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THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, June 30, 2037
3-TEAM TUSSLE IN RU NORTH, CATS ON TOP
The contenders have been pared down to three teams in the Ruthlandian North Division... after three months of play the Kilkenny Cats are in first place with a one-game margin over the LaGrange Sports and three ahead of the Taranto Tars... the Sports have won the last two seasons and four of the last five... last year it got down to just LaGrange and Kilkenny and the Sports won by two games.
Kilkenny (44-34) lost a little ground to LaGrange in June with a 14-12 record, while the Sports went 16-12... the Tars stayed alive with a 14-12 mark... the Cats have marvelous pitching with Fred Doyle (11-5/2.52), Dave Whitaker (10-7/2.65), Ted Flanagan (9-8/3.10) and James Crockett (9-6/3.32)... but lack offense... the pitching is strong enough for them to break the hold LaGrange has had on the division, but it won't be easy... the Sports never look good on paper, but they are proven winners.
LaGrange's (42-32) strong point is its veteran starting rotation: Walt Thurber (11-6/2.97), Mike York (10-6/3.46), Roland Oates (4-2/3.65) and Earl Perkins (4-1/3.77)... plus a solid bunch of batters: Fred Bird (.312), Russell Watkins (.275/16 HR), Vasco Aguilar (.321/10 HR), Charles Bacque (.265/11 HR), Chris Heffner (.303/9 HR) and Chris Charbonnier (.254/10 HR)... no one ever seems to have faith in the Sports except themselves... will they pull it out again for the third straight year and fifth time in seven?
Taranto (41-37) has been hanging tough with the long ball... the Tars are third in the RU with 108 roundtrippers... Wes Marlowe (.320/25 HR), All-Star Angelo Rossi (.320/22 HR) and Daryl Rhodes (.313/ 5 HR) are the main bats... Carmine Scalise (9-8/2.88) and Danny Darby (4-0/2.83) are quality starters... don't expect Taranto to finish any higher than third... they will fade in the hot Summertime... Kilkenny and LaGrange have much better pitching.
The Valmara Vipers (38-40) were in first place for most of the season, but they had a terrible month in June with a 8-18 record... and now have fallen to a three-way tie for fourth place... seventh place could be the Vipers' destiny... Valmara's pitching is atrocious with a 4.88 ERA (31st).
Ancona may be the best of the rest, followed by Far Mountain and Glasco... poor Ranford looks really bad and won't get out of the cellar this year.
WALESKA SLIM LEAD IN RU SOUTH
It's anybody's race in the tight Ruthlandian South this season... four teams - Waleska, Claxton, Belair Beach and San Dimas - are evenly matched... there is no clear-cut favorite... preseason pick Waleska has a slim two-game edge over Claxton, three up on Belair Beach and four better than San Dimas... Crystal Lake and St. John are still within striking distance, but not expected to contend... no chance for Valka and Grand City.
The Waleska Westerners (43-35) managed to hold on to the top spot with a 13-13 record this month... two very good starters Craig Nash (10-6/3.33) and Terry Richards (9-7/3.16) are pretty much carrying the Westerners this season... in years past they were known as an explosive team with the likes of Roy Hobbs and Loco Dillinger... it may be tough for Waleska to win the pennant unless the offense perks up quite a bit.
The runner-up Claxton Diamonds (41-37) had a good June with a 15-11 mark... they have fair pitching led by Vance White (12-5/3.65) and Stan Yudash (4-1/3.68)... but its the offense that makes the Diamonds shine... Jojo DeLucca (.309/21 HR/60 RBI/60 R) and Foxy Fuchs (.329/21 HR/64 RBI/62 R) have really sparkled this season, along with Gary Colton (.257/9 HR/55 RBI)... Claxton may have what it takes to win this season.
The third place Belair Beach Sunbirds (40-38) broke even in June with a 13-13 record... if the Sunbirds fly the RU South flag high this season, it will be their bats that do it... the mound staff is mediocre... only Calvin Carmichael (10-5/3.84) has been effective... leading the attack at the plate has been All-Star Bobby Meusel (.323/15 HR/47 RBI/56 R), Jackie Jackson (.306/9 HR/35 RBI/49 R), Larry Cole (.315/14 HR/41 RBI/43 R) and Jason Butler (.324/18 HR/50 RBI).
The fourth place San Dimas Rancheros (39-39) may be the best-balanced club in the RU South Division... Leonard Purkey (.293/8 HR/53 RBI), Hermie Goetz (.305/4 HR/42 RBI), Klaus Stordahl (.285/10 HR/34 RBI/53 R) and Denny Hendrix (.312/11 HR/40 RBI/47 R) are quality batters, while Seth Dawson (7-3/3.72) and Gil Arnaud (6-6/3.21) have been the most reliable pitchers... after going 15-11 in June, the Rancheros appear to be capable of challenging this season.
The Crystal Lake Crushers (37-41) ran one or two for most of the first two months of the season, but fizzled badly in June with a 9-17 record... they still have some good sticks in All-Star Paul Dillon (.352/4 HR/34 RBI/51 R), Big Sam Takota (.296/16 HR/53 RBI) and Stan Stanek (.303/14 HR/41 RBI) and some pretty good hurlers in vets All-Star Arnie Cason (11-6/2.80) and Douglas Merrill (4-3/3.23)... maybe the scribes were right when they picked the Crushers to finish sixth in the preseason poll.
What's wrong in St. John (36-42)?... the Crusaders are the defending division champ... last year they made it all the way to the Pro Cup Finals before losing in six games to North Hills... and this year they were forecast to battle for the RU South pennant... the Crusaders have had losing records in two of the three months this season, going 12-14 in June... still they possess a fine mound staff with Jeremy Kirk (12-8/3.15), Lou Gianakos (7-5/3.50), Vito Sanfratello (6-11/3.10) and Yancy Garrett (8-10/3.73)... St. John has a solid core of hitters, too, with the talent of All-Star Marty Blankenship (.289/23 HR/59 RBI/57 R) and Nicky Farrugia (.270/15 HR/64 RBI) and Art Kelley (.289/14 HR/48 RBI/47 R)... the Crusaders still could get back in the race and probably will... seven games is not hard to make up when you have half a season to go and the talent they have.
The Valka Blackhawks (32-46) are in seventh place and will likely remain so... they can't expect talented All-Star Bobby Scott (.381/22 HR/60 RBI/57 R) and Kenny Mitzusaka (.306/7 HR/31 RBI/40 R) to do it all by themselves.
The Grand City Cybercats (27-51) were bad even before they posted a horrendous 4-22 record this past month... Teddy Grantham (.329/13 HR/46 RBI/43 R) is the only bonafide threat in the lineup... and none of the pitchers are very good... Kenny Morrow is the best with a 6-6 mark and a poor 4.42 ERA.
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