Inside the GBL Episode 20: And So It Begins...

Griffleball Week One Playoffs Recap and Players of the Week

"Anything can happen." After a tension filled regular season, the Griffleball playoffs were in full swing on Sunday and you can pretty much throw all analysis out the window. Last week when Griffleball recorded its Mega Playoff Podcast, some players from the league and myself broke down each series and decided the outcomes. Some of the winners chosen may have been correctly, but how they each reached their destination were opposite. The first series saw the Bird Gang square off with the Taka Drivers. During the season, these two squads don't seem to care too much for each other as they split their season series. I expect their too be a lot of trash talking and heated battles. And with their first two games, I was not disappointed. Coming into the series I expected a bunch of close games (just like the regular season series) but instead the league was treated to two mercy rule blowouts. In game one, the Taka Drivers jumped on surprise starter, Cole Felde, to the tune of 11 runs over their two innings. Chris Bartley would lead the way by hitting for the cycle and driving in five RBI's and hitting a home run. Not only did Bartley hit a home run, each Taka Driver clobbered one over the cage as well. Ryan Voges, Jackson Buzea, and Bartley went back-to-back-to-back in the second inning to ensure the Taka Drivers would end game one before it even started. On the mound, Buzea pitched three shutout innings and held the Bird Gang to zero runs on two hits.

The Taka Drivers had everything going their way in a 11-0 romp that only lasted three inning. I thought they would carry their momentum into game two, boy was I wrong. The Bird Gang were patient against the reliever of the year, Voges, and drew six walks and seven hits over three innings. Their five man lineup may have drew some questions entering the series but, it may have helped keep each player fresh. The Bird Gang would put up five runs in three inning against Voges and then would add five more against Bartley in the fourth. The Bird Gang did all of this without the help of their ace, Andrew Felde, who may have hurt his arm in the first inning. This would lead to his brother, Cole, to take over the reigns in the first. After a rough game one, Cole rebounded by changing his delivery to a sidearm approach and kept the Taka Drivers in check. Heading into the fourth the Bird Gang led 10-0 and Andrew would attempt to give it one more go on the mound to close out the game. He would eventually finish off the Taka Drivers and celebrated his teams triumph by jumping up and down. Now heading into week two, the series is tied at one game a piece. I don't expect their to be another blowout but I do expect to be some more trash talking ans showboating. The Bird Gang and Taka Drivers are in a wiffleball war to decide who will play in the GBL World Series and everyone should tune in.
After the first series drew a couple of blowouts, the Nighttime Ninjas and Gashouse Gorillas series was tightly contested. The two best hitting teams in the league would square off in what should have been an series of home runs and an absurd number of runs scored but, the league was treated with some of the best pitcher duels this season.

In Game One, the Nighttime Ninjas sent out Mike Kubacki Jr, and he kept the juggernaut offense of the Gashouse Gorillas to only two runs but his counterpart, Jim Tucker, only allowed one hit on zero runs. The game started off with a bang by Ryan Galiher, who started the bottom of the first with a solo shot to give Gashouse a early 1-0 lead. Then in the second, Galiher singled in the run with the bases loaded to double the lead to 2-0. That was all the Gashouse Gorillas would scratch across in game one and they held on for dear life in the later innings. The Nighttime Ninjas would threaten to score in the fourth and fifth by advancing runners into scoring position but, Jeremy Ratajczyk would continue his pitching playoff success by finding his way out of each jam to secure a game one win for the Gashouse Gorillas. After one pitching duel in the books, game two would witness another great performance between Jeffrey Holden and Ryan Galiher. The two would both go into the third inning with the game scoreless and each offense showed no signs of getting anything started until Galiher found a way for Gashouse once again. In the bottom of the third, Galiher would rocket a first pitch fastball from Holden over the fence in center to give Gashouse a 1-0 lead.

Then, it would be up to Ratajczyk once again to shut the door and continue his playoff pitching dominance that has carried over from last season. Clinging to a 1-0 lead, Rat had to be precise against the bats of the Ninjas. Each batter battler with Ratajczyk, making him throw more then his share of pitches on the mound, The last chance for the Ninjas came down to their leader Mike Kuabcki and he put up one of the best at-bats to close a game. He made Rat throw pitch after pitch and Kubacki would continue to foul off pitch after pitch. Eventually, Rat would win the battle by getting Kubacki to ground out and the Gashouse Gorillas would take a 2-0 series lead heading into week two. Heading into week two of the GBL Playoffs the Nighttime Ninjas must win out to move on to the World Series and the Gashouse Gorillas only need one more victory to head to the their sixth straight World Series. Their opponent will be either the Taka Drivers or the Bird Gang who are deadlocked at one game a piece heading into next week. There is a chance that the GBL could find out who the two representatives will be in the World Series by 9 PM on Sunday. It should be a great conclusion to round one whether it ends on Sunday or the week after. Stay tuned.

