BTWL Top 10 Players
Going into the 2012 season, the BTWL editors have decided to compile a list of the Top 10 Players in the league. This list combines mostly past achievements, and statistical considerations, but considers some current skills as well. The list will be released on a day by day basis, with numbers 10-8 released on the first day, 7 & 6 the next, 5 & 4 the next, and the top 3 released on the final day.
To see the list go to the tab on the left hand side of the screen entitled "Top 10 Players".
Created by JS and TG
Pre-Season Award Favorites
The season is right around the corner, and of course, one of the best parts is seeing who has phenomenal years on the bump, at the plate, in the field, or all of the above. And when the season comes to a close, we'll know exactly who was the best, and who walks away with the hardware. Let's take a look at the Top 3 Favorites in each category for 2012.
*It should be noted that a winner of the any of the 3 major awards (MVP, Silver Slugger, Cy Young) may not receive another of the major 3 in the same season.
MVP
Favorite: Davis Pierce, Blue Rocks What can we say about Pierce that hasn't already been said? Simply put, Pierce is a monster. In 6 seasons of the BTWL, Dave has walked away with the MVP award 5 times. He is unquestionably the most talented player in the league, and gets the job done both at the plate and on the mound. He started shockingly slow at the plate last season, and many thought his reign was coming to an end. But oh how quickly he quieted the doubters. He wound up hitting a mere .422, leaving the yard 11 times, and driving in 27. And not to be forgotten was his 8-0 record on the mound with a sparkling 1.27 ERA and 75 K's. He also notched a save just for good measure. He's also the career leader in every major statistical category, except triples. All that goes along with his team going 15-3, and winning the regular season title for the 6th time in 6 tries. Very Real Chance: Antonio Leatham, Jammers Last year, Leatham tore up the league early and had 10 HRs through his first 11 games. It seemed as if he'd shatter the regular season record for HRs, but a late-season slump hurt his chances at MVP. Also a detriment to his chances was his mediocrity on the bump. But then came the playoffs. Leatham showed his true pitching potential. He belittled the Tigers lineup en route to the championship round, where he made the powerful Padres lineup look like a bunch of John Gasparoni's. If he can consistently pitch like he knows how throughout the season, and also hit like he has his entire career, there is a very good possibility that he dethrones Pierce atop the mountain. Don't Sleep On: Cayden Bengtson, Blue Rocks In the only season that Dave Pierce didn't win MVP, his longtime teammate Cayden did. Bengtson is consistently among the best players in the league, and is an absolute flamethrower on the mound. If it weren't for his terrible 0-3 start on the mound in 2011, he may have very well walked away with the MVP again last year. And yet he still finished with a 2.21 ERA and 5 wins. He also broke the league record for most doubles in a season, along with 8 HRs and 25 RBI at the dish. The only thing slowing him is himself, and the fact that maybe the only player better than him is on the same team.
Honorable Mentions: Greg Sullivan, Keith Leatham
Silver Slugger
Favorite: Antonio Leatham, Jammers When it comes to hitting, Leatham just rakes. He's the only player in BTWL history to win the triple crown, and he's also the 2x defending Silver Slugger. Since he became a consistent every game type player again in 2010, Leatham has slugged 20 HR and gone for 50 RBI and catapulted himself among the career leaders in all major hitting categories. Assuming he doesn't win MVP, he should be the clear favorite for this award. Very Real Chance: Greg Sullivan, Biscuits Sullivan has been one of the most reliable hitters in league history, winning the batting title 3 times in 6 years. He's a rare breed of left-handed batters, and he's incredibly difficult to get out. If it weren't for the team he was on last year, he may have been more recognized for the tremendous numbers he put up. With a seemingly better supporting cast this season, he should be able to drive in more runs and have a solid shot at this award. Don't Sleep On: Conor Rogan, Jammers Rogan, along with A. Leatham, form one of the most dangerous lineups in the history of the league. The only thing holding him back from potential MVP candidacy is his lack of pitching. Despite that, Rogan is a pure hitter. He had down years in '09 and '10, but bounced back last year to finish 4th in HR and RBI. If he continues to hit to his fullest potential, he is a strong candidate for this award.
