ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

EC must be getting senile... I recapped the IPA twice at midseason.

I think the second recap gives more information and coverage.

Since I spent a whole lot of time doing it, I might as well post it.

[Eugene Church]

Monday, July 12, 2077

WHO'S IN FIRST IN THE IPA?... NOT THE USUAL SUSPECTS SO FAR
Where are the habitual kingpins of the Islandian Pro Alliance this season... not in their usual habitats -- first place --- so far this season annual also-rans Kilkenny, Claxton, Elnora and Fort Benton have usurped the perennial powers like Wynnamac, Valka, Valmara and Stoner in the Ruthlandian Union... long-suffering North Hills and Colchester are on the rise and spoiling the perpetual-winning ways of Rolling Hills and Turon in the Tycobbian Union... only one of the preseason favorites are on top of the standings at the All-Star break... that's the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats in the Tycobbian East Division... will the midyear frontrunners be able to sustain their first-half success the entire season?... that's the big question.

Things are looking good for the Kilkenny Cats (58-31) in the Ruthlandian North with the best record in the IPA at midseason... it's has been 34 long and frustrating years since Kilkenny won the division crown in 2042... the Cats have a good 6-game edge over runner-up Ranford (52-37.. preseason pick Valmara (49-40) is in the third spot and 9 GB... defending RU North champion Glasco is way back in 5th place, trailing by 14 games... strong pitching with two All-Stars on their staff and solid defense bodes well for Kilkenny, who hasn't won a pennant since 2042... hopefully, this is the Year of the Cat... Ranford is a good club... scores well, has decent pitching and strong defense... they could make it tough for Kilkenny... Valmara will finish a distant 3rd in the pennant race... they can put runs on the scoreboard, but lack pitching.

Claxton and Belair Beach are deadlocked for the top spot in the Ruthlandian South with identical 50-39 marks... the Claxton Diamonds last won the Ruthlandian South in 2069... the Belair Beach Sunbirds captured it in 2070 and 2071 and even copped the IPA Pro Cup in 2071... along with St. John (46-43), this trio of teams has pushed powerhouse Valka (44-45) down to 4th place, 6 GB... the Blackhawks got off to a slow start this season with an 8-16 mark in April... they are slowly rounding into form... there are still a lot of games left in the season... Valka has won the RU South 4 of the last 5 seasons... the St. John Crusaders haven't made the postseason since 2063... the outlook is a 3-team tussle between... Claxton, Belair Beach and Valka... they possess the superior pitching.

It's been an appalling year for last year's Ruthlandian East Division champ and this year's preseason favorite, the Wynnamac Sundowners... so far the Macs (44-45) have slumbered in 6th place, 7 games off the pace of of the leader of the pack, the Elnora Clippers (51-38)... the Clippers have not won a pennant since 2063... this season they are 5 games up on second place Eastshore, Cold Creek, Marston and Sugar Valley, all with 46-43 records... Elnora looks like the real McCoy with good hitting, offense and pitching... the Clippers are a good, all-around club... they are the class of the RU East this season... not ready to give up on the Macs... their starting pitching could get them back into the race... nobody else looks like they will be in contention at season's end... might end up a 2-team race between Elnora and Wynnamac.

The Stoner Silver Sox (38-51) have really slumped this year in the Ruthlandian West... they have won it 3 of the last 5 seasons... poor hitting and poor pitching are the culprits... the rest of the league has taken advantage of this... the Sox have tumbled far behind in last place, 11 GB... Fort Benton (49-40) hasn't been to the playoffs since 2057, but the Defenders are on top of the league at midseason, banging their way to the top with their bats, but they are desparate for pitching... Sligo (48-41) is in second place and was heavily favored to take the flag... the underperforming Rovers are only one game out and have much better pitching than Fort Benton, but are sorely in need of offense... the Forest City Firebirds (46-43) are running third, only 3 GB... they last made the playoffs in 2068 when they were the IPA Pro Cup champion... Colfax is playing steady ball and had a solid team... good bats and good pitching... should be in for the long haul like Sligo... the Black Sox (45-44) are 4 games out in 4th place... 2065 was the last time Colfax played in the postseason... Volusia (44-45) hits the heck out of the horsehide, but is severely lacking on the hill... the Vigilantes are 5th in the standings, but only 5 GB... not likely to be a factor in the race... neither are the Rocky Rapids Snappers (44-45)... give the edge to the Sligo pitching staff... they should beat out Colfax and Forest City and be the best in the west again this season.

No telling who will snare the Tycobbian North this year... last year's winner Mahaska (40-49) has had it this year, 10 GB at midyear... the Haymakers were the preseason selection, but they have fizzled badly... the forecast for the second half is a 5-team free-for-all... at the All-Star break North Hills (50-39) currently leading the division by a scant one game over runner-up Hartsdale (49-40), 3 games better than third place White River (47-42), 4 up over fourth place Oxford (46-43) and 5 games ahead of fifth place Blue Lake (45-44)... the Hawks last made the playoffs in 2045... they feature good hitting and good pitching, so they might have a sure shot at the pennant this year... the Hellcats have won pennants twice in 5 years... they possess good pitching, but don't have a lot of firepower... ditto the Rascals, who have won the TU North 4 times in the last decade, but they have missed the playoffs the last 3 years... the Red Caps last captured the division crown in 2074... they hit well, score well, can go deep and have good starters, but are sorely lacking in the bullpen... the Blue Caps can't hit a lick, but do have some capable pitching... the outlook is darn good for North Hills... Oxford looks like their main rival... home-run power and decent pitching can take you quite a way in a pennant race.

For the last 4 decades the poor down-and-out Colchester Elites (57-32) have come up empty-handed in the Tycobbian South... it's been 7 seasons since they had a winning year... fine hitting and fine pitching has turned it around this year for the Elites... they have a one-game edge over preseason pick Turon (56-33) halfway through the year with Summerland (53-36) clinging close by just 4 games back of them... last year's surprise champion San Alejo (44-45) is wallowing a very disappointing 14 games off the pace in 4th place... Turon is a regular feature in the postseason playoffs, winning the TU South 5 times in the last 7 seasons... Summerland has appeared lately in 2074... yep, it sure looks like a 3-team down-to-the- wire rumble... all 3 clubs can score and can pitch well... the Elites and Typhoons play the better defense, while the Sunsets can sizzle on the scoreboard... it should be a rootin', tootin' battle royal in the TU South the rest of the season.

