Twitter, Twitter, Video Cover

Alex Shore has started up a Twitter page for WSEM - https://twitter.com/Official_WSEM. He wants to use it to help take coverage of our league to a new level. Right now, in the off-season, he is limited to keeping you updated on site changes, news posts, and new articles on The Skinny. Once the season starts, though, is when he will really be able to start working the magic. Make sure you follow Official_WSEM on twitter to get the most out of the 2012 season!

	In Alex's words:
	Wiffle InSoutheast Michigan now has a twitter page. The purpose of this twitter page is to keep you updated on league news, stories, etc. BUT most importantly, since I will be doing nothing this summer, I will be attending games and tweeting scores, stats, etc. SO, this page is a great way to take our league to the next level with real-time type updates and connect with other leagues.

Alex wants to go on record as saying, "this is not a Donkeys thing." Meaning that the games he attends and tweets real-time scores from will not be exclusive to his team; he wants to get as many teams involved as he can. Shore has said he will try to make it to Marquee Matchups when possible, but not all games he can make and tweet about will be Marquees. Think of it along these lines: the Marquee Matchup as College Gameday, all the hype and storyline building up to a big game, and Shore's Twitter-cast as the prime-time game. Sometimes they are the same billing, but often they are different matchups and places entirely; both are huge deals, though.

Alex's live Twitter updates join an increase in quantity and quality of video highlights as ways we will be improving game coverage this season. Last year saw only a few highlight videos from a single game per week. The plan for 2012 includes purchasing two cameras with league funds: one that will be assigned to film a Marquee Matchup game in its entirety, and a second to capture highlights from other games around the league. The Marquee footage will be edited down like last season. Then, instead of a music track and text, audio commentary will be recorded and added to the video; "calling a game, but without having to watch 100 balls miss the strike zone." The remaining highlights will be put together as a weekly highlight reel. Cloud storage will be set up for uploading and access to footage for those doing video editing. We did well with static images, articles, player cards, and game results/recaps last season, but the improvement to video and Shore's live-feed from games will make WSEM much more entertaining to follow in 2012!

Spring Cleaning and Training Round 2

• First, a bit of site clean up and updating. All team pages have turned over to 2012; so statistic links now go to their blank 2012 pages and the season series are now showing "0-0" 2012 records. Stats and season series records from 2011, along with complete season record from the standings table, have been moved to their own archive page for each team applicable. That link can be found directly belong the "2012 Season Series" table on each team page.
  
  
• Fields pages are also is the process of being brought up to date for 2012. This is long overdue with many teams introducing new fields or finding themselves in need of new digs. Pages for eight of the nine fields are online; we are waiting to confirm a few points for Manchester's field before posting their its page. At minimum, locations are included for all fields with either address or cross streets, often with a map. Many details, like dimensions are given as estimates at this point, and will be updated when exact distances are measured. IN RELATED NEWS: The Donkeys will no longer be playing at the Reservation, but have moved a few miles west down I-96 to new friendly confines in New Hudson, the Zoo.
  
  
• Moving off the web and into the live game: Dates have been set for the two buy-in satellite tournaments:
    April 7 @ a location TBD
    April 21  @ Frenchtown Field  (or next door)
  
  These will cost $20-$25 per team, and if at least four teams out, then the winning team's league fee paid is covered. The team that wins the first is welcome to also play in the second, however, they do not win money if they win again; in this instance the runner-up team will have their league-buy in. These tournaments will be double-elimination; inclusion of round-robin play will depend on number of teams involved.
  
  
• Also, there will be another day of pick-up games played on Saturday, March 31st. We have not decided on a location, but we are looking for a public area with fun outfield fences and will be an easy set up. If there is a place you have in mind, let us know, and we will check it out.

NEWS: Spring, Minors Opportunity, Schedule Look, Tuesdays

1.) Spring Training in Taylor

This Saturday, March 17th, David Buhr will be hosting a day of scrimmages, BP, and whatever Wiffle fun at the Belgian Wiffles field, possibly named the Wiffle Iron, at Heritage Park in Taylor. David will get there around 11am to begin setting up, and has said he will stay out there for at least a few hours if people are out and having fun. So, get there early, help David get things ready, and then enjoy some Wiffle in the nice weather.

Heritage Park
12111 Pardee
Taylor, MI

Between Goddard and Northline. The Field is located in the center of the park, near the left-field foul pole of the fancy LLWS field. There is a drive up to the field that is located on the left side of the circle drive as you enter, in front of the soccer fields.

2.) DeLoppes Minor League Affiliate

We got the following, interesting note from Chad Hoppe. For the record, there are teams still looking for a player or two, part-time or full-time, to shore up their rosters, but if playing with the DeLoppes is the opportuniy you have been waiting for to break into Wiffle, here is your chance!

Hi guys, if you can, will you make this pretty and post it? : The Frenchtown Rock, the Wiffling DeLoppes Minor League affiliate, is currently looking for players to fill their roster. If you are not on a WSEM roster and would like to practice with and against the DeLoppes every week, and maybe play in tournaments too, contact us at your earliest convenience. Tim Dale, Brian Consanti, and Chris Kirk are given non-roster invitaions. Everyone else without a team is welcome, too. Contact Chad Hoppe on facebook if you're interested.

3.) The Schedule is starting to fill up!

In an attempt to involve Alex Shore as much as possible before his surgery and months of recovery, the Donkeys have added three series during Week 2. On 5/5 the Donkeys will head to Lafayette Park for Seto's first trip back then since leaving the Commandos. Also on 5/5 the Donkeys will make the trek down to Poolside Park to play at Whiteford. Then, on 5/6 Whiteford will head to Farmington to complete the home-and-home divisional series with the Donkeys at the field we are still calling the Reservation (although rumored to have relocated to a nearby field). These series join the first Friday-made-possible tri-meet involving the Ducks, Friday (obviously), and Squirrels in an exciting Week 2 of the WSEM season.

