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Eugene Church · 10-21-2022, 10:40 PM

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Tuesday, July 7, 2076

2076 Tycobbian Union Midseason Review

WHITE RIVER LEADS TU NORTH AT MIDYEAR
Nobody saw this coming... according the scribes this was going to be a down year for White River... the club was on the downgrade... but, lo and behold, the White River Rascals (48-34) have bolted out of the gate this season and are in first place in the Tycobbian North Division at the halfway point in the schedule... not much of a decline was it, y 'all?... but the Rascals are not leading by much... the preseason favorite Mahaska Haymakers (48-35) are clinging close to them, just a half-game back... the Rascals were forecast to wind up in the second division this year and not be a serious contender for the pennant... however, strong pitching can really make a difference... a 3.25 team ERA and good home-run power can pile up a lot of wins in the IPA... White River and Mahaska are like "two peas in a pod"... both have fine pitching... White River hurlers Shorty Meaux (9-5/3.41 ERA), Henry Youngman (7-9/2.89 ERA), Ernie McNamee (5-1/3.11 ERA) and Edward Carlin (6-3/2.25 ERA) form a formidable starting rotation and Olaf Erikson (.303 BA/12 HR/48 RBI), Babe Coleman (.291 BA/15 HR/36 RBI) and Denny Schlesinger (.253 BA/12 HR/35 RBI) are providing the runs... the Rascals are a good ball club... just 3 years ago they went to the TU title series and lost to Pro Cup champion South Fork... plus they have won the TU North flag 4 times in the last 9 seasons.

Mahaska is no slouch when it comes to mound staff... the Haymakers have registered a super 2.94 team ERA so far this year, tops in the Islandian Pro Alliance... only the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats are close with a 2.96 ERA... what a staff with starters Leo Durosa (8-4/3.20 ERA), Jay Jay Hatchett (7-7/3.25 ERA), Claude Renoir (9-3/1.16 ERA) and Mike Jones (10-4/3.14 ERA)... plus a fine bullpen, too... but Mahaska is hampered by the lack of power... only Dingo Douglas (.275 BA/17 HR/52 RBI) is a home-run threat... which team has the staying power in the second half of the the season?... the edge goes to the experienced Rascals with the better record in recent years... the Haymakers are coming off so-so seasons: 5th last year and 7th in '74.

There are two other clubs that could get into the chase... Hartsdale has good pitching (3.14 ERA)... the Hellcats were last year's TU North champion and favored to win this year... the Hellcats (42-40) are third this season, trailing by 6 games at the All-Star break... they have no offense... Oxford (41-42) has a losing record and is 7 and a half games behind White River and not likely to catch them... just average bats and average pitching.

MONTANEROS ON TOP OF THE MOUNT AT ALL-STAR BREAK IN TU SOUTH
It's a two-team race in the Tycobbian South this year... at the midseason point the San Alejo Montaneros (55-28) are playing the best ball in the IPA and they enjoy a 6-game lead over preseason favorite, perpetual pennant contender and the defending division champion, Turon Typhoons (49-34)... Turon was supposed to run away with the division again this year, but it hasn't happened... the Monties are a real good all-around club... top-scoring team in the Tycobbian Union with home-run punch and fine pitching (3.05 ERA)... that's a combination that is very hard to beat... as good as they are it's been tough for Turon to keep up with the Montaneros.

Leading the way at the plate for San Alejo are Matty Cardoso (.306 BA/16 HR/60 RBI), Jerry Jeff Usher (.280 BA/9 HR/51 RBI), Enrique Clarizo (.286 BA/10 HR/48 RBI) and Rudolfo Vera (.329 BA/0 HR/42 RBI)... the pitching corps is solid, too, led by Sebatian Solis (9-1/2.22 ERA), Rollie Taft (13-3/2.34 ERA) and Ronald Milsap (9-2/3.79 ERA)... and Philip English (5-5/2.23 ERA/9 saves/32 games) and Lando Vargas (9-5/2.73 ERA/10 saves/31 games) head up a fine bullpen.

