Free agency is set to begin as soon the clock strikes midnight on February 1. The anticipation is high, the rumor mill is robust and time has seemed to slow to a crawl as we count down the minutes until February.

In case you've been living under a rock for the past 2 months, Circle City Wiffle is moving forward with 6 franchises - the 8 Balls, Hounds, Moonshots, Pork Pistols, Short Shorts and Yakkers. The committee then appointed a manager/coach to each franchise - Mike Speek, Dylan Jones, Will Smithey, Thomas Hopkins, Brendan Dudas and Rudy Lyon.

The managers were tasked with drafting their franchise duo partner in reverse order of their player value. The results of that draft are below:

Hounds: Dylan Jones, Jake Sprinkle
Pork Pistols: Thomas Hopkins, Reid Werner
8 Balls: Mike Speek, Taylor DeHart
Short Shorts: Brendan Dudas, Aidan Palmer
Yakkers: Rudy Lyon, Cade Luker
Moonshots: Will Smithey, Tyler Gregory

Instead of daydreaming about the unknown potential of next month, let's take a step back and analyze what we're taking for granted: these incredibly exciting 2022 Franchise Duos.

The tools we have at our disposal are previous years' raw stats, hitting/pitching values and the good ol' fashioned Mike Speek Sr. Eye Test (patent pending). Let's do what any good statistician would do and MASH 'EM TOGETHER! Here we go.

#1) 8 Balls: Speek/DeHart
Duo value: 92.8 (5th)​
I love love LOVE this duo, and I don't think I'm alone in that sentiment. Mike Speek is as steady and dependable as they come, and he's the PERFECT coach for a volatile player like Taylor DeHart. This duo is balanced, it's (ridiculously) good looking and it's going to win a LOT of games in 2022. DeHart had an outside shot at MVP in 2021, and I think Speek helps him reach new heights this summer. The biggest question mark here is Speek's health and commitment level with retirement on the horizon, but I'm confident he'll counter those concerns with a great performance in free agency. Not many people can recruit quite like Mike Sr.

#2) Pork Pistols: Hopkins/Werner
Duo value: 109.6 (2nd)
Thomas Hopkins was one of the bigger surprises in 2021 and a massive reason the Pistols were just a few plays away from knocking off the Shorts in the semis. Regression is a definite possibility here, but Thomas will no longer have to be his team's best player with Reid Werner in the fold. That's a scary thought. There are only a few guys I would rank above both Thomas and Reid when it comes to guys who really THINK their way through games. They'll be level-headed, well-prepared and nicely positioned to make a run at the Dirtyard Classic title... as long as Thomas doesn't throw his back out trying to put a base in.

#3) Moonshots: Smithey/Gregory
Duo value: 127.1 (1st)
I need to preface this analysis by saying that I mean absolutely ZERO disrespect toward Tyler Gregory, one of CCW's premier fielders and clutch hitters... BUT! This ranking is largely based on Will Smithey's dominance. His cap hit is 100... 1-0-0! The next closest? Reid Werner at 66.7. This is AFTER I manipulated the data to close that gap between Will and the rest of the field. He's an absolute beast and could lead a group of traffic cones to a solid season. You add in a player like T-Greg and ShEeEeEeSh! 

#4) Yakkers: Lyon/Luker
Duo value: 104.6 (3rd)
Rudy Lyon shocked most of us by selecting Cade Luker in the duo draft, but upon further review, I love the pick. Rudy comes in at #3 in CCW's total value metric (7th in hitting and 8th in pitching). His #3 overall ranking shows you just how rare GOOD 2-way players are in CCW. Rudy brings consistent two-way value. Cade Luker brings thump, ceiling and good looks to this duo. The sophomore slump hasn't really existed up to this point in CCW, so (knock on wood) we should see Cade continue to improve as a hitter. He spent the entire season tucked between approximately 726 Hacker hitters, so don't be surprised to see him jump into the Silver Slugger conversation this year. He's sneaky good and that sneaky label won't last long.

