ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

7th Place


It's been three decades since the Fairfax Frogs graced the IPA playoffs... the Croakers won pennants in '32 and '33... 8 times they have participated in the postseason with no Pro Cups to show for it... the current edition hits very well for average with a .277 BA (5th)... they score very well with 760 runs (7th) and possess fair firepower with 100 roundtrippers (24th)... but the pitching is awful with a 4.81 ERA... the Frogs handle the gloves pretty well with a .977 FA... top bats belong to All-Star 2B Butch Longman, All-Star catcher Otto Piper, Wyatt Clausen, Rory Sutcliffe and Ron Travis... starters are not very good... the best of the lot are Jazzy Dutton and Claude Elliott... closer Val Jackson is decent in the bullpen.

[Eugene Church]

8th Place


The White River Rascals have recently fallen on hard times in the Tycobbian North... they tumble to dead last this season, 30 GB... the last good season was 7 years ago... the Rascals won 7 division flags in 9 seasons from '48 to '56... 11 times they have made the postseason playoffs, but never won the Pro Cup... however they made the IPA Finals in '49, '50 and '55.

This year's White River club has average bats, scoring and longball power... pitching is bad... fielding is very good with a .978 FA... club leader is 35-year-old and 15-year veteran star CF Pudge Tate, helped out by youngsters Dick Robinson and platoon first baseman Clarence Desaix... Wes Chadwick is just about the only dependable starter... in the bullpen Ringo Lanier is a fair closer.

[Eugene Church]

Many thanks for the support you give the Islandian Pro Alliance.

Views have jumped up recently... the record day is 574 views set a couple of years ago... today there were 541.

An average day is about 250 to 275 views.

Really appreciate all of you.

[Eugene Church]

1st Place


2062 Final Tycobbian East Standings


MUSTANGS RACE AWAY WITH TU EAST
They were picked to finish fourth in the Tycobbian East Division... however, the High Mesa Mustangs didn't pay much attention to the press, they just went out and won the pennant, beating out South Fork by 3 games, Tuckanarra by 5 and longtime power Midway by 10 games... the Mustangs took the top spot after the first month of play and never relinguished it... High Mesa built the lead up to 8 games going into August, then held off late surges from the Stallions and Tiger Cats.

High Mesa's success formula was strong pitching, stout defense and home runs -- and it did the job... nobody in the IPA came close to matching the Mustangs' mound staff and its 2.85 ERA... they were also tops in roundtrippers with 192 (1st)... also right up there with the top defensive teams with a .981 FA... High Mesa has not had a lot of success over the years in the IPA... this will just be their fifth postseason appearance... the Mustangs will be in the market for a second Pro Cup trophy... it's been awhile since the first one came in the very first Pro Cup Series... the most recent TU East division title was in 2059.

High Mesa is loaded with quality pitchers... starters are All-Star Weldon Herrington, All-Star Robby Numbers, Alex Crabtree, Mickey Madison and Bucky Dodge... they have a fine closer in the bullpen Sandy Stevenson... and while they don't hit much for average, the Mustangs can score runs with the likes of All-Star 3B Kagetoki Miyazaki and Roy Roberts.

[Eugene Church]

2nd Place


Like High Mesa, the South Fork Stallions had a very good year... all ups, no downs... great pitching, especially starters with solid bullpen... good scoring with modest power... but just average with the gloves (.974 FA)... picked for third place, the Hosses did a little better... they almost caught the Mustangs by season's end... South Fork last won the TU East in '60... have been to the playoffs only 7 times... but have captured 2 Pro Cups (2025, 2042).

Just look at their five starters: Herm McClanahan, Emmett Coogan, Rex Waller, Tris Desselle and All-Star Benito Banuelos... ERAs are all way below 3.00... bullpen could be better... Banuelos' promotion to starter could hurt them quite a bit... top run producers in the batting order are Bob Purkey, Rudy Maroney and Rudy Gatlin.

