The Dream Team revisited
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| Topi Hurskainen showed no hesitation in his first games in a JoMa shirt Photograph from Joensuu Facebook (c) Joensuun Maila 2020 |
With all pesäpallo games officially cancelled, including this weekend’s semifinals and final, I decided to look back at the dream team and see how the individual players performed. The Halli-SM group games gave us a chance to see how players are warming up for the 2020 season. The dream team was chosen after carefully looking at the players statistics for 2019, how they performed in their team’s lineup and their fielding positions. The 2019 lineup was:
Batting order
- Tommi Mäentausta (KPL)
- Joni Rytkönen (Sotkamon Jymy)
- Antti Hartikainen (KPL 2019 - Joensuun Maila 2020)
- Teemu Nurmio (IPV)
- Tuomas Jussila (Joensuun Maila 2019 - IPV 2020)
- Juha Puhtimäki (Joensuun Maila)
- Olli Heikkala (Vimpelin Veto)
- Sami Haapakoski (Vimpelin Veto 2019 - Pattijoen Urheilijat Raahe 2020)
- Antti Korhonen (Sotkamon Jymy)
Jokers
- Jukka-Pekka Vainionpää (Seinäjoen JymyJussit)
- Roope Korhonen (Sotkamon Jymy)
- Topi Hurskainen (Kiteen Pallo -90 2019 - Joensuun Maila 2020)
Batting 1st - Outfielder
Tommi Mäentausta (Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat)
In 2019 Mäentausta was the go-to person for the top spot in the dream team lineup, his 144 trips to 1st base and a 69.64% success rate was solid and posed an immediate threat in our lineup. In the Halli-SM group games, Mäentausta has been held to just 4 successful hits to 1st base, averaging 2 per game, compared to 4.97 per game in 2019. Whilst KPL gave a solid performance in both of their group games, neither were high scoring and Mäentausta’s statistics show how difficult it was to get runners on base, with him only having a 36.36% success rate overall.
2019 season
Games: 29 RBI: 0+1 Runs: 63 Hits: 156
1st B: 144 2nd B: 8 3rd B: 3 Success %: 69.64%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 2 RBI: 0+0 Runs: 1 Hits: 4
1st B: 4 2nd B: 0 3rd B: 0 Success %: 36.36%
Batting 2nd - Shortstop
Joni Rytkönen (Sotkamon Jymy)
Rytkönen was a dominant batsman for Sotkamo in 2019 and was a significant part of their successful season. Rytkönen lead the league for runs and had a massive 75.65% success rate across 30 games. In the Halli-SM group games his success rating was close to that in 2019 and hits successful hits were just short of his average per game last year - in 2019 his average hits per game was 6.95 where as in the group games it was 5.5. Rytkönen’s performance was fairly solid, despite Sotkamo failing to qualify for the semi finals in this year’s Halli-SM tournament.
2019 season
Games: 30 RBI: 6+7 Runs: 71 Hits: 202
1st B: 32 2nd B: 144 3rd B: 13 Success %: 75.65%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 2 RBI: 0+0 Runs: 3 Hits: 11
1st B: 3 2nd B: 7 3rd B: 1 Success %: 73.33%
Batting 3rd - 3rd Baseman
Antti Hartikainen (Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat 2019 - Joensuun Maila 2020)
Hartikainen was phenomenal in 2019, leading the league in successful hits. His success rate of moving the point runner was a staggering 82.83% and saw great skill in moving runners to 2nd and 3rd base. Hartikainen did not play in the Halli-SM group games so we cannot compared his performance.
2019 season
Games: 30 RBI: 0+5 Runs: 42 Hits: 222
1st B: 8 2nd B: 90 3rd B: 119 Success %: 82.83%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 0 RBI: 0+0 Runs: 0 Hits: 0
1st B: 0 2nd B: 0 3rd B: 0 Success %: 0%
Batting 4th - Outfielder
Teemu Nurmio (Imatran Pallo-Veikot)
Teemu had a great 2019 with a 78.54% success rate at moving the point runner, he was a vital player for getting IPV in the mix for the final playoff spot. Teemu’s 154 successful hits to 1st base led the league; however he was only able to score 47 times in the season, indicating a lack of support in the batting line up. In the Halli-SM group games Nurmio was tied for second place in terms of the number of successful hits, with the most successful hits to 1st base in the league. His numbers were at or about what you would expect - a great option for our lineup.