#5) Hounds: Jones/Sprinkle
Duo value: 90.4 (6th)
This duo's ceiling concerns me. They lack speed and fielding, and both players accumulate ALL of their value from a single skill - Dylan Jones's from hitting and Jake Sprinkle's from pitching. When you combine them, you get a sum that's average at hitting and pitching, yet still doesn't offer any speed, base running or fielding. Free agency will be VERY important for these two, and they must be calculated with each signing. One thing that can't be quantified is the relationship between Jones and Sprinkle. While many of these duos are inviting new players into their circle, these two have been competing together at a high level dating back to their days at UIndy. One thing is certain: this team will absolutely find itself at the top of the beer drinking standings.

#6) Short Shorts: Dudas/Palmer
Duo value: 101.6 (4th)
The definition of "insanity" is doing the same thing over and over again, yet expecting different results. Welp... Brendan Dudas and Aidan Palmer are RUNNIN' IT BACK, PEOPLE! Grab your popcorn, snag a can of Bud Light from the brand new Dirtyard mini-fridge (thanks, Drake!) and enjoy the (sh*t) show! If you want actual analysis, here it is: Dudas' turned in the best offensive season in CCW history in 2021 and Palmer has shown flashes of being an elite level arm. Think of this duo like an 8-leg parlay. If everything hits, it's time to celebrate, but... don't hold your breath on the +10,000 odds.

Reflection
As I got to the end of this piece, I realized I was actually just writing a sales pitch for each team's potential free agents. Hear that? That's the sound of the Short Shorts' stock price slamming into the floor.

I want to note that I believe the actual standings are going to be REALLY tight. Yes, I ranked the Hounds and Shorts as 5th and 6th, but I think we'll see a ton of flip-flopping in the standings this season. There are still 4 spots to fill on each team, which will change things significantly.

PLEASE leave your thoughts! I'm excited to hear them.

By Joshua Hart

It’s a new day in 2021 for Circle City Wiffle Ball. With Covid-19 in its rearview due to each responsible league member guaranteeing full vaccination by opening day, league commissioner Brendan Dudas is eagerly anticipating what could be the most exciting summer yet of having people over to his parents’ house well into his 20’s.

Speaking of which, I have no idea why Keith and Debra Dudas have not aggressively pursued financial compensation for housing this league’s operations more. For one, just sell the house and property! As adults headed towards retirement with no financial dependents living with them (plus a booming sellers market), why not cash out now? Yeah, you might destroy CCW and The Dirtyard forever, but it would definitely be worth it from a money standpoint. And if that’s a no-go, let’s talk about parking. How have they not considered a $50 parking pass or something for all league players as payment to ruin their yard each summer? Approximately 50 players x 50 is $2,500. That’s a nice vacation right there! Come on Keith and Deb. Be better. A sports institution is only fully legitimate once it starts preying on its participants’ financial well-beings.

Okay, I got sidetracked there a little. From about four minutes of research and reading a few Tweets, it appears that CCW is out of its toddler phase as a league so no sweeping rule changes or reduction/expansion of league franchises. If a team was added, there’s no way they will be competitive so who cares. Furthermore, if anything is new and exciting about CCW, it most definitely isn’t the new crop of players coming in either. Without even looking at rosters or names, I can tell you most new additions play in multiple fantasy football leagues, think Buffalo Wild Wings is a good restaurant, are 15 or so pounds overweight, and drink far too heavily for their own good under the disguise of being fun and sociable. I think part of that joke was used in an older season preview so please do not check on that. Thanks.

I do think Dudas wants me to promote the league’s blossoming Tik-Tok account in this article which is actually making some noise on the popular app. Connecting with younger generations has been a goal for CCW the past few years and Tik-Tok seems to be the perfect recipe for that. There’s no possible risk in adults creating a digital platform targeted at 10-14 year-olds so this move has my full support.

With that in mind, I will run down each team in the league individually. I want to remind everyone that I am more uninformed than ever and am writing this at 5 p.m on a rainy Thursday in April. My goal, per usual, is to hurt at least one person’s feelings who can’t take a joke.

Team Previews

Noodlers - I believe these guys won the title last year, but I will not be crediting them for that formally. The story of this team is Caleb Jonkman, a sensational player from Canada who took the league by storm last year after manager Cody House brought him into the league in a completely fair and reasonable mid-year transaction. Pardon the incoming rant, but I can not stand that it seems like Jonkman is a good person. People generally like him and it infuriates me. You do not get to waltz into CCW, be great at wiffle ball AND earn the admiration of your peers. It’s one or the other pal! My mission in 2021 is to figure out this man’s dark secrets and expose him. At the very least, I’d like to start with getting the IRS to audit his tax returns and then go from there. This league is too wholesome anyways.

