2012 American League Season Preview
ORWBL.com Predictions
ORWBL.com Report | 05/26/12
As the Old Republic Whiffle Ball League gears up for its sixth season of play, ORWBL.com breaks down the teams and attempts to predict
how the standings will look at the end of July. Here's a look ahead to the 2012 American League season:
The Old Republic Whiffle Ball League is a slow pitch whiffleball league based in New Carlisle, Indiana, founded in 2007. ORWBL operates
the Championship of Whiffleball and the New Carlisle Whiffleball Hall of Fame. The league has no affiliation with the Old Republic or
Historic New Carlisle, Inc. The league holds no legal trademarks, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations,
and all other team related content are the property/responsibility of the respective ORWBL club. World Series, American League, National
League, Division Series, League Championship Series, and All-Star Game are trademarks of Major League Baseball.
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34-8 (Won ORWBL Championship)
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Matt Serge (.665 AVG, 24 HR, 71 RBI in 2011)
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Bobby Ellam (13-5, 7.93 ERA, 11 K in 2011)
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South Bend
Sour Wowers
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Season Outlook:
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After sweeping the Federalists in consecutive ORWBL World Series, South Bend goes
for the three-peat in 2012. Andy Ellam takes over as manager for Matt Serge, who
remains on the roster but is considered "out" for the 2012 season. The Sour Wowers
also must deal with the loss of ace Bobby Ellam due to retirement. Despite these
losses, this team has been too dominant for too long to not be considered the
American League favorites.
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Flip Side:
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Ellam and Serge were the Sour Wowers top two pitchers over the past two seasons. If
their new starting rotation struggles, it could open the door for another American
League contender.
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26-16 (Lost First Round of playoffs)
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Seth Shail (.634 AVG, 25 HR, 47 RBI in 2011) With Federalists
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Adam Rehlander No pitching stats provided
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Heston
Gangster Slugs
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Season Outlook:
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It's a pretty safe bet to pick the Slugs to finish above .500, as the franchise has never
had a losing season. New manager Brian Lockhart replaces Brad Schmitt, hoping to
reverse the team's poor postseason performance. The addition of Seth Shail from the
Federalists solidifies a lineup that includes Wes Ellis (.556 AVG in 2011) and Adam
Rehlander (.684). The Gangster Slugs could make a run at the American League
division title.
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Flip Side:
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Depth has always been an issue for the team, and G-Slugs are tied for a league-low of
9 players on their 2012 roster. In 2010, three forfeit losses turned out to be critical as
they finished one game out in the AL West. While it seems the league's anti-forfeit
incentives have cured that problem, they may struggle at times if any of their key
players are unavailable.
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12-30 (Lost 1st Round of Playoffs)
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Alex Friedman (.373 AVG, 44 HR, 72 RBI in 2011)
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Zach Liberatore (11-17, 8.84 ERA, 14 K in 2011)
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Maple City
Magic
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Season Outlook:
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As the only team to make any significant offseason moves, the Magic are easily the
most improved team from last season. They are a trendy pick after their surprise run to
the Elite 8 of the City Championship last year. Additions of Shane Anderson (.387 AVG,
18 HR, 40) and Drew Luther (.529 AVG, 31 HR, 60 RBI) were the major events of the
offseason. While both add offensive production, they also give options in relief of Zach
Liberatore, who led the league in innings pitched by a wide margin in 2011.
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Flip Side:
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Finishing somewhere around .500 would be a huge leap from the 2011 season.
There's no doubt the Magic will be much more competitive this season, but if they
struggle with the unknown teams like the Soggy Bottom Boys or Pterodactyls, their
overall record might not reflect that.
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N/A - 2012 expansion team
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Spicer Lake
Soggy Bottom Boys
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Season Outlook:
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New team to the league, new manager to the league, and a roster consisting entirely of
rookies make the Soggy Bottom Boys nearly impossible to project. With the Sour
Wowers and Slugs consistently on top of the American League, it will be a difficult task
for an expansion team to be competitive. Additionally, the Soggy Bottom Boys get the
two-time defending NL Champion Federalists twice in interleague play.
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Flip Side:
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This projection is based on what's known of the other teams, it is completely possible
for the Soggy Bottom Boys to compete against the traditional powers of the American
League.
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15-27 (Lost AL Championship Game)
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Bourissa Hills
Pterodactyls
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Season Outlook:
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This team is the Pterodactyls in name only, as Kody Gorny brings in a completely
overhauled roster following Jared Emmons and Denis Jedrysek's departure. The only
player on the roster with any ORWBL experience is Justin Gorny, who has spent time
with the club in the past. The Commissioner's Office is skeptical that the
DeweyDactyls will actually show up to play games, but the league was desperate to
keep one of its marquee franchises in existence.
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Flip Side:
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Justin Gorny was a member of the 2009 'Dactyls City Championship runner-up team.
Chayse Davis and Chad Swain also have extensive tournament experience and could
lead this team to some success.
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