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

Eugene Church · 12-06-2018, 05:12 PM

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 6, 2058

CHAMPS IN 7 IN '58 PRO CUP SERIES
Actually, it's a match made in Heaven... two strong offenses will always delight the fans... that's exactly what you get in the Arlon Champions and the Crystal Lake Skippers... but no one expected them to get this far in the playoffs... Crystal Lake was the 4th overall pick and Arlon was the 7th choice to win this year... both clubs were supposed to lose out in the first round to two IPA elites, the Valmara Vipers and the Midway Wolves... the Skippers and Champions used high-octane arsenals to defeat the Vipers and the Wolves... they just had enough pitching to survive and no more.

62 teams have come and gone this year... we're down to just two... one of them will be crowned the IPA Pro Cup champion in the next week... and which one will it be?... Crystal Lake or Arlon?... who will prevail in the quest for the prestigious Pro Cup?... the Skippers and Champions will tangle in a best-of-seven series beginning this Monday afternoon... the opening two games will be at Derby Downs in Arlon.

Crystal Lake has won two Pro Cups in its history... they defeated Ozarka in '20 and Midway in '22... they also reached the Pro Cup Finals in '27 and '34, but fell to Southport and North Hills... Arlon only has one Pro Cup trophy... they won it in '51 over the Waleska Westerners... in '39 the Champs lost to the Westerners.

Most of the media this year are giving the edge to Arlon in the Finals... they have been impressed with the postseason play of the Champs...they whipped the high-scoring Midway Wolves in round one and then easily handled the pitching heavyweight and light-hitting Southport Sun Sox in the Tycobbian Finals... the decisive factor is pitching in this year's IPA Finals... the edge go to Arlon in seven games... the Champions will also have the homefield advantage.

Erik Branham (18-5/3.12) and Dicky Towers (19-11/3.17) anchor a fine Arlon mound staff with the reliable veterans Ty Coffee (17-19/3.57) and J. C. Hilburn (8-5/3.63) in the secondary starting roles... Crystal Lake can only counter with Merle Pitts (23-6/2.35) and Robin Norborne (21-11/4.32)... Pitts is a bonafide star pitcher, but Norborne won many games with great offensive support... after these two, manager Duncan Welch has to try and conjure up something magical with the likes of relievers Julio Cordova (1-4/3.94), Stan Waterhouse (4-0/2.78 ERA/2 saves/19 G) and Eamon Wilkinson (4-2/3.94 ERA/1 save/31 G)... none of them made any starts the regular season... David Plant (6-6/3.96) would seem a better choice to start, but Arlon whipped southpaws most of the time (.733)... they have a tougher time with right-handers (.550).

In the bullpen the Champions have a decided advantage with Mack Blair (4-2/2.23 ERA/24 saves/44 games)... the Skippers' closer Yuri Kirchoff (4-4/3.31 ERA/29 saves/49 G) was inconsistent this year... manager Mark Cameron also has available his fifth starter, Oscar Mathewson (14-8/3.79) to use in long relief.

It's a standoff in the batting orders... Arlon features Jaimey Stansfield (.262 BA/44 HR/116 RBI/98 R/15 SB), Art Catlin (.278/25/93/92/6 SB), Jon Cress (.327/25/80/67), Mel Hawkes (.290/11/64/79), Zeppo Thiel (.279/16/58/66/13 SB) and Eduardo Garaza (.270/15/66/56/1 SB), while Crystal Lake has Gib Conlan (.288 BA/26 HR/110 RBI/85 R/1 SB), Zippy Coburn (.320/27/103/91/7 SB), Mel Brouwer (.343/29/94/114/18 SB), Jasper Shackleford (.315/28/91/100) and Speedy McCormick (.305/25/61/111/17 SB).

If Arlon's pitchers can keep the Crystal Lake bats under control, that will the key element in the series... for the Skippers to have a chance, they will have to continue to put runs on the scoreboard in heavy doses... plus, the young secondary starters Cordova, Waterhouse and Wilkinson will also have to come through for Welch... that's a tall order.

Pro Cup Finals Outlook: Looks like the Champions in six or seven games.

