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 Rules
I. Fun
A. Fun is the name of the game. If you cannot have fun, you can’t be in the Backyard Wiffle Ball League.
B. There are winners and there are teams who don’t win (some may deem them losers) in each game. If you win,
win with dignity. If you lose, lose with respect for the victors.
C. As in hockey and Little League, handshakes are expected following each and every game. Although, not
required, it is simply good sportsmanship that promotes having fun!
II. Field Requirements
A. The playing field has some essential requirements that follow, but as long as these basics are followed, “quirks”
are allowed (and actually encouraged) in order to promote variety.
B. The infield must be a 45 foot square. The outfield will extend to at least 75 feet down the lines from home plate to
the fence in both left and right fields, with no maximum. Center field will extend to at least 100 feet from home
plate, with no maximum. The outfield wall must be at least three (3) feet in height, with the maximum being 15
feet.
C. The outfield fence does not have to be of perfect arc, but the dimensions cannot fall below those listed in
Section II-B. Unique field designs are encouraged, and modeling of fields after major or minor league parks is
permitted.
D. The pitching rubber must be forty-five (45) feet from the back corner of the plate. It shall be placed on level
ground with home plate to avoid giving an advantage to the pitcher.
E. There is to be a 22 1/2 foot arc extending out from home plate, from foul line to foul line, used in order to
determine the required distance a batted ball must travel in order to be considered fair.
F. All territory in the infield and outfield is considered fair territory; territory outside of the foul lines is considered foul
territory.
III. Equipment
A. The official ball of the Backyard Wiffle Ball League is that which is manufactured by The Wiffle Ball Inc.
B. Balls can be scuffed in any way, unless deemed by the umpire or a present Council member to have affected the
integrity of the ball. No foreign materials may be placed on the ball. If foreign materials become stuck to the ball,
the ball will be removed from play.
C. Any ball that is cracked to the middle seam or has a 1/4” or more crack will be declared unplayable and removed
from play. This will prevent unorthodox movement of the ball.
D. No player is permitted to wear a glove on the field at any time other than batting gloves while batting.
E. The bats that are to be used in the Backyard Wiffle Ball League are the yellow Wiffle® ball bat, manufactured by
Wiffle, Inc.; the Wiffle® Pro, manufactured by Adeline Bat Co.; the Ledge Sledge and King's Stick, manufactured
by J.T.L. Bat Company; the Loco Bat, produced by Thomas LoCascio in Farmingdale, NY; the Moonshot Bat,
produced by Moonshot Bats of Idaho Falls, ID. Other bats may be approved by the League Council.
1. Tape may be used to decorate the bat, but may not add any significant weight to the bat. Any judgment
calls will be made by the League Council.
2. All bats are subject to inspection by the League Council before play begins. If the bat is deemed illegal, it
will be removed from play.
3. Any player who damages a bat by throwing, slamming into the ground, or by other means may be held
responsible for the cost of replacing the bat and will be subject to the league’s conduct policy.
IV. Umpiring
A. Umpires
1. One umpire will be appointed per regular season game and two umpires will be appointed per playoff
game.
a. The umpire is responsible for the interpretation of all of the rules, as well as to make any decision
on rules not specifically outlined within this rulebook.
b. The umpire is responsible for monitoring the speed limit (please see Section IV-B-8) and being
the final word on disputed calls.
2. The umpire's decision is final. Players may be ejected from the game by the umpire and face other action
by the League Council. This includes incidents of arguing calls or due to inappropriate conduct.
B. Strikes and Balls
1. The count will consist of four (4) balls and three (3) strikes. Four balls is a walk and three strikes is a
strikeout.
2. All balls and strikes will be determined by the backstop, a slab enclosed between PVC pipes. If a pitched
ball hits the slab or the pipes (excluding the legs/post) before hitting the ground, it will be called a strike.
3. If the batter hits a foul ball with two strikes and the ball hits the strike zone, the batter will be charged with
a strikeout.
4. Any pitched ball that does not hit the strike zone is considered a ball unless swung at.
5. If a batter is hit by a pitch, it is not a base on balls, but simply one ball added to the count.
6. Batter interference will be called and a strike recorded if the batter moves into the path of a
pitched ball.
a. While in the batter’s box, the batter may not stand in a way that a part of his body covers the
strike zone and prohibits the pitcher from being able to hit the strike zone with a straight pitch. If
the pitcher feels a batter is covering the strike zone, it will be up to the discretion of the umpire to
decide if the batter needs to move back in the box.
7. All check swing calls will be the responsibility of the umpire.
8. The speed limit is 70 MPH. No warnings will be issued. If a pitch goes above said limit, it will be the
batter’s choice to either count the pitch as a ball, or take the result of the play.
C. Fair and Foul
1. All fair and foul calls will be the responsibility of the umpire.
2. Any ball not completely clearing the arc outlined in Rule II-E at home plate is a foul ball.
3. There is no limit to the number of foul balls with two strikes.
D. Ground Rules
1. Any ball that is fair and then rolls past the imaginary line as if the outfield fence extended forever will be
ruled a ground rule double.
2. Any ball that gets stuck on the scoreboard tray will be ruled a ground rule double.
3. Any ball that, on the fly, hits any part of a flag or flag pole on the left field wall is a home run.
4. Out of Play Territory – DCP
a. The area behind both dugouts consisting of the gap between the back of the dugout walls and
the chain link fence.
b. On the 3rd base line, the opening between the chain link fence and the front corner of the
dugout. If the ball crosses this imaginary line or enters the dugout, the ball is considered out of
play.
c. On the 1st base line, the opening between the end of the chain link fence and the corner of the
dugout steps. If the ball crosses this imaginary line or enters the dugout, the ball is considered
out of play.
d. The area in foul territory that extends past the outfield fence, as if the outfield fence were to
continue on forever.
e. For any field other than DCP, out of play territory should be established and understood by
captains prior to the start of the game.
f. If a ball is hit into “out of play” territory, it is dead and is considered a foul ball regardless of
whether it is caught by a fielder.
g. If a ball is thrown into “out of play” territory by a fielder, the following applies:
1. Any bas erunner who at the time the fielder threw the ball was running towards a base
(this includes the batter running to first base) will be awarded the base they were
attempting to reach PLUS one additional base.
2. Any bas erunner who at the time the fielder threw the ball was either stationery or
retreating back to their bag will be awarded one base.
E. The umpire is responsible for maintaining the count and the number of outs in the inning. It is not required to
declare the count and outs after every pitch, but they must be declared upon request.
F. The official score will be kept by the scorekeeper or batting team and is to be declared after every half-inning and upon request. For the main field at Diamond City Park, there is a scoreboard on the left-field wall, so declaration is not necessary, but maintenance of the score is the responsibility of the team that has just finished their turn at the plate.
V. Pitching Regulations
A. Any pitcher who enters a game must face at least one batter before being removed.
B. If a new pitcher throws one pitch after the commencement of a game, the previous pitcher may not return to pitch
in that same game.
C. In the first game of a double header, any pitcher who either starts the game or enters before the completion of the fourth inning is prohibited from pitching at all in the second game.
D. Closing: In a double header, if a pitcher enters the first game at or later than the commencement of the fifth inning, they may also enter the second game, but only at or later than the commencement of the fifth inning.
E. Playoffs: In a playoff series these limitations apply based on the double-header rule. For example, entering the third game of a series, the pitchers’ statuses from games one and two become obsolete.
VI. Fielding
A. All defensive players must remain behind the pitcher until the pitch is thrown.
1. As a result, a use of a catcher is prohibited.
B. The mound ball rule is not in effect.
C. Plugging below the neck is permitted. This includes both when a player is upright and when the player is sliding.
1. If a player is plugged in the head while ducking or sliding feet-first, it will be recorded as an out, provided
they were not on a base.
2. If a player is plugged in the head while sliding head-first, they are to be called safe.
3. If a player is plugged and deemed to be out by the umpire, the ball is then dead and runner’s either return
or advance to the base they were closest to at the time of the peg.
4. If during a peg attempt the ball hits the ground before hitting the runner, the runner is still out.
5. If during a peg attempt the ball hits an object in the field of play such as a base, bat, umpire, wall, fence,
dugout, or strike zone and then hits the runner, the runner is out.
6. If during a peg attempt the runner had already reached the base prior to being pegged and therefore is safe, the ball is dead and runner’s are to follow rule VI-C-3.
7. If during a peg attempt the ball hits or enters out of play territory, the out of play rules found at IV-D-4-g applies.
D. If during a tag attempt, the fielder loses control of the ball while in the process of tagging the runner, the runner is
safe.
E. No defensive player may make any gesture that might distract the batter. If such movement is made, the pitch
will be nullified.
F. The Infield Fly Rule is in effect but must be activated by a player on the offense calling out “Infield Fly” when the
ball is in the air. Per MLB rule 2.00: “An infield fly is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second, and third bases are occupied, before two are out.”
1. For our purposes, all fielders will be considered infielders.
2. When the Infield Fly Rule is activated, the batter is out and the base runners may advance at the risk of
the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball.
VII. Length of Games
A. All games will be scheduled for five (5) innings. There will be a one-hour time limit. An inning still in progress at
the time limit shall be completed. An inning can only begin after the hour limit if the score is tied.
B. If the visiting team is ahead after the top of the fifth, the home team will have the opportunity to come back to
tie/and or win the game in the bottom of the fifth. If they fail to do so, the game is over and the visitors will be
awarded the win.
C. If the home team is ahead after the top of the fifth, they will forfeit their half of the fifth. The game will be declared
over and the home team will be awarded the victory.
D. If the score is tied after the completion of the fifth inning, extra innings will be played. There is no limit to the
number of extra innings played, should the game remain tied after the completion of an extra inning.
E. The game will be called due to mercy if a team is ahead by twenty (20) runs or more following the completion of
the second inning, fifteen (15) runs or more following the completion of the third inning, or ten (10) runs or more
following the completion of the fourth inning. If at any point in the bottom half of the inning, the home team has
reached the respective mercy level, the game will be called.
F. If the score is tied after the completion of the fifth inning, extra innings will be played until an inning ends with the
game no longer tied. There is no limit to the number of extra innings played. The sixth inning plays out as usual,
however if the score remains tied after the completion of the seventh inning, innings begin with runners on base
in order to increase the likelihood of runs being scored.
1. Beginning with the top of the 7th, each team starts their half of the inning with a runner on 1st base.
2. Beginning with the top of the 8th, each team starts their half of the inning with a runner on 2nd base.
3. From the 9th on, each team starts their half of the inning with a runner on 3rd base.
VIII. Suspended and Postponed Games
A. If rain, sleet, snow, or other natural causes make the playing field unplayable, the game will be subject to
suspension or postponement.
1. A game will be considered suspended if at least three innings have been completed in their
entirety. This means that both teams need to have registered three outs in each of their first three times at-
bat. After the required three full innings, any game can be halted at the time of unplayability. In this case,
the inning, outs, base runners, and count must be recorded in order to properly continue the game when
playing conditions improve.
2. A game will be considered postponed if fewer than three complete innings have been played. All statistics,
including score, outs, base runners, and count will be discarded and the game replayed in its entirety when
playing conditions improve.
B. If darkness makes the game unplayable, the game will be put under suspension, despite the inning. Games will
not start within thirty (30) minutes of expected nightfall, so the innings will be a non-factor. If they do become a
factor, it is because of either:
1. Poor play on the part of one or both teams; or
2. Delay of game by one or both teams.
Due to these factors, neither team will be rewarded/punished, resulting in all statistics (i.e. score, outs, base
runners, and count) being kept and carried over to the remainder of the suspended game.
*** Please note -- this rule is nearly obsolete at Diamond City Park, due to the addition of field lights in 2013.
IX. Playoffs
A. The number of teams that make the playoffs will be determined by a captains' vote once the number of teams for
the season have been established.
1. In the event of eight (8) or four (4) playoff teams, there will be no byes.
2. In the event of six (6) playoff teams, the top two seeds will receive byes.
a. In the opening round, the third-seeded team will play the sixth-seeded team and the fourth-
seeded team will play the sixth-seeded team.
b. Re-seeding will occur for the semi-finals, similar to the second round of the NFL playoffs.
3. In the event of five (5) playoff teams, the fourth-seeded team and the fifth-seeded team will play a 1 game
series. The winner of this game will immediately advance to play the top seeded team. The second-
seeded teams and third-seeded teams will also play that day.
B. Tie-breaker system for determining both playoff teams and playoff seeding:
1. Head-to-head record
2. Record versus playoff teams
3. Run differential
C. For players to be eligible for playoffs, they need to have played in half of their team’s league games.
1. Each team will be given one (1) exemption to this rule and will be able to add one (1) additional player to
their playoff roster assuming they meet the following condition. To be eligible for this exemption, the player
must have played no fewer than two games short of half of their team’s games.
X. General Rules
A. Rosters will consist of at least three (3) players, but no more than fifteen (15). At least two (2) players, but no
more than five (5) will be on the field. Teams can bat up to nine (9) players in their batting order.
B. Official team lineups must be declared before the start of the game and maintained throughout the game.
1. Lineups are to be declared in the following order:
a. Home Team’s starting pitcher
b. Away Team’s starting pitcher
c. Away Team’s batting order
d. Home Team’s batting order
2. One designated hitter may be used for any player on the field. At least the same number of players must
bat that play in the field. Therefore, a player cannot play the field and avoid batting unless there is a
designated hitter in their place.
3. A team with only two (2) or three (3) players present may use a substitute player to field and run for them,
however only the team’s own players may bat and pitch.
4. Any player who is declared in the batting order but is not yet at the field will receive an automatic out each
time his spot in the order comes up, until the player arrives.
5. Players may not be added to the batting order once it has been declared at the start of the game, unless it is as a substitution for another player.
6. In order for a batting out-of-order call to be considered, the defensive team must wait for the out of turn
batter to complete their turn at bat. This is when batting out of order will be questioned.
7. If the batting order is violated, the out of turn batter will be declared out, regardless of the result of the at-
bat. The runners will return to the positions from the start of the at-bat and the batting order will be
corrected.
8. If the correct batter realizes that it is his/her turn to bat before the completion of the out of
turn batter’s at bat, the count will remain the same and the correct batter will be allowed to finish the at-bat
without further penalty.
9. If no appeal is made before the next pitch following the batting out of order, the at-bat will
stand and the batter following the previous hitter will be up to bat.
C. Runners are not permitted to advance once the pitcher is in possession of the ball on the pitching rubber.
1. All runners are to return to the last base touched when the pitcher is in possession of the ball and steps on
the mound.
2. If the runner has made a clear attempt to advance a base before the pitcher steps on the mound, he/she
may proceed at their own risk of being tagged or plugged out.
D. Leading and stealing are not permitted.
E. If a runner is caught off base when the batter makes contact with the pitch, he/she must first return to that base
before advancing legally. If the runner does make an attempt to advance without first going back to the previous
base, the defensive team has two options following the completion of the play.
1. They can choose to take the result of the play.
2. The runner who left early is called out and the previous pitch is nullified.
3. This rule becomes null and void if the batter hits a foul ball that is not caught or an outside the park home
run.
F. Once a player is substituted out of the game, they may not re-enter that game at any point.
G. If a player is removed from the game, and there is no substitute to take their place, that player’s spot in the
batting order will be given an automatic out each time it comes up until either the end of the game, or until a
substitute player is entered.
H. Schedule requests on a per team basis will be handled on a year-to-year basis and will be outlined at the annual
winter meeting based off the number of teams and flexibility available for the current season.
1. During the season, each team is allowed two (2) re-schedule requests. If a re-schedule is needed, the
team captain must post in the Captain’s Chat by 9 P.M. on the Thursday prior to the game and declare the
request. The opposing team will get to decide the date and time of the make-up however a Council
member must be present for the date/time of the re-schedule. If the re-scheduling team does not accept
the new time, they will forfeit the series.
I. Games are to be played only on Sundays with start times ranging from 11 A.M. to 8 P.M. Any other days or times must be agreed upon by both captains as well as the Council.
XI. Protesting Games
A. In all protested games, the decision of the League Commissioner, Council, and/or Team Captains is final.
B. No protest of judgment calls will be permitted.
C. In order for a protest of any sort to be filed, the decision to protest must be declared at the time of the alleged
infraction. This declaration must be made before the next pitch is thrown.
D. If a protest is called, the official count, number of outs, runners on base, and score will be recorded.
E. In order for the protest to be upheld, the infraction must be declared to have had a significant, negative affect on
the outcome of the contest.
F. If a protest is upheld, the game will continue at the point of protest, with the correct implementation of the rule
being enforced.
XII. Conduct Policy
A. Fighting – Fighting is not to be tolerated in the BWBL. Any fight that leads to players putting hands on one
another, such as pushing or punching, will automatically result in player(s) being suspended for the remainder of
that days series. Further discipline will then be at the discretion of the Council once the situation is reviewed. The
Council may lengthen the suspension to additional games up to the entire season and playoffs, depending on
what they see fit.
B. Throwing of Bats - Players are asked to refrain from throwing bats for both the safety of other players as well as
avoiding damage to league property.
1. If a bat is thrown in a fit of anger, a warning is to be issued by the umpire to the team, not the individual
player. If a bat is thrown a second in a game, the offending player will be immediately suspended for the
remainder of that game PLUS the team’s next game.
2. If a bat is damaged to the point it is cracked or otherwise significantly damaged as a result of being
thrown, the offending player may be held responsible for the cost of replacing the bat and will not be
eligible to play until paid. Council will review and rule on these situations.
Any disagreements, as well as all situations not covered in the aforementioned rules will be judged based upon the official rules of baseball, with judgement by the League Commissioner and/or Council present at the time of the incident being final.
The Backyard WIFFLE Ball League is Sanctioned by The Wiffle Ball, Inc.
"WIFFLE", the Wiffle Certification Mark and the image of the ball are registered trademarks owned by
The Wiffle Ball, Inc.
Rules updated as of 06/19/19
A. Fun is the name of the game. If you cannot have fun, you can’t be in the Backyard Wiffle Ball League.
B. There are winners and there are teams who don’t win (some may deem them losers) in each game. If you win,
win with dignity. If you lose, lose with respect for the victors.
C. As in hockey and Little League, handshakes are expected following each and every game. Although, not
required, it is simply good sportsmanship that promotes having fun!
II. Field Requirements
A. The playing field has some essential requirements that follow, but as long as these basics are followed, “quirks”
are allowed (and actually encouraged) in order to promote variety.
B. The infield must be a 45 foot square. The outfield will extend to at least 75 feet down the lines from home plate to
the fence in both left and right fields, with no maximum. Center field will extend to at least 100 feet from home
plate, with no maximum. The outfield wall must be at least three (3) feet in height, with the maximum being 15
feet.
C. The outfield fence does not have to be of perfect arc, but the dimensions cannot fall below those listed in
Section II-B. Unique field designs are encouraged, and modeling of fields after major or minor league parks is
permitted.
D. The pitching rubber must be forty-five (45) feet from the back corner of the plate. It shall be placed on level
ground with home plate to avoid giving an advantage to the pitcher.
E. There is to be a 22 1/2 foot arc extending out from home plate, from foul line to foul line, used in order to
determine the required distance a batted ball must travel in order to be considered fair.
F. All territory in the infield and outfield is considered fair territory; territory outside of the foul lines is considered foul
territory.
III. Equipment
A. The official ball of the Backyard Wiffle Ball League is that which is manufactured by The Wiffle Ball Inc.
B. Balls can be scuffed in any way, unless deemed by the umpire or a present Council member to have affected the
integrity of the ball. No foreign materials may be placed on the ball. If foreign materials become stuck to the ball,
the ball will be removed from play.
C. Any ball that is cracked to the middle seam or has a 1/4” or more crack will be declared unplayable and removed
from play. This will prevent unorthodox movement of the ball.
