Predicting the 2014 Handies: Part 2

		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.

Country Strong HR King 2013 Predictions:  (1) Dennis Pearson,  (2) Dylan Braden,  (3) Alex Shore 2013 Winner:  Dennis Pearson 2014 Predictions Favorite:  Dennis Pearson (Holy Balls) In the Running:  Kyle Tomlinson (El Diablos) Longshot:  David Castle (Westside Warriors)

Favorite:  Dennis Pearson (Holy Balls) I am not sure if I even need to include two more guys for this category. Dennis had 22 home runs in 2013, and the closest guy was nine behind him. Dennis is lethal with the black bats and even though he is now playing on a pitcher friendly field, he should once again be over 20 homers. In the Running:  Kyle Tomlinson (El Diablos) Tomlinson isn’t a power hitter, but he does have the ability to knock them out of the park. He has cleaned up on individual awards the last two seasons, so maybe, just maybe, the HR title will be his next quest? Longshot:  David Castle (Westside Warriors) Castle had a magical 2nd half of the season in 2013 and seemingly could do no wrong. His 13 home runs were 2nd in the league, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him around that number again.

Batting Champion 2013 Predictions:  (1) Kyle Tomlinson,  (2) Alex Shore,  (3) Josh Nagorski 2013 Winner:  Nicco Lollio 2014 Predictions Favorite:  Evan Bortmas (Westside Warriors) In the Running:  Kyle Tomlinson (El Diablos) Longshot:  Nicco Lollio (Wolfpack)

Favorite:  Evan Bortmas (Westside Warriors) I don’t know about you, but Bortmas seems like a guy you don’t want to upset. Finishing 5th in the league for the Batting Crown is probably on his mind and should motivate him. Late in the season he started using the yellow bats with some positive results. Could we see him do that again? Or will he stick with the black beauty? Either way he should easily be over .400 again. In the Running:  Kyle Tomlinson (El Diablos) Tomlinson had above average stats across the board in 2013, but didn’t finish 1st in the stats that mattered. He should battle with Bortmas all season for the Batting Crown, and wouldn’t surprise anyone if he wins it. Longshot:  Nicco Lollio (Wolfpack) Putting the defending Batting Champion as the longshot probably won’t shock anyone since it seems Lollio won this award last year with an asterisk. Lollio only played in 16 games last year, but he did make the most of them. It’s anyone’s guess how often he will play with his new team, but without the protection of Dakota, Chandler, Kyle, and Skinner, he may not see as many good pitches as he did in 2013.

Most Valuable Player 2013 Predictions:  (1) K. Tomlinson/A. Shore,  (2) D. Pearson/C. Phillips,  (3) D. Braden/J. Crozier 2013 Winner:  Kyle Tomlinson 2014 Predictions Favorite:  Dennis Pearson (Holy Balls) In the Running:  Evan Bortmas (Westside Warriors) Longshot:  Dakota LaDouceur (El Diablos)

Favorite:  Dennis Pearson (Holy Balls) Even I am surprised I didn’t put Bortmas or Tomlinson here, but Pearson is out for blood. He hasn’t been this focused since 2011, and seeing so many guys in the league pass him in stats and awards will motivate him. Pearson should run away with the HR and RBI crowns, and should be a Top 5 Batting Average guy. We have come close to having a Triple Crown winner in the past, and Pearson will have a great chance at doing that this season. My stat line prediction for him is .400/25/60. #GOAT In the Running:  Evan Bortmas (Westside Warriors) Like I said earlier, don’t upset Evan Bortmas. The Wicked Aces personify a team style game, so last season Bortmas didn’t have the eye-popping stats he had in 2012. With a title under his belt, look for him to get that MVP Handy back. I don’t think we will ever see a hitter over .500 again, but Bortmas could be a .450 hitter. He’s also extremely clutch and I would love to see his batting average with runners on base. The former MVP may once again be the current MVP after the 2014 season. My stat line prediction for Bortmas is .435/15/44. Longshot:  Dakota LaDouceur (El Diablos) Sorry, Kyle Tomlinson cannot be considered a longshot; therefore he had to be omitted from the MVP list. Instead, his teammate Dakota earned this slot. The RBI machine is predicted to have a big year. With Nicco off the team, Dakota will be looked upon to pick up some of that slack. His teams have finished 2nd place the last two seasons, so that is another reason I think Dakota will be motivated to have a big year. My stat line prediction for Dakota is .355/12/48.

