ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

I will do a Comeback Player of the Year, then wrap up the roster changes for the new season.

I have done 50 of the 64 teams.

After I complete the teams, I will look for possible trades that will help both teams, then start the 2005 season.

It may take two weeks.

[PhillieFever]

Mighty strong performance by the seemingly overmatched Red Sox,it just goes to show that a superior team will defeat superior individuals every time.Great job EC.Can't wait for 2005,my first full season as a spectator of this fantastic universe.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by PhillieFever

Mighty strong performance by the seemingly overmatched Red Sox,it just goes to show that a superior team will defeat superior individuals every time.Great job EC.Can't wait for 2005,my first full season as a spectator of this fantastic universe.

Thanks for your nice comments.

Thanks for following this dynasty report.

And thanks for working so hard on the game and making it better on the Beta team.

[Eugene Church]

At last...

I have completed the roster changes, pitching rotations and depth charts for the new season for all 64 teams.

I will now make a few trades to fill any holes in the rosters.

Trades will have to be equal and good for both teams.

A Comeback Player of the Year will be selected.

[edog23]

Looking forward to reading up on the next season. Awesome as usual, Eugene.

[Eugene Church]

Thanks for your support, edog.

Appreciate the comment.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Friday, October 22, 2004

Wynnamac's Browne Wins RU 2004 Comeback Award
Pitchers dominated the comeback players this season. 31-year-old southpaw Caleb Browne of the Wynnamac Sundowners has won the Ruthlandian Union Comeback Player of the Year Award for 2004. Browne was a prime player in Wynnamac's rise in the East Division this year. Browne had a great season compiling a 21-7 mark with a strong 2.97 ERA. In 2003 he had a so-so 11-11 record with a mediocre 4.31 ERA.

Sundowner skipper Matt Donnelly told The Islandian Times, "Caleb gets the credit for our ball club's turnaround this year. He was our stopper, who kept us out of long losing streaks. When we needed a win, he got it for us."

Five players received votes in the poll conducted by The Islandian Times. One reporter in each league city receives one vote. Browne led with 12 votes, followed by Barney Prohaska of LaGrange with 8, Leroy Labat of LaGrange with 7, Tetsunori Nakashima of Claxton with 3 and Jorge Vargas of Sugar Valley with 2.

Runner-up Barney Prohaska and third place Leroy Labat, both led the LaGrange surge from seventh place in the RU North to a surprising third place finish, just three games behind the flag-winning Valmara Vipers and two games in back of the second place Ranford Bulls. The 24-year-old Prohaska, a righthander, was 10-18 with a 3.81 ERA in 2003, but rebounded to a 15-10 mark in 2004 with an outstanding 2.63 ERA. Labat is the Sports closer, who improved from a dismal 3-8 record and 3.79 ERA to 11-5 and a sensational 2.49 ERA. Labat increased his saves from 8 to 26 this season. Labat is 27 years old and also throws right-handed.

31-year-old Claxton righthander Tetsunori Nakashima went from his worst year in the IPA to his best year and was fourth in the poll. Nakashima completed the season 16-12 with a 3.55 ERA for the second place Diamonds, who ran a close race to Belair Beach for the RU South crown, falling three games short. Nakashima was 12-19 the previous year.

In fifth place was 27-year-old Sugar Valley third sacker Jorge Vargas, who revived a sagging career with a .284 batting average, 29 homers and 94 RBIs in 2004. His numbers showed only 14 homers, 69 RBIs and a .265 average the previous season. The Rattlers challenged Elnora for the RU East title and came within a game of winning it.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Saturday, October 23, 2004

WR Rascal Reaps TU Best Comeback Honor
It's tough for a pitcher with a weak team to win, but that didn't hold back this year's Tycobbian Union Comeback Player of the Year. The White River Rascals have spent their first three seasons in the Islandian Pro Alliance deep in the second division of the TU North. But this year they had two diamonds in the rough - portsider Mick Cronyn and center fielder Hal Hoover. Cronyn and Hoover ran 1-2 in Comeback of the Year poll conducted by The Islandian Times with 7 and 6 votes respectively to edge out Summerland pitcher Paul Felkner and Ozarka hurler Alec DiMaggio, who picked up 5 votes apiece and ended up third in the balloting.

25-year-old Mick Cronyn copped this year's honor by chalking up a standout 19-13 won-loss record, while compiling a 3.28 ERA. In 2003 Cronyn was 11-12 with a 3.52 ERA. His 36-year-old teammate Hal Hoover had a good rookie season by hitting .280 with 11 homers, but greatly improved that this season by batting .332 with 20 homers. Hoover increased his RBIs from 59 to 74 and runs scored from 88 to 108.