D. No player is permitted to wear a glove on the field at any time other than batting gloves while batting.
E. The bats that are to be used in the Backyard Wiffle Ball League are the yellow Wiffle® ball bat, manufactured by
Wiffle, Inc.; the Wiffle® Pro, manufactured by Adeline Bat Co.; the Ledge Sledge and King's Stick, manufactured
by J.T.L. Bat Company; the Loco Bat, produced by Thomas LoCascio in Farmingdale, NY; the Moonshot Bat,
produced by Moonshot Bats of Idaho Falls, ID. Other bats may be approved by the League Council.
1. Tape may be used to decorate the bat, but may not add any significant weight to the bat. Any judgment
calls will be made by the League Council.
2. All bats are subject to inspection by the League Council before play begins. If the bat is deemed illegal, it
will be removed from play.
3. Any player who damages a bat by throwing, slamming into the ground, or by other means may be held
responsible for the cost of replacing the bat and will be subject to the league’s conduct policy.
IV. Umpiring
A. Umpires
1. One umpire will be appointed per regular season game and two umpires will be appointed per playoff
game.
a. The umpire is responsible for the interpretation of all of the rules, as well as to make any decision
on rules not specifically outlined within this rulebook.
b. The umpire is responsible for monitoring the speed limit (please see Section IV-B-8) and being
the final word on disputed calls.
2. The umpire's decision is final. Players may be ejected from the game by the umpire and face other action
by the League Council. This includes incidents of arguing calls or due to inappropriate conduct.
B. Strikes and Balls
1. The count will consist of four (4) balls and three (3) strikes. Four balls is a walk and three strikes is a
strikeout.
2. All balls and strikes will be determined by the backstop, a slab enclosed between PVC pipes. If a pitched
ball hits the slab or the pipes (excluding the legs/post) before hitting the ground, it will be called a strike.
3. If the batter hits a foul ball with two strikes and the ball hits the strike zone, the batter will be charged with
a strikeout.
4. Any pitched ball that does not hit the strike zone is considered a ball unless swung at.
5. If a batter is hit by a pitch, it is not a base on balls, but simply one ball added to the count.
6. Batter interference will be called and a strike recorded if the batter moves into the path of a
pitched ball.
a. While in the batter’s box, the batter may not stand in a way that a part of his body covers the
strike zone and prohibits the pitcher from being able to hit the strike zone with a straight pitch. If
the pitcher feels a batter is covering the strike zone, it will be up to the discretion of the umpire to
decide if the batter needs to move back in the box.
7. All check swing calls will be the responsibility of the umpire.
8. The speed limit is 70 MPH. No warnings will be issued. If a pitch goes above said limit, it will be the
batter’s choice to either count the pitch as a ball, or take the result of the play.
C. Fair and Foul
1. All fair and foul calls will be the responsibility of the umpire.
2. Any ball not completely clearing the arc outlined in Rule II-E at home plate is a foul ball.
3. There is no limit to the number of foul balls with two strikes.
D. Ground Rules
1. Any ball that is fair and then rolls past the imaginary line as if the outfield fence extended forever will be
ruled a ground rule double.
2. Any ball that gets stuck on the scoreboard tray will be ruled a ground rule double.
3. Any ball that, on the fly, hits any part of a flag or flag pole on the left field wall is a home run.
4. Out of Play Territory – DCP
a. The area behind both dugouts consisting of the gap between the back of the dugout walls and
the chain link fence.
b. On the 3rd base line, the opening between the chain link fence and the front corner of the
dugout. If the ball crosses this imaginary line or enters the dugout, the ball is considered out of
play.
c. On the 1st base line, the opening between the end of the chain link fence and the corner of the
dugout steps. If the ball crosses this imaginary line or enters the dugout, the ball is considered
out of play.
d. The area in foul territory that extends past the outfield fence, as if the outfield fence were to
continue on forever.
e. For any field other than DCP, out of play territory should be established and understood by
captains prior to the start of the game.
f. If a ball is hit into “out of play” territory, it is dead and is considered a foul ball regardless of
whether it is caught by a fielder.
g. If a ball is thrown into “out of play” territory by a fielder, the following applies:
1. Any bas erunner who at the time the fielder threw the ball was running towards a base
(this includes the batter running to first base) will be awarded the base they were
attempting to reach PLUS one additional base.
2. Any bas erunner who at the time the fielder threw the ball was either stationery or
retreating back to their bag will be awarded one base.
E. The umpire is responsible for maintaining the count and the number of outs in the inning. It is not required to
declare the count and outs after every pitch, but they must be declared upon request.
F. The official score will be kept by the scorekeeper or batting team and is to be declared after every half-inning and upon request. For the main field at Diamond City Park, there is a scoreboard on the left-field wall, so declaration is not necessary, but maintenance of the score is the responsibility of the team that has just finished their turn at the plate.
V. Pitching Regulations
A. Any pitcher who enters a game must face at least one batter before being removed.
B. If a new pitcher throws one pitch after the commencement of a game, the previous pitcher may not return to pitch
in that same game.
C. In the first game of a double header, any pitcher who either starts the game or enters before the completion of the fourth inning is prohibited from pitching at all in the second game.
D. Closing: In a double header, if a pitcher enters the first game at or later than the commencement of the fifth inning, they may also enter the second game, but only at or later than the commencement of the fifth inning.
E. Playoffs: In a playoff series these limitations apply based on the double-header rule. For example, entering the third game of a series, the pitchers’ statuses from games one and two become obsolete.
VI. Fielding
A. All defensive players must remain behind the pitcher until the pitch is thrown.
1. As a result, a use of a catcher is prohibited.
B. The mound ball rule is not in effect.
C. Plugging below the neck is permitted. This includes both when a player is upright and when the player is sliding.
1. If a player is plugged in the head while ducking or sliding feet-first, it will be recorded as an out, provided
they were not on a base.
2. If a player is plugged in the head while sliding head-first, they are to be called safe.
3. If a player is plugged and deemed to be out by the umpire, the ball is then dead and runner’s either return
or advance to the base they were closest to at the time of the peg.
4. If during a peg attempt the ball hits the ground before hitting the runner, the runner is still out.
5. If during a peg attempt the ball hits an object in the field of play such as a base, bat, umpire, wall, fence,
dugout, or strike zone and then hits the runner, the runner is out.
6. If during a peg attempt the runner had already reached the base prior to being pegged and therefore is safe, the ball is dead and runner’s are to follow rule VI-C-3.
7. If during a peg attempt the ball hits or enters out of play territory, the out of play rules found at IV-D-4-g applies.
D. If during a tag attempt, the fielder loses control of the ball while in the process of tagging the runner, the runner is
safe.
E. No defensive player may make any gesture that might distract the batter. If such movement is made, the pitch
will be nullified.
F. The Infield Fly Rule is in effect but must be activated by a player on the offense calling out “Infield Fly” when the
ball is in the air. Per MLB rule 2.00: “An infield fly is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second, and third bases are occupied, before two are out.”
1. For our purposes, all fielders will be considered infielders.
2. When the Infield Fly Rule is activated, the batter is out and the base runners may advance at the risk of
the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball.
VII. Length of Games
A. All games will be scheduled for five (5) innings. There will be a one-hour time limit. An inning still in progress at
the time limit shall be completed. An inning can only begin after the hour limit if the score is tied.
B. If the visiting team is ahead after the top of the fifth, the home team will have the opportunity to come back to
tie/and or win the game in the bottom of the fifth. If they fail to do so, the game is over and the visitors will be
awarded the win.
C. If the home team is ahead after the top of the fifth, they will forfeit their half of the fifth. The game will be declared
over and the home team will be awarded the victory.
D. If the score is tied after the completion of the fifth inning, extra innings will be played. There is no limit to the
number of extra innings played, should the game remain tied after the completion of an extra inning.
E. The game will be called due to mercy if a team is ahead by twenty (20) runs or more following the completion of
the second inning, fifteen (15) runs or more following the completion of the third inning, or ten (10) runs or more
following the completion of the fourth inning. If at any point in the bottom half of the inning, the home team has
reached the respective mercy level, the game will be called.
F. If the score is tied after the completion of the fifth inning, extra innings will be played until an inning ends with the
game no longer tied. There is no limit to the number of extra innings played. The sixth inning plays out as usual,
however if the score remains tied after the completion of the seventh inning, innings begin with runners on base
in order to increase the likelihood of runs being scored.
1. Beginning with the top of the 7th, each team starts their half of the inning with a runner on 1st base.
2. Beginning with the top of the 8th, each team starts their half of the inning with a runner on 2nd base.
3. From the 9th on, each team starts their half of the inning with a runner on 3rd base.
VIII. Suspended and Postponed Games
A. If rain, sleet, snow, or other natural causes make the playing field unplayable, the game will be subject to
suspension or postponement.
1. A game will be considered suspended if at least three innings have been completed in their
entirety. This means that both teams need to have registered three outs in each of their first three times at-
bat. After the required three full innings, any game can be halted at the time of unplayability. In this case,
the inning, outs, base runners, and count must be recorded in order to properly continue the game when
playing conditions improve.
2. A game will be considered postponed if fewer than three complete innings have been played. All statistics,
including score, outs, base runners, and count will be discarded and the game replayed in its entirety when
playing conditions improve.
B. If darkness makes the game unplayable, the game will be put under suspension, despite the inning. Games will
not start within thirty (30) minutes of expected nightfall, so the innings will be a non-factor. If they do become a
factor, it is because of either:
1. Poor play on the part of one or both teams; or
2. Delay of game by one or both teams.
Due to these factors, neither team will be rewarded/punished, resulting in all statistics (i.e. score, outs, base
runners, and count) being kept and carried over to the remainder of the suspended game.
*** Please note -- this rule is nearly obsolete at Diamond City Park, due to the addition of field lights in 2013.
IX. Playoffs
A. The number of teams that make the playoffs will be determined by a captains' vote once the number of teams for
the season have been established.
1. In the event of eight (8) or four (4) playoff teams, there will be no byes.
2. In the event of six (6) playoff teams, the top two seeds will receive byes.
a. In the opening round, the third-seeded team will play the sixth-seeded team and the fourth-
seeded team will play the sixth-seeded team.
b. Re-seeding will occur for the semi-finals, similar to the second round of the NFL playoffs.
3. In the event of five (5) playoff teams, the fourth-seeded team and the fifth-seeded team will play a 1 game
series. The winner of this game will immediately advance to play the top seeded team. The second-
seeded teams and third-seeded teams will also play that day.
B. Tie-breaker system for determining both playoff teams and playoff seeding:
1. Head-to-head record
2. Record versus playoff teams
3. Run differential
C. For players to be eligible for playoffs, they need to have played in half of their team’s league games.
1. Each team will be given one (1) exemption to this rule and will be able to add one (1) additional player to
their playoff roster assuming they meet the following condition. To be eligible for this exemption, the player
must have played no fewer than two games short of half of their team’s games.
X. General Rules
A. Rosters will consist of at least three (3) players, but no more than fifteen (15). At least two (2) players, but no
more than five (5) will be on the field. Teams can bat up to nine (9) players in their batting order.
B. Official team lineups must be declared before the start of the game and maintained throughout the game.
1. Lineups are to be declared in the following order:
a. Home Team’s starting pitcher
b. Away Team’s starting pitcher
c. Away Team’s batting order
d. Home Team’s batting order
2. One designated hitter may be used for any player on the field. At least the same number of players must
bat that play in the field. Therefore, a player cannot play the field and avoid batting unless there is a
designated hitter in their place.
3. A team with only two (2) or three (3) players present may use a substitute player to field and run for them,
however only the team’s own players may bat and pitch.
4. Any player who is declared in the batting order but is not yet at the field will receive an automatic out each
time his spot in the order comes up, until the player arrives.
5. Players may not be added to the batting order once it has been declared at the start of the game, unless it is as a substitution for another player.
6. In order for a batting out-of-order call to be considered, the defensive team must wait for the out of turn
batter to complete their turn at bat. This is when batting out of order will be questioned.
7. If the batting order is violated, the out of turn batter will be declared out, regardless of the result of the at-
bat. The runners will return to the positions from the start of the at-bat and the batting order will be
corrected.
8. If the correct batter realizes that it is his/her turn to bat before the completion of the out of
turn batter’s at bat, the count will remain the same and the correct batter will be allowed to finish the at-bat
without further penalty.
9. If no appeal is made before the next pitch following the batting out of order, the at-bat will
stand and the batter following the previous hitter will be up to bat.
C. Runners are not permitted to advance once the pitcher is in possession of the ball on the pitching rubber.
1. All runners are to return to the last base touched when the pitcher is in possession of the ball and steps on
the mound.
2. If the runner has made a clear attempt to advance a base before the pitcher steps on the mound, he/she
may proceed at their own risk of being tagged or plugged out.
D. Leading and stealing are not permitted.
E. If a runner is caught off base when the batter makes contact with the pitch, he/she must first return to that base
before advancing legally. If the runner does make an attempt to advance without first going back to the previous
base, the defensive team has two options following the completion of the play.
1. They can choose to take the result of the play.
2. The runner who left early is called out and the previous pitch is nullified.
3. This rule becomes null and void if the batter hits a foul ball that is not caught or an outside the park home
run.
F. Once a player is substituted out of the game, they may not re-enter that game at any point.
G. If a player is removed from the game, and there is no substitute to take their place, that player’s spot in the
batting order will be given an automatic out each time it comes up until either the end of the game, or until a
substitute player is entered.
H. Schedule requests on a per team basis will be handled on a year-to-year basis and will be outlined at the annual
winter meeting based off the number of teams and flexibility available for the current season.
1. During the season, each team is allowed two (2) re-schedule requests. If a re-schedule is needed, the
team captain must post in the Captain’s Chat by 9 P.M. on the Thursday prior to the game and declare the
request. The opposing team will get to decide the date and time of the make-up however a Council
member must be present for the date/time of the re-schedule. If the re-scheduling team does not accept
the new time, they will forfeit the series.
I. Games are to be played only on Sundays with start times ranging from 11 A.M. to 8 P.M. Any other days or times must be agreed upon by both captains as well as the Council.
XI. Protesting Games
A. In all protested games, the decision of the League Commissioner, Council, and/or Team Captains is final.
B. No protest of judgment calls will be permitted.
C. In order for a protest of any sort to be filed, the decision to protest must be declared at the time of the alleged
infraction. This declaration must be made before the next pitch is thrown.
D. If a protest is called, the official count, number of outs, runners on base, and score will be recorded.
E. In order for the protest to be upheld, the infraction must be declared to have had a significant, negative affect on
the outcome of the contest.
F. If a protest is upheld, the game will continue at the point of protest, with the correct implementation of the rule
being enforced.
XII. Conduct Policy
A. Fighting – Fighting is not to be tolerated in the BWBL. Any fight that leads to players putting hands on one
another, such as pushing or punching, will automatically result in player(s) being suspended for the remainder of
that days series. Further discipline will then be at the discretion of the Council once the situation is reviewed. The
Council may lengthen the suspension to additional games up to the entire season and playoffs, depending on
what they see fit.
B. Throwing of Bats - Players are asked to refrain from throwing bats for both the safety of other players as well as
avoiding damage to league property.
1. If a bat is thrown in a fit of anger, a warning is to be issued by the umpire to the team, not the individual
player. If a bat is thrown a second in a game, the offending player will be immediately suspended for the
remainder of that game PLUS the team’s next game.
2. If a bat is damaged to the point it is cracked or otherwise significantly damaged as a result of being
thrown, the offending player may be held responsible for the cost of replacing the bat and will not be
eligible to play until paid. Council will review and rule on these situations.
Any disagreements, as well as all situations not covered in the aforementioned rules will be judged based upon the official rules of baseball, with judgement by the League Commissioner and/or Council present at the time of the incident being final.
The Backyard WIFFLE Ball League is Sanctioned by The Wiffle Ball, Inc.
"WIFFLE", the Wiffle Certification Mark and the image of the ball are registered trademarks owned by
The Wiffle Ball, Inc.
Rules updated as of 06/19/19
Keystone Success
by: John Kotsko
(posted Monday, August 5, 2019)
The Keystone State Wiffleball Tournament was this past Saturday. Five teams competed for the state title. I captained a team with the team name of my BWBL team, Balls Deep. However, it wasn't my usual roster as only myself and James Canesso were the only regulars. The team I had for the tournament outside of myself and Canesso were Electric City Express captain Dave Brigido, ECE players Jonathan Fernandes, Alex Chronowski and Mike Cinti. Dave's cousin Santino filled out the last spot on the roster. The other teams in the tournament were Bad Meets Evil captained by Tom Hannon, Tornaders captained by Justin Gober, QXF7# captained by Nick Pugh, and the Shortballs from Ridley Park Wiffleball outside of Philadelphia, captained by Joey Van Houten. Every team played each other once in pool play and the four and five seed would play one game to get to the double elimination bracket.
My team started off the day 0-4 and played that one game to get to double elimination vs QXF7#. We would take the victory and enter the double elimination bracket. Our first opponent would be the Shortballs from Ridley Park and the number one seed. We would fall 18-0 and play the Tornaders. We would fall 4-0 and finish fourth in the tournament.
The last three games of the tournament were the most interesting of the day. Anthony Caladie would show up in time for the losers bracket final for BME and would benefit from the tournament being fast pitch and would throw a 3-0 shutout but during the game, Tom Hannon would go down and you would think his day was done but he would continue. It would turn out that he played on a broken ankle for two games after that. Their opponent would be Ridley Park who defeated Bad Meets Evil in the winner's bracket final. Hannon would drive in two runs and hobble to first base as they would take the victory 2-0 to force a winner-take-all game. Curtis Wagner and Nate Smith would deal zeros until the bottom of the fifth when Ryan Drecher would hit a walkoff home run to right as the Shortballs would take the gold with a 1-0 victory.
Despite only have five teams in the tournament, I will have to say it was a success. There were several media outlets there throughout the day. WNEP did a story on Saturday, Times Leader came to take pictures, and Eric Schultz of the Citizens Voice came to cover the finals of the Keystone Wiffle Ball Tournament and did a very good write up. Also I have to give props to Tom Hannon who played two whole games with a broken ankle and hit a two-run single. Congrats to the Shortballs for winning the championship. I hope you guys come up here next year to defend your title. I'll mention the umpires and scorekeepers who spent all day at the field, you guys did a great job.
If I had to make some changes, I would like the league to be off the week of Keystones to get all of our teams in the tournament and that most of our players were sore the next day.
Ultimately, I would love to have this expand into a premier tournament where people come from different areas of the state or even out of state to compete for a Pennsylvania state title in Wiffle ball. Also, a take home trophy would also be great alongside medals. That would be something to consider for next year.
Well, that is gonna do it for this article. The last thing I will say is that I'm proud to have the fourth best team in the state!!!
My team started off the day 0-4 and played that one game to get to double elimination vs QXF7#. We would take the victory and enter the double elimination bracket. Our first opponent would be the Shortballs from Ridley Park and the number one seed. We would fall 18-0 and play the Tornaders. We would fall 4-0 and finish fourth in the tournament.
The last three games of the tournament were the most interesting of the day. Anthony Caladie would show up in time for the losers bracket final for BME and would benefit from the tournament being fast pitch and would throw a 3-0 shutout but during the game, Tom Hannon would go down and you would think his day was done but he would continue. It would turn out that he played on a broken ankle for two games after that. Their opponent would be Ridley Park who defeated Bad Meets Evil in the winner's bracket final. Hannon would drive in two runs and hobble to first base as they would take the victory 2-0 to force a winner-take-all game. Curtis Wagner and Nate Smith would deal zeros until the bottom of the fifth when Ryan Drecher would hit a walkoff home run to right as the Shortballs would take the gold with a 1-0 victory.
