ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[jg2977]

It will be interesting to see how the Pro Cup favorite Turon fairs without their leadoff man. Losing him is a big blow. They survived Game 1, let's see what happens going forward.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by jg2977

It will be interesting to see how the Pro Cup favorite Turon fairs without their leadoff man. Losing him is a big blow. They survived Game 1, let's see what happens going forward.

Yep, on first thought, I agree with you... leadoff man and centerfielder Eliott Carleton... his bat, speed and defense will be missed.... but his replacement in CF, Robert Hazle, the regular RF, is just about as good as a defender, also has good speed, but much more power at the plate... RF Corky Apple is actually the replacement... he is a career .309 hitter, more power than Carleton, can steal bases well, but is not as good with the glove... he lost his regular outfield spot 2 years ago and has played backup since... Apple is a 2-time All-Star (2072-2073).

It would be better to have Carleton in the lineup and Apple on the bench for depth, backup and pinch hitting.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA
2021 Pro Cup Series

The Islandian Times
Monday, September 20, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Begins Tomorrow, Ozarka Favored
The mighty Ozarka Naturals of the Tycobbian Union have made the long, hard trip to the IPA Pro Cup Finals five times in its history and have never won one. This year the baseball experts are predicting that they will finally be victorious. The Nats won 106 games and lost only 48 this year, falling short of the all-time IPA mark by just one victory. Colfax of the RU won 107 games in 2010 and also copped the Pro Cup. Ruthlandia has prevailed 12 times in the Pro Cup, while Tycobbia has taken it on 8 occasions. Last year's champion Crystal Lake finished third to Grand City in the RU South and will not get a chance to repeat. The surprising Crushers won over heavily-favored Ozarka in 5 games last season.

The Sligo Rovers had a sensational season with a 100-54 record and they are favored to take the Ruthlandian Union and be matched up with powerful Ozarka in the Pro Cup Finals. The baseball prognosticators are slightly favoring Ozarka because they are better offensively than the Rovers and have superior defense. Both clubs have truly outstanding pitching.

From spring training to the last out of the regular season, it has been the goal of every GM, team, manager and player to reach the Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs. They all aspire to win baseball's Holy Grail, the Pro Cup Series title. Now, for the 8 division winners, the first step of that journey begins in earnest with the Elite 8 Series starting tomorrow afternoon. All postseason series are best-of-seven series.

In the Ruthlandian Union the Sligo Rovers will play host to the Sugar Valley Rattlers at Silver Mountain Park and the Grand City Cybercats will tangle with the Ancona Red Elephants at Jay Loman Park in Ancona. Over in the Tycobbian Union, the Ozarka Naturals will be at home at Ellie Ewing Stadium against the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers and the White River Rascals will be on the road at Capet Stadium, playing the Arroyo Grande Suns.

Tale of the Tape:

1. Ozarka Naturals (106-48) - TU
.285 BA (1st)
815 runs (4th)
158 HR (10th)
2.95 ERA (1st)
.976 FA (4th)
Home 53-24
Away 53-24

2. Sligo Rovers (100-54) - RU
.265 BA (6th)
798 runs (2nd)
148 HR (8th)
2.90 ERA (1st)
.970 FA (20th-tied)
Home 52-25
Away 48-29

3. Arroyo Grande Suns (97-57) - TU
.269 BA (4th)
818 runs (3rd)
200 HR (2nd)
3.63 ERA (8th)
.972 (12th)
Home 52-22
Away 42-35

4. Ancona Red Elephants (91-63) - RU
.269 BA (3rd)
779 runs (4th)
156 HR (5th)
3.51 ERA (12th)
.975 FA (5th)
Home 51-26
Away 40-37

5. Sugar Valley Rattlers (93-61) - RU
.258 BA (12th)
780 runs (3rd)
203 HR (1st)
3.68 ERA (16th)
.970 (20th-tied)
Home 47-30
Away 46-31

6. Bay St. Clair Buccaneers (92-62) - TU
.273 BA (3rd)
885 runs (1st)
150 HR (12th-tied)
4.04 ERA (19th)
.970 (20th-tied)
Home 46-31
Away 46-31

