ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, September 24, 2030

2030 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Marshall Shines, Sundowners Win Elite 8
It's over in the RU Elite 8 Series between Wynnamac and Colfax... Lon Marshall made certain of that... the Wynnamac righthander blanked Colfax 2-0 in game six to eliminate the Blasters four games to two... Marshall (1-1/1.06) fired a 4-hit masterpiece, struck out 5 and walked just one... loser Jon Cruise (1-1/1.69) tossed an impressive game, too... he worked a complete game, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits with 4 walks and 7 strikeouts... CF Allen Dundee (.174) paced the Sundowners at bat with 2 hits and 2 runs scored... Dundee doubled in the first and scored on LF Lil Hoss Burkhalter's (.250) single... then Dundee homered in the fifth.

Wynnamac will play the winner of the other RU Elite 8 Series between Valmara and Grand City.

Vipers Upset Grand City In 6 Games
Sixth seed Valmara upended second seed Grand City 4 games to 2 to take the RU Elite 8 Series... the Vipers vanquished the favored Cybercats 3-2 on the road in game 6 at Syntergy Park with strong pitching by Garry Gronek (2-0/3.45), who limited the Cybercats to just 2 runs on 4 hits, while walking 2 and fanning 5... Ivan Guzek got the final out of the game for his second save in the series... Valmara built up a 3-0 in the first 3 frames, then held off Grand City, who got solo homers from 1B Mick Langston (.400) in the fourth and CF Thomas Hall (.208) in the ninth... it was Langston's third clout in the series... the Vipers were led by 1B Jerry Rembert (.348) with an RBI double in the first and CF Teddy Szymanski's (.259) 2-run double in the third... Billy Ray (0-2/5.02) pitched fairly well in defeat as he permitted 3 runs on 8 hits in 7-plus frames... Ray totaled 6 Ks and 3 walks.

Valmara will tangle with Wynnamac for the Ruthlandian title in the Pro Cup Final 4 Series.

Tycobbian Union

Webb's HR Wipes Out 'Canes, Sox Win In 6
Playing on the road at Cape Coral's Seaside Stadium, Roger Webb's 2-run blast in the top of the eighth gave the sixth-seeded Blue Lake Blue Sox a 7-6 triumph and knocked out the eighth-seeded Hurricanes in 6 games in the Tycobbian Elite 8 Series... both Webb (.333) and RF Boom-Boom Baker (.185) led the Blue Sox's 12-hit attack with a pair of hits each and 2 RBIs apiece... Cape Coral picked up 8 hits and were led by 1B Sandy Coburn (.214) with 2-5, 2 runs and 2 RBIs and RF Jan Krammer (.407) with a 2-run homer... Neither Blue Sox starter Billy Trakas, nor Travis Arthur for the 'Canes were effective... Willie Taskins (1-0/0.00) got credit for the win with a scoreless seventh and Sherwood Taylor posted the save with 2 runless inning in the eighth and ninth... Arthur (0-1/5.02) suffered the defeat as he was tagged for 11 hits and 7 runs in his 7-plus innings. Blue Lake now awaits the victor between Bay St. Clair and Ozarka, two powerhouses and top seeds... the Blue Sox won the series despite the loss of their ace Doug Kirkpatrick (22-9/2.92)... Kirkpatrick will miss part or all of the playoffs with a sore arm... he may be back in early October.

Bucs Rally Late, Beat Nats 9-6 In Game 6
In a last-ditch ninth-inning rally the top-seeded Bay St. Clair Buccaneers staved off elimination in game six of the TU Elite 8 Series with a dramatic 6-run comeback to stun the Ozarka Naturals 9-6 on their homefield at Ellie Ewing Stadium and force a game seven... the winning score was forced in on a bases-full walk by losing pitcher Denny Mills (0-2) to C Damon Klein (.056)... Mills came on with a 6-4 lead and two runners on and blew the save... Bucs starter Danny Darby (1-1/2.87) survived 5 unearned runs for the win... Darby hurled 8 innings and gave up 6 runs on 7 hits... Darby trailed 6-3 when he departed... closer Don Sawyer posted the save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Bay St. Clair rapped 12 hits and were sparked by 3B Teddy Nixon (.381) with 2 hits and 3 RBIs, 1B Jerry Todd (.318) with 3-4 and 2 runs and LF Kelly Lucas (.250) with a 2-run double... SS Eddy Hunt (.222) and Terry Adams (.260) also chipped in with 2 hits each... SS James Couch (.200) and C Russell Smith (.286) paced the Nats with home runs... Ozarka had 7 hits... defense was shoddy as the Bucs had 3 errors and the Nats 2.

Tomorrow afternoon again in Ozarka, game seven will feature Brady Bell (19-9/3.18) for the Naturals and Jody Gentry (18-9/2.84) for the Buccaneers. Gentry had been outstanding in the series so far with a 1-0 record in his 2 starts... Bay St. Clair won both games 2-1 and 5-0... Gentry has allowed only one unearned run in 17 innings... Brady is 0-2 in 2 starts with a 3.60 ERA.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, September 25, 2030

2030 IPA Pro Cup Elite 8 Series

Tycobbian Union

BSC Bucs Bump Ozarka Nats From Playoffs
The Pro Cup favorite Bay St. Clair Buccaneers just barely escaped the embarrassment of losing in the first round with a stirring comeback to capture the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series from the tough third-seeded Ozarka Naturals... the Bucs had to win the last two games to win the series four games to three... it took a 6-run ninth-inning rally to win game six... and they won by the slimmest of margins in game seven.

Game seven was a classic duel played at Ozarka's Ellie Ewing Stadium... the Buccaneers pulled it out 2-1 with masterful pitching by ace Jody Gentry (2-0/0.35), who stopped the Naturals on one run and 8 hits over 8 and a third innings... Gentry called it a day after giving up a one-out single in the ninth... closer Don Sawyer came in and slammed the door by getting the final two outs... Ozarka starter Brady Bell matched goose eggs with Gentry until the fifth when 3B Teddy Nixon (.400) tagged him for a 2-run homer... it was Nixon's third homer in the series... Bell (0-2/3.32) worked into the seventh, struck out 12 and allowed 6 hits and a walk... in the eighth CF Ralph Bevis' double (.269) and George Jenkins' (.269) single accounted for the only run the Nats could generate.

Gentry had three stellar starts in the series. He got credit for two of the victories. Gentry got a no-decision in game one, won by the Buccaneers 2-1 in 10 innings. He hurled a 4-hit shutout in game four, winning 5-0, then sealed the series with a fine outing today in game seven. Ozarka (94-60) led the IPA in victories this season, while Bay St. Clair (92-62) came in third. The Cape Coral Hurricanes (93-61) were the runner-up in wins, but were seeded eighth and last in the Pro Cup playoff rankings. They fell to the Blue Lake Blue Sox (85-69) in first round action. In the Tycobbian Final 4 it will be number-one seed Bay St. Clair battling seventh-seeded Blue Lake.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, September 26, 2030

Pro Cup Trimmed To Four Teams
Several high seeds are gone after the first round of the Pro Cup playoffs. The Pro Cup favorite Bay St. Clair Buccaneers almost didn't make it. Valmara and Wynnamac survived in the Ruthlandian Union, while it was the Buccaneers and Blue Lake in the Tycobbian Union. The two, three, four and eight seeds have bit the dust. In RU Final 4 action it will be five seed Wynnamac opening up at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara, opposed by the sixth-seeded Vipers. Over in the TU Final 4 favored Bay St. Clair will host the the number seven seed Blue Lake Blue Sox at Shoreline Park. Both series will be best-of-seven.

In the RU it will be Wynnamac's pitching against the well-balanced Valmara Vipers. The Sundowners staff carried them past Colfax with a 2.57 ERA. Wynnamac hit only .186, yet still won. Valmara upended the number two seed Grand City with a .263 batting average and a 3.33 ERA. The playoff-seasoned Vipers are favored to take the Ruthlandian title. Valmara has made the postseason in 7 of the last 8 years and won the Pro Cup in 2026.

Bay St. Clair made a remarkable comeback to whip third seed Ozarka in seven games. The Bucs had to win the last two to advance and they did it by the skin of their teeth. Blue Lake had a far easier task and whipped eighth seed Cape Coral in six games. The Blue Sox won the series without 22-game winner Doug Kirkpatrick, who will be out until early October with a sore arm. Bay St. Clair got strong pitching against the Naturals, compiling a fine 2.42 ERA, but batted only .225. The Blue Sox hit .267 against the Hurricanes and logged a 3.60 ERA. The Bucs should be able to handle the Blue Sox this time around and should be headed to the Pro Cup Finals against Valmara.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 2, 2030

Tycobbian Union

Blue Lake Upsets BSC Bucs In TU Final 4
The party is over for Pro Cup favorite Bay St. Clair, but it will continue for seventh-seeded Blue Lake, who upset the Buccaneers in the Tycobbian Final 4, taking the series four games to two... the Blue Sox wrapped it up with a another fine mound performance... this time from Billy Trakas, who went all the way in a 5-2 win... Trakas (3-0/2.61) shackled the Bucs on 4 hits and limited them to 2 runs, only one earned... Trakas chalked up 7 strikeouts and issued one walk.

Led by 3B Matt Thompson's 4 hits, the Blue Sox collected 9 hits... they struck for 2 runs in the first frame, scoring one on LF Eddie Nagen's (.297) RBI single and another on a Buccaneer error... Blue Lake increased it to 3-0 in the top of the fifth, when Thompson (.360) drove in Skipper Smith (.289) with a single... Bay St. Clair finally got to Trakas in the bottom of the fifth on CF Chris Blanton's (.125) 2-run single, cutting the score to 3-2... but that's all they got... the Blue Sox put them away with 2 more in the top of the seventh, scoring on CF Chris Halley's (.315) sacrific fly and and RBI single by LF Boom-Boom Baker (.220).

The Bucs starter John Karlsen (0-2/6.23) suffered the loss, but only allowed 2 earned runs on 9 hits in 7 innings... Karlsen fanned 4 and walked no one.

