Team Tuesdays: Thunder Ducks
Happy Team Tuesday wiffle peeps. Anthony Stidham here to bring you all the info on teams in our league. Today: The Thunder Ducks. Fresh off their first tournament championship, this is a team that had a lot of people talking after the draft. Let’s get to it.
Ian Handy. Captain of the Thunder Duck ship. Ian brings a lot to the wiffle table. He can pitch, hit and has quite a bit of experience in his short time as a player in our league. He is either smashing the ball, or not. There is really no in between with Ian. When he is hitting, he is a feared batter to pitchers in our league. Fast pitch experience is lacking some with him. Prior to our season his only experience was at the NWLA tournament in 2016. He seems to be adjusting to the difference in slow and fast pitch. Ian is nothing to take lightly on the mound. He throws the ball pretty hard with some movement. He struggles with hitting the zone at times, but overall a good pitcher!
Brice Clark. Number two overall pick and what many thought (including myself) would have been a very safe pick at number 1. Taking nothing away from Jeremy Ray at number 1. Brice has proven himself to be a player with power in the box, great hands in the field and a winner. As captain of The Mothmen team that has owned tournaments that have attended in our league, this guy knows wiffleball. Fast pitch was a question coming in to the season with Brice, but he has responded well. The hard throwing lefty has made some of the best batters in our league look like fools with his pitching this year. Great draft pick for captain, Ian Handy!
Josh Blair had made quite the name for himself in his few short years in the league. Two NLWA appearances, London Tournament participant, award winning fielder. But the biggest thing he is known for…..blowing up a group chat for NO FRIGGIN’ REASON! Sorry, had a little pent up rage there. Anyway, back to his ability to play the game. Josh’s experience of the last few years have paid off. His reckless, give all, run though anything ability to play the field has made him a top tier player. He struggles at the plate at times, but when he is hitting he hits with a great success rate. He can hit power or for base runners. Another great draft pick for Ian.
Patrick Rayl. The third committee member on this team…..seems like Ian tried to surround himself with people in high places. Patrick brings quite a bit to the table with this team. Patrick ran the league standalone last year. He brought us into the once a month era were in now. Which in this writers opinion, saved our league. As far as his play, he brings intangibles to a team that almost every successful team has. A role player, he can give you time on the mound, plays a pretty good field and can hit the long ball. But the things that makes him a player that most teams need. His passion and ability to have fun. He loves wiffleball, our league and having fun while playing. A former teammate and fellow committee member, I can tell you he helps teams he plays on. And the only guy who is a little disappointed when I don’t call him an ass hole.
Greg Sowards. One of the league’s founding fathers. Former award winning everything. In his career he has pitched, hit and fielded at a high level. You can’t teach knowledge of the game. Fellow Steeler fan, Greg has come more to a “coach” role over the years. Greg still pitches and hit pretty well. But the years have caught up to him and they do to us all. His want to play the game and passion for the league makes him an important person to any team that he would play for. Shawn Harmon. A sleeper pick for Ian, he has paid off! Logging some innings pitching on both the fast and slow pitch side. He adds some relief to Ian and Brice on the mound for later round games. Shown to be a hitter at times too. He has gotten better over the last few tournaments his fielding seems to be his strong suit. More he plays the better he gets. This could pay off to be a great player down the road.
Nick Sump has yet to show up to a tournament. He made his name with Dinger City in Hallowiffle and played last year in a tournament. Nick is a good player, if I’m not mistaken he lives quite a ways away which makes it hard for him to commit to playing on the reg. If this guy shows up with this team…..they are a force that possible no team can deal with. They have it! Honestly, I think the most well put together team in the league. Some would say Saved By The Balls do because of their two tournament championships. And that’s a valid point. But I think, with the full team there, including Nick. This team is could be the most dangerous in the league. They are not meshing as well as Saved By The Balls which is why they only have the one tournament championship. Maybe they have found the team chemistry, maybe not. July 29th is an important tournament date for them.
