Blue Rocks 6, Jammers 0
In game one of this weekend's contests, we saw the #13 Blue Rocks take on the #14 Jammers, with both teams coming off losses. The Blue Rocks grabbed the lead in the first inning and never looked back. After Jammers ace Tyler Galicia walked back-to-back batters to begin the frame and allowed a single to Cayden Bengtson, Ben Rogan ripped a shot to left center that was dropped by his brother Conor Rogan scoring two runs to put the Blue Rocks ahead 2-0.

The always red hot Jammers offense was ice cold in this tilt, as early Cy Young favorite Dave Pierce pitched brilliantly. Pierce struck out six batters in the first four innings allowing only a pair of hits.

Wilmington put up a crooked number in the bottom of the fourth as newly acquired Blaze Falk hit a two-run homer following an RBI-single by Bengtson in the previous at bat. Falk then knocked in a run on a single to put the Blue Rocks ahead 6-0.

BTWL Man of the Match: Pierce - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K, 0 ER, Win


Aces 2, Biscuits 1
In the first of two games for these teams this weekend, we saw former teammates, Tony Sciaraffa and Keith Leatham, square off on the mound. In a side bet between the two players, the first to hit a home run of their former teammate would win the wager.

Three weeks ago, Sciaraffa belted a homerun off Leatham in the fourth at-bat of the game making the bet favor him. However, Leatham one upped him as he hit a towering drive off Sciaraffa in his second at-bat of the wager, to win the bet and put the Aces ahead 1-0 in this contest.

The Biscuits answered the Leatham homer with a run of their own in the bottom of the second as Kyle Reis knocked home Tom Sarkisian on a single tying the score at 1-1.

Both Leatham and Sciaraffa kept the game knotted until the Aces went ahead in the top of the fifth. With one out and the bases juiced, Kyle Cross hit a gapper to score Jim Sarkisian making the score 2-1.

Leatham preserved the shutout retiring the final four batters in order - three by way of the K.

BTWL Man of the Match: K. Leatham - 6 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K, 1 ER, Win; 1-6, HR, R, RBI


Aces 3, Biscuits 2
The nightcap between these two teams showed some late-game heroics. With the Aces ahead 2-0 entering the top of the sixth inning, the Biscuits rallied to tie the score at 2-2 on a single by Reis and a walk by Sciaraffa.

Reis started the game for the Biscuits and proved successful in keeping the game close. Sciaraffa pulled Reis in the bottom of the sixth to try and force extra innings. However, back-to-back hits by Cross and Leatham put runners on second and third. J. Sarkisian then hit an opposite field base-knock to plate Leatham and walk off with the victory.

Leatham scored the lone two runs for the Aces before the sixth inning as he crushed two solo shots pushing his home run total to three on the season.

The Biscuits could not take advantage of two key run-producing situations in the game. In the second inning, they had bases loaded and no outs as Reis hit into a double play turned by Leatham. In the fourth inning, they also had the bags full before Sciaraffa grounded out to Sarkisian on the bump. In all, the Biscuits left 10 runners on base.

BTWL Man of the Match: J. Sarkisian - 6 IP, 7 H, 6 BB, 4 K, 2 ER, Win; 2-6, GW RBI-single

Notes
K. Leatham hits career home run #25...Bengtson connects with 200th career hit...his 200th hit came on a double, also his first of the season (broke doubles record last year)...A. Leatham improves hitting streak to 13 games...Pierce gets third shutout of the season...his only earned runs this season came in the comeback win by the Jammers on 6/9...Aces now have won four straight, all without John Gasparoni

-JS

Jammers 1, Blue Rocks 0
It must be something about seeing the Pierce/Bengtson duo on the opposing lineup card that brings out Antonio Leatham's A-Game on the bump. On a beautiful evening at JB, the BTWL was treated to a nostalgic pitcher's duel between Leatham and Cayden Bengtson, reminiscent of last year's Championship Series. Known for their impressive starts to the season with the bat, the two MVP candidates stepped up their games on the hill on this day. Both were dominant, consistently pounding the strike zone and leaving opposing hitters off-balance all night. Leatham (3-2) managed to carry a no-no into the 5th inning before a Bengtson base hit, but it came an inning after Conor Rogan ended Bengtson's (4-4) no hit bid with a towering blast to left-center, his league leading fourth of the season. That would be all she wrote for the game, as those were the lone hits on the day and Leatham was given all the run support he would need. He'd go on to strike out five, and subsequently give his signature performance of the season in what could be a turning point for the Jammers pitching staff in 2012.

Notes:
Leatham's 15 game hitting streak was snapped, and it was his first hitless game of 2012 ... Conor's game winning homer was the 30th of his career ... Pierce now has a career-high 6 hitless games this season ... Galicia has failed to gather a hit in 4 straight games ... the one run was the Jammers first in 4 games

-TG

Two more games were played this past weekend as we continue to inch ever closer to the end of the 2012 regular season. Both had an impact on the standings, and every game means something as the standings are continuing to be as close as ever. And lucky for us, neither game came without excitement.

Jammers 2, Aces 1 F/7

In the first contest this weekend, the Jammers played host to the Reno Aces. This matchup in particular saw Antonio Leatham take the mound for his 6th start of the season, and 2nd in 4 days. Looking at this game, the Aces seemed to have the upper hand as they have had plenty of success against Leatham this season (15 IP, 10 ER), until Saturday. After a stellar complete game effort against the Blue Rocks a few days prior, Leatham aimed to continue his hot streak in this outing, and he managed to do just that. He threw 5 innings of one run ball, with the lone run coming courtesy of a solo home run by fill-in Connor Beach, who made a memorable BTWL debut for himself. Along with the homer, Beach robbed Leatham of a 3-run homer in the 2nd inning as he managed to run over the wall in right field, with his foot landing out of bounds mere milli-seconds after he made the catch. Unfortunately for the Jammers and Leatham, his strong outing was wasted as the Jammers couldn't manage to scrape a run across against Jim Sarkisian (3-3). That all changed by the 6th inning when Ty Galicia, mired in an 0-for-18 slump, stepped to the plate with one out and none on. He sent a towering drive deep down the line in left, a ball that could arguably seem either fair or foul to the naked eye, depending on who you ask. There's no doubt the ball was fair upon landing, but the Aces would argue that it wrapped around the pole, while the Jammers would argue it came back around in time to squeeze inside the pole. After a lengthy debate, and a totalitarian effort by Sarkisian, the call was made after a "ball don't lie" version of rock/paper/scissor. Galicia took the match, and subsequently his 2nd long-ball of the season with the dramatic game tying homer. Galicia (3-4) also took the mound for the 6th and 7th innings in place of Leatham, and kept the Aces at bay long enough for the dramatics to carry into the home half of the 7th. Following a base hit by Leatham, a double by AJ Lindstrom, and a walk to Galicia, Conor Rogan stepped in to lace his 3rd hit of the game, and ultimately knock in the game-winning run in walk-off fashion.


Blue Rocks 2, Biscuits 0 F/10

The final game of the weekend took place on Sunday, with some classic old-time wiffleball between two arch-enemies, Dave Pierce and Tony Sciaraffa. Pierce arrived a half-inning late to the game, and was donning a bathing suit, but it didn't hinder him from totaling dominating the Biscuits lineup once again in earning his fourth victory of the season. Unfortunately for Greg Sullivan, he couldn't get any offensive support as his superb effort went by the wayside. He pitched 9 innings of scoreless wiffleball, striking out 11, yet walked away empty handed. Because of the dominating efforts on behalf of the starting pitchers, this game was easily brought to extras and failed to see any runs cross the plate until the 10th. Sciaraffa (3-5) entered in relief of Sullivan, and quickly blew the game, walking 3 and allowing 2 runs to score off a Cayden Bengtson double, and a bases-loaded walk to Paul Latino. Fortunately for Pierce (4-1), the two runs came just in time for him to earn the victory and allow Bengtson to enter for the save. Cayden quickly retired the side by way of strikeouts, and sealed the victory for the Blue Rocks and notch his 2nd career save in the process.

Notes:
Bengtson and Sullivan both hit their 40th career double Sunday ... J. Sarkisian earned his 350th career strikeout ... 2.5 games separate first from last place ... Bengtson is 5 hits shy of breaking the single season record ... Players of the Week are updated

-TG

The final scheduled games were held this weekend, with 5 games being played in total. Now that the weekend has been completed, the picture of the standings seems much more clear, and will be crystal clear following a few upcoming makeup games.

Blue Rocks 3, Jammers 1
The first game of the weekend was a battle between the 7-7 Jammers and the 9-6 Blue Rocks. Dave Pierce took the mound to try and continue his dominant season, while Conor Rogan got his 3rd start of the season to serve as Pierce's opposition. Surprisingly, the Jammers jumped on Pierce early. He got Ty Galicia to pop out as the leadoff batter, but it was followed by 3 straight singles from Antonio Leatham, Conor Rogan and Galicia. The latter of which drove in Leatham for the games first run. Rogan (1-2) then tossed a scoreless first frame, but allowed a succession of hits in the second, which allowed 2 runs to score and give the Blue Rocks a 2-1 lead. This score would hold true until a base hit by Cayden Bengtson, which led to an errant throw, scored the Blue Rocks their insurance run as Pierce (4-1) cruised after the rocky start. He went on to pitch a complete game, striking out 9 and moving to 4-1 on the season.

Biscuits 6, Aces 4
The following Saturday game was a good old-fashioned stat boosting game, as Auburn-native Connor Johnson took the bump for the Biscuits as a fill-in against Jim Sarkisian and the Aces. This game went back and forth with blasts, with Sarkisian and Tony Sciaraffa exchanging HRs while keeping it a close contest. The score was 4-3 entering the home half of the sixth when Sciaraffa deposited a 3 run shot over the fence for his 2nd HR of the game, and 6th of the season, in walk-off fashion lifting his Biscuits over the Aces, 6-4.

Blue Rocks 6, Jammers 4
Three more games took place on Sunday with the first being another matchup between the Jammers and Blue Rocks. Due to a late arrival by Bengtson, the Blue Rocks gave Ben Rogan the start to oppose Galicia (3-5). After being knocked around, Galicia and the Jammers fell into a 4-0 hole. That was quickly erased as both Galicia and Antonio Leatham sent 2-run homers into the jungle gym to tie the game at 4 in the third inning. After Rogan loaded the bases, he was pulled in favor of Bengtson who quickly struck out the side and wiggled his way out of trouble. The Blue Rocks went on to take the lead on a hard single by sub Andrew Nawn that scored Pierce all the way from 1st, and then scored again in the 6th for insurance. Bengtson (5-4) completed the 6-4 win for his 5th victory of the season.

Biscuits 6, Aces 2
In the second game, we saw the #14 Reno Aces take on the last place Montgomery Biscuits. The Aces were without their captain Jim Sarkisian so assistant captain Keith Leatham and Biscuits captain Tony Sciaraffa agreed on a lob ball game. One would expect balls to be flying out of J.B with the lob ball game right? Wrong! Tom Sarkisian (1-1) had the bump for the Biscuits and was stellar.

Sarkisian just allowed 2 runs in his second pitching performance of the year and gave up only 2 extra base hits. Behind his pitching was a great offense. Greg Sullivan's bat finally awoke from the dead and he belted 2 homers and tallied 5 of the 6 runs for the Biscuits. Tom Sarkisian had another double getting him within 2 of the doubles record set by Cayden Bengtson.

The Aces remained relatively quiet and could only muster up 2 runs in this disappointing performance. -DP


Blue Rocks 9, Biscuits 1
The third and final game of the weekend was a matchup between the Biscuits and Blue Rocks, and another battle between Greg Sullivan and Dave Pierce. The two each started off the game strong, with Sullivan getting out of a bases loaded jam, no out jam and Pierce sitting down the Biscuits offense all day. The first to falter was Greg (2-2), as he failed to wiggle his way out of another jam and he walked in a run, but struck out Bengtson who subsequently blew off some steam by annihilating his bat and ultimately putting it to its final resting place, the trees. It must have felt good, though, as his next at bat was more successful. He blasted a towering 3-run shot to right center; putting his squad up 4-0 and giving Pierce (5-1) some breathing room. Bengtson wasn't done. He later blasted another 3-run HR, his 5th of the season, to put his team comfortably ahead 9-1. Paul Latino also chipped in an RBI double, and Tony Sciaraffa continued his surprising power surge by hitting his 7th HR of the season off Pierce to prevent the Biscuits from being shut out.

Notes
Bengtson broke the single season hits record Saturday with a 6-for-6 performance, and Sunday became the first player in BTWL history to amass 50 hits in a season ... With their 3 wins, the Blue Rocks clinched the top seed for the playoffs ... Galicia reached the 300 IP plateau ... Players of the Week are updated

-TG

Jammers 2, Biscuits 1
On a perfect night at JB, the Biscuits and Jammers met to make-up a game from early in the season. Due to the absence of Greg Sullivan, and the need to fit this game in before the playoffs, the captains went the route of lob ball, as tends to happen late in a BTWL season. Surprisingly, this game was not all offense as everyone expected. Tom Sarkisian (1-2) and Tyler Galicia took the mound, and they tempted hitters all day, yet managed to keep their teams in the ball game. It took until the fourth inning for the first run to cross the plate, and it came courtesy of Antonio Leatham's 6th HR of the season, a long drive to left-center. In the fifth, the Biscuits scraped across a run to tie the game with a Tony Sciaraffa opposite field base hit. It stayed tied until the 6th, when Conor Rogan drove in Leatham from 2nd on a slap base hit to right field. Rogan then followed that up by making a game-saving leap in the bottom of the frame to prevent Sciaraffa from hitting a game-tying home run by slapping the ball back into play and keeping him to a single. Galicia (4-5) got out of the small jam, thanks to some more solid D, and shut the door on the Biscuits for the win.

Blue Rocks 1, Biscuits 0
In the final game of the 2012 season for the Blue Rocks, Cayden Bengtson took the mound in search of his sixth victory of the season. But first he would have to get through Tony Sciaraffa and the Biscuits. Not surprisingly, it resulted in another pitchers duel, a scenario that has seemingly become the theme of the 2012 BTWL season. They matched scoreless frames all game long, with Bengtson striking out 10 in 8 innings and scattering 2 hits, and Sciaraffa striking out 6 while allowing 4 hits. The only real close play of the game came when Bengtson stepped to the plate with 1 out and the bases loaded in the home half of the 7th. He laced the ball to right field, thinking he had himself a walk-off victory, but Tom Sarkisian was there to make a dazzling play, fielding, spinning and throwing to pitchers poison for the out while the Blue Rocks were caught prematurely celebrating. After the escape, the two pitchers both reached their weekend inning limits after the 8th inning, which meant Sarkisian (1-3) and Ben Rogan (1-0) would enter the game. In the bottom of the 10th , Paul Latino started the rally with a leadoff double, which then prompted Sarkisian to intentionally walk Bengtson and elect to face Rogan with runners on. Rogan responded by ripping a double to center field to score Latino in walk-off fashion and lock up a victory for his Blue Rocks, ending the year as the top seed at 12-6.

