by Alex Shore Camaraderie, competitive, and convivial are just a few words that come to mind when describing the NWLA Tournament in Dublin, Ohio. It is truly profound to congregate with some of the best wiffle ballers in this country, in a weekend long tournament. Wiffle in South East Michigan has been to both of the tournaments that have been previously held, and placed 3rd and 9th, respectively. The major difference between this year and the previous two tournament’s, is that Carl Coffee has stepped down as manager of ‘Big Wood’ and named myself, Alex Shore, as manager. I feel very honored to be selected by Carl to be the manager of the team that represents WSEM nationally and have therefore selected the team name in his honor. There is nothing more I would love to do, than to have another deep run and to potentially bring home the hardware in this year’s tournament all while having a great time.
Last year’s team was lackluster in comparison to the 2012 team to say the least, the cockiness, false confidence, and lack of team chemistry led us to an early elimination. I have been waiting nearly a year for a shot at redemption, nearly a year to explain to everyone that I compete in a national wiffle-ball tournament again, and nearly a year to announce my first ever team that I will be managing for WSEM. After watching film, attending games, and sending surveys to league member’s, I now believe that I have hand-picked eight players, in a league full of talent, that can give us a strong run and allow WSEM to be uttered in the same sentence as NWLA champions. Therefore, without further delay, meet your 2014 WSEM Dads.
Coaching Staff
| The coaches will be helping me with the maintenance of team morale and performance, as well as drinking heavily. Meet your 2014 coaches (the real dads here!). | |
| 1st Base: | Carl Coffee |
| 3rd Base: | Nick Coffee |
| Pitching Coach: | Chris Paquin |
| Bench Coaches: | Jimmy Barone, Brandon Corbett, and Michael Sessions |
| Hitting Coach: | Mark Phillips |
Chandler Phillips is bar none one of the most electric and controversial players in WSEM. He is a gamer and last year in Ohio proved that. In the wake of a pitching nightmare for WSEM in last years tournament, Chandler stepped up big and pitched WSEM to their only two wins of the tournament posting a 1.09 ERA. Chandler will be utilized heavily in the bullpen and will sometimes bat 5th in the lineup. Chandler is looking to build on his 2013 performance and follow suit with more stellar outings. With this being said, Chandler was last in OBP and hit sub .250 at the dish for ‘Big Wood’. Hopefully, he can bump up these numbers and become a role player for the Dads.
It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyways; Austin Bischoff is one of the deadliest men with a wiffleball in this tournament and possibly the country. He has proven he can hang with the best around and continues to impress me every year. Austin is dominant in WSEM, posting a 0.51 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 64 Ks in 23 IP this year. In last year’s tournament he posted a 1.96 ERA while striking out 37 in 15+ innings pitched. Austin went 0-2 losing heartbreaking games to both Ryan Bush and Chris Harley – but try facing the 2012 and 2013 NWLA MVPs, respectively, and see how it pans out. Austin has been my right hand man both on and off the field. It is with great pleasure that I will be naming him as the team captain (since I am no longer captain of this squad, but rather a player-manager). Austin is a great leader by example and also is one of the most well respected players in WSEM. Austin has gold on his mind, and I know for a fact that both him and myself do not plan on leaving Ohio empty handed. Austin will primarily be used as the ace of the pitching staff and has also been selected to participate in the Home Run Derby.
Since I prefer to not write about myself, I have given the honor to Carl Coffee:
“It was really a no brainer who would take over WSEM Big Wood - Alex Shore. Shore is one of two three-year NWLA Tournament players for the WSEM Dads, as he was the captain of Big Wood in 2012-13. This year he will be a player/manager and give the team a fresh new style. Shore has more of a no-nonsense approach to the game, but still has fun on the field. His signature rape stare is a fan favorite throughout the tournament. Shore is an impressive .278 career NWLA Tournament hitter and strives on the big stage. Last year was a very down offensive year for the WSEM tournament team, but Shore was one of the few bright spots, being the only player of ‘Big Wood’ to have a .300 batting average. The highlight of his 2013 campaign was hitting for the rare cycle against the Huntington Wiffleball League. Shore has been the #2 hitter in both tournaments, so you will probably see him there once again. Shore will also get a lot of time in one of the two outfield positions, and also occasionally be a DH and EH.”