Two pitchers tied for the third spot in the poll. Paul Felkner, a 30-year-old lefty, almost single-handedly led Summerland to a third-place finish in the TU South. Felkner won 22 games, while losing 14. He led the IPA pitchers with 24 complete games and came in seventh with an impressive 2.63 ERA. In the previous season Felkner was 13-18 with a 3.51 ERA.

The Ozarka Naturals had a poor year and ended up in sixth place in the East Division race. However, 23-year-old Alec DiMaggio blossomed in 2004 with a 20-13 mark and a 3.33 ERA and bested last year by a wide margin. DiMaggio struggled through a 14-16 season in 2003.

Rolling Hills right fielder Theron Latigo and East Point twirler Carl Thompson were fifth in the voting with 3 votes each. The 28-year-old Latigo hit only .246 in his freshman year, but put up a much-improved .290 mark his second season. He also raised his production with 104 RBIs and 93 runs scored.

33-year-old Carl Thompson had his last good season in the IPA's first year in 2001 when he played for Belair Beach. The lefthander was 17-15 that year with a 2.98 ERA, but dropped to 13-17 in 2002 and to 9-14 and a lousy 4.76 ERA last year. But this season Thompson revived his career with a 16-11 record and lowered his ERA to 3.88.

Coming in seventh in the poll with two votes was Arlon's 27-year-old center fielder Steve Barnett. He has had an up-and-down career in his four seasons in the IPA. In limited action he batted .200 in his rookie season, improved to .294 in year two, down to .260 in 2003 and then way back up to .305 this season. 2004 has been his best year with 16 roundtrippers, 76 RBIs and 100 runs scored.

LaClaire's righthander Jim Melanakos benefited from a trade with Oxford in 2004. He had been relegated to the bullpen by the pitching-rich Red Caps in 2003 after a good rookie season where he was 11-11 in 31 starts with an excellent 2.96 ERA. Melanakos went from 6-5 last year to a sparkling 23-10 and 2.32 ERA this year. Melanakos is 28 years of age. He received one vote.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Sunday, October 24, 2004

Ancona Swaps Manetas For Three Hurricanes
The Cape Coral Hurricanes and the Ancona Red Elephants have completed a three-for-one deal. The Hurricanes will get outfielder Simon Manetas in exchange for pitcher Andrew Grice, catcher Bart Harben and first baseman Poochie Kramer.

Manetas is three-year vet, but played sparingly until this season when he hit .327 with 10 homers, 59 RBIs and 59 runs scored. Manetas will start in right field for Cape Coral. He is a lifetime .307 hitter.

Grice is a 27-year-old righthander with a 4-6 career record and a 3.34 ERA, used mainly in relief in his two seasons. Last season in 19 appearances he was 0-1 with a 1.54 ERA. Ancona has him slated to be a spot starter and long reliever.

Harben is 31 years old and will take over catching chores for the Red Elephants. He has good power and hits for average, too. Defensively he is very good with a good arm. Last season Harben only played in 20 games for Cape Coral and hit .305 with 3 homers. He carries a .275 career average in limited action since coming into the league in 2003.

Kramer will be a back-up at first base to rookie phenom Johnny Lee Harder. The 30-year-old Kramer has played sporatically for four years with a lifetime .246 batting average. This past year he only hit .216, mainly as a pinchhitter.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Monday, November 1, 2004

Middlefield-Mahaska Announce Deal
The GM/managers of the Middlefield Roosters and Mahaska Haymakers have signed off on a trade for Mahaska's 24-year-old catcher Mike Kanjorsky. To complete the deal, the Roosters will send 24-year-old starting pitcher Don Shaw to the Haymakers. Smitty Michaels and Rudy Tanussa announced the deal today.

This season Shaw registered a 10-7 mark with a solid 3.17 ERA. Since joining the league, Shaw has compiled an ERA of 3.31 with a career record of 15-9. He has 141 strikeouts in 204 innings and has held opponents to a .233 batting average.

Kanjorsky fills a big need for a good-hitting catcher for the Roosters. He is a workhorse behind the plate and has played in 142 and 143 games during the past two years. This season Kanjorsky hit .299 with 14 homers and 65 RBIs. His career stats show that Kanjorsky has batted .291 and connected for 22 home runs.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Monday, November 8, 2004

Buccaneers, Vikings Agree to Trade
Signed. Sealed. Delivered.
The Bayview Vikings added another piece to the puzzle by getting a fine center fielder, but they had to give up three players to get him. In return Bay St. Clair Buccaneers got themselves a starting pitcher, right fielder and shortstop.

The two teams have worked out terms of a deal to send 24-year-old center fielder Wayne Latham to Bayview for 25-year-old pitcher Del Porter, 28-year-old right fielder Dean Howell and 20-year-old shortstop Ryan Sanders.

