ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

Take the time to read all of the above post... IMO it is brilliant...yep, brilliant... that wireman was really something of a writer.

The Laseron Baseball Association was really special... one of a kind... IMHO it is the #1 OOTP dynasty of all-time.

[Eugene Church]

Friday, November 8, 2075

ROLLING HILLS WINS RECORD-SETTING 8TH PRO CUP... TOPPLES SLIGO IN 5 GAMES
Praised as one of the all-time great Islandian Pro Alliance teams, the Rolling Hills Racers rolled to its unprecedented 8th IPA Pro Cup Trophy... the Racers wrapped up the series in five games, knocklng off the Sligo Rovers four games to one... Rolling Hills triumphed 7-6 in 10 innings at home at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds... the closest club to the Racers is Turon... the Typhoons have captured 5 Pro Cups... four teams have won it four times: Southport, North Hills, Crystal Lake and Valmara... 30 teams have never won an IPA Pro Cup title... the Tycobbian Union has garnered it 43 times... the Ruthlandian Union 32 times.

2075 IPA Pro Cup Series Stars of the Day

[Eugene Church]

2075 IPA Pro Cup Series - Game 5

[Eugene Church]

2075 Islandian Pro Alliance Playoff Tree

[Eugene Church]

Friday, November 8, 2075

ROLLING HILLS SUTTON NAMED PRO CUP MVP FOR 2ND TIME
In a pretty close vote Rolling Hills left fielder Hugo Sutton was honored as the 2075 IPA Pro Cup Most Valuable Player... the 35-year-old Sutton outpolled teammates Emmett Splangler and Philip Bliss for the award... this was Sutton 11th appearance in the postseason playoffs... Sutton also collected the prestigious award in 2067 when the Racers last won the Pro Cup... he was a co-winner along with third baseman Teddy Stonich and pitcher Charley Clutterbuck.

This year in the playoffs Sutton participated in 19 games, went 30 for 78 at the plate for a .385 BA... he scored 16 runs, drove in 10 and stole 10 bases... Spangler was a very close second in the MVP poll... the 26-year-old rookie shortstop was 27 for 73, compiling a .370 BA with 2 homers, 10 RBIs and 19 runs scored... third in the balloting was 28-year-old second baseman Bliss, who wound up with a .321 BA (25 for 78) with 16 RBIs, 12 runs and 3 SBs.

[Eugene Church]

TOP SWINGERS IN THE IPA WIN IPA GOLDEN BAT HONORS
La Claire left fielder Charles Larson, a 6-year veteran, finished off his best season with the Tycobbian Union Golden Bat Award... it was Waleska rookie left fielder Rod Rheems that captured the Ruthlandian Union Golden Bat Trophy... both of them led the leagues in hitting and won the batting crowns.

Larson had a banner year for La Claire, participating in 149 games and batting .361 with 205 hits, 27 doubles, 3 triples, 17 home runs, 94 ribbies, 130 runs, 38 stolen bases and a .443 OBP... La Claire came in third to Rolling Hills in the TU West pennant race.

Larson outdistanced Virgil Welsh of Denton City and Hugo Sutton of Rolling Hills in Tycobbian MVP poll... Welsh played in 153 games, hit .324 with 192 hits, 32 homers, a league-leading 126 RBIs and scored 106 times... Welsh's Redbirds finished in fourth place in the TU West, 22 games behind the Racers.

Sutton had another super season at age 35, leading the Rolling Hills Racers back to the playoffs after a few years of absence... in 152 games he posted a .300 BA with 172 hits, led the league with 45 doubles, had 10 triples, 21 roundtrippers, 115 RBIs, scored 112 runs and stole 29 bases... Rolling Hills easily triumphed in the TU West by 9 games over the Chicopee Braves.

It was an astounding year for rookie Rod Rheems in the Ruthlandian Union... he topped the IPA with a .369 BA in 153 games and also paced the RU with 121 runs and 223 base hits, totaling 30 doubles, 10 triples, 24 homers, 116 RBIs and 32 stolen bases with a .426 OBP.