Turon's numbers are not as good as San Alejo's... but they can score runs and hit with good power... their pitching is not as good as the Monties... the Typhoons' top guns are Eliott Carleton (.344 BA/5 HR/31 RBI), Joe Don Goldsmith (.339 BA/6 HR/45 RBI) and Robert Hazle (.279 BA/12 HR/60 RBI)... in the hill it's Clete Engstrom (11-4/2.65 ERA) and Billy Pearl (5-3/3.16 ERA)... yep, it's looking like Turon is going to have trouble catching the Montaneros this season... San Alejo is the real McCoy... none of the other 6 teams look like challengers this year.

TUCKS MIDSEASON LEADER IN TU EAST
For the 4th time in the last 6 seasons, the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats (50-33) are on top of their game and on top of the Tycobbian East standings by a solid 6 and a half games... the preseason outlook was for a 4-team fight between this year's preseason favorite Ozarka, current champ Tuckanarra, South Fork and Midway... but that has not transpired so far... Ozarka and Midway have not done as well as expected... the Tucks are doing it with quality starters and an excellent bullpen, coupled with a pretty good offense... Spike Carlton (12-6/3.21 ERA) is the ace with some good help from Curt Kollman (5-2/3.05 ERA), Andre Hurst (6-3/3.03 ERA), William Pike (6-5/3.71 ERA) and Calvin Hurley (7-5/2.92 ERA)... plus Jon Farnsworth (6-5/1.69 ERA/8 saves/33 games) has been excellent in the closer spot... the Tiger Cats are second in the IPA with an outstanding 2.96 ERA... heading up the batting order are Conn Donaldson (.289 BA/11 HR/52 RBI), Dennis Ojeda (.337 BA/7 HR/39 RBI), Kit Coffman (.292 BA/11 HR/37 RBI) and Warren Blake (.285 BA/6 HR/30 RBI).

Regular contender Hillsboro (43-39) was not expected to challenge this year, but the Blazers are still in the running in the second spot... so is Red Bluff (43-40), 7 games out... South Fork (42-41) and Ozarka (42-41) are tied for fourth place and 8 games behind at midyear... Hillsboro can hit the ball and put runs on the scoreboard, but they can't match the Tucks on the hill... top bats are Aron Bloomendale (.296 BA/13 HR/59 RBI), Kenny Hartfield (.278 BA/8 HR/48 RBI), Arthyr Freeman (.303 BA/6 HR/40 RBI) and Dave Thomas (.306 BA/5 HR/35 RBI)... top pitchers are Ethan Zahn (8-6/3.27 ERA), Bart Harben (5-2/3.58 ERA) and Hap Hartigan (8-6/4.12 ERA).

The only thing Red Bluff does well is hit the ball out of the park... pitching is just average... scoring is just average... defense is bad (.967 FA)... Mel Tillis (.294 BA/16 HR/50 RBI) is a rock-solid bat... he gets some help from Sherrill Wilde (.230 BA/13 HR/49 RBI) and Whitlow Fagan (.225 BA/15 HR/42 RBI)... Ward Emory (10-4/2.93 ERA) is the ace... Ox Reynolds (9-7/3.55 ERA) is a quality #2 starter... and closer Sonny Barnett (8-4/2.94 ERA/12 saves/42 games) is very impressive in the bullpen... the Red Sox just don't have the talent to catch the Tucks.

For the last decade the South Fork Stallions have always been in the hunt for the pennant... the Hosses have won the TU East twice (2069 and 20'73)... South Fork even came away with the Pro Cup in '73... they still have quite a few guys from that team still playing productively... Carroll Ezzell (.302 BA/3 HR/35 RBI), Mal Galbreath (.283 BA/6 HR/34 RBI) and Patrick Packenham (.280 BA/3 HR/32 RBI)... this year center fielder Carroll Coxe (.267 BA/6 HR/42 RBI) has been a good trade pickup from Summerland... Billy Lake (8-8/3.86 ERA), Scotty Robeson (3-1/1.99 ERA) and Mitch Hynes (5-2/1.59 ERA) are fairly good pitchers... Lake was also a part of the 2073 Pro Cup championship team... nobody is going to catch Tuckanarra this year... the Tiger Cats have really good pitching and just enough offense to beat you.

