Wednesday, September 29, 2077
PRIME TIME IN THE ISLANDS... IPA PLAYOFFS START SATURDAY
Bigtime baseball is coming up soon in the Islandian Pro Alliance... prime time is here --- the IPA postseason playoffs --- that glorious time when 8 teams are vying for the coveted Pro Cup Trophy... it all gets underway this Saturday afternoon at 4 locations around Islandia... In Ruthlandian Union circles Fort Benton travels to play the Cats in Kilkenny and Valka is at home hosting the Elnora Clippers... the Tycobbian Union slate has Hartsdale at Turon and La Claire heading to South Fork.
Turon tops all of the Pro Cup postseason participants with 5 Pro Cups... South Fork has 3 trophies in its IPA championship collection and Hartsdale a pair... the other 5 challenges are seeking their first-ever Pro Cup... the Rolling Hills Racers (aka Reds) have captured the most Pro Cups... they have piled up 8 in their illustious history.
Here's how The Islandian Times superscribes and superscribblers are forecasting the Pro Cup outcome for 2077... last year the pundits nailed it... they picked the Wynnamac Sundowners to beat the San Alejo Montaneros in the Pro Cup Finals and that is exactly what transpired... yep, the scribes ranked the Macs the best team in the playoffs and the Monties the second-best team and they met in the postseason finale.
This year the Turon Typhoons are rated the best team in the Islands with the Kilkenny Cats ranked the second-best team... The Islandian Times baseball prognosticators say everything points to a Turon-Kilkenny title clash with the Typhoons prevailing in the Pro Cup Series.
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES IPA PRO CUP POLL
1. TURON TYPHOONS (97-57)
The Typhoons have solid pitching, solid bats, solid bullpen, but only average fielding...All-Star Wyatt Quinton, Clete Engstrom and All-Star Billy Pearl are an impressive trio... they just may be the best starters in the playoffs this year... closer Wayne Wolfe is strong, too... Robert Hazle, Artie Falcon, Joe Don Goldsmith, Carl Channing and Robert Newell can put runs on the scoreboard a plenty... there is a big negative for the Typhoons... they will not have All-Star CF Eliott Carleton (.341 BA/57 SB) in the playoffs... he is out with an ankle fracture... he will be sorely missed from the leadoff spot... on paper Turon is head and shoulders above the other 7 playoff teams.
2. Kilkenny Cats (93-61)
The Cats can match Turon on the hill, but not at the plate... Kilkenny is a fine defensive team... it should be a whale of a Pro Cup Finals if the top 2 teams make it to there... All-Star Jethro Firestone, All-Star Mervin Breckenridge and Dante Steelman are hard to beat as starters... the Cats have some home-run power, but don't hit for average like the Typhoons... the top bats for the Cats are Errol Paxton, Claude Millican, Maxie Langhurst and Wayne Winston.
3. Valka Blackhawks (88-66)
The Blackhawks have a lot of recent postseason experience, reaching the playoffs in 3 of the last 4 seasons... they lost in the first round the last 2 years, but made the Pro Cup Finals in 2073 where they fell to the South Fork Stallions... yep, Valka is back again and hoping to win its first-ever Pro Cup Trophy... the are a pesky bunch at the plate with the likes of Jimmy Czarnecki, All-Star Olev Kotli, Jackie Hanford and Alec Donelson... and on the mound the Blackhawks have strong starters Ron Honore and Jelen Whitmire... and in the bullpen closer Jim Barber... could this be the Year of the Blackhawks?
4. La Claire Lynx (87-67)
The Lynx can swing the bats well with Rolf Bunderson, All-Star LF Charles Larson, All-Star C Liam McWhirter and Cole Newell... La Claire is good on the hill, too, but not quite as good as Turon, Kilkenny and Valka... they have some good starters in Anxo Di Lima, Perry Como and Pauley Conlin... Warren Bayham and Wayne McClintock are darn dependable in the pen... La Claire just might surprise in the playoffs this year.
5. South Fork Stallions (88-66)
The Stallions have some hosses, too... they can compete with anyone in the playoffs... especially when it come to its overall mound staff.. All-Star Mick Flanders, Mitch Hynes and Russ Redford are fine starters and the bullpen is anchored by some good ones, too, led by Ron Halloran and Billy Lake... the key will be the offense... All-Star SS Carroll Ezzell, Carroll Coxe and Raimar Ravn really have to excel at the plate for South Fork to have any shot at the Pro Cup.
6. Elnora Clippers (86-68)
The Clippers are paced at the plate by All-Star 3B Ronald Bayless, All-Star C Jorgy Jorgensen and Andre Langdon.... Troy Young ad Eamon Carwell are no slouches, either... Elnora has 3 quality starters with Hamilton Burger, Javis Packham and Hawk Templeton and a strong closer Johnny McQuillen, but they don't have a lot of depth on the mound... this could be a problem in the IPA playoffs.
7. Hartsdale Hellcats (82-72)
The Hellcats are rock-solid in the pitching department, but lack run-scoring ability... you can't win the Pro Cup without some offense... starters Larry Ellison and Benny Merckx are a top-notched starters, but Eddy McPhatter and Jesse Calhoom are just adequate... the overall staff is fine... the bullpen is led by standout closer Wayne Wolfe... Max Carline, Tom Colson and Tony Leone will need a lot of help in the playoffs... runs are hard to come by for the Hellcats.
8. Fort Benton Defenders (86-68)
The Defenders are an exciting team... they can make a lot of contact and sting the ball... they can score runs... but they don't have much pitching except for 2 starters, Pasha Osolinsky and Greg Hammerstein... that's about it when it come to dependable hurlers... the top offensive guns for Fort Benton are All-Star SS Julio Santana, Stosh Dusek, John Harding, Jack Luxton, Cloyce Farmer and Trace Lansing... they hit for average, but not much power... but it is doubtful the Defenders bats can score more runs than their dismal staff gives up.... nope, no Pro Cup for Fort Benton again this year.