-TG

In an effort to add more creativity to the BTWL, and truly separate ourselves from other leagues, the captains got together to discuss some potential aesthetic changes. The most immediate difference maker is the decision to head in a new direction in regards to the names of our awards. Considering that the current award names are derived simply from Major League Baseball, and are used in numerous other wiffleball leagues, we thought that coming up with our own, original names would be more fitting to the uniqueness of our league. Without further ado, I present to you the new award names, effective immediately:

MVP- The MVP Award, or Most Valuable Player, is something we felt needn't be changed. It is the perfect descriptor for the award, and it is, bar none, the most prestigious. We felt we wouldn't be doing the award justice by altering it to something other than simply, "MVP". If you are an MVP Award winner, everyone knows what that stands for, and you are undoubtedly considered the best of the best.

King of Swing (formerly Silver Slugger)- The King of Swing Award will be presented annually to the best hitter in the BTWL. Named in honor of the great Babe Ruth, the King of Swing is self-explanatory in that you are, ultimately, the best and most productive hitter in our league.

The Randiest Johnson (formerly Cy Young)- Yes, everyone knows what the Cy Young award is upon first hearing it, but everyone of our generation also knows who Randy Johnson is. The flame-throwing left hander won 5 Cy Young awards in his career, second all-time, and is undeniably one of the greatest pitchers of all-time and certainly of our generation. Unquestionably punny, and equally hilarious, the Randiest Johnson Award will be presented each season to the pitcher that displays the most dominance throughout their campaign.

Defensive Player of the Year- New to the BTWL award repertoire is the Defensive Player of the Year. Due in part to the better access to defensive statistics, and the lack of an award that truly honors a single fielder, the DPOY will be awarded to the player that shows they are a brick wall in the field. A small number of errors, combined with a knack for making stellar, clutch plays, will be a good indicator for the DPOY.

Handyman Award (formerly Gold Glove)- Perhaps the most dubiously named award in the BTWL was the Gold Glove Award. We don't use gloves, therefore rendering the name inadequate. More appropriate is clearly the handyman award. In addition to the DPOY, 3 players in the BTWL will be named Handymen for that year. Handymen show the best defensive slickness using their own bare hands, just as the wiffleball gods intended, and are players that have separated themselves from the average defender.

NAM Resurgence Award (formerly Comeback Player of the Year)- In honor of NAM, a field the BTWL called home for 3 years, the player who bounces back to form and redeems himself from the year prior will be honored with the NAM Resurgence Award. Why NAM? North American Martyrs will forever be known as the single biggest savior of the BTWL. Following the second season it seemed the BTWL was on the fritz and may not return to top form, then NAM entered the picture. It gave us a perfect, reliable field to get us back on our feet after a potentially fatal downfall. Without NAM, there may no longer be a BTWL, and in a way it served as our own personal resurgence to save our league.

Bethelberg First Year Player Award (formerly Rookie of the Year)- For the BTWL, Bethel and Berg represent a whole lot of firsts. Bethel became our first home, and the first field we ever played on, while Berg reminds us of the origin of the BTWL, and where it got its start. It was the captain's sophomore year English class, taught by the unforgettable Ms. Berg. If it weren't for this perfect storm of events coming together, there may have never been a first year for the BTWL. This award pays homage to those two things, and recognizes the player who displays the most potential and skill in his first year in the league as a rookie.

The Captain's Trophy- Last, but certainly not least, the almighty championship trophy. Although never given an official title, the championship trophy is the one distinct trophy that is so highly coveted by everyone in the league. This trophy embodies a team effort in their quest to bring home a title, rather than the achievement of individual awards. The new and improved trophy (soon to be revealed), will be entitled the Captains Trophy and will be presented on behalf of the four founding captains to the deserving team who comes out on top when it's all over.

-TG

No. 1 Wilmington Blue Rocks (12-6) vs. No. 4 Montgomery Biscuits (7-11)

Pitching
Blue Rocks (Advantage)D. Pierce (6-1, 0.87 ERA, 60 K, 0.81 WHIP); C. Bengtson (5-4, 1.48 ERA, 55 K, 1.29 WHIP)

Biscuits
T. Sciaraffa (3-5, 1.61 ERA, 41 K, 1.32 WHIP); G. Sullivan (2-2, 2.18 ERA, 37 K, 1.88 WHIP)

With the top two pitching staffs in the BTWL squaring off, you can guarantee low scoring games in this first round playoff matchup. The edge here goes to the Blue Rocks, who have the top two pitchers in the league. With three of the seven contests between these two teams totaling two total runs or less, expect pitching to be the storyline in this series.

Offense
Blue Rocks (Advantage)C. Bengtson (.505, 17 R, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 1.261 OPS); B. Rogan (.250, 15 R, 2 HR, 11 RBI, .952 OPS)

Biscuits
T. Sciaraffa (.327, 22 R, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 1.032 OPS); T. Sarkisian (.378, 16 R, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 1.030 OPS)

The Blue Rocks have the only player in the BTWL with a batting average over .500, but after that, their offensive talent drops off. The Biscuits have a balanced attack with Sciaraffa, T. Sarkisian, and Sullivan, however Sarkisian will not be in attendance for the playoffs due to college football starting. With no Sarkisian, the Biscuits lose their offensive advantage over the Blue Rocks. In addition, with the slumping Pierce having a chance to break out of his batting woes at any point, Wilmington gets the slight edge in this category.

Blue Rocks X-Factor
Dave Pierce - With the five time MVP in the league you expect dominance every year in hitting and pitching. In 2012, the pitching of Pierce was one of his best seasons to date, but his batting was a completely different story. Pierce, who is the career leader in the majority of the batting categories, was held to a "Gasparoni-like" season (.222, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 25 K). If Pierce can bounce back to form in the postseason, the Blue Rocks have a great chance to repeat. If not, the defending champs could face an early exit.

Biscuits X-Factor
Greg Sullivan - Since the Biscuits will lose one of their best offensive players, Sullivan needs to show why he is the most decorated player in the BTWL. The three-time BTWL champ had a rather pedestrian year on the bump and at the plate. However, a slow start to the season and attendance issues attributed to the lower than normal numbers. For some reason, Sullivan thrives in the playoffs and needs to step up his game to help the Biscuits knock off the 2011 champions.

Series Prediction
The Blue Rocks have been the most consistent team in the BTWL this year and it would look like an easy lock to advance to the championship. However, with the best playoff performer in Sullivan and with a slumping Pierce, an upset would not be shocking. Unfortunately, for the Biscuits, the Blue Rocks pitching proves too much.

Blue Rocks win series 2-0.

---

No. 2 Reno Aces (9-9) vs. No. 3 Jamestown Jammers (8-10)

Pitching
Aces (Advantage)K. Leatham (5-2, 1.95 ERA, 33 K, 1.32 WHIP); J. Sarkisian (3-4, 3.04 ERA, 38 K, 1.70 WHIP)

Jammers
A. Leatham (3-2, 3.82 ERA, 21 K, 1.67 WHIP); T. Galicia (4-5, 4.00 ERA, 18 K, 1.87 WHIP)

Both squads in this matchup have had up and down pitching performances all season. The edge, however, goes to Reno as they have the always-dangerous K. Leatham. His brother A. Leatham has been stellar in some games and terrible in others, but the younger Leatham always waits until the postseason before he steps up his pitching game. However, the 1-2 combination in Reno of K. Leatham and J. Sarkisian proves to be the better rotation and therefore gets the advantage.

Offense
Aces
K. Leatham (.341, 11 R, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 1.032 OPS); J. Sarkisian (.309, 14 R, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 1.004 OPS)

Jammers (Advantage)A. Leatham (.476, 21 R, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 1.395 OPS); C. Rogan (.317, 12 R, 4, HR, 13 RBI, .903 OPS)

This matchup brings the top two offenses in the BTWL. With the best power hitter in the league with A. Leatham and the offensive abilities of C. Rogan and T. Galicia, the Jammers have no problem scoring runs. The Aces have used their ability to draw walks and timely hitting to help them succeed at the plate. Both squads can hit the long ball and drive in runs so this series could be a high scoring one. However, any team that has the best power hitter gets the advantage as the Jammers do here.

Aces X-Factor
Jim Sarkisian - Sarkisian began the year on the mound as one of the best, but an arm injury has affected him ever since and his numbers have dipped. A relaxed/lob approach to the remainder of the season has allowed his arm to heal as he looks to bounce back to his early season form on the bump. If his dominance can get back to that, the dominating "Aces" on Reno should shut down the Jammers.

Jammers X-Factor
Ty Galicia - Galicia has been an on-base threat every season with his patient approach, but seemed to be getting out much more then he is used to this year. The Jammers leadoff hitter needs to find ways to get hits so the combo of A. Leatham and C. Rogan can drive him in. If Galicia can become a tough out and force the Aces to pitch to Leatham and Rogan, the Jammers could heavily outscore their opponent and win the series.

Series Prediction
With the season series close at 4-3 in favor of the Aces, it will be tough to see which team comes out on top at the end of this duel. As the cliche goes, "pitching wins championships," and based on that the slight edge would go to the Aces, especially if J. Sarkisian regains his early season form. But with an offense as stacked as the Jammers, if they can get a few good pitching outing from their starters, they could get back to the championship as they did in 2011.

Aces win series 2-1

Our site has been on a bit of a hiatus as the playoffs have gotten underway, but we're back to bring everyone up to speed on where the 2012 BTWL race for the Captain's Trophy currently stands. Here is everything that took place in an exciting first round:

Matchup-Jammers v. Aces
Game 1: Jammers 6, Aces 0
In the first game of the playoffs, the Aces held homefield advantage against the high-powered Jammers. Unfortunately for any viewing audience, this game didn't live up to expectations. Antonio Leatham took the bump against Jim Sarkisian, and Leatham was able to cruise without even breaking a sweat. The Jammers scored the first run on a bases loaded walk, and later tallied 3 more courtesy of a Leatham bases-loaded double. From there, Sarkisian virtually conceded victory and the Jammers rolled past the Aces to take a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: Aces 11, Jammers 3
The following game of this series presented the Jammers a chance to sweep away the Aces, but first they'd have to get through Keith Leatham. A sweep dream was quickly washed away after Leatham and Ty Galicia exchanged scoreless frames through 2, but recent Reno acquisition, Eric Norrman, took Galicia deep in the 3rd on a solo shot to get the scoring started. As Sarkisian refused to take the bat off his shoulder, he was able to get on base 8 times via walk/HBP/IBB. With frustration and exhaustion taking its toll, the Aces blew the doors off and washed away memories of Game 1 to tie the series and send it to a decisive Game 3.

Game 3: Jammers 6, Aces 4
Finally, a game that truly represented the BTWL Playoffs and gave us some excitement. This was a classic battle of the Leatham brothers, with many giving an edge to the elder brother for this winner-moves-on game. Everyone knew that there would be a hero to this game, and someone who would carry their team to victory. What no one expected was who that hero would be: AJ Lindstrom. After a leadoff single by Galicia to start the game, and later a walk by Antonio, Lindstrom stepped to the plate and took Keith deep with an opposite field drive for his first long-ball all season long. It quickly pitted the Jammers to a 3-0 lead and seemed to take the wind from the Aces sails. Then in the 4th, Conor Rogan added to his legendary playoff resume by taking Leatham deep with one of the longest bombs we've seen all year to dead center. Rogan also showed why he's a perennial Handyman Award nominee, robbing Keith of 3 home runs on the day, all in impressive fashion. Lindstrom later improved on his day by blasting another homer, this time down the line in left, to push the lead to 6-0 and give him 5 RBI on the day. The Aces scratched and clawed their way back in the final frame to make things extremely interesting by notching 4 runs off A. Leatham who was cruising through their lineup all day. Eventually Norrman stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and a chance to cap a remarkable comeback, but Leatham got ahead 0-2 and quickly retired Norrman on 4 pitches and a strikeout to send the Jammers to the Championship Series.


Matchup- Blue Rocks v. Biscuits
Game 1: Biscuits 1, Blue Rocks 0
Pierce v. Sciaraffa. Need we say more? With these two having a storied rivalry and playful hatred for each other (perhaps not that playful), this series was heading down the path of instant classic. The first game did not disappoint. Each captain took the mound for their squad, looking to lead them to an opening game victory and get them off on the right foot in their chase for a championship. Offense was rendered useless in this game as Pierce struck out 9, and scattered 5 hits on the day, while Sciaraffa struck out 8 and limited the Blue Rocks to 1 hit courtesy of a 2nd inning single by Cayden Bengtson. With each pitcher dominating, something had to give. What was given was a horribly timed blunder by Ben Rogan. It was the 6th inning, runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Rogan had just entered the game as, ironically, defensive insurance. Greg Sullivan slapped a harmless groundball Bengtson's way, who fielded it cleanly and tossed it to Rogan at 2nd for the force, who dropped it. Tom Sarkisian, alert on the basepaths, hustled home after the miscue and gave the Biscuits a 1-0 lead with a half inning to go. Sciaraffa struck out the side in the home half of the 6th and gave the Biscuits a surprising 1-0 series lead and put the Blue Rocks on the brink of elimination.

Game 2: Blue Rocks 3, Biscuits 0
This game wasn't nearly as exciting as the first, but it was still competitive in its own right. Sullivan took the mound in hopes of capping a series victory for the Biscuits, and becoming just the second 4 seed in BTWL history to upset the 1 seed in the opening round (2009, Nationals defeated Padres, a squad that Sullivan was a part of). That dream would not immediately come to fruition as Sullivan got into a 2nd inning bases loaded jam, and walked 2 runs in to give the Blue Rocks an early 2-0 lead. Thats really all Bengtson would need for his outing, as he struck out 4 and allowed 1 hit to keep the Blue Rocks season alive. Dave Pierce, owner of 1 regular season home run, later took Sullivan deep for a solo shot in the 4th to pad the lead and ensure victory for his team and send this series to a Game 3.

