Monday, September 27, 2066
IPA PLAYOFFS SET FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ALL ACROSS ISLANDIA
The only thing better than the Islandian Pro Cup playoffs is the beginning of the season... that's because all 64 teams and their frenetic fans have hopes and aspirations at that time of the year... yes indeed, there is still interest at this revered time of the season, but limited to the 8 pennant-winning towns and the other many obsessed baseball fanatics around the Islands... this Wednesday is the blessed day when play will begin for the much-cherished IPA Pro Cup trophy, awarded annually since 2000 to the best professional baseball team in the Islands.
As usual, the big question all across the Islands is who will win?... will it be record-setting Rolling Hills with 111 wins racking up its 6th Pro Cup trophy?... will it be the defending IPA champion Southport repeating and winning its 5th IPA title?... or powerful Claxton copping its 2nd Pro Cup in 3 years?... it could also be one of the other postseason teams, Valmara, Marston, Sligo, Red Bluff and Hartsdale... we must remember the IPA Pro Cup does not always play out true-to-form... remember when unheralded Arlon won in '58... unlikely Ginza in '59... unsung Hartsdale in '63... and overlooked Claxton in '64... all of these IPA champions were not well-regarded or given any chance to win... but to our surprise and our chagrin... they did.
If the IPA playoffs play out the way they should, here's what will happen... one of the highly-touted teams, Rolling Hills, Claxton and Southport, will hoist the vaunted IPA flag over their ballpark next season... but then, again, it could be one of the lesser lights that just might shine brightly for a few weeks or so and win the whole shebang.
2066 Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Preview
1st Pick: ROLLING HILLS RACERS (111-43)
The Racers had the greatest season ever by any one team... breaking the team victory mark by 4 games... setting a new team batting average record at .306... Rolling Hills would scare anybody... that's why they are the number-one choice to win this year's Pro Cup trophy... in addition, the Racers run well (199 SB) and have good power (165 HR)... and for the first time, they have four solid starters... however, Rolling Hills is not perfect... they are subpar defensively (.976 FA)... and the bullpen is suspect... both categories have stung the Racers in recent postseasons, allowing Claxton and Southport to knock them out of the playoffs... this year the Rolling Hills' offense and starting pitching should be good enough to overcome all obstacles and bring home their 6th IPA title.
2nd Pick: Claxton Diamonds (102-52)
The Diamonds are back again and are better than they were when they won the Pro Cup in '64, defeating Rolling Hills in 7 games... Claxton hits well (.283 BA)... scores well ... plays very good defense (.979 FA)... has three starters that are just as good as you will find in the IPA... and the best closer ever... this year Alvie London set a new saves mark with 59... breaking his old record of 43, shared with Oxford's Pat McFarlane... and rookie first baseman Kevin Walton added a lot of punch to the batting order... Claxton can play with anybody... however, a lack of a solid #4 starter may hurt them... the Diamonds got their only Pro Cup trophy in 2064.
3rd Pick: Southport Sun Sox (89-65)
The reigning Pro Cup titlist is still an impressive ballclub... still has outstanding starters, fairly good scoring and power and solid defense (.978 FA)... a combination that won the Pro Cup last year... the Sun Sox knocked favorite Rolling Hills out last year in the Tycobbian title series in 7 games... they did it with pitching, clutch hitting and good defense... then Southport finished off Colfax in the Pro Cup Series in 5 games... the Sun Sox will be without its solid defender in center field... injured Pee Wee Little will miss the first few games of the playoffs... it will take a good team to beat Southport... they really would like to win their 5th Pro Cup... and could do it.
4th Pick: Hartsdale Hellcats (87-67)
The Hellcats remind you a lot of the club that surprisingly upset everybody in the playoffs and won the 2063 Pro Cup... Hartsdale may be better this year with the addition several talented rookies like Mordecai Bryson in right field and Emmett Ruskin at first base... they have made the Hellcat attack a lot more potent... Pro Cup heroes Phil Baylor and Tommy Johnson are still around on the mound, but Johnson sadly is injured and may miss the playoffs... that is a huge loss... Johnson, a big-game pitcher, hurled three shutouts in the '63 playoffs... Colby Pickens and late-season acquisition Lucien McElhinney give them two more solid starters... Hartsdale hits well, scores well, has a fairly good starting rotation and play standout defense (.981 FA)... maybe the Hellcats still have some Pro Cup magic left in them... they seem to have the best chance of the teams that don't have much of a chance to win the Pro Cup this year... Hartsdale has captured 2 Pro Cups... 2048 and 2063.
