The League is Back!

Our league has endured many changes throughout our history. We were founded upon principles of creating formats that promote parity and growth while building upon the lessons learned from the prior league we had ran. For the most part, I feel that we succeeded. We've experimented with a variety of styles and formats over the years, which has been effective in showing us what works and does not over time. We've seen that fast-pitch (while it can be highly competitive) can be quite limiting and certainly intimidating for all newcomers. Slow-pitch (which can be fun) becomes a bit stagnant and tends to drag out games as they become football score driven borefests. We seemed to have found our "Goldilocks zone" with medium pitch in 2018 with the best of both worlds and returned to the scheduled season approach rather than the tournament events, a return-to-form with popular support from the players.

I feel like we finally got it all "right" in that final season but ran out of runway on the administrative level and 2018 was the right time to put the league into hibernation. Brice Clark started up Wild and Wonderful Wiffle (WWW) the following year in 2019. They held a few tournaments with moderate success and it served mostly to continue efforts to stay involved in the NWLA Tournament. WWW did not return after their 2019 events and beyond our participation in the annual Amy For Africa Tournament in Ashland KY, there were no Wiffleball operations from our league whatsoever (or any league within WV for that matter). We'd initially began plans on our return in late 2020 into early 2021 but... as many of you may be familiar, there was a global pandemic that appeared to take precedent and the timing to reanimate the league could have been better. But the desire and conversation began and we started looking for the time and opportunity for bringing the league back. We elected new classes into the league Hall of Fame, wrote articles and released podcast episodes. We started getting back into the swing of things that we enjoyed doing while the league was operating and bid our time for the right moment to resurrect.

This past summer, we sent a squad to the London Wiffleball Tournament in central Ohio. It's a tournament that we've performed fair at in the past but our lack of playing for the past four years had proven to be very detrimental to our playing ability. But more than that, there was a sobering realization while we were there, since we have no league, for us to play Wiffleball at all it will involve two things: 1) traveling for hours and 2) playing by other peoples rules (regardless of if they make sense to us or not). To drive 3 to 4 hours one way to an event and that may be our only event for the year is just criminal. Would it not just be more fruitful to put all the effort into the league rather than assembling a team, travel, practice, etc.? This was not brought up by me, but by Kevin Chattin. He said it far more simply and effectively: "Why don't we just bring our league back already?" So, here we are.

Since being in London, OH this past July, we've been quietly (and seriously) working on a plan on bringing the league back. We didn't immediately make an announcement and then sort out the details later. No... We wanted something solid that we felt confident in and that we could present that gives us the best chance at success in bringing our league back into the light. I think we've succeeded in coming up with such a plan and I hope you will as well. So, without further delay let's get into it...

1. There will be FOUR teams in the league this coming year

We've typically had 6 or 8 teams in our league but that had become very difficult to maintain as the years went on and that was primarily due to one issue that has plagued our league throughout our entire history: player turnover. Players don't always come back year over year and that will threaten a team's ability to return as a result. We then found ourselves trying to balance our the divisions and setting up new teams and asking players content on a team to captain a team for this purpose. Andy Hill captaining the Plain White Tee's in 2015 is a perfect example of this. This led to the foundation of "whipping teams" such as the Welfare Warriors and Plain White Tees where they were created solely to balance out the divisions and schedule rather than focus on quality. Simply put: we're not doing that anymore.

We had four teams in our prior league and it had proven to be quite competitive and the goal here is to create four teams with solid and deep rosters that do not suffer from weak attendance. From here we may seek to grow and add expansion teams once we've established these first four franchises. But building solid teams with committed rosters is the only way to cure this ailment and this can provide a bright future for our league.

We're also leaving behind the beer league team names. It's not cute and the "punchline" effect of these team names loose their luster after 1, 2, 3, or 4 years. We wanted new team names that classed things up slightly and give us a fresh start. Picking team names that have more lasting power than the "you'll hate us in the morning" team names of old seemed important since many of the former teams renamed themselves annually. Let's put down some roots. Each of the four teams have also added city/town names as well to provide more of a "ball club" feel for each team. The teams are as follows: 1) The Charleston Yellow Sox, 2) The Hurricane Locomotives, 3) The Poca Great Aunt Pearls & 4) The Milton Mudcats.

2. The teams will be captained by members of the league committee

Gone are the days of the commissioner but to better explain this I'll provide some background. From 2012 to 2015, I was the commissioner of this league (with Greg Sowards serving as co-commissioner). It was always a labor to communicate everything that needed to be communicated to captains throughout the season. When we created the league committee (an extension of the already existing rules committee), that did help a great deal with communication but there was still a large gap in getting necessary information to all captains and essential parties. One of the ideas put forth by the committee in its first year (2017) was that all team captains be committee members but it did not occur. Had this suggestion been enacted, the league draft could have had a much different outcome. But that is a conversation (and perhaps article) for a different day.

