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America's True Pastime
Backyard Wiffle® Ball League
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Dragons Win First Title
After five years of competition in the Backyard Wiffle Ball League (BWBL), the Dragons have won their first BWBL Red Robin Cup.
The Dragons defeated the Shockers three games to none. All games were fairly competitive, but the champions won by scores of 1-0, 6-0, and 5-4. Bob Loftus, Tom Hannon, and Mikey Holloway recorded victories, and Loftus closed out the series with a save.
Offensively, Kenny Kandrac led the Shockers, going 7-for-16 with two RBI in the series. Rick Deno also added three hits in a losing effort.
Loftus also led the way for the Dragons offense, going 6-for-15 with a home run and five RBI. Kevin Fiedler was 6-for-14 in the series for the winners.
Loftus was named the 2008 BWBL Playoff MVP.
2008 BWBL Finals Preview
Shockers (13-10) VS. Dragons (19-3)
In this year's BWBL Championship, we will have a new champion crowned. After the two-time defending champion Saturday Crush were eliminated 2-1 in a best-of-three series, the Shockers were the first team to punch their ticket to the title game. In the other division, the Dragons put away a pesky Hangovers team 2-0 in their best-of-three series.
This is the first time either of these respective clubs has played for the league title. The Dragons, however, have played for three titles, with all coming in the charity tournament, winning just once. The Shockers have turned themselves into a title contender and it only has taken them five years to do so. In their earlier years, Manager Kenny Kandrac had a team that was fun to play against, but not much fun too watch.
Now on to the matchups.
Probable Starting Lineups
Dragons
Mike Holloway .370 2HR 8RBI
Tom Hannon .442 3HR 25RBI
Kevin Fiedler .408 5HR 26RBI
Bob Loftus .405 5HR 34RBI
Mike White .323 2HR 5RBI
Shockers
Ridz .330 5HR 22RBI
Rick Deno .277 0HR 9RBI
Kenny Kandrac .507 5HR 25RBI
TJ Nikoden .500 5HR 32RBI
Bill Smith .333 2HR 19RBI
Scott Wasik .463 2HR 15RBI
Probable Starting Pitchers:
Dragons
Bob Loftus 4-1 1S .28ERA 120K
Tom Hannon 8-2 1.50ERA 92K
Shockers
Kenny Kandrac 2-4 10.40ERA 18K
TJ Nikoden 6-2 4.35ERA 94K
Bill Smith 4-2 7.49ERA 49K
We don't have the space to go into position by position but we will go into the matchups we think are very important.
Projected Starters
Game 1 TJ Nikoden 6-2 vs. Bob Loftus 4-1
Now when you first look at this matchup, you instantly think Bob Loftus is clearly the better pitcher. That may be true, but TJ has looked sharp in his last two outings and if he is able to get rolling, this could be a long game. Bob brings his experience in big games to the table for the Dragons, so there is an edge as well. He helped the BWBL tournament team bring home a trophy early in the year and was clocked at 91 MPH in a tournament in NY. He will throw a riser from different arm angles. TJ has come into his own with a devastating fastball and has been developing a nasty sinker. IF he can throw both for strikes, we could see a lot of strikeouts for both pitchers.
Edge: Loftus
Game 2 Tom Hannon 8-2 vs. Kenny Kandrac 2-4/ Bill Smith 4-2
In this game, you have an interesting matchup. In last years playoffs, Hannon had problems with his arm/elbow and it cost the Dragons a shot at the title. Is his arm healthy after pitching in 10+ games this year? On the other side, you have either Ken or Bill throwing for the Shockers. Neither pitcher has overpowering stuff, but when given the ball on the rubber, they have stepped up and helped their team reach this point. Bill is most likely going to get the nod based on numbers alone. He has a straight fastball with some movement and he has a slider, but has trouble finding the zone at times. Hannon throws a fastball and also a pitch he calls a sliser. If Hannon can get the sliser over for strikes, they have the edge. However, if Bill is able to get solid defense behind him, they can also pull out game two and even the series.
Edge: Hannon
Offense
Lots of people would think the Dragons have the edge here, but if we were to go by numbers alone, the Shockers would be winners here hands down. The Dragons will need some key players to step up in the games TJ pitches for the Shockers. Mike Holloway has been up and down all year long. If he has one of those up weeks, the Dragons can score with the best of them. In the same boat is Rick Deno. He has to be the table setter in every game and once he reaches base, he has to try and score each and every time. The power for the Shockers comes from three different players: TJ, Riddz, and Kenny. Riddz is the Wiffle Ball version of Ryan Howard - either he gets a hit or strikes out. He will have to limit the strikeouts in order for his team to have a chance.
