All-Remington Award Winners: 12/15

Nick Favazzo

Season Two was packed full of jaw dropping defense, gravity defying home run, and immaculate pitching from all 40 players, but now that voters have had ample time to reflect on all of the Wiffle Ball excitement it is time for their opinions to be heard! Yesterday, 50 ballots were filled out by players and fans alike to decide who were the best of the best this year. Let's see who they picked...

MVP: Matthew Favazzo - Shanghai Shamwows (19 votes, 38%)

With this award Matthew adds to his already impressive resume:

• Season One Champion

• Season One All-Star

• Two Season Captain

It was hard to make an argument against Matthew for the MVP award this season. With 18 home runs, 46 RBI, and a .529, there wasn't a single fault to his game. An infallible year that deserves all the credit it has received.

Cy Young Award: Luke Sheth - Western Wind Rattlers (19 votes, 38%)

There were really no if and's or but's about this one. Sheth has been the clear cut favorite since the first pitch he threw. With a riser that breaks the laws of physics, a cutter that will have you seeing double, and a fastball that doesn't even give you a chance to blink, Sheth is utterly unhittable. In the 10 games he pitched, he lost just one. And if you're still not convinced, he was the only player in the league to strike out the MVP himself multiple times in a game!

Gold Glove Award: Aidan Keaveny - Denpasar Dragons (Selected by committee)

There are very few constants in this world; death, taxes, and if the ball is hit in the general vicinity of Aidan Keaveny, he'll get you the out. Aidan made some unreal plays this season while being in the running for pretty much every award available. So despite his spectacular acrobatics in the outfield, his defense was just the cherry on top of a magnificent year.

Rookie of the Year: Nana Adu - Denpasar Dragons (18 votes, 36%)

When Nana was drafted 7th overall to the Denpasar Dragons in July, he promised each of the six teams that passed on him that they would remember it as the biggest mistake they ever made. Five months later, it looks like he was right. Nana was not just the best rookie this season, but among one of the best in the entire league. Slashing .744/.953/1.698, Nana provided offense on offense for an already loaded Denpasar Dragons.

All Remington Teams:

There are only so many individual awards to go around, but these players were so good this season they deserve to be honored all the same. The voters were able to select 10 players for the All Remington Teams in order to identify the 10 best performers in Season Two. These are the picks:

First Team:

Matthew Favazzo (39 votes), Mazdak Darvari (36 votes), Peyton Heisner (36 votes), Nick Favazzo (34 votes), Aidan Keaveny (30 votes)

Second Team:

Cole Velis (26 votes), Luke Sheth (26 votes), John Nordman (25 votes), Nana Adu (24 votes), Matt Healy (23 votes)

The RWL news team would like to extend a huge congratulations to each and every person who picked up the wiffle bat last summer. Each and every one of you are all-stars for making an otherwise dim summer one of the best of our lives. This year may have been pretty grim and downright terrible most of the time, but thanks to all of you I will look back at the summer of 2020 fondly. Thank you for all of the memories and I cannot wait for Season Three next summer!

Not so Rusty After all: 9/13

Nick Favazzo

The playoffs are over, the dust has settled, and we have our new Remington Wiffle Ball League champions...the Radiator Springs Rusteeze! It wasn't but two short months ago the Rusteeze were laughed all the way to the last seed in the league, finishing with a dismal 5-10 record capped off by a bunting scandal that saw their beloved "kill bat" banned from league play. When Season Two began fans were already prepared to write the reeling Rusteeze off for another year in the dumpster, but captain Cole Velis had other plans...

With most Cinderella stories it is difficult to point out one singular moment that pushed everything into place, but with the Rusteeze, it is plain to see that the selection of Cole's younger brother Jaden at pick 5 shot the Rusteeze to the top of power rankings faster than you can say Piston Cup. It was a big ticket move, and it bore big ticket results. Jaden and Cole ran rampant through the league in tandem and backed by ace Peter Miniutti's steady hand on the mound, the Rusteeze were able to muster a cool 9-5 record and comfortably make the playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Regardless of their regular season success, the playoffs were going to be no easy task. In the first round, the Rusteeze faced a daunting task in taking on the Hazardville Hyena- oh...what? They forfeited? Okay, cool.

In the second round, the Rusteeze faced a daunting task in the first seeded Western Wind Rattlers, captained by two season veteran Luke Sheth, who is in possession of the most lethal arsenal of pitches in the league. But the Velis boys pressed on, treating Sheth and the Rattlers like batting practice in a three game sweep.

The stage was set, there were no surprises in the West, as the Dragons cruised to the championship and were the clear favorites going in. But yet again, the Rusteeze arrived hungrier and pounced on an unsuspecting Dragons team. Jaden Velis held them to just 5 runs in his 3 pitching appearances, and Cole Velis drove in 9 to secure them a 3-1 series victory, and the coveted Golden Bat!

The Rusteeze will return with the same core in Season Three with Cole and Jaden Velis, and a target on their backs as the new team to beat. In the meantime though, it is all celebration in Radiator Springs!

Was it something they said? 9/4

Nick Favazzo

With the regular season complete and stats being finalized, it was clear that one teams stats were going to jump off the page: the Denpasar Dragons. The Dragons strutted through the Western Conference with 13 wins and just 2 losses, an RWL record.

When the Dragons played, they froze opponents with their stellar pitching and blew them away with their offense. If you saw them play you would think they were utterly untouchable. But nothing could be further from the truth...

