Thursday, March 31, 2089
IPA BACK IN BUSINESS FOR 89TH SEASON
The baseball diamonds around the Islands are again buzzing with lots of activity. The Islandian Pro Alliance will begin its 89th year of operation tomorrow afternoon at 32 venues. The Islands are alive with activities and the crackling sounds of the bats making contact with the baseballs. The Ruthlandian Union champion Belle Plaine is the defending IPA Pro Cup champion. The Musketeers defeated the Tycobbian Union champion Summerland Sunsets four games to one to gain their first Pro Cup in the team's 87-year history.
Peering into their crystal balls, the Islandian baseball experts are predicting that Far Mountain, Claxton, Belle Plaine and Forest City will prevail in the Ruthlandian Union, while it will be Hartsdale, Summerland, Ozarka and La Claire hauling in the division titles in the Tycobbian Union. 6 of last year's pennant winners will prevail again. Far Mountain and Claxton are the interlopers this season. The Redhawks are favored to dethrone the LaGrange Gators in the RU North. The Diamonds are the favorite to beat out the Belair Beach Sunbirds in the RU South.
After all is said and done and the last game has been played in November, Forest City will triumph over La Claire for the overall IPA Pro Cup crown. That's the way the diamond authorities view this year playing out.
And away we go to quickly purvey the pennant races around the IPA.
RUTHLANDIAN UNION PRESEASON PREVIEW
The Far Mountain Redhawks will reign supreme in a three-team tussle over the defending Ruthlandian North Division titlist LaGrange and up-and-coming challenger, the Ancona Jumbos. The Redhawks will just barely beat the Gators and the Jumbos in photo finish. Any one of the trio could win it.
Perpetual power Belair Beach has won the Ruthlandian South 5 of the last 6 seasons. However, the Claxton Diamonds gets the nod this season because they possess superior pitching. The Diamonds appear to be the dominate team in the division and are forecast to win by a good margin over the rival Sunbirds, Cybercats and Westerners.
The current and reigning IPA King, Belle Plaine and its hefty bats, should triumph again in the RU East by a fair amount over runner-up Marston, third place Elnora and fourth place Eastshore. The Nine looks to be the best on the hill, but they can't match the home-run power of the Musketeers. Belle Plaine has just enough pitching to win it. The Muskies should win the division for the third straight year and the fourth time in six seasons.
Once again, the Forest City Firebirds will run roughshod over the Ruthlandian West by double-digit numbers. They won it last year by 17 games over Colfax and the outlook is to win it this year by even more. The Firebirds are easily the class of the division with the best attack and the the best mound corps. Forest City will far exceed the Colfax Black Sox, Rocky Rapids Snappers and Volusia Vigilantes. The Firebirds will win the RU West hands down.
TYCOBBIAN UNION PRESEASON PREVIEW
The Hartsdale Hellcats have had a heck of good time in the Tycobbian North, taking the division crown 5 of the last 7 seasons. No so this season according to the prognosticators. The Hellcats are in for a challenge this year. Oxford, Fairfax, White River, Blue Lake and Luxora will give them fits. It won't be easy, but the Hellcats' home-run power should give them the edge. Look for the Red Caps to be a serious challenge. Oxford can match longballs with the Hellcats and has better pitching. The Frogs, Rascals, Blue Caps and Zorros will make their presence know. They all have good pitching, but come up short offensively. It should be a fight-to-the-finish in the TU North. Among the contenders Hartsdale has the worst pitching.
It will be another good pennant race in the Tycobbian South again this season. Last year Summerland edged out Turon by a game and Arroyo Grande by 5 games. Expect more of the same this year. The prediction is for the Southport Sun Sox, Summerland Sunsets and the Colchester Elites to wind up in an almost dead heat. The Sun Sox, however, will be victorious in the end because of its pitching prowess. The Turon Typhoons and Ginza Ninjas might add two more challengers to the fray. The Ninjas won the TU South in 2086 and 2087.
Last year the Ozarka Naturals ran away with the Tycobbian East pennant. Midway, Tuckanarra and South Fork never really challenged the Nats. It looks like more of the same this season. South Fork, Tuckanarra and Hillsboro will all be far back in Ozarka's rearview mirror. The Naturals have the best mound staff by far. That is why they will once again win the TU East in easy fashion.
Ditto for the La Claire Lynx in the Tycobbian West. They are forecast to win the division for the third season in a row and without out too much opposition. The Lynx won the Pro Cup in '87 and were favored to take the '88 Pro Cup last year. Rolling Hills is the only rival La Claire will have according to this year preseason polls. The Lynx has a good offense and possess the best staff in the TU West. La Claire should win the division again this year.