The Noodlers have other players named James, Kyle, and Dalton on their roster. They will get last names when they do something interesting.

Yakkers - The “Ohio” of CCW teams, these guys are back and as mediocre as ever. Led by league staple Rudy Lyon, a man significantly more threatening with a camping chair in his hands than during an at-bat, the Yakkers will once again dominate the league in attendance and effort, but not wins or playoff success.

In reality, the star power of this team comes from Ryan Voges, another northern transplant who has an infatuation with wearing sleeveless t-shirts in all of his social media pictures. No, I’m serious. Look at this man’s online footprint. I get that he can probably do 35lbs on bicep curls for reps, but take it easy dude. Critiques aside, he might be sort of halfway decent at wiffle.

A key addition to note is Sawyer Mitchell, a guy who most definitely did not peak over 5 years ago. He will bring...competitiveness(?) to a team that could use it I guess. Reports suggest Mitchell’s motive to play for the Yakkers is based on seeking vengeance against Jonkman. One can only hope this leads to a physical altercation of some kind (Tik-Tok content??).

There are approximately 40 other players on this team I don’t care to mention. The fact that the Yakkers even got a fourth paragraph on this preview repulses me. No more.

8 Balls - You can’t be serious. There are two more Speek players now? Everyone has had problems with Mike Speek Sr. and Jr. over the years and now there’s expansion? Yikes. And only to add insult to injury (quite literally), one of them is named Keegan! Who, ironically enough, will instantly take the mantle as the greatest Keegan to ever play in CCW the moment he enters his first game.

If you want team information and predictions, go elsewhere. I think they are usually good at pitching and like to win games 3-1 (yawn). The fatal flaw I suppose is the potential of Sr. finally succumbing to his age and the organization struggling to keep it together from there. However, as long as he limits weekend visits to Vegas and stretches for 30 minutes before each game, that does not seem on tap for 2021.

Zach McFarland is on the roster.

Short Shorts - Boasting a 2021 lineup about as fresh and interesting as a Golden Corral buffet, the Shorts struggle to interest me on any level. Sure, Dudas is a strong player, but 2017 was a long time ago and the dominant performances seem to be a thing of the past. I do not know if that’s actually true, but it seems kind of true so we’re going to roll with it.

The greater tragedy with this bunch is the loss of veteran Keegan Caughey, who recently experienced the most devastating accident on wheels since the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 when he crashed a motorized scooter near his apartment complex in Indianapolis. Stripping him of an effective right shoulder and his dignity, Caughey is likely to spend the season on the sidelines as a media consultant for CCW.

The new member to note is Kevin Keefe, nephew and roommate of the aforementioned Dudas. Knowing the mental toughness of middle schoolers, Keefe is assured to keep his poise and focus consistent throughout the season no matter the score, weather, or general circumstances.

The Shorts also boast Taylor DeHart, a player likely to struggle with communication and consistent attendance throughout the season. Hopefully, team manager (I think) Dylan Jones can try to piece this all together, but he has a tall task trying to make a stagnant collection of parts work. As an aside, I would like to note I ripped a pair of dress pants at Jones’ wedding this past spring while dancing to “Low” by Flo Rida and T-Pain. That is all.

6:51 p.m update (4/29) - Apparently they have a player coming from St. Louis by the 
name of Spencer Bogad who might breathe life into this group. This also takes away from my entire take on this group being stagnant, but whatever. I’m not going back and deleting anything.

Hackers - I took one look at this roster and instantly questioned every moment of my life that brought me to this moment. Their names bring me immense sadness and I just want to go home and have dinner right now. Time is a flat circle.

Moonshots - Boy, it is amazing what a good night sleep will do for a man. Let’s talk about the wonderful Moonshots, shall we? New day, new me. 

With a collection of players that likely consider Florida to be the best vacation spot in the world, the Moonshots are back and ready to be as semi-competitive as ever. The group resembles some of the previously mentioned players in that they peeked several years ago. Faces like Austin Church, Blake Voris, and Tyler Gregory no longer represent CCW on a national level anymore. Decisions to focus on wedding planning, career-oriented goals, and family life seem to be a bigger priority for each of them which is particularly nauseating in my mind.