Game 3: Blue Rocks 7, Biscuits 3
Easily the most intense game of the 2012 BTWL season took place on a sultry day at JB. It would be Sciaraffa and Pierce on the bump again, and they would decide the fates of their team. After a 1-0 battle in Game 1, we were expecting more of the same, but Sciaraffa rained on that parade awfully quick. He stepped to the plate with runners on 1st and 2nd in the top of the 2nd and sent a high drive down the left field line. Bengtson had a beat on the ball, but it just kept carrying. It dropped just over the wall, and was subsequently only the 2nd time all year that Pierce has been taken yard. And it couldn't have been any better timing for the Biscuits. It was a 3-0 lead, and Sciaraffa, who's been strong all year on the mound, was in the drivers seat to lead his team to the championship. Not so fast. Bengtson answered quickly enough to get the Blue Rocks back in the game by annihilating a Sciaraffa fastball with a runner on and quickly make it a new ballgame. Fast forward to the home half of the sixth and the score still stands at 3-2. Two more outs stood between the Biscuits and a date with destiny. Ben Rogan led off the inning with a walk, which was followed by an extremely controversial play in which Pierce laced a ball down the line for a ground rule double. Upon further video review, the call on the field stood as a fair ball and runners stood in scoring position for the best player in the game. Bengtson wasted no time, swinging at the first pitch and sending a fly ball to deep left. It didn't leave the yard, but it was good enough for a sac-fly to score Rogan from third and tie the game. Two more walks followed, issued to Paul Latino and Rogan again, and Pierce stepped to the plate with one out and the bases full of sky-blue jerseys. An epic battle ensued, as Sciaraffa got Pierce quickly down 0-2 but couldn't quite put him away. Pierce worked the count, fouling off 5 pitches and getting back to a 6-2 count. Then came the next pitch; a fastball from Sciaraffa was pounced on by Pierce and he didn't miss. He sent a deep drive down the line and planted it firmly in the JB jungle gym for a walk-off grand slam. Crisis averted as the Blue Rocks avoided the upset in miraculous fashion, and moved on to face the Jammers in the championship round for a Galicia/Pierce rematch.

Now that the first round has concluded, the Jammers and Blue Rocks are the two teams that have survived to meet up in the 2012 Championship series. What we essentially have is a rematch of 2011, with the trios of Pierce/Bengtson/Rogan (Bleu Rox) and Galicia/Leatham/Rogan (Jammers) meeting up to battle for the title. The two players added to the mix this time around are AJ Lindstrom of the Jammers and Paul Latino of the Blue Rocks, who were both on Tony's Tigers last season.

The Blue Rocks have put together an impressive campaign thus far, completing the regular season at 12-6 and clinching the top seed for the 7th consecutive season under Pierce. Bengtson compiled an MVP season, breaking records along the way and consistently picking up the slack for an otherwise struggling Blue Rocks lineup. Cayden also pitched dominantly despite a misleading 5-4 record. Pierce also dominated on the bump, and aside from one outing in relief against the Jammers, he arguably put up his best season to date, running away with the Randiest Johnson Award.

The Jammers, on the other hand, have struggled this year from a pitching standpoint. Galicia has been up and down all season long, despite only giving up a career-low 3 home runs. Leatham has also flashed signs of brilliance on the mound, but has occasionally been tagged as well. What the Jammers can do well is hit. Leatham is now officially a 3 time winner of the King of Swing, all consecutively, and is the first to do so in BTWL history. Rogan was solid again, providing clutch hits all year long and being among the league leaders in home runs again as well.

Unfortunately because of prior scheduling issues, the first game of the Championship Series took place immediately concluding the final game of the Jammers/Aces first round series, meaning the winner would have to play a doubleheader.

Game 1: Blue Rocks 2, Jammers 1

Despite pitching his team to victory in a complete game effort just a half hour earlier, Antonio Leatham still took the ball for the first game of the Championship Series between the Blue Rocks and Jammers. This first game was another battle between Leatham and Cayden Bengtson, who famously matched up twice in last years finals and allowed a combined 3 runs in 2 games. According to those standards, the first game of 2012 was a high scoring affair. Following a Dave Pierce single with one out in the first, Bengtson came to the plate and quickly gave himself a lead to work with, launching a 2 run shot to right off Leatham. Turns out that's all Bengtson would need, as he breezed through the lineup allowing only two hits, despite admittedly not having his best stuff. The lone Jammers run came via a bases loaded walk drawn by Leatham, and they consistently batted themselves out of potential scoring opportunities, stranding 8 baserunners on the day. Leatham pitched valiantly, scattering 4 hits in this game while completing 12 innings of work in one afternoon, but getting the hard luck loss.

Game 2 will take place at 11:00AM this Saturday at JB. Should the Jammers stave off elimination and bring this series to a Game 3, that championship-deciding game will take place shortly thereafter as a doubleheader, marking the end of the 2012 BTWL season at some point that afternoon no matter the outcome. Stay tuned for more, or follow us @blacktopwiff to find out immediate results.

-TG

Game 2: Blue Rocks 5, Jammers 1

In what turned out to be the final game of the 2012 BTWL campaign, the Blue Rocks clinched the title and in turn gave their Big 3 a back-to-back, while supplying Paul Latino with his first career title.

Pierce took the bump against Galicia in this final tilt, and the Blue Rocks quickly gave him some run support. After a walk to Pierce in the 1st, MVP Cayden Bengtson came to the plate and roped a single down the right field line, scoring Pierce from 1st. Another hit from Latino later in the inning padded to the lead to put the Rox up 2-0 after one frame. The Jammers, however, tried to bounce back quickly. With the bases loaded and none out, Galicia sent a liner down the 3rd base line, scoring a run but sacrificing an out with a clean fielders choice for the force at 3rd. That's all they could muster however. Some sloppy defense and timely hitting led to 3 more runs for the Blue Rocks in the bottom of the 2nd, pushing the lead to 5-1 and giving the newly awarded Randiest Johnson plenty of wiggle room to pitch.

The air was finally taken out of the Jammers after Bengtson made arguably the catch of the year in the 4th. Galicia connected off Pierce with a full count sending a high, deep drive to left-center. Everyone in attendance thought the ball was long gone, but Bengtson didn't give up on it. He tracked the ball long enough to firmly establish his feet in bounds, and then lunge into the dirt landing just in front of the jungle gym to come down with it and rob Galicia of a homer, and some crucial runs for the Jammers. That just about sealed the deal, and Pierce cruised the rest of the way to seal the 3rd title of his career to tie him with Greg Sullivan for most all-time. Ben Rogan, who was not in attendance for the final game, now also quietly has 3 titles in his career, surpassing his brother Conor along the way.

Cayden Bengtson was named Championship MVP for his performance (1-0, 1 ER, 7 K; 5 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI)

Now that the season has finally come to a close, we see many familiar faces atop the BTWL mountain. Regardless, the 2012 season brought many great memories as usual and we now begin to ready ourselves for the long offseason ahead. Keep up with us throughout the winter to keep posted on potential news and updates.

-TG

Although they have already been revealed to the winners, and on our twitter page, we'll take the time to now post the award winners here for the 2012 season. Congratulations to all the deserving winners.

MVP - Cayden Bengtson, Blue Rocks (2nd of career)
.505, 52 H, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 1.261 OPS; 5-4, 1.48 ERA, 55 K

King of Swing - Antonio Leatham, Jammers (3rd of career)
.476, 40 H, 6 HR, 10 2B, 19 RBI, .833 SLG, 1.395 OPS

Randiest Johnson - Dave Pierce, Blue Rocks (1st of career)
6-1, 1 save, 0.67 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 60 K, 16 BB

Defensive Player of the Year - Cayden Bengtson, Blue Rocks (1st of career)
18 GP, 50 PO, 10 A, 0 errors

Handymen - Dave Pierce, Blue Rocks; Keith Leatham, Aces; Tony Sciaraffa, Biscuits

NAM Resurgence Award - Tom Sarkisian, Biscuits (1st of career)
.378, 2 HR, 12 2B, 18 RBI, 1.030 OPS

Bethelberg First Year Player Award - Brendan Fitzgerald, Aces
7 GP, .469, 2 HR, 8 RBI

-TG

The National Wiffleball League Association (NWLA) has announced the 2012 winners of National Team Honors. A total of 10 awards were handed out to BTWL players. The following players were recognized on pitching, hitting, fielding, and being a first year player:

First Team Pitcher:
Dave Pierce - Blue Rocks - 6-1, 60 K, 0.67 ERA

Second Team Pitcher:
Keith Leatham - Reno Aces - 5-2, 33 K, 1.95 ERA

Third Team Pitcher:
Cayden Bengtson - Wilmington Blue Rocks - 5-4, 55 K, 1.48 ERA

Second Team Hitter
Antonio Leatham - Jamestown Jammers - 0.476, 6 HR, 19 RBI

Third Team Hitter
Cayden Bengtson - Wilmington Blue Rocks - 0.505, 5 HR, 23 RBI

First Team Rookie
Brendan Fitzgerald - Reno Aces - 0.469, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 0-1, 6 K, 3.60 ERA

First Team Fielder
Cayden Bengtson - Wilmington Blue Rocks

Second Team Fielders
Dave Pierce - Wilmington Blue Rocks
Keith Leatham - Reno Aces

Third Team Fielder
Tony Sciaraffa - Montgomery Biscuits

2012 NWLA National Teams

With the offseason upon us, the BTWL captains have been meeting and have discussed possible changes to rules and league structure. The 2012 winter meetings, which are scheduled for sometime in December, will finalize all of the new changes.

With no Saturday games being played this weekend, two doubleheaders took place on Sunday with the Jammers and Biscuits matching up at Chuck's Park, and the Aces and Blue Rocks set to do battle at JB.

Biscuits 1, Jammers 0
In Game 1 between the division-rival Biscuits and Jammers, we were treated to an unexpected pitcher's duel between the veteran southpaw Greg Sullivan and the new pitching prodigy Conor Rogan. Once again, the wind played a huge role down at Chuck's, as both pitchers struggled to find their command early with Sullivan walking 11 on the day and Conor having a rough go of it when it came to throwing pitches that tempted the Biscuits batters. The Jammers continuously got base runners on, but they failed to capitalize as they left the bases loaded in each of the first three innings. Sullivan (2-1) managed to wiggle his way out of trouble constantly, but he still looked pretty good despite some command issues, only allowing two hits and striking out 5. Rogan was equally as impressive in his own right, as he got solid defense to back him up in his effort. The lone mistake in the game came when Sullivan batted in the third and roped a liner to right field right at AJ Lindstrom, who failed to make the catch which would have ended the inning. Tony Sciaraffa ended up scoring from 2nd on the play to give the Biscuits the 1-0 lead. That lead would hold true for the remainder of the game, as the pitchers controlled most of the momentum of the game. Rogan (1-1) wound up throwing his first career no-hitter, and the 11th in BTWL regular season history, despite not striking out any batters in the game.

Biscuits 10, Jammers 0
The following game was not nearly as close as the first. Sciaraffa and Ty Galicia each took the mound for the sixth starts of the season, and Sciaraffa (3-4) clearly got the better of Galicia (2-4) in this one. After a scoreless first, Galicia found himself in a jam in the 2nd inning with the bases loaded and Kyle Reis at the plate after a controversial play which resulted in a nail-biting rock/paper/scissors matchup between the captains to decide the fate of a close play. Sciaraffa won the duel, and the inning continued for Reis. Despite that, Galicia seemed to avoid trouble by getting Reis to send a harmless flyball towards Lindstrom in right. However another error on a misplay allowed a run to score to put the Biscuits ahead 1-0. They then erupted in the later innings with help from more shoddy defense on the part of the Jammers, and stormed ahead to take a commanding 8-0 lead. Each of the Biscuits benefited offensively in this game, especially Tom Sarkisian who compiled another strong effort in his quest for his first Silver Slugger award. Sarkisian greeted relief pitcher Antonio Leatham with a 2-run shot down the line in left for his 2nd tater of the season, and now sits atop the BTWL leaderboard with 17 RBI while leading his team to the 10-0 victory.

Blue Rocks 4, Aces 3
Over at JB, the absence of Dave Pierce for the double-dip meant Ben Rogan would take the bump for the Blue Rocks to matchup against Jim Sarkisian(3-2) and the Aces. Rogan kept the Blue Rocks in the game by allowing only 2 earned in the first frame, paving the way for Cayden Bengtson (4-3) to take over in relief in the 4th inning. Sarkisian managed to push the lead to 3-1 by way of a sac-fly off Bengtson, and put his squad in solid position to take the win. But Bengtson wouldn't let his Blue Rocks quit. He lead by example, going 6-for-7 on the day, including a solo HR, and carefully instructed his teammates on how to approach the bottom of the 6th inning while trailing by 2. After a Rogan single, which scored Paul Latino, Latino then came up again to draw a walk and set the table for some late-game heroics. Bengtson laced a single to right with the bases loaded to score the game winning run and send the Blue Rocks to 7-4 on the year.

Aces 3, Blue Rocks 0
In the final game of a busy afternoon, Bengtson once again took the hill, but this time for the start. He opposed the always difficult Keith Leatham, who was trying to salvage a split for the Aces on this day. And that he did. Leatham was phenomenal all day, scattering 5 hits while not walking anybody and striking out 5. All the more impressive was that he got Bengtson to go 0-for-5 in the game, his first hitless effort since June 3rd. Bengtson, surprisingly, was a little off in his start. He allowed a solo HR to Kyle Cross, his first of the season, and gave up 5 hits on the day including an RBI single by Brendan Fitzgerald and an RBI double by Leatham. Now with a 3-0 lead, Leatham (5-2) cruised to the victory with his complete game shutout gem and pushed the Aces to 8-6 on the season, and remain just percentage points behind the Blue Rocks in the standings.

Notes:
The Jammers are mired in a 3-game losing streak, failing to score in each game ... K. Leatham achieved both his 200th IP and 200th strikeout in his victory over the Bleu Rox ... A. Leatham now has a 15-game hitting streak, good for 2nd best in BTWL history (two behind his brother) ... Bengtson and T. Sarkisian each had their 8 game hitting streaks snapped ... J. Sarkisian has tied his career high in team wins (8, 2006) ... With the standings being supremely close, the MVP race seems wide open now ... Gaspi was placed on the DL with a supposed sprained wrist, and has now failed to play in 6 straight games (Aces have gone 5-1 w/out him) ...The year of the pitcher lives on, with some notable names now below .300 (Sciaraffa, Sarkisian, Galicia, Pierce, Sullivan) ... Players of the Week are updated

-TG

With a long winter separating us from Opening Day 2012, I think it's time for us to take a peek at what potentially awaits in the BTWL.

1. New Teams- It seems like it was only yesterday since the last draft, but 2 years has once again passed and that means it's time for a shake-up in the BTWL. Five years have passed, and the duo of Pierce/Bengtson could finally be broken up. This powerhouse has finally produced a championship (2011), along with a bunch of record setting performances. Some other duos that have remained together for years now are Sciaraffa/K. Leatham (5 years, 2 championships), Galicia/C. Rogan (4 yrs, 1 championship), and Sarkisian/Gasparoni (3 yrs, 1 championship). Many, if not all, of these could be broken up and it could create an interesting new landscape for the '12 season.