Honorable Mentions: Dave Pierce, Kyle Cross, Cayden Bengtson
Cy Young Favorite: Keith Leatham, Aces The reigning Cy Young winner, the elder Leatham is appropriately on the new team entitled the Aces. Perhaps the most accurate pitcher in the league, this crafty right-hander is known for keeping his team in games and occasionally throwing absolute junk when he needs a strikeout. He only walked 12 batters all of last year, and won the Cy Young award despite being on an 9-9 team with minimal run support. He's essentially the Felix Hernandez of the BTWL. It seems everyone always talks about not fearing facing Leatham when he takes the mound, but mostly everyone walks away not being able to solve him. He's probably the only pitcher in the league with a legitimate change-up, and it baffles hitters. Leatham is always a Cy Young contender, and that should in no way change in 2012. Very Real Chance: Cayden Bengtson, Blue Rocks If Bengtson is consistent throughout the season, he could potentially run away with this award, that is if he doesn't win MVP. He owns a league-record 5 no-hitters for a reason, and that is because when he is on, he's literally unhittable. He tends to get wild from time to time, but when he's able to reign in all his skills, be afraid. Last year he won the Championship MVP award solely for his pitching as he mowed down the Nats lineup in 16 innings, and he has the talent to do that over the course of an entire season. Don't Sleep on: Dave Pierce, Blue Rocks The only reason Pierce is the 3rd favorite is because he's such an overwhelming favorite for MVP. Obviously his numbers speak for themselves, and he was named one of the Top 15 Pitchers in America for a reason. He doesn't throw heat, but he's unnaturally accurate and is straight up intimidating when he steps foot on the mound. He has an array of 6 pitches that he can throw equally as accurate and he keeps you off-balance all game long. If he managed to have a down year at the plate, he would likely be a unanimous favorite for Cy Young.
Honorable Mentions: Tony Sciaraffa, Antonio Leatham
Comeback Player of the Year Favorite: Jim Sarkisian, Aces Jimbo is capable of being a dominant pitcher when he gets his mind right. He's got a Cy Young under his belt, and he's 3rd All-Time in strikeouts. If he can maybe take a little tutelage from new teammate Keith Leatham, then Jimbo should be able to right the ship and potentially bounce back to his old form. He's always been a very under-appreciated hitter as well, as he's not exactly known for blazing speed or power, but he's constantly on-base and coming up with hits when his team needs it. If he can manage to get a few wins on the bump, unlike 2011, and keep his ERA at a respectable level while leading his team to a solid season, then Jimbo should be a strong candidate for this award. Very Real Chance: John Gasparoni, Aces Oh, Johnny. The man who looks like he's 40 and talks the most trash of anyone in the league this side of Tony Sciaraffa. If you look at his 2011 stats, you'd probably think to yourself, why is he talking trash? And that, friends, is the million dollar question. But it's why we love him, and why we hate him. After his dismal 2011 season, there's really only one place to go: up. If he manages to get worse, then he may find himself out of the mix in Reno. Regardless, somewhere within Gaspi, there is a respectable amount of talent. He looked good in his first two seasons in the BTWL, but he just has to improve his eye at the plate and relax a bit. That should lead to better numbers, and if he can get on base for his squad then he may fall into a better rhythm. Don't Sleep On: Pat Trainor, Jammers Trainor has dabbled in the BTWL, as he has a great deal of skill both on the plate and on the mound, but he's been the most unreliable player in BTWL history. Two teams have given him a shot, and twice he's failed to come through. This will be his 3rd go-round, and he says he's more dedicated this time around with a chip on his shoulder. If he shows up, he'll simply be an added piece to an already strong lineup. That could inflate his numbers, and he could potentially compete for other awards outside of this one. If he doesn't, then it's a low-risk situation for Captain Ty Galicia, and Trainor will be an expendable piece.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Sarkisian, Paul Latino
Gold Glove Since there are 4 Gold Glove Award Winners, here is a list of the most likely candidates: Favorites: Conor Rogan, Jammers. Tyler Galicia, Jammers. Keith Leatham, Aces. Antonio Leatham, Jammers. Dave Pierce, Blue Rocks. Cayden Bengtson, Blue Rocks Rookie of the Year There are three rookies in the BTWL this season, two of which we've never seen play competitively. Those are Chris Smith and Brendan Fitzgerald. The third is Andrew Nawn who has 3 career games under his belt. I'd be remiss to name favorites here, as I don't really have an objective view. They'll make for an interesting race this season though.
-TG
Bold Predictions For The 2012 Season
With the season about a month away, we are looking at the best season yet for the Black Top Wiffleball League. To make things a bit interesting here are some bold predictions that could possibly happen this season with the new rules and new teams. The Bold Meter is a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the most unlikely to happen.
Antonio Leatham Breaks Every Major Batting Record It looked like last year that Antonio Leatham would break the longstanding home run record of 15 set by Dave Pierce in 2008, but he had a homer drought to end last season. He definitely has the potential to belt 20 homers and can drive in many runs with Ty Galicia and Conor Rogan batting in front of him. It would not be surprising to see Antonio capture the batting Triple Crown, as he did in 2010, and put up 17+ HRs and 50+ RBIs in 2012.