I am very excited to announce the return of the MVP of the 2012 "Big Wood” team. Sam Hatt was the biggest threat on the field for “Big Wood” in the 2012 tournament, posting an incredible .346 batting average, .595 OBP and notched a 2-1 record on the hill with a 1.67 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 18 innings. In my many years of knowing and playing against Sam, there is one thing I know for certain, this man flat out plays his heart out. You will never see Sam take a play or pitch off. He is constantly in the game and working on and perfecting his mechanics to be the best he can possibly be. Sam will be used as the lead off hitter for the Dads, while also serving a pitching role if needed. Sam is the true definition of a five-tool player. He has a very high approval rating by WSEM league players and I personally can’t think of many people that are better suited to represent this league on a national level than Sam Hatt.
If there has ever been one person that has been consistently overlooked by WSEM, it is Kyle Tomlinson; and that trend ends here. Kyle Tomlinson was noted in league surveys as one of the most enjoyable players in the league. Aside from that, Kyle is the reigning MVP of WSEM and is having another stellar season so far, hitting for a league leading .370 AVG. Kyle’s calm demeanor, ability to get on base, and hit good pitching is exactly what I looked for this offseason for this team. Kyle was also very productive in 2012 for the Belgian Wiffle’s as their leading hitter with the yellow bat. As one of the NWLA rookies on this squad, I hope Kyle brings passion and enthusiasm to this tournament. He also meshes very nicely with Chandler, being teammates and best friends, and in my opinion, team chemistry can only help. Kyle will bat 4th for the Dads, and get some reps in the field. P.S. Sorry Kyle, you will have to pick a new number!
Evan Bischoff is the youngest member of the 2014 Dads. He also happens to be without a doubt, my most controversial pick for this year's team. Lil E, as he is known in the WSEM realm, has posted more than respectable numbers this season already. I am going to key in on the fact that he has pitched 20+ innings, struck out 48 and walked ONLY three batters giving him a WHIP of 0.97 and has posted a 1.16 ERA. Evan is not that deadly at the plate, and I will therefore use him mostly as a pitcher. He is accurate, he is fast, and he shares the same bloodline as Austin Bischoff which has to count for something. Evan has watched the tournament twice from the sidelines and knows what it takes to make a deep run come Sunday, not to mention the fact that he pitched the Aces to victory in the WSEM Championship last year. Congratulations are in order to you, Evan. You have worked hard for this opportunity and hope you don’t let me down – you’re my Vince Papale!
When I think of Evan Bortmas, I instinctually think of the best hitter in WSEM history. Evan Bortmas has proven that he can hit the best of the best, and win games at all costs. Evan Bortmas was not selected for the 2013 ‘Big Wood’ and it was a mistake. Bortmas has the ability to change the game at one swing of the bat. He even prefers to use the yellow bat during league games. The 2012 WSEM MVP had a very stellar 2012 NWLA tournament posting a .296 batting average, with a .500 OBP and led the team in homers and RBI’s. Building on the chemistry aspect ofthis years team, Evan and Sam Hatt have been best friends since childhood, and also assembled the infamous Manchester Punchouts team that went an astounding 26-2 in WSEM league play in 2012. These two are gamers that flat out win. Bortmas will bat 3rd for the Dads and provide the power bat of the lineup.Bortmas will also represent WSEM in the 2014 All-Star Game on Friday night.
My final piece to the WSEM ‘Dads’ puzzle is Stephen Farkas. Aside from being the nicest person to inhabit the metro-Detroit area, Stephen Farkas has another gear that WSEM has never seen before. In his first (and only) season in WSEM so far, he has pitched an unprecedented four perfect games in six starts. His stats speak volumes when you see a 0.19 ERA, 0.22 WHIP, 176 strikeouts, 8 walks and ONLY two runs given up in 64 innings pitched. He has shattered the single season strikeout record and it’s only halfway through the season. Farkas is my number two-pitcher and by far the team’s biggest x-factor. The one-two punch of him and Austin Bischoff is unfathomable to opposing hitters. If Farkas can bring his game to NWLA, I’m very excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. Stephen will rarely hit, and be used as a starting pitcher.
| In the event that a player fails to comply with deadlines or is unaable to attend the NWLA tournament, I have named two Alternates: | |
| 1st Alternate: | P - Craig Skinner |
| 2nd Alternate: | EH - Dakota LaDoucuer |