The Dragons only fielded three players this year, all of them being surefire All-Star picks: Captain John Nordman, Aidan Keaveny, and Nana Adu. Although each of those players bring a remarkable skill set to the table, perhaps the most incredible statistic they share is one they cannot really control, the hit by pitch.

Combined, the Dragons were hit 69 times this season, 26 better than the runner up Sioux City Salamanders, who were only plunked 43 times despite their four man squad. Most impressively, the Dragons also swept the HBP leader boards, with John Nordman leading the league claiming 27 free passes...

Hit By Pitch:

John Nordman (27)

Nana Adu (23)

Aidan Keaveny (19)

At first glance this may seem like nothing more than a fun piece of RWL trivia, but without this barrage of bean balls, it is hard to say if the Dragons would be where they are today. Out of the 69 base runners generously provided by these pitching blunders, 40 of them became runs. 40 runs is a lot. Especially in just 15 games. An additional 2.6 runs a game off of HBP's alone could win you the occasional ball game, but that along with the fireworks display the Dragons put on every time they step in the box, no wonder they were 13-2

Let's Play...Hole in the wall! 8/25

Nick Favazzo

Rome wasn't built in a day...but Remington Yard was and, unfortunately, sometimes it shows. It was just three days ago when our top architects put the finishing touches on a new and improved wall in left field in preparation for the final week of regular season play. A thing of shear beauty, the new wall glistened in the Massachusetts sunshine and proudly held the sign of our beloved sponsor, Homefield Sports LLC (they do marvelous work). With a fully repaired wall and heads full of steam, it looked like nothing could stop the RWL train on its way to playoff station, but much to our dismay...there was an early stoppage. On August 24th, the dastardly tropical storm Laura ran rampant on Remington Yard, leaving the newly repaired wall standing on its last legs. Pressed for time, games went on without repairs. Coming off a hard-to-stomach series loss to the Platypi, the reigning pennant winning Bell Peppers needed a sweep against Luke Sheth and the flame-throwing Wind Rattlers. With the wall drooping lower than the Bell Peppers spirits, the game began with Sheth and Bell Peppers captain Nick Favazzo facing off on the mound. Both pitchers looked virtually unhittable out of the gate, with Sheth recording three quick outs after walking his first two, and Favazzo making both Sheth and Losen look silly on back to back strike outs. As it turned out for Favazzo, it was not those two he had to worry about. Christian Cataldo, the Wind Rattler's lead off hitter reached base in his first at bat, and with two outs in the first inning, Christian made weak contact with the ball, sending it into the danger zone that was left field. The Bell Peppers looked on in horror as the ball squeaked over the seeping wall in left as the Wind Rattlers cashed in two runs on the homer. As many players in the league would tell you, grabbing two runs off of Luke Sheth is no easy task and, with just two at-bats remaining, the left field wall had all but sealed the Bell Peppers' fate. An uneventful second inning saw no runs scored, with the only base runner for either side being Christian Cataldo yet again. This left the Bell Peppers with just three outs against Luke Sheth to rope in two runs. Miraculously, the Bell Peppers rallied to load the bases without conceding an out (by rally I mean kept their bat on their shoulders and prayed for a walk...which they received!). Another walk earned the Bell Peppers their first run of the contest and a chance for Nick Favazzo to do some more damage with runners in scoring position. This marquee match-up had not ended in much success for Favazzo in the past, but with momentum on his side he was able to shoot a double down the left field line, scoring what should have been two runs if it weren't for a great relay which resulted in an out at home. With the score 2-2, the Rattlers proceeded to hold the Bell Peppers off and get back on offense. The way it was going, it was the Bell Peppers game to lose. Cataldo led off the inning again to the tune of another walk. Both Losen and Sheth went down swinging to bring up the same scenario as the first inning. They say the same exact thing can never happen twice in Wiffle Ball...but as the ball off Cataldo's bat bounced off the top of the left field wall and over for a walk-off two run home run, anyone there could have sworn it was deja-vu. With that, the Bell Peppers were out of the playoffs and would finish with a record 6-9. A far cry from their 10-5 success in Season One. After the game, captain Nick Favazzo went on record saying: "as well as they played, the Rattlers didn't beat us...Laura did".

Here was Favazzo's final pitching stat line:

Cataldo: HBP, HR (2 RBI), 1B, BB, HR (2 RBI)

Losen: K, O, O, K

Sheth: K, K, O, K

Whether you call it Cataldo's hitting, or Sheth's pitching, or Laura's winding and raining one thing is for sure...the Bell Peppers lost a heart breaker.

The Seed that COuldn't Grow 8/12

Nick Favazzo

Following his late arrival to the series between his Shanghai Shamwows and the Hazardville Hyenas, former number one overall pick Graham Seed was relieved of his Wiffle Ball duties and sent home. This marks the first time in RWL history that a player has been released by their team and entered the free-agent pool. The decision has taken the whole league by surprise as Graham begrudgingly announced his release on twitter this afternoon:

"Just got released by the #shamefulshamwows ... I have never experienced such bs in my life."

Seed followed up on his tweet later doubling back on his statement:

"Please take me back."

Unfortunately for Seed the Shamwows have already stated they have fully moved on from Graham, bringing in undrafted free-agent Neeka Pirooz as his replacement. When asked about the transaction Shamwows captain Matthew Favazzo explained, "he has cost us too many games showing up a half hour after we start. We can't deal with that any longer...he has been late to his last Wiffle Ball game." Seed has never been a nuisance on the field, but getting him there has been a struggle unmatched by any the league has faced.

