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First Captains Poll of the New Season
by: Steve Dotzel
(posted Friday, May 20, 2022)
I should have had this written last week, but hey, better late than never. I won’t be running the Captain’s Poll every week this season, as it just gets too mundane, but every two to three weeks I will get a sense of where everyone stands. How do teams stack up headed into the 2022 season in the eyes of the eight captains? Let’s take a look.
Note: Poll was conducted prior to Week 1 games.
8. Diamond Dogs
Not much of a surprise here with the Diamond Dogs kicking off the list. New teams typically find themselves at the bottom of the rankings and considering that the only recent experience many of the rostered players have on this team was on a 0-20 squad last season, expectations are low. With that said, that didn’t stop the Diamond Dogs from pulling off a huge upset win over False Idols Week 1.
7. BDE
Maybe a little surprising to see this team below a few of the others yet to come, considering the experience of Julian Sperazza, but nonetheless here they are. There are some athletic softball transplants on this roster that after some adjustments, might be able to have this team in playoff consideration by season’s end. They started the campaign off with a big sweep of the next team on our list. Which team can take advantage and pick up sweeps over other bottom tier teams will certainly determine a wild card spot.
6. 5 Lokos
That brings us to the 5 Lokos squad, the third and final of the “new” teams to the league for the 2022 season. The fifth playoff spot appears to be absolutely wide open coming into the season and the Lokos could find themselves right in the mix if they can take care of business against Roadkill and the other new teams. But a 0-2 start at the hands of BDE will have them behind the eight ball here early.
5. Roadkill
Roadkill enters the season as the captains pick as the fifth best team in the league, presumably making them a playoff team. As previously mentioned it should be a good battle for that spot all season long. Roadkill showed some flashes last season, especially at the plate, they will just need to find a pitcher out of the 261 players on their roster. They didn’t have much success there in Week 1 and were swept by Bases Loaded. However that was not a series Roadkill was expected to pick up a win in and thanks to a difficult early schedule, that might be the case through mid-June with matchups against Scared Hitless, Kings of the North, and False Idols to start the year.
4. Bases Loaded
Some major offseason moves has put Bases Loaded from a fringe playoff team to a legit title contender for 2022. The addition of Joey Dougher gives the team a 1-2 punch on the mound with Gerald Johnson returning, and Steve Homza and Rob Hess were brought in to bolster the offense. That paid dividends immediately with Hess driving in 14 runs, Homza scoring 7, and Dougher picking up a win all in an opening weekend sweep.
3. Kings of the North
Another team that retooled their roster in the offseason is Kings of the North. After struggling to field a team for much of 2021 the Kings added Steve Dotzel and Mikey Lenchak from the now defunct Wiffleball Junkies and coaxed George Moser and Joe Foose out of retirement. After a favorable draw in what’s perceived to be the easier division, it would be a major shock for anyone to claim the American Division crown besides the Kings. The Kings split the opening series with Scared Hitless which could be a very likely playoff matchup down the line.
1. Scared Hitless (4)
There was a tie at the top of the poll so Scared Hitless will enter as the co-favorites to take home the 2022 title. With one captain missing from the vote, Hitless’ four 1st place votes are the most. Led on the mound by Nick Pugh, where he should contend for both the Cy Young and MVP this season, Hitless will battle it out with Bases Loaded and False Idols all season in the National Division. There will be a very fine line this year between a top 2 seed and the play in game, the latter of which Hitless would like to avoid participating in for the 3rd straight season. Hitless came away with a split to start the season.
1. False Idols (3)
Making up the other half of the 1st place tie and picking up three 1st place votes is the defending champion team of False Idols. Had this team had a full time commitment from Anthony Caladie, they likely are the overwhelming favorite, however as it stands they’ll rely mostly on Brett Caladie and James Ziobro to carry the load. The team’s reliance on Brett showed itself early, falling in a surprise upset in Week 1 to Diamond Dogs in Brett’s absence. Not much to worry about here though assuming Brett is present more often than not, which he is expected to be.
Stats to Watch For:
Alex Fuchylo needs 5 HRs to tie Bob Loftus, Sr. for 2nd on the BWBL all-time HR list.
Andy Peck needs 5 HRs to become the 4th player in BWBL history to hit 100 all-time.
Rob Hess needs 1 HR to tie Mark Belles and Doug Novitski for 5th on the BWBL all-time HR list.
Kevin Sickle needs 2 HRs to tie Mark Belles and Doug Novitski for 5th on the BWBL all-time HR list.
