 | Coffee Time | |
| by Carl Coffee |
In two seasons of postseason awards only Ryan Bullard has ever repeated in winning a Handy. I don’t expect the same thing to happen in 2013, however, it isn’t impossible. With a lot of up and coming talent, in addition to some players returning from 2011, and a fresh batch of rookies, I wouldn’t be shocked to once again see a lot of new winners.
For each Handy award, I will predict the favorite, a player in the running, and a longshot. However, for the MVP Handy, I doubled up on the predictions.
This was a new award in 2012, and I am actually on record during opening day at Lafayette Park predicting that Alex Linebrink would win. Alex improved greatly at both pitching and hitting, so he ran away with the award. With so many players having off years at the plate in 2012, I think it will be tougher to pick a winner this year.
Favorite: Nick Braden (Holy Balls)
Although the elder Braden brother had a decent year on the mound going 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA, he only batted .195 with three home runs. Anyone who has seen Nick play knows those numbers do not represent his true hitting talent. I expect a big year from Nick who will be out to prove last year was a fluke.
In the Running: Nick Coffee (King Friday)
Nick returned to competitive Wiffleball a shell of his former self. Although he was still great in the field, he lost his power which he was famous for in the DWL days. After batting .115 with zero dingers and only six RBIs, Nick is eager to prove he can still hit.
Longshot: Jason Matt (Belgian Wiffles)
I have been playing wiffleball with Jason for a while now, and I have never seen him more excited to play. The Belgian Wiffles appear to have a very united clubhouse, and that has given new life to Jason. Rumor has it that Jason has been crushing the ball this preseason, and when you only batted .072 last year, improving on that won’t be very difficult.
Controversy is an understatement when it came to the 2012 Diamond Digit winners. Unless you live in a cave, you know that everyone believed Nick Coffee was snubbed. Diamond Digits are given to the top three fielders and top fielding pitcher. At separate occasions in the offseason, different people told me Nick deserved the award over each of the three fielders (Bullard, Seto, Franzen). To make sure this controversy would never happen again, stars will be given out after each series for the most impressive fielder, hitter, and pitcher. At the end of the season we will then give out the Diamond Digit Handies to the fielders with the most stars, eliminating all controversy. I hope…
Favorites: Nick Coffee (King Friday), Alex Shore (Westside Warriors),
Joel Crozier (Whiteford Wicked Aces), & Chandler Phillips, P (El Diablos)
I fully expect Nick to run away with fielding stars and will easily win a Diamond Digit Handy. Alex Shore who is back to a full time player is also a very consistent fielder, and I expect him to win one as well. The third fielder was tough to decide. Joel Crozier is a lot like Alex Shore and is very sure-handed in the field, so he is my prediction to win the third Diamond Digit Handy. Chandler Phillips who is currently the #2 pitcher on the El Diablos will get a lot of starts on the mound, and is very athletic. For that reason he is my favorite to win the pitching Diamond Digit Handy.
In the Running: Ryan Bullard (Islanders), David Buhr (Belgian Wiffles),
Kyle Tomlinson (El Diablos), & Chris Paquin, P (Holy Balls)
I would be a fool not to put Bullard somewhere on this list. Although I don’t expect him to play full time, when he does play for the Islanders he will be in LF and won’t disappoint. David Buhr is on this list for his hustle. That hustle leads to diving all over the field which may lead to fielding stars. Tomlinson, much like Chandler is also very athletic, and is capable of making a lot of big plays in the field. Paquin was almost my pick as the pitching fielder Diamond Digit favorite. He is always alert in the field and can make hard plays look easy.
Longshots: Josh Nagorski (Ducks), Nick Woods (Westside Warriors), Ryan Alexia (Belgian Wiffles), & Joe Seto, P (Islanders)
Putting any Duck on this list is a longshot as they are not known for their defense at all. If anyone were to win a Diamond Digit on the Ducks, it would be Nagorski. If Nick Woods shows up to play at a consistent level, he may win a few awards. He is a great talent but until he does prove that he will be a full time player, he will only be a longshot to win. Ryan Alexia is lot like David Buhr in the field and hustles a lot. You may be surprised to see Joe Seto who won a 2012 Diamond on the longshot list. Seto is once again playing in Detroit and doesn’t expect to be a full time player. When he does play, and in this case pitch, he is always capable of making big plays in the field.
