Tuesday, October 18, 2072
CAN SIZZLING STONER SUBDUE PRO CUP-FAVORED TURON?... IPA PRO CUP SERIES STARTS TOMORROW IN STONER
The burning question on everyone's mind in the Islands is whether or not the hottest team in the Islandian Pro Alliance can take care of the Pro Cup favorite?... based on performance so far in the playoffs, all of the famed Islandian pundits, second guessers and Monday morning quarterbacks, renowned prognosticators like jg2977, Dark Horse and CD, are choosing the red-hot Stoner Silver Sox to capture the revered relic - the IPA Pro Cup Trophy... personally, I'm waiting to hear what Red Auerbach and the Fat Lady have to say about this fabled subject.
The answer to this incendiary question will begin to unfold this Wednesday afternoon at Nonnac Park in Stoner in the first game of the best-of-five Pro Cup Series.
Do I want to get aboard of the crowded Stoner bandwagon?... 'twould be an easy thing to do... the Silver Sox have hit an unworldly .354 in the playoffs, scored 51 runs in 8 games and their so-called so-so pitching staff has put up a very impressive 2.79 ERA... those hard-to-believe numbers speak for themselves.
However, I will pose a thought... maybe a thought or two or three... (where is the astute careforameatball when you need him?)... Turon has been a Pro Cup finalists the last two years... they were edged out in tight Pro Cup Series by Wynnamac in '70 and Belair Beach in '71... the Typhoons have something going for them... good starting pitching with Skippy Mulroy (12-7/3.42 ERA) and Ivan Malek (16-5/3.29 ERA)... and occasionally from Cookie Culpepper (16-3/2.73 ERA)... however, Culpepper has not done well in the postseason... he was great in the regular season, but only 1-2 with a 5.29 ERA in 3 starts in the playoffs... we have lost faith in him... yet the bullpen with Billy Pearl (8-12/3.62 ERA) and Sherm Weatherford (7-13/4.30 ERA) has done well in the postseason... the Typhoons don't hit like the Silver Sox, but they are productive throughout the batting order... Corky Apple (.324/20 HR/106 RBI), Robert Newell (.299/18 HR/82 RBI), Freddie Civik (.313/12 HR/87 RBI), Joe Dan Goldsmith (.311/12 HR/74 RBI) and Mitch Geoghegan (.315/0 HR/70 RBI) are pretty good threats... longtime star outfielder Maxie Mullinax is back with the club... at age 41, he missed the last month with a bad back... however, first baseman Oscar Finch is out with a bad knee and will miss the Pro Cup Series... Finch is Turon's top batter in the playoffs with a .432 BA (16-37) and a first-class gloveman... highly-touted rookie Lorenzo Benitez will fill his spot in the lineup.
And just what has little ole Stoner got going for themselves?... just look at the batting averages for the playoffs so far: Billy Burbank (.553), Dwight Paulson (.444), Tony Thacker (.400), Koy Magruder (.394), Brayden Earwood (.353) and Lenny Clements (.314)... yep, 'nuff said... the Silver Sox can certainly hammer the old horsehide all over ye olde ballparks.
2072 IPA Pro Cup Series Outlook:
It will come down to Mulroy and Malek... if they can win three games between them, Turon has a chance... however, that's a tall order... one part of me says Stoner is just too much of an offensive juggernaut, but way down deep, I sense that Turon is always better than I think... Mulroy and Mullinax, money ballplayers, will lead the Typhoons to their 5th Pro Cup Trophy... the Silver Sox are bound to cool off at the plate and on the scoreboard and will have to wait until "that proverbial next year" for their first Pro Cup.
Cool, calm and talented Turon in 5 games over red-hot Stoner... the time has come for the Typhoons to win another Pro Cup Trophy... my gosh, it's been 54 years since they last won it... way, way, way back in 1918... the year of EC's birth... just kidding... EC is nowhere near that age. 