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 3, 2030

2030 IPA Pro Cup Final 4 Series
(best-of-seven)

Ruthlandian Union

Vipers Win 7th Game 4-2 Behind Lem
The Valmara Vipers are Pro Cup bound... they came back from a three games to two deficit to eliminate the Wynnamac Sundowners in seven games to capture the Ruthlandian Final 4 Series... Valmara ace Teddy Lem beat the Sundowners for the third time in the series... Lem (4-1/2.57) tamed them 4-2 in game seven... he was tagged for 9 hits, but gave up only 2 runs, struck out 5 and walked none... LF Billy Hooper rapped a crucial 2-run homer in the fifth inning that proved to be the margin of victory... Wynnamac's Killara Bardo (1-4/4.37) was the losing pitcher, though he only permitted 4 hits, but walked 5, while fanning 6 in his 7 innings.

The Vipers took the lead right off the bat with 2 runs in the first... 2B Alec Leclerc (.292) led off the game with a single, stole second and was doubled in by RF Gerry Kazmarek (.315)... Kazmarek moved to third on a groundout and then scored when Hooper (.188) bounced out to third... Hooper led the Vipers with 3 runs batted in... C Lee Leslie (.222) narrowed the score to 2-1 with a home run in the top of the fifth... Hooper came right back with his roundtripper in the last half of the frame to make it 4-1... the Sundowners got the final run in the seventh when 1B Giles Butler (.244) led off with a double, advanced to third on a grounder and rode home on Tommy Lambright's (.188) sac fly.

Valmara will meet the Blue Lake Blue Sox, the Tycobbian champion in the Pro Cup Finals... this will be the Vipers fourth trip to the Pro Cup Finals... they won it in 2026, knocking off the Mahaska Haymakers... Valmara lost in 2003 and 2023... the Vipers have played in the postseason 12 times overall in their history.

This will be the first time the Blue Sox have qualified for the IPA championship... they made the playoffs in 2001 and 2010, but were eliminated in the first round each time.

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 4, 2030

Pro Cup Finals Start Tomorrow In Valmara
Game one of the IPA Pro Cup Finals is scheduled tomorrow afternoon at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara. The Vipers will host the Blue Lake Blue Sox. The series is a toss-up. Valmara is well-experienced in Pro Cup action and will be making its fourth appearance. This will be a first for the Blue Sox. Overall this is the Vipers' 12th postseason appearance. Valmara racked up its only Pro Cup title in 2026. The Blue Sox are novices with only three playoff appearances in their history. Until this season, they have never gotten past the first round. The Vipers will be in quest of a second Pro Cup, while it will be the Blue Sox first. Neither team was expected to get this far. The Vipers were seeded sixth, while the Blue Sox were rated the seventh best team in THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Pro Cup Poll.

Blue Lake manager Rick Hilliard got a big boost when his ace Doug Kirkpatrick came back from a month on the DL. Kirkpatrick (22-9/2.92) did not play in the first two rounds. He will make Blue Lake's fine starting rotation even better. Kirkpatrick will join Derek Joubert, Chris Landry and Billy Trakas, who paced the Blue Sox to a very impressive 2.25 team ERA so far in the playoffs. Hilliard hasn't decided on his rotation for the finals yet. It won't be an easy decision. Trakas is 3-0 in the postseason with a 2.61 ERA, Joubert 3-1 with a 2.97 ERA and Landry was 0-3, but with an excellent 1.99 ERA. During the regular season Trakas was 13-17 with a 3.24 ERA, Joubert 12-5 with a great 1.84 ERA and Landry was 15-13 with a 2.88 ERA.

On paper Blue Lake seems to have much superior pitching. Valmara skipper Jet Kazmarek will counter with the trio of Teddy Lem (21-14/3.31), rookie Garry Gronek (15-10/3.38) and Carroll Cain (15-12/3.27). In the postseason Lem is 4-1 with a 2.57 ERA, Gronek is 3-1 with a fine 2.48 ERA and Cain is 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA. The Blue Sox have a much better bullpen than the Vipers, too.

For Valmara to have a chance the offense must produce much better in the championship series. They have hit only .236 so far in playoffs. The Vipers batted .272 during the year. Valmara's best bats in the postseason are RF Gerry Kazmarek (.315), 2B Alec Leclerc (.292), 1B Jerry Rembert (.267) and CF Teddy Szymanski (.259). The Blue Sox have performed better in the playoffs with a .258 team BA, sparked by 3B Matt Thompson (.360), CF Chris Halley (.315), Eddie Nagen (.297), 2B Skipper Smith (.289) and C Roger Webb (.267). Both clubs are about even in power. Blue Lake has 11 homers, while Valmara has gone deep 9 times. Scoring-wise Blue Lake has tallied 45 runs in 12 games, while Valmara has totaled 42 in 13 games.

[Eugene Church]

MY LIFE IN 2024
EC's Life Is An Encore In '24

Yeah, buddy, life is still good in the New Year of 2024... but I almost forgot our 53rd anniversary, but EC saved the day 'cause I get up early and my wife sleeps late... when I saw the Happy Anniversary card she put on the kitchen counter so I would see it when I fixed my breakfast, I said, "Oh no, not again"... this is the second time I forgot in the last few years... but, Mr. Wonderful saved the day and my marriage (just kidding)... jumped in the car, bought some anniversary cards and a bouquet of flowers and got back before she got up... despite the fact that she knew I forgot one of the most important days in the year, her birthday is the other one... in her eyes and in her heart Mr. Wonderful is still Mr. Wonderful.

