Griffle Talk With T-Walk - Episode 4 - Opening Day Recap

Opening Day has come and gone! T.Walk is here to break down the action in week one, preview week two, detail more about the power rankings and players of the week, and a special guest calls in!

Griffleball Week One Power Rankings and Players of the Week

GRIFFLEBALL POWER RANKINGS

WEEK ONE

1. Taka Drivers - 1-1 (LW - #1)

Even though the defending champions did not register a hit in their opening game, they were able to withstand the adversity and hold off a sweep. Kyle Lidster made his 2018 debut with six strikeouts and shows that he could be a great asset to the Taka rotation moving forward. With very little offense for every team in week one, I believe Taka is still the team to beat moving foward.

2. Nighttime Ninjas - 1-1 (LW - #3)

With some uncertainty on their roster, the new additions to the Ninjas did not disappoint. Kyle Gagliardi, Kevin Edgington, and Jeremy Camp all played significant roles in their series against the GasHouse Gorillas. And, Mr. Opening Day (Mike Kubacki) came ready to play in as he was the key reason they took game one from GasHouse.

3. Leroy Legends - 1-1 (LW - #6)

As it stands, the Legends will arguably have one of the best pitchers in Griffleball moving forward. Caleb Jonkman pitched a perfect game and struck out every batter he faced as the Legends shocked the champs by taking the first game. I still worry about how they will adjust offensively in the GBL but, they certainly have the pitching to make their expansion year a playoff year.

4. Digger Dudes - 1-0 (LW - #5)

For the first time in the Dudes history they sit in first place but, it is VERY early in the season. The Felde brothers have shown they can be a great one-two punch on the mound and could be difficult to score on. If they could just find ways to string some hits and score just a run or two, they may surprise many.

5. GasHouse Gorillas - 1-1 (LW - #2)

Without their key offensive player, Jeremy Ratajczyk, the Gorillas were only able to plate one run in 15 innings. And, that run came in the last inning of the series to give them a must needed win. Galiher and Tucker are still their go to starters and should keep them afloat even without Rat for the next few weeks.

6. Ducks on the Pond - 0-1 (LW - #5)

Even though only one game was completed, the Ducks were unable to scratch across a run in 13 innings (second game PPD). On the positive side, Chris Diehl threw eight innings in game one and only allowed one hit. For now the Ducks are at the bottom but, if they begin to produce at the plate they won't be here for long.

GRIFFLEBALL POTW

(I used to do a hitter, pitcher, and rookie of the week but, in 2018 we are going to shake things up. I believe using those categories is too limited and I will now move to a top 3 players of the week regardless of hitting or pitching.)

1. Caleb Jonkman - (P) 1-0 6 IP 12 SO 0 HA 0 BB; (H) 8 AB 4 HITS

2. Jim Tucker - (P) 1-0 10 IP 14 SO 3 HA 2 BB

3. Andrew Felde - (P) 0-0 8 IP 10 SO 0 HA 3 BB

Griffle Talk With T-Walk - Episode 3 - Season Preview Part Two

On the second part of the season preview with T.Walk, I discuss the last three teams in our preview (Nighttime Ninjas, GasHouse Gorillas, Taka Drivers). After breaking their teams down, I reveal my power rankings, award predictions, and record predictions for each team. And, I give a way too early World Series prediction!

Pre-Season Griffleball Power Rankings & Award Predictions

GRIFFLEBALL POWER RANKINGS

1. Taka Drivers (16-4, 7-5)

After being eliminated by the GasHouse Gorillas in 2015 and 2016, Taka got their revenge in 2017. The Take Drivers are now defending champions and ended the reign of GasHouse. Coming into this season there is nobody better suited for the top of the list. From top to bottom, this is the best roster in the GBL. They can put anyone on the mound at any given time and cause fits for their opposition at the plate. And, Taka will have Kyle Lidster suit for up a few games this season. They have a influx of riches and use them wisely. With the target on their backs, how will they face the adversity? If it is anything like last year's playoffs, I would say pretty well.

