Wednesday, November 8, 2084
IPA AWARDS DAY HONORS THE TOP STARS OF 2084
Headed up by LaGrange superstar Troy Swinnerton, who snared his 3rd RU Golden Bat, the Islandian Pro Alliance also honored the best batters, hurlers and rookies for their
superlative play this season. Here are the best of the best for the 2084 Islandian Pro Alliance season.
LAGRANGE SLUGGER AT IT AGAIN, SWINNERTON NABS HIS 3RD RU GOLDEN BAT
Tory Swinnerton has been around Islandian Pro Alliance for 12 years now and has done it all. Accolades year-after-year. For his standout run through the 2084 season, he's
taking home the Golden Bat Award in the Ruthlandian Union. This is the third time he had done this. Swinnerton also nabbed it in 2078 and 2081. The 30-year-old LaGrange
first baseman put up a batting average of .345 with 20 doubles, 3 triples, 51 home runs and 134 RBIs. He led the Ruthlandian Union with 51 homers and 134 RBIs. This is the
10th time in 11 seasons Swinnerton topped the RU in homers. It's the third time for RBIs. He sparked his Gators to the RU North crown. Overall in his career he is a .303 hitter
with 500 homers and 1258 ribbies. Swinnerton won the 2074 Rookie of the Year, made the All-Star team 7 times, honored with 3 MVPs and twice has been a Gold Glover. Yeah,
buddy, he has done it all.
Harland Schiffman (150 G/.320 BA/33 HR/101 RBI/128 R/10 SB), right fielder of the Taranto Tars, finished second in RU Golden Bat voting, while Lucky Hayden
(.339 BA/34 HR/111 RBI/103 R/9 SB), center fielder of the Belair Beach Sunbirds, finished third.
FORT BENTON FLINGER FAIRCLOUGH PROCLAIMED BEST RUTHLANDIAN HURLER
The 2084 Ruthlandian Union Golden Arm went to Noah Fairclough, who posted an impressive ERA of 2.71 as he won 22 games, dropped only 2, fanned 161 and gave up 54
walks in 246 innings of work. At 35 and in his 11th season, the old-timer paced his Fort Benton Cannons to a fine season. They were the best in the RU West and they made
the IPA Final 4 before bowing out to the Pro Cup champion Belair Beach in an exciting 7-game series in the RU Title Series. Fairclough has blossomed late in his career, coming over to the Cannons
in 2079 from the San Alejo Montaneros. Lifetime he is 118-87 with a 3.55 ERA. This was the first time Fairclough was honored as the best pitcher in the Ruthlandian Union.
Gardiner Palmquist (18-7/2.85 ERA/ 30 starts) of the Belair Beach Sunbirds finished second in RU Golden Arm voting, while Noel Arboneaux (13-10/2.69 ERA/32 starts) of
the Volusia Vigilantes finished third.
CLAXTON CF HOUSTON HAULS IN RU ROOKIE TROPHY
For several weeks the rumor mill had it that the 2084 Rookie of the Year Award winner was a foregone conclusion and the trophy would go to Claxton center fielder, Jim Houston.
It is no longer a rumor -- the Ruthlandian Union made it official today. Houston was one of the few bright spots for the beleaguered Diamonds. They came in dead last in the RU
South. Houston won the award by hitting .287 and collecting 155 hits, 25 home runs, 93 RBIs and 112 walks. He scored 106 runs and posted a .407 on-base percentage. Houston
stood out among the sparse group of newcomers this year.