Second in Ruthlandian MVP balloting was Cold Creek's first sacker Dude Gurley... the Raccoons wound up 5th in the RU East race with a 73-81 mark, 24 games behind division champion Marston... Gurley, age 24 and in his third season, put up a .347 BA with 220 hits, 33 doubles, 4 triples, 35 homers, topped the RU with 133 RBIs and scored 104 times... he played in all 154 games.

Third in the poll was Crystal Lake's standout second baseman Sookie Murphy... the Skippers were the Pro Cup champion last year, but they were beaten out by 3 games in a close race by the Valka Blackhawks in the Ruthlandian South... Sookie has a strong season with a .335 BA in 129 games... he had 162 hits, 27 doubles, 4 triples, 24 home runs, drove in 89 runs, scored 96, stole 39 bases with a .428 OBP, while playing a solid outfield.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Saturday, November 9, 2075

IPA GOLDEN ARMS GIVEN TO SLIGO'S LONDON AND ARROYO GRANDE'S ORTEGA
According to baseball lore "good pitching is supposed to beat good hitting"... if that is the case the IPA Golden Arms may be the most important awards given out each season... I'm sure the IPA Golden Bat winners just might have another opinion and rightly so... pitching and hitting go together like love and marriage... you can't have one without the other... one thing for sure, Jeffrey London, a southpaw slinger for the Sligo Rovers and Tomaso Ortega, a left-handed flinger for the Arroyo Grande Suns are really good at their jobs... these two talented twirlers have been named as the Golden Arms of the 2075 season... London was the recipient of the Ruthlandian Union Golden Arm trophy and Ortega was honored as the Tycobbian Union Golden Arm winner... this was the first time the pitchers have received the award.

28-year-old Jeffrey London of the Sligo Rovers surely played a unique and important role in his team great success this season... he pitched in 77 games, starting and relieving, compiling a 17-7 overall record with 18 saves, winding up with a 3.01 ERA... London was special... he was involved in 35 of the Rovers' 101 wins this season, tops in the IPA... London just barely beat out his teammate Major Rowling for the award in a super close vote.

Rowling stood out this season with a flashy 19-4 mark in 31 starts... he topped the Ruthlandian Union with a superb 1.93 ERA, second best in the IPA... with two aces like this, no wonder Sligo won the Ruthlandian West pennant by 15 games over the runner-up Stoner Silver Sox.

Third in the RU Golden Arm poll was Crystal Lake's Lloyd Mason... the 26-year old righty posted an excellent 19-5 record with a 2.75 ERA... the Skippers were edged out for the RU South pennant by Valka by just 3 games... Crystal Lake was the defending Pro Cup champion.

There was also a close vote in the Tycobbian Union for the 2075 Golden Arm... it was really hard to choose between 27-year-old southpaw Tomaso Ortega (17-11/1.82 ERA), 28-year-old right-hander Cal Beeson (20-6/2.85 ERA) and 29-year-old right-handed Chipper Simpson (16-5/2.19 ERA)... Ortega led the entire IPA with a stellar 1.82 ERA... Beeson was the only 20-game winner in the Tycobbian Union... and Simpson (16-5/2.19 ERA) had a terrific season, too... many voters were worried by Ortega's 11 losses... Beeson won 20 games, but he had a 2.85 ERA, while Simpson stood out with a glittering 2.19 ERA.

Ortega got it because he did it in a hitter's ballpark in Arroyo Grande and for a 6th-place team (69-85)... Beeson helped Cape Coral come in third place in the TU South (84-70)... Simpson's Midway Wolves came in third in the TU East (81-73)... playing for better teams might have hurt Beeson and Simpson with the voters.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Sunday, November 10, 2075

IPA PICKS RHEAMES AND MCCLURE NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR
The top first-year performers in the Islandian Pro Alliance were Rod Rheems of the Waleska Westerners and Wade McClure of the Cape Coral Hurricanes... the 24-year-old Rheems was voted the Ruthlandian Union Rookie of the Year and 27-year-old McClure received the Tycobbian Union Rookie of the Year honor.