PRO CUP CHAMP ROLLING HILLS STRUGGLING IN TU WEST
The defending Pro Cup titlist, the Rolling Hills Racers, are the class of the Tycobbian West... the baseball experts picked them to nudge out the Kenwood Wildcats and the La Clair Lynx this season... nope, taint so... lightly-regarded Denton City is in first place at the All-Star break despite the fact the Redbirds were supposed to be a bottom-rung team in 6th place this season... however, it is a ding-dong dilly of a dogfight in the TU West... 6 teams are in the hunt... Denton City (49-34) is just one game up on runner-up La Claire (48-35)... just 3 better than third-place Kenwood (46-37), 5 games ahead of last-year's division- winning Rolling Hills (44-39), 5 and a half in front of Bayview (43-39) and 7 and a half games ahead of 6th-place Chicopee (41-41).

Boy, what a pennant race!... the Redbirds are hitting like the big boys in the division and have enough pitching to hang with them, too... nobody in the TU West has much pitching, but they all can put runs on the scoreboard... can Denton City sustain this pace rest of the season?... probably... they are better than a 6th-place team... last season they were 85-69, finishing in 4th place... the Redbirds are a veteran team with some top-notch talent like Virgil Welsh (.326 BA/20 HR/72 RBI), Russell Gilbert (.352 BA/10 HR/59 RBI), Donald Wilhelm (.340 BA/3 HR/38 RBI), Jeff Thigpen (.289 BA/7 HR/50 RBI) and Pip Brewton (.313 BA/3 HR/29 RBI)... Denton City also has some quality and capable starters, led by Caleb Christy (14-2/3.01 ERA), Spooky Steel (6-1/3.73 ERA) and Lyle Hollander (7-3/3.69 ERA)... the Redbirds play pretty good defense, too... however, the bullpen is not so good... that's their big problem.

Second place La Claire can hit with anybody, but only has mediocre pitching... Floyd Kilmer (5-3/3.88 ERA), Anxo Di Lima (9-7/3.46 ERA) and Larry Ellison (6-6/4.11 ERA) will have to step it up a notch or two to stay in the chase... Charles Larsen (.358 BA/7 HR/50 RBI), last year Tycobbian MVP and Golden Bat, and his hard-hitting cohorts Dolph Gordon (.298 BA/3 HR/50 RBI), Liam McWhirter (.326 BA/5 HR/40 RBI) and Cole Newell (.293 BA/10 HR/41 RBI) will make certain that the runs will go up on the scoreboard for the Lynx.

The third place Kenwood Wildcats (46-37) have recovered from last year's terrible slump (69-85)... they are back and with a vengeance... like always, they hit very well, batting over .306 as team this year... that is a record-tying pace... Rolling Hills and Cape Coral set the mark at .306... the Racers in 2066, the Hurricanes in 2072... this year Kenwood has decent pitching with a 3.66 team ERA... they are holding their own in the TU West with Jim Singer (10-5/2.98 ERA) and Gordy Francis (8-4/3.57 ERA)... closer Mickey Whiting (10-5/3.33 ERA) is handling the relief chores pretty well, too.