12-06-2018, 05:12 PM	#6101
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,875	THE ISLANDIAN TIMES Sunday, October 6, 2058 CHAMPS IN 7 IN '58 PRO CUP SERIES Actually, it's a match made in Heaven... two strong offenses will always delight the fans... that's exactly what you get in the Arlon Champions and the Crystal Lake Skippers... but no one expected them to get this far in the playoffs... Crystal Lake was the 4th overall pick and Arlon was the 7th choice to win this year... both clubs were supposed to lose out in the first round to two IPA elites, the Valmara Vipers and the Midway Wolves... the Skippers and Champions used high-octane arsenals to defeat the Vipers and the Wolves... they just had enough pitching to survive and no more. 62 teams have come and gone this year... we're down to just two... one of them will be crowned the IPA Pro Cup champion in the next week... and which one will it be?... Crystal Lake or Arlon?... who will prevail in the quest for the prestigious Pro Cup?... the Skippers and Champions will tangle in a best-of-seven series beginning this Monday afternoon... the opening two games will be at Derby Downs in Arlon. Crystal Lake has won two Pro Cups in its history... they defeated Ozarka in '20 and Midway in '22... they also reached the Pro Cup Finals in '27 and '34, but fell to Southport and North Hills... Arlon only has one Pro Cup trophy... they won it in '51 over the Waleska Westerners... in '39 the Champs lost to the Westerners. Most of the media this year are giving the edge to Arlon in the Finals... they have been impressed with the postseason play of the Champs...they whipped the high-scoring Midway Wolves in round one and then easily handled the pitching heavyweight and light-hitting Southport Sun Sox in the Tycobbian Finals... the decisive factor is pitching in this year's IPA Finals... the edge go to Arlon in seven games... the Champions will also have the homefield advantage. Erik Branham (18-5/3.12) and Dicky Towers (19-11/3.17) anchor a fine Arlon mound staff with the reliable veterans Ty Coffee (17-19/3.57) and J. C. Hilburn (8-5/3.63) in the secondary starting roles... Crystal Lake can only counter with Merle Pitts (23-6/2.35) and Robin Norborne (21-11/4.32)... Pitts is a bonafide star pitcher, but Norborne won many games with great offensive support... after these two, manager Duncan Welch has to try and conjure up something magical with the likes of relievers Julio Cordova (1-4/3.94), Stan Waterhouse (4-0/2.78 ERA/2 saves/19 G) and Eamon Wilkinson (4-2/3.94 ERA/1 save/31 G)... none of them made any starts the regular season... David Plant (6-6/3.96) would seem a better choice to start, but Arlon whipped southpaws most of the time (.733)... they have a tougher time with right-handers (.550). In the bullpen the Champions have a decided advantage with Mack Blair (4-2/2.23 ERA/24 saves/44 games)... the Skippers' closer Yuri Kirchoff (4-4/3.31 ERA/29 saves/49 G) was inconsistent this year... manager Mark Cameron also has available his fifth starter, Oscar Mathewson (14-8/3.79) to use in long relief. It's a standoff in the batting orders... Arlon features Jaimey Stansfield (.262 BA/44 HR/116 RBI/98 R/15 SB), Art Catlin (.278/25/93/92/6 SB), Jon Cress (.327/25/80/67), Mel Hawkes (.290/11/64/79), Zeppo Thiel (.279/16/58/66/13 SB) and Eduardo Garaza (.270/15/66/56/1 SB), while Crystal Lake has Gib Conlan (.288 BA/26 HR/110 RBI/85 R/1 SB), Zippy Coburn (.320/27/103/91/7 SB), Mel Brouwer (.343/29/94/114/18 SB), Jasper Shackleford (.315/28/91/100) and Speedy McCormick (.305/25/61/111/17 SB). If Arlon's pitchers can keep the Crystal Lake bats under control, that will the key element in the series... for the Skippers to have a chance, they will have to continue to put runs on the scoreboard in heavy doses... plus, the young secondary starters Cordova, Waterhouse and Wilkinson will also have to come through for Welch... that's a tall order. Pro Cup Finals Outlook: Looks like the Champions in six or seven games. Attached Images Last edited by Eugene Church; 12-15-2018 at 04:52 PM.