ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

I've given up on trying to ship my league to OOTP Tech Support... it's too complex for a computer illiterate like me.

I will convert OOTP18 to OOTP19 and hope it is not corrupted this time.

I would much rather replay the 2059 season than trying to learn how to zip files and post them on OOTP Tech Support.

[Dark Horse]

:fingerscrossed:

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

:fingerscrossed:

I would think if worst came to worst, I could just use OOTP18 to play the IPA... I have completed 2058 in it.

My only concern is that all those conversions from OOTP12 may have corrupted the game.

But it did let me play half of the '59 season before it crashed... so there's hope still for the IPA.

Thanks for your concern.

[Eugene Church]

I will probably convert OOTP18 to OOTP19 again Saturday.

I was told that is all I have to do... that this will create a new league in OOTP19 even though the source league (IPA) is a very old league.

[Eugene Church]

My computer has in recent weeks slowed down to a crawl... and it's just 2 years old.

I was going to put it in the shop until I realized that I have 8 versions of OOTP... I checked and found out that I only had 130 gbs left on my hard drive out of 1 terrabyte (think that is 1 million gigabytes).

That is the most likely reason for slow processing.

I am in the process of deleting all of the versions except for OOTP18 and 19... it will probably have 3-4 million bytes in each version.

The zip file I sent to OOTPB had 11 million bytes in it.

So far, OOTP)12 has taken 3 hours to delete.

I hope it get faster the more room I have on the hard drive... maybe OOTP13 will be a little quicker.

[Eugene Church]

All the old versions of OOTP have finally been deleted from my computer... to a day and a half to delete 6 old versions.

Wow... I've got my computer back... it's processing the way it used to do prior 8 versions of OOTP.

I will convert OOTP18 to OOTP19 today and get busy the second try at Islandian Pro Alliance season 59.

Hope this one doesn't crash.

[Eugene Church]

The Islandian Pro Alliance is back in business !!

All is well so far with the reimported IPA.

Sorry, but I will have to replay the first half of the 2059 season.

[Eugene Church]

Quickly added the new rookies to each team roster.

Played Spring Training.

Will soon give preseason predictions.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, April 6, 2059

59TH IPA SEASON STARTS TOMORROW
The Islandian Pro Alliance is raring to go for its 59th year of professional baseball in the Islands... 64 teams are romping and stomping at the bits and ready for another year of battle on the baseball diamonds in Ruthlandia and Tycobbia... another season of delight starts tomorrow afternoon at 32 ballparks across Islandia... surprise Pro Cup champion Crystal Lake will try to hit their way to a second Island crown in a row in a repeat performance... the Skippers think they have gotten a little better on the hill and also added some more firepower in the batting lineup.

RU PENNANT PICKS: VIPS, SKIPS, MACS, V'S
Previewing the Ruthlandian Union and its four divisions, it's the perennial powerhouses that are getting the attention of the baseball world... Valmara will going for their third consecutive Ruthlandian North title... the Vipers had an easy time last year, but they could get some stiff competition from Far Mountain, Glasco, Taranto and Ancona this season... don't be surprised if the Ranford Bulls make a little noise this year... they did well in the spring and could contend for the first division... Valmara still has the offense, but its mound corps has aged in recent years... longtime star hurler Darus Grajek retired this year... he said he saw the writing on the wall in the spring and decided to call it a career after 10 years... overall Grajek finished up with a 197-122 record with an impressive 2.76 ERA... however, he was 22-9 in his final season... Grajek said he wanted to go out on top.

Reigning IPA champion Crystal Lake gets the call in the RU South, but may be hard pressed by the St. John Crusaders... the Skippers were 5 games better than the Clerics last year and will be trying to repeat as Pro Cup champion... the Skips and the Crusaders are the class of the RU South... and they look improved this year... improved Valka should be a distant third... the other 5 also-rans will be in the running for the other first-division slot.

The always-tough Wynnamac Sundowners will be seeking their second Ruthlandian East Division flag in a row and 6th in the last 8 years... nobody came close to the Macs last year... runner-up Elnora was 13 games behind... the Sundowners are still the class of the division, but will have to beat out two prime challengers, the up-and-coming Marston Nine and Eastshore Cotton Kings for the pennant... Elnora will probably finish a distant 4th in the RU East this year... the remaining clubs will have to wait until the proverbial and eternal "next year'.

After winning 105 games last year in the Ruthlandian West, the Volusia Vigilantes are fighting mad to do it again... the V's were very disappointed they were beaten in the first round of the Pro Cup playoffs last year by Wynnamac... of course, they were picked by most people to take the IPA title after such a splendid season... Volusia's super pitching just might be a little tad better this year, plus they have added a fine rookie shortstop Mauricio Tejada, who is a strong glove and solid hitter with a little pop in his bat... Tejada was outstanding in the spring... none of the remaining clubs are of the caliber of the V's... Middlefield and Fort Benton could test Volusia, but neither has the pitching and hitting to really rival the V's... last year's runner-up Sligo has solid pitching, but lack any semblance of an offense... the Rovers will compete with Forest City and Colfax for the third and fourth spots in the RU West... believe it or not, the lowly Stoner Stars might be in the mix, too... they showed outstanding pitching in spring training and could be a surprise team in the IPA... the Rocky Rapids Snappers could also be on the rise with an infusion of talent on the hill and at the plate.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, April 6, 2059

TU DIVISIONS LOCKED UP, NOT A LOT OF GOOD RACES
The Tycobbian Union for 2059 just might be locked up and predetermined by a few perennial powerhouses... Oxford in the TU North and Midway in the TU East are overwhelming cinch picks to take their divisions, both in a rout... resurgent Denton City should win the TU West... only Rolling Hills seems to stand in their way... the only real race appears to be in the TU South where just about the entire division might have a shot at the flag with Southport, Summerland, Turon and Arroyo Grande at the forefront.