[Eugene Church]

3rd Place


The first half of the year did not go well for the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats, but they really came alive in the final two months... by August they trailed High Mesa by 15 and a half games... then everything began to click... the Tucks were 37-17 the final two months of the season... they almost caught the Mustangs in a stirring finish, cutting their lead down to just one and a half games in mid September... Tuckanarra did not play well down-the-stretch, only going 3-7 the last days of the season, while High Mesa was 6-4.

Historically, Tuckanarra has been one of the most successful franchises in IPA history... 18 playoff appearances with 3 Pro Cups (2023, 2024, 2035)... the Tucks have contended lately, but have not won the TU East title since '49.

The current edition of Tiger Cats thrive on their prime pitchers: ace Ian Timms, Mick Dooley, Ward Hamlin and Justin Shank... the bullpen is pretty good overall with good depth... defense is just a little bit above average (.976 FA)… Boomer Carlton and Odell Overstreet carry the club offensively... they do score adequately and they hit some homers out of the park... after the great second-half surge, Tuckanarra is really looking forward to next season.

[Eugene Church]

4th Place


The Midway Wolves have been the alpha team in the Tycobbian East for the last decade, but not this year... the Middies just did not hit well... team BA fell from .273 to just .249 this year... but the pitching, somewhat dubious in past years, improved... Midway dropped to fourth place this season, winding up 10 games behind division leader, High Mesa... the Wolves were the preseason choice in the polls... Midway was solid and close until midyear when they faded out of the race.

Even the Midway superstars Norishige Ito and Daryl Vale had down years, relatively speaking... both made the All-Star team, but their numbers were down sufficiently... Ito is 35, while Vale is 29... but they had no help this year with the offensive load... but there was a bright spot -- the mound staff -- with a fine 3.39 ERA... much improved over recent years... Steve Swannick, Tino Monarrez and Ezra Wilcox were a fine threesome in the rotation... closer Phil Bellamy gave them quality innings in the bullpen... the Wolves were one of the best defenses with a standout .982 FA.

The Middies chalked up six TU East pennants in the last 10 years and have won 2 Pro Cups (2053, 2054)... overall in the club's history they have 9 division titles.

[Eugene Church]

5th Place



The downtrodden Ozarka Naturals were picked to finish last again in the Tycobbian East race, but they surprised and had a winning season and came in fifth in the standings, 14 games out in the pennant race... the Nats were only 5 games out at midseason... they did it with good starting pitching (3.61 ERA) and an excellent bullpen (2.72 ERA)… plus excellent defense with a .981 FA... offensively, Ozarka was severely lacking... hit only .244 (27th) with 573 runs (29th) and just 83 home runs (31st)... the club offensive leaders only had modest numbers... the best of the lot was rookie Luke Conlan and Kev McKinley... heading up the starting rotation were Jordy Alberstadt and Ronnie Belzer... Willis Reece, Tommy May and Jim Pippin were dependable, too... Ezra Wilcox did well in the closer spot and as a spot starter.

Years ago Ozarka had great success... from 2003 to 2021 the Naturals made the playoffs 13 times... 5 times they reached the Pro Cup Finals, but lost each time... the Nats haven't won a pennant in over two decades... the last one came in 2040... only 4 times since has Ozarka had a winning record.

[Eugene Church]

6th Place


The Red Bluff Red Sox won the Pro Cup in 2057, but they have been on a slow downward trend since, culminating with a sixth place finish this year... the Sox no longer carry the big stick they used to possess... they batted a pathetic .226 this season (32nd)... home runs, a longtime staple, have plummeted to just 121 (17th)... and runs are scarce with only 552 (31st)... luckily, the pitching is pretty darn good with a 3.40 ERA (7th)... Red Bluff has a solid starting five in Wilson Sharpe, Ricky Lambert, Dontrelle Gilbreath, Delroy Loggins and Ben Laughlin... Sharpe and Lambert were a big part of the '57 IPA Pro Cup champion... Gilbreath was also on the staff in a modest role... no threats in the batting order... Paul Gaddison and Odis Keener were only fair run producers.

The Red Sox have not had a lot of success down through the years... only participated in the postseason playoffs on 9 occasions, but they do have 2 Pro Cup trophies (2004, 2057)... but most of the time Red Bluff has posted a winning record.