Steve Dotzel needs 6 RBIs to become the 12th player in BWBL history to record 300 all-time.
Tom Hannon needs 3 hits to become the 2nd player in BWBL history to record 700 all-time.
Steve Homza needs 1 hit to reach 200 for his career and would become the 27th player in BWBL history to achieve the mark.
Brett Rooney needs 12 hits to reach 200 for his career.
John Kotsko needs 20 hits to reach 200 for his career.
Josh Quick needs 18 hits to reach 100 for his career.
Alex Fuchylo needs 8 2/3 innings pitched to pass Bobby Loftus, Jr. for 3rd on the BWBL all-time innings pitched list.
Steve Dotzel needs 28 strikeouts to become the 5th player in BWBL history to record 500 all-time.
Joey Dougher needs 1 win to become the 10th player in BWBL history record 30 all-time.
Recent Milestones
Kevin Sickle became the 7th player in BWBL history to record 500 hits all-time.
Steve Dotzel became the 6th player in BWBL history to record 300 career innings pitched.
Note: Poll was conducted prior to Week 1 games.
8. Diamond Dogs
Not much of a surprise here with the Diamond Dogs kicking off the list. New teams typically find themselves at the bottom of the rankings and considering that the only recent experience many of the rostered players have on this team was on a 0-20 squad last season, expectations are low. With that said, that didn’t stop the Diamond Dogs from pulling off a huge upset win over False Idols Week 1.
7. BDE
Maybe a little surprising to see this team below a few of the others yet to come, considering the experience of Julian Sperazza, but nonetheless here they are. There are some athletic softball transplants on this roster that after some adjustments, might be able to have this team in playoff consideration by season’s end. They started the campaign off with a big sweep of the next team on our list. Which team can take advantage and pick up sweeps over other bottom tier teams will certainly determine a wild card spot.
6. 5 Lokos
That brings us to the 5 Lokos squad, the third and final of the “new” teams to the league for the 2022 season. The fifth playoff spot appears to be absolutely wide open coming into the season and the Lokos could find themselves right in the mix if they can take care of business against Roadkill and the other new teams. But a 0-2 start at the hands of BDE will have them behind the eight ball here early.
5. Roadkill
Roadkill enters the season as the captains pick as the fifth best team in the league, presumably making them a playoff team. As previously mentioned it should be a good battle for that spot all season long. Roadkill showed some flashes last season, especially at the plate, they will just need to find a pitcher out of the 261 players on their roster. They didn’t have much success there in Week 1 and were swept by Bases Loaded. However that was not a series Roadkill was expected to pick up a win in and thanks to a difficult early schedule, that might be the case through mid-June with matchups against Scared Hitless, Kings of the North, and False Idols to start the year.
4. Bases Loaded
Some major offseason moves has put Bases Loaded from a fringe playoff team to a legit title contender for 2022. The addition of Joey Dougher gives the team a 1-2 punch on the mound with Gerald Johnson returning, and Steve Homza and Rob Hess were brought in to bolster the offense. That paid dividends immediately with Hess driving in 14 runs, Homza scoring 7, and Dougher picking up a win all in an opening weekend sweep.
3. Kings of the North
Another team that retooled their roster in the offseason is Kings of the North. After struggling to field a team for much of 2021 the Kings added Steve Dotzel and Mikey Lenchak from the now defunct Wiffleball Junkies and coaxed George Moser and Joe Foose out of retirement. After a favorable draw in what’s perceived to be the easier division, it would be a major shock for anyone to claim the American Division crown besides the Kings. The Kings split the opening series with Scared Hitless which could be a very likely playoff matchup down the line.
1. Scared Hitless (4)
There was a tie at the top of the poll so Scared Hitless will enter as the co-favorites to take home the 2022 title. With one captain missing from the vote, Hitless’ four 1st place votes are the most. Led on the mound by Nick Pugh, where he should contend for both the Cy Young and MVP this season, Hitless will battle it out with Bases Loaded and False Idols all season in the National Division. There will be a very fine line this year between a top 2 seed and the play in game, the latter of which Hitless would like to avoid participating in for the 3rd straight season. Hitless came away with a split to start the season.
1. False Idols (3)
Making up the other half of the 1st place tie and picking up three 1st place votes is the defending champion team of False Idols. Had this team had a full time commitment from Anthony Caladie, they likely are the overwhelming favorite, however as it stands they’ll rely mostly on Brett Caladie and James Ziobro to carry the load. The team’s reliance on Brett showed itself early, falling in a surprise upset in Week 1 to Diamond Dogs in Brett’s absence. Not much to worry about here though assuming Brett is present more often than not, which he is expected to be.
