Team Tuesdays: Ducks

by  Will Smith  &  Brandon Corbett   In 2011, the Ducks (then Git r' Done) were out to show us old folks that "Parents Just Don't Understand." Some say they had a sophomore slump in 2012 as the Thunder Ducks, but they were just having fun playing the game this time around: "chillin' out, maxin, relaxin' all cool. And all (playing) some ...ball outside of the where there used to be a school." Now in 2013, the Ducks are poised to "(Get) Jiggy Wit' It" as they ascend to Ali-esque greatness and blockbuster status. While there may be some truth in 2012 being a down year for the franchise, they were successful in winning their second consecutive pennant: this time with the best record in the Garcia Division. The Ducks also held their own against their rival, and eventual 2012 Champions, the Wicked Aces: splitting the regular season series 2-2. However, in the semi-finals they were swept 3-0 and outscored 8-1 by the Aces in an absolute route. While unconfirmed, that dismantling by the Aces pitching staff seems to have set the Ducks' template for the re-assembly of their 2013 roster. The loss of Chris Lewis and, career Git-r'-Duck, Nick Braden to the upstart Holy Balls in free agency was quickly overcome with the pick ups of Mike Constanti and David Castle. The Switch to Constanti (0.56 ERA, 1.29 WHIP in 2012) is an upgrade at pitcher over Lewis (3.55 ERA, 1.42 WHIP). While Castle and N. Braden are comparable at the plate, .340 and .327 SLG respectively, Castle also adds a third pitcher capable of providing a shut down performance on the mound. That option gives the Ducks the ability to keep a dominant starter in during long games and not worry about having to shut him down for two games. Their rotation is now stocked with more arms than the Wild Wild West. D. Braden, Nagorski, and Pearson The returning Ducks - Dennis Pearson, Dylan Braden, and Josh Nagorski - still bring the thunder. D & D are perennial Bad Boys at the dish. Dylan averages 37 H and 11 HR per season; in 2012, 20 of his 39 hits were for extra bases. Dennis is the only player to have consecutive seasons with double digit home runs: 15 in 2011, 10 in 2012. He also has 91 hits over his two seasons, 40 for extra bases. It is no longer "Just the Two of (Them)", either, as Josh Hitched himself on with an impressive 2012: .333 AVG and .489 SLG with 7 2B and 5 HR. The Ducks' problem will be, as it always has been, defense behind their pitchers. True, they do make some damn nice quick reaction plays from time to time, but I, Robot in the field they are not. Consistency on routine plays, good positioning, and team speed are aspects the Ducks notoriously lack. Perhaps the most fascinating footnote in Ducks history is that they are the only WSEM team to take a first round playoff series to three games twice. You can sign your Hancock to that fact, and also that the 2013 Ducks, with their "Brand New Funk," are aiming to end that trend. "I Think I can Beat Mike Tyson" is the attitude I expect out of the Ducks this season. Will they have a third pennant locked up by Independence Day? Maybe not that soon, but come "Summertime" expect nothing other than the Ducks to have reestablished themselves as the elite of WSEM.

Equipo el Martes: El Diablos

by  David Buhr   Don't let the "El Diablos" name fool you. They're Spanish for fighting chickens all extremely nice guys. And though they're nice guys, this team will be a mighty force to be reckoned with in the 2013 season. During the offseason, El Diablos were formed by four former Belgian Wiffles and is being Captained by Mark Phillips. Mark played a few games in the 2012 season as a part of the replacement team, Seamen. Mark's numbers may not have been great in that period of time, but after playing against him, I see some serious potential for him to be a threat as both a hitter and a pitcher. Although four Wiffles were originally forming El Diablos, one left during the offseason. Losing David Castle's bat and pitching arm seems like a harsh blow to any team, but El Diablos had already been quick to pick up Dakota LaDouceur. LaDouceur provides the lineup with serious power and a consistent bat as he batted over .300 and tied for the league lead in Home Runs with 20 in the 2012 season. And though El Diablos don't necessarily need another pitcher, Dakota provides as a good backup pitcher. I had the privilege of playing on the same team as three of the players on El Diablos during the 2012 season and was sad to see them leave, but I truly enjoyed the 2012 season. Let's look at that talent. Starting with CJ Phillips, we see a kid with a power arm on the mound and some pop at the plate. All he needs is more consistent plate appearances and he'll be hitting for average too. CJ's accuracy on the mound at times was lacking, but I expect him to hone in on his control skills and to be one of the top 5 pitchers in the league next season. Craig Skinner is another great pitcher, in fact, one of the best. I believe he will definitely be the ace of El Diablos team next year. With a 7 inning perfecto against the Squirrels, another near perfect game against the Donkeys (not even going to a 3-ball count on anyone until the 5th inning!), and an ERA under 1.00 in 2012, Skinner was easily one of the top 3 pitchers in the league in 2012 and I expect he'll be better in 2013. What Skinner lacks at the plate, he more than makes up for on the mound. He has more than just a couple pitches coupled with speed and accuracy. He is my favorite to win the 2013 Clown Shu, though there will surely be some stiff competition. Along with such great pitching, El Diablos have a major force in their batting lineup in Kyle Tomlinson. Kyle seems to live by former President Teddy Roosevelt's mantra, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." That's just what Kyle did in 2012. We have a lot of talkers in WSEM, including CJ and Skinner, but Kyle quietly gets the job done. He batted .346 with 6 Home Runs as well as a great OBP and several walks helping to earn him 2012 Rookie of the Year honors. Though his offensive numbers are impressive, what often gets overlooked is Tomlinson's defensive prowess. He saved many a would-be-hit or Home Run that never seemed to get caught on film, but I saw him do it. Look out for Kyle to vie for MVP honors next season alongside Dakota LaDouceur. Overall, El Diablos is going to be a team you don't want to mess with in 2013! With potential MVP and Clown Shu candidates, I expect them to be one of the top 3 teams in the league!

Team Tuesdays: Flying Squirrels

by Alex Shore

When the average person thinks Wiffleball, you think of a yellow, hollow bat and a childhood game. I, on the other hand, think of one of the most fun summertime activities I have ever been a part of. All of that success is credited to Carl Coffee and Brandon Corbett. When Carl asked me to write this article about the team I was truly flattered. The Squirrels are a team that is the most beloved team in WSEM, it would be much like playing for the LA Lakers or even The Boston Red Sox. So, with no further delay, I will write about the most prestigious team in WSEM. King of the World, Carl CoffeeMy first ever-organized game of wiffleball was on June 26th 2010 against the Flying Squirrels of WSEM. At the time I didn’t think too much about it or even realize what it all meant, but now I realize just how special it was. It was a roster consisting of Carl Coffee, Matt Murtha, Brandon Corbett and Ryan Keith Bullard. This team is not great on paper but you can very much consider these four as some of the all time legends of WSEM. It was like playing Mickey Shore, Pat Lafontaine, Darren McCarty and Al McInnis in a 4 v 4 pick up hockey game! Anyways bringing it to the 2012 season Carl and Brandon still are on the squad, but Michael Constanti, Mike Merlo, and a few other rookies now accompany them. Wiffleball: it's all in the thighs.In my science of power rankings article I have them at number five on paper. Now, given the magic that can happen during the summer and seeing them play in the satellite tournaments, I do not expect them to actually finish there. Carl’s expert defense, Brandon’s clutch hitting (.306 AVG, .537 SLG%, 7 HR and 7 2B in 2011), Merlo’s “Jamie Moyer-esque” dominance (0.24 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 32 K and 4 BB in 20 IP in 2011), and Constanti’s help (1.54 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 121 K and 42 BB in 61.2 IP in 2011) could lift this team above and beyond expectations. I expect big things from the Squirrels that had a mediocre season statistically and finished .500 in 2011. If they can find a way to get on base and score the runs necessary (more than one), they can make a top three run. Basically put: they have to step up at the dish and continue to play solid defense if they want late season success. This is truly a great group of guys, I’m glad to call them my friends and competitors; they truly make WSEM one hell of a league. If I had to assign each player to a famous athlete: Carl would be Mark Messier, Brandon would be Shaquille O’ Neal, Constanti would be Ron Artest, and Merlo would be Gordie Howe. Bumper stickers are $1 Good Luck to all this season, Alex Shore

Team Tuesdays: Belgian Wiffles

by David Buhr

David "Eureka's" Castle delivering with Chandler "Bing" Phillips behind.What comes to mind when you think of Belgian Wiffles? Food, right? Well, here's some food for thought - the Belgian Wiffles team is not at all the same team it was last year. I, David Buhr, am the only remaining player on my team that was involved last year. We now have six rookies in David Castle, Chandler (C.J.) Phillips, Craig Skinner, Kyle Tomlinson, Travis Vieira, and Nick Walker. Castle and Phillips proved themselves as pitchers in the most recent tournament allowing only seven runs in five games with the last two being shutouts against the teams that played in the league championship last year. Skinner was a nice addition at the plate as a left-handed bat, and Tomlinson showed off his defensive prowess. Speaking of defensive prowess, Phillips is already being touted as a possible diamond digit candidate. We saw him rob about 3 home runs in the first tournament. Vieira is another left-handed bat in the lineup which bodes well for us Wiffles as the league has predominantly right-handed pitching. Walker sees the ball well and will almost always put it in play. Craig "Seymour" Skinner up to bat with David "Dabadooey" Buhr on first.Vieira, Walker, and I are all former soccer players and we all still have good speed. Phillips also has impressive speed and is probably the fastest on the team. I don't know how much power we're going to have overall, but it was nice to see a three-run shot over the centerfield wall by Castle against the Mattseals in the most recent tournament. I have decent power and had four home runs last year, but am hoping to top that this year. What surprises me most is the lack of respect my team is still getting after winning the April 21st Satellite Tournament. I don't see my team being worse than 16-12 or worse than sixth in the league this year. Look out WSEM, here come the Belgian Wiffles!

Team Tuesdays: Jason Mattseals

by Carl Coffee & Greg Franzen

The Jason Mattseals were pretty much the whipping boys of the league last season. At the last minute, Jason Matt and Imran Kakli came together to form a roster full of fun-loving competitors. With the league unsure if they would even show up to play, the Mattseals surprised everyone by playing 25% of their season in the opening weekend! Last season, the team’s regular players were Jeff Biegas, who will be a part-timer this season, Jason Hewlett, who will be back on the pitcher’s mound this season, Diamond Digit winner Danny Johnson, who is no longer with the team, and Jason Matt and Imran Kakli, who will both be playing full time. Showing up to games, they did; winning those games, they did not. The Mattseals struggled to find any sort of identity until they played a four-game series in early June against the Flying Squirrels. The Mattseals upset the Squirrels twice that day and split the four game series, behind a dominant pitching performance from Hewlett. The Seals also upset the Westside Warriors once, and had two forfeit wins against the Ass Kickers to finish the regular season 5-23. The Mattseals drew number-one seed Git R' Done in the playoffs, and almost had the upset of the century. In the first two games of the best-of-three series the Seals blew two late-inning leads and lost both close games to end their 2011 season. The 2012 Jason Mattseals now have a new leader, Greg Franzen. He is changing the entire identity of the Mattseals, and I now throw this article over to him to tell you all about that. Franzen throws to Adam Cosby for the force. When the 2011 season came to a close with a first-round playoff loss to the eventual champions, Git R' Done, the Mattseals went into the off-season looking for answers to how they could correct their 5-23 regular season record and turn around their luck for 2012. I was contacted by Carl about playing wiffleball in early December. He mentioned there was a team looking for a solid hitter/fielder. Having played organized baseball since the age of six and high school freshman baseball with both Carl and Corbett, they felt I would be a good fit with the Mattseals: a team looking for a new identity. I worked closely with Jason Matt over the off-season, and when Carl mentioned each team needed to have matching jerseys I wanted to try and design something fun and different. What I came up with will hopefully be a highly talked about and admired jersey by the league. The big question for the team was who would be returning to play again next season. We already were prepared for the return of three stable veterans in Jason Hewlett, Imran Kakli, and Jason Matt. The loss of Jeff Biegas as an everyday starter and player was huge, because we were losing our best hitter of the 2011 season, and offense was one area the Mattseals really struggled last season. Jason Hewlett, however, managed to come through with two new names and I was able to recruit a former high school cross country teammate. Having to play five non-regular players last season hurt the Mattseals chances to gel together as a team. This year the Mattseals have an entire team of dedicated players who will play in most, if not all of their games. Here is a brief rundown of the 2012 Mattseals roster. • Greg Franzen (Captain) – A wiffleball rookie, Greg has undertaken the roll as Mattseals captain and is hoping to change the Mattseals perception in this league. Greg is looking forward to trying to spark the Mattseals offense with his bat and help solidify the defense. With good speed and excellent hands, he should be a welcomed edition to the newly revamped Mattseals. • Jason Matt – Wiffleball veteran Jason Matt brings pitching and game experience to the Mattseals. Jason is familiar with pitching in big games, having been placed into that roll against Git ‘R Done in the playoffs with the unfortunate injury to Jason Hewlett. Jason comes into this season with a strong dedication to help improve the Mattseals. • Jason Hewlett – Wiffleball veteran and last year’s Mattseals pitching ace, Jason Hewlett was counted on to pitch most of the innings for the Mattseals last season. Unfortunately, this was a heavy undertaking and Jason got injured before the playoffs. With the new pitching rotation rules this year, other players of the Mattseals will be stepping up to provide more starting and relief pitching. Jason has been working hard this offseason to improve his pitching arsenal and should provide a dominate presence on the mound. Jason has tweaked his batting style a little bit as well and it has improved his swing and power. Jason is an all-around solid wiffleball player. • Imran Kakli - Wiffleball veteran Imran Kakli brings a fun and energetic presence to the Mattseals. Imran wanted to have a stronger presence with the Mattseals last season, but his work schedule conflicted with many of the games. Luckily, the Mattseals will be playing a majority of their games on Sunday, which should provide Imran with more playing time and an opportunity for a bigger role on the team. Imran brings a knowledge and understanding of the game that will help the rookies and veterans of the Mattseals unite. • Chris Paquin - Wiffleball rookie Chris Paquin is no stranger to playing organized baseball. Chris jumped at the opportunity to join the Mattseals when recruited by Captain Greg Franzen and he brings with him a strong knowledge of baseball and strategy that will be very beneficial this season. Chris will have the opportunity to do some pitching this season and he has been practicing hard to fine tune his pitching style. Chris will be a good fit with the Mattseals. • Adam Cosby - Wiffleball rookie Adam Cosby was recruited by Mattseals veteran Jason Hewlett. Adam will be inserted into the pitching rotation and will allow Hewlett the rest and recovery that his arm needs. Adam has a good baseball background and is very anxious to get this season started and has been a dominate force at practice. He is a welcomed addition to the Mattseals. • Mike Myers - Last, but certainly not least, wiffleball rookie Mike Myers was also recruited to the team by Jason Hewlett. Mike has previously played baseball and has shown promise with good hitting and fielding. He helps to round out the Mattseals and we are excited with what he can offer the team this season. Mike Myers is looking to provide a spark in the new Mattseals offense.At the first team meeting, the Mattseals discussed moving away from Brownstown Middle School and finding a new home for a new identity. After much searching, that home has been found. The Mattseals will play their home games in 2012 at “The Club at Civic Center Park” located in Woodhaven, Michigan on Hall Road. This is a good location that should provide the general public with a good chance to view what our league is all about, while still being partially secluded from most other events at the park. This will be a pitcher friendly park with deep fences all around. Home runs are possible with the wind blowing in the right direction. The Mattseals have been practicing hard this off-season and they are coming together as a team. This revamped Mattseals team is young, hungry, and ready to change their previous image in the league. All the players are very well rounded and will be able to contribute something to each position. They are not afraid to critique each other in order to improve their game. There is a strong level of respect and motivation that will be the driving force behind the Mattseals this season. I am proud of what this team has to offer and I am excited to see us match up against the other great teams in the league this season. “Clear eyes, Full hearts, Can’t lose” – Coach Eric Taylor, 'Friday Night Lights'

Team Tuesdays: King Friday

by Richard Hurd

No one on the King Friday team has ever played a game of Wiffleball, nor would anyone with any prior experience be allowed to be. My sole purpose of joining the league is to dominate it with rookies. Everyone on the team is a fierce competitor and will only be happy with a playoff berth. A little about myself: Richard A. Hurd, captain of King Friday. I played eight years of organized baseball and softball, and made the all-star team all eight years. I also played three years of high school football and played varsity all three years. Taking a look at me you may find that hard to believe; I am a big guy and way out of shape, but I love to win and almost always find a way to do so. Beer pong has been my game for the last 3 years, as well as the game of most of the players on my team. I have won a large amount of money playing organized pong and have beaten some of the best players in the country. Playing pong is how I came to know Carl Coffee and in turn how I came to learn about this Wiffle league. It is hard to make predictions not having seen any of the teams in the league play, but myself and most of the players on the team have dominated every activity we have ever tried. So, if near the end of the season we do not at least still have a chance to make the playoffs, I would see the season as a complete failure. I would expect King Friday to have two or three players make the All-Star team. I do not know what the home run record is,1 but whatever it is it will not be the same after I am done. We are old-school ballers, we played ball when most of this league was still watching Teletubbies. We win no matter what it is. Wiffle Ball will be no different; King Friday will have 14-20 wins, depending on how quickly we get acclimated to the league. I would guess it will be to the higher end of that scale. I know only a few members of the league: Carl Coffee, Ryan Bullard, John Hill and Jason Matt. Having played beer pong against all of them, I can honestly say I am not at all worried about making the playoffs if they are any measure of the talent in WSEM! 1 The HR record is 17, set by Joey DeLano.

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!

Team Tuesdays: Manchester Punchouts

by Evan Bortmas

The people of the small village of Manchester, Michigan know only three things: farming, broiling chickens, and Wiffleball. Ever since Manchester native Evan Bortmas started playing Wiffleball in second grade he had dreamed of playing competitively in a league, which eventually led to the beginning of the Manchester Wiffleball Association, or MWA. In Manchester the pitcher's mound was a mere 35 feet from the strike zone, bases 40 feet from the plate, and in some parks, the fence just 50 feet from home. That meant in order to be a dominant pitcher you had to have a repertoire of pitches that moved extremely far, extremely quickly, or else the batter could easily tag one and send it over the fence. On the other hand, if you wanted to be a good hitter against good pitching, you had to have a great eye with excellent reaction speed. The MWA survived two seasons, but was shut down in 2008 in order to find more widespread competition. In turn, the best players from the league were selected to represent Manchester in Saline's annual “Wiffleball World Series”. The team was based heavily on the pitching aspect of the game, hence, the Manchester Punchouts were born. Throughout the years, the Punchouts have made several changes in their logo, colors, and roster, but the core of their team has always been there. Dakota LaDouceur, Jimmy Hamilton, and Sam Hatt have played in over 25 games collectively with Bortmas and the Punchouts, including finishing in 4th place or higher in three tournaments, and not including any pickup games. Last year, the Punchouts with Bortmas, Hatt, LaDouceur, and two fill-in players finished fourth overall in WSEM's fall “Beat It” tournament. Although the newest additions to the Punchouts' roster, Logan Zigila and Craig Spring, have not played competitively in any games outside of the MWA, they are great athletes and former baseball players that should fit nicely into the Punchouts' lineup. Early lineup speculations for the season are as follows:   - Batting 1st, #2 Craig Spring, OF/DH   - Batting 2nd, #12 Logan Zigila, 3B/ DH   - Batting 3rd, #9 Evan Bortmas, P/OF   - Batting 4th, #5 Dakota LaDouceur, RP/OF   - Batting 5th, #3 Sam Hatt, P/OF   - Batting 6th, #99 Jimmy Hamilton, OF/ DH The key to the Punchouts' success in 2012 will be offense. Nearly one-hundred percent of Punchouts victories since the end of the MWA have been deficits of three runs or less; most of which were one-run deficits, and about half have been 1-0 wins. Though pitching has proven to be the strong point for the team, the offense has a history of stranding runners on base. Statistically, the four original players are above average, but at any time there are hot hitters, one or two players seem to be struggling, which makes it hard to string offense together. This being the first full season that the Punchouts have ever played, it should be interesting to see if a growing chemistry throughout the year will affect their statistics at all. If they can produce offensively at a more consistent rate, the Punchouts will be one of the teams to beat in 2012.

Team Tuesdays: Campus Commandos

by Brandon Corbett

The Campus Commandos roster is straight out of Field of Dreams. Adam Grant built a field in downtown Detroit, and grown men wander out of the streets in droves to relive the baseball glory days of their youth. Substitute the corn for a city skyline and it is an exact recreation. The guys who show up may not be playing for world championships or making national headlines with their play, but they are in their own little world. And when the camera pans out over the field you can see headlights lined up for miles; even if that is just traffic backed up leaving Comerica Park. Hell, had Rick Snyder not chased the film industry out of the state, I bet we could have even gotten James Earl Jones down for an afternoon. So, just who are these players who appear on WSEM's urban Field of Dreams, LaFayette Park? Well, the Commandos have a doctor, Kelly Walsh, who, like his movie counterpart, only appeared in one game last season before being unable to return. Grant has said Walsh will be available to play more frequently in 2012, which is just the hint of stability this revolving door of a roster needs after the loss of two part-time players and last year's number-one pitcher to cross-divisional rival, the Donkeys. Last season saw nine players with less than ten games played, while only three players appeared full-time. Alex Linebrink pitching at Frenchtown Field Two full-timers are returning for 2012: captain Adam Grant and Alex Linebrink. Linebrink is a southpaw who grooved into the number-two pitcher role for the Commandos in 2011. His season numbers may not be pretty (8.78 ERA, 3.41 WHIP, 64 BB : 51 K), but Alex shows promise on the mound and got better as the season progressed. In the month of July his ERA was half of that: 4.47. Alex also turned his K/BB ratio around in July, posting 38 K to only 25 BB. That progression is important for the Commandos, as preaseason chatter names Linebrink as the opening day number-one starter. If he is able to find a rhythm, as a lefty he can be a nuissance on the outside corner to a predominately right-handed league, much like first-team NWLA pitcher Cliff Comstock of the DeLoppes. Finding a steady number-two should be the big concern for the Commandos at pitcher.

Pfefferle in the box at LaFayette Park Offensively, the Commandos best returning hitter is Eric Pfefferle, who played in eight games last season. Eric's AVG is underwhelming at .229, however his OBP and SLG% hover right around the league average at .426 and .400, respectively. That is the trend team-wide, as well, with OBP being twice a player's AVG. Adam Grant was atop the league with 40 BB, and Linebrink was directly behind him with 34. Clearly, these Commandos are patient at the plate and get runners on base. Grant has a healthy list of names who will play at least a few games this season: Dave Crechilio, Brian Bandemmer, Patrick Minch, and Daniel Egan to name a few; if some of these part-time players can bring big bats with them, then that may be solution enough to their offensive woes.

It is hard to make a prediction with so many unknowns for the 2012 Campus Commandos. With a year under his belt, though, Adam Grant is approaching the game with a new attitude and better understanding. To paraphrase from another famous group of famous commandos: that is half the battle.