[Eugene Church]

7th Place


One of the worst teams in IPA history is the Hillsboro Blazers... only one time have they made the playoffs... that was in 2051 when they were a magnificent 98-56... they really were great that season... how good were they?... good enough to contend for the IPA title... the Blazers battled Pro Cup champion Arlon in a torrid 7-game series before succumbing in the first round of the playoffs.

This year Hillsboro was not the worst team in the Tycobbian East -- thank goodness for the atrocious East Point Panthers -- the Blazers did not come in last -- they finished seventh... no offense with a .234 BA (29th) and 562 runs (30th)... no pitching (4.25 ERA)... but they had pretty good home-run power with 143 roundtrippers (8th)... and pretty good defense with a .977 FA... no big bats in the lineup... just a few modest ones with Rube Nealy and Jackie Hansford... the only quality arms on the team belonged to starter Horace Almond and closer Jeffrey Bevan.

[Eugene Church]

8th Place


In the early 50s East Point was a premier team in the Tycobbian East... they were division champs in '50 and '52... even won 96 games in '51 and finished second to the terrific Hillsboro Blazers with 98 wins... the Panthers slipped slowly, but now have hit rock bottom - just 52 wins and a whopping 102 defeats - East Point is dead last in the TU East... the Panthers are gosh awful bad and they have the numbers to prove it with only 467 runs (32nd) and a .228 BA (31st)... the most productive batter is George Leach with a .240 BA, 18 HR and 79 RBIs... the mound corps is not bad... just average with a 4.03 ERA (16th)... Charley Clutterbuck and Marty Yaden are pretty good starters... with a so-so bullpen that is nothing to write home about.

East Point has one of the worst won-lost record in the IPA... 709 games below .500 in 62 seasons... a .462 winning percentage... Hillsboro is a little bit better at .473 winning percentage... the Panthers have made the playoffs only 7 times in history... never won a Pro Cup... but they came close, losing to Elnora in 7 games in 2033.

[Eugene Church]

1st Place



RACERS BEST IN TU WEST 3 YEARS IN A ROW
Rolling Hills saved the best for last in the Tycobbian West Division this year and captured its third pennant in a row... in previous years the Racers wrapped up the division title pretty early, winning by 8 and 9 games... but this season the Racers really had a fight on their hands from the Kenwood Wildcats and the Bayview Vikings for much of the season... the defending Pro Cup champion lagged 4 to 5 games out the first two months of the year and finally moved into first place in July... then they lost the lead to the Wildcats in August with the Vikings right on their heels... victory was in much in doubt during the summer... then the Racers came roaring down the backstretch with a magnificent 23-3 in September and cross the finish in fine fashion and won by 9 games over Kenwood... and the Wildcats didn't flop... they were a strong 17-10 the final month... the La Claire Lynx came in a very distant third, 18 GB... fourth place went to Denton City, 20 GB... Bayview faded badly in August and September with a 20-35 mark and wound up 23 games behind the Racers.

It was another fine season for Rolling Hills with its high-powered attack and good pitching... the Racers hit a rousing .304 (1st), scored 891 runs (1st) and had good power with 138 homers (10th)... the starters ERA was a little better than average with a 4.03 ERA... relievers stood out with a 2.97 ERA (8th)... and fielding-wise, they had average defense with a .976 FA... this will be the 14th appearance in the postseason playoffs for the Racers... they will be seeking a record-breaking fifth Pro Cup with trophies from '29, '32, '48 and '60... they lost in an upset last year to the very talented Oxford Red Caps in a spectacular 7-game series in the Tycobbian title series.

Rolling Hills piled up 102 victories this season, sparked by a lineup of just about all .300 hitters... the worst were at .299... from the leadoff hitter to the number eight man in the order, the Racers are really something to behold... just look at them: Teddy Stonich, Jean-Luc Roubique, Hugo Sutton, Mick Carmickle and company... then take a gander at the mound staff, led by Vance Dillaway and Brownie Ashmore... they are Pro Cup caliber pitchers... not sure about the rest of them... pitching cost Rolling Hills the Pro Cup last year... they could not handle Oxford... really looking forward to them playing again... but the Racers will have to whip a pretty fair bunch of High Mesa Mustangs to get to the Tycobbian Finals... and Oxford just might get some stiff competition from the Southport Sun Sox in round one.

