Team Tuesdays: Westside Warriors

When a bunch of unknown high schoolers showed up to play in our tournament last June, I really didn't know what to think. Would they be cocky? Would they be competitive? Would they be able to handle the trash talk and dish it back? Would they show? Or would these guys from the northern suburbs be overwhelmed, disinterested and never play again? Well, much to my delight and for the good of the game, the Westside Warriors were confident, into wiffle, competitive, and they were talkers. Oh, were they talkers!

The first thing I noticed about the Warriors as they swaggered toward the fields was their very well made, lettered hockey style black jerseys. Is it smart to wear black jerseys in the summer? Well, maybe not, but it sends a message and if any team can pull it off, it is these guys. These high school seniors with their black jerseys, wicked sunburns, and fearless attitudes may seem standoffish at first, but once you talk to them the back-and-forth jokes and jabs start, and your preconceived notions evaporate quickly.

Now batting... batting... batting... batting...
Cool: confident and competitive, if likely not by temperature

The Warriors are led by captain Alex Shore. His left handed power bat combined with top speed makes him a dangerous hitter. He also has a 3-2 tournament pitching record with 43 strike outs. When you combine power, speed, stellar defense and pitching, you have a nice player there. Although Alex excels in those aspects of the game, he isn't the best pitcher or hitter on his team. The pitching ace of the Warriors is Maclin Malloy. In 4 games Malloy went 3-1 with 26 strike outs along with a 1.43 ERA. When the Warriors have Malloy on the mound, they will be a tough team to beat. The Warriors top bat is Nick Woods. Woods is one of the smartest hitters in the league. His patience and timely hitting should scare even the best pitchers in the league. Lost in the shuffle is Matt Whelan. Whelan along with Shore, Whelan was the only Warrior able to play in both the June and September tournaments. In the June tournament, he led the Warriors with 12 hits. Greg Voutsos, who only played in the September tournament, is an RBI machine. He had a tournament leading 11. Wesley Papacharalambous also has tournament experience, and hopes to rebound after a sub-par performance last June. Wesley did have 3 RBIs, so he can come through with a hit in the clutch even on an off day. The Warriors made a couple big splashes in their lineup this offseason in the signing of Tom Heffernan, a wiffle rookie with a power bat, and PJ Nowak, who has committed to Yale to play baseball, so you know he will be a threat in WSEM.

Won't lie; I'm not sure what's happening here. I just want to throw out sweet nicknames!
"Shoeless Joe" Matt Whelan collides with "Michael Jordan tongue" Maclin Malloy
as he flips the ball toward the mound? (Or a still from a Godzilla movie?)

Alex has assembled a great roster. The Warriors strength is their speed and patience. They can win games by taking walks and then showing off their heads-up baserunning. They are an average hitting team, but with one year of experience under their belts and signing Heffernan, they will likely bring those numbers up and move toward becoming elite. The biggest question mark with the Warriors is their pitching; the Warriors aren't sure if they can rely on Malloy consistently, and their only other proven pitcher is Alex. They will need another pitcher to step up if they want to stay competitive over the length of a four-month season.

I look forward to seeing how the Warriors play this season. The enthusiasm, good-natured ribbing, and competitive edge they bring to the game are some of the things that have boosted interested in wiffle and helped make this league a reality. These guys have fun when they are on the field, and when you play against them that fun is contagious!

Team Page: http://wiffleinsemiteams.blogspot.com/2011/01/westside-warriors.html

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Carl Coffee
Flying Squirrels, 18, SS
Ass of an Insistent Traveling Secretary