"Wit, Quips and Quotes From the Diamond Minds"
Here is an excerpt from Joe Posnanski's entertaining book "Why We Love Baseball - A History in 50 Moments"... actually he has 108 moments in the book.

Kerry and the Bleacher Bums
Historical Moment #49

Actor Joe Mantegna was a Chicago Cubs fan... he was a struggling actor in Chicago in 1977 and his did his favorite thing... he went to a Cubs game and sat in the bleachers at Wrigley Field... he sat with the regular crowd that always seemed to be there, filled with a varied, diverse and motley crew of society... 3 blind guys that loved baseball... a woman sunbathing in a bikini... a hooky-playing kid, that was a huge storehouse of knowledge and trivia... on any subject he had the answers... and there was a guy that owned a clothing store... he always took his shirt off and wrapped it around his head like a turban... Mantegna looked at the bleacher bums, his people, and it was a gorgeous sunny day, and the Cubs were losing, like always, and he thought to himself... This ought to be a play.

Yep, Mantegna and his actor friends at the Organic Theatre in Chicago wrote a play called Bleacher Bums... it was popular in Chicago and has been performed all across the country since then.

21 years later on May 6, 1998, Mantegna -- by now a Tony Award-winning actor and successful movie star -- returned to Chicago along with the Bleacher Bums original cast... they came back to perform the play for National Public Radio... the Cubs invited the whole group out to Wrigley for a game between the Cubs and the Astros... it was a meaningless game in early May, cold with a chance of rain... not much of a crowd... half-filled stadium... and Joe says to himself, "Who's pitching today anyway?"... and they said, "we have this kid, Kerry Wood".

Mantegna agreed to sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"... Harry Caray had died 3 months earlier... Mantegna like all Cub fans loved Harry... as the organ began to play, Mantegna said, "I dedicate this to all the bleachers bums, past, present and future"... Joe sang his heart out... after finishing the song, he added with a flourish, "All right! Go, Kerry".

One of the bleacher bums Tom Bujnowski posted K's for each strikeout at games... he had 16 K-cards for each game.

Kerry Wood fanned 20 Astros that day in May and tied Roger Clemens for the MLB record.

Bujnowski convinced 4 fans to paint K's on their chests.

Wood was 20 years old.

Yeah, buddy, stories like this is why we love baseball.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 5, 2030

2030 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven)

Blue Sox Sock Vipers 5-1 In Pro Cup Opener
It didn't matter at all that Blue Lake was playing on the road in Valmara... the Blue Sox rapped out 4 runs and 6 hits in the opening frame of the Pro Cup opener and never looked back in a 5-1 triumph over Valmara... Blue Sox 22-game winner Doug Kirkpatrick never missed a beat after missing a month with a sore arm... Kirkpatrick (1-0/1.00) lacked a little command, but held the Vipers to a run and 6 hits, walking 5 and fanning 3 in a complete-game performance.

Viper starter Garry Gronek (3-2/2.95) was battered in the first, but settled down and surrendered only one more run over the next 6 frames... the Blue Sox collected 9 hits and were led by C Roger Webb (.265) with 2 RBIs... LF Eddie Nagen (.293), 1B Herb Hull (.224) and 2B Skipper Smith (.286) drove in the other runs.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 6, 2030

2030 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven)

Lem Evens Series, Vipers Down Blue Sox 7-1
In game two of the IPA Pro Cup Finals, the Valmara Vipers got just what the doctor ordered, a masterful outing from ace Teddy Lem, who downed Blue Lake 7-1 for a split in the series... and some timely hitting, too... Lem (5-1/2.16) chalked up his 5th win of the playoffs, limiting the Blue Sox to one run and 8 hits, while walking none and striking out 4 in his 8 innings... old reliable Ivan Guzek worked a perfect ninth and struck out 2 of the 3 batters... Derek Joubert (3-2/3.72) took the loss as the Vipers slammed him for 6 runs and 6 hits in 5-plus innings... Joubert departed behind 6-1 after allowing 4 runs in the fourth and 2 in the fifth.

RF Gerry Kazmarek (.344) led Valmara with 3 hits, 2 runs and an RBI... 1B Jerry Rembert (.264) chipped in with 2 hits, 2 runs and an RBI... Viper C Floyd Randolph (.172) had the game's only homer, a solo shot in the eighth... both teams totaled 8 hits each... the Pro Cup Finals now switches to Blue Lake for games three, four and five.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 7, 2030

2030 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven)

Blue Lake Outduels Valmara 1-0 In 12 Innings
In one of the classic games in Pro Cup history, the Blue Lake Blue Sox outlasted the Valmara Vipers 1-0 in 12 innings at Harbor Stadium to take a 2-1 lead in the series... 5 Blue Sox hurlers combined to shut out the Vipers on 10 hits... game three came to an abrupt end in the twelfth, when RF Gerry Kazmarek botched a fly ball hit by CF Chris Halley for a two-base error... the next batter 3B Matt Thompson (.355) promptly cracked a game-winning base hit to end it... Gil Donahue (2-0/0.00) blanked Valmara in the top of the twelfth for the victory with the loss going to Chris Phillips 0-1/9.00), who also came on the last inning.