The Oxford Red Caps are the prohibitive favorite in the Tycobbian North race... forecast to run away with it this season by double digits... The up-and-coming Fairfax Frogs are the distant second choice... they lost it last year by one single solitary game to Luxora... and the Frogs are hopping and hoping for revenge... but to most observers it is a forgone conclusion that it's the Red Caps' year... Hartsdale and White River will be in the chase for the runner-up spot along with Blue Lake, Mahaska and Luxora and North Hills... seven teams will vie for second place... Luxora is the defending champion... they won it with pitching and home runs a year ago.

Oxford is led by some standout sluggers like last year's Tycobbian MVP Buddy Blackford and Showboat Lynn... they combined for 93 homers in '58 and might top that number this season... the Red Caps are solid on the mound, too... Fairfax has a fine, youthful staff and a good offense, but can't match the firepower of the Red Caps... Luxora, Hartsdale, White River and Blue Lake have the pitching, but not the offense.

The Southport Sun Sox will again be the king of the hill in Tycobbian South circles, but not by much... as many as 5-6-7 challengers could make a run at them... the Sox topped the TU South last year by 13 games over second place Turon… this year it looks like a cat fight in the TU South... Summerland and Turon will be contenders with their capable pitching... Arroyo Grande has improved its pitching to go along with its homer-happy lineup... Cape Coral and Colchester are both better on the hill... few teams in the TU South have much of an offense... Southport is the only well-balanced club in the circuit... fine pitching coupled with good run scoring... it should a whale of a race in the TU South in '59.

The mighty Midway Wolves have won 5 of the last 6 division flags in the Tycobbian East Division and are handily favored to win it for the second straight season... the Middies are still potent at the plate, but not like recent years... but as long as superstars Norishige Ito and Daryl Vale are around, they will be contenders... the pitching is not quite as good as it once was... the aging Wolves are no longer as dominant as they once were... they need an infusion of youth... surprising, but homer-happy Red Bluff has improved its mound corps, but has dropped off at the plate... to challenge the Wolves, the Red Sox will have to hit well... the East Point Panthers were a thorn in the side of Midway for about a decade, have stumbled and tumbled the last two seasons, but may be on the rise again with an improved mound corps... High Mesa, South Fork, Ozarka and Hillsboro will battle for a spot in the first division with good pitching... however, none of them possess much of an offense... and the Tuckanarra Blue Jays are in a rebuilding mode and have added a lot of youth this year... still likely to be near the bottom of the Tycobbian East.

In the Tycobbian West Division, defending champion Arlon is seeking its 4th pennant in 6 years... last year the Champs went all the way to the Pro Cup Finals before losing out to the triumphant Crystal Lake Skippers in 5 games... the aging roster is a year older, but hasn't show any signs of decline yet... Arlon still has the pitchers to stay competitive, led by starters Erik Branham (30), J. C. Hilburn (37), Dicky Towers (31), Ty Coffee (36) and closer Mack Blair (35)... their offense has been good enough to win pennants... time for the Champs to sign some youngsters so they can stay at the top of the TU West.

It just might be a 4-team logjam in the TU West this year with a brawl between Arlon, Denton City, Rolling Hills and Kenwood... After 25 seasons of mediocrity, last year the Chicopee Braves gave Arlon a pretty good test before losing out by 5 games... let's see if the Braves can put two good seasons back-to-back and make a 5-team race of it... the La Claire Lynx might move up from depths of the Tycobbian West second-division... it looks like long seasons for the Bayview Vikings and Bay St. Clair Buccaneers.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, May 1, 2059

IPA IN DISARRAY IN FIRST MONTH OF PLAY
What is happening in the Islandian Pro Alliance?... it's in disarray after one month of play... only 2 of the pennant favorites are on top of their division... there are 6 possible usurpers... so what's wrong with that, you say?... once in a blue moon you should give the also-rans a chance at the postseason sometimes... it makes for interesting pennant races.

The Volusia Vigilantes and the Oxford Red Caps are the only preseason darlings showing their true colors thus far... the V's are on top of the Ruthlandian West with a 15-8 record, while the Red Caps are first in the Tycobbian North and have the best mark in the IPA at 16-7, tied with Elnora of the RU East.

REVIEWING THE RU NORTH
So who are the pennant usurpers?... in the Ruthlandian North it's the LaGrange Sports, who haven't won a division crown since 2037... they have finished dead last for the past two years... out of nowhere they find themselves perched high atop the RU North at 15-8, a game better than preseason favorite Valmara (14-9)... exceptional hurling (2.90 ERA/4th) is getting the job done for the surprising Sports... starters Kelvin Delacroix (4-0/2.38) and Rodger Gagnier (3-1/3.58) are leading the way, along with closer Trey Ladner (3-1/1.01 ERA/4 saves/11 G)... the offensive leaders are SS Earl Walker (.329/3 HR/9 RBI/18 R), CF Bert Rockenbaugh (.305/6 HR/9 RBI/17 R), 1B Billy Broadway (.293/3 HR/15 RBI/7 R) and 3B Neil Sedaka (.233/3 HR/16 RBI/6 R).

As usual the Vipers can do it all with fine pitching and good hitting... in April, Valmara had a solid 3.27 ERA (7th), bats .270 (9th) and has scored 116 runs (3rd) and smacked 27 out of the park (3rd)... Tony Joe Carnes (2-0/2.11) and Vic Kulikowski (2-0/1.17) top the mound staff... and the bats are sparked by LF Doc Pollins (.280/6 HR/14 RBI/10 R), RF Harv Shepard (.333/4 HR/14 RBI/14 R/2 SB) and CF Jud Gilbride (.267/4 HR/13 RBI/11 R/2 SB)... None of the other 6 clubs finished the month above .500.