Bold Meter: 6/10
Reno Aces Will Win The Regular Season Crown No other team except the Wilmington Blue Rocks (formerly Padres) has finished in first place during the regular season, but this year's Aces team has the potential to perform such a task. With Keith Leatham headlining this year's squad, captain Jim Sarkisian also added BTWL veterans Kyle Cross and John Gasparoni. Everyone on this season's team has the potential to bat over .350+ and even .400. With the addition of Brendan Fitzgerald, the Aces may have found a diamond in the rough as he has been regarded as the best pitcher outside of the BTWL. With some solid hitting and pitching, the Aces could climb out of the basement and atop the standings.
Bold Meter: 10/10
Cayden Bengtson's ERA Is Over 5.00 in 2012 Everyone in the BTWL knows that Cayden Bengtson throws the fastest in the league and is arguably the top pitcher. However, everyone also knows that he has had control issues and injuries in the past. Cayden has had a few no-hitters including one where he lost 4-3 by walking in all four runs. This year could see higher walk numbers as few can hit his fast pitches and look for the easy walk. If teams don't mind walking all game against the Blue Rocks, #2 pitcher Cayden could lose a few more games and see his ERA slowly climb.
Bold Meter: 9/10
Conor Rogan Wins Four Games As A Pitcher This Year When the Jammers selected Conor Rogan in the second round, they got one of the best power hitters in the league. Conor has been used sparingly on the bump (0-1, 9 IP, 4.67 ERA in 2011), but could be used as a starter this year especially if captain Ty Galicia returns to his late-2011 form (ended season 0-4). He could win games as a pitcher with the potent offense that was built in the draft and therefore could move into the #2 pitching spot and rake up the wins.
Bold Meter: 7/10
Kyle Reis Will Hit Have Double-Digit Homeruns For The Biscuits Few people have come into the BTWL had have done as well as Kyle Reis did in 2011. In eight games, the Rookie-of-the-Year had five homeruns, 12 RBIs, and an average over .425. If he continues this pace over the 18 game regular season we could see 10+ homeruns that would be a welcome addition in any lineup, especially one that lost Keith Leatham.
Bold Meter: 5/10
Kyle Cross Will Win The Silver Slugger Award As a member of the Nationals, Kyle Cross was used as a part-time player, but this year Cross will be a key member of the Aces. He has the third best batting average in the history of the BTWL (.401) and has 21 homeruns. With the always dangerous Keith Leatham in the lineup and John Gasparoni and Jim Sarkisian getting on base, Cross could drive in a lot of runs and help the Aces win games with their offense. Cross captured the 2008 Silver Slugger as a member of Sarkisian's Athletics squad.
Bold Meter 6/10
The Biscuits Will Finish the Season With Less Than Three Wins Biscuits captain Tony Sciaraffa looked toward the future when he traded Antonio Leatham for Greg Sullivan and a second round 2014 pick, not that Sullivan is a bad replacement. Sciaraffa and Sullivan look to be the key pieces to this year's team but after that question marks are raised. Will Kyle Reis have a solid sophomore season? Will Tom Sarkisian show up and more importantly perform for the Biscuits? Will Chris Smith be able to adjust to the BTWL in his first season? The Biscuits should win more than three games, but that?s why they call them bold predictions.
Bold Meter 10/10
Dave Pierce Wins His Sixth MVP Award This really is not a bold prediction, but I have to be able to get at least one correct. Pierce is the most decorated player (award wise) and is no doubt the best player in the BTWL. He started off slow last season, but a few games against the White Sox righted the ship. One of the "Top 15 Wiffleball Pitchers in America" Pierce is definitely one of the best all-around players to step on the pavement and looks to win his sixth MVP Award in 2012.
Bold Meter 1/10
-JS
Non Stop is Back
It's been a while, but your favorite Wiffleball show is back! Non-Stop Black Top is returning for it's second season, and we kick it off with a Special Draft Edition of the show.
About the BTWL
Welcome to The Black Top Wiffleball League Official Homepage. Formally known as the Auburn Wiffleball League (AWL), we are a league located in Auburn, Massachusetts and made up of 4 Teams (Reno Aces, Montgomery Biscuits, Jamestown Jammers, and Wilmington Blue Rocks). The league was created in the summer of 2006 by Dave Pierce, Tony Sciaraffa, Tyler Galicia, and Jim Sarkisian. We are currently in preparation for a 7th BTWL season to start in the summer of 2012.
***It is important to note the the BTWL does not own the name rights to "Wiffleball" as it is property of "Wiffleball Inc." Also, any representation of Major League Baseball (MLB) or Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is strictly for entertainment purposes only and the BTWL does not own or sell the usage of these team names or logos.***