Clown Shu 2013 Predictions:  (1) Austin Bischoff,  (2) Craig Skinner,  (3) Dennis Pearson 2013 Winner:  Craig Skinner 2014 Predictions Favorite:  Austin Bischoff (Wicked Aces) In the Running:  Craig Skinner (El Diablos) Longshot:  Chandler Phillips (El Diablos)

Favorite:  Austin Bischoff (Wicked Aces) It feels strange, but Austin is the first Wicked Ace to be on this list. I have no doubt that if Austin would have pitched the amount of games Skinner did in 2013, the Clown Shu would have been his. Austin ultimately plays for the Commissioner’s Cup, so history could repeat itself. I however cannot put anyone else but Austin as the favorite. If he wants the Clown Shu, he will win it. In the Running:  Craig Skinner (El Diablos) Skinner won last year. Skinner is still awesome. Skinner may win again. What else can you say? Longshot:  Chandler Phillips (El Diablos) Will Mundel was the hot new girl who comes mid-school year and awes everyone, but Chandler has been the consistently hot girl who has been around for a while. That was a weird sentence… Anyways, Chandler will have every opportunity to win the Clown Shu award in 2014. He had a few games last year he wishes he could take back, but I don’t see him doing that again this season.

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.

Predicting the 2013 Handies

		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.

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.

Bold Ass Predictions

		Your Junk my Happy Zone
		by Brandon Corbett

For those unfamiliar, a bold ass prediction reaches well beyond expectations. It is absolutely not a safe bet; saying it may call into question your credibility and sanity. When it comes true, though, having said it earns you the respect of a savant. Feel free to share any of your bold ass predictions in the comments, and sign your name so we can praise your foresight in August. Here are five of my bold ass predictions for 2013.


Nick Coffee will have double-digit extra base hits.
He had zero in 2012, but his bat began livening up late and in offseason games. Nick's routinely knocking the ball over outfielders heads, and even blasting a couple monster home runs. Only 9 players in 2012 had double-digit extra base hits (6 of them with less than 15), so this is a greater feat than it at first may seem. I think he'll do it the hard way, too, by keeping it in the park for most of them: 7 doubles, 4 home runs. All this attention paid to his offense, though, will once again see Nick snubbed for a Diamond Digit.


The Westside Warriors will win the 2013 Commissioner's Cup.
There are many questions about what their final roster may be, but I'm buying the hype that Alex Shore is selling. With the list of names he's working with you can count on the Warriors running out a talented squad every game day, regardless of whether or not some pieces change from week to week. Also, even if only featured in a limited role, the addition of Sam Hatt sends Westside's stock skyrocketing. He and Shore will be a dangerous 1-2 lefty punch in the lineup, and his guidance can also calm Maclin Malloy's "Wild Thing" tendencies on the mound: making for a lights-out rotation.


Chandler Phillips will lead the league in Ks.
Chandler was fourth in 2012 with 131, just 10 shy of the league lead. He only toed the rubber in 7 games, however, for a total of 52.1 innings. While true that all the 2012 K leaders pitched between 50 and 55 innings, I expect Chandler's innings to increase to around 65 this season as he gets more regular starts. His KPI of 2.5 will see him cutting down 162 batters on the season, running away with the "K crown" as the pitchers ahead of him in 2012 are not likely to see their innings increase


The Wicked Aces will throw 5 perfect games on the season.
Justin Hughes, Evan Bischoff, and Austin Bischoff all threw one in 2012. New signing, Evan Bortmas, threw two. The bats may be bigger and the mound further, but these pitchers will just be better. Evan (Bischoff) will reprise his against King Friday; Bortmas will avenge his only loss from last season by sitting the Squirrels down; Hughes will get one against the Islanders; and Austin will come up with two in huge games: the first against El Diablos, and then a nine inning thriller against the Ducks in the playoffs as the exclamation.