The talented Tuckanarra Tiger Cats (56-33) were the top preseason pick in the Tycobbian Union and rightly so... the Tucks have won it the last 3 years and 4 times in 6 seasons... the Tiger Cats can do it all... you name it and they are good at it... that's why they are 5 games in front at the halfway mark... South Fork (51-38) is in second place with Hillsboro (48-41) trailing by 8 games... the Stallions are a good team year in and year out... they won the IPA Pro Cup recently in 2073, but it's been awhile since the Hellcats copped the flag in 2067... neither club is in the class of Tuckanarra... they will be playing for second place... it really might be the Year of the Cats in the Islandian Pro Alliance... yep, it just might be the Kilkenny Cats and the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats in the Pro Cup Series come November.

It's probably safe to say the mighty steamrolling Rolling Hills Racers (39-50) are done for the season... they were the best in the Tycobbian West for the last two years and bagged their 8th Pro Cup in 2075... the Racers were favored to win their third straight title, but their woeful and pathetic pitching staff have done them in this season... Rolling Hills is far back in the race... 4 good clubs are ahead of them... Chicopee (52-37) tops the TU West by a game over Bayview (51-38) and they are 4 games to the good on Denton City, LaClair and Kenwood, all at 48-41... what a rambunctous ruckus the stretch drive is going to be... the Braves will be trying to win another pennant like they did just 3 seasons ago... glorybee, the Vikings just might win its first flag since 2016... yep, it been that long ago... the Redbirds haven't won since 2060... the Lynx are seeking its first TU West crown since 2072... and the Wildcats are hoping to take the title for the first time since 2073... this race is too close to call... Kenwood can light up a scoreboard, but can't pitch a lick... Chicopee may be the best all-round with a strong starting foursome... Bayview depends on it bats and home-run power, along with its top-notched bullpen and defense, but totally lacks starting pitching... Denton City is well-rounded like Chicopee... and LaClaire is a solid club with good scoring, solid bats, fine pitching and average defense... the Tycobbian West is a baseball fanatic's delight... should the Kenwood Wildcats or LaClaire Lynx win the TU West division title, then two more Cats could be in the mix for the Year of the Cats... the Kilkenny Cats and the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats are in the hunt and on the prowl for the precious IPA Pro Cup Trophy.

2077 Ruthlandian Union Midseason Standings Update

[Eugene Church]

2077 Tycobbian Union Midseason Standings Update

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

I think the second recap is a great deal better, for followers of the IPA, EC. At least that's my opinion, anyway, if not other people's as well here. Probably because it might allow people like me, for instance, to have a better idea of just what's going on in your IPA than when the summaries you post are shorter, it seems to me. CD out.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Clovidequano Dovatha

I think the second recap is a great deal better, for followers of the IPA, EC. At least that's my opinion, anyway, if not other people's as well here. Probably because it might allow people like me, for instance, to have a better idea of just what's going on in your IPA than when the summaries you post are shorter, it seems to me. CD out.

Glad you liked the second one, CD... agree with you it is more detailed.

[Eugene Church]

Monday, September 27, 2077

HARTSDALE IS SURPRISE WINNER... SEPTEMBER LEADERS KILKENNY, VALKA, ELNORA, FORT BENTON, SOUTH FORK, TURON AND LA CLAIRE SURVIVE SEPTEMBER... OXFORD FALLS
7 Division leaders survived September and copped the division crowns, but the Oxford Red Caps fell to the fast-closing Hartsdale Hellcats in a late-season swoon... Kilkenny, Valka, Elnora and Fort Benton will represent the Ruthlandian Union in the postseason playoffs, while it will be La Claire, Turon, South Fork and the red-hot Hellcats for the Tycobbian Union... on first look, the prime choices for Pro Cup champion this year seems to be the Turon Typhoons (97-57) and the Kilkenny Cats (93-61)... they were the only teams to win 90 or more games... parity is rampant in the IPA.

Perusing the playoff history of the other IPA postseason participants... potent Turon is far in front with 26 appearances... Hartsdale a distant second with 14... Elnora 12 times... South Fork has made it 10 times... Valka 9 and La Claire only on 5 occasions... tt was a great story and season for the lowly Kilkenny Cats in the Ruthlandian North... the Cats are going to the postseason for the first time since 2042 -- 36 longsuffering seasons -- this will be only the second trip for them to the IPA playoffs... yep, Kilkenny is the darling of the IPA, along with perennial also-ran in the RU West, the Fort Benton Defenders... it's been a wonderful year for them, too... they haven't made the playoffs since 2057... it will be just their second postseason appearance... and the Elnora Clippers might be a sentimental favorite, too... the last pennant came in 2064... however, the Clippers have been to the IPA playoffs 12 times in their history and they have won a Pro Cup, back in 2033.

Here's how the teams stand as far as Pro Cups... Turon is tops there, too, with 5 trophies, South Fork has 3, Hartsdale 2 and Elnora 1... that's it... the other 4 clubs have never won a Pro Cup.

Let's do a quick recap of the 2077 season... scoring was down... homers dropped off, too... probably caused by better pitching... 37 teams played .500 or better... Valka won its third straight RU South flag... Turon nabbed its 6th in the last 8 years... and South Fork took it 2nd pennant over the last 5 seasons... Valka was the only repeat winner this year in the Islandian Pro Alliance.

AROUND THE IPA AT A GLANCE

Ruthlandian Union North Division Final Season Recap

WHEW!... KILKENNY FINALLY MADE IT AGAIN AFTER 36 LONG, LONG SEASONS
For the first time since 2042 won the RU North and is headed for the IPA playoffs!
Kilkenny started slowly and trailed Glasco in April, but caught them by May and won going away... they led by 13 games in August... first place Kilkenny (93-61) dominated the Ruthlandian North with its strong pitching, the best in the IPA with a 3.04 ERA... top players were pitchers All-Star Jethro Firestone (20-10/2.37), All-Star Mervin Breckenridge (17-10/2.82 ERA) and Dante Steelman (16-11/3.37 ERA)... not a lot of offense, but it was adequate... the Cats hit with good home-run power (139 HR)... best bats were LF Errol Paxton (.271 BA/27 HR/91 RBI), RF Claude Millican (.262/20 HR/78 RBI) and 3B Wayne Winston (.267 BA/16 HR/78 RBI)... the Cats have an excellent bullpen led by Jeff Kennon (13-16/2.58 ERA/55 games/8 saves) and Linus Wright (12-3/3.08 ERA/55 games/13 saves)... Kilkenny plays defense very well with a .980 FA, tops in the Ruthlandian Union... the Cats should be a strong contender for the IPA Pro Cup Trophy... only two pennants in its history... no Pro Cups.

