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Eugene Church · 09-27-2009, 12:57 AM

The Islandian Times

Monday, August 22, 2005

Ruthlandian Union South Division Standings

Sunbirds Fly High in RU South, Up by 5 Games in Final Month
Marty Pedroza's Belair Beach Sunbirds are in the driver's seat heading into the final month of the season in the Ruthlandian South. The Sunbirds are five games up on runner-up Valka, seven ahead of third place Claxton and eight in front of fourth place San Dimas.

Belair Beach (76-52) is trying to wrap up its second straight division crown. Pedroza's team is well-balanced in all categories, hitting, pitching and fielding. The Sunbirds pitching rotation is especially outstanding with Ray Watson (20-8 3.03), Slim Mosley (19-6 2.58), Tiny Lindgren (16-9 2.76) and Joe Schmidt (6-5 3.25). In the bullpen they have Johnny Spears (2-2 2.14), who has collected 26 saves and made 62 appearances. Together the staff has compiled an excellent 3.24 ERA, top-rated in the Ruthlandian Union.

Belair Beach is no sloutch when it comes to hitting. 1B Phil Gravelli (.325/35 HR), LF Nicky Swift (.222/25 HR) and 3B Mike Janocko (.292/15 HR) supply most of the scoring. The Sunbirds are batting .267 (3rd) as a team with 127 roundtrippers (2nd).

The second place Valka Blackhawks (71-57) can go head-to-head on the hill with Belair Beach. Manager Jaan Kurus has a terrific rotation that consists of Daryl Vannoy (13-10 2.99), Andy Kuris (9-2 3.31), Keith Cline (11-8 2.71) and tough-luck Bobby Karu (13-13 2.65). In the bullpen Kurus has Tommy Ruffin (7-3 3.15), who has saved 23 games and appeared in 60 all total. The Blackhawks staff keeps them in almost every game. It is the hitters that let the club down. Valka has no power whatsoever. They have only 95 home runs (8th) and a .261 batting average (5th). CF Ron Landauer (.278/18 HR), SS Bobby Stroud (.300/14 HR), 2B Elmo Kuusk (.276/14 HR) and 3B Buddy Petrisko (.255/10 HR) are Kurus's best bats.

Manager Stacy Engel's third place Claxton Diamonds (69-59) are the division's powerhouse with 143 homers (1st) and 579 runs (3rd-tied). The Diamonds are fourth with a .263 BA. RF Dixie Baker (.335) leads the way with 35 home runs and 94 RBIs. Five other players have 10 or more homers. They carry a 3.70 team ERA (4th).

Engel doesn't have as many quality arms as the Sunbirds and the Blackhawks. He has to get by with just two strong hurlers, Terry Kuznetsov (17-11 3.46) and Doug Torvik (15-11 3.15). Engel is hoping Gino Franchi (9-5 3.88) can pick up the slack and evolve into a consistent starter. Claxton has a good closer in Tom Dahl (3-3 2.85), who has copped 20 saves and made 58 game appearances.

The hottest team since the All-Star hiatus has been the San Dimas Rancheros (68-30) of skipper Paco Banderas. Despite going 33-22, they have gained only a few games on each of the teams ahead of them. Belair Beach, Valka and Claxton have also played well. Eight games are a lot to make up on the first place Sunbirds, but Banderas thinks he can surpass the Blackhawks and the Diamonds and take the final playoff position. He is only three games behind second place Valka.

San Dimas has hit its way into contention with a .269 BA (1st-tied) and 117 home runs (3rd-tied), while topping the RU South in scoring with 632 runs (1st). But it sure could use some help in the pitching department with a 3.91 ERA (5th-tied). The Rancheros sustained a terrible loss when their ace pitcher Zippy Hodge (15-10 3.36) went out with a torn thigh muscle in early August. Hodge could be back for the postseason. Otherwise, only starter Keith Callahan (16-10 3.82) and closer Cleve Skinner (6-6 2.49) have acquitted themselves well. Skinner has saved 19 games and worked in 56 games.

