Gameday Results, 5/31: South Field — Southfield, MI

↴  2015 Scoresheet (.PDF)	‣  League Lineup Stats Entry

GAMES 1 & 2            12:00 PM            FIELD A
	Game 1	6 innings	Game 2	6 innings
IS	0	LP: Kevin Doby (1-1)	0	LP: Jason Hewlett (1-3)
RC	2	WP: Trey Jardine (3-1) HR: Scott Kujawa (3)	4	WP: Scott Kujawa (4-0)
AVG: .122 SLG: .237 RpG: 3.50 ERA: 4.76 WHIP: 1.86 K/6: 12.3 AVG: .203 SLG: .380 RpG: 2.88 ERA: 1.54 WHIP: 1.09 K/6: 13.5 The Islanders made a surprise move earlier this week, trading their ace Fisher for Doby. The impetus for that deal was to avoid going 0-4 this week in 4 games of Ringler Division action with Fisher unavailable to play. The impact of that deal is expected to be shown front and center. Doby is 1-0 on the year with a 1.00 ERA and 1.67 WHIP, and he will be matched up against two of the best pitching staffs in the game on his first day wearing the black and white. The Islanders offense ranks last in the league for both AVG and OPS (.606). Coffee leads the team in most offensive categories (.333 AVG, .750 OBP, .333 SLG, 4 RBI), but has seen action only sparingly in 2 series. The Isles most productive full-time hitters are Adams (.121, .431, .303, 6) and Hewlett (.103, .450, .310, 11). Those two need to lead this lineup in an effort that makes this gamble of a trade pay off. What's going to make it hard for that to happen is the dynamite 1-2 punch of Jardine (0.53 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 15.1 K/BB) and Kujawa (0.75, 1.19, 14.25). These two are also a combined 5-1 on the season. Jardine is working on a streak of 15 scoreless innings, not having surrendered a run in over a month. For his part, Kujawa has not allowed more than 1 run in an appearance this year. The deep Red Cox rotation has the best WHIP in WSEM, which is a heavy card to play against the leagues worst hitting team. The Cox are hitting 81 points better than the Isles, good enough for third highest AVG in the league. They also have the second best SLG%, and are tied for second in HR (9). The Reds appear to have the advantage on both sides of the ball, but we'll see if the trees and ground rules at South Field can shake things up in the wackiest of ways only possible in wiffleball. Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: N/A (IS),  Scott Kujawa (RC)

GAMES 3 & 4            2:30 PM            FIELD A
	Game 3	6 innings	Game 4	3 innings
FS	12	WP: Brandon D'Agnese (2-1) HR: Mike D'Agnese (3), Dylan Braden (1)	6	LP: Raymond Brown (0-1) HR: Dylan Braden (2)
IS	0	LP: Kevin Doby (1-2)	21	WP: Kevin Doby (2-2) HR: Kevin Doby (1,2), Mike Spence (1)
AVG: .190 SLG: .299 RpG: 3.17 ERA: 1.32 WHIP: 1.24 K/6: 13.8 AVG: .122 SLG: .237 RpG: 3.50 ERA: 4.76 WHIP: 1.86 K/6: 12.3 Coffee founded the Squirrels. Adams and Doby both came into the league with the Squirrels in 2014, where they were joined by Hewlett and Sharlow. It's always fun to stick it to your former team, or a team masquerading as the team you created, so that's the advantage the Islanders bring into this series. They also catch a big break with Craig Skinner unable to take the mound for 2 games after throwing 10 innings vs. the Wolfpack. This should set up a Doby vs. Brandon D'Agnese matchup in Game 3, which should be entertaining to watch a former 1-2 punch of the Squirrels go head to head. Brown will likely get the ball for the Squeaks in Game 4, and if his 4.1 IP in relief against the Wolfpack two weeks ago are any indication, this will still be a tough matchup for the Isles bats. Brown allowed 0 R, gave up only 1 H and 1 BB while striking out 9. The Squirrels come into Week 6 a point behind the Islanders in the standings. Getting the full 6 points from this series to leapfrog them before taking on the Ringler leading Red Cox is far from a longshot, but the Squirrels better not look past the Islanders to that marquee matchup, as we've been taught time and time again that anything can happen in WSEM this season. Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: TBD (IS)  —  2 games: Craig Skinner (FS)

