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Last year's division winner Sugar Valley went into September in the lead, but slumped down the stretch and then lost it in the playoff... the Rattlers are also a fine, all-around team... they improved from 87-67 in 2043 to 96-59 this year, but didn't win... Sugar Valley has made the postseason 12 times in its history, but has not won a Pro Cup yet, the Rattlers, however, were finalists twice in 2004 and 2024.
The Rattlers were tremendous offensively with a .279 BA (3rd), 851 runs (1st) and 236 HRs (1st) and led the IPA in scoring and homers... everyone in the starting lineup has at least 15 HRs... and they had good pitching, too, with a 3.53 ERA (8th)... plus solid defense as well with a .975 FA... superman LF Bobby Gamble had another colossal year with a .348 BA, 43 homers, 106 RBIs and 133 runs, ranking fifth in the IPA in batting, eighth in doubles (39) and HRs (43) and topped the league in scoring runs... other top guns were CF Carl Ramsey (.291/44/131/116)... Ramsey was third in RBIs in the IPA and seventh in homers... 1B James Milton (.312/29/119/68)... and SS Roger Hobbs (.300/29/73/117)... 300-game winner Jeremy Blanchard (20-11/3.31) was the ace at age 39... he now has a 312-255 record in his 18 seasons with the club... Blanchard has won 20 games the last three years and has done it six times in his career... lifetime his ERA is 3.36... other leading starters were Christopher Dunsberry (20-12/3.67) and Joe Snow (17-8/3.67)... hard-luck Davey Brennan (13-17/2.99) was the most effective starter with an ERA under 3.00, which is hard to do in hitter friendly Farmers Memorial Park... spot starter/reliever Domenico Renterias won 20 games in that role, going 20-12 in 75 appearances and 12 starts with 18 saves, but posted a 4.18 ERA.
SUGAR VALLEY: 2nd Place (tied) (1.5 GB)
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