Stats to Watch For:
Alex Fuchylo needs 5 HRs to tie Bob Loftus, Sr. for 2nd on the BWBL all-time HR list.
Andy Peck needs 5 HRs to become the 4th player in BWBL history to hit 100 all-time.
Rob Hess needs 1 HR to tie Mark Belles and Doug Novitski for 5th on the BWBL all-time HR list.
Kevin Sickle needs 2 HRs to tie Mark Belles and Doug Novitski for 5th on the BWBL all-time HR list.
Steve Dotzel needs 6 RBIs to become the 12th player in BWBL history to record 300 all-time.
Tom Hannon needs 3 hits to become the 2nd player in BWBL history to record 700 all-time.
Steve Homza needs 1 hit to reach 200 for his career and would become the 27th player in BWBL history to achieve the mark.
Brett Rooney needs 12 hits to reach 200 for his career.
John Kotsko needs 20 hits to reach 200 for his career.
Josh Quick needs 18 hits to reach 100 for his career.
Alex Fuchylo needs 8 2/3 innings pitched to pass Bobby Loftus, Jr. for 3rd on the BWBL all-time innings pitched list.
Steve Dotzel needs 28 strikeouts to become the 5th player in BWBL history to record 500 all-time.
Joey Dougher needs 1 win to become the 10th player in BWBL history record 30 all-time.
Recent Milestones
Kevin Sickle became the 7th player in BWBL history to record 500 hits all-time.
Steve Dotzel became the 6th player in BWBL history to record 300 career innings pitched.
False Idols Take the Title
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Congratulations to False Idols for winning the 2021 BWBL Red Robin Cup! A tremendous series by both them and 1776, as it went down to a decisive fifth game, with Idols winning 6-5. Lots of home runs by both teams throughout the day, but none bigger than Tom Hannon's three-run, go-ahead blast in the bottom of the fourth inning of Game 5.
Year 18 is in the books -- time for a second base for the trophy next year!
Year 18 is in the books -- time for a second base for the trophy next year!
BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2021
In continuing to commemorate the efforts of great players and organizers, the Backyard Wiffle® Ball League is proud to announce the BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2021!
Members are elected to the Hall of Fame through a vote of BWBL Council members and still-active Hall of Famers. In order to become a member of the Hall of Fame, players/organizers must first be nominated by the Council and then receive 75% of the vote.
The league is proud to announce the BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2021:
Mark Belles – Since entering the BWBL in 2006 with Saturday Crush Belles has become known as one of the best all-around players in the league. Belles has proven himself to be a vital player at the plate, on the mound, and in the field. This makes Belles a potential game changer anytime he touches the Wiffle ball. Proof of that is in Belles’ career history. During his 15 seasons with the league thus far Belles has competed in 8 championship series with 5 championship wins, cementing him as a top player in BWBL history.
Alex Fuchylo – Few players in league history have had as much success on both sides of the field as Alex. He has won three Season MVP awards, a Playoff MVP, two Silver Sluggers, and a Cy Young. Alex ranks top 7 all-time in the major offensive categories of home runs, RBI’s, runs, and hits. On the mound, he ranks top 5 in innings pitched, strikeouts, and wins. Beyond individual statistics, Alex is a two time Red Robin Cup Champion bringing home the title with Bases Loaded and two with Jagerbombers. He has also player-managed the Gamecocks, Full Count, and Kings of the North teams throughout his 12 year BWBL career. In addition, Alex is one of the most well-liked and respected players in the league. His integrity and long list of accomplishments makes him a worthy addition to the BWBL Hall of Fame.
Stay tuned for plans for the Hall of Fame Induction!
Members are elected to the Hall of Fame through a vote of BWBL Council members and still-active Hall of Famers. In order to become a member of the Hall of Fame, players/organizers must first be nominated by the Council and then receive 75% of the vote.
The league is proud to announce the BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2021:
Mark Belles – Since entering the BWBL in 2006 with Saturday Crush Belles has become known as one of the best all-around players in the league. Belles has proven himself to be a vital player at the plate, on the mound, and in the field. This makes Belles a potential game changer anytime he touches the Wiffle ball. Proof of that is in Belles’ career history. During his 15 seasons with the league thus far Belles has competed in 8 championship series with 5 championship wins, cementing him as a top player in BWBL history.