The Vipers did everything but win the game... they left 15 runners on and outhit Blue Lake 10 to 6... even had 4 double plays, but still didn't win... there were no extra base hits in the game... Halley (.288) and C Roger Webb (.281) led the winners with a pair of hits each... CF Teddy Szymanski (.269) with 3-6 and LF Reno DiBenedetto (.167) with 2-6 topped Valmara at the plate...

Billy Trakas started for Blue Lake, but had to leave in the third with an injury... Chris Landry worked through the sixth, striking out 6 batters... followed by Derek Joubert, who worked the seventh and eighth... Freddy Camp entered in the ninth and went through the eleventh... Valmara has standout pitching, too, with starter Carroll Cain stopping Blue Lake on 4 hits over 8 innings... and Ivan Guzek held them hitless in the ninth and tenth.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 8, 2030

2030 IPA Pro Cup Finals
(best-of-seven)

Vipers Tie Series, Beat Blue Sox 5-2 In Game 4
In game four of the IPA Pro Cup Finals at Blue Lake's Harbor Stadium, Valmara rookie Garry Gronek did the unexpected - he beat Blue Sox ace and 22-game winner Doug Kirkpatrick 5-2 to tie up the series at two games apiece... Gronek (4-2/2.77) threw a lot of pitches, but managed to keep Blue Lake off the scoreboard except for 2 runs in the fourth... Gronek surrendered 7 hits in a route-going performance, walking 5 batters and striking out 6... Kirkpatrick (1-1/2.65), just off the DL, wasn't sharp...in the loss he was shelled for 10 hits and 5 runs in 8 innings with 7 Ks and 2 walks.

The Vipers got things rolling with a 2-run double by C Floyd Randolph in the top of the fourth... the Blue Sox got their only runs in the last of the fourth on a lead-off triple by 1B Herb Hull (.230) and a wild pitch... Kirkpatrick (.143) drove in the other run with a single... Valmara snapped a 2-2 tie with 2 runs in the top of the sixth... CF Teddy Szymanski (.264) tripled to start the inning, then scored on an error by 3B Matt Thompson for the lead run... later in the frame 1B Jerry Rembert scored on a fielder's choice by 3B Erek Wyszynski (.185) to make it 4-2... LF Benny Hooper (.226) singled in the final Viper run in the top of the seventh... Randolph (.182) paced Valmara with 3 RBIs... Rembert (.283) had 2 hits and scored twice.

Doctors told Blue Lake that pitcher Billy Trakas (13-17/3.24) will be out for a few days with a stiff neck, injured in game three... Trakas could miss his next start, scheduled for game six on Thursday afternoon in Valmara... rookie Derek Joubert (12-5/1.84) or Chris Landry (15-13/2.88) is the likely replacement according to manager Rick Hilliard.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 9, 2030

2030 IPA Pro Cup Finals
(best-of-seven)

Vips Trip Blue Sox 6-4, Nab Pro Cup Lead
A big 4-run second inning paced the visiting Valmara Vipers to a 6-4 triumph over the Blue Lake Blue Sox in game five of the IPA Pro Cup Finals at Harbor Stadium... lousy defense played a huge part in the game as the Blue Sox committed 3 errors, giving up 5 undeserved runs and giving the Vipers a three games to two edge in the series... Valmara has won the last two games... one more victory for the Vipers and they are the 2030 champs.

Valmara starter Teddy Lem (6-1/2.37) posted his sixth postseason victory... it wasn't one of his better outing, but it was sufficient... Lem allowed 3 runs on 7 hits in his 7 innings... he gave up one walk and fanned 4... closer Ivan Guzek claimed his 4th playoff save, but surrendered one run and two hits in his two wrap-up innings... losing pitcher Willie Taskins (1-1/1.93) went 4 frames and was tagged for 6 hits and 6 runs, but only one was earned... Chris Landry and Derek Joubert finished up with 5 hitless innings between them... they totally shut down the Viper bats.

LF Benny Hooper (.239) led Valmara at the plate with 2 doubles and 2 runs batted in... 3B Erek Wyszynski (.191) pitched in with a solo home run... LF Eddie Nagen (.315) was the Blue Sox best bat with 2 hits, 2 runs and 2 RBIs... Nagen had a double and his 4th homer in the playoffs... CF Chris Halley (.284) added 2 hits, too... and RF Boom-Boom Baker (.188) got his 3rd roundtripper in the postseason.

