Thursday, April 5, 2085
ISLANDIAN LIFE BEGINS ON OPENING DAY
The cold and drab lonely days of winter have come and gone. Spring has sprung and life is anew in Islandia. Yeah, buddy, life truly begins on opening day of the Islandian Pro Alliance. The boys of summer are back for another merry-go-round of baseball. This is the 85th edition of the IPA. The baseball diamonds come alive and sparkle tomorrow afternoon at 32 green mansions all across the Islands.
The pundits' Pro Cup picks are the annual arsenal of the Tycobbian Union, the rockin' and rollin' Rolling Hills Racers and the defending IPA champion Belair Beach Sunbirds, the best team in the Ruthlandian Union again. They are forecast to meet again in October for the overall league crown, the highly prized Pro Cup Trophy. Many roundball observers think the hard-hitting Hartsdale Hellcats may have a say in the matter, too.
Let's take a whirlwind tour of the teams and see what the scribes, scribblers and sages say will happen this year around the IPA.
RUTHLANDIAN UNION PREVIEW
TARS TRIM VIPERS AND JUMBOS IN CLOSE ONE
Uh oh, LaGrange, the victor two of the last three seasons in the Ruthlandian North, will drop completely out of the picture. Taranto, which has been a serious challenger for the last four years will finally put it all together and take the pennant. But it will not be a cake walk. The Tars will triumph in a tight race with the Valmara Vipers and Ancona Jumbos.
SUNBIRDS SLIM BY CYBERCATS, WESTERNERS AND SKIPPERS IN RU SOUTH
The reigning king of the hill in the Ruthlandian South is IPA Pro Cup title winner Belair Beach. The Sunbirds have been the dominate team the last three years with two division flags and a runner-up finish. They are favored, but not by much. Belair Beach will have a fight on its hands from Grand City, Waleska and Crystal Lake.
COTTON KINGS CLIP MUSKIES AND MACS FOR RU EAST TITLE
It will be a close three-way race in the Ruthlandian East this year between favored Eastshore, last year's champ Belle Plaine and regular contender Wynnamac.
SNAPPERS SNARE RU WEST FOR FIRST TIME IN 4 DECADES
Ditto in the Ruthlandian West. A frantic three-team fracas between preseason favorite Rocky Rapids, Colfax and last year's best, the Fort Benton Cannons. It's been years since the Snappers have been in the chase. Rocky Rapids has not won the RU West since 2046.
TYCOBBIAN UNION PREVIEW
HELLCATS HAMMER TU NORTH AGAIN
For the fourth season in a row, there will be no pennant chase in the Tycobbian North Division. The powerful Hartsdale Hellcats will win again in a rout. The Hellcats have the best hitting, scoring and pitching in the IPA. 'Nuff said. Mahaska and Blue Lake will wind up far behind Hartsdale in second and third place. The Hellcats had an easy time last year, winning handily by 8 games over the Haymakers. Don't be surprised if the Hellcats come close to a new record for wins, which is 111 set by powerhouse Rolling Hills in 2066. Colfax holds the mark in the Ruthlandian Union with 107 in 2010.
PARITY RAMPANT IN TU SOUTH, TYPHOONS ARE SLIM FAVORITE
The Tycobbian South just might just be the tightest race in the IPA this year. Just about all 8 teams have a chance to win it. A good trade or two and two solid rookies could do the trick. Turon, an annual challenger, is the choice of the experts. The Typhoons will skim past Southport, Colchester, Ginza and Cape Coral for the division flag. The Elites won the TU South in '83. The Hurricanes have been in the hunt the previous 5 years. The 'Canes won it in '81 and '82.
STALLIONS SUPREME IN TU EAST
The baseball prognosticators are picking the South Fork Stallions to pick up where they left off last season. They were the best team in the Tycobbian East at season's end, but they still came up 8 games behind division champion Ozarka. South Fork did not play well in the first half of the year. The Stallions sizzled in the second half last season. No one is expected to contest the title. High Mesa, Midway and reigning champ Ozarka will end up far behind in the race by double digits.
RACERS RAMPAGE AGAIN IN TU WEST
Yep, the Rolling Hills Racers are at it again, rampaging through the Tycobbian West Division. Unlike the last two seasons, it will not be close this year. The Racers should race past it prime competition Bay St. Clair, Bayview and Denton City fairly easily. Rolling Hills will be the TU West champ for the 6th time in the last 11 seasons. During that same frame of time the Racers also have won 3 Pro Cups, too. The last time Rolling Hills had a losing season was way back in 2054
