by Trent Steffes
5/10/17
We're exactly one month from 2017 NWLA Tournament Regionals. Last night in one of my many wiffleball-related group texts (because I'm so popular) the topic of how someone's team in their league would do in NWLA Tournament got brought up and that got me thinking about how MNWA league teams would do in the NWLA Tournament.
Bad Company
#6 Rank Nationally
Players Who Played in 2016 NWLA Tournament: Trent Steffes, Zack Eustis, Mat Peisert
Bad Company will open the season as a MNWA Championship contender. The players on this roster who didn't play in NWLA last year would be huge difference makers. Sam Essen is projected to make his NWLA debut with SFWL this summer and will become one of the most feared hitters in the tournament. Nick "Garbage Man" Bukoskey has already proved in HRL that he is a fantastic fielder but has left a lot to the imagination at the plate. And although he didn't play last year, everyone who knows NWLA Tournament knows Mike Harley. I believe this team would actually make some noise in the tournament. The name of the game is pitching and Bad Company doesn't have teh greatest pitchers, but we are a solid team in every facet of the game.
Projected Finish: A lot of potential to crack the top-8, however realistically 9th
Buxtons
#8 Rank Nationally
Players Who Played in 2016 NWLA Tournament: Peter Monsrud, Matt Newell, Kevin Knutson
The Buxtons have the best fielding core and arguably the best hitting core. And they have one of the league's best pitchers in Matt Newell. Beyond that, however, their pitching department is lacking. Kapsner, Knutson and Monsrud have experience but have never proved to be reliable on the mound. Matt Newell would be a solid NWLA starter and Andrew Johnson would drop a lot of bombs during pool play (he took Dr. Seuss deep twice in the MNWA Final Tournament) and if you don't know Peter Monsrud, shame on you. He has led the field in Batting Average every year he's played wiffleball. Similar to Bad Company, they are a solid all-around team but the serious lack of a #2 pitcher would be a huge problem.
Projected Finish: 10th. They wouldn't automatically qualify but I'd be surprised to see them in the Dangerfield.
Clowns
#10 Rank Nationally
Players Who Played in 2016 NWLA Tournament: Devin Nelson, Jay Zimmerman, Chris Neumann
There is a lot of NWLA experience on this roster. However, it is not a lot of great experience. In 2015, Devin Nelson pitched like he could be a #2 starter on a competing team, but last year he had a lot of trouble finding the zone. Jay Zimmerman is a phenomenal fielder but has never been able to consistently produce at the plate in NWLA play. We all know about Brew City's ailments and Ryley Nelson is coming off a summer with no wiffleball. This team would struggle mightily to get wins at Nationals, I believe.
Projected Finish: 13th. Dangerfield champions.
Elites
#3 Rank Nationally
Players Who Played in 2016 NWLA Tournament: Sam Skibbe, Gus Skibbe, Andrew Lindor, Chris Meador
Auston has put together the MNWA Championship favorite mainly because it includes three key pieces from SWBL's 2nd place finish from last year. With the Skibbe guys, this team would do big things. Without, this team would be lucky to get a win in regionals. John Cronin has played admirably in his HRL career so far and will make his NWLA debut this year, so it will be exciting to see how he performs. If this team in its entirety were to play in Morenci this year, it would be up to Lindor, Auston and Ryan to stay out of their way.
Projected Finish: 6th. Those Skibbe's are good. Don't mess this up, Auston
Sox
N/R Nationally
Players Who Played in 2016 NWLA Tournament: Garrett Grage, Zach Bussmann, H8R
Tha Sox have two really, really good MNWA pitchers. Zach Bussmann has pitched in NWLA a few times and has shown he has accuracy, and Garrett Grage has proved that when he can hit the board, he could be great. But Ethan Fabel would be the key weakness for this team. He has never really shown that he can hang with really good pitching. The addition of H8R to this roster is very encouraging for their MNWA season but H8R has never really been able to compete consistently at the plate in NWLA.
Projected Finish: 13th. They have the potential for good pitching but right now it's inconsistent at best and I don't believe their bats woud compete.