GAMES 5 & 6            5:00 PM            FIELD A
	Game 5	9 innings	Game 6	6 innings
RC	2	WP: Trey Jardine (3-2)	0	LP: Scott Kujawa (4-1)
FS	0	LP: Brandon D'Agnese (2-2)	3	WP: Craig Skinner (3-1) HR: Dylan Braden (3), Brandon D'Agnese (3)
AVG: .203 SLG: .380 RpG: 2.88 ERA: 1.54 WHIP: 1.09 K/6: 13.5 AVG: .190 SLG: .299 RpG: 3.17 ERA: 1.32 WHIP: 1.24 K/6: 13.8 The Cox and Squirrels have two of the best pitching rotations in the league. The Squirrels are #1 in ERA. The Cox are #1 in WHIP. With 4 potential Clown Shu candidates likely to toe the rubber, the most hoped for pitching matchup is probably Skinner vs. Jardine: 2 Regional Dads facing off a week before they team up in Kalamazoo to take down the rest of the Midwest. The two have put up nearly identical numbers on the season – ERA: 0.52 for Skinner, 0.53 for Jardine; WHIP: 0.78 for Skinner, 0.79 for Jardine; 15.14 K/6 for Skinner, 15.08 K/6 for Jardine. Both pitchers also have 3 starts this season: 2 scoreless, 1 with 2 allowed. The biggest difference in their games? Jardine is 1-1 in extra inning games, Craig is 1-0. Jardine has allowed 1 stolen, but also has caught 1 runner stealing; nobody has attempted a steal against Craig. Let's face it, this is as mirrored a matchup as you'll ever see. Let's not overlook the midcard duel, though: Kujawa vs. D'Agnese. This year's early RotY front-runner (Kujawa) comes in with a bit better numbers than last year's RotY winner (D'Agnese). Kujo has a 0.75 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 14.25 K/6 across appearances in 4 games. D'Agnasty has a matching 1.50 ERA and WHIP and a 12.0 K/6. Despite all these words about it, pitching's not the only side of these games. D'Agnese and Kujawa already squared off at the Beat It Tournament in April, where the Squirrels won 1-0 on a walk-off Skinner dong. Expect this game to close out the day in just as exciting fashion. Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: TBD (RC),  TBD (FS)

WSEM Pickers: Week 6

Week 5 Pickers Results:

 1) IS +7.5 vs. EL // 8 R (IS) - 11 R (EL)  —  Chris, Stephen
 2) AS @ WA series result: SPLIT  —  Chris, Stephen
 3) UNDER 12.5 total H in RC @ WO series (12)  —  Mark
 4) OVER 10.5 RS in IS @ WA series (17)  —  Mark
 5) HB -3.5 vs. AS // 38 R (HB) - 18 R (AS)  —  Chris, Mark
 6) UNDER 3.5 total HR in WO @ FS series (0)  —  Chris, Mark

	Chris (17 - 12,  .586)	Mark (13 - 15,  .464)	Stephen (13 - 14,  .481)
HB @ WA Series run spread: WA -2.5	HB +2.5 Two 1-0 wins by the Balls. Bortmas and Bischoff head to the cornfields to roll a cornhusk blunt and get lost on the way back.	HB +2.5 Evan gets grounded for sneaking out past his 10pm curfew to go fishing with his buddy Cletus at Old Man Smithers' pond. Maw and Paw make him watch the games from his bedroom window.	HB +2.5 Pearson likes the raised mound at Poolside because he’s “higher” than normal.
EL @ HB Series result: AS sweep, WA sweep, or split	HB sweep 20 minute delay during game one...the dog shits in the middle of the field.	HB sweep If this happens make sure Kleenex are present. The excuses these dingle berries come up with will be classic.	Split Braden and Pearson roll a joint and sneak off into the vegetable patch. Kyle is forced to take the mound.
WA @ EL Total runs scored: O/U 10.5	Over * LOCK * One game will be low scoring. The other will be a blow out.	Over I wonder if Sessions thinks about that night he puked on himself...	Over Braden is still nowhere to be found and Kyle has to pitch again.
IS @ RC Series result: IS sweep, RC sweep, or split	Split Doby doesn't show. Trade will be null and void.	RC sweep * LOCK * Captain Werner promises the boys they can play a game called "What's Inside" if they sweep the Islanders. Needless to say, the Red Cox will be rock hard during this series.	RC sweep Doby's car's tires are slashed by a bunch of frat pledges and Fisher is an Islander once again. The Isles scuttle the season.
FS @ IS Total combined HR: O/U 5.5	Under Sessions is spotted on campus creeping out the college girls.	Under ... but so close to going over. If Sessions 3 foot foul ball would have went 87 feet longer.	Over The D’Agnese brothers alone will hit 6+ home runs. They celebrate by breaking my car windows.
RC @ FS Series run spread: FS -1.5	FS -1.5 Cox will be running in and out of the frat house doing keg stands between at-bats.	RC +1.5 Werner makes a glory hole in the strike zone and Skinner doesn't want to come out from behind it.	RC +1.5 Greg Brannan sold some of his PED’s to me two weeks ago.

Official Roster Release for the NWLA Midwest Regional Tournament via Carl Coffee:

#1 Chandler Phillips --- Bats R / Throws R

Chandler is the NWLA Tournament seasoned veteran on this eight man crew, which is funny since he is still over a month away from his 20th birthday. Chandler has been one of the best two-way players for Dads/Big Wood, as he has a 3-1 lifetime tournament record and 11 hits. Chandler is on the regional squad for his bat, trash talk, and of course veteran leadership. You won’t see Chandler on the hill, but he has some of the best hands in WSEM, so expect him to man one of the outfield positions from time to time.

