End of the Season Top 10 Pitchers

		Coffee Time
		by Carl Coffee

Before the season started, I put together pre-season Top 10 pitchers and hitters rankings. It is always fun to go back and see how I did, but usually it just proves how pointless pre-season rankings are. For this list, I decided to only use regular season stats to make things fair. In an upcoming week or two, I will also rank the Top 10 hitters. Great job to all the players who made this list!

10. Chandler Phillips  –  Belgian Wiffles
Chandler was a part of the three-headed monster of solid young pitchers for the Belgian Wiffles this season, joining Castle and Skinner. Chandler ranked near the top in strike outs with 131, but struggled to get in the win column. He managed to only win two games for Belgian and also had control problems at times. His 51 walks and 1.22 WHIP hurt, but his 0.67 ERA and 13 hits allowed give you reason to believe that he could be a future All-Star.


9. Brandon Corbett  –  Flying Squirrels
Corbett became the Squirrels #2 pitcher this season after losing Merlo, and he excelled in that role. He was a workhorse for them, throwing 64 innings this season. Corbett is a contact pitcher who excels at hitting the corners and making batters take off-balanced swings. He went 7-4, with a 0.94 ERA and had a 1.06 WHIP. Corbett also struck out a very respectable 93 batters. After a rough 2011 on the mound, Corbett has solidified himself once again as a Top 10 pitcher.


8. Dennis Pearson  –  Thunder Ducks
Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Dennis had an incredible 2011 season, but failed to carry it over to 2012. Sure he made the All-Star team as a pitcher in the weak Garcia division, but it sure did not feel like he had an All-Star season. Dennis still has powerful stuff, and showed that with 128 strike outs and a 6-3 record. However, the former Clown Shu finished the season leading the league in walks with 61, had a very average 1.12 ERA, and a terrible WHIP of 1.57. Dennis did his best when people doubted him, and struggled after he was praised. Maybe this doubt will again motivate him in 2013? We will have to wait and see.


7. Adam Cosby  –  Mattseals
Adam Cosby had a very solid season, but I don’t think many people even know that. Cosby seemed to fly under the radar for the Seals, but after everything was said and done, his stats rank right up there with the other elite pitchers in the league. In 55.2 innings pitched, Cosby only allowed seven runs all season giving him a 0.63 ERA. He also had great control on the mound giving up only 22 walks. His WHIP of 0.90 was better than both Hatt and Bortmas of the Punchouts, so why was he so overlooked this season? Maybe his mediocre 4-2 record is one of the reasons, or maybe it is because he pitched in the Ringler Division which is loaded with pitching talent. I don’t think Cosby will be overlooked for much longer, and this prized free agent will be a giant pickup for whichever team he lands on in 2013.


6. Craig Skinner  –  Belgian Wiffles
Skinner came out of nowhere for the Belgian Wiffles, and dominated in the limited playing time he had. Skinner only pitched 33 innings, but sure made the most in those innings. He only allowed four hits, had 81 strike outs, and finished with a 5-2 record. If Skinner had more innings on the mound, I believe he would have been in the Clown Shu discussion. His 0.45 ERA and 0.61 WHIP, rank among the best in the league. Much like Cosby however, he was overlooked in the pitching dominant Ringler Division.


5. Michael Constanti  –  Flying Squirrels
Constanti was predicted to have a good season, being #3 in the pre-season rankings. He did not disappoint, and did an extremely nice job as the Squirrels ace. In 45 innings pitched, Constanti only gave up five runs earning him a 0.56 ERA en route to a very impressive 7-2 record. His biggest win came at Manchester when he beat Bortmas head to head in a 1-0 victory. Much like Corbett, Constanti hits the corners of the strike zone, and can win a game even without relying on the strike out. He still finished the season with 79 K’s, and was named the Garcia Division All-Star starting pitcher.