Latham is an important pick-up for the Vikings. He is a Gold Glove-caliber fielder and a quality hitter. Latham batted .299 this past season with 6 home runs, scoring 96 times and driving in 52. Taking a look at his lifetime stats, Latham is hitting .310 with a total of 29 home runs. He has played four years in the IPA. Latham will now join All-Star Gold Glover Phil Kanaan in the Bayview outfield. The Vikings offense could be awesome in 2005.

The Buccaneers will use Porter, a righthander, as their number four starter. In his rookie year he was used in long relief by the Vikings, appearing in 38 games with a 2-0 record and 5 saves. Porter chalked up a fine 2.64 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 65 innings.

Howell is a superb defensive outfielder and will be platooned in right field. Howell enjoyed a good season in 2004 with a .282 batting average, 3 homers and 50 RBIs after moving into the starting line-up in June. In his four seasons he has been mainly a back-up, averaging about 100 games a year. Howell's career average is .275 and he has hit 14 roundtrippers. Howell has also driven in 159 runs and scored 151 times, while playing 389 games.

The youthful Sanders is the Bucs shortstop of the future. He is excellent defensively and a decent hitter with fair power. Sanders can play second, third and short. He will initially platoon at shortstop.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Friday, November 12, 2004

Superstar Nilsen Shipped To LaGrange For 3 Players
"Bill Nilsen will be greatly missed, but overall the Lumberjacks will gain out of this blockbuster trade," said Manager Robbie Jackson of Forest City. "It gives us a strong starter, a solid shortstop with a great glove and good bat and an outfielder with great range and arm, who hits for average and with power."

Forest City and LaGrange have made a huge swap. Players involved in the transaction are the Lumberjacks 24-year old star shortstop Bill Nilsen and the Sports 30-year old shortstop Marvin Hollis, 27-year old center fielder Roger Marley and 24-year old starting pitcher Al Thibaut.

LaGrange skipper Foxy Jimison was estatic, "We just got one of the IPA superstuds. Nilsen was an All-Star this year with a .312 batting average, 32 homers and 112 RBIs. He was the Rookie of the Year in 2002. The Sports have one of the best clean-up hitters in the league now." A check of his lifetime stats shows Nilsen has played in 445 games with a .295 batting average. Among his 476 hits are 87 home runs. He also has scored 295 runs and driven in 312 runs in his three seasons.

The Lumberjacks got some good players, too. Thibaut will move into the starting rotation right away. He was 13-17 with a 3.26 ERA in 35 starts in 2004. Thibaut came into the league in 2002 and has a career mark of 47-39 with a 3.44 ERA.

Hollis is a very sure-handed infielder with good range and a career .976 fielding percentage. This past season Hollis batted .285 with 4 home runs, 53 RBIs and 84 runs. Lifetime Hollis is a solid .277 hitter in his three years in the league. He played with Wynnamac his first two seasons.

Marley may be the best player in the bunch. He sparkled in center field for Forest City this year hitting .295 with 18 roundtrippers, while batting in 61 runs and scoring 92 times. Marley can really cover ground in the outfield, throws as good as anyone in the IPA and has a lifetime .978 fielding average. Marley has compiled a .287 average over his three-year career. He became a regular in 2004.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Saturday, November 13, 2004

Marston-Belle Plaine Announce 2-for-1 Swap
The Marston Nine have finalized a deal that will send 25-year-old reliever Jorge Bonilla and 29-year-old reliever Casey Ledbetter to Belle Plaine for 25-year-old center fielder Dennis Riley. Minor details still need to be worked out before the trade becomes official, but the players involved are expected to be with their new clubs soon.

Manager Johnny Walters of Marston told BNN, "We gained one of the better young center fielders in the IPA in Riley, while the Muskies got a pair of good, veteran pitchers." Riley played in 150 games this past year and chalked up a .274 batting average with 23 home runs, 89 RBIs and 83 runs scored. Career-to-date Riley is hitting .290 with 40 homers in two seasons with Belle Plaine.

Ledbetter is a four-year vet used primarily as a starter and has a 42-45 record in four years with the Nine with a 3.83 ERA. Ledbetter only played the last half of the season in 2004. He appeared in 15 relief appearances and registered a 2.96 ERA and a 1-1 mark.

Bonilla played three seasons in Marston and went 11-9 mainly as a reliever and appeared in 87 games. Bonilla has registered an overall 3.52 ERA and 13 saves. This past season he made 17 starts, while pitching in 42 games. Bonilla was 6-9 with 3.95 ERA and 5 saves.

