El Orchard Preview Pear Divisions

It’s that time of year. Time to Break down the El orchard Whiffle league divisions, handicap the awards race, doll out predictions and banter on the ups and downs of the league.

Helping out today with the breakdown will be Peter Sammons, John Kruk, and Bob Never.

Well Fellows I guess we should get going, let’s take a look at the Pear Division where as always the debate starts with how good the Bunnies will be. We all know the Resume last year they went 40-10 tied the all time win mark, won their 3rd straight division title and raised the peach bowl for the second time in three years. This off season they re-signed Kyle Johnson to a three year deal, they also bolster their farm system by winning the rights to Titus Letzring and brining Ryan Johnson in the mix. With the all time win leader Braden yauk back to pitch, and ever emerging as a star Scottie, and J.P. the constant steady team leader all focused on a repeat can anyone derail them.

The Clinton Kroymans’ the most hated team in the league, I mean on one likes them at all, have no changes on the team that faded last year and finished third in the standings. For the first time and miss the playoffs by one game. They went 33 and 17 put at one point they were 31 and 10 finishing 2 and 7. They bring back the entire team this year, hoping to regain ground not slip further down the division ladder.

The Davenport Listons’ after a rocky start stormed back to with a 8 and 2 finish over their last ten games to steal the last playoff spot. They even won game one against the Rhino’s before dropping two in a row to miss last year’s championship series. They have brought in a Bunnies Cast off this year. Josh Wall in help in the pitching department, and also plucked Jeff Kietzman who’s cannon arm will help in the pitching department and the out field where he can hopefully gun people down. They still have Jon Griggs, and Giles and should be a force this year. Can they make the leap and bounce those bunnies

Cedar Falls Panthers were 24 and 26 last year as an expansion team but showed flashes of promise. Their Key acquisitions this off season Ben a nifty throwing right handed pitcher who could keep the games close. Jay Bowers is always a threat to rob a home run, and Mike is one of the better all around players in the league, and was the only all star on the team last year. A year older and some game experience might be all the these guys need.

Marycrest Alums continued their struggles last year as Matt Cunningham and Barton anchor a team that has finish 5th 4th and 5th three years in existence, but there is hope because Jove won the fresh Fruit award last(Rookie of the year) and the team did play .500 over there last 15 games going 8-7 after going 10 and 25 their first 35. If Jove contines to rise and African import Ati can adjust to the American game they could push for a playoff spot.

Well Fellows how do you see this playing out

Sammons: Let me take care of the easy things in this divison the Bunnies will win it with a 42-8 mark breaking the all time win mark. They will storm into the playoffs. I mean the have arguable the best pitcher, and a swagger that oozes out of J.P. With Kyle back they have no holes. Yauk is a beast on the mound 2 Junior CY Young awards and the all time beset ERA. They have a potential all star at every spot. Also another given in this division the Kroymans’ slide to the basement, the last ten games weren’t fluke, it was sign, the brothers don’t like each other, they have terrible chemistry and every team in the Pear Division loathes them trying to take them out, they’ve got no chance.

Kruk: I agree with the statements about the Kroymans, they lost what ever they had. The once could challenge the mighty bunnies holding a sort of superior hold on them. They held the life long head to head battle 8 to 7 until the slide last season, but the Bunnies shuck free from that last year. I think they finish fifth even though they have but forth this facade that every thing is okay. If you ask me it's bloated confidence. I think the Bunnies win their forth straight division title but I think they get bored and finish some where around 39 and 11 dropping one or two because this division can’t really challenge them.

Bob Never: they pretty much summed that up.

But you guys thinks the other teams are too close to call

Kruk: I have the panthers finishing second going 33 and 17 because of the pitching of Ben to go with the fielding of Jay their runs against should come down, which was a big problem last year. Marycrest will finish two games behind them at 31 and 19 giving their fans a sniff at pressure filled whiffle ball, I think they are still a year away but once Ati gets accustomed to American ball the will be in the hunt. I hear Ati is specail in the field which would give them Jove and Ati if they only had some pitching and I see the Listons falling because there is reason Wall’s an ex-bunnie he couldn’t hack it, Kietzman will take some time going from football to whiffle ball where it usually finesse not power that wins but more importantly the two other teams got better.

Bob Never, wiat a second I have Jove making the leap to All-star maybe more if he put the time in on his pitching and Ati figures things out pretty quick to surprise everyone and take home second place with a 36 and 14 mark. I think the Liston’s go 30-20 and fall off just a tad because I think last’ year finish was up of a hot streak than the norm. I mean Jon Griggs became nearly unhittable for two weeks. I don't think Josh Wall will help but not enough. I have the Panther's struggling and going 23 and 27. Ben one day will be able to pitch in this league but year one he will get roughed up and that cause problems for a team that had no pitching last year outside of Albert, they need Ben to be great and that's not happening until next year.

Sammons: I think everyone is really under estimating Josh Wall he does have one Pear Ring from his days with the Bunnies. He knows how to grind out games and what it takes to play on a winner. Jon Griggs may have been on to something at the end of the year, does he stay unhittable probably not. Giles while not an all star is alwasy solid and never rattled. I think Keitzman is a huge pick up they go 35 and 15 and make the playoffs again. Never is right it will take some time for Ben to adjust about half the year and then the Panthers take off going 34 and 16 having to settle for on a four or five seed. Marycrest improves but Barton isn’t that good, and it will take Ati some time to adjust they go 29 and 21 but above .500 for them is great.

To Recap Play off team is Bold

Sammons has the Bunnies going 42-8, Liston’s going 35 -15, Panthers going 34 and 16, Marycrest going 29 and 21, and Kroymans going 20 and 30

Kruk: Has the Bunnies going 39 and 11, the Panther goings 33 and 17. Marycrest going 31 and 19, the Listons going 25 and 25, and the Kroymans going 17 and 33

Bob Never: has the Bunnies going 38 and 12, Marycrest going 36 and 14, Listons going 30 and 20, Panthers going 23 and 27, and Kroymans going 15 and 35 breaking the mark for worst record ever.

On to the awards, we will start with the fruit basket winners (these guys play in the all star game) A team that finishes 5th with have no representatives at the all start game, Each all star team will have 7 guys voted on it. The number of times they have been allstars is in ( )

Sammons starters P Yauk (3) fielders J.P. (3) Jove Mike (1) Giles (1)
Bench Scottie (1) Kyle (3) Wall (1)
Kruk Starters P Yauk(3) Fielders Jove J.P. (3) Kyle (3) Mike (1)
Bench Cunningham Jay Keitzman
Never Starters P Yauk (3) Fielders Jove Mike (1) Jay Kyle (3)
Bench Scottie (2) J.P. (3) Wall (1)

So two of you have every Bunnies Making the all star team

The guys voted on the awards and this was what they came up with.

On to the Golden Palms (best fielders)
Pitcher Yauk
Right Fielder- Jay
Center Fielder J.P.
Left Fielder Jove

Big Red Bat (four best hitters)
Mike
Kyle
Cunningham
Scottie

Fresh Fruit( roookie of the year)
Kietzman

CY young Jr.( best pitcher) names after Cy Young Son who was a pioneer in whiffle ball.
Braden Yauk

Triple Tierra (all around best individual offensive season)
Scottie Don’t

Back next week with the break down of the Peaches Division and the guys will decide on the Whiffler of the year( best combination of Pitcher and Hitter of the Year) the following week we will discuss the playoffs of give predictions and not everyone on our panel thinks the bunnies are a slam dunk.