Reid Werner still throws 145 mph and forces batters to pretend it doesn’t hurt when he pegs them.

Notable Hollywood actor Will Smith and Cam Smithey will be joining the organization to round out the roster. One of them will be good and one of them will be bad. I think Smithey is another one of the nut-cases commuting from St. Louis. And I think Smith may not actually be a rookie as I type this out. Oh well.

Pork Pistols - A team that seemed way cooler two years ago, the Pistols return to CCW despite being way better at slow-pitch softball. Led by ace Christian Leffler, a man two handles of Fireball away from his first AA meeting, the group generally delivers more entertainment than victories. 

The group also features Nick Bundy, grandson of infamous American serial killer Ted Bundy, as well as cool guy, terrible player Michael Plourde. The manager and team dad is Thomas Hopkins, who comes off as extremely mature and reasonable when compared to some of the other dingleberries associated with the Pork Pistols franchise.

This team will never matter from a standings perspective, but man is it nice to have an even number of league teams so they’ll be around for a while.

Outlaws - Well, well, well. In one of the most ironic moments in human history, the very team that I mocked for being filled with single dudes and being completely irrelevant, has selected (unannounced to me) yours truly in an offseason compensation draft. As I scroll up and read some of the mildly horrible things I’ve written about my future competition, I realize that I should take a moment to apologize for absolutely nothing.

Here’s the plan. Remind everyone early and often that I haven’t played in years to lower expectations, have a really positive and friendly attitude to negate anger when I strike out all the time, and strategically miss games when the top pitchers in the league are on the mound. If I hit one home run, I will declare myself league MVP.

As far as my new teammates, I don’t know them. Team manager maybe: Mitchell Buis reaches out to me via text sometimes while I’m at work and seems like a really friendly guy. I’ve only forgotten to reply twice so far in the relationship.

My other teammates will include noted trainwreck Aidan Palmer, someone named Kyan(?), and Aaron Rogers, who is the league’s comic relief figure if CCW was a bad Adam Sandler movie.

Season Predictions

MVP: Caleb Jonkman
Cy Young: Mike Speek Jr.
Silver/Sleeveless Slugger: Ryan Voges
Rookie of the Year: Whichever one out of Smith/Smithey/Bogad is actually a rookie. If multiple are rookies, I predict a tie.
Defensive Player of the Year: Per tradition, someone who tries way too hard (probably a Hacker or Yakker)
Championship: I literally have no idea. Seems like it’s going to come down to attendance from out of town players (some league, huh?). Let’s go Short Shorts over Noodlers.

Most Likely To’s

Forget to show up to half of the games: Aidan Palmer

Be pleasant to have a chat with: Michael Plourde

Interrupt a game with demands about his camera angles: Keegan Caughey

Blame a non-injury for poor performance: Rudy Lyon

Say “just having fun out here, not about wins and losses:” Entire Outlaws team

Lose their battle with the heat despite having a gallon of water and a large towel: (tie) Cody House and Zach McFarland

Cry in a game: Kevin Dudas

Post a regular season HR to Twitter as a serious highlight: Ryan Voges and Will Smithey

Complain about fiscal policy: Spencer Schneider

Twist an ankle: Austin Church

Talk about the time he got a hit off of Speek Jr.: Josh Hart

Throw his arm out: Christian Leffler

Complain about the rules: Thomas Hopkins

Stop playing to make a TikTok: Brendan Dudas

Demand a trade: Kyle Gagliardi

Run through the Dirtyard wall: James Haworth

​

For the first time in league history, Circle City Wiffle hosted a free agent draft. The order was created based on the reverse order of last year's standings. Additionally, each team that lost a player to the free agent portal was compensated with an extra pick between the first and second round.

Watch Brendan Dudas' video recap HERE

Results
Round 1
1. Outlaws - Aidan Palmer
The most obvious choice to go #1 overall. Palmer has endured a very up and down CCW career, but his "ups" have landed him in talks with some of the best pitchers in the country. If the Outlaws can get Aidan and Buis on the board, this becomes one heck of a fireballing, lefty/righty duo.

Hackers trade picks 3 and 10 to Yakkers in exchange for 2nd pick.