The runner-up Ranford Bulls (84-70) could score runs, but lacked the pitching of Kilkenny... the Bulls were 9 games behind the Cats... standouts at the plate were All-Star 1B Christopher Jung (.326 BA/30 HR/108 RBI), 3B Gerry Brian (.285 BA/22 HR/97 RBI) and RF Tommy Clements (.285 BA/23 HR/81 RBI)... Ranford had two solid starters in All-Star Dayton Stansbury and Eric Connor ... the relief corps did not do their job as well as Kilkenny... a bad July cost Ranford the pennant... they were only 7-18 that month... the Cats were 18-7... Ranford has won 9 pennants and 1 Pro Cup (2040)

The Valmara Vipers (83-71) were the preseason pick in the RU North, but they finished third in the standings, 10 GB... the Vips could hit and score, but only had average pitching (4.07 ERA)... they played steady ball the entire season, but were out of the race at midyear... Valmara top player is All-Star SS Ozzie Santiago (.317 BA/8 HR/81 RBI/87 R/10 SB), along with 1B Stefan Szymanski (.287 BA/13 HR/57 RBI/52 R/26 SB)... the Vipers have a couple of reliable starters in veterans Jaromir Kaminski (18-14/4.06 ERA) and Milosz Mazur (19-12/3.62 ERA)... Valmara has won 30 pennants and 4 Pro Cups (2026, 2043, 2049, 2050).

Last year's pennant winner Glasco (81-73) slidded to fourth place this season, 12 games off the pace... the Foxhounds ran a good race early, but went into the doldums in May and June (19-35) and faded out of sight... they hit well, but lack pitching... the main runs producers are 3B Benny Hazzard (.274 BA/25 HR/109 RBI/88 R) and first baseman Gayle Henley (.303 BA/17 HR/83 RBI) and RF P.J. Tivis (.276 BA/14 HR/77 RBI/92 R/31 SB)... Glasco had only one reliable starter... that was Jason Alberts (17-10/3.57 ERA), last year's RU Rookie of the Year... Moonie Somers (15-17/3.31 ERA/87 games/20 saves) handled the closing role well, working in 89 games... the Foxhounds have only captured 4 division flags and has never won a Pro Cup.

For the third year in a row Taranto (79-75) has been nestled in the bottom half of the RU North... they finished fifth and trailed by 14 games... Taranto never challenged in the pennant race... the Tars (79-75) have pretty good home-run power (158 HR), courtesy of the Palazzo di Sport, a home-run haven... pitching is average... top performers were All-Star catcher Manny Russo (.295 BA/21 HR/66 RBI) and All-Star right fielder Harland Schiffman (.302 BA/28 HR/101 RBI)... David Murla (21-10/3.65 ERA sparked a good set of starters... Jimmy Key (15-15/3.63 ERA) and Kim Madison (10-7/3.49 ERA) also contributed... the Tars possess 10 division crowns and only one Pro Cup (2015).

The Far Mountain Redhawks (76-78) had a lackluster season winding up 17 games behind in sixth place... lack any kind of an offense... speed merchant LF Ernie Friedricks (.287 BA/4 HR/45 RBI/85 R/57 SB) is a solid ballplayer, but has little help... 3B Val McCullagh (.293 BA/11 HR/76 RBI) and 1B Jurgen Brenner (.294 BA/13 HR/65 RBI) are the best of the rest... mound staff is poor... Cliff Densmore (13-11/3.80 ERA) and Cookie Culpepper (8-5/3.91 ERA) are just decent starters... not much in the bullpen, either... 17 times the Redhawks have been the best team in the RU North... 3 times they won the Pro Cup... amazingly in back-to-back-to-back seasons (2011, 2012, 2013.

The LaGrange Gators (61-93) were last in 2076 and did worst this year at least record-wise... they don't do very much well, but they do go deep pretty well, mainly because of the bigtime bat of 1B Tory Swinneton (.294 BA/39 HR/101 RBI/98 R), who led the RU with 39 homers... that is the 4th straight season he had done it... you are in trouble when your best starter Desmond Craft is 12-15 with a 4.47 ERA... not a lot of talent in LaGrange... the Gators have copped 9 pennants, but have never won a Pro Cup.

The poor Ancona Jumbos (59-95) are an awful franchise... no pennants since 2022... yep, that is kee-rect... since 2022... 10 consecutive losing seasons... they came in 34 games out in the pennant race... but the Jumbos do have two solid players in CF Marcellus Dillaway (.276 BA/25 HR/95 RBI/90 R/23 SB) and 1B Rueben Vadillo (.281 BA/22 HR/99 RBI/75 R/7 SB)... Dillaway is a 3-time All-Star with 468 homers in his 17 long, long seasons in Ancona... Dillaway is doing well at age 35... he has not slowed down in the field or at the plate... the pitching is atrocious... Ray Richards is the only decent starter and he is just average league-wise with a 12-11 mark and a 3.84 ERA... you feel sorry for the baseball fans that live and die a lot in Ancona... years ago on 5 occasions the Jumbos made the postseason playoffs, but they have never won the Pro Cup.

2077 Ruthlandian Union North Division Final Standings

[Eugene Church]

Shame to say, EC has never been much of a reader in my life... much to my detriment... I missed a lot... sad to say I only read the sports pages and comic books in my youth... the sports pages greatly improved my arithmetic ... yep, I had to learn to do the ERAs and BAs... thank goodness, I did that... EC learned a lot of words and built up a pretty good vocabulary in my young years... didn't read much more than the newspapers since then, which was very profitable to me and my collection of information and knowledge... in the last few years I discovered the world of books... began reading baseball books (of course) and books about country music and country stars (of course, EC was a DJ for 32 years)... Ball Four by Jim Bouton is one of my favorites... it showed the real inside of baseball and its players... day-to-day struggles on the field and off the field... my favorite player Gary Bell was featured prominently in it... I knew him in the late 50s when I was a bat boy for the Mobile Bears of the Southern Association... also loved The Soul of Baseball by Joe Posnanski... he traveled a year with Negro Leaguer Buck O'Neal, the ambassador of baseball, made famous in Ken Burns' Baseball documentary... thoroughly enjoyed both books and about 10-15 others

Have just begun Joe Posnanski's The Baseball 100... his ranking of the top 100 baseball players in history... he included the Negro Leaguers and some Japanese players... I have only covered #100 to #85 so far... and I highly recommend it...Posnanski not only knows baseball, but his writing and wit make the words and the stories flow... same as he did in the Buck O'Neal book.

Sadly, Buck O'Neal never knew he made the Baseball Hall of Fame.... he died and was posthumously voted in... a terrible shame.