In addition to the games showing up on the tracker atop this page and the schedule page, a second Friday-made-possible tri-meet is scheduled for Week 8 between the Mattseals, Squirrels, and Friday (obviously). June games would be bumped off the tracker soon, so that is why we chose to leave it off for now. Remember to check out your home and away two-game, cross-divisional series here, and just keep a dialogue going with the other captains to set weeks and/or dates to play.

4.) Team Tuesdays Column Page

A page to compile the Team Tuesdays articles from all seasons has been created to make finding information on WSEM teams quick and simple. The TT page joins those already created for Coffee Time, Your Junk my Happy Zone, In the Cards, and Captains Corner.

Podcast #10

Carl and Brandon are back, with David Buhr sitting in, for the tenth edition of the WSEM Podcast. For the deca-celebration the guys are introducing a new format with comments and questions from listeners distributed throughout the recording to widen the appeal by giving a greater sense of how the game is played by, and what it means to, Wifflers everywhere. To get in on the discussion like the new Podcast Facebook page, and post what is on your mind. Questions will be posted occasionally and topics will be posted a couple days before each recording day, so you can chime in then, or feel free to speak your mind at any time!

There were a few engineering difficulties during recording, which were mostly worked around during editing. There is a lo-fi quality to the recording as a result, however, the only dialogue that really suffers as a result are a few moments of quick, inconsequential banter.

Listen to Podcast #10 here: http://wiffleinsemi.podbean.com/2012/03/12/wsem-podcast-10/

On the Mics:
Carl "C-doo" Coffee
Brandon "Gazelle (?)" Corbett
David "Dabadooey" Buhr

1. Winter Meeting Recap
   
   • New Rules
   • League Lineup
   • Mr. Munson's Great Athlete's of the Week
2. Division Alignment / Rivalries
   
   • Most anticipated series, match-ups?
3. Fields
   
   • Loss of Pacman Park and the Drey, and plans for their replacements
   • Which fields are you most excited to play on?
   • Listener Mail ** Favorite / strangest fields to play on
4. Spring Training is upon us
   
   • Leagues starting up nationally.
     
     • Crofton Wiffleball Association
     • Scranton Wiffle Ball League
     • National Wiffle Ball League
     • Tampa Bay Wiffleball League
   • WSEM upcoming plans
     
     • February 17th @ Heritage Park in Taylor, 11am
     • Satellite Tournaments for league buy-in: March 31, April 7 or 14 @ Frenchtown
5. New Wiffler's Digest issue cover story: Top 15 Rec Pitchers
   
   • Two WSEM pitchers make the list
     
     • Cliff Comstock and Dennis Pearson
   • If you only get one, what makes a great Wiffle pitcher?
     
     • Speed? Deception? Great defense?
6. Reminders
   
   • $100 league buy-in due by your 2nd week of games
   • Matching shirts with player numbers are required
   • Schedule early to get Marquee Matchups and video highlights
7. We'll see you back here in late April for the 2012 season preview!

Music: Intro - Deastro "Michael, Lone Archer of the North Shore"
Fields Insert - Judah Johnson "Loop Hymn"
Outro - BB Mak "Back Here"

Pacman and The Drey: Leveled; DeLoppes Blamed

The tales are true; Pacman Park and The Drey, the oldest fields used by WSEM/Downriver Wiffle, were found with their right-field fences dismantled and the fields mostly stripped away. A portion of Pacman Park had even been turned into a lake. All but thirty feet of field in front of the batters' box at The Drey was torn up. Initial reactions on the inspection included, "what the hell?!", and, "well... your field had the most character...".

Photo evidence of DeLoppes
players enjoying moving earth.

Soon, the accusation was made by Brandon Corbett, "I bet the DeLoppes did this." True, it is too early in the investigation to assign guilt, however, it is also true that the DeLoppes have access to heavy equipment capable of doing this job. The means are there. Motive can be found easily for the DeLoppes, as well. It is common knowledge that Chad hates playing anywhere other than Frenchtown Field; be it for the home-field advantage and fast playing surface, or the fact that he and his guys hate to drive. There are also many witnesses who will speak to the DeLoppes love of moving earth, which furthers the interest of them as suspects in this case. Opportunity is the DeLoppes' last support in their Jenga tower defense.

Despite eviction from their prior homes, squirrels are notoriously resourceful, and seals notoriously amorous. Neither the Squirrels nor the Mattseals dwelled on the loss for long before drawing up plans for two new, side-by-side fields only a few yards from the old ground. The Squirrels instinctively ran to a tree in the open field; early designs call for the tree being in play as a center field feature of the New Drey. The replacement for Pacman Park is currently imagined as being located to the south of the Drey in close proximity. The two teams will be working together on the re-designs, and are excitedly tossing about ideas that will best make use of the dual-field complex set to open play in June.

Still, there is no fix for the most traumatic loss. The last surviving section of The Rodney was destroyed along with the tall outfield wall; only its frame remained, tossed into a pile of wood scrap. In lieu of this tragedy, the Squirrels have stated they will be wearing their "Rodney" memorial patches that were previously worn in 2009 at London. Due to the importance of Danger Field in the genesis of Wiffle in Southeast Michigan, the league is considering league-wide use of the patches as a commemorative gesture this season. No word on whether this will extend to the DeLoppes, pending the clearing of their name in the investigation.