ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

Tuesday, October 27, 2082

YES SIR! SERGEANT WON THE PRO CUP MVP TROPHY
THE ISLANDIAN TIMES has honored Kenwood's solid left fielder Kenny Sergeant as the most important player in the Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs this year. Sergeant is a 27-year-old veteran in his 8th season with the Wildcats. Today he was announced as the 2082 IPA Pro Cup Most Valuable Player. Sergeant was acclaimed by a slim margin in the poll. Four other players received support.

Sergeant topped the Wildcats in the postseason with a .333 BA, 4 home runs and 14 runs scored in 19 games. He had 8 doubles, 5 triples and drove in 12 runs. He sparked the Wildcats to their first Pro Cup in 68 years. During the year Sergeant had a .294 BA, 19 homers and 112 runs batted in. He is a career .288 hitter.

Journeyman hurler Matty Mihalek finished a very, very close second in the balloting. He relieved 10 times in the playoffs, posting a 2-1 record with a superb 0.54 ERA and 2 saves. Teams only batted .222 against Mihalek. Without his strong bullpen work it is doubtful Kenwood would have been the IPA champion.

Second sacker Johnny Davidson was a close third in the Pro Cup MVP poll. He batted .313 in 19 games with 10 doubles, 1 home run and 14 RBIs.

Coming in a close fourth in the voting was shortstop John Bircher. In 19 games he hit .315 with 4 doubles, 2 homers and 10 runs driven in.

And in fifth place was starting pitcher Billy Batton. In his 4 games and 3 starts, he was 1-0 with a splendid 0.50 ERA. Kenwood won all 4 games Batton was in and all of them were very close games. 3 of them were decided by one run, the other one by 2.

[jg2977]

Upset city! Kenwood ended a 68-year title drought.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by jg2977

Upset city! Kenwood ended a 68-year title drought.

I had mixed emotions. I've grown attached to Crystal Lake and was disappointed when they failed in game seven.

But after thinking about it. I'm glad it was Kenwood. The Pro Cup needs more teams that have never won it. winning it. Hope it will happen more often in the last 18 seasons.
29 of the 64 teams have never won a Pro Cup.

[Eugene Church]

Thursday, October 29, 2082

BEST AND BRIGHTEST STARS SHINE IN IPA AWARDS
Everything that glitters in the Islandian Pro Alliance is gold - Golden Bats, Golden Arms and Golden Gloves.
The IPA today announce the winners of all the coveted awards for the 2082 season.

SKIPPERS OSBORNE BEST BAT IN RU FOR 2ND TIME
One of the game's brightest stars, Jake Osborne, was named the winner of the Ruthlandian Union Golden Bat Award.
The Crystal Lake Skippers star put up .352 BA and a .435 on-base percentage this year, with 207 hits, 26 doubles, 3 triples, 16 home runs, 86 RBIs and 108 runs scored. He led his Skippers to the RU South flag and into the Pro Cup Finals this season. This is the second time Osborne has claimed the award. He also won it in 2080. Osborne is just 22 years old and has captured the Ruthlandian Union batting crown in all 3 seasons he has been in the league. He also was named the RU Rookie of the Year in 2080. This year's Golden Bat is a career .361 hitter.

Hank Allardice of the Ancona Jumbos finished second in voting, while Tory Swinnerton of the LaGrange Gators finished third.

HELLCAT MANNON SWINGING TU GOLDEN BAT
At the ripe old age of 22, right fielder Calvin Mannon of the Hartsdale Hellcats is swinging a golden bat just like Osborne. Mannon was honored as top hitter in his league and gathered in the Tycobbian Union Golden Bat Award. He was one of the prime reasons the Hellcats won the pennant and went deep into the IPA playoffs. The top hitter put up a .326 batting average this year, as well as a .395 on-base percentage. He played 153 games and racked up 195 hits, 26 doubles, 4 triples, 43 home runs, 114 RBIs and 119 runs scored. This was Mannon's second season in the IPA.

It was a great year for newcomers in the IPA. Two rookies almost won the Golden Bat. Yank Yankovich of the South Fork Stallions finished second in voting, while Kazz Yamazaki of the Ginza Ninjas finished third.