2. New Team Names?-After 6 seasons of seeing the Padres, Nationals, and Tigers, it seems the captains are ready for a change. The 2 year run of the White Sox (formerly the A's), would also be in line for a name change as well. As of now, the captains have tentatively discussed a very interesting and new idea for the names that will grace the jerseys of the 2012 season and perhaps beyond. It seems like this idea is the frontrunner for the name changes, but if anything else surfaces, the captains will surely take that into consideration. Expect an announcement soon.

3. Potential First Rounders- With a new draft on the horizon, the 4 teams of the BTWL are gonna have big decisions ahead of them as the team they draft will be with them for the next 2 seasons. As it may seem like the biggest decision lies in the first round, that actually might not be the case. In the first round, regardless of which pick you have, you're all but guaranteed to get a perennial All-Star. Who you choose in the later rounds as your supporting cast could mean the difference between a championship, and a season to forget. Keep checking back for a first round preview and/or mock draft in the coming days.

-TG

As we approach the Fourth of July, it means that the 7th BTWL season has now passed the halfway mark. With that being noted, there are numerous things that stand out statistically, in the standings, and on the field. Let's take a look at a few:

Dave Pierce's struggles: This has been arguably the most surprising storyline of 2012. As of this article Pierce's batting looks like this: .208, 1 HR, 3 RBI. Thus far he has failed to form any semblance of himself at the plate, and his struggles have been truly remarkable when you analyze the big picture. He is a 5x MVP, and he is the career leader in every major offensive statistical category. He's walking at a lower rate, striking out at a higher rate, and getting on base far less frequently than ever before. Despite his mysterious disappearance at the plate, he has been stellar on the mound per usual. He holds a 0.73 ERA (1st in the BTWL) along with 36 K's (1st) and 12 BB's (2nd among those with 15 IP). In fact, Pierce has only allowed a run in one appearance this season, and that was during his June 9th meltdown against the Jammers. There is still plenty of time left in the season for Pierce to turn it around with the bat, but for now he remains the Cy Young favorite.

The Aces rollercoaster season: As of now, the Aces stand at 7-5 and in second place by mere percentage points behind the Blue Rocks. But it hasn't been that easy all season long. After a surprising KBC Championship on Opening Day, the Aces went on to fall hard, losing 4 straight and not scoring a run in 3 of those losses. They then bounced back to form, and currently hold a 4 game winning streak. They've ridden the arms of their Captain Jim Sarkisian and reigning Cy Young winner Keith Leatham as their offense has been pedestrian all year long. Also of note has been the recent absences of John Gasparoni. He has failed to put together much of anything this year to regain his legitimacy, and now being absent for all 4 of the Aces wins during their streak has to make one wonder how much longer Gaspi will find himself on a BTWL roster.

The muddling Biscuits and their interesting season: When looking at the Biscuits individual statistics, you might think you're looking at the stats of a dominant team. Tony Sciaraffa has compiled an MVP caliber season with his power surge and stellar pitching, while Greg Sullivan has tossed a no-hitter and owns a 1.50 ERA. Even Tom Sarkisian has enjoyed a career year with his .389 average and 12 RBI. But what you're really looking at is a 3-7 squad who have failed to get on any sort of hot streak this year. The problem? Perhaps the attendance. As Tony has experienced in just about every season, his teammates are failing to show up on a consistent basis. Only one player has showed up for every game (Sarkisian), and their failures to put together a steady lineup with any sort of pitching rotation has killed any chances at camaraderie or consistency. If Tony could manage to get a consistent squad on the field on a regular basis, the Biscuits have the skill level and individual performers who are capable of putting together a good amount of wins.

The remarkable displays of hitting put on by Antonio Leatham and Cayden Bengtson: .520 and .526, those are the startling batting averages that are currently held by Leatham and Bengtson, respectively. Although they have both gone about their torrid hitting in different ways, both are undeniably impressive. In a year where pitching is at a premium (5 pitchers with 15 IP and below a 3.50 ERA), these two have managed to rake; Leatham, with his trademark power, and Bengtson by simply putting the ball where the fielders aren't. Leatham remains an MVP contender and Silver Slugger favorite by posting his batting average with 4 HR (t-1st), 16 RBI (1st), 7 doubles (1st), a .610 OBP (1st), .940 SLG (1st) and 1.550 OPS (1st). Strangely enough, Cayden just hit his first double in his last game, has seen a power dip with only 2 HRs, yet has managed to drive in 12 and leads the league in hits (30). It'll be interesting to see how these two phenomenal hitters finish out their seasons, and if one (or both) of them can continue this pace and make a defiant case for MVP.

The standings being closer than ever: Halfway through the season, 3 teams have now held first place (Blue Rocks, Jammers, Aces), and the Blue Rocks, led by Pierce and Bengtson, have already lost more games than they did in 2011. However, as expected, the Blue Rocks have stayed among the leaders by having the most dominant pitching staff in the BTWL leading in ERA, WHIP, runs allowed and walks. Also as expected, the Jammers have maintained arguably the toughest lineup to retire with their Big 3 of Leatham, Rogan, and Galicia leading in average, hits, runs, home runs, doubles, RBI, slugging and OPS. Both the Biscuits and Aces have had above average pitching, and stand remarkably close across the board in most offensive categories. Look for this to continue throughout 2012 as the league has seemingly become more balanced this year than ever before.

The never-ending search for a BTWL field: Just prior to Opening Day, the Captains seemed to find a field that could potentially fill the void left by NAM in 2010. Chuck's Steakhouse provides a reliable location, with the necessary approval and adequate dimensions to fit the unique style of our league. However, given the location of the field at the junction of routes 20 and 12, the wind has proved to be a pivotal variable in terms of power hitting. More than midway through the year, the season-leader in HRs only has 4, and more balls seem to bang off the wall or fall short altogether. Also, the deep centerfield has provided more triples than ever. Due to these factors, a few more games have been played at old, reliable JB and the games could potentially shift there on a more permanent basis. Despite this, the quest for a perfect field continues in this saga.

-TG

Although it is just a formality, the 2012 BTWL all-star teams have been voted on by the captains. As we pass the halfway point, some picks are a bit of a surprise, while others are well deserved. Also with the new division realignment, the squads are a bit different then years past.

JB Division
Cayden Bengtson (Blue Rocks) - 6th Selection
.510, 8 R, 2 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBIs, 1.253 OPS; 3-2, 26 K, 1.85 ERA, 1.46 WHIP
Jim Sarkisian (Aces) - 7th Selection
.286, 10 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 12 RBIs, .921 OPS; 2-1, 25 K, 2.75 ERA, 1.39 WHIP
Dave Pierce (Blue Rocks) - 7th Selection
.222, 8 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, .725 OPS; 2-1, 1 Sv, 29 K, 0.89 ERA, 0.89 WHIP
Keith Leatham (Aces) - 6th Selection
.279, 5 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBIs, .799 OPS; 3-2, 21 K, 2.64 ERA, 1.56 WHIP
Brendan Fitzgerald (Aces) - 1st Selection
.579, 5 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 1.787 OPS; 0-1, 6 K, 3.60 ERA, 2.00 WHIP


Pak Division
Antonio Leatham (Jammers) - 3rd Selection
.532, 16 R, 7 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 16 RBIs, 1.597 OPS; 2-2, 13 K, 5.40 ERA, 1.95 WHIP
Tony Sciaraffa (Biscuits) - 7th Selection
.324, 12 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 11 RBIs, 1.230 OPS; 2-2, 21 K, 2.03 ERA, 1.18 WHIP
Conor Rogan (Jammers) - 5th Selection
.366, 10 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBIs, 1.105 OPS; 1-0, 1 Sv, 6 K, 4.29 ERA, 1.86 WHIP
Tyler Galicia (Jammers) - 7th Selection
.300, 12 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 11 RBIs, .841 OPS; 2-2, 1 Sv, 8 K, 3.75 ERA, 1.67 WHIP
Tom Sarkisian (Biscuits) - 4th Selection
.372, 8 R, 6 2B, 1 HR, 12 RBIs, 1.072 OPS

The following eight players also earned trips to the Home Run Derby:
Antonio Leatham - 4 HR
Tony Sciaraffa - 4 HR
Conor Rogan - 3 HR
Brendan Fitzgerald - 2 HR
Cayden Bengtson - 2 HR
Jim Sarkisian - 2 HR
Ben Rogan - 2 HR
Tom Sarkisian - 1 HR

-JS

Auburn, MA --- San Diego Padres captain Dave Pierce was named to three National Teams in the release of the awards posted on the National Wiffleball League Association (NWLA) website. Other BTWL players making national teams were Nationals Antonio Leatham, Conor Rogan, and captain Tyler Galicia, as well as Tigers Kyle Reis.

This is the first year the BTWL has been involved with the NWLA as they are the 12th ranked website in the association. The Padres and Nationals also were selected to the 32-team national tournament with the Padres losing in the Final Four.

Pierce captured First-Team Pitching, Second-Team Hitting, and Second-Team Fielding awards for his fifth MVP season in his career. Pierce finished the 2011 campaign with an 8-0 pitching record with 75 strikeouts, and a 1.27 earned run average. He also batted .422 with 11 home runs and 27 RBIs.

Leatham won the Third-Team Hitting honor for his 2011 performance that won him BTWL Silver Slugger. He posted a .406 average with 12 home runs and 30 RBIs. He also led the BTWL with an .885 slugging percentage.

Rogan captured the First-Team Fielding award for his dominating presence in left field for the Nationals. He has made countless number of ranging plays over the years including several this season, as he was the only unanimous BTWL Gold Glove winner.

Galicia took home Third-Team Fielding for his stellar play in the field as well. He has been a consistent fielder every year capturing three BTWL Gold Glove awards in his career.

Tigers first-year player Reis was named to the Second-Team Rookie squad for his season that was highlighted by a .429 batting average with five home runs and 12 RBIs in only eight games.

Link to the NWLA Awards Webpage

-JS

Each year, the four captains meet during the off-season to discuss the future of the BTWL. This year, the Winter Meetings are tentatively scheduled for December 18th and will take place at one of the captains houses, which is to be determined. We try to touch upon all subjects that need addressing, whether it involves gameplay and rules, or just items of productivity. Fortunately, this year has many items that need to be discussed, among those are the following:

Team Names: Much has been discussed throughout the league about the potential re-naming of the four teams. Two ideas have emerged as the frontrunners for the basis of re-naming, but this will be perhaps the biggest, and most fun, item discussed overall. Look for this big announcement to come at the conclusion of the meetings.

Decathlon Events: As we have reached the 2 year climax, the teams will need to be shuffled. To determine the draft order, the 4 captains will compete in a decathlon, with points being awarded for each event. The one who gains the most points, will earn first pick. Which events will be played will be a hot-button topic, and we'll try to secure a list of 10 games for the much hyped 2012 decathlon.

Trophies/Awards: A potential re-naming of trophies may be discussed, along with making sure everyone is on the same page for qualifications, etc.

New Field: Another of the more exciting issues is the possibility of a new home for the BTWL. With the help of 2010 MVP Cayden Bengtson, the BTWL may have found a new place to play their games in 2012. Now that the 4 captains can all be together for the first time since the end of the season, this will certainly be among the more heavily talked about items and this may be good news for the BTWL.

Money:Typically every year each BTWL player pays $10 at the beginning of the season for bats, balls, equipment and things of that nature. This year, we may have to up the ante in order to provide every team with jerseys, yet it likely wouldn't be more than a $20 total.

Out of Bounds Rule: Always a debate in the middle of games, we will discuss once and for all what is actually considered out of bounds, specifically behind home plate, and allow no more room for debate.

Sponsor: We've had a new idea for a sponsor, and we'll discuss it to see if we can actually make that a reality for our locally grown league.

Non-Stop Black Top: After the initial success of the new series "Non-Stop Black Top", we will discuss what we can add/change to the keep the program new and fresh.

If you think we're missing something that you know needs to be cleared up, let us know either in the Guestbook or on our Facebook page below.

BTWL on Facebook

-TG

With the season just over five months away, the Black Top Wiffleball League captains met for their annual winter meetings with many ideas to be discussed. Here is a breakdown of the meeting and the new rules/changes to the BTWL:

1. Season Series - Every weekend will now be a series between the two teams, which means that the same two teams will play on Saturday and Sunday. Every team will face their opponents for three weekends making the schedule now 18 games. This idea was created by long-time BTWL veteran Keith Leatham

2. Third-Base Running Rule - There will now be a line past third base (measurement TBD) from where the person can be thrown out at home plate. The person can step off or round third base now without being able to be thrown out at home. However, once the person steps on the line, they are fair game to be thrown out at the strike zone.

3. Team Name Changes - The BTWL will undergo a complete team name change with the new teams being named after a minor league team in the US. The release of these names will come at the beginning of 2012. All minor league teams are eligible to be chosen.

4. Divisions - The two divisions (AL and NL) will now become the JB Division and the Pakachoag Division, named after the two schools in the area. The JB Division will consists of graduates Jim Sarkisian and Dave Pierce, while captains Tyler Galicia and Tony Sciaraffa will be in the Pakachoag Division. Although the division mean very little, they will determine the two sides for the All-Star Game.

5. All-Star Game Format - The All-Star Game will now have one player (non-captain) hand pick a squad of four (including self) from their own division. The two sides' captains will be voted by the BTWL commissioners. The game also determines home-field advantage for the playoffs regardless of the seeding.

6. League Fees - The cost of the league is now $20 and will include a team jersey for the next two seasons.

7. Media Coverage - The BTWL hit show "Non-Stop Black Top" will be a biweekly show consisting of 2-3 game highlights, recaps from all of the played games, and new segments. There will also be a draft/decathlon special for the upcoming season.

8. New Fields - The new fields brought up at the meetings include the Skate Park, two places in the Auburn Industrial Park, and also continued use of JB/McCann. The Captains will meet during the spring months with the town of Auburn to try to get usage at the Skate Park, but the two new lots at the Industrial Park show much promise as well and will be used during Spring Training.

9. Throwing Errors - The rules for throwing errors and advancing have changed. If the ball is thrown past a base runner and remains in play, the runners can advance a maximum of one base at their discretion. If the ball goes out of play, then the runners automatically advance one base. The backstop, whether it be a board or car, can keep the ball in play, but if it bounces off the car and out of play (grass, wall, mulch, another car, etc), one base is automatically awarded.

10. Decathlon - The following events will be used to determine the selection order of the 2012 BTWL Super Draft. (Croquet, Poker, Knockout, Putting, Hit the Bucket, Yahtzee, Field Goal Kicking, Soccer Shooting, Beer Pong, Bowling). The Draft and decathlon will take place between March and May.