So what's wrong with Rolling Hills?... they have dropped below the .300 mark at the plate... down to .291 this season... plus the pitching is bad (4.33 ERA)... 'nuff said... the Racers are in 4th place, but they still are capable of winning the pennant when you have an attack featuring Liam Gerraghty (.305 BA/13 HR/53 RBI), Emmett Spangler (.322 BA/4 HR/40 RBI), Kit Clemmons (.296 BA/11 HR/44 RBI), Jaron Shufford (.305 BA/5 HR/26 RBI), Cotton Mathers (.299 BA/1 HR/27 RBI) and Art Horn (.298 BA/23 RBI)... missing from the batting order is the best of all of them, Hugo Sutton... the eternal All-Star outfielder and .313 career batter with over 300 homers hurt his shoulder in early April, but should come back in August... Sutton has been a huge loss... he is the heart of the team... pitching has been pathetic... only Benton Garrett (9-4/2.24 ERA) had been effective... no one else has been close to good... but the Racers are still alive and kicking and could get a big lift when Sutton comes back into the lineup.

Fifth place Bayview depends on the bats of Zak Smalley (.337 BA/18 HR/59 RBI), Kris Timberlake (.271 BA/12 HR/51 RBI) and Von Dewberry (.288 BA/10 HR/48 RBI) for offense... top hurlers are Benny Throckmorton (8-5/3.21 ERA), Billy Wilkerson (5-7/2.82 ERA) and Tommy Hedlund (6-7/3.24 ERA)... closer George Tennyson (7-4/3.03 ERA/13 save/43 games) has done quite well in the bullpen.

For the last 4 seasons the Chicopee Braves have been a competitive ballclub... they even won the pennant in 2074 and went to the TU title series... they have several fine position players in Al Sturdivant (.294 BA/15 HR/58 RBI), Oliver MacKay (.331 BA/2 HR/27 RBI) and Tuck Taylor (.311 BA/7 HR/30 RBI), but its pitchers that make the Braves go... Clancy Mahaffey (12-4/2.80 ERA) and George Gently (10-3/3.41 ERA) are standouts... the Tycobbian West pennant race will go down to the final week of the season... it is much too close to call... don't think Bayview and Chicopee will be in the race come September... they just don't have the players... but the other four clubs will slug it out until the very end... it's an exciting brand of baseball in the Tycobbian West Division.

