[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times

Tuesday, June 25, 2005

Tycobbian Union North Division 2005 Mid-Season Standings

Blue Sox Blossom, Red Caps Collapse in TU North
There are two big stories in the Tycobbian Union North Division. Story number one is the total collapse of the Oxford Red Caps, who have taken a nose dive into the second division after being selected a huge favorite to take the title again this season. Story number two is the Blue Lake Blue Sox.

Success has been a way of life for Cobb Tyson, manager of the Blue Lake Blue Sox. First he was a great player, many say he was the greatest - he had the highest career batting average (.367) in industrial league history - then he became one of the finest managers in the industrial leagues. However, except for the first season in the IPA, when Tyson finished second and made the playoffs, his pro career has been very lackluster, much to his chagrin. But all that has changed this year. Tyson's Blue Sox have bolted out of nowhere to the top of the TU North this season. Blue Lake is in first place and three games in front of runner-up Luxora, four games ahead of third place Hartsdale and 8 games up on fourth place White River.

Blue Lake (44-29) has quality starters, relievers and quality hitters. Tyson has put together a very well-balanced team. He has the best team ERA (3.62) and a solid batting order with good hitters throughout the line-up. The Blue Sox are hitting .262 (5th) with 71 home runs (5th) and 347 runs (5th). Tyson only has one All-Star in his first-class closer Pat Grange (3-0 2.11), who has made 37 relief appearances and saved 10 games. Blue Lake has steady and consistent starters in Tom Waltenbury (8-5 3.45) and Benny DeBartolo (8-5 3.53). Tyson has molded a good rotation by using four other pitchers into the number three and four spots.

The best Blue Sox batters are rookie LF Tad Kirklin (.279/20 HR/64 RBI/51 R/10 SB), RF Fred Collins (.297/10 HR/40 RBI/44 R/13 SB), 3B Loren Babcock (.318/8 HR/39 RBI/36 R/12 SB), CF Rick Hilliard (.303/10 HR/33 RBI/49 R/11 SB) and SS Cy Orgeron (.279/6 HR/28 RBI/44 R/11 SB). Blue Lake seems to be for real this season with a solid ball club, but they have their work cut out for them with the likes of Hartsdale and Luxora hovering close by and just waiting to take command.

The Luxora Zorros ranked second in the BNN preseason poll with Hartsdale rated third. Heavily-favored Oxford was the overwhelming choice to take the TU North pennant, but that hasn't happened. The Red Caps pitching (4.65 ERA) has totally collapsed and they have sunk down to seventh place in the standings. It is unlikely they can make up 13 games during the second half of the season.

Manager Alejandro Rodrigo has piloted the Zorros to a 41-32 mark this year. The Z's have made the postseason in three of his four seasons, missing only in 2001, when they came in fourth. Luxora's strong point is its offense. The Z's sport a .270 team batting average (3rd) with 76 homers (3rd) and 350 runs scored (4th), coupled with a good 3.86 ERA (3rd) and a good defense with a .976 FA (3rd).

At the heart of the Zorro attack are All-Star 2B Pablo Santa Cruz (.325/6 HR/35 RBI/51 R/14 SB), RF Cristo Viamonte (.311/13 HR/37 RBI/50 R), CF Lacey Tompkins (.293/11 HR/41 RBI/41 R), LF Joel Reed (.278/16 HR/45 RBI) and rookie 1B Matt Maxwell (.281/6 HR/43 RBI). Rodrigo's top hurlers are Marco Braceros (9-7 2.79) and Eddie Hoffman (10-6 4.10).

Rodrigo spoke with BNN recently and said, "All we need is two of my pitchers to get it in gear and we can take this division. Tito Tovares (7-7 4.56) hasn't been himself this season. He's going to the bullpen for awhile to see if he can get his mechanics right. It seemed to work for Francisco Fernandes (3-2 3.32), who will return to the regular rotation for the second half. Chris Pierce (2-0 1.72) will also get a shot at starting, too." If Luxora gets another strong starter, they just might cause Blue Lake some serious concern.