ST. JOHN'S DAVIS TOP TWIRLER IN RU
Reggie Davis of the St. John Crusaders is in the spotlight today. He was acclaimed the best pitcher in the Ruthlandian Union and will be honored with the 2082 Golden Arm Award. He started 31 games and compiled a 17-8 record with an ERA of 2.58 in 247 innings with 182 strikeouts. Amazingly Davis won the award despite his Crusaders coming in last in the RU South with only a 58-96 mark.

Andrew Saul of the Sligo Rovers finished second in voting, while Noel Arboneaux of the Wynnamac Sundowners finished third.

SUNSETS ANTOON WINS TU GOLDEN ARM
Dex Antoon of the Summerland Sunsets was in command and couldn't do much wrong when he was on the mound this season. His outstanding 18-10 won-lost mark and 2.38 ERA were big factors in his winning the 2082 Tycobbian Union Golden Arm Award. In 257 innings of work and 33 starts, Antoon struck out 185 while giving up 209 hits and 69 walks. He held opposing batters to a .222 average. This year Tycobbian Union Golden Arm paced his club to a 5th-place finish in the TU South, but the Sunsets were right up there with the top teams. They wound up just 7 games behind in the pennant race.

Mordecai Partridge of the Ozarka Naturals finished second in voting, while Asmund Bjornstad of the Ozarka Naturals finished third.

RU ROOKIE OF THE YEAR GOES TO MARSTON'S WILKINSON
Today the Ruthlandian Union announced that Marston right fielder Eliot Wilkinson is the winner of the 2082 Rookie of the Year Award. He finished the regular season with a .318 batting average, 18 doubles, 3 triples and 30 home runs. Wilkinson also had 91 RBIs and scored 102 times in 147 games. The 20-year-old Wilkinson was a vital part of the Nine's fine season. They came 4th in the TU East, but wound up only 5 games off the pace.

Seth Calimaris of the Belair Beach Sunbirds finished second in voting, while Dirk MacIntyre of the Belair Beach Sunbirds finished third.

SOUTH FORK'S YANKOVICH TAKES TU TOP ROOKIE AWARD
When it came to hitting the baseball, Yank Yankovich of the South Fork Stallions outdid his freshman peers in the Tycobbian Union this year and was named the 2082 Rookie of the Year Award winner earlier today. At age 22, the standout Stallions right fielder took the honor by hitting .306 in 151 games this season and finished with 169 hits, 43 home runs, 96 RBIs and 114 runs scored. In a surprising turnaroud year for South Fork, the Stallions rose up to 2nd place in the TU East and almost won the division flag. They ended up just 3 games short of the pennant with a sparkling 90-64 record. South Fork was 73-81 and 6th place in 2081. Yankovich was a very key part of the team's great success.

His teammate Davy Mannington of the South Fork Stallions finished second in voting, while Noah Bowers of the Arroyo Grande Suns finished third.


Attachment 1013543

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

2082 Ruthlandian Union Golden Glove Team


2082 Tycobbian Union Golden Glove Team

[Eugene Church]

Saturday, November 7, 2082

SUNBIRD SKIPPER JOSEPHSON UNANIMOUS RU CHOICE; WILDCAT MANAGER BRADFORD EDGES 4 OTHERS IN TU
The choice was very easy in the Ruthlandian Union this year for the best manager honor, but it was a totally different story in the Tycobbian Union. There were a number of worthy skippers. Brock Josephson of the Belair Beach Sunbirds was the unanimous choice for the 2082 Ruthlandian Union Manager of the Year, while Rusty Bradford was given the 2082 Tycobbian Union Manager of the Year Trophy. This is the second time in his career Josephson has won the award. He also was named best skipper in 2071, the year Belair Beach won its only Pro Cup. This is the first time the IPA has given the honor to Bradford.

Belair Beach had a glorious rebirth in the Ruthlandian South Division. Josephson turned them around from 72-82 in 2081 to 90-64 this year. The Sunbirds went from 6th place, 26 games behind to the runner-up spot, just 6 games off the pace of the powerhouse Crystal Lake Skippers. Josephson has been with the Sunbirds since 2066.

Rusty Bradford took command of the Kenwood Wildcats in 2076. Most the years since they have done very well under his leadership. However, last season was a bummer for his Wildcats. They staggered in with a 72-82 mark, good for 6th place and 26 GB. But Bradford regained the magic touch and won the TU West by 6 games with a 90-64 record. Though the postseason playoffs are not included in the best manager poll, just the regular season, Kenwood won the Pro Cup title this season, defeating the Crystal Lake Shippers in a stirring 7-game affair.