2. GasHouse Gorillas (16-3, 6-4)

Usually the top spot is reserved for the GasHouse Gorillas but, their rivals got the best of them last season. Needless to say, the Gorillas are going to be as hungry as ever to get back on top. They dominated nearly all of last season and they looked poised to make it six championships in a row. GasHouse still has all the talent from last year but, recent developments have caused Jeremy Ratajczyk to be out for a month (fractured finger). He is the one that makes their offense go and it will be interesting to see how they fare without him. That's if they even need any runs due to the Cy Young caliber pitching staff they boast.

3. Nighttime Ninjas (11-8, 2-3)

It was another first round playoff exit for the Ninjas as last year's may have been the most painful of all. The Ninjas led 2-0 in their series against Taka and it looked like they were on their way to their first World Series appearance. Then fate intervened numerous times against them and just like that it was over. Heading into this season, they have added a few new bodies to hopefully counter what happened to them last season. This should help the Ninjas rest their guys when possible. They still have virtually the same team as last year but, can be more flexible with the rookies added. I still expect a playoff appearance from Nighttime but, can they finally get over the hump?

4. Ducks on the Pond (8-11, 0-3)

The Ducks are coming off a season where they squeaked into the playoffs with a below .500 record. They needed a series sweep in Week 10 to clinch and this season they are looking to add a postseason victory to their franchise history. They have shown the ability to compete with any team in the league but always fall short in clutch situations. If they can find a way to increase their power and be more consistent on the mound, the Ducks could be a dangerous squad throughout the season. I expect them to improve and battle for the last playoff spot this season.

5. Digger Dudes (5-15, N/A)

The Dudes exceeded expectations last season as many thought their roster would struggle to win a game. They ended up staying in the playoff race until the last week of the season and probably surprised many. If I were to pinpoint their biggest weakness from last season it would have to be pitching. And, they addressed their biggest need by selecting a proven arm in Andrew Felde. This should help bolster their pitching and keep them in games throughout the season. The last time Andrew pitched a whole season, his team made the playoffs. That could be a sign of good fortune.

6. Leroy Legends (N/A)

The only reason Leroy is sitting at the bottom of the first Power Rankings is simple. Even though we do know and have seen many of their roster on the field, how will Leroy translate to Griffleball? Since it is a relative unknown on how they will perform, they start the year at number six (could only go up from here). I do not expect them to stay down here for long as they do have quite the roster of many NWLA "Legends." If they have their entire roster show up every week, they could find themselves competing late into the playoffs. 

AWARD PREDICTIONS

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - Jim Tucker

CY YOUNG - Ryan Voges

SILVER SLUGGER - Sammy Krucek

RELIEVER - Jackson Buzea

MANAGER - Tim Wiltjer

GOLD HANDS - Chris Bartley

COMEBACK - Andrew Felde

ROOKIE - Kyle Gagliardi

WIFFLE OUT!

Griffle Talk With T-Walk - Episode Two - 2018 Season Preview Part 1

On Episode Two of Griffle Talk, T-Walk prepares you for the upcoming season! He previews and predicts the best and worst case scenarios for the Leroy Legends, Digger Dudes, and Ducks on the Pond.

Jonkman and Detmar Commit to GBL's NWLA Tournament Team

With the news that the Leroy Wiffle Association has decided to not register for the 2018 NWLA Tournament, former LWA Legends Caleb Jonkman and Brett Detmar have decided to join the GBL's roster.

"We are beyond thrilled to have these two up and coming stars represent the GBL while providing them with a place to play NWLA Tournament wiffle. We are also excited to add players of their caliber to our roster", GBL team captain Jeremy Ratajczyk stated. "We would also like to thank the NWLA Tournament Host Committee for granting our appeal to let them transfer to our league."

The GBL has always been one of the better hitting league's at the annual national tournament, but has never had the pitching to make a deep run at the tournament. So the Fat Cats will welcome Jonkman and Detmar, two of the best pitchers at the tournament, with open arms. Jonkman has a career 4.38 ERA in 37 innings pitched in NWLA Tournament play. Detmar has pitched 23 innings at the tournament, and boasts a 2.09 ERA. The two of them will be joining  longtime GBL ace Kyle Lidster to form what will be one of the best pitching trios in Morenci.