Rheems played left field and paced Waleska to a third-place finish in the Ruthlandian South Division... he had an astounding first season in the IPA, topping the Ruthlandian Union with a .369 BA, 122 runs and 223 hits in 153 games... Rheems also led the IPA in batting average... this season's 2075 Ruthlandian Rookie of the Year also had 30 doubles, 10 triples, 24 homers, 116 RBIs and stole 32 bases... Rheems was hands-down the best newcomer in the Ruthlandian Union... in fact, he was easily the top freshman in the Islandian Pro Alliance and one of the standout stars in the entire league... Rheems also won the Ruthlandian Union Most Valuable Player Award.

Belle Plaine first baseman Johnny Doolen was his biggest competition, but he ended up far behind Rheems in the voting... Doolen batted .281 in 145 games for the third-place Sugar Valley Rattlers... he totaled 152 hits with 27 doubles, 2 triples, 32 homers, 119 RBIs, 95 runs scored and stole 13 bases.

Third place in the ROY poll went to Clayton Cooley, left fielder for the San Dimas Rancheros in the RU South... his club wound up in the cellar, but Cooley starred with a .323 mark in 127 games with 25 homers, 144 hits, 74 RBIs and 86 runs scored.

The 2075 Tycobbian Union Rookie of the Year was Wade McClure of the Cape Coral Hurricanes... McClure led the 'Canes to the third spot in the TU South standings, putting up a .372 BA, which was the best in the IPA, but it was not enough at bats to qualify for the batting title... McClure only started 92 games at first base and collected 144 hits, along with 8 homers, 52 RBIs and scored 49 runs.

Winding up a very close second in the best rookie balloting was Denton City second sacker Pip Brewton, who helped the Redbirds come in fourth place in the Tycobbian West race... Brewton batted .331 with 171 hits in 135 games with 5 homers, 66 RBIs and 61 runs scored.

Third in the TU top rookie award poll was Midway hurler Chipper Simpson with a strong 16-5 record and 2.19 ERA in 30 starts... the Wolves came in third place in the TU East.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Monday, November 11, 2075

WALESKA ROOKIE RHEEMS, LA CLAIRE VET LARSEN ACCLAIMED IPA MVP
The two players that were the most important to their teams success in 2075 both came out of left field... literally... both were left fielders... the 2075 Ruthlandian Union Most Valuable Player was rookie Rod Rheems and the Tycobbian Union Most Valuable was Charles Larsen... Rheems, a rookie, played for the Waleska Westerners, while Larsen, a 7-year vet, played for the La Claire Lynx.

Rheems beat out Dude Gurley of the Cold Creek Raccoons and Jeffrey London of the Sligo Rovers for the RU Most Valuable Player trophy... Rheems had a colossal season at age 24... he also was named the best rookie in his league... Rheems led the RU with a .369 BA, 121 runs and 223 hits... he also drove in 116 runs, belted 24 homers and stole 32 bases, while participating in 153 games... his Westerners came in third place in the RU South race, finishing 12 games behind first place Valka and runner-up Crystal Lake.

Gurley played first base for Cold Creek and topped the Ruthlandian Union with 133 RBIs in 154 games, while batting .347 at the plate... he also scored 104 runs and slammed 35 out of the park for the 5th-place Raccoons.

Third in the Ruthlandian MVP poll was Sligo closer Jeffrey London, this year's RU Golden Arm Award winner... he was one of the vital elements in the Rovers' great 101-54 season, easily leading them to the RU West pennant by 15 games over the Stoner Silver Sox... London was also valuable as a parttime starter, posting a 17-7 mark with a 3.01 ERA and also saving 18 games... he appeared in 77 games for Sligo, striking out 208 batters in 209 innings.

Charles Larsen, the Tycobbian Union Most Valuable Player, sparked the La Claire Lynx to a fine 90-64 season, good for third place in the TU West Division, but 10 games behind the Rolling Hills Racers, who won the IPA Pro Cup this year... the 29-year-old Larsen was the TU batting champion with a .361 BA, topped in the IPA only by Rod Rheems in the RU with a .369 BA... Larsen scored 130 runs, batted in 94, stole 38 bases and swatted 17 roundtrippers... he also had the best OBP in the IPA at .443.

