October 2014 Off-Season Blog

Well it has been 39 days since the GasHouse Gorillas defeated the Anti-Heroes in Game 5 of the GBL World Series to put a close on the 2014 GBL season. To make the time pass faster, we have decided to add an offseason monthly blog.

Once a month from October-April, I (Commissioner Rat) will write up a blog to discuss any Griffle topics, as well as answer questions/concerns that you submitted for #RatChat.

Before I begin the #RatChat segment, I would like to fill some people in on what has been happening on the Griffle front over the past 39 days.

If you heard that current players have been inquiring about forming their own expansion teams next year, those rumors are TRUE. At the moment, we have interest from two players (I won't say who) about managing their own squads next season. I have always felt that the GBL is best suited for six teams. Any less is too little, and any more is too much. If I decide to grant both of the aforementioned players a team of their own next year, I would have to disband two teams. Don't expect an official announcement to come on this matter until next spring, however, as player availability for the 2015 season will be relatively unknown until much closer to the start of the season.

On the national scene, the GasHouse Gorillas are currently in the final four in the annual mock NWLA National Tournament. Be sure to cast your votes if you would like to see the GBL take home the 2014 mock crown!!!


#RATCHAT



This is interesting. Could the presence of a manager be the crucial element that the GBL has been missing every year at the NWLA Tournament? I'm not so sure that a person who sees our players in action once a year would have a firm grasp on how to manage us. But the Paw Chests do love Michael Sessions (who wouldn't?), so we will definitely look into the idea come next summer.

I have always wondered why WSEM is the only league that seems to talk about Kyle in their annual pre/post NWLA Tournament stories. In my opinion, there is no wiffleball pitcher at the tournament who is better than Kyle. Sure, there are pitchers who are equally as good, but there are none who are noticeably better. For those of you who just said in your head that "Bush, Harley, Bischoff, Farkas, etc. are better than Lidster", I have a stat for you - 61 batters faced, 4 walks. That was by far the best ratio at the tournament this year. Nevertheless, I think that Kyle enjoys flying under the radar. He has never been one to boast or brag about his game. I'm not sure how much longer he will fly under the radar after his performance this year, though.

I'm not sure that there is a correct answer here. The pitchers who have faced both Regis and I over the years at the NWLA Tournament would be better suited to answer this question. If you are wondering what I am thinking, then yes, I THINK that I am a better hitter than Regis. But I would expect Regis to think that he is a better hitter than me as well. To be the best, you have to sell it to yourself that you are the best.

Nothing against Gus, but I gotta go with Sam here. Sam stood at the top of the "NWLA People Power Rankings" that the GBL players discussed on the drive home from the tournament this year. I believe Sam was in everyone's top 3.

For those of you who don't know. I made a trip to Southeast Michigan this past June to compete in some WSEM regular season play. Upon abiding by the pitcher-friendly hitting rules of their league, I recorded two hits in four games. A video of one of the games can be seen here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPRVwyUNwmQ

The players we bring to the NWLA Tournament each year are definitely some of the biggest in the league. The GBL definitely has its share of smaller, skinnier players who don't come to Ohio for the tournament. We figure that a non-contact sport with a plastic bat and a plastic ball requires a lot of strength and physicality to be successful. In a benches clearing brawl, I would be the most afraid of HRL. There's definitely some grown man strength on that team that some of the younger leagues like mine wouldn't stand a chance against.

I think that this would not only be a great experience for us, but it would be a great way to help promote both leagues. I am disappointed that the GBL was unable to assemble a team for your fall tournament. We will make sure to make a trip to Oak Lawn next spring to play at Michalski Park, which appears to be one of the area's finest wiffle fields. I see a three-game Saturday exhibition series happening in April.

The wiffle world has been very quiet in terms of next year's NWLA Regional Play. I am sure that it is because next spring is just so far away at this point, and setting anything in stone this early is a bit much to ask for. I will make sure that I keep BWACS posted on any news breaks.