Congratulations to our 2024 Fall Ball Award Winners

After repeating as SJMSBL Fall champions in November of 2023, the 2024 Wolves Spring season was put on hold for a variety of reasons and the team reunited for the Fall, returning to SJMSBL in an effort to three-peat. The team came up one win short, losing in the East Division Championship game, but finished with a record of 8-4, with its only losses coming at the hands (paws?) of the Blackwood Bears. Congratulations to the Bears on de-throning the Wolves. As is tradition, the Wolves would like to recognize the following players on being voted and chosen as our 2024 Fall Ball Award Winners.

2024 Philadelphia Wolves Fall Ball Awards

Most Valuable Player(s)
Greg Dellavecchio (1st selection) and Bruce Leto, Jr. (5th)

For the third time in team history, we have co-winners of the MVP award. This year's winners are superb starting Center Fielder Greg Dellavecchio and Coach/Shortstop Bruce Leto, Jr. Dellavecchio had a great season offensively, slashing .500/.543/.719 with an OPS of 1.262, tallying 5 extra base hits, while playing Gold Glove caliber defense (receiving votes for that award as well). Leto, a now 5 time winner of the MVP award, led the team with 23 hits, 30 total bases and 81 innings played defensively at 3 positions, while not missing a game.

Others receiving votes - Pat Dunn who also had an OPS over 1.000 and Steve Gallagher, who finished the season with a 1.91 ERA, 1.000 WHIP and 63 strikeouts in 47.0 innings with an injured throwing shoulder

Most Outstanding Pitcher
Steve Gallagher (5th selection)

Gallagher, now the undisputed best Pitcher in team history, with his 5th MOP award in as many seasons, had perhaps his most impressive season, pitching with an injured shoulder. Having put off arm surgery until a week after the championship, showing he believed the team would make it that far, Gallagher entered the 2024 Fall season as the all time team leader in wins, strikeouts, complete games, shutouts, WHIP and ERA. He added to his impressive resume with another great season. He led the team with 47 innings pitched, 6 wins, 63 strikeouts, 1.000 WHIP and the heart of a champion

Others receiving votes - Casper the friendly ghost and John Cena. No one else received votes. Steve was the unanimous winner

Silver Slugger(s)
Paul Cotler (1st selection) and Matt Curcio (1st)

Another award worthy of co-recipients as the Wolves mashed their way to the playoffs thanks in large part to Paul Cotler .417/.475/.583 and Matt Curcio .538/.556/.654. Cotler, a second year (third season) Wolf, and Curcio, a mid-season acquisition, stabilized the middle of the lineup, providing 9 extra base hits, 22 runs batted in and 38 total bases.

Others receiving votes - Greg Dellavecchio (see above), Bruce Leto Jr. (see above), Jeff Lagerman (see below)

Newcomer of the Year
Jeff Lagerman (1st selection)

Lagerman joined the Wolves in January before the Spring season took a last minute nose dive and stuck it out through the NABA tournament and Fall Ball. Perhaps the most seamless fit of any newcomer in recent memory, he filled a sizable void at Third Base vacated by the departing Ricky Tull, Rob Walmsley and Sam Oliver. While playing elite level defense at the position, he led the Wolves in runs and RBIs, mostly from the cleanup spot in the lineup. His 19 runs scored, 12 RBIs and Gold Glove defense helped stabilize things all season

Others receicing votes - Matt Curcio (see above), Josh Green, who played solid OF defense while hitting .304 and Ryan Pollack, who led off most of the season and played good defense at Second Base

Gold Glove(s)
Infield - Jeff Lagerman (1st selection)
Outfield - David Fred, Jr. (3rd selection)

David Fred Jr, one of the longest tenured Wolves, was the starting Left Fielder all Fall and did not commit a single error. His third consecutive Fall Ball Gold Glove award is well earned, as Berlin is notorious for having a tough Left Field. Lagerman held things down at the hot corner on a very difficult home field to play any type of infield defense consistently

Others receiving votes - Greg Dellavecchio, starting Center Fielder, Bruce Leto Jr, the team's anchor at Short, Ryan Pollack, the team's starting Second Baseman and Rob Grabel, who transitioned from the Outfiueld to First Base to fill another void left by departures