Third place Ancona (11-12) can hit (.274 BA/8th) with power (23 HR/9th-tied) and can score (114 R/4th-tied), but has no pitching, ranked 29th (4.74 ERA)... the good sticks are CF Allie Bryant (.351/6 HR/12 RBI/17 R/4 SB), 1B Tony Nardi (.345/1 HR/7 RBI/10 R), RF Horace Nickens (.282/4 HR/15 RBI/17 R), 3B Jason Seleznick (.264/3 HR/15 RBI/8 R) and 2B Pablo Dias (.297/0 HR/9 RBI/8 R/1 SB)... the Red Elephants have two fairly reliable starters in Yanni Bubas (3-2/3.76) and Burnell Simms (3-2/3.77) but little else... the rest of the starting rotation is a disaster.

The 4th place Glasco Athletics (10-13) are off to a sluggish start... pitching is way down from last year (4.87 ERA/30th)... offense is mediocre with a .261 BA (16th), 15 HR (23rd-tied) and 84 runs (27th)... top starters are OK... Herb Goodman (2-2/3.62) and Jayden Furman (3-2/3.43)... closer Coy Gosselin (0-0/1.04 ERA/5 saves/6 G) is off to a fine season... only good threat in the batting order is star CF Callum Slattery (.299/6 HR/16 RBI/12 R).

The Kilkenny Cats (9-14) are in the 5th spot in the RU North standings... pitching is good with a 3.29 ERA (8th), but the offense stinks... .215 BA (32nd), 69 runs (32nd) and only 12 roundtrippers (28th-tied)... top starters are Bretton MacKay (2-0/1.67) and Billy Joe Wooster (2-2/1.65)... bullpen is led by Butch Baird (0-2/2.33 ERA/3 saves/13 G).

Highly-rated contender Far Mountain (8-15) really flopped in April and is in 6th place... pitching and bats did not perform well... the Redhawks have been a solid ballclub the last five seasons... don't think they will stay down long... team ERA is 3.52 (11th)... team BA is only .234 (30th), team runs 79 (29th)... but the homers are there with 23 (9th-tied)... rookie Skippy Hays (3-2/1.05) leads the already good staff... last season's solid vets Benny Van (22-9/2.92), Bob Speed (18-13/4.09) and Jeffrey Chandler (19-14/2.81) were all mediocre in April... no one in the lineup has good numbers last month... star CF Ox Gless (.271/3 HR/9 RBI/9 R), 2B Luke Hazlett (.258/4 HR/12 RBI/11 R/1 SB) and 3B Jarrick Beauchamp (.310/1 HR/5 RBI/10 R) only had fair months.

7th place belongs to the Ranford Bulls (7-16)... pitching is terrible (5.25 ERA/32nd)... but the offense is good (105 R-12th) with good power (23 HR/9th-tied)... top run producers are C Glen Chambliss (.338/5 HR/13 RBI/10 R), star LF Jedd Blodgett (.253/5 HR/14 RBI/16 R/4 SB), SS Gonzie Spencer (.291/1 HR/12 RBI/7 R) and RF Stephen Littrell (.333/2 HR/8 RBI/14 R).... the only decent starters are Dave Brewster (1-3/3.29) and Primo Uzzo (2-3/3.89).

Pulling up the rear are the talented Taranto Tars (5-18), who are off to a horrendous start and are last in the RU North... what is going on with the Tars?... they have won 4 of the last 7 pennants and haven't had a losing record since 2047... the offense and pitching both collapsed at the same time... Taranto is batting only .219 (31st), scored 76 runs (31st), but still hits with some power with 16 HR (4th-tied)... pitching is non-existent with a sky-high 5.12 ERA (31st)... superstar slugger RF Lenny Buisson (.219/9 HR/15 RBI/11 R) is hitting long and deep and out of the park, but is batting a pathetic .219... the only other reliable hitter is LF Vito Lombardi (.303/3 HR/8 RBI/12 R/3 SB)... vet starters Phil Castle (1-1/4.39) and Valerio Rossi (1-3/3.55) are off to slow starts... Castle was 19-15 with a 2.92 ERA last year, while Rossi was 18-17 and 3.07 for an ERA.

[Dark Horse]

Glad you were able to get this going again!

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

Glad you were able to get this going again!

It was quite a task for this very old computer illiterate, but I managed to save the league again with a lot of help from a lot of people.

Thanks for your support.

[Eugene Church]

Wow!

Thanks for the 473 views today.

The record views for one day is 574... that was several years ago, right before Microsoft ruined my league with the illegal, immoral and unauthorized Windows 10 takeover of my computer.

I was lucky to have a backup, but I lost 2052 to 2056... I had to play those seasons over again... I remember Midway had a chance for a 3-peat, but it was lost in the snafu... the Wolves lost in the Tycobbian Finals in 2055 to White River, which took the Pro Cup by whipping Wynnamac… Midway won the Pro Cup in '53 and '54.

[Hageneezz]

Wow Eugene, look at the number of views!

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Hageneezz

Wow Eugene, look at the number of views!

Yep, that's a bunch of 'em.