I predict this will be the season of the home run. Numbers were down last year, but with the new bats and new pitching distance the long ball will make a triumphant comeback. I believe you will see at least five guys with over 20 home runs, and you may even see someone reach 30.
Favorite: Dennis Pearson (Ducks)
Dennis finished second in home runs in 2011 with 15, and third in 2012 with 10. This is the year I think he will get over the hump and win the Country Strong Home Run King Handy.
In the Running: Dylan Braden (Ducks)
The other half of the DD Boys also has also crushed the ball consistently the last two seasons. We may see something similar to last year when teammates Bortmas and LaDouceur tied for first to share the crown.
Longshot: Alex Shore (Westside Warriors)
WSEM’s favorite lefty is back as a full time player! It is unknown if Alex will once again help himself out with a short porch in right field. Even if The Reservation has normal RF dimensions, Alex still has the pull-field power to win the HR crown.
This is the hardest Handy Award for me to predict. I do not know any of the rookies, nor have I seen them play. The only thing I know about them is what their captains have told me. With that said, I will either look like a genius, or a complete fool. I would bet on the latter.
Favorite: Greg or Mark Brannan (Belgian Wiffles)
This is cheating, but I don’t care! Buhr has mentioned the Brannan name many times to me, and told me he expects big things from both of them. Therefore, I will increase my odds and predict one of the two to win the ROY Handy.
In the Running: Kiefer Haffey (Westside Warriors)
With any Westside Warrior not named Alex Shore, I am always worried about how often they will actually play. Kiefer does seem to be excited to play Wiffleball this year, and I have heard good things about him. It’s a thin rookie class this year, so that will definitely help Kiefer’s odds.
Longshot: Nicco Lollio (El Diablos)
A true longshot would be to predict Tabatha Rothe-Myers, but come on. Therefore I will predict someone with an awesome name who I know nothing about. Nicco FTW!
I do not expect the Batting Champion this year to be anywhere near Joey DeLano’s .560 2011 batting average. However, I do expect it to be better than Evan Bortmas’ .389, which was good enough to win the crown last season. Evan would be my choice to repeat as the winner if he was predicted to play full time again, but I don’t see it happening this year with the Wicked Aces.
Favorite: Kyle Tomlinson (El Diablos)
Kyle finished in second place last season as a rookie, and I only see him improving. I fully expect Kyle to bat over .400, and may even come close to the .450 mark. I don’t even think that is a bold prediction, he is just that good.
In the Running: Alex Shore (Westside Warriors)
In 2011 when Alex played in 22 games, he batted .417 which was second overall. Unless someone comes out of nowhere to surprise me, I think the Batting Champion Handy will be a two man race between Alex and Kyle.
Longshot: Josh Nagorski (Ducks)
When you think of the Ducks you think of the DD Boys and the new arms they signed in Constanti and Castle. Nagorski is often forgotten, but each year he has shown huge improvements at the plate. Last year he batted .333 which was good enough for 4th place. Don’t underestimate this kid.
The Clown Shu Handy came down to Austin Bischoff and Sam Hatt last season, with Austin just beating out Sam. This season I expect even more pitchers competing for the Clown Shu. However, I am very curious to see what the 48’ distance will do to some of last year’s dominant pitchers.
Favorite: Austin Bischoff (Whiteford Wicked Aces)
There is no reason not to predict Austin to repeat as the Clown Shu winner, especially since Sam Hatt is out for the year. Austin also has experience pitching from 48’ at last year’s NWLA tournament, which he did quite well at. Of all of my favorites in this article, Austin is the one I am most confident in.