Supplemental: Another unknown for the Commandos is their own "Wiffle Centipede." In December the Commandos made a huge acquisition in free agent pitcher, Steven "Céspedes" Harris. Harris is sold as having been putting on amazing displays of outstanding pitching for many years. The first dose of unknown, though, is that - like Yoenis Céspedes Milanés - nobody has seen Harris play to confirm his skills on the mound. Still, like "the Cuban Centipede" again, everyone is buying the hype as realiy, and believing the Commandos have made a home run signing. However, there is a second dose of unknown in this story. After signing his deal to come to the organized leagues, Steve Harris went on a vision quest to prepare himself. He removed himself from the internet, gave his phone to charity, and reportedly set off on foot to climb the first mountain he could find. We are assuming he did not mean Mt. Trashmore, Holly, nor even Boyne, and is heading west through the desert to cleanse his soul before his ascent. Nothing is known of his condition or whereabouts. Will he surface before the season? Will his slider be even stronger after his journey? Is he alive? All of these questions have the same non-answer. So, we wait to see.

Two-fer Team Tuesdays: Double Ds - DeLoppes

by Mike Constanti I am here to bring you what I think are the hands-down favorites to win the 2012 WSEM championship, the most complete and well-balanced team in the league, the Wiffling DeLoppes. Last season this team came up short in the championship series against a very powerful Git r' Done team (now the Thunder Ducks). Chad Hoppe has his team ready to compete every series, and still has that nasty pitch that I dubbed "the broken zipper".

Joey DeLano at bat while 2011 RotY Nick Snow sizes up the pitcher. The DeLoppes powerful offense is led by the best player in the game: Joey DeLano. Check the record books if you challenge that claim. He has it all: wonderful hitter who can hit for power, has speed to burn and the best hands in the field. If you hit the ball in his direction, he will make double and triple plays happen all day long. Joey is not the only threat the DeLoppes possess, though; there are literally no weak spots in the batting order. From short-swinging Cliff Comstock and rookie sensation Nick Snow (who always puts the ball in play) to high OBP man BJ Hoppe, and, who I feel is the most underrated player in the league, Bobby Hoppe.

If you think that offense is tough, try hitting off Chad, Cliff, Bobby, or their closer Chuck McDonald. Yeah, the DeLoppes have a closer in the pen, and that helps make up best staff in Wiffleball. Not taking anything away from the Thunder Ducks with Pearson as their workhorse, but you will not see a stable of horses like the DeLoppes have. Cliff Comstock takes the mound at Frenchtown Field  -  BJ and Bobby Hoppe try to manufacture a run.

Their ballpark, Frenchtown Field, is well-suited to their style of play. Perfectly suited in fact. They play fast. With the new tag up rules in place, expect flames coming out of their asses rounding second and heading into third. I could go on and on about these guys, and with good reason: I believe this is their year. The DeLoppes are returning their complete roster, are only going to get better, and are built in a way to benefit from the new rule changes. I do not see anyone beating this team at all.

Two-fer Team Tuesday: Double Ds - Donkeys

by Adam G. The Donkeys are the Northwestern Wildcats of WSEM - purple notwithstanding. They are not the most talented team in the league, but have the ability to beat anyone at any time. They have a solid core of players that have played together and know each other, which is a good base. Joe Seto also welcomes a few veteran players to his core unit: Alex Shore and Maclin Ma…. I avoid typing his whole name due to each letter referring to how many games he will likely come to.

Joe Seto on the mound in front of former captain, your author, Adam G. We all know Alex Shore has the biggest mouth in the league. However, Joe Seto had the advantage of playing for Adam Grant last season, so he should have a basic knowledge for handling individuals who like to talk a lot on the field. The Donkeys could still provide the first scandal to hit WSEM, though. With Joe Seto being an avid photographer, it would not surprise me to see Seto taking pictures of Deloppes practices. Thus, adding New England Patriots of WSEM to their comparative monikers, if only in terms of questionable - yet artistic - tactics for game preparation.

Spagnuolo rips a shot down the RF line. On the field, the stats for Don Shaw and Joe "Spags" Spagnuolo from last season are nothing to brag about (.111/.182 AVG and .273/.345 OBP, respectively; 9 TB in 10 combined GP), but with a full season I expect both will improve on their stats. Alex Shore provides increased batting presence with his .417 AVG, .787 SLG, 12 HR, 100 TB and 39 RBI from 2011. If Joe Seto can finish the season like he began 2011 (.397 AVG, .828 SLG, and 8 HR through the first five weeks of the season), this could be the Miguel Cabrera/Prince Fielder batting order that the Donkeys have been trying to secure during the offseason.

My prediction: The Donkeys will end the season in the middle of the league, with a few upsets scored along the way. If Shore is able to regularly bring some of his Westside Warrior buddies into the lineup, such as Whelan or Myers, this team might even finish better than that. Seto offers only the following comment: What? No bold Commandos vs. Donkeys prediction?

Team Tuesdays: Whiteford W.A.

[Today's guest columnist is Joel Crozier: assistant captain of Whiteford W.A., creator of the WSEM Championship Trophy, an all-around do anything for wiffleball kind of guy, and possibly future WSEM front-office material.]

When Austin Bischoff first appeared on the WSEM scene, he was just a seventeen-year-old kid filling in for the Flying Squirrels late in the regular season. Players began to take notice, however, when he took the mound against the Warriors and DeLoppes, and posted two complete game shutouts. He soon became the Squirrels’ ace; in the last two weeks of the regular season and the playoffs, he allowed only one run over 46 innings while striking out 120 batters. When the newly revived Squirrels nearly upset the DeLoppes in the second round of the playoffs, Austin Bischoff became a major topic of discussion: “This guy is up there with Dennis Pearson!” “Does Whiteford even exist?” “Hey Carl, you know if they’ve got any like him left on Craigslist? Or was it Ebay where you found him?”

However, Austin was no wiffleball newbie. Like Carl Coffee, Austin was actually the founder and commissioner of his own league: the Whiteford Wiffleball Association.

The origins of wiffle activity in Whiteford trace back to Austin’s elementary school years, when he and close friend Joel Crozier experimented with various bat-and-ball games. They moved from tennis ball baseball to blooper ball to a game called smallball. Unfortunately, because they often played one-on-one, these games didn’t work well when they got older and stronger. That’s when Austin discovered the ultimate one-on-one game: wiffleball.