It is not all bad news for the former Shamwow though, just hours after the news broke, the Pakistan Platypi confirmed that Seed will be joining them for the rest of the their season in a "prove it" deal. When asked, Graham said he was, "grateful for a fresh start and a chance to finally show the league what he is capable of."

With the Platypi having just nine more games to play, the pressure is on Mr. Seed. And now, you don't have to go to the games to see how it all pans out! The RWL in association with SteinBall entertainment is proud to announce a documentary following Graham down his winding Wiffle Ball path as he tries to find his way in the league called: The Seed that Couldn't Grow. Catch it on Christmas Eve 2020!

Stumped by the bump 8/4

Nick Favazzo

Statistics by Aidan Keaveny

From the very beginning of Season Two, there was one question on everyone’s mind: how will the mound being pushed back affect the game? For those of you who do not know, following a particularly contested pitching performance by Shamwow’s Drew Crowley where he introduced his speed-of-light fastball to Bell Peppers hitters to blow by them in the Championship series, many cried out for the distance of the mound to the plate to be reassessed. After an investigation, the league reasoned that if the mound was pushed back four feet, it would discourage future fireballs from pitchers around the league. Early tests showed that this new distance did in fact demand pitchers sacrifice some speed for accuracy, which leaves us here at RWL News asking, what is the price of slower, and more frequent strikes?

The very first series of Season Two had league higher ups gritting their teeth from the get go as the Salamanders played host to the Chunkies inaugural series and… it was not pretty. Despite the Chunkies getting off to a hot start with a three-run Ollie DiCerbo home run, the strike zone utterly disappeared for them on the other side of the ball. It took the combined effort of Will Cacciatore and Ollie DiCerbo to wrestle just two outs from the Salamanders while giving up 14 runs, ending the game in a mercy. But it was not exactly a hit parade. Out of the 17 batters the two pitchers faced, nine were given a free pass, five of those being a HBP. The few strikes that were thrown did not earn the satisfaction of hitting the zone, as both pitchers in a desperate attempt to find it lobbed balls right into the wheelhouse of Peyton Heisner, Matt Healy, and Stephan Josef, who all walked away with home runs that game.

The outcry began again. Only this time players wanted the mound back in its rightful place. But the league was unwilling to abandon their experiment, and it… paid off? Yes, scores slowly but surely reduced to normal figures and some pitchers were even able to make the most of the extended distance like Luke Sheth, who is arguably having the best pitching season in RWL history. But some things are still not the same. For one, Aidan Keaveny who set an RWL record for most HBP in a season last year with 16 outdid himself with 17 this season, yet still came short of the league lead of 27 set by his Dragons teammate John Nordman. Needless to say, walks are also still at a premium this season. Thanks to some math by RWL head analyst Aidan Keaveny, we can also confirm that strikeouts are happening at a dramatically lower rate among returning players. Out of 19 players from last season, 15 of them have seen a drop in their strikeout percentage, with the most drastic of the group being Orion Barret-Tzannes, who struck out a dismal 38% of the time in Season One. In Season Two, he has struck out just 18% of the time, just one percent higher than last season's MVP, Nick Favazzo (17%). As a group, returning players have seen a drop in strikeout rate from 30.6% to 22.1%, confirming that more balls are at the least being put in play. That fact, piled on with the increase in free passes could lead many to believe that this mound move heavily favors offensive play, but with some pitchers coming into their own like Luke Sheth, we ask you, dear RWL fans… which do you prefer? The high scoring, low strikeout games Season Two has provided, or the constant punch outs and nail biters, like in Season One? Either way, there will be plenty of controversy to go around. Stay tuned!

The Case of the Missing Bat 7/23

Nick Favazzo

As the Rusteeze and Chunkies geared up for their 2:30 match up today Rusteeze captain Cole Velis noticed something was missing. A blue and silver bat, nicknamed "the wavy bat", was nowhere to be found. Wavy bat being Velis' bat of choice, he was understandably turning up every nook and cranny of Remington Yard in search of the bat. Unbeknownst to Velis and other searchers, the bat was long gone. In fact, it was not even in the state! A video later confirmed that Rattlers player Lenny Losen had taken the bat all the way up to Maine for a little wiffle fun on the beach. Losen is seen waving the bat in the air, and even poking fun at those who were affected by the bat's absence. Velis, among others, swore revenge for Losen's nefarious deed while others just pinned it as "classic Lenny behavior". If there is any good news to come out of this, in an interview Losen said he had "lots of fun" at the beach. Cool Lenny. Very cool.

Catching up with the RWL 7/19

Nick Favazzo

In the nine days since this page has been updated, quite a bit has happened! Before we at the RWL news room break everything down we owe you loyal readers an explanation as to what prevented us from bringing you the news from around the league. The answer is actually pretty simple: Things. Got. Busy. As you may know many of our authors (including myself) are a big part of the league's infrastructure. With that responsibility came the big task of managing the playoffs as well as the biggest (and only) expansion in RWL history in our brief off-season. But we assure you now, dear readers, that we are back in full swing and are ready to bring you the news!

With all that being said, lets get you all caught up with whats been happening. We will start where we left off, the season one playoffs...

The playoffs picked up fairly soon after the end of the regular season. After a week's hiatus for the Fourth of July, the games began.

The Shamwows took on the Salamanders and cruised by them in three games. All three Shamwows were firing on all cylinders. Drew Crowely capped the series off with the first no-hitter in league history in what was a no doubt series win.

The Bell Peppers Iguanas series was a different story. What started off as Bell Pepper dominance quickly turned on its head. The Iguanas turned a 2-0 deficit into a 2-2 tie, forcing an elimination game 5. In a game that saw the tide shift from inning to inning, the Bell Peppers squeaked out with a win thanks to the dominant pitching of Luke Sheth.