Alex Fuchylo – Few players in league history have had as much success on both sides of the field as Alex. He has won three Season MVP awards, a Playoff MVP, two Silver Sluggers, and a Cy Young. Alex ranks top 7 all-time in the major offensive categories of home runs, RBI’s, runs, and hits. On the mound, he ranks top 5 in innings pitched, strikeouts, and wins. Beyond individual statistics, Alex is a two time Red Robin Cup Champion bringing home the title with Bases Loaded and two with Jagerbombers. He has also player-managed the Gamecocks, Full Count, and Kings of the North teams throughout his 12 year BWBL career. In addition, Alex is one of the most well-liked and respected players in the league. His integrity and long list of accomplishments makes him a worthy addition to the BWBL Hall of Fame.
Stay tuned for plans for the Hall of Fame Induction!
Scared Hitless Surprise Champions
Congratulations to Scared Hitless as they take home the BWBL Red Robin Cup as champions! They completed one of the most improbable runs in league history to defeat Balls Deep three games to two.
Award Nominees
by: Steve Dotzel
(posted Tuesday, September 8, 2020)
With the 2020 season in the books, it is time to give out some hardware. Let’s take a quick run though the nominees for each award before voting gets underway. Keep in mind, outside of Playoff MVP these are regular season awards.
(Players Listed in Alphabetical Order)
Most Improved
Dave Brigido
2019 Stats: .282 AVG, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 10 R
2020 Stats: .364 AVG, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 24 R
Brigido improved across the board at the plate in 2020 in all major categories. Also on the mound he recorded a 16.38 ERA and while he did not pitch in 2019, that is almost a 4 run improvement compared to his career ERA entering 2020.
Alex Chronowski
2019 Stats: .411 AVG, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 13 R
2020 Stats: .647 AVG, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 17 R
Despite playing in 10 fewer games in 2020 as compared to 2019, Chronowski still outpaced his 2019 stats in a major way.
Mike Cinti
2019 Stats: .128 AVG, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 9 R
2020 Stats: .343 AVG, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 21 R
2019 Stats: (2-1) 14 IP, 4.64 ERA, 2.86 WHIP, 27 K
2020 Stats: (3-6) 40 IP, 8.75 ERA, 2.98 WHIP, 92 K
At the plate Cinti’s numbers improved dramatically after finishing 2019 with the lowest average among qualified hitters. On the mound, his workload nearly tripled and he saw a major uptick in strikeouts, averaging 2.3 per inning up from 1.9 in 2019.
Justin Gober
2016-2018 Stats: .262 AVG, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 21 R
2020 Stats: .306 AVG, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 14 R
With no games played in 2019 and only four in 2018 where Gober hit just .050, I had to go back to 2016 to get a full seasons worth of numbers. But you can see Gober raised his average nearly 50 points and saw a bump in his run production at the plate.
Gerald Johnson
2019 Stats: .290 AVG, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 13 R
2020 Stats: .288 AVG, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 24 R
2019 Stats: (0-4), 9.2 IP, 23.79 ERA, 6.32 WHIP, 17 K
2020 Stats: (1-8), 36.1 IP, 11.28 ERA, 4.07 WHIP, 64 K
Johnson showed improvement offensively and on the mound in his new full time rule with Bases Loaded.
Rookie of the Year
Stew Caladie
Key Stats: .500 AVG, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 25 R, .565 OBP
The newest Caladie finished in the Top 10 in the BWBL in AVG, HR, RBI, and R as a key piece in the Balls Deep offense that finished second in the league with 169 runs scored during the year.
Max Kraus
Key Stats: .333 AVG, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 10 R, .429 OBP
Kraus helped to fill the void in the ECE lineup that was vacated by several off-season departures. He put up solid numbers for just 12 games worth of action.
Nick Pugh
Key Stats: (5-5), 2.60 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 108 K
Pugh led the BWBL in strikeouts with 108, tying him for the 3rd most all-time in BWBL history for a single season. His ERA was 5th best amongst pitchers who threw at least 15 innings and his WHIP ranked 3rd.
Captain of the Year
Joey Dougher
Dougher captained the merger of what was two of the top teams from 2019, guiding the Flying Pierogies and their mix of personalities to an American Division title and league best 19-1 record.
John Kotsko
Kotsko brought in Stew Caladie and James Ziobro to replace the departed Steve Dotzel and Mikey Grebeck and followed up his 2019 championship season with a 15-5 record and National divisional title.