The potential of the idea was not forgotten and was brought forth once again and the committee has decided it may have some merit and each of the four teams will be captained by committee members to cut down on any time lost on communication between the committee and the teams themselves as each team will have someone "one the inside" knowing what's going on with the league itself. No more teams not knowing the rules well or what they can or cannot do with rosters, etc. We are entering the age of the "hive mind" where the teams and the league are in sync. The teams will be captained by the following people: Joshua Smith (Yellow Sox), Greg Sowards (Locomotives), Jeremy Ray (Pearls) & Kevin Chattin (Mudcats).

3. The team roster cap is five players

This part should not be a great shock to anyone. Historically, the roster sizes have usually been 3 to 6 players. But we need to ensure that we can fill out these players with quality players. So, we've capped the rosters at 5 players a team - for now. Should each team cap out their rosters, we will review to bump up the roster max to 6 - but again...this would only be after each team has maxed out their existing 5 roster spots. So, bear this in mind when filling out your roster and choose wisely!

4. We will have a scheduled season (not a tournament format)

The 2018 season was the first time we played a structured/scheduled season since 2015 and it was something that a growing portion of the player base had been asking for since deviating from it. It started from the die-hard bunch and then from players who had never even played in that format. In 2018, we finally went back to it and it was a success. The 2016 slow-pitch tournament format was just what we needed to snap out of our fast-pitch funk but it quickly put us in a different funk of stagnation. But moreover, the setup and preparation required for a tournament was very wearing on the committee, requiring some to even paint lines and set up fences the night prior to the event - and that is not a sustainable arrangement.

So, in 2018 we went back to basics by drawing up a schedule and returning to the to that format with much acclaim. The days were shorter as well without having to contend with round-robin seeding games and then a single or double-elimination bracket tournament afterward. I must admit those tournaments were quite the marathon and I was usually glad when they were over. All of this is not to say we won't ever consider hosting a tournament event again but the 2023 season will be just that: a season, not a series of tournaments.

5. This year will be medium-pitch (just as it was in 2018)

Ah, yes - as I've eluded to many times in the article thus far, the 2023 season will be largely piggy-backing off of what we got right in the 2018 season. I think one of those things was the implementation of medium-pitch. At the risk of turning this article into a league history lesson, I will be brief. Much like professional baseball, our league has went through many style changes in this regard but we never really had a speed 'limit' until 2016 when we went slow-pitch. You could pitch as fast as you wanted from our foundation, it was simply that we did not have much talent in the league that could pair their velocity with control, but in 2014 that changed with the likes of players like Drew McClanahan, Nick Kappra, Jeremy Ray and some others.

But you must take into account that it did not take long for the league to be absolutely dominated by pitchers. We turned over many players simply by becoming bored with striking out a dozen or more times each week. And trying to get new faces out there while they're getting housed each week? Forget about it! We went the polar opposite direction in 2016 to slow pitch but it had a an equally dominant outcome for offense. Even I get bored hitting dingers all day. Finally, after an offseason podcast discussion with Greater Cincinnati Wiffle Ball League commissioner Jim Bryant, we decided to make the switch to medium-pitch. This is a format that few leagues use and confused some in the league as many did not know how it would be policed. Officially, we advised that the limit was 55mph. But as we have no radar guns and I had consulted the Potomac Wiffleball League commissioner (Chris Galloway) who had told me that radar guns tend to only pick up readings on leather balls (such as footballs, baseballs, etc) - player discretion will need to be what rules the speed. I think both the batter and pitcher know when a ball is being thrown too hard/fast. If you can hear the ball coming at you, that's a good sign. But I think the main thing to remember is to just be a good sport.

6. Pitchers will be permitted (and encouraged) to have a baseball glove to conceal pitch selection

After reviewing hundreds (if not thousands) of our photos and editing some of them for player cards, I've noticed how weird it is that Wiffleball pitchers don't have a glove. It's just off balance looking. And I made the glove suggestion not just for aesthetics. A league from NY that I respected (Hess Field Wiffle Ball) had some pitchers that would use gloves in the earlier years and the image always stuck with me. I think the practical application of a glove here would be a pitcher can more easily hide their pitch selection from the batter and opposing team. Given that the pitcher is only 45 feet, or potentially less (see #7), from the batter - it would aid the pitcher to hide what they might be throwing next. The fact that it would just look better would be a bonus that would help me sleep at night.

7. Pitcher's mound will be either at 42' or 45' from strike zone (to be determined)

Not much to divulge here. With it being medium pitch, the mound being moved up a smidge will not hurt anything and will balance out the decreased speed some. If anything, it will improve accuracy. I think that is something that will all can be grateful for since many of us will be returning to the field for the first time in just over four years.

