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Eugene Church · 06-16-2011, 10:35 PM

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 18, 2024

2024 Tycobbian North Final Recap
Defending champion White River came back in the second half of the Ruthlandian North season and snatched its third flag in four years, but it was not easy. Manager Mick Cronyn's crew trailed a tough Oxford by 5 games at the All-Star break. It took a strong August and September run to overtake the Red Caps by one game. The Rascals went into the last month 2 games behind the Red Caps. Oxford had a chance to tie and force a playoff on the final day. However, both teams dropped games on the last day of the season, giving the division crown to the Rascals. The Hartsdale Hellcats came in third, 9 games back in the race. The Fairfax Frogs were fourth and 12 games behind with Mahaska 13 games out in fifth.

The champion White River Rascals (88-66) had the best staff in the team's history... Mick Cronyn's club has always hit well, now he has pitching... Ron Hendrix (24-9 2.63) and Paul Sardini (17-10 2.11) led the way... ace Jon French returned in mid August from the DL and did not look sharp... French was 3-3 with 3.39 ERA in 9 starts... it will be vital in the Pro Cup playoffs for French to regain his old form... White River is blessed with many quality bats... topping the list is superstar 1B Marty Blake (.292 BA/89 RBI/92 R), who is nearing 500 career homers and possesses a .323 BA in his 12 seasons... other valuable contributorss are RF Kenneth Kent (.280 BA/18 HR/92 RBI/80), CF Hal Littleton (.316 BA/11 HR/59 RBI/82 R), 3B Sammy Tucker (.303 BA/16 HR/57 RBI/85 R) and LF Jim Abrams (.268 BA/13 HR/89 RBI/68 R)... expect to see White River as one of the top seeds in the Pro Cup... the Rascals finished second to Valmara last year, losing in six games.

This season was a long time coming for the runner-up Oxford Red Caps (87-67)... they were an early powerhouse in the IPA with 4 pennants in the first 6 years, including the Pro Cup in 2007... but nothing since... this year was really special for Mack Spencer's ball club... rookie Carmine Scalise (22-10 2.71) had a brilliant season and the man that made it happen... a solid bullpen also played a part... standouts were closer Arnie Bradshaw (3-8) with 30 saves and a 2.75 ERA and long reliever Eddie Singleton (2-1), who chalked up 2.02 ERA in 43 games... star LF Dennis Hartwig had a strong sophomore season with a .337 BA, 27 HRs, 116 RBIs and 118 runs scored... 1B Pat Bartz chipped in with 15 home runs, 86 RBIs and a .282 BA.

Skipper Zim Donner and his Hartsdale Hellcats (79-75) were given the best chance to challenge White River this year, but they fizzled in the second half and dipped down to third in the standings, 9 games off the pace... The Hellcats were tied with White River for second and 5 games back at the mid-season mark, primed and ready to win it all... Jim Starks (17-12 3.17) and Bobo Boisseau (19-13 3.54) stood out on the hill, while 1B Johnny Scott (.309 BA/36 HR/107 RBI/111 R), C Derek Yurek (.304 BA/31 HR/89 RBI/98 R) and 2B Neil Wills (.275 BA/13 HR/53 RBI/100 R) topped the offense.

The fourth-place Fairfax Frogs (76-78) had the fourth-best pitching staff in the TU (3.23 ERA), but were terrible offensively with a .236 BA (31st)... the Frogs trailed by 12 games... Kevin Meeks (22-11 2.38) had a remarkable year on the mound... vet Ken Hill (17-18 2.91) and Walt Smith (18-17 3.48) deserved better records, proving it's hard to win without runs... closer Manny Hunsinger racked up 24 saves with a great 1.66 ERA, but was only 1-5 record-wise... the only decent bats in Dane Wesner's batting order were RF Johnny Eichhorn (.295 BA/23 HR/76 RBI) and LF Sean Lawson (.285 BA/21 HR/82 HR).