2076 Tycobbian Union Midseason Standings
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10-21-2022, 10:40 PM	#9115
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,907	Tuesday, July 7, 2076 2076 Tycobbian Union Midseason Review WHITE RIVER LEADS TU NORTH AT MIDYEAR Nobody saw this coming... according the scribes this was going to be a down year for White River... the club was on the downgrade... but, lo and behold, the White River Rascals (48-34) have bolted out of the gate this season and are in first place in the Tycobbian North Division at the halfway point in the schedule... not much of a decline was it, y 'all?... but the Rascals are not leading by much... the preseason favorite Mahaska Haymakers (48-35) are clinging close to them, just a half-game back... the Rascals were forecast to wind up in the second division this year and not be a serious contender for the pennant... however, strong pitching can really make a difference... a 3.25 team ERA and good home-run power can pile up a lot of wins in the IPA... White River and Mahaska are like "two peas in a pod"... both have fine pitching... White River hurlers Shorty Meaux (9-5/3.41 ERA), Henry Youngman (7-9/2.89 ERA), Ernie McNamee (5-1/3.11 ERA) and Edward Carlin (6-3/2.25 ERA) form a formidable starting rotation and Olaf Erikson (.303 BA/12 HR/48 RBI), Babe Coleman (.291 BA/15 HR/36 RBI) and Denny Schlesinger (.253 BA/12 HR/35 RBI) are providing the runs... the Rascals are a good ball club... just 3 years ago they went to the TU title series and lost to Pro Cup champion South Fork... plus they have won the TU North flag 4 times in the last 9 seasons. Mahaska is no slouch when it comes to mound staff... the Haymakers have registered a super 2.94 team ERA so far this year, tops in the Islandian Pro Alliance... only the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats are close with a 2.96 ERA... what a staff with starters Leo Durosa (8-4/3.20 ERA), Jay Jay Hatchett (7-7/3.25 ERA), Claude Renoir (9-3/1.16 ERA) and Mike Jones (10-4/3.14 ERA)... plus a fine bullpen, too... but Mahaska is hampered by the lack of power... only Dingo Douglas (.275 BA/17 HR/52 RBI) is a home-run threat... which team has the staying power in the second half of the the season?... the edge goes to the experienced Rascals with the better record in recent years... the Haymakers are coming off so-so seasons: 5th last year and 7th in '74. There are two other clubs that could get into the chase... Hartsdale has good pitching (3.14 ERA)... the Hellcats were last year's TU North champion and favored to win this year... the Hellcats (42-40) are third this season, trailing by 6 games at the All-Star break... they have no offense... Oxford (41-42) has a losing record and is 7 and a half games behind White River and not likely to catch them... just average bats and average pitching. MONTANEROS ON TOP OF THE MOUNT AT ALL-STAR BREAK IN TU SOUTH It's a two-team race in the Tycobbian South this year... at the midseason point the San Alejo Montaneros (55-28) are playing the best ball in the IPA and they enjoy a 6-game lead over preseason favorite, perpetual pennant contender and the defending division champion, Turon Typhoons (49-34)... Turon was supposed to run away with the division again this year, but it hasn't happened... the Monties are a real good all-around club... top-scoring team in the Tycobbian Union with home-run punch and fine pitching (3.05 ERA)... that's a combination that is very hard to beat... as good as they are it's been tough for Turon to keep up with the Montaneros. Leading the way at the plate for San Alejo are Matty Cardoso (.306 BA/16 HR/60 RBI), Jerry Jeff Usher (.280 BA/9 HR/51 RBI), Enrique Clarizo (.286 BA/10 HR/48 RBI) and Rudolfo Vera (.329 BA/0 HR/42 RBI)... the pitching corps is solid, too, led by Sebatian Solis (9-1/2.22 ERA), Rollie Taft (13-3/2.34 ERA) and Ronald Milsap (9-2/3.79 ERA)... and Philip English (5-5/2.23 ERA/9 saves/32 games) and Lando Vargas (9-5/2.73 ERA/10 saves/31 games) head up a fine bullpen. Turon's numbers are not as good as San Alejo's... but they can score runs and hit with good power... their pitching is not as good as the Monties... the Typhoons' top guns are Eliott Carleton (.344 BA/5 HR/31 RBI), Joe Don Goldsmith (.339 BA/6 HR/45 