Friday, November 2, 2063
IPA GOLD HURLERS ARE GRIFFITH AND SHARPE
The 2063 Islandian Pro Alliance Golden Arms of the Year piled up 39 victories between them this year and only lost 7 times... both Norm Griffith of the Elnora Clippers and Wilson Sharpe of the Red Bluff Red Sox had magnificent years they will long remember... when it comes to hurling the old horsehide, these two are the best of the best in Islandia... Griffith was lauded as the Ruthlandian Union Golden Arm, while Sharpe was extolled as the Tycobbian Union Golden Arm... both are first-time winners.
Griffith paced Elnora to the RU East crown with an electrifying year... the 26-year-old right-hander went a remarkable 21-3 in 32 starts, while compiling a fine 2.86 ERA... in his sixth season Griffith won more games than any pitcher in the IPA... his first 4 years were borderline modest with a 25-28 record and a mediocre 4.50 ERA, but in the last two years he has blossomed with an extraordinary 40-11 mark... overall Griffith is 65-39 with a 3.98 ERA.
Sharpe was really something, too... he led all comers in the IPA with a terrific 1.77 ERA, while posting a standout 18-4 mark in his 31 starting assignments... the 28-year-old twirler only allowed batters to hit a paltry .195 against him... in his 9 seasons in the IPA Sharpe has starred with a very fine 146-96 mark and a strong 2.96 career ERA.
As good as the winners were, they had some very talented competitors... in the Ruthlandian Union Carlos Santa Ana of the Valka Blackhawks finished second in the Golden Arm voting... Santa Ana, age 25 and in his sixth year in the IPA, sparked his Blackhawks to a close third-place finish in the RU South with 14 wins and only 5 defeats, while compiling an excellent 2.07 ERA, which topped the Ruthlandian hurlers and ranked second in the entire IPA... only this year's TU Golden Arm winner Wilson Sharpe was better at 1.77.
Third in the Ruthlandian Golden Arm balloting was Jacky Harshman of the Sligo Rovers... a right-hander, Harshman led his club to the second-place spot in the RU West... they gave powerful Colfax fits all season long before losing out by just two scant games... in 32 starts Harshman registered 17 victories and only lost 6 times, chalking up a splendid 2.37 ERA.
Sharpe's biggest rivals in the Tycobbian Golden Arm race were Southport's Jeff Moncriffe and Tuckanarra's Ian Timms... the runner-up to Sharpe was Moncriffe, who had his best year ever with a 17-6 mark and a standout 2.22 ERA and he was very instrumental in the Sun Sox coming in second in the TU South.
Third place went to two-time Golden Arm winner Ian Timms, who continued to flourish with an 18-8 record and a strong 2.30 ERA... however, the best his Tiger Cats could do in the standings was the fifth spot in the TU East.