[Eugene Church]

Ruthlandian Union South Division Final Season Recap

BLACKHAWKS COP 3RD STRAIGHT TITLE IN RU SOUTH... 5TH PENNANT IN 6 YEARS
The defending league champion and preseason favorite Valka Blackhawks (88-66) played poorly for half the season... they were 7 games out in 5th place at the All-Star break (42-44)... but really took off in July and August with a sizzling 35-15 mark and swept past all the contenders and won by 5 games over runners-up Waleska and Grand City... this was the Blackhawks 10th pennant in its history... they have yet to win the Pro Cup Trophy... Valka is a well-balanced club with good scoring (742 R) and solid pitching (3.75 ERA) in the RU South... All-Star twirler Ron Honore (26-6/3.02 ERA) had a great season on the hill... so did Jason Whitmire (18-11/3.06 ERA)... and closer Jim Barber (10-7/3.29 ERA/58 games/20 saves) did a yeoman's job in the bullpen... leading the attack were All-Star LF Olev Kotli (.305 BA/14 HR/77 RBI/98 R/43 SB), RF James Ray Hanna (.269 BA/14 HR/68 RBI/93 R/20 SB), 2B Jimmy Czarnecki (.305 BA/7 HR/57 RBI/89 R/31 SB) and 3B Elmar Jaakson (.303 BA/1 HR/71 RBI/70 R/31 SB)... Valka plays dependable defense with a .976 FA... lacks power offensively (96 HR)... the Blackhawks are sneaky good... might surprise some folks in the IPA postseason... this is the Blackhawks third RU South crown in a row and fifth in six seasons... they are the only returnee to the IPA playoffs this year... no other team repeated.

The Waleska Westerners (83-71) came in tied for second place, 5 GB, staying in pennant contention the entire season... the Cowpokes played better in the second half of the season... they were only 38-42 and 7 games out at midseason... historically, Waleska has won 3 Pro Cups (2028, 2037, 2039) with 11 pennants... but have not made the postseason since 2056... this year the Westerners were one of the top-scoring (744 R) and top-batting teams (.275 BA) in the RU, but only had lackluster pitching (4.01 ERA)... also lacked HR power (92 HR)... but played defense well (.976 FA)... top batters were SS Philippe Lassalle (.363 BA/5 HR/62 RBI/87 R/41 SB), 3B Gary O'Steen (.272 BA/17 HR/100 RBI/83 R/22 SB), LF Carlo Tommaso (.294 BA/15 HR/85 RBI/97 R/33 SB) and RF Kenny Hearn (.294 BA/7 HR/67 RBI/70 R/19 SB)... Waleska had only two quality starters... that was Roy Murrell (17-8/3.87 ERA) and E.J. Holifield (9-5/3.07 ERA)... no one to speak about in the mediocre bullpen.

The second place Grand City Cybercats (83-71) have been ho-hum record-wise the last decade in the RU South, rarely rising above the .500 mark in the standings... actually they don't have much to show down through the team's tedious history, only 4 RU South pennants... the Cybercats haven't made the playoffs since 2055 and have yet to win a Pro Cup... this year Grand City hit the ball (.271 BA), scored runs (722 R) and had some power (125 HR) and possessed 3 pretty good starters and a good bullpen (3.95 ERA)... but it also plays poorly on defense (.967 FA)... they have some good hitters in Rico Duarte (.36 BA/25 HR/94 RBI/85 R), 1B Glenn Elliott (.288 BA/22 HR/88 RBI/78 R), CF Sid Barton (.335 BA/16 HR/81 RBI/87 R), 3B Matt Greeley (.266 BA/19 HR/83 RBI/63 R/21 SB) and SS Billy Lee Ellis (.291 BA/10 HR/75 RBI/56 R/22 SB)... and quality arms on the hill with All-Star Satch Poindexter (18-8/2.89 ERA), R.C. Greene (14-11/3.33 ERA) and Jimmy Steele (9-4/2.41 ERA)... closer Georgie Adair (12-8/2.68 ERA/60 games/16 saves) also stood out in the bullpen... Grand City struggled in last place for half the season, 35-45 and 10 GB, then blossomed into a solid ballclub, going 35-14 the final two months of the season... the future is bright for the Cybercats.

The Belair Beach Sunbirds (81-73) were in first place in June (28-24) and only a half-game behind RU South league leader Claxton at midyear (44-35)... the Birds (59-46) even regained the lead by 2 games on Valka by August, but they tuckered out and went bust in the final two months of the season (22-28)... the Sunbirds just didn't have the pitching... also played lousy defense (.971 FA)...Belair Beach (81-73) finished 3rd, 7 games back in the standings... their best players were LF Bruno Lutz (.275 BA/27 HR/101 RBI/83 R/21 SB), 1B Rolf Alderhof (.272 BA/30 HR/96 RBI/91 R), 3B Grover Gossage (.261 BA/15 HR/84 RBI/78 R/22 SB) and RF Andrianus De Jonker (.312 BA/8 HR/69 RBI/57 R/8 SB)... they lost Gold Glove 2B and fine hitter Evan Murdock (.327 BA/4 HR/40 RBI/93 R/60 SB/.435 OBP) in late August with an elbow injury... he is one of the best players in the IPA... not a lot of talent on the mound, but Elton Light (7-4/3.37 ERA) proved to be a good quality starter down the stretch... Alton Liddell (11-9/3.90 ERA) was just adequate... nothing special... the rest of the staff were mediocre to bad... 10 times in its history Belair Beach has won the RU South pennant... and once it captured the Pro Cup Trophy... that was recently when the Sunbirds surprised everybody and upset Turon in the 2071 Pro Cup Series.

With 3 All-Stars this season, the St. John Crusaders (76-78) were strong out of the gate, led the division in April (17-9) and early May... they stayed close to the leaders until August, then faded (22-25) and wound up in the 5th spot in the RU South, 12 GB... one thing for sure, the Crusaders hit for average (.280 BA), paced by All-Star 2B Mick Gilcrease (.318 BA/22 HR/95 RBI/86 R/22 SB), All-Star RF Bruno Hindman (.319 BA/19 HR/72 RBI/122 R/32 SB), RF Ian Hampshire (.331 BA/16 HR/79 RBI/60 R) and CF Jalen Jackman (.325 BA/2 HR/57 RBI/67 R/25 SB)... Hampshire (117 games) and Jackman (110 games) missed a lot of games with injuries... Reggie Davis (19-7/2.73 ERA) was also an All-Star and topped the IPA with 305 Ks in 297 innings... two other starters were workhorses... Jalen Abercrombie (13-14/3.75 ERA) and Max Schneider (12-13/3.94 ERA)... Abercrombie fanned 278 batters in 276 innings... Schneider hurled 260 frames and struck out 180... the bullpen was bad and blew a lot of saves (4.35 ERA)... checking out the Crusaders playoff history, they have won 12 pennants, but none since 2062... sorry, St. John has never won the IPA Pro Cup... success may be just over the horizon for the Crusaders... lots of talent... they just need some quality relievers and some healthy players.