The stage was set for the RWL's first World Series. It was brother versus brother. The Favazzos were set to square off the afternoon of July 9th. The clear favorites going into the match up being the first seeded Bell Peppers. But the Shamwows were not going down without a fight, in fact, they did not go down at all. In a twist that nobody saw coming, the Shamwows swept the Bell Peppers, taking the Golden Bat in Season One. Notable performances included Drew Crowley on the mound again, who aggravated Bell Peppers batters all series. Crowley's performance was nothing less than dominant, however, it turned heads of league officials, as Crowley was dolling out fastballs unlike anyone had seen before. After some calculations, Crowley was reportedly throwing 55 mph, and from 30 feet, is more like 110 mph. An unprecedented speed. Upon this discovery, many called for the stripping of the Shamwows title, but instead, the league elected to move the mound back for Season Two in order prevent such speeds.

It was not all sour apples for the Bell Peppers however, as captain Nick Favazzo took home the season one MVP award for his campaign. Favazzo was accompanied on the podium by golden band-aid recipient Aidan Keaveny, who accumulated the most HBP's in the first season.

#PeteDecision2020 7/10

Nick Favazzo

Rusteeze all-star Peter Minniuti took to the media box today to reveal his decision on whether or not he will be playing in Season Two. It is with great pleasure that RWL can reveal that Peter has decided return to the Rusteee for Season Two.

Peter had this to say in his statement to the league: "I've thought about what I want, what my team wants, and more importantly what the league wants, and I have decided I will be returning in Season Two".

Needless to say, everyone is thrilled to have Pete back for another season of Wiffle Ball. Tune into Rusteeze games live on Instagram to see if the all-star slugger can put together another stellar campaign.

Draft Results and Grades 7/5

Nick Favazzo

The Season Two RWL draft was full of story lines, shoe-ins, and certainly surprises! Today we will break down the most notable picks and try and figure out who left the draft table with the best squad!

Round One:

1. Clappers: Evan Eberle: Evan had perhaps one of the oddest roles last season. He was not initially on a team, but from the very beginning expressed his interest in playing. Evan filled in where he could when teams needed a substitute and did not disappoint with an OPS over 1.000 and an unprecedented burst of power for the Bell Peppers in the playoffs and with wheels to spare and a good pitching arm, no Clappers fan is upset with this pick. 10/10

2. Platypi: Bobby Hutchinson: Bobby was far and away the best athlete available in the draft. Although he hasn't picked up a bat since little league, the LHS soccer captain is a fast learner and will have no trouble in the field. 8/10

3. Rattlers: Lenny Losen: This UNH freshman has more power than a transformer at the plate that he has put on full display as the Designated Hitter for last year's LHS varsity baseball team. Critics of Losen cite his past run-ins with shoulder injury and a failure to hit for good average last year as reason to call him a stretch at number three. But his pop alone was reason enough for captain Luke Sheth to put pen to paper. Expect a big three true outcome year out of Losen. Homeruns, walks, and strikeouts. 6/10

4. Chunky Monkeys: Ollie DiCerbo: The younger of the two participating DiCerbos, Ollie has always been defined by his devotion to any team he's on. Regardless of his performance, John Reamer will always be able to count on DiCerbo's commitment to the game. As a former ball player, he should also be able to contribute on both sides of the field as well, but with current baseball players Jaden Velis, Nana Adu, and Wayne Brasco still on the board, taking Ollie could prove to be a bit of a risk. 6/10

5. Rusteeze: Jaden Velis: With his selection, Jaden has officially become the youngest player in the league at just 14. Many captains looked at this as a potential worry from a social perspective, but this was never a worry for Cole Velis, his older brother. He maintained from the beginning that he would take Jaden, calling him an MVP candidate, though that remains to be seen, his performances in Wiffle Ball games prior to the league suggest that very well could be true. 9/10

6. Bell Peppers: Max DiCerbo: Nick Favazzo and the Bell Peppers traded up to this pick in hopes to take a big name. There was perhaps no bigger name left on the board than Max DiCerbo. A top class athlete and a former All-Star little leaguer, Max was rumored to go much higher than six. But regardless of all of that, he will still have big shoes to fill as the Bell Peppers have had to say goodbye to both Luke Sheth and Patrick Crogan with Crogan being traded specifically so Max DiCerbo could put on the Bell Pepper uniform. All eyes will be on him this year to see if he can live up to the hype. 7/10

7. Dragons: Nana Adu: Nana was also expected to go much higher in the draft, but fell to the Dragons at seven. Compared to every other player before him, Adu is by far the longest tenured baseball player and has a great eye at the plate. Adu showed his worth at the combine as both a pitcher and a switch hitter at the plate. He is undoubtebly the steal of the draft at number seven. 10/10

8. Shamwows: Karl Abramson: There are no surprises here as the Shamwows retain their year one player Karl Abramson. They will look to capture lightening in a bottle once again as they role out the same squad for Season Two. Regardless of the talent remaining on the board, there was no other choice for the Shamwows. They have already shown what they can do as a unit. 10/10

9. Salamanders: Darragh Murphy: Not much is known about Darragh Murphy as a Wiffle Ball player. Scouts claim that he is one of the best power bats in the draft but since he was unable to attend the combine this could not be confirmed. With an already strong core of Peyton Heisner and Matt Healy, the Salamanders were willing to take a risk at pick number nine. 5/10