From the moment the two boys, now in eighth grade, watched a well-thrown pitch break three feet on its way to the strike zone, they were hooked. They researched pitching methods, built a strike zone, bought bases and a home run fence, and began forming a league. They launched a web site and recruited players from their school to join.


Whiteford's roster for Beat It: Colin, Austin, Joel, Justin, and Evan.
Unfortunately, it soon became clear many of other kids didn’t have the same love for wiffleball. The league operated sporadically over the next few years, with only three players actually competing in more than a couple of games. Organized tournaments fell flat on two occasions. Although their games were always intensely competitive, and usually featured high quality pitching, Austin and Joel wanted to find some real competition against other people who enjoyed the game as much as they did. During their search, they discovered a league known as Downriver Wiffle.

Austin contacted the commissioner, Carl Coffee, and a wiffleball relationship was born. As Downriver Wiffle evolved into WSEM, Austin tried to form a team and enter a tournament in Monroe. After the Fourth of July tournament was canceled, Austin got a chance to play organized wiffleball anyway — for the Squirrels. You already know how that turned out.

In the second round of the playoffs, Joel went with Austin to see what the league was all about. He liked what he saw. After the tournament, he and Austin had a long conversation about forming a team for the next season. The first step, of course, would be to enter a team in the end-of-season Beat It tournament.

They contacted Justin Hughes, a leading hitter on Whiteford’s varsity baseball team, and Colin Lake, a superb fielder who could also smash a wiffleball. Austin’s little brother Evan rounded out the team at five players. After Joel and Austin made jerseys, the Whiteford Wiffleball Association was no longer a league — it was a team.

In a great day of wiffleball, the WWA gave Austin the perfect present on his birthday: the Beat It championship. Joel missed most of the tournament due to a fall baseball obligation; with the new rotation rule in effect, someone needed to step up. Justin, who had never pitched in a wiffleball game before, was a pleasant surprise, shutting down the DeLoppes in a crucial playoff game and pitching most of the championship game. When he got in a jam, Austin showed his managerial prowess and faith in Joel, who took the mound, managed to escape the inning, and closed out the tournament.


Plans for WWA's field expansion for the 2012 season.
The WWA has big plans for its first WSEM season. They recently unveiled plans for their home field (name to be determined). Preseason odds released by Brandon Corbett generously list the team as a favorite. Austin, officially named the WWA Captain, and Joel, Assistant to the Captain and Head Publicist, plan to have a pool of players to draw upon throughout the season. They also want to utilize a full pitching rotation throughout the regular season (Austin, Joel, Evan, Justin, Colin, …?) for added versatility in the playoffs. Most of all, they are excited to be playing the game they love with others who are as enthusiastic about it as they are.

What to watch for:

• Bitter rivalries against the Squirrels (Austin’s a traitor!) and Thunder Ducks (think battle for the Clown Shu).
• Possibility of lighter, cooler alternate jerseys
• Closing of League Lineup site, opening of new team site
• Updates on field construction
• Promo vid!
• Video recaps/highlights of games

Team Tuesdays: Jason Mattseals

Finding seven WSEM teams was a piece of cake. Finding an eighth… not so much. Evan Bortmas and his friends from the Manchester Wiffleball Association were the original owners of the eighth franchise, but in less than a week they dropped out. Then, the Johnny III Truckers signed on as the eighth team. They ended up leaving to form their own league. Since we had such bad luck expanding (literally) with those teams, we decided to look locally and finally found a stable eighth team: the Jason Mattseals.

There actually is some history to this team. In early April of 2009, Downriver Wiffle returned after a four year hiatus. A tournament was held at Owen Park in Trenton, and a whopping three teams showed up. The weather was bad and with only three teams playing the tournament was canceled and a pickup game was held instead. Well, one of those three teams that did show up that day was the Jason Mattseals.

The only member of the Mattseals who played in 2009 that is currently on the roster is Jason Matt. Jason was an active part of Downriver Wiffle in the early months of 2009. He did not play at all last year, but is once again back at it this year. Jason wears an ‘A’ as the admiral of the team, which is fitting if you have ever seen a picture of Admiral Nelson.


Rumors run rampant that the Admiral ran his ship aground and built a
practice facility from its hull; pitching machines may be retooled cannons.

Imran Kakli is the captain of the Mattseals, and proved himself a good one when he did a great job putting a roster together in only a few days. Although Imran's sport of choice is basketball, his competitive nature will do well for him in this league. The rest of the roster is filled with athletes who excelled in baseball and even one in tennis. Jeff Biegas, a former standout tennis star in high school, is a very nice addition to the Mattseals. Much like Imran, he does not like to lose. Jason Hewlett has been getting some hype as the Mattseals ace pitcher. He is a baseball junky that is ready to give the sport of wiffleball a chance. Dave Gibbons, Jeff Philipart, and Chris Slapnik round out the roster for this rookie squad.

The Mattseals greatest strength will be their ability to surprise. Rookie teams have always done well in our tournaments, and it will be interesting to see if a rookie team can do that in our league. I would not underestimate this team. Imran handpicked a roster full of competitors and athletes, and in this sport that can go a long way.

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Carl Coffee
Flying Squirrels, 18, SS
Kissed by a Rose at Home Plate

Team Tuesdays: Flying Squirrels

Founders… Before fabricating this feature, I first need to pour a treat from the Founders Brewing Co.; I often fall back on their Dirty Bastard as a standout favorite. Okay, now then… Founders! The Flying Squirrels are the team of the Wiffle in Southeast Michigan, and Downriver Wiffle before that, founders, Carl Coffee and Brandon Corbett. When you think of a founder, you usually think of a rock, tradition, unchanging. Well, forget that. This team’s history is a nightmare to follow! Just look at the list of team names used over the past 5 years: (The) Lugnuts, Don’t Parade in Our Rain, Jammers, Mike Babcock’s Hair, Skat Beletons, CoCoBuMu, and finally Flying Squirrels. The lineup has been shuffled around just as schizophrenically, including being two separate franchises early on. However, the current lineup of Coffee, Corbett, Jon McKinnie, and Matt Murtha, as well as the Flying Squirrels name, seem to have taken root as both have taken the team to their first championship and will, for the first time, see use spanning longer than one year.