2019 season
Games: 30 RBI: 3+0 Runs: 47 Hits: 183
1st B: 154 2nd B: 23 3rd B: 3 Success %: 78.54%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 3 RBI: 0+0 Runs: 3 Hits: 15
1st B: 15 2nd B: 0 3rd B: 0 Success %: 75.00%
Batting 5th - Shortstop
Tuomas Jussila (Joensuun Maila 2019 - Imatran Pallo-Veikot 2020)
Jussila was a perfect compliment to JoMa’s other players in the top of the lineup, often combining with Puhtimäki with phenomenal success. Jussila’s 75.10% success rate at moving the point runner was significant and one of the best in the league overall. Jussila’s ability to move point runners to 2nd base was essential in securing JoMa’s second consecutive championship in 2019. In this year’s Halli-SM group games, Jussila had 10 hits over 2 games, down slightly on his average 6.14 hits per game in 2019. Jussila’s success rating is also down significantly from 75.10% to 55.55%. Having said that, IPV were the only team in the group games to score runs against JoMa. Also, Jussila is still adjusting to his new team and new roles in the lineup, so a slight dip in his stats is expected (especially over 2 games).
2019 season
Games: 28 RBI: 2+7 Runs: 43 Hits: 172
1st B: 33 2nd B: 112 3rd B: 18 Success %: 75.10%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 2 RBI: 0+2 Runs: 2 Hits: 10
1st B: 1 2nd B: 3 3rd B: 4 Success %: 55.55%
Batting 6th - Pitcher
Juha Puhtimäki (Joensuun Maila)
Puhtimäki was the pitcher of the year for 2019 and the player of the year as well, so his inclusion in our dream team was obvious. Puhtimäki has been solid in the role of pitcher in the group games and has been a key factor in JoMa’s outstanding defensive efforts. Whilst Puhtimäki’s success rate was not as good in the group games as it was in the 2019 season, he still produced a comparable number of runs (1.5 per game compared to 2019’s 1.37) and runs batted in (1.67 per game compared to 2019’s 1.17). If anything, his stats in terms of scoring runs and bringing runners home was on the whole an improvement on 2019! The fact that JoMa held SiiPe and Kitee to only 1 run between them over 16 innings is a credit to how he and the whole team are working together defensively as well.
2019 season
Games: 30 RBI: 4+35 Runs: 41 Hits: 160
1st B: 10 2nd B: 38 3rd B: 73 Success %: 64.25%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 3 RBI: 0+5 Runs: 2 Hits: 9
1st B: 1 2nd B: 0 3rd B: 3 Success %: 45.00%
Batting 7th - 1st Baseman
Olli Heikkala (Vimpelin Veto)
Vimpeli had a hugely successful regular season in 2019 and with it Olli Heikkala was a force to be reckoned with. Heikkala had hits across the park and crossing home plate 43 times over 25 games during 2019 with a solid 66.49% success rate at moving the point runner. In the Halli-SM group games, Heikkala’s numbers were a little disappointing and his role in Vimpeli’s opening 2 games was stifled by defensive plays. In the final group game, Vimpeli knew they were heading for the semifinals before the first pitch was thrown, so the pressure was off in many respects. Heikkala was able to get back to some more free play and his numbers in the JymyJussit game improved as a result, hitting 5/8 with a 62% success rate.
2019 season
Games: 25 RBI: 2+6 Runs: 43 Hits: 127
1st B: 61 2nd B: 46 3rd B: 12 Success %: 66.49%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 3 RBI: 0+0 Runs: 0 Hits: 12
1st B: 3 2nd B: 4 3rd B: 5 Success %: 50.00%
Batting 8th - 2nd Baseman
Sami Haapakoski (Vimpelin Veto 2019 - Pattijoen Urheilijat Raahe 2020)
Haapakoski was a perfect partner for Heikkala in Vimpeli and both were crucial at moving runners around the bases. Haapakoski’s 2019 success rate of 73.08% was phenomenal, when combined with his 220 successful hits, 10 kunniajuoksu and 46 runs, it is clear to see that his addition to PattU’s lineup is massive. In the group games, Haapakoski’s success rating was stifled to 50%, but he had a significant impact on the group games themselves, in particular the game against Kempele where he was 4/5 with runners on 3rd base. When you consider that 1 of the 2 group games was against the formidable Sotkamon Jymy, it is easy to see why the stats may be skewed. Never the less, 11 hits in 2 games with 4 runs batted in was a solid performance.