--JS

After 6 years of MLB names represented in the BTWL, the captains felt it was time for a shake up. After much deliberation, it was voted upon choosing new teams names from any and all minor league (MiLB) organizations due to their creativity, and overall originality as far as logos and names. Tonight, the Captains met to reveal their new teams for 2012 and beyond. They are as follows:

Cpt. Tyler Galicia (formerly Nationals)
New Team: Jamestown Jammers

Cpt. Tony Sciaraffa (formerly Tigers)
New Team: Montgomery Biscuits

Cpt. Dave Pierce (formerly Padres)
New Team: Wilmington Blue Rocks

Cpt. Jim Sarkisian (formerly White Sox)
New Team: Reno Aces

***It is important for us to stress that the BTWL maintains no affiliation of any kind with any of the aforementioned teams, and uses names and logos strictly for entertainment purposes***

-TG

Just a little taste of what's to come. Enjoy.

-TG

A promo video created by Blue Rocks captain Dave Pierce highlighting some of the best plays from 2011 as the league prepares for the upcoming 2012 campaign.

After another successful Captains Decathlon that took place in a two-day event on Saturday and Sunday, the draft order was determined and teams were picked. If you had been following us through the weekend on Twitter, then you already know the outcome of each events and the draft, but nonetheless the decathlon saw Dave Pierce finish in first, Jim Sarkisian take second, Tony Sciaraffa place 3rd, and Tyler Galicia round out the group in fourth. It was probably our most competitive decathlon yet, and most events came down to the wire. Immediately after the conclusion of the final event, the 2012 Draft commenced as follows:

Round 1:
1. Blue Rocks- Cayden Bengtson
2. Aces- Keith Leatham
3. Biscuits- Antonio Leatham
4. Jammers- Greg Sullivan
Round 2:
5. Jammers- Conor Rogan
6. Biscuits- Kyle Reis
7. Aces- Kyle Cross
8. Blue Rocks- Ben Rogan
Round 3:
9. Blue Rocks- Paul Latino
10. Aces- John Gasparoni
11. Biscuits- Tom Sarkisian
12. Jammers- Pat Trainor
Round 4:
13. Jammers- AJ Lindstrom
14. Biscuits- Chris Smith (Minor League Option)
15. Aces- Brendan Fitzgerald
16. Blue Rocks- Andrew Nawn (Minor League Option)
Round 5:
17. Blue Rocks- Declined Selection
18. Aces- Kevin Doray (Minor League Option)
19. Biscuits- Declined Selection
20. Jammers- Declined Selection

But that wasn't the end of the drama. Galicia and Sciaraffa had been in discussions for a trade of picks for a few days, and after much deliberation, agreed to swap Greg Sullivan and a 2014 2nd Round Pick for Antonio Leatham.

A Few Things to Note:

-Ultimately, the other 3 captains failed in their quest to defeat Pierce and break up the 5 year combination of him and Bengtson.
-After the blockbuster trade, Antonio Leatham and Conor Rogan were once again reunited with Galicia.
-Greg Sullivan now has the opportunity to win a title under all 4 Captains and add to his extensive ring collection. A feat which has obviously never been accomplished in the BTWL.
-There are two new members to the BTWL: Chris Smith and Brendan Fitzgerald, the former selected as a Minor League prospect.
-The new "Minor League" option means that the team has sole rights to the player, and they are not required to pay the $20 league fee unless they play in at least 8 games, at which point they will be required to pay $10 and become a permanent member of the roster. If a minor leaguer reaches the 8 game plateau, the team may not be allowed to select another minor league player until the offseason.
-Pat Trainor, a player with great skill, but tough on reliability, has been given another shot in the BTWL. Galicia acknowledged it is a great risk/reward, but hopes Trainor pans out to the player he has shown he can be.
-Kyle Cross has been reunited with Captain Sarkisian and his longtime running mate, John Gasparoni. Last time this trio was together, it presented some tension and issues in the clubhouse. A few years older, and a few years wiser may mean good things for the Aces in 2012.
-Keith Leatham, the BTWL model of consistency, is on a new team for the first time after a 5 year run with the Tigers and Captain Sciaraffa. Leatham is looking to bring his talents to the Aces, and provide stability to the lineup and rotation, which is music to Sarkisian's ears.

The schedule will be made in the coming week, and hopefully a Draft Edition of Non Stop Black Top will follow soon as well. Stay tuned for more news and media. The 2012 season now feels closer than ever!

-TG
@blacktopwiff

Learn a little about us in this mini documentary created by Blue Rocks captain Dave Pierce

1.Wilmington Blue Rocks (12-6)---The Blue Rocks made a slight change in there lineup this year by adding some depth and reliability. Paul Latino is there new addition to the team and just adds to the team chemistry. The Blue rocks also added big time Nawns Lawn slugger Andrew Nawn. Although just a minor league player at the moment his presence could really be key in helping with bringing a championship to the Blue Rocks. Then who could forget about the big three of the BTWL. You can't have these three together and not have a winning squad. Led by captain Davis Pierce and followed by arguably the best player in the BTWL, Cayden Bengtson. These guys show time and time again why they bleed wiffleball. Finishing off the big three is Ben Rogan who showed last year that he can be a huge factor on this team.

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2.Jamestown Jammers (10-8)---Washington Nationals or Jamestown Jammers? Just like the Blue Rocks, the Jammers pulled in a very similar squad from the last two years. They too have a big three that can easily match up against the Blue Rocks as we saw in last years 2011 championship. Tyler Galicia needs to finish the way he started last season on the bump and keep getting on base for Black Tops Mannylike player Antonio Leatham to hit him in. If Ant can display anything similar to his pitching numbers from the playoffs then he is a clear favorite at Cy Young and more likely MVP. Conor Rogan is a force at the plate and one of the best fielders in the league. He is reliable and great player and I predict he will have some high numbers at the plate this year. With his last pick of the draft Tyler went with AJ Lindstrom. I like this pick obviously because of his outstanding OBP numbers and think that this will help with Conor and Antonios rbi count drastically. Also sleeper pick Pat Trainor who had some attendance issues in the past could add another big bat to this lineup which could pose some problems to pitchers. With that being said I think that the Jammer's could see a large increase in RF on the season.

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3.Montgomery Biscuits (9-9)---Believe it or not Tony Sciaraffa might have a team that will cause some problems for the rest of the league. With himself and Greg Sullivan on the mound this team could rack up some serious wins if all goes accordingly. Not to mention the run support from those two and the newly acquired Tom Sarkisian. Sarkisian is always a underrated threat against good pitchers in the league. I anticipate Kyle Reis to have a successful year however not as many homeruns as the previous season. He will be a factor on this team. And having no visual evidence to back up Chris Smith and his play it will be hard to see how this pick works out. I can't imagine it being a bad move as he has a better appreciation for the game than most and could be a great asset to this team. Look for the Biscuits to be a force in this years season.

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4.Reno Aces (7-11)---My apologies to captain Jimbo Sarkisian but the addition of Keith Leatham might not be enough for the Aces to win this year. Unless however Jimbo Sarkisian can get back to the early days of his pitching career. His numbers have slumped drastically the last few seasons and he hasn't proved to be any real threat against the big hitters. Maybe tossing the controversial pick Kyle Cross into the starting rotation could be something to shake things up in Reno. I like the pick of Brendon Fitzgerald because of the rep he got while in other leagues around the area. This is a low risk high reward this go right. Also if John Gasparoni can find a way to get the bat on the ball this season then things could look up for the Aces however I feel they have a lot of kinks to work out prior to the season.

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Playoff picture
Blue Rocks vs. Aces (Blue Rocks win 2-1)
Jammers vs. Biscuits(Jammers win 2-1)

Blue Rocks vs. Jammers
(Blue Rocks Win 2-1)

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Award Predictions
MVP-Antonio Leatham
Cy Young- Bengtson
Silver Slugger-Greg Sullivan
Gold Gloves- Conor Rogan,Davis Pierce,Tyler Galicia,Tony Sciaraffa
Comeback Player of the Year- John Gasparoni
Rookie of the Year- Andrew Nawn

1. Wilmington Blue Rocks (13-5) --- This year's Blue Rocks squad is eerily similar to years' past Padres teams. The main core of captain Dave Pierce, Cayden Bengtson, and Ben Rogan all are back from their 2011 BTWL championship run. Pierce and Bengtson are always in MVP discussions every season as this duo combines for the best starting rotation in the league as well as the two toughest batters to get out. With Rogan back from his short retirement, the team has its leadoff hitter as well as possible spot starter as he had a memorable second half to the 2011 season.

With the Blue Rocks drafting Paul Latino, they are getting a reliable player who could not have picked a better team in which to develop his skills. Nomadic player Andrew Nawn looks to finally find his place on the Blue Rocks, as with Pierce coaching him the ceiling is very high. The Blue Rocks are as close as a guarantee to winning the regular season pennant as you can get, but a rumored temporary absence in the first month by captain Pierce may push the loss total up a few more.

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2. Jamestown Jammers (10-8) --- As with the Blue Rocks, the Jammers are very similar to last year's runner up Nationals. With captain Ty Galicia, Antonio Leatham, and Conor Rogan looking to avenge last year's championship defeat, the season looks good for the Jammers. Leatham and Rogan are two of the best power hitters in the game as Galicia looks to head the pitching rotation with Leatham as the No. 2.

The Jammers also add the second best OBP in BTWL history in AJ Lindstrom as he looks to fight with Galicia for the leadoff spot in the order. In addition, the Jammers drafted Pat Trainor who has had attendance issues in the past but is one of the better hitters in the league when he is at the games. The Jammers have added more skill to last year's Nationals team so the potential to knock off the Blue Rocks for the top spot is there. However, if the pitching is not as consistent as last year's playoff run, the Jammers might be fighting to stay above the .500 mark.

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3. Reno Aces (8-10) --- The Aces have a completely new squad under captain Jim Sarkisian he selected Keith Leatham (2nd in 2011 MVP Voting) with the second overall selection. Leatham has been arguably one of the top two pitchers in the league as he captured his second career CY Young in 2011. The Aces also acquired seasoned veteran Kyle Cross who boasts one of the best OBPs in the league and looks to add some solid hitting in the middle of this lineup.

Sarkisian selected long-time running mate John Gasparoni who had one of the worst batting seasons in league history. He has shown that in previous seasons he can bat over the .300 mark, so hopefully for the Aces last season was a down year. The Aces also acquired rookie Brendan Fitzgerald coming over from the cross-town NLWL. He has been the best pitcher in that league for years and could be a catalyst to the Aces having a strong pithing rotation. Rounding out the Aces is long-time fill in player Kevin Doray who has one of the best gloves the BTWL has seen. The Aces have many different personalities on this year's squad and if they all mesh, expect big things from the team out of Reno.

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4. Montgomery Biscuits (5-13) --- With the draft day trade to acquire three-time champion Greg Sullivan the Biscuits are hoping to bring in some championship pedigree to their squad. Sullivan had a down year pitching last year, but he shattered the OBP record in 2011, as he is arguably one of the best all-around hitters in the league. Captain Tony Sciaraffa did not surprise anyone with his next pick selecting cousin and 2011 Rookie of the Year Kyle Reis next. Reis proved the naysayers in the BTWL wrong as he came into 2011 halfway through the season to hit five home runs in eight games. His bat could be a strong addition to this potentially potent lineup.

The Biscuits also selected BTWL veteran Tom Sarkisian who brings his powerful swing to the batting order, as Sarkisian was also the person who broke up Sciaraffa's bid at a perfect game in 2011. Last, but not least, Tony went with rookie Chris Smith a player from the NLWL. Smith brings great potential to Sciaraffa's squad and could be a solid spot starter. With the trade, the Biscuits missed a big name power hitter in A. Leatham and looked to the future. Sullivan is by no means a bad #2 option, but it seems like from the get-go the Biscuits have begun this new season on the wrong foot. The team appears to be one piece short of greatness and until then, we will have to wait and see what Sciaraffa has in store for the BTWL.

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Playoff Predictions
#1 Blue Rocks vs. #4 Biscuits - Blue Rocks win (2-0)
#2 Jammers vs. #3 Aces - Aces win (2-1)

#1 Blue Rocks vs. #3 Aces - Blue Rocks win (2-1)

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Award Predictions
MVP - Dave Pierce
Cy Young - Keith Leatham
Silver Slugger - Antonio Leatham
Comeback Player - John Gasparoni
Gold Gloves - Conor Rogan, Keith Leatham, Dave Pierce, Tyler Galicia
Rookie of the Year - Brendan Fitzgerald

1. Wilmington Blue Rocks (14-4)- Coming off his 2011 championship,Dave Pierce looked to assemble a title contender once again for 2012. He did just that by managing to obtain nearly all the key players from his title run. With the first pick, Pierce made the obvious choice by going with longtime teammate and perennial MVP candidate, Cayden Bengtson. Bengtson and Pierce together form the most lethal 1-2 punch in the BTWL, both in the lineup and on the bump. With the new scheduling format, each team is all but guaranteed to see these two each weekend when they face off in a series. This favors the Blue Rocks greatly, and it'll be tough to take them down on any given weekend. Ben Rogan is also back in the mix, as he hopes to maintain his strong second half from the 2011 season, and continue to be a solid lead-off hitter in front of the two MVP candidates. Add up and comer Paul Latino to the mix, and you have perhaps a recipe for a 2012 championship. We can't forget about Andrew Nawn either, as he hopes to fulfill his minor league contract and find his place as a regular on the squad. It's tough not to imagine the Blue Rocks taking the regular season title, and finding their way into the 2012 Championship series come mid-August.

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2. Jamestown Jammers (11-7)- Fresh off a loss in the most exciting BTWL championship to date, Captain Ty Galicia saw fellow captain Dave Pierce assemble an eerily similar squad to the one that knocked his Nats out in 2011. But because of the tightly contested series of last summer, Galicia figured reuniting sluggers Conor Rogan and Antonio Leatham may perhaps give him his best shot at a title for 2012. This involved drafting Greg Sullivan and shipping him to the Biscuits along with a 2014 2nd rounder. If Leatham can pitch consistently like he did in the 2011 playoffs, allowing a mere one run and three hits in 22 innings of action, he has the ability to potentially run away with an MVP award. Combine that with the stellar defensive abilities of these 3, whom all garnered a gold glove in 2011, and the Jammers could make a serious run at a championship. All of that is said without even mentioning the additions of Pat Trainor who has tremendous upside and claims he'll be ready for consistency in 2012, and an on-base machine/all-around intimidating individual in AJ Lindstrom. The Jammers look like they'll be able to outscore anyone they play, but will their pitching hold up long enough to bring them a title?