SCOREBOARD

8/21/16 - Game One - Taka Drivers 11 Bird Gang 0 F/3 (W - Jackson Buzea, L - Cole Felde)

Deciding Moment - The Taka Drivers extended their lead when Buzea, Bartley, and Voges hit three straight home runs in the second virtually ending the game.

8/21/16 - Game Two - Bird Gang 10 Taka Drivers 0 F/4 (W - Cole Felde, L - Ryan Voges)

Deciding Moment - Cole Felde replaced his brother after an injury in the first and got revenge on the Taka Drivers by throwing three scoreless innings.

8/21/16 - Game One - Gashouse Gorillas 2 Nighttime Ninjas 0 (W - Jim Tucker, L - Mike Kubacki Jr., S - Jeremy Ratajczyk)

Deciding Moment - With the bases loaded in the fourth, the Ninjas had their best chance to score only to be stopped by the arm of Ratajczyk who found his way out of a jam.

8/21/16 - Game Two - Gashouse Gorillas 1 Nighttime Ninjas 0 (W - Ryan Galiher, L - Jeffrey Holden, S - Jeremy Ratajczyk)

Deciding Moment - In the midst of a scoreless game, Ryan Galiher crushed a first pitch fastball in the third from Holden to give Gashouse a 1-0 lead that would hold until the final pitch. 

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

HITTER OF THE WEEK

Chris Bartley

6 Hits 9 At-Bats 1 Home Run 2 Doubles 1 Triple 2 Walks 5 RBI

(Hit for the cycle in Game One)

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Ryan Galiher

1-0 3 IP 0 Earned Runs 2 Hits Allowed 2 Walks 5 Strikeouts

Inside the GBL Episode 19 - Mega Podcast and Playoff Preview

T.Walk is joined by Jim Tucker, Ryan Voges, and Matt Zurawski to discuss all things Griffleball and breakdown the playoffs. The group also discusses the Home Run Derby, what the GBL means to them, breaks down each teams season, and goes over the awards. In the heat of the podcast, they forget the All-Star Game where the Tucker Drivers defeated the Jankes 7-0 led by All-Star MVP Ryan Voges. 

Inside the GBL Episode 18 - Season Wrap-Up

T.Walk breaks down the season, mini-previews the Final Four, breaks down All-Star Sunday, and gives out some extra awards.

Sunday/Monday Night Griffleball Highlights: Week Nine - Taka Drivers VS ...

Griffleball Final Power Rankings and Players of the Week

After ten and a half weeks, the GBL has found its four playoff teams. The Gashouse Gorillas, Taka Drivers, Bird Gang, and Nighttime Ninjas will take the field in a few weeks to decide who will make it to the World Series. The first three teams knew that they would be in a few weeks ago, but the Nighttime Ninjas needed to secure one more victory to find their way back to the post-season. They took on the Ducks on the Pond, the feisty expansion team, to see who would face the Gashouse Gorillas in round one. In the first game, the Ducks pitching staff shut down the high powered offense of the Ninjas to only one run. During the game, Brian Brilmyer crushed two home runs in the same inning to give the Ducks the cushion they needed to win game one. Then, the pressure was on the Ninjas rookie, Jeffrey Holden, to ensure the Ninjas would stay out of possible tiebreaker game if they Ducks won. Over three innings, Holden would strike out four and hold the Ducks to one hit. He came to the Ninjas just when they needed a solid pitcher and the Ninjas offense exploded at the perfect time. They scored eight runs in the second and three in the third to end the game via mercy in three innings. There was no need for a tiebreaker after that and the Ninjas find themselves in the post-season once again. Round one will feature the Taka Drivers square off with the Bird Gang, and the Gashouse Gorillas battle with the Nighttime Ninjas. Before any playoff games take place, the home run derby and GBL All-Star game will be played first. After winning the derby last season, Sammy Krucek will defend his crown as home run king against Jeremy Ratajczyk, Andrew Felde, Ryan Galiher, Jim Tucker, and Brian Brilmyer. It should be a fun contest to watch and there should be plenty of long balls from this group. After the derby, the GBL will host its All-Star game between Team Voges and Team Zurawski. Team Voges will consist of fellow teammate Jackson Buzea, Jim Tucker, and Matt Kuna. On the other hand, Team Zurawski will field Jeremy Ratajczyk, Sammy Krucek, and Andrew Felde. Matt Zurawski managed the winning team last season and will attempt to win again for a second straight year. When the festivities end, it will be back to business for the GBL as the four teams left standing will begin their journey to call themselves champions.