10. Hyenas: Wayne Brasco: Wayne recently moved back to Lexington Massachusetts from Florida where he played top class high school talent on the baseball field, giving him a leg up at the plate as he may be adjusted to fast paced pitching in the RWL. He could prove to be a menace for the Hyenas. 8/10

11. Hyenas: Brendan Albert: Brendan Albert is headed off to play Division 1 baseball at Marist College next year and is an obvious threat at the plate. But substitute performances in Season One suggest he may struggle to put the ball in play at times. A small sample size pointed out an unusual amount of strike outs for Albert. Nonetheless, he is too good of a baseball player to think he will not be able to adjust. Brendan should find great success in Season Two and with him being the fourth and final player on the Hyenas because of the Crogan trade, there is hardly any risk in his selection. 7/10

Round Two:

12. Clappers: William Kohlasch: William showed he could be a decent secondary arm for the Clappers and as one of the few lefty's in the league, he will be a unique threat at the plate. 7/10

13. Platypi: Orion Barrett-Tzannes: Although Orion was not one of the best offensive players last season, he was a valued and committed player and often volunteered to help the league with construction and other such events. Barret-Tzannes also showed a surge of power at the end of last season and could maintain that in Season Two. 6/10

14. Rattlers: Christian Cataldo: Another current baseball player, Cataldo will be able to make up for Losen's lack of average as he will have no trouble putting the ball in play. 8/10

15. Chunky Monkeys: Will Cacciatore: Though Will showed promise on the mound at the combine with a devastating slider and firm fastball, he also indicated that he would be unable to attend most of the games because of his cluttered baseball schedule. Unfortunately this was not noted by captain John Reamer when he made this selection. It is no discredit to him as a player or a person, but Will Cacciatore may have been a reach at number 15. 3/10

16. Rusteeze: Alex Samra: Alex Samra is similar to Will in that regard. As a lifeguard for the town of Lexington, he would not often be available. But as a Rusteeze player in Season One, Cole Velis thought it would be only right to bring him back in Season Two. Since he is the Rusteeze fourth player, the risk may not affect the Rusteeze too negatively. 5/10

17. Bell Peppers: Nate Croke: Pick 17 will forever be shrouded in some controversy. The pick was delayed several minutes because of a phone call captain Nick Favazzo had with Graham Seed, who was still on the draft board. It was Favazzo's intention to select Graham Seed but following the phone call he had a change of heart. Though the details of that conversation will remain private for the time being, they were enough for Favazzo to go in another direction. Nate Croke was selected in Seeds' place. A former baseball player, Croke has been known to swing the bat well and indicated a strong interest in the league. 6/10

18. Dragons: Joey Cacciatore: Much like his younger brother, Joey has a busy schedule. However the Dragons already had three players on their roster, dulling the risk. Joey is a two year LHS baseball captain and will be playing baseball at Bentley University next year. The Dragons could not go wrong with this pick. 7/10

19. Shamwows: Graham Seed: Despite the commitment worries the Bell Peppers expressed, the former number one overall pick Graham Seed was finally selected at pick 19. From a pure talent standpoint, Seed is one of the better players in the league. It is just a question of whether he will show up. But with the Shamwows' core already in place, there was no reason not to give Graham a chance. 7/10

20. Salamanders: Stephan Joseph: Stephan may be the only player in the league giving Bobby Hutchinson a run for his money as the most athletic player. Though he hasn't swung much since his little league days, his speed alone will help Stephan on base quite a bit. 8/10

Round Three:

21. Bell Peppers: Connor Driscoll: Connor Driscoll was unable to compete in a single game last season for the Hyenas but showed enough promise on the mound at the draft combine for the Bell Peppers to give him a chance as their fourth player. His bat may stick out like sore thumb but with plenty of Wiffle Ball to play that could improve. 5/10

22. Clappers: Matthew Joseph: Joseph himself was surprised to be on the board this late. A strong performance at the combine suggested he would have been picked up as early as the first round. Yet there he was, ripe for the taking. Cervone recognized this talent and gave him the selection. 7/10

23. Platypi: Justin McCarthy: McCarthy may not have put in the best performance at the combine, but as a good friend to Bobby Hutchinson, he could be crucial in the gelling of this Playtypi team. Chemistry is the key to a good team and McCarthy provides plenty. 6/10

24. Rattlers: Ben Leshan: Leshan received one of the highest combine grades for his bat but struggled on the mound. The Rattlers had no issue with that, as Luke Sheth provides all the pitching that team needs. Another good bat for the Rattlers is another successful pick! 8/10

25. Chunky Monkeys: Hailey Kingsbury: Oddly enough the final pick of the draft provided a first for the league! Hailey Kingsbury became the first woman in RWL history with this selection. In an interview following her selection she stated that she has no guarantees about her performance but she will provide ample "crackhead energy" for the team.

Regardless of where they were selected, the RWL would like to congratulate each and every player who was drafted. Everyone here on the media team is looking forward to all the thrills this season will provide!