Brett Rooney
Rooney took the reins of Scared Hitless and helped lead a late season charge which culminated in the final playoff spot and a record of 9-11.
Josh Sorber
Sorber brought in Steve Dotzel and Jon Fernandes in the off-season and managed a roster of eight players on a weekly basis to a 10-10 record, a seven game improvement from Wiffleball Junkies 3-17 record in 2019.
Silver Slugger
Brett Caladie
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): .573 AVG (4th), 12 HR (2ND), 43 RBI (2ND), 39 R (3rd), .627 OBP (4TH)
Christian Faulkner
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): .574 AVG (3rd), 7 HR (T-6TH), 30 RBI (6TH), 22 R (14th), .676 OBP (2ND)
Alex Fuchylo
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): .491 AVG (8TH), 11 HR (T-3RD), 37 RBI (3RD), 50 R (1ST), .590 OBP (7TH)
Rob Hess
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): .452 AVG (11TH), 11 HR (T-3RD), 36 RBI (4TH), 38 R (4TH), .574 OBP (13TH)
Jake Lukachik
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): .603 AVG (2ND), 13 HR (1ST), 46 RBI (1ST), 30 R (6TH), .622 OBP (5TH)
Cy Young
Zach Artim
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): 8-0 (T-1ST), 0.38 ERA (1ST), 0.92 WHIP (1ST), 12.4 K/5 (2ND)
Anthony Caladie
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): 8-2 (T-1ST), 1.63 ERA (3RD), 1.22 WHIP (2ND), 10.3 K/5 (7TH)
Brett Caladie
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): 4-1 (T-7TH), 1.50 ERA (2ND), 1.50 WHIP (4TH), 10.5 K/5 (5TH)
Christian Faulkner
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): 7-1 (3RD), 2.16 ERA (4th), 1.73 WHIP (5TH), 12.7 K/5 (1ST)
MVP
Zach Artim
Artim led the entire BWBL in wins, ERA, and WHIP as the ace of the league’s best team. He finished the season with a spotless 8-0 record. At the plate, he finished second on the team in both HR and RBI.
Anthony Caladie
At the plate A. Caladie led the BWBL in doubles with 6 and led Balls Deep in OBP at .636. On the mound he went 8-2 tying him for the league lead in wins and led Balls Deep with 95 strikeouts. He finished top 3 in the BWBL in both ERA and WHIP.
Brett Caladie
B. Caladie finished in the Top 4 in the BWBL in all major offensive categories (AVG, HR, RBI, R, OBP) and was the only player in the league to accomplish this feat. On the mound he went 4-1 and finished 2nd in the BWBL in ERA.
Alex Fuchylo
Fuchylo led the BWBL with 50 runs scored and finished Top 3 in both HR and RBI. On the mound he went 6-3 leading his team in both wins and strikeouts.
Nick Pugh
Pugh tossed 108 strikeouts which led the BWBL and tied him for 3rd most all-time for a single season. He finished with a record of 5-5 and his 2.60 ERA was good for 5th best in the BWBL. His WHIP of 1.48 was 3rd best. At the plate his 19 runs scored led the team.
Playoff MVP
Anthony Caladie
A. Caladie led the Balls Deep staff in the postseason with a 3-1 record and 3.81 ERA. His 8 HR tied him for the postseason lead.
J.J. Neely
Neely led Scared Hitless with 5 postseason HR and a team leading .429 average. On the mound he picked up a pivotal Game 4 win in the Championship series.
Nick Pugh
Pugh led the postseason with 5 wins en route to a 5-1 playoff record. His 1.79 ERA and 61 strikeouts were the best marks among those who pitched at least two games.
Julian Sperazza
Sperazza hit 4 HR and drove in 13 in just nine playoff games, far out producing his entire season totals of 1 and 11 respectively. This included pivotal go-ahead home runs in Game 2 and Game 4 wins of the Championship series for Scared Hitless.
(Players Listed in Alphabetical Order)
Most Improved
Dave Brigido
2019 Stats: .282 AVG, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 10 R
2020 Stats: .364 AVG, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 24 R
Brigido improved across the board at the plate in 2020 in all major categories. Also on the mound he recorded a 16.38 ERA and while he did not pitch in 2019, that is almost a 4 run improvement compared to his career ERA entering 2020.
Alex Chronowski
2019 Stats: .411 AVG, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 13 R
2020 Stats: .647 AVG, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 17 R
Despite playing in 10 fewer games in 2020 as compared to 2019, Chronowski still outpaced his 2019 stats in a major way.