 Scoreboard

8/7/16 - Ducks on the Pond 5 Nighttime Ninjas 1 (W - Brilmyer, L - Kubacki)

Deciding Moment - Down 1-0 in the second, Brian Brilmyer crushed two home runs in the second to give the Ducks a 5-1 lead and ultimately the win. 

8/7/16 - Nighttime Ninjas 11 Ducks on the Pond 0 F/3 (W - Holden, L - Duvnjak)

Deciding Moment - The Nighttime Ninjas took advantage of control issues in the second to a tune of eight runs, four hits, and six walks to put the game out of reach. 

Players of the Week (Series)

HITTER OF THE WEEK

Brian Brilmyer

3 Hits 5 At-Bats 2 Home Runs 5 RBI 1 BB

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Jeffrey Holden

1-0 3 Innings Pitcher 1 Hit Allowed 4 Strikeouts 0 Walks

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Gashouse Gorillas 15 - 5
2. Taka Drivers           12 - 8
3. Bird Gang               11 - 9
4. Nighttime Ninjas     9 - 11
5. Ducks on the Pond  7 - 13
6. Stallionaires            6 - 14

FINAL POWER RANKINGS

1. Gashouse Gorillas 15-5 (Last Week #1)

The four time defending champions are that much closer to going for their unprecedented fifth stright title. They boast the league's best offense and hit for power more then any team in the league. There will be a bulls-eye on their back once again,

2. Taka Drivers 12-8 (Last Week #2)

The Taka Drivers had a rough stretch in the middle of the season, but stayed afloat due to their great pitching. Every player on their roster can start or relieve. This makes them dangerous in the playoffs and they could be the best chance the league as of knocking the champs off their pedestal. 

3. Nighttime Ninjas 9-11 (Last Week #4)

The Nighttime Ninjas are sneaking into the playoffs after winning the final regular season game. They have one of the league's best offense and just signed a pitcher that could get them over the hump. The Ninjas have played well as of late and could use that momentum in the playoffs.

4. Bird Gang 11-9 (Last Week #3)

Even though they fall one spot in my power rankings, the Bird Gang are a great team with a bunch of intangibles. The Bird Gang find ways to win whether by the bat or on the mound. As of late, they are on a 2-5 stretch and their offense as tailed off during those games. 

5. Ducks on the Pond 7-13 (Last Week #5)

The Ducks impressed during the second half of the season and put themselves in a situation where they could make the playoffs. Unfortunately, their slow (0-7) start doomed them in the long run. I expect a better season from them in 2017

6. Stallionaires 6-14 (Last Week #6)

It was a season to forget for the team who has made two straight World Series appearances. They had a few bright moments during the season and Matt Kuna played like a man possessed (earning him an All-Star nod). They will look to regain form next season.

Inside the GBL Episode 17: Win or Go Home

Tyler Walk briefly breaks down what happened last week and then dives into the big showdown between the Nighttime Ninjas and Ducks on the Pond.

Griffleball Power Rankings Week Ten and Players of the Week

The playoff picture is almost set. The Gashouse Gorillas, Taka Drivers, and Bird Gang will be your number one, two, and three seeds respectively. While the Nighttime Ninjas have increased their odds on making it to the big dance by sweeping the Bird Gang. They have a make-up series against the Ducks on the Pond next week and only have to win one out of three games (third game will be played if Ducks win first two). Week Ten also broke the trend of six straight series' ending in a split. It wasn't one series this week, it was all of them that ended in teams bringing out the brooms. The day games saw the Gashouse Gorillas sweep the Ducks on the Pond convincingly. Gashouse won game one 6-2 behind the arm of Jim Tucker, who struck out six Ducks in three innings. Then in game two, it only took Gashouse three innings to finish off the Ducks by a score of 11-0. During the series, Gashouse struck out fifteen of sixteen possible outs and fooled the Ducks from beginning to end. Also, Jeremy Ratajczyk broke the single season RBI record bringing his total to 66 on the season (Congratulations Commissioner!). In the evening series, the Taka Drivers got back on track with a sweep of the Stallionaires. They won both games behind new manager Ryan Voges and their pitching staff came through once again. Taka won both games by 3-1 and yes, it was the exact same score in two different games. Even when their offense struggles, they can always count on their pitching staff to win games. In the final series of the day, the Nighttime Ninjas swept the Bird Gang to give them a huge edge heading into next week. They won game one 3-2 by scoring all three runs in the last inning behind the bat of Sammy Krucek. Then they scraped across two runs in the second game and shut down the Bird Gang bats to a final of 2-0. The fight for the final playoff spot will come down to one series between the Nighttime Ninjas and Ducks on the Pond. After the Ninjas and Ducks series concludes, Griffleball will have its annual All-Star game and Home Run Derby. Then, it will be time for the #GBLPlayoffs.