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3. Reno Aces (8-10)- Jim Sarkisian is sick of being the cellar-dweller of the BTWL, and he let the league know that with his 2012 draft selections. With the 2nd overall selection, he elected to take reigning Cy Young and Mr. Reliability, Keith Leatham. He then surprised some people and took Kyle Cross in the second round, whom he famously feuded with in 2009. Cross and Leatham both bring excellent, strong bats to the lineup and look to provide the Aces with steady run-production. But a few things still scare me about Jimbo's squad. Last year there was no doubt that Keith could carry a pitching staff and keep them competitive, but with minimal help in the Tigers lineup, Leatham's bat was far less effective than it could have been. I worry that the Aces may come across similar issues, but I'm a little more confident in them knowing that they at least have Cross to provide another steady bat. John Gasparoni was essentially the laughing stock of the league last year, and he'll admit it as well. If he doesn't bounce back, that could really hurt the Aces chances as he could become an easy out in the lineup. Yet if he does return to his consistent form of 09/10, he could be a solid on-base man for the lineup. Rookie Brendan Fitzgerald looks to add depth to the Aces pitching staff, and he could prove to be a great commodity for Reno. Sarkisian has to bounce back to his old form on the bump, however, as he was underwhelming in 2011, sometimes even seeming careless on the mound as he failed to notch a win all year long. The addition of Minor Leaguer Kevin Doray can provide defensive reliability as well. Overall, if the Aces can get on base and score some runs, they could potentially pitch their way to a surprising season.

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Montgomery Biscuits (6-12)- I already know Captain Tony Sciaraffa will be laughing when he sees this prediction, but the numbers are there and the Biscuits look eerily similar to the White Sox of last year. Greg Sullivan is undeniably the most underrated player in BTWL history, and his bat is as consistent as they come, but he'll need help. Thankfully for him, Tony and 2nd round pick Kyle Reis have a bit more ability to get on base than the White Sox did last year, but if they get in a slump of any sorts, it could be a long, tiring stretch for the Biscuits. Sullivan needs to regain his dominant pitching form from years past, and Tony needs to pitch like his 2010 Cy Young self to keep the Biscuits alive. It'll be tough for Reis to reproduce the same numbers that he did in a short span in 2011, but he hopes to avoid a sophomore slump and prove the naysayers wrong once again. Rookie Chris Smith is an unproven commodity thus far, but he hopes to prove his worth for the Biscuits as the season progresses. The addition of Tom Sarkisian could also be a big boost to the lineup, but he has to show up consistently to even be a factor. The fact of the matter is, the Biscuits are going to have to pitch their way to success, and that will only happen if the Sciaraffa/Sullivan tandem rekindle a little bit of their former selves. I'm sure Sullivan will be himself at the plate, but he can't do it alone, as we saw with his 2011 White Sox squad. Then again, Greg does have 3 championshps for a reason, and come playoff time, he knows how to get the job done more than anyone else in BTWL history.

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Playoff Predictions
#1 Blue Rocks vs. #4 Biscuits - Blue Rocks win (2-1)
#2 Jammers vs. #3 Aces - Jammers win (2-1)

Championship- #1 Blue Rocks vs. #2 Jammers
Jammers win (2-1)

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Award Predictions
MVP- Antonio Leatham
Cy Young- Davis Pierce
Silver Slugger- Cayden Bengtson
Gold Gloves- Conor Rogan, Tyler Galicia, Keith Leatham, Davis Pierce
Comeback Player of the Year- Jimbo Sarkisian
Rookie of the Year- Brendan Fitzgerald

1.) Wilmington Blue Rocks (12-6) - Lets be honest here, they are reigning Champs and since the league started this team has finished 1st in the regular season every year and I don't expect it will change this year. The blue rocks have the two of the best players in the BTWL, Captain Dave Pierce, who has five MVP's under his belt and number 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, Cayden Bengston, who has the most no no's in the league and also the only other MVP award giving out other than Dave. Them both can carry a team to the championship. They are the best 1 2 tandem at hitting and pitching. With the return of Ben Rogan, who in the second half of last season proved he could find a way on base and be one of the dominant hitters in the game. Paul Latino and Andrew Nawn have the chance to be key factors of the Blue Rocks success this year. They both will bring great team chemistry. Latino will need to look to somehow getting on base a lot this year to make an impact for his fellow teammates. This team is destined for back-to-back championships but they will carry the bull's eye on their backs for the team to beat in the 2012 season.

2.) Montgomery Biscuits (10-8) - This team has a lot of upside to it. With acquiring most decorated player in the BTWL, Greg Sullivan, via trade with the Jammers I believe that they are solid at pitching with their 1 2 punch. Both Greg Sullivan and Tony Sciaraffa are known to give up a lot of walks and sometimes have trouble finding the strike zone but when they are on they can be easily unhittable. The team after having a disappointed last season went for big hitters throughout the draft with adding Tom Sarkisian and Kyle Reis. Tom Sarkisian can easily add a lot of value to the Biscuits with his big bat in the lineup. Kyle Reis is the key to the success. Giving this will be the first full year for him in the BTWL, he will continue to improve on every aspect and add depth to both the line up and on the pitching rotation as he has been practicing throughout the off season. Drafting prospect Chris Smith from the NLWL, the Biscuits are hoping that Chris can add even more depth in the batting line up and prove to the league that he can be a role player in the BTWL. The Biscuits are a sleeping bear that if woken can make a serious run at the championship giving Greg a championship with every team in the league.

3.) Reno Aces (9-9) - Captain Jim Sarkisian I believe had the best draft of all the teams. With the second overall pick. His team has all the potential to be championship worthy. They have all the pieces but we will have to see if all the pieces can work together. Keith Leatham is the most consistent player in the BTWL. You know exactly what he will bring day in and day out. Jim will not be disappointed in his first pick. Then perhaps the steal of the draft Kyle Cross was selected 2nd. Kyle has all the stats to back him up as one of the elite players but the curse of Kyle Cross is still lingering over his head. He has yet to win a championship and some reason every team he is on, they somehow don't finish that well in the standings. With that said though he has all the skill sets to help this team in a positive way. If Jim Sarkisian can pitch like he used to in 2007, then we could be seeing a team that could take over that 1 spot. After a poor display of wiffleball last year for Jon Gasparoni, I wouldn't put it past him to have a good bounce back season. Kevin Doray is a reliable choice and will add depth to the Aces lineup. With little knowledge on what Brendan Fitzgerald, Rookie in the BTWL, can bring to the league, it is a low risk high reward if he pans out to be what Sarkisian says he can be. The Skills are all there but there are always fueds on Sarkisian teams that prevent his team to perform to the maximum potential and I think its one of those years again.

4.) Jamestown Jammers (7-11) - Pitching wins championships and even though Tyler Galicia showed a lot of promise in the regular season and even in the playoffs last year, but I am not sold yet. Antonio won't be able to carry this team alone pitching wise especially in this new schedule format. The Jammers have the worst depth in the pitching rotation. But the Jammers have no doubt one of the scariest lineups in the league with alone the bats of previous winners of the silver slugger awards, Antonio Leathem and Conor Rogan. Selecting Pat Trainor in the draft was a very risky move by Tyler, knowing that his attendance issue has been a problem in the past couple years on the Former Padres and Former Tigers teams. I believe that this problem will still consist throughout the 2012 season. AJ Lindstrom needs to find his old self and be more of a dominant at getting on base to create opportunities for the big hitters of the Jammers. This team obviously has the ability to be right at the top but lack of pitching will be their demise this season.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Playoff Prediction:

#1 Blue Rocks vs. #4 Jammers - Blue Rocks win (2-1)
#2 Biscuits vs. #3 Aces - Biscuits win (2-1)

Championship- #1 Blue Rocks vs. #2 Biscuits
Biscuits win (2-1)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Award Predictions:
MVP - Dave Pierce
Silver Slugger - Greg Sullivan
Cy Young - Keith Leathem
Gold Gloves - Kyle Cross, Dave Pierce, Kyle Reis, Conor Rogan
Comeback player of the year - Jon Gasparoni
Rookie of the year - Brendan Fitzergerald

1. Can anyone stop the Blue Rocks?

Another decathlon, another draft, and yet another two years of the Pierce/Bengtson duo. Let's face it: when Dave Pierce is the captain of a squad, he doesn't lose very often. Every year of the BTWL, his Padres-led team failed to finish in anything other than 1st place during the regular season. Adding Bengtson in year two only made him that much scarier, and they've proved why. They're the only two players to ever win an MVP Award (Pierce 5, Bengtson 1), and they're arguably the two best hitters AND pitchers in the league. It would probably foolish to expect them to not finish the season in first place once again, but the playoffs have proved to be a whole separate beast. Luckily for them, they ended their drought and brought home a title in 2011. If you don't have them as the favorites to win it all in 2012, then you, sir, are an idiot.

2. How consistent can the Jammers be?

Similar to the Blue Rocks, captain Ty Galicia assembled a squad that mirrors that of 2010/2011. We all know how dangerous the lineup is with Galicia getting on base and letting two-time defending Silver Slugger Antonio Leatham and the equally dangerous Conor Rogan drive him in, but the pitching is still suspect. Galicia started hot last year, jumping out to perfect 5-0 pitching record, and finished strong in the season finale and through the playoffs, but what happened in the middle is cause for concern. If he and Antonio can pitch like they did in the playoffs, they could easily contend with the Blue Rocks as favorites to take it all. Leatham is capable of taking over a game at the plate, but he also showed in the playoffs that he can be an unstoppable force on the bump too (22 IP, 1 ER, 4 hits). If they both put it together for most of a season, then watch out.

3. Can Jimbo and the Aces win more than 3 games this year?

On paper, the answer to that question should be an unequivocal yes, as Jim Sarkisian had a solid draft and put together a squad that looks poised to contend. However, none us would have imagined him taking a championship in 2010, and then only winning 3 games last year and not even chalking up a victory on the bump for himself. #2 overall pick Keith Leatham is going to be a huge boost for Sarkisian, as he'll keep his team in the game every time he takes the hill, and he'll provide a definite spark in the lineup. The X-Factor could end up being John Gasparoni. If he continues his struggles, he could really bring the teams offensive production to a halt, but if he bounces back and once again becomes a reliable on-base man, he could make a big difference. Nonetheless, Jimbo is going to have to find his stride on the mound again, and if he doesn't, it could be a long year for the Aces.

4. Will there be an MVP not named Dave or Cayden in 2012?

We posed this question last year before Opening Day, and the answer turned out as a resounding "no", as Pierce walked away with his 5th MVP award in 6 years. The only player to take that title, although briefly, away from Pierce? Bengtson. It's true, they have a chemistry that most teams would die for, and they play off each other so well that it's hard to imagine either of them having a down year. With that being said, the BTWL still has some phenomenal talent, many of whom could undoubtedly be capable of capturing this coveted award. The first that come to mind have to be Antonio Leatham, Keith Leatham, Greg Sullivan, and Conor Rogan. Antonio looked poised to run away with the award last year, but a short slump late in the season allowed Pierce to storm back in and show why he's still the best. Keith and Greg are both exciting players who can pitch and hit with the best of them when they're on, but it seems they have to do a bit more to knock off Pierce. Conor is also a darkhorse candidate, but his lack of pitching is a detriment to his chances. Only time will tell if the MVP award finally leaves the grasp of Pierce.

5. Who will walk away as 2012 BTWL Champions?

Ahh, the ever-important question that no one knows the answer to yet. All the BTWL captains will gladly tell you who will end the season on top, but we all know only one of them will be right. Right off the bat, the early season nod has to go to the Blue Rocks, who essentially have the same team as last year, and who won the 2011 crown as the Padres. Everything that needs to be said about the Pierce-Bengtson connection has been said, and we all know how great they are, but they still have to get the job done in the postseason which is when anything can happen. The Jammers can likely be looked at as a close second, as they're returning most of their starters from the '11 Nats, and their lineup is as good as anyone in the league. The Aces and Biscuits both look solid as well, and both of them are 100% capable of putting it all together for the duration of the season and coming out on top. I can do all the talking, analyzing, and number crunching that is possible, but the real answer is simple: no one knows, and it's precisely why we play the game.

Here's to another great season of wiffleball, as the BTWL seems to get better and better every year.

Is it wiffleball season yet?

-TG

The National Wiffleball League Association website recently posted two big news items this past weekend, both pertaining to the Black Top Wiffleball League.

The first news item is that Blue Rocks captain Dave Pierce was recently named to the Top 15 Recreational Pitchers in America by the online wiffleball magazine Wiffler's Digest. Here is the piece published in the magazine:

"He is described as the "best player in the league" by BTWL commissioner Jim Sarkisian. Pitching from 55-65 mph with dynamic curves and a phenomenal riser, Pierce is an unstoppable force in his league. He finished the year without any losses on the mound. He has won league MVP five times in six years, pitched over 300 innings, and threw nearly 400 career strikeouts. He has more than proven himself to be king of the hill in this small league out of Auburn, Massachusetts.

Link to Magazine
http://wifflersdigest.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/new-issue-of-the-magazine-is-ready/

In addition to the article, Pierce's picture also was featured on the title portion of the piece as well. The BTWL would like to congratulate Pierce on this accomplishment.

The other big news from the NWLA is the annual St. Patty's Day Rankings. These rankings come out in the weeks after St. Patrick's Day and it involves the NWLA writers predicting on who will be the champion of their respective league.

This year was no different from last year's rankings as five out of the six writers had the Blue Rocks repeating as champions for the 2012 season. One writer had the Jammers defeating the Blue Rocks.

Five of the six writers had the Jammers and the Blue Rocks battling it out for the championship, while one had the Blue Rocks beating the Aces. The Biscuits were left out of every prediction.

Link to St. Patty's Day Rankings
http://www.nationalwiffleballrankings.com/12Stenson2012PattyPrediction.htm

-JS

It's been a while, but your favorite Wiffleball show is back! Non-Stop Black Top is returning for it's second season, and we kick it off with a Special Draft Edition of the show.

With the season about a month away, we are looking at the best season yet for the Black Top Wiffleball League. To make things a bit interesting here are some bold predictions that could possibly happen this season with the new rules and new teams. The Bold Meter is a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the most unlikely to happen.

Antonio Leatham Breaks Every Major Batting Record
It looked like last year that Antonio Leatham would break the longstanding home run record of 15 set by Dave Pierce in 2008, but he had a homer drought to end last season. He definitely has the potential to belt 20 homers and can drive in many runs with Ty Galicia and Conor Rogan batting in front of him. It would not be surprising to see Antonio capture the batting Triple Crown, as he did in 2010, and put up 17+ HRs and 50+ RBIs in 2012.