8. There will be pitching rotation rules

When fast pitch went away, as did the rotation rules. But we also lost a lot of depth in pitching rotation staffs and this has led to us under-performing at tournaments abroad, teams developing within the league, the same players winning end-of-the-year awards and general boredom. Pitching rotation rules force good pitchers to do well with the time they've been given and teams to develop second or third pitchers within their rotation and to become resourceful with relief when needed. Forcing teams to do this saw the league's high-water mark with pitching not just with dominance through speed but each team figured out their own rotation in real-time throughout the season and formed some of the most well-known rotations the league had ever seen, and they can do it again. There is a Platonic proverb that says it best, "Necessity is the mother of invention."

And with it being medium pitch, you do not need to be a stud flirting with the need for Tommy-John surgery. Get out there and have fun with it.

9. We're allowing "steals" and it's not exactly what you're thinking...

This may be a bit complex to read and would likely be best heard explained on the podcast episode. But this is a rule that is inspired by a league that I have long admired and stolen rules from to benefit this league. To best understand this rule, you'll need to forget the conventional base stealing notion you are familiar with as we do not lead off in Wiffleball or steal bases in that sense. However, the strategy of stealing a bases is very much the same with intent here.

The rule is simply this: A baserunner may only steal 2nd or 3rd base no sooner than the third inning of the game. A team may only steal two bases per game. For the runner to attempt steal the intended base they must declare audibly, so that all participating players on the field can hear, "STEAL" while the pitcher is in the pitching motion (but has not yet released the ball). At this point, the batter cannot swing at the pitched ball. If the pitched ball hits the strike zone, the baserunner is thrown out. If the pitched ball misses the strike zone, then the baserunner is awarded the stolen base. The pitched ball will be counted as normal in the ball/strike count despite the batter not being permitted to swing. If the batter swings, then it will be counted as an automatic strike and the batter will be thrown out.

Only the lead runner can steal. Only one runner can steal at a time (no double steals, etc.). No player can steal home.

I will explain with the following scenario for simplicity:

You have a baserunner (let's call him Billy) on first base and he wants to steal second base. The pitcher (who we will call Tom) is on the mound getting ready to pitch to the batter (which we will refer to as Chad).

It's bottom of the 3rd and Billy's team is down 2 runs and it's time to bust a move to get in this game. Chad just stepped in the box and is getting ready to take his first pitch of the count. Tom winds up to make his pitch but hasn't released the ball yet, Billy makes his declaration: "STEAL!!!" Chad, much to Billy's dismay, has pitched a strike as the ball hits the strike zone board and he's been thrown out. But that's not all! As this was the first pitch of the count and it was a no-swing strike, it's also a backwards K. That's an unassisted double play by Chad in this scenario, not bad.

Another scenario, same dudes. Bottom of the 5th. Chad is on 2nd base and Billy is pitching with Tom at the plate. Billy winds up and Chad shouts "STEAL" before Billy releases the ball. Billy misses the zone. Chad is now safely standing on third base just 45 feet from scoring. That is how it's done!

If done correctly, stealing will really break open some of the occasional stalemate games that happen in the league. If nothing else, it will be a fun stat to keep track of and I look forward to see who the Rickey Henderson of our league might be. You don't actually have to actually run to the base if you are "stealing" but nothing wrong with some theater. However, if you aren't stealing - you better be standing firmly on the base. There still is no leading off.

10. There will still be 5 inning games BUT only 2 outs each side

We have always played 5 innings here but faced with having to play so many games each week in a day (see #11), we were faced with the prospect of visiting that configuration for the first time since our foundation in 2012. Ultimately, we decided to shave an out off an out at each side with the goal of making games a little shorter so that we can play more games without necessarily taking more time. So each game will still have 5 innings but each side will only have 2 outs in each inning instead of the 3 outs that they had in the past. This is a format we used in our old league (where we played 3 innings / 2 outs each side) and this should aid in our quest to quicken the pace of games and increase the number of games we wish to play each day.

11. Teams are to play 5-game series against opponents once a month

My hope is for each team to have a 20-game season in 2023 and for us to do that by only playing once a month is for each team to play 5 games each time they come out over the season (April - July). But rather than cycling through opponents several times each month and having down time between games waiting, the sensible thing to do would be to schedule series match-ups with the same opponent. This is not only practical but mimics what they do in MLB where they have series match-ups with opponents throughout the regular season. I think by doing this we may not have to start at the crack of dawn and will have more time to set up fields while letting the morning dew dry. The teams can then go right into their next game of the set after the prior game has wrapped up rather than moving to next field or waiting for their next opponent to finish a game. This will be much more time efficient. It will also give each team a good look at their opponent during the regular season prior to the post-season.

12. There will be a playoff series

We don't really have any details ironed out for this yet but I want to ensure that it's special. I'm viewing 2023 as a reset for this league. So having a separate playoff/championship series to allow hype and build-up for articles, podcast episodes and everything will really make it special. Before the post-season has sometimes received an afterthought treatment. We will have been playing series games all season, I think it's high time we have our first championship series as well to determine the league title holder. After all, it would be pretty anticlimactic to play series sets all season and not do so in the championship. Let's do it right in 2023 and beyond!

Pitchers and strike zones will be reporting in April 2023. Be there!