Scoreboard

7/31/16 - Gashouse Gorillas 6 Ducks on the Pond 2 (W - Tucker, L - Brilmyer, S - Ratajczyk)

Deciding Moment - Jim Tucker dominated the Ducks for three innings, striking out six and only allowing one hit. 

7/31/16 - Gashouse Gorillas 11 Ducks on the Pond 0 F/3 (W - Tucker, L - Diehl)

Deciding Moment - Jeremy Ratajczyk hit a grand slam in the first putting Gashouse up 7-0. On the mound, Tucker shut down the Ducks and did not allow a single hit. 

7/31/16 - Taka Drivers 3 Stallionaires 1 (W - Buzea, L - Smith, S - Voges)

Deciding Moment - With the score tied at one, the Taka Drivers scored two runs in the third on four hits. 

7/31/16 - Taka Drivers 3 Stallionaires 1 (W - Bartley, L - Smith, S - Voges)

Deciding Moment - Chris Bartley threw a perfect game for three and a half innings until it was broken up in the fourth. Then, Ryan Voges shut the door for his second save of the day. 

7/31/16 - Nighttime Ninjas 3 Bird Gang 2 (W - Kubacki, L - Zurawski )

Deciding Moment - Down 2-0 heading into the fifth, Sammy Krucek's bat caught fire and drove in three RBI's to take the lead. 

7/31/16 - Nighttime Ninjas 2 Bird Gang 0 (W - Kubacki, L - A. Felde, S - Krucek)

Deciding Moment - Mike Kubacki Jr. shut down the Bird Gang bats by pitching a one-hitter. Krucek also added another home run in the second to bring his total to 19 on the season. 

Standings

1. Gashouse Gorillas  15 - 5 **
2. Taka Drivers           12 - 8 *
3. Bird Gang               11 - 9 *
4. Nighttime Ninjas     8 - 10
5. Ducks on the Pond  6 - 12
6. Stallionaires            6 - 14 (E)

* - Clinched Playoffs

** - Clinched Homefield throughout Playoffs 

(E) - Eliminated from Playoff Contention

Players of the Week

HITTER OF THE WEEK

Jeremy Ratajczyk

8 Hits, 17 At-Bats, 2 Home Runs, 12 RBI, 3 BB

(Broke single season RBI record with 66)

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Jim Tucker

2-0, 6 Innings Pitched, 2 Hits Allowed, 11 Strikeouts, 0 Walks

Power Rankings

1. Gashouse Gorillas 15-5 (Last Week #1)

The Gashouse Gorillas finished the regular season at the top of the GBL once again. They have a tough lineup and one of the best pitchers in the GBL. Teams around Griffleball have to bring their "A" game every week or face the consequences. They will be heavy favorites to win the championship for a fifth consecutive time. 

2. Taka Drivers 12-8 (Last Week #3)

After hitting a slump mid-season, the Taka Drivers finished strong and earned themselves homefield in the first round. They are in every game they play because of their pitching and will finish the regular season with the best ERA in Griffleball. It could get even better if Kyle Lidster and Mark Miecznikowski come back for the playoffs. 

3. Bird Gang 11-9 (Last Week #2)

The Bird Gang are this year's surprise team especially after the season they had in 2015. They boast one of the league's top pitching staffs and keep finding a way to win games. The Bird Gang proved this season that they can play with anyone in the league. After a year absence they will a return trip to the playoffs and could make some noise. 

4. Nighttime Ninjas 8-10 (Last Week #5)

The Nighttime Ninjas are one win away from sneaking into the playoffs as the four seed. They are putting together their best run of the season at the right time. The bat of Sammy Krucek and Mike Kubacki's arm have been a winning formula over the past few weeks. If they get in, they could give the Gashouse Gorillas some problems in round one.

5. Ducks on the Pond 6-10 (Last Week #4)

The Ducks on the Pond turned their season around after a horrendous start. They were playing better up until running into the Gashouse buzzsaw, but the Ducks still have a shot. If they win the next two games against the Ninjas, they will be in a one game playoff to decide who will make the post-season. Don't count them out. 

6. Stallionaires 6-14 (Last Week #6)

After making two straight World Series appearances, the Stallionaires won't have a chance at redemption. They had some bright moments during the season, but their offense could never produce when needed. If they scored a few more runs at times their season could be completely different. 

WIFFLE OUT!