Bold Meter: 6/10

Reno Aces Will Win The Regular Season Crown
No other team except the Wilmington Blue Rocks (formerly Padres) has finished in first place during the regular season, but this year's Aces team has the potential to perform such a task. With Keith Leatham headlining this year's squad, captain Jim Sarkisian also added BTWL veterans Kyle Cross and John Gasparoni. Everyone on this season's team has the potential to bat over .350+ and even .400. With the addition of Brendan Fitzgerald, the Aces may have found a diamond in the rough as he has been regarded as the best pitcher outside of the BTWL. With some solid hitting and pitching, the Aces could climb out of the basement and atop the standings.

Bold Meter: 10/10

Cayden Bengtson's ERA Is Over 5.00 in 2012
Everyone in the BTWL knows that Cayden Bengtson throws the fastest in the league and is arguably the top pitcher. However, everyone also knows that he has had control issues and injuries in the past. Cayden has had a few no-hitters including one where he lost 4-3 by walking in all four runs. This year could see higher walk numbers as few can hit his fast pitches and look for the easy walk. If teams don't mind walking all game against the Blue Rocks, #2 pitcher Cayden could lose a few more games and see his ERA slowly climb.

Bold Meter: 9/10

Conor Rogan Wins Four Games As A Pitcher This Year
When the Jammers selected Conor Rogan in the second round, they got one of the best power hitters in the league. Conor has been used sparingly on the bump (0-1, 9 IP, 4.67 ERA in 2011), but could be used as a starter this year especially if captain Ty Galicia returns to his late-2011 form (ended season 0-4). He could win games as a pitcher with the potent offense that was built in the draft and therefore could move into the #2 pitching spot and rake up the wins.

Bold Meter: 7/10

Kyle Reis Will Hit Have Double-Digit Homeruns For The Biscuits
Few people have come into the BTWL had have done as well as Kyle Reis did in 2011. In eight games, the Rookie-of-the-Year had five homeruns, 12 RBIs, and an average over .425. If he continues this pace over the 18 game regular season we could see 10+ homeruns that would be a welcome addition in any lineup, especially one that lost Keith Leatham.

Bold Meter: 5/10

Kyle Cross Will Win The Silver Slugger Award
As a member of the Nationals, Kyle Cross was used as a part-time player, but this year Cross will be a key member of the Aces. He has the third best batting average in the history of the BTWL (.401) and has 21 homeruns. With the always dangerous Keith Leatham in the lineup and John Gasparoni and Jim Sarkisian getting on base, Cross could drive in a lot of runs and help the Aces win games with their offense. Cross captured the 2008 Silver Slugger as a member of Sarkisian's Athletics squad.

Bold Meter 6/10

The Biscuits Will Finish the Season With Less Than Three Wins
Biscuits captain Tony Sciaraffa looked toward the future when he traded Antonio Leatham for Greg Sullivan and a second round 2014 pick, not that Sullivan is a bad replacement. Sciaraffa and Sullivan look to be the key pieces to this year's team but after that question marks are raised. Will Kyle Reis have a solid sophomore season? Will Tom Sarkisian show up and more importantly perform for the Biscuits? Will Chris Smith be able to adjust to the BTWL in his first season? The Biscuits should win more than three games, but that?s why they call them bold predictions.

Bold Meter 10/10

Dave Pierce Wins His Sixth MVP Award
This really is not a bold prediction, but I have to be able to get at least one correct. Pierce is the most decorated player (award wise) and is no doubt the best player in the BTWL. He started off slow last season, but a few games against the White Sox righted the ship. One of the "Top 15 Wiffleball Pitchers in America" Pierce is definitely one of the best all-around players to step on the pavement and looks to win his sixth MVP Award in 2012.

Bold Meter 1/10


-JS

The season is right around the corner, and of course, one of the best parts is seeing who has phenomenal years on the bump, at the plate, in the field, or all of the above. And when the season comes to a close, we'll know exactly who was the best, and who walks away with the hardware. Let's take a look at the Top 3 Favorites in each category for 2012.

*It should be noted that a winner of the any of the 3 major awards (MVP, Silver Slugger, Cy Young) may not receive another of the major 3 in the same season.

MVP

Favorite: Davis Pierce, Blue Rocks
What can we say about Pierce that hasn't already been said? Simply put, Pierce is a monster. In 6 seasons of the BTWL, Dave has walked away with the MVP award 5 times. He is unquestionably the most talented player in the league, and gets the job done both at the plate and on the mound. He started shockingly slow at the plate last season, and many thought his reign was coming to an end. But oh how quickly he quieted the doubters. He wound up hitting a mere .422, leaving the yard 11 times, and driving in 27. And not to be forgotten was his 8-0 record on the mound with a sparkling 1.27 ERA and 75 K's. He also notched a save just for good measure. He's also the career leader in every major statistical category, except triples. All that goes along with his team going 15-3, and winning the regular season title for the 6th time in 6 tries.
Very Real Chance: Antonio Leatham, Jammers
Last year, Leatham tore up the league early and had 10 HRs through his first 11 games. It seemed as if he'd shatter the regular season record for HRs, but a late-season slump hurt his chances at MVP. Also a detriment to his chances was his mediocrity on the bump. But then came the playoffs. Leatham showed his true pitching potential. He belittled the Tigers lineup en route to the championship round, where he made the powerful Padres lineup look like a bunch of John Gasparoni's. If he can consistently pitch like he knows how throughout the season, and also hit like he has his entire career, there is a very good possibility that he dethrones Pierce atop the mountain.
Don't Sleep On: Cayden Bengtson, Blue Rocks
In the only season that Dave Pierce didn't win MVP, his longtime teammate Cayden did. Bengtson is consistently among the best players in the league, and is an absolute flamethrower on the mound. If it weren't for his terrible 0-3 start on the mound in 2011, he may have very well walked away with the MVP again last year. And yet he still finished with a 2.21 ERA and 5 wins. He also broke the league record for most doubles in a season, along with 8 HRs and 25 RBI at the dish. The only thing slowing him is himself, and the fact that maybe the only player better than him is on the same team.

Honorable Mentions: Greg Sullivan, Keith Leatham

Silver Slugger

Favorite: Antonio Leatham, Jammers
When it comes to hitting, Leatham just rakes. He's the only player in BTWL history to win the triple crown, and he's also the 2x defending Silver Slugger. Since he became a consistent every game type player again in 2010, Leatham has slugged 20 HR and gone for 50 RBI and catapulted himself among the career leaders in all major hitting categories. Assuming he doesn't win MVP, he should be the clear favorite for this award.
Very Real Chance: Greg Sullivan, Biscuits
Sullivan has been one of the most reliable hitters in league history, winning the batting title 3 times in 6 years. He's a rare breed of left-handed batters, and he's incredibly difficult to get out. If it weren't for the team he was on last year, he may have been more recognized for the tremendous numbers he put up. With a seemingly better supporting cast this season, he should be able to drive in more runs and have a solid shot at this award.
Don't Sleep On: Conor Rogan, Jammers
Rogan, along with A. Leatham, form one of the most dangerous lineups in the history of the league. The only thing holding him back from potential MVP candidacy is his lack of pitching. Despite that, Rogan is a pure hitter. He had down years in '09 and '10, but bounced back last year to finish 4th in HR and RBI. If he continues to hit to his fullest potential, he is a strong candidate for this award.

Honorable Mentions: Dave Pierce, Kyle Cross, Cayden Bengtson

Cy Young
Favorite: Keith Leatham, Aces
The reigning Cy Young winner, the elder Leatham is appropriately on the new team entitled the Aces. Perhaps the most accurate pitcher in the league, this crafty right-hander is known for keeping his team in games and occasionally throwing absolute junk when he needs a strikeout. He only walked 12 batters all of last year, and won the Cy Young award despite being on an 9-9 team with minimal run support. He's essentially the Felix Hernandez of the BTWL. It seems everyone always talks about not fearing facing Leatham when he takes the mound, but mostly everyone walks away not being able to solve him. He's probably the only pitcher in the league with a legitimate change-up, and it baffles hitters. Leatham is always a Cy Young contender, and that should in no way change in 2012.
Very Real Chance: Cayden Bengtson, Blue Rocks
If Bengtson is consistent throughout the season, he could potentially run away with this award, that is if he doesn't win MVP. He owns a league-record 5 no-hitters for a reason, and that is because when he is on, he's literally unhittable. He tends to get wild from time to time, but when he's able to reign in all his skills, be afraid. Last year he won the Championship MVP award solely for his pitching as he mowed down the Nats lineup in 16 innings, and he has the talent to do that over the course of an entire season.
Don't Sleep on: Dave Pierce, Blue Rocks
The only reason Pierce is the 3rd favorite is because he's such an overwhelming favorite for MVP. Obviously his numbers speak for themselves, and he was named one of the Top 15 Pitchers in America for a reason. He doesn't throw heat, but he's unnaturally accurate and is straight up intimidating when he steps foot on the mound. He has an array of 6 pitches that he can throw equally as accurate and he keeps you off-balance all game long. If he managed to have a down year at the plate, he would likely be a unanimous favorite for Cy Young.

Honorable Mentions: Tony Sciaraffa, Antonio Leatham

Comeback Player of the Year
Favorite: Jim Sarkisian, Aces
Jimbo is capable of being a dominant pitcher when he gets his mind right. He's got a Cy Young under his belt, and he's 3rd All-Time in strikeouts. If he can maybe take a little tutelage from new teammate Keith Leatham, then Jimbo should be able to right the ship and potentially bounce back to his old form. He's always been a very under-appreciated hitter as well, as he's not exactly known for blazing speed or power, but he's constantly on-base and coming up with hits when his team needs it. If he can manage to get a few wins on the bump, unlike 2011, and keep his ERA at a respectable level while leading his team to a solid season, then Jimbo should be a strong candidate for this award.
Very Real Chance: John Gasparoni, Aces
Oh, Johnny. The man who looks like he's 40 and talks the most trash of anyone in the league this side of Tony Sciaraffa. If you look at his 2011 stats, you'd probably think to yourself, why is he talking trash? And that, friends, is the million dollar question. But it's why we love him, and why we hate him. After his dismal 2011 season, there's really only one place to go: up. If he manages to get worse, then he may find himself out of the mix in Reno. Regardless, somewhere within Gaspi, there is a respectable amount of talent. He looked good in his first two seasons in the BTWL, but he just has to improve his eye at the plate and relax a bit. That should lead to better numbers, and if he can get on base for his squad then he may fall into a better rhythm.
Don't Sleep On: Pat Trainor, Jammers
Trainor has dabbled in the BTWL, as he has a great deal of skill both on the plate and on the mound, but he's been the most unreliable player in BTWL history. Two teams have given him a shot, and twice he's failed to come through. This will be his 3rd go-round, and he says he's more dedicated this time around with a chip on his shoulder. If he shows up, he'll simply be an added piece to an already strong lineup. That could inflate his numbers, and he could potentially compete for other awards outside of this one. If he doesn't, then it's a low-risk situation for Captain Ty Galicia, and Trainor will be an expendable piece.

Honorable Mentions: Tom Sarkisian, Paul Latino

Gold Glove
Since there are 4 Gold Glove Award Winners, here is a list of the most likely candidates:
Favorites: Conor Rogan, Jammers. Tyler Galicia, Jammers. Keith Leatham, Aces. Antonio Leatham, Jammers. Dave Pierce, Blue Rocks. Cayden Bengtson, Blue Rocks
Rookie of the Year
There are three rookies in the BTWL this season, two of which we've never seen play competitively. Those are Chris Smith and Brendan Fitzgerald. The third is Andrew Nawn who has 3 career games under his belt. I'd be remiss to name favorites here, as I don't really have an objective view. They'll make for an interesting race this season though.

-TG

Going into the 2012 season, the BTWL editors have decided to compile a list of the Top 10 Players in the league. This list combines mostly past achievements, and statistical considerations, but considers some current skills as well. The list will be released on a day by day basis, with numbers 10-8 released on the first day, 7 & 6 the next, 5 & 4 the next, and the top 3 released on the final day.

To see the list go to the tab on the left hand side of the screen entitled "Top 10 Players".

Created by JS and TG

Blue Rocks v. Biscuits
Game 1
In the first game between the heated rivals Dave and Tony, the two captains took the bump to try and chalk up a win for their squads. Both pitchers battled, and subsequently dominated, the opposing lineups with Pierce (1-0) tossing a complete game gem with 11 K's, and more importantly, only one walk. Sciaraffa (0-1) wasn't too bad himself, finishing out the game and only allowing one hit while striking out 6. Pierce, however, was just a tad bit better as he led his Blue Rocks to the victory in extra frames, watching Cayden drive in Paul Latino on a fielders choice in the bottom of the 7th to steal the win.

Game 2
After another purely dominating game by Cayden Bengtson, the Blue Rocks jumped out to 3-1 on the season and have yet to allow a single earned run in four games. Greg Sullivan took the mound for the Biscuits, aiming to help them avoid falling into an 0-4 hole on the season. His efforts came up short, however, as he struggled mightily with his command, walking 13 batters in his 2012 debut. Bengtson (2-1) lifted the Blue Rocks at the plate as well, driving in two on a rarely seen triple. That was more than enough for him, as he continuously mowed down the Biscuits lineup, striking out 8 and allowing one hit.

Jammers v. Aces
Game 1
Behind a sterling effort from Jimbo Sarkisian(1-0), the Aces briefly moved to 3-0 on the young season by once again defeating Antonio Leatham(0-2) and the Jammers. Sarkisian again pitched masterfully, allowing no runs on one hit in his complete game effort. He also drove in 3 in the bottom of the 2nd, as Leatham struggled with his command and was forced to battle through the inning with runners constantly in scoring position. He settled down after allowing 4 in the 2nd frame, but it was too late as the Aces cruised to the 4-0 victory.

Game 2
In the following game, the Jammers sent out Ty Galicia to battle the reigning Cy Young winner Keith Leatham. The Jammers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead behind an Antonio Leatham double. But they quickly relinquished that lead with the Aces gathering base runners via the walk, and scoring 3 in the top of the 2nd. Pat Trainor then quickly improved his quiet day by blasting a towering 3-run shot in the 3rd and putting the Jammers out ahead 4-3. That's all Galicia (2-0) would need as he settled down and pitched a complete game, 2-hitter to lift the Jammers to the win and handing the Aces their first loss of 2012.