7. Grand City Cybercats (90-64) - RU
.265 BA (4th)
755 runs (6th)
101 HR (25th-tied)
3.59 ERA (13th)
.976 FA (2nd-tied)
Home 45-32
Away 45-32

8. White River Rascals (81-73) - TU
.264 BA (8th)
782 runs (7th-tied)
163 HR (6th)
4.17 ERA (26th)
.970 FA (24th-tied)
Home 39-38
Away 42-35

[jg2977]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Yep, on first thought, I agree with you... leadoff man and centerfielder Eliott Carleton... his bat, speed and defense will be missed.... but his replacement in CF, Robert Hazle, the regular RF, is just about as good as a defender, also has good speed, but much more power at the plate... RF Corky Apple is actually the replacement... he is a career .309 hitter, more power than Carleton, can steal bases well, but is not as good with the glove... he lost his regular outfield spot 2 years ago and has played backup since... Apple is a 2-time All-Star (2072-2073).

It would be better to have Carleton in the lineup and Apple on the bench for depth, backup and pinch hitting.

I love that name, Corky Apple. That's one I'll have to use in my league!

[Eugene Church]

Map of Islandia

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Times
Tuesday, September 21, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Rattlers Rattle Rovers, McConnell Blanks 'Em
The Sugar Valley Rattlers knocked off Sligo 4-0 behind the strong shutout pitching of Benny McConnell in game one of the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series, played in Sligo at Silver Mountain Park... 26-game winner McConnell halted the Rovers on 5 hits, fanned 5 and walked 2, going all the way to beat Les Patterson, the IPA ERA leader... the Rattlers rattled Patterson (0-1) for 12 hits and 4 runs in 8 innings... he struck out 8, but walked 5 in a lackluster outing... SS Jack Sanderson and 2B Glenn Christian paced Sugar Valley with 3 hits each... 1B Ralph Cole doubled in 2 runs... 3B Eddie Newman tripled in one and CF Randall Hawson singled in the other one for the winners.

Ancona Slips By Cybercats 4-3 In Opener
At home at Jay Loman Park, the Ancona Red Elephants fought back from 2-0 and and 3-2 deficits to slip past Grand City 4-3 in the opening game of the RU Elite 8 Series... Ancona won it in the last of the eight on a passed ball by C Woodrow Mason... two singles by LF Kenny Willard and 1B Aleksos Kotas put runners on second and third... Willard scored the winning run from third on the miscue... Clete Dukas (1-0) gritted out 8 innings for the win, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits... in the ninth Lynwood Marshall retired the side in order for the save... Jimbo Stearns (0-1) went the distance, giving up 3 earned runs on 10 hits... he totaled 4 Ks and walked one... 3B Jug Slavin gave Grand City the lead in the third on a two-run clout... only to be matched by Kotas in the bottom of the frame... LF Lee Barrett gave the Cybercats the lead again in the seventh with an RBI single... 3B Dave Hoover's triple and Dukas' sac fly knotted it up again in the last of the seventh... Kotas paced the Red Elephants with 3-4 and 2 RBIs and Willard went 2-3 and scored twice... Slavin led Grand City with a pair of hits and 2 runs batted in.

Tycobbian Union

Rascals Nip Suns 3-2 In 10 Innings
The underdog White River Rascals stole a 3-2 game from the highly-favored Arroyo Grande Suns at Capet Stadium in the first game of the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 Series... the Rascals only got 2 hits in the game... In the decisive tenth 2B Vinny Ulrich worked a walk off Sun closer and loser Jason Patrick (0-1) to lead off the frame... pinchrunner Doug Patterson was sacrificed to second and then stole third and rode home with winning run when SS Andy Pearson booted a groundball... White River starter Ron Hendrix (1-0) hurled a fine game, holding the hard-hitting Suns to 2 runs on 6 hits in 9 innings with 7 strikeouts and 3 walks... Arnie Montel saved the win for Hendrix with a scoreless tenth... Arroyo Grande's starter Sixto Zamora was also outstanding, yielding only 2 hits and 2 runs, while working 9 innings... Zamora struck out 10 and issued 3 walks.