Belle Plaine manager Boo Ladrieux told reporters Ledbetter and Bonilla would strengthen his middle relief corps.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Sunday, November 14, 2004

Chicopee Ships Snider to Valka
Chicopee and Valka have agreed to a trade today. 31-year-old first baseman Wayne Snider will go to the Blackhawks. In exchange the Braves will receive 32-year-old starting pitcher Arvo Krimm.

Manager Harry Fleetwood told the press that Krimm would be his number four starter in his rotation. Krimm finished up 14-16 last year with a 3.94 ERA. In his lifetime numbers Krimm has a 45-40 won-lost record with a 3.57 ERA. He was a four-year starter for the Blackhawks.

Snider has been in the league for three seasons, but had been used mainly in a back-up role. This past year he batted .389 in 21 games, going 14-36 with two homers and 16 RBIs. His career numbers show Snider has batted .286 and collected 159 hits, 9 home runs and 75 RBIs. Valka skipper Jaan Kurus indicated Snider will be his regular first baseman.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Sunday, November 21, 2004

Valmara-Midway Deal Szymanski for Bidwell
The powerful Valmara Vipers of the RU North just got better, but had to give up one of its finest performers much to the dismay of its fans. The Vipers announced a deal with the Midway Wolves today, sending 32-year-old star center fielder Jan Szymanski and 28-year old shortstop Matt Mazurek to Midway for 24-year-old shortstop Tory Bidwell. It had been talked about for the past few weeks and everything came together late last night.

Szymanski told BNN, "I'm in shock. Valmara is my hometown and I thought I would retire with the Vipers. But...hey, it's a business... and if I gotta go to Midway, then that what I'll do. I still got a few good years in me and will do my best to bring the Pro Cup to Midway."

Szymanski led Valmara to two RU North Division titles and three times to the playoffs in his four years there. He hit .263 this season with 17 roundtrippers and 74 RBIs. In his career Szymanski is batting .253 with 535 hits, 122 doubles, 25 triples and 94 home runs. He was the Vipers main RBI man during that time with 385 RBIs. Szymanski also scored 342 runs.

Teammate Jet Kazmarek, who played along side Szymanski for four years in the outfield lamented, "Jan was the heart and soul of the Vipers on offense, defense and in the clubhouse. He is irreplaceable." Then he added, "Trades are a part of baseball and you just have to get used to them. Tomorrow it might be me."

Mazurek is a journeyman shortstop with great range and a good glove, but not much with the bat. He is a lifetime .260 hitter, but has severely tailed off the last two years, batting only .208 and .223 in limited action. Cochise Chandler, skipper of the Wolves, stated that "Mazurek has great potential and would be his first string shortstop in the coming season." Mazurek had three or four opportunities to take over at shortstop for Valmara, but never managed to take charge in his four-year stint with the club.

Valmara is getting an all-star quality shortstop in Bidwell, who hit .297 in his rookie year, blistering pitchers for 175 hits, 45 doubles, 5 triples and 15 home runs, scoring 104 times and driving in 89. Bidwell has good speed and stole 17 bases and is an above-average defender.

Bidwell told reporters, "I really enjoyed my first season in Midway, but I'm really excited about moving to a team that has a history of contending each year for the division title and going to the playoffs."

The Vipers came out good on the surface with the trade. They got a younger ballplayer and did not lose much run production. If Szymanski produces runs like he has in the past, this will be a good deal for Midway, too. If Mazurek blossoms into a decent hitter, it will be an excellent trade for the Wolves. The only downside is the fans in both towns will be up in arms initially in losing their favorite players. But that won't last long, if the players shine on the diamond and perform to their capabilities and potential.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Monday, April 4, 2005

Opening Day In The IPA - Season 5 Begins
The long-awaited and much-anticipated Opening Day of the Islandian Pro Alliance is finally here! For both fans and teams, hope always springs eternal. The proverbial "next year" is finally here! For better or worse, we'll find out what all the off-season management moves, manipulations and changes in personnel will bring. So, break out the peanuts and crackerjacks, sit back, sip on a tall cool one and get ready for some baseball.

BNN Preseason Poll 2005

The BNN baseball experts have been busy previewing all of the ball clubs and are now ready to do some serious prognostications on the upcoming season. Here are their forecasts for the Ruthlandian Union.

Ruthlandian Union North Division
It's going to be a rat race in the RU North this season between LaGrange, Valmara and Ranford. LaGrange, piloted by Foxy Jimison, is the slight favorite and is really improved with the addition of Bill Nilsen's big bat and 32 homers in the middle of the line-up. Nilsen was picked up in a trade with Forest City. The Lumberjacks got three starters out of the deal. The Vipers manager, J. Jackson Samuel, has filled a huge hole at shortstop with Toby Bidwell, obtained in a trade with Midway for center fielder Jan Szymanski. Time will tell how much Valmara will miss their mainstay of four years, who was a very valuable run producer. Page Satcher's Ranford Bulls are pretty much the same team and look to be a contender again, but not quite as strong as last year. Standing pat in the IPA is usually not a good thing for success. This is a tough division - even the bad teams are good.