In game six manager Jet Kazmarek will send Carroll Cain (15-12/3.52) to the hill to bring home the Pro Cup to Valmara for the second time in its history... Blue Sox skipper Rick Hilliard will likely go with Billy Trakas (13-17/3.24)... Cain is 1-1 in the playoffs with a 2.40 ERA, while Trakas is 3-0 with a 2.38 ERA... however Trakas will take the mound with a stiff neck and is not at 100%... the Vipers will have the home field advantage in game six and also in game seven, should it be necessary.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 10, 2030

2030 IPA Pro Cup Finals
(best-of-seven)

Blue Lake Forces Game 7, Landry Whips Vips 2-0
If you're a baseball fan, it don't get any better than this... Blue Lake whipped Valmara on the road at War Memorial Stadium 2-0 and forced a seventh and final game in the IPA Pro Cup Finals... Chris Landry took over as an emergency starter and fired 7 shutout innings to derail the Vipers title aspirations and keep his Blue Sox in the running... Landry (1-3/1.36) subbed for the injured Billy Trakas and did a marvelous job, stopping Valmara on 4 hits over 7 innings with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts... closer Gil Donahue came in and completed the victory with 2 scoreless innings to register his 3rd save in the playoffs.

There wasn't much offense in the game... Viper starter Carroll Cain (1-2/2.08) worked a strong game, permitting only one earned run and 5 hits... Cain struck out 5 and walked only one in a complete game... Blue Lake got a run in the top of the third when SS Joe Korman (.172) led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice, then scored on CF Chris Halley's (.282) double... in the fourth the Blue Sox added another run when LF Boom-Boom Baker (.181) reached second on a throwing error by SS Teddy Ruzek and was doubled in by C Roger Webb (.275).

Valmara got 7 hits in all and was led by CF Teddy Szymanski (.263) and 1B Jerry Rembert (.288) with 2 hits each... they stranded 10 baserunners.

In the series finale tomorrow afternoon at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara, the Vipers hope rookie Garry Gromek (15-10/3.38) can again get the best of Blue Sox ace and 22-game winner Doug Kirkpatrick... Gromek beat him 5-2 in game four.... in the playoffs this season Gromek is 4-2 with a 2.77 ERA in 6 starts, while Kirkpatrick is 1-1 with a 2.65 ERA in 2 starts... Kirkpatrick just returned from the DL a few days ago... Kirkpatrick registered a 5-1 victory in game one of the series.

[ChromEagle]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 10, 2030

2030 IPA Pro Cup Finals
(best-of-seven)

Blue Lake Forces Game 7, Landry Whips Vips 2-0
If you're a baseball fan, it don't get any better than this... Blue Lake whipped Valmara on the road at War Memorial Stadium 2-0 and forced a seventh and final game in the IPA Pro Cup Finals... Chris Landry took over as an emergency starter and fired 7 shutout innings to derail the Vipers title aspirations and keep his Blue Sox in the running... Landry (1-3/1.36) subbed for the injured Billy Trakas and did a marvelous job, stopping Valmara on 4 hits over 7 innings with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts... closer Gil Donahue came in and completed the victory with 2 scoreless innings to register his 3rd save in the playoffs.

There wasn't much offense in the game... Viper starter Carroll Cain (1-2/2.08) worked a strong game, permitting only one earned run and 5 hits... Cain struck out 5 and walked only one in a complete game... Blue Lake got a run in the top of the third when SS Joe Korman (.172) led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice, then scored on CF Chris Halley's (.282) double... in the fourth the Blue Sox added another run when LF Boom-Boom Baker (.181) reached second on a throwing error by SS Teddy Ruzek and was doubled in by C Roger Webb (.275).

Valmara got 7 hits in all and was led by CF Teddy Szymanski (.263) and 1B Jerry Rembert (.288) with 2 hits each... they stranded 10 baserunners.

In the series finale tomorrow afternoon at War Memorial Stadium in Valmara, the Vipers hope rookie Garry Gromek (15-10/3.38) can again get the best of Blue Sox ace and 22-game winner Doug Kirkpatrick... Gromek beat him 5-2 in game four.... in the playoffs this season Gromek is 4-2 with a 2.77 ERA in 6 starts, while Kirkpatrick is 1-1 with a 2.65 ERA in 2 starts... Kirkpatrick just returned from the DL a few days ago... Kirkpatrick registered a 5-1 victory in game one of the series.

That looks like a great game, also it would be cool if the rookie stepped up to the occasion and pitched well in the final game.

[Eugene Church]

Deleted.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by ChromEagle

That looks like a great game, also it would be cool if the rookie stepped up to the occasion and pitched well in the final game.

Gromek has done very well in the playoffs... we'll see what happens in game 7 against Kirkpatrick.

This has been a fine series... Valmara is one of my favorite teams in the Islandian Pro Alliance... they have lost a lot of Pro Cups over the years... also won a lot.

Prior to 2030 the Vipers made the Pro Cup Finals on 3 occasions... they lost in 2003 to Turon... lost in 2023 to Tuckanarra... and won the IPA Pro Cup in 2026 when they beat Mahaska.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 11, 2030

2030 IPA Pro Cup Finals
(best-of-seven)

Blue Sox IPA Pro Cup Champ, Top Vips In 7 Games
A great ending to a magnificent season - after three decades of futility, the eighth-seeded Blue Lake Blue Sox did what seemed to be the impossible - for the first time in history, they are the IPA Pro Cup champion... the Blue Sox came back to win the final two games in back-to-back shutouts to cop the series four games to three from the Valmara Vipers... Blue Sox Doug Kirkpatrick got a late start in the Pro Cup playoffs because of injury, but he came through with two great wins in the Finals... Kirkpatrick (2-1/1.73) fired a 5-hit 2-0 shutout to capture the title.