#14 Travis Strojny --- Bats R / Throws R

Travis Strojny was that “other rookie” last year for the runner-up Belgian Wiffles. He did however out-pitch his teammate and National Pitcher of the Year Stephen Farkas in the playoffs. That performance caught the eye of the Wolfpack, where he is now the ace. Travis has the attitude and dominant stuff on the mound that you look for when you are ultimately picking someone to replace the unreplaceable Austin Bischoff

#19 Chris Paquin --- Bats R / Throws R

Chris Paquin is now in year four in WSEM, and has had an incredible run in those years. His Greg Maddux approach and pin-point accuracy on the mound has won him 22 career WSEM games. 2014 was his banner year as he had a 0.94 WHIP and a 5.96:1 K/BB ratio. The Dads pride themselves on keeping walks down, and hitting the board, so Paquin will fit in well. Paquin will be one of five pitchers who will get some action on the hill.

#21 Kyle Tomlinson --- Bats R / Throws R

Tomlinson joins Chandler as the other Dad who isn’t playing for a spot on the team, but instead will provide leadership and experience. Kyle had a disappointing 2014 NWLA Tournament, but no one seems worried. The two-time WSEM MVP is one of the best hitters in the league, and a new year should mean a new Kyle. This will be a time for Kyle to get his confidence back, as the switch-hitting outfielder should get a lot of at-bats for the Regional Dads.

#22 Trey Jardine --- Bats R / Throws L

The left-handed Trey Jardine was an ace rookie in 2014, and continues to be an ace in year two for the nationally ranked Red Cox. Being a left-handed pitcher isn’t his main selling point, but it doesn’t hurt. His main selling points are his velocity, arsenal of pitches, and accuracy that you need when pitching in the NWLA Tournament. He is the prototypical pitcher that Alex Shore seeks to find. Jardine isn’t known for his bat, so his only focus in Kalamazoo will be pitching in hopes of earning that open spot on the National Team.

#29 Stephen Werner --- Bats R / Throws R

It’s well known that Alex Shore is looking for a pitcher to replace Austin, so adding Stephen Werner to the regional squad may make you scratch your head. However, the WSEM Dads were 13th in hitting last year, so it’s understandable to give a pure hitter like Werner a look. Werner didn’t even play a full season in 2014, but still came close to winning the MVP award. He is one of the most clutch hitters in league history, as he had home runs against both Bischoff brothers and Farkas in his rookie season. Expect Werner to get a lot of at-bats, and also see some time in the field.

#50 David Castle --- Bats R / Throws R

Castle is a four year WSEM member who has done it all. He’s played in two All-Star Games, he’s never missed the playoffs, he’s never had less than 40 hits in a full season, and this year he is pitching like an ace. In a league with so much talent, he’s often been overlooked. Until now. Of the six guys trying to earn that last spot on the National team, Castle is probably the best two-way player. He will get his chance to show what he’s got, on both the mound and at the plate.

#99 Craig Skinner --- Bats L / Throws R

A lot can be said about Craig Skinner. He was hyped up for Big Wood in 2013, and then seemingly forgot how to pitch when he got to Ohio. It didn’t faze him in WSEM play, as he won the Clown Shu that year. He then won a WSEM Championship in 2014, and came out of the gates with something to prove in 2015 by pitching a perfect game in less than friendly conditions on Opening Day. That has earned him a second chance. A lot of eyes will be on Skinner in Kalamazoo. Many call him the front runner to replace Austin, but those NWLA rules could once again haunt him.

Gameday Results, 5/30: Poolside Park — Ottawa Lake, MI

↴  2015 Scoresheet (.PDF)	‣  League Lineup Stats Entry

GAMES 1 & 2            12:00 PM            FIELD A
	Game 1	6 innings	Game 2	4 innings
HB	4	WP: Dennis Pearson (1-0)	0	LP: David Castle (3-1)
WA	3	LP: Evan Bortmas (0-2)	11	WP: Evan Bischoff (5-0) HR: Evan Bortmas (2,3)
AVG: .240 SLG: .593 RpG: 6.38 ERA: 3.94 WHIP: 1.51 K/6: 12.5 AVG: .215 SLG: .335 RpG: 3.5 ERA: 1.37 WHIP: 1.19 K/6: 14.0 Two 5-3 teams kick off our first split weekend. The Balls are coming off an absolutely barbaric offensive performance in Week 4: 38 RS including 20 HR in two games. So, the short RF confines of Poolside Park might have their lineup still salivating a bit. However, the pitching staff waiting for them probably has them biting their lip. Since returning in Week 3, Evan Bischoff has taken command of the Aces rotation, and the league. In 23 IP across 4 games pitched, he is yet to surrender a run. He's quickly chalked up 3 wins, a WSEM-best 0.52 WHIP, and in typical Evan fashion has an impressive 8.3 K/BB ratio. Not to the level of stat-padding put up by the Balls, but the Aces bats also heated up Week 4. Posting 22 of their 28 runs on the season, and 2 of the team's 3 HR. They posted 13 H in the last series alone, led by Bortmas with 7, accounting for nearly 40% of their season total. Castle, who previously held the longest scoreless innings streak to start the season, will try to slow the Aces down first. He also joins Evan Bischoff as 2 of the only 3 pitchers to post 3 wins so far; doing so with a 0.64 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. Pearson will get the call as the Balls' #2 for at least the Aces series. It's a necessity due to eligibility, however, he's getting the ball with a high degree of confidence. His last start in Poolside Park was a dominant effort, one of the best of his career: 1 RA, 3 H, 12 K, and 0 BB over 5 IP. If Dennis can replicate that kind of start, then he'll likely take the mound for round two against El Diablos. Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: Evan Bischoff (WA)  —  2 games: Chris Paquin (HB)