Bradford had some serious competition for the best manager award. He outpolled Hartsdale's Mark Markis, South Fork's Jay Murphy, Ozarka's Glen Jenkins and Fairfax's Harold Dorman. All of them had standout seasons, too.

Markis took the Hellcats from 76-78 (5th) to 97-57 (1st) in the TU North. Murphy improved his Stallions from 73-81 (6th) to 90-64 (2nd) in the TU East. Jenkins and the Naturals went from 81-73 (4th) to 93-61 (1st) in the TU East. And Dorman had a tremendous year with the lowly Fairfax Frogs, taking them from 60-94 (8th) to 85-69 (2nd) in the TU North.

[Eugene Church]

That wraps up the 2082 Islandian Pro Alliance season.
It took 21 days to play the season.
At that rate I could play the remaining 18 seasons in just over a year.
Maybe I can reach 100 seasons after all is said and done.

I will get busy on the 2083 season soon.

A big thanks to all of you who keeping following the IPA.
Much appreciate all of you.

[Eugene Church]

2082 IPA Postseason Playoffs

[Eugene Church]

There are still 29 of the 64 IPA franchises that have never won the overall championship.

[Eugene Church]

Wednesday, January 6, 2083

IPA HALL OF FAMERS SHUT OUT THIS YEAR
The ballots are counted and the results are in. Unfortunately, no player was elected to the Hall of Fame this year. The Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame was shut out this year. The top vote getter was Rolling Hills great shortstop Jameson Mulbert, who received votes from 70.9% of eligible electors. Valka's standout catcher Freddie Civik, Ancona's talented center fielder Marcus Dillaway and Beechwood fabulous closer Luis Villavaso came close this year. It's a shame that this is baseball and not horseshoes. Yeah, buddy, close is good enough in horseshoes.

The full voting results are included here. Players require 75% of ballots cast to be elected to the Hall, may stay on the ballot for up to 10 years if they receive at least 5% of the votes. Players must be retired for 3 years before they are eligible for induction to the Hall of Fame.

SS Jameson Mulbert 70.9 (7th year)
C Freddie Civik 69.7 (7th year)
CF Marcellus Dillaway 65.0 (2nd year)
CL Luis Villavaso 63.4 (7th year)
CF Maxie Mullinax 53.9 (7th year)
RF Gabriel Macedo 47.6 (10th year) Dropped
SS Yazzy Ricks 43.3 (2nd year)
3B Cooter Eldridge 40.2 (6th year)
SS Junior Evans 32.7 (1st year)
SP Sassy Worsley 23.2 (2nd year)
SP Rollie Taft 20.9 (2nd year)
1B Bralen Josephson 19.7 (6th year)
C Ozzy Crenshaw 19.3 (7th year)
RP Brownie Ashmore 18.9 (4th year)
SP Russell Krohn 18.5 (1st year)
2B Luke Hazlett 17.3 (7th year)
2B Jacoby Elliott 15.4 (2nd year)
1B Jackie Hansford 14.6 (1st year)
C Robin Hargroder 13.0 (10th year) Dropped
SP Galen Busby 11.8 (1st year)
SP Paulo Passos 9.1 (6th year)
SP Dontrelle Gilbreath 7.1 (7th year)
2B Mick Remington 6.7 (2nd year)
CF Ruben Van Laar 6.7 (2nd year)
C Kuro Ishihara 6.3 (7th year)
RF Alfie Elbourne 6.3 (7th year)
SS Walt Ivy 5.1 (7th year)
SP Eric Connor 4.3 (3rd year) Dropped
SP Dennis Selvy 3.9 (1st year) Dropped
SP Ken Lucas 3.5 (1st year) Dropped
3B Cleve Juban 2.4 (3rd year) Dropped
C Brayden Earwood 2.0 (1st year) Dropped
SP Eric Steinhardt 1.6 (1st year) Dropped
RP Marty Maddux 1.2 (1st year) Dropped
SP Sammy Lasorda 1.2 (1st year) Dropped
CF Don Massengale 0.8 (1st year) Dropped
C Fletch Ingram 0.4 (1st year) Dropped
RP Ray Perkins 0.4 (1st year) Dropped
SP Gino Angeletti 0.0 (1st year) Dropped
SP Caleb Christy 0.0 (1st year) Dropped

[Eugene Church]

Friday, April 2, 2083

ONLY 3 REPEATERS IN 2083 IPA PRESEASON POLL; IPA KING KENWOOD NOT AMONG THEM
It is mighty tough to repeat as the IPA Pro Cup champion. The greatest achievement so far in the annals of the league's 82 seasons was by the Far Mountain Redhawks, who reigned supreme three years in a row, winning three Pro Cups from 2011 to 2013. Three other clubs have managed to win back-to-back titles: Eastshore (2016, 2017), Tuckanarra (2023, 2024) and Valmara (2049, 2050).