Despite only have five teams in the tournament, I will have to say it was a success. There were several media outlets there throughout the day. WNEP did a story on Saturday, Times Leader came to take pictures, and Eric Schultz of the Citizens Voice came to cover the finals of the Keystone Wiffle Ball Tournament and did a very good write up. Also I have to give props to Tom Hannon who played two whole games with a broken ankle and hit a two-run single. Congrats to the Shortballs for winning the championship. I hope you guys come up here next year to defend your title. I'll mention the umpires and scorekeepers who spent all day at the field, you guys did a great job.
If I had to make some changes, I would like the league to be off the week of Keystones to get all of our teams in the tournament and that most of our players were sore the next day.
Ultimately, I would love to have this expand into a premier tournament where people come from different areas of the state or even out of state to compete for a Pennsylvania state title in Wiffle ball. Also, a take home trophy would also be great alongside medals. That would be something to consider for next year.
Well, that is gonna do it for this article. The last thing I will say is that I'm proud to have the fourth best team in the state!!!
We've Had Some Good Times and Some Bad Times
by: Tom Hannon
For the past 15 years, my summers have been spent playing Wiffle ball - a child’s game here in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Outsiders have laughed at the idea of grown men playing “competitive” Wiffle in these parts of town for just as long. Now don’t get me wrong - once this is all said and done, I too may look back and reflect on how crazy this whole things seems but for now this is my release on life. Life can be a cruel bitch and we all need that one thing where we can just forget about the stressful day to day things that come up in our lives. Some people will never get it and that’s OK with me and probably most of the players that gave come and gone in the BWBL’s league history. This article is going to be focused on some great moments, some not so great moments and some top 5’s from my perspective. Liberals go get the tissues now just in case you don’t make one of my lists. So to kick things off here is the first set of lists. I want to thank not only the Breaker Boys this past weekend to help me create this article but also JJ Neely for posting something similar in a Facebook thread.
Top 5 Teams
1. Bad Meets Evil - Only had 1 ship in 2012 but you couldn’t discount the 39-1 regular season record over 2 years and the Charity Tournament wins.
2. Pittston Park Boys - Had to find a place for them and #2 seemed fitting. The league had to make up a rule for pitching because of this team’s ace.
3. Jagerbombers - This team in 2016 was stacked top to bottom. Having 3 #1’s on the roster is something many teams dream about.
4. Rynk’s Sports Bar - When the league first started we had never seen a team like them. Unscuffed balls moving in ways we hadn’t seen before plus very good hitters.
5. Saturday Crush - I don’t feel like going back and looking up the year but they went undefeated during regular season only to lose to the LJS Seamen in semis.
Top 5 Worst Teams
1. Shooting Stars (2013) - Granted they had some winning season,s but they also had some dreadful ones.
2. Losers Sometimes Win(2005) - This team was god awful. I mean awful - the only bright spot on this roster back in the day was Tanya.
3. The Dudes (2011) - Only had 1 win and any time you had to rely on Sickle as an ace that spells trouble. 6 starts that year.
4. Sons of Pitches (2014) - Not only was the team name really dumb but the team was not any better. I give them props for sticking out the season but it was their only one.
5. Jr’s Heroes (2014) - The team had such a hodgepodge roster. There is only two players left from this team in the league. Thankfully they have gotten better.
When I was going through my memory bank and thinking back to some of these teams I realized there are others that could have made these lists.
Top 5 Tournament Memories
1. Mark Belles dry humping the Loadbeats ceramic leopard mascot and breaking it. Why was this significant you may ask? Well the Loadbeats had traveled to our 2 day event from Akron, Ohio area I think. They were pretty cocky and confident at the same time and not only did they lose the title to a Dragons team they lost their beloved mascot as well.
2. Dragons over Loadbeats. The previous year the Dragons had lost to this team but in this year they had gotten their revenge after calling me out and wondering why I wasn’t pitching. They got what they asked for and maybe they should have just been quiet. We haven’t heard or seen from this group of guys since.
3. Raising a very good amount of money to help Andy Peck’s uncle who had heart and liver transplants. We played some horseshoes in the outfield and had a very nice response team wise.
4. Playing til 1 am against the Bandits in the 1st Fall tournament. It was cold rainy but somehow both teams played 1 out of the 2 games to decide the champion. After a game 1 win to force a deciding game both teams agreed to co-champ.
5. The very 1st tournament held at Coal St. We had the renaissance fair going with jousting in the background and we had no idea what we were doing as far as running the thing. A tournament that should have taken only a day to complete was dragged on for a 2nd day. Long but fun days at the old park.
This league had many changes throughout the years from using original yellows and Black Magic aluminum bats to the now Loco and Moonshot bats and also the no pegging rule for the first two seasons.. With that we have also changed the way the pitchers have been able to manipulate the ball. When we first stated out we used one ball straight out of the box for the 1st game of the day. That ball would continue to get used until it had a crack big enough to deem it unplayable. By the time you were the final game of the day there was a good chance you had a worn in ball not anything close to the balls you see used in today’s BWBL which is fine. There were no bringing your own balls and alter them however you see fit as long as they didn’t completely change the integrity of the ball. With that meaning no loading with rocks. Seriously who the hell would even do that and for what purpose? Now on to another couple of lists.
Top 5 Pitchers (All-Time)
1. Bob Loftus - You really can’t put anyone at number one when it comes to all-time pitcher. He is the reason we have pitching rules in regards to a rotation. Back in his earlier years his teammates would literally sit on their asses while he threw a no-hitter or perfect game. Still shocks me that a simple riser can still get so many people out after all these years.
2. Tom Hannon - I know, I know he put himself at #2 - is he crazy? “He’s not the number two” some will say. I can see that side of it, however after completing season 15 this year, it’s hard to argue anyone else being in this spot. Over 50 wins and a couple CY Youngs in both formats medium and fast pitch all while nursing a hurt shoulder. Had one of the nastiest slider/risers in the game during his prime years.
3. Steve Dotzel - He is an absolute workhorse on the mound. Very well could be #2 when his career is over. He would be at 50 career wins or higher had he pitched in the 2012 season. However, that Bad Meets Evil team had Loftus, Hannon, Loftus Jr., and Dotzel so seeing the mound was very limited for Dotzel.
4. Ryan Hart - This kid could sure ball when he was in the league. He was one of the top players in every category year in and year out. If it wasn’t for him “growing” up and becoming a lawyer who knows what his career would have looked like in the BWBL.
5. TJ Nikoden- Was a member of the Dragons team and was also responsible for single handily knocking out a 20-0 Saturday Crush team in I believe the final year of fast pitch. His drop was one of the best ever in the league and hitters had a hard time squaring it up.
Top 5 Pitchers (Now)
1. Josh Sorber - The guys is like 75 and still gets guys out. I haven’t seen a game where teams square up on him on a consistent basis. He relies on a drop of which is similar to that of TJ Nikoden’s and will mix in a riser.
2. Zach Artim - A bulldog on the mound and has currently developed a couple more pitches to go along with his heat seeking riser. You will know if Artim is winning or losing by checking the dents in the outfield wall or signs in close proximity.
3. Alex Fuchylo - Having three to four pitches in your arsenal is very nice to have especially when one of those pitches throws batters so off balance it makes them look foolish. He has a lot of big game experience and with that comes a cool and calm demeanor.
4. Steve Dotzel - How can he be #4 on this list but #3 on the other. Well here is how even though he is #3 in my eyes as an all timer he has struggled a little bit this year. Maybe it’s not having a full team week in and week out or maybe it’s because he doesn’t have the likes of Rob Hess or myself to provide the offense for him.
5. Fran George- Crazy how a once terrible pitcher can develop into a top-five pitcher in the BWBL right now. He has worked on his pitching by a very large amount over the course of a five-year span. He is a fireballer with a riser reminiscent of a younger Bob Loftus.
I think the hardest part about writing this article is narrowing down all the players past and present and ranking them where I see fit. Sure this is just my opinion but as everyone in the BWBL knows my opinion means shit. Even though this league has not fared well at the NWLA tournament, it doesn’t mean we don’t have some talented guys here in Wilkes-Barre. Granted we use bigger barrel bats and it somewhat puts us at a disadvantage but this isn’t about which is better. We take a lot of grief because of the style we play and how it’s not like many other NWLA leagues but we don’t care. Our way of play has afforded us the opportunity to play for 15 seasons. Not that many leagues can make it past 5 or 6 without drastically changing up their format. Weekend tournaments aren’t leagues, they are just that - tournaments. I could go on about this subject but don’t feel the need to waste any more time regarding this matter. It’s now time to talk about everyone’s favorite topic - the hitters.
Top 5 Hitters (All-Time)
1. Tom Hannon - There are very few in this league that have been around as long as him, not only this league but the game of Wiffle. He gets walked the most intentionally and unintentionally. Doesn’t strike out too often and numbers would be slightly better if he weren’t fat and slow now. Or if he were a right-handed batter.
2. Ryan Hart - Just as stated in the pitching category, this man could have been the leader in all of the major categories had he played until now. A homerun threat every time he stepped in the box.
3. Steve Pinnacoli - Only played two seasons at most and left a mark on the BWBL. A freakishly good athlete and was able to barrel up some of the best pitchers early on in the BWBL, including Bob Loftus.
4. Steve Owazany - Set the single season mark in HRs a couple years back and early on in his career there was nothing to be excited about. When Steve flourished it was in the middle of the medium pitch era where pitchers could no longer rely on speed but had to use movement. Batting titles and multiple championships speak volumes.
5. Bob Loftus - Was a very good hitter in his late 30’s and early 40’s. Numbers have slipped a little as of late - could be due to getting older or just being a part time player. But either way, when Bob was up, he was always a tough out to get. The all-time leader in HRs as of this writing. Will he stay there forever? Probably not but for the time being, he is there.
Some may question what about Andy Peck, the all-time leader in hits? Well, Peck reminds me a lot of those stat stuffing players. Hits add up when you run it up against weaker teams. Not saying he does that now, but in years past, he had been known to be more concerned with his stats than sportsmanship. Some may ask what about Alex, Belles, those on the LF wall in the HOF? Well this is my list so deal with it.
Top 5 Hitters (Now)
1. Rob Hess - It pains me to put this guy here but the man can hit with a pencil if you give him one and ask him to do it. He has put many years into the craft of hitting and it shows. Just ask Saturday Crush from last year’s championship series.
2. Alex Fuchylo -This kid the speed as well as power to all fields. Always a threat to go deep and won the MVP last year for good reason. He tends to chase some bad pitches at times, but all in all, if you were going to start a franchise he would be the #1 pick
3. Mark Belles - Early on in Belles’ career he was considered someone that was an easier out. He has really come into his own and has since dominated opposing pitching. Always a threat to turn the simple single into a double and further. One day the number #35 will be hanging on the wall in left - could that be soon?
4. Mike Holloway - Some may say you put him on there because he is your brother but let me tell you and some of you know first hand that his 75% is better than most 100%. He has the ability to hit the worst of pitches fair and when focused can be a very difficult out. One day his number #1 or whichever he chooses will be hanging in LF.
5. Steve Homza - A very good righty batter who never seems to get himself out. Very selective hitter who knows his zone well and can mash with the best of them. With only 3 or 4 seasons under his belt he has risen to the top as one of the best hitters in our league currently.
Moving on and away from individual players I’m going to focus next on rivalries. Rivalries to me are those battles between teams that could have gone either way and on many occasions have gone either way. Also I would like to highlight maybe some individual rivalries that have arisen.
Top 5 Team Rivalries
1. Saturday Crush vs. Dragons - There wasn’t a better rivalry in the league better than these two teams. It was so intense that Peck had to steal Bob Loftus away from myself twice. They only met in one championship series which I will get into later.
2. Shooting Stars vs Saturday Crush - Now this may not seem like a big rivalry but they had some interesting social media and in game theatrics that made this a top rivalry for me. The hanging of Kermit, the Kermit memes on twitter. The stars almost got their revenge in a deciding playoff game only to lose on a walk-off.
3. Flying Dragons vs Bunch O’ Swingers - These two teams were about as evenly matched early on in the BWBL. So much so that a night of drinking and playing cards a video surfaced of team captain Tom Hannon stating “ Bunch of Swingers? More like a Bunch of F****s”. Both teams were fighting for a playoff spot that year.
4. Pittston Park Boys vs Saturday Crush - The boys came in cocky and deservedly so as they were the defending champs, but here came this young cocky team of their own. Beating Bob Loftus and winning the championship was the ultimate prize for the Crush and a lot of words were said among these teams and the major players from both teams became teammates years later.
5. Westside Washout vs. Anyone - The thing about the Washout that made them a rival was their ability to take pitches and walk. That garnered the name Westside Walkouts or Walkabouts. The had a top tier pitcher at the time in Dan Rish and he led them to many victories usually over a #2 of the opposing team.
Top Rivalries (Personal)
1. Bob Loftus vs Tom Hannon - There isn’t a rivalry as big in the BWBL now or will there be one in the future like this. At the time these two were the supposed Kings of Wiffle in the BWBL. They wanted to beat each other so bad each and every time they faced one another. They are once again teammates but you never know if one changes teams will the rivalry spark back up again.
2. Tom Hannon vs Andy Peck - There was no shortage of barbs being thrown around back in the earlier years of Peck’s career and some lighter ones still to this day. The captains of their respective teams always tried to find ways to needle the other whether it be by taking Loftus away from the Dragons and BME or memes used on social media.
3. Zach Artim vs Bob Loftus - Artim is currently the only guy in league history to get a guy to quit twice and come back either in the same year or following year. These two were once teammates and friends but now when and if they play against each other, blood will be shed.
4. Bobby Loftus Jr. vs. Andy Peck - Bobby was a really good pitcher in his late teens and early 20’s. Peck knew that and wanted him on his roster. Things didn’t work out and Bobby wanted to make Peck pay every chance he got. Bobby carried that emotion and hatred toward the Crush and Peck to where the teams almost came to blows during a playoff series.
5. Tom Hannon vs. Anyone - As an antagonist and the self-proclaimed Narcissus, he has an ability to rub people the wrong way.
Top 5 Leagues/Fields(I’ve Played At)
1. Diamond City Park (BWBL) - The place has an aura around it when you step foot on the field. No place in the country has that same feel for me
2. Bush Grapes Park (OCWA) - Wish I had a yard as nice with the ability to play some Wiffle on it.
3. Cottage Lane (PWBL) - Brett Bev does a great job maintaining his three primary fields and you know when it’s time to Wiff by the sounds.
4. Original BWBL Field - The best part about the field was the Pizza Mill being next door. Wings and beer after your game - it didn’t get much better.
5. Coal St - I liked Coal St. for the simple fact that it was very secluded and nobody ever bothered us. We had backyard wrestling after an All-Star game - it was great.
The very last topic I want to discuss is the top 5 best championships. This can go a bunch of different ways. I can talk solely on those that I have been a part of or I can talk about those that I have watched. I’m going to go with a little bit of both.
Top 5 Championships
1. Bad Meets Evil vs Saturday Crush - This wasn’t the first title that I had won, however it was the most important to myself. In the two previous championship titles, I never had the opportunity to face off against one of my rivals. On top of that, the BME squad ran through everyone that year, not losing a single game in tournament or season play. The consensus was it was going to be a very good series and to be honest that never lived up to the hype. The Crush did take one away from BME’s near perfect season, but they didn’t capture the Red Robin Cup like they had hoped. No better way to close down the old Coal St. Park than by beating a rival.
2. Jagerbombers vs. Backdoor Bandits - The table was set another perfect regular season and all that stood in the way was a hungry Jagerbombers team loaded with pitching. This may have been the only championship series so far to go the distance of 5 games and each game had their own storyline to it. Belles on the outfield deck with Artim rooting for the Bombers with Hit it Here signs. It was supposed to be my last season in the BWBL, as I was walking away to pursue other endeavors, but be it as it may, I am still here. These two teams were every evenly matched that a bounce here or there in Game 5 and the Bandits could have gotten their first Cup.
3. Saturday Crush vs Pittston Park Boys - Saturday Crush, who barely got into playoffs that year, went on and shocked the BWBL world and put them on notice that a new up and coming team was ready to dominate. This had everything you could ask for - a huge underdog and some pitching performances for the ages from Shawn Ashton and Ryan Hart. Ashton would collect those little green army men for each strikeout he got. The after party with a then 17 or 18 yr old Ryan Hart at Kenny Kandrac’s house was epic as well.
4. Bases Loaded vs Backdoor Bandits - Kevin Sickle was in search of his first title as a captain/player and after years of frustration and shitty teams, he found himself in the midst of a run like no other. As the #6 seed, they went on and defeated the reigning and defending champs BME in deciding fashion 2-0 to reach the championship series against the Bandits. Everyone in the league thought this could be the year for the Bandits but….nope .. stellar pitching performances from Curtis Wagner and Alex Fuchylo helped Kevin and his porno beard claim their 1st title.
5. Snack Shack vs Saturday Crush - Tom Hannon vs Andy Peck part two didn’t quite live up to the hype or excitement of the other championship matchup on social media, but it sure did have its own drama on the field. Rob Hess was the story for the series as he hit seven HRs on the day including walk o-ff HRs in games 1&3. Even though Hannon didn’t captain this team, he can still rest easy at night knowing that he is 2-0 when facing an Andy Peck team in the championship series.
I seem to have rambled on long enough to bore you with some stupid article that most won’t read any of the content other than the top 5 lists I have complied, which is OK by me. The next time you see this old man down the field and ask him why I am down there all day, the simple answer will be who else do you know would write a 4,000 word article on the BWBL and the game he loves? Sit down, have a beer, and we could talk Wiffle all day. If you need tips on certain pitchers, I’ll gladly lend a hand. I have seen it all and only true die-hards will understand the love for the game. I’ve told many that you can take a Wiffle ball player and he could play slow-pitch softball but you can’t take a slow-pitch softball player and have him play Wiffle. The games are entirely different and I’m so happy for the last 15 years I was able to call the BWBL home. I look forward to the rest of the season, albeit only going a couple more weeks, but either way, it should be an entertaining end of another wonderful season. Be on the lookout for some more great BWBL players and maybe even some new rivalries.
To answer the Special K question - “ Yes, we do Parties”.
Top 5 Teams
1. Bad Meets Evil - Only had 1 ship in 2012 but you couldn’t discount the 39-1 regular season record over 2 years and the Charity Tournament wins.
2. Pittston Park Boys - Had to find a place for them and #2 seemed fitting. The league had to make up a rule for pitching because of this team’s ace.
3. Jagerbombers - This team in 2016 was stacked top to bottom. Having 3 #1’s on the roster is something many teams dream about.
4. Rynk’s Sports Bar - When the league first started we had never seen a team like them. Unscuffed balls moving in ways we hadn’t seen before plus very good hitters.
5. Saturday Crush - I don’t feel like going back and looking up the year but they went undefeated during regular season only to lose to the LJS Seamen in semis.
Top 5 Worst Teams
1. Shooting Stars (2013) - Granted they had some winning season,s but they also had some dreadful ones.
2. Losers Sometimes Win(2005) - This team was god awful. I mean awful - the only bright spot on this roster back in the day was Tanya.
3. The Dudes (2011) - Only had 1 win and any time you had to rely on Sickle as an ace that spells trouble. 6 starts that year.
4. Sons of Pitches (2014) - Not only was the team name really dumb but the team was not any better. I give them props for sticking out the season but it was their only one.
5. Jr’s Heroes (2014) - The team had such a hodgepodge roster. There is only two players left from this team in the league. Thankfully they have gotten better.
When I was going through my memory bank and thinking back to some of these teams I realized there are others that could have made these lists.
Top 5 Tournament Memories
1. Mark Belles dry humping the Loadbeats ceramic leopard mascot and breaking it. Why was this significant you may ask? Well the Loadbeats had traveled to our 2 day event from Akron, Ohio area I think. They were pretty cocky and confident at the same time and not only did they lose the title to a Dragons team they lost their beloved mascot as well.
