Griffleball Power Rankings and Players of the Week: Week One

The Griffleball season is finally underway. The weather was nice for a change, the excitement and anticipation were sky high, and the league was ready for season seven. The GBL even added a fence to the Griffle Grounds and it made the court actually look like a wiffle ball field. Here's a look at it during the nightcap....

.....now that's a wiffle ball field (or park, grounds, court, etc.)

Even with the new toys and rules, the games took center stage. The Nighttime Ninjas started the season off with a bang. They won both games against the Ducks on the Pond by mercy rule and they may not slow down anytime soon. The Stallionaires and Bird Gang played a highly competitive middle set. The teams ended up splitting their series and are both looking to improve on last year's regular season records. Then, it was time for the Griffleball Nightcap between the Taka Drivers and the Gashouse Gorillas. Coming off of their fourth straight championship, the Gashouse Gorillas had their own ceremony honoring their victory. The unveiled the banner and celebrated their triumph. They did this in front of the team they eliminated in the semi-finals last season. The Taka Drivers decided while the champions would look to the past, they would stay in the present. Taka spoiled the party in one of the most memorable GBL games ever. That game ended in extras and can be seen here on the Griffleball YouTube channel. (Or just click here GBL Week One Nightcap Game 1). After taking game one, Taka had a chance to take the lead in the last inning of game two. That's when the lights at Sheppard Park cut off and prematurely ended opening night (Dear Highland, is it too much to ask to leave the lights on until 10 PM, Sincerely, Griffleball).

With another opening week in the books, Griffleball looks primed to have another great season. More questions will be answered as the season goes deeper but for now, here is the Power Rankings and Players of the Week for Week One.

Week One Power Rankings

1. Taka Drivers 1-0 (Preseason - 2)

The Taka Drivers spoiled the celebration for Gashouse by taking game one of the series in an extra inning classic. By no means were they more dominant then the defending champs but, they played with a purpose. Even though they may lose game two, (Taka trails by two with two on, no outs, in the top of the fifth) Taka proved it can play with anyone. Everyone on their team contributed with Ryan Voges being this week's stand-out. I give them a slight edge over Gashouse and Nighttime in this week's rankings. Expect them to hover around the top three all year.

2. Gashouse Gorillas 0-1 (Pre-season - 1)

After dropping game one to Taka, Gashouse responded early in the second game only to be shut down by electricity. Chances are they may win that game against Taka but, we won't know until Week Six (Not official). Even in the loss, Gashouse hit back-to-back home runs to send the game into extras. Besides Tucker, their pitching looked a bit shaky at times but, it did last year's regular season as well. They may be the champs but don't expect them to turn it on immediately. I expect a similar season in 2016 as they had in 2015 (The end result may be different though).

3. Nighttime Ninjas 2-0 (Pre-season - 4)

The Nighttime Ninjas are poised to have another fantastic season. They made quick work of the Ducks on the Pond and ended each game in four innings. Everyone on the team hit. Seriously, everyone. The Ninjas had one of the best hitting teams in the league last season and it carried them to a first place regular season finish. Week One proved they have no signs of slowing down. This will be their strength all season and if they improve any aspect, the Ninjas may push for a long post-season run. 

4. Stallionaires 1-1 (Pre-season - 3)

Pitching has carried the Stallionaires to back to back World Series appearances and their formula will not change. In Week One, timely hitting made a difference while they kept their opponent under three runs in both games. They can always improve on some aspects of their game but, the Stallionaires are solid in every area of Griffleball. They play close games and always are in the mix by the end of the season. If they make the playoffs, the Stallionaires can just as dangerous as they have been in years past. 

5. Bird Gang 1-1 (Pre-season - 5)

The Bird Gang are looking to improve on last year's disappointing season. They showed in Week One that they may have what it takes to not only improve but possibly be a playoff contender. With the same core as last season and the addition of the Felde brothers, the Bird Gang can be tough to handle. They had one of the league's better offenses last season and I expect it to carry over in 2016. The Bird Gang may surprise a few people.

6. Ducks on the Pond 0-2 (Pre-season - 6)

The Ducks may have to go through some growing pains before making any noise in 2016. They have a team full of raw talent and not much experience. No player on the Ducks has played more than 12 games in their career (Zack Duvnjak). If they can find they best positions and situations for their players, they could turn it around and compete. Do not count them out. Besides it is only Week One, they have the potential to be better then what the box score indicated.

Week One Players of the Week

• Co-Hitter of the Week - Mike Kubacki Jr. - 7 Hits 12 At-Bats 2 Home Runs 9 RBI (Also tossed a Four Inning No-Hitter
• Co-Hitter of the Week - Ethan Arvay - 9 Hits 16 At-bats 4 Home Runs 9 RBI
• Pitcher of the Week -  Ryan Voges 1-0 0 Earned Runs 7 IP 9 Strikeouts 5 BB 2 HA (Game Two Stats Unofficial) 
• Rookie of the Week -  Mark Nelleman - First GBL Career Hit and RBI 

 Stay tuned to the blog later in the week for Week One Recap Blog and Pod.

WIFFLE-OUT!