Friday, October 19, 2074
DARK HORSES VIE FOR CHERISHED PRO CUP TROPHY: IPA SHOWDOWN BETWEEN CRYSTAL LAKE AND SUMMERLAND
Looking back a few weeks ago, according to script the Pro Cup Series was expected to be a showdown between Oxford and Eastshore... instead it will be the Ruthlandian Union champion Crystal Lake and the Tycobbian Union titlist Summerland vying for the much- cherished Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Trophy... the top picks to capture the Pro Cup Trophy this year, #1 Oxford, #2 Chicopee and #3 Eastshore have withered in the wind, while the #4 Skippers and the #7 Sunsets have blossomed and survived... the 74th edition of the Pro Cup Series begins in just 3 days... it will open up in Crystal Lake at Lakefront Stadium this Monday afternoon... the hometown Skippers (97-57) will have the homefield advantage over the Sunsets (92-62) in the best-of-seven series... Both teams have played very well at home and on the road in the playoffs this season... Summerland is 4-1 out of town and Crystal Lake is 3-1 at home.
Crystal Lake will be seeking its 4th Pro Cup... the Skippers won it in 2020, 2022 and 2058... they also made the Pro Cup Finals in 2027 and 2034, but were defeated by Southport in a 4-game sweep and by North Hills in 6 games... Summerland has never won it... they were beaten in a 7-game series in 2040 by the Radford Bulls... this is just their 6th postseason appearance... Crystal Lake has made the playoffs 13 times in the club's history.
To reach the apex of IPA baseball this season, Crystal Lake has had the easier road... they disposed of lightly-regarded Stoner in 5 games and then they took care of the highly-regarded Eastshore Cotton Kings in 5 games as well... the Skippers are 8-2 in the postseason.
In comparison Summerland had to beat the Pro Cup favorite Oxford Red Caps... they took care of them in 6 games... then they upended the second-best playoff team, the Chicopee Braves in just 5 games... the Sunsets have proven themselves to be a solid ballclub... Crystal Lake will be favored to win the Pro Cup this year by the press and broadcasters, but Summerland will be the sentimental favorite.
Both clubs are quite similar... they depend on the bats to get them by... they are contact hitters and hit for average... they do not depend on the longball... neither Crystal Lake, nor Summerland has strong pitching... Crystal Lake will win if pitchers Lew McGrane (14-4/2.52 ERA), Noel Arboneaux (10-5/2.14 ERA), Lloyd Mason (17-7/3.72 ERA) and closer Val Renfroe (11-10/3.32 ERA/22 saves/89 games) regain regular-season form... only Mason has performed well in the playoffs with a 2-0 mark and a 0.50 ERA in 2 starts... McGrane (3-0/3.25 ERA), Arboneaux (3-1/6.00 ERA) and Renfroe (0-1/7.00 ERA/2 saves/5 games) have struggled in the postseason.
At the plate in the playoffs Sammy Silfen (.385/1 HR/8 RBI/5 R/5 SB), Sookie Murphy (.273/3 HR/6 RBI/13 R/5 SB) and Gino Lorenzetti (.265/1 HR/8 RBI/8 R) have done it all for Crystal Lake... the top guns in the regular season were Cookie Garland (.351/20 HR/106 RBI/105 R), Lorenzetti (.310/11 HR/97 RBI/70 R), Vern Gosdin (.294/8 HR/68 RBI/98 R/45 SB) and Jeff Setser (.272/20 HR/98 RBI/105 R/31 SB)... the Skippers really need some more help from the latter group in the Pro Cup Series... they need them to win the Pro Cup this year.
Considering stronger opposing teams, Summerland's staff has performed pretty well in the playoffs... Mort Cassidy (3-0/3.21 ERA) has been the most dependable starter... the bullpen has been very good so far with Jason Irons (1-0/0.82 ERA/3 saves/6 games) and Jake Oliver (1-0/1.50 ERA/3 games)... ace Luc Cochrane (17-3/2.45 ERA) has to pitch like he did in the regular season... Cochrane has not been effective in the postseason... he is 1-1 in 4 starts with 4.67 ERA... #3 starter James Marley (9-5/3.78 ERA) and #4 starter Jim Hackett have to do the job better in the Pro Cup Series, too.
Summerland's offense has done quite well in the playoffs, sparked by Carroll Coxe (.447 BA/5 HR/16 RBI/12 R/9 SB), Neal Crichton (.239/2 HR/11 RBI/8 R/5 SB), Armin Hauer (.333/2 RBI/7 R/7 SB), Arie Vermeer (.311/2 RBI/7 R/4 SB) and Floris Braam (.294/1 HR/6 RBI/3 R)... Crooner McCollum (.225/1 HR/7 RBI/6 R/2 SB) has been productive, too... the big bats during the season were Crichton (.299/22 HR/96 RBI/82 R/47 SB), Coxe (.261/12 HR/83 RBI/91 R/38 SB), Hauer (.311 BA/2 HR/59 RBI/89 R/53 SB) and Arjen Van Halen (.295/3 HR/65 RBI/91 R).
2074 IPA Pro Cup Forecast:
On closer examination, Summerland just might come away with its first Pro Cup Trophy... we're picking the Sunsets to win in 6 games... better pitching and solid bats will do it... Summerland has stood out against some of the top teams in the IPA this season... you have to give them credit for that.
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