The Mahaska Haymakers (75-79) are just a mediocre ball team in fifth place and 13 games behind... but manager Rusty Tanussa does have two quality starters in young 20-year-old Sammy Kafelnikov (20-10 3.23) and 29-year-old veteran Arno Vainmaa (18-16 3.35)... plus a very good closer Andy Slavyansky (4-4), who notched 30 saves and posted a splendid 2.01 ERA in 51 games... the Haymakers boast a couple of quality batters, too... C Bucky O'Brian (.304 BA/22 HR/84 RBI/77 R) has been the team leader for 12 years and has a lifetime .304 BA... he got plenty of help from RF Travis Tuttle (.297 BA/27 HR/94 RBI/107 R) this year.

The Blue Lake Blue Sox (73-81) wound up sixth in the TU North and 15 games behind division champ White River... Cobb Tyson's bunch never got into the race... the Blue Sox have four capable starters, but little offense in the line-up... Cory Burg (18-11 3.69) and Jim Vayda (14-13 3.47) gave them pretty good starts and Chris Landry (10-5) closed out well with a 2.29 ERA and 10 saves... CF Tony Kerkorian (.285 BA/19 HR/48 RBI/83 R) and LF Gil Willis (.281 BA/18 HR/82 RBI/82 R) provided most of the run production.

Last year the Luxora Zorros (67-87) dropped 105 games, but they got much better this season, yet still wound up in seventh place... lousy offense is the culprit... even a pitcher as talented as Tiago Torres (6-11 2.97) had a tough time winning... Torres was lost for a couple of months in late June, but came back in September... 20-year-old closer Toby White showed potential in the closing role with a 4-3 record, 14 saves and a super-low 1.17 ERA... none of the regulars hit for much of an average, but 1B Wayne Harris delivered 31 homers and drove in 95 runs... C Jim Thorpe Chandler added 17 roundtrippers, scored 90 times and batted across 67... Harris batted .261 and Chandler hit at a .263 clip.

After three seasons in the first division, the North Hills Hawks (61-93) couldn't stand the prosperity and sank down to last place 27 games out... Lenny Danforth (18-17 3.04) is manager Masichi Okawa's one reliable arm... the Hawks top hitters are RF Al Bowden (.301 BA/15 HR/80 RBI/86 R) and 1B Lou Hooper (.305 BA/6 HR/50 RBI/68 R).