5/10/17
We're exactly one month from 2017 NWLA Tournament Regionals. Last night in one of my many wiffleball-related group texts (because I'm so popular) the topic of how someone's team in their league would do in NWLA Tournament got brought up and that got me thinking about how MNWA league teams would do in the NWLA Tournament.
Bad Company
#6 Rank Nationally
Players Who Played in 2016 NWLA Tournament: Trent Steffes, Zack Eustis, Mat Peisert
Bad Company will open the season as a MNWA Championship contender. The players on this roster who didn't play in NWLA last year would be huge difference makers. Sam Essen is projected to make his NWLA debut with SFWL this summer and will become one of the most feared hitters in the tournament. Nick "Garbage Man" Bukoskey has already proved in HRL that he is a fantastic fielder but has left a lot to the imagination at the plate. And although he didn't play last year, everyone who knows NWLA Tournament knows Mike Harley. I believe this team would actually make some noise in the tournament. The name of the game is pitching and Bad Company doesn't have teh greatest pitchers, but we are a solid team in every facet of the game.
Projected Finish: A lot of potential to crack the top-8, however realistically 9th
Buxtons
#8 Rank Nationally
Players Who Played in 2016 NWLA Tournament: Peter Monsrud, Matt Newell, Kevin Knutson
The Buxtons have the best fielding core and arguably the best hitting core. And they have one of the league's best pitchers in Matt Newell. Beyond that, however, their pitching department is lacking. Kapsner, Knutson and Monsrud have experience but have never proved to be reliable on the mound. Matt Newell would be a solid NWLA starter and Andrew Johnson would drop a lot of bombs during pool play (he took Dr. Seuss deep twice in the MNWA Final Tournament) and if you don't know Peter Monsrud, shame on you. He has led the field in Batting Average every year he's played wiffleball. Similar to Bad Company, they are a solid all-around team but the serious lack of a #2 pitcher would be a huge problem.
Projected Finish: 10th. They wouldn't automatically qualify but I'd be surprised to see them in the Dangerfield.
Clowns
#10 Rank Nationally
Players Who Played in 2016 NWLA Tournament: Devin Nelson, Jay Zimmerman, Chris Neumann
There is a lot of NWLA experience on this roster. However, it is not a lot of great experience. In 2015, Devin Nelson pitched like he could be a #2 starter on a competing team, but last year he had a lot of trouble finding the zone. Jay Zimmerman is a phenomenal fielder but has never been able to consistently produce at the plate in NWLA play. We all know about Brew City's ailments and Ryley Nelson is coming off a summer with no wiffleball. This team would struggle mightily to get wins at Nationals, I believe.
Projected Finish: 13th. Dangerfield champions.
Elites
#3 Rank Nationally
Players Who Played in 2016 NWLA Tournament: Sam Skibbe, Gus Skibbe, Andrew Lindor, Chris Meador
Auston has put together the MNWA Championship favorite mainly because it includes three key pieces from SWBL's 2nd place finish from last year. With the Skibbe guys, this team would do big things. Without, this team would be lucky to get a win in regionals. John Cronin has played admirably in his HRL career so far and will make his NWLA debut this year, so it will be exciting to see how he performs. If this team in its entirety were to play in Morenci this year, it would be up to Lindor, Auston and Ryan to stay out of their way.
Projected Finish: 6th. Those Skibbe's are good. Don't mess this up, Auston
Sox
N/R Nationally
Players Who Played in 2016 NWLA Tournament: Garrett Grage, Zach Bussmann, H8R
Tha Sox have two really, really good MNWA pitchers. Zach Bussmann has pitched in NWLA a few times and has shown he has accuracy, and Garrett Grage has proved that when he can hit the board, he could be great. But Ethan Fabel would be the key weakness for this team. He has never really shown that he can hang with really good pitching. The addition of H8R to this roster is very encouraging for their MNWA season but H8R has never really been able to compete consistently at the plate in NWLA.
Projected Finish: 13th. They have the potential for good pitching but right now it's inconsistent at best and I don't believe their bats woud compete.