Peppers, Hyenas Reach Crogan Deal! 7/5

Nick Favazzo

Just hours before the Season Two expansion draft is set to start, Hazardville Hyenas Captain Mazdak Darvari has announced a trade that will see Bolivia Bell Peppers slugger Patrick Crogan swap red for purple in exchange for the Hyenas selection spot in the first round. The Bolivia Bell Peppers will now draft 6th instead of 10th, and receive the Hyenas 17th overall selection but will have 3 roster spots to fill in Crogan's absence. Let's see how each team stacks up after the deal:

Hazardville Hyenas:

Mazdak Darvari (C)

Patrick Crogan

10th Selection

11th Selection

Bolivia Bell Peppers:

Nick Favazzo (C)

6th Selection

17th Selection

23rd Selection

Darvari followed his announcement calling the deal a "no-brainer" and on paper, it is hard to disagree. Crogan boasted an impressive .390 average with 6 home runs and 13 RBI in just 12 games with the Peppers last season leading many to believe the Hyenas had just made out like bandits. But as Bell Peppers captain Nick Favazzo recounts a recent sit down with Crogan, the method to his madness becomes clear: "I had a very honest chat with Patrick over the phone the other day and the truth is, he is just a busy, busy man. I felt bad having to let him go, he was like a father to me... but what good is having a father who is never around?"

Crogan has announced that he will in fact be quite busy in the coming weeks which could leave a massive hole in the newly stocked Hyenas offense, but as Darvari continued, "it is a risk we have to take for a talent like that".

Stay tuned to see how both teams shape up after the draft later on today!

RWl's Season 2 expansion! 7/4

Nick Favazzo

July Fourth, an important day in our nation's history. The day marks the anniversary of the day the Founding Fathers declared our independence from the tyranny of Great Britain. It also marks the day our great and powerful leader Jeff Goldblum drove an invasion of aliens from our planet (I don't know I've never seen the movie). But from this independence day on, July Fourth will be remembered for another heroic schism: The RWL expansion!

You read correctly... as of today, July Fourth 2020, the RWL will expand from six teams to 10 and expanding rosters from three players to four. Season two will be bigger, better, and more exciting than any alien blockbuster or silly letter by Thomas Jefferson could ever be. Here's how it's going to work:

A grand total of 40 participants will compete on the now ten teams; including the six existing teams (Hyenas, Shamwows, Rusteeze, Bell Peppers, Dragons, and Salamanders), and four brand new teams.

The first expansion team was announced a few days prior to all of the others, the Western Wind Rattlers were founded early thanks to new captain Luke Sheth's repeated displays of dominance on the mound and utter disregard for pitcher's feelings at the plate. Sheth was deemed "too good" by his former Bell Peppers captain Nicholas Favazzo to not have his own team.

The RWL's first idea for the final three expansion teams was to offer captain positions to existing players. Multiple offers were made to no avail. The next place to look was among the newcomers, and there were three obvious candidates. The first of the three has watched the RWL with great interest since the very beginning. On the day of its inception, Chris Cervone was playing spike ball at Remington, while the field was built Cervone could not help himself from throwing a few strikes on the hill. Unfortunately, teams were already set for Season One at this point, but when Season Two came around, there was no one more excited to take on the challenge of captaining a new team. Thus, the Cervone Clappers were born.

The final two captains were named in traditional RWL fashion. Just a day ago, Jack Murray and John Reamer were popped the question to which they both said yes. Both baseball players, Murray and Reamer are surely up to the task of leading a team successfully. Needless to say, Murray's Pakistan Platypi, and Reamer's Constantinople Chunkie Monkeys are welcome additions to the league along with the two other expansion teams and, of course, all of the shiny new players! Season Two is shaping up to be an exciting season of Wiffle Ball in Lexington!

Head first ALL-Star Weekend preview 6/29

Cole Velis

With the first regular season coming to a close and the all-star voting wrapping up on Monday Night, home run derby action and a ball game featuring the games brightest stars are headlining the week before the playoff madness begins. Here how our voting panned out:

Nick Favazzo (16 Votes)

Favazzo's season can be summed up in one word: Wow... I mean, 15 home runs, an OPS pushing 1.97, leading the league in almost every statistical category. He is a clear front runner for MVP, and I don't know if it's close. All this to go along with his prolific pitching resume and this is not a shock.

Matthew Favazzo (16 Votes)

Matthew was nothing short of a stud. 11 homers, 4th in OPS, slugging up above .930, and just a class act all year long. His pitching is certainly not what got him in the game, but his hitting was more than enough to cover it up.

Peyton Hesiner (15 Votes)

Peyton straight CHUCKED this season on the bump. Being the only lefty arm in the league he has been rolling through lineups with ease and the bat compliments it nicely. His strikeouts were fairly high at 42% but the kid had 9 homers and 21 Steak Sandwiches to round out a nice power season.

John Nordman (13 Votes)

Nordman was certainly nothing to scoff at offensively despite being a little lower ranked stat-wise than some of the other guys on the list. He posted an OPS just above 1.3 which ranked 7th in the league and put the ball out of the yard seven times which is good enough to get him a solid spot in the derby. But Nordman shoved on the bump for Iraq. He could've struck out a bunch more than he did and still made it just because he did so well on the bump. Overall, a very well-rounded year for John. After all, he's the reason Iraq finds themselves in the playoffs.

Peter Miniutti (12 Votes)

Miniutti struggled on the bump for the Rusteze at times this year, but man, the kid could swing it. He was second in OPS at 1.793, hit 10 bombs, and a .462 BA. News that Miniutti's playing days may be numbered are devastating to those who have played with him and those who love to watch a home run trot with a little bit of pizzazz. Plus, no one can bat flip on a walk just like Pete.

Mazdak Darvari (12 Votes)

Darvari led the league in tripping on the base path and in the field. Unfortunately, he led no other statistics. But, still had a very impressive season. He had 23 hits which was good enough for 3rd and finished up 5th in OPS. He pitched pretty well too. Overall, not too bad. OH WAIT! Darvari also leads the league in jumping over the fence after a home run ball. I love the heart.