Mike Cinti
2019 Stats: .128 AVG, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 9 R
2020 Stats: .343 AVG, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 21 R
2019 Stats: (2-1) 14 IP, 4.64 ERA, 2.86 WHIP, 27 K
2020 Stats: (3-6) 40 IP, 8.75 ERA, 2.98 WHIP, 92 K
At the plate Cinti’s numbers improved dramatically after finishing 2019 with the lowest average among qualified hitters. On the mound, his workload nearly tripled and he saw a major uptick in strikeouts, averaging 2.3 per inning up from 1.9 in 2019.
Justin Gober
2016-2018 Stats: .262 AVG, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 21 R
2020 Stats: .306 AVG, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 14 R
With no games played in 2019 and only four in 2018 where Gober hit just .050, I had to go back to 2016 to get a full seasons worth of numbers. But you can see Gober raised his average nearly 50 points and saw a bump in his run production at the plate.
Gerald Johnson
2019 Stats: .290 AVG, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 13 R
2020 Stats: .288 AVG, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 24 R
2019 Stats: (0-4), 9.2 IP, 23.79 ERA, 6.32 WHIP, 17 K
2020 Stats: (1-8), 36.1 IP, 11.28 ERA, 4.07 WHIP, 64 K
Johnson showed improvement offensively and on the mound in his new full time rule with Bases Loaded.
Rookie of the Year
Stew Caladie
Key Stats: .500 AVG, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 25 R, .565 OBP
The newest Caladie finished in the Top 10 in the BWBL in AVG, HR, RBI, and R as a key piece in the Balls Deep offense that finished second in the league with 169 runs scored during the year.
Max Kraus
Key Stats: .333 AVG, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 10 R, .429 OBP
Kraus helped to fill the void in the ECE lineup that was vacated by several off-season departures. He put up solid numbers for just 12 games worth of action.
Nick Pugh
Key Stats: (5-5), 2.60 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 108 K
Pugh led the BWBL in strikeouts with 108, tying him for the 3rd most all-time in BWBL history for a single season. His ERA was 5th best amongst pitchers who threw at least 15 innings and his WHIP ranked 3rd.
Captain of the Year
Joey Dougher
Dougher captained the merger of what was two of the top teams from 2019, guiding the Flying Pierogies and their mix of personalities to an American Division title and league best 19-1 record.
John Kotsko
Kotsko brought in Stew Caladie and James Ziobro to replace the departed Steve Dotzel and Mikey Grebeck and followed up his 2019 championship season with a 15-5 record and National divisional title.
Brett Rooney
Rooney took the reins of Scared Hitless and helped lead a late season charge which culminated in the final playoff spot and a record of 9-11.
Josh Sorber
Sorber brought in Steve Dotzel and Jon Fernandes in the off-season and managed a roster of eight players on a weekly basis to a 10-10 record, a seven game improvement from Wiffleball Junkies 3-17 record in 2019.
Silver Slugger
Brett Caladie
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): .573 AVG (4th), 12 HR (2ND), 43 RBI (2ND), 39 R (3rd), .627 OBP (4TH)
Christian Faulkner
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): .574 AVG (3rd), 7 HR (T-6TH), 30 RBI (6TH), 22 R (14th), .676 OBP (2ND)
Alex Fuchylo
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): .491 AVG (8TH), 11 HR (T-3RD), 37 RBI (3RD), 50 R (1ST), .590 OBP (7TH)
Rob Hess
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): .452 AVG (11TH), 11 HR (T-3RD), 36 RBI (4TH), 38 R (4TH), .574 OBP (13TH)
Jake Lukachik
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): .603 AVG (2ND), 13 HR (1ST), 46 RBI (1ST), 30 R (6TH), .622 OBP (5TH)
Cy Young
Zach Artim
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): 8-0 (T-1ST), 0.38 ERA (1ST), 0.92 WHIP (1ST), 12.4 K/5 (2ND)
Anthony Caladie
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): 8-2 (T-1ST), 1.63 ERA (3RD), 1.22 WHIP (2ND), 10.3 K/5 (7TH)
Brett Caladie
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): 4-1 (T-7TH), 1.50 ERA (2ND), 1.50 WHIP (4TH), 10.5 K/5 (5TH)
Christian Faulkner
Key Stats (BWBL Ranks): 7-1 (3RD), 2.16 ERA (4th), 1.73 WHIP (5TH), 12.7 K/5 (1ST)
MVP
Zach Artim
Artim led the entire BWBL in wins, ERA, and WHIP as the ace of the league’s best team. He finished the season with a spotless 8-0 record. At the plate, he finished second on the team in both HR and RBI.