GAMES 3 & 4            2:30 PM            FIELD A
	Game 3	6 innings	Game 4	6 innings
EL	8	WP: Josh Nagorski (1-1) HR: Chandler Phillips (3,4), Kyle Tomlinson (3)	16	WP: Chandler Phillips (3-2) HR: Chandler Phillips (5,6,7), Josh Nagorski (3)
HB	5	LP: Chris Paquin (2-3) HR: Mark Phillips (2)	2	LP: Dennis Pearson (1-1)
AVG: .174 SLG: .372 RpG: 2.38 ERA: 3.45 WHIP: 2.02 K/6: 13.9 AVG: .240 SLG: .593 RpG: 6.38 ERA: 3.94 WHIP: 1.51 K/6: 12.5 El Diablos and Holy Balls close out their season series quickly. That means there will be a lot of scoreboard watching to come, but the Fightin' Chickens are in position to take over the division lead after being swept by the Balls on Opening Day. It's been a series of ups and downs so far for El Diablos, the lowest low unquestionably – and still very surprisingly – being their league worst runs scored per game. What was expected to be the most impressive lineup in WSEM has so far managed only 19 RS in 8 GP. Rumors circulated that this week could see the highest high to date: Ryan Bush showing up to pitch. That scuttlebutt has since been debunked – Bush won't appear until June 20 and 28; so with Lollio now playing prospect ball in Mississippi for the rest of year, El Diablos slide back into their bullpen and asking questions. Nick Braden offers the best option as a number-two starter: 2.04 WHIP, 3.21 ERA. Although, he was touched up for 5 R on 6 H against the Balls earlier this season. Speaking of the season series: Holy Balls have outscored El Diablos 9-3 in the two games: 4-0 in the first game, followed by 5-3 in an exciting comeback + extra innings finish. The Balls outhit the Fightin' Chickens .208 to .170 in their series, but the teams' slugging is much closer (.396 for the Balls, .383 for Els), aided in large part by Tomlinson's 2 triples and inside the park home run on the day. Poolside's dimensions probably won't give up a ton of extra bases on the ground, but both of these lineups should make up for that by pumping a few out of the park. Poolshots? Yes, please. Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: C. Phillips (EL),  TBD (HB)

GAMES 5 & 6            5:00 PM            FIELD A
	Game 5	5 innings	Game 6	8 innings
WA	10	LP: Evan Bortmas HR: Evan Bortmas (4,5), Evan Bischoff (2), Alex Shore ()	0
EL	12	WP: Josh Nagorski (2-1) HR: Kyle Tomlinson (4), Josh Nagorski (4), Chandler Phillips (8)	0
AVG: .215 SLG: .335 RpG: 3.5 ERA: 1.37 WHIP: 1.19 K/6: 14.0 AVG: .174 SLG: .372 RpG: 2.38 ERA: 3.45 WHIP: 2.02 K/6: 13.9 Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: TBD (WA),  TBD (EL)

Top 5 Rookies After 4 Weeks

PLAYER	PA	AVG	SLG	OBP	RBI	RS		IP	ERA	WHIP	K/6	K/BB
Scott Kujawa	29	.250	.500	.379	5	3		16.0	0.75	1.19	14.3	3.5
Raymond Brown	39	.187	.312	.333	3	3		4.1	0.00	0.46	12.5	9.0
Dash Fejza	32	.120	.120	.312	1	0		16.0	2.25	1.87	10.5	1.2
Nate Bellinger	25	.150	.320	.300	4	2		0.0	-	-	-	-
Damien Rogers	42	.158	.184	.238	3	3		17.1	10.04	2.54	10.0	1.8

1) Scott Kujawa  -  Red Cox

The Red Assassin has had the hottest start of all rookies this season. Both on the mound and at the plate. Kujo's numbers from 4 appearances on the rubber have Kujo sitting in 7th for both ERA and WHIP. Most of innings on the mound have been platooning with Haffey, which has allowed him to amass a league-leading 3 wins already. He threw his first complete game this past Sunday: a 2 hit, 1 run victory over the Wolfpack. At the plate, Scott is 8th in WSEM in SLG, 11th in AVG, and tied for 13th in RBI with numbers significantly more impressive than the rest of the rookie class. The RotY is Kujawa's to lose at this point. Despite the good offensive numbers, it is most likely his arm that will allow him to win that award. It looks like Werner is ready to start using him as the full-time number two starter. So, as the innings begin to ramp up that could be the push for Kujawa to begin running away with this race.