Cole Velis (10 Votes)

Ah yes, second place in falling on the base bath award. Velis was 3rd in OPS at 1.483, was second in OBP at .574, and racked up seven long balls. Velis didn't pitch much and when he did it was not particularly good which did not help his ability to pull in votes. But his work at the dish was complimented by some more than impressive (and agressive) base running that scored the Rusteze some extra runs and got him thrown out at home here and there.

Aidan Keavany (9 Votes)

I think everyone was excited when Aidan's name popped up as the final one to get in. He is a fan favorite and a very kind man to say the least. Aidan leads the league in hit by pitches, which is his pride and joy, and is more involved than anyone in the development of our ball yard. Plus, he has some high quality stats. Aidan racked up a .396 BA and got hit by pitches more than most people walked (15). He also threw a great game 2 for the Iguanas all year long. Congrats Aidan, well earned!

Well, credit where credit is due to this seasons all-stars, but let us not forget the rest of the wonderful players in the RWL that gave it their all for their teams this season! That being said, here is how the home run derby stacks up:

Home Run Derby:

1. Nick Favazzo (15)

2. Matthew Favazzo (11)

3. Peter Miniutti (10)

4. Peyton Heisner (9)

5. Cole Velis (7)

6. John Nordman (7)

7. Patrick Crogan (6)

8. "Krazy" Karl Abramson (5)

RWL's Crazy Last Day! 6/29

Nick Favazzo

If you've happened upon this article it is almost certain you caught a glimpse of the standings and were sent into an immediate panic upon the changes displayed. A mere four days ago the Salamanders were comfortably in first and the Hyenas were a surefire playoff team. So as the dust settles on the RWL's inaugural season, we here at RWL news present to you the wildest and most memorable weekend in the young league's history:

The action began on Friday the 26th with a series between the Bell Peppers and the Hyenas. These games set into place the madness that was to come. The Hyenas' magic number to clinch the playoffs was three and with six games to play that seemed more than doable. But right away the Hyenas learned that it would be no easy task after all, as the Bell Peppers reminded them why they had already clinched with a 9-0 victory. Luke Sheth showed why he is one of the league's best pitchers while Nick Favazzo tacked onto his home run tally with another two. The rest of the series played to the same tune as the Bell Peppers completed the sweep topping their season off at 10-5, leaving the Hyenas at 5-7 going into their series against the Shamwows.

The Hyenas and Shamwows were set to play the very next day...and then the rain came. Two straight days of torrential downpour postponed this series to the same Monday the Iguanas and Rusteeze were set play, both of whom were eager to hear the results of the Hyenas Shamwows series. For a recap of why this series was so important for the Iguanas and Rusteeze, read Playoff Outlook!

Despite TREACHEROUS conditions and multiple players fearing their shoes would get wet, the games on Monday proceeded. The day began at 2pm with the Hyenas vs. Shamwows which also saw the debut of the RWL's official media box, where many of the Iguanas and Rusteeze players gathered and watched in hopes the Hyenas would fall to the Shamwows. And they got their wish! Thanks to a heroic walk-off home run hit by second rounder Karl Abramson, the Shamwows took the series 2-1. Meaning the records of the three teams fighting for the fourth and final playoff spot were as follows:

Hazardville Hyenas: 6-9

Iraq Iguanas: 4-8

Radiator Springs Rusteeze: 4-8

Going into the games, the Iguanas would have to win the series, while the Rusteeze would need to sweep. The stage was set perfectly for the most intense series in RWL's young history. And it did not disappoint.

The Rusteeze took game one in a thrilling 6-5 comeback victory, but it was not the play that caught onlookers eye, it was the increasing tension between captains Cole Velis and John Nordman. The two teams continued to battle it out in game two as a surprise burst of offense from Orion B-T gave the Iguanas an early 4-0 lead. Seeing a must win game go south quickly, Velis, who was on the mound at the time, began to pick things up. Normally lobbing the ball to preserve his arm for the fast approaching baseball season, Velis decided to ramp up his velocity which Nordman and the Iguanas did not take kindly to. The situation came to a head when a Velis fastball found its way to Nordman's leg and tempers flared. That would be the end of it though as the game finished 10-2 Iguanas. Now eliminated, the Rusteeze had a choice, they could play out the game and spoil the Iguanas playoff push, or they could concede and allow the Iguanas through. But with the fire already fueled, the Rusteeze set out to ruin the Iguanas' day. They came near success as well. If it were not for a towering solo home run from John Nordman in the second inning, the game could very well of gone to the Rusteeze. But as the final pitch was thrown, and the first ever RWL regular season came to a close, it was the Iguanas who came out on top. A 1-0 victory was enough to usurp the Hyenas fourth place position and squeek into the playoffs.

But for as wild as that weekend was, the biggest games are yet to come and the stage is now set! The playoffs begin Thursday July 9th with the first seed Bell Peppers against the four seeded Iguanas, followed by the second seeded Salamanders versus the third seeded Shamwows. This is Wiffle Ball at its finest. This. Is. The. Playoffs.

Playoff outlook: 6/25

How Every Team Could Still Make the Playoffs

Nick Favazzo

Sioux City Salamanders (9-6):

This one is pretty simple. The Salamanders have clinched a playoff birth as of 6/25 with their sweep of the Iraq Iguanas. They will at the very least have the three seed and could very well finish in first, depending on how well the Hyenas fend off the second place Shamwows and third place Bell Peppers this weekend.