Blue Lake got two singles from CF Chris Halley (.296) and 2B Skipper Smith (.234) and a flyout in the first frame to go up 1-0... 3B Matt Thompson (.290) got the RBI... the Blue Sox added another run in the top of the third when Kirkpatrick (.200) helped his own cause with a double, moved to third on a balk and scored when Eddie Nagen (.290) grounded out to second base... that's all the runs Kirkpatrick needed as he struck out 3 and issued no walks... Garry Gronek (4-3/2.91) caught the loss as he gave up 2 runs and 3 hits in 4 innings... the Blue Sox could manage only 6 hits off three Viper pitchers, who fanned 8 and walked just one.

Blue Lake manager Rick Hilliard glowingly told the press, "We don't have any superstars on our ball club, just a bunch of great guys that play together... all doing their part for the good of the team... but I will say our pitching staff really came through for us in the playoffs... first the starters filled in while Doug was injured and got us through the first two rounds and then Doug really came through for us in the Finals with two great performances... what a game he pitched today."

Valmara manager Jet Kazmarek said he was very disappointed with the Pro Cup loss. "You don't get very many shots at the gold ring and we let one get away. All we needed was one more win... just a split in the last two games... but we couldn't do it." Kazmarek, the greatest hitter in IPA history with a career .350 BA, said Blue Lake's pitching was truly remarkable. "They posted a 2.04 ERA against the best teams in the league in the playoffs. We have a pretty good hitting club, but they shut us out three times in the series and held us to one run in the other victory... now that is some kind of pitching. 1 through 8 the Blue Sox have excellent starters and relievers. There are no weak links on their staff.... We couldn't hit any of them."

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 12, 2030

Valmara's Lem Voted Pro Cup MVP
For the first time in IPA Pro Cup history the Most Valuable Player didn't come from the championship team. The honor went instead to Teddy Lem of the runner-up Valmara Vipers. Lem outpolled five players from the the Blue Lake Blue Sox. There was no clear-cut Most Valuable Player on the Blue Sox. It was truly a team effort. In a very close vote the IPA Baseball Writers Association selected Lem as the outstanding player in the Pro Cup playoffs this season. Lem lost his first postseason start and then rattled off six straight victories, including two in the Finals over Blue Lake. The 26-year-old Lem was 6-1 with a 2.37 ERA in 7 starting assignments. During the regular season Lem posted an impressive 21-14 mark with a 3.31 ERA. This year's Pro Cup MVP also picked up the award in 2026, when the Vipers won their first Pro Cup. That year Lem was 3-0 in 4 starts with a standout 1.76 ERA.

Blue Sox hurlers Doug Kirkpatrick and Billy Trakas were tied for second in the MVP balloting. Trakas got the Blue Sox to the Finals and was injured, while Kirkpatrick missed the first two rounds because of injury, but came back with a flourish and made his presence known in the Finals. The number four votegetter was LF Eddie Nagen, followed by 3B Matt Thompson and CF Chris Halley. No one else received any votes.

Trakas, a stylish 23-year-old southpaw, got the Blue Sox through the early rounds with a 3-0 record and a 2.38 ERA. Kirkpatrick won two of three starts in the Finals against Valmara, going 2-1 with a super 1.73 ERA. He won game seven in a great outing 2-0. Nagen was the batting leader for Blue Lake. He hit .290 in the postseason with 4 homers, 9 RBIs and 11 runs scored. Thompson batted .303 with one roundtripper, 11 RBIs and scored 5 times, while Halley sported a .296 batting average with one homer, 8 RBIs and 7 runs.

[Eugene Church]

Hopefully, I can get back to the 2079 IPA postseason playoffs soon.
My League Events were out of synch... my playoffs were not scheduled.
Lukas Berger has told me he will try to save my league.
I sent him the .dat file.
He will take a look at it as his time permits.... he is very busy with his work on OOTP25.
I really appreciate his offer to try and help save my Islandian Pro Alliance.

In the meantime, I will continue to post the Pro Cup Series from the past.
Season 2031 playoffs are up next.

[Eugene Church]

MY LIFE IN 2024
EC's Life Is An Encore In '24

Despite being too hectic for me, my life is going good in '24... but I'm too busy... I plan on cutting back on several of my activities and slow the pace down to an enjoyable level.

My Islandian Pro Alliance and South Island dynasty leagues are being neglected... sorry about that... I miss them, but they are the lowest priorities in my life.

I read a very nice, warm and fuzzy, heartwarming story in Joe Posnanski's excellent book "Why We Love Baseball -- A History in 50 Moments"... it was short and sweet and easy for me to recap and post.

Remember Jackie Robinson's steal of home in the 1955 World Series... it's the most famous steal of home in baseball history... Jackie always said he was "safe"... Yogi Berra always said he was "out"... whenever Yogi passed the big photograph of the play posted in his Hall of Fame in Montclair, New Jersey, Yogi would always shout out "out"!... his family said he never failed to say it, not even once.