06-16-2011, 10:35 PM	#2584
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,877	*The Islandian Times* Wednesday, September 18, 2024 2024 Tycobbian North Final Recap Defending champion White River came back in the second half of the Ruthlandian North season and snatched its third flag in four years, but it was not easy. Manager Mick Cronyn's crew trailed a tough Oxford by 5 games at the All-Star break. It took a strong August and September run to overtake the Red Caps by one game. The Rascals went into the last month 2 games behind the Red Caps. Oxford had a chance to tie and force a playoff on the final day. However, both teams dropped games on the last day of the season, giving the division crown to the Rascals. The Hartsdale Hellcats came in third, 9 games back in the race. The Fairfax Frogs were fourth and 12 games behind with Mahaska 13 games out in fifth. The champion White River Rascals (88-66) had the best staff in the team's history... Mick Cronyn's club has always hit well, now he has pitching... Ron Hendrix (24-9 2.63) and Paul Sardini (17-10 2.11) led the way... ace Jon French returned in mid August from the DL and did not look sharp... French was 3-3 with 3.39 ERA in 9 starts... it will be vital in the Pro Cup playoffs for French to regain his old form... White River is blessed with many quality bats... topping the list is superstar 1B Marty Blake (.292 BA/89 RBI/92 R), who is nearing 500 career homers and possesses a .323 BA in his 12 seasons... other valuable contributorss are RF Kenneth Kent (.280 BA/18 HR/92 RBI/80), CF Hal Littleton (.316 BA/11 HR/59 RBI/82 R), 3B Sammy Tucker (.303 BA/16 HR/57 RBI/85 R) and LF Jim Abrams (.268 BA/13 HR/89 RBI/68 R)... expect to see White River as one of the top seeds in the Pro Cup... the Rascals finished second to Valmara last year, losing in six games. This season was a long time coming for the runner-up Oxford Red Caps (87-67)... they were an early powerhouse in the IPA with 4 pennants in the first 6 years, including the Pro Cup in 2007... but nothing since... this year was really special for Mack Spencer's ball club... rookie Carmine Scalise (22-10 2.71) had a brilliant season and the man that made it happen... a solid bullpen also played a part... standouts were closer Arnie Bradshaw (3-8) with 30 saves and a 2.75 ERA and long reliever Eddie Singleton (2-1), who chalked up 2.02 ERA in 43 games... star LF Dennis Hartwig had a strong sophomore season with a .337 BA, 27 HRs, 116 RBIs and 118 runs scored... 1B Pat Bartz chipped in with 15 home runs, 86 RBIs and a .282 BA. Skipper Zim Donner and his Hartsdale Hellcats (79-75) were given the best chance to challenge White River this year, but they fizzled in the second half and dipped down to third in the standings, 9 games off the pace... The Hellcats were tied with White River for second and 5 games back at the mid-season mark, primed and ready to win it all... Jim Starks (17-12 3.17) and Bobo Boisseau (19-13 3.54) stood out on the hill, while 1B Johnny Scott (.309 BA/36 HR/107 RBI/111 R), C Derek Yurek (.304 BA/31 HR/89 RBI/98 R) and 2B Neil Wills (.275 BA/13 HR/53 RBI/100 R) topped the offense. The fourth-place Fairfax Frogs (76-78) had the fourth-best pitching staff in the TU (3.23 ERA), but were terrible offensively with a .236 BA (31st)... the Frogs trailed by 12 games... Kevin Meeks (22-11 2.38) had a remarkable year on the mound... vet Ken Hill (17-18 2.91) and Walt Smith (18-17 3.48) deserved better records, proving it's hard to win without runs... closer Manny Hunsinger racked up 24 saves with a great 1.66 ERA, but was only 1-5 record-wise... the only decent bats in Dane Wesner's batting order were RF Johnny Eichhorn (.295 BA/23 HR/76 RBI) and LF Sean Lawson (.285 BA/21 HR/82 HR). The Mahaska Haymakers (75-79) are just a mediocre ball team in fifth place and 13 games behind... but manager Rusty Tanussa does have two quality starters in young 20-year-old Sammy Kafelnikov (20-10 3.23) and 29-year-old veteran Arno Vainmaa (18-16 3.35)... plus a very good closer Andy Slavyansky (4-4), who notched 30 saves and posted a splendid 2.01 ERA in 51 games... the Haymakers boast a couple of quality batters, too... C Bucky O'Brian (.304 BA/22 HR/84 RBI/77 R) has been the team leader for 12 years and has a lifetime .304 BA... he got plenty of help from RF Travis Tuttle (.297 BA/27 HR/94 RBI/107 R) this year. The Blue Lake Blue Sox (73-81) wound up sixth in the TU North and 15 games behind division champ White River... Cobb Tyson's bunch never got into the race... the Blue Sox have four capable starters, but little offense in the line-up... Cory Burg (18-11 3.69) and Jim Vayda (14-13 3.47) gave them pretty good starts and Chris Landry (10-5) closed out well with a 2.29 ERA and 10 saves... CF Tony Kerkorian (.285 BA/19 HR/48 RBI/83 R) and LF Gil Willis (.281 BA/18 HR/82 RBI/82 R) provided most of the run production. Last year the Luxora Zorros (67-87) dropped 105 games, but they got much better this season, yet still wound up in seventh place... lousy offense is the culprit... even a pitcher as talented as Tiago Torres (6-11 2.97) had a tough time winning... Torres was lost for a couple of months in late June, but came back in September... 20-year-old closer Toby White showed potential in the closing role with a 4-3 record, 14 saves and a super-low 1.17 ERA... none of the regulars hit for much of an average, but 1B Wayne Harris delivered 31 homers and drove in 95 runs... C Jim Thorpe Chandler added 17 roundtrippers, scored 90 times and batted across 67... Harris batted .261 and Chandler hit at a .263 clip. After three seasons in the first division, the North Hills Hawks (61-93) couldn't stand the prosperity and sank down to last place 27 games out... Lenny Danforth (18-17 3.04) is manager Masichi Okawa's one reliable arm... the Hawks top hitters are RF Al Bowden (.301 BA/15 HR/80 RBI/86 R) and 1B Lou Hooper (.305 BA/6 HR/50 RBI/68 R).