The sixth place Claxton Diamonds (71-83) were carried by 1B Demitri Varitek (.277 BA/27 HR/117 RBI/96 R)... he had a standout season... he got some longball help and mucho stolen bases from CF Sasha Kazakov (.236 BA/22 HR/68 RBI/78 R/33 SB), LF Rod Glidden (.242 BA/20 HR/49 RBI/81 R/50 SB), Jan Skovgaard (.235 BA/18 RBI/66 R/95 R/64 SB) and C Rob Shannon (.252 BA/14 HR/61 RBI/41 R/9 SB)... the Diamonds need to make more contact at the plate... none of them hit much for average... Benton Garrett (10-11/4.12 ERA) was the only fair starter on the team...Claxton had a very good first half... they held the top spot until July (45-35), then swooned badly in the next three months (26-48), ending up far behind in the race at 17 games... the Diamonds have a solid IPA history with 21 pennants and one Pro Cup (2064), when they surprised super powerhouse Rolling Hills... but it's been 8 years since they last won the RU South in 2069... Claxton piled up 7 flags in a row from '63 to '69... that was when they had some excellent pitching... not so in recent years.

The Crystal Lake Skippers (69-85) had a month of glory this year... they were 16-10 and running second to St. John (17-10)... then they slowly vanished from the pennant race over a period of a few months... by season's end they were 69-85 and 19 games behind... they finished near the bottom of the RU South because they finished near the bottom in scoring and pitching... 'nuff said... Crystal Lake has few threats at the plate... the best they have are 2B Cookie Garland (.296 BA/20 HR/83 RBI/90 R/6 SB) and 1B Gino Lorenzetti (.302 BA/19 HR/76 RBI/69 R/11 SB)... all the Skippers have on the mound are 3 decent starters: Bret Lynch (10-6/2.76 ERA), workhorse Lew McGrane (12-12/4.02 ERA) and Lloyd Mason (8-11/3.42 ERA)... down through the team's IPA history, Crystal Lake has done quite well with 4 Pro Cups (2020, 2022, 2058, 2074)... the Skippers have chalked up 13 pennants... but this year they really slipped... could be too many players had poor seasons... could be.... we'll know next year.

It's been 16 years since the hapless San Dimas Rancheros (65-89) rode high in the saddle with a winning record and a good season... that was in 2061... the Rancheros have won only 4 pennants in 76 years and have never won the Pro Cup Trophy... 2041 was the last divison title... this season started well... San Dimas was in third place at the end of May with a 27-25 record, just a game out of the top spot... then they went into a tailspin the rest of the year and wound up dead last and 23 games back in the race... the Rancheros don't hit well, don't score well and have little power... they also have terrible pitching (4.58 ERA)... but they do play good defense (.978 FA)... and they do have some talent... All-Star SS Diego Espina (.309 BA/10 HR/75 RBI/87 R/11 SB) is a solid hitter... he is also a good gloveman... LF Clayton Cooley (.259 BA/24 HR/94 RBI/96 R/9 SB), CF D.J. Pace (.272/10 HR/51 RBI/87 R/51 SB) and 2B Dalton Berry (.263 BA/11 HR/80 RBI/62 R) had good years, too... but that was about it at the plate... on the hill only Larry Runyon (13-16/3.43 ERA) had an ERA under 4.00... half the staff posted 4.50 ERAs or higher... nope, no turnaround is expected soon in San Dimas.

2077 Ruthlandian Union South Division Final Standings

[Eugene Church]

Yep, EC is a slow learner... but y' all have probably known that all along, haven't you?

I suddenly came upon a new way to do recaps that cut my work time in half... 4 hours per division instead of 8 hours... it only took me 15 years and 77 seasons to discover this.
It should even be better next year when I convert to OOTP23... the standings screen can be reworked and set up to show only what you want on it... I can get rid of all the SABR terms and stats and just use the old fashion terms that I prefer.

Hope you like the new way.

Actually, it don't matter whether or not you like it... I think I lean heavily on the side of saving my invaluable time.
What is the right term?... is "valuable" and "Invaluable" the same thing?... yep, 'tis... I looked it up in my worn-and-torn pages of my worn-out and ancient Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary.
Maybe I should coin another word "unvaluable" time.

I use the newly-redesigned team Home Page... I don't have to type a lot of tedious numbers and stats in the recaps... don't have to give a lot of the team history, pennants and Pro Cups... all that is already on the Home Page... it takes me much, much less time to navigate from screen to screen to screen to screen to get the information needed for the recap.

I'm so proud of myself!

[Eugene Church]

2077 Ruthlandian Union East Division Final Season Recap

CLIPPERS BREEZE PAST FOES IN RU EAST, FIRST PENNANT IN 14 YEARS
It was a frenetic race in the Ruthlandian East this season... but that is the way it was supposed to be according to the preseason forecast... Sugar Valley was a very, very slight favorite over Eastshore and Wynnamac, the reigning Pro Cup champ... Cold Creek was right up with all of the them, too... yep, Wynnamac really had its hands full with a scrappy bunch of rivals... the eventual winner was the Elnora Clippers (86-68), who played good ball most of the season and fended off 4 other spunky aspirants... Elnora took command with a standout 21-5 mark in July, then kept the others at bay the rest of the year... the Clippers sailed to the title by 2 games over the Marston Nine (84-70) and Wynnamac Sundowners (82-72)... the Sugar Valley Rattlers (77-77) finished in the fourth spot in the standings, 9 games behind in the race... Cold Creek (76-78) and Eastshore (72-82) were eventually doomed to the second division with losing records, trailing by 10 and14 games, respectively.

The key to the Elnora Clippers (86-68) success was a consistent and steady four starters... Hamilton Burger, Javis Packham, Hawk Templeton and Jerry Burwyn were not great, but they were available, durable and dependable... plus Johnny McQuillan was a solid closer... and the bats were rock-solid in the hands of All-Star Ronald Bayless and Andre Langdon... 9-year veteran Bayless was a prime part of the division title as he led the league with a .374 BA... it was his first batting crown for the 30-year-old third baseman... career-wise he is a .330 hitter... catcher Jorgy Jorgensen also made the All-Star team... time will tell how far a team with quality pitching and fair bats go in the postseason... the only overpowering team looks to be the talented Turon Typhoons, who posted a 97-57 record with its strong mound corps and proven offense... no team in the IPA playoffs can match those credentials.