2. Dragons over Loadbeats. The previous year the Dragons had lost to this team but in this year they had gotten their revenge after calling me out and wondering why I wasn’t pitching. They got what they asked for and maybe they should have just been quiet. We haven’t heard or seen from this group of guys since.
3. Raising a very good amount of money to help Andy Peck’s uncle who had heart and liver transplants. We played some horseshoes in the outfield and had a very nice response team wise.
4. Playing til 1 am against the Bandits in the 1st Fall tournament. It was cold rainy but somehow both teams played 1 out of the 2 games to decide the champion. After a game 1 win to force a deciding game both teams agreed to co-champ.
5. The very 1st tournament held at Coal St. We had the renaissance fair going with jousting in the background and we had no idea what we were doing as far as running the thing. A tournament that should have taken only a day to complete was dragged on for a 2nd day. Long but fun days at the old park.
This league had many changes throughout the years from using original yellows and Black Magic aluminum bats to the now Loco and Moonshot bats and also the no pegging rule for the first two seasons.. With that we have also changed the way the pitchers have been able to manipulate the ball. When we first stated out we used one ball straight out of the box for the 1st game of the day. That ball would continue to get used until it had a crack big enough to deem it unplayable. By the time you were the final game of the day there was a good chance you had a worn in ball not anything close to the balls you see used in today’s BWBL which is fine. There were no bringing your own balls and alter them however you see fit as long as they didn’t completely change the integrity of the ball. With that meaning no loading with rocks. Seriously who the hell would even do that and for what purpose? Now on to another couple of lists.
Top 5 Pitchers (All-Time)
1. Bob Loftus - You really can’t put anyone at number one when it comes to all-time pitcher. He is the reason we have pitching rules in regards to a rotation. Back in his earlier years his teammates would literally sit on their asses while he threw a no-hitter or perfect game. Still shocks me that a simple riser can still get so many people out after all these years.
2. Tom Hannon - I know, I know he put himself at #2 - is he crazy? “He’s not the number two” some will say. I can see that side of it, however after completing season 15 this year, it’s hard to argue anyone else being in this spot. Over 50 wins and a couple CY Youngs in both formats medium and fast pitch all while nursing a hurt shoulder. Had one of the nastiest slider/risers in the game during his prime years.
3. Steve Dotzel - He is an absolute workhorse on the mound. Very well could be #2 when his career is over. He would be at 50 career wins or higher had he pitched in the 2012 season. However, that Bad Meets Evil team had Loftus, Hannon, Loftus Jr., and Dotzel so seeing the mound was very limited for Dotzel.
4. Ryan Hart - This kid could sure ball when he was in the league. He was one of the top players in every category year in and year out. If it wasn’t for him “growing” up and becoming a lawyer who knows what his career would have looked like in the BWBL.
5. TJ Nikoden- Was a member of the Dragons team and was also responsible for single handily knocking out a 20-0 Saturday Crush team in I believe the final year of fast pitch. His drop was one of the best ever in the league and hitters had a hard time squaring it up.
Top 5 Pitchers (Now)
1. Josh Sorber - The guys is like 75 and still gets guys out. I haven’t seen a game where teams square up on him on a consistent basis. He relies on a drop of which is similar to that of TJ Nikoden’s and will mix in a riser.
2. Zach Artim - A bulldog on the mound and has currently developed a couple more pitches to go along with his heat seeking riser. You will know if Artim is winning or losing by checking the dents in the outfield wall or signs in close proximity.
3. Alex Fuchylo - Having three to four pitches in your arsenal is very nice to have especially when one of those pitches throws batters so off balance it makes them look foolish. He has a lot of big game experience and with that comes a cool and calm demeanor.
4. Steve Dotzel - How can he be #4 on this list but #3 on the other. Well here is how even though he is #3 in my eyes as an all timer he has struggled a little bit this year. Maybe it’s not having a full team week in and week out or maybe it’s because he doesn’t have the likes of Rob Hess or myself to provide the offense for him.
5. Fran George- Crazy how a once terrible pitcher can develop into a top-five pitcher in the BWBL right now. He has worked on his pitching by a very large amount over the course of a five-year span. He is a fireballer with a riser reminiscent of a younger Bob Loftus.
I think the hardest part about writing this article is narrowing down all the players past and present and ranking them where I see fit. Sure this is just my opinion but as everyone in the BWBL knows my opinion means shit. Even though this league has not fared well at the NWLA tournament, it doesn’t mean we don’t have some talented guys here in Wilkes-Barre. Granted we use bigger barrel bats and it somewhat puts us at a disadvantage but this isn’t about which is better. We take a lot of grief because of the style we play and how it’s not like many other NWLA leagues but we don’t care. Our way of play has afforded us the opportunity to play for 15 seasons. Not that many leagues can make it past 5 or 6 without drastically changing up their format. Weekend tournaments aren’t leagues, they are just that - tournaments. I could go on about this subject but don’t feel the need to waste any more time regarding this matter. It’s now time to talk about everyone’s favorite topic - the hitters.
Top 5 Hitters (All-Time)
1. Tom Hannon - There are very few in this league that have been around as long as him, not only this league but the game of Wiffle. He gets walked the most intentionally and unintentionally. Doesn’t strike out too often and numbers would be slightly better if he weren’t fat and slow now. Or if he were a right-handed batter.
2. Ryan Hart - Just as stated in the pitching category, this man could have been the leader in all of the major categories had he played until now. A homerun threat every time he stepped in the box.
3. Steve Pinnacoli - Only played two seasons at most and left a mark on the BWBL. A freakishly good athlete and was able to barrel up some of the best pitchers early on in the BWBL, including Bob Loftus.
4. Steve Owazany - Set the single season mark in HRs a couple years back and early on in his career there was nothing to be excited about. When Steve flourished it was in the middle of the medium pitch era where pitchers could no longer rely on speed but had to use movement. Batting titles and multiple championships speak volumes.
5. Bob Loftus - Was a very good hitter in his late 30’s and early 40’s. Numbers have slipped a little as of late - could be due to getting older or just being a part time player. But either way, when Bob was up, he was always a tough out to get. The all-time leader in HRs as of this writing. Will he stay there forever? Probably not but for the time being, he is there.
Some may question what about Andy Peck, the all-time leader in hits? Well, Peck reminds me a lot of those stat stuffing players. Hits add up when you run it up against weaker teams. Not saying he does that now, but in years past, he had been known to be more concerned with his stats than sportsmanship. Some may ask what about Alex, Belles, those on the LF wall in the HOF? Well this is my list so deal with it.
Top 5 Hitters (Now)
1. Rob Hess - It pains me to put this guy here but the man can hit with a pencil if you give him one and ask him to do it. He has put many years into the craft of hitting and it shows. Just ask Saturday Crush from last year’s championship series.
2. Alex Fuchylo -This kid the speed as well as power to all fields. Always a threat to go deep and won the MVP last year for good reason. He tends to chase some bad pitches at times, but all in all, if you were going to start a franchise he would be the #1 pick
3. Mark Belles - Early on in Belles’ career he was considered someone that was an easier out. He has really come into his own and has since dominated opposing pitching. Always a threat to turn the simple single into a double and further. One day the number #35 will be hanging on the wall in left - could that be soon?
4. Mike Holloway - Some may say you put him on there because he is your brother but let me tell you and some of you know first hand that his 75% is better than most 100%. He has the ability to hit the worst of pitches fair and when focused can be a very difficult out. One day his number #1 or whichever he chooses will be hanging in LF.
5. Steve Homza - A very good righty batter who never seems to get himself out. Very selective hitter who knows his zone well and can mash with the best of them. With only 3 or 4 seasons under his belt he has risen to the top as one of the best hitters in our league currently.
Moving on and away from individual players I’m going to focus next on rivalries. Rivalries to me are those battles between teams that could have gone either way and on many occasions have gone either way. Also I would like to highlight maybe some individual rivalries that have arisen.
Top 5 Team Rivalries
1. Saturday Crush vs. Dragons - There wasn’t a better rivalry in the league better than these two teams. It was so intense that Peck had to steal Bob Loftus away from myself twice. They only met in one championship series which I will get into later.
2. Shooting Stars vs Saturday Crush - Now this may not seem like a big rivalry but they had some interesting social media and in game theatrics that made this a top rivalry for me. The hanging of Kermit, the Kermit memes on twitter. The stars almost got their revenge in a deciding playoff game only to lose on a walk-off.
3. Flying Dragons vs Bunch O’ Swingers - These two teams were about as evenly matched early on in the BWBL. So much so that a night of drinking and playing cards a video surfaced of team captain Tom Hannon stating “ Bunch of Swingers? More like a Bunch of F****s”. Both teams were fighting for a playoff spot that year.
4. Pittston Park Boys vs Saturday Crush - The boys came in cocky and deservedly so as they were the defending champs, but here came this young cocky team of their own. Beating Bob Loftus and winning the championship was the ultimate prize for the Crush and a lot of words were said among these teams and the major players from both teams became teammates years later.
5. Westside Washout vs. Anyone - The thing about the Washout that made them a rival was their ability to take pitches and walk. That garnered the name Westside Walkouts or Walkabouts. The had a top tier pitcher at the time in Dan Rish and he led them to many victories usually over a #2 of the opposing team.
Top Rivalries (Personal)
1. Bob Loftus vs Tom Hannon - There isn’t a rivalry as big in the BWBL now or will there be one in the future like this. At the time these two were the supposed Kings of Wiffle in the BWBL. They wanted to beat each other so bad each and every time they faced one another. They are once again teammates but you never know if one changes teams will the rivalry spark back up again.
2. Tom Hannon vs Andy Peck - There was no shortage of barbs being thrown around back in the earlier years of Peck’s career and some lighter ones still to this day. The captains of their respective teams always tried to find ways to needle the other whether it be by taking Loftus away from the Dragons and BME or memes used on social media.
3. Zach Artim vs Bob Loftus - Artim is currently the only guy in league history to get a guy to quit twice and come back either in the same year or following year. These two were once teammates and friends but now when and if they play against each other, blood will be shed.
4. Bobby Loftus Jr. vs. Andy Peck - Bobby was a really good pitcher in his late teens and early 20’s. Peck knew that and wanted him on his roster. Things didn’t work out and Bobby wanted to make Peck pay every chance he got. Bobby carried that emotion and hatred toward the Crush and Peck to where the teams almost came to blows during a playoff series.
5. Tom Hannon vs. Anyone - As an antagonist and the self-proclaimed Narcissus, he has an ability to rub people the wrong way.
Top 5 Leagues/Fields(I’ve Played At)
1. Diamond City Park (BWBL) - The place has an aura around it when you step foot on the field. No place in the country has that same feel for me
2. Bush Grapes Park (OCWA) - Wish I had a yard as nice with the ability to play some Wiffle on it.
3. Cottage Lane (PWBL) - Brett Bev does a great job maintaining his three primary fields and you know when it’s time to Wiff by the sounds.
4. Original BWBL Field - The best part about the field was the Pizza Mill being next door. Wings and beer after your game - it didn’t get much better.
5. Coal St - I liked Coal St. for the simple fact that it was very secluded and nobody ever bothered us. We had backyard wrestling after an All-Star game - it was great.
The very last topic I want to discuss is the top 5 best championships. This can go a bunch of different ways. I can talk solely on those that I have been a part of or I can talk about those that I have watched. I’m going to go with a little bit of both.
Top 5 Championships
1. Bad Meets Evil vs Saturday Crush - This wasn’t the first title that I had won, however it was the most important to myself. In the two previous championship titles, I never had the opportunity to face off against one of my rivals. On top of that, the BME squad ran through everyone that year, not losing a single game in tournament or season play. The consensus was it was going to be a very good series and to be honest that never lived up to the hype. The Crush did take one away from BME’s near perfect season, but they didn’t capture the Red Robin Cup like they had hoped. No better way to close down the old Coal St. Park than by beating a rival.
2. Jagerbombers vs. Backdoor Bandits - The table was set another perfect regular season and all that stood in the way was a hungry Jagerbombers team loaded with pitching. This may have been the only championship series so far to go the distance of 5 games and each game had their own storyline to it. Belles on the outfield deck with Artim rooting for the Bombers with Hit it Here signs. It was supposed to be my last season in the BWBL, as I was walking away to pursue other endeavors, but be it as it may, I am still here. These two teams were every evenly matched that a bounce here or there in Game 5 and the Bandits could have gotten their first Cup.
3. Saturday Crush vs Pittston Park Boys - Saturday Crush, who barely got into playoffs that year, went on and shocked the BWBL world and put them on notice that a new up and coming team was ready to dominate. This had everything you could ask for - a huge underdog and some pitching performances for the ages from Shawn Ashton and Ryan Hart. Ashton would collect those little green army men for each strikeout he got. The after party with a then 17 or 18 yr old Ryan Hart at Kenny Kandrac’s house was epic as well.
4. Bases Loaded vs Backdoor Bandits - Kevin Sickle was in search of his first title as a captain/player and after years of frustration and shitty teams, he found himself in the midst of a run like no other. As the #6 seed, they went on and defeated the reigning and defending champs BME in deciding fashion 2-0 to reach the championship series against the Bandits. Everyone in the league thought this could be the year for the Bandits but….nope .. stellar pitching performances from Curtis Wagner and Alex Fuchylo helped Kevin and his porno beard claim their 1st title.
5. Snack Shack vs Saturday Crush - Tom Hannon vs Andy Peck part two didn’t quite live up to the hype or excitement of the other championship matchup on social media, but it sure did have its own drama on the field. Rob Hess was the story for the series as he hit seven HRs on the day including walk o-ff HRs in games 1&3. Even though Hannon didn’t captain this team, he can still rest easy at night knowing that he is 2-0 when facing an Andy Peck team in the championship series.
I seem to have rambled on long enough to bore you with some stupid article that most won’t read any of the content other than the top 5 lists I have complied, which is OK by me. The next time you see this old man down the field and ask him why I am down there all day, the simple answer will be who else do you know would write a 4,000 word article on the BWBL and the game he loves? Sit down, have a beer, and we could talk Wiffle all day. If you need tips on certain pitchers, I’ll gladly lend a hand. I have seen it all and only true die-hards will understand the love for the game. I’ve told many that you can take a Wiffle ball player and he could play slow-pitch softball but you can’t take a slow-pitch softball player and have him play Wiffle. The games are entirely different and I’m so happy for the last 15 years I was able to call the BWBL home. I look forward to the rest of the season, albeit only going a couple more weeks, but either way, it should be an entertaining end of another wonderful season. Be on the lookout for some more great BWBL players and maybe even some new rivalries.
To answer the Special K question - “ Yes, we do Parties”.
Week Eight Predictions
by: John Kotsko
(posted Friday, July 19, 2019)
Kings of the North vs Team Backpack (3 Games)
The Kings are coming off a split with Special K. Team Backpack is coming off a sweep of the Wiffleball Junkies. The Kings can clinch a playoff by taking all three games AND an Express loss or taking two games and a Bases Loaded sweep. Team Backpack can clinch a playoff spot by taking all three games and a Bases Loaded sweep. Kings captain Alex Fuchylo is hitting .516 with five home runs and 30 RBIs. He is 2-1 on the mound with an ERA of 1.94 and 36 strikeouts. Backpack captain Joey Dougher is hitting .435 with five home runs and 14 RBIs. He is 4-3 on the mound with a 1.32 ERA and 85 strikeouts.
Prediction: Kings of the North take two of three
Bases Loaded vs Electric City Express
Bases Loaded is coming off getting swept by Balls Deep. The Express is coming off a split with Bad Meets Evil. The Express are in win now mode as their playoff hopes are now hanging on a thread. Bases Loaded's Chris Faulkner made his return to the BWBL on July 7th and went 4 2/3 innings, striking out 12, giving up five hits and walking three in the Game 1 loss. He added a home run in Game 2. The Express' Josh Quick is hitting .319 with six homers and 17 RBIs. He has struck 60 batters on the mound and is 2-5 on the year.
Prediction: Electric City Express sweep
Special K vs Balls Deep
Special K is coming off a split with the Kings of the North. Balls Deep swept Bases Loaded. Both teams have clinched playoff spots but this series can go a long way into determining the number one seed in the BWBL playoffs. Special K's Zach Artim is hitting .431 with nine home runs and 19 RBIs. On the mound, he is 7-0 with a 0.61 ERA and 80 strikeouts. Balls Deep's Brett Caladie is hitting .419 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs. On the mound, he is 4-3 with a 2.29 ERA and 80 strikeouts.
Prediction: Special K/Balls Deep split
Bad Meets Evil vs Wiffleball Junkies
Bad Meets Evil is coming off a split with the Electric City Express. The Junkies are coming off getting swept by Team Backpack. Bad Meets Evil can clinch a playoff spot with a sweep AND a Bases Loaded sweep. Bad Meets Evil's Curtis Wagner is 5-0 with a 0.96 ERA and 65 strikeouts. The Junkies' Josh Sorber is hitting .463 with four home runs and 12 RBIs on the season.
Prediction: Bad Meets Evil sweep
Before I end the article, I'd like to promote the Keystone State Games Wiffle Ball Tournament. It will be held at 9 AM on July 27th. If you are interested in signing up, here is the link below:
https://keystone-state-games-inc.myshopify.com/products/ksg-wiffle-ball-team-entry
The Kings are coming off a split with Special K. Team Backpack is coming off a sweep of the Wiffleball Junkies. The Kings can clinch a playoff by taking all three games AND an Express loss or taking two games and a Bases Loaded sweep. Team Backpack can clinch a playoff spot by taking all three games and a Bases Loaded sweep. Kings captain Alex Fuchylo is hitting .516 with five home runs and 30 RBIs. He is 2-1 on the mound with an ERA of 1.94 and 36 strikeouts. Backpack captain Joey Dougher is hitting .435 with five home runs and 14 RBIs. He is 4-3 on the mound with a 1.32 ERA and 85 strikeouts.
Prediction: Kings of the North take two of three
Bases Loaded vs Electric City Express
Bases Loaded is coming off getting swept by Balls Deep. The Express is coming off a split with Bad Meets Evil. The Express are in win now mode as their playoff hopes are now hanging on a thread. Bases Loaded's Chris Faulkner made his return to the BWBL on July 7th and went 4 2/3 innings, striking out 12, giving up five hits and walking three in the Game 1 loss. He added a home run in Game 2. The Express' Josh Quick is hitting .319 with six homers and 17 RBIs. He has struck 60 batters on the mound and is 2-5 on the year.
Prediction: Electric City Express sweep
Special K vs Balls Deep
Special K is coming off a split with the Kings of the North. Balls Deep swept Bases Loaded. Both teams have clinched playoff spots but this series can go a long way into determining the number one seed in the BWBL playoffs. Special K's Zach Artim is hitting .431 with nine home runs and 19 RBIs. On the mound, he is 7-0 with a 0.61 ERA and 80 strikeouts. Balls Deep's Brett Caladie is hitting .419 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs. On the mound, he is 4-3 with a 2.29 ERA and 80 strikeouts.
Prediction: Special K/Balls Deep split
Bad Meets Evil vs Wiffleball Junkies
Bad Meets Evil is coming off a split with the Electric City Express. The Junkies are coming off getting swept by Team Backpack. Bad Meets Evil can clinch a playoff spot with a sweep AND a Bases Loaded sweep. Bad Meets Evil's Curtis Wagner is 5-0 with a 0.96 ERA and 65 strikeouts. The Junkies' Josh Sorber is hitting .463 with four home runs and 12 RBIs on the season.