2) Raymond Brown  -  Flying Squirrels

Brown quickly jumped out to the front of the RotY train during the preseason tournaments when Carl Coffee famously coined the "Ray for RoY" chant. Disputes about whether "the" should be recognized in an acronym if "of" is being recognized aside: Ray's sweet swing deserved that early praise, and he's still in the thick of any RotY discussion today. While the .187 AVG seems lower than what he's capable of, he has a hit in 5 of the 6 games he's played. So, his presence is always felt. It's also worth throwing out there that .187 is higher than the league AVG (.181). Speaking of throwing... Who knew Ray could pitch? In Week 4, Brown came out in relief and proceeded to throw 4.1 innings of shut out ball, allowing only 1 H and 1 BB while striking out 9 Wolves. He'll certainly see more innings coming up, likely as soon as Week 6 at South Field with Skinner unavailable for 2 games. If he's able to continue putting up pitching performances like that and if he can dial up more power from his bat, he may be able to jump back over Kujawa as the favorite to win the RotY.

3) Dash Fejza  -  Wolfpack

In order to seriously get engaged in RotY talks, Dash likely needs a boost in both hitting and pitching. Although, to his credit, Fejza has beaten both teams of the rookies ahead of him on this list. The #DashCam is a sneaky southpaw, and right now is making his living on the outside corner against proper (right-handed) batsmen. His walk total is elevated (24 BB in 16 IP), but 10 of those came on a very windy Opening Day. In 2 GP since, he's improved to only throw 14 BB in 12 IP. His WHIP in those 2 starts improved to 1.58. So, progress in the right direction is there. He just needs to get the bat going. 3 hits on the season, all singles, and a 4-game stretch without a hit. Numbers like that are hard to overcome in award talks.

4) Nate Bellinger  -  Red Cox

The Bell Ringer is the only non-pitcher to show up on this first edition of Rookie Top 5. Nate's .300 SLG is second among rookies, and good enough for top 25 in WSEM. His 4 RBI are once again second in the rookie class, and fall just outside the top 20 in the league. His production with the stick has definitely earns at least a mention in the discussion. 3 of 4 WSEM Rookies of the Year have been awarded the RotY for their offensive stats alone. So, Nate absolutely has a shot, but he'll need to pick it up a little more as he accustomed to WSEM pitching.

5) Damien Rogers  -  Alex See Yas

Rogers got shelled in his last start, giving up 20 runs to the Holy Balls over 6 innings with the wind blowing out. His two prior starts (against El Diablos and Wicked Aces), however, show more promising numbers for the See Yas number-three pitcher: 3.81 ERA, 1.73 WHIP. After the HR derby it will be a hard climb for Damien to get back in RotY contention, but he still finds himself in much better position than anyone not appearing on this list. His .158 AVG, third best among rookies, is a big reason for sticking around. As are his run production in the form of both RBI and RS. A longshot candidate, but his hitting has been improving. Rogers does play for a lineup often desperate for a big hit; if he can supply a few of those, his odds will improve.

Top 10 Pitchers After 4 Weeks

by Carl Coffee

10. Sam Hatt  –  Whiteford Wicked Aces

Hatt has had a very nice WSEM career, being both the Manchester Punchout and Westside Warrior ace. He is now comfortably in the #2 spot for the Aces, and it’s perfect for him. He has seen action in five games already, and has put up Sam Hatt numbers. When you have a 1.19 WHIP and a 3.41:1 K/BB ratio, and you are doing that as a #2 pitcher, your team will go far.

9. Travis Strojny  –  Wolfpack

Strojny deserves a better spot than #9, but those Week 1 stats really hurt him. If you take away those games, he has a 1.04 ERA and a 4:1 K/BB ratio. Strojny has been a workhorse for the 3-5 Wolfpack, and has put the team on his back early in the season. This #9 ranking should be the lowest we ever see him at.

8. Scott Kujawa  –  Red Cox

‘The White Asian’, ‘Kujo’, ‘Scott’, ‘The Red Assassin’ (just made that up), whatever you want to call him, this guy is quietly having an amazing rookie season on the hill. In a year where rookies haven’t done much, Kujawa is looking like a seasoned veteran. Although he only has one complete game, his 3-0 record still stands out. Combine that with his 0.75 ERA, and it’s safe to say Kujawa is the early ROY front runner.