Salamanders clinching number: Clinched

Shanghai Shamwows (7-5):

Due to a head to head victory against the Bell Peppers where they took two out of three, the Shamwows sit in second place with one series to play. Since the Shamwows have also beaten both the Rusteeze and the Iguanas in a series, they have also clinched the playoffs and are guarenteed a top four seed.

Shamwows clinching number: Clinched

Bolivia Bell Peppers (7-5):

The Peppers are in a similar boat. They have beaten both the Rusteeze and Iguanas in a series (both 2-1), since the best both the Rusteeze and Iguanas can do is 7-8, even if the Bell Peppers were to be swept by the Hyenas on Friday, they would remain in the playoffs.

Bell Peppers clinching number: Clinched

Hazardville Hyenas (5-4):

THE team to watch in the next couple of days. In the unique position of having two series left to play, the Hyenas hold the balance of the league in their hands. Facing the Bell Peppers on Friday the 26th, and the Shamwows the next day, the Hyenas have their work cut out for them. A worst case scenario would see the Hyenas getting swept by both playoff bound teams, leaving them with a dismal record of 5-10. But even dropping four of six would put the Hyenas on the chopping block; if the Hyenas were to finish the year 7-8, the maximum number of games either the Iguanas or Rusteeze could win, the Iguanas would go through to the playoffs on a head to head tiebreaker.

Hazardville Hyenas clinching number: 3 wins.

Radiator Springs Rusteeze & Iraq Iguanas:

Since these two will be battling it out against each other on the final day, it is only fair they are talked about together.

There are three scenarios in which one of these teams go through, and they all weigh on the outcome of the Hyenas efforts this weekend:

• If the Hyenas finish with an 0-6 record this weekend, with a final record of 5-10, either team could go through with a series victory.

• The same is true with a record of 6-9 for the Hyenas. However the Rusteeze would need a sweep in their last contest whereas the Iguanas would need just two out of three (head to head).

• The final scenario is a little more tricky. If the Hyenas were to finish the weekend 2-4 (7-8 overall), the Iguanas would go through with a sweep of the Rusteeze, but if the Rusteeze were to sweep the Iguanas, then the Hyenas would go through. This is because the Iguanas beat the Hyenas in a series, where as the Rusteeze were swept in their series against the Hyenas.

Rusteeze & Iguanas clinching number: 2/3

Three teams have clinched. Three teams' fates hang in the balance of one crazy weekend of wiffle ball. There is no telling who the fourth seed will be, but one thing is for sure... you will not want to miss the action at Remington Yard in the coming days!

Wakey Jakey! 6/25

Nick Favazzo

First pitch at today's contest between the Iraq Iguanas and the Sioux City Salamanders was held up by a certain Salamanders player who forgot to set his alarm! Jake Strollo, who has really come into his own at the plate as of late, failed to show up to the 12:00 pm game on time this sunny Thursday, enraging Salamanders captain Peyton Heisner. After not answering his phone, Strollo was presumed dead and a moment of silence was held. If it were not for the surprise arrival of Rusteeze player Alex Samra, the games may have been postponed. With the addition of Samra, the Salamanders went on to sweep the Iguanas. Raising the question, would the outcome of been the same had Strollo been there? Iquanas fans can only wonder as they hold on to their diminishing playoff hopes. Strollo will be receiving a new alarm clock in the coming days along with a stern talking to from Heisner.

Ain't no Sham: 6/23

Nick Favazzo

Two days ago the Shamwows were a lowly four seed with a record of 3-3. Good enough for the playoffs but by no means a title contender. And slated to play John Nordman's Iraq Iguanas on the 22nd, and Cole Velis' Rusteeze the next day, the Shamwows had a tough task ahead of them to correct their Season One course. But despite some offensive woes along the way, the Shamwows scraped out four wins out of six against the two powerhouse teams, with Karl Abramson coming into his own on the mound in both appearances. Matthew Favazzo added onto an already impressive homerun tally with five against the the Rusteeze on the 23rd, breaking out of his short-lived slump. Needless to say, it has been an unprecedented week of success for the Shamwows which has lead to their first ever occupancy of the top spot in the league with a 7-5 record, beating out the Bell Peppers on a head to head tiebreaker.

A Little Rusty? 6/23

Nick Favazzo

After suffering the first ever sweep in RWL history, the 3-6 Rusteeze led by captain Cole Velis took on the now first place Shanghai Shamwows. And as evidenced by the Shamwows newly established supremacy, they ran into a little bit of trouble. After conceding five runs in the first inning to the Shamwows in game one, the Rusteeze found themselves in a tough spot. Down to their final out in the ballgame, having not produced any runs the previous two innings, the Rusteeze resorted to vile tactics. In a move of pure cowardess, two unnamed Rusteeze players bunted down the left field line, both offences resulted in hits. In a statement later on in the afternoon, Shamwows captain Matthew Favazzo had this to say about the incident: "I'm not mad, just disappointed. There is a time and place for such shenanigans. Actions like this cannot and will not go unseen. KILL BAT IS GONE." Favazzo's remarks seem to reflect the sentiment of the rest of the league's players, as many have called for punishment far worse than the removal of Rusteeze player Peter Minuti's prized "Kill Bat". Fellow Shamwow Karl Abramson demanded Cole Velis be stripped of his captaincy explaining that, "When [Velis] is given a position of power he tends to sneak around the rules". Abramson later added he would also be fine with Velis participating in fun dancing Tik Tok videos with him as punishment. Although it seems that the Rusteeze will get off with just the banishment of Kill Bat, they also went on to drop two out of three to the Shamwows, digging themselves deeper into their hole with a record of 4-8. The moral of the story kids? Crime. Doesn't. Pay.