
The Oxford Red Caps are another club given a chance to contend in the TU North... their season hinges on an aging pair of mound veterans, 36-year-old Rico Alessi (18-10/1.96 ERA), the 2073 Tycobbian Union Golden Arm and ERA leader, and 38-year-old Bucky Dodge (8-5/2.69 ERA)... Dodge missed half the season last year with an arm injury... Sam Blades, Pat Dover and several others will have to step it up and help the two stars for Oxford to contend... solid and dependable Doc Yorke (7-11/3.84 ERA) will handle the closer spot this year... the top Red Cap run producers are Nicky Troy (.236 BA/34 HR/103 RBI), Phil Cahoon (.263 BA/16 HR/75 RBI/24 SB), Ollie PIerre (.292 BA/15 HR/58 RBI/48 SB), Izak Abramoff (.303 BA/8 HR/59 RBI) and Nate Kenner (.312 BA/8 HR/83 RBI/22 SB).
Tycobbian Union South Division Preseason Preview
The Turon Typhoons are still blowing and going in the TU South... they are favored to win the division for the 5th straight season and rightly so... they have the best offense and the best pitching... last year they ran away with the race by 16 games over runners-up San Alejo (80-74), Southport (80-74) and Summerland (80-74)... and Turon fought hard before losing in the playoffs to IPA Pro Cup champion South Fork (97-57)... the Stallions beat them 3 games to 2 in the first round of the postseason... the Typhoons (96-58) should be able to fend off the Summerland Sunsets and Southport Sun Sox this year... San Alejo looks to be a distant 4th this season.
The Summerland Sunsets have long been known for its solid pitching in past years, but not so this year... starters James Marley (13-11/4.05 ERA) and Nikita Nurk (14-14/4.70 ERA) are just mediocre at best... but they do bave a good bullpen with closer Luc Cochrane (10-9/3.66 ERA/11 saves/89 games), Jason Irons (9-8/3.64 ERA/11 saves/50 games)... decent starter Jim Hackett (12-11/4.22 ERA) will also help out there... the offense is pretty good with sticks like Neal Crichton (.309 BA/35 HR/130 RBI/110 R/56 SB), Armin Hauer (.333 BA/5 HR/54 RBI/91 R/41 SB), Rene Tesch (.301 BA/3 HR/62 RBI/75 R/60 SB), Arie Vermeer (.288 BA/5 HR/61 RBI/74 R/21 SB), Viktor Sklar (.282 BA/27 HR/91 RBI/66 R), Carroll Coxe (.367 BA/8 HR/47 RBI/57 R/26 SB) and Arjen Van Halen (.308 BA/6 HR/55 RBI/54 R)... Summerland can hit well, but is sorely lacking in pitching... rookies Mort Cassidy and Bobby Lee Higgins will really have to make an impact for the Sunsets to upend rock-solid Turon in the RU South.
The Southport Sun Sox have won the Tycobbian South 17 times in its history and also captured 4 Pro Cup trophies... the last losing season was years ago in 2041 (67-87)... the Sun Sox have hauled in 2 Pro Cups in the last 9 seasons (2065 and 2066)... yet they are showing some signs of age... top hurlers are deep into their 30s, but still are strong starters: Timmy Aaron (13-9/2.07 ERA) and Roman Littrell (15-10/3.09 ERA)... they are depending on rookie starters Quince Bodine and Patryk Iverson for a boost this season... closer Berry Manilow (9-8/3.92 ERA) looks like he is ready to blossom in that spot... Southport still has some solid bats, paced by Nate Eldredge (.313 BA/22 HR/77 RBI/98 R/11 SB), Scrappy Ingraham (.301 BA/11 HR/83 RBI/67 R/13 SB), Darcy Janvier (.263 BA/19 HR/73 RBI/106 R/49 SB)... shortstop and club leader Junior Evans (.285 BA/15 HR/61 RBI/65 r/14 SB) is still a fine player at age 34... talented first baseman Sasha Osinski (.260 BA/12 HR/49 RBI/47 R/12 SB) only played 94 games last year due to injury... his return to the lineuup will be much welcomed... Osinski is one of the Sun Sox's key performers... at age 27, he is in his prime years.
The success of the San Alejo season will depend on the development of 4 rookie hurlers: Philip English, Noah Fairclough, Elroy Shipley and Bennie Rosa... plus rookie first sacker Matty Cardosa... Fairclough, a two-way player, will join him in the starting lineup in right field... Fairclough is a solid pitcher and also a very solid bat... a very talented player... the Montaneros will do fine at the plate, sparked by top guns Dominique Juban (.335 BA/28 HR/110 RBI/121 R/20 SB) and Enrique Clarizio (.293 BA/27 HR/117 RBI/95 R/14 SB)... they will also get some help from capable hitters Rodolfo Vera (.296 BA/4 HR/65 RBI), Robbie Oquendo (.283 BA/6 HR/59 RBI/105 R/53 SB) and Norris Crowther (.280 BA/15 HR/67 RBI/49 R)... actually, San Alejo looks like the second-best club in the Tycobbian South.
