Let's take a quick look at the teams that will be competing in this year's Kinsella Classic Series (formerly the World Series), starting with the SJL's Columbus Whalers.
The Whalers are a good contact hitting team with below average home run power and above average speed. Their primary power hitter is 32-year old veteran center fielder Brad Tesh, a player quietly building HOF credentials. He is one of the poorer contact hitters on the team but hit 29 homers and takes a good approach at the plate, walking more than striking out, has speed on the base paths (25 SB/ 6 CS), and remains an above average fielder in center. He also is considered a sparkplug on the field and in the clubhouse. First baseman Curt Carroll is an interesting player, having broken out at age 27 in his third full season with Columbus. After putting up 1.1 WAR each of the past two seasons, he provided 4.6 WAR this year, raising his offensive numbers considerably and playing an excellent defensive first base. Catcher Nathaniel Davis, who joined the Whalers in an off-season trade with Portland, is a weak bat but an excellent defensive back-stop.
And the pitching staff he works with is excellent, giving up the fewest runs in the SJL. The starting rotation, led by future HOF'er Jake Harris, is very good and had the second best staff ERA in the league. The bullpen is good, not great, but stopper Jamar Clay, already a fan favorite at age 22, has electric stuff and can work multiple innings, and will likely be heavily relied upon in a best of 7 series. Young fireballer Walter Hackler could be a wild card in the 'pen. He is still coming into his own but has potential to be a dominant sidearmer. His control is just average and he might still be a bit too prone to the long ball, but with his heading toward elite fastball, hitting triple figures in velocity, and an above average and still improving slider, when he is on he can be lights out.
The biggest absence is 33-year old left fielder Leo Gavilla. Gavilla is the team captain, and like Brad Tesh and Jake Harris, has never worn another WPK uniform in his career. The Whalers will miss not only his leadership on the field, but his fine contact skills and great speed and savvy on the bases.
The Whalers play their home games in Huntington Park, which seats 38,500 fans and plays mostly pretty neutral but favors left-handed hitters a little bit.