Edge: Dragons
Pitching
You could debate that the combo of Loftus/Hannon is the best duo in the league. Hannon lives off of pressure situation and Loftus is not that bad in them either. He pitched more innings in two games than some players did all year. That could also hurt him since he was ailing with a sore back last week, yet somehow found it in himself to pitch twelve innings. TJ also went twelve (in two games) last week giving up only two hits to Saturday Crush. TJ has pitched big games in his pitching career in college and is ready and up to the challenge of facing BWBL's first future Hall of Famer. Bill Smith has been in the playoffs before with the Bunch O' Swingers and since they broke up, he has found a home with the Shockers. He has the ability to stay with every team's number two pitcher, so he has to avoid trouble and everything will be fine.
Edge: Dragons
Matchups to Watch
Former college baseball teammates TJ and Hannon will do battle. Whoever gets the better of this matchup can propel their teams in the right direction to hoist the BWBL Red Robin Cup.
Mike White faces his former team for the championship. Kinda funny a year later after White rejoins the Dragons that the Shockers are playing for the title. Coincidence? I think not.
Of course TJ vs Bob possibly three times depending on how the games go.
In closing the Dragons will bring home their first BWBL league title and will do so in convincing fashion by sweeping a very formidable opponent. Dragons 3 Shockers 0
2008 National Division All-Stars Announced!
The voting is over, and the paper, forum, and online votes have been tallied according to the 75/15/10 ratio, respectively, and here are the top 5 vote-getters from the National Division:
1. Bob Loftus, Dragons -- most paper, forum, and online votes
2. Tom Hannon, Dragons
3. RJ Kay, The Hangovers
4. Kevin Sickle, The Highlanders
5. Mike White, Dragons
The other 5 ND representatives and 2 alternates were selected by a statistical analysis by The League making sure that every team in the division has at least one representative, and are as follows:
John McDermott, The Hangovers
Kevin Fiedler, Dragons
Mike Emmert, Diamond Dogs
Dean Pega, Diamond Dogs
Mike Corcoran, The Highlanders
Mikey Holloway, Dragons
Bob Sickle, The Highlanders
Congratulations to all of the 2008 National Division All-Stars!
Mike Corcoran, The Highlanders
Mike Emmert, Diamond Dogs
Kevin Fiedler, Dragons
Tom Hannon, Dragons
Mikey Holloway, Dragons
RJ Kay, The Hangovers
Bob Loftus, Dragons
John McDermott, The Hangovers
Dean Pega, Diamond Dogs
Bob Sickle, The Highlanders
Kevin Sickle, The Highlanders
Mike White, Dragons
BWBL Spring Meeting Notes
- 4th Annual BWBL Charity Classic
o Classic 6/7 & 6/8 -- deadline 6/1
o Continue HR Derby, add pitching challenge to Saturday
- Use of Wiffle® Balls
o Teams will purchase balls off of The League
o Each team must have a minimum of three (3) balls at each game
o No gouges can be taken out of the balls
o Opposing team will inspect the opponent’s Wiffle® balls before the
start of the game and teams will keep their own after the
half-inning
- Tournaments
o There is not enough demand in our area for Big League Wiffle at
present
- Fees
o Will remain at $50 for both the Classic and Season, due to ball
issue
- Expansion to two fields
o Dependent upon number of teams
- New strike zone
o Approx. 24” X 24”, could get up to 26” X 26”, 13” off ground
- League fee
o See “Fees” above
- Cash tournament
o No, unless a Saturday single elimination can be done
- Spring Training
o Begins 3/30, random teams
- Video Taping
o Ricky has a digital camcorder with tripod and can edit
- More Photos
o Peck offered the use of his camera
- Teams
o Dragons
o Saturday Crush
o Westside Washout
o Bunch O’Seamen
o Highlanders
o Swortz’s cousin’s team
- Winter Ball
o Cost at Oblates is $50 for two hours – can equate to $5 each for 10
guys
- Awards
o Due to league not paying for balls, trophies, etc. will increase
- Promotion
o Ricky will put together a flyer for both the Classic and Season 5
o Bank of America will likely donate in some way monetarily, if asked
o Ricky has connection with Rachel Pugh of The Weekender, and I will
try Rocky from KRZ
- League Start
o Opening Day is 6/15 – deadline for signup is 6/9
- Extras
o Possible poker tournament, team tourney, $10 entry, point system to
award winning team with league and Classic entry fee
o Possible 3-on-3 basketball tourney, similar to poker tourney
- Fundraising
o Ricky presented a free fundraiser using Internet purchases
- Rules
o Substitutions
* Players cannot be on multiple rosters
* If not on roster, substitute can only play the field and
run in the event of not enough players
* 3 roster players must be present, otherwise game is a
forfeit
* 10 players max on roster
o Leaving Early
* To curb issue of leaving early, an observer that is not
affiliated with either team will be asked to watch for
people leaving early
* If a player leaves early, the defense will have the option
to either accept the result of the pitch or declare it a
‘no pitch’
• ONLY EXCEPTION ON HOME RUN – PITCH STANDS
REGARDLESS
o Leaning In
* 1st time in a game, a batter is questioned, it will be a
warning
* 2nd time in a game, it will be an automatic strike
* 3rd time in a game, it will be an automatic out
o Pitcher on Mound
* In order for play to be dead, pitcher must be on the
circular portion of the mound, not the rubber
o Head Shots
* If, without leaning into it, a player is hit in the head by
a pitch, he will automatically be awarded first base and
any applicable runners will be forced up a base,
regardless of a ‘purpose pitch’ or not
o End Time for Games
* The official suspension time of games will be Sunset +15
minutes, as per www.weather.com the morning of the games
o Water on Mound
* Every attempt will be made to clear any and all puddles
from the field, but if, during the game, the mound -
particularly the rubber – is covered with water,
pitchers must still pitch with their foot on the rubber,
not from a drier spot
• Ex. “What happens when the mound is a pool?”