A look back at some of the franchise's schizophrenic
(and quite bright!) logo and jersey history

Without a doubt the most important event in the history of the Flying Squirrels franchise is the moment they ran into Kickin’ Rocks, the team’s simpleton spirit guide met on the teams’ annual trek into central Ohio. One of his punted pebbles plunked Corbett on the head as the team rode into town on horseback; the divine intervention of fate. This is the teaching Kickin’ Rocks gave to the Squirrels: sometimes you’ll shank, sometimes you’ll fly true, sometimes you’ll whiff and look like an idiot, but just keep on doing what you’re doing and you’ll achieve everything; a simple confidence. The second critical event for the Squirrels happened mere hours later in what became known as “Brawling Pianos;” watching McKinnie delicately tickle the ivories, while at the same time pounding skulls invoked a zen-like extra-sensory concentration in the Squirrels’ roster. Oh, and then there was that time last September when they won a championship! These events have solidified this lineup of Squirrels and elevated them to a high flying level of competition, from which they have never come back down.

Corbett channeling the power of Brawling Pianos and
the spirit of Kickin' Rocks' teachings for the first time.

The two constant team members through the years, Carl Coffee and Brandon Corbett, love playing wiffleball so much they took it upon themselves to form tournaments and now a league in order to seek out the best competition and talent. When Carl moved back to Michigan in 2009 and reformed the squad, they quickly realized no one on the roster was a pitcher. Well, it did not take long before Corbett stepped on the mound, and the Squirrels realized they did have a pitcher, and a damn good one at that. Corbett has quickly turned into one of the league's elite pitchers, getting more dominant with each performance, and is a top contender for the Clown Shu award (WSEM's "Cy Young") in this inaugural season. Corbett already brought a power bat to the lineup, and although Carl can be streaky at times, he is still one of the better hitters in the league, and very capable in a clutch situation. Jon McKinnie, who played two tournaments with the Squirrels last year and tickled the ivories in Brawling Pianos, will step up as the everyday lead-off hitter and left fielder this season. His speed makes him very dangerous both on the base paths and defensively, and he has some surprise power mixed in with his swagger. Matt Murtha’s contribution is often overlooked, but he plays a consistent role that is very important to his team’s success. Murtha is an accurate pitcher who spot starts in games to save Corbett’s arm. John Hill has been given the role of “the voice of the WSEM.” He will be co-hosting the podcasts and will be the booming play-by-play announcer for live broadcasts. He also has a perfect fielding percentage, and will be used situationally as a defensive replacement for Coffee at shortstop.

From R to L - Carl Coffee, Murtha, and Corbett
in a defensive battle with their rivals, the Wiffling DeLoppes

Coffee, Corbett, McKinnie, and Murtha will comprise the Squirrels’ opening day roster, but they have two other solid players who will make appearances throughout the season, giving their lineup an even greater punch. Evan Bortmas from the Manchester Wiffleball Association, was penciled in to captain the 8th team in our league, however things fell apart for him and his team unfortunately had to drop out. Coffee and Bortmas did some talking and Evan ultimately agreed to bring his talents to the Squirrels lineup this season. Currently the Squirrels plan to have Evan on the roster when they play a couple series, roughly 8 games, at his field in Manchester. Bortmas brings valuable experience to the mound and the addition of his arm will make an already stellar pitching staff even more dominant. The Squirrels’ latest addition also reaches back to one of their original sensations, Nick Coffee. Nick was a huge player in the early days of the Downriver Wiffleball League: he helped build the fields, run the tournaments, and made amazing plays on the field. Although Nick is a vacuum in the outfield, his greatest asset to the team is his true home run power. Nick will be in South Florida when the season starts, but when he makes his mid-season return to Michigan and wiffleball he will be teaming up with McKinnie in an outfield that will have virtually no holes. In short, the hits will just keep on coming, and the already stingy Squirrels’ defense will be even harder to get runs on with the additions of Nick’s range and Evan’s pitching arm to their arsenal.

Nick Coffee (left) and Jon McKinnie, shown batting here, will be
an outstanding tandem in the Squirrels' outfield later this season

The Flying Squirrels name fits the team well: they’re defensive minded, not afraid to scrap in the dirt and hoard runs, yet they can turn it up, hit the long ball, and take over a game - soaring above the competition. They have learned to use their enlightening off the field experiences with Kickin’ Rocks and Brawling Pianos to make better use of their on field skills, becoming the reigning champions as the 2011 season begins, and they continue to seek out and store talent on their roster for an additional surge in case the need arises.

Team Page: http://wiffleinsemiteams.blogspot.com/p/flying-squirrels.html

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Brandon Corbett (wsg Carl Coffee on the Roster and Who's)
Flying Squirrels, 17, P
Wiffle Cool J

Team Tuesdays: Campus Commandos

The story behind the formation of the Campus Commandos is a kindred spirit to that of the genesis of Wiffle in Southeast Michigan. Team captain, Adam Grant, played in a tournament in East Lansing. He was placed on the roster of a team called the Jackson 5, and they battled through the long journey of the losers’ bracket and ended up in second place. Adam fell in love with the game, and after moving to Detroit after college he wondered if he could find a way to continue wiffling. Now, I will turn it over to Adam for a minute, so he can tell you, himself, how he found our league and started putting his team together.

Like any Gen Y’er, I Googled it. My search turned up the league Wiffle in Southeast Michigan. I called anyone in my cell phone to put a team together. No one on the team is going to make the MLB, but I am pretty sure if we hit the ball with all our strength it will just get over the fence. 'Beginners Luck! Beginners Luck,' the rest of the league will shout as we start moving up the leader board!