Sentiment this year among the baseball pundits is that the tradition will continue. Last year's Pro Cup champion Kenwood will lose out in a close race with perennial powerhouse Rolling Hills in the Tycobbian West.

As usual every spring, hope springs eternal. This is the year again for all 64 Islandian Pro Alliance franchises!
Yeah, buddy, but only in your dreams. They are all in first place on the first day of the season. But that number drops drastically on the second day of the season to just 32 teams. And it gets progressively worse as the days go by.

GATORS FEAST AGAIN IN RU NORTH REPEAT
Here is the way the new season will pan out around the Islandian Pro Alliance. The LaGrange Gators will take the Ruthlandian North for the third season in a row. And the Gators will do in in grand style by 15 games. Ancona, Far Mountain, Ranford and Valmara will be battling for second place far back in LaGrange's rear-view mirror.

BATTLE OF THE BIRDS IN RU SOUTH BETWEEN BLACKHAWKS AND SUNBIRDS; SKIPPERS DISTANT 3RD
Not much of a race is forecast for the Ruthlandian South where the Valka Blackhawks are predicted to whip the Belair Beach Sunbirds by 6 games. The division champ for the last four years and last year's Pro Cup finalist, Crystal Lake is expected to wallow 11 games back and tumble down to third place. The rest of the lot will have losing records.

MACS ARE BACK IN RU EAST AGAIN
The baseball pickers and prognosticators are going back to the tried-and-true Wynnamac Sundowners. The Macs are their choice in the Ruthlandian East by a big margin over last year's winner Elnora. The Clippers will wind up at least 10 or more game behind and end up in second place. Sugar Valley and Eastshore will have winning records, but they will finish 20 or more games back in third and fourth places. Wynnamac has not has a losing season since 2041 and has wound up in first place 18 times. Even the bad years are good for the Macs.

SLIGO AND COLFAX BEST IN THE RU WEST; FORT BENTON AND FOREST CITY WILL CONTEND, TOO
The Forest City Firebirds run in the Ruthlandian West will be short-lived according to those "baseball folks in the know". However, they do expect a pretty good 4-team pennant race. The Sligo Rovers will win a photo-finish with second place Colfax. The Rovers have won 3 of the last 8 years. Fort Benton still has a good club and will be a close third. The Cannons have nabbed the division flag three of the previous 6 seasons. Forest City will come in a distant fourth place.

HARTSDALE TO DOMINATE TU NORTH AGAIN
The hard-hitting Hartsdale Hellcats will repeat in the Tycobbian North again this year. The Hellcats have snared the division title 5 times in the last 11 years. And Hartsdale will win the division quite handily - most likely by double-digit numbers - just like they did last season. Mahaska, Oxford, White River and Fairfax will contend for second-place honors. Everybody else in the TU North will be under .500 this year.

HURRICANES TO BLOW BY NINJAS AND TYPHOONS IN TU SOUTH IN 3-TEAM TANGLE
For the third successive season the Cape Coral Hurricanes will rule the roost in the Tycobbian South Division, but it won't be easy. Rivals Ginza and Turon will take them to task again this year. The Ninjas and Typhoons have better pitching than the 'Canes, but they are not quite as potent at the plate. Ginza will be tougher to beat, but Turon could be challenge, too. Just like last year it should be a very good race in the TU South.

SF STALLIONS COMING ON STRONG IN TU EAST
Vastly-improved South Fork almost won the Tycobbian East last season with a strong second-half run, but the Stallions came up 3 games short to the pennant-winning Ozarka Naturals. The Stallions are ready to run a better race this year and they are the preseason favorite by a comfortable margin over runner-up Midway. Defending champ Ozarka is forecast to fall to a distant third place this year. It will be a two-team affair between the Stallions and the Wolves. All of the other clubs will pretty much post losing records this season.