RBI) and Robert Hazle (.279 BA/12 HR/60 RBI)... in the hill it's Clete Engstrom (11-4/2.65 ERA) and Billy Pearl (5-3/3.16 ERA)... yep, it's looking like Turon is going to have trouble catching the Montaneros this season... San Alejo is the real McCoy... none of the other 6 teams look like challengers this year. TUCKS MIDSEASON LEADER IN TU EAST For the 4th time in the last 6 seasons, the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats (50-33) are on top of their game and on top of the Tycobbian East standings by a solid 6 and a half games... the preseason outlook was for a 4-team fight between this year's preseason favorite Ozarka, current champ Tuckanarra, South Fork and Midway... but that has not transpired so far... Ozarka and Midway have not done as well as expected... the Tucks are doing it with quality starters and an excellent bullpen, coupled with a pretty good offense... Spike Carlton (12-6/3.21 ERA) is the ace with some good help from Curt Kollman (5-2/3.05 ERA), Andre Hurst (6-3/3.03 ERA), William Pike (6-5/3.71 ERA) and Calvin Hurley (7-5/2.92 ERA)... plus Jon Farnsworth (6-5/1.69 ERA/8 saves/33 games) has been excellent in the closer spot... the Tiger Cats are second in the IPA with an outstanding 2.96 ERA... heading up the batting order are Conn Donaldson (.289 BA/11 HR/52 RBI), Dennis Ojeda (.337 BA/7 HR/39 RBI), Kit Coffman (.292 BA/11 HR/37 RBI) and Warren Blake (.285 BA/6 HR/30 RBI). Regular contender Hillsboro (43-39) was not expected to challenge this year, but the Blazers are still in the running in the second spot... so is Red Bluff (43-40), 7 games out... South Fork (42-41) and Ozarka (42-41) are tied for fourth place and 8 games behind at midyear... Hillsboro can hit the ball and put runs on the scoreboard, but they can't match the Tucks on the hill... top bats are Aron Bloomendale (.296 BA/13 HR/59 RBI), Kenny Hartfield (.278 BA/8 HR/48 RBI), Arthyr Freeman (.303 BA/6 HR/40 RBI) and Dave Thomas (.306 BA/5 HR/35 RBI)... top pitchers are Ethan Zahn (8-6/3.27 ERA), Bart Harben (5-2/3.58 ERA) and Hap Hartigan (8-6/4.12 ERA). The only thing Red Bluff does well is hit the ball out of the park... pitching is just average... scoring is just average... defense is bad (.967 FA)... Mel Tillis (.294 BA/16 HR/50 RBI) is a rock-solid bat... he gets some help from Sherrill Wilde (.230 BA/13 HR/49 RBI) and Whitlow Fagan (.225 BA/15 HR/42 RBI)... Ward Emory (10-4/2.93 ERA) is the ace... Ox Reynolds (9-7/3.55 ERA) is a quality #2 starter... and closer Sonny Barnett (8-4/2.94 ERA/12 saves/42 games) is very impressive in the bullpen... the Red Sox just don't have the talent to catch the Tucks. For the last decade the South Fork Stallions have always been in the hunt for the pennant... the Hosses have won the TU East twice (2069 and 20'73)... South Fork even came away with the Pro Cup in '73... they still have quite a few guys from that team still playing productively... Carroll Ezzell (.302 BA/3 HR/35 RBI), Mal Galbreath (.283 BA/6 HR/34 RBI) and Patrick Packenham (.280 BA/3 HR/32 RBI)... this year center fielder Carroll Coxe (.267 BA/6 HR/42 RBI) has been a good trade pickup from Summerland... Billy Lake (8-8/3.86 ERA), Scotty Robeson (3-1/1.99 ERA) and Mitch Hynes (5-2/1.59 ERA) are fairly good pitchers... Lake was also a part of the 2073 Pro Cup championship team... nobody is going to catch Tuckanarra this year... the Tiger Cats have really good pitching and just enough offense to beat you. PRO CUP CHAMP ROLLING HILLS STRUGGLING IN TU WEST The defending Pro Cup titlist, the Rolling Hills Racers, are the class of the Tycobbian West... the baseball experts picked them to nudge out the Kenwood Wildcats and the La Clair Lynx this season... nope, taint so... lightly-regarded Denton City is in first place at the All-Star break despite the fact the Redbirds were supposed to be a bottom-rung team in 6th place this season... however, it is a ding-dong dilly of a dogfight in the TU West... 6 teams are in the hunt... Denton City (49-34) is just one game up on runner-up La Claire (48-35)... just 3 better than third-place Kenwood (46-37), 5 games ahead of last-year's division- winning Rolling Hills (44-39), 5 and a half in front of Bayview (43-39) and 7 and a half games ahead of 6th-place Chicopee (41-41). Boy, what a pennant