4. Evan Bischoff  –  Whiteford Wicked Aces
Evan Bischoff has the misfortune of sharing the last name with his older brother, Austin. It wasn’t until the season ended and all the stats came in when people saw that ‘Little E’ finished the season without giving up a single run. Also, the Wicked Aces have a deep pitching staff, so even when Austin wasn’t pitching, Evan still had to compete with other teammates like Crozier and Hughes to get on the mound. In 33 innings pitched, Evan only allowed six hits and 14 walks giving him a 0.61 WHIP. His 4-0 record and 70 strike outs are nice, but nothing looks better or is more impressive than seeing 0.00 in the ERA column. Maybe next season the league will take notice of the “other” Bischoff.


3. Evan Bortmas  –  Manchester Punchouts
It is crazy to think after seeing Evan’s stats, that he isn’t the best pitcher on his team. Also, Evan’s offensive greatness is often what you link him with, but he is absolutely no slouch on the mound. All Evan did was throw 50 innings, gave up 13 hits and seven runs, giving him a 0.70 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. His 10-1 record ties him with Hatt for tops in the league, and his 136 strike outs rank him third. It is safe to say that Evan was the best #2 pitcher in the league this season.


2. Sam Hatt  –  Manchester Punchouts
No one would have flinched if Sam had won the Clown Shu this season, but in the end he barely lost out. Although Sam had the same record as his teammate Evan going 10-1, his other stats are more impressive. In 55 innings pitched, Sam only allowed three runs giving him a 0.27 ERA. His 138 strike outs rank him second in the league. The only negative thing you could possibly say about his pitching would be the 39 walks he gave up, but he still finished the season with a 0.95 WHIP. Sam’s dominance on the mound earned him a spot on the Ringler Division All-Star team as a pitcher.


1. Austin Bischoff  –  Whiteford Wicked Aces
If there were Vegas Odds before the season started for who would win the Clown Shu, it is a safe bet Austin would have been the heavy favorite. Austin took the league by storm in 2011 when he joined the Flying Squirrels late in the season and was very dominant. Now with his own team and a whole season under his belt, Austin proved he could handle the pressure of being an elite pitcher. On a team with four solid pitchers, Austin would sometimes skip his spot in the rotation to see his teammates get some work in. He only started in nine games, which makes his stats even more impressive. Austin led the entire league in strike outs with 141, had a microscopic WHIP of 0.68, and what impresses me most about him is his control. In 51.1 innings pitched, Austin only gave up 27 walks. Along with winning the Clown Shu, he was voted in as the All-Star starting pitcher in the tough Ringler Division. We all know what happened to Dennis after he won the Clown Shu, but I do not expect the same to happen to Austin in 2013.

Week 4 Power Rankings

		Coffee Time
		by Carl Coffee

1.		Whiteford Wicked Aces  (10-2, 1st in the Ringler)
		The Wicked Aces have some well-deserved time off and aren’t scheduled again for a while. After a nice split against Manchester, it is clear the Ringler will come down to those two teams.
2.		Wiffling DeLoppes  (6-0, 2nd in the Garcia)
		The DeLoppes are the last remaining undefeated team, and are only behind the Squirrels in the standings because of fewer games played. If these guys can take both games against the Punchouts this upcoming weekend, they will take the #1 spot.
3.		Manchester Punchouts  (4-2, 2nd in the Ringler)
		The Punchouts could easily be 6-0, but being 4-2 with their tough opening schedule is still impressive. This is a very complete team with very little weaknesses. Expect 20+ wins from the Punchies.
4.		Flying Squirrels  (10-2, 1st in the Garcia)
		The Squirrels continue to roll, and after sweeping the Donkeys and splitting against the Punchouts, you no longer can call their record a fluke. Consistent pitching and timely hitting has been their recipe for success thus far.
5.		Thunder Ducks  (3-1, 3rd in the Garcia)
		It pains me to rank the Ducks here, but they haven’t shown me enough this season to rank them higher. If the Ducks can take both games against Belgian this upcoming weekend, much respect will be re-earned.
6.		Donkeys  (5-7, 3rd in the Ringler)
		I knew the Donkeys would be a middle-of-the-road team this season, but no one is going to forget that these guys upset the Wicked Aces with Austin on the mound. I believe the Donkeys biggest weakness so far has been inconsistency.
7.		Belgian Wiffles  (0-2, 4th in the Ringler)
		Unfortunately, Belgian had to forfeit their two wins against King Friday. You better believe they will be ready to play against the Ducks this weekend.
8.		Jason Mattseals  (0-8, 5th in the Ringler)
		The Mattseals continue to play some tough teams, but will finally get some relief in the upcoming weeks. These guys have been great at both pitching and fielding, but only scoring three runs in eight games won’t win you many games.
9.		Campus Commandos  (0-10, 5th in the Garcia)
		The fun-loving Commandos are still winless, but I bet their hair looks good! Their next two series against the Belgian Wiffles and Mattseals will feature some winnable games for the team from the Motor City.
10.		King Friday  (2-6, 4th in the Garcia)
		King Friday was not happy to win the way they did, but maybe, just maybe those wins will kick start this team. Hey, if the season ended right now, King Friday would be the #7 seed in the playoffs!