2. Hackers (via Yakkers) - Alex Gurtcheff
The biggest surprise in the draft came just two picks in. Gurtcheff made his CCW debut at Monday night's free agent workout. His batting practice was impressive and he showed the ability to hit the board from the mound. Anchored by Alec Buchman and Holden Palmer, the Hackers' rotation is just fine. Starke is taking a gamble in hoping that Gurtcheff provides some much-needed offensive thump.

3. Yakkers (via Hackers) - Sawyer Mitchell
Mitchell seemed like a shoe-in for a top 2 pick before the Hackers selected Gurtcheff, but he falls to the Yakkers and Rudy Lyon adds a decorated CCW vet to a roster in desperate need of bodies. Now, Lyon must turn his attention and effort to getting Mitchell to the Dirtyard on a consistent basis.

4. Pork Pistols - Michael Plourde
After failing to strike a deal to move up in the draft, the Pistols are forced to settle with this pick. Plourde is going to provide great value on the defensive side, but likely won't give the Pistols what they're looking for from the mound or at the plate. That being said, Plourde is a great teammate and most franchises would openly welcome his addition.

5. Short Shorts - Spencer Bogad
The Shorts spark a chain reaction of out-of-town picks with this one. Spencer Bogad (Skibbe Wiffle) intends to make a few trips to the Dirtyard this summer. Bogad is an elite fast pitch player and will help the Shorts on both sides of the ball.

6. Moonshots - Cam Smith
Also from Skibbe Wiffle, what was said above can be said about Cam Smith. Both the Shorts and the Shots will be looking to do everything they can to get these guys playoff eligible. From there, Smith and Bogad become complete game changers.

7. 8 Balls - Jared Jonkman
With a roster that's tight-knit and nearly full, most figured Mike Speek would pass on taking anyone here at number 7. Jared provides the 8 Balls with an offensive weapon and Wiffle mind that only strengthens this CCW powerhouse.

8. Noodlers - Kyle Gagliardi
Gags has bounced around a few times in his short CCW career, but lands in  a great spot with the defending champion Noodlers. The Jonkman/Gags pairing puts a lot of pressure on the Noodlers roster should those two be unable to make the trip down to Indy consistently, but Gagliardi will be a plus contributor from the plate and on the mound when he's there.

Compensatory Round
9. Outlaws - Kyle Cortner
We're getting into the players that we don't know much about. Cortner is a current college baseball player and has received a glowing endorsement from league villain, Spencer Schriner. This is exactly the type of player the Outlaws need to surround Aidan Palmer.

10. Yakkers (via Hackers) - Cameron Gross
According to his resume, Gross has a solid amount of baseball experience. The Yakkers are in need of bodies, so Gross should get an opportunity right away to see if he has what it takes.

11. Pork Pistols - Paul Agresta
His profile reads "draft me and you will NOT regret it", to which Thomas Hopkins responded, "Gimme Agresta. I like his style." *shrugs*

12. Noodlers - Nick Booker
Not much is known about Booker, but he's 23 and has high school/travel baseball experience. Cody House is looking to replenish a roster that lost both Jordan Tackett and Sawyer Mitchell.

Round 2
1. Outlaws - Josh Hart
HE'S BACK! Truthfully, Hart didn't expect to be drafted by anyone other than his close friends on the Short Shorts. He was part of a championship roster in 2015, but hasn't played competitive fast pitch in some time. Still, Buis is laser-focused on surrounding Palmer with athletic bodies and this selection achieves that.

2. Yakkers - Ryan Galiher
Galiher is a fixture in NWI. He's played a lot of high level Wiffle ball, but doesn't intend to be a CCW regular.

3. Hackers - PASS

4. Pork Pistols - Kenny Boger
This is likely nothing more than a depth addition. Boger is a competitive athlete that will likely factor in once the Pistols' throw their arms/backs out by week 3.

5. Short Shorts - Kevin Keefe
The Shorts begin stocking their farm system by selecting Keefe - Dudas' nephew - in his first year of CCW eligibility. 

6. Moonshots - PASS
7. 8 Balls - PASS
8. Noodlers - PASS

Opening Week ends with Wiffle-filled Sunday
 
All 8 teams were in action Sunday at the Dirtyard for the Opening Week round robin tournament.
 
The Moonshots and Short Shorts both went 3-0 to collect their respective division titles. Both of the 2019 World Series participants, the 8 Balls and Yakkers, struggled en route to a 1-2 record on the day.
 