Appreciate every single one of them very much.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, May 1, 2059

NO SURPRISES IN RU EAST
The powers-to-be pretty much are the powers in the Ruthlandian East this season at the end of the first month of play... there are no big surprises... all is running pretty much according to preseason prognostications... Elnora (16-7) compiled the best record in the IPA in April and shot into the lead... all the other contenders, favorite Wynnamac (14-9), Marston (14-9), Sugar Valley (13-10) and Eastshore (11-12), are close by... so-so longshot Cold Creek (13-10) also had a good first month... and the down-and-outers like Beechwood (9-14) and Belle Plaine (8-15) are plainly playing down-and-out this year, too.

The Elnora All-Stars have shot to the top of the standings with a terrific high-powered arsenal and second-rate pitching... the All-Stars are batting a lofty .292 (3rd), ranked 1st with 152 runs and 33 homers... the team ERA is a lowly 4.41 (21st)... Elnora's batting order is chocked full of solid hitters, paced by 1B Gus Abreu (.419/4 HR/21 RBI/21 R), the 3rd-leading batting in the IPA with a .419 mark... and Abreu gets a tremendous amount of help from SS Dickie DeBusshere (.382/3 HR/15 RBI/13 R), LF Donald Ray Mooney (.310/5 HR/18 RBI/16 R), 2B Mickey Wilbur (.306/4 HR/18 RBI/16 R/1 SB), CF Keith Colburn (.305/5 HR/17 RBI/24 R/6 SB), RF Curt Tobolowsky (.290/8 HR/16 RBI/25 R/2 SB) and 3B Lee Carnahan (.295/0 HR/12 RBI/5 R)... the mound staff has not done well overall... one starter Billy Ehrenreich (3-1/1.25) is doing well... Barney Mayberry (3-1/4.03) is doing OK... so is Pat Vale (2-1/3.95)... but the rest have been poor with a 4.74 ERA (24th)... the bullpen has been good with closer Stevie Tucker (3-0/0.84 ERA/4 saves/7 games)... the All-Stars finished a distant second last year with the same formula, but were beaten out by the Wynnamac Sundowners by 13 games... they may make it closer this year.

Perennial division power Wynnamac (14-9) is not very far behind, tied for the runner-up spot with the Marston Nine... the Macs have won the RU East 5 of the last 7 years and are favored to win again this year... the Sundowners always have good pitching... the team ERA is 3.05 (5th)... and they can score runs, too, with a .280 BA (5th), 114 runs (4th-tied) and 22 homers (15th)... top hurlers are Kylee Callender (3-1/2.66), Sammy Hayes (2-1/1.07), James Duncan (3-1/3.57), George Medworth (2-0/3.60) and Kuparr Bunji (0-2/2.70)... the Sundowners might need help at the closer spot... Don Loewenthal (2-2/3.65 ERA/3 saves/13 G) has been inconsistent at times... the Macs can really smack the horsehide with the likes of 1B Enos Benham (.379/2 HR/20 RBI/14 R), LF Snooky Bartels (.378/1 HR/10 RBI/13 R), SS Shelly Nelson (.329/0 HR/10 RBI/15 R/1 SB) and RF Manny Sendejas (.310/5 HR/17 RBI/10 R)... Wynnamac won the Pro Cup in 2055... the Sundowners might do it again this year... they are a very sound and talented team.

The Marston Nine (14-9) had an 8-year run of first-division finishes snapped last year when they came in 6th (73-81)... but they appear to be back on track this season... currently running second in the RU East race... the Nine are really good contact hitters, leading the IPA with a flashy .307 BA (1st)... they score well with 108 runs (9th), but only have average power with 20 HR (16th-tied)... Marston is fairly good on the hill with a team ERA 3.52 (12th)... the bullpen is tops in the RU with a 1.64 ERA (1st)... the Nine are serious pennant contenders this year... top guns at the plate are SS Gino Mastroianni (.448/0 HR/11 RBI/15 R/5 SB), the top hitter in the IPA with a startling .448 mark... followed by 1B Luke Cranshaw (.383/1 HR/11 RBI/11 R/2 SB), 2B Damien D'Amboise (.333/2 HR/11 RBI/12 R/2 SB), LF Joe Duplantis (.311/4 HR/14 RBI/12 R/2 SB), CF Tommy Tuckett (.311/0 HR/8 RBI/10 R/2 SB) and RF Soseki Ishida (.284/3 HR/10 RBI/15 R/4 SB)... top starters are Mark Henley (3-1/3.00), Billy Rogen (2-1/3.90), Lance McElveen (2-3/3.82) and Toby Claypool (1-1/1.13)... star closer Robert Tringle (0-0/0.54 ERA/9 saves/9 games) has been extraordinary this year.

The Sugar Valley Rattlers (13-10) are deadlocked with Cold Creek for the fourth spot in the RU East standings... last year the Sidewinders came in third (80-74), but far off the pace of champ Wynnamac (96-58)... the Rattlers depend on their fairly good pitching... they rank 14th with a 3.71 team ERA... Sugar Valley is only hitting at a poor .234 clip (5th), have scored 103 runs (16th) and have hit 29 out of the park (2nd)... the Rattlers depend on good pitching and home runs for success... they have a good starting five with Alan Montreuil (4-1/2.02), Monte Dale (2-2/3.10), Elvis Bonham (2-3/3.53), Hector De Andres (0-1/3.71) and Antonio Cedeno (3-2/4.15)... but come up short offensively with only two decent run producers: SS Dino Lazzeri (.262/7 HR/21 RBI/15 R) and RF Tyler Alban (.282/3 HR/12 RBI/9 R/1 SB)... Sugar Valley has to add some offense to win the pennant any time soon.

