Team Tuesdays: Thunder Ducks

by Carl Coffee

The Thunder Ducks return for their second season with a new team name, new team colors, a new home field, and a new number-two pitcher. Last season, as Git R’ Done, they finished 23-5 in the regular season, which earned them the #1 seed. Then, in the playoffs, they went 9-1 en route to the first ever WSEM Championship. Overall this team finished 32-6, which is absolutely astounding. So, with all that success last season, will the Thunder Ducks keep their winning ways, or will they be victims of a sophomore slump? I will not be making any predictions here, but I will showcase this talented young team. The Thunder Ducks are WSEM veterans; they first came onto the scene in the 2009 Fast Pitch Tournament as young rookies who went 0-2 and did not make much of an impression. They then shocked everyone by finishing second place in the 2010 Flag-a-Palooza. As a prelude to the WSEM championship last year, they also won the Spring Wind Up Tournament in dominant fashion. The Thunder Ducks shared Frenchtown Field last season with the Wiffling DeLoppes, but this season they will have a new home, The Swamp. We do not know much about this field yet, except for its location, which is in Waltz. Also, by the looks of the satellite view, The Swamp will have a lot of open space, so it will be up to the Thunder Ducks to make it either a hitters field or a pitchers field. Besides Tim Dale, who moved to Florida, the Thunder Ducks return everyone from last season. Gaige Braden, who only played four games in 2011, looks to play a much bigger role this season. He adds speed and defensive quickness to a team who struggles in those departments. Zach Crabtree and Josh Roberts were also part-timers last season who hope to play a bigger role in 2012. In eight games Crabtree had 16 hits and batted .308. In just five games Roberts batted .400 and had a very impressive .649 OBP. Nick and Dylan Braden both had excellent 2011 seasons. Nick batted .358 with three HRs, while Dylan batted .340 with 9 HRs. Dylan’s successful 2011 campaign earned him a well-deserved All-Star nod. The Braden brothers also made an impact on the mound. Nick finished the season 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA, and Dylan finished 5-0 with a 3.30 ERA. Josh Nagorski did not make much of an impact in the 2011 regular season, but he sure made a splash in the playoffs. Nagorski hopes to ride his playoff success into the 2012 season. Even with everyone but Dale returning, the Ducks still wanted to get better, and did so by adding another arm to their already strong rotation. They not only added a veteran pitcher, they added All-Star veteran pitcher, Chris Lewis. Pitching for the Belgian Wiffles in 2011, Lewis went 9-9 with a 2.61 ERA and had 177 strike outs. He will now be the number-two pitcher on the Ducks, while also bringing a .259 AVG and 5 HR offensively. Last and certainly not least, captain Dennis Pearson is returning hungry for a second title. Pearson was dominating last season, both on the mound and at the plate. His pitching greatness earned him both an All-Star nod and the Clown Shu award, as well as the NWLA Strike-out King honor. He went 14-4 with a 1.30 ERA and recorded 233 strike outs. At the plate Dennis was second in the league in HRs with 15, and led the league in RBIs with 55. Dennis was just as dominant in the playoffs, where he finished with 5 HRs, a 6-0 record, 0.10 ERA, and 144 strike outs in ten games played.

With all of this talent on the team, and with the new rotation rule, Dennis has some real managing to do. He will only be able to pitch 14 games max during the season, but with Lewis and the Braden brothers, he can get creative in the other games. I am curious to see if this team will mesh as well as least season. Their identity has always been power, both on the mound and at the plate. With Lewis as more of a contact pitcher, the Ducks will have to change that identity every other game. The Ducks will be a fun team to watch in 2012, and it should be a tight race between them and the DeLoppes for the Garcia Division title. I am also very excited to see their rivalry games against the Whiteford Wicked Aces. With the target on their backs as league champions it will not be easy for the Thunder Ducks to keep that trophy; so, enjoy it while you can!