Tycobbian Union East Division Preseason Preview
Last season the South Fork Stallions (97-57) took a tight race with the Red Bluff Red Sox (90-64) and the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats (90-64), winning the Tycobbian East by 7 games over the other two rivals with a September surge... this year the baseball prophets, pundits and prognosticators are picking the Tucks to take the division in another 2-team tangle... once again the defending IPA champion South Fork will be the prime protagonist... Red Bluff is forecast to wind up a distant 3rd place... Tuckanarra won the division crown in 2071, Red Bluff has been victorious 4 times in the last 8 seasons and South Fork has won twice in the last 5 years.
The Tuckanarra Tiger Cats are banking on an upgrade in the mound staff to overcome South Fork... reliable Calvin Hurley (17-8/3.62 ERA) and Garrett Gilchrist (11-10/3.81 ERA) are back and have capable arms... improvement from returnee Duncan Shilling (6-3/4.08 ERA) and the addition of rookie Jon Farnsworth will be vital in the pennant race... in the bullpen are Adrian Cornwallis (11-9/3.39 ERA/6 saves/43 games) and Morty Gladewater (3-4/2.89 ERA/1 save/23 games)... heading up the fine attack are Boomer Carlton (.289 BA/22 HR/103 RBI), Mick Remington (.277 BA/23 HR/88 RBI/20 SB), Lonny Garrett (.308 BA/8 HR/78 RBI/88 R/41 SB), Dennis Ojeda (.328 BA/11 HR/77 RBI/97 R/43 SB) and Bobby Stennett (.315 BA/2 HR/47 RBI/75 R/35 SB)... one positive is the addition of a fine rookie catcher and hitter Deon Leeds.
South Fork was very good last year and they will probably be just as good this year... Tuckanarra has a big task to beat them... the Stallions have good pitching with starters superstar Mark Meisner (16-9/3.31 ERA), Billy Lake (12-11/3.46 ERA), Otis Medwick (12-5/3.54 ERA) and Slinger Sowers (9-6/3.62 ERA)... newcomer rookie Marv Mathews stood out in the spring and won a spot in the rotation... he could be an unexpected gift... veterans Angelo Marinello (14-3/3.23 ERA) and Ramsey Crowe (12-11/4.70 ERA/10 saves/55 games) will anchor the bullpen, which was poor last season... Chuck Ogletree (8-9/4.48 ERA/14 saves/70 games) will also be back... the South Fork offense can do the job... it is chocked full of reliable batters like Carroll Ezzell (.345 BA/10 HR/69 RBI/127 R/77 SB), Pat Johnstone (.299 BA/34 HR/116 RBI/91 R/44 SB), Mal Galbreath (.304 BA/22 HR/96 RBI/109 R/42 SB), Patrick Packenham (.318 BA/8 HR/93 RBI/79 R) and Marcus Rydell (.282 BA/10 HR/61 RBI/91 R/28 SB)... the Stallions need to find a spot in the batting order for rookie outfielder Marion Morrison, who did well in spring training... sorry, I think South Fork will win the TU East again... the Tucks have too many unpredictables and too many uncertainties.
Tycobbian Union West Division Preseason Preview
Last year the TU West was a tremendous battle from the start to the finish... three clubs clashed and fought the entire season... the Kenwood Wildcats (94-61) won it in a sudden-death playoff with the Bayview Vikings (93-62)... the Chicopee Braves (87-67) battled long and hard during most of the season, but slumped when it mattered most and fell out of the race, ending up just 6 and a half games behind... so who is the pick of the crop this year?... it's last year's preseason favorite Rolling Hills... yep, the Racers may be back in business in the TU West... they are forecast to defeat Denton City in a close race... defending division champ Kenwood is the third choice... La Claire fourth, Chicopee fifth and Bayview is way back in the sixth spot.
Let's take a closer look and see if we can finish out what's going to happen and why... nobody in the TU West has a lot of pitching, but they do hit the ball rather well... Rolling Hills is not the team they were a few seasons ago, but they can still put the wood to the old horsehide, sparked by 33-year-old star and future Hall-of-Famer Hugo Sutton (.307 BA/19 HR/86 RBI/109 R/39 SB), budding star Cotton Mathers (.335 BA/1 Hr/46 RBI/105 R/78 SB), Philip Bliss (.317 BA/3 HR/82 RBI/77 R/43 SB), Kit Clemmons (.294 BA/14 HR/81 RBI/74 R/5 SB) and Art Horn (.297 BA/9 HR/73 RBI/57 R/34 SB)... add in another solid bat in rookie first sacker Mickey Seale, who won the spot in the spring... the Racers are indeed looking good this season... but when you look at the pitching prospects, it's gets scary... the best of the lot is Chet Henry (13-8/3.94 ERA), Hal Christy (14-12/4.05 ERA), Carl Lindell (10-8/4.65 ERA) and Coen Bock (9-11/3.28 ERA)... this does not bode well for Rolling Hills.