[Eugene Church]

Runner-up Marston (84-70) was only picked to finish 6th in the preseason prognostications... the Nine surprised the "whether" forecasters by almost winning the RU East... Elnora beat them out by a skimpy 2 games... Marston was down near the bottom of the division in April and May, but only 4 games out... then in June they went on a 19-7 rampage and leapfrogged everybody and bolted to the top spot, but not by much... the RU East was close top-to-bottom most of the year... Elnora had a red-hot July (21-5) and built up a 7-game lead over the Nine (12-14)... the Clippers led by 6 heading into September... Marston went 14-9 down the home stretch and lost in a photo finish by 2 games... Elnora just barely held on with a 10-12 record... the Nine had an adequate offense paced by Woodrow Gilbert and Bingo Crosby... Gilbert is a blossoming 24-year-old... Crosby is a speedster that has led the league in stolen bases for the last 4 seasons and 5 times in his career... three fairly good starters Scotty Robeson, Marv Mathews and Andy Carey topped the twirlers... and Calvin Pyle sparkled in the bullpen... good things are brewing in Marston.

[Eugene Church]

The Wynnamac Sundowners (82-62) didn't repeat in the Ruthlandian East this year because they did not hit like they did last year and they didn't pitch the way they did last year... still the Macs came close to winning the division again with a late-season push (29-20), coming in third place... from April to July they sludged along in mediocrity, but still within striking distance of first place... by August the Sundowners had fallen 10 games back of Elnora... however, the Macs got back in the final two months... but 4 games was as close as they could get, then time ran out on them ... Noel Arboneaux, Lando Vargas, 2076 Golden Arm Clarence Marlowe and Clancy Planchard were quality arms this year... however, the only real threat in the lineup was Ethan Youngman... all the others went silent... outfielder Max Crossman was out for 4 months with an injury... that hurt them, too... the Sundowners did not have a consistent starting foursome... only Arboneaux and Vargas... too many players had down years.

[Eugene Church]

Just an average year for the Sugar Valley Rattlers (77-77), who were favored to win the pennant this year... they came in fourth in the RU East, 9 GB... they had a fine April and led the division (16-10), but they tailed off after that run and slipped back into the .500 mode for the rest of the year... sometimes a little worse... the Rattlers topped the RU with 166 homers but didn't hit for average... the best run producers were Johnny Doolen and Daron Blankenship, both strong bats... not a lot on the hill... rookie Roger Bolin was the top dog with a 13-12 mark and a 3.49 ERA... Jeff Dockery really shined as closer and made 86 appearances... Sugar Valley needs help all over the place to really compete in the Ruthlandian East... in the club's history the Rattlers have made the IPA playoffs 18 times with one Pro Cup Trophy in 2045... the last pennant was eons ago in 2051... yep, that quite spell for fans to sit in the stands longing for a postseason berth... that can be very hard on the derrieres and posteriors.

[Eugene Church]

Another highly-rated team, the Cold Creek Raccoons (76-78) hung close and in the hunt until midseason, but fell out of the race when Elnora went on its July rant (21-5) and ended up in 5th place and 10 GB... nobody in the RU East could stay up with the Clippers at that pace... the season pretty much was over for most teams at that point... but Marston and Wynnamac did manage to cut down the Clippers big lead and make it darn interesting in the last week of the season... Cold Creek has some reliable hitters, led by superstud Dude Gurley... he's a 3-time All-Star... 2073 RU Rookie of the Year... twice topped the league in RBIs... he has help in the batting order from Bernardo Taramillo, Kurt Bernheisel, Kerry Stoneman and Buzz Mauldin... all the Raccoons need to be a serious pennant contender is help from the pitching corps... J.Z. Small and Orin Wessex are capable and dependable starters, but there's nobody else... the bullpen is terrible... it's been a 36-year pennant drought for Cold Creek with last one coming long, long ago in 2041... that is back in the day when the team was called the Catamounts... nope, the Catamounts never won a Pro Cup... neither has the new-fangled Raccoons... don't think a new nickname makes any difference on the ballfields.

[Eugene Church]

The Eastshore Cotton Kings (72-82) did not live up to preseason expectations, either... the offense flopped and so did the hurlers... injuries played a part, too... they lost two promising starters: Manobu Wolf (9-3/3.26 ERA) in June to injury and Elroy Vannoy... he was hurt in the spring and missed the entire season... Vannoy impressed in 2076 with a 5-2 mark and 3.27 ERA... the Cotton Kings were clinging close to the leaders through June, never more than 3 games off the pace, but they tumbled badly in July when Elnora skyrocketed to first place with a magnificent 21-5 mark... the Cotton Pickers fell 12 games behind... yep, the season was over for them... 6th place and 14 GB... Eastshore also lost its best batter in September... 3B Rodney Reeson (.315 BA/12 HR/71 RBI)... nobody else was close to his numbers... the Cotton Kings had two quality starting pitchers in Clay Addis and Vance Culpepper... and closer Maury Miles was very good in the bullpen... Eastshore was a better team than their record this year... they coulda, woulda, shoulda, but didn't... looking back at the Eastshore history, 10 times they captured the RU East Division crown and twice they reigned supremely with Pro Cups... they were the Elegants back then and won back-to-back Pro Cup trophies in 2016 and 2017... maybe they should go back to the old nickname... what do y 'all think?... do teams do that?

[Eugene Church]

Belle Plaine (70-84) started off badly the first month (9-17), never recovered and never was in the race... the only competition they had was with hapless Beechwood... they battled the whole season for the bragging rights to the RU East cellar... and the Musketeers beat the Jackrabbits by a game... Belle Plaine wound up in 7th place and 16 GB... the Muskies have two fairly good starters: Teddy Blixt and Gordo Rijos... longtime fan favorite and 4-time All-Star 1B Andre Lemoine is still performing at a high level at age 35... nope, he does not have a lot of help in the batting order... poor Belle Plaine has not won an RU East pennant since 2009... yep, that is definitely and definitively a good definition for "longsuffering"... sacre bleu... worse than that, the end is not yet in sight... the last winning season (78-76) was 8 seasons ago... and nope... the Musketeers did not win the Pro Cup in 2009... they lost in the first round...