It was a good April for the Cold Creek Catamounts (13-10)... tied for 4th place in the RU East... the Cats have not had a winning year since 2050... and no pennants for almost 20 years (2041)... and they are still looking for that first Pro Cup trophy... don't know how long Cold Creek can maintain this sudden prosperity... they are not too impressive statistically speaking... just an average-looking club with a .263 BA (13th) and 98 runs scored (18th-tied), however the Catamounts hit with a little punch... 26 HR (4th-tied)... pitching is just average with a 4.10 team ERA (14th)... the bullpen is terrible with a whopping 5.34 ERA (29th)... they have three reliable starters in Stephen Pyburn (4-0/2.76), Jake Fischer (3-2/2.68) and Junior Gillespie (0-1/3.18)... at the plate Cold Creek is just adequate, led by 3B Sandy Ketteridge (.323/3 HR/13 RBI/11 R), 39-year-old player-manager 2B Joe Cochrane (.297/3 HR/9 RBI/8 R), RF Ziggy Baggs (.288/3 HR/9 RBI/6 R/1 SB), 1B Bobby Dundee (.273/1 HR/10 RBI/9 R), LF Jimmy Lange (.257/3 HR/11 RBI/9 R) and CF Dave Lord (.257/1 HR/4 RBI/13 R/1 SB)... the month of May may tell us if the Catamounts are for real or not.

6th place Eastshore (11-12) is out of the gate slowly this season, mainly because of poor mound work... the team 4.53 ERA is elevated over last-year's 4th place finish... offensively the Cotton Kings score well with 111 runs (7th)... they are batting .253 (21st) with 23 roundtrippers (9th-tied)... the current rotation includes veterans Homer Lawler (1-0/2.04), Bebe Kinney (1-3/3.60), Dain Moore (1-2/3.67) and Sam Carmon (3-2/4.54)... the batting order has some solid bats like LF Percy Basford (.371/1 HR/9 RBI/16 R/3 SB), Ian Kelehan (.317/6 HR/18 RBI/10 R/3 SB), 2B Champ Askew (.287/4 HR/22 RBI/11 R/1 SB) and 1B Alvin Newell (.278/7 HR/19 RBI/12 R)... plus rookie 3B Norbert Ruston (.289/0 HR/8 RBI/16 R/1 SB) has earned a regular spot in the lineup... the Cotton Kings are a middle-of-the-pack ballclub, likely to end up anywhere from 3rd to 6th.

For the past 14 years the Beechwood Blues (9-14) have been a losing club... the last RU East pennant came long ago in 2027... and neither a winning season, nor a pennant, are visible anywhere on the far, far horizon... the Blues have been cellar-dwellers in the RU East for the last 4 years in a row and they currently are in 7th place... Beechwood has low rankings with a .251 BA (22nd), 80 runs (28th) and only 14 home runs (25th-tied)... the 4.46 team ERA (24th) is pretty low, too... the Blues don't have much to boast or brag about... Ryan Terris (3-1/3.13) is a pretty good starter, but he's just about it... no one else worth mentioning... nothing great at the plate, either... the top bats CF Tim Baham (.303/6 HR/14 RBI/12 R/2 SB) and RF Phil Orbach (.284/0 HR/10 RBI/6 R) only have modest numbers... sad to say, the hard times will continue in Bluesville.

Poor Belle Plaine has only won the RU East pennant one time in its history... that was way back in 2009... the Musketeers just might be the worst franchise in IPA history... they did have two winning seasons in recent years in '54 and '55... last year they were seventh in the standings... this year the Muskies (8-15) are wallowing in last place with a .244 BA (26th), 101 runs (17th) and 13 HR (27th)... not doing any better on the mound, either, with a 4.33 ERA (19th)... three decent batters carry the offensive load: 1B Levi Teed (.313/1 HR/14 RBI/16 R/3 SB), RF Eliot Marcum (.289/6 HR/12 RBI/10 R) and SS Shelly Busfield (.280/0 HR/10 RBI/16 R/2 SB)... and three pitchers carry the mound corps: veteran starters Ike Alister (2-2/3.48) and Joe-Joe Bouvier (2-2/3.66), along with closer Adrien Renaud (0-1/2.81 ERA/4 saves/10 G)... about the best Belle Plaine can do is beat out Beechwood for 7th place.

[MrHaroldG]

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, May 1, 2059

LIGHTWEIGHTS CHALLENGE PRO CUP CHAMP SKIPPERS IN RU SOUTH
The next usurper is the Belair Beach Sunbirds... it's been 10 straight losing seasons for them and they haven't won a pennant since '47... long time, no win for the Sunbirds... but that didn't stop them from going 14-9 in April and tying Pro Cup champion Crystal Lake and Claxton for first place in the Ruthlandian South... the starter staff is good with Jeffrey Verblen (2-1/1.35), Gaylen Aycock (3-1/3.35) and Chris Malbrough (2-2/4.02)... closer Glen Christ (1-1/1.10 ERA/3 saves/15 G) stood out in the bullpen... at the plate LF Curtis Cochran (.356/2 HR/18 RBI/18 R/3 SB) had a super month... RF Alfie Elbourne (.295/3 HR/15 RBI/11 R/1 SB) and 1B Dylan Lanier (.263/3 HR/14 RBI/11 R) also did well... the big question is can the BB'Birds keep it up?... will they continue to fly high in the sky in the merry month of May or will they flutter, sputter and fall down to earth and splatter into the also-rans again?