The runner-up to Larsen in the Tycobbian MVP balloting was Virgil Welsh, first sacker for the Denton City Redbirds... Welsh excelled by leading the league with 126 RBIs in 153 games, while batting a strong .324 with 32 homers and scoring 106 runs... Denton City wound up with an 85-69 record and ended up 15 games behind the TU West champion Rolling Hills.

Cape Coral right-hander Cal Beeson, a 20-game winner, ended up number three in the Tycobbian MVP race... in 32 starts he was 20-6 with an impressive 2.85 ERA... the Hurricanes (84-70) came in tied for third place in the TU South, 16 games back of the pennant-winning Turon Typhoons (100-54).

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Tuesday, November 12, 2075

IPA PRESENTS BEST SKIPPER AWARDS... CHRISTIANSON VOTED TOP TU MANAGER FOR 7TH TIME... SKIPPMAN WON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE RUTHLANDIAN UNION
It was a dazzling year for Billy Christianson and Bert Skippman... they led their teams to standout seasons and were voted the top skippers in the IPA... Christianson of the Rolling Hills Racers was honored for the 7th time... it was the first time that Skippman of the Ranford Bulls has been the recipient of the award... both have been around for quite a few campaigns... Christianson took over the Racers, then the Reds, in 2052 and Skippman has had the reins of the Bulls since 2059.

Christianson is the 2075 Tycobbian Union Manager of the Year... his Racers improved from 84-70 in '74 to 100-54 this season in the TU West Division... in fact, Rolling Hills also won their record-setting 8th Pro Cup Trophy this year, defeating the Sligo Rovers in 5 games... this is his 5th time to lead the Racers to the overall IPA crown... he also won two as a player and was inducted into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2049... Christianson bested Turon skipper Nate Scottsdale for the honor... the Typhoons went from 4th place (82-72) to a sparkling 100-54 and the TU South pennant... both teams won by lopsided totals... Rolling Hills defeated Chicopee by 9 games and Turon topped Southport by 15 games... they were the only votegetters in the RU best-manager poll.

It took Skippman a few years to get the Ranford Bulls at the top of the heap in the Ruthlandian North again... Skippman came into the IPA from the collegiate ranks where he had dominated for years, winning many national titles... he won the pennant in his second pro season in 2060, but it's been tough since then with only 6 first-division finishes since... 4 times Ranford came in third and 2 times in the fourth spot in the standings... the Bulls were sixth (74-80) in '74, but jumped to 97-57 this year and ran away with the RU North crown by a whopping 12 games over second place Far Mountain (85-69).

The RU top manager poll was hotly-contested... Valka's Matvey Kazak, Marston's Russ Woodward and Sligo's Les Patterson also had excellent seasons... Kazak beat out defending Pro Cup champion Crystal Lake for the RU South title, going from 89-65 to 92-62 to edge out the Skippers (89-65) by 3 games... Woodward lifted his Marston Nine from 5th place (80-74) to first place (97-57) this season to gain the RU East pennant over runner-up Wynnamac by 9 games... and last, but certainly not least, was Patterson, who led his Rovers to a marvelous year... Sligo improved from 4th place (76-78) to first place (101-53), leading the IPA in victories and making shambles of the RU West, winning it by 15 games over Stoner... this was his final season at age 85... he spent 41 years with Sligo as a Hall-of-Fame player and manager... Patterson and his Rovers went all the way to the Pro Cup Finals this year, but were beaten by Christianson and his Rolling Hills Racers in 5 games.

[Eugene Church]

IPA REWARDS TOP DEFENDERS FOR 2075
A strong defense can often be the difference between winning and losing... this year's Ruthlandian Union Golden Glove team and Tycobbian Union Golden Glove team provided superb defense all season long... only two former Golden Glove winners made the squads this year... both were on the Ruthlandian Union... Claxton third sacker Andrew Woolfolk made it for the fifth time and Ranford right fielder Deke Cronin was honored for the third time in his career... all of the TU Golden Glovers were first-time winners.