“I don’t care,” says Bob Loftus.
2008 American Division All-Stars Announced!
The voting is over, and the paper, forum, and online votes have been tallied according to the 75/15/10 ratio, respectively, and here are the top 5 vote-getters from the American Division:
1. Ryan Hart, Saturday Crush -- most paper and forum votes
2. Dylan Moore, Westside Washout -- most online votes
3. Kenny Kandrac, Shockers
4. Tony Lakkis, Saturday Crush
5. Gennaro Passarella, The F-Bomberz
The other 5 AD representatives and 2 alternates were selected by a statistical analysis by The League making sure that every team in the division has at least one representative, and are as follows:
Scott Wasik, Shockers
TJ Nikoden, Shockers
Mark Belles, Saturday Crush
Bill Reznak, Westside Washout
Shawn Ashton, Saturday Crush
Andy Peck, Saturday Crush
Bob Loftus, Jr., The F-Bomberz
Congratulations to all of the 2008 American Division All-Stars!
Shawn Ashton, Saturday Crush
Mark Belles, Saturday Crush
Ryan Hart, Saturday Crush
Kenny Kandrac, Shockers
Tony Lakkis, Saturday Crush
Dylan Moore, Westside Washout
TJ Nikoden, Shockers
Gennaro Passarella, The F-Bomberz
Bill Reznak, Westside Washout
Scott Wasik, Shockers
Season 4 Award Winners
The League is proud to announce award winners for the 2007 season - year four of BWBL action.
Some awards will be automatic based on statistics, such as batting champ and RBI leader, some will be handed out from the league office, and some will be voted on via the forum.
Be sure to check back regularly for the newest updates!
2007 Award Winners
Defensive Player of the Year - Bill Reznak, Westside Washout
Hitter of the Year - Ryan Hart, Saturday Crush
Rookie of the Year - Brian Deats, Orange Crush
Batting Champion - Kevin Sickle, Dragons, .583
RBI Champion - Brian Deats, Orange Crush, 62
CY Young - Bob Loftus, Dragons
Playoff MVP - Ryan Hart, Saturday Crush
2007 Offensive Numbers Released
Following the conclusion of Season 4, the Backyard Wiffle Ball League was able to input 2007 offensive numbers into a database. The League is proud to announce some of these record-breaking aggregate numbers*:
2007 League Totals
4,274 At-Bats -- League Record***one additional at-bat added 1/1/08
1,540 Runs -- League Record***one additional run added 1/1/08
1,735 Hits -- League Record***one hit taken off 1/1/08
81 Doubles***one additional double added 1/1/08
10 Triples
190 Home Runs -- League Record
1,252 Runs Batted In -- League Record***one RBI taken off 1/1/08
1,286 Walks -- League Record
1,172 Strikeouts -- League Record***five additional strikeouts added 1/1/08
2,406 Total Bases -- League Record
.406 Batting Average -- four ten-thousandths from a League Record***difference adjusted on 1/1/08
.543 On-Base Percentage***one thousandth of a point taken away on 1/1/08
.563 Slugging Percentage -- League Record
1.106 On-Base Plus Slugging Percentage -- League Record***one thousandth of a point taken away on 1/1/08
*Intense scrutiny will be given to these numbers over the months ahead. These final tallies are subject to change.
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