The RU South has not one, but two usurpers... the Claxton Diamonds (14-9) were celler dwellers in '58... haven't had a winning year since '51... and haven't won a pennant since '49... but they did well in April with a solid offense and a lackluster mound corps (4.35 ERA/20th)... a .261 BA (17th) and 16 HR (21st-tied) produced 107 runs (10th)... the steady and reliable lineup consists of 1B Dude Rafferty (.303/2 HR/10 RBI/15 R), CF Scoops Dunn (.253/1 HR/9 RBI/16 R/3 SB), 3B Fred Hahn (.218/1 HR/14 RBI/13 R), Bobby Bright (.247/4 HR/11 RBI/12 R/1 SB), C Jeff Stubbs (.290/0 HR/8 RBI/10 R), 3B Arlen Queen (.298/2 HR/6 RBI/9 R/3 SB) and SS Jack Gregory (.295/0 HR/6 RBI/6 R/1 SB)... leading the rotation were Toni Albrecht (4-0/2.81), Emile Lacroix (2-1/3.45) and Matt Goodrum (2-3/3.75)... and the Claxton closer Mark Meisner (1-0/0.73 ERA/6 saves/9 G) had a great month... the Diamonds might just be a flash in the pan and lose their shine in the coming months... time and talent will tell.

The Crystal Lake Skippers (14-9) won the RU South and the Pro Cup in last year's epic season with its hitting, but thus far, they are doing it with pitching, posting a superb 2.45 ERA in April... this despite losing for the entire season, their ace Merle Pitts, who won 23 games last year... but the Skippers are ranked only 20th in scoring runs (97 R) and tied for 23rd in homers (15 HR)... anchoring the rotation are Julio Cordova (5-1/1.67), Jedd Hartwick (2-1/1.22), Tony Calamari (2-1/2.67), Robin Norborne (2-2/2.72) and Erik Easterly (1-3/3.00)... though the bats overall slumped last month, the prime producers RF Zippy Coburn (.314/2 HR/14 RBI/10 R/1 SB), C Jim Clary (.323/1 HR/8 RBI/10 R), CF Mel Brouwer (.275/5 HR/11 RBI/13 R/2 SB) and 3B Jasper Shackleford (.267/2 HR/10 RBI/12 R) are still getting the job done... one would think Crystal Lake should be around in September to defend their IPA crown.

In 4th place and just one game out of first were the Grand City Cybercats (13-10), tied with the Valka Blackhawks... the Cybercats are just average on the hill with a 3.85 ERA (15th), but the starters are good... the offense is also good, ranked 13th in scoring (104 runs), rated 7th with 25 HR, but they are just batting a lowly .236 (28th)... top pitching performers are Gil Lloyd (2-1/1.59), Fred Barrow (2-2/2.58) and Jozef Chojnaki (3-2/3.38)... the best batsman is LF Boots Luckham (.286/8 HR/18 RBI/21 R/5 SB), who ranks high for the month in the IPA with 8 roundtrippers, 18 RBIs, 21 runs and 5 stolen bases... but he was just about all of their offense... the inept offense means Grand City still might be a second-division club in the RU South again in 2059.

The Valka Blackhawks (13-10) are also doing better than expected... tied for the 4th spot in the RU South standings... they were 8th in '57 and 6th last year... they are getting it done with solid pitching and adequate hitting... the team ERA is 3.44 (9th)... the team BA is .259 (18th)... with 98 runs scored (18th-tied) and 17 homers (20th)... Valka's starting 5 are pretty good with Clark Harrington (3-0/2.10), Maksim Moroz (1-2/2.45), Vinnie Rosetti (1-1/2.63), Adrian Stenhouse (1-0/2.87) and rookie Karko Nommik (1-2/3.56)... the prime producers at the plate are CF Jonas Kahn (.276/3 HR/11 RBI/15 R), 1B Taavi Soosaar (.270/5 HR/13 RBI/11 R), SS Olev Tarvas (.280/0 HR/5 RBI/10 R), 3B Corey Belk (.287/0 HR/5 RBI/9 R), LF Nicky Boles (.305/1 HR/10 RBI/8 R/1 SB) and C Freddie Civik (.265/3 HR/10 RBI/8 R)... not a lot of great hitters, but a bunch of steady ones... that could keep the Blackhawks in the running for the first division this year... which would be a nice move upward in the RU South.

What has happened to the St. John Crusaders?... they have been one of the best teams in the RU South the past three seasons, winning the division flag in '57 and winding up pretty close seconds in '56 and '58... suddenly the Clerics have fallen on hard times with a terrible first month of the season, going 9-14 and tumbling to 6th place, tied with Waleska and San Dimas... the stable pitching corps has gone south with a pathetic 4.64 team ERA (28th)... the offense has slumped, too, despite its .296 BA (2nd)... with only 9 homers (32nd), it makes it hard to put runs on the scoreboard... St. John has scored 91 runs (22nd)... the hitters are really putting up some averages, but not denting the scoreboard very much... best bats are C Tuffy Palmieri (.381/0 HR/9 RBI/9 R), RF Matt Silverman (.370/2 HR/11 RBI/13 R/3 SB), SS Michael Cheeks (.333/1 HR/13 RBI/11 R/1 SB), CF Freddie Woodruff (.326/3 HR/10 RBI/13 R/1 SB), SS Sonny Petrisko (.318/1 HR/10 RBI/5 R) and 1B Shelly Shue (.429/0 HR/11 RBI/3 R)... 3 of the starters are doing fine: Teddy de Grom (2-0/1.42), Tom Smithson (2-1/3.19) and Ezra Nelms (1-0/2.81), but the other two, 17-game winner Deke Eubanks (1-3/5.29) and 16-game winner Teddy Howell (1-2/5.19) have floundered this season... maybe it's done a bad month... the Crusaders will probably work out the kinks in their pitching and get right back in contention... there just too much talent on the team to be down near the bottom of the RU South very long.