In the Running: Craig Skinner (El Diablos)
It’s no secret that I am a Craig Skinner fan, and he is very anxious to show he can pitch from 48’ with no troubles. El Diablos ace had a great rookie season, but did not win a single award. There is no doubt in my mind Craig will either win a Handy this season or make the All-Star team.
Longshot: Dennis Pearson (Ducks)
The 2011 Clown Shu winner is once again being doubted, and when he is doubted he performs best. After shutting up his critics in 2011 with dominating numbers on the mound, Dennis was then praised in the 2012 preseason. Dennis then had a disappointing season for his standards, but he has been on record in saying he will have his 2011 stuff back.
The last two winners had very similar MVP seasons, and were both runaways to win. Both DeLano and Bortmas won the Batting and HR Crowns, but finished second in RBIs. I am hoping for a closer race this season, and I do believe we will see that. I couldn’t predict just three players, so each category will get an extra player.
Favorites: Kyle Tomlinson (El Diablos), Alex Shore (Westside Warriors)
Both Kyle and Alex have been mentioned multiple times already, so not much else needs to be said about them. Kyle is the easier pick since he is coming off of a great season. Alex only played part time last season, so picking him as a favorite is much bolder.
In the Running: Dennis Pearson (Ducks), Chandler Phillips (El Diablos)
Dennis is going to be a beast with the new bats, and should put up monster power numbers. If he can put up a respectable batting average, he will definitely be in the conversation for MVP. Chandler Phillips was almost put on the longshot list, but I expect a big year out of him. On his team Kyle is looked at as the hitting star and Skinner as the pitching star, which may put a chip on Chandler’s shoulder. Do not underestimate Chandler, and expect a big year out of him.
Longshots: Dylan Braden (Ducks), Joel Crozier (Whiteford Wicked Aces)
If Nagorski had better power numbers, he would make this list. Instead, his teammate and proven slugger, Dylan Braden makes the list. Dylan is a very streaky player, but he definitely has the tools to become an MVP. Joel Crozier is often overlooked and his numbers from 2012 were very average. He didn’t stink enough to be a Most Improved Player candidate, but I think he has the capability to improve enough to be an MVP candidate.
| Most Improved Player |
This was a new award in 2012, and I am actually on record during opening day at Lafayette Park predicting that Alex Linebrink would win. Alex improved greatly at both pitching and hitting, so he ran away with the award. With so many players having off years at the plate in 2012, I think it will be tougher to pick a winner this year.
Favorite: Nick Braden (Holy Balls)Although the elder Braden brother had a decent year on the mound going 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA, he only batted .195 with three home runs. Anyone who has seen Nick play knows those numbers do not represent his true hitting talent. I expect a big year from Nick who will be out to prove last year was a fluke.
In the Running: Nick Coffee (King Friday)
Nick returned to competitive Wiffleball a shell of his former self. Although he was still great in the field, he lost his power which he was famous for in the DWL days. After batting .115 with zero dingers and only six RBIs, Nick is eager to prove he can still hit.
Longshot: Jason Matt (Belgian Wiffles)
I have been playing wiffleball with Jason for a while now, and I have never seen him more excited to play. The Belgian Wiffles appear to have a very united clubhouse, and that has given new life to Jason. Rumor has it that Jason has been crushing the ball this preseason, and when you only batted .072 last year, improving on that won’t be very difficult.