[Eugene Church]

Actually Beechwood (69-85) began the season in OK fashion, putting up a 13-12 record in April... the Jacks were 6th by June, but only 3 GB... then they swooned to 7th place in July, 9 GB... by September Beechwood was very successful in reaching the bottom of the barrel, 8th place and 18 GB... yep, the Beechwood Jackrabbits "won" the cellar award in the RU East this year... they came in dead last and 17 GB... but hey, they were the "best" last-place team in the Ruthlandian Union... check it out... however, there is one thing the Jacks do well... they can go deep... they ranked 4th homers with 151 dingalings... I like that better than dingers... for what it's worth, another thing in a positive vein... Darrin Schwab and Andy Doolin are solid starters... it's a shame they are wasted in Beechwood... aw, what the heck, I'll add another nice thing to say about longballers Iggy Robeson, Leon Buisson, Marco Cienfuegos, Joe Lawrence and Riku Tajima... they do have quite a few dingalings amongst them... however, there is one thing Beechwood doesn't have -- an IPA Pro Cup -- only 3 times did the team win a pennant... 2020, 2026, 2027... they were known as the Blues back then... "Blues" a most appropriate nickname... seems like Beechwood has been wallowing in the blues forever... rebranding did nothing... the Jackrabbits haven't done jack or diddly squat in the IPA... however, I will say that when Beechwood made the playoffs, they did well... twice they lost to the eventual IPA Pro Cup champion in the RU Finals... and once the Blues went to the RU Finals and lost to a team that lost in the Pro Cup Finals... not a bad postseason performance... sadly, it not really a good postseason performance... 3 appearances in 76 seasons.

I suppose that wraps up this wrap-up of the Ruthlandian East Division on a positive note.

2077 Ruthlandian East Division Final Standings

[care4ameatball]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Attachment 928085
Monday, September 27, 2077

HARTSDALE IS SURPRISE WINNER... SEPTEMBER LEADERS KILKENNY, VALKA, ELNORA, FORT BENTON, SOUTH FORK, TURON AND LA CLAIRE SURVIVE SEPTEMBER... OXFORD FALLS
7 Division leaders survived September and copped the division crowns, but the Oxford Red Caps fell to the fast-closing Hartsdale Hellcats in a late-season swoon... Kilkenny, Valka, Elnora and Fort Benton will represent the Ruthlandian Union in the postseason playoffs, while it will be La Claire, Turon, South Fork and the red-hot Hellcats for the Tycobbian Union... on first look, the prime choices for Pro Cup champion this year seems to be the Turon Typhoons (97-57) and the Kilkenny Cats (93-61)... they were the only teams to win 90 or more games... parity is rampant in the IPA.

Perusing the playoff history of the other IPA postseason participants... potent Turon is far in front with 26 appearances... Hartsdale a distant second with 14... Elnora 12 times... South Fork has made it 10 times... Valka 9 and La Claire only on 5 occasions... tt was a great story and season for the lowly Kilkenny Cats in the Ruthlandian North... the Cats are going to the postseason for the first time since 2042 -- 36 longsuffering seasons -- this will be only the second trip for them to the IPA playoffs... yep, Kilkenny is the darling of the IPA, along with perennial also-ran in the RU West, the Fort Benton Defenders... it's been a wonderful year for them, too... they haven't made the playoffs since 2057... it will be just their second postseason appearance... and the Elnora Clippers might be a sentimental favorite, too... the last pennant came in 2064... however, the Clippers have been to the IPA playoffs 12 times in their history and they have won a Pro Cup, back in 2033.

Here's how the teams stand as far as Pro Cups... Turon is tops there, too, with 5 trophies, South Fork has 3, Hartsdale 2 and Elnora 1... that's it... the other 4 clubs have never won a Pro Cup.

Let's do a quick recap of the 2077 season... scoring was down... homers dropped off, too... probably caused by better pitching... 37 teams played .500 or better... Valka won its third straight RU South flag... Turon nabbed its 6th in the last 8 years... and South Fork took it 2nd pennant over the last 5 seasons... Valka was the only repeat winner this year in the Islandian Pro Alliance.

AROUND THE IPA AT A GLANCE

Ruthlandian North Division

WHEW!... KILKENNY FINALLY MADE IT AGAIN AFTER 36 LONG, LONG SEASONS
For the first time since 2042 won the RU North and is headed for the IPA playoffs!
Kilkenny started slowly and trailed Glasco in April, but caught them by May and won going away... they led by 13 games in August... first place Kilkenny (93-61) dominated the Ruthlandian North with its strong pitching, the best in the IPA with a 3.04 ERA... top players were pitchers All-Star Jethro Firestone (20-10/2.37), All-Star Mervin Breckenridge (17-10/2.82 ERA) and Dante Steelman (16-11/3.37 ERA)... not a lot of offense, but it was adequate... the Cats hit with good home-run power (139 HR)... best bats were LF Errol Paxton (.271 BA/27 HR/91 RBI), RF Claude Millican (.262/20 HR/78 RBI) and 3B Wayne Winston (.267 BA/16 HR/78 RBI)... the Cats have an excellent bullpen led by Jeff Kennon (13-16/2.58 ERA/55 games/8 saves) and Linus Wright (12-3/3.08 ERA/55 games/13 saves)... Kilkenny plays defense very well with a .980 FA, tops in the Ruthlandian Union... the Cats should be a strong contender for the IPA Pro Cup Trophy... only two pennants in its history... no Pro Cups.

The runner-up Ranford Bulls (84-70) could score runs, but lacked the pitching of Kilkenny... the Bulls were 9 games behind the Cats... standouts at the plate were All-Star 1B Christopher Jung (.326 BA/30 HR/108 RBI), 3B Gerry Brian (.285 BA/22 HR/97 RBI) and RF Tommy Clements (.285 BA/23 HR/81 RBI)... Ranford had two solid starters in All-Star Dayton Stansbury and Eric Connor ... the relief corps did not do their job as well as Kilkenny... a bad July cost Ranford the pennant... they were only 7-18 that month... the Cats were 18-7... Ranford has won 9 pennants and 1 Pro Cup (2040)

The Valmara Vipers (83-71) were the preseason pick in the RU North, but they finished third in the standings, 10 GB... the Vips could hit and score, but only had average pitching (4.07 ERA)... they played steady ball the entire season, but were out of the race at midyear... Valmara top player is All-Star SS Ozzie Santiago (.317 BA/8 HR/81 RBI/87 R/10 SB), along with 1B Stefan Szymanski (.287 BA/13 HR/57 RBI/52 R/26 SB)... the Vipers have a couple of reliable starters in veterans Jaromir Kaminski (18-14/4.06 ERA) and Milosz Mazur (19-12/3.62 ERA)... Valmara has won 30 pennants and 4 Pro Cups (2026, 2043, 2049, 2050).