The teams displayed the much-improved competitive depth of the 2020 CCW field, and the packed standings reflect that.
 
Standings: https://www.mystatsonline.com/ballsports/visitor/league/standings/standings.aspx?IDLeague=53281

League leaders: https://www.mystatsonline.com/ballsports/visitor/league/stats/leaders.aspx?IDLeague=53281
 
Player of the Week: Will Smithey
 
The Moonshots (3-0) finished Sunday looking down at the rest of CCW in the standings, and a large part of that can be credited to Smithey’s contribution from the plate and mound.
 
The 2019 Rookie of the Year turned in a 2-0 pitching record, striking out 14 hitters and allowing only 4 runs. At the plate, Smithey hit .786 with 4 HR and 10 RBI, including a walk-off grand slam against the Yakkers.
 








 


​All-State “You’re in Good Hands” Play of the Week
 
The Pork Pistols used an impressive display of teamwork to cut down TWO would-be runs in one play.
 
View the play here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWGrsRlct2U
 
Presented by the Allstate Gorall Agency
317-851-4698
New low rates. Call today for a FREE quote and get the insurance that is right for YOU!
 
Upcoming Games
Thursday, June 11
6 PM: 8 Balls (2-3) vs Pork Pistols (3-2)
8 PM: Moonshots (3-0) vs Short Shorts (3-0)
 
Sunday, June 14
2 PM: Yakkers (1-4) vs Outlaws (0-5) – 3 game series
 
CCW Fantasy Wiffle
 
With the first week officially in the books, circlecitywiffleball.com/fantasy-wiffle will now transform into the home of all the information you’ll need to keep tabs on your team.
 
Please note that stats and points are updated manually, so allow some time following the completion of games for fantasy stats to be updated.
 
Accomplishments
 
Reid Werner threw a perfect game vs the Pork Pistols on Sunday afternoon. Werner went 6 perfect frames, striking out 16 hitters and becoming only the second pitcher to record a perfect game (Mike Speek Sr., 2017).
 
Austin Church hit 1 home run to become the 9th player to join the 50 home run club.

Josh Hart releases hilarious season preview article

Although he lives 2 hours away and knows less about CCW now than he ever has, Hart has continued the tradition of writing the annual CCW preview article.

The article acts more as a CCW roast than a substantial preview, and nobody is safe from being roasted!

Read the article here: https://www.circlecitywiffleball.com/news/2020-ccw-preview
 

​Opening Week Ripe with Juicy Storylines
 
We are less than a week from Wiffle and this season appears to be the most interesting and competitive yet!
 
Monday: The past two CCW champs, the Noodlers and 8 Balls, will clash on the Dirtyard for Opening Night. Caleb Jonkman, the 2x National Player of the Year, will square off with the current king of the CCW hill, Mike Speek Jr. Both players ranked inside the top 30 in the 2019 installment of The Drop’s top 100 Wiffle players. Jonkman will become the first player to play in all 4 of the major Indiana Wiffle leagues.
 
Tuesday: Both CCW expansion teams, the Hackers and Outlaws, take aim at their first wins. Eric Starke (Hackers) and Aaron Rogers (Outlaws) both feel confident about their rosters, and they’re each looking to buck the trend of expansion teams being doormats for the better CCW franchises. Rogers has already labeled his rookie pitcher, Mitch Buis, as a rookie of the year contender.
 
Wednesday: The Pork Pistols have spent the offseason fuming after getting the short end of the CCW playoff stick last season. Rudy Lyon and the re-tooled Yakkers find themselves on the opposing side of the revenge tour to start the season, but the addition of CCW-slayer Ryan Voges and promising newcomer Dustin Dowden ensures the Yaks will remain a CCW title contender. All things considered, the biggest storyline here MIGHT just be whether or not the lines will be chalked before Hopkins arrives at the field.
 
CCW Fantasy Wiffle
 
The deadline to submit rosters is Tuesday, May 26th (TONIGHT) at 10 PM.
 
When the season begins on June 1st, the CCW Fantasy Wiffle page will transform into the hub for all of the stats and leaderboards you’ll need to track your team’s performance.
 
Confirmed prizes for the best teams include CCW logo hats by Branded Bills and a custom CCW logo drink tumbler! Submit your roster and $10 entry by 10 PM tonight!
 