Second pick Denton City can match the Racers' offense, but they appear to much sounder on the mound... Al Ogden (10-10/3.30 ERA), Del Sorenson (13-7/3.80 ERA), Pierre Pichette (13-13/3.22 ERA) and Lyle Hollander (10-13/4.19 ERA) are not a great rotation, but they are superior to Rolling Hills... you can add in a good-looking rookie southpaw Andre LaFrance to the mound mix... LaFrance did well in Spring Training... the Redbird bullpen is OK and can do the job... it's at the plate where Denton City falls short... they don't have any power and they don't hit for average... they signed 5 rookie position players this season in an attempt to fix the offense... Winky Biggio (.241 BA/30 HR/86 RBI/90 R/23 SB) hits with power, but not for average... the only contact hitters are Donald Wilhelm (.311 BA/5 HR/47 RBI/94 R/41 SB), Kyell Jorgensen (.299 BA/3 HR/47 RBI/82 R/41 SB) and Doc Agarn (.292 BA/9 HR/71 RBI/46 R)... the Redbirds are hoping to get first baseman Virgil Welsh (.258 BA/22 HR/95 RBI/81 R) back early in the season... rookie Jeff Thigpen is holding down that spot and has done well in the spring.
Actually, last year's TU West champion Kenwood, still looks like the best team... they hit the cover off the ball last year with a .293 BA... they could be ever better this year... the Wildcats also have better starters by far with Kurt Gammons (15-10/3.03 ERA) and Paulo Passos (17-7/2.44 ERA... 3 rookies will be added to the rotation... they will make or break the season... one of last year's starter Dallas Dodson (15-13/3.58 ERA) will be the closer this season... Kenwood's top bats are Miguel Blanco (.295 BA/26 HR/108 RBI/88 R), Elvis Groom (.289 BA/17 HR/89 RBI/104 R/35 SB), Misha Makowski (.377 BA/3 HR/75 RBI/74 R/10 SB), Bitsy Sumner (.302 BA/23 HR/76 RBI/78 R/22 SB), Maksim Issak (.317 BA/3 HR/50 RBI/69 R/11 SB) and John Bircher (.284 BA/6 HR/59 RBI/58 R/15 SB).
La Claire doesn't look any good at all... the Lynx certainly don't look like good team on paper... Joe Morse (9-12/3.94 ERA) and Alton Liddell (11-15/4.61 ERA) are the best 2 returning starters... and Charles Larsen (.343 BA/14 HR/88 RBI/93 R/48 SB), Dolph Gordon (.306 BA/4 HR/85 RBI/79 R/30 SB) and Cole Newell (.284 BA/8 HR/71 RBI/71 R/59 SB) are the only decent threats in the lineup... and no rookies stood out in the spring.
The Chicopee Braves still have solid pitching with Cris Samuels (20-5/2.05 ERA), Raymond Weatherly (16-6/2.93 ERA) and George Gently (13-9/2.96 ERA)... and rookie Warren Kennedy will join them in the rotation... Kennedy earned a spot in spring training.... the Braves' bullpen is pretty good, too, with veterans Russ Redford (13-8/4.21 ERA), Ben Shockley (7-10/3.69 ERA/23 saves/98 games) and Kal Calligan (10-11/4.03 ERA)... not a lot of good bats on the club... Tarka Thornhill (.297 BA/7 HR/71 RBI) is a 3-time All-Star catcher... Mac Langdon (.293 BA/20 HR/96 RBI/74 R) is a solid first sacker... and center fielder Ruben Van Laar (.243 BA/23 HR/70 RBI/101 R/27 SB) is an offensive threat with some power, but not a lot of contact... Chicopee's pitching corps is good enough to keep them in the race.
It's hard to see Bayview fall to 6th place after such a good season in 2073 when they came within a whisker of winning the TU West... they still possess some talented position players like third baseman Zak Smalley (.285 BA/19 HR/93 RBI/79 R), catcher Camden Watkins (.287 BA/18 HR/82 R/60 R) and Lars Kristensen (.301 BA/21 HR/76 RBI/80 R)... and first baseman Hakon Verlander (.251 BA/25 HR/83 RBI/71 R/16 SB) can go deep and drive in runs... the Vikings possess a few good pitchers: starters Billy Wilkerson (14-11/3.67 ERA), Odin Carlson (12-11/3.04 ERA), Marty Maddux (13-9/4.10 ERA) and in the bullpen Clete Perrin (8-3/2.72 ERA/3 saves/47 games)... Bayview doesn't have much in the way of rookies this year.
