ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

In order to play an IPA season quicker, I will no longer micromanage it.

I plan to let the AI do it all... all I will do is report on it... coverage will not be as much as in past years... I would like to eventually play 100 seasons... at the normal pace it would take 5 years to complete the last 24 seasons.

All I plan to do is go through the rosters and reserve rosters and correct the silly names that are occasionally created.

I reworked 16 teams today... it went pretty quickly... 48 more to go and I will begin reporting on the new 2077 season.

[Eugene Church]

35 of 64 teams have been updated as far as name corrections... some names just don't go together.

Will soon start the 2077 season... I have some concern that I will get enough rookies on the teams... teams are aging... not a lot of young players.

[jg2977]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

In order to play an IPA season quicker, I will no longer micromanage it.

I plan to let the AI do it all... all I will do is report on it... coverage will not be as much as in past years... I would like to eventually play 100 seasons... at the normal pace it would take 5 years to complete the last 24 seasons.

All I plan to do is go through the rosters and reserve rosters and correct the silly names that are occasionally created.

I reworked 16 teams today... it went pretty quickly... 48 more to go and I will begin reporting on the new 2077 season.

I like the silly names, but that's just me.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by jg2977

I like the silly names, but that's just me.

Treasure is in the eye of the behold... we all travel to the beat of a different drum... that's the great thing about OOTP... we can play it any way we want... we make the rules... and have it our way.

Totally understand your position.

[jg2977]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Treasure is in the eye of the behold... we all travel to the beat of a different drum... that's the great thing about OOTP... we can play it any way we want... we make the rules... and have it our way.

Totally understand your position.

Yeah, in my IPA I'm wondering if I should increase the number of playoff teams to 16, but I don't think I could handle playing out 4 rounds of playoffs along with doing MLB's too. It might be too much of a good thing. I can try it one year and see how it works out though.

My favorite all-time athlete silly name is a hockey player named Per Djoos.

[Eugene Church]

Just finished editing the names of all 64 teams.

Good to get done... I need to go back and add ethnic names to some of the first teams I did... I got lazy and didn't make sure the team had enough players with ethnic names to fit the town.

Won't be long until I begin the 2077 Islandian Pro Alliance season... almost there.

Yep, I excited... I think the AI will take care of the IPA... maybe even better than EC.

[jg2977]

[Eugene Church]

2076 Ruthlandian Union Final Standings (last year)


2076 Tycobbian Union Final Standings (last year)

[Eugene Church]

Wednesday, March 31, 2077

IPA COMES ALIVE AGAIN... BRAND-NEW SEASON BEGINS FOR REAL FRIDAY
The beautiful green mansions and the lush, green baseball fields will come alive this Friday afternoon all across the Islands... the 64 Islandian Pro Alliance rivals will be going toe-to-toe for the beloved IPA Pro Cup Trophy, currently in the hands of the Pro Cup champion Wynnamac Sundowners, who desposed of the San Alejo Montaneros in six games last year... as the saying goes, "Hope springs eternal"... sure, all of the 64 teams are shooting for the moon, they do each and every spring, but in reality only 8 will get a realistic shot at it... most of the teams will have "to wait until the proverbial next year".

The perennial powers are in the running again this year... Valmara with 30 playoffs appearences, Turon with 26, Rolling Hills with 25, Tuckanarra with 24, Claxton with 21 and defending IPA champion Wynnamac with 21... a few league lesser lights will also be present... the Kilkenny Cats have only graced the playoffs one time... long ago in 2042... the Cats were knocked out and swept in the Ruthlandian Title Series... the Cold Creek Raccoons have only made the playoffs 8 times with no Pro Cups... however, they did come very, very close in 2041 when they were the Catamounts... they dropped a stirring 7-game Pro Cup Series to the IPA champion North Hills Hawks... and the Midway Wolves have only been the postseason 9 times, but they do have 2 Pro Cup titles to show for it won in back-to-back seasons in 2053 and 2054.

Sadly, historically downtrodden teams like the Belle Plaine Musketeers and Kilkenny Cats have only appeared one time... the Muskies in 2009... they lost in the first round... and the Cats in 2042... they lost in the second round... it would be nice if the teams that have made the postseason twice would do it again... teams like the Hillsboro Blazers and Fort Benton Defenders... the Blazers won pennants in 2051 and 2067... the Defenders in 2037 and 2057... Hillsboro lost to IPA champion Arlon in the first round in '51... and Fort Benton fell in the first round both years.

