OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (Ruthlandia and Tycobbia Baseball Unions)

Eugene Church · 07-11-2009, 11:38 PM

The Islandian Times

Sunday, August 22, 2004

Crunch Time In The IPA, Ruthlandian Union Readies for Playoff Run
The pressure is on. Just one more month to go in the IPA. That's how much time the teams have to secure a playoff spot. This season only the top two teams in each of the eight divisions will get an automatic bid to the Pro Cup playoffs. Only 16 teams will qualify.

If the playoffs began today it would be Valmara (70-57) and Ranford (69-58) representing the Ruthlandian Union North. However, there is another month to go, so LaGrange (68-59), Taranto (64-63) and Glasco (63-64) still have something to say in the matter.

The Valmara Vipers and Ranford Bulls have both caught and surpassed the first half leader, LaGrange. The Vipers have a one-game lead over the Bulls. Manager Foxy Jimison has seen his Sports go into a downward spiral, blow a 5-game lead and fall out first place in the last two months. The Sports slumped badly to 19-27 since the All-Star break, while the Vipers were 28-20 and the Bulls were 30-18. Yet Jimison's club is only two games out of first and has time to right the ship. Skipper Tommaso Lazzorda has Taranto running in high gear with a 29-19 surge the last two months. They are just 6 games out of first place. So don't count the Tars out. Though the Glasco A's are only 7 games behind in the race, it is not likely they will challenge for a playoff slot. Especially since their season has taken a downward turn this month. The Athletics are not playing well at all and are only 6-13 in August.

Over in the RU South Valka enjoyed first place most of the season until just recently when the Blackhawks went into the doldrums with a 6-13 mark in August. This enabled the Belair Beach Sunbirds (77-50) to take over in a big way. Marty Pedroza's Sunbirds have a 6-game edge over the second place Claxton Diamonds (71-56) and San Dimas Rancheros (71-56). All three of them have played very well in July and August and are primed for the playoff run. Belair Beach chalked up an outstanding 31-17 record since mid-season, while Claxton was just as good at 31-17 and San Dimas was 28-20. The Valka Blackhawks (70-57) are still in contention, but Jaan Kurus' club has gone into the tank and now trails by 7 games. Valka is just 23-25 in the last two months.

In the RU East the Elnora All-Stars (72-55) and Sugar Valley Rattlers (71-56) are in good shape heading into the final month of play with a good lead over the third place Marston Nine (66-61). The Rattlers have been playing the best ball of late with a 27-21 mark in the last two months, while Elnora slipped to 25-23 and Marston to 21-27. To make the lead look even better Marston hasn't been playing very well with a 6-13 record this month and has fallen 6 games off the pace. Beechwood (60-67), Belle Plaine (60-67) and Wynnamac (60-67) are too far back to be any playoff threat. The Sundowners were a strong fourth at the All-Star break, only 3 games back, but have since gone 17-30 and have dropped out of sight.

Smitty Michaels and his Middlefield Roosters (77-50) are riding high with a 6-game bulge on top of the RU West and they are still playing quite well with a 29-19 mark in July and August. It's not likely anyone is going to catch them. Volusia (71-56) has the best chance as the Vigilantes have hung close and played extremely well, too. Alfonso Feliz has guided them a 29-19 record over the past two months. They haven't gained any ground on the Roosters, but they haven't lost any, either. Eddie Keys and the Sligo Rovers (69-58) have gone into a slumber in recent weeks and dropped 8 games behind with a poor 22-26 record. The way things are going lately Middlefield and Volusia look like safe bets for the playoffs. Fourth place Rocky Rapids (66-61) and Stoner (66-61) are good teams, but have too much ground to make up, being 11 games off the pace.

07-11-2009, 11:38 PM	#1117 (permalink)
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 17,080 Thanks: 100 Thanked 100x in 52 posts	The Islandian Times Sunday, August 22, 2004 Crunch Time In The IPA, Ruthlandian Union Readies for Playoff Run The pressure is on. Just one more month to go in the IPA. That's how much time the teams have to secure a playoff spot. This season only the top two teams in each of the eight divisions will get an automatic bid to the Pro Cup playoffs. Only 16 teams will qualify. If the playoffs began today it would be Valmara (70-57) and Ranford (69-58) representing the Ruthlandian Union North. However, there is another month to go, so LaGrange (68-59), Taranto (64-63) and Glasco (63-64) still have something to say in the matter. The Valmara Vipers and Ranford Bulls have both caught and surpassed the first half leader, LaGrange. The Vipers have a one-game lead over the Bulls. Manager Foxy Jimison has seen his Sports go into a downward spiral, blow a 5-game lead and fall out first place in the last two months. The Sports slumped badly to 19-27 since the All-Star break, while the Vipers were 28-20 and the Bulls were 30-18. Yet Jimison's club is only two games out of first and has time to right the ship. Skipper Tommaso Lazzorda has Taranto running in high gear with a 29-19 surge the last two months. They are just 6 games out of first place. So don't count the Tars out. Though the Glasco A's are only 7 games behind in the race, it is not likely they will challenge for a playoff slot. Especially since their season has taken a downward turn this month. The Athletics are not playing well at all and are only 6-13 in August. Over in the RU South Valka enjoyed first place most of the season until just recently when the Blackhawks went into the doldrums with a 6-13 mark in August. This enabled the Belair Beach Sunbirds (77-50) to take over in a big way. Marty Pedroza's Sunbirds have a 6-game edge over the second place Claxton Diamonds (71-56) and San Dimas Rancheros (71-56). All three of them have played very well in July and August and are primed for the playoff run. Belair Beach chalked up an outstanding 31-17 record since mid-season, while Claxton was just as good at 31-17 and San Dimas was 28-20. The Valka Blackhawks (70-57) are still in contention, but Jaan Kurus' club has gone into the tank and now trails by 7 games. Valka is just 23-25 in the last two months. In the RU East the Elnora All-Stars (72-55) and Sugar Valley Rattlers (71-56) are in good shape heading into the final month of play with a good lead over the third place Marston Nine (66-61). The Rattlers have been playing the best ball of late with a 27-21 mark in the last two months, while Elnora slipped to 25-23 and Marston to 21-27. To make the lead look even better Marston hasn't been playing very well with a 6-13 record this month and has fallen 6 games off the pace. Beechwood (60-67), Belle Plaine (60-67) and Wynnamac (60-67) are too far back to be any playoff threat. The Sundowners were a strong fourth at the All-Star break, only 3 games back, but have since gone 17-30 and have dropped out of sight. Smitty Michaels and his Middlefield Roosters (77-50) are riding high with a 6-game bulge on top of the RU West and they are still playing quite well with a 29-19 mark in July and August. It's not likely anyone is going to catch them. Volusia (71-56) has the best chance as the Vigilantes have hung close and played extremely well, too. Alfonso Feliz has guided them a 29-19 record over the past two months. They haven't gained any ground on the Roosters, but they haven't lost any, either. Eddie Keys and the Sligo Rovers (69-58) have gone into a slumber in recent weeks and dropped 8 games behind with a poor 22-26 record. The way things are going lately Middlefield and Volusia look like safe bets for the playoffs. Fourth place Rocky Rapids (66-61) and Stoner (66-61) are good teams, but have too much ground to make up, being 11 games off the pace. Last edited by Eugene Church; 07-12-2009 at 06:25 PM.