Prediction: Team (Last Year)
1. LaGrange Sports (3rd)
2. Valmara Vipers (1st)
3. Ranford Bulls (3rd)
4. Far Mountain Redhawks (6th)
5. Glasco Athletics (4th)
6. Taranto Tars (5th)
7. Ancona Red Elephants (8th)
8. Kilkenny Cats (7th)

Ruthlandian Union South
The Belair Beach Sunbirds and the Claxton Diamonds will fight it out again in the RU South race with the Sunbirds the odds-on favorite because of their outstanding pitching, perhaps the best in the IPA. However, the Diamonds are strong in the pitching department, too. Claxton has added more power in rookie shortstop Carl Deaver and rookie outfielder Jackie Allemand. If they produce, manager Stacy Engel's bunch could knock off Marty Pedroza's team. Valka and San Dimas have an outside chance at the playoffs. Both clubs have fine pitching and capable hitting, but have more unknowns due to rookie roster additions. The remaining four teams will finish far back in the race and have little chance at a playoff spot.

Prediction: Team (Last Year)
1. Belair Beach Sunbirds (1st)
2. Claxton Diamonds (2nd)
3. Valka Blackhawks (3rd)
4. San Dimas Rancheros (4th)
5. Grand City Cybercats(6th)
6. St. John Crusaders (5th)
7. Waleska Westerners (7th)
8. Crystal Lake Crushers (8th)

Ruthlandian Union East Division
The top teams in the RU East will again be the Elnora All-Stars of Zoggy White and the Sugar Valley Rattlers of Gibby Bobkins. Both clubs are talented and will be among the elite teams in the IPA. White's All-Stars are well-balanced with excellent pitching and good hitting, while Bobkins' Rattlers have excellent hitting and good pitching. The edge goes to the best pitching. Marston is a distant third in the race and can't match up in either department with Elnora and Sugar Valley, but is a level above the rest of the division. Bret George has improved his Beechwood Bobcats through trades over the off-season and they could give Marston a run for third place if the new roster additions play up to potential. The rest of the division will have to wait until next year.

Prediction: Team (Last Year)
1. Elnora All-Stars (1st)
2. Sugar Valley Rattlers (2nd)
3. Marston Nine (3rd)
4. Beechwood Bobcats (6th)
5. Belle Plaine Musketeers (4th)
6. Cold Creek Catamounts (7th)
7. Wynnamac Sundowners (5th)
8. Eastshore Elegants (8th)

Ruthlandian Union West Division
Skipper Smitty Michaels is the top dog in the Ruthlandian Union West. His Middlefield Roosters won it last season and have loaded up to do it again. Michaels added power with rookie third baseman Charlie Gamble and catcher Mike Kanjorsky. He got Kanjorsky in a trade with Mahaska. They could be the answer to Middlefield's problems at those positions. The Roosters depend on fine pitching and excellent power to ward off the Volusia Vigilantes. V's manager Alfonso Feliz has very good pitching, but he is short on the longball. Middlefield may have a greater edge this season.

The Roosters and the Vigilantes just might have a battle on their hands with the Sligo Rovers, who surprised with a third-place finish last season and could surprise again. The Rovers led the RU in batting average and have a top-notch mound corps. Manager Eddie Keys has them primed to make a serious run for the division crown and a playoff spot. They are better this year and were only 8 games off the pace in 2004.

The Stoner Stars under the leadership of manager Willie Dickens have a good shot at fourth place. Four fine rookie position players will debut this season. This influx of new talent gives the Stars the edge over Forest City, who suffers from atrocious pitching. Manager Robbie Jackson traded his best player, shortstop Bill Nilsen, for three players in an attempt to turn things around. It doesn't look like it is enough to move them up in the standings. However, the 'Jacks can still hit very well. The remaining clubs will contest for the sixth spot and no higher.

Prediction: Team (Last Year)
1. Middlefield Roosters (1st)
2. Volusia Vigilanted (2nd)
3. Sligo Rovers (3rd)
4. Stoner Stars (5th)
5. Forest City Lumberjacks (4th)
6. Rocky Rapids Snappers (6th)
7. Colfax Blasters (7th)
8. Fort Benton Defenders (8th)

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Monday, April 4, 2005

BNN Preseason Poll 2005

Tycobbian Union North Division
The Oxford Red Caps, headed by Campy Roy, have been the best team in the Tycobbian Union North over the past three seasons. They have copped two division crowns (2002, 2004) and a third-place finish. It will be more of the same in 2005 according to the baseball analysts. The Red Caps are favored to win it again because of their awesome power. Oxford led the TU with 180 roundtrippers last year and it looks like more of the same this year. Roy had six players in his line-up with 18 or more home runs, led by Ike Plunkett with 44 (tops in the IPA), Mack Spencer with 33, Joe Courtney with 27 and Brad Earp with 24. Earp, Plunkett and Spencer also drove in over 100 runs each. With hitting like that, all you need is adequate pitching to get by.