| Diamond Digits |
Controversy is an understatement when it came to the 2012 Diamond Digit winners. Unless you live in a cave, you know that everyone believed Nick Coffee was snubbed. Diamond Digits are given to the top three fielders and top fielding pitcher. At separate occasions in the offseason, different people told me Nick deserved the award over each of the three fielders (Bullard, Seto, Franzen). To make sure this controversy would never happen again, stars will be given out after each series for the most impressive fielder, hitter, and pitcher. At the end of the season we will then give out the Diamond Digit Handies to the fielders with the most stars, eliminating all controversy. I hope…
Favorites: Nick Coffee (King Friday), Alex Shore (Westside Warriors),Joel Crozier (Whiteford Wicked Aces), & Chandler Phillips, P (El Diablos)
I fully expect Nick to run away with fielding stars and will easily win a Diamond Digit Handy. Alex Shore who is back to a full time player is also a very consistent fielder, and I expect him to win one as well. The third fielder was tough to decide. Joel Crozier is a lot like Alex Shore and is very sure-handed in the field, so he is my prediction to win the third Diamond Digit Handy. Chandler Phillips who is currently the #2 pitcher on the El Diablos will get a lot of starts on the mound, and is very athletic. For that reason he is my favorite to win the pitching Diamond Digit Handy.
In the Running: Ryan Bullard (Islanders), David Buhr (Belgian Wiffles),
Kyle Tomlinson (El Diablos), & Chris Paquin, P (Holy Balls)
I would be a fool not to put Bullard somewhere on this list. Although I don’t expect him to play full time, when he does play for the Islanders he will be in LF and won’t disappoint. David Buhr is on this list for his hustle. That hustle leads to diving all over the field which may lead to fielding stars. Tomlinson, much like Chandler is also very athletic, and is capable of making a lot of big plays in the field. Paquin was almost my pick as the pitching fielder Diamond Digit favorite. He is always alert in the field and can make hard plays look easy.
Longshots: Josh Nagorski (Ducks), Nick Woods (Westside Warriors), Ryan Alexia (Belgian Wiffles), & Joe Seto, P (Islanders)
Putting any Duck on this list is a longshot as they are not known for their defense at all. If anyone were to win a Diamond Digit on the Ducks, it would be Nagorski. If Nick Woods shows up to play at a consistent level, he may win a few awards. He is a great talent but until he does prove that he will be a full time player, he will only be a longshot to win. Ryan Alexia is lot like David Buhr in the field and hustles a lot. You may be surprised to see Joe Seto who won a 2012 Diamond on the longshot list. Seto is once again playing in Detroit and doesn’t expect to be a full time player. When he does play, and in this case pitch, he is always capable of making big plays in the field.
| Country Strong Home Run King |
I predict this will be the season of the home run. Numbers were down last year, but with the new bats and new pitching distance the long ball will make a triumphant comeback. I believe you will see at least five guys with over 20 home runs, and you may even see someone reach 30.
Favorite: Dennis Pearson (Ducks)Dennis finished second in home runs in 2011 with 15, and third in 2012 with 10. This is the year I think he will get over the hump and win the Country Strong Home Run King Handy.
In the Running: Dylan Braden (Ducks)
The other half of the DD Boys also has also crushed the ball consistently the last two seasons. We may see something similar to last year when teammates Bortmas and LaDouceur tied for first to share the crown.
Longshot: Alex Shore (Westside Warriors)
WSEM’s favorite lefty is back as a full time player! It is unknown if Alex will once again help himself out with a short porch in right field. Even if The Reservation has normal RF dimensions, Alex still has the pull-field power to win the HR crown.
| Rookie of the Year |
This is the hardest Handy Award for me to predict. I do not know any of the rookies, nor have I seen them play. The only thing I know about them is what their captains have told me. With that said, I will either look like a genius, or a complete fool. I would bet on the latter.
Favorite: Greg or Mark Brannan (Belgian Wiffles)This is cheating, but I don’t care! Buhr has mentioned the Brannan name many times to me, and told me he expects big things from both of them. Therefore, I will increase my odds and predict one of the two to win the ROY Handy.
In the Running: Kiefer Haffey (Westside Warriors)
With any Westside Warrior not named Alex Shore, I am always worried about how often they will actually play. Kiefer does seem to be excited to play Wiffleball this year, and I have heard good things about him. It’s a thin rookie class this year, so that will definitely help Kiefer’s odds.
