Week 1 Weekend Recap

By: Dane McGrath

Pirates (2-0, 4 points, +10 RDiff)

Greg Myers:

Batting: .167 AVG, .167 SLG, .545 OBP, .712 OPS, 2 RBI, 3 runs

Pitching: 9 IP, 0.00 ERA, .56 WHIP, 17 strikeouts, 2 wins

Chris Durning:

Batting: .667 AVG, .667 SLG, .900 OBP, 1.567 OPS, 2 RBI, 4 runs

Pitching: 1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 2 strikeouts

Jack Liberio:

Batting: .286 AVG, .286 SLG, .500 OBP, .786 OPS, 3 RBI, 1 run

Mike Collins:

Batting: .000 AVG, .200 OBP, .200 OPS, 1 RBI, 2 runs

Honestly, two games might be enough to consider the Pirates a cheat code to RPWL already. The Pirates won both their games against the Diamondbacks and the Dodgers in shut out fashion, both 5-0, with mainly all the credit going to Player of the Week Greg. Myers pitched all but one inning through 2 games without allowing a run and only gave up 1 hit, no-hitting the Diamondbacks, and 4 walks. His command was unreal and his pitches worked all day long, allowing for a lot of room for error for the Pirates at the plate, not that they needed any to begin with. Durning and Liberio provided the Pirates with most of their run production, with both batting a combined .400 and bringing in 6 RBIs through their 2 games played. On top of that, their combined OBP was .700, so whenever they weren’t bringing in the runs, they were the runs themselves. Myers was able to help himself and bring in 2 runs on his own, and Collins had an RBI in his first game back in the league. In addition, Liberio and Durning pitched a combined inning, throwing a shut out with 2 strikeouts and 3 walks.

Pirates vs. Dodgers matchup

Athletics (2-0, 4 points, +7 RDiff)

Dylan Harshaw:

Batting: .286 AVG, 1.143 SLG, .615 OBP, 1.759 OPS, 2 homeruns, 8 RBI, 6 runs

Frankie Campanile:

Batting: .125 AVG, .125 SLG, .462 OBP, .587 OPS, 3 runs

Pitching: 10 IP, 1.00 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 20 strikeouts, 2 wins

Joey Van Houten:

Batting: .200 AVG, .200 SLG, .667 OBP, .867 OPS, 1 RBI, 2 runs

The Athletics started off hot in the 2019 season, both shutting out the Indians, 5-0, and fighting off the Phillies’ late inning rally (6-4) to move onto 2-0. Campanile showed the league why he’s very much in the early Cy Young conversations, allowing his only runs late in the day on his 9th inning of work of the day. In addition, each of his recorded outs were all strikeouts (a week high of 20!!), proving just how dominant this kid can be on the mound. Batting wise, Campanile recorded both of hits against the Indians, and was able to get on base on almost half of his plate appearances. Harshaw was able to slug a homerun in each of his first two games, one coming off Riley Brown and relief pitcher Jimmy Bramwell, as well as being able to bring home 8 of his teams 11 runs throughout the day, but didn’t fare so well on the mound, giving up a 2 earned runs on one hit and 3 walks, all while failing to record an out. JVH was only able to manage 1 hit, but still did his job at the plate by mustering 7 walks on the day, as well as bringing in a run of his own.

Yankees (2-0, 4 points, +5 Rdiff)

Austin Bleacher:

Batting: .600 AVG, 1.300 SLG, .636 OBP, 1.936 OPS, 2 homeruns, 5 RBI, 2 runs

Pat Farrell:

Batting: .000 AVG, .200 OBP, .200 OPS, 1 run

Pitching: 1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 2 strikeouts

Cam Farro:

Batting: .222 AVG, .222 SLG, .300 OBP, .522 OPS, 1 RBI

Pitching: 11 IP, .45 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 19 strikeouts, 1 win

Mike Ward:

Batting: .250 AVG, .250 SLG, .333 OBP, .583 OPS, 2 runs

Through 11 innings pitched on a day, you would think that one’s arm would be missing by the end of the day, never to be seen again for the next 2 or so weeks, but not for Iron Man Cam. Through his 11 innings of work, he only allowed the only one run on 3 hits and 10 walks, all while fanning 19 one the day as the Yankees slipped past the Devil Rays on a hit off, and beat the Astros 5-1. Behind Cam’s heroics on the mound, Bleacher was able to back him up on the plate, posting a league high 6 hits, with two of those being homeruns against the Astros. In that same game, Bleacher also accounted for all of the Yankees 5 runs as well as being able to pitch a combined shut out inning with Farrell. Farro was the hero in game 1, though, bringing home the only run of the day through a hit off. Staying on tabs with the young rookie, Farrell was unable to notch his first career hit throughout the day, but was able to strike out two as well as walk two in his time on the mound. In one of the better feel good stories of the day, after going hitless in every game last season, Mike Ward notched a hit in both of his first two games this year, starting off a respectable .250.

Dodgers (1-1, 2 points, +6 RDiff)

Tommy Loftus:

Batting: .200 AVG, .500 SLG, .529 OBP, 1.029 OPS, 1 homerun, 5 RBI, 7 runs

Pitching: 4 IP, 6.25 ERA, 2.75 WHIP, 7 strikeouts, 1 loss

Brendan Risley:

Batting: .600 AVG, 1.400 SLG, .867 OBP, 2.267 OPS, 1 homerun, 6 RBI, 7 runs

Behn Worley:

Batting: .083 AVG, .083 SLG, .312 OBP, .395 OPS, 3 RBI, 3 runs

Pitching: 5 IP, 3.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 2 strikeouts, 1 win

In a surprising turn of events, Loftus showed us just how good of a wiffleball player he is at the plate instead of on the mound, as the Dodgers split the weekend games with a 5-0 loss to the Pirates and a lopsided 17-6 win against the Diamondbacks. While not being able to do much at the dish against the Pirates, Loftus exploded against the Diamondbacks with 5 RBIs and a homerun, as well as having a keen eye at the plate with 6 walks. Despite his name being Tommy Loftus, and being hailed wiffleboy part 2, posted a 6.25 ERA on the day, giving up 3 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks in 3 innings pitched with only 5 strikeouts against the Pirates, and giving up 2 earned runs on 5 walks with 2 strikeouts in 1 inning. None of that really seemed to phase him as some of his pitches were drop-dead gorgeous. With their top pitcher not playing like himself, Worley stepped up, giving up an earned run on 2 hits and 5 walks with 2 strikeouts on 4 innings pitched, all while grabbing a win against the limping Diamondbacks. Worley also brought in 3 runs of his own during that same game, as well as scoring 3 times himself. He didn’t do so hot against the Pirates, though, allowing 2 earned runs on 1 hit all in one inning. Risley was able to start strong, hitting a grand slam against the Diamondbacks and notching the only hit Myers allowed during the weekend, bringing in 6 RBIs on the day as well as scoring 7 runs.

Phillies (1-1, 2 points, +4 RDiff)

Colin Pollag:

Batting: .375 AVG, 1.500 SLG, .643 OBP, 2.143 OPS, 3 homeruns, 9 RBI, 6 runs

Pitching: 4 IP, 6.25 ERA, 3.50 WHIP, 8 strikeouts, 1 win, 1 loss

Jimmy Bramwell:

Batting: .400 AVG, .400 SLG, .600 OBP, 1.000 OPS, 3 RBI, 4 runs

Pitching: 2½ IP, 6.00 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, 3 strikeouts

Andrew Kelly:

Batting: .250 AVG, .250 SLG, .571 OBP, .821 OPS, 1 RBI, 2 runs

JayPaul Volpone:

Batting: .143 AVG, .571 SLG, .600 OBP, 1.171 OPS, 1 homerun, 3 RBI, 3 runs

Pitching: 2½ IP, 4.00 ERA, 2.80 WHIP, 3 strikeouts

The Phillies were also able to split their weekend series, winning 10-4 against the Indians, and losing 6-4 against the Athletics. Colin leads the league with 3 controversial homeruns, dubbed “TapeGate”, all while bringing in 9 runs, as he shakes off his terrible year last year and once again places himself as an offensive juggernaut. Against the Indians, he knocked in 7 of those 9 runs through 2 homeruns, all while pitching 4 innings of 2 run ball with 8 strikeouts. Against the A’s, Pollag hit his 3rd homerun of the day but couldn’t get through an inning of pitching, allowing 3 runs on 4 walks, but the same couldn’t be said in his outing against the Indians, going through 4 innings, allowing only 2 runs on 10 walks and 8 strikeouts. Bramwell seems to forget what a sophomore slump is, getting 2 hits in both games and bringing in atleast one run. Jimmy also got to get some play on the bump, doing better than his captain against the Athletics, allowing 3 runs on 2 hits and 4 walks thru 2½ innings pitched. Kelly continues to have a strong eye at the plate, getting on base in more than half of his at bats, as well as bringing in a run. Volpone continues his early Cinderella story, hitting a homerun in his first game of the season, as well as being able to get on base 60% of the time his number was called. Although he’s still having some hiccups on the mound, Pone pitched an inning against the Indians, giving up 2 runs on 1 hit and 4 walks, all while striking out 1, and pitched an inning and a half of no run ball against the a’s, striking out and walking 2.

Astros (1-1, 2 points, -3 RDiff)

Ryan Drecher:

Batting: .000 AVG, .455 OBP, .455 OPS

Pitching: 8 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 15 strikeouts

Vinny Albanese:

Batting: .125 AVG, .125 SLG, .222 OBP, 1 RBI

Wayne Shambo:

Batting: .125 AVG, .125 SLG, .222 OBP

Nate Smith:

Batting: .333 AVG, .333 SLG, .600 OBP, .933 OPS, 1 run

Pitching: 4 IP, 6.25 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 8 strikeouts, 1 loss

You would think Teddy pitching 8 scoreless innings with 15 strikeouts, and allowing less than a runner on base per inning, and out-pitching his rival Soup in the game of the week would be the hottest storyline coming from the Astros camp, but you’d be dead wrong. During the ‘Stros hit off win against the Devil Rays, and their 5-1 loss to the Yankees, longtime wiffleballer Wayne Shambo made his comeback, and after going hitless all last season, notched the only hit in the game of the week. As before mentioned, Drecher went hitless on the day but pitched 8 shutout innings. On the other hand, the long ball definitely hurt Smith as he pitched 4 innings against the Yankees and gave up 5 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks and fanned 8. At the plate, Smith had 2 of the Astros 3 hits and scored the only run in regulation against the Yankees. Albanese had the other hit for the Astros, as well as being the reason for the Astros only win through the hit off. The same narrative still reigns true for the young team but they showed some promise, as they only batted .143 as a team, and as low as that seems, was only the fourth worst in the league this week.

Devil Rays (0-2, 2 points, -2 RDiff)

Connor Young:

Batting: .000 AVG, .154 OBP, .154 OPS

Pitching: 8 IP, 0.00 ERA, .50 WHIP, 16 strikeouts

Joe Schlindwein:
Batting: .000 AVG, .545 OBP, .545 OPS

Zack Strom:

Batting: .000 AVG, .077 OBP, .077 OPS

Pitching: 6 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 11 strikeouts

It seems to me that the Devil Rays forgot that someone needs to actually cross the plate to score a run, as they neither scored nor gave up a run during the week, losing both their games to the Yankees and the Astros in a hit off, something no team has done in our league’s short tenure. Soup pitched 8 shut out innings, with 7 of those coming against Astros, where he only gave up 1 hit, 3 walks, and struck out 14. Against the Yankees, he pitched a flawless, 2 strikeout inning. Strom followed suit, pitching 6 shutout innings against the Yankees, but allowed 4 hits, 2 walks, and striking out 11. Strom and Soup are showing the league early how they just might be the best pitching rotation in the league so far. During their two games, the Rays were unable to put the bat on the ball hard enough to notch a base hit, with the only bright spot in the batting order being Schlindwein, where he posted a .545 OBP. Once this team starts seeing the ball, expect them to rise in the standings and become and extremely tough team to beat.

