2012 All-EWL Team Anthony Morrison, Joey Troupe, Kory Blose, and Adam Vassallo
Three Fish Sticks and a Caucasian have been voted to the 2012 All-EWL Team, which recognizes the four players who receive the most votes for Wiffler of the Year. Three players, Morrison, Joey and Blose, return from last year as repeat members of the All-EWL Team. Vassallo has been named for the first time, replacing Guthrie on the squad.
Morrison, left-fielder and leadoff hitter for the Caucasians, was voted to the team after dominating the EWL throughout the 2012 season. Morrison finished in the top 5 in 11 statistical categories; all of them except triples. His raw power at the plate was unmatched, but he was much more than a power hitter. Morrison hit for average, legged ground balls into hits, and was one of the smartest base runners in the league. He was named a Field Master as one of the best defensive players, and is generally regarded as one of the most well-rounded players in the league.
Joey, who pitches and plays both center and right field for the Fish Sticks, returns to the All-EWL Team after a consistent 2012 season. There may never have been a point when he was the most feared player in the league, but he never slumped, consistently reached base, and drove in buckets of runs for the Sticks. His statistics improved across the board from 2011, and he finished in the top 5 of 10 statistical categories. He led the league in triples and game-winning RBI, and finished in the top 3 of batting average, runs, hits, singles, doubles, RBI, and total bases. He had a down year on the mound, but was solid in the field. He had the fewest home runs of an All-EWL Team member, but he hit the only grand-slam in 2012 (one of two in league history), his 49 RBI were second only to Morrison’s 51, and he drove in a run in 17 of the Fish Stick’s 20 games.
Blose, 2011 Wiffler of the Year, repeats as an All-EWL Team member after another great season for the Fish Sticks. After destroying opposing pitchers during the 2011 regular season and the Fish Sticks 2011 postseason championship run, Blose picked up where he left off in 2012. He wasn’t quite the same unstoppable force that he was in 2011, but pitcher’s didn’t look forward to facing him in 2012. As much as any other hitter, Blose was a threat to go deep at any point in the game; especially in the clutch. He reached base safely in all 20 games of the 2012 season, and had multiple hits in 18 of the 20 games, an incredible feat. His 26 doubles shattered the existing single season record of 10. He was on pace to have a historically great season before slowing down during the stretch run, when he had only 1 RBI and 0 HR during the final 4 games after hitting 20 homers in his first 15 games. He was named a Field Master for the second consecutive year and became a legitimate pitcher after only pitching in relief in 2011. He finished in the top 5 in 9 major offensive categories, had the second most wins with 4, had a perfect W-L record on the mound at 4-0, and had the league’s only converted save.
Vassallo, who has already been named the EWL’s Most Improved Player and a Field Master, is the only new member of the All-EWL Team in 2012. He went from a slightly above average player in 2011 to an elite run-producing power house in 2012. He was the most reliable player for the Fish Sticks in 2012, coming through at some point every game at the plate and in the field. He hit safely in all 20 games, including a 9-hit game against Downtown Bobby Brown where he set the single-game record with a whopping 26 total bases (4 homers, 2 triples, 1 double and 2 singles). Maybe even more impressive than his hit streak, he scored a run in 19 of the 20 games and drove in a run in 17 of 20. At the half-way point in the season, he was in the top 2 of most major offensive categories. He slowed a bit down the stretch, but was one of the most dangerous hitters in the league. He finished in the top 5 of 8 statistical categories.
The only other player to receive a substantial vote count was Brad of Downtown Bobby Brown. Brad had an amazing season defensively and produced big power numbers at the plate.