The Hartsdale Hellcats (40-33) are holding forth in third place in the TU North. Skipper Zim Donner has only one division title in his four years in charge of the Hellcats. They won it in 2003, the only year Hartsdale has played in the postseason. The Hellcats were third last season.

Zimmer has his club primed to make a run at the flag this year. The Hellcats are the second-best hitting team (.275), third-best in scoring behind White River (425) and Oxford (372) with 360 runs and number two with a .979 fielding percentage. Zimmer could use more long balls. Hartsdale has only 62 (6th) for the year. Pitching-wise the Hellcats staff has compiled a 3.78 ERA, good enough for second place behind division-leading Blue Lake (3.62).

Paving the way at bat for Hartsdale are All-Stars Mac Faulkner (.379/17 HR/66 RBI/56 R) at first base and Jud Turchin (.325/13 HR/52 RBI/52 R) at shortstop. LF Emile Djorovich (.325/5 HR/42 RBI) and rookie CF Mark Garzelli (.283/5 HR/32 RBI/43 R) have also provided run support.

On the mound Zimmer doesn't have a standout stopper. He has used six starters and as a group they have done well. The current rotation consists of Mark Sakelaris (6-5 3.14), Phil Reed (5-4 3.21), Gus Kostro (7-5 4.24) and Tal Vaitkus (4-2 3.88). Vaitkus missed a month of the season with an injured back. Ben Manderson (7-6 3.77) filled in for Vaitkus and has now returned to be a spot starter/long reliever. The key to the season lies with Kostro and Vaitkus. They have to re-emerge and pitch like they have in recent years when they were 20-game winners. Also closer Nico Carnera (5-4 4.50) has to get back on the right track, too. The trio have been disappointments in 2005.

Manager John Randison and the fourth-place White River Rascals (36-37) have really stirred up the waters in the TU North this season. The Rascals are hitting the lights out with a terrific .285 team batting average (1st), 93 homers (2nd) and have scored an astronomical 425 times (1st). The Rascals have put on an awesome attack and are on pace to set a new IPA record. High Mesa holds the mark at 835 runs, set in 2002. If Randison had any sort of pitching, he would run away with the pennant. White River has a pathetic 4.77 ERA (8th).

White River is powered by three three All-Stars: rookie LF Lee Taryn (.317/19 HR/79 RBI/54 R), CF Hal Hoover (.384/12 HR/53 RBI/56 R/16 SB) and 3B Rupert Doan (.292/11 HR/35 RBI/56 R/14 SB). And the hitting doesn't stop there. The Rascals also feature 1B Bryan Dickerson (.290/17 HR/53 RBI/46 R), 2B Riley Cloy (.253/11 HR/39 RBI/60 R). No matter who Randison put on the line-up card, they break out in hits. Two platoon players were just promoted to full-time because of their bats. Matt DeMarsche (.355/3 HR/26 RBI/20 R) and Dennis Bertrand (.305/6 HR/24 RBI/24 R) will take over at shortstop and right field respectively.

Randison has used 12 starters this year and just added one more starter and a new closer in an attempt to get somebody out. That will make 16 pitchers used so far this season. Only Dante Langlais (5-3 3.21) and Joe Hudson (5-3 4.06) have any sort of success.

The North Hills Hawks (34-39) have been a pleasant surprise. Manager Hub Carlson's club was forecast last in the BNN preseason poll. Instead the Hawks have used good pitching to climb up to fifth place, 10 games behind Blue Lake. Carlson's staff is fourth with a 3.87 ERA. He has a decent group of starters in Leland Clinkscales (5-6 2.96), Ben Dewberry (7-5 3.04) and Adam Heckmann (5-5 3.39). The Hawks also have a fine closer in Carson Romine (4-4 2.57), who has saved 8 games and made 31 appearances.