1B Amos Dunston's homer gave the Rascals a 2-0 edge in the second inning and it held up until the Suns finally scored on a Zamora sacrifice fly in the seventh frame, cutting the lead to one run... Arroyo Grande evened it up in the last of the eight 2-2 on a double by Pearson and a triple by CF Johnny Whittier... Pearson led the losers with 3 hits in 5 appearances, 2 of them doubles.

Bucs Stun Nats On Fraser's Grand Slam
Uh Oh! The arch-nemesis Bay St. Clair Buccaneers are at it again, giving the Pro Cup favorites a hard time... in game one of the TU Elite 8, the Bucs stunned the Ozarka Naturals on the road at Ellie Ewing Stadium 6-1... Bobby Joe Belvin's strong pitching and C Teddy Fraser's 4-run blast in the top of the eighth sent the Nats down to defeat... Belvin went all the way and held powerful Ozarka to just one run on 7 hits... Belvin walked only one and fanned 4... the Bucs tagged losing pitcher Benny Osterman (0-1) for 6 runs and 10 hits in his 7+ innings... Bay St. Clair only held a precarious 2-1 lead going into the fateful inning... Fraser's grand slam gave Belvin plenty of breathing room.

[Eugene Church]

Monday, October 4, 2077

FORT BENTON, VALKA, SOUTH FORK, TURON SWEEP FIRST TWO GAMES IN IPA PLAYOFFS
Four Pro Cup aspirants would like nothing better than to sweep their series in the Islandian Pro Alliance first-round playoffs, but that it much easier said than done... however, Fort Benton, Valka, South Fork and Turon will still
be trying to wrap up their series in quick fashion.

In the Ruthlandian Union Fort Benton has surprised favored Kilkenny with a 2-0 edge... the Defenders won 6-3 in 12 innings for its second straight win... the Valka Blackhawks nudged the Elnora Clippers 1-0 in 10 innings to
go up 2-0... over in the Tycobbian Union South Fork again defeated the La Claire Lynx 6-3... and Pro Cup favorite Turon took its second in a row over the Hartsdale Hellcats in a tense 7-6 cliffhanger.

2077 IPA First-Round Stars of the Day

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[jg2977]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Attachment 933133
Attachment 933134
Attachment 933135

Looking at the headline, I thought that Barry Bonds was back in San Francisco!

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by jg2977

Looking at the headline, I thought that Barry Bonds was back in San Francisco!

Good observation... sorry, I can't claim credit for that... it was just accidental.

[Eugene Church]

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

The Islandian Times
Wednesday, September 22, 2021

2021 IPA Pro Cup Playoffs - Elite 8 Series

Ruthlandian Union

Rattlers Whip Rovers Again, Up 2-0 In Series
Sugar Valley starter Nick Moore shut out Sligo for 7 innings and the Rattlers put up a 3-0 lead, enabling them to whip the Rovers 5-2 in game two of the RU Elite 8 Series and go up two games to none in the best-of-seven series... Moore (1-0) stopped Sligo on 6 hits for the win... three relievers finished the Rovers off, but did give up single runs in the eighth and ninth... both teams picked up 7 hits apiece... CF Randall Hawson opened up the scoring for Sugar Valley with a 2-run shot in the fourth frame and RF Terry Goudeau made it 3-0 with a solo homer in the sixth... 1B Ralph Cole drove in the final Rattler runs in the ninth with a 2-run single... Sligo got its first run scored on a wild pitch in the eighth and SS Vic Carlin's ninth-inning home run... Ralph Odakota (0-1) suffered the loss, going the distance and permitting 5 runs and 7 hits.