Yep, that's a good story.

"Wit, Quips and Quotes From the Diamond Minds"
(excepted from Posnanski's book)

But there's an even better story. Jackie Robinson died in 1972. And for the next 40-plus years, Yogi Berra would often find himself at a banquet or celebration or gathering with Jackie's widow, Rachel Robinson.
They always greeted each other the same way each time.
"Safe" Rachel would say.
"Out" Yogi would say.
And then the two would laugh and hug.

Yeah, buddy... EC loves nice stories like that.

[Eugene Church]

MY LIFE IN 2024
EC's Life Is An Encore in '24

Yeah, buddy... life is mighty good for old EC... OOTP 25 will be coming soon... EC had made my life a little easier and a little less hectic by retiring from my nursing home ministry... I played for about 9 years, going as much as 12 times a month... I took me and the residents back to our teenager years, rocking and bopping to the music... I would dance with them, just using their hands and feet... they are almost all in wheelchairs... we would dance, sing and clap for two hours to all the great songs we grew up with from the '40s, 50s, 60s and 70s... I am relieved not to have to do it anymore, but I will miss all of the wonderful folks I have grown to love over the years... we really had a ball, y'all.

I'm still doing my weekend radio show from 1 to 3 on Sunday afternoons... EC is getting a little better every weekend... one of my radio buddies and cohorts said I sounded like I was 20 years old again... yeah, buddy, EC is lovin' every minute of it.

Here's another moment from Joe Posnanski's wonderful book "Why We Love Baseball -- A History in 50 Moments"... Here are some interesting odds and ends about the great Nolan Ryan.

"Wit, Quips and Quotes From the Diamond Minds"
(excepted from Posnanski's book)

Nolan Ryan is the most unhittable pitcher in modern baseball history.
Nolan Ryan also lost more games than any other pitcher in modern baseball history.
Tell me. How can anyone explain it? Yes, he pitched a lot of games. He struck out more batters than anyone else. He walked more batters than anyone else. He threw more no-hitters than anyone else. He threw more wild pitches than anyone else. He allowed the lowest batting average. He made more fielding errors that anyone else.

Here's what I mean: Ryan walked six or more batters in a game 135 times, far and away the most in baseball history. His team won 68 of those game, lost 67.

Here's what I mean: Ryan allowed three or more stolen bases in a game 77 times. Again, most in baseball history. His team's record in those games: 24-53.

Here's what I mean: Ryan made an error in 79 of his starts, the most for any modern pitcher. His team lost 46 of those games.

Nolan Ryan also did more fabled things that anyone else. He threw seven no-hitters, one of them when he was 43 years old. He broke Sandy Koufax's single-season strikeout record. He threw 242 pitches in a single game against the Red Sox in 1974, and afterward just shrugged.
"Hell", he said, "I threw 242 pitches in a game in Detroit just last week.
He threw trhe pitch that the Guiness Book of World Records recorded as the fastest ever thrown, 100.9 mph, which might not sound all that amazing, but physicists interviewed for the documentary "Fastball" estimated that because of the archaic way the pitch's speed was recorded, it was actually 108 mph.

As the great Yankee broadcaster Mel Allen would say, "HOW ABOUT THAT!"
(Note: The above comment was added by ye olde EC)

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 17, 2030

GC's Joslin, Blue Lake's Hilliard Top IPA Skippers
The young guard was named the Managers of the Year in the Islandian Pro Alliance this year. Wade Joslin guided the Grand City Cybercats to the Ruthlandian South division title to capture the league Manager of the Year Award. Joslin inproved the Cybercats from seventh to first this year as they went from 74-80 to 90-64. The top Tycobbian skipper was Rick Hilliard of the Blue Lake Blue Sox, who rose up from fifth place (73-81) to the TU East pennant (85-69) in one season. Both award winners were selected for the first time this year in The Islandian Times poll.

Ilya Szabo of the Colfax Blasters came in second to Joslin in the balloting. Szabo led his club's rise from 68-86 (7th) to a first-place finish in the RU West with an 84-68 mark. LaGrange's Quincy Peterson and Valmara's Jet Kazmarek rounded out the vote, winding up third and fourth respectively. Peterson's Sports (86-68) blossomed to second place in the RU North and gave Kazmarek's Vipers (87-67) a tough run for the pennant this season. Powerful Valmara won its division for the fifth time in a row and seventh time in the last eight seasons.

Ozarka manager Frank Kiffin ran second to Hilliard in the Tycobbian race. Kiffin's Naturals climbed from fifth (73-81) to first (94-60) in the TU East and won more games than anyone in the IPA this year. Denny Coulon of Bay St. Clair came in a close third as the Bucs moved from seventh to the TU West crown, going from 75-79 to 92-62. Cape Coral's Flipper Bird wound up fourth in the poll and Aaron Hankins of Kenwood was fifth. Bird's Hurricanes moved up from fourth (80-74) to first (93-61) in the TU South, while Hankins' Wildcats went from fifth (76-78) to second (91-63), beaten out by Bay St. Clair in the TU West.