Predicting the 2014 Handies: Part 1

		Coffee Time
		by Carl Coffee

A Year ago I predicted The Handies and did very well hitting on 7/10. The only misses were Greg Brannan for a Diamond Digit, Nicco Lollio for Batting Champion, and Jason Hewlett for Most Improved. To make things tougher this year I will be adding the Walker Texas Ranger and Great Lakes Stealer Handies, and I won’t allow myself to double up on the MVP. My goal is 9/12, but I would be happy with 8/12.

Walker Texas Ranger 2013 Predictions:  I did not predict this award 2013 Winner:  Michael Sessions 2014 Predictions Favorite:  Michael Sessions (Flying Squirrels) In the Running:  Ryan Alexia (Flying Squirrels) Longshot:  Brandon Corbett (Holy Balls)

Favorite:  Michael Sessions (Flying Squirrels) ‘The Mayor’ earned an All-Star spot based on his ability to take a walk. His streak of 25 straight plate appearances with a base on ball will probably never even come close to being broken. In the Running:  Ryan Alexia (Flying Squirrels) If you are playing the Squirrels this year you better have an accurate pitcher. Alexia and Sessions combined for 99 walks in 2013. These two now teammates will battle again, and one of them should win the Walker Texas Ranger award. Longshot:  Brandon Corbett (Holy Balls) I almost put the MVP Kyle Tomlinson here seeing how he was one walk behind Sessions in 2013, but I don’t see him doing that again. Instead, Corbett - who has always been very outspoken against walking - gets this spot. His 46 walks last year tied him for third and he has said he is looking to win this award in 2014.

Great Lakes Stealer 2013 Predictions:  I did not predict this award 2013 Winner:  David Castle 2014 Predictions Favorite:  David Castle (Westside Warriors) In the Running:  Ryan Alexia (Flying Squirrels) Longshot:  Chris Paquin (Holy Balls)

Favorite:  David Castle (Westside Warriors) Castle ran away with this award last season. See what I did there? He stole 22 bases on 23 attempts, so he obviously knows what he is doing. In the Running:  Ryan Alexia (Flying Squirrels) Two categories so far and Ryan A is on both. He was 2nd last season going 14 for 16 and also had two steals in the All-Star game. He gets on base a lot and when he does, he doesn’t like to stay put. Longshot:  Chris Paquin (Holy Balls) Paquin is a very aggressive baserunner, and would have had more steals last year if Castle didn’t take most of the attempts away. Look for him to be around 15-18 this year, which may be good enough to win the award.

Most Improved Player 2013 Predictions:  (1) Nick Braden,  (2) Nick Coffee,  (3) Jason Matt 2013 Winner:  Jason Hewlett 2014 Predictions Favorite:  Kiefer Haffey (Oakland Co. Onanism) In the Running:  Alex Shore (Westside Warriors) Longshot:  Jason Hollister (Wolfpack)

Favorite:  Kiefer Haffey (Oakland Co. Onanism) This award is tricky. I have to look at players who I know have potential, but who had a bad year in 2013. Pitching-wise, Haffey was a very serviceable #2 for the Warriors but at the plate he was a disaster. He hit under .200 with only two home runs. Look for the captain of OCO to rebound in a big way. In the Running:  Alex Shore (Westside Warriors) Shore was predicted to do a lot last year and was very disappointing. This year, I am only predicting him for this award. Shore is way better than his .235 average from last year, and has the ability to hit way more than the five home runs he hit. Look for him to be around .300 with ten dongers. Longshot:  Jason Hollister (Wolfpack) I am a fan of Hollister and I know he is better than the stats he put up last year. He is very streaky, but if he is able to stay hot you could see him sneak up in the MIP race.

Rookie of the Year 2013 Predictions:  (1) Either Brannan bro.,  (2) Kiefer Haffey,  (3) Nicco Lollio 2013 Winner:  Nicco Lollio 2014 Predictions Favorite:  Stephen Farkas (Belgian Wiffles) In the Running:  Mike D'Agnese (Flying Squirrels) Longshot:  Nick Hool (Oakland Co. Onanism)

Favorite:  Stephen Farkas (Belgian Wiffles) I am not going to lie, I flipped a coin here to determine if Farkas or his rookie teammate Travis Strojny would earn this spot. In a league full of veterans, no other team besides OCO will rely more on their rookies like Belgian will. Sorry, Travis, but ‘heads’ won the toss. In the Running:  Mike D'Agnese (Flying Squirrels) D’Agnese and his fellow rookie Kevin Doby made some noise at the Flying Squirrel Invitational, but ‘Gun to my Head’, Mike looks to be the better of the two. Yes, Doby pitches, but I can see D’Agnese having a Nicco Lollio type season at the plate. Longshot:  Nick Hool (Oakland Co. Onanism) Last year I put Nicco Lollio in this spot based on having a fun name, and he made me look really good. I wanted to put someone from OCO on this list so I picked the guy on the team who has the most fun name, Nick Hool. Say it fast and it sounds like ‘nickel!’

Diamond Digits 2013 Predictions:  (1) N. Coffee, J. Crozier, A. Shore, C. Phillips;  (2) R. Bullard, D. Buhr, K. Tomlinson, C. Paquin;  (3) J. Nagorski, N. Woods, R. Alexia, J. Seto 2013 Winners:  Greg Brannan, Nick Coffee, Joel Crozier, Chris Paquin 2014 Predictions Favorites:  R. Bullard (FS), G. Brannan (WO), D. LaDouceur (EL), C. Paquin (HB) In the Running:  E. Bortmas (WW), N. Woods (WW), R. Alexia (FS), M. Brannan (WO) Longshot:  J. Sharlow (FS), S. Farkas (BW), A. Mott (IS), C. Phillips (EL)

Favorites:  R. Bullard (FS), G. Brannan (WO), D. LaDouceur (EL), C. Paquin (HB) Bullard playing on a team with contact pitching is a no-brainer. Greg has no concern for his body and is a human highlight film out in LF. El Diablos pitchers don’t put a lot of balls in play, when they do Dakota seems to always be in the right spot. The Pitching Diamond Digit is Paquin’s to lose. He pitches to contact and is very aggressive when the ball is in play. In the Running:  E. Bortmas (WW), N. Woods (WW), R. Alexia (FS), M. Brannan (WO) Two Warriors headline this list, as Bortmas and Woods will need to step up big on the field when contact pitchers Castle and Shore take the mound. Alexia is a beast at shortstop, but winning this award at any other position than LF is not easy. Mark showed some signs of brilliance in the field last year and just missed out on a Diamond Digit. He will once again be in the mix. Longshot:  J. Sharlow (FS), S. Farkas (BW), A. Mott (IS), C. Phillips (EL) Putting another Flying Squirrel on this list isn’t smart, but Sharlow is another guy who didn’t mind sacrificing his body in 2013. Farkas is a real longshot, but watching him play on snow was enough for him to get to the nod. Mott is one of the most athletic guys in the league, but his availability concerns me. If he can play close to 20 games this season, look for him to make a lot of noise in the field. Chandler was my favorite to win the Pitching Diamond Digit last year, so by default he earned this spot.