The Ranchero line-up is propped up by three fine players. 1B Johnny Carducci (.309/38 HR/122 RBI) is having a sensational year and is getting some solid support from RF Goose Garlin (.276/27 HR/71 RBI) and CF Dennis Jones (.314/9 HR/84 RBI). If San Dimas keeps playing well and get just a little bit more pitching, they could sneak up and grab the final playoff spot in the RU South.

Waleska (62-66) and St. John (61-67) are waging a battle for fifth place, but are not likely to get any higher in the standings. Grand City (53-75) should be able to hang on to the seventh spot and Crystal Lake (46-82) seems quite secure for its third consecutive season in the cellar.

McGraw Johnson in Waleska has three standout performers in his superb rookie CF Harold Setser (.328/20 HR/93 RBI), the veteran LF Big Hoss Burkhalter (.301/24 HR/90 R) and hurler Gary Hill (19-7 3.82). Setser is in the running for the Rookie of the Year Award.

The St. John Crusaders have the third-best team ERA in the division at 3.60, anchored by two solid starters in vets Sterling Eccles (16-10 3.56) and hard-luck Zach Simon (11-16 3.26). But manager Dickie Billings has little else in the cupboard. The Crusaders are far down the list in all offensive categories.

It's been another poor year in Grand City for skipper Torry Joseph. His best talents are his exquisite closer Bill Berglund (7-4 1.15), starter Frankie Novikov (12-12 3.18), CF Russ Baumer (.336/12 HR) and rookie 1B Jared Albright (.293/25 HR). Joseph's club is the worst in the division with a 4.18 ERA and it is next-to-last with a .252 BA.

Manager Baby George has no hitting, no pitching and no power in Crystal Lake - and no future. The Crushers are batting .243 (8th), have hit only 96 homers (7th) and possess a 3.93 ERA (7th). No hitters to speak of - LF Ben Butler (.252/26 HR) and 3B Nelson Tolliver (.276/17 HR) are his top batters. 20-year-old rookie Tony Tipton (11-7 2.71) has been exceptional so far this season.

The outlook for the RU South is for Belair Beach to take the regular season crown with the other postseason slot going to Valka in a dogfight with two other tough contenders, the Claxton Diamonds and San Dimas Rancheros.