ROLLING HILLS WILL RACE OFF WITH THE TU WEST IN A CLOSE RACE
Look for a fan-pleasing lollapoloosa in the Tycobbian West this season. It will be a 5-team firefight which will finally be won by the always dangerous Rolling Hills Racers, who will skim past defending Pro Cup champion and current division champion Kenwood in a torrid battle. Denton City will be in it, too, along with the Bayview Vikings. The Arlon Champions could be in the fracas, too. It was just a two-team tussle last year between Kenwood and Denton City. Not so, this year. A bunch of ballclubs will be in the mix.

[Eugene Church]

AND AWAY WE GO.... WHEEEEEE!

It's season #83 in the Islandian Pro Alliance.

[Eugene Church]

I just updated all of my ethnic franchises to make sure each team has enough players on their team with ethnic names.

I will recap the first half of the 2083 season in the next day or so.

[Eugene Church]

Thursday, July 1, 2083

PRESEASON PICKS SLUMP AND SLUMBER SO FAR AT MIDSEASON
Thus far in the Islandian Pro Alliance only one of the top selections to garner the pennant had done well and done the job at midyear The rest are slumping and snoozing
the season away at the midseason point. Only the Hartsdale Hellcats took their role seriously. They have a good lead in the Tycobbian North. Rolling Hills is the only other
favorite to do well.The Racers have been clinging close to the Bayview Vikings in the Tycobbian West chase. The Viks are presently up by 2 and a half games. The rest of the
preseason choices are floundering at midyear.

Here we go to see what's happening around the IPA in 2083.

Ruthlandian Union

6-TEAMS IN THE RUNNING IN RU NORTH
The LaGrange Gators were favored to haul in their 3rd RU North flag in a row in fairly easy fashion, but so far they have struggled, 7 games out of the lead, tied for 5th place
with Far Mountain. Last year's cellar-dweller Ancona is riding skyhigh in the standings, but not by much at midyear. Kilkenny is second, just one game off the pace. Ranford and
Taranto are taggling along just 2 and a half out, then comes LaGrange and Far Mountain. But wait! Don't panic! The Gators will play better in the second half and probably get their
act together. They have been bad so far with a losing record. Expect LaGrange to improve.

SUNBIRDS SOARING IN RU SOUTH
Only two clubs were supposed to have a chance in the Ruthlandian South this season. The scribes were tired of picking Crystal Lake every year. The Skippers had sailed high,
winning the division crown four times in succession. Nope. Not gonna happen in 2083. It was forecast as just a two-team affair between favored Valka and runner-up Belair Beach.
Well, the baseball scribblers are proving right. It is a battle between just two clubs so far with the Sunbirds 4 and a half games ahead of the Blackhawks. The Skippers have faded to
third place, 9 and a half games behind. Crystal Lake better turn it around soon or it will be too late. Belair Beach is doing it all right right now and is looking good.

EXCITING 4-TEAM FREE-FOR-ALL IN RU EAST
The Elnora Clippers captured the Ruthlandian East last year and 3 of the 6 past seasons. According to the baseball writers the Wynnamac Sundowers would easily dominate the
division this year. Not so, so far. Currently it's a wide-open hunt between a bunch of teams. Up-and-improving Marston is on top of the standings at the halfway part with a 2-game
edge on Elnora, 3 better than Eastshore and 4 and a half games in front of preseason favorite Wynnamac. Looks like it will be pennant race after all - all the way, all season long -
and there ain't nothing better than that. Marston and Eastshore shouldn't be there. Most people are sticking with the favored Macs and defending champ Elnora. They have the talent
to last down-the-stretch.

TOPSY-TURVY IN RU WEST; UP IS DOWN, DOWN IS UP
The Ruthlandian West is turned upside down this season. The weak sisters are leading the midyear parade, while the strong dudes are dismal. Last year's champion Forest City is
way back in 5th place. Regular contender Fort Benton even worse in 6th place. Preseason choice Sligo is blundering and lumbering in the 4th spot. Could first place Volusia and
runner-up Middlefield be for real? They were near the bottom last season and picked to stay there this year, too. Third place Colfax didn't do that great last year - just a .500 team
at best - but the pundits did say the Black Sox would do quite well this season. What's it's gonna be? Well, in my opinion, the real mccoys just might have waited too long to make
their move. Yeah, buddy, I'm picking the Vigilantes and the Roosters. They just might rule the roost in the RU West this season.

2083 Ruthlandian Union Midseason Standings

[Eugene Church]