Sunday, July 15, 2068
IPA MIDSEASON RECAP: ALSO-RANS ARE UP AND RUNNING THIS SEASON
There are plenty of familiar names doing well in the Islandian Pro Alliance pennant races... defending IPA champion Rolling Hills, Southport, Oxford, Hillsboro and San Alejo are riding high and in the chase in the Tycobbian Union... so are LaGrange, Wynnamac and Sligo in the Ruthlandian Union... and there is some good news for perennial also-rans, too... the Forest City Firebirds are on fire in the RU West... the Waleska Westerners, St. John Crusaders and Valka Blackhawks are making life miserable for the Claxton Diamonds in the RU South... even the downtrodden Eastshore Cotton Kings and the pitiful Belle Plaine Musketeers are testing the Wynnamac Sundowners and the Marston Nine in the RU East.
At the All-Star break in the Ruthlandian Union, LaGrange, Wynnamac and Forest City have built up solid leads in their respective divisions... the Gators (59-30) have shot ahead by 9 games over runner-up and last year's RU North winner Far Mountain (50-39)... the Macs (54-35) top Eastshore (48-41) by 6 games in the RU East with perpetual loser Belle Plaine only 8 games off the pace... last season's division champion Marston (45-44) is struggling, but still within striking distance at 9 games out... with its magnificent pitching staff Forest City is sporting a surprising 5-game edge on last year's RU West winner Sligo (51-38) with Fort Benton (49-40) still hanging close in the race, trailing by 7 games... the Firebirds lead the entire IPA with a 2.69 ERA... but there is one tight race... Waleska (50-39) is having quite a battle with St. John (48-41), Valka (46-43) and current RU titleholder Claxton (45-44)... only 5 games separate the four clubs... Crystal Lake (43-46) and Belair Beach (43-46) haven't thrown in the towel yet, either... they could get back in the hunt quite easily with a good winning streak.
Over in the Tycobbian Union the pennants races are kind of chaotic... preseason favorites White River (42-47) and Summerland (41-48) have both flopped badly... the defending champion Rascals can forget about this season... they are 18 games out of first place in the TU North... the Sunsets have some hope... they are trailing by 9 games in the TU South, but could possibly get back into the thick of things with a good second half... the Oxford Red Caps are sizzling in the TU North with a whopping 12-game bulge over second place Mahaska (48-41), followed by third place Fairfax (44-45) and fourth place Hartsdale (43-46)... Luxora (32-48), White River and North Hills also all still have a shot at the third spot in the standings.
The other three divisions still are very much in doubt... Southport (50-39) is in a torrid race in the TU South with 5 teams crunched together... you won't believe it, but the crummy Colchester Elites are actually in 2nd place, just one game back of the Sun Sox... it's been over 3 decades since Colchester won the division flag eons ago in 2036... how bad have the Elites been?... during all that time they only reached the .500 mark twice (2042, 2051)... 5 rookie hurlers have made an impact this season... last season's champion San Alejo (47-42) is just 3 games out and tied with the Ginza Ninjas (47-42) for 3rd place... the Montaneros will be a factor in the pennant chase... Cape Coral (46-43) is hanging tight, only 4 games off the pace in 5th place... even 6th place Turon (44-45) is still contending, just 6 games behind the Sun Sox... the preseason pick Summerland Sunsets just don't score enough runs, plus their solid pitching hasn't been very good this year... the Sunsets (41-48) are seventh and 9 games back... last place Arroyo Grande (32-57) is just sho 'nuff bad in all respects.
There's a pretty fair race going on in the Tycobbian East Division... superb pitching has the Red Bluff Red Sox (54-35) high atop the standings, but not by much... defending champion Hillsboro (51-38) is no flash in the pan... the Blazers are for real and clinging close to the Red Sox, just 3 games behind... Red Bluff is a potent club with better-than-average scoring and very strong pitching... Hillsboro has home-run power, tops in the IPA, and fair pitching... 4 other teams are lurking nearby... 3rd place Ozarka (47-42), the preseason favorite, is only 7 games off the pace... 4th place Midway (46-42), 5th place High Mesa and 6th place South Fork are still in the pennant chase... in the end it will be a battle between Red Bluff and Hillsboro.
There really hasn't been any kind of pennant races the last decade in the Tycobbian West... by midseason the mighty Rolling Hills Racers are usually leading the division by a comfortable margin, at least 6 or 7 games... they are working on their 9th consecutive division crown this year, but it is not coming easily... would you believe that 4 other teams are putting up a good fight so far at midyear... the Racers (53-36) are just one game ahead of runner-up Denton City (52-37)... only 3 in front of 3rd place Bay St. Clair (50-39)... 4 better than 4th place La Claire (49-40)... and only 6 better than 5th place Bayview (47-42)... the TU West is shaping up as a 5-team fight to the finish... any one of the teams is capable of winning... pitching will be the key... all of them can hit and score runs... the best mound staff will decide it... that just might be the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers.