In the Cards '12 #3: Josh Nagorski

In the Cards '12  #3:  Josh Nagorski
Thunder Ducks

Josh Nagorski lives in the shadows, figuratively, and he has no shadow, literally. He lost it in a game of RoShamBo with Peter Pan; although, admittedly Josh should have recognized Pan would pull scissors. Josh is not bothered by the missing shadow as it makes stealth much easier, thus assisting in his ninja training. It has put a quick stop to his highly entertaining puppet theater side-show, however. None of that is here nor there, though, so back to living figuratively in the shadows.

That is a consequence of playing on a team with the D & D boys. Dennis' cannon and Dylan's boomstick are a gravity well for commentary and awe, and the big news from the team in the offseason was the signing of Lewis. Therefore, much of what Gorski brings to the team goes unnoticed around the league. This is in harmony with his ninja persona, however, and he is able to get the jump on unsuspecting pitchers.

It may surprise many that Naggie has actually taken over much of the Thunder Duck operations. He is the one who spearheaded the renaming of the team, for one. Many scheduling requests are funneled through him, for two. He also made the finishing touches to his 00 on the outfield wall at The Swamp. The Ducks have since started the tradition of caressing and pinching them after wins; the MVP finishes off the celebration with some motorboat action.

Oh yeah, and in addition to all of that Gorski can play a little ball! This season, in fewer at bats, Josh has already surpassed his extra-base hits from 2011, including getting his first home run, and has matched his BB and RBI totals from the prior season. He is trending toward the clutch-hitter that he was during last year's playoffs. His AVG may be a bit down, but at .286 is second best on the reigning champion roster, and he is tied for their hit lead with eight. His SLG% is .113 higher than he has ever hit before, which shows he is developing as a Wiffleball hitter and figuring out opposing pitchers. If he settles into this trend as a player, he will be out of the shadows soon and making noise for years to come.

Season	AB	H	BB	R	2B	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG
2012 to date	28	8	5	5	2	1	3	.286	.394	.464
2011	37	12	5	6	1	0	3	.324	.395	.351
2011 playoffs	46	14	0	1	1	0	3	.304	.304	.326

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!