Yep, these teams most likely will have "to wait until next year" again.

[Eugene Church]

Thursday, April 1, 2077

TURON FAVORED OVER SLIGO IN 2077 PRO CUP SERIES... IPA DIVISION WINNERS CHOSEN BY THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tomorrow afternoon it will be "Play Ball" all over the Islands... teams will be battling for the 8 division titles and a spot in the Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs come November... the annual preseason picks have been voted on by The Islandian Times sportswriters and broadcasters and today is the day all of the 8 Islandian Pro Alliance division winners will be announced.

4 winners from last season are picked to win again... Valka is the choice to prevail in the Ruthlandian South Division for the 5th time in 6 seasons... Mahaska might capture the Tycobbian North for the second year in a row... Tuckanarra is favored to win its 4th straight TU East and 5th in 7 seasons... and Rolling Hills will take the TU West title for the 3rd consecutive year.

4 clubs could get back to the postseason this year... Valmara might return after 4 years of missing out in the Ruthlandian North... Sugar Valley could surprise and take home the RU East pennant for the first time since 2051... Sligo might be back in business in the RU West and cop their 2nd pennant in the last 3 seasons... over in the Tycobbian Union the Turon Typhoons are forecast to take the TU South flag for the 6th time in the last 8 years.

VIPERS BEST FOXHOUNDS FOR RU NORTH CROWN... KILKENNY CATS DISTANT 3RD
The Valmara Vipers look like the top team in the Ruthlandian North this year... they were 5th last year... the Vips have the top scoring team in the division and a little better pitching than defending champion Glasco... but it will be close between the two teams... Kilkenny has the best pitching in the RU North, but lacks offense... this year the Cats will finish a distant 3rd in the standings... they came close last season, losing to Glasco by just 2 games.

BLACKHAWKS STILL CLASS OF THE RU SOUTH, BUT WILL BE CHALLENGED BY WESTERNERS, DIAMONDS AND SKIPPERS
It will be a heck of a pennant race in the Ruthlandian South Division with 4 teams in the hunt... the Valka Blackhawks are the class of the division with 4 titles in the last 5 seasons... they will be going for their third title in a row... it will not be easy... Waleska, Claxton and Crystal Lake will be right on the tails... parity is present in the RU South... it will be a wide-open race... any one of the four could wind up the winner.

CLOSE RACE FORECAST FOR RU EAST... WYNNAMAC RIVALED BY SUGAR VALLEY, EASTSHORE AND COLD CREEK
Defending Pro Cup titleholder Wynnamac has a tough row to hoe this season... they are not the choice to take the Ruthlandian East Division... the baseball experts are predicting the Sugar Valley Rattlers will triumph over the Macs by a razor-thin margin... the Eastshore Cotton Kings and the Cold Creek Raccoons will be in the thick of the battle, too... no telling who will win... the Sundowners have the edge in pitching, but they are not as potent as their rivals are at the plate.

SLIGO HEAVY FAVORITE IN THE RU WEST
Two years ago the Sligo Rovers won 101 games and went all the way to the IPA Pro Cup Series, where they lost to IPA champion Rolling Hills... last year Sligo slumped badly and lost out to the Stoner Silver Sox by 10 games... but the Rovers may be back in business with some strong pitching and a solid attack... no one can match their mound corps... the scribes have picked Sligo to win by double digits this season... the Rovers just might win 100 games again... Colfax will end up far behind in second place... Forest City, Rocky Rapids and Volusia will be even further behind... the press corps don't expect much of a pennant race this season in the RU West.

LAST YEAR'S WINNER MAHASKA WILL HAVE A TOUGH TIME REPEATING IN THE TU NORTH... AT LEAST 4 RIVALS IN THE RACE
Just like last year the Tycobbian North Division will be a 5-team logjam this year... the Mahaska Haymakers just barely beat White River, Oxford, Hartsdale and North Hills last season... it looks like more of the same this year... the Haymakers are a slight favorite to repeat, followed closely by the Rascals, Red Caps, Hawks and Hellcats... none of the teams possess much offense... they all depend on pitching... the TU North race is just too close to call.

