Tuesday, October 1, 2086
MAHASKA SMACKS FAIRFAX IN PLAYOFF; ALL 8 POSTSEASON TEAMS DECIDED
Poor Fairfax. It's been 34 seasons since the Frogs last made the IPA postseason playoffs. Nope, it won't be this year. Mahaska smacked Fairfax 7-2 in a sudden-death playoff game to garner the Tycobbian North crown and quality as the 8th team to make the postseason playoffs.
The Haymakers will join the Ancona Jumbos, Belair Beach Sunbirds, Marston Nine, Rocky Rapids Snappers, Ginza Ninjas, South Fork Stallions and Rolling Hills Racers in the IPA Pro Cup playoffs beginning this Wednesday afternoon. All series throughout the playoffs will be best-of-seven games.
First-round play in the Ruthlandian Union pits Marston (88-66) against Belair Beach (93-61) and Ancona (90-64) tangling with Rocky Rapids (91-63). In the Tycobbian Union opening round it will be Mahaska (94-61) welcoming Ginza (92-62) and South Fork (92-62) at home against Rolling Hills (92-62).
2086 IPA Season Recap
Let's take a whirlwind tour of the 8 divisional races this year. For the first time in 65 years the Ancona Jumbos will return to the IPA playoffs. This was totally unexpected. The Jumbos were forecast to wind up in 7th place. Valmara was the preseason choice. Kilkenny and last year's champion LaGrange were supposed to be in the hunt, too. Ancona (90-64) moved into the top spot in May and never relinquished it, finally beating out the Gators (85-69) by 5 games. Far Mountain (83-71) came in third, 7 GB and the Cats (81-73) were beaten out by 9 games. Preseason pick Valmara (75-79) flopped and finished in 6th place. Ancona is not expected to go deep in the playoffs. The Jumbos are not likely to win their first Pro Cup this year.
In the Ruthlandian South Belair Beach was the choice to win its fourth straight pennant and it did. The Claxton Diamonds took charge in May and remained on top of the standings until September when the Sunbirds (93-61) finally overtook them and won going away by 7 games over second place Grand City (86-68). The Diamonds (84-70) suffered a second-half swoon and wound up third, 9 GB. Waleska (82-72) wound up in the fourth spot, 11 games off the pace. Belair Beach copped its second Pro Cup in 2084. The Sunbirds reached the second postseason round in 2083 and 2085. They look poised and ready to win their third Pro Cup Trophy this year.
'Twas a three-team affair in the Ruthlandian East this season between unsung Marston (88-66), Belle Plaine (85-69) and preseason favorite and last year's division winner Eastshore (82-72). The Nine started off badly in last place in April. By June, Marston was in the chase, near the top. By August, the Nine wrestled first place from the Musketeers and they finally triumphed by 3 games. This will be the first playoff appearance for Marston since 2075. The Nine will be seeking their very first Pro Cup crown. The Cotton Kings jumped out and led the RU East in April, stayed close until August and then faded badly in September, ending up 9 games behind. Marston will get their chance to see how good they are. The Nine meets rock-solid Belair Beach in the first round of the playoffs.
The Fort Benton Cannons (88-66) were touted the best team in the preseason poll, followed closely by the Rocky Rapids Snappers (91-63) and the defending Pro Cup champion Colfax Black Sox. In a bewildering fall from grace, once-potent Colfax (71-83) fell to seventh place, a whopping 20 games out of the running. Their pitching was the main culprit. The Black Sox staff ERA bulged from a strong 3.19 last year to 4.26 ERA this season. It was really just a two-team race most of the year. Forest City (78-76) did well until the hot days of summer when they vanished in a downward spiral. They finished in a tie for the third spot with Volusia (78-76), but 13 games back. Except for the first two months of the season, the Vigilantes were never a serious contender. The Cannons challenged the Snappers all the way to September, then lost out by 3 games.
This is the first pennant for Rocky Rapids since 2046. They will be seeking their second IPA Pro Cup title. The Snappers won it long ago in 2019. They may make some noise in the postseason. They can put runs on the scoreboard. Pitching, especially in the bullpen, will be the key to their playoff success. If the relievers do their job well, Rocky Rapids will do well, too.
In the Tycobbian North Division it was a quite a season-long scuffle between the Mahaska Haymakers (94-61) and the Fairfax Frogs (93-62). The Hayseeds jumped out early and had the division all to themselves until August, when the Frogs went 19-6 and leaped to the top of the standings and even led by 3 games heading into the final month of September. Mahaska caught them in the stretch drive and forced a one-game playoff, won by the Haymakers. Perennial power Hartsdale was favored to win the TU North for the 5th straight season, contested by Fairfax and Mahaska. The Hellcats (83-71) were never in the chase and came in third, 10 and a half games out. Poor Fairfax continued their frustrating ways. They were trying for their first pennant since 2033. This was the Haymakers' first TU North title since 2076 and 2078. Look for Mahaska to be a playoff-team to be reckoned with. They are a rock-solid club. The Haymakers have never won the Pro Cup.
The baseball pros and prophets forecast a double-digit runaway win for Ginza this year in the Tycobbian South. They ended up being right on the money. However, there was a battle royale this season until July between Ginza, Arroyo Grande and Colchester. The Elites were the first to go, dropping out with a 9-15 July. The Suns were next to go, falling apart with a terrible second half of the season, going 32-45. Arroyo Grande was on top in July and only trailed by 1 in August. By September Ginza (92-62) was ahead by 8 games and won going away by 11 games over runner-ups Summerland (81-73) and Southport (81-73). Arroyo Grande (79-75) finished fourth, trailing by 11 games and Colchester slumped to fifth place, 18 GB. The Ninjas are returning to the postseason for the first time since 2060. Ginza gained its only Pro Cup in 2059. Expect the Ninjas to kick some butt in the playoffs. They are a good all-round club. This just might be another year for a Pro Cup trophy in Ginza. They topped the IPA with 211 homers and have solid pitching, too. The Ninjas can score, hit with power, pitch well and play strong defense. 'Nuff said, Ginza is good.
The pennant race was over at midseason in the Tycobbian East, dominated by the South Fork Stallions (92-62). They were way in front by 10 games at midyear, finally winning by 12 games over second place East Point (80-74), 15 games better than third place Red Bluff (77-77) and 16 ahead of fourth place and defending champion High Mesa (76-78). Only the Tuckanarra Blue Jays were forecast to test and challenge the Stallions. Nope, it didn't happen -- the Bluebirds (72-82) wound up dead last in eighth place, 20 GB. South Fork has won 4 Pro Cups. This just might be the year the Stallions enlarge their Pro Cup Trophy case. They may have the best attack in the IPA. Coupled with pretty good pitching, this will give them a good chance to go deep into the postseason playoffs.
In the Tycobbian West the legendary Rolling Hills Racers were the pick of the stable this season by the preseason pickers and grinners. Only last year's winner Chicopee was expected to contend with the Racers. As it turned out only the La Claire Lynx (89-65) afforded any challenge. They stayed in striking distance in second place most of the season, finally succumbing by 3 games. The Bayview Vikings (84-70) ended up in the third spot, 8 GB. And the Denton City Redbirds came in fourth, 13 GB. Chicopee (76-78) was nowhere in sight, 16 GB at season's end in fifth place. Rolling Hills is well-stocked with a bunch of solid bats. If the Racers get good pitching in the playoffs, they could do well. They have a pretty fair shot at capturing their 11th Pro Cup. Rolling Hills has the perfect blend of everything to do it.
2086 Ruthlandian Union