Indians (0-2, 0 points, -11 RDiff)

Dennis Donegan:

Batting: .333 AVG, .333 SLG, .636 OBP, .969 OPS, 2 RBI

Pitching: 1 IP, 30.00 ERA, 8.00 WHIP, 2 strikeouts

Riley Brown:

Batting: .000 AVG, .308 OBP, .308 OPS, 1 run

Pitching: 8 IP, 5.62 ERA, 2.50 WHIP, 10 strikeouts, 2 losses

Josh Butler:

Batting: .000 AVG, .667 OBP, .667 OPS, 1 RBI, 1 run

Richie Moore:

Batting: .000 AVG, .545 OBP, .545 OPS, 1 RBI, 2 runs

The Indians are the first team to drop their first two games of the season, losing 10-4 to the Phillies and 5-0 to the Athletics. The only thing that wasn’t surprising for the Indians was Donegan’s ability to put the ball on the bat, getting the only hit in both their games. Despite how good he was at the plate, he had a meltdown in his only inning pitched, allowing 6 runs on 2 hits and 6 walks, with one long ball and two strikeouts. The pitching woes weren’t only just for Dennis, as the one of the best pitchers in the league last year, Riley Brown, allowed 4 runs on 4 hits and 6 walks through 5 against the Phillies, 5 runs on 2 hits and 8 walks through 4 against the A’s. He also surprised the league by not being able to get a hit, something unlike the kid who was able to dominate the league without even trying last year. Neither Butler nor Moore were able to get a hit either in the first circuit of games. The only bright spot for the Indians that they can build off of is the fact that 3/4 of their lineup got on base over 50% of their plate appearances.

Diamondbacks (0-2, 0 points, -16 RDiff)

Sean Bingnear:

Batting: .000 AVG, .400 OBP, .400 OPS, 2 runs

Pitching: 4 IP, 16.25 ERA, 5.00 WHIP, 8 strikeouts, 2 losses

Eddie Bleacher:

Batting: .200 AVG, .200 SLG, .600 OBP, .800 OPS, 2 runs

Jimmy Davis:
Batting: .000 AVG, .375 OBP, .375 OPS, 2 RBI, 2 runs

Zane Johnston:

Batting: .125 AVG, .125 SLG, .300 OBP, .425 OPS, 1 RBI

Pitching: 6 IP, 5.00 ERA, 2.17 WHIP, 11 strikeouts

Speaking of meltdowns, nobody can seem to understand what went wrong with the Diamondbacks this past weekend, dropping both games to the Pirates and Dodgers, 5-0 and 17-6, respectively. The Diamondbacks failed to pick up a hit against the Pirates and captain Bignear only pitched 2 innings, where he gave up 5 runs, 4 earned, on 1 hit and 7 walks and 4 strikeouts. Johnston backed him up, allowing no runs and no hits through 3 innings. Against the Dodgers, where Bingnear likes to describe “pitching through hurricane force winds”, pitched another 2 innings, giving up 11 runs, 9 earned, on 2 hits and 10 walks, only striking out 4. “Wing gate” seemed to have the same effect on Johnston, where he pitched 3 innings against the Dodgers, allowing 6 on 3 hits and 5 walks, striking out 5. Zane was able to pick up a hit and an RBI, with Eddie Bleacher doing the same minus the RBI. Jimmy Davis was able to walk in 2 runs of his own.