09-27-2009, 12:57 AM	#1222
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,946	The Islandian Times Monday, August 22, 2005 Ruthlandian Union South Division Standings Sunbirds Fly High in RU South, Up by 5 Games in Final Month Marty Pedroza's Belair Beach Sunbirds are in the driver's seat heading into the final month of the season in the Ruthlandian South. The Sunbirds are five games up on runner-up Valka, seven ahead of third place Claxton and eight in front of fourth place San Dimas. Belair Beach (76-52) is trying to wrap up its second straight division crown. Pedroza's team is well-balanced in all categories, hitting, pitching and fielding. The Sunbirds pitching rotation is especially outstanding with Ray Watson (20-8 3.03), Slim Mosley (19-6 2.58), Tiny Lindgren (16-9 2.76) and Joe Schmidt (6-5 3.25). In the bullpen they have Johnny Spears (2-2 2.14), who has collected 26 saves and made 62 appearances. Together the staff has compiled an excellent 3.24 ERA, top-rated in the Ruthlandian Union. Belair Beach is no sloutch when it comes to hitting. 1B Phil Gravelli (.325/35 HR), LF Nicky Swift (.222/25 HR) and 3B Mike Janocko (.292/15 HR) supply most of the scoring. The Sunbirds are batting .267 (3rd) as a team with 127 roundtrippers (2nd). The second place Valka Blackhawks (71-57) can go head-to-head on the hill with Belair Beach. Manager Jaan Kurus has a terrific rotation that consists of Daryl Vannoy (13-10 2.99), Andy Kuris (9-2 3.31), Keith Cline (11-8 2.71) and tough-luck Bobby Karu (13-13 2.65). In the bullpen Kurus has Tommy Ruffin (7-3 3.15), who has saved 23 games and appeared in 60 all total. The Blackhawks staff keeps them in almost every game. It is the hitters that let the club down. Valka has no power whatsoever. They have only 95 home runs (8th) and a .261 batting average (5th). CF Ron Landauer (.278/18 HR), SS Bobby Stroud (.300/14 HR), 2B Elmo Kuusk (.276/14 HR) and 3B Buddy Petrisko (.255/10 HR) are Kurus's best bats. Manager Stacy Engel's third place Claxton Diamonds (69-59) are the division's powerhouse with 143 homers (1st) and 579 runs (3rd-tied). The Diamonds are fourth with a .263 BA. RF Dixie Baker (.335) leads the way with 35 home runs and 94 RBIs. Five other players have 10 or more homers. They carry a 3.70 team ERA (4th). Engel doesn't have as many quality arms as the Sunbirds and the Blackhawks. He has to get by with just two strong hurlers, Terry Kuznetsov (17-11 3.46) and Doug Torvik (15-11 3.15). Engel is hoping Gino Franchi (9-5 3.88) can pick up the slack and evolve into a consistent starter. Claxton has a good closer in Tom Dahl (3-3 2.85), who has copped 20 saves and made 58 game appearances. The hottest team since the All-Star hiatus has been the San Dimas Rancheros (68-30) of skipper Paco Banderas. Despite going 33-22, they have gained only a few games on each of the teams ahead of them. Belair Beach, Valka and Claxton have also played well. Eight games are a lot to make up on the first place Sunbirds, but Banderas thinks he can surpass the Blackhawks and the Diamonds and take the final playoff position. He is only three games behind second place Valka. San Dimas has hit its way into contention with a .269 BA (1st-tied) and 117 home runs (3rd-tied), while topping the RU South in scoring with 632 runs (1st). But it sure could use some help in the pitching department with a 3.91 ERA (5th-tied). The Rancheros sustained a terrible loss when their ace pitcher Zippy Hodge (15-10 3.36) went out with a torn thigh muscle in early August. Hodge could be back for the postseason. Otherwise, only starter Keith Callahan (16-10 3.82) and closer Cleve Skinner (6-6 2.49) have acquitted themselves well. Skinner has saved 19 games and worked in 56 games. The Ranchero line-up is propped up by three fine players. 1B Johnny Carducci (.309/38 HR/122 RBI) is having a sensational year and is getting some solid support from RF Goose Garlin (.276/27 HR/71 RBI) and CF Dennis Jones (.314/9 HR/84 RBI). If San Dimas keeps playing well and get just a little bit more pitching, they could sneak up and grab the final playoff spot in the RU South. Waleska (62-66) and St. John (61-67) are waging a battle for fifth place, but are not likely to get any higher in the standings. Grand City (53-75) should be able to hang on to the seventh spot and Crystal Lake (46-82) seems quite secure for its third consecutive season in the cellar. McGraw Johnson in Waleska has three standout performers in his superb rookie CF Harold Setser (.328/20 HR/93 RBI), the veteran LF Big Hoss Burkhalter (.301/24 HR/90 R) and hurler Gary Hill (19-7 3.82). Setser is in the running for the Rookie of the Year Award. The St. John Crusaders have the third-best team ERA in the division at 3.60, anchored by two solid starters in vets Sterling Eccles (16-10 3.56) and hard-luck Zach Simon (11-16 3.26). But manager Dickie Billings has little else in the cupboard. The Crusaders are far down the list in all offensive categories. It's been another poor year in Grand City for skipper Torry Joseph. His best talents are his exquisite closer Bill Berglund (7-4 1.15), starter Frankie Novikov (12-12 3.18), CF Russ Baumer (.336/12 HR) and rookie 1B Jared Albright (.293/25 HR). Joseph's club is the worst in the division with a 4.18 ERA and it is next-to-last with a .252 BA. Manager Baby George has no hitting, no pitching and no power in Crystal Lake - and no future. The Crushers are batting .243 (8th), have hit only 96 homers (7th) and possess a 3.93 ERA (7th). No hitters to speak of - LF Ben Butler (.252/26 HR) and 3B Nelson Tolliver (.276/17 HR) are his top batters. 20-year-old rookie Tony Tipton (11-7 2.71) has been exceptional so far this season. The outlook for the RU South is for Belair Beach to take the regular season crown with the other postseason slot going to Valka in a dogfight with two other tough contenders, the Claxton Diamonds and San Dimas Rancheros. Last edited by Eugene Church; 09-28-2009 at 09:46 PM.