Ryan Alexia will lead the league in stolen bases.
Alexia had a .377 OBP last season, which was over two-times his AVG. His second year in the league will bring an increase in number of hits, and that good eye of his will inflate his OBP into the high .400s. Expect David Buhr to employ steals intelligently as a new facet of the game. We will see Ryan turning singles or walks into doubles and scoring opportunities at will for the Belgian offense: successful in seven out of nine attempts, three of which set up a game-winning run.

8 Preseason Predictions

		Coffee Time
		by Carl Coffee

After a one week hiatus, I return with a brand spanking new Coffee Time. This week, I am going to list eight predictions for what I think will occur in our inaugural season of WSEM. These predictions will range from slightly obvious to bold, and maybe even to moronic. As the season nears and we hopefully reach eight teams, Brandon and I will have fun with betting lines and over/unders, but for now, let's just have some stupid fun.

8. Brian Constanti will NOT be the most dominant pitcher this year.

I know how dominant Brian was in the only tournament he played in, but I just don't see him as the league’s number-one pitcher this year. I believe veterans Corbett, Chad Hoppe, or even Pearson all have a good shot at taking over the honor of #1 pitcher with their continued improvement and experience.

7. Alex Shore will lead the league in runs scored.

Not the most exciting stat in the world, but when it is all said and done, what is really more important than runs? Alex has the patience and the timely hitting to get on base, and with a strong lineup behind him; he should score a lot.

6. The DD Boys will both be Top Five HR hitters.

Dennis Pearson and Dylan Braden could have shared the honor of most improved players in 2010, and this year I expect big things from them offensively. Both of the DD Boys swing hard, and I think when it's all said and done, they will both be two of the top HR leaders.

5. No team will win more than 20 games.

I really believe the parity in this league is suburb. There are four or five teams I could see winning it all, and that number could even be higher once I see the rookies play. Even though I wouldn't be shocked to see a team win 20-22 games, I am gonna stand firm in this prediction.

4. Chad Hoppe will lead the league in strike outs.

Chad, who I mentioned as a likely candidate to be the most dominant pitcher this year, has a history of high strike out totals. I have no reason to believe that won't continue. He also pitches pretty much every inning for the DeLoppes, so that will obviously help his total.

3. Chris Lewis from the Belgian Wiffles will be an All Star.

Captain David Buhr took advantage of an unknown free agent and signed Chris Lewis. Nobody in the league except for Chris Lewis knows how good Chris Lewis really is. I have a feeling this guy will be a stud. Although he is a pitcher, I think his hitting will get him voted in as an All Star. This is a bold prediction, so make me look smart Chris.

2. The Westside Warriors will lead the regular season in wins.

Captain Alex Shore has made some big moves this offseason and has assured himself to be able to find four guys when they play. This team made it to the championship game in September with only 3 guys, so imagine what they will do with a full team. The Warriors have the young legs, strong hitters, and a roster full of pitchers. When all the teams have played their full 28 games, you will see the Warriors going into the playoffs as the #1 seed.

1. The WSEM World Series will be between the DeLoppes and the Flying Squirrels.

Although I like the Warriors in the regular season, I think these two veteran teams will meet in the end. The DeLoppes and the Squirrels both have an ace pitcher in Corbett and C. Hoppe, and the two teams will ride their coattails. Who will win it all? Well you have to wait to find out that one.

Those are my eight predictions for the season. A lot could obviously change these predictions, though. For instance, how good will the Commandos be? With a ten man roster, they could be just as dominant as any team. Who will be the 8th team? Will they be a team of unknowns, or will wiffle veterans claim the final franchise? Will rookies dominate again? Will Chad Hoppe hit his first home run? Will Todd make an appearance? Well...I can't wait to see how these predictions pan out.

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Carl Coffee

Flying Squirrels, 18, SS

VP of Communications