Prediction: Bad Meets Evil sweep
Before I end the article, I'd like to promote the Keystone State Games Wiffle Ball Tournament. It will be held at 9 AM on July 27th. If you are interested in signing up, here is the link below:
https://keystone-state-games-inc.myshopify.com/products/ksg-wiffle-ball-team-entry
2019 BWBL Award Nominations
by: Steve Dotzel
(posted Wednesday, August 21, 2019)
With the 2019 season in the books, the BWBL Council is proud to announce the nominees for the annual league awards. Each award will be voted on over the next few days. This article will outline each nominee with some stats and info pertinent to their nomination. Each player will be listed in alphabetical order. Let’s get into the awards.
Key:
AB – At Bats
AVG – Batting Average
OBP – On base Percentage
SLG – Slugging Percentage
HR – Home Runs
RBI – Runs Batted In
R – Runs Scored
IP – Innings Pitched
W - Wins
K – Strikeouts
BB – Walks
ERA – Earned Run Average
WHIP – Walks + Hits per Innings Pitched
K/5 – Strikeouts per Game
BB/5 – Walks per Game
Rookie of the Year
Anthony Caladie
-The older of the two brothers hit .397 with 6 HR, 17 RBI, and 23 R while going 8-0 on the mound with a 3.75 ERA. Anthony played a major role in leading Balls Deep to the league’s best record.
Brett Caladie
-Brett joined his brother in helping Balls Deep on both sides of the ball to the tune of a 17-3 record. He hit .471 with 13 HR, 37 RBI, and 29 R. On the mound he posted a (7-3) record with a 2.20 ERA.
Aiden Smith
-The 12 year old burst onto the scene by taking Zach Artim deep in the first series of the year. Aiden wouldn’t homer again this season but finished with a .303 AVG, 5 RBI, and 4 R in 12 games.
Most Improved
James Canesso
2018 Stats: 71 AB, .197 AVG, .424 OBP, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 15 R
2019 Stats: 70 AB, .357 AVG, .444 OBP, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 20 R
-Canesso made a big jump on the offensive side of the ball in 2019, showing more power and producing more runs. This led to a near doubling over his batting average from last season.
Mike Cinti
2018 Stats: (0-5) 14.1 IP, 35 K, 47 BB, 20.23 ERA, 6.39 WHIP
2019 Stats: (2-1) 14.0 IP, 27 K, 29 BB, 4.64 ERA, 2.86 WHIP
-Cinti went from a batting practice arm to a legitimate part of the ECE rotation. He slashed his ERA down to a respectable 4.64 while issuing 18 less free passes. This helped cut his WHIP in half and finish with a winning record.
Joey Dougher
2018 Stats: (4-4) 30.1 IP, 69 K, 75 BB, 9.07 ERA, 3.49 WHIP
2019 Stats: (6-4) 47.0 IP, 115 K, 51 BB, 2.13 ERA, 1.89 WHIP
-In 2019 Dougher was able to harness the control that plagued him in the past. He issued 24 fewer walks than last year despite throwing an additional 17 innings. That cut his WHIP in half and led to 46 more strikeouts. All of this fed into the lowering of his ERA by nearly 7 runs per game.
Alan Grula
2018 Stats: 19 AB, .105 AVG, .452 OBP, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 8 R
2019 Stats: 32 AB, .500 AVG, .579 OBP, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 15 R
-Alan spiked his offensive numbers across the board as a key contributor in a potent Special K lineup that led the American Division in runs scored.
Derick Kearsh
2018 Stats: 46 AB, .196 AVG, .464 OBP, 0 HR, 11 RBI, 18 R
2019 Stats: 78 AB, .385 AVG, .435 OBP, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 26 R
-After a down 2018 campaign, D-Rock’s power numbers greatly improved and he had a steady role in the highest scoring offense in the BWBL.
Captain of the Year
Joey Dougher
-Despite another season with a small roster, Dougher was able to get his Backpack team into the playoffs behind a 10-10 record. It is safe to say Dougher has done more with less than any other captain in 2019.
Alex Fuchylo
-The King of the Kings of the North made some big changes this off-season bringing in league veterans Andy Peck, Sean Hart, Jake Lukachik, and Brandon Haydt. These additions resulted in the BWBL’s highest scoring offense. Alex managed his squad to a 17-3 record and National Division crown.
Steve Homza
-Homza made a splash in free agency by bringing in Fran George and James Ziobro to add some much needed depth to the Special K rotation and provide a bit more power to the lineup. The duo aided Homza in managing Special K to a 14-6 record and #3 overall seed
John Kotsko
-After an 0-18 season in 2018, Kotsko revamped his roster by adding Anthony Caladie, Brett Caladie, and Steve Dotzel in the off-season. With a sudden surplus of arms, Kotkso managed his rotation and team to the league’s best record at 17-3.
Silver Slugger
Zach Artim
Stats: 73 AB, .452 AVG, .481 OBP, .986 SLG, 12 HR, 26 RBI, 25 R
-Led the BWBL in SLG and was 2nd in HR. Was top 10 in AVG, H, RBI, and R.
Brett Caladie
Stats: 87 AB, .471 AVG, .566 OBP, .920 SLG, 13 HR, 37 RBI, 29 R
-Led the BWBL in HR and was 2nd in RBI and SLG. Recorded 4th most H in the league and the 6th most R.
Joey Dougher
Stats: 104 AB, .433 AVG, .524 OBP, .702 SLG, 9 HR, 29 RBI, 36 R
-Ranked 3rd in the BWBL in AB, H, and R. Was 4th in HR and 5th in RBI.
Alex Fuchylo
Stats: 105 AB, .543 AVG, .600 OBP, .895 SLG, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 44 R
-Led the BWBL in AVG, H, RBI, 2B and R. Was 2nd in AB and ranked 3rd in HR and SLG. Ranked 5th in OBP.
Tom Hannon
Stats: 57 AB, .421 AVG, .621 OBP, .825 SLG, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 30 R
-Finished 2nd in the BWBL in OBP and was 3rd in RBI. Was 5th in both HR and R.
Mikey Holloway
Stats: 111 AB, .495 AVG, .552 OBP, .649 SLG, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 33 R
-Led the BWBL in AB. Finished 2nd in H and 4th in both AVG and R. Was also top 10 in HR and RBI.
Steve Homza
Stats: 51 AB, .490 AVG, .594 OBP, .863 SLG, 6 HR, 16 RBI, 18 R
-Ranked 4th in the BWBL in SLG was 6th in AVG, HR, and OBP.
Cy Young
Zach Artim
(8-1) 43 IP, 0.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 103 K, 12.0 K/5, 1.7 BB/5
-Led the BWBL in both ERA and WHIP. Tied for the league in W. Walked the 2nd fewest batters per game. Finished 3rd in both total K and K per game.
Brett Caladie
(7-3) 50 IP, 2.20 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 115 K, 11.5 K/5, 3.2 BB/5
-Tied Joey Dougher for the league lead in K – a mark that also set the BWBL Medium Pitch Era single season record. Finished 3rd in WHIP, 4th in W and ERA. Averaged the 5th most K per game.
Joey Dougher
(6-4) 47 IP, 2.13 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, 115 K, 12.2 K/5, 5.4 BB/5
-Tied Brett Caladie for the league lead in K – a mark that also set the BWBL Medium Pitch Era single season record. Finished 2nd in K per game and 3rd in ERA.
Sean Hart
(8-0) 28.1 IP, 3.53 ERA, 2.01 WHIP, 66 K, 11.7 K/5, 5.3 BB/5
-Tied for the BWBL lead in W. Ranked 4th in K per game and top 10 in ERA, WHIP, and K.
Curtis Wagner
(6-1) 36 IP, 1.39 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 89 K, 12.4 K/5, 3.5 BB/B
-Led the BWBL in K per game. Finished 2nd in both ERA and WHIP. Ranked 5th in both W and K.
MVP
Zach Artim
Hitting Stats: 73 AB, .452 AVG, .481 OBP, .986 SLG, 12 HR, 26 RBI, 25 R
Pitching Stats: (8-1) 43 IP, 0.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 103 K, 12.0 K/5, 1.7 BB/5
-Led BWBL in SLG and was 2nd in HR. On the mound he led the BWBL in ERA, WHIP, and was tied for the lead in W.
Argument: Historically great season on the mound while also providing a power bat in one of the league’s best lineups. Difficult to imagine Special K being a championship contender without their ace.
Brett Caladie
Hitting Stats: 87 AB, .471 AVG, .566 OBP, .920 SLG, 13 HR, 37 RBI, 29 R
Pitching Stats: (7-3) 50 IP, 2.20 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 115 K, 11.5 K/5, 3.2 BB/5
-Led BWBL in HR and was 2nd in both RBI and SLG. On the mound he led the BWBL in K and finished top 4 in W, ERA, and WHIP.
Argument: Led the league’s best team in most major categories both offensively and on the mound. His addition to Balls Deep in 2019 helped in the team going from 0-18 to 17-3.
Joey Dougher
Hitting Stats: 104 AB, .433 AVG, .524 OBP, .702 SLG, 9 HR, 29 RBI, 36 R
Pitching Stats: (6-4) 47 IP, 2.13 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, 115 K, 12.2 K/5, 5.4 BB/5
-Top 5 in BWBL in H, HR, R, and RBI. Led BWBL in K and finished top 3 in ERA.
Argument: Led team in all major pitching categories and was top 2 on team in all major hitting categories. Not only would Team Backpack not have made the playoffs without Dougher, the team would likely not even exist.
Alex Fuchylo
Hitting Stats: 105 AB, .543 AVG, .600 OBP, .895 SLG, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 44 R
Pitching Stats: (4-1) 27.2 IP, 2.53 ERA, 1.81 WHIP, 59 K
-Led all of the BWBL in AVG, H, RBI, 2B, and R. Led team in same categories and hit in the middle of the league’s highest scoring offense. On the mound he led his team in ERA and WHIP.
Argument: Best hitter on league’s best offense while also providing a top of the rotation arm. Offensive numbers separate him from the field.
Curtis Wagner
Hitting Stats: 55 AB, .327 AVG, .456 OBP, .400 SLG, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 14 R
Pitching Stats: (6-1) 36 IP, 1.39 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 89 K, 12.4 K/5, 3.5 BB/B
-Led the BWBL in K per game and finished 2nd in both ERA and WHIP.
Argument: His usual dominant self on the mound. Given the lack of pitching around him this season it is unlikely BME makes the playoffs without him.
Playoff MVP
Zach Artim
-Went 3-2 on the mound including a win over Kings of the North in Game 3 to clinch the series. Won 2 games in the Championship Series and pitched to a 1.20 ERA throughout the playoffs. Led the playoffs with 55 K.
Anthony Caladie
-Went 4-0 on the mound in the playoffs including a win over BME in Game 3 to clinch the series. At the plate he hit .457 and led all of the playoffs in both H and RBI with 16 and 8 respectively. Played vital role in guiding Balls Deep to league championship.
Steve Homza
-Hit .414 throughout the playoffs with 1 HR, 5 RBI, and 6 R.
Key:
AB – At Bats
AVG – Batting Average
OBP – On base Percentage
SLG – Slugging Percentage
HR – Home Runs
RBI – Runs Batted In
R – Runs Scored
IP – Innings Pitched
W - Wins
K – Strikeouts
BB – Walks
ERA – Earned Run Average
WHIP – Walks + Hits per Innings Pitched
K/5 – Strikeouts per Game
BB/5 – Walks per Game
Rookie of the Year
Anthony Caladie
-The older of the two brothers hit .397 with 6 HR, 17 RBI, and 23 R while going 8-0 on the mound with a 3.75 ERA. Anthony played a major role in leading Balls Deep to the league’s best record.
Brett Caladie
-Brett joined his brother in helping Balls Deep on both sides of the ball to the tune of a 17-3 record. He hit .471 with 13 HR, 37 RBI, and 29 R. On the mound he posted a (7-3) record with a 2.20 ERA.
Aiden Smith
-The 12 year old burst onto the scene by taking Zach Artim deep in the first series of the year. Aiden wouldn’t homer again this season but finished with a .303 AVG, 5 RBI, and 4 R in 12 games.
Most Improved
James Canesso
2018 Stats: 71 AB, .197 AVG, .424 OBP, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 15 R
2019 Stats: 70 AB, .357 AVG, .444 OBP, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 20 R
-Canesso made a big jump on the offensive side of the ball in 2019, showing more power and producing more runs. This led to a near doubling over his batting average from last season.
Mike Cinti
2018 Stats: (0-5) 14.1 IP, 35 K, 47 BB, 20.23 ERA, 6.39 WHIP
2019 Stats: (2-1) 14.0 IP, 27 K, 29 BB, 4.64 ERA, 2.86 WHIP
-Cinti went from a batting practice arm to a legitimate part of the ECE rotation. He slashed his ERA down to a respectable 4.64 while issuing 18 less free passes. This helped cut his WHIP in half and finish with a winning record.
Joey Dougher
2018 Stats: (4-4) 30.1 IP, 69 K, 75 BB, 9.07 ERA, 3.49 WHIP
2019 Stats: (6-4) 47.0 IP, 115 K, 51 BB, 2.13 ERA, 1.89 WHIP
-In 2019 Dougher was able to harness the control that plagued him in the past. He issued 24 fewer walks than last year despite throwing an additional 17 innings. That cut his WHIP in half and led to 46 more strikeouts. All of this fed into the lowering of his ERA by nearly 7 runs per game.
Alan Grula
2018 Stats: 19 AB, .105 AVG, .452 OBP, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 8 R
2019 Stats: 32 AB, .500 AVG, .579 OBP, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 15 R
-Alan spiked his offensive numbers across the board as a key contributor in a potent Special K lineup that led the American Division in runs scored.
Derick Kearsh
2018 Stats: 46 AB, .196 AVG, .464 OBP, 0 HR, 11 RBI, 18 R
2019 Stats: 78 AB, .385 AVG, .435 OBP, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 26 R
-After a down 2018 campaign, D-Rock’s power numbers greatly improved and he had a steady role in the highest scoring offense in the BWBL.
Captain of the Year
Joey Dougher
-Despite another season with a small roster, Dougher was able to get his Backpack team into the playoffs behind a 10-10 record. It is safe to say Dougher has done more with less than any other captain in 2019.
Alex Fuchylo
-The King of the Kings of the North made some big changes this off-season bringing in league veterans Andy Peck, Sean Hart, Jake Lukachik, and Brandon Haydt. These additions resulted in the BWBL’s highest scoring offense. Alex managed his squad to a 17-3 record and National Division crown.
Steve Homza
-Homza made a splash in free agency by bringing in Fran George and James Ziobro to add some much needed depth to the Special K rotation and provide a bit more power to the lineup. The duo aided Homza in managing Special K to a 14-6 record and #3 overall seed
John Kotsko
-After an 0-18 season in 2018, Kotsko revamped his roster by adding Anthony Caladie, Brett Caladie, and Steve Dotzel in the off-season. With a sudden surplus of arms, Kotkso managed his rotation and team to the league’s best record at 17-3.
Silver Slugger
Zach Artim
Stats: 73 AB, .452 AVG, .481 OBP, .986 SLG, 12 HR, 26 RBI, 25 R
-Led the BWBL in SLG and was 2nd in HR. Was top 10 in AVG, H, RBI, and R.
Brett Caladie
Stats: 87 AB, .471 AVG, .566 OBP, .920 SLG, 13 HR, 37 RBI, 29 R
-Led the BWBL in HR and was 2nd in RBI and SLG. Recorded 4th most H in the league and the 6th most R.
Joey Dougher
Stats: 104 AB, .433 AVG, .524 OBP, .702 SLG, 9 HR, 29 RBI, 36 R
-Ranked 3rd in the BWBL in AB, H, and R. Was 4th in HR and 5th in RBI.
Alex Fuchylo
Stats: 105 AB, .543 AVG, .600 OBP, .895 SLG, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 44 R
-Led the BWBL in AVG, H, RBI, 2B and R. Was 2nd in AB and ranked 3rd in HR and SLG. Ranked 5th in OBP.
Tom Hannon
Stats: 57 AB, .421 AVG, .621 OBP, .825 SLG, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 30 R
-Finished 2nd in the BWBL in OBP and was 3rd in RBI. Was 5th in both HR and R.
Mikey Holloway
Stats: 111 AB, .495 AVG, .552 OBP, .649 SLG, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 33 R
-Led the BWBL in AB. Finished 2nd in H and 4th in both AVG and R. Was also top 10 in HR and RBI.
Steve Homza
Stats: 51 AB, .490 AVG, .594 OBP, .863 SLG, 6 HR, 16 RBI, 18 R
-Ranked 4th in the BWBL in SLG was 6th in AVG, HR, and OBP.
Cy Young
Zach Artim
(8-1) 43 IP, 0.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 103 K, 12.0 K/5, 1.7 BB/5
-Led the BWBL in both ERA and WHIP. Tied for the league in W. Walked the 2nd fewest batters per game. Finished 3rd in both total K and K per game.
Brett Caladie
(7-3) 50 IP, 2.20 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 115 K, 11.5 K/5, 3.2 BB/5
-Tied Joey Dougher for the league lead in K – a mark that also set the BWBL Medium Pitch Era single season record. Finished 3rd in WHIP, 4th in W and ERA. Averaged the 5th most K per game.
Joey Dougher
(6-4) 47 IP, 2.13 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, 115 K, 12.2 K/5, 5.4 BB/5
-Tied Brett Caladie for the league lead in K – a mark that also set the BWBL Medium Pitch Era single season record. Finished 2nd in K per game and 3rd in ERA.
Sean Hart
(8-0) 28.1 IP, 3.53 ERA, 2.01 WHIP, 66 K, 11.7 K/5, 5.3 BB/5
-Tied for the BWBL lead in W. Ranked 4th in K per game and top 10 in ERA, WHIP, and K.
Curtis Wagner
(6-1) 36 IP, 1.39 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 89 K, 12.4 K/5, 3.5 BB/B
-Led the BWBL in K per game. Finished 2nd in both ERA and WHIP. Ranked 5th in both W and K.
MVP
Zach Artim
Hitting Stats: 73 AB, .452 AVG, .481 OBP, .986 SLG, 12 HR, 26 RBI, 25 R
Pitching Stats: (8-1) 43 IP, 0.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 103 K, 12.0 K/5, 1.7 BB/5
-Led BWBL in SLG and was 2nd in HR. On the mound he led the BWBL in ERA, WHIP, and was tied for the lead in W.
Argument: Historically great season on the mound while also providing a power bat in one of the league’s best lineups. Difficult to imagine Special K being a championship contender without their ace.
Brett Caladie
Hitting Stats: 87 AB, .471 AVG, .566 OBP, .920 SLG, 13 HR, 37 RBI, 29 R
Pitching Stats: (7-3) 50 IP, 2.20 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 115 K, 11.5 K/5, 3.2 BB/5
-Led BWBL in HR and was 2nd in both RBI and SLG. On the mound he led the BWBL in K and finished top 4 in W, ERA, and WHIP.
Argument: Led the league’s best team in most major categories both offensively and on the mound. His addition to Balls Deep in 2019 helped in the team going from 0-18 to 17-3.
Joey Dougher
Hitting Stats: 104 AB, .433 AVG, .524 OBP, .702 SLG, 9 HR, 29 RBI, 36 R
Pitching Stats: (6-4) 47 IP, 2.13 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, 115 K, 12.2 K/5, 5.4 BB/5
-Top 5 in BWBL in H, HR, R, and RBI. Led BWBL in K and finished top 3 in ERA.
Argument: Led team in all major pitching categories and was top 2 on team in all major hitting categories. Not only would Team Backpack not have made the playoffs without Dougher, the team would likely not even exist.
Alex Fuchylo
Hitting Stats: 105 AB, .543 AVG, .600 OBP, .895 SLG, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 44 R
Pitching Stats: (4-1) 27.2 IP, 2.53 ERA, 1.81 WHIP, 59 K
-Led all of the BWBL in AVG, H, RBI, 2B, and R. Led team in same categories and hit in the middle of the league’s highest scoring offense. On the mound he led his team in ERA and WHIP.
