OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

Eugene Church · 01-09-2014, 06:56 PM

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 10, 2042

SCRIBES PICK BLASTERS OVER STALLIONS IN PRO CUP FINALS
The general consensus is that the Colfax Blasters will come home with their second IPA Pro Cup by knocking off the surprising South Fork Stallions in the Finals. In this year's Pro Cup Finals the media vote is going with the powerful Blasters because of its high-octane attack with five .300 hitters in the line-up. But to capture the IPA crown this year Colfax must fend off a high-spirited bunch of South Fork Stallions, who gutsied out two seven-game series against favored opponents. Colfax was the four pick in the Pro Cup poll, while South Fork was way down the list at number seven. Still the Stallions pulled off two upsets in topping number-two Kenwood and number-three Hartsdale to get to the Finals. The Blasters had an easier task with wins over eighth-rated Wynnamac and fifth-ranked Kilkenny in the first two rounds. South Fork will also be seeking its second Pro Cup. It took the IPA title in 2025, while Colfax won its in 2010 when skipper Ilya Szabo was the Pro Cup MVP.

The baseball gurus are predicting Colfax has too much offense for South Fork with just enough pitching to take the Stallions in a seven-game series. Kristian McEly (.322 BA/33 HR/128 RBI/103 R), Chet Penn (.329 BA/30 HR/106 RBI/94 runs), Gerry Sives (.328 BA/3 HR/71 RBI/114 runs), Geno Calabrese (.315 BA/10 HR/65 RBI/97 runs), Kevin Williams (.300 BA/13 HR/80 RBI/87 runs) and Ernie Kidd (.248 BA/22 HR/91 RBI/73 runs) may be hard to contain at the plate. The Stallions can match them in home runs, but not in batting average and scoring. Elton Jacoby (.307 BA/32 HR/95 RBI/102 runs), SS Jess Wilkerson (.299 BA/23 HR/93 RBI/73 runs), Paul Sexton (.278 BA/17 HR/75 RBI/63 runs) and Pete Arnold (.290 BA/7 HR/48 RBI/82 runs) have really got their work cut out for them to match the Blaster bats.

Comparing the pitching, South Fork has the best pitcher in the IPA as its number-one starter. Jay Murphy breezed through the regular season with a 25-7 mark and a superb 1.90 ERA. Colfax has no one to compare to him. For the Stallions to win the Pro Cup, Murphy may have to win three games and get another win from Chris Sorensen (16-12/3.36) or Big Murph McAlister (18-17/3.46). Murphy has struggled in the postseason with a 3-3 record and a 3.94 ERA... southpaw Sorensen has been solid with 3-0 and a 3.27 ERA in the playoffs, while McAlister has not been effective at all with an 0-2 mark and a sky-high 5.47 ERA.

Colfax has some solid starters in Nilos Andris (20-13/3.45), Bobby Porter (20-9/3.53) and Ron Paige (22-16/3.79)... in the playoffs Andris is 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA, Paige is 1-0 with a 3.79 ERA and Porter has been shelled with a 6.14 ERA, but is 2-1 because of the big Blaster bats. Give South Fork starters a slight edge because of Murphy and Sorensen.

In the bullpen left-handers Jack Scanlon (9-2/2.68/18 saves) and Norm Harbison (0-1/3.67) give a little advantage to Colfax. South Fork was only 18-27 against lefthanded starters this year. So Scanlon and Harbison might make a difference in the late innings. Gary Golden (2-3/2.16/5 saves) had done a very good job in relief for the Stallions, especially in the playoffs where he is has posted three saves.

PRO CUP FORECAST: Colfax carries the day with it run-scoring machine... Murphy must regain regular-season form for South Fork to triumph.

01-09-2014, 06:56 PM	#3940
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,868	THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Friday, October 10, 2042 SCRIBES PICK BLASTERS OVER STALLIONS IN PRO CUP FINALS The general consensus is that the Colfax Blasters will come home with their second IPA Pro Cup by knocking off the surprising South Fork Stallions in the Finals. In this year's Pro Cup Finals the media vote is going with the powerful Blasters because of its high-octane attack with five .300 hitters in the line-up. But to capture the IPA crown this year Colfax must fend off a high-spirited bunch of South Fork Stallions, who gutsied out two seven-game series against favored opponents. Colfax was the four pick in the Pro Cup poll, while South Fork was way down the list at number seven. Still the Stallions pulled off two upsets in topping number-two Kenwood and number-three Hartsdale to get to the Finals. The Blasters had an easier task with wins over eighth-rated Wynnamac and fifth-ranked Kilkenny in the first two rounds. South Fork will also be seeking its second Pro Cup. It took the IPA title in 2025, while Colfax won its in 2010 when skipper Ilya Szabo was the Pro Cup MVP. The baseball gurus are predicting Colfax has too much offense for South Fork with just enough pitching to take the Stallions in a seven-game series. Kristian McEly (.322 BA/33 HR/128 RBI/103 R), Chet Penn (.329 BA/30 HR/106 RBI/94 runs), Gerry Sives (.328 BA/3 HR/71 RBI/114 runs), Geno Calabrese (.315 BA/10 HR/65 RBI/97 runs), Kevin Williams (.300 BA/13 HR/80 RBI/87 runs) and Ernie Kidd (.248 BA/22 HR/91 RBI/73 runs) may be hard to contain at the plate. The Stallions can match them in home runs, but not in batting average and scoring. Elton Jacoby (.307 BA/32 HR/95 RBI/102 runs), SS Jess Wilkerson (.299 BA/23 HR/93 RBI/73 runs), Paul Sexton (.278 BA/17 HR/75 RBI/63 runs) and Pete Arnold (.290 BA/7 HR/48 RBI/82 runs) have really got their work cut out for them to match the Blaster bats. Comparing the pitching, South Fork has the best pitcher in the IPA as its number-one starter. Jay Murphy breezed through the regular season with a 25-7 mark and a superb 1.90 ERA. Colfax has no one to compare to him. For the Stallions to win the Pro Cup, Murphy may have to win three games and get another win from Chris Sorensen (16-12/3.36) or Big Murph McAlister (18-17/3.46). Murphy has struggled in the postseason with a 3-3 record and a 3.94 ERA... southpaw Sorensen has been solid with 3-0 and a 3.27 ERA in the playoffs, while McAlister has not been effective at all with an 0-2 mark and a sky-high 5.47 ERA. Colfax has some solid starters in Nilos Andris (20-13/3.45), Bobby Porter (20-9/3.53) and Ron Paige (22-16/3.79)... in the playoffs Andris is 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA, Paige is 1-0 with a 3.79 ERA and Porter has been shelled with a 6.14 ERA, but is 2-1 because of the big Blaster bats. Give South Fork starters a slight edge because of Murphy and Sorensen. In the bullpen left-handers Jack Scanlon (9-2/2.68/18 saves) and Norm Harbison (0-1/3.67) give a little advantage to Colfax. South Fork was only 18-27 against lefthanded starters this year. So Scanlon and Harbison might make a difference in the late innings. Gary Golden (2-3/2.16/5 saves) had done a very good job in relief for the Stallions, especially in the playoffs where he is has posted three saves. PRO CUP FORECAST: Colfax carries the day with it run-scoring machine... Murphy must regain regular-season form for South Fork to triumph. Last edited by Eugene Church; 04-05-2023 at 10:18 PM.