COVID-19 Update
 
Governor Eric Holcomb has updated the Indiana social distancing guidelines to allow for outdoor recreational activities (such as Wiffle ball). The easing of social restrictions does NOT mean the virus and its dangers are gone; it simply means that hospitals are confident in their ability to handle an influx of patients.
 
We have several at risk individuals within the league and we all likely come into contact with older relatives. PLEASE monitor yourself for symptoms and respect the space of people aiming to keep distance. To help lower risk, teams will be required to bring their own bats and seating.
 
Week 1 Power Rankings
 
Based on average ranking from each coach
 
1.8 Balls (1.3)
2.Short Shorts (2.9)
3.Moonshots (3.6)
4.Yakkers (4.4)
5.Noodlers (4.6)
6.Pork Pistols (4.9)
7.Outlaws (7.1)
8.Hackers (7.3)

1. Mike Speek Jr. – Team Voris
MVP ('19), Cy Young ('19), 2 x CCW Champ
2. Will Smithey – Team Speek
Rookie of the Year ('19)
3. Brian Schaler – Team Lyon
2x Cy Young, CCW Champion ('18), Rookie of the Year ('16)
4. Dakota Rogers – Team Jones
MVP ('17), Silver Slugger ('17), Triple Crown ('17) CCW Champion ('18), ROTY ('15)
5. Brendan Dudas – Team House
3x MVP, 4x Silver Slugger, 4x Triple Crown, CCW Champion ('15)
6. Mike Speek Sr. – Team Gregory
Cy Young ('17), 2x CCW Champion
7. Rudy Lyon – Team Dudas
8. Aidan Palmer  – Team Werner
9. Taylor DeHart – Team Werner
10. Austin Church – Team Dudas
MVP ('14), CCW Champion ('16)
11. Tyler Gregory – Team Gregory
CCW Champion ('18)
12. Blake Voris – Team House
13. Reid Werner – Team Jones
Rookie of the Year ('17)
14. Conor Morris – Team Lyon
CCW Champion ('19)
15. Keegan Caughey – Team Speek
CCW Champion ('15)
16. Christian Leffler – Team Voris
17. Sawyer Mitchell – Team Voris
Cy Young ('15), CCW Champion ('14)
18. James Haworth – Team Speek
19. Drake Capps – Team Lyon
2x CCW Champion
20. Jordan Tackett – Team Jones
Silver Slugger ('14)
21. Cody House – Team House
Cy Young ('14), CCW Champion ('18)
22. Dylan Jones – Team Gregory
23. Brandon Benedict – Team Dudas
CCW Champion ('16)
24. Devon Hensley – Team Werner
Rookie of the Year ('18)
25. Holden Palmer – Team Werner
26. Slater Burger – Team Dudas
CCW Champion ('14)
27. Zach McFarland – Team Gregory
2x CCW Champion
28. Christian Abner – Team House
CCW Champion ('14)
29. Bailey Buescher – Team Jones
30. Thomas Hopkins – Team Lyon
31. Dave Bailey – Team Speek
32. Mason Nickell – Team Voris
CCW Champion ('16)
33. Colin Miller – Team Voris
34. Joshua Hart – Team Speek
CCW Champion ('15)
35. Jake Sprinkle – Team Lyon
36. Michael Plourde – Team Jones
37. Dillon Douthitt – Team House
38. Jeremy McIntyre – Team Gregory
39. Griffin Ball – Team Dudas
40. Jacob Harris – Team Werner

Decision made on season start date
Circle City Wiffle will return to action the week of June 1st. “Opening Week” will feature one matchup per night from Monday, June 1 through Thursday, June 4 and culminate in the Opening Week round robin tourney on Sunday, June 7.
 
The decision to begin the season comes on the heels of Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb’s announcement to ease stay-at-home orders and allow gatherings of up to 25 people.
 
CCW plans to limit the number of people allowed at the Dirtyard while offering solutions for disinfecting bats, balls and hands. The league strongly encourages anyone experiencing symptoms to inform CCW officials and stay home.
 
All games during the CCW season will be live streamed on Periscope (@circlecitywiff) and uploaded to YouTube the following day.