Notes
Galicia earned his 20th victory of his career with his win over the Aces...Today marked Trainor's 1st game since 2010, and his 3rd inning blast was his first since 2009...The BTWL has 3 pitchers who have made at least two starts and allowed no earned runs (Sarkisian, Pierce, Bengtson)... Pierce gathered his 8th career save in relief of Bengtson... Antonio Leatham surpassed the 100 innings pitched milestone while Sciaraffa passed the 300 IP mark

-TG

Game 1
In the first game of the 2012 BTWL season, Jim Sarkisian led his newly formed Aces to take on the defending champion Dave Pierce and his Blue Rocks. The two captains put themselves on the bump, and they did not disappoint. Sarkisian pitched brilliantly, holding the extremely potent Blue Rocks lineup to 5 hits over 9 innings as the game went into extras tied at zero. He also struck out 13, already surpassing the halfway point of his strikeout total from last season. Pierce struggled early on, but settled down to hold the Aces scoreless over 9 frames as well, striking out 7. It came down to the relief pitchers, and both Cayden Bengtson and Keith Leatham looked a bit rusty. Leatham eventually got the better of Bengtson, and got a clutch hit in the top of the 11th to drive in Gaspi to lift the Aces into the KBC Championship Game.

Game 2
In the following game, Ty Galicia took the bump for the Jammers to take on the depleted Biscuits squad playing without their Captain Tony Sciaraffa, and without Greg Sullivan. In the top of the 1st, Antonio Leatham picked up right where he left off belting a two-run shot to right off spot starter Tom Sarkisian. Leatham later followed that up with another two-run shot in the 2nd. These were followed by a 3 run shot from Galicia and a solo shot from Conor Rogan. Galicia allowed a 3 run shot to Sarkisian, but pitched well enough to move his squad to 1-0 and a date with the Aces in the finals.

Consolation Game
The Biscuits and Blue Rocks squared off in the consolation game with each team looking to avoid being 0-2 to begin the season. The Blue Rocks were the heavy favorites going into the game and for good reason. Wilmington starter Bengtson was able to dominate the Biscuits on the mound as retired the first 10 batters in order before walking the first batter of the game in the fourth inning. The Blue Rocks scored 7 runs in the first three innings with Bengtson going 4-for-6 on the day with a pair of runs and RBIs apiece. Bengtson was one out shy of a no-hitter before Biscuits fill-in player Johnny Londregan hit a double into the gap.

KBC Final
In the final game of the sultry day down at the new BTWL Field at Chuck's Steakhouse, the Aces sent out Keith Leatham to take on his younger brother Antonio for the KBC title. The Jammers got out to a sloppy start in the field, as Galicia mishandled a fly ball and Rogan sailed a throw on a grounder. This allowed the Aces to jump out to an early 4-0 lead and give Keith a comfortable lead. Keith continued to pitch masterfully, using his cutter and changeup to perfection and holding the powerful Jammers lineup to nothing until the top of the 6th when Rogan blasted his 2nd HR of the young season. That's all they could muster, however, and the Aces went on to surprise the BTWL and take the 2012 Kurt Bowes Classic with a 5-2 victory.


Notes
Keith Leatham picked up the win in relief in Game 1 and is now 2-0 in 2 games played...Chris Smith made his pitching debut in Game 2, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings...Smitty also picked up his first career hit with a GR Double in the 1st...Bengtson struck out in the bottom of the 9th with a full count and bases loaded in Game 1....Pierce walked 9 in his debut... Keith Leatham's hitting streak is now at a BTWL record 15 games....Sarkisian's 13 game streak ended... Bengtson was perfect through 3.5 in his start...His no-no was broken up by fill-in Jonny Londregan in the 6th

-TG and JS

With the BTWL season now being a third of the way through, things are starting to shape up, but there is still plenty of time left for things to change dramatically. This past weekend saw the Jammers and Blue Rocks match up for two games, while the Biscuits and Aces played their lone game Saturday afternoon.

In game 1 of the weekend, the absence of Dave Pierce to begin the game meant a classic Rogan brother battle on the mound. Each held their own as the two powerful offenses tried to slug their way to a victory. The Jammers struck for one in the first inning, but Ben Rogan quickly helped himself by launching the first pitch from his brother, Conor, over the wall in left to tie the game. The Blue Rocks then stormed ahead in the 2nd behind 4 runs on a series of hits. But they couldn't put away the Jammers. Dave Pierce's late arrival meant an opportunity for a save with a late 2-run lead in the 5th, but he couldn't shut the door. The Jammers pounced on Pierce (1-1) for 5 hits in the 6th to the tune of 4 runs, 3 of which came courtesy of an Antonio Leatham blast for his 2nd of the game, and 4th of the season. This inning saw Pierce double his hits allowed, and finally give up his first runs of the season. Galicia elected to keep Rogan (1-0) on the bump as he came back for the bottom of the 6th, and surviving a shaky inning by getting Pierce to pop up with the bases loaded to earn his first BTWL victory.

Game 2 of the day saw Tony Sciaraffa (1-1) and his Biscuits take on the Reno Aces, who put Kyle Cross on the mound for his first start of the season. The Biscuits looked alive for the first time in 2012 against Cross (0-1), striking for 5 runs in the first two innings, including a solo shot from Sciaraffa to lead off the game. But Tony wasn't done, he later had a run scoring triple, and once again went deep, but this time he did so the hard way. He sent a liner down the opposite field line which took a friendly roll, and he hustled his way around the bases for his 2nd career inside the park home run. Tom Sarkisian and Greg Sullivan had 3 and 2 RBI respectively, as the Biscuits overwhelmed the Aces, 11-0.

With Game 2 of the weekend set between the Biscuits and Aces being postponed, the Blue Rocks and Jammers reconvened to battle as the lone Sunday game for the weekend. It was a matchup that saw the two BTWL win leaders matchup in Cayden Bengtson and Tyler Galicia. The Blue Rocks jumped ahead early thanks to some free passes and precarious defense to take a 3-0 lead for the flamethrowing Bengtson. That lead stayed true for a while, as the Jammers continuously left runners on base and failed to strike against the Blue Rocks ace. Galicia (2-1) settled down, but his efforts on this day weren't enough. Cayden didn't disappoint at the plate either, as he collected 4 hits, including his first long ball of the season, a solo shot to right-center. Bengtson's average now sits at an eye-popping .457, but he has remarkably only gathered 2 extra base hits. Antonio Leatham also continued his hot-hitting, as he notched 3 hits off Bengtson to push his average to a staggering .545. Bengtson (3-1) eventually did allow his first earned run of the season on a bases-loaded walk to AJ Lindstrom, but his team held on for the 4-1 win.


Notes
Pierce continued to struggle this weekend, failing to gather a hit and watching his average drop to a career-low .207 ... Bengtson and A. Leatham look poised to battle for the major awards this season as both have gotten off to strong starts ... Conor Rogan earned his first pitching victory of his career, striking out 6 Blue Rocks in his win ... Jimbo Sarkisian also allowed his first 2 earned runs of the season, and there are no longer any qualifying pitchers with a 0.00 ERA ... Greg Sullivan collected his first hit on the season along with 2 RBI ... After their victory over the Blue Rocks, the Jammers are now the only team with a victory over each of the other three ... Players of the Week are updated

-TG

Three games were held on Saturday afternoon down at Chuck's Park, the first of which saw the Aces attempt to halt their losing streak and get back to their winning ways. The only problem was that Greg Sullivan, owner of 4 no-hitters, was standing in their way. Sully struggled in his 2012 debut, but he was back to form on this day as he was dealing strikes all day to the struggling Aces offense. He sat down 7 by way of the K, walking only 5 along the way, a far cry from the 13 walks in his debut. He was also backed with strong run support, as Tony Sciaraffa belted his 3rd homer of the season off of his former longtime teammate, Keith Leatham. Tom Sarkisian also added his own RBI double, as shoddy defense continued to kill any chances the Aces had. The Sciaraffa blast wound up being the only earned run surrendered by Leatham (2-2), but he still took the loss in a 6-0 defeat after the Aces couldn't muster up a hit against the southpaw Sullivan (1-1), and he notched his 5th career no-no in impressive fashion.

The following game saw the Aces take the field again, this time against the first place Blue Rocks and Dave Pierce. Once again, the Aces bats were kept absolutely silent, as Pierce (2-1) bounced back from last week's meltdown and pitched masterfully, carrying a perfect game into the 4th inning. Rookie Brendan Fitzgerald took the mound for the Aces, as Captain Jim Sarkisian continues to struggle with arm fatigue and pain. Fitzgerald (0-1) pitched decently in his BTWL debut, limiting the Blue Rocks to 3 runs, courtesy of a bases loaded jam in the first frame which saw Pierce walk in a run, and Paul Latino and Cayden Bengtson both single in runs. He settled down eventually, striking out 6 and keeping the Aces in the game. Pierce, however, was too dominant for the Aces to handle as he walked none and struck out 8 in his complete game gem. Bengtson continued to swing a hot bat, as he went 5-for-5 off Fitzgerald, driving in one run and collecting his 2nd triple of the season in the Blue Rocks 5th victory of the season.

The 3rd and final game of the day saw Antonio Leatham and the Jammers matchup against Tony Sciaraffa and his Biscuits. The Jammers were apparently tired of watching the Aces struggle on offense all day, as they jumped on Sciaraffa (1-2) early, striking for 8 runs in the bottom of the first inning and doing permanent damage to his sparkling 0.47 ERA. The runs came courtesy of 2 run doubles by both Conor Rogan and Ty Galicia, along with a run scoring single by Leatham, and bases loaded walks by Rogan and Galicia. The Jammers seemed poised to cruise to victory, but the Biscuits weren't having any of that. They bounced back to strike for 7 runs in the top of the 2nd, as they remained patient against Leatham and took what he gave them. He allowed 9 free passes on the day to aide the Biscuits rally, along with RBI base hits from Sciaraffa and Tom Sarkisian, and an RBI double by Greg Sullivan. The score remained at 8-7 until the top of the 4th, when Sullivan took Leatham (1-2) deep for his first HR of the season, and the 31st of his illustrious career. The Jammers quickly responded however, as Leatham led off the next inning with a double, was moved to 3rd on a ground ball out, and was then driven home on a single into the gap by Rogan. Galicia entered the 6th inning in relief of Leatham, and made quick work of the Biscuits, striking out Sciaraffa to end the game and earning his 2nd career save.

Notes
Sciaraffa's 3rd inning HR off Leatham was the 25th of his career... Dave Pierce surpassed the 400th strikeout mark in his victory over the Aces...Bengtson's triple was the 5th of his career, tying him with K. Leatham for most all-time...The Aces have failed to score a run in 3 straight games, consequently falling below .500 for the first time in 2012...A. Leatham and Bengtson are both on pace to shatter the hits record (44, held by Bengtson)...Both are also currently hitting above .500 on the season...Players of the Week are updated

-TG

It's been a long wait folks, but the newest edition of Non-Stop Black Top is finally here! It covers Opening Day weekend and the Kurt Bowes Classic. We hope to start getting some new episodes out to you on the reg, so keep checking back!

Four more games were played this weekend in the BTWL, and as a result a lot of things were shaken up both in the standings and in the stats. The first of the four saw the suddenly lifeless Aces take the field against the Jamestown Jammers. Captain Jimbo Sarkisian(2-1) took the hill against the struggling righty, Antonio Leatham. Sarkisian quickly gave himself a lead by sending a Leatham (2-2) knuckleball deep over the wall in left-center for his first home run of the season, and subsequently the first home run for the Aces almost midway through the year. That lead would not last long, however, as the Jammers came roaring back in the home half of the third inning. A series of singles and walks gave the Jammers a 2-1 lead, and the big blow came courtesy of Leatham who roped his first career triple to center with the bases loaded, scoring 3 and then scampering home himself after an errant throw to put the Jammers comfortably ahead 6-1. The Aces tried to fight back, scratching for 2 runs in the 5th before Conor Rogan entered in the 6th in relief of Leatham to shut the door and earn his first career save.

Next up was a matchup between the Biscuits and the Blue Rocks. This game figured to lean heavily in favor of the Blue Rocks, as they sent the dominating Cayden Bengtson to the mound to take on Tony Sciaraffa. But that is precisely why we play the game, as anything can happen on any given day. And on this day, Bengtson (3-2) was not himself. He struggled early, serving up a 3-run shot to Sciaraffa and an RBI base hit by Tom Sarkisian to put the Biscuits up 5-0 after the first frame. That was all Tony would need, as he cruised to the victory while not allowing a hit until the 6th inning and regaining his form that was absent the week prior. Rookie Chris Smith added to the fun by hitting his first career home run in support of Sciaraffa (2-2), consequently ending Bengtson's day on the bump after 3.5 innings.

Sunday Funday brought two more games to the table, the first of which saw the Aces try to avoid losing their 6th straight game. It wouldn't be easy, as they figured they would have to deal with the Blue Rocks and Bengtson. That didn't turn out to be the case, as the Blue Rocks elected to send the easy throwing Paul Latino(0-1) to the mound for his first start of 2012. The game ended as you might expect, with Jim Sarkisian blasting his 2nd HR in as many games and Brendan Fitzgerald launching his first two career HRs to give the Aces a pretty substantial lead. Sarkisian countered with some meatballs of his own, handing Bengtson a 3-run shot and later serving up Dave Pierce's first long-ball of the season. Those two shots accounted for all 4 of the Blue Rocks runs, as they couldn't take much advantage of Sarkisian's gimmes, and the Aces cruised to the 9-4 victory to snap their skid and get back in the win column.

The final game of the weekend once again had the Aces on the field, this time to wrap up their weekend set with the Jammers. The absence of Conor Rogan proved to be pivotal, as the Jammers sent Ty Galicia to the mound to take on Keith Leatham. The pitchers battled through the first two innings, breezing through each others lineups matching shutout frames until the third. The first to blink was Galicia (2-2), as he allowed a series of hits to the Aces lineup, resulting in 2 runs courtesy of a Fitzgerald triple. The Aces scored two more in the fifth, and figured to be poised to cruise to the easy victory with their ace on the mound and a 4-run lead. This wasn't the case, as the Jammers mounted a furious rally in the top of the 6th with Galicia lacing a 2 run single down the line, and Leatham walking in a run with the bases loaded. Keith (3-2) regained his composure just in time, as he sat down AJ Lindstrom with the bases still loaded and gave the Aces their second victory of the weekend.

Notes
The race for the batting title is still heating up with A. Leatham sitting at .532 and Bengtson at .510 ... Cayden surpassed the 200 IP mark this weekend, while Jimbo garnered his 40th double and 20th victory on the bump ... Gaspi failed to show up for either of the two Aces victories this weekend, coincidence? ... Gaspi is also officially the only member of the BTWL below the Mendoza Line ... Pierce nearly doubled his hit total on the season and boosted his average to .222 ... AJ Lindstrom also had a strong showing this weekend after a slow start, batting .400 with a double and an RBI ... K. Leatham regained sole possession of most career triples with his 5th inning triple off Galicia ... Sciaraffa has doubled his HR total from 2011 and is making a strong case for MVP ... All-Star Rosters will be compiled and announced in the coming days ... Players of the Week are updated

-TG