TURON IS TOPS IN THE TU SOUTH... TYPHOONS PICKED TO BLOW EVERYBODY AWAY
Turon has won the Tycobbian South Division 5 times in the last 7 seasons... last year they finished second to the San Alejo Montaneros... it was not a bad year for the Typhoons, it was a great season for the Monties, who went all the way to the Pro Cup Finals, where they were defeated by the Wynnamac Sundowners in 6 games... this year it looks like Turon is mad and ready to storm past everybody in their path... the baseball gurus are prognosticating a runaway in the TU South... the Typhoons are forecast to win 105 games, outscore every team in the division by a wide margin, steal bases at a record pace and have one of the best pitching staffs in the IPA... Turon is going to leave everybody in their wake by a huge margin.

TUCKS BIG FAVORITES IN TU EAST... SHOULD EASILY WIN 4TH FLAG IN A ROW
According to the baseball sages and experts, the talented Tuckanarra Tiger Cats are on the prowl again in the Tycobbian East and should win handily... they are stalking their 4th successive division crown and 5th in 7 years... the Tucks have the best attack, can hit with power with standout speed and the best pitching in the TU East... it is not likely Midway, Ozarka, South Fork or Hillsboro can catch them this season... it may be the Year of the Rabbitt for the Chinese New Year, but it just might be the Year of the Cats in IPA circles.

RACERS JUST KEEP ROLLING ALONG... BEST IN THE TU WEST AGAIN
If the 2077 Rolling Hills Racers could pitch as good as they hit and put runs on the scoreboard as good as they do, they would dominate the IPA like they did from 2060 to 2071 with 12 Tycobbian West pennants in a row and 4 Pro Cup trophies... in the meantime the Racers just keep rolling along and winning pennants and an occasional Pro Cup crown like in 2075 when they toppled the Sligo Rovers in 5 games... this is the same batting order that won the Pro Cup that year... according to the press and media, only the Kenwood Wildcats pose a threat to Rolling Hills this season... the scribes see an improved mound corps this year, so Rolling Hills should not be pressed for the pennant by the likes of Kenwood, La Claire, Denton City and Chicopee.

TURON AND SLIGO WILL TANGLE FOR IPA PRO CUP... TYPHOONS WILL BE CHAMPION
The Sligo Rovers will emerge as the Ruthlandian Union champion and play the Tycobbian Union champion, the Turon Typhoons, for the overall Islandian Pro Alliance title... the IPA sportswriters and broadcasters are putting their money on the Turon Typhoons to win it all in 2077.

[Eugene Church]

2077 Ruthlandian Union Division Predictions

[Eugene Church]

2077 Tycobbian Union Division Predictions

[Eugene Church]

A very special thanks to knuckler, txranger, faroo6 and Le Grande Orange for the beautiful logos.
They created 5 of them.

[Eugene Church]

Sunday, July 4, 2077

NEW BLUE BLOODS ON THE IPA HORIZON... LONGTIME LOSERS COULD WIN THIS YEAR
It's been a long time coming for quite a few division leaders in the Island Pro Alliance, the change is blowing in the wind... halfway through the season, there just might be some new teams in the postseason playoffs... it's been decades since the Colchester Elites graced the playoffs... the last time was way back in 2036... the Kilkenny Cats haven't appeared since 2042... the North Hills Hawks were last there in 2046... the Elnora Clippers haven't made the postseason since 2064... the Forest City Firebirds since 2068... and the Claxton Diamonds last presence was in 2070.

Yep, the 2077 IPA is alive and well... none of the 8 division races have been decided yet... they are all still in doubt and up in the air... in the Ruthlandian Union 3 of the 4 divisions are tight as can be... Kilkenny is the only division leader with a decent lead... the Cats are 6 games up over Ranford in the Ruthlandian North, but Valmara and Taranto are still in the running... the RU South is still wide open... any one of the 8 teams would win the pennant with a good second half... at midseason Claxton is only one and a half-game ahead of Belair Beach, 4 up on St. John and 7 games better than Crystal Lake... there's a super skirmish going on in the Ruthlandian East... Elnora has a slight one and a half-game edge on Marston, just 3 on Cold Creek, 3 and a half on Eastshore, only 4 games up on Sugar Valley... it's been tough so far on defending Pro Cup champion Wynnamac... the Macs are 6 games off the pace.... so far nothing has been decided in the RU West... any one of 7 teams could win it... halfway through the season Forest City had a thin one-game lead over runner-up Sligo... the Firebirds are just one and a half games better than Fort Benton, 2 and a half in front of Volusia, only 4 games ahead of Colfax, 5 on Rocky Rapids and 6 up on the 7th-place Middlefield Roosters... it has been a sensational battle in the first half of the year... you can expert more of the same in the second half.