7. David Castle  –  Holy Balls

Seeing David Castle at #7 should tell you how stellar our pitching is. This is a guy who has thrown the 2nd most innings so far (28), has a 1.00 WHIP, hasn’t lost yet, and six pitchers are ranked ahead of him?!? Castle has taken over as the Balls ace, and has saved the team this year. If his arm doesn’t fall off, and his offense keeps giving him run support, I can see Castle winning 10 games this year.

6. RJ Fisher  –  Islanders

Fisher no longer in the shadows of the Bischoff Brothers so far has not disappointed. He went toe-to-toe against Farkas and Chandler, but did lose against Little E. Fisher has allowed only two runs in 21 innings and his control hasn’t been an issue. The Islanders will hang around thanks to Fisher, but he needs run support.

5. Chandler Phillips  –  El Diablos

Chandler may be second in the league in walks allowed, and his 1.46 WHIP is high compared to other top pitchers, but few pitchers do a better job than Chandler at stranding runners on base. Chandler is the only true pitcher who plays full-time for the Fighting Chickens, and often has to get creative with when he throws. When he’s on, he’s just as good as anyone in the league.

4. Trey Jardine  –  Red Cox

The Red Cox spent a lot of money on the lefty All-Star, even though his availability was in question. He’s on pace for about 10 starts, and the numbers he has been putting up are #1 ace numbers. He so far has pretty much been the Left Handed version of Craig Skinner, as they both have nearly identical numbers.

3. Craig Skinner  –  Flying Squirrels

Skinner is just a tad better than Jardine early in the season. He has one more strike out, and his ERA (0.52) and WHIP (0.79) are .01 lower in both categories. Skinner has been, and will continue to be the ace for the talented Squirrels. With the pitching depth they have, he won’t ever be pulled in 8+ inning games, which will help his numbers this season.

2. Evan Bischoff  –  Whiteford Wicked Aces

We shouldn’t be surprised on how good Little E is, but yet, it seems like people are. With his bro in North Dakota, and Fisher on another team, it’s been the Evan Bischoff show for Whiteford. You can’t get any better than a 0.00 ERA, and his 8.3:1 K/BB ratio is stupid good. Evan will stay in the Clown Shu discussion all year, and will finally get the national attention he deserves.

1. Stephen Farkas  –  Ryan Alex See Yas

Farkas has given up a run and his 6.4:1 K/BB ratio is lower than Evan’s, but it’s really hard to not put Farkas anywhere but #1. He’s already at 90 strike outs this year, and could break his own record from last year. Like Fisher, he struggles to get run support. The reigning Clown Shu winner will have some competition this year if he wants to be the only 2-time winner, but he is still easily the frontrunner.

Twatter Rankings: Week 4

by David Castle

1.		Red Cox
		They lost a tough one to the Pack without one of their aces in attendance. They will be hard to beat with Trey and Scott there.
2.		Holy Balls	2
		They didn't have to face Farkas which allowed for a beat down, but Paquin let up a huge lead which is troublesome.
3.		Whiteford Wicked Aces	2
		They will be hard to beat if they bring the lineup they did Sunday. The problem will be getting playoff eligible. #SuckItGiguere
4.		El Diablos	2
		They avoided a sweep against the Islanders. CJP pitched well, he only had 1 mistake, an RJ dinger. #BushCumsToPoolside
5.		Flying Squirrels	2
		They almost got swept by the Pack, but Skinner continues to impress and Ray can pitch? #RayforROY
6.		Islanders
		Fisher kept them from going 0-4 with an impressive outing vs. the Blos, but he did fall to the Aces. They need more pitching!!
7.		Wolfpack	1
		They did have an impressive win against the Cox, and when Dash and Strojny are both on, these guys shouldn't be overlooked./td>
8.		Ryan Alex See Yas	1
		They went 1-3 on the day after their double headers; if Doby isn't there + Farkas is ineligible for 2 games... things get messy.