Cybercats Bomb Ancona 7-4, Series Even
Grand City CF Lee Barrett was a one-man wrecking crew with 2 homers and 4 RBIs in the Cybercaps 7-4 thrashing of Ancona in the second game of the RU Elite 8 Series... the two clubs are now tied at one game each... the Cybercats had to come back from a 4-1 deficit after the first three innings... starter Clint Brewer (1-0) notched the victory by working 5 innings... he was tagged for 4 runs on 6 hits... Paul McBride and Ralph Teague both hurled two scoreless frames to protect the win... Teague got the save... Ancona starter Bud Garner was the losing pitcher... he was hit hard for 6 runs and 8 hits in his 7 innings... Grand City got 11 hits and were led by Barrett and RF Nick Baldini with 2 hits each... Baldini also went deep in the fourth... the Red Elephants were paced by 1B Alekos Kotas and CF Terry Thorsen... they each slammed a solo home run.

Tycobbian Union

O'Reilly Shackles Rascals 3-0, Suns Knot Series
On a warm and rainy day in Arroyo Grande, Earl O'Reilly and two relievers blanked White River 3-0 on 3 hits to knot the TU Elite 8 at a game each... O'Reilly went 7 innings, whiffed 8 batters, walked 3 and gave up the 3 hits... Jason Patrick and Steve Sampson each worked a perfect inning to close it out... Sampson got the save... the loss went to Joe Hudson (0-1), who surrendered 3 runs and 5 hits in 6+ frames... LF Eduardo Villanueva plated the first Sun run with a single in the bottom of the third... Arroyo Grande added to it with 2 runs in the sixth on RF Buddy Bechtel's solo homer and SS Andy Pearson's bunt single and 1B Sherm Miles triple.

Ozarka Outslugs BSC 10-7, Evens Series
The Ozarka Naturals unleashed a 15-hit barrage and outslugged Bay St. Clair 10-7 in game two of the TU Elite 8... the Nats busted up a 7-7 tie with 3 runs in the last of the eighth on RF Ken Mayberry's RBI single and CF Ryoma Nakayama's 2-run hit... Mayberry led Ozarka with 4 hits, while Nakayama, 3B Andre Dumas and C Frank Kiffin drove in 3 runs apiece... Nakayama, Dumas and Kiffin each homered... CF Bill Howell went 3-5 and scored twice to top the Bucs... LF Florent Schoonmaker drove in a pair of runs... Nats reliever Wayne Gates (1-0) got the win with the defeat going to Buccaneer reliever Steve Richt (0-1)... Gates, Al Chylak and Dennis Purcell were the only effective pitchers for Ozarka... they blanked Bay St. Clair the last two innings.

[Dark Horse]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

You know, one of these days I may just create one dynasty league to concentrate on... I would take all the lessons I have learned over the years and create my perfect league... I would keep the league's complete history, including games scores and box scores... I would use the archives to do this ... I never should have stop keeping the Islandian Pro Alliance archives like I did for 70 years or so... EC really regrets that... it would be nice to go back and look at each season on occasion... also to do research about the league to make the dynasty report better.

This Perfect League would be a small league... 16 teams would enable me to cover them and get to know each team the way I used to as a kid in the 1950s, when I knew every starting lineup and pitching staff in the Major Leagues... (it would be really hard to cut down to that few teams... because I will lose some of my favorite fictional teams)... it would be fictional...with great graphics, of course... you might see some of the teams from the IPA and the South Island League, plus some new additions... I would try to find teams that have been created by txranger, knuckler, low, Lawn Loaf and other skilled graphics gurus.

I might even try to get permission to use some of the Laseron Baseball Association teams, if I can locate them... (LBA participants, Dark Horse and Portlander are still around, I think)... I doubt if anyone has the jerseys and the caps any longer... I may have to get someone to recreate them for me... I will investigate getting some local graphics company in my hometown to create them... even if it cost me a little bit of money... this will be my Perfect League... it would be worth every cent.

My perfect league would be a short season... 50-70 games at most.

I would be able to become completely immersed in my Perfect League... at least in theory and in my aspirations and expectations.

That's my ultimate OOTP Dream League.

Maybe that Dream League will come true... soon.

