Team Tuesdays: Wiffle Hit Wonders
Hello wiffle-amigos, this week on team Tuesday I’ll be going over the Wiffle Hit Wonders (the team I currently play for). Buckle up...this could get rocky. I feel we have not preformed up to par…..I may be somewhat bitter and really open up like never before.
As always, lets discuss the roster. In the first ever draft in history for the Huntington Wiffleball League the Wiffle Hit Wonders selected Jeremy Ray. Being the consensus number one pick leading up to the draft, picking Ray was a no brainier! Next up was Pat Horton, a player who has delivered (when he actually shows up and plays). A busy schedule has kept him away from two whole tournaments so far this season, which is a shame since he is a player that could be a top 3 player in the entire league. He has a cannon for the fast pitch side of things, he can cover the whole outfield himself, and hits the ball very well. If only he would show up to the field more...
Derek Darlak is next up on the roster. Derek was a player who not many knew much about but has pleasantly surprised a few people. He’s a bit of a streaky player. In the tournaments thus far has played in every position. He pitched rather well in the fast pitch tournament and has hit the ball well. Fielding has been a sore spot with Derek. At times he shows flashes of greatness in the field, then at other times shows his lack of experience in the game. Overall, he is a decent player and, with more experience, can turn into a great player.
Next up is Paul Castle. Paul was the last draft pick for the team that came before the first slow pitch tournament. The last pick was delayed due to all players being picked during the live draft. That left The Wiffle Hit Wonders with basically the pick of the litter. With unsuccessful begging from Jeremy Ray to draft Drew McClanahan (who had not even signed up for the draft), Paul Castle was chosen. Paul has only been able to show up to the one tournament (the May slow-pitch tournament). He preformed pretty well to have never played the game competitively. He got off to a slow start but came around with the bat. Fielding was somewhat of an issue at times with Paul. But, it goes back to what I said with Derek - the inexperience in this game can really show at times. The tournament that Paul played in was with a roster that included: Pat Horton, Derek Darlak and myself. That was a day that we had our chance to win it, but the upstart farm team came out of nowhere, also missing that day was Jeremy Ray - a major disadvantage. Paul is set to make his first fast pitch appearance this month, which excites me because this guy has the tools but will they translate into a great wiffleball player? Only time will tell.
Now, on to myself. If you ask a few people in the league, you will get a positive reaction to an assessment of my play on the field. Others, not so much. I started in the last full season of fast pitch in 2014. Been to a regional NWLA tournament and have been a decent hitter in my career. Fielding is not my strong area. While I have had some great plays in the field, I devoted my off seasons to learning the art of pitching. While I’m not on the levels as some of the greats we have seen in this league, I’m not too shabby. Hitting the zone is important and movement is good and those are things I can do. I may not have the speed but I've got finesse….Greg Maddox anybody? I may be reaching there, but you get my point.
Ryan Pritt was drafted a reserve and has not been able to show up yet. He's a player with a ton of experience and a league championship under his belt. He's a decent pitcher and a great hitter. Acquiring Pritt was a really nice pick up but Wiffle Hit Wonders have yet to cash in on that pick since he has yet to show that he is either willing or able to play this season. T.J. Harrison is also on the roster. He was the captain to start the season. He has yet to show up and play. He was removed as captain by the league and Derek Darlak was put in his place. He has some experience and played well last year with Make Wiffleball Great Again where he caught on with hitting very quickly. But without him being able to commit to show and play he has not been much of a factor, other then adding to the disappointing season being endured thus far for the franchise.
This team is built to WIN! But people not showing up or inexperience has noticeably hindered the team at times. Wiffle Hit Wonders has a small outside chance to win, buy it’s a rapidly shrinking window of opportunity. The team needs to come together quickly and play as a team and show off the talent they have. But, most of all, the guys on this team like to have fun and can play well while doing that. So, as a member of this team, to my fellow teammates…..lets finish fun and put some wins up! As always, thanks for reading! See you next Tuesday when I cover Saved By the Balls.