Anthony Caladie
At the plate A. Caladie led the BWBL in doubles with 6 and led Balls Deep in OBP at .636. On the mound he went 8-2 tying him for the league lead in wins and led Balls Deep with 95 strikeouts. He finished top 3 in the BWBL in both ERA and WHIP.
Brett Caladie
B. Caladie finished in the Top 4 in the BWBL in all major offensive categories (AVG, HR, RBI, R, OBP) and was the only player in the league to accomplish this feat. On the mound he went 4-1 and finished 2nd in the BWBL in ERA.
Alex Fuchylo
Fuchylo led the BWBL with 50 runs scored and finished Top 3 in both HR and RBI. On the mound he went 6-3 leading his team in both wins and strikeouts.
Nick Pugh
Pugh tossed 108 strikeouts which led the BWBL and tied him for 3rd most all-time for a single season. He finished with a record of 5-5 and his 2.60 ERA was good for 5th best in the BWBL. His WHIP of 1.48 was 3rd best. At the plate his 19 runs scored led the team.
Playoff MVP
Anthony Caladie
A. Caladie led the Balls Deep staff in the postseason with a 3-1 record and 3.81 ERA. His 8 HR tied him for the postseason lead.
J.J. Neely
Neely led Scared Hitless with 5 postseason HR and a team leading .429 average. On the mound he picked up a pivotal Game 4 win in the Championship series.
Nick Pugh
Pugh led the postseason with 5 wins en route to a 5-1 playoff record. His 1.79 ERA and 61 strikeouts were the best marks among those who pitched at least two games.
Julian Sperazza
Sperazza hit 4 HR and drove in 13 in just nine playoff games, far out producing his entire season totals of 1 and 11 respectively. This included pivotal go-ahead home runs in Game 2 and Game 4 wins of the Championship series for Scared Hitless.
BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2019
In continuing to commemorate the efforts of great players and organizers, the Backyard Wiffle® Ball League is proud to announce the BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2019!
Members are elected to the Hall of Fame through a vote of BWBL Council members and still-active Hall of Famers. In order to become a member of the Hall of Fame, players/organizers must first be nominated by the Council and then receive 75% of the vote.
The league is proud to announce the BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2019:
Mikey Holloway -- Player for all 15 years of the league’s existence and was the league’s youngest player at the age of 12 when the league formed. Mikey has transformed his game throught the years, at first relying on his speed and quick hands then becoming an all-around player capable of carrying a team on his back. Don’t be fooled by the lackadaisical effort because if you sleep on him, he will turn a little 15-foot hit into a double. Holloway’s speed and quickness has garnered him some national recognition from the NWLA as a first team fielder and is considered to be one of the most reliable defensive players roaming the outfield at Diamond City Park. With his induction, the Core-4 of not only the 2004 Dragons but the original one-on-one league is now all derservingly in the Hall of Fame.
Bob Sickle -- Father of the league co-creator, without Sickle, the league most likely would have gone under within the first few years. Sickle was routinely at the field early to help set up and get the field in playing condition. Sickle is best known for his supervisory skills and ability to see where improvements could be made. He is also famous for one-liners, with favorite targets being fellow Hall of Famers Tom Hannon, Mike White, and his son Kevin Sickle. Sickle was instrumental in getting Diamond City Park up and running to allow the league to continue well into the future. Athletically, Sickle served as a fill-in during the early years for his son's teams and has two sons who hold BWBL titles (Kevin and Nate with Bases Loaded in 2013). The league, its founders, commissioner son, council, and all players past, present, and future owe a debt of gratitude to Bob.
Stay tuned for plans for the Hall of Fame Induction!
Members are elected to the Hall of Fame through a vote of BWBL Council members and still-active Hall of Famers. In order to become a member of the Hall of Fame, players/organizers must first be nominated by the Council and then receive 75% of the vote.
The league is proud to announce the BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2019:
Mikey Holloway -- Player for all 15 years of the league’s existence and was the league’s youngest player at the age of 12 when the league formed. Mikey has transformed his game throught the years, at first relying on his speed and quick hands then becoming an all-around player capable of carrying a team on his back. Don’t be fooled by the lackadaisical effort because if you sleep on him, he will turn a little 15-foot hit into a double. Holloway’s speed and quickness has garnered him some national recognition from the NWLA as a first team fielder and is considered to be one of the most reliable defensive players roaming the outfield at Diamond City Park. With his induction, the Core-4 of not only the 2004 Dragons but the original one-on-one league is now all derservingly in the Hall of Fame.