The Waleska Westerners (9-14) had a bad year last year, slipping to 5th place (71-83) and the second division... and the poor play has continued into the new season, tied with two other teams in 6th place... they are hitting better, but pitching poorly... the Westerners rank 26th on the mound with a soaring 4.54 ERA... at the plate they are batting .276 (6th), scored 104 runs (13th-tied) and have hit 18 out of the park (18th-tied)... Waleska has a rock-solid bunch of bats, sparked two regulars, RF Boomer Barnes (.385/4 HR/14 RBI/11 R/1 SB) and LF Bitsy Boccabella (.313/1 HR/5 RBI/14 R)... several platooners are off to very good seasons, too: 3B Royce Hobbs (.313/1 HR/11 RBI/8 R), 3B Danny Waller (.378/3 HR/9 RBI/10 R), C Brent McFarlane (.341/1 HR/10 RBI/6 R), C Cubby Nash (.273/3 HR/7 RBI/10 R) and 2B Tom Goodnight (.327/1 HR/9 RBI/9 R)... the problem is on the hill where only ace Lou Carlson (2-1/1.97) is doing well... looks like another long season for the Westerners.

The hapless San Dimas Rancheros (9-14) haven't had a winning season since 2050... and no pennants since 2041... and that's not likely to change in 2059... San Dimas has a second-rate offense and second-rate pitching staff... the team BA is .254 (20th)... they have scored 89 runs (24th-tied)... but do have 23 homers (9th-tied)... on the hill the team ERA is an elavated 4.42 (22nd)... those are not very good numbers for success in the IPA... it's going to be another season near the bottom of the RU South for the Rancheros... one bright spot is rookie 2B Rodrigo Valdez (.309/6 HR/17 RBI/10 R)... other contributors are 3B Julian Ortiz (.295/1 HR/4 RBI/11 R/2 SB), RF Gilberto Gallardo (.274/1 HR/5 RBI/10 R), SS Emiliano Martinez (.264/3 HR/10 RBI/8 R) and 1B Tomas Solano (.294/4 HR/10 HR/6 R)... only 3 starters have pitched well: Hernando Almora (3-2/3.64), Tomas Olmeda (2-2/3.67) and Adrian Garza (1-2/1.98).

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, May 1, 2059

V'S ON TOP OF RU WEST AGAIN
Just like last year the favored Volusia Vigilantes (15-8) are off-and-running in quest of their second straight Ruthlandian West division flag... the V's won more games than anybody last year, piling up 105 victories, but disappointed in the Pro Cup playoffs when they were beaten in the first round by the Wynnamac Sundowners... they are bound and determined to go further this year... Volusia ran away with the pennant last year, triumphing by 10 games... this year the baseball scribes and broadcasters think they will have some good competition from the Sligo Rovers and Colfax Blasters... at the end of the first month's play, there are several more challengers... the standings show Colfax (14-9) close by in 2nd place... Sligo (13-10) tied for 3rd place with the overlooked Rocky Rapids Snappers (13-10)... Forest City (12-11) is in the 5th spot, followed Middlefield (11-12) in 6th place... rounding out the division and near the bottom are Fort Benton (9-14) and Stoner (9-14).

First place Volusia (15-8) hits the ball well with a .274 BA (7th) and scores well with 106 runs (11th), but is short on power with only 10 dingers (30th)... the Vigilantes have standout starters with a combined 2.42 ERA, but are woeful in the bullpen with an out-of-sight 5.23 ERA... top twirlers are Reynaldo Medrano (401/1.80) and record-setting 31-game winner Lonny Rinehart (3-0/2.55), who won the RU MVP and Golden Arm Award last year... plus Gustavo Clemente (3-1/3.95) and Cloyd Queen (2-3/3.45)... in the #5 slot is newcomer and rookie Alejandro Albergaria (2-0/1.13)... super closer Dan Hunt (0-2/5.25 ERA/6 saves/12 G) had a very bad April for him... the relief corps needs to improve... the V's good offense is led by newcomer SS Mauricio Tejada (.353/1 HR/12 RBI/13 R), C Carlos Silva (.358/2 HR/11 RBI/10 R), 3B Teddy Cornelius (.278/3 HR/11 RBI/11 R), LF Ellie Hudgins (.278/1 HR/11 RBI/10 R) and CF Bobby Barone (.256/0 HR/10 RBI/7 R)... Volusia is still a whale of a ballclub and will be hard to beat in the RU West.

The second place Colfax Blasters (14-9) are living up to their nickname... they are hitting .290 (4th), have scored 141 runs (2nd) and have 14 home runs (25th-tied)... however, they fall very short in the other important phase of the game... the team ERA is a dreadful 4. 46 (23rd)... three batters are carrying the club this year... RF Lanny Waldrep (.345/6 HR/30 RBI/19 R/1 SB) is off to a marvelous start and is currently the top RBI man in the IPA with 30 runs batted in... unsung star LF Stan Kovalenko (.368/1 HR/14 RBI/20 R) is also off to his best season at age 34... so is young C Jerry Vayda (.338/2 HR/12 RBI/10 R)... another productive bat is 3B Shan Morgan (.256/0 HR/14 RBI/12 R)... two starters are carrying the mound staff: Terry Dubrovnik (4-1/3.69) and Quince Blakeley (2-1/1.67)... they will need some help if Colfax wants to be a serious pennant contender.