Last year's pennant winner Glasco (81-73) slidded to fourth place this season, 12 games off the pace... the Foxhounds ran a good race early, but went into the doldums in May and June (19-35) and faded out of sight... they hit well, but lack pitching... the main runs producers are 3B Benny Hazzard (.274 BA/25 HR/109 RBI/88 R) and first baseman Gayle Henley (.303 BA/17 HR/83 RBI) and RF P.J. Tivis (.276 BA/14 HR/77 RBI/92 R/31 SB)... Glasco had only one reliable starter... that was Jason Alberts (17-10/3.57 ERA), last year's RU Rookie of the Year... Moonie Somers (15-17/3.31 ERA/87 games/20 saves) handled the closing role well, working in 89 games... the Foxhounds have only captured 4 division flags and has never won a Pro Cup.

For the third year in a row Taranto (79-75) has been nestled in the bottom half of the RU North... they finished fifth and trailed by 14 games... Taranto never challenged in the pennant race... the Tars (79-75) have pretty good home-run power (158 HR), courtesy of the Palazzo di Sport, a home-run haven... pitching is average... top performers were All-Star catcher Manny Russo (.295 BA/21 HR/66 RBI) and All-Star right fielder Harland Schiffman (.302 BA/28 HR/101 RBI)... David Murla (21-10/3.65 ERA sparked a good set of starters... Jimmy Key (15-15/3.63 ERA) and Kim Madison (10-7/3.49 ERA) also contributed... the Tars possess 10 division crowns and only one Pro Cup (2015).

The Far Mountain Redhawks (76-78) had a lackluster season winding up 17 games behind in sixth place... lack any kind of an offense... speed merchant LF Ernie Friedricks (.287 BA/4 HR/45 RBI/85 R/57 SB) is a solid ballplayer, but has little help... 3B Val McCullagh (.293 BA/11 HR/76 RBI) and 1B Jurgen Brenner (.294 BA/13 HR/65 RBI) are the best of the rest... mound staff is poor... Cliff Densmore (13-11/3.80 ERA) and Cookie Culpepper (8-5/3.91 ERA) are just decent starters... not much in the bullpen, either... 17 times the Redhawks have been the best team in the RU North... 3 times they won the Pro Cup... amazingly in back-to-back-to-back seasons (2011, 2012, 2013.

The LaGrange Gators (61-93) were last in 2076 and did worst this year at least record-wise... they don't do very much well, but they do go deep pretty well, mainly because of the bigtime bat of 1B Tory Swinneton (.294 BA/39 HR/101 RBI/98 R), who led the RU with 39 homers... that is the 4th straight season he had done it... you are in trouble when your best starter Desmond Craft is 12-15 with a 4.47 ERA... not a lot of talent in LaGrange... the Gators have copped 9 pennants, but have never won a Pro Cup.

The poor Ancona Jumbos (59-95) are an awful franchise... no pennants since 2022... yep, that is kee-rect... since 2022... 10 consecutive losing seasons... they came in 34 games out in the pennant race... but the Jumbos do have two solid players in CF Marcellus Dillaway (.276 BA/25 HR/95 RBI/90 R/23 SB) and 1B Rueben Vadillo (.281 BA/22 HR/99 RBI/75 R/7 SB)... Dillaway is a 3-time All-Star with 468 homers in his 17 long, long seasons in Ancona... Dillaway is doing well at age 35... he has not slowed down in the field or at the plate... the pitching is atrocious... Ray Richards is the only decent starter and he is just average league-wise with a 12-11 mark and a 3.84 ERA... you feel sorry for the baseball fans that live and die a lot in Ancona... years ago on 5 occasions the Jumbos made the postseason playoffs, but they have never won the Pro Cup.

2077 Ruthlandian Union North Division Final Standings
Attachment 928086
Attachment 928087

I am rooting all the way for Kilkenny, as they are my favorite team in the IPA alongside the Ginza Ninjas. I always like a good underdog story, although it seems they are actually the favorites to win it all. Hopefully, regardless of the results for the playoffs, they can continue their success into the next season

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by care4ameatball

I am rooting all the way for Kilkenny, as they are my favorite team in the IPA alongside the Ginza Ninjas. I always like a good underdog story, although it seems they are actually the favorites to win it all. Hopefully, regardless of the results for the playoffs, they can continue their success into the next season

Just guessing, cause it's really hard to win a Pro Cup... 64 teams is a big league... it looks like it will be Kilkenny and Turon in the Pro Cup Series... I think that will be my pick... yep, I'm with you.. want the underdog Cats to win... if not them, then Fort Benton or La Claire... none of those teams have ever won a Pro Cup.

Here's the first-round schedule:

Ruthlandian Union

Fort Benton at Kilkenny
Elnora at Valka

Tycobbian Union

Hartsdale at Turon
La Claire at South Fork

[Eugene Church]

2077 Ruthlandian Union West Division Final Season Recap

PRAISE THE LORD AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, FORT BENTON IS HEADED TO THE IPA PLAYOFFS
It is written that the fervent prayers of the righteous are answered... well, there must be a lot of praying in Fort Benton... after missing the Islandian Pro Alliance postseason playoffs for the last
20 years, the down-and-out Defenders' prayers have been answered... despite being the 6th choice to win the pennant, Fort Benton (86-68) is the best in the west for the first time since 2057
... they hit well enough and scored well enough and scrounged together enough pitching to win the Ruthlandian West Division this year... the Defenders beat out the Forest City Firebirds (82-72)
by 4 games, preseason favorite Sligo Rovers (81-73) by 5 games, the Rocky Rapids Snappers (80-74) by 6 games and the Volusia Vigilantes (79-75) by 7 games... Fort Benton spent most of
the first half of the year in the second division... then they went on a 40-15 splurge in June and July and took charge of the division, building up an 8-game edge by August... but it was still
a 5-team race at midseason... Fort Benton turned away all challenges in the final months of the season... this will just be their second playoff appearance in the team's 76-year history... the
Defenders have never won a Pro Cup.

Fort Benton (86-68) didn't have a lot of pitching, but they sure did have two solid starters with Pasha Osolinsky and Greg Hammerstein... however, that was sufficient when coupled with the hot-hitting
Stosh Dusek, All-Star shorstop Julio Santana, Trace Lansing, John Harding, Jack Luxton and Cloyce Farmer... a .281 team batting average can put a lot of runs on the scoreboard... the Defenders
were one of the top fielding teams, too (.979 FA)... Fort Benton will have trouble in the postseason... they have very little in the bullpen.



2077 Ruthlandian Union West Division Final Standings