Gameday Results, 5/17: Coffee Grounds — Southgate, MI

↴  2015 Scoresheet (.PDF)	‣  League Lineup Stats Entry

GAMES 1 & 2            11:00 AM            FIELD A
	Game 1	6 innings	Game 2	6 innings
EL	11	WP: N. Braden (1-1) HR: Nagorski (1,2), N. Braden (1), Lollio (2)	0	LP: C. Phillips (2-2)
IS	7	LP: Adams (1-1) HR: Adams (2), Hewlett (2)	1	WP: Fisher (1-1) HR: Fisher (1)
AVG: .138 SLG: .301 RpG: 1.33 ERA: 3.33 WHIP: 2.11 K/6: 12.8 AVG: .116 SLG: .198 RpG: 5.00 ERA: 2.00 WHIP: 1.44 K/6: 11.8 El Diablos finally clawed their way to .500 with 2 nail-biting 1-run games last week. It's not all roses and Shirley Temples for the Fighting Chickens yet, though. The record may be shaping up, but their offense is still far from where it was expected to be. Especially in run production. Els have led WSEM in runs scored both seasons in the league. This year, their 8 RS in 6 games is last in the league. Good news on the pitchers mound for the second week in a row, though, as they will not have to worry about their rotation as Lollio will throw game 1 before handing the ball off to Chandler. The last time the Islanders opened a gameday at the Coffee Grounds they went off, scoring 19 runs in their two Opening Day games. That production all but disappeared Week 2 when they managed just 1 run at a windy Gill Yards. So, this "homecoming" is a welcome site for the weary Pirate bats, no matter the arms set to throw against them. Still, the Isles lineup has over 4 times as many walks (46) as hits (10); they'll need to narrow that margin if they want to take a game from El Diablos. RJ Fisher is slated to clash against Chandler in the second game, and that ace-versus-ace showdown will provide the big excitement in this series. Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: C. Phillips (EL),  Fisher (IS)

GAMES 3 & 4            11:30 AM            FIELD B
	Game 3	6 innings	Game 4	9 innings
AS	0	LP: Rogers (0-2)	2	WP: Farkas (2-1)
WA	5	WP: E. Bischoff (1-1)	0	LP: Hatt (1-1)
AVG: .146 SLG: .201 RpG: 1.67 ERA: 2.13 WHIP: 1.11 K/6: 12.5 AVG: .160 SLG: .227 RpG: 1.50 ERA: 2.25 WHIP: 1.79 K/6: 12.8 Untimely hitting is the theme coming out of Gatorville. The See Yas left 14 runners on base in a pair of 1-run losses last week. They were unable to manufacture any runs in 13 innings, getting their only tally from a home run. A total of 4 extra base hits puts them just 1 spot ahead of last in WSEM, and they've played 2 more games than the two teams behind them with 3. Pitching is the Yas' rock and, outside of 1 inning Week 1 against the Cox, it has been great. Rogers looked good in his first start last week, surrendering just 2 runs - none coming after the first inning, and he'll get the ball again in Game 3. Evan Bischoff is back, and the Aces are at .500. Still, early season splits with the Squirrels and the Cox isn't a bad result, especially when the 2 series were played with Aces lineups that had only 2 players in common. All hands are expected for the first time, and that means the Aces can go a few ways with their rotation. Little E and Hatt both can play the ace, and both have already beaten the best two offenses in the league this year: Hatt took down the Squirrels 2-1 in Week 1, and Evan shut down the Cox 7-0 last week. The question is, who will hit? Outside of Little E's 6 hit Week 3 performance, the Aces' bats have been surprisingly cold. Maybe the captain's return is the spark to set them off. Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: Farkas (AS),  Giguere (WA)

GAMES 5 & 6            1:30 PM            FIELD A
	Game 5	6 innings	Game 6	6 innings
RC	0	LP: Haffey (0-2)	2	WP: Kujawa (3-0)
WO	3	WP: Dash Fejza (1-1) HR: G. Brannan (2)	1	LP: Strojny (1-3)
AVG: .146 SLG: .201 RpG: 1.67 ERA: 1.36 WHIP: 1.08 K/6: 13.9 AVG: .160 SLG: .227 RpG: 1.50 ERA: 6.00 WHIP: 2.62 K/6: 13.7 Take a big stick, some Onanism, and some fresh faces and what do you get? The class of the league through 6 games. The Cox are first in hitting for AVG and SLG. Smallball or the long ball, they do it all: first in HR, first in RS. Their fault offensively is that they are second in OPS and SB. (#NotReallyAFault) Production has come from the entire roster; 6 of 7 players have driven in runs, 6 have crossed the plate, and 5 have gone yard. To top it off, theirs is the only lineup to feature 4 players hitting over .230. On the rubber they're at the top of the league, too: second in ERA, WHIP, and K/BB (3.54); first in K/6. Led by Jardine (0.53 ERA, 0.79 WHIP) and rookie Kujawa (0.60 ERA, 1.10 WHIP), they are yet to let up more than 4 runs in a series. That'll more than get the job done when your offense is clicking. Wolfpack got in the win column and looked impressive in their Week 2 series with El Diablos. Strojny had one of the best outings out of his career, throwing 8 innings over the 2 games. His stats on the day: 1 RA, 3 H, 6 BB, and 19 K - aka a 0.75 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 3.2 K/BB. A night and day difference from a rough week 1 outing, as it was for Mark Brannan who pitched 3 innings in a relief role: 3 IP, 1 RA, 1 H, 0 BB, and 7 K. The bats even perked up against Nagorski, El Diablos #3 or #4 pitcher (depending who you ask), in game 2. Mark got his first hit of the season, Strojny added 2 of his own, and Hollister and Bencher popped off some surprise power. The Pack will need to step it up and recreate some of that magic this week against tougher pitching, though, if they want to if they want to continue capitalizing on the upswing in their pitching. Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: Jardine (RC),  Strojny (WO)

