Wednesday, April 3, 2075
GREEN MANSIONS AND PRISTINE BALLPARKS AWAIT 64 HOPEFUL IPA TEAMS
The poet Alexander Pope once wrote, “Hope springs eternal.”... I wonder if he was a sports fan.
The Islandian Pro Alliance will open its 75th season this Friday... yep, there is a still a chill in the air in many towns across Islandia, but there will be big opening day crowds, hot dogs and Crackerjacks at all of the baseball palaces... it happens every spring... this coming Friday afternoon the Islandian Pro Alliance season blossoms upon us in all of its radiant glory all across the Islands... every team in every town starts off with a clean slate... last year's record, good or bad, does not count...right now every team has a shot at the division crown and the IPA Pro Cup Trophy... right now they are all tied for the top spot in the standings with no wins and no losses... even teams that have absolutely no chance to win the Pro Cup still get goose bumps wishing and hoping and praying for it on opening day... all 64 teams have a chance, at least in theory... yep, they do, but only in theory.
According to the baseball bards, pundits and savants this is how they see it... come late September the Pro Cup Series will feature the Marston Nine, representing the Ruthlandian Union and its 32 teams, and the Turon Typhoons, representing the Tycobbian Union and its 32 teams... one of those two clubs will be the recipient of the highly acclaimed, much desired and revered Pro Cup Trophy... and yep, this is just in theory, too... a lot can happen in a 154-game season.
Ruthlandian Union Outlook
According to the baseball experts and forecasters the Glasco Foxhounds will prevail over Far Mountain, Kilkenny, the defending champion Taranto Tars and the Ranford Bulls... it is shaping up as a very close and tense 5-team race in the Ruthlandian North Division... Glasco has a fine group of rookies that are supposed to raise them from 7th place to 1st place.
Last year's Pro Cup champion Crystal Lake is expected to win the Ruthlandian South again for the second straight season and to defend their IPA title... their main challengers will be Waleska, Valka and St. John.
It's looking like a 2-team battle in the Ruthlandian East this season between perennial power Wynnamac and resurgent Marston... the Nine are predicted to eke out a close win over the Sundowners... Cold Creek will be a distant third and last year's winner Eastshore is nowhere in sight... the Cotton Kings are going to have a bad crop this year and fall to sixth place... Eastshore has won the division the last two years.
The Sligo Rovers had a good run in the Ruthlandian North Division from 2059 to 2069, winning it 6 times... they have slumped a bit the last few years, but the Rovers still have fielded a creditable ballclub... now Sligo is back and ready to make a serious bid for the division crown... the Rovers have the blessing of the baseball pros and they are predicted to sweep past their three biggest rivals, Colfax, Fort Benton and last year's champ, the Stoner Silver Sox... Stoner won the pennant in two of the last three years.
Tycobbian Union Outlook
The main teams in the Tycobbian North Division will be the current titleholder, the Oxford Red Caps, and the Luxora Zorros... the other six clubs in the division are given little chance of contending for the crown... Oxford won the pennant by 17 games last season... the Red Caps and the Zorros are expected to make shambles of the race again this year... Oxford led the IPA with 100 victories last year... could repeat it this year.
Potent Turon looks like they are back in the pennant business in the Tycobbian South... the Typhoons dipped after taking the title 4 seasons in a row... last year they dropped to 4th place and 10 games behind pennant-winning Summerland... no one is forecast to rival Turon this year... Pro Cup finalist Summerland will put up the best fight, along with the San Alejo Montaneros and the Southport Sun Sox... no one expects it to be close... the Typhoons on paper looks to be the top team in the Islands.
Only three of last year's division winners have been picked to win it again... the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats are one of the teams... and the baseball gurus are saying they will nip the Hillsboro Blazers in a tight struggle in the Tycobbian East... Red Bluff and Midway could also be in contention... Oxford and Crystal Lake are only other repeat division winners in the IPA.
Well, looky here... look who's back in the saddle and predicted to ride high again in the Tycobbian West standings -- the Rolling Hills Racers... they have now reloaded the offense and are ready to rock and roll in the pennant chase... the Racers will use the old formula they used from 2060 to 2071 when they won the TU West 12 times in succession and piled up 4 Pro Cup trophies -- bang the heck out of the ball and hope the pitchers can get a few batters out... only the Kenwood Wildcats are forecast to be in the hunt... nobody else.
Very Special Thanks to knuckler, txranger and No Pepper for the great logos and graphics.