Argument: Best hitter on league’s best offense while also providing a top of the rotation arm. Offensive numbers separate him from the field.
Curtis Wagner
Hitting Stats: 55 AB, .327 AVG, .456 OBP, .400 SLG, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 14 R
Pitching Stats: (6-1) 36 IP, 1.39 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 89 K, 12.4 K/5, 3.5 BB/B
-Led the BWBL in K per game and finished 2nd in both ERA and WHIP.
Argument: His usual dominant self on the mound. Given the lack of pitching around him this season it is unlikely BME makes the playoffs without him.
Playoff MVP
Zach Artim
-Went 3-2 on the mound including a win over Kings of the North in Game 3 to clinch the series. Won 2 games in the Championship Series and pitched to a 1.20 ERA throughout the playoffs. Led the playoffs with 55 K.
Anthony Caladie
-Went 4-0 on the mound in the playoffs including a win over BME in Game 3 to clinch the series. At the plate he hit .457 and led all of the playoffs in both H and RBI with 16 and 8 respectively. Played vital role in guiding Balls Deep to league championship.
Steve Homza
-Hit .414 throughout the playoffs with 1 HR, 5 RBI, and 6 R.
Playoff Predictions
by: Jonathan Fernandes
(posted Sunday, August 11, 2019)
Play In-Game: #5 Backpack vs #4 BME
Backpack secured their playoff spot in Week 10 with a sweep over Bases Loaded. They look forward to an extremely tough one game playoff with the “reigning” Red Robin Cup Champions. BME apparently took the week off in Week 10 whether it was strategy or whether it was resting their players. Assuming the pitching matchup for this crucial game is going to be Joey Dougher versus Curtis Wagner. These two pitchers took the mound against each other in Week 5 where we saw BME take the win 2-0. I see this being a tight low scoring game but what worries me for BME is their best player is out for the season with a broken ankle. Hannon had one of the two RBIs in the Week 5 matchup, but if you ask Tom, he isn’t worried. Someone needs to come up big for both teams in this crucial game. My one player who will be deciding factor is Rob Hess for BME who tends to come up big in meaningful games. Look for him to try to take a pitch and drive over the fence. The player too look out for on Backpack is Mikey Holloway, the newly crowned member of the Hall of Fame will need to string a few hits against Wagner in order for them to steal a win. BME looks to be the favorites on paper but with the condensed lineup of Backpack and more chances of seeing Wagner might be the success they need to pull out a victory.
Prediction: BME pulls out the win in extra innings
#3 Special K vs #2 Kings of the North
Earlier in the season when these two teams squared off, they came out in a split. In Game 1, Kings of the North took a 10-3 win. Kings saw the ball well that week where they put up 10 runs on eight hits against one of the better pitchers that they will facethis week. In Game 2, Special K took the win in a 1-0 victory behind the arm of their ace Zach Artim. Artim who is one of the Cy Young front-runners that tend sto go out and throw out great pitching performances. Artim has posted a 0.70 ERA with 103 strikeouts in the regular season. On the other side of the field, Kings has an ace of their own. Fuchylo is another ace in the league who every year is in the Cy Young candidates. Alex went 4-1 this season with a 2.53 ERA adding 59 strikeouts. Both are quality pitchers who you would love to have on your team. In series like these its going to come down to your number two pitchers. In this series, we have quality number two pitchers in Fran George and Jake Lukachik for the Kings. The winner of this series is going to need one of those two pitchers to step up and throw a game of their life in order to help give their team an advantage. In both games the teams are going to need to string a few hits together in order to help their team advance to the championship. My impact player who I see stepping up for Special K is Mark Belles, he had the lone RBI against Fuchylo in 1-0 win earlier in the season. He’s going to step up and need to provide another performance like that this upcoming Sunday. My impact player for Kings this week is Alex Fuchylo. He is overall the best player on the Kings and will need to come up big both on the mound and in the batter’s box. This is going to be a great series to watch with high quality pitching and hitting on both sides.
Prediction: Special K wins in 3 games.
#4 BME vs #1 Balls Deep
Balls Deep is going into the playoffs as the Regular Season Champions. They secured the #1 Seed in Week 10 where they swept the Wiffleball Junkies by the scores of 3-0 and 16-11. Kotsko’s team has played very well behind the arms of the Caladie brothers. They finished the season with a record of 17-3, with two losses coming by 1-0 scores and a Week 5 loss where they were routed 13-3 by Kings of the North. After that loss, it looks like they finally woke up and went on a tear as they rattled off 10 wins in a row going right into the playoffs. In this season series, Balls Deep went 3-1 against BME. But the season series won’t matter when these two match up. As Tom Hannon says best, “You got to beat Curtis twice in one series and I don’t see that happening.” Curtis has been dominant in the last two seasons but may have met his match with the excellent seasons by Brett Caladie and Zach Artim. If this series goes three games, we get the pleasure to see two of the best pitchers in two games in one day. One thing that worries me though is the stamina of BME. In order to get to this series, they have to win the play in game against Backpack which I have them doing, but then they have to play a grueling series against the regular season champs. That is a tall task that BME is going to have to stay energized and well rested as much as they can. If BME and Balls Deep want to advance to the championship, then they’re going to need bats to be alive. Playoffs is a different atmosphere compared to regular season. With the Caladie brothers making their playoff debut this weekend who knows how they will approach this upcoming weekend. But having talk to them a little bit this season I know they are competitors and I know this is going to be a great series. Experience means a lot and BME sure has a lot of it which I think gives them a huge advantage.
Prediction: BME wins in 3 games.
All games will be played at DCP this Sunday if you are interested in coming out and watch some great quality Wiffle ball. I really believe this may be the best playoff bracket with all five teams having a great chance at making a deep run. I cannot wait to go down and watch all the games and see who becomes heroes for their respective teams!
This has been my first article for BWBL, so let me know what you guys think in the comments!! Thank you!
My Red Robin Cup Championship
BME vs Special K
Backpack secured their playoff spot in Week 10 with a sweep over Bases Loaded. They look forward to an extremely tough one game playoff with the “reigning” Red Robin Cup Champions. BME apparently took the week off in Week 10 whether it was strategy or whether it was resting their players. Assuming the pitching matchup for this crucial game is going to be Joey Dougher versus Curtis Wagner. These two pitchers took the mound against each other in Week 5 where we saw BME take the win 2-0. I see this being a tight low scoring game but what worries me for BME is their best player is out for the season with a broken ankle. Hannon had one of the two RBIs in the Week 5 matchup, but if you ask Tom, he isn’t worried. Someone needs to come up big for both teams in this crucial game. My one player who will be deciding factor is Rob Hess for BME who tends to come up big in meaningful games. Look for him to try to take a pitch and drive over the fence. The player too look out for on Backpack is Mikey Holloway, the newly crowned member of the Hall of Fame will need to string a few hits against Wagner in order for them to steal a win. BME looks to be the favorites on paper but with the condensed lineup of Backpack and more chances of seeing Wagner might be the success they need to pull out a victory.
Prediction: BME pulls out the win in extra innings
#3 Special K vs #2 Kings of the North
Earlier in the season when these two teams squared off, they came out in a split. In Game 1, Kings of the North took a 10-3 win. Kings saw the ball well that week where they put up 10 runs on eight hits against one of the better pitchers that they will facethis week. In Game 2, Special K took the win in a 1-0 victory behind the arm of their ace Zach Artim. Artim who is one of the Cy Young front-runners that tend sto go out and throw out great pitching performances. Artim has posted a 0.70 ERA with 103 strikeouts in the regular season. On the other side of the field, Kings has an ace of their own. Fuchylo is another ace in the league who every year is in the Cy Young candidates. Alex went 4-1 this season with a 2.53 ERA adding 59 strikeouts. Both are quality pitchers who you would love to have on your team. In series like these its going to come down to your number two pitchers. In this series, we have quality number two pitchers in Fran George and Jake Lukachik for the Kings. The winner of this series is going to need one of those two pitchers to step up and throw a game of their life in order to help give their team an advantage. In both games the teams are going to need to string a few hits together in order to help their team advance to the championship. My impact player who I see stepping up for Special K is Mark Belles, he had the lone RBI against Fuchylo in 1-0 win earlier in the season. He’s going to step up and need to provide another performance like that this upcoming Sunday. My impact player for Kings this week is Alex Fuchylo. He is overall the best player on the Kings and will need to come up big both on the mound and in the batter’s box. This is going to be a great series to watch with high quality pitching and hitting on both sides.
Prediction: Special K wins in 3 games.
#4 BME vs #1 Balls Deep
Balls Deep is going into the playoffs as the Regular Season Champions. They secured the #1 Seed in Week 10 where they swept the Wiffleball Junkies by the scores of 3-0 and 16-11. Kotsko’s team has played very well behind the arms of the Caladie brothers. They finished the season with a record of 17-3, with two losses coming by 1-0 scores and a Week 5 loss where they were routed 13-3 by Kings of the North. After that loss, it looks like they finally woke up and went on a tear as they rattled off 10 wins in a row going right into the playoffs. In this season series, Balls Deep went 3-1 against BME. But the season series won’t matter when these two match up. As Tom Hannon says best, “You got to beat Curtis twice in one series and I don’t see that happening.” Curtis has been dominant in the last two seasons but may have met his match with the excellent seasons by Brett Caladie and Zach Artim. If this series goes three games, we get the pleasure to see two of the best pitchers in two games in one day. One thing that worries me though is the stamina of BME. In order to get to this series, they have to win the play in game against Backpack which I have them doing, but then they have to play a grueling series against the regular season champs. That is a tall task that BME is going to have to stay energized and well rested as much as they can. If BME and Balls Deep want to advance to the championship, then they’re going to need bats to be alive. Playoffs is a different atmosphere compared to regular season. With the Caladie brothers making their playoff debut this weekend who knows how they will approach this upcoming weekend. But having talk to them a little bit this season I know they are competitors and I know this is going to be a great series. Experience means a lot and BME sure has a lot of it which I think gives them a huge advantage.
Prediction: BME wins in 3 games.
All games will be played at DCP this Sunday if you are interested in coming out and watch some great quality Wiffle ball. I really believe this may be the best playoff bracket with all five teams having a great chance at making a deep run. I cannot wait to go down and watch all the games and see who becomes heroes for their respective teams!
This has been my first article for BWBL, so let me know what you guys think in the comments!! Thank you!
My Red Robin Cup Championship
BME vs Special K
2018 BWBL Award Winners
by: Steve Dotzel
Rookie of the Year: Curtis Brieling
In 12 games played, the Full Count rookie hit .235 with 1 HR, 14 RBI, 18 R, and a .519 OBP. On the mound Brieling finished the season (2-0) with a 1.41 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 22 K in 10.2 IP.
Most Improved: John Kotsko
2017 Stats: 31 AB, .226 AVG, .478 OBP, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R
2018 Stats: 75 AB, .307 AVG, .485 OBP, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 10 R
-Kotsko saw increased opportunity in 2018 with more than double the at bats from 2017. Kotsko took advantage hitting .081 points higher while quadrupling his RBI output and doubling his R total from last year.
Captain of the Year: Daulton Shearer
-The Snack Shack captain led his team to the best regular season record in the league and to the 2018 BWBL Red Robin Cup trophy. Daulton was able to replace the departed Steve Dotzel in the off-season with Curtis Wagner, a move that played in a large role in giving Snack Shack back-to-back titles. Another often overlooked aspect of Shearer has been his ability to successfully manage the perceived difficult personalities of the likes of Hannon and Loftus.
Silver Slugger: Alex Fuchylo
Stats: 54 AB, .556 AVG, .631 OBP, .852 SLG, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 24 R
-Led his team in all major categories AVG, OBP, SLG, HR, RBI, R. His .556 AVG was good for the third highest in the BWBL in 2018. One of the most feared hitters in the league on a yearly basis, Fuchylo did his part to maintain that status.
Cy Young: Curtis Wagner
(6-1) 30 IP, 1.17 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 86 K, 14.33 K/5, 3.83 BB/5, 3.74 K/BB
-Tied for the league lead in wins with 6. Led BWBL in ERA between pitchers who threw at least 20 innings at 1.17. 86 strikeouts and 1.23 WHIP were both third best marks in the league. Highest K/5 number in the BWBL. The numbers speak for themselves, not to mention Wagner was the ace for the top team in the league.
Season MVP: Alex Fuchylo
Hitting Stats: 54 AB, .556 AVG, .631 OBP, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 24 R
Pitching Stats: (4-2) 23.1 IP, 2.79 ERA, 2.01 WHIP, 51 K
-Led team in all major offensive categories and among the league leaders in AVG and RBI. Was part of one of the league’s best pitching duos with Josh Sorber.
Playoff MVP: Curtis Wagner
Hitting Stats: 27 AB, .333 AVG, .379 OBP, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 10 R
Pitching Stats: (3-0) 14 IP, 0.71 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, 34 K
-Led the playoffs in HR, RBI, and R. On the mound led the playoffs in wins, WHIP, and strikeouts. Helped Snack Shack on both sides en route to the title.
In 12 games played, the Full Count rookie hit .235 with 1 HR, 14 RBI, 18 R, and a .519 OBP. On the mound Brieling finished the season (2-0) with a 1.41 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 22 K in 10.2 IP.
Most Improved: John Kotsko
2017 Stats: 31 AB, .226 AVG, .478 OBP, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R
2018 Stats: 75 AB, .307 AVG, .485 OBP, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 10 R
-Kotsko saw increased opportunity in 2018 with more than double the at bats from 2017. Kotsko took advantage hitting .081 points higher while quadrupling his RBI output and doubling his R total from last year.
Captain of the Year: Daulton Shearer
-The Snack Shack captain led his team to the best regular season record in the league and to the 2018 BWBL Red Robin Cup trophy. Daulton was able to replace the departed Steve Dotzel in the off-season with Curtis Wagner, a move that played in a large role in giving Snack Shack back-to-back titles. Another often overlooked aspect of Shearer has been his ability to successfully manage the perceived difficult personalities of the likes of Hannon and Loftus.
Silver Slugger: Alex Fuchylo
Stats: 54 AB, .556 AVG, .631 OBP, .852 SLG, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 24 R
-Led his team in all major categories AVG, OBP, SLG, HR, RBI, R. His .556 AVG was good for the third highest in the BWBL in 2018. One of the most feared hitters in the league on a yearly basis, Fuchylo did his part to maintain that status.
Cy Young: Curtis Wagner
(6-1) 30 IP, 1.17 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 86 K, 14.33 K/5, 3.83 BB/5, 3.74 K/BB
-Tied for the league lead in wins with 6. Led BWBL in ERA between pitchers who threw at least 20 innings at 1.17. 86 strikeouts and 1.23 WHIP were both third best marks in the league. Highest K/5 number in the BWBL. The numbers speak for themselves, not to mention Wagner was the ace for the top team in the league.
Season MVP: Alex Fuchylo
Hitting Stats: 54 AB, .556 AVG, .631 OBP, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 24 R
Pitching Stats: (4-2) 23.1 IP, 2.79 ERA, 2.01 WHIP, 51 K
-Led team in all major offensive categories and among the league leaders in AVG and RBI. Was part of one of the league’s best pitching duos with Josh Sorber.
Playoff MVP: Curtis Wagner
Hitting Stats: 27 AB, .333 AVG, .379 OBP, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 10 R
Pitching Stats: (3-0) 14 IP, 0.71 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, 34 K
-Led the playoffs in HR, RBI, and R. On the mound led the playoffs in wins, WHIP, and strikeouts. Helped Snack Shack on both sides en route to the title.
BWBL Championship Series
by: John Kotsko
The two best teams in the BWBL squared off for the Red Robin Cup in the defending champion Snack Shack and Full Count. Snack Shack got here by knocking off Special K two games to none. Full Count beat Bases Loaded two games to none to advance here. Here is how the series went.
Game 1: It was a matchup between Curtis Wagner and Josh Sorber. The game would remain scoreless until Alex Fuchylo hit a two run home run for a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Snack Shack would score five in the bottom half and Curtis Wagner would strikeout 11 while walking none in a 5-2 victory. Snack Shack would lead the series one game to none.
Game 2: It was 2017 MVP Alex Fuchylo going up against veteran Bob Loftus. Paul DeVine broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run and Alex Fuchylo would also hit a solo home run and then throw a four-hit shutout as Full Count tied the series at one.
Game 3: With the series tied at one apiece, Game 3 was a must win on both sides. The floodgates would swing open in more ways than one as Snack Shack would score four runs in the bottom of the first as the rain started to fall and resulted in a rain delay. After the rain, Wagner would throw his second shutout of the series and finished the game with a two-run home run as Snack Shack took a two games to one lead with an 11-0 victory.
Game 4: With Snack Shack leading two games to one, would Snack Shack take back-to-back titles or would Full Count force a Game 5? It would be the same matchup as Game 4 with Alex facing Bob. After a scoreless first inning, Snack Shack would score five runs in the second, highlighted by a grand slam by Tom Hannon. Snack Shack would get home runs by Bob Loftus in the fourth and Rob Hess in the fifth as Snack Shack survived a late Full Count rally as they would take the Red Robin Cup for the second straight year with a 9-4 victory in Game 4 and take the series three games to one.
With that, the BWBL season has come to a close. The off-season always seems to shake up the BWBL every year. What moves will be made to bolster rosters? What teams will fade to the shadows? Only time will tell. This has been a very interesting season and I thank all of you for reading the Predictions articles that me and JJ Neely put out and with that, n behalf of myself and Neely, I will see all of you next season.
Game 1: It was a matchup between Curtis Wagner and Josh Sorber. The game would remain scoreless until Alex Fuchylo hit a two run home run for a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Snack Shack would score five in the bottom half and Curtis Wagner would strikeout 11 while walking none in a 5-2 victory. Snack Shack would lead the series one game to none.
Game 2: It was 2017 MVP Alex Fuchylo going up against veteran Bob Loftus. Paul DeVine broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run and Alex Fuchylo would also hit a solo home run and then throw a four-hit shutout as Full Count tied the series at one.
Game 3: With the series tied at one apiece, Game 3 was a must win on both sides. The floodgates would swing open in more ways than one as Snack Shack would score four runs in the bottom of the first as the rain started to fall and resulted in a rain delay. After the rain, Wagner would throw his second shutout of the series and finished the game with a two-run home run as Snack Shack took a two games to one lead with an 11-0 victory.
Game 4: With Snack Shack leading two games to one, would Snack Shack take back-to-back titles or would Full Count force a Game 5? It would be the same matchup as Game 4 with Alex facing Bob. After a scoreless first inning, Snack Shack would score five runs in the second, highlighted by a grand slam by Tom Hannon. Snack Shack would get home runs by Bob Loftus in the fourth and Rob Hess in the fifth as Snack Shack survived a late Full Count rally as they would take the Red Robin Cup for the second straight year with a 9-4 victory in Game 4 and take the series three games to one.
With that, the BWBL season has come to a close. The off-season always seems to shake up the BWBL every year. What moves will be made to bolster rosters? What teams will fade to the shadows? Only time will tell. This has been a very interesting season and I thank all of you for reading the Predictions articles that me and JJ Neely put out and with that, n behalf of myself and Neely, I will see all of you next season.
2018 BWBL Award Nominations
by: Steve Dotzel
With the 2018 season in the books, the BWBL Council is proud to announce the nominees for the league awards. Each award will be voted on by the BWBL Captains and announced over the next few weeks. This article will outline each nominee with some stats and info pertinent to their nomination. Each player will be listed in alphabetical order. Let’s get into the awards.