Rule Modifications
The CCW Board met via Zoom Sunday night to discuss modifications to some of the rules heading into 2020. Summaries of these modifications are listed below:

• Runners must reach the halfway point to be awarded the next base on a pitcher's hand dead ball
• Pitches that miss the back stop will no longer be a passed ball
• Following ball 4, if the hitter has chosen to receive lob pitches, the pitcher must step to the front of the mat and throw a "demo-pitch" before proceeding

The 40 best CCW players… ever!?
CCW members, both new and old, took turns selecting players in an all-time CCW player draft. The result was eight 5-player teams and a list of the 40 best Circle City Wifflers of all time.
 
Each coach displayed a unique strategy when picking their team which led to some surprising names rising and falling on the list.
 
The selecting members enjoyed the exercise. One anonymous member wants to see these teams in action: “I want to see these come to life on the field! A weekend draft-style tournament would be an insanely fun and competitive time.”
 
The selection committee, player list and complete rosters will be revealed this week! Stay tuned and prepare to let them know who YOU think picked the best all-time roster.

Dirtyard Dish to return on May 22
After a brief hiatus, Dirtyard Dish will release a new episode this Friday. The original episode schedule included a fantasy Wiffle panel and a season prediction show in the two weeks leading up to Opening Day.
 
With the updated timeline, expect those two topics to be discussed during each of the next two Friday episodes.
 
If you’d like to be included in an episode, please contact @DirtyardDish on Twitter or reach out personally.

​Prizes for CCW Fantasy Wiffle
The season is right around the corner, and fantasy Wiffle rosters are due May 24th! If you haven’t selected your roster yet, head to circlecitywiffleball.com/fantasy-wiffle. Good luck!
 
Circle City Wiffle is pleased to confirm the following prizes, with more to be announced soon:

• Circle City logo tumbler
• Logo hat by Branded Bills
• Circle City t-shirt

Dirtyard Dish’s “CCW Fantasy Wiffle Panel” episode will air THIS Friday. The panelists will offer advice and insight into how they constructed their fantasy rosters.

On This Day
May 17, 2017
Circle City Wiffle brought LIGHT to the Dirtyard!

League Update

• As many of you are well-aware, CCW will NOT start on Sunday, May 17th. We have pushed back until May 31st at the earliest, and we will continue to analyze the situation and update the schedule in 2 week increments. I'm currently brainstorming ways to ensure we're being responsible with all of this while still being able to play Wiffle.
  
• If you have not secured a team sponsor, please make one last effort to do so. A $250 sponsor will earn half off of your team entry fee and a $500 sponsor will waive your fee entirely. The CCW sponsorship flyer can be found in the Google Drive in 'League Info'. Sponsorships/team fees are due by May 24th.
  
• We've been consistently putting out CCW content via the Dirtyard Dish podcast. If you are not subscribed, do that and check out the past episodes! We just completed our "Team Preview" series last week. Dirtyard Dish Playlist
  
• The Dirtyard has undergone some serious cleaning and reorganizing, and Speek Sr. is drawing up an increbile addition to the field that you all will love. I'm really looking forward to taking the field to the next level and improving our game film in 2020!

Fantasy Wiffle

• If you haven't already, please go to CCW Fantasy Wiffle and enter your team. My goal is to get as much league participation as possible, and our numbers have not been great to this point. We've got some CCW hats, tumblers and other items to give away as prizes, and your $10 entry will help support the league. Rosters are currently due May 24th. I will be sending requests for the entry fee shortly.

Around the Wiffle World

• The NWLA Tournament, set to be held in Indy this summer, has been rescheduled for September 18-20. We'll discuss the logistics of all of that in the coming months, but with the current economic climate, we're going to need to work really hard to put on a great event. We'll need all hands on deck in the form of both players AND volunteers.

Moving Forward 

• The CCW Newsletter will be a great way to recognize guys in the league and present that content to the people who care most about it: our players. If you have ideas on things you'd like to see in the newsletter, feel free to offer suggestions. I look forward to handing out Player of the Week honors, sharing milestone achievements and more!
• I think the best way to go about this is to have coaches send me messages with little updates about their team. I'll always be on the lookout for material to post in here, but if you want the league to be aware of an upcoming milestone, weird stat, cool picture, etc, then I'd love to hear about it!

I can't wait to get back out to the Dirtyard! If you or your team wants to set up a small practice, text me and we can work it out!

Best,
Dudas