Wednesday, October 13, 2066
HOLY GRAIL TIME IN THE ISLANDS, PRO CUP FINALS BEGINS FRIDAY
This Friday afteroon Pleasure Beach Park will be the site of the super showdown between the Tycobbian Union champion, the Southport Sun Sox, and the Ruthlandian Union champion, the Valmara Vipers... both are fresh off triumphs in the Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs... both were victorious in two rounds of play... and now they will tangle with each other for the overall IPA title -- the Pro Cup trophy.
Both Southport and Valmara are pursuing their 5th Pro Cup trophies... the Sun Sox are the reigning titlist and they will trying to win back-to-back titles... something that has been done only six times in IPA history... Far Mountain actually won it three times in a row, the only team to do that... Eastshore was repeat winner in 2016 and 2017... Tuckanarra did it in 2023 and 2024... Valmara captured Pro Cups back-to-back in 2049 and 2050... and the Midway Wolves were the last team to do it in 2053 and 2054.
VALMARA VS SOUTHPORT, DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH?
On the surface, just looking at the numbers, the Valmara Vipers just doesn't match up with the defending Pro Cup champion Southport Sun Sox... just might be a one-sided series... looking back into recent history, nobody expected the Ginza Ninjas to win the Pro Cup in '59... Hartsdale wasn't given much of a chance in '63... nor Claxton in '64... however, they all upset so-called superior teams to capture the Pro Cup trophy... can it happen this year?
Probably not.
Southport really showed the stuff they are made of by beating Rolling Hills for the Tycobbian title... the Sun Sox whipped a team that chalked up a record-setting 111 victories... a team that batted a recording-setting .306... Southport did it with solid hitting, strong starters, a good bullpen and a good defense... the Sun Sox don't have a weakness.
Just imagine facing two All-Star pitchers, Roman Littrell (19-3/2.04 ERA) and Eddy Salem (12-8/2.44 ERA), twice in a best-of-seven series... then you also have to face two very capable number three and number four starters in Timmy Aaron (12-7/2.57 ERA) and Jake Shank (12-6/2.19 ERA)... plus manager Lorne Evans has a quality bullpen with the likes of Bebe Kinney, Billy Ray Echols and Jeff Moncriffe... not great relievers, but adequate... we have seen how a weak bullpen cost several fine teams dearly in the playoffs... Rolling Hills just might be playing for the IPA crown if their bullpen had done their job better.
Teams that have a productive hitter in every spot in the batting order do better in the playoffs... that is one of Southport's many strengths... Curtis Clift (.301/22 HR), Lynn Tobin (.289/23 HR), Junior Evans (.286/26 HR) are the big run producers, but they get a lot of help from Tonto Tidwell (.298) and Goldy Zellmer (.280).
Do the Valmara Vipers have a chance to upset Southport?... yep, if the bullpen can handle the Sun Sox in the late innings... that just might be the key element in the series... how well Kenny Jensen (6-8/4.19 ERA), Zenon Markowska (10-5/4.37 ERA) and Roman Mazeroski (6-7/4.30 ERA) perform could be crucial... Valmara is very solid in the first three starters... Jared Drobish (12-8/3.18 ERA), Mick Singer (14-8/2.74 ERA) and Andre Zajac(11-6/2.93 ERA) are all very good starters... #4 Kuba Varatek (11-13/3.75 ERA), a rookie, has looked quite good in the postseason with a 2-0 record and a great 1.17 ERA... if they go deep into the game, the Vipers could make it miserable for Southport... keep in mind in the first round, Valmara beat a fine Claxton club in six games... the Diamonds won the Pro Cup in '64 and were ranked the number-two team this year in the Pro Cup poll.
Another plus factor for the Vipers is longball power... they can go deep... Timmy Benford (.269/34 HR), Leevi Lindmaa (.290/29 HR), Semyon Tomczak (.245/25 HR), Junior Jensen (.275/18 HR), Jud Gilbride (.293/13 HR) and Piotr Zacek (.281/13 HR) can hit it out of the park with regularity.
Good pitching and good firepower can win a series.
Valmara can play good defense as well.
2066 Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Series Outlook:
Southport will repeat as Pro Cup champion... the Sun Sox will capture their record-tying 5th Pro Cup trophy... should win it in six games... maybe less... the Sun Sox are just a rock-solid baseball team in all respects... for Valmara to win it they would have to pitch very well, starters and relievers, and keep the Sun Sox off the scoreboard and they will have to hit quite a few homers... the Southport staff only allowed 105 roundtrippers this season, while Valmara's gave up 148... so far in the postseason both clubs have permitted 10 home runs each.