Key:
AB – At Bats
AVG – Batting Average
OBP – On-Base Percentage
SLG – Slugging Percentage
HR – Home Runs
RBI – Runs Batted In
R – Runs Scored
IP – Innings Pitched
K – Strikeouts
BB – Walks
ERA – Earned Run Average
WHIP – Walks + Hits per Innings Pitched
K/5 – Strikeouts per Game
BB/5 – Walks per Game
K/BB – Strikeouts per Walk Issued
SV – Saves
AB – At Bats
AVG – Batting Average
OBP – On-Base Percentage
SLG – Slugging Percentage
HR – Home Runs
RBI – Runs Batted In
R – Runs Scored
IP – Innings Pitched
K – Strikeouts
BB – Walks
ERA – Earned Run Average
WHIP – Walks + Hits per Innings Pitched
K/5 – Strikeouts per Game
BB/5 – Walks per Game
K/BB – Strikeouts per Walk Issued
SV – Saves
Rookie of the Year
Curtis Brieling
In 12 games played, the Full Count rookie hit .235 with 1 HR, 14 RBI, 18 R, and a .519 OBP. On the mound Brieling finished the season (2-0) with a 1.41 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 22 K in 10.2 IP.
Brandon Fenner
-In 14 games played, the Team Backpack rookie led the team in HR with 6. To go along with that he hit .316 with 27 RBI and 23 R.
Jake Morra
-In 16 games played, the CTD rookie led the team in HR, RBI, and R. He hit .239 on the season with 5 HR, 16 RBI, 16 R, and a .463 OBP.
Jonathan Tugen
-In 6 games played, the Saturday Crush rookie led the team in batting average at .447. In 47 at bats Tugen had 3 HR, 14 RBI, and 17 R.
Stan Witinski
-In 8 games played, the Backdoor Bandits rookie hit .200. In 35 at bats Witinski had 1 HR, 5 RBI, and 12 R.
Most Improved
Fran George
2016 Stats: 70 AB, .500 AVG, .620 OBP, 3 HR, 21 RBI, 31 R – 37.2 IP, (4-4) Record, 84 K, 109 BB, 11.02 ERA, 4.17 WHIP
2018 Stats: 33 AB, .424 AVG, .578 OBP, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 17 R – 33.2 IP, (6-2) Record, 88 K, 31 BB, 1.93 ERA, 1.69 WHIP
-While his offensive numbers were slightly down, George made a name for himself in 2018 on the mound. He went from an 11.02 ERA in 2016 down to a sparkling 1.93 in 2018. He also cut his WHIP in more than half going from 4.17 to 1.69.
John Kotsko
2017 Stats: 31 AB, .226 AVG, .478 OBP, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R
2018 Stats: 75 AB, .307 AVG, .485 OBP, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 10 R
-Kotsko saw increased opportunity in 2018 with more than double the at bats from 2017. Kotsko took advantage hitting .081 points higher while quadrupling his RBI output and doubling his R total from last year.
Colin Pasone
2017 Stats: 56 AB, .482 AVG, .561 OBP, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 20 R - 16.2 IP, (3-1) Record, 23 K, 34 BB, 6.90 ERA, 3.00 WHIP
2018 Stats: 36 AB, .528 AVG, .630 OBP, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 23 R – 12.0 IP, (2-1) Record, 30 K, 23 BB, 2.92 ERA, 2.25 WHIP
-Despite 20 less at bats than a year ago, Pasone was able to nearly match his HR total while increasing his RBI and R numbers. The biggest improvement and likely reason for his nomination was on the mound. He was able to slash his ERA from 6.90 down to 2.92. As well his strike throwing improved with a big uptick in strikeouts and a decrease in free passes.
Dave Smith
2017 Stats: 53 AB, .453 AVG, .517 OBP, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 15 R
2018 Stats: 29 AB, .586 AVG, .782 OBP, 0 HR, 11 RBI, 18 R
-Dave’s offense made huge strides in 2018, in nearly half the at bats of the year before Smith increased his RBI and R totals and finished the year with an absurd .782 OBP. That was the highest OBP in the entire BWBL this season.
Captain of the Year
Alex Fuchylo
-The Full Count captain guided his team to the #2 seed headed into the playoffs and once there was able to defeat Bases Loaded before losing to Snack Shack in the finals. Alex added some big names to his roster including Josh Sorber, Hank Hunsinger, and Curtis Brieling. All of which played a big role in getting this team to the championship series.
Daulton Shearer
-The Snack Shack captain led his team to the best regular season record in the league and to the 2018 BWBL Red Robin Cup trophy. Daulton was able to replace the departed Steve Dotzel in the off-season with Curtis Wagner, a move that played in a large role in giving Snack Shack back-to-back titles. Another often overlooked aspect of Shearer has been his ability to successfully manage the perceived difficult personalities of the likes of Hannon and Loftus.
Kevin Sickle
-The Bases Loaded captain took his team from a 10-10 record in 2017 to a 13-5 record in 2018. Coming into the season as an afterthought in mosts minds, Bases Loaded surprised in 2018 finishing with the third best record and earning a playoff spot. Sickle’s off-season signing of Fran George played a big role in Bases Loaded resurgence in 2018 and Sickle’s ability to manage his gigantic roster while keeping everyone happy is worthy of recognition.
Silver Slugger
Alex Fuchylo
Stats: 54 AB, .556 AVG, .631 OBP, .852 SLG, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 24 R
-Led his team in all major categories AVG, OBP, SLG, HR, RBI, R. His .556 AVG was good for the third highest in the BWBL in 2018. One of the most feared hitters in the league on a yearly basis, Fuchylo did his part to maintain that status.
Rob Hess
Stats: 72 AB, .389 AVG, .516 OBP, .778 SLG, 9 HR, 25 RBI, 35 R
-Led his team in R. 35 R was the most in the BWBL in the 2018 season. His nine HR was the second most hit in the league. Known for his power, which he showed again this year, Hess was also able to demonstrate his ability to get on base and score runs.
Steve Homza
Stats: 53 AB, .604 AVG, .672 OBP, .925 SLG, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 22 R
-Led his in AVG. His .604 AVG was the best mark in the BWBL. His .925 SLG was the third highest in the league. Despite the fewest at bats of this group, Homza proved he is the toughest out in the BWBL with his league leading .604 batting average.
Jake Lukachik
Stats: 75 AB, .400 AVG, .437 OBP, .813 SLG, 10 HR, 27 RBI, 21 R
-Led team in HR. His 10 HR hit joins Daulton and Doug for the most hit in 2018. His 27 RBI was good for sixth highest in the league. Lukachik entered the conversation out of nowhere with a seven-HR outburst in a series down the stretch.
Doug Novitski
Stats: 59 AB, .542 AVG, .585 OBP, 1.085 SLG, 10 HR, 32 RBI, 26 R
-Led team in HR, RBI, SLG, R. His 10 HR were the most hit in the BWBL in 2018 and his 32 RBI were second highest total in the league. His 1.085 SLG % was the best mark in the league. Hitting in the middle of one of the best offenses in the league provided Novitski with great numbers given his power.
Daulton Shearer
Stats: 69 AB, .348 AVG, .516 OBP, .812 SLG, 10 HR, 31 RBI, 28 R
-Led his team in HR and RBI. His 10 HR were the most hit in the BWBL in 2018 and his 31 RBI were the third highest total in the league. Leading off for the best team in the league, Shearer is always one swing away from impacting the game.
Cy Young
Zach Artim
(6-2) 37.2 IP, 1.86 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 97 K, 13.04 K/5, 2.28 BB/5, 5.71 K/BB
-Tied for the league lead in wins with six. Led BWBL in strikeouts with 97, WHIP at 0.98, BB/5 at 2.28, and K/BB at 5.71. Artim’s ability to limit walks and pound the strike zone translates to some impressive numbers.
Fran George
(6-2) 33.2 IP, 1.93 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 88 K, 13.25 K/5, 4.67 BB/5, 2.84 K/BB
-Tied for the league lead in wins with six. Second most strikeouts and second best K/5 in BWBL with 88 and 13.25 respectively. Fifth best ERA and WHIP in the league. George burst into the Cy Young debate out of nowhere this year, helping to lead Bases Loaded into the playoffs.
Bob Loftus
(3-0) 15 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 39 K, 13.00 K/5, 2.33 BB/5, 2.33 K/BB, 1 SV
-Did not allow a run in the 2018 season. Led the BWBL in ERA and saves. Second best marks in BB/5 and K/BB. While it was a small sample size, when he was on the mound Loftus was his vintage self as evident with that perfect ERA.
Josh Sorber
(4-1) 19 IP, 1.32 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 47 K, 12.37 K/5, 3.42 BB/5, 3.62 K/BB
-Third lowest ERA in BWBL and fourth lowest WHIP. Top 5 in K/5, BB/5, and K/BB. Sorber was the ace for the league’s second best regular season team.
Curtis Wagner
(6-1) 30 IP, 1.17 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 86 K, 14.33 K/5, 3.83 BB/5, 3.74 K/BB
-Tied for the league lead in wins with 6. Led BWBL in ERA between pitchers who threw at least 20 innings at 1.17. 86 strikeouts and 1.23 WHIP were both third best marks in the league. Highest K/5 number in the BWBL. The numbers speak for themselves, not to mention Wagner was the ace for the top team in the league.
Season MVP
Steve Dotzel
Hitting Stats: 91 AB, .352 AVG, .504 OBP, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 30 R
Pitching Stats: (6-1) 33 IP, 5.30 ERA, 2.70 WHIP, 57 K
-Tied for league lead in wins with six. Led team in IP, wins, and K. Most of value can be attributed to helping team reach playoffs despite roster issues.
Alex Fuchylo
Hitting Stats: 54 AB, .556 AVG, .631 OBP, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 24 R
Pitching Stats: (4-2) 23.1 IP, 2.79 ERA, 2.01 WHIP, 51 K
-Led team in all major offensive categories and among the league leaders in AVG and RBI. Was part of one of the league’s best pitching duos with Josh Sorber.
Doug Novitski
Hitting Stats: 59 AB, .542 AVG, .585 OBP, 10 HR, 32 RBI, 26 R
Pitching Stats: (4-1) 21 IP, 5.24 ERA, 2.81 WHIP, 40 K
-Led team in HR, RBI, and R. Tied for the league lead in HR and 2nd most RBI. Served as #2 pitcher for team for most of the season.
Curtis Wagner
Hitting Stats: 59 AB, .390 AVG, .514 OBP, 6 HR, 22 RBI, 25 R
Pitching Stats: (6-1) 30 IP, 1.17 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 86 K
-Led team in wins, IP, and K. Tied for the league lead in wins with 6 and led the BWBL in ERA. Was the ace for the team that finished with the best record in the regular season.
James Ziobro
Hitting Stats: 36 AB, .556 AVG, .673 OBP, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 15 R
Pitching Stats: (6-2) 31 IP, 6.45 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 70 K
-Tied for team and league lead in wins with six. Led team in HR and among league leaders in AVG and OBP. Was part of one of the league’s best pitching duos with Fran George.
Playoff MVP
Tom Hannon
Hitting Stats: 20 AB, .450 AVG, .607 OBP, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R
Pitching Stats: N/A
-Led the playoffs with a .607 OBP and was tied for the most hits with nine. Helped hit Snack Shack to the title.
Curtis Wagner
Hitting Stats: 27 AB, .333 AVG, .379 OBP, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 10 R
Pitching Stats: (3-0) 14 IP, 0.71 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, 34 K
-Led the playoffs in HR, RBI, and R. On the mound led the playoffs in wins, WHIP, and strikeouts. Helped Snack Shack on both sides en route to the title.
James Ziobro
Hitting Stats: 4 AB, .500 AVG, .500 OBP, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R
Pitching Stats: (0-1) 5 IP, 2.00 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 6 K
-In a small sample led the playoffs with a .500 batting average and finished top 3 in ERA.
Curtis Brieling
In 12 games played, the Full Count rookie hit .235 with 1 HR, 14 RBI, 18 R, and a .519 OBP. On the mound Brieling finished the season (2-0) with a 1.41 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 22 K in 10.2 IP.
Brandon Fenner
-In 14 games played, the Team Backpack rookie led the team in HR with 6. To go along with that he hit .316 with 27 RBI and 23 R.
Jake Morra
-In 16 games played, the CTD rookie led the team in HR, RBI, and R. He hit .239 on the season with 5 HR, 16 RBI, 16 R, and a .463 OBP.
Jonathan Tugen
-In 6 games played, the Saturday Crush rookie led the team in batting average at .447. In 47 at bats Tugen had 3 HR, 14 RBI, and 17 R.
Stan Witinski
-In 8 games played, the Backdoor Bandits rookie hit .200. In 35 at bats Witinski had 1 HR, 5 RBI, and 12 R.
Most Improved
Fran George
2016 Stats: 70 AB, .500 AVG, .620 OBP, 3 HR, 21 RBI, 31 R – 37.2 IP, (4-4) Record, 84 K, 109 BB, 11.02 ERA, 4.17 WHIP
2018 Stats: 33 AB, .424 AVG, .578 OBP, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 17 R – 33.2 IP, (6-2) Record, 88 K, 31 BB, 1.93 ERA, 1.69 WHIP
-While his offensive numbers were slightly down, George made a name for himself in 2018 on the mound. He went from an 11.02 ERA in 2016 down to a sparkling 1.93 in 2018. He also cut his WHIP in more than half going from 4.17 to 1.69.
John Kotsko
2017 Stats: 31 AB, .226 AVG, .478 OBP, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R
2018 Stats: 75 AB, .307 AVG, .485 OBP, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 10 R
-Kotsko saw increased opportunity in 2018 with more than double the at bats from 2017. Kotsko took advantage hitting .081 points higher while quadrupling his RBI output and doubling his R total from last year.
Colin Pasone
2017 Stats: 56 AB, .482 AVG, .561 OBP, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 20 R - 16.2 IP, (3-1) Record, 23 K, 34 BB, 6.90 ERA, 3.00 WHIP
2018 Stats: 36 AB, .528 AVG, .630 OBP, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 23 R – 12.0 IP, (2-1) Record, 30 K, 23 BB, 2.92 ERA, 2.25 WHIP
-Despite 20 less at bats than a year ago, Pasone was able to nearly match his HR total while increasing his RBI and R numbers. The biggest improvement and likely reason for his nomination was on the mound. He was able to slash his ERA from 6.90 down to 2.92. As well his strike throwing improved with a big uptick in strikeouts and a decrease in free passes.
Dave Smith
2017 Stats: 53 AB, .453 AVG, .517 OBP, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 15 R
2018 Stats: 29 AB, .586 AVG, .782 OBP, 0 HR, 11 RBI, 18 R
-Dave’s offense made huge strides in 2018, in nearly half the at bats of the year before Smith increased his RBI and R totals and finished the year with an absurd .782 OBP. That was the highest OBP in the entire BWBL this season.
Captain of the Year
Alex Fuchylo
-The Full Count captain guided his team to the #2 seed headed into the playoffs and once there was able to defeat Bases Loaded before losing to Snack Shack in the finals. Alex added some big names to his roster including Josh Sorber, Hank Hunsinger, and Curtis Brieling. All of which played a big role in getting this team to the championship series.
Daulton Shearer
-The Snack Shack captain led his team to the best regular season record in the league and to the 2018 BWBL Red Robin Cup trophy. Daulton was able to replace the departed Steve Dotzel in the off-season with Curtis Wagner, a move that played in a large role in giving Snack Shack back-to-back titles. Another often overlooked aspect of Shearer has been his ability to successfully manage the perceived difficult personalities of the likes of Hannon and Loftus.
Kevin Sickle
-The Bases Loaded captain took his team from a 10-10 record in 2017 to a 13-5 record in 2018. Coming into the season as an afterthought in mosts minds, Bases Loaded surprised in 2018 finishing with the third best record and earning a playoff spot. Sickle’s off-season signing of Fran George played a big role in Bases Loaded resurgence in 2018 and Sickle’s ability to manage his gigantic roster while keeping everyone happy is worthy of recognition.
Silver Slugger
Alex Fuchylo
Stats: 54 AB, .556 AVG, .631 OBP, .852 SLG, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 24 R
-Led his team in all major categories AVG, OBP, SLG, HR, RBI, R. His .556 AVG was good for the third highest in the BWBL in 2018. One of the most feared hitters in the league on a yearly basis, Fuchylo did his part to maintain that status.
Rob Hess
Stats: 72 AB, .389 AVG, .516 OBP, .778 SLG, 9 HR, 25 RBI, 35 R
-Led his team in R. 35 R was the most in the BWBL in the 2018 season. His nine HR was the second most hit in the league. Known for his power, which he showed again this year, Hess was also able to demonstrate his ability to get on base and score runs.
Steve Homza
Stats: 53 AB, .604 AVG, .672 OBP, .925 SLG, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 22 R
-Led his in AVG. His .604 AVG was the best mark in the BWBL. His .925 SLG was the third highest in the league. Despite the fewest at bats of this group, Homza proved he is the toughest out in the BWBL with his league leading .604 batting average.
Jake Lukachik
Stats: 75 AB, .400 AVG, .437 OBP, .813 SLG, 10 HR, 27 RBI, 21 R
-Led team in HR. His 10 HR hit joins Daulton and Doug for the most hit in 2018. His 27 RBI was good for sixth highest in the league. Lukachik entered the conversation out of nowhere with a seven-HR outburst in a series down the stretch.
Doug Novitski
Stats: 59 AB, .542 AVG, .585 OBP, 1.085 SLG, 10 HR, 32 RBI, 26 R
-Led team in HR, RBI, SLG, R. His 10 HR were the most hit in the BWBL in 2018 and his 32 RBI were second highest total in the league. His 1.085 SLG % was the best mark in the league. Hitting in the middle of one of the best offenses in the league provided Novitski with great numbers given his power.
Daulton Shearer
Stats: 69 AB, .348 AVG, .516 OBP, .812 SLG, 10 HR, 31 RBI, 28 R
-Led his team in HR and RBI. His 10 HR were the most hit in the BWBL in 2018 and his 31 RBI were the third highest total in the league. Leading off for the best team in the league, Shearer is always one swing away from impacting the game.
Cy Young
Zach Artim
(6-2) 37.2 IP, 1.86 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 97 K, 13.04 K/5, 2.28 BB/5, 5.71 K/BB
-Tied for the league lead in wins with six. Led BWBL in strikeouts with 97, WHIP at 0.98, BB/5 at 2.28, and K/BB at 5.71. Artim’s ability to limit walks and pound the strike zone translates to some impressive numbers.
Fran George
(6-2) 33.2 IP, 1.93 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 88 K, 13.25 K/5, 4.67 BB/5, 2.84 K/BB
-Tied for the league lead in wins with six. Second most strikeouts and second best K/5 in BWBL with 88 and 13.25 respectively. Fifth best ERA and WHIP in the league. George burst into the Cy Young debate out of nowhere this year, helping to lead Bases Loaded into the playoffs.
Bob Loftus
(3-0) 15 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 39 K, 13.00 K/5, 2.33 BB/5, 2.33 K/BB, 1 SV
-Did not allow a run in the 2018 season. Led the BWBL in ERA and saves. Second best marks in BB/5 and K/BB. While it was a small sample size, when he was on the mound Loftus was his vintage self as evident with that perfect ERA.
Josh Sorber
(4-1) 19 IP, 1.32 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 47 K, 12.37 K/5, 3.42 BB/5, 3.62 K/BB
-Third lowest ERA in BWBL and fourth lowest WHIP. Top 5 in K/5, BB/5, and K/BB. Sorber was the ace for the league’s second best regular season team.
Curtis Wagner
(6-1) 30 IP, 1.17 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 86 K, 14.33 K/5, 3.83 BB/5, 3.74 K/BB
-Tied for the league lead in wins with 6. Led BWBL in ERA between pitchers who threw at least 20 innings at 1.17. 86 strikeouts and 1.23 WHIP were both third best marks in the league. Highest K/5 number in the BWBL. The numbers speak for themselves, not to mention Wagner was the ace for the top team in the league.