Week 2 Power Rankings

		Coffee Time
		by Carl Coffee

1.		Whiteford Wicked Aces  (9-1, 1st in the Ringler)
		The Wicked Aces have completed over one-third of their season in two weeks, and already have three perfect games. The Aces have been dominant, both hitting and pitching wise. They could very easily remain on top of the power rankings all season long.
2.		Wiffling DeLoppes  (2-0, 2nd in the Garcia)
		The DeLoppes have only played two games, but they were impressive in those two games against the Mattseals. The DeLoppes have the most stable roster in the league, and they mesh extremely well. Being able to adjust to more road games this year is the big question mark for the DeLoppes in 2012.
3.		Thunder Ducks  (3-1, 3rd in the Garcia)
		The Thunder Ducks have not been getting much respect this season, but I wouldn’t want to fuel any fire for this team. Dennis is still Dennis. Dylan is among the best home run hitters in the league. Lewis had an incredible second half in 2011, and could easily do it again this season. Ducks are in it to win it.
4.		Donkeys  (5-3, 2nd in the Ringler)
		The Donkeys have been a fun team to watch, and will be ‘Under the Radar’ all season long. Alex Shore will soon be lost for the season, but if Matt Murtha can continue to smash the ball the way he has been, it will soften the blow of losing Shore. If Seto can stay hot, and they keep getting good consistent pitching, this will be a top-five team.
5.		Flying Squirrels  (5-1, 1st in the Garcia)
		Four of the five wins from the Squirrels have been against the Commandos and Friday, so I don’t want to get too excited about their strong start, even with the win over the Ducks. Constanti and Corbett are both looking good, and when they get Merlo back, this team could have one of the best 1-2-3 pitching staffs in the league.
6.		Manchester Punchouts  (0-0, Tied for 3rd in the Ringler)
		Not much to say about the Punchouts right now, but this will probably be the lowest they are ever ranked. They open up the season Saturday night against the 1st place Wicked Aces in a much anticipated two game series. If they are able to take both of those games, this will be the team to beat.
7.		Belgian Wiffles  (0-0, Tied for 3rd in the Ringler)
		The Belgian Wiffles went from one of the least talked about teams, to one of the most talked about teams after their surprising victory in the second satellite tournament. Buhr and his young players could make a lot of noise in the very talented Ringler Division.
8.		Jason Mattseals  (0-6, 5th in the Ringler)
		“Those poor Mattseals” was a common phrase last season, and it could be used again this season. Last season, it was because of how bad they were. This season, it is because of the way they have been losing, close one run games. These guys won’t be winless much longer, and I expect when they get hot, they will not cool off.
9.		Campus Commandos  (0-6, Tied for 4th in the Garcia)
		The Commandos went into this season looking to have fun and maybe win a few games along the way. With the addition of rookie Daniel Egan, and Alex Linebrink as the early front runner for the Most Improved Player Award, this team will be a lot more competitive than originally thought.
10.		King Friday  (0-6, Tied for 4th in the Garcia)
		King Friday went from having back to back perfect games pitched against them against the Aces, to having a few nice hits and getting baserunners on against the Squirrels, and then took the Thunder Ducks to extra innings in their sixth game. As you can see, this team is improving after every game they play.