Consistency is the word in Sligo (13-10)... for 6 consecutive seasons the Rovers have been the bridesmaid in the RU West... 6 second-place finishes... they haven't won the division since 2040... Sligo does it with its pitching... the team ERA is 2.82 (2nd), but the offense is lacking... they are batting a lowly .244 (27th) with only 86 runs (26th) and 18 circuit blasts (18th-tied)... heading up the starting hurlers are star Tiger Snodgrass (4-1/1.30), Jacky Harshman (3-2/2.29), star Mickey Walsh (2-3/3.59) and rookie Farrell Wedgewood (2-0/1.64)... Sligo is short on hitters... the best of the lot is SS Clancy Beaufort (.274/4 HR/11 RBI/9 R), LF Josh Brolin (.286/2 HR/9 RBI/8 R) and 2B Johnny Wagner (.314/1 HR/4 RBI/11 R/4 SB)... it's tough to win a division title without any offense, but super pitching can do it... the keys to the Rovers' year is a solid #5 starter and a better bullpen.

Rocky Rapids (13-10) hasn't had a winning season for the past 4 years... the last RU West division title came years ago in 2047, but the Snappers are off to a good start this April, riding high in a tie for third place... however, they don't look like a first-division team based on their stats... the pitching is good with a 3.63 team ERA (13th), but the hitting is not much except for the longballs... the Turtles are batting just .250 (23rd), have scored only 89 runs (24th-tied), but have crashed 26 out of the park (4th-tied)... they have a steady and solid starting rotation, anchored by star Lance Obermueller (4-2/2.68), Ernie Starcher (2-1/2.79), Big Jim Wakely (2-1/3.38), star Clay Callaghan (2-3/3.71) and Brook Strassner (3-1/4.09)... the main bats in the batting order are RF Jamey Murton (.369/7 HR/15 RBI/13 R), star 1B Deke Lundy (.280/6 HR/18 R/14 R) and CF Corey McGee (.241/3 HR/9 RBI/9 R/1 SB)... even with the lack of offense, Rocky Rapids could stay in the race... their pitching is pretty darn good... the Snappers are not likely to win the RU West, but they could wind up in the first division for the first time since the early 50s.

The 5th place Forest City Firebirds (12-11) have been just a fair-to-middling ballclub for the last decade or so... they haven't won the RU West since '48, rarely contending in those years... this season the Firebirds possess average bats and average pitching with a .267 BA (12th), 104 runs (13th-tied), 23 HR (9th-tied) and a 4.14 team ERA (17th)... sparking the club at the plate are SS Ziggy Regan (.358/0 HR/6 RBI/15 R/1 SB), star LF Randy Snow (.31/5 HR/15 RBI/11 R/1 SB), RF Dedrick Crone (.277/7 HR/24 RBI/13 R), CF Kenny Bostick (.295/1 HR/9 RBI/14 R/2 SB) and 1B Curly Burgess (.273/2 HR/13 RBI/7 R)... Harry Jasper (3-2/3.12) and Cale Ballantine (2-2/3.38) are the only reliables on the starting rotation... the bullpen has been bad so far this year... normally closer Tim Varnado (0-3/4.34 ERA/2 saves/13 G) is fairly good, but he has floundered this season... 5th place and around the .500 mark may be the best Forest City can do this year.

The 6th-place Middlefield Roosters (11-12) are not the club they used to be... they won the RU West 8 years in a row from '49 to '56, but since then have declined because of its lack of pitching... the only decent starter on the club is the all-time IPA wins leader, James Long (3-2/3.38), who has won an astounding 431 games in his 21 years with the team... he is still the best on on the team, by far, even at age 39... Long has said this is his final year for sure... this season the team ERA is an awful 4.61 (27th)... but the Roosters are still capable with the sticks... the team BA is .263 (14th), with 113 runs (6th) and 25 homers (7th-tied)... Middlefield has slipped to just a second-rate team in the TU West... no longer a first-division powerhouse.

The last-place Fort Benton Defenders (9-14) had their brief moment of glory in '57, when they jumped up and stole the pennant from the RU West elites, Middlefield and Sligo... the team has since slipped back into lackluster mediocrity... the hit-happy '57 crew (.285 BA) is no longer whacking the ball like that... this season they are down to a pedestrian .262 (15th) with only 90 runs (23rd) and 10 homers (30th-tied)... Fort Benton never did go deep well, but they were good at bashing doubles and triples... the mound staff has dipped, too, with a so-so 4.17 team ERA (18th)... the best bats are RF Nate Bryson (.358/0 HR/6 RBI/16 R/4 SB) and 1B Marcos Aguilar (.338/1 HR/7 RBI/11 R/1 SB), along with CF Kip Drumm (.258/0 HR/9 RBI/11 R/2 SB) and 2B Sam Arnett (.268/0 HR/3 RBI/10 R)... the main pitcher is still Zeke Yoder, the 2057 Ruthlandian MVP... he was 20-10 that year... Yoder (1-2/4.41) has struggled badly since his great season in the sun... Yoder has no help on the mound this year... it's going be another bad year for Fort Benton... probably near the bottom of the RU West.

The Stoner Stars (9-14) are one of the worst teams in IPA history... only 3 playoff appearances with the last one way back in 2029... the Stars have only had 3 winning records since 2040... and it certainly doesn't look like 2059 will be above the .500 mark... Stoner has good pitching with a 3.17 ERA (6th), but they can't put any runs on the scoreboard with a .254 BA (19th) and 12 HR (28th-tied)... they rank 30th in the RU with 78 runs... the Stars are likely to stay in the division basement for the 2nd straight season... the starting rotation is solid with Ira Monaghan (1-2/1.86), Nicky Sharman (3-2/2.89), Alberto Temozos (2-2/3.38), Jake Warrick (1-1/3.48) and Ivan Kleczko (0-0/0.00)... carrying the offensive load are just three players: RF Tyler Stoddard (.359/1 HR/11 RBI/10 R), 3B Hector Francisco (.356/2 HR/8 RBI/10 R) and 1B Jerome Bruton (.203/5 HR/15 RBI/9 R).