The top-scoring teams in the Ruthlandian Union are Ranford, Volusia, Glasco, Fort Benton, St. John and Forest City... the power boys are Claxton, Sugar Valley, LaGrange, Beechwood, Taranto and Kilkenny... the best pitching is in Kilkenny by far, followed by Belair Beach, Sligo and Volusia... and the best glovemen belong to Kilkenny, Rocky Rapids, Valmara and Wynnamac.

2077 Ruthlandian Union Midseason Standings

[Eugene Church]

ONLY TUCKS AND COLCHESTER HAVE SOME BREATHING ROOM IN THE TU RACES... CHICOPEE AND NORTH HILLS BEING CHASED BY 4 TEAMS EACH
At the midyear point there's also a bunch of baseball bedlam in the hotly-contested Tycobbian Union... the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats and the Colchester Elites have a slight cushion in their division races, but no so for the other two leaders, the Chicopee Braves and the North Hills Hawks... they are being harassed by a slew of pennant contenders.

Here's how it looks around the Tycobbian Union at the All-Star break... in the TU North Division, North Hills Is being doggedly hounded by 4 teams... the Hawks are only a meager one and a half games ahead of the runner-up Hartsdale Hellcats, just 2 better than the White River Rascals, the Oxford Red Caps trail by 3 games and the Blue Lake Blue Caps are 5 and a half games out.

It's not quite so intense in the Tycobbian South Division... Colchester is up by 5 games over preseason favorite Turon with third place Summerland 7 games behind... the rest of the division lags far behind... the season is pretty much over for the 5 other clubs.

So far, so good for the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats with a pretty good 6 and a half-game edge over second place South Fork and 7 and a half games in front of Hillsboro... the other 5 teams can just about call it a season... it would take a miraculous second-half turnaround to get back into the hunt.

It's a 5-team fracus in the Tycobbian West... there will be a new division champion this season... mighty Rolling Hills is no more... the preseason favorite is a whopping 16 games off the pace of the first place Chicopee Braves... Bayview is the Braves biggest challenger, just 2 GB, Kenwood is only 2 and a half games back, Denton City 3 GB and La Claire is in the fifth spot, still in striking distance, 6 GB.

[jg2977]

It looks like Rolling Hills can still hit with a .281 team batting average. Their pitching and defense ain't too good though.

Kenwood is batting .299 as a team, that's quite remarkable.

[Eugene Church]

Friday, July 9, 2077

IPA ALL-STARS SHINE TUESDAY AT MACS GRANGER FIELD
All that glitters is not gold... this Tuesday afternoon at Granger Field in Wynnamac the Islandian Pro Alliance All-Stars will be putting some sunshine and glitter into our lives... it will be the 77th midsummer showcase of the Tycobbian Union All-Stars and the Ruthlandian Union All-Stars... the TU Stars have dominated this star-studded game over the years 49-27... last year they snapped a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the RU Stars.

Each team will have 23 standouts, 46 in all... the Ruthlandian All-Stars will be led by three St. John Crusaders, while the Tycobbian All-Stars will feature three players each from the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats and the Turon Typhoons... left fielder Charles Larson of the LaClaire Lynx made the star squad for the 6th time... there were four 4-time recipients: shorstop Carroll Ezzell of the South Fork Stallions, pitcher William Pike of the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats, shortstop Jose Santiago of the Valmara Vipers and catcher Raul Bernardo of the Volusia Vigilantes... no rookies made the All-Star teams this season... the youngest player is Oxford first baseman Willie Nelson at age 21... the oldest All-Stars are two hurlers, Summerland's Sammy Lasorda and White River's Shorty Meaux... both are 34.

[Eugene Church]

RU Stars



TU All-Stars

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

2077 Islandian Pro Alliance All-Star Game Stars of the Game