Season MVP
Steve Dotzel
Hitting Stats: 91 AB, .352 AVG, .504 OBP, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 30 R
Pitching Stats: (6-1) 33 IP, 5.30 ERA, 2.70 WHIP, 57 K
-Tied for league lead in wins with six. Led team in IP, wins, and K. Most of value can be attributed to helping team reach playoffs despite roster issues.
Alex Fuchylo
Hitting Stats: 54 AB, .556 AVG, .631 OBP, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 24 R
Pitching Stats: (4-2) 23.1 IP, 2.79 ERA, 2.01 WHIP, 51 K
-Led team in all major offensive categories and among the league leaders in AVG and RBI. Was part of one of the league’s best pitching duos with Josh Sorber.
Doug Novitski
Hitting Stats: 59 AB, .542 AVG, .585 OBP, 10 HR, 32 RBI, 26 R
Pitching Stats: (4-1) 21 IP, 5.24 ERA, 2.81 WHIP, 40 K
-Led team in HR, RBI, and R. Tied for the league lead in HR and 2nd most RBI. Served as #2 pitcher for team for most of the season.
Curtis Wagner
Hitting Stats: 59 AB, .390 AVG, .514 OBP, 6 HR, 22 RBI, 25 R
Pitching Stats: (6-1) 30 IP, 1.17 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 86 K
-Led team in wins, IP, and K. Tied for the league lead in wins with 6 and led the BWBL in ERA. Was the ace for the team that finished with the best record in the regular season.
James Ziobro
Hitting Stats: 36 AB, .556 AVG, .673 OBP, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 15 R
Pitching Stats: (6-2) 31 IP, 6.45 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 70 K
-Tied for team and league lead in wins with six. Led team in HR and among league leaders in AVG and OBP. Was part of one of the league’s best pitching duos with Fran George.
Playoff MVP
Tom Hannon
Hitting Stats: 20 AB, .450 AVG, .607 OBP, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R
Pitching Stats: N/A
-Led the playoffs with a .607 OBP and was tied for the most hits with nine. Helped hit Snack Shack to the title.
Curtis Wagner
Hitting Stats: 27 AB, .333 AVG, .379 OBP, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 10 R
Pitching Stats: (3-0) 14 IP, 0.71 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, 34 K
-Led the playoffs in HR, RBI, and R. On the mound led the playoffs in wins, WHIP, and strikeouts. Helped Snack Shack on both sides en route to the title.
James Ziobro
Hitting Stats: 4 AB, .500 AVG, .500 OBP, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R
Pitching Stats: (0-1) 5 IP, 2.00 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 6 K
-In a small sample led the playoffs with a .500 batting average and finished top 3 in ERA.
2018 All-Stars
The BWBL would like to announce the 2018 All Stars, selected by Daulton Shearer and Andy Peck, the captains of last year's championship series teams.
For the first time, the BWBL All-Star Game will be the opener to Championship Sunday, being held on August 12, at Diamond City Park. The game will be a nine-inning contest and will occur prior to the championship series (time TBD).
Congratulations to all the all-stars (listed below)!
For the first time, the BWBL All-Star Game will be the opener to Championship Sunday, being held on August 12, at Diamond City Park. The game will be a nine-inning contest and will occur prior to the championship series (time TBD).
Congratulations to all the all-stars (listed below)!
Team Shearer
Curtis Brieling Alex Fuchylo Fran George Tom Hannon Rob Hess Mikey Holloway Steve Homza Bob Loftus, Sr. Jake Lukachik Jake Morra Doug Novitski Collin Pasone Josh Sorber Curtis Wagner |
Team Peck
Zach Artim Mark Belles Steve Dotzel Joey Dougher Sean Hart Brandon Haydt Derick Kearsh George Moser JJ Neely Beau Reznak Josh Quick Kevin Sickle Mike White James Ziobro |
BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2017
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 2017!
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 2017:
Mike White -- Player for all 13 years of the league's existence. White is as much known for his on-field performance as he is for his antics on the sidelines. He is capable of going deep, hitting for average, and pitching either a gem or a dud. White has played for the Flying Draaons, Dragons, LJS Seamen, Dragons (again), Kandrackles, Saturday Crush, DSJ & the Apostles, and Bases Loaded. He has been part of three BWBL Red Robin Cup championship teams, winning titles with the Dragons and Saturday Crush. White also won the first BWBL All-Star MVP award and has more than 300 hits, 200 RBI, and 50 home runs to his credit. In addition to the accomplishments, he is also know for his humor, often inebriated state, and off-color humor. No game is boring if White is present.
Joe Pugh -- Player and groundskeeping assistant for both of his years in the league. Pugh's presence at the field brought laughter and good times, even if his performance sometimes fell short - a contradiction to his Big Goon persona. Pugh played for Bases Loaded and the Alcoballics, was willing to help anyone in need at any time, and always there to share a dip or to have a good laugh. A clubhouse staple, he was taken from us too soon, but his memory will not fade. Work at the field will never be quite the same, and neither will our hearts. Rest easy, big guy!
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 2017:
Mike White -- Player for all 13 years of the league's existence. White is as much known for his on-field performance as he is for his antics on the sidelines. He is capable of going deep, hitting for average, and pitching either a gem or a dud. White has played for the Flying Draaons, Dragons, LJS Seamen, Dragons (again), Kandrackles, Saturday Crush, DSJ & the Apostles, and Bases Loaded. He has been part of three BWBL Red Robin Cup championship teams, winning titles with the Dragons and Saturday Crush. White also won the first BWBL All-Star MVP award and has more than 300 hits, 200 RBI, and 50 home runs to his credit. In addition to the accomplishments, he is also know for his humor, often inebriated state, and off-color humor. No game is boring if White is present.
Joe Pugh -- Player and groundskeeping assistant for both of his years in the league. Pugh's presence at the field brought laughter and good times, even if his performance sometimes fell short - a contradiction to his Big Goon persona. Pugh played for Bases Loaded and the Alcoballics, was willing to help anyone in need at any time, and always there to share a dip or to have a good laugh. A clubhouse staple, he was taken from us too soon, but his memory will not fade. Work at the field will never be quite the same, and neither will our hearts. Rest easy, big guy!
Stay tuned for plans for the Hall of Fame Induction!
2017 All-Stars
The BWBL would like to announce the 2017 All Stars, selected by Steve Owazany and Daulton Shearer, the captains of last year's championship series teams.
This year's all-star series will held on Sunday, July 16, beginning at 12 P.M. at Diamond City Park.
Congratulations to all the all-stars (listed below)!
This year's all-star series will held on Sunday, July 16, beginning at 12 P.M. at Diamond City Park.
Congratulations to all the all-stars (listed below)!
Team Owazany
Alex Fuchylo Brandon Haydt Brett Rooney Chris Faulkner Daulton Shearer Dave Smith Derick Kearsh George Moser Jake Stone JJ Neely John Kilheeney Kevin Sickle Mark Belles Mike White Rob Hess Steve Dotzel |
Team Shearer
Alan Grula Alex McAndrew Andy Peck Aubrey Wynn Bill Smith Bob Loftus, Sr. Doug Novitski Drew Slater James Ziobro Joey Dougher Jon Fernandes Mikey Holloway Norm Benzeleski Robert Bertoni Sean Hart Steve Homza |
2016 BWBL Awards
The BWBL captains have voted and the Council is proud to present the 2016 BWBL award winners!
BWBL Red Robin Cup Champions -- Jagerbombers
Rookie of the Year -- JJ Neely, Shooting Stars
Cy Young Award -- Zach Artim, Jagerbombers
Season MVP -- Steve Owazany, Jagerbombers
Most Improved -- Fran George, Bad Ballers
Captain of the Year -- Andy Peck, Saturday Crush
BWBL Red Robin Cup Champions -- Jagerbombers
Rookie of the Year -- JJ Neely, Shooting Stars
Cy Young Award -- Zach Artim, Jagerbombers
Season MVP -- Steve Owazany, Jagerbombers
Most Improved -- Fran George, Bad Ballers
Captain of the Year -- Andy Peck, Saturday Crush
Summer Showdown for Joey Raises $1,351.30
(pictured, left to right - Tim Ramagli, Joey Ramagli, Jessica Ramagli, Rob Hess)
We were very proud to do a check presentation today with Joey Ramagli and his family. In all, we were able to help raise $1,351.30 for little Joey and his battle with CHARGE syndrome. Thank you to all who supported this great event for a wonderful young boy!
Joey Ramagli is a little boy with CHARGE syndrome and the nephew and Godson of BWBL player Rob Hess.
CHARGE syndrome is a recognizable (genetic) pattern of birth defects which occurs in about one in every 9-10,000 births worldwide. CHARGE syndrome is much more rare than Downs Syndrome, which is only 1 in every 500 births. It is an extremely complex syndrome, involving extensive medical and physical difficulties that differ from child to child. The vast majority of the time, there is no history of CHARGE syndrome or any other similar conditions in the family. Babies with CHARGE syndrome are often born with life-threatening birth defects, including complex heart defects and breathing problems. They spend many months in the hospital and undergo many surgeries and other treatments. Swallowing and breathing problems make life difficult even when they come home. Most have hearing loss, vision loss, and balance problems which delay their development and communication. All are likely to require medical and educational intervention for many years. 1 in 6 don't survive to 5 years old. Despite these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, children with CHARGE syndrome often far surpass their medical, physical, educational, and social expectations.
Joey spent 75 days in the NICU at CHOP. Joey's defects are that his esophagus was not attached to his stomach (esophageal atresia) and he had a connection from his stomach to his lungs (tracheoesophageal fistula). Surgeons were able to repair his esophagus, the day he was born. He has 2 mild heart defects that do not require surgery (thank God). Joey is profoundly Deaf with no hearing at all. Hearing aids do nothing for him and he's not a candidate for a cochlear implant because his Cochleas are malformed and he doesn't have auditory nerves. Joey does not have a vestibular system, which means he has no balance at all. Joey also has choanal atresia, which means he can only breathe through one nostril. His other nostril is completely blocked with bone/tissue. Joey has swallowing difficulty so he can't drink liquids without them going directly into his lungs. Everything that Joey drinks must be as thickened to a honey consistency. He also can't eat solid foods, without choking. He can only safely eat purees. Joey had to have surgery to put a g-tube in his belly and also he had to have a fundoplication nissen. A "fundo" is where they took his esophagus and wrapped it around his stomach to stop the severe and dangerous reflux that he had. Because of this, Joey cannot burp, and will not vomit unless under extreme circumstances. In November, Joey had to have an emergency shunt placed in his brain because he was suffering from severe and sudden onset hydrocephalus. It is a permanent drain that allows excess fluid to drain out of his head.
Joey sees 10 different specialists at CHOP and a feeding team at Danville. He has Physical therapy (3 times a week), Occupational therapy (once a week), Feeding therapy (3 times a week), and Deaf therapy (once a week).
We would love to have an evaluation of Joey's inner ears done at MEEI in Boston. He may be able to get an Auditory Brainstem Implant which would allow Joey to hear. We also would like Joey to attend Scranton School for the Deaf. We are all trying to learn sign language fluently to communicate with Joey.
Despite Joey's many complications, he's considered to have only mild CHARGE Syndrome. Most kids with CHARGE are Deaf and Blind and many have very complex heart defects that require open heart surgery. Joey is one of the happiest kids you'd ever meet. He LOVES to play ball and go for walks in his gait trainer. I was told that Joey would probably never crawl, but he started to crawl 2 weeks after having brain surgery. Joey is learning to walk with the help of his gait trainer. We hope that someday, he won't need it.
We were very proud to do a check presentation today with Joey Ramagli and his family. In all, we were able to help raise $1,351.30 for little Joey and his battle with CHARGE syndrome. Thank you to all who supported this great event for a wonderful young boy!
Joey Ramagli is a little boy with CHARGE syndrome and the nephew and Godson of BWBL player Rob Hess.
CHARGE syndrome is a recognizable (genetic) pattern of birth defects which occurs in about one in every 9-10,000 births worldwide. CHARGE syndrome is much more rare than Downs Syndrome, which is only 1 in every 500 births. It is an extremely complex syndrome, involving extensive medical and physical difficulties that differ from child to child. The vast majority of the time, there is no history of CHARGE syndrome or any other similar conditions in the family. Babies with CHARGE syndrome are often born with life-threatening birth defects, including complex heart defects and breathing problems. They spend many months in the hospital and undergo many surgeries and other treatments. Swallowing and breathing problems make life difficult even when they come home. Most have hearing loss, vision loss, and balance problems which delay their development and communication. All are likely to require medical and educational intervention for many years. 1 in 6 don't survive to 5 years old. Despite these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, children with CHARGE syndrome often far surpass their medical, physical, educational, and social expectations.
Joey spent 75 days in the NICU at CHOP. Joey's defects are that his esophagus was not attached to his stomach (esophageal atresia) and he had a connection from his stomach to his lungs (tracheoesophageal fistula). Surgeons were able to repair his esophagus, the day he was born. He has 2 mild heart defects that do not require surgery (thank God). Joey is profoundly Deaf with no hearing at all. Hearing aids do nothing for him and he's not a candidate for a cochlear implant because his Cochleas are malformed and he doesn't have auditory nerves. Joey does not have a vestibular system, which means he has no balance at all. Joey also has choanal atresia, which means he can only breathe through one nostril. His other nostril is completely blocked with bone/tissue. Joey has swallowing difficulty so he can't drink liquids without them going directly into his lungs. Everything that Joey drinks must be as thickened to a honey consistency. He also can't eat solid foods, without choking. He can only safely eat purees. Joey had to have surgery to put a g-tube in his belly and also he had to have a fundoplication nissen. A "fundo" is where they took his esophagus and wrapped it around his stomach to stop the severe and dangerous reflux that he had. Because of this, Joey cannot burp, and will not vomit unless under extreme circumstances. In November, Joey had to have an emergency shunt placed in his brain because he was suffering from severe and sudden onset hydrocephalus. It is a permanent drain that allows excess fluid to drain out of his head.
Joey sees 10 different specialists at CHOP and a feeding team at Danville. He has Physical therapy (3 times a week), Occupational therapy (once a week), Feeding therapy (3 times a week), and Deaf therapy (once a week).
We would love to have an evaluation of Joey's inner ears done at MEEI in Boston. He may be able to get an Auditory Brainstem Implant which would allow Joey to hear. We also would like Joey to attend Scranton School for the Deaf. We are all trying to learn sign language fluently to communicate with Joey.
Despite Joey's many complications, he's considered to have only mild CHARGE Syndrome. Most kids with CHARGE are Deaf and Blind and many have very complex heart defects that require open heart surgery. Joey is one of the happiest kids you'd ever meet. He LOVES to play ball and go for walks in his gait trainer. I was told that Joey would probably never crawl, but he started to crawl 2 weeks after having brain surgery. Joey is learning to walk with the help of his gait trainer. We hope that someday, he won't need it.
Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction Class
To help commemorate the efforts of great players and organizers, the Backyard Wiffle® Ball League is proud to announce the formation of the BWBL Hall of Fame, as well as its inaugural class of members.
Members will be elected to the Hall of Fame through a vote of BWBL Council members and still-active Hall of Famers -- for the inaugural class, the vote of the Council was utilized. 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 Inaugural BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2015:
Tom Hannon -- League co-creator and player for all 11 years of the league's existence. Hannon is well-known for both his hitting prowess and his pitching ability. He is capable of hitting for power as well as average and can throw a variety of pitches with movement. Hannon has been a captain in the BWBL for 11 seasons, guiding the Flying Dragons, Dragons, Ass Backward, Bad Meets Evil, and the Clam Blasters. He has guided his team to three BWBL Red Robin Cup championships and three BWBL Charity Classic tournament wins. Hannon has also won an MVP award, two Cy Young Awards, and two playoff MVP trophies and is a member of the 500 hit club. Hannon has also served as a member of the BWBL Council since its inception.
Bob Loftus, Sr. -- One of the most feared players in the history of the league as a player of 10 seasons. Loftus, Sr. can dominate on the mound or in the batter's box. He is capable of striking out the side and hitting a powerful home run within the same inning. Loftus, Sr. came to the league as the captain of the Pittston Park Boys and has also played on the Dragons, Saturday Crush in two go-rounds, and Bad Meets Evil. Loftus, Sr. has won six BWBL Red Robin Cup championships, four BWBL Charity Classic tournaments, an MVP trophy, three Cy Young Awards, and three playoff MVP trophies and is a member of the 500 hit club.
Andy Peck -- Known as one of the best lead-off hitters throughout his nine seasons. Peck has a knack for getting on base to help his team start a rally. He has also been one of the most consistent captains in league history. Peck entered the league as a high school senior in 2006 when he formed Saturday Crush. As captain for all nine seasons, Peck has guided his team to four BWBL Red Robin Cup championships and a BWBL Charity Classic tournament win. Peck is also a member of the 500 hit club.
Kevin Sickle -- League co-creator and player for all 11 years of the league's existence. Sickle is best known for his leadership as Commissioner of the league, but is also a respectable bat in the lineup. Sickle helped elevate the league on the national landscape after applying for the Pepsi Refresh Grant that helped his vision for a permanent field for the BWBL come to fruition. Diamond City Park has become a gem in the City of Wilkes-Barre and has been named National Field of the Year. Sickle has been a member of the Flying Dragons, Dragons, The Highlanders, Kandrackles, G 'n' R, The Dudes, and as the captain of Bases Loaded. Sickle has also served as a member of the BWBL Council since its inception.
Members will be elected to the Hall of Fame through a vote of BWBL Council members and still-active Hall of Famers -- for the inaugural class, the vote of the Council was utilized. 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 Inaugural BWBL Hall of Fame, Class of 2015:
Tom Hannon -- League co-creator and player for all 11 years of the league's existence. Hannon is well-known for both his hitting prowess and his pitching ability. He is capable of hitting for power as well as average and can throw a variety of pitches with movement. Hannon has been a captain in the BWBL for 11 seasons, guiding the Flying Dragons, Dragons, Ass Backward, Bad Meets Evil, and the Clam Blasters. He has guided his team to three BWBL Red Robin Cup championships and three BWBL Charity Classic tournament wins. Hannon has also won an MVP award, two Cy Young Awards, and two playoff MVP trophies and is a member of the 500 hit club. Hannon has also served as a member of the BWBL Council since its inception.
Bob Loftus, Sr. -- One of the most feared players in the history of the league as a player of 10 seasons. Loftus, Sr. can dominate on the mound or in the batter's box. He is capable of striking out the side and hitting a powerful home run within the same inning. Loftus, Sr. came to the league as the captain of the Pittston Park Boys and has also played on the Dragons, Saturday Crush in two go-rounds, and Bad Meets Evil. Loftus, Sr. has won six BWBL Red Robin Cup championships, four BWBL Charity Classic tournaments, an MVP trophy, three Cy Young Awards, and three playoff MVP trophies and is a member of the 500 hit club.
Andy Peck -- Known as one of the best lead-off hitters throughout his nine seasons. Peck has a knack for getting on base to help his team start a rally. He has also been one of the most consistent captains in league history. Peck entered the league as a high school senior in 2006 when he formed Saturday Crush. As captain for all nine seasons, Peck has guided his team to four BWBL Red Robin Cup championships and a BWBL Charity Classic tournament win. Peck is also a member of the 500 hit club.
Kevin Sickle -- League co-creator and player for all 11 years of the league's existence. Sickle is best known for his leadership as Commissioner of the league, but is also a respectable bat in the lineup. Sickle helped elevate the league on the national landscape after applying for the Pepsi Refresh Grant that helped his vision for a permanent field for the BWBL come to fruition. Diamond City Park has become a gem in the City of Wilkes-Barre and has been named National Field of the Year. Sickle has been a member of the Flying Dragons, Dragons, The Highlanders, Kandrackles, G 'n' R, The Dudes, and as the captain of Bases Loaded. Sickle has also served as a member of the BWBL Council since its inception.