[Eugene Church]

2nd Place


The Kenwood Wildcats ran a great race against a very strong Rolling Hills Racers in the Tycobbian West Division... no shame in finishing second to the Racers... they gave Rolling Hills a good run for the roses... the Wildcats had a potent attack like the Racers... they batted .287 (3rd), scored 888 runs (2nd) and knocked 146 out of the park (6th)... they also handled the gloves very well with a .979 FA... it was the mediocre pitching that made the difference in the pennant race... 4.24 ERA (23rd) just didn't do the job and Kenwood came up short by 9 games... down through the years the Wildcats have had a winning club with an overall .514 percentage... 10 times they have participated in the postseason playoffs... and once, many years ago, they won their only Pro Cup... that was in 2014... it's been quite some time since the last TU West flag... that was in 2052.

Kenwood is sparked by a bunch of productive hitters: All-Star 1B Bralen Connally, Gabriel Macedo, All-Star catcher John Michael Lansdell and Reg Haynesworth... the Wildcats have a few fair starters in Dennis Tarrant, Red Bradford and Mickey Maughan... and they didn't get much help from the bullpen.

[Eugene Church]

3rd Place


At midseason the La Claire Lynx were just one game above .500, but they starting clicking on all cylinders in the second half of the season and wound up with a very good 84-70 mark... the Lynx do fine at the plate, but had trouble with their starters until August... they have average fielding with a .977 FA... La Claire hit a solid .276 (7th), scored well with 767 (6th) and could go deep with 131 roundtrippers (12th)... pitching ended up on the fair side with a 4.17 ERA, thanks to a fine bullpen... at season's end the starting rotation was fair good with Kraig Cutler, Maurice Aronson, Tim Halliburton and Tommy Trantham... problem was most of them were relievers for half the year... without them the bullpen was sparse and deficient in the second half... but the bats had some pop in them with the likes of Derek Winchester, Jonny Bacon, Taron Lansing and Sean McEuen.

The La Claire Lynx have only made the playoffs 4 times in its history... haven't made the postseason since '38... never won a Pro Cup and never has come close... not a very successful IPA franchise.

[Eugene Church]

4th Place


The fourth place Denton City Redbirds didn't play very well until the second half of the year... the season ended on a good note... they were 10 games above the .500 mark... DC have a fine offense with All-Star SS Vincent McCloud, Ozzy Crenshaw, Danley Donovan and Winky Biggio... as a team they batted .282 (4th), scored 775 times (4th) and hit 147 homers (5th)... and they had two pretty reliable starters in Robert Currie and Rance Hasbrough... plus an alright closer in Burnell Kelley... the mound staff was just average overall with a 4.12 ERA (17th)... however, the defense was pretty bad with a .971 FA.

13 times in history the Redbirds have graced the playoffs... the most recent pennant came 4 years ago... the last decade has been a good one with 4 pennants ('53, '55, '57, '59)

[Eugene Church]

5th Place


It was a season to remember for the Bayview Vikings fans... at least for most of the season... the Viks raised quite a ruckus this season sailing near the top of the Tycobbian West standings... they were first in May... second in June... just a slim half-game out of the lead in July... still in serious contention in August, trailing by just 2 and a half games... but they came apart in the late stages of the race and sunk in oblivion to 5th place, 23 GB... Bayview went a dismal 20-35 down-the-stretch.

Way back when, the Vikings made the playoffs in 5 of the first 7 seasons, 2001 to 2007... sadly they have only made the postseason one other time... that was way back in 2016... that's why this year was so thrilling for the Bayview boosters... the Viks played very, very well with good hitting with a .271 BA (10th)... really scored well with 773 runs (5th)... and could really hit the ball out of the park with 176 homers (3rd)... but the pitching was just plain bad except for two hurlers... All-Star James Farnham and Ivar Rasmussen kept them in business... they had special seasons... defensively Bayview was just average with a .976 FA... at the plate Bayview had much to boast about with the likes of All-Star 1B Gunnar Lindberg, Goldy O'Toole, Lou Fairhead and Yazzy Ricks.