race!... the Redbirds are hitting like the big boys in the division and have enough pitching to hang with them, too... nobody in the TU West has much pitching, but they all can put runs on the scoreboard... can Denton City sustain this pace rest of the season?... probably... they are better than a 6th-place team... last season they were 85-69, finishing in 4th place... the Redbirds are a veteran team with some top-notch talent like Virgil Welsh (.326 BA/20 HR/72 RBI), Russell Gilbert (.352 BA/10 HR/59 RBI), Donald Wilhelm (.340 BA/3 HR/38 RBI), Jeff Thigpen (.289 BA/7 HR/50 RBI) and Pip Brewton (.313 BA/3 HR/29 RBI)... Denton City also has some quality and capable starters, led by Caleb Christy (14-2/3.01 ERA), Spooky Steel (6-1/3.73 ERA) and Lyle Hollander (7-3/3.69 ERA)... the Redbirds play pretty good defense, too... however, the bullpen is not so good... that's their big problem. Second place La Claire can hit with anybody, but only has mediocre pitching... Floyd Kilmer (5-3/3.88 ERA), Anxo Di Lima (9-7/3.46 ERA) and Larry Ellison (6-6/4.11 ERA) will have to step it up a notch or two to stay in the chase... Charles Larsen (.358 BA/7 HR/50 RBI), last year Tycobbian MVP and Golden Bat, and his hard-hitting cohorts Dolph Gordon (.298 BA/3 HR/50 RBI), Liam McWhirter (.326 BA/5 HR/40 RBI) and Cole Newell (.293 BA/10 HR/41 RBI) will make certain that the runs will go up on the scoreboard for the Lynx. The third place Kenwood Wildcats (46-37) have recovered from last year's terrible slump (69-85)... they are back and with a vengeance... like always, they hit very well, batting over .306 as team this year... that is a record-tying pace... Rolling Hills and Cape Coral set the mark at .306... the Racers in 2066, the Hurricanes in 2072... this year Kenwood has decent pitching with a 3.66 team ERA... they are holding their own in the TU West with Jim Singer (10-5/2.98 ERA) and Gordy Francis (8-4/3.57 ERA)... closer Mickey Whiting (10-5/3.33 ERA) is handling the relief chores pretty well, too. So what's wrong with Rolling Hills?... they have dropped below the .300 mark at the plate... down to .291 this season... plus the pitching is bad (4.33 ERA)... 'nuff said... the Racers are in 4th place, but they still are capable of winning the pennant when you have an attack featuring Liam Gerraghty (.305 BA/13 HR/53 RBI), Emmett Spangler (.322 BA/4 HR/40 RBI), Kit Clemmons (.296 BA/11 HR/44 RBI), Jaron Shufford (.305 BA/5 HR/26 RBI), Cotton Mathers (.299 BA/1 HR/27 RBI) and Art Horn (.298 BA/23 RBI)... missing from the batting order is the best of all of them, Hugo Sutton... the eternal All-Star outfielder and .313 career batter with over 300 homers hurt his shoulder in early April, but should come back in August... Sutton has been a huge loss... he is the heart of the team... pitching has been pathetic... only Benton Garrett (9-4/2.24 ERA) had been effective... no one else has been close to good... but the Racers are still alive and kicking and could get a big lift when Sutton comes back into the lineup. Fifth place Bayview depends on the bats of Zak Smalley (.337 BA/18 HR/59 RBI), Kris Timberlake (.271 BA/12 HR/51 RBI) and Von Dewberry (.288 BA/10 HR/48 RBI) for offense... top hurlers are Benny Throckmorton (8-5/3.21 ERA), Billy Wilkerson (5-7/2.82 ERA) and Tommy Hedlund (6-7/3.24 ERA)... closer George Tennyson (7-4/3.03 ERA/13 save/43 games) has done quite well in the bullpen. For the last 4 seasons the Chicopee Braves have been a competitive ballclub... they even won the pennant in 2074 and went to the TU title series... they have several fine position players in Al Sturdivant (.294 BA/15 HR/58 RBI), Oliver MacKay (.331 BA/2 HR/27 RBI) and Tuck Taylor (.311 BA/7 HR/30 RBI), but its pitchers that make the Braves go... Clancy Mahaffey (12-4/2.80 ERA) and George Gently (10-3/3.41 ERA) are standouts... the Tycobbian West pennant race will go down to the final week of the season... it is much too close to call... don't think Bayview and Chicopee will be in the race come September... they just don't have the players... but the other four clubs will slug it out until the very end... it's an exciting brand of baseball in the Tycobbian West Division. 2076 Tycobbian Union Midseason Standings Last edited by Eugene Church; 10-22-2022 at 11:51 AM.