[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Monday, June 20, 2005

Super-Tight Race in RU North, 3-Way Tie at All-Star Break
There are some new teams on the rise in the Ruthlandian Union North. Ancona has gone from the outhouse to the penthouse, startling everyone by being in a three-way tie for first with Taranto and defending champ Valmara at the mid-summer All-Star break. Taranto has also surprised in the first two months of the season, climbing up from fifth place last season. Far Mountain is fourth, just a game out of the top spot, Ranford trails by four in fifth place. Glasco and LaGrange are within striking distance at seven and eight games back with hapless Kilkenny pulling up the rear, 18 games out.

Manny Mickens' Ancona Red Elephants (39-34) shot to the top of the standings with an outstanding 18-7 in April, but have since come back down-to-earth, going 21-27 in May and June. Mickens told reporters, "Give credit to the offense. Vets 3B Denny Harris (.321/10 HR/42 RBI) and RF Louie DiMucci (.269/8 HR/41 RBI) have led the way, along with three outstanding newcomers, rookies CF Tavi Vakros (.333/12 HR/39 RBI/55 R), 1B Johnny Lee Harder (.289/8 HR/39 RBI) and third-year man C Bart Harben (.305/9 HR/31 RBI). Freshman Vakros was selected to play in the All-Star Game. Mickens also commented on his pitching, "On the hill Nikon Maragos (10-5 3.67) has been our main man and stopper. To stay alive in the race, our pitchers have to step it up another level. That will be the key to our season."

In Taranto, skipper Tommaso Lazzorda is having a great time. "The food is great, the women are prettier, our bats are blazing and the Tars are winning. Life doesn't get any better." Taranto (39-34) was six games behind after a month of play, going 12-13, but have picked it up with a 27-21 mark the last two months to move into a first-place tie. The Tars are topping the RU North with a hefty .278 batting average and 102 homers, but could use some improvement in its mound staff, which staggered in at mid-year with a 4.20 ERA. Lazzorda's All-Star home run bashers, Dominick Zuccaro (.336/25 HR/66 RBI/56 R) and Tony Blaser (.340/24 HR/64 RBI/53 R) have carried the club and are ranked highly in homers and RBIs. Four-year ace Anthony Nardone (10-3 3.24) is Taranto's top twirler and could be headed for his finest year ever.

Like they always are, the powerful Valmara Vipers (39-34) under J. Jackson Samuel are in strong contention and in a three-way deadlock for first. Valmara is looking for its third consecutive division crown. They started off slowly with a 12-13 record in April, but have since put up a fine 27-21 mark. The Vipers do it the best way - with solid hitting (.263 BA) and solid pitching (3.41 ERA). Star LF Jet Kazmarek (.348/5 HR/29 RBI/49 R/36 SB) and RF Val Krol (.284/8 HR/42 RBI) pace the attack with help from rookie All-Star C Eric Adamczyk (.305/8 HR/42 RBI). Samuel is really missing his long-time center fielder and clean-up hitter Jan Szymanski (.289/20 HR/53 RBI/51 R), who was traded to Midway in the Tycobbian Union over the winter for shortstop Toby Bidwell (.273/4 HR/36 RBI/36 R). So far, the trade has been a big disappointment for the Viper fans. However, 1B Masaichi Okaza (.262/14 HR/51 RBI) has filled the clean-up role quite well. Vanya Vasylenko (10-6 4.18) and Danny Blauser (8-6 2.59) give Valmara two dependable hurlers. The middle relievers Erich Ptacek (2-2 1.83) and Eddie Dorn (2-0 2.45) have been excellent thus far. Chuck Kowalcyzk (2-1 1.50) has also stood out since taking over the closer spot in May. Valmara should still be near the top of the RU North at season's end. The Vipers are a good ball club.

Alex Groveland is in charge of the Far Mountain Redhawks (38-35). Groveland has a good-hitting line-up (.258 BA), good power (73 HR) and fair pitching (4.13 ERA). The Redhawks are fourth in the standings, but just one game behind the co-leaders. Far Mountain's top performers this year are pitchers Dave Johnston (7-3 3.26) and Robby Kelly (7-6 3.65) along with position players RF Karl Dietz (.228/21 HR/60 RBI), 1B Royce Benson (.319/6 HR/30 RBI) and C Dave Davis (.326/3 HR/33 RBI). Rookies LF Gary Horn (.280/10 HR/33 RBI) and 3B Kyle Henderson (.272/11 HR/45 RBI) have also contributed. The Redhawks have played on an even keel througout this season, playing a little better than .500 ball each month. Far Mountain could slip ahead of Ancona Red Elephants and Taranto Tars, if the front-runners hitting falls off.

Page Satcher's Ranford Bulls (35-38) are still in the battle, holding on to fifth place and trailing by only four games at the half-season mark. Satcher's offense has carried the Bulls this year. He needs his hill corps (3.82 ERA) to step it up a notch to really contest for the division pennant. Pitchers Leland Shaddock (7-3 2.24) and Chris Bernhoffer (5-7 2.99) keep Ranford in every game. Closer Tim DeKosky (2-5 1.42) has done well with 12 saves in his 33 appearances. Supplying the offense have been All-Star 3B Colin Fairclough (.305/12 HR/45 RBI), All-Star SS Rick Fargnoli (.323/7 HR/42 RBI) and 1B Jordy John (.332/10 HR/41 RBI). Last year's RU Rookie of the Year LF Jose Castillo (.274 10 HR/34 RBI) has avoided the sophomore slump and put up some good numbers.

The Glasco Athletics (32-41) have not played up to par this year and have fallen to seven games off the pace. A second-division finish is forecast. The A's are just mediocre at bat (.255 BA) and on the mound (3.84 ERA) with not much home run power (59 HR). Manager McDuffie Hughes' best players have been hurlers Charles Darby (10-6 3.59) and Ray Cook (8-7 3.41), as well as 2B Barry McCord (.284/5 HR/38 RBI), C Jonas Ogburn (.323/4 HR/33 RBI), CF Bobby Pascarelli (.268/11 HR/34 RBI) and rookie RF Sookie Givens (.289/10 HR/33 RBI).

Last year's RU Manager of the Year Foxy Jimison was looking forward to the best season ever for his LaGrange Sports (31-42). In 2004 they had battled down-to-the-wire and ended up in third place, just three games behind. But it just hasn't happened - unbelievably, everybody's numbers are down from last year. So the Sports have plummeted in the standings to seventh place, 8 games in back of Ancona, Taranto and Valmara.

"I can't believe the whole team is having a down year all at the same time," Jimison told BNN. Only newly-acquired All-Star shortstop Bill Nilsen (.286/13 HR/45 RBI) has done reasonably well, but his numbers are also down compared to his great season last year. Pitcher Hunk Schweitzer (7-3 2.32) has been a big plus for LaGrange since being promoted from the bullpen in late May.

"Maybe it will all even out and we can have a great second half and get back in the pennant chase," Jimison said optimistically. Unless the offense and mound staff can pick up where they left off in 2004, LaGrange can write off this season.

Kilkenny (21-52) is last in the IPA in just about everything, so it's no wonder the Cats are way down in the cellar, 18 games back. Kilkenny is batting just .250 with only 57 roundtrippers. The Cats have compiled an awful 5.09 ERA, the highest in IPA history. But they do have a couple of good ballplayers in All-Star RF Rick Audubon (.288/14 HR/50 RBI) and center fielder Kirk Pitzer (.298/5 HR/40 RBI). At the All-Star break manager Kieran McKenna made wholesale changes in his mound corps, signing five new free agents. McKenna told remarked to reporters, "Surely they can't do any worse than what we had."