[Eugene Church]

6th Place

For a club that won 4 pennants from '51 to '58 and enjoyed a Pro Cup season in 2051, the last 3 years have been downers for the Arlon Champions... 7th, 7th and 6th place are not what they are used to... 2062 was a lousy year... it started badly and ended the same way... they never got higher than sixth place this year... for starters, the Champs have really bad starters with a 4.54 ERA (26th), but the bullpen is solid with a .2.95 ERA (7th)... offensively they hit pretty well with a .268 BA (13th), score fairly well with 701 runs (14th), but are lacking in longballs with just 108 this season (22nd)... less-than-average fielders with a .975 FA... Enos Benham is a great contact hitter and a .333 career batter, but he lacks power... Benham won three batting titles in '54, '55 and '58 with Wynnamac in the Ruthlandian Union before being traded to Arlon in '61... his only help in the lineup comes from the aging 34-year-old Rebel Bryce... top pitchers are up in age, too... 40-year-old Ty Coffee and 34-year-old Erik Branham are just fair starters now... Clyde Burney is solid in the bullpen at the closer spot.

[Eugene Church]

7th Place

The seventh place Chicopee Braves are not a very successful IPA franchise with only three postseason appearances... they last won the TU West in '34, '35 and '36... have never come close to a Pro Cup title... only twice in the last decade have they posted winning records... 8th, 6th and 7th are their finishes the last three seasons... the Tribe has no power... only 90 roundtrippers (29th)... scoring is just OK with 661 runs (20th), but they do make decent contact with a .276 BA (6th)... club leaders at the plate only have modest numbers... they are Herm McCanless, Lou Stankowski and Kohana Chaska... Chuta Shaman and Halona Shaman are just decent starters... so is Tommy Paige... Cy Abernathy is adequate in the bullpen... defense is defective with a .973 FA.

[Eugene Church]

8th Place

Aaarrg, the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers certainly hit rock bottom this year in the Tycobbian West, losing 105 games and winding up in last place 53 games behind Rolling Hills...Long John Silver, Jean Lafitte or Blackbeard would not be very happy with them... nor perhaps, the Pittsburgh Pirates... second straight season in the division basement... the Bucs haven't won a pennant since '49 and '50... never won a Pro Cup, but they did make the Finals in 2015... not a lot of good things to say about the Buccaneers... they batted .253 (23rd), had 96 homers (26th-tied), scored only 614 runs (28th) and posted an outlandish 4.90 ERA (32nd)... Bay St. Clair is substandard in the field, too, with a poor .974 FA... nobody worth mentioning in the batting order... and nobody really worth mentioning on the mound staff either... what more can I say?... the only thing that comes to my mind is -- AAARRRGGG!

[Eugene Church]

Monday, October 3, 2062

IPA PRO CUP PLAYOFFS START WEDNESDAY
That blessed time of the year is here in the Islands... Pro Cup Time... eight teams in quest of the Holy Grail of Baseball -- the revered Pro Cup Trophy... the Rolling Hills Racers will be seeking their record-breaking 5th Pro Cup... the Far Mountain Redhawks will be going for their 4th Pro Cup... current reigning champion Oxford will try to repeat and nab its 3rd IPA title... same thing for the Southport Sun Sox... three clubs will be shooting for a 2nd Pro Cup trophy: the High Mesa Mustangs, Volusia Vigilantes and Elnora Clippers... only the St. John Crusaders have never captured the overall IPA championship.

So the stage is set: beginning Wednesday afternoon all across the Islands baseball will be in the air... in the Ruthlandian Union Far Mountain (86-68) will travel to Cathedral Stadium to play St. John (91-63)... and Volusia (88-66) will meet Elnora (98-56) at State Fair Park... in the Tycobbian Union last year's Pro Cup titlewinner Oxford (93-61) will tangle with Southport (100-54) at Pleasure Beach Park... and Rolling Hills (102-52) will entertain High Mesa (92-62) at Midtown Base Ball Grounds.

And now we are going to take you on a tour of all the playoff cities as we take you Around the Parks in the IPA.