Longshot: Nicco Lollio (El Diablos)
A true longshot would be to predict Tabatha Rothe-Myers, but come on. Therefore I will predict someone with an awesome name who I know nothing about. Nicco FTW!
| Batting Champion |
I do not expect the Batting Champion this year to be anywhere near Joey DeLano’s .560 2011 batting average. However, I do expect it to be better than Evan Bortmas’ .389, which was good enough to win the crown last season. Evan would be my choice to repeat as the winner if he was predicted to play full time again, but I don’t see it happening this year with the Wicked Aces.
Favorite: Kyle Tomlinson (El Diablos)Kyle finished in second place last season as a rookie, and I only see him improving. I fully expect Kyle to bat over .400, and may even come close to the .450 mark. I don’t even think that is a bold prediction, he is just that good.
In the Running: Alex Shore (Westside Warriors)
In 2011 when Alex played in 22 games, he batted .417 which was second overall. Unless someone comes out of nowhere to surprise me, I think the Batting Champion Handy will be a two man race between Alex and Kyle.
Longshot: Josh Nagorski (Ducks)
When you think of the Ducks you think of the DD Boys and the new arms they signed in Constanti and Castle. Nagorski is often forgotten, but each year he has shown huge improvements at the plate. Last year he batted .333 which was good enough for 4th place. Don’t underestimate this kid.
| Clown Shu |
The Clown Shu Handy came down to Austin Bischoff and Sam Hatt last season, with Austin just beating out Sam. This season I expect even more pitchers competing for the Clown Shu. However, I am very curious to see what the 48’ distance will do to some of last year’s dominant pitchers.
Favorite: Austin Bischoff (Whiteford Wicked Aces)There is no reason not to predict Austin to repeat as the Clown Shu winner, especially since Sam Hatt is out for the year. Austin also has experience pitching from 48’ at last year’s NWLA tournament, which he did quite well at. Of all of my favorites in this article, Austin is the one I am most confident in.
In the Running: Craig Skinner (El Diablos)
It’s no secret that I am a Craig Skinner fan, and he is very anxious to show he can pitch from 48’ with no troubles. El Diablos ace had a great rookie season, but did not win a single award. There is no doubt in my mind Craig will either win a Handy this season or make the All-Star team.
Longshot: Dennis Pearson (Ducks)
The 2011 Clown Shu winner is once again being doubted, and when he is doubted he performs best. After shutting up his critics in 2011 with dominating numbers on the mound, Dennis was then praised in the 2012 preseason. Dennis then had a disappointing season for his standards, but he has been on record in saying he will have his 2011 stuff back.
| MVP |
The last two winners had very similar MVP seasons, and were both runaways to win. Both DeLano and Bortmas won the Batting and HR Crowns, but finished second in RBIs. I am hoping for a closer race this season, and I do believe we will see that. I couldn’t predict just three players, so each category will get an extra player.
Favorites: Kyle Tomlinson (El Diablos), Alex Shore (Westside Warriors)Both Kyle and Alex have been mentioned multiple times already, so not much else needs to be said about them. Kyle is the easier pick since he is coming off of a great season. Alex only played part time last season, so picking him as a favorite is much bolder.
In the Running: Dennis Pearson (Ducks), Chandler Phillips (El Diablos)
Dennis is going to be a beast with the new bats, and should put up monster power numbers. If he can put up a respectable batting average, he will definitely be in the conversation for MVP. Chandler Phillips was almost put on the longshot list, but I expect a big year out of him. On his team Kyle is looked at as the hitting star and Skinner as the pitching star, which may put a chip on Chandler’s shoulder. Do not underestimate Chandler, and expect a big year out of him.
Longshots: Dylan Braden (Ducks), Joel Crozier (Whiteford Wicked Aces)
If Nagorski had better power numbers, he would make this list. Instead, his teammate and proven slugger, Dylan Braden makes the list. Dylan is a very streaky player, but he definitely has the tools to become an MVP. Joel Crozier is often overlooked and his numbers from 2012 were very average. He didn’t stink enough to be a Most Improved Player candidate, but I think he has the capability to improve enough to be an MVP candidate.
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