2019 season
Games: 30 RBI: 10+23 Runs: 46 Hits: 220
1st B: 17 2nd B: 75 3rd B: 95 Success %: 73.08%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 2 RBI: 0+4 Runs: 2 Hits: 11
1st B: 2 2nd B: 2 3rd B: 3 Success %: 50.00%
Batting 9th - Catcher
Antti Korhonen (Sotkamon Jymy)
Antti Korhonen is a solid player with a 63.86% success rate and 51 runs batted in over 29 games during the 2019 regular season. Despite a lower success rating and fewer runs batted in per game (0.5 per game compared to 1.76 in 2019), his runs scored is comparable. Overall Sotkamo underperformed in the group games, albeit it was clear that PattU have made big strides forward.
2019 season
Games: 29 RBI: 3+51 Runs: 33 Hits: 152
1st B: 2 2nd B: 30 3rd B: 66 Success %: 63.86%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 2 RBI: 0+1 Runs: 2 Hits: 5
1st B: 0 2nd B: 1 3rd B: 3 Success %: 55.55%
Joker
Jukka-Pekka Vainionpää (Seinäjoen JymyJussit)
Jukka-Pekka was the league leader for runs batted in with 7 kunniajuoksu and 119 RBI in 2019 with190 successful hits (5th highest in the league) and a decent 62.50% percentage at moving the point runner. Jukka-Pekka was a cornerstone for the JymyJussit offence and was central to their success during 2019. In the Halli-SM group games, Vainionpää was significantly restricted in his hitting and he only managed an overall success rating of 39.28%. Vainionpää also was down in terms of bringing runners home safely, bringing on,y 6 home across 3 games. His opening game against Kankaanpää was his worst performance, with only a 22% success rating overall and an uncharacteristic 2/7 with runners on 3rd base.
2019 season
Games: 30 RBI: 7+119 Runs: 18 Hits: 190
1st B: 0 2nd B: 19 3rd B: 45 Success %: 62.50%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 3 RBI: 0+6 Runs: 0 Hits: 11
1st B: 1 2nd B: 0 3rd B: 4 Success %: 39.28%
Joker
Roope Korhonen (Sotkamon Jymy)
2019 was not Roope’s best season, but he still managed to produce big runs in tight spots and lead Sotkamo back to the final. In the group stage games, his offence was limited and Sotkamo lacked the firepower to win their games convincingly as a result. Bringing home 5 runners across 2 games is perhaps not that troubling, but a dip in his success rate percentage from 60.67 to 38.88% is. If Roope had performed at the same success rate as he did in 2019 he would have brought home 9 runs (he was a combined 5/15 with runners on 3rd base). PattU had the best defence against Roope, leaving him 1/6 with runners on 3rd base in their game.
2019 season
Games: 30 RBI: 6+104 Runs: 18 Hits: 179
1st B: 1 2nd B: 11 3rd B: 57 Success %: 60.67%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 2 RBI: 0+5 Runs: 0 Hits: 7
1st B: 0 2nd B: 0 3rd B: 2 Success %: 38.88%
Joker
Topi Hurskainen (Kiteen Pallo -90 2019 - Joensuun Maila 2020)
Topi was a fantastic utility player in 2019 and produced big in both moving runners to 2nd base (117 times) and bringing himself round to score (53 times - 5th highest in the league). His success led to a move to current championship Joensuu during the off season. The move certainly hasn’t had a negative impact on Hurskainen’s performance as he put up some solid numbers in the group games. Hurskainen’s 5 runs is comparable to his 53 last season when looking at runs per game and his success rate at moving the point runner is a steady 66.66%.
2019 season
Games: 29 RBI: 3+6 Runs: 53 Hits: 176
1st B: 35 2nd B: 117 3rd B: 15 Success %: 67.43%
Halli-SM 2020
Games: 3 RBI: 0+0 Runs: 5 Hits: 14
1st B: 2 2nd B: 12 3rd B: 0 Success %: 66.66%
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