Adam Grant (far left) making his wiffle debut in East Lansing

Well, maybe no one will be going to the MLB, but at least one of his recent free agent pick-ups, Joe Seto, is a pitcher who could well be on his way to the WSEM all-star team. In two Downriver Wiffle tournaments Seto has a 4-1 record and a 2.18 ERA, and only allowing 1 ER in 12 innings (0.41 ERA) in his most recent performance. Damien Rogers, another everyday player recently slotted into the Commandos, calls himself, “a team player who likes to just play. Competitive.” [Edit: Damien is now a member of the Newport Ass Kickers, where he will bring another everyday, consistent player to the roster.] Don’t be fooled when you look at the Commandos’ lineup. It is a huge list of names, but like Adam said: he called everyone in his phone to put a team together. He is not sure how regularly most of his roster will be available, so the addition of everyday, every play guys like Seto and Rogers are a big help to both the team, and Adam’s sanity.

Adam and Commissioner Carl Coffee share similar stories with how they came to the game of wiffleball: they each played in a tournament, fell in love with it, and wanted to find a way to play more. For Carl it took awhile, but he has managed to put together a league of the best wiffle talent in five Michigan counties. While it may take some experimentation and adjustment early on along with the fun on the field, Adam definitely brings a tremendous excitement to the game and if his wiffleball story continues at the same beat as WSEM's, there is no ceiling to the level the Campus Commandos could be competing at by the end of this 2011 season or what they could accomplish.

Thanks to Adam for letting us know about his background with wiffle and how he came to find us. To repay that favor, here is Adam again to tell you some information about his college student’s advertising blog, from where his team takes their name:

While I have your attention. If you know of any company that needs help reaching the college demographic let me know. http://www.campuscommandos.com - The Campus Commandos may one day afford a billboard in a MLB stadium, but for now we will take the shameless promotion on this blog! - Adam Grant

Team Page: http://wiffleinsemiteams.blogspot.com/p/campus-commandos.html

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Brandon Corbett
Flying Squirrels, 17, P
Mail Room

Team Tuesdays: Belgian Wiffles

You know how people will often say that they have put their blood and sweat into something to plead their dedication? Hey, Carl and I have probably let that overstatement slip once or twice in getting this league running. Well, David Buhr, captain of the Belgian Wiffles, actually has put his blood into our wiffleball Field of Dreams. The first time he came out to play at Pacman Park in the summer of 2009, he made a diving attempt on the first base side of the field.  When he got up blood was streaming down his forearm. Not sure how much time actually passed, but it seemed to be a long, drawn out moment, before David finally casually said he should probably leave and get his arm taken care of. The rest of us scoured for the rest of the glass and kept saying we couldn’t believe that happened, and imagine how bad it could have been. At the field later, Carl received a text from David stating that his sister had convinced him he needed to get stitches, even though he still didn’t think it was that bad. Needless to say this was the big push for us to finally start having players sign waivers. We even considered putting up a gag advertisement for “Buhr-mese Imported Glass” on an outfield wall to commemorate David’s accident. We did not, nor was David about to give up wiffleball over a glass shard; he was one of the first signed up to bring a team to the August tournament.

This first incarnation of the Belgian Wiffles was pieced together from free agents, and the results were like trying to piece back together broken gla… Alright! I’ll stop with the glass talk! Buhr was joined by current teammate Nolan Gonyea, as well as Matt Murtha, now a Flying Squirrel, and good friend to Wiffle in Southeast Michigan, Chris Kincaide. With an 0-2 record in the double elimination tournament the team’s performance was not up to the same level as their enthusiasm. Still, there is a bright side found in 2009 for the Belgian Wiffles: Gonyea and Buhr had a .500 and .300 AVG, respectively, as well as nine walks between them in two games. So, they will get on base and then approach every play with an aggressive mindset to try to swing the momentum their way. This year, having more experience with wiffle, we should only expect the numbers from these two players to improve. Oh, and while we are talking “numbers,” Gonyea has selected the most original, stand-out uniform number in WSEM by far: 52.7!

David Buhr at bat the 2009 Downriver Wiffle Tournament

The Belgian Wiffles did not play in 2010, and when they take the field in 2011 the team will be running out a heavily restructured lineup. Power at the plate was a problem for Belgian in 2009, and wasn’t helped with the loss of Murtha, their only true power threat. So, to resolve that problem in the 2010-2011 offseason Buhr has made three signings to boost his team’s slugging numbers, as well as to shore up their pitching ranks. The first two signings, Chris Lewis and Marc Strawser, will join Buhr on the mound, and look to form a strong rotation: Buhr is an accurate pitcher, having never recorded a BB, while Lewis and Strawser are billed as confident, hard-throwers who will throw the ball by batters and likely compete to be the Belgian Wiffles’ ace. Both Lewis, a fast-pitch baseball player by trade, and Strawser, a GM at Powerhouse Gym, also look to provide some much needed power to the Belgian lineup. The most recent addition to the everyday Belgian lineup is Chuck Weiler, signed to his deal by Chris Lewis earlier this week. Weiler brings with him wiffleball experience dating back to at least 2003 in the South End Wiffle Association, and has some impressive references on his wiffle resume, having played with the Michigan's wiffleball Moses, Alan Garcia, at Fat Bastard in 2008. Weiler is not alone in his wiffle pedigree on the team either; Jay Mac, another recent signing to the Belgian roster, has also logged playing time at the Wifflehouse.

I led this article off with the “blood and sweat” joke, but the truth is David really does have a passion for this game and puts a ton of effort into it. Buhr and new teammate Chris Lewis approach their lineup in the same way David approaches his game: make every move count, play every play one-hundred percent, and, simply, just do it right. This methodology seems to be present with the whole 2011 roster of the Belgian Wiffles: the first truly assembled roster in WSEM. Although, less like “pieced together broken glass,” and much more in the way of one solid unit methodically crafted in the furnace and precisely prepared with time. They may have made something special with this lineup; do not be surprised to see the Belgian Wiffles amass a sizeable win total and go on a serious run when the games mean the most.

Team Page: http://wiffleinsemiteams.blogspot.com/p/belgian-wiffles.html

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Brandon Corbett
Flying Squirrels, 17, P
Strike Zoning Commission Supervisor