Bob Sickle -- Father of the league co-creator, without Sickle, the league most likely would have gone under within the first few years. Sickle was routinely at the field early to help set up and get the field in playing condition. Sickle is best known for his supervisory skills and ability to see where improvements could be made. He is also famous for one-liners, with favorite targets being fellow Hall of Famers Tom Hannon, Mike White, and his son Kevin Sickle. Sickle was instrumental in getting Diamond City Park up and running to allow the league to continue well into the future. Athletically, Sickle served as a fill-in during the early years for his son's teams and has two sons who hold BWBL titles (Kevin and Nate with Bases Loaded in 2013). The league, its founders, commissioner son, council, and all players past, present, and future owe a debt of gratitude to Bob.
Stay tuned for plans for the Hall of Fame Induction!
In continuing to commemorate the efforts of great players and organizers, the Backyard Wiffle® Ball League is proud to announce the BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2019!
Members are elected to the Hall of Fame through a vote of BWBL Council members and still-active Hall of Famers. In order to become a member of the Hall of Fame, players/organizers must first be nominated by the Council and then receive 75% of the vote.
The league is proud to announce the BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2019:
Mikey Holloway -- Player for all 15 years of the league’s existence and was the league’s youngest player at the age of 12 when the league formed. Mikey has transformed his game throught the years, at first relying on his speed and quick hands then becoming an all-around player capable of carrying a team on his back. Don’t be fooled by the lackadaisical effort because if you sleep on him, he will turn a little 15-foot hit into a double. Holloway’s speed and quickness has garnered him some national recognition from the NWLA as a first team fielder and is considered to be one of the most reliable defensive players roaming the outfield at Diamond City Park. With his induction, the Core-4 of not only the 2004 Dragons but the original one-on-one league is now all derservingly in the Hall of Fame.
Bob Sickle -- Father of the league co-creator, without Sickle, the league most likely would have gone under within the first few years. Sickle was routinely at the field early to help set up and get the field in playing condition. Sickle is best known for his supervisory skills and ability to see where improvements could be made. He is also famous for one-liners, with favorite targets being fellow Hall of Famers Tom Hannon, Mike White, and his son Kevin Sickle. Sickle was instrumental in getting Diamond City Park up and running to allow the league to continue well into the future. Athletically, Sickle served as a fill-in during the early years for his son's teams and has two sons who hold BWBL titles (Kevin and Nate with Bases Loaded in 2013). The league, its founders, commissioner son, council, and all players past, present, and future owe a debt of gratitude to Bob.
Members are elected to the Hall of Fame through a vote of BWBL Council members and still-active Hall of Famers. In order to become a member of the Hall of Fame, players/organizers must first be nominated by the Council and then receive 75% of the vote.
The league is proud to announce the BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2019:
Mikey Holloway -- Player for all 15 years of the league’s existence and was the league’s youngest player at the age of 12 when the league formed. Mikey has transformed his game throught the years, at first relying on his speed and quick hands then becoming an all-around player capable of carrying a team on his back. Don’t be fooled by the lackadaisical effort because if you sleep on him, he will turn a little 15-foot hit into a double. Holloway’s speed and quickness has garnered him some national recognition from the NWLA as a first team fielder and is considered to be one of the most reliable defensive players roaming the outfield at Diamond City Park. With his induction, the Core-4 of not only the 2004 Dragons but the original one-on-one league is now all derservingly in the Hall of Fame.
Bob Sickle -- Father of the league co-creator, without Sickle, the league most likely would have gone under within the first few years. Sickle was routinely at the field early to help set up and get the field in playing condition. Sickle is best known for his supervisory skills and ability to see where improvements could be made. He is also famous for one-liners, with favorite targets being fellow Hall of Famers Tom Hannon, Mike White, and his son Kevin Sickle. Sickle was instrumental in getting Diamond City Park up and running to allow the league to continue well into the future. Athletically, Sickle served as a fill-in during the early years for his son's teams and has two sons who hold BWBL titles (Kevin and Nate with Bases Loaded in 2013). The league, its founders, commissioner son, council, and all players past, present, and future owe a debt of gratitude to Bob.
The BWBL is officially sanctioned by The Wiffle Ball, Inc., 275 Bridgeport Ave., Shelton, CT 06484