Maybe I could enlist knuckler, txanger, low, Lawn Loaf. No Pepper, silvam14,cephasjames and some of the other great graphics people to be involved in my Perfect League.

Yep, may EC's Perfect League just might be possible.

Hey EC,

i'm still around. RL has kept me busy. (Please say a prayer.) You should drop your thoughts about using the LBA teams in a dynasty on their discord. We have the logos floating around. But, i think the league ended before OOTP started letting us make uniforms. If the guys there don't mind. i can send you what i have. i'm sure the guys on Mods can make some unis for the teams.

Meanwhile, i'm trying to catch up with your dynasty. i am really enjoying your end-of-the-season write-ups for each team. Sligo is batting their pitcher 8th? i found a new team to follow. Anyway, i hope i can catch up before the playoffs are over. i wonder how Turon will do...

[Eugene Church]

Yep, Dark Horse, Turon is the creme de la creme of the IPA this year... they pitch well, hit well... have a good staff, both starters and bullpen... defense is only average (.975 FA)... the Typhoons are the best on paper.

Turon has two All-Star pitchers... plus a solid and reliable #3... most teams have 2 strong pitchers at most.

But it's tough to win 3 series against good teams.

I picked them to win the Pro Cup... I thought Kilkenny would be the Ruthlandian champ, but the Valka Blackhawks are looking good, too.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

Hey EC,

i'm still around. RL has kept me busy. (Please say a prayer.) You should drop your thoughts about using the LBA teams in a dynasty on their discord. We have the logos floating around. But, i think the league ended before OOTP started letting us make uniforms. If the guys there don't mind. i can send you what i have. i'm sure the guys on Mods can make some unis for the teams.

Meanwhile, i'm trying to catch up with your dynasty. i am really enjoying your end-of-the-season write-ups for each team. Sligo is batting their pitcher 8th? i found a new team to follow. Anyway, i hope i can catch up before the playoffs are over. i wonder how Turon will do...

Dark Horse, you will be at the top of my prayer list... hope all turns out well for you.

As far as the Laseron Baseball Association... all I want is approval from you guys to just use several of the team names in my final and ultimate Dynasty League... I will try to get the logos, jerseys and caps done on the OOTP Mods Forum by the best of the best of the graphics gurus..

I plan on using only 2 or 3 of the team names and nicknames.

My other teams in my Ultimate Dynasty will be some of my favorite teams that I have used over the years here on the OOTP Forums... I plan to create 2-3 new teams chosen from the OOTP Mods Forum... I plan to use their graphics... one thing for sure my Ultimate Dynasty will have good logos, jerseys and caps.

Let me know if the LBA guys have any objection to me using a few of the teams... I understand if they don't want anyone else to use them... it is a very special league and needs to be treated with the greatest respect.

The Laseron Baseball Association and DreamTeams' Metro League are arguably the "Granddaddies of OOTP Dynasties".... just my opinion, of course.

[Eugene Church]

Wednesday, October 6, 2077

BROOM TIME FOR TURON AND SOUTH FORK IN TU... OVER IN RU KILKENNY AND ELNORA TRAIL 2-1, BUT STILL IN THE GAME
Pro Cup favorite Turon and South Fork made a huge leap forward in the Tycobbian First Round with their 3rd straight victories... they are now in very good position to sweep their series... in the Ruthlandian First Round Kilkenny and Elnora slowed red-hot Fort Benton and Valka down and got back into the series after losing the first two games of the best-of-seven affairs

The Turon Typhoons just barely beat the Hartsdale Hellcats 2-1 to go ahead three games to none... the South Fork Stallions had to go 10 innings to get passed the La Claire Lynx... one more win for Turon and South Fork and they will advance to the TU Title Series opposing each other.

The Kilkenny Cats narrowed Fort Benton's lead to two games to one... the Cats got some solid pitching and tripped the Defenders 5-3... it was a slugfest in Elnora where the Clippers outgunned the Valka Blackhawks 14-7... Valka still had a 2-1 edge over Elnora.

2070 IPA First Round Series Stars of the Day - Game 3


Tycobbian Union