Ruthlandian Union Golden Glove Team

Pitcher: Jayce Randall (Marston Nine) (1.000 FA) (15-6/3.91 ERA/27 games)
Catcher: Darrin Chitwood (Cold Creek Raccoons) (.992 FA) (.312 BA/134 games)
First Baseman: Morgan Maddux (Belle Plaine Musketeers) (.997 FA) (.241 BA/147 games)
Second Baseman: Jason Malone (Ranford Bulls) (.988 FA) (.284 BA/144 games)
Third Baseman: Andrew Woolfolk (Claxton Diamonds) (.983 FA) (.252 BA/151 games) (5-time Golden Glove)
Shortstop: Maury Kellerman (Beechwood Jackrabbits) (.986 FA) (.268 BA/150 games)
Left Fielder: Daron Blankenship (Sugar Valley Rattlers) (.990 FA) (.298 BA/143 games)
Center Fielder: Marcellus Ainslie (Taranto Tars) (.993 FA) (.252 BA/149 games)
Right Fielder: Deke Cronin (Ranford Bulls) (.985 FA) (.260 BA/147 games) (3-time Golden Glove)

Tycobbian Union Golden Glove Team

Pitcher: Duncan Shilling (Tuckanarra Tiger Cats) (1.000 FA) (11-7/3.38 ERA/31 games)
Catcher: Liam McWhirter (La Claire Lynx) (.987 FA) (.278 BA/120 games)
First Baseman: Denny Schlesinger (White River Rascals) (.995 FA) (.263 BA/145 games)
Second Baseman: Philip Bliss (Rolling Hills) (.992 FA) (.324 BA/149 games)
Third Baseman: Patrick Packenham (South Fork Stallions) (.964 FA) (.319 BA/149 games)
Shortstop: Jaan Kask (Colchester Elites) (.979 FA) (.272 BA/152 games)
Left Fielder: Marion Morrison (South Fork Stallions) (.985 FA) (.250 BA/151 games)
Center Fielder: Kurt Guilbeau (Summerland Sunsets) (.997 FA) (.308 BA/143 games)
Right Fielder: Matt Chizek (Ozarka Naturals) (.975 FA) (.271 BA/146 games)

[Eugene Church]

Well, that wraps up the 75th season of the Islandian Pro Alliance.
I had mixed emotions about the Pro Cup Series... sorta wish 84-year-old Les Patterson had won it in his final season as the Sligo skipper... also wanted the Rolling Hills to win, too... it would good to see Hugo Sutton have such a good year at age 35... I hope he retires soon... I don't want to see him "fall off the cliff and decline to old-age mediocrity".

It was a really good season... I enjoyed it muchly.... hope you did, too.

Beginning in the new season of 2076, I will let the AI handle everything... I will no longer create free agents... it just takes too much time... hope the annual draft will give me enough decent rookie talents that can win a few spots as regulars and have respectable stats.

We'll see what happens.

A special thanks to all of you who regularly read this dynasty report... hope I can make it to 100 seasons one of these days.

[Eugene Church]

I hope to get a few updates on the team logos, jerseys and caps.
If any of you are skilled in graphics, check the Mods Forum for my IPA thread... will post the request there soon... it has been hard to get any special requests done on the Mods Forum in the last few years.

I will give it one more try... it would be nice to have the league graphics looking real good the final 25 seasons.

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

I'll give several teams at least one try apiece just as soon as I can, if I can, EC. Hillsboro may be a bit difficult with the new logo or logos you made, or the used font, but maybe I can do something nice for you, just the same, for instance. Also, maybe another font for Hillsboro would be better, though, that I have available to me now, just so you know. CD out.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Clovidequano Dovatha

I'll give several teams at least one try apiece just as soon as I can, if I can, EC. Hillsboro may be a bit difficult with the new logo or logos you made, or the used font, but maybe I can do something nice for you, just the same, for instance. Also, maybe another font for Hillsboro would be better, though, that I have available to me now, just so you know. CD out.

I will appreciate whatever you do for me, CD... your graphics have certainly improved in the last year since you have begun to make them in the traditional styles and colors.

Look forward to what you create for the IPA... just be sure to follow my instructions and use my colors.

[Dark Horse]

Thanks for the walk down LBA memory lane. Those were fun times. And that league had some great owners.

i've been really busy so i haven't been able to keep up. i'm surprised to see Rolling Hills back on top. It looks like they never bottomed out. They just reloaded?