North Hills is hitting a very poor .247 (8th) with little power and only 61 home runs (8th). Carlson really needs some good bats. Thus far his only productive performers have been rookie CF Boyd Harbuck (.268/14 HR/50 RBI/45 R), LF Kevin Schmidt (.272/15 HR/43 RBI) and 2B Jimmy Ryland (.312/5 HR/28 RBI/52 R).

The Hawks have never made the first division and have never been in the postseason. Despite the relative success, it looks like they will continue this tradition this season.

In Fairfax, the Frogs (33-40) have always finished among the top four teams each season. Harry Buckley's team won the TU North crown in the IPA inaugural season and have made the playoffs three times. They missed for the first time last year and it is beginning to look like they will be left out this season. The Frogs are 11 games behind and in the sixth spot in the standings. Fairfax is similar to North Hills with fair pitching and anemic offense. The Frogs are batting just .252 (6th-tied) with only 63 homers (6th) and last in scoring with 310 runs. 1B Jeff Vretsos (.306/12 HR/39 RBI), 3B Fran O'Brian (.284/10 HR/39 RBI) and rookie LF Dane Wesner (.280/10 HR/30 RBI) top the dismal offense.

Talent is sparse on the hill, too. Buckley's best are Robby Meredith (7-8 3.80) and Barrett Carruthers (6-10 3.96). Both have been 20-game winners in the past. Buckley needs to do some serious rebuilding in Fairfax. The future is gloomy.

All is not well in Oxford (31-42) this year. Head man Campy Roy has taken the division pennant in two of the Red Caps three seasons and they have made the playoffs each year. Picked to win again by BNN in the 2005 preseason balloting, Oxford has been a gigantic failure and fallen down to seventh place, 13 games off the pace. Outrageously bad pitching is the reason. Oxford possesses three 20-game winners in its starting rotation. Nicky Nicholson (5-12 3.72), Dan Phillips (10-6 3.95) and Bomber Belinsky (4-7 5.95) would bring smiles to most managers' faces, but not this year. The Red Caps team ERA has skyrocketed to 4.65 (7th) with no relief in sight.

It's a good thing that Roy's Boys can still hit the cover off the ball. Oxford still has a prolific attack, spearheaded by three All-Star sluggers: 3B Joe Courtney (.302/18 HR/53 RBI/50 R), 1B Kenny Jablonski (.339/16 HR/49 RBI/52 R) and CF Ike Plunkett (.331/24 HR/49 RBI/68 R). LF Mac Spencer (.278/14 HR/44 RBI/41 R) has made his presence known, too. As a team the Red Caps sport a .266 batting average (4th) with 102 roundtrippers (1st) and have chalked up 372 runs (2nd).

It's probably too late, but there may be a sign that Oxford is finally coming alive - the Red Caps took a string of 8 wins in a row into the All-Star game. Roy told reporters, "All we need is just a little better pitching and we might get back in the race. We don't think it's over yet." It is going to be tough to make the playoffs this year - Oxford is 13 games behind Blue Lake and 10 games behind second place Luxora - that's a lot of ground to make up in half a season.

The Mahaska Haymakers (30-43) and manager Rusty Tanussa have had only one good season. They finished fourth and made the playoffs in 2001. It's been all downhill since, nothing but seventh and eighth place finishes. Likewise in 2005. The Haymakers are in the basement, 14 games out and headed nowhere. Tanussa's team is hitting only .252 (6th-tied) with 75 homers (4th).

On the mound the Haymakers have compiled a mediocre 4.04 team ERA. Not a lot of talent on the club except for All-Star Boomerang Hines (12-4 2.09), who has been brilliant this season. Closer Ike McDaniel (3-5 2.16) has also stood out with 8 saves and 30 game appearances. At the plate Mahaska has a fine first baseman in Miles Shufford (.290/24 HR/63 RBI/44 R). The Haymaker second baseman Dusty Eaton (.282/8 HR/31 RBI/49 R) has performed well, too. It is rumored that both Hines and Shufford are on the trading block, but it will take six quality players to get them. Some of the contenders around the IRA that have a lot of young talent may be willing to deal.