If excellent pitching could win the pennant, then manager Alejandro Rodrigo's Luxora Zorros has what it takes. The Z's ended up in the runner-up spot in 2004, just three games behind powerful Oxford. He has a formidable foursome in Eddie Hoffman (18-15 2.69), Tito Tovares (16-12 3.04), Marco Braceros (16-14 3.16) and Gustavo Escalora (13-8 3.89), but Luxora can't match with Oxford offensively. The Zorros will live and die with the cast from last year. There are no newcomers in the regular line-up except for rookie first sacker Matt Maxwell. Rodrigo will go with a rookie closer in Juan-Carlos Torriente, a 24-year-old right-hander. It will be hard for Luxora to compete with the Red Caps this year unless Maxwell and Torriente perform from the git-go.

Manager Zim Donner's Hartsdale Hellcats fall in the same category as Luxora - good pitching, good hitting, but lacking in home run bats. Hartsdale has one division title to its credit in 2003. Last season the Hellcats were third in the standings and trailed the Red Caps by eight games. Donner has a strong staff, topped by Gus Kostro (22-13 3.37) and Tal Vaitkus (19-16 3.44). Hartsdale has an abundance of good starters and should hold on to the third spot in the TU North in 2005. Donner has a fine closer, too. Nico Carnera was 5-5 with a standout 2.09 ERA and 27 saves last year.

The Fairfax Frogs are usually in the running every year for the playoffs and have won one division title (2001). Skipper Harry Buckley thinks his club can move up in the standings this year. His starting rotation is quite good, headed by Barrett Carruthers (22-10 2.94), Robby Meredith (16-15 3.30), Kaz Hayagawa (15-18 3.49) and Ted Ellison (13-12 4.11). In the bullpen the Frogs have one of the best closers in the IPA with the strong arm of Jay Sorenson (9-7 2.04), who chalked up 29 saves and made 70 appearances. Fairfax's downfall is the same as Luxora and Fairfax - not enough power hitters. They can complete with Oxford except for that one missing ingredient. In 2004 the Frogs came in fourth, nine games off the pace. Buckley's boys stay there again this season according to the BNN poll.

While the other four teams in the TU North improved in 2004 and will probably get a little better this season, the rise in talent will not be enough to contend with the top four clubs. Blue Lake, White River, North Hills and Mahaska were 19 to 23 games back in the standings. It's tough to make up that much of a difference in one season.

Prediction: Team (Last Year)
1. Oxford Red Caps (1st)
2. Luxora Zorros (2nd)
3. Hartsdale Hellcats (3rd)
4. Fairfax Frogs (4th)
5. White River Rascals (6th)
6. Blue Lake Blue Sox (5th)
7. Mahaska Haymakers (8th)
8. North Hills Hawks (7th)

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Monday, April 4, 2005

BNN Preseason Poll 2005

Tycobbian Union South Division
If you judged the TU South by last year's pennant chase, it could be called a "one-horse division" as the Cape Coral Hurricanes easily won it. Manager Huggy Miller's charges outdistanced Colchester by six games, but Uncle Robbie Wilbertson's valiant Elites did make it interesting until the final week of the season before fading. The other six clubs ranged from 18 to 34 games behind the champion. This year it looks like deja vu all over again.

The Hurricanes dominated the TU South with superb pitching. Miller has great depth throughout his mound staff, both in starters and the bullpen. Cape Coral led all comers in the IPA with a fantastic 2.82 team ERA. The Hurricanes also carry a big stick, finishing among the leaders in offense, too. Miller has even made his line-up better with the trade acquisition of outfielder Simon Manetas, a .327 hitter in 2004 for Ancona. Cape Coral also added a fine glove man at second base in Fancy Phelan to shore up his defense. The outlook for 2005 looks glorious for the Hurricanes.

Wilbertson is blessed with an abundance of batters that were among the top teams in run production, homers and batting average. They pretty much hit their way to second place last year, but the Elites can't compete when it comes to pitching. Colchester hurlers (3.47 ERA) are not bad, but they are not in the class of Cape Coral. Wilbertson has two fine starters and an impressive closer. However, he will need much more help on the mound to contend with the Hurricanes. His club made it a race last year, but it may be more difficult to hang with the Hurricanes this season. The BNN poll slotted the Elites for the number two spot again in 2005.

None of the other clubs in the TU South have the overall talent to challenge Cape Coral and Colchester. Ginza (3.18 ERA) has a strong hill corps, but is woefully weak in offense. The remainder of them suffer from a lack of pitching and hitting. Most of the teams have added 6-8 newcomers to the roster in the hopes of hitting a few jackpots. This division is one of the weaker in the IPA.

Prediction: Team (Last Year)
1. Cape Coral Hurricanes (1st)
2. Colchester Elites (2nd)
3. San Alejo Montaneros (4th)
4. Ginza Ninjas (6th)
5. Summerland Sunsets (3rd)
6. Arroyo Grande Suns (7th)
7. Turon Typhoons (5th)
8. Southport Sun Sox (8th)

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Monday, April 4, 2005

BNN Preseason Poll 2005

Tycobbian Union East Division
The Tycobbian Union East provided the IPA Pro Cup champion last season. The Red Bluff Red Sox under the guidance of septuagenian Mack Connery won the whole kit and caboodle in 2004 despite winning the fewest games of any divisional winners. The defending champs played in the the best-balanced division in the IPA where only 16 games separated the first place Red Sox and the last place Hillsboro Blazers. Maybe they were toughened up during the regular season and well-seasoned for the postseason.

Connery has shaped a solid ball club with very good starters, decent hitting and good chemistry. The Red Sox trio of Milo Mohoski (21-10 2.36), Leonard Urban (18-13 2.77) and Frank Beaudoin (16-13 3.12) give Connery one of the best rotations in the league, coupled with a reliable closer John Dougherty. Red Bluff seems destined for its third division crown in a row.

Cochise Chandler's Midway Wolves were third last season, 4.5 games out of first place. This season they are picked to give Red Bluff a run for their money. Chandler has solid group of four starters - Mac Chaney (19-10 3.66), Nosyt Sani (15-14 3.20), Pedro Shunkaha (13-10 3.38) and C. J. Carper (13-13 3.98). Midway also has a standout closer in Joe Eckermann (4-3 1.80), who saved 24 games and made 59 appearances. The Wolves have the offense to compete with the Red Sox, they just need a few more good arms in middle relief to get the job done. Midway came up second in the BNN poll.

If Frisky Franks ever get any pitching help in High Mesa, the Cowboys could do grave damage in the pennant race. Hitting for average and power and scoring runs is no problem for them. High Mesa led the IPA with a .276 team batting average and runs scored (795), while coming in second to Oxford with 171 home runs. The Cowboys are paced by four .300 hitters: Rolf Kellgren (.338/13 HR/69 RBI/123 R), Ed Granberg (.321/20 HR/116 RBI/107 R), Jay Fessler (.330/10 HR/71 RBI/94 R) and Ken Edelstein (.303/14 HR/100 RBI). Franks also has longball power from Adam Zitek (.263/29 HR/96 RBI) and Lex Neville (.273/24 HR/79 RBI). It's another story on the hill, though. High Mesa finished way down the list with a 4.27 ERA. John Owens (20-14 3.89) and Joey Popovich (18-19 3.78) are the only two dependable hurlers Franks has. The BNN experts are predicting a third-place finish for the Cowboys this season, up from the number four position last year.

In East Point Griff Clarke's Panthers are poised to improve. East Point has a strong starting threesome in its rotation and solid offense. It wouldn't take much for them to climb up in the standings. The Panthers could end up anywhere from second to fifth in the TU East race. Charlie Hale (18-14 3.09), Jarred Robillard (18-14 3.13) and Carl Thompson (16-11 3.88) are the keys to a good season. Clarke still has his studs in the line-up. Sluggers Karol Zadoka (.296/30 HR/94 RBI/109 R) and Rex Sokolov (.280/32 HR/116 RBI/87 R) are still around to spark the offense in a big way. The forecast for East Point is fourth place.

Last year's runner-up, the Tuckanarra Blue Jays, seems to have taken a step or two backwards in 2005 and are rated number five in the preseason balloting. It's tough for skipper Carlton "Lefty" Stevens to contend with just five quality ballplayers. Mike Amato (16-12 3.67) and Titus Bristow (16-17 3.15) are his prime pitchers and Monty Draycott (.267/23 HR/112 RBI), Charley Schofield (.284/23 HR/84 RBI) and Maka Bardinda (.298/14 HR/80 RBI) lead the Blue Jay batters.

South Fork and Ozarka are slated for a sixth and seventh place finish. Both have pretty fair pitching, but poor power. The Stallions (86) and Naturals (91) need vast improvement in homers to make any waves in the TU East. Hillsboro was cellar-bound in 2004 and could be headed for the dungeon again. Lousy pitching (4.72 ERA) is at the core of the Blazers problems. Until they get better pitching, Hillsboro will remain at the bottom of the division.

Prediction: Team (Last Year)
1. Red Bluff Red Sox (1st)
2. Midway Wolves (3rd)
3. High Mesa Cowboys (4th)
4. East Point Panthers (5th)
5. Tuckanarra Blue Jays (2nd)
6. South Fork Stallions (6th)
7. Ozarka Naturals (7th)
8. Hillsboro Blazers (8th)

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Monday, April 4, 2005

BNN Preseason Poll 2005

Tycobbian Union West Division
The most successful franchise in the Tycobbian Union West is the Bayview Vikings, directed by the legendary hurler Walter Johanssen. He has led the Viks to a first-division finish in all four years of the Islandian Pro Alliance and has won the flag the last two seasons. You can make it three in a row according to this year's BNN preseason poll.

Bayview dominates mainly with the bats. The Vikings hit often and with power and have just enough pitching to win. Johanssen has four players with 25 or more homers, sparked by Hank Bethel (.294/35 HR/96 RBI/109 R), Chancey Quibedeaux (.297/30 HR/112 RBI/100 R), Phil Kanaan (.303/25 HR/102 RBI/120 R) and Karl Yashin (.268/25 HR/87 RBI). They are ranked in the top five in the IPA. Bayview's team batting average is .273, which is second-best to High Mesa's .276. The Cowboys and Viks rank 1-2 in the IPA. To make matters even worse for the opposition, Johanssen nabbed a fine center fielder in Wayne Latham (.299/6 HR/52 RBI/96 R) in a four-player trade with division rival Bay St. Clair.

Johanssen has some pitching, too. He has two 20-game winners in Jerry Harrison (23-10 2.88) and Frank Wells (21-6 3.36), along with Georgie Fambreau (12-8 3.47). It will be "Katy, bar the door", if Bayview comes up with a dependable number four starter and a solid closer. No team will be able to compete with them.

A former pitching great, Ford Whiteman, has put together a well-balanced ball club in Denton City. In his three years at the helm the Redbirds have improved each season - from seventh to third to second. Denton City has a solid group of hitters and compiled a .268 team batting average in 2004, paced by Lavon Gooch (.320/27 HR/90 RBI), Jay Petit (.311/17 HR/91 RBI) and Rod MacCormack (.301/23 HR/99 RBI). Whiteman's line-up sports seven players with 10 or more homers. He will also have a rookie second baseman Darrion Ramsdell to the batting order. Ramsdell has hit .400 several times in the company leagues and is touted be a solid .300-hitter by scouts.

The Redbird rotation include four fine starters in Burton McGarrick (14-8 2.95), Gino Carmazzo (16-13 3.08), Daniel Fitzmorris (9-6 3.38) and James Darbonne (10-4 3.44). And the bullpen is in the capable hands of Bubba Lear (8-3 2.76), who saved 27 games last season and appeared in 73 games. Could 2005 be the Year of the Redbird?

It is highly unlikely that anyone else will challenge the two leaders. The rest of the TU West can be split into two groups. La Claire and Rolling Hills will contend for third place, while the division also-rans, Arlon, Bay St. Clair, Chicopee and Kenwood will battle to keep out of the cellar.

The La Claire Lynx have a strong mound corps and topped the division with an excellent 3.16 ERA, but Rip Calkin's club is pitifully poor at the plate (.248 BA) with only 68 home runs, the worst in the IPA.

Matty Christianson has it a little better offensively at Rolling Hills (.253 BA) with 113 dingers to go with a good pitching staff (3.31 ERA), but the Lynx seem to have the edge, at least on paper. The BNN poll places La Claire in the third spot, while the Reds are expected to come in fourth.

The Chicopee Braves get the call for fifth place in the standings because of decent power (.254 BA/129 HR) and better-than-average pitching (3.45 ERA). Bay St. Clair suffers from a severe power shortage (.263 BA/83 HR), but is fair in the pitching department (3.70 ERA). The Buccaneers were selected sixth in the BNN preseason predictions. Arlon is anemic with the bats (.241 BA/113 HR), but has a satisfactory pitching staff (3.48 ERA). The Champions should be able to stay ahead of the Kenwood Wildcats, who are forecast for the basement. The Wildcats just simply don't have much talent (.250 BA/96 HR) and have very poor pitching. Kenwood's 4.62 ERA is absolutely the worst in the IPA.

Prediction: Team (Last Year)
1. Bayview Vikings (1st)
2. Denton City Redbirds (2nd)
3. La Claire Lynx (3rd)
4. Rolling Hills Reds (4th)
5. Chicopee Braves (7th)
6. Bay St. Clair Buccaneers (6th)
7. Arlon Champions (5th)
8. Kenwood Wildcats (8th)