GAMES 7 & 8            2:00 PM            FIELD B
	Game 7	3 innings	Game 8	6 innings
IS	0	LP: Hewlett (1-2)	0	LP: Fisher (1-2)
WA	15	WP: Hatt (2-1) HR: Shore (1), Bortmas (1)	2	WP: E. Bischoff (2-1)
AVG: .116 SLG: .198 RpG: 5.00 ERA: 2.00 WHIP: 1.44 K/6: 11.8 AVG: .160 SLG: .227 RpG: 1.50 ERA: 2.25 WHIP: 1.79 K/6: 12.8 Round 2 of the day for both Isles and Aces could give us the long-awaited showdown of Evan Bischoff vs. RJ Fisher. Fisher was unabashedly upset when the Aces chose not to franchise him at the end of last season, then didn't go after him in the draft. It's hard to argue that RJ's 2014 stats (0.58 ERA, 1.02 WHIP) would have better served the team in 2015 than a PUP listed Austin. Yet Little E made the call for the future of the Aces, and cited dependability issues with Fisher. That seems to have further stoked a fire in RJ to show up, compete, and prove himself this season. Hopefully he and Little E face off head-to-head in this series, because the entertainment factor will be through the roof. Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: TBD (AS),  TBD (WA)

GAMES 9 & 10            4:00 PM            FIELD A
	Game 9	6 innings	Game 10	9 innings
HB	20	WP: Castle (2-0) HR: Pearson (3,4,5,6,7,8), Castle (3,4,5,6), Paquin (1)	18	WP: Paquin (2-2) HR: Castle (7,8,9,10), Pearson (9,10), Paquin (2), M. Phillips (1)
AS	3	LP: Rogers (0-3) HR: Farkas (2,3)	15	LP: Corbett (0-2) HR: Corbett (2,3), Farkas (4)
AVG: .120 SLG: .218 RpG: 2.17 ERA: 2.76 WHIP: 1.28 K/6: 12.5 AVG: .146 SLG: .201 RpG: 1.67 ERA: 2.13 WHIP: 1.11 K/6: 12.5 The Holy Balls have been on a rollercoaster the first 3 weeks of season. Sweeping the champs and earning a #1 NWLA ranking. Following that up by getting swept in a series with an uninspiring offensive showing. Then, coming back with a split in a series where their offense again didn't do much against talented pitching, but did come through with one clutch hit that made all the difference. That hit came off the bat of Castle, who also has led the Balls pitching staff so far this season: yet to surrender a run, and allowing only 3 H in as many games. That's been huge for the Balls as Paquin's faced some unfamiliar struggles early: his 4.12 ERA is nearly 3.00 higher than his career number. Through all of it the Balls are 2-0 in the division, and they'll look to expand on that against another division rival this week. The See Yas expect to have Doby (1.00 ERA, 1.67 WHIP) back for this series, putting their 1-2 rotation back together for the first time since Week 2 when they went 1-0-1 — assuming, of course, Farkas remains eligible after his earlier start against the Aces. It'll be only Doby's second start of the season, and they'll need him in top form facing off against the hot Castle. Playing 4 games this week against .500 teams puts the Yas in a position to make moves. Which direction that goes likely depends on whether they can find a way to hit with any of those aforementioned runners in scoring position. Side story: This series should provide the first opportunity for longtime Balls teammates Paquin and Corbett to face each other in an at-bat. Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: N/A (HB),  TBD (AS)

GAMES 11 & 12            4:30 PM            FIELD B
	Game 11	6 innings	Game 12	9 innings
WO	4	WP: Fejza (2-1)	0	LP: Strojny (1-4)
FS	3	LP: D. Braden (0-1)	1	WP: Skinner (2-1)
AVG: .160 SLG: .227 RpG: 1.50 ERA: 6.00 WHIP: 2.62 K/6: 13.7 AVG: .221 SLG: .389 RpG: 3.75 ERA: 1.20 WHIP: 0.92 K/6: 13.7 The Squirrels come in with a chip on their shoulder after having a game stolen from them last week - their words. They exercised some of that anger when they went off on Holy Balls in the back-half of that series; will they continue to play angry this week against the Wolves? Such motivation is hardly something the Squirrels need. They are the best pitching team in WSEM, and a top 2 team when it comes to AVG and SLG. Their anger-induced, Hulk-like offensive outburst last week also has propelled them into the top 2 for RpG. All of that means the second-half of the double-header doesn't get any easier for the Wolfpack. They trade one of the top 2 hitting and pitching teams in WSEM for the other top 2 hitting and pitching team in WSEM. That makes this a statement week for the Pack. They have their doubters around the league that probably don't expect Wolfpack to get anything done this week. So, with their pitching now coming around, this is the perfect opportunity to silence the critics and prove the doubters wrong. If they hit, they are in position to make that